S6 EP29: 6-15 Month Essentials - Growing Independence, Mobility, Separation Anxiety & Developmental Boundaries

This podcast episode from Moms On Call explores key developmental milestones and practical parenting strategies for children aged 6 to 15 months, focusing on motor skills, exploration, and emotional development. Jennifer and Laura discuss the rapid progression from crawling to walking, the development of fine motor skills like the pincer grasp and self-feeding with a fork, and how increased physical activity can support better sleep.

This week on the Moms on Call podcast Laura and Jennifer begin the 6-15 Month Essentials series. They’ll talk about how this age is marked by growing physical abilities, emerging personalities, and strong habit-forming tendencies, making it an ideal time to establish healthy patterns. They outline sleep expectations and routines, noting that the main transition is from two naps to one and the dropping of the cat nap around seven months, with structured daily schedules beginning at 7:00 AM to align with maturing circadian rhythms.

It’s a bonus episode in the Newborn Essentials Series this week as Jennifer and Laura provide advice on establishing routines for infants and toddlers, emphasizing the importance of creating scripts for daily life to connect feeding and sleep rhythms. They’ll advocate for flexibility within routines, allowing parents to adapt to life's unpredictability while maintaining a sense of predictability and structure. They stress the importance of parenting out of truth rather than fear, encouraging parents to trust their intuition and adapt their approach to each child's unique needs.

This week in episode three of The Newborn Sleep Essentials Series, Jennifer and Laura talk about those short naps. They’ll address common concerns about short naps in infants, explaining that variability in nap quality is normal and offering strategies to manage nap times effectively. Plus, they’ll talk about the importance of creating a conducive sleep environment and allowing children some independent time to explore and develop.

This week on the Moms on Call Podcast, Jennifer and Laura are continuing the Newborn Sleep Essentials and deep diving into creating a routine for success for your newborn. They’ll talk about the benefits of aligning feeding times with the body's natural rhythms to aid digestion and promote better sleep. Plus, addressing common challenges, such as managing unpredictable wake windows and the importance of a consistent bedtime routine for long-term family bonding.

We’re kicking off a brand new series to the Moms on Call Podcast: The Essentials Series! Over the next three months, Laura and Jennifer will be going into the most important things you need to know for your newborn into toddler-hood! They’re starting it with the newborn sleep essentials, emphasizing the importance of establishing routines to help babies sleep through the night. Jennifer and Laura explain strategies include maintaining a consistent sleep environment, using white noise, and ensuring regular feeding intervals during the day to help set a baby's internal clock. Plus, the importance of parenting out of truth rather than fear and limiting overwhelming input from various sources.

This week on the Moms on Call podcast, Jennifer and Laura welcome Liz Sommer Wilcox, RD, Registered Dietitian at Nurture Life, to share practical tips for feeding kids well. She shares her insights on feeding children and the importance of creating a positive mealtime environment. Liz, who is a part of Nurture Life, emphasizes the benefits of involving children in meal preparation to combat picky eating and promote a healthy relationship with food. She discusses the significance of balanced nutrition, highlighting the need for variety and repeat exposure to different foods. The episode also addressed common parental concerns about picky eating and portion sizes, offering practical advice to alleviate mealtime stress.  For 55% off your order + FREE shipping, visit NurtureLife.com/LIZ and use code LIZ.

Amy Knoxville just transitioned her 5 month old son to swaddling him at night but letting his arms out. He sleeps great for a few hours but then he wakes himself up and can’t get settled or stay asleep for more than like 20 minutes at a time. Did she make the transition too early…or too late?

This week on After Hours Jennifer and Laura are joined by Moms on Call consultant Alexandra Pereira. A former cardiac ICU and NICU nurse, she shares her experiences as a mother of three young children, discussing the importance of consistent boundaries and the challenges of parenting multiple children. Alex emphasized the significance of creating a structured environment for children, which helps in building their confidence and decision-making skills. She also highlighted the value of maintaining calm amidst the chaos of family life, using strategies like contact napping and engaging children in activities to manage daily routines. These insights reflect the core philosophy of Moms On Call, which is to empower parents with the tools and confidence to thrive in their parenting journey. Follow Alex on Instagram at @em.parent.ment

If you have an early riser, this is the episode you are going to want to hear! Turns out, the answer to get them to sleep in might actually be getting them to bed earlier. Yes, it sounds counterintuitive but it’s the truth and Jennifer and Laura will explain why this week on the podcast. Then, a mom in Michigan has a daughter that won’t stop eating her hair. How does she get her to stop?