photo credit: rkimpeljr

A cord blood bank is a facility which stores umbilical cord blood for future use. Both private and public cord blood banks have developed since the mid to late 1990s in response to the potential for cord blood transplants in treating diseases of the blood and immune systems. However, cord blood is not recommended to be stored in a private bank for the vast majority of cases.

Your cord blood is the best gift you can give your baby after she is born. Not convinced. Here are some advantages of saving of umbilical blood for your baby.

Your extracting cord blood for your baby is not painful for you and your baby.

Your placenta and the umbilical cord would have been discarded anyway. Why not use it for the welfare of your baby and its siblings.

There are many diseases like cancer which can be treated with the help of the patients stem cells.

Bone marrow can supply stem cells too. However, the quality and quantity is a lot better in the umbilical cord.

If a person has his own stem cells, he does not have to depend on others for donation. He is his own donor.

There can be a situation where the donors stem cells do not match that of the patients. As a result, treatment will be delayed leading to dire consequences. This could have been avoided if the patients parents had decided to preserve his cord blood after he was born.

Preserving your babys cord blood will not only help your baby but also her siblings whose blood you have not saved. Various researches has proved that the stem cells from a sibling is more beneficial than other familys stem cells.

You can look at it as insurance for your family. At the time of need this blood storage may prove to be life savior of your family member.

Incase, you see that your child is growing up healthy and there is no problem in the next few years, you can chose to donate the umbilical cord blood to a needy family.

Diseases Which Can Be Cured With Cord blood

Here is a list of some of the diseases that can be treated with the help of your babys umbilical cord blood:

• Acute Leukemias
• Chronic Leukemias
• Myelodysplastic Syndromes
• Stem Cell Disorders
• Myeloproliferative Disorders
• Lymphoproliferative Disorders
• Phagocyte Disorders
• Liposomal Storage Diseases
• Histiocytic Disorders
• Inherited Erythrocyte Abnormalities
• Congenital (Inherited) Immune System Disorders
• Other Inherited Disorders
• Inherited Platelet Abnormalities,
• Plasma Cell Disorders
• Autoimmune Diseases
• Brain Tumors
• Ewing Sarcoma
• Neuroblastoma
• Ovarian Cancer
• Renal Cell Carcinoma
• Small-Cell Lung Cancer
• Testicular Cancer.

Cord blood banking may sound expensive now, but if you look that benefits you and your family might be getting out of it, the expense looks quite miniscule. So, think again. You love your baby very much and will always try to do everything possible to ensure that she is healthy and happy. Save her umbilical cord blood. Save the very cells that created her. Give her a gift she will always remember her own stem cells. They can give her a new life.

In terms of babies, we know that colic causes babies to cry and cry, much more than other babies who are not suffering from colic.

What are signs of Colic?

When babies with colic cry, they may draw their arms and legs in tight toward their bodies and appear to be in pain. Or other times they stretch out their arms and legs and stiffen, then draw up tight again. You may notice that baby’s face turns bright red from excessive crying.

Babies are diagnosed with colic when their crying lasts for more than three hours a day. You may find that colicky babies get fussier toward the end of the day, but colic can happen at any time.

A baby with colic may cry for long periods or may cry almost all of the time. When your baby cries, they may swallow air. This swallowing is likely to give your baby uncomfortable gas. Having an extra amount of gas in your baby’s tummy will make it look swollen and feel tight, which can of course make your baby more uncomfortable.

What Causes Colic?

This has long been a question without a definite answer. Still no one is quite sure what actually causes colic. Babies with colic are healthy, so it does not appear to be caused by a medical problem. And colic is not caused by the way a baby is cared for. Without a doubt it is not any fault of the parent.

It was once believed by doctors that babies may have an allergy to milk. This has since been resolved as often breastfed babies may suffer from colic too. Many believe that colic is caused by excessive gas in the tummy which is the result of baby swallowing too much air while crying.

How long will Colic last?

Colic usually starts when baby is three to six weeks old. And will typically go away when they are around three months old. You may wish to visit your baby’s physician for guidance if your baby is still showing signs of colic after three months of age.

How can I help soothe my colicky baby?

There is no one treatment which has been proven to make colic go away, but there are some simple things you can try to soothe your colicky baby. For example many babies calm when they are gently rocked, bounced or held closely to their parent’s body. By being held close, your baby may feel more warm and secure, and your body movements may help to calm. Try also swaddling. Being swaddled for many babies helps them to organize. You might also humming or singing a soft tune to your baby. This soothing sound may also calm you too!

If you want to take steps towards quieting and calming your baby, try this battle plan to soothe the symptoms:

1. Check to see if your baby is hungry
First of all you should check to see if your baby is hungry. To do this with young babies simply place you finger under their chin and if it tries to suck or move toward it then it means that your baby is hungry.

