|
Pregnancy
 9
months of pregnancy
Getting Pregnant
Problems
and complications
Traveling
during pregnancy
Trying to Conceive
Pregnancy and fashion
Pregnancy
and work
Is
it a boy or a girl
Pregnancy
and food
Vitamins
and minerals
Parenting
Infertility
Child adoption
Test
tube baby
Second
child are you ready
Parenting
toddlers
Toilet
training
Parenting
kids
Parenting
teens
Internet
abuse |
MOTHER AND BABY CARE TIPS
-
 To prevent diaper rash, apply a thin layer of
petroleum jelly to your babies' bottom after each diaper change.
-
When breastfeeding, your milk supply will increase
with your babies' demands. The more your baby nurses, the more milk you will
have.
-
Begin to breastfeed your baby within one hour after
birth, the sooner the better. The reflux to suck is the strongest in the first
hour after birth.
-
Gather all the needed items for bath time before
getting the baby undressed and into the tub! You never want to leave the
little darling alone and taking him or her out to grab the soap will produce
screams in the chilly air!
-
Lay your baby down to sleep on it's back. Babies
sleeping on their stomachs has been linked to sudden infant death syndrome.
-
When bathing baby use a pair of soft cotton gloves
to eliminate slippery hands.
-
Wait until your baby is asleep to trim fingernails.
Press down on the finger pad, away from the nail as to not clip the skin.
-
If bottle-feeding your baby, the nipple hole should
be large enough that the milk drips out one drop per second.
-
Until the umbilical cord has healed, give your baby
a sponge bath. Collect everything you will need before you begin.
-
Nurse frequently, on demand. Sometimes this may be
30 minutes from the last feeding, sometimes a couple of hours. Don't expect 4
hour feedings! Expect 8 to 12 feedings each day in the first few weeks. Awaken
your baby to feed if the baby sleeps for 3 hours.
-
Introduce solid foods slowly. Begin with a
tablespoon, slowly adding more each day. Wait a week before introducing a new
food to check for allergic reactions. Take your doctor's advice.
-
Give your child fruit instead of juice. Juice can be
upsetting to little digestive tracts.
-
A good supportive nursing bra is a must. You need
the extra support and the convince of a nursing bra.
-
Breast milk can be stored in the refrigerator up to
48 hours. It can be frozen for 2 months. Warm breast milk in a pan of lukewarm
water or hold under lukewarm running water. It should be warmed to body
temperature.
-
When changing the sheets on the crib mattress, make
it in several layers. Place a waterproof pad, then a sheet, until you have
several layers. When the sheets need changing in the middle of the night, you
simply remove the top layer.
-
If your breasts become engorged (swollen, tender and
hard to the touch) treat with hot compresses or a hot shower just before
nursing. If your baby doesn't empty your breasts, express the milk with a
breast pump.
-
Encourage babies to crawl by placing their favorite
toys just beyond reach.
-
Soon after your baby is born, you will need to think
of birth control. Consider all options before choosing the one to use.
-
Invest in a few nursing tops for when you go out.
These are very convenient. Carry an extra blanket to throw across your
shoulder to be very discreet.
-
When dining out with a young child, try to get the
child a seat facing a window. The cars and activities outside will get the
attention of the child.
-
Relax when nursing. Use lots of pillows to support
you and your baby. You must be relaxed when nursing.
-
When interviewing a baby sitter, ask for several
references and call or talk them all.
-
Place a towel or plastic tablecloth under your
child's car seat. This will help protect your car from spills and leaks.
-
When your baby is teething, try frozen banana
slices. Slice a firm banana into slices about 1/4 inch thick and freeze.
-
After each nursing, rub a small amount of breast
milk over your nipples and allow them air dry.
-
When you are going to travel by plane with your
baby, arrive at the airport early. Making a diaper change is easier in the
airport or on a plane that is not full. Arriving early, you will have time for
a last minute diaper change before your flight.
-
When you baby is in the bathtub, never leave them
alone. If you have to answer the phone, take a cordless phone in the bathroom
with you.
-
To protect your baby's teeth, wipe the baby's gums
with a clean, damp washcloth after each feeding.
WHY DO BABIES CRY?
 Babies cry and you have to live with
it. They can't talk and crying is the only way of communicating. If they are
hungry, cold, wet or just irritated they cant tell you that so they have to cry
and convey that to you. It is then on you to identify their needs and
difficulties and understand what is wrong. At first it can be difficult, but a
large part of parenting is trial and error, and you'll soon learn to anticipate
her needs and wipe away her tears. Following are a list of different reasons why
your child cries and all you have to do is identify the reason.
She Must Be Hungry
Hunger is one reason why babies cry. When babies are hungry they normally show
signs like- she'll fuss, make noises, and root around for your breast if you
pick her up - once you recognize these signs you'll get pretty good at feeding
her before she starts demanding for it. Thus first check to see if she's hungry
and then feed her till she herself lets go. Sometimes a baby will continue to
cry even after you start feeding her; keep going, she'll stop once her stomach
is full.
