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| Baby Care: |
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Home from the hospital.................
Safety Tips For Your New Baby!
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How To Make Homemade Baby Food
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| Spit Up: What Is It? : |
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It is inevitable. Blouses and pants will be stained, laundry will pile up, your baby will ...More >>
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Flexible, Fearful or Feisty
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The Scoop On poop
If you are expecting a baby, you probably are collecting information, reading as many informative articles on babies and their upbringing as possible. What you probably won't find is some real, honest to goodness information on what to expect about the end of your baby that makes the most mess. Oh, yes, you'll find out what to do if baby hasn't gone, how many diaper changes you should expect and so on.
What these so called informative resources fail to tell you is that you will become obsessed with poo. Oh, yes. Totally and completely obsessed with your baby's bottom and what comes out of it. Is it the right color? Is it enough? Am I changing enough diapers? All of those questions and more will go through your mind each and every day that you are changing poo-filled diapers.
You will change literally thousands of diapers in your time as a mom. Four children who have all given me the experience to tell you exactly what's going on down there. When I had my first baby, I didn't think about poop until I was at my daughter's first Dr.'s appointment and this unfamiliar sound reverberated through the room.
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Lesson number One: Breastfed babies have loud noises from the diaper area. If you haven't cared for a baby fed on breast milk, be prepared. You may think a dog has taken up residence in the diaper area. This isn't the case, it's just Junior making you a present.
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Lesson Number Two: Newborn poo is blackish green. And sticky. It also stains. Keep this stuff away from anything you want to wear again.
Lesson Number Three: Breastfed babies poop a yellow-gold curdy stuff. It smells like cheese and will make you not want to have cheese on anything. Bottle fed babies have a tan or light brown poo that smells, well, gross.
Fun Fact: Breastfed babies who are fed any thing blue will have an electric green BM. This happened to me by accident once and was totally mortifying until I realized my daughter was given blue jello. The poo was varying shades of crayola green for about two days.
Breast fed babies are rarely constipated, but bottle fed babies can become constipated. I gave my baby a little prune juice and it cleared up quickly. If your baby doesn't have a movement for a full day, consult your doctor for the best method for results.  |
Keeping Romance  Alive
Although dating is usually thought of as something that unmarried people do, it’s still very important for couples to make the time to go out on dates together to reconnect with each other, if nothing else. Whether you've been together for a short time or are celebrating a few decades together, the main thing to remember is that married people – and couples with children especially – all need to get away from time to time and just spend some "selfish" time together. Not every waking moment has to be about the children, which is sometimes how it can seem to couples just starting out raising a family.
Babies definitely are a blessing, but they can sometimes cause you to put your relationship with each other on the back burner for a while. That’s why it’s always a good idea to take the time to make a date with each other. It doesn’t have to be an expensive night out. Maybe it’s a simple thing like going out bowling if you both like bowling) or to a movie if you’re both into movies). The important thing is to do something that you both want to do for your date. In some cases that may be to simply trade a night of babysitting with another couple with children. This won’t end up costing anyone any money and will allow you to simply stay at home, sitting in the blissful quiet with each other, if that’s what you both want to do.
Building your date nights around common interests will ensure that you both end up spending the night doing what you each want to do. There’s nothing worse than making the time for a date together and doing something that only one of you really enjoys doing. You can both develop a real sense of anticipation about your night out if you both have some input into what the night will be about. Maybe the idea of connecting romantically again appeals to both of you for that night. Spend some time talking about what you each want to get out of the night and let the ideas flow from that.
Maybe your date will be about trying a new place to eat out that you’ve been hearing good things about. If you like, you can make it a double date if you’ve also been missing out on special times with close friends. Again, this all depends on what you each want to get out of the night. You can always find time to be alone together after the meal’s over and your friends have gone home. Some couples use an alternating method of choosing what to do on dates, with each partner taking a turn deciding what to do on their date nights. This allows for changing ideas and will keep the event fresh every time you go out on your date. By talking over the various options for each date and narrowing them down to three choices, the couple can more easily come up with things to do on a date that both partners will enjoy.
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Breast Feeding 101.jpg)
Congratulations on choosing to breastfeed your baby. Breastfeeding is a natural way to ensure the best nutrition for your baby and has great health benefits for you, too. Breastfeeding enforces a strong bond between mother and child, plus it has the most perfect nutrition available to your baby for the first year of his life. Women have breastfed their babies from the beginning of time, but that does not mean it is always easy. This article will help provide information for first timers and provide a refresher for mothers who have nursed before.