2. Walk with your baby
Walk with your baby or sit in a rocking chair. The continuous movement will soothe your baby. However, be sure to place your baby’s head close to your chest so that it can hear your heartbeat.

3. Burping while feeding
Try burping your baby more frequently during feeding.

4. Know that a colic attack is coming and be prepared for it
When dealing with a colicky baby it is best to plan ahead. For example, if your baby usually has colic attacks in the afternoon/evening then you should do most of your household chores in the morning. Make sure that if your baby has been awake for most of the morning that he/she gets a nap in the afternoon and you take one with them. A nap can actually reduce the frequency of the colic attacks and how long they last.

5. Play music
Play music like classical or slow music as some babies respond better to sound and will find it soothing.

6. Stop the Crying as soon as possible
Using a pacifier may help stop your baby crying however, if this does not work a small bottle of sugar water helps calm and relax the baby.

Stopping your baby’s crying spells as quickly and calmly as possible can significantly shorten the episodes of colic.

7. Massage
Place your baby across your lap while he/she lies on his/her belly and rub his/her back. This will help get rid of air in your baby’s stomach and prevent gas. Try also massaging your baby’s tummy. In some cases, gently massaging baby’s tummy has helped to move uncomfortable gasses out of the intestinal tract relieving tightness and discomfort. Massage should be given to baby in a clockwise circular motion using your full soft hand. This massage specifically pinpoints the digestive tract and should help to ease your baby’s pain by helping them to pass painful gas.

8. Neck nestling
This is when the baby snuggles his/her head into the space that is located between the jaw and chest of the parent. Your jawbone drapes gently over the baby’s head and your voice box presses against its’ head. Small babies hear not only with their ears but also the vibrations that go through their skull. If you sing something monotonous like a lullaby it will help your baby to drift off to sleep. This technique works best with dad’s because they have a lower pitch and higher vibration from their voice.

9. A special favourite.

What you have to do is drape your bare skinned but diapered baby over your bare chest. Make sure that your baby’s ear is over your heartbeat. The rhythm of your heart combined with the rhythm of your chest moving as you are breathing and a bit of rhythmic patting on your baby’s back will usually soothe both of you.

10. Use motion
Some babies prefer to be still when calmed down whereas, others like the use of motion to be soothed. Motion swings set at approximately 60 beats per minute is an excellent device to be used for those types of babies. The constant motion is great for relaxing the baby. However, you should bear in mind that for some babies this may not work as the swing only provides a back and forth motion.

A vibrating bouncer is another excellent tool to use to calm down your colicky baby. The vibration and rhythmic sound coming from this device will soothe your baby.

How to cope when your baby has colic?

Caring for a colicky baby can be extremely stressful and frustrating at times but, remember it’s not your fault. Also, bear in mind that you need to take care of yourself as well. You can’t be very soothing to your baby if you are all tense and stressed. You need to try to relax and remember that your baby will outgrow this phase. In addition, keep in mind that if you need to take a break from your baby’s crying then do so, there is nothing wrong with that. Family and relatives are often understanding and happy to take care of your baby when you need some time out for yourself, even if your baby is crying. If there is no one around it’s ok to put your baby in the crib, let him/her cry and take a break before trying to make another attempt.

Do not fear or worry too much if your child has colic as your baby will outgrow it. However, do consult your doctor if your baby screams constantly or if your baby’s colic attacks are accompanied with excessive vomiting, diarrhea and constipation. These symptoms may indicate a more serious problem.

[tags]colic baby, infant colic, soothing colic baby[/tags]

You can typically find free samples and discount coupons by navigating your browser directly to a manufacturer’s website. To find these websites, do an online search for your favorite brands of formula, diapers, and baby foods.

You can also often get free trial subscriptions to leading parenting magazines. At the time of this writing, you can get a free 6-month subscription to American Baby magazine and a free 12-month subscription to Baby Talk magazine directly at the publications’ websites.

A word of caution about signing up for baby freebies, newsletters, and sweepstakes. Make sure you read the fine print, as well as a site’s privacy policy before you enter your name and email address on the company’s registration form. Each time you are signing up for something, you are probably being put on a mailing list. You may want to have a secondary email address that you use only on registration pages and, if the page asks you if you would like additional mailings from partners, opt out. Read the rest

What causes colds?

Colds are upper respiratory tract infections caused by one of many different viruses. They’re most commonly spread when someone with a cold sneezes or coughs and unleashes a cold virus into the air to be inhaled by someone else. They can also commonly be transmitted through hand-to-hand contact, so always wash your hands after blowing your nose. Babies tend to get a lot of colds because they’re born with immune systems which function at about 60% of capacity.

How do colds affect babies?

