Premature Baby Care Tips

Premature Baby Care Tips - How to Care for a Baby Born Premature

Premature babies always needed a special care because they are so small and delicate and fragile. After their birth they receive immediately special care. They are usually cared in incubators, under strict supervision. They are fed artificially intravenously and sometimes they are helped to breathe, being connected to special devices. Their vital signs are monitored. The doctor decides how long a premature baby will be kept under supervision. Even after they come home from hospital, they still need medical periodic control, in order to prevent any unwanted problem.

Premature Baby Care Tips

Talk to your doctor about feeding your baby. He can prescribe vitamins, iron and a special diet if the baby is artificially fed. Vitamins are sometimes offered to premature babies in order to help them stay healthy and to grow. A premature baby needs supplementary iron. After approximately four months of ingesting iron drops, your baby will have the necessary amount of iron like a full term baby. Your physician might want your baby to ingest iron drops for a year or even more than a year.
Your baby maybe does not grow as quickly as a full term baby during his two years of life. Premature babies are often smaller in this period. It sometimes happens that they grow in bursts. They often catch up with the others after some time. To have a record of your baby’s evolution, your doctor may use special evolution diagrams for premature babies. Your physician will also want to find out aspects like how dynamic your baby is, when your baby crawls for the first time and when your baby sits up for the first time. These are aspects doctors in general want to find out about all babies.

Your Baby’s Feeding Program

Firstly, most premature babies are fed 8 to 10 times a day. You mustn’t wait to pass more than 4 hours between two feedings, as if you do, your baby can get dehydrated. Six to 8 wet napkins a day prove that your baby is having enough breast milk or artificial one. Premature babies often vomit after a feeding. If your baby vomits too much, he or she might not put on enough weight. Make sure to talk to your physician if you consider your baby is vomiting too much.
Even if they need special care when they are babies, premature children are not that different when they grow up.

Read More

Birth Defects

Birth Defects - What are they? | How do they occcur?

It is the most terrible thing for a mother to find out that her baby has any birth defect. One of the most frequent birth defects is a congenital problem of the baby’s heart. Nowadays these problems can be treated by modern surgery, even if your baby is new born.

Birth Defects

Birth defects can be defined as abnormalities of function, structure or body metabolism which are detected at birth. The problems have as results physical or mental disabilities or can even be lethal. There are over 4,000 various birth defects which range from tiny to significant, and even if most of them may be cured or treated, they can be considered the main reason of death in the first year of the life of the baby.
From recent statistics, approximately 150,000 babies are born having birth defects every year in the U.S . Birth defects may be produced by environmental, genetic, unknown factors.
Metabolic or structural defects are the ones in which they appear if a specific part of the body is miabsent or it is formed improperly or if there is a native problem in the chemistry of the body. Apart from heart defects, there are some other popular structural defects like spina bifida that is a disfunction in which the male urethra, where urine comes out of the penis is not in the right location. Defects in metabolism influences a single child among 3,500 babies. It often means a missing enzyme or an enzyme which was incorrectly formed. This kind of defect may be dangerous or even deadly, but doesn’t always produce any obvious abnormalities in the baby. A metabolic defect is also Tay-Sachs disease that is a lethal disease which influences the central nervous system and phenylketonuria, that influences the method by which the body handles protein.
Most of the times mothers are guilty because of these birth defects, as they don’t stop smoking during pregnancy, or they drink alcohol or they don’t respect a healthy eating diet. Moreover birth defects occur in regions with a highly radioactive structure of the atmosphere like Cernobil.
Finally mothers should avoid X ray consultations during the pregnancy, as well as the consumption of medicine or dying their hair or their eye brows and eye lashes.

Read More

Baby care tips: Very useful tips for parents

If you a first-time mom then there are some Baby care tips for you thats are very useful for your daily life with your child. These baby care tips you can use in your daily life.