You have probably noticed a clear, sometimes yellowish fluid leaking from your breasts in the last stages of pregnancy. This is called colostrum and is full of nutrients and immunities for the first days. You will be giving your baby your own immunities and power packed nutrition with this fluid until your milk comes in, in about three to five days.
Try to begin breastfeeding as soon as possible. Many doctors will allow you to hold and nurse your baby soon after birth. Take this chance to hold your baby close to you and encourage her to latch on. Your baby has just been through a very stressful experience and nursing will help calm her down. She already has the rooting reflex!
Make sure your baby is latched on right by looking at her top and bottom lips. They should be splayed outward, not folded in. If your baby's lips are in, slide your pinky finger into the corner of her mouth and gently coax them into an outward position. If she is latched on improperly, she can swallow air which causes painful gas cramps.
Continuous problems with latching on can give you sore nipples and milk let down issues. When baby is trying to latch on, she will open her mouth very wide. Hold your breast in your hand and quickly put as much of your nipple into her mouth as you can. She will clamp down tightly and begin sucking. If she is latched on well, you will hear
little sounds like 'mmm'. You can also watch her jaw muscles for the
swallowing motions.
Use both breasts during feedings. Let your baby feed on one side, then switch to the other. If she falls asleep, just begin with the breastshe did not drink from, first. Some women use a safety pin on their bra strap to remember which breast they need to start a feeding with.
If you find yourself engorged, (hard, hot to the touch, sore), express
the milk with your hand or a pump. The best cure for engorgement is a
feeding. A hot towel, washcloth, or a warm shower can help with the
soreness.
Women who breastfeed lose weight faster after birth, have a lower risk
of breast cancer, and a stronger bond with their babies. They are
also less likely to experience post partum depression and/or the baby
blues. Enjoy!
Baby Spit-up, How to Cope
It is inevitable. Blouses and pants will be stained, laundry will pile up, your baby will continue to look sheepish every time it happens. Welcome to the world of baby spit-up.
What is it?
Babies are new, that is obvious, and being new to life, they are also new to eating. Half of young babies spit up on a regular basis. Up until they are about four months old, they are still learning to balance when he needs to draw breath and when he is drinking. There are plenty of adults who have a hard time drinking on their own, accidently missing their mouths, letting water go down the wrong pipe. It is the same with babies.
When air gets trapped between a babies throat and tummy, in their esophagus, it often bursts back up and pushes the milk or formula out of their mouths and onto your shoulder. Furthermore, babies do not know their milk limit, and often just drink and drink until they are very full, and occasionally that extra milk that doesn’t fit in their bellies will just bubble back out.
However, be sure that most spit-up is simply reflux, and not vomit or anything dangerous. Most times when babies spit up, they continue grinning and do not even realize that they burped up all over your good blouse. If the baby is vomiting or in pain, the strain will be apparent on her face or she will cry.
There are a few preemptive measures you can take to help your baby and your wardrobe. If you feed your baby in an upright position, the milk will have an uninterrupted path to her belly, so nothing can get trapped in her esophagus. You can also feed her in a calm environment, so the baby will simply eat and not get distracted or interrupted. A relaxing feeding will let baby concentrate on her meal. If will also let you have some bonding time with her.
Also, be sure to burp your baby regularly. If she burps right after eating, it will not be a surprising explosion later. Spit-up also smells very strong because it has just been sitting in the baby’s belly. If you burp baby after eating, she can digest the milk instead of letting it sour in her throat. Sour milk smells awful, but it probably tastes even worse!
Also make sure that you keep a close eye on your babies eating habits. If you can clock about how much your baby eats comfortably, you can be sure to not overfeed her. Overfeeding leads to spit-up, but could also lead to your baby being uncomfortable. Babies cannot tell you straight out when they are feeling poopy, so it is up to mommy and daddy to watch their behaviors and mannerisms.
Breast Feeding Links
www.llli.org/ - Le Leche International
www.breastfeeding.com
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Babies: A Tongue In Cheek Owner's Manual
When you were pregnant, you couldn't wait to hold that tiny, warm, sweet
smelling baby all the magazines convinced you will be your very own. Ha! What a cheap marketing ploy!