Few things are more frustrating than a baby with a cold. A sick baby will probably have a fever (up to 101 degrees F / 38 degrees C), cough, reddened eyes, a sore throat, and runny nose. Your child may also be irritable and lose his appetite. Babies under six months old can’t breathe through their noses when they’re all stuffed up, so they have trouble breathing and eating. Children aren’t usually developmentally ready to blow their own noses until about the age of four, so you’ll have to help younger children clear the mucus.

If your baby has been sleeping through the night, you’ll be reminded of those first few weeks of life. He’ll probably wake up several times during the night due to his discomfort and difficulty breathing. Expect to be up with your baby, comforting him and wiping his nose.

How long do colds generally last?

Symptoms generally abate after three to 10 days, though in very young babies they may last up to two weeks. Most babies who have some exposure to older children will experience six to 10 colds during their first year; it may seem as if his nose is runny all winter long.

Can I help prevent my child from getting colds?

Breastfeeding is one of the best ways to protect your baby’s health, since as long as he’s breastfeeding, he’s getting your antibodies and your natural immunities. This isn’t a foolproof way to protect your baby’s health, but when breastfed babies do become ill, their cold symptoms are generally mild.

You can also try to protect your child by keeping him away from those who are ill and by asking all sick family members to wash their hands thoroughly before handling your baby or his things.

If you or your partner smoke, give it up, and refrain from taking your baby to areas where someone has been smoking. Children who live with cigarette smokers have more colds and their colds last longer than their peers who aren’t exposed to smoke.

When should I consult the doctor?

Do so at the first sign of illness if your child is less than three months old. In an older baby, call your doctor if a cold persists for more than five days; if your child’s temperature climbs above 102 degrees F / 39 degrees C; or if he has an earache, breathing problems, wheezing, a persistent cough, or a persistent, thick, green mucus running from his nose.

How do I treat a cold?

• There’s little you can do except ride it out, and help your child get plenty of rest and liquids (increase the amount of vitamin C-rich fruit juices). If he’s feverish, you can give him paracetamol suspension under a doctor’s direction. Don’t give him any cold remedies without consulting your GP or local pharmacist. In children under one year old, over-the-counter cold medications often do more harm than good, and cough medicines have been shown to be no better than a non-medicated syrup for easing symptoms. Nonetheless, there are some remedies to ease his discomfort:
• If your baby is congested, elevate the head of the mattress with an old towel or two. Sleeping at an incline may help relieve your baby’s postnasal drip. (Do not use pillows to prop your baby up — they can pose a suffocation hazard — or pillows under the mattress.)
• Because babies are too young to blow their noses, the best way to help them breathe more easily is to wipe their noses. You can also apply petroleum jelly to the outside of your baby’s nostrils to reduce irritation. If your child is having trouble breastfeeding with a stuffy nose, you may like to ask your GP to prescribe saline drops to apply to each nostril 15 minutes before a feed. Some parents then use a suction bulb to clear the nose of salt water and mucus.
• Try a cool mist vaporiser to moisten the air. Or take your baby into the bathroom with you, turn on the hot water or shower, close the door, and sit in the steamy room for about 15 minutes. Remember to change your baby into dry clothes after the steam bath.
• If your child has a stuffy nose without any other symptoms, check his nostrils for foreign objects. You never know: even little ones are capable of putting things up there.
  
  

Colds are a fact of life. Once you’ve survived your baby’s first one, you’ll know what to expect with the next.

Tags: baby cold medicine, baby cold cough, baby cold symptoms, infant colds, baby cold, baby cold remedies

Sooner or later, your new baby will develop a fever. It would be a rare child who does not come down with some kind of illness that elevates their temperature. Babies can get fevers for a variety of reasons, and understanding the whys, can help you determine if you should call your doctor.

On a warm day, and over-dressed baby, particularly an active or squirmy one, can become flushed and hot. When their temperature is taken it is up. The first thing to do is remove some of the clothing, and place the child in a cool spot to rest or play quietly. Take their temperature again in 20-30 minutes, if there are no signs that their distress is increasing. Chances are, it will be headed back towards normal. Sometimes just a very active play session in hot weather, can make a toddler’s temperature go up, and the cure is the same: remove some clothes, and cool down by taking a break.

Why do baby get fevers?
Most fevers are the result of a child’s body fighting off an infection of some sort. As white blood cells become active and mount a defense, their temperature will rise, and they may develop other symptoms, including coughing, excessive crying, restlessness, listlessness, lack of appetite, unwillingness to drink, diarrhea and vomiting. But occasionally, fever is the only symptom, and many times, it does not seem to interfere with their activities or behavior.

Fever is part of the body’s way of fighting infection. Macrophages, the “clean-up” cells of the body, are constantly on patrol. When they find something that doesn’t belong — such as a virus, bacterium or fungus — they mop up as much as they can. At the same time, they call for help, signalling to the brain to raise the body’s temperature. The heat kills some types of bacteria directly. It also seems to speed up the body’s production of white blood cells and chemicals that kill germs.