Mom learn to child

When your 2 year old toddler wants to help you out in the kitchen, let her do that. Give her pots and pans that are safe to play with and create a little stove while gluing 2 red circles of paper to a chair or a box. You daughter will feel so happy to be able to "cook" together with you. Ask your husband to let your son participate in constructing something, like a kite, a birdcage or a birdfeeder. He can hold tools or get a kit of plastic tools and let him feel the joy of being able to do what daddy does. Such activities are a part of learning process about gender differences as well as building skillset for several future activities.

Baby care

Also Read

• Car sickness in baby
• Baby Growth and Development
• Day Care or child care

Myth about Hair

There is a myth in some Asian countries that you shouldn't cut baby's hair until the child is one-year old. Then myth claims that at one year of age you should shave her head because hair will grow thicker afterwards. This is not true. If baby's hair is getting uncomfortably fussy and long you should definitely cut it even before she is one year old. There is no need to shave your child's head because it will not make your baby's hair grow thicker. Thickness of hair is determined genetically, thus it is inherited. It is easier to manage short hair for a very young baby than long hair.

Give attention

Why does it often seem that your 2 year old toddler ignores what you ask from her. You just told her not to draw on a wall with a marker and here she is again doing the same thing. Well, she is actually not ignoring your requests, she just forgot them! At this age children's' brain is not yet capable to save, store and recreate information like a grown up person's brain. Your child's memory is short term and everything that catches her attention overwhelms her completely. If she tries to remember one thing, then the other thing becomes forgotten. Therefore, keep this in mind before scolding your little one.

Discipline for child

Restricting your child from exploring his environment can result in lack of self confidence later in life. It is easy for parents to put their children into a playpen and have their little explorers sit in one place. Parents, however, should be aware that only through curious examination and attempts trying, sometimes succeeding and sometimes failing, as well as seeing your negative or positive reactions to their actions, can children learn. Thus, put all the things you don't want your child to reach somewhere he cannot reach. That beautiful flower pot can travel to the top shelf, and your little fragile vase from the corner can find its new place on top of the refrigerator. In such a way there will be less "nos" in your child's life and more joy and freedom of exploration.

 

 

Read More

When to start baby food?

In this artical we are sharing the tips that when to start baby food. Baby first solid food tips and which type of solid food you provide for baby at which stage.

Also read: Benefits of Breast Feeding

Baby first solid food

It seems like your precious one was only two weeks yesterday and here she is, four months old and already attempting to pull herself into a sitting position. It looks like mother’s milk or formula is not enough for her already and you might wonder when and what solid foods to introduce to your baby. Do not worry. Until six months of age your baby’s main and only food can be mothers milk or formula because with it your baby is getting all necessary nutrients as well as liquids.

Baby Food Eating

Also Read

• Car sickness in baby
• Baby care tips
• Day Care or child care
• Consistency with your children

You may if you wish start familiarizing your baby with solids from 4 months of age although it is way too early. From four to six months of age you could start giving grain cereals. At first start from rice cereal. You can buy iron and vitamins fortified rice cereal in the store in baby food section. This cereal is almost ready, you just have to add mother’s milk or formula and your baby’s first meal is ready. Start with small portion and increase it every day until the amount reaches the needed portion size. Observe whether your baby has any allergic reaction, is her tummy tight, is she crying after she eats in discomfort, is she throwing up? If none of this is happening after a week or two you can introduce oat and other grains cereal. It should be single grain cereal until your baby is 6 months old.

From 6 months onwards you can start giving various vegetable purees (potato, cauliflower, carrot, squash and etc.). Again you can buy it in the baby food section. All baby food companies are offering a variety of jarred first foods purees. You can also make purees by yourself. Jarred purees do not contain any salt, sugar, oil, butter or spices. When you make your own puree do not sweeten or add salt to the dish but you can add a drop of oil or a touch of butter. Make sure to introduce one vegetable after another giving each vegetable a week to make sure there are no allergies or author discomfort signs. Also while adding butter be careful to see whether it does not cause an allergy. Many moms will choose not to add anything.

