LilSugar

Understanding Baby Talk

babysugar — Mon, 05 May 2008 13:00:00 -0700

People say that moms can tell the difference between their newborn's cries. But, I felt like a complete loser when I couldn't distinguish the hunger cry from the tired whimper.

Then, I saw a special Oprah show that had me hanging on every word. Oprah's guest Priscilla Dunstan revealed five infant words and their meanings.

To see what the words are and what they mean, read more.

Priscilla Dunstan was a talented violinist and opera singer who had, according to her father, a photographic memory for sound. She could hear a concert on the piano and play it back note for note.

Dunstan had her own child and became familiar with his language almost immediately. Curious to see if other children spoke the same lingo, she examined thousands of babies with worldly backgrounds. She tested her theory over nine years and through three independent international studies. In the end, her results confirmed what she had believed – there is a universal baby language, which is now called the Dunstan Baby Language. Here are the five basic words:

Eh – Burp Me
Eairh – I have wind (gas)
Neh – I'm hungry
Heh – Change me
Owh – I'm sleepy

After watching her explain her theory and then applying the lesson to my own child, I quickly realized that she was on to something. My daughter made those same sounds and often, they followed those examples.

For moms struggling to understand their babes, the $49 Dunstan System may be a good investment. For me, it was enough to just know the five "words" in my wee one's vocabulary.

Did your tot use these same sounds?

Baby Talk: Jessica Alba on Pregnancy

LilSugar — Mon, 28 Jan 2008 12:00:00 -0800

Everything is coming up babies these days. Expecting actress Jessica Alba swung by the Today Show to chat up her new movie, The Eye with host, Matt Lauer, but the two got a bit off subject joking about the "red elephant in the room," morning sickness, and the starlet's blessed life.

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Tell Mommy: What Was Your Toughest Postpartum Moment?

babysugar — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 00:05:58 -0800

An inspiration to many mothers who suffer from postpartum depression, superstar mama Brooke Shields continues to give hope to new moms through her raw and honest revelations. A spokesperson for the debilitating disease and depression, she recently spoke at the Hope for Depression Research Foundation in Manhattan where she recalled a harrowing moment in her life. She said:

I finally had a healthy beautiful baby girl and I couldn't look at her... I couldn't hold her and I couldn't sing to her and I couldn't smile at her... All I wanted to do was disappear and die... That was the week I almost did not resist driving my car straight into a wall on the side of the freeway... My baby was in the back seat and that even pissed me off because I thought she's even ruining this for me. I just wanted to drive into the wall and my friend stayed on the phone with me and made me safely get home.

It takes guts to talk about those dark moments but her story undoubtedly gives hope to many women who are having similar experiences. If you care to share, tell us what your toughest postpartum moment was.

Feeling overwhelmed by motherhood? Join our A Place to Vent group over in our LilSugar Community and share your plight with other moms who understand.

Ladies' Home Journal: The New Nicole Kidman Is a Woman's Woman

babysugar — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 14:00:28 -0800

Oscar and Golden Globe-winning actress, producer, and vocalist are just a few things Nicole Kidman can rattle off from her long list of accomplishments. But the role the gorgeous red head relishes most is being a mother and wife in her new hometown of Nashville. As country crooner Keith Urban's partner, she is happy to sit back for a bit and let the spotlight shine brightly on him while she spends the majority of her time raising their young daughter, Sunday. The 42-year-old mother recently took time to sit down with Ladies' Home Journal where she talked about her content lifestyle and her desire to give back to the community.

On living in Nashville:

I love living here. . . . It's a long way from New York and Los Angeles, but that's part of the attraction. I feel protected here, especially now that I have the baby. . . . There are certain limitations to my career because I'm based here. And that's cool. Keith has enormous ambitions, which I support. His tours and albums are much bigger than what I'm doing right now.

On how she cherishes her new life:

I was running from my life, in a way. . . . My imaginary life was better than my flesh-and-blood life. That's a sad thing to say, but it was. Now I love my real life so much it requires an enormous belief in a film to want to take it on. . . . I think that we're in the world to connect. Because that's what you're left with. You're not left with your houses or awards or money, you're left with the people that you built relationships with.

On UNIFEM, a charity she has worked with for years:

It's so they'll [battered women] have a place to call. A lot of women are so terrified; they'll go to the police or court and don't win. We can set up shelters and raise money. . . . I'm constantly trying to find new ways to give back. . . . Women are nurturers. There's so much we can do with the power of our feelings, the power of our sensitivity.

To see what the leggy lady has to say about being a strong woman, her past divorce, and her marriage to the hunky, honky-tonk star, just read more.

On how she was raised to be a strong woman:

She wanted us to have a sense of our place in the world. . . . She didn't want us to be shaped by our relationship with boys. She wanted us to focus on our intellect instead.

On how she and her sister Antonia made it through their divorces:

A lot of it was literally holding each other and listening. . . . Our motto is, "Just get in there. Don't retreat. Stay in it."