Babies often get fevers after receiving immunisations; a fever may also accompany a severe cold, flu, sore throat, ear infection, respiratory illness (like pneumonia), croup, viral illness, and urinary tract infections.

How can I tell if my baby’s fever is serious?
More important than the actual temperature is your child’s behaviour. If she has a fever of 102 degrees F / 38.9 degrees C, is feeding well, responsive and easily comforted, you have less reason to worry than if her fever is 101 degrees F / 38.2 degrees C, she’s crying inconsolably and she’s limp and unresponsive. Contact your doctor if your baby is acting oddly, if she suddenly starts crying more than usual and you can’t comfort her in the usual ways, if she’s lethargic and not interested in feeding. You should be more cautious with a younger baby especially those under 3 months of age and doctors expect to do more checks on younger babies with fever.

Babies often get ill quickly but they also recover quickly. However, you should contact your doctor if a fever lasts longer than 3 days.

What is a febrile convulsion?
If your child’s temperature rises suddenly, causing her to turn pale, stiffen, twitch uncontrollably, and perhaps even lose consciousness, she’s having a fever-induced seizure, known as a febrile convulsion. It’s frightening to watch, but it rarely harms the child. Although they may seem to last forever, these seizures usually continue for only 20 seconds, and rarely more than two minutes. In the event that a convulsion lasts more than four minutes, call for an ambulance or take your baby to the Accident and Emergency department immediately.

While she’s having the seizure, don’t restrain your baby in any way. Just loosen any tight clothing and remove anything in her mouth, such as a dummy or food. (She won’t swallow her tongue.) Call your doctor when the seizure has finished.

How do I detect a fever?
Parents can usually tell if their child has a fever by touching or kissing her brow (studies show that this method is accurate about 75% of the time). Use a thermometer to get an exact reading. Don’t use an oral (mouth) thermometer until your child is three years old. If your baby is too young to have a thermometer in her mouth, a temperature reading taken from her armpit will be accurate enough to tell if she has a fever. Hold the bulb end of the thermometer in the child’s armpit with her elbow against her side for about five minutes (the newer digital thermometers beep when they’ve finished the measurement). Underarm readings register one or two degrees lower than internal readings, so make the adjustment upwards.

An ear thermometer is a quick and precise way to take your child’s temperature but is expensive to buy and requires a steady hand to get an exact reading. Alternatively, fever strips, which you hold on your child’s forehead, are less accurate but are useful with a squirming toddler.

What can I do to treat my baby’s fever?
You don’t need to treat a fever unless your child is very uncomfortable, or if she’s had febrile convulsions in the past. Here are some fever-soothing measures:

• If your child is more than eight weeks old and has a fever, you can give her a dose of paracetamol suspension such as Calpol or Disprol to bring down the temperature. Follow the dosage instructions carefully. The correct dose of ibuprofen can be given instead. Paracetamol and ibuprofen are not normally recommended for babies under two months and never give a baby or child under 16 aspirin, which has been linked to Reye’s syndrome, a rare but potentially fatal illness.
• Dress your baby in light, cotton clothing (don’t bundle a baby to burn out the fever).
• Keep her room cool. If necessary, place a fan near the cot, and use only a sheet or light blanket for covering.
• Give lots of fluids. Small babies need plenty of what they usually drink — breast milk or formula. If you’ve already introduced other drinks, offer ice lollies, clear soups, or diluted fruit juice.
• Try a sponge bath. Put your child in a shallow bath of lukewarm water, and rub her body, one area at a time, with a lightly wrung flannel or sponge. Don’t dry her off; let the water evaporate. This may make her feel more comfortable.

What shouldn’t I do?

• Don’t restrict your child to bed. Although she shouldn’t be allowed to over-exert herself, moderate activity is fine.
• Don’t starve a fever; sick babies need plenty of calories and liquids.
• Don’t worry too much. Some babies may have a fever and act perfectly fine, others may suffer a little, but with the right care, you’ll find your baby back to normal soon.

[tags]babies fever, infant fever, baby teething fever, baby fever temperature, fever in babies, baby ear infection fever, baby and fever[/tags]

What it Looks Like:
Baby acne, also called infant or infantile acne, looks like a rough, red rash. It’s most common on the infant’s cheeks and nose, although it can appear anywhere on the face and back. Comedones and papules will be present, and possibly some small pustules. Baby acne may come and go, and tends to look worse when the baby is fussy or crying.

Baby acne is usually seen on the cheeks, chin, and forehead. It can be present at birth but usually develops around 3 to 4 weeks of age. Baby acne occurs when hormonal changes in the body stimulate oil glands in the baby’s skin. The condition can look worse when the baby is crying or fussy, or any other instance that increases blood flow to the skin. Baby acne is harmless and usually resolves on its own within several weeks.