At around seven to eight months you can start giving some fruit purees or fruit juices diluted with water. It is important to dilute juices with water because juices are sweet and your baby might refuse to nurse or drink formula after drinking sweet juice. Remember that breast milk or formula is still your baby’s main food and solids are just a nice addition. Apple purees could be given first, then you can try prunes or plums (especially if your baby gets constipated after eating an iron fortified cereal). Some babies while transitioning into solids might not have a bowl movement for up to 8 nine days! Try giving prunes’ juice or prunes’ puree, this often helps. Let your pediatrician know what’s happening and follow his instructions. After couple of months things should come back to normal.

At nine months you can start giving protein rich foods, like fish, meat, beans. Milk products are not recommended until your baby is a year old so cottage cheese, cheese is not an option. Yogurt though, is ok as long as your baby is not allergic to it. While preparing meat and fish dishes be very careful to boil them for a long time and make sure they are well cooked. Also give only very small portions of meat until they are well over 12 months.

Finally, when your baby is already 11 or 12 months old babies can be transitioned to family table foods. When you are cooking for yourself leave a little portion out before adding main heavy spices or oils. Your child’s meal should not contain lots of fat, hot spices or salt. As soon as your baby has front teeth they can try chewing little piece. They like to bite and often imitate us.

Read More

Day Care or child care

Best day care or child care finding a big challenge for parents so there are some tips to find out best daycare or preschool for your child.

Day Care

There comes a time when you have to go back to work and your toddler needs to be left at daycare or preschool. The separation pain usually makes every morning, wet from tears. With a heavy heart you leave your child feeling guilty when you hear the sobbing behind the closed door. Or maybe you are sneaking out secretly while your child is engaged in something else and doesn't see you leave? 

Day Care

 Also Read

• Baby Growth and Development
• Baby care tips
• Benefis of Breast Feeding

Here are some tips how to make the transition to a day care easier on both of you.

Choose daycare together. Take your child with you while searching for preschool. Let him choose which group of people and which teacher he will like more. This will help to familiarize him with his preschool before hand and he will feel less afraid and more confident.

Talk to your child about the change in your lives; tell him about the preschool, how is it going to be there. Knowledge will reduce the fear of the unknown and will make a transition easier. No matter what age, talk to your child because your little one is capable of understanding some things.

Start with leaving your child for only couple of hours if possible and then gradually increase the time span until he can stay for the entire day. This will help to reduce the shock of separation and staying in a place full of strangers. It doesn't matter that your child feels confident from the very beginning, you still should plan increasing the time span he stays in preschool only gradually.

Sometimes moms fail to come to pick their children on time and children wait with anxiety; maybe mommy will never come to get them? Keep your promises! Lets say you promised your son to come and pick him up just after dinner. Children ate their dinner and are gradually leaving home with their parents and you are still not there. For you it might seem like a few minutes which you spent stuck in traffic but for your son it is a trauma. He feels abandoned, wonders if you will ever show up. Don't be surprised if the next day, your “always eager to go to preschool child” refuses to go whatsoever. Keep your promises. Your child should know whom and when somebody from family members will come to pick him up. If you are consistent in your words and actions your child will feel more secure, will trust you more and feel important and loved.

Don't ever escape secretly from preschool after your child starts playing without saying good-bye to him. It is a tempting way to avoid tears, but escaping is even worse than crying. If you suddenly disappear your son will stop trusting in you. Remember, your little one does not know when and if you are going to return. He will be afraid to be left anywhere, even at home and cling to you all the time. Thus tell your child good-bye before leaving, explain to him that you or his dad will come to pick him up after he eats his dinner and keep your promises!

Read More

Consistency with children : child psychology

Consistency with your children grow your child in right way. Consistency is also a child psychology that provides to baby by parents.

Consistency

Consistency is the key while raising your child. Do not say "no" for something and then fail to follow up if your child ignores your "no". If you fail to support your word with action your

child will learn that your "no" doesn't always mean much.

