Baby Care

Health Tips for the Newborn

March 9, 2011 By admin Leave a Comment

In many societies and communities, the arrival of a newly born child is usually followed with a great celebration in a carnival-like atmosphere. And truly speaking, there is no way you will not be charmed upon setting your eyes on the innocent smiles of a newly born. However, just as celebration is important, it is even more important that the continuous existence of the child is ensured.

A very good way of making sure that the child is adequately taken care is to focus on the health and vitality of the child. This is even more important in the light of the fact that as a newborn, a baby’s immune system is just developing and is still weak. Thus, they may be prone to some infections and disease states when adequate measures are not taken to protect them against such.

In taking care of a newborn with focus on the health, you need to ensure that the child has his or her bath regularly with a specially formulated soap. The soap should not be too strong on the skin just as the water should not be too cold or hot. It must be emphasized that it is of utmost importance that the water used in bathing is very clean and free of germs. Apart from the issue of bathing, another aspect that must be taken care of is the preparation of the child’s meal. Clean water must be used and it is also important that the mother that will breastfeed washes the mammary glands properly to clear off germs or micro-organisms. Apart from these domestic measures, you need to ensure that your child gets the necessary immunizations and inoculations, especially those against childhood killer diseases.

Filed Under: Baby Care, Medical Care Tagged With: Child, Children, Infant, Soap

Sewing for Baby

March 7, 2011 By admin Leave a Comment

When you learn that you are expecting a child, there is a great likelihood that your mind is filled with a thousand different thoughts and feelings. Preparing for the child’s birth is going to consume much of your attention and fill your thoughts for the next nine months. The waiting period can be frustrating because you are excited to bring your new bundle of joy into the world, and so there are a lot of things that you may want to consider while you are waiting.

Preparing for the birth of your child is more than just being healthy, quitting bad habits and ensuring that the baby is healthy. Another thing that you should be doing is preparing the baby’s room, clothing and other needs including; cribs, car seats and other equipment that you need to care for baby. You might want to consider taking up sewing during this time so that you can benefit your baby and the rest of your family in the future. Baby clothing and baby costumes can be really expensive, especially when you just get started making purchases and you literally have to buy an entire wardrobe for your child.

Learning how to sew can open up a completely new world of possibilities for you. You can sew a wide variety of different handmade things for your baby including baby blankets, onesies, baby costumes, baby pillows and bedding sets, teddy bears, bibs and so much more. Having a basic understanding of sewing is going to open up a whole new world of capabilities for you, and as you expand your sewing abilities, you will be able to create unique gifts and other necessities for your child and your family. You can create colorful and fun clothing, blankets, costumes and other things for your brand new bundle of joy. Saving money for your family and bringing more creativity and uniqueness into the things that you give your child will give you a new sense of pride.

Filed Under: Baby Care, Parenting Tagged With: Clothing, Costume, sew

Life as a Parent

March 7, 2011 By admin Leave a Comment

Even if you are not a parent, you did not fall from the heavens. Someone gave birth to you. To be a parent is a good thing but the challenges and stress involved have made some people have relationships devoid of children. However, for those that have passion for children, being a parent is like the best occupation anyone can have. Unlike other jobs, there is no break from the job of parenthood.

Right from the first day at the labor room, parents go through hell just to fend for their young ones. If there is any one that has really sacrificed for us, no other person come to the mind, except our parents.

In the world that we have found ourselves today, many parents have to juggle their professional life with the domestic front. Life as a parent is not easy, especially in a time like this. Parents are saddled with numerous responsibilities. It is their job and duties to ensure that the children are well-fed, clothed, sheltered, educated as well as a host of other things. One very amazing characteristic with good parents is that they can go any length for the welfare of their children, in some instances, parents give up what they have in order to provide for their children.

If you can just sit down for a few minutes and consider the sacrifices your parents have made and the innumerable risks that they have taken because of you, then you will know that being a parent is serious matter. But the funny thing with life is that you may not fully grasp this idea until you become a parent yourself someday and you begin to go through the same cycle.

Filed Under: Baby Care, Parenting Tagged With: Child, Home, Parent

Letting Others Help With Baby

February 23, 2011 By admin Leave a Comment

Your first few weeks as a new mom will be some of the most challenging, yet most rewarding you will ever experience. The sleepless nights and days filled with excitement will be something you remember for life. There are many things you can do to make this time easier on you and the rest of your family, but the most important thing of all is to allow others to help you anytime it is possible.

I know that when you are a new mom, you feel like you should be there every second of the day, but this is not healthy for you or your new baby. You need the chance to get uninterrupted sleep every now and then so that you will be fresh and able to handle all of the tasks of being a parent. When I first got home from the hospital I hesitated in accepting help from my friends and family, but I quickly learned that it was good for us both for me to be a well rested mommy.