If you suspect your baby has acne, you should check with your pediatrician. Many other conditions common in infants, such as eczema, erythema toxicum, and heat rash, can resemble baby acne.

Baby Acne Treatment: Read the rest

photo credit: makelessnoise

Most books advise that inconsolable babies should be put down and allowed to cry. Fortunately, that’s not true and some simple tips will quickly turn you into a world-class baby calmer!

photo credit: willem velthoven

The safety rules change with your baby’s age, but some general principles of safety apply to every child. Following are complete baby safety tips :

Never shake a baby

Shaking a baby, even playfully, can cause bleeding in her brain and rip nerves and muscles. Shaken Baby Syndrome can result in blindness, brain damage, or death. Taking care of a baby is a tough job, and in the early days it’s often difficult to fathom why your baby is crying. Feeling angry and frustrated sometimes is normal. But no matter how frustrated you get, NEVER shake or jiggle your baby violently. If you feel yourself losing control, seek help from your mate, a friend or relative, or a professional. Never shake a baby as part of a game, either. It’s just too dangerous.

Never leave your baby alone

Even newborns can occasionally turn over or flip around, so never leave your baby alone in the tub, on a raised surface like a changing table, or on an adult bed. If the phone rings, take the baby with you (or let the answering machine pick up the call). And never leave a baby in a car by herself, even for a minute Emergencies can happen in an instant, and your child needs an adult with her at all times.

Prevent burns and promote fire safety

• Install smoke alarms, especially where your baby sleeps, and check their batteries when you reset your clocks in the spring and the fall. And put fire extinguishers on every floor of your house. Be sure the fire department has directions to your house if you live outside of town.
• Use fire-resistant or flame-retardant clothing, bedding, and toys for your child. Check the labels to make sure.
• Turn down your hot water heater — 120 degrees F is a good setting for households with small children. You can prevent accidental burns and still get the dishes and the clothes clean.
• Replace floor furnaces with another type of heating system, and block radiators.
• Move all appliances with cords so that your child can’t reach the cords.
• Cover all electrical outlets with plugs.
• Keep your baby out of direct sunlight and use sunscreen — the sun can hurt a baby’s sensitive skin. It’s safe to use small amounts of sunscreen on babies under six months of age — apply it for every outing. Use protective clothing (including hats) and eyewear, even for the youngest child, even in winter, and even on cloudy days.

Lower the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), or crib death

• Put your baby “Back to Sleep.” Research has shown that putting babies to sleep on their back lowers their risk of SIDS by as much as 70 percent. But be sure your baby spends wake time on her tummy to discover, explore, and strengthen her shoulders.
• Keep your baby’s room warm, but not too warm. Maintain an air temperature that is comfortable for you. A young infant has less capability to adjust her temperature than an adult, as she can only sweat around her head. Keep her head uncovered and remove a layer of clothing if her head is damp with sweat. If she’s overheated by too many blankets or clothes, she is at greater risk for SIDS.
• Keep your baby’s head uncovered as she sleeps. Use a sleeper or tuck her in below her neck with a blanket.
• Be sure your baby sleeps on a firm mattress. Fluffy, soft surfaces can obstruct her breathing. Do not use thick quilts, comforters, pillows, or sheepskin under or over the baby. Avoid waterbeds. Toys and pillows shouldn’t be too big or too plush; infants should not have pillows or large stuffed toys in their cribs at all. Finally, make sure bumper pads are secure. If your infant sleeps in your bed, the same precautions apply. Be sure there isn’t any space around the mattress to trap your baby between it and the bed.
• No smoking around your baby. Babies exposed to secondhand smoke are at least twice as likely to die of SIDS.
• Breastfeed. Breastfed babies have a lower risk of SIDS, so breastfeed as much — and as long — as you can.

Drive safely

photo credit: Reznicek111

You and your baby spend a lot of time in the car, so it’s important to take the time to make sure the car is safe. Car accidents are the leading cause of death and injury in children after the first month of life.

• Always use a car seat that’s appropriate for the age and size of your child. Almost all children badly injured or killed in car accidents were not properly restrained in car seats, or sitting in car seats that were not properly installed. Install the seat according to the manufacturers’ instructions, or ask the police department or the car dealer to install it for you. Don’t ever give in to a child’s desire to ride anywhere but in the car seat.
• Always drive with children in the back seat, especially if you have air bags.
• Never leave your child alone in the car — not even for a minute! When you’re on the road, make sure your child isn’t getting too much sun through the car window.
• Don’t smoke in the car.
• Use automatic door and window locks, and keep them set for each ride.
• Be a good role model — buckle up every time you’re in the car, and drive safely.

Make sure your baby’s gear is safe

There are lots of new safety standards for baby and child equipment. Before you purchase anything or take on used baby gear, check to be sure everything meets standards and hasn’t been recalled.

