Babies & Toddler

Archive for August, 2010

Pregnancy and Childbirth

I

INTRODUCTION

Pregnancy and Childbirth, terms for the gestation period of the human reproductive cycle.

II

PREGNANCY

Pregnancy starts when a male’s sperm fertilizes a female’s ovum (egg), and the fertilized ovum implants in the lining of the uterus (see Fertilization; Reproductive System). Because pregnancy changes a woman’s normal hormone patterns, one of the first signs of pregnancy is a missed menstrual period (see Menstruation). Other symptoms include breast tenderness and swelling, fatigue, nausea or sensitivity to smells, increased frequency of urination, mood swings, and weight gain. Some women also experience cravings for unusual substances such as ice, clay, or cornstarch; this condition, called pica, can indicate a dietary deficiency in iron or other nutrients. By the 12th week of pregnancy many of these symptoms have subsided, but others appear. For example, a woman’s breasts usually increase in size, and her nipples darken. The most obvious symptom is weight gain; most physicians now recommend a gain of about 9 to 12 kg (about 22 to 26 lb) by the end of pregnancy.

The first few months of pregnancy are the most critical for the developing infant, because during this period the infant’s brain, arms, legs, and internal organs are formed. For this reason a pregnant woman should be especially careful about taking any kind of medication except on the advice of a physician who knows that she is pregnant. X rays should also be avoided, and pregnant women should avoid smoking and alcohol consumption.

III

COMPLICATIONS

Most women worry about the health of their unborn child, especially mothers over the age of 35, when genetic problems are more common. Safe, effective tests are available that can detect genetic disorders which cause mental retardation and other problems. The most common test is amniocentesis, and in about 95 percent of the cases tested the baby is found to be normal. Some doctors recommend that all pregnant women over the age of 35 have an amniocentesis test.

Although most pregnancies proceed normally, certain complications can develop. One rare but life-threatening complication is ectopic pregnancy, in which the fertilized egg implants outside the uterus, in the abdomen, or in a fallopian tube. Symptoms include sudden, intense pain in the lower abdomen about the seventh or eight week of pregnancy. If not promptly treated by surgical means, ectopic pregnancy can result in massive internal bleeding and possibly death.

About 15 percent of all pregnancies end in miscarriage, most of which occur between the 4th and 12th weeks of pregnancy. A physician should be contacted immediately if a woman suspects that she is pregnant and then experiences severe abdominal cramping or vaginal bleeding.

Toxemia is another potentially serious complication of late pregnancy. Symptoms include high blood pressure; rapid, large weight gain, due to edema (swelling), of as much as 11 to 13 kg (25 to 30 lb) in a month; and protein in the urine. If untreated, toxemia can lead to seizures and coma and death of the infant. Once severe toxemia is diagnosed, the infant is usually delivered as soon as possible to protect both mother and child. The condition disappears with birth.

IV

LABOR AND CHILDBIRTH

A normal pregnancy lasts about 40 weeks, or 280 days, after the beginning of the last menstrual period. Occasionally women go into labor before the expected date of birth, resulting in a premature infant. About 7 percent of all infants are premature—that is, born before the 37th week of pregnancy. Babies born just a few weeks early usually develop normally. Recent advances in the care of premature infants now allow many babies who are born after only 25 to 26 weeks of pregnancy to survive. Even babies born after only 23 weeks of pregnancy have survived, although survival rates for such highly premature infants are low.

Delivery, the process by which the baby is expelled from the uterus through the birth canal and into the world, begins with irregular contractions of the uterus that occur every 20 to 30 minutes. As labor progresses, the contractions increase in frequency and severity. The usual length of labor for a first-time mother is about 13 to 14 hours, and about 8 or 9 hours in a woman who has given birth previously. Wide variations exist, however, in the duration of labor.

Most women prefer some kind of anesthesia to alleviate the pain associated with childbirth. Natural (unmedicated) childbirth, however, is becoming more popular, in part because many women are aware and concerned that the anesthesia and medication given to them is rapidly transported across the placenta to the unborn baby. Heavy doses of anesthesia can make the newborn baby less alert after birth.

