When I was pregnant I received so much advice. Family and friends, random people in the grocery store, social media, the internet - they all had advice to give me even when I wasn't asking for it. So how do you sort through all this advice? How do you know what to listen to and… Continue reading Advice for new parents
Author: Michele Antunes RN
I am a Registered Nurse currently working as a Health Promotion Specialist. I am the mother of 2 children and have worked for Toronto Public Health for 30 years in a number of different areas. Currently my focus is on promoting the importance of the early years and working towards making Toronto a child-friendly city for all children to grow and thrive.
Things to do with your baby or young child during lockdown
Are you struggling with how to keep your child engaged and healthy during the COVID-19 pandemic? Are you running out of ideas and activities? Here are a few tips to help your day go a little easier: Keep a daily routine. Children do well when they know what to expect and breaking the day into… Continue reading Things to do with your baby or young child during lockdown
Healthy sleep routines for your baby
Have you ever heard the phrase "sleeping like a baby"? It usually means that the person had a really good sleep. But ask any new parent and they will tell you that most babies don't "sleep like a baby". Many new parents struggle with helping their baby fall asleep or their baby waking often in… Continue reading Healthy sleep routines for your baby
A recipe for wellness
These are difficult times and the pandemic is testing our resilience. We are doing things that we may have never done before, such as home schooling, staying away from our family and friends and working from home. Our routines have changed and we may be feeling that we have no control over what is happening… Continue reading A recipe for wellness
Building resilience: What is it and why is it important?
This is the fourth part of my brain development series. As a quick summary of this series, I've shared: Part One: How the brain develops Part Two: How to build better brains Part Three: The impact of early life experiences on the brain This last and final part will focus on resilience. "Resilience is not… Continue reading Building resilience: What is it and why is it important?
The impact of early life experiences on the brain
This is the third part of the brain development series. Part 1 talked about how brains are built Part 2 talked about how serve and return builds better brains In this part of the brain development series, we will learn how early life experiences can impact your health and well-being later in life. There was a huge… Continue reading The impact of early life experiences on the brain
How to build better brains
This is the second part of the brain development series. The first part explained how brains develop, now the focus will be on how to build better brains. I recently read a story about a boy who planted two identical seeds in two different types of soil – one rich in nutrients and the other… Continue reading How to build better brains
Baby’s brain development
Have you ever wondered about how your baby's brain develops? Well, science tells us that the experiences we have in the first few years of our life affect how our brains get built and that this early brain development impacts our health later in life. These impacts can be positive or negative. But how does… Continue reading Baby’s brain development
Tips to be an active family
We know the benefits of physical activity. We all need to move more and sit less. Being active helps us build strong bones and muscles, it makes us feel better physically and emotionally and it's good for our heart. Research shows that families play a big role in influencing how active their children are. The… Continue reading Tips to be an active family
Child care centres are re-opening!
Child care centres are re-opening after COVID. You may not know whether to jump for joy or worry yourself sick. You have been following all the ways to help reduce the virus spread and kept your family safe at home and now it's time to send your little ones back in to the world. Child… Continue reading Child care centres are re-opening!