• Before you buy any baby gear, check for safety information. Everything you buy should pass Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) standards.
• See if your products have the yellow and black certification seal of the Juvenile Product Manufacturers Association. Click here for an updated list of product recalls. Items manufactured before 1974 may have lead paint or may have design flaws that make them a safety risk, and they won’t appear on recall lists.
• Check all of your baby’s equipment regularly for loose parts, sharp or rough edges, and peeling paint.

Baby-proof your home

Now, on to baby proofing. First of all, the term “baby proofing” is something of a misnomer, since there is no such thing as a completely baby-proofed house. You will always have to keep a close eye on your baby, and an especially close eye when you’re somewhere other than your own home. However, there are some basic steps to make your home as safe as possible:

• Take a spin through the house on your hands and knees, looking at it from your baby’s perspective. You will quickly notice many looming dangers. Make a list of what you find and take steps to make them safe.
• Get as many electrical cords and appliances out of the way as possible. Before you run any appliance, make sure you can see the baby, and that she’s far from the action. Make it a habit.
• Put locks on all windows so they can be opened no more than six inches. This is particularly important for windows on the second story and above.
• Plug up all electrical outlets and put cords out of reach (this is so important it’s worth repeating).
• Put all cleaning supplies, medicines (prescription and over-the-counter), alcohol, vitamins, and anything else that would harm your baby if ingested up high where she can’t reach it. Lock those cupboards.
• Be sure all medicines, including visitors’, are in safety-capped bottles.
• Use cupboard safety latches, even for those containing safe objects.
• Block stairs with secure gates, and secure doors and windows with high latches and locks.
• Put shade and curtain cords out of reach.
• Secure bookshelves and high furniture than could be pulled over. This may mean using wall bolts.
• Avoid using tablecloths, scarves, and doilies that your baby can use to pull objects off a table.
• Make sure grandparents and care providers adequately baby-proof their homes as well.

Check for gas

• Radon, a naturally emitted radioactive gas, is a cancer-causing health hazard that can collect in tightly closed houses, such as those in cold climates. It tends to collect in the lower levels of houses. Babies and toddlers are especially at risk because the gas collects close to the floor. State, county, and city health departments will come out to check your home and show you ways to vent the gas, if necessary.
• Carbon monoxide detectors are important if you heat with propane or wood. Keep the batteries current.

Prevent choking

In the United States, choking is the fourth leading cause of accidental death among children under 5. Fortunately, choking can be prevented. Follow these guidelines:

• Avoid foods that pose the greatest choking hazard. This includes hot dogs, whole grapes, peanuts, hard candy, and raw carrots.
• Always feed your baby sitting up, in your lap, or in an infant chair. Make sure your toddler sits at the table and doesn’t walk or run with food in her mouth.
• Make sure your child’s toys are safe. Soft toys should be washable, stuffed with fire-safe material, and have no loose pieces such as eyes, buttons, or latches. If toys break down into pieces, no piece should be smaller than 1.75 inches. (They should be too big to fit through a paper towel tube.) Pieces smaller than that pose a choking hazard. Don’t use any toys that have strings, fasteners, buttons, or chipping paint. And avoid latex balloons and small balls, and check all of your baby’s toys regularly for rough edges, loose parts, or peeling paint.
• Only dress your baby in safe clothing. Check clothes inside and out for loose strings or ribbons or anything that could wrap around your baby’s neck, small fingers, or toes. Avoid drawstrings on clothes that can get caught in doors, cribs, or toy equipment such as bicycle wheels. Remember, children can always pull off buttons that you think are securely attached.

Quit smoking

A smoke-free house is healthy for everyone who lives there, especially your baby. No one should smoke around a baby, including baby sitters or relatives. People unwilling to quit smoking should abstain from smoking in a baby’s house. If you or someone in your house smokes, you have many reasons to quit — if not for your sake, then for your baby’s.

• Babies in smoking households are at least twice as likely to die from SIDS.
• Children in smoking households get more chest colds, ear infections, sore throats, asthma, pneumonia, burns, and other health problems compared with children in non-smoking households.
• Smokers’ houses are at greater risk for fire and fire-related injuries.

Prevent firearm injury and death

Today and every day, 10 children in the United States will die from handgun accidents, murder, and suicide. Even more are wounded. In gun-owning households, the natural curiosity and playfulness of children can quickly turn deadly.

The best way to keep your baby safe is: remove all guns from your home, period. But If you do have guns:

• Lock them up. Make sure your guns are locked away, with all ammunition locked up separately. Make sure only adults know where the guns and ammunition are kept and that the key stays with an adult.
• When a gun isn’t locked up, never leave it unattended. Whenever you handle your gun, including when you clean it, don’t let it out of your sight, even for an instant. Most firearm accidents involving children happen because the children weren’t supervised.
• Use trigger locks and other safety devices.
• Never refer to a gun as a toy.
• No child under 8 can be relied upon to remember rules for handling a gun, no matter how well they are taught.