Other options available regarding childbirth include regional (local) anesthesia, in which only those areas of the mother that are affected by the pain of childbirth are numbed. Such anesthesias include a lower spinal block and epidural anesthesia, in which the pelvic region is anesthetized. Another option is cesarean section, in which the baby is surgically removed from the uterus. Cesarean section is usually performed only for a specific medical reason.

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Breastfeeding has lost and gained popularity and favor over the past century. Like other mammals humans are designed to nurse their young. Human breast milk contains all the nutrients a baby might possibly need and much more.

Breastfeeding and the development and marketing of infant formulas have created many issues over the last 50 years. One company producing infant formulas has been implicated in several scandals involving the unethical marketing of infant formulas in the developing world.

Campaigns to increase awareness regarding the benefits of breastfeeding are a worldwide effort to save children’s lives by ensuring they are breastfed.

Celebs Catch On

Over the last year we’ve seen a boom in Celebville baby making. Stars like Halle Berry, Charlotte Church, Christina Aguilera, Nicole Richie, Naomi Watts and Salma Hayek have spoken openly about breastfeeding their babies Christina Aguilera told Ellen DeGeneres how breastfeeding had helped the 27-year-old regain her pre-pregnancy figure while Helena Bonham Carter, famously known as Bellatrix in the Harry Potter series and mother of two, admitted to breastfeeding her first child until he was four years old. She claims the enhanced cleavage is a great aspect of breastfeeding.

Stars like Julia Roberts and Marcia Cross managed to breastfeed twins and even Britney Spears managed to breastfeed her babies for a few weeks.

Stars who Didn’t Breastfeed

Stars like Katie Price (aka Jordan) and Jennifer Lopez came under fire when they didn’t choose to breastfeed. The outcry regarding their refusal to even try breastfeeding illustrates how much our attitude towards breastfeeding has changed. Moms who don’t breastfeed are almost frowned upon. While it may be true that breast is best, many children are successfully formula fed and at the end of the day it is a decision each mom has to make for themselves.

Is Breast Best?

Certainly scientific research over the last few decades has illustrated benefits associated with breastfeeding we never even imagined existed. Breast milk contains not only minerals, vitamins and energy the baby requires, but also important antibodies – an immune system boost – which formula can never provide. Children who are breastfed are less likely to be obese in later life, they’re smarter, they bond better with their moms and they’re less likely to develop allergies. Children who are breastfed are also less likely to develop infections, juvenile diabetes, multiple sclerosis, heart disease, and cancer before the age of 15. Moms who breastfeed lose pregnancy weight faster and often find the experience incredibly fulfilling. They are also less likely to develop breast cancer in later life. If that’s not enough motivation, breast milk is cheaper than buying formula.

Can You Harm your Baby by Breastfeeding?

Breastfeeding is not ideal for all moms. Certain diseases like HIV and Hepatitis B can be passed through nursing the baby. Other active infections like chicken pox, herpes and Hepatitis A could also be cause for concern while breastfeeding. Moms on certain medications may also not be able to nurse their babies. Many over-the-counter and prescription medications can also find their way through the breast milk into the sucking child.

Alcohol can also find its way into the breast milk and moms who are nursing should refrain from drinking more than two units of alcohol a day. Smoking is not a good idea while breastfeeding as your child will be exposed to nicotine – an addictive substance.

You should make a point of asking your doctor and pharmacist which medications are safe to take while breastfeeding. Certain antidepressants, aspirin, tranquilizers, anti-inflammatories, antibiotics and contraceptives are not be taken while breastfeeding. Your doctor or pharmacist can help you find an effective alternative. Don’t use any illicit drugs while breastfeeding. Cocaine, marijuana, tik and most other drugs pass into the breast milk.

Although it is very common, watching toddlers holding their breath can be a frightful thing for a parent to experience. Some call it the ‘nuclear option’ in a child’s weaponry. About 20 percent of toddlers use this technique to express their discontent or to get what they want – and considering the effect, they often do.