Consistency with children

Also Read

• Car sickness in baby
• Baby Growth and Development
• Day Care or child care

For example, if your child is pressing a dishwasher's button that could start a false washing cycle over again, and you are trying to convince him that this is a wrong thing to do for the past ten minutes then you are on a wrong track. After pressing the button for the first time and having heard your "no" he should've stopped his behavior shortly. If he still continues, then you should take your child by his hand firmly, look at him in his eyes and say a firm NO and take him away from the machine and distract with some other activity.

Young (1-3yrs) children's attention span and memory are short thus distraction and firmness of your word are the best ways to deal with certain situations. Start early. As soon as your child becomes a curious explorer there are certain zones that should be kept from the child's access.

However usually there are spots in the house which are accessible to children but you prefer them not to be touched (for example audio system). Lets say your child kept trying to explore your audio system. No matter how lazy you are at that moment, get up from that sofa and tell him that this is a "no" zone. If your baby is again there after a while repeat the same thing again, after a few times your child will likely stay away from your audio system or touch it very carefully and will not make any damage.

A word of caution:

like everything in this life, discipline in access can result in a person with low self confidence later in life. Do not overdo it! You child learns only through exploration and trial and error methods. Don't be too restrictive. Allow things as long as they are within the safe and reasonable range of exploration.

Read More

BENEFITS OF BREAST FEEDING FOR BABIES

In this artical we are telling about Benefits and advantages of Breast Feeding for Babies and also read When to start solids? 

Breast milk is the best food for newborns and infants. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends to breastfeed babies at least for one full year if possible. Others suggest even longer period of time. Breast feeding has a tremendous biological, emotional and cognitive developmental benefits for the baby and during first four months it is the best food for your baby satisfying all her nutritional needs. We have reviewed and tested several baby products and none can match all the benefits of mothers milk.

 BREAST FEEDING OF BABY

Breast milk contains these elements:

- 1-1.5% proteins
- 6-7% sugar
- 3-4% fat
- 0.2 % salts
- 88% water
Breast milk is easily digestible and that’s why your baby feeds every 2 hours or even more frequent at times. The necessary elements from breast milk are easily absorbed by baby’s body and thus they enhance body’s development and growth. Breast milk also contains biologically active elements of the immune system that protect baby from viruses and infections and make her stronger. This immunity that naturally gets passed on to the baby can be very critical for the baby's health during the initial stages in order to fight flu and other common cold. Health benefits acquired during the first months of baby’s life last for the life time.

Another important benefit from breastfeeding is time and cost savings. Food is available at the right temperature and consistency whenever the demand is there and you don’t have to sterilize any bottles, measure, prepare, heat or wash. (unless you are working and pumping out milk regularly to a bottle and then feeding). Most formulas are quite expensive and you will end up spending at least $30 per week for formula (that’s $120 per month!). In an year you would have spent over thousand dollars. We normally try to give the best for the baby and do not calculate on costs. But in this case you end up giving something better for the baby and at the same time save money.

Also Read

• Baby Growth and Development
• Baby care tips
• Day Care or child care

Here are some facts about the breast milk:

• Breastfed babies are 3 times less likely to die from SIDS than formula fed babies.
• 80% of babies who are breastfed have normal weight compared to 43% formula fed babies.
• Children who were breastfed are twice less likely to get cancer in childhood.
• Breastfed babies are twice less likely to get ear infections.
• Breast fed babies even have better eyesight.
• They are less likely to have Vomiting, Diarrhea, Pneumonia, wheezing, and Bronchiolitis
• Also breast fed babies are less likely to have Meningitis

And these are only a few benefits to mention. All these benefits are verified by several studies and by the American Academy of Pediatrics. Some moms as well as experts say breastfeeding is the biggest gift you can give to your child.

Here are a few facts and tips about breastfeeding:

• Mother’s milk is perfect for your baby thus if your infant is feeding well, you do not need to give any additional food until he is 4-6 months old.

• There is no need to give additional liquids because your child not only eats but also satisfies his thirst with breast milk alone.

• Alternating breast and bottle might result in worse latching and less breast milk. If you need to give something to drink in addition to breast milk give by spoon or from a cup.