Prevent drowning/promote water safety

Drowning is the second most deadly type of accident for children in the United States. Young children are especially at risk, not only because they don’t know how to swim, but also because they can drown in a very small amount of water.

• Never let your child out of your sight near any pool of water, including toilets, scrub buckets, fountains, swimming pools, wading pools, lakes, ponds, or the ocean.
• Children of any age need to be directly supervised around any swimming pool or body of water. All monitors should have no other tasks than to watch children when they’re around water.
• Keep the bathroom off-limits for infants and toddlers, except for when they are directly supervised.
• If you have a pool, enclose it with a fence taller than 4 feet that has a locked gate. If you live near a community pool, get it up to these standards.
• Bathtub rings do not protect a child. If you use one, you must still supervise your child constantly.
• Swimming lessons aren’t recommended for children under 5 years old. They give parents a false sense of security. You must always supervise your children when they’re in the water, even if they’ve had swimming lessons. Young children may swallow too much water while swimming, leading to serious or even fatal salt imbalance.
• If you have a boat, make sure you follow all U.S. Coast Guard safety regulations. Have a regulation life preserver, sized appropriately, for each person on board, and teach your older children safety rules and boat etiquette.
• Arm “wings,” plastic rings, and other devices do not ensure safety for young children in the water. Watch your children directly at all times. If your child is under 2 years old, you should be in the water with her at all times.

Other little safety tips

• Don’t put pacifiers or necklaces around your young infant’s neck. A cord or necklace can too easily get caught and strangle her. If you use a pacifier, be sure it’s molded in a single piece.
• Any space or opening bigger than 2 3/8 inches wide can accommodate a baby’s head at an angle, so keep an eye out for potential traps.
• Never refer to medicine as candy.
• Put all visitors’ handbags and luggage out of your child’s reach.
• Make sure carrying devices such as packs and strollers fit your child’s age and stage of development.

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That’s why many parents rank pacifiers as must haves, right up there with diaper wipes and onesies. But are pacifiers really OK for your baby? Although the answer to that question is often debated, new guidelines from the American Academy of Pediatrics give pacifiers the green light throughout baby’s first year.

photo credit: wester

The Pros

For some babies, pacifiers are the key to contentment between feedings. Consider the advantages:

• A pacifier may soothe a fussy baby. Some babies are happiest when they’re sucking on something.
• Pacifiers offer temporary distraction. When your baby’s hungry, a pacifier may buy you a few minutes to prepare a bottle or find a comfortable spot to nurse. A pacifier also may come in handy during shots, blood tests or other procedures.
• A pacifier may help your baby go to sleep. If your baby has trouble settling down, a pacifier might do the trick.
• A pacifier may help reduce the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). Researchers have found an association between pacifier use at naptime and bedtime and a reduced risk of SIDS.
• They’re disposable. When it’s time to stop using pacifiers, you can throw them away. If your baby prefers to suck on his or her thumb or fingers, it may be more difficult to break the habit.

The Cons

Of course, pacifiers have pitfalls as well. Consider the drawbacks:

• Early pacifier use may interfere with breast-feeding. Sucking on a breast is different than sucking on a pacifier or bottle. Some babies have trouble learning how to nurse properly if they’re given a pacifier too soon.
• Your baby may become dependent on the pacifier. If your baby uses a pacifier to sleep, you may face frequent middle-of-the-night crying spells when the pacifier falls out of your baby’s mouth.
• Pacifier use may increase the risk of middle ear infections. Ear infections are most common in children younger than age 3. However, rates of middle ear infections are generally lowest during the first six months of life — when the risk of SIDS is the highest.

Do’s and Don’ts

If you choose to offer your baby a pacifier, keep these tips in mind.

• Wait until breast-feeding is well established. Be patient. It may take a few weeks or more to settle into a regular nursing routine. If you’re breast-feeding, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends waiting to introduce a pacifier until your baby is 1 month old.
• Let your baby set the pace. If your baby’s not interested in the pacifier, try again later — or skip it entirely. Don’t force the issue.
• Choose the one-piece, dishwasher-safe variety. Some pacifiers have been recalled due to the risk of breaking into two pieces, which poses a choking hazard. The shape and firmness is up to you — or your baby.
• Buy extras. Once you’ve settled on a favorite, keep a few identical backups on hand. Many babies refuse a substitute pacifier.
• Keep it clean. Before you use a new pacifier, wash it with soap and water. To keep fungus at bay, soak your baby’s pacifier in equal parts white vinegar and water for a few minutes a day. Allow the pacifier to air dry thoroughly before returning it to your baby. Resist the temptation to “rinse” the pacifier in your own mouth — you’ll only spread more germs to your baby.
• Watch for signs of deterioration. Replace pacifiers often. A worn or cracked nipple can tear off and pose a choking hazard.
• Use caution with pacifier clips. Never use a string or strap long enough to get caught around your baby’s neck.
• Let sleeping babies lie. If the pacifier falls out of your baby’s mouth while he or she is sleeping, don’t pop it back in.
• Try other ways to calm your baby. Don’t use a pacifier as a first line of defense. Sometimes a change of position or a rocking session may be all that’s needed. If your baby is hungry, offer the breast or a bottle.
• Know when to pull the plug. Most kids stop using pacifiers on their own between ages 2 and 4. If you’re concerned about your child’s pacifier use, consult his or her doctor for suggestions.