These spells are usually part of a child’s temper tantrums. Here are a few common signs to look out for:

• Breathing out forcefully followed by holding breath for a long time

• Turning pale or blue

Soon after one of the above signs show up, chances are your toddlers will pass out and collapse to the ground. In some cases, your toddler’s legs and arms may twitch and the body may suffer mild convolutions. This situation usually lasts for under a minute and is not a medical condition over which you should be worried.

Even though this is a common tantrum it should be stringently discouraged. Here are a few tips on how to avoid a breath-holding tantrum in your toddler:

• Do not pay overmuch attention to such tantrums.

• Find out the possible cause behind such behavior and eliminate the cause.

• Try to divert your toddler’s attention to a pleasant situation making the toddler forget the whole idea of breath holding.

If your toddler succumbs to this tantrum, remember:

• Do not panic—toddlers may take advantage of the fact that you are scared and resort to tantrums more often to get what they want.

• Make your toddler lie down to increase the flow of blood to the brain and within seconds it will be alright.

• The first time this happens, you may consider taking your toddler to the doctor to ensure it is a breath-holding tantrum indeed.

Are you asking yourself “Will the crying ever stop”? Take a deep cleansing breath, relax, and read our tips to help you calm your little one.

Crying is your baby’s way of communicating with you. Your baby may be trying to tell you that he/she is hungry, in pain, too hot or too cold, has a dirty diaper, is sleepy, or is over stimulated. On average, babies cry for 1 to 4 hours a day. During some of these periods, nothing that you do seems to console your child; this can be extremely unnerving for many parents. Here are some tips to help calm your baby:

* Give your baby a pacifier to suck on or use your clean finger if you don’t have a pacifier handy.
* Try burping your baby. Sometimes a gas bubble is stuck in your baby’s belly causing pain and discomfort.
* Rock your baby.
* Touch and stroke your baby.
* Swaddle your baby.
* Sing and talk to your baby.
* Play soft relaxing music for your baby.
* Carry your baby in your arms or use a carrier. I find that if I put a baby facing tummy-to-tummy with me in my arms (as if I am breastfeeding) and offer the baby a pacifier, the baby usually calms quickly.
* Take your baby for a walk or for a car ride. A change of scenery is always nice.
* Give your baby a warm bath.
* Give your baby a massage.
* If your baby is over stimulated, remove him/her from the object or situation that is causing the stimulation.
* Use a vibrating infant seat or a baby swing.

If these tips don’t work for you, put your baby in a safe place (like his/her crib) and go to a quiet place to relax and regain your composure.

Some babies, no matter what you do, may not be easy to console at certain times throughout the day. Some are colicky or have reflux. Unfortunately, there is not much else to do for an infant that has colic besides trying to console and calm them. The good news is that colic usually resolves by 3-4 months of age. If you suspect that your child has reflux, consult your pediatrician for further information.

Looking for personalized baby gifts for your little bambino? You surely want to give something special to your little one than settle with anything less. You want all to be the best for your newborn child, and this is not impossible though. Today, there are thousands of baby gift ideas available everywhere, from local gift stores to online stores. A wide variety of selection for personalized baby items are available, and this will be the means to ease the process of searching for the best personalized baby gift for your newborn child.

The arrival of the newborn child can bring a special kind of happiness into the lives of parents, families and friends. There’s no other option to herald the baby’s arrival except giving exclusive and personalized baby gifts! Here are the different kinds of personalized baby gifts for your fab baby, and consider some ideas why they are always adored.

Mommies should always consider the safety measures whenever choosing personalized gift ideas for their babies. As a parent, the first thing you need to think is the protection of your little one and you realize how precious this little bundle of joy is. With this, it is highly suggested to choose organic baby items, such as clothes, beddings, layettes ad natural baby products for the delicate skin of babies.

Welcome the new member of the family with a beautiful baby nursery. Be creative, decorate the room with beautiful decorative items such as attractively painted designs on furniture, this will help babies to play with their imaginations. Consider also some framed artwork and children’s canvasses with their names printed or illustrated on them. Lastly, you can decorate baby furnitures with your baby’s name or initials, or perhaps his date of birth. Choose a matching color according to your child’s gender.