Here's the truth, moms, that little baby will be tiny and warm, but far from
sweet smelling during quite a few moments. Babies are sticky, stinky, and full of liquid that will turn into a projectile which will stain your favorite
blouse at a moment's notice. So before handling your own newborn, here are some tips to help you cope.
Newborns poop. Quite often. Be ready to change baby anytime, anywhere. Fill a backpack with wipes and diapers. Some mothers may even need a bandolier.
When a baby is new, he doesn't fit into diapers quite perfectly. This means gaps which lead to leaks, some of them of the noxious sort. Oxygen powder is your friend, use it instead of normal spray on stain removers.
Newborns also leak. There is no way to stop this, only preventive measures which include bibs, burp cloths, and towels placed in strategic locations around your home.
Babies, especially as they age, have a built in alarm system. This alarm is meant for when mommy or daddy leaves the immediate area. If mom takes a shower, a piercing wail will quickly summon her to the nursery, covered in shampoo. Baby will be blissfully asleep, leaving mommy to wonder if she is experiencing auditory hallucinations. It's not your imagination. It's the alarm.
When it is time to start solids, begin with baby cereal. This stuff tastes
awful, but babies have no clue about this. Do your best to use that to your advantage, getting as much of the best nutrition you can into baby. As soon as she has had a taste of anything other than baby food, regardless of her age, she'll refuse the baby food. Expect to find your baby in the middle of your plate, eating her way out one day.
For moms of boys: When he figures out he has an extra toy, you will need to put his diapers on backwards. Boys seem to think if they remove their pants and pull on this toy, they can run faster. I've seen this in action, he really can run faster!
While you might experience the above, your mileage may vary. Each baby is different, you may have to build your own book of tips for grandparents, babysitters, and friendly passerbys who get too close. Enjoy them! 
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Getting the Nursery Ready - Help With Themes
With the arrival of a new baby into your home comes the wish to welcome that child into its own particular corner of the world. Creating a baby room or nursery that will enclose your child with a feeling of warmth and love is very important to both your baby and you.
Starting out with a theme for the room and then winding in other aspects of the theme around it can make the room a wonderful place for both of you. Of course, it goes without saying that everything in your baby’s room should be all about comfort and safety. A few things to take into account when planning and creating the room can include:
Always use non-toxic paint for the walls of your child’s room.
- There should be no direct light that can hurt a baby’s sensitive eyes, whether it’s from an open window facing the sunlight or overhead or table lights.
- Furniture pieces that you choose for the room should all have rounded corners and edges
- The room that you choose as your nursery or baby’s room should be away from any busy or noisy streets. This will help the baby to get a better sleep.
- Curtains in the room should only go down to the windowsill
- Bumpers on the side of the crib should be made of soft fabric
Here are a few different themes, which you can use to create your nursery around. It won’t take long before you’re adding to your chosen theme on your own with colors and materials of your own choosing.
Animals are always a popular theme to create a charming baby room around. It may end up instilling in your baby a love for, and comfort with, animals. You can use pictures and stuffed items depicting kittens, puppies, bunnies and farm animals.
Cartoon or Television characters are always a popular theme with parents and children alike. Many happy memories are associated with classic cartoon characters and parents want to pass that love of animated characters along to their children. Characters such as Winnie the Pooh, Bugs Bunny, Mickey Mouse and other Disney characters can all play a part in the early development of your child’s environment.
Underwater themes featuring dolphins, tropical fish and shells are also a popular theme. The soft colors provide a soothing and nurturing environment for your baby – and you- to be a part of. Soft, “white noise” sounds can also be added to complete the peaceful feeling of being in or near the ocean. This environment will be a wonderfully themed room in which to fall asleep.
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What is Cradle-Cap?
Cradle-cap is a very common condition among infants. It usually appears on the scalp and occurs mostly between the ages of two and six months. You may have noticed thick yellow, oily or scaly patches on your little one’s scalp or in some cases just dry, flaking skin.
This condition does not seem to bother babies much. When it becomes severe it may cause itching, but it generally is not painful.
Left untreated, cradle-cap often clears on its own over several months though these patches may persist or recur in some infants. In severe cases, cradle-cap may spread to the face, armpits and diaper area and it is therefore a good idea to address cradle cap from a preventative point of view and also to prevent the unsightly appearance often associated with the condition - even though this may worry mothers more than their babies!