If you are breast feeding you may need to pump milk so that you can have your rest. This is a great thing too. It will be a great bonding experience for the dad to get to spend time feeding your new child too. Fathers miss out on the closeness we experience as nursing moms, so this gives them the chance to bond with the baby too. Also, it will make it easier for your child to be familiar with taking some of her meals from a bottle, so when you are ready to switch, or you go back to work this will not be such a challenge.

You are certainly a wonderful mother, but give the father and the rest of the family a chance to prove how wonderful they are too. Your baby will love all of the new faces and attention and you will be at your best having gotten some rest and relaxation.

Filed Under: Baby Care, Parenting Tagged With: Breastfeeding, Home, Mother

Bath Time for Newborns

February 16, 2011 By admin Leave a Comment

A very scary thing for new parents is bathing their baby. This seems like a much more complicated matter than it actually is. Most of the complications arise because of the many products that the baby care industry has developed. If you had a baby shower, you likely received a baby bathtub, fancy soaps, a temperature gauge, complex looking towels, washcloths and more baby toys than you imagined existed.

For a newborn, most if not all of this is pointless. Of everything I got at my baby shower, the only thing I used for my baby was the temperature gauge. I did purchase a simple baby bathtub too, because the one I received for a gift was bulky and inconvenient even though it was “fancy.”

A little bit of warm water and some Johnson’s baby bath on a soft washcloth and we were good to go. At this age bath time was quick because she didn’t really enjoy it. On most days, she was in and out of the bath in less than five minutes.

As she got older, we started having fun in the tub. This is when those rubber ducks and water toys really start getting used. As a toddler, your child may really being to have fun in the bath. By the time my daughter was three, we had to pull her out of the tub kicking and screaming most days.

When I look back at my first days as a new parent, I cannot believe how much I worried about the bath. I was so afraid it would be complicated and that I was going to hurt her somehow. I wish I could have assured myself that it is really an easy job, and one that I would one day actually enjoy. If you are a parent to be, do not stress over this part of your job. You will love this chance to bond with your newborn.

Filed Under: Baby Care, Parenting Tagged With: Baby shower, Bathtub, Infant

Taking a Newborn to the Doctor

February 10, 2011 By admin Leave a Comment

The first time your new baby gets sick can be one of the scariest and most stressful times as a parent. It is never fun when your child is sick, but when they are tiny and you have no idea what is going on with them, you will most likely be very scared. However, you must remain calm and you will be able to get the problem taken care of more easily.

First, you should call your child’s main physician first. Depending on what is going on they may have you bring your baby to the office, or due to the small size you may be asked to bring your child to the emergency room. If this is the case, don’t panic! It doesn’t mean that it is truly an emergency, but when you are dealing with really young babies sometimes it is better to get them seen in a quicker fashion.

Whichever location you are asked to bring your child, do it quickly but don’t go crazy running red lights trying to get there. If it were truly an emergency your doctor would have sent an ambulance.

Once you are there you will likely be seen very quickly. Babies can’t handle dehydration especially, so the doctor likely wants to see what is going on and begin a course of treatment. Once you go back and the doctor is looking over your baby you will have a better idea what is happening. More than likely the doctor will be able to give him or her something on the spot to help with the problems. You may be given a prescription too, which you should fill and make sure you give the baby on schedule.

You may be tempted, but don’t give your child over the counter medications unless your doctor specifically recommends it. There are certain medications that can actually hurt the healing process or may interact with the prescription drugs you have been given.

Filed Under: Baby Care, Medical Care Tagged With: Over-the-counter drug, Physician, Prescription drug

Breastfeeding Options

February 8, 2011 By admin Leave a Comment

Many new moms would really like to breast feed their newborn, but they simply can’t get the hang of it. What is most unfortunate about this situation is that moms who can’t breastfeed are often treated like second class citizens by breastfeeding moms. I think most moms understand that breast milk is best, but for some people it just does not work out.

There are now formula blends that come very close to the nutrients offered in breast milk. They may not be perfect, but the blends now have so many important vitamins and nutrients in them.

One great benefit to bottle feeding is that it allows the father and other family members to experience the connection of feeding the new baby. Feeding time fosters closeness and is a great way to connect. When the mother breastfeeds, the father misses out on all this great bonding time.

An alternative to breastfeeding and bottle feeding both is using a breast pump. This will allow the baby to get all the nutrition of the breast milk, but the mother has bit more control over when and how she expresses her milk. This is a great choice if the mom can’t breastfeed due to breast size or shape.