Embroidered baby blankets can also make an amazing personalized gift for your baby. Apart from blankets, you can also go in for various stuff with your child’s monogram. Other personalized choices include engraved feeding supplies, silver brush and comb sets and even picture frames and albums.

Also, you may even think of getting other personalized engraved gifts such jewelry pieces. Choose pieces that are safe and inexpensive, too. You can have baby rattles made of silver or pewter, pendants and bracelets with the name of your little one engraved on all these sparkling keepsakes.

Baby baskets are always a good choice to welcome the newborn child’s arrival. These are one of the most popular option today, easy and less expensive alternative for families and friends of the new parents. The gift basket can be filled with lots of baby accessories and supplies, and even delightful and healthy baby food. You can create your own basket, fill it with personalized baby blankets, clothing, feeding supplies, bathing supplies and a few baby toys. Don’t forget to surprise the new parents also. Choose the best gift for parents. Consider items that can pamper their exhausted body, as well as items that can help them in raising their little bundle of joy.

When parents bring their newborn baby home from the hospital everything in the home changes. Everything focuses in on the baby and his/her safety. This becomes the number one issue. 

It may not be until the first spit-up or poop that the question of the baby’s safety and laundering baby clothes get connected. How do parents protect their baby’s tender sensitive skin from skin irritation, rashes, and allergies?    

Parents add new words to their vocabulary including non-toxic, hypo-allergenic, chlorine free, dye-free, fragrance free, or scent free. 

In order to keep your baby safe and problem free first speak to your pediatrician. Identify the possibility of any inherited skin sensitivities or allergies you may have passed on to your baby genetically. Seek his/her recommendations about laundering your baby’s clothes.

Second, when washing your infant’s clothes – diapers, sleepwear, undergarments, onesies, coveralls, rompers, socks, bibs, layettes, etc, refer to the care label for cleaning and stain removal instructions. The same is true of any material that the baby comes in contact with—sheets, blankets, comforters, towels, washcloths, etc. Babies are messy by nature, and they have a knack of adding all sorts of stains—formula, baby food, juice, and what ever comes out of them— to their clothing any time of the day or night. This will require many trips to the laundry room.

After safety issues have been addressed then the stain removal and cleaning issues remain.  Choosing a detergent that is going to be tough on stains yet gentle on your baby’s skin is not as simple as one might think.

Do you choose an environmentally safe laundry detergent that protects you baby and the environment together, but can be bought only at special stores at a more costly price?  Do you purchase a baby specific laundry soap like Ivory Snow or Dreft that adds to your already tight monthly budget? Or do you use your ordinary laundry detergent, and make sure it is the dye-free, fragrant free type that you can use with all your household washings and stay on budget?

For cleaning and whitening purposes some mothers use baking soda to their wash to soften the fabrics, remove odors, and give the clothes a fresh clean more natural scent. Other mothers wash all the baby’s whites with a safe amount of bleach for cleaning and germ removal purposes.

So much to think about and decide when protecting your baby and this is just the laundry.

There’s nothing that compares to holding your baby in your arms – watching and feeling him against your chest. When a baby is first born, we have time to enjoy these moments. If you are like most moms, living in today’s hectic world, life goes on, and there is always too much to do. But we don’t have to give up keeping our baby close. We can accomplish tasks that need to be done and still enjoy our baby’s companionship by wearing him in a baby sling, or pouch.

The benefits of bonding with your baby while the two of you share the world around you is beyond measure. He will feel more a part of your life and you a part of his. Baby wearing has been shown to positively contribute to baby’s development physically, emotionally, and socially.

When a baby is attached to his mother, he is in tune with the rhythm of her breathing, the sound of her heartbeat, and the movements she makes – walking, bending, and reaching. We learn much from watching other and this is an up close lesson for your baby. Being held close to a parent acts as an extension to baby’s peaceful time in the womb. Research has shown that premature babies who are touched and held gain weight faster and are healthier.

It is a well-known fact that most babies cry and fuss less when they are held. In some cultures where baby wearing is the norm, babies often cry for only a few minutes a day, compared to a few hours a day for western babies. Crying is exhausting for both the baby and his parents, and may cause long-term damage to the baby’s developing brain as it is continually flooded with stress hormones. Babies naturally feel calmer and have a greater sense of security, just by your touch. You will quickly discover that your newborn will sleep while in their arms, comforted by the rise and fall of your chest.
Studies indicate that babies worn are less prone to develop fears of loss or loneliness, often becoming independent earlier.

