When do we start to educate our kids? A big question with a simple answer. Our kids’education begins at their birth.

Is there any pace?

Each child has their own learning pace and we must respect it. During their first two years of life, their brain evolves very quickly. This evolution can be witnessed with their development: their first steps, their first words…

But there are also other internal changes, which are difficult to observe, such as what they hear, see or think. There are different stages of growth and development and every child develops at their own pace reaching different milestones.
Is early stimulation beneficial? Early stimulation is a good things as long as it is not aimed to push your child to become a “genius”. It is important for parents to enjoy their kid’s childhood by playing with them and showing them love and respect. It seems quite basic but I often meet parents who forget to just enjoy their child for what he is.

What is early stimulation? They are a set of techniques aimed to develop children aged 0 to 6 years old.  They are generally used with children that have some type of development issues (motor, cognitive, sensory, communicative, emotional …) or might have difficulties acquiring some of the functions.

What’s the goal? The main goal of early stimulation’s techniques is to develop intellectual, physical, emotional and social skills during the children’s first years of life. By stimulating neural connections in their brain through sensory techniques, kids can explore their full potential and expand their possibilities in future learning.

And how does a baby’s brain work? The brain is a complex organ that gives meaning to experiences through emotions and thoughts. Neuropsychological development is the process associated with the growth of the brain structure and the brain’s functions in relation to behaviour. This development starts when the baby interacts with their environment.

The development of the nervous system occurs in different phases, following the brain’s growth.

Before all these steps … Let’s talk about what kind of education we will give to our baby! Crying, sleeping, feeding and education are four subjects that may bring confrontation between the 2 parents. It is essential that parents act as team and reach an agreement about how to educate their children.

Education is key for a healthy development. Parents need to learn how to guide their baby without sabotaging their creativity. Early stimulation helps in many cases but the most important thing is to go to a good professional and give loads of love and understanding to your kid.

By Natalia Martín de la Huerga,

When you give birth, especially if you are a first time mother, you can find yourself obsessed with taking pictures of your little one.

I am the mother of 5 kids and I like to take pictures of them everyday. I always discover new things about photography.

In this article I have outlined a few essential tips to take beautiful pictures of your baby.

Do I need a camera?

No. You can actually take great pictures with your phone. The good thing about taking pictures with your phone is that you always have it with you, so you can capture memories at anytime.

One picture was taken with my phone and the other one with a Reflex camera. Can you tell which is which?

What makes a great picture?

Taking pictures is an art in itself but to start this simple tip will help: ensure that the focus of the picture is not in the centre but slightly shifted to one side. If you put your baby’s face at a point other than the centre, the whole picture will acquire another dimension to the viewer.

Give more movement and depth to your picture by playing with perspectives and lines. This can be created with furniture (bassinet, changing mat), linen, the walls of the bedroom, the floor or the baby’s curves.

Look around you and take several shots of the same scene by changing the position of the camera: whatever you do, remember that there isn’t a right or wrong option. They are just options, and exploring them will help you find the composition that best suits what you want to convey.

A clever combination of colours is also a key part of a good picture.  Take advantage that babies don’t move too much and play the “stylist” trying different outfits or adding a cover for your maxi-cosi or a swaddle.

If you want to create a vintage picture that has a timeless feel, why not add a black & white filter?

Unleash your creativity!

A picture with the right light

By changing the orientation and quality of light we can achieve totally different effects. Newborn babies will have to be placed in a horizontal position either sideways or facing up/down. Finding a good lighting will allow you to create contrast between light and dark areas.

Avoid frontal lights that don’t generate shadows and lights that go from the chin to the forehead  (which reminds us of the effect of a flashlight when we explain horror stories…). Whenever you can avoid direct sunlight and very direct lamps.

The ideal light would be a side lighting and indirect light. Drapes are your friends!

Just stand next to a window and make sure the light will come on one of your baby’s cheeks or from the forehead to the chin if your baby is lying down.

Can you guess the direction of the light in these 2 pictures?

When is the best time to take pictures of your baby?

It is never a bad time to take a picture of your baby, but the best time will depend on how old your baby is. During their first weeks of life, babies have little control over their muscles and often make involuntary expressions when they are awake and they are not exactly flattering. I would recommend taking pictures while they sleep. In that way, you can capture their sweet and delicate expressions. As they grow and learn to smile, new photographic possibilities emerge.

Keep in mind several key stages of development: the first two or three days babies typically have many red marks on their skin, but they disappear quickly. After ten days of life (sometimes sooner, sometimes later) their skin sheds completely. After a few weeks, the first signs of neonatal acne can appear and their face might look full of red or white spots on the cheeks, forehead, neck, etc.

You can photograph your baby dressed, naked, awake or asleep in your arms, in his brother’s, his father’s or in his crib. Have fun taking pictures in different moments: while changing their diaper, while bathing, while eating … The only photo that you’ll regret is the one you didn’t take.

Go a step further

When you think about taking pictures of your baby, you are probably thinking about portraying their face. But there are many more things that can be interesting to capture that, over time you will appreciate. If your camera allows you, take pictures of small details. Get closer to your baby and photograph their hands, their feet or even their belly button. Find new angles, new perspectives, and have fun shooting. Include their brothers and sisters in the scene.

And a final recommendation is that you try to appear in the pictures as well. Having a picture breastfeeding or rocking your baby is priceless. And if you can’t do it on your own, don’t hesitate to hire a photographer!

By Victòria Peñafiel · Newborn baby photographer

www.victoriapenafiel.com · Facebook · Google+

When we find out that we will become a mum, a rush of happiness invades us. Pregnancy is one of the most special and important moments for women.  During pregnancy, we experience many changes, physically but also psychologically. This is an article full of tips for mums to be.

How to adapt to body changes?

It is normal to feel tired and experience symptoms such as stretch marks on your belly and breasts.

There are several solutions to combat these discomforts.

For example, if you feel nauseated or you feel like throwing up, you can try to drink lemonade, ginger or watermelon.

Some yoga postures can help alleviate nausea symptoms such as: supta virasana, naddha konasana, viparita karani, yoga deep breathing o adho mukha swastikasana.

Eating bananes can help fight fatigue.

To prevent and treat stretch marks we recommend moisturizing the skin.

How to manage our emotions during pregnancy?

It is common to be more in touch with our emotions during pregnancy. It seems like feelings and emotions are intensified. We recommend not to deny or block our emotions. It is very important to mange them in a healthy way.

If you are feeling stressed or worried, we recommend relaxation techniques.

Don’t worry if at one point you feel extremely happy and a few seconds later you feel sad.

When time to giving birth gets closer anxiety and worries can increase. We recommend to keep calm and be confident about yourself.

Some tips to enjoy pregnancy:

Exercise It is healthy for you and the baby to exercise in a moderate intensity such as long walks, yoga, pilates and swimming.

Stop bad habits: Avoid completely alcohol and tobacco

Rest & sleep loads: If you feel tired, rest. It is completely normal to feel more tired than usual when you are pregnant.

Vitamins boost: Make sure you are following a healthy diet that includes vitamins such as folic acid, iron and iodine.

By Natalia Martín de la Huerga, psicoterapeuta, investigadora y neuropsicóloga especializada en atención infantil