Although the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends exclusive breastfeeding until a baby is at least six months old, supplementing with formula also has benefits. Breastfeeding during the day and bottle-feeding at night allows you to get more sleep since it lets your partner participate more in feeding your infant.

Toddlers are naturally curious and energetic, often much to their parent's chagrin. Your 2-year-old's whirlwind personality means you're constantly on the go and chasing after your tiny ball of energy. Still, it's likely your pediatrician won't be alarmed. Hyperactivity disorders aren't typically diagnosed until age 4.

Although babies learn how to speak at different rates, almost all little ones learn how to form words and sentences in a similar order, beginning with single syllables and graduating to more complex ideas like tense.

Most cases of hives in babies are mild and go away on their own, so treatment generally centers around making the child more comfortable. Urticaria, or hives, produces multiple mosquito bite-like bumps that itch and swell, usually as a result of exposure to an allergen.

Child maturation refers to the genetic, biological and physical development from conception through adolescence. There are several developmental milestones that occur in healthy children.

Parents want their children to excel emotionally, physically and academically. However, pushing your child to excel academically may have surprising and unexpected repercussions. Many children thrive in a challenging social and academic environment, but not all do.

Angry behavior in children can appear as physical aggression -- such as hitting, spitting, biting, throwing objects -- or may be expressed verbally through yelling, cursing or lashing out. If your child is acting out due to anger, it is helpful to consider that anger itself is a normal and healthy feeling.

During the first few days after delivery, infants don’t produce smelly bowel movements. The odorless, greenish-black material you first find in your newborn’s diaper is called meconium, and it started forming in her bowels at 16 weeks of gestation. Once babies process this waste, regular bowel movements start to occur.

Pediatricians measure a child's growth not only by weight and height but also by skills mastered. These skills often develop at predictable ages and go by the term developmental milestones. Toddlers have a wide range of normal, according to the BabyCenter website.

Playtime is more than just fun and games for children; in fact, playing is more like their job. It's the way young kids learn and develop new skills for their development, according to the Center on the Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning.

Losing the weight gained during pregnancy is a concern for many new mothers, especially when the weight seems to come off slowly, even with a healthy diet and exercise. Breast milk is the best nourishment for your baby, and breastfeeding can help you lose weight more quickly as well.

An upset stomach can have a variety of causes, including eating certain kinds of food, eating too much food, eating too quickly, indigestion or a viral infection such as the stomach flu. A child suffering from an upset stomach may also suffer from heartburn, nausea, excessive burping and bloating.