Baby-wearing can be healthy for you and other family members. It can be challenging for new mothers to find time to exercise, but if you go for a walk with your baby in her sling, you will enjoy the dual benefits of walking and weightlifting. It makes me smile when I see a new father going for a walk with his baby. The baby is becoming used to his voice, heartbeat, movements and facial expressions, and the two are forging a strong attachment of their own.

Baby wearing is the most comfortable way to hold a baby. You can use a sling on your shoulders, back or hip distributing your baby’s weight evenly. It is perfect for a day at the beach or an evening stroll through the park. Leaving the house doesn’t require as much preparation. No large stroller to pack into the car and navigate through crowds. Carriers can be folded up and stuffed into a diaper.
Baby wearing is usually associated with infants but it is also very useful for toddlers. This world can be a scary place for toddlers. They will feel more confident when they know they can retreat to the security of trusting arms. Most slings accommodate children up to 35 or 40 pounds.

Using a sling or other type of baby carrier takes some practice. It may take a few tries for you and your baby to feel comfortable and secure. But since both of you will benefit from baby wearing for months, even years, to come, it’s worth the effort. One suggestion for getting the baby used to the sling is to start walking as soon as you get things adjusted. The baby will be comforted by the movement as he gets used to being carried in a new way.

Parents use baby carriers for many different reasons and in all kinds of situations. Carriers allow baby to enjoy being in your presence even when you are concentrating on other activities. You can interact with your baby throughout the day and still play with an older child and accomplish necessary tasks. It’s also fun for baby, because when he is up at eye level, other adults notice and interacts with him more. Whenever you find yourself trying to juggle the needs of your baby and the demands of everyday life, it’s likely that baby wearing will make things easier.

A baby play yard is one of the best things your baby can have for convenient play. It is quite comfortable for the baby to play in the play yard, and the fact that it is usually quite reasonably priced and is portable too, makes it quite a preferred baby accessory among parents as well. In fact it is not rare to find parents opting for well designed baby play yard in place of the tradition baby crib. However, to make sure you get the best out of your baby play yard, here are some safety suggestions to follow:

1. The baby play yard should not have any sharp edges. This factor should be ensured not only at the time of purchasing the baby play yard, but also from time to time, once your baby starts using it. Sharp edges can be quite dangerous.

2. It is also necessary to keep making occasional thorough checks of the baby play yard mesh fabric. Make sure that it stays free of any excessive wear or tear. In case wear or tear does happen, mend it immediately, or if required get it replaced. You don’t want the baby to tear it down even more or start fussing with it, do you?! Maintaining the baby play yard well is a good practice.

3. If you have opted for a play yard that has been made out of wood, make sure that the wooden slates of the play yard are not more than 3/8 to 2 inches apart. Slates that are too wide apart allow the baby to slip out of the yard easily, or sometimes get the baby trapped as they make an attempt to slip out.

4. Though you would obviously like to fill up the yard with toys, avoid placing of too many padded objects that can be easily stacked. This helps to ensure that the baby does not stack up the toys to climb up on them to escape from the play yard. The worst case scenario is when the baby makes and attempt to climb out, and falls down instead, getting hurt.

5. Avoid the use of hanging strings. They pose the risk of causing suffocation to the babies, especially the much younger ones. Even if they do not really cause suffocation, they can sometimes be extremely irritating for the baby.

6. Generally it is better to avoid the use of loose bedding in the play yard as far as possible. They are messy and cause unnecessary trouble to the babies during their play time. Also, in the case of younger babies, loose bedding can even cause suffocation.

Keep the baby play yard clean and well maintained if you do not want the baby to start developing health hazards. Also it is important to bear in mind that no matter how careful you may have been while purchasing and maintaining the play yard, the baby should never be left unattended. You never really know what the baby might be up to, and what new tricks they might decide to try next. Keeping a close vigilance on them during their play time is a must.

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