To Use or Not to Use the All Mighty Pacifier
One of the hardest decisions you may have to make with your baby is whether or not to use a pacifier on a regular basis. While it may help to soothe a cranky baby at times, it may end up doing more harm than good in some cases. Using a pacifier isn’t the problem really; it’s more the overuse that becomes the problem. When a pacifier is used as a stopper to stop the baby from crying, or to stop the baby from disturbing others, it becomes a habit not only for the child, but also for the parents. Many people find that simply allowing the baby to suck on a dampened facecloth is enough to quiet the baby, provided that it’s only suckling that the baby wants and not actual food.
Overuse of a pacifier has been proven to have serious consequences for a child’s dental development, especially in the leading teeth between the bicuspids. Too many people allow a baby to have a pacifier in the mouth for long periods of time, and in some cases, even as long as an entire day! This will have a detrimental effect not only on the baby’s dental growth but on the ability to cope with issues without resorting to having a pacifier shoved in their face. Older children often have trouble keeping the pacifier clean as they get into more – and dirtier – spots around the house. If your child develops the need to have a pacifier to fall asleep, you’ll have to get used to getting up several times in the night to retrieve it for him when it falls from his mouth. This is not a good way for either of you to get any sleep.
As with many things, there’s a proper place and time to use a pacifier. It shouldn’t be used as a way to get your baby to keep quiet. It should only be used for the required amount of time that it’s needed and then you should retrieve it from the baby and let them know that life isn’t all about the pacifier in the mouth. Look for natural opportunities for getting the pacifier away from your child. If your child develops a cold, the congestion may prevent them from wanting the pacifier in their mouth. This is a good time to spirit it away. Many children never even miss the pacifier when it’s gone. It’s also good to remember that not all children need a pacifier in the first place. Many babies find that sucking a thumb or their fist is often enough for them. Some newborns simply have more of a need to suckle than others. The normal suckling they get from a bottle or while nursing isn’t enough to satisfy this urge for more suckling. In this case, a pacifier is a real necessity for these children. It’s very important in the first few days after birth to allow your baby to develop natural nursing habits without the use of a pacifier. Otherwise, there’s the chance that some degree of nipple confusion can occur in babies already struggling with breastfeeding habits.
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Post-Partum Fitness
How you look after giving birth is not nearly as important as how you feel. During your pregnancy, you gain enough weight to sustain you and the baby growing inside you. That does not mean that all of that weight will be used up. Between any extra weight, the surgery, the labor, and the sore muscles, it is very important that you gain your strength and fitness back for the next 18 years that lie ahead of you.
There are some very simple, easy ways to get your exercise after giving birth. Walking, pushing a stroller, yoga, Pilates, fitness videos, home gym are all ways to regain your strength and pre-pregnant body. You want to make sure that you do not over exert your body during the first few months after having your baby, and you certainly want to keep a nutritious diet and drink plenty of water. These little details are easy to add to your routine, but they are very important. You have to keep up your energy for late nights spent with the baby and strength needed to hold the little one.
Exercising is also a good way to reduce stress worked up from the surgery and the past 9 months of hormonal fluctuations. When your body is in good working order, balance of the emotional and mental states are sure to follow. When you feel healthy and relaxed, any tension that might build over dealing with new responsibilities will not be so overwhelming.
Walking is a simple, low-impact exercise you can do with or without the baby. You can get some fresh air on a walk that will keep your cabin fever at bay. Taking the baby in a stroller with help you bond, and let you talk to other people on the street, a new baby is always an ice-breaker. What is more fun than burning a few calories and meeting new friends?
Yoga and Pilates are excellent ways to release stress and unwanted baby weight. These exercises are meant to help stretch and strengthen your muscles with smooth, fluid motions. Yoga helps to get your blood flowing without hurting your strained body.
Also try to go for a swim once in a while. Swimming works your body and different muscles gently; unlike weight machines, water provides a soft resistance that you won’t feel instantly. In the water you can swim easily without feeling like it is too much work. Try to look for pools that you can take your baby to, then you can both get the workout benefit.
Make sure that whatever you decide to do for exercise, you stick to it. It will do your body less good if you are random with your fitness regime. You want to make sure to get your heart rate up for about 30 minutes every day. The more you do it, the more your body will get accustomed to being worked.
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