Change Her Diaper
Some babies will let you know right away when they need their diaper to be
changed; others don't mind since they find it warm and comfortable. So if they
have dirtied their diaper they will cry and let you know that "Please Mom,
change my diaper".
They Need Cuddling
Babies want to be held. They like to be cuddled by their parents, they like to
be close to their parents and see their faces, listen to their heartbeats, hear
their voices. Babies recognize their mothers by her smell. After being fed,
burped, and changed, many babies simply want to be held close to their mothers
heart. You may wonder if you'll "spoil" your child by holding her so much, but
during the first few months of life there's no such thing. Infants will vary a
lot in how much they want to be held. Some demand a lot of attention, while
others can spend long periods of time sitting calmly by themselves. If your baby
likes the attention, pick her up or keep her next to you.
She Might Be Too Cold or Hot
Newborns like to be bundled up and kept warm. So when your baby feels cold, like
when you strip her naked to change her, she'll let you know that she's not happy
by crying. You'll learn how to quickly change a diaper and wrap your baby back
up to calm her until the crying stops. Watch out that you don't overdress her,
since she's less likely to complain about being too warm than about being too
cold and won't cry about it as vigorously.
She Might Be Sick
Sometimes even after you have fed her, held her, changed her diapers still she
keeps on crying and you really cant think of anything else. In this case just
check her temperature and see if it is normal or not. All you might find is that
she is ill and needs to be taken to a doctor. The cry of a sick baby tends to be
distinct from the hunger or frustration cry, and you'll soon learn when your
baby doesn't feel good and is sick.
Sometimes everything is ok but still your baby keeps on crying and you are at
your wits end thinking what is wrong. When everything else fails, try the tips
below.
-
Play some music or turn on the TV. Babies are used
to hear the sound of their mother heart beat in the womb and therefore they
love to be held close. So to soothe them you can play some soft music or turn
on the TV set. Just let them hear the rhythm.
-
Put them in their pram and give them some motion.
Sometimes just the motion of carrying your baby around will be enough to calm
her. Other times, it may help to rock her gently in a rocking chair or swing
at the same rate as your heart (around 60 to 100 beats per minute).
-
Rubbing your baby's back or belly is one of the most
soothing things you can do for her, especially if she's having gas pains.
-
Let her suck on something. Sometimes just sucking on
a pacifier will cool down your baby.
DENTAL
CARE FOR YOUR TODDLER
 Good
dental care is very important for your kid right from those first teeth and
continues through adulthood. The common problem that your child will face is
tooth decay caused due to exposure to sugary liquids for long periods. Among
these are milk (including breast milk), formula, fruit juice and other sweetened
liquids. When a baby is put to bed with a bottle, the liquid drips into the
mouth continuously. It collects around the teeth as long as the bottle is in the
mouth. The decay is caused because of this since your baby goes to sleep with
the milk in her mouth and is like sending the baby to bed with a mouthful of
candy, resulting in tooth decay. Gums can become inflamed and swollen.
Following are guidelines, which you should follow while
taking dental care for your toddler.
Birth to 6 months
- Clean mouth every time after feedings and at
bedtime.
- Regulate feeding habits.
6 to 12 Months
- Begin to brush teeth after each feeding and at
bedtime with small, soft-bristled brush using a NON-fluoridated infants tooth
and gum cleaner.
12 to 24 Months
- Continue using NON-fluoridated infants
toothpaste.
- Most Primary teeth have erupted
24 Months Plus
- Start to use fluoridated toothpaste ONLY when
child has learned to spit it out and is able to effectively rinse afterwards.
Cleaning the teeth
Brush gently, moving the brush in small circles
where possible Finish each circle before moving on to adjacent teeth. Follow a
sequence such as the one described below:
- Outside top, circular motion.
- Outside bottom, circular motion.
- Inside top, circular motion.
- Inside bottom, circular motion.
- Chewing surfaces, back and forth motion.
Don't forget the surfaces between any missing teeth.
They must be brushed too. Make sure that the bristles of the brush reach those
areas. Flossing: Brushing does not reach areas between teeth that are tightly
contacting each other. These areas need proper cleaning as much the other
surfaces.
Visit to the dentist
It is best to take your child to the dentist between
six and twelve months of age. The earlier you begin, the better it is for you to
take care of your child's dental care. It also gives better chance to your
dentist to prevent problems. In addition to examining your child for decay and
other problems, the dentist will teach you how to properly clean your child's
teeth daily, evaluate any adverse habits such as thumb sucking, and identify
your child's fluoride needs. Your child's visit to the dentist should normally
be after every six months but this largely depends on his eating habits, how
clean his or her teeth are kept etc.
|