Breast pumps are available that are very basic, up to complicated pieces of machinery. If you are considering using a breast pump you may talk to a lactation counselor about what options are available for you and which one may work best in your case.

Lactation counslors are great to talk to anyhow, because they may be able to help you work through your breastfeeding problems and allow you to at least offer breast milk to your new baby for the early days. But as I mentioned before, just because breast feeding does not work out for you is no reason to feel down or feel like you aren’t providing a great start for your new baby.

Filed Under: Baby Care, Parenting Tagged With: Breast, Breast milk, Breastfeeding

Offering a Pacifier

February 3, 2011 By admin Leave a Comment

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One decision many parents have to make is whether to offer their new baby a pacifier. There are pros and cons to offering one. This post will discuss some of the different reasons you may choose to offer or not offer one to your new baby.

Babies love to use their mouth. The sucking motion is very relaxing for most babies, so if they are fussy and unable to get comfortable a pacifier may be a great option to help them relax and sleep. If babies are crying, sometimes they don’t actually need food or anything, but they just need this oral stimulation and a pacifier is a great way for them to get this.

However, many dentists warn against the use of a pacifier because it can effect the way the teeth come in. This is more of a problem in older infants and in babies who use pacifiers for many hours each day. However, it is certainly something to consider. Another problem with pacifiers is that it can be hard to ween your child off of them when they get older. This will be a rough time in their childhood, and for some the benefits do not outweigh the problems.

Some parents prefer their child to suck on their fingers or thumb, rather than using a pacifier. This is certainly an option. One benefit to this is you never have to worry about the pacifier getting lost, since it will be stuck on the end of their arm. Weening can be even more difficult in this case though, for exactly the same reason. This is why you often see older children who still suck their thumbs. This is definantly a problem and can cause problems with dental development.

Filed Under: Baby Care, Parenting Tagged With: Child Health, Infant, Pacifier

Choosing a Bottle

February 1, 2011 By admin Leave a Comment

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One piece of baby equipment that has changed an incredible amount over the last couple of decades is the baby bottle. In the past, bottles were simply a bottom area that held liquid with a lid and nipple on top. Now there seems to be a hundred different types of bottles with different uses.

One popular type of bottle is the bottle with drop in liner. These are easy for the parent because the liners are disposible which helps create less dishes to wash. They are great for the baby because the excess air is easly removed from the bottle by squeezing the liner. This will create less gas for the baby and will make less burping and mess.

There are also bottles that have been created especialy this in mind. These bottles have specially designed nipples that allow a certain amount of air escape while the baby is drinking. If your baby has problems with feeding or burps an abnormal amount, you may consider using one of these special bottles.

Other bottles have been designed that make it easier for the parents to clean the bottles. Gone are the days of needing a bottle brush. Modern bottles are designed to be easily cleaned by hand or in the dishwasher.

No matter which type of bottle you choose for your baby, you want to make sure they are able to easily feed. You may need to try several different styles before you find the one that works best for you and your baby. Luckily many of the companies offer trial packages of their bottles to help you make a decision. With all of the varieties available, you will certainly find one that makes feeding, preperation and clean up a breeze for you and your family.

Filed Under: Baby Care, Parenting Tagged With: Baby bottle, Bottle, Nipple

Being a Surrogate Breastfeeding Nurse

January 27, 2011 By admin Leave a Comment

There are plenty of babies who will not get the luxury of breast milk. Whether it’s because the mother chooses not to, or the baby is being adopted, or other reasons, being a surrogate breastfeeding nurse can be a rewarding experience for you and the infant.

If a baby is going to be breastfed, it needs to happen as soon as possible. The way a baby feeds is a learned behavior that establishes itself pretty quick. If the baby starts with bottles, it will learn that the artificial nipple is what feeding time feels like, and it will only respond to that. Although it’s possible to switch the child to breastfeeding, it will be difficult. Therefore, if you’ll be substituting for a mother that will allow you to be present at the birth, that would be the ideal situation for a surrogate breastfeeding nurse.

It is recommend that you and the baby be skin to skin with you naked from the waist up and the baby only wearing a diaper. This helps send the right signals to the infant about feeding. Also, the baby needs to latch on well from the beginning to make surrogate breastfeeding successful.

If you are an adopting mom, who wants breastfeed your soon to arrive child, you may need to begin a hormone protocol to get an acceptable amount of milk from your breasts. Whether you use hormones or not, be aware that it is likely you will not produce enough on your own milk to completely nourish the child. Therefore, other options must be in place. Some adopting mothers aren’t trying to be a surrogate breastfeeding nurse in lieu of the child’s natural mother. It could be that a new mom simply wants to create that bond with the new baby. Producing milk may be secondary.

Filed Under: Baby Care Tagged With: Breastfeeding