• Feed baby when he wants and shows sign of hunger. Initially newborn feeds up to 12 times per day. Later on frequency of feedings decreases to 7 times or so.

• Night feedings are important for your child because at night breast milk is thicker, has more calories and baby need it.

• The more your child feeds on breast, the more milk the breast will produce.

Initially for some mothers and babies it is hard to get adjusted and properly latched for breast feeding. For others the process is smooth. You can always talk to your obstetrician and pediatrician about the benefits of breast feeding and the techniques

Read More

Car Sickness in babies: How to cure car sickness or motion sickness

If there is car sickness in baby or you can say motion sickness then there are some tips to how to cure car sickness or motion sickness. Try these tips to prevent or reduce the symptoms:

CAR SICKNESS IN BABIES

- Make sure child is well rested before the trip
- Feed your child before the trip
- Do not use strong perfume before the journey - you can always put it on after you arrive at your destination
- Do not smoke while driving. Even if you have a craving, pull over in a parking lot or to a rest area, step out and smoke, just for your child's sake 
- Engage your child in interesting conversation or singing songs or playing verbal games, but make sure driving safe is your primary responsibility
- While driving avoid giving children books to color or read. This sometimes can cause sickness on certain kids
- If child is really sick stop in a rest area and go for a short walk. Fresh air and firm ground will help decrease dizziness
- While driving make breaks at least every two hours
- If its not cold, open window occasionally just enough for a gentle breeze
- Drive smoother, avoid making sudden turns
- Have plenty of water to drink
- Sometimes chewing a gum can help for older kids 

If nothing helps travel by train. Most likely the child will not feel dizzy :)


Also Read

• Benefits of Breast Feeding
• Baby care tips
• Day Care or child care

Bacteria and Candles

Research suggests that you can protect yourself and your family from dangerous bacteria like staphylococcus or Escherichia Coli by putting a few drops of natural oils into a candle. The smell of natural orange or eucalyptus oils emitted by the burning candle will kill dangerous bacteria and prevent your family members from catching an 
ugly disease.

Third year crisis

When your child is around 3, he/she will experience a so called "3rd year crisis". Your toddler might object everything you say, might even give nasty tantrums in public and swear using "bad" words (you may wonder where did she learn all that stuff?). 

A word of relief

By the 4th birthday this should go away gradually. This is just another developmental milestone in your child's life when she tests what is appropriate and inappropriate in society and also tests your abilities as a parent to handle such situations. Don't scream or spank your child. Your strict word, and a firm grip on her hand, and ignoring the tantrum will do the trick at least temporarily.

Read More

Baby Growth and Development : Critical Components

Baby Growth and Development are very for important parents so we want to aware about some critical components about child Growth and Development.

Baby Growth and Development

Now that you are done with your pregnancy, (finally!), you may be getting ready to share the endless joys your little one has to offer, Or you may be already experiencing not only the joys but also the responsibilities that come with it.
 

Baby Growth and Development

One of the main things to keep in mind is that you need to make sure you do everything you can to provide the best for your loved one. That means, educating yourself on all aspects of baby growth and development, so that you can keep up.

There are four main components, that play a critical role in the growth and development of babies. Most formula companies nowadays include these in their products but not on all available series and the levels also matter.

These components are often referred as building blocks by pediatricians and dietitians around the world. So be sure to look for these components in your baby's formula and understand what the brand manufacturer says, before buying them.

We are yet to see a formula brand that can match the fatty acid ratio of linoleic to alpha linolenic acid as in breast milk. Some formulas offer 10.8:1 and we think you should take it as a minimum. This would be closer to breast milk at a ratio of 5:1 to 15:1. We are yet to see a formula brand that would match this and we believe it is actually not possible.