On her marriage to Keith Urban:

Keith and I have a very honest, profound marriage, which we both contribute to every day. . . . We have a phrase, "Does this contribute to the good of our union?" Because that's what's most important. I love being in love. I believe in the power of love, the way it can heal. The more you keep choosing it - because there are times when you can choose to be angry at the person or to love him - the more it nourishes a family.

The Pregnancy Posse: Mama-to-Be at 24 Weeks

Lil Community — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 06:00:53 -0800

This story was submitted from member KWM in our The Pregancy Posse group.

My husband and I took a little "babymoon" to Hawaii last week for some quality time before our lives change forever in February. It was really nice to relax together and gave me a chance to show off my baby bump on the beach! Anybody else have bumps to share?

Want to talk pregnancy with other expectant mamas? Join The Pregnancy Posse over in our LilSugar Community and share your stories, recipes and photos! If you have a post you want to see featured on LilSugar private message me here to pitch your ideas. I can't wait to hear them.

Mommy Dearest: How Should I Deal With Gender Issues?

babysugar — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 13:45:44 -0800

Mommy Dearest,

I have a 4-year-old little girl who seems to fit into the stereotypes surrounding children her age; she loves princesses, makeup, and playing with baby dolls. In an effort to get her to branch out, I have signed her up for soccer with other boys and girls her age. At first, the playtime was terrific - boys and girls running elbow to elbow. Then the coach decided to split them up by gender. Kids generally play with their own sex, so I understood his rationale for dividing them, but at this past practice he decided it was time for the boys to play football while the girls still kicked the ball around. When one of the girls asked the coach why the boys got to play football, he said, "The boys have gotten really good at soccer so we're letting them play football. You guys still need to work on your soccer." All of the mothers on the sideline gasped. While the coach may be right, he is already starting to pigeonhole them into the stereotypes that we moms are trying so hard to avoid. They are such an impressionable age and they are already starting to hear that boys are better than them. I would like to talk with the coach about it, but I don't seem to have the right words. Do you have any advice?

- Antistereotype Soccer Mom

To see Mommy Dearest's response, just read more.

Antistereotype Soccer Mom,

Parents are often conflicted with how to share a gender-divided world with their children. It is commendable that you are trying to take actions to show your girly daughter the other facets of life that don't include tutus and lip gloss, but you may find that not everyone is like minded. It seems the coach could use some, er, coaching in stereotyping. He is probably used to straight talk and may appreciate the candor of a sideline mommy. Rather than make a big issue out of it, I'd simply tell him you want the girls to have the same learning experience as the boys. The larger concern at hand would be how he manages to tell the girls about their routine. I would ask him to explain to the girls that they are equal to the boys and ready to roll with the flag-football punches.

- Mommy Dearest

Submit a question for this feature at the Mommy Dearest Group on our new community page.

What Do You Know About Postpartum Depression?

LilSugar — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 08:00:47 -0800

After giving birth some mamas find themselves seeing blue - no matter what the sex of their new baby. Postpartum depression (PPD) is a common side effect of giving birth that, if dealt with properly, can be nothing more than a bump in the road. It's more common that most think. In fact, more than 20 percent of LilSugar readers suffered from PPD. Take the quiz to see how much you know about postpartum depression, but if you feel like you're depressed, it's always a good idea to talk to your doctor.

Take the quiz

Lil Links: Suri Still Hitting the Bottle

babysugar — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 11:00:24 -0800

The Urbans take a stroll in the leaves - Celebrity Baby Blog
Woman to broadcast her birth live on the Internet - TrésSugar
When milestones happen without mom - CafeMom
Do you find kids are more stressed than ever? - ParentDish
Suri is still hitting the bottle - Celebrity Baby Scoop
Should we retire the word cougar? - MomLogic
What's your talk-back policy - Momversation
Can you prevent pre-term labor? - Parenting
Secrets to a healthy, happy family - Health

What Do You Know About Baby Talk?

LilSugar — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 15:00:08 -0800

No doubt about it, moms and dads can hardly wait to hear their babe's first words. While there are some great things you can do to encourage language development in babies, the main thing most tots need is a little time. Before stressing about your little one's speech (or lack thereof) take this quiz to see how well you know baby talk.

Take the quiz

Lil Links: Tori and Stella Have a Mama-Daughter Day of Shopping

babysugar — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 11:00:14 -0700

The Wahlbergs have another girl on the way - Celebrity Baby Blog
Mom shoes for the Fall - Momologie
Is it safe to paint the nursery? - CafeMom
When is the right time to have the sex talk? - ParentDish
Tori and Stella stroll the shops - Celebrity Baby Scoop
Does cleaner air mean fewer ear infections? - MomLogic
Hoot! Hoot! A last minute owl costume - Alpha Mom
Trick-or-treating and the swine flu - Parenting
What do you look for in a pumpkin patch? - The Poop