Also Read

• Car sickness in baby
• Baby care tips
• Day Care or child care

Here are the four main components for Baby Growth and Development :

DHA and ARA (sometimes referred as AA)

In the medical world these are referred as Long Chain Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids (LCP). LCPs can be divided broadly into two categories:

* The omega 3 family (includes docosahexaenoic acid - DHA)

* The omega 6 family (includes arachidonic acid - AA)

These nutrients are very critical for the healthy development of not only infant's brain but also nervous system and vision. It is well known that brain phospholipids consist of more than 30% AA and DHA. When you choose a formula, you need to make sure you read all the nutrient information and understand how much levels of these nutrients are offered in each brand. The Koletzko Report on the Munich Workshop recommends 0.35% AA and 0.20% DHA levels. Another thing to consider is that the source of LCPs need to be vegetable based. They are much safer compared to other non-veg based LCPs. They also seem to be more effective. Vegetable based LCP sources are better because it is less difficult to extract AA and DHA in a pure form.

Additional sources include fish oils and egg yolk lipid. Egg yolk lipid contains both AA and DHA, but in a different chemical form (phospholipids) from those in human milk (triglycerides). Fish oil contains relatively high levels of the omega -3 family of fatty acids, including DHA, but only modest amounts of AA, which is required for normal growth.

You need to make sure the formula contains a highly concentrated, pure source of AA and DHA triglycerides, developed from a single cell plant source. We believe it is much safer and more effective.

The retina is more enriched with DHA than any other tissue in the human body as it naturally accumulates here. Many clinical studies show, the early intake of preformed DHA and AA is necessary for the optimal visual development of the infant. The infants given supplemented ARA:DHA formula compared to non-supplemented, had improved vision. This can be comparable to seeing an entire extra line on an eye chart. In addition some other recent research shows that fortifying a term infant formula with LCPs leads to improved IQ test sources in infants.

Selenium

You need to make sure you can get rid of harmful radicals. That's what it is all about. Selenium plays an important role in balancing metabolism by scavenging for "free radicals". Selenium is an anti-oxidant. The body continually produces free radicals and disposes of them by a series of reactions. This is often termed in the medical world as "antioxidant defense mechanisms". These mechanisms involve special enzymes that turn the harmful radicals into innocuous water and oxygen. When these free radicals are produced in excess amounts, their activity can become out of control as well as damaging. This is often called as "oxidative stress". To prevent this damage, the human body has developed a scavenging system or "wipe-off system" of substances, which combine with free radicals to neutralize them. Selenium is one of these substances.

Nucleotides

Nucleotides are found in all living cells of the body, period. They are involved in several bio-chemical functions and are often described as the "building blocks of life" as they form the basis of our Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA) and Ribonucleic Acid (RNA). We can even say they are essential for the body's function. Nucleotides are constantly being formed and degraded, especially in tissues with rapid turnover rates such as skin, gut, white and red blood cells, and the immune system.

Nucleotides help the gut by promoting the growth of "good" bacteria, which in turn protects the gut against harmful bacteria. In addition they play an important role in the growth development of gut cells. Babies fed a formula supplemented with nucleotides have been shown to have immune cell activity and production similar to breast fed babies, allowing them to fight off infection better than babies fed non-supplemented formula. Even though some studies show this keep in mind there is almost no substitute to breast milk when it comes to better immune system. But its a good thing to have in formulas because you at least need to make sure the formula you feed is as close as you can get to breast milk.

Beta-carotene

Beta-carotene is considered to be the carotenoid with high value in terms of human nutrition. Beta-carotene is another antioxidant that helps the development of the immune system and assists the healthy development of body, skin and eye tissue. It has a high regard because ingested beta-carotene can be converted by the human body into vitamin A. Vitamin A is known to be critical for maintaining the immune system and also in aiding vision as well as cell growth and reproduction. Beta-carotene has additional bio-chemical functions just like selenium like free radical scavenger. Others include protecting the cells against cellular damage and having an effect on immune functions. Free radicals are harmful, highly reactive by-products of metabolism. They are basically molecules or ions with impaired electrons.

Now that you know about these components, you can visit specific brands and read their reviews. You can also share your experience and thoughts with us. It is very important that we hear from you the consumer. Only with proactive and participating parents like you, we can maintain a rich resource that can help other parents and in turn our children.

Read More