Please also read Baby Pacifier Choosing Tips to know which pacifier fit to your baby.

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In 2003, they went to sleep with their 24-day-old daughter between them and awoke to find Janessa Merrill had died. The medical examiner’s conclusion: accidental asphyxiation due to co-sleeping.

Three years later: Different child, same nightmare. Their 3 1/2-month-old son, Kayson, went to sleep on his back in his parents’ bed and was found dead the next morning. His cause of death was undetermined.

But arguing the couple knew the dangers of co-sleeping - his mother was warned against it by a pediatrician the day before Kayson died, according to court documents - Salt Lake County prosecutors charged them with child-abuse homicide. Last week a judge ruled the case will go to trial.

Prosecutors and health officials say the case should serve as a reminder to parents to put their kids to bed in a crib, in part because studies have found connections between bedsharing and SIDS, sudden infant death syndrome.

Safe to share a bed?
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends against bedsharing, urging parents to have babies sleep in their parents’ room in a crib or bassinet.
Some experts say it can be done safely. Here are some guidelines:

photo credit: Adam Melancon

• Prevent a baby from rolling out of bed with a guardrail.
• Don’t cover your baby’s head with bedding
• Avoid sharing a bed with your baby — put your baby in their crib before you go to sleep. But if you want to bed sharing, place the baby next to mother, instead of between parents, and use a large bed, queen- or king-sized.
• Place a baby to sleep on his back and don’t overbundle. It reduces baby choke risk while they sleep in this position.
• If your baby is under five months and you find them asleep on their side or front, gently turn them over.
• It is normal for babies to roll over when they get to about five months old. At this age, the risk of crib death falls significantly.
• The baby should sleep in a crib in the same room as their mother for the first six months.
• The mattress should be clean, firm, flat, well-fitted, waterproof, and covered with a single sheet.
• Use sheets and lightweight blankets, but not duvets, quilts, pillows or similar thick bedding.
  To prevent your baby wriggling under the covers, place your baby so their feet touch the foot of the crib or pram. Make sure covers are tucked in.
• Try not to let your baby get too hot while they sleep. Keep the room at a temperature that is comfortable for you to sleep in — usually about 18C (65F).
• Babies should not sleep with a hot water bottle or electric blanket, next to a radiator, heater or fire, or in direct sunlight.

Don’t co-sleep if:

• You have been drinking, using drugs, are on sedatives or are sleep-deprived.
• You are a smoker. Smoking during and after pregnancy increases the risk of SIDS. That includes passive smoking. If you smoke, sharing a bed with your baby increases the risk.
• You are obese.
• You sleep on a sofa, couch or water bed.

Tags: risk of SIDS, SIDS, SIDS deaths, SIDS awareness, SIDS baby, prevent SIDS, prevention of SIDS, preventing SIDS, SIDS prevention, crib death, about SIDS, sudden infant death syndrome

The reason is that breastfeed baby doesn’t grow as fast as the growth charts recommend. Researcher says infants who are breastfed could be misdiagnosed as “failing to thrive” because their normal weight gain is slower than bottle-fed babies. Australian states currently use either the US or UK growth charts, which are inaccurate because they are based largely on bottle-fed sizes as ideal models.

photo credit: Daniel Greene

As a result, mothers of babies deemed not to be meeting growth targets might be wrongly discouraged from breastfeeding or encouraged to supplement their baby’s diet with artificial formula.

Jan Payne of Queensland University of Technology says it is unnecessary to give artificial formula for breastfed babies in many cases. “There is a distinct difference in weight gain in the first 24 months between breastfed and bottle-fed babies,” Payne said. Babies who are fully breastfed and growing normally can be mistaken as not thriving if their weight over time is compared to current growth charts. This is because their weight for age tends to fall below that for artificial formula-fed infants after about six months of age.

Well, if it happened, why don’t Australian use breastfeeding based grow charts standards? Authorities could adopt universal standards that developed by the World Health Organization (WHO) which breastfeed based to judge all babies.

The WHO Child Growth Standards are based on a longitudinal international study of the growth of infants in good health who were exclusively or predominantly breastfed for at least four months. It is based on scientific evidence that infants from anywhere in the world have similar growth patterns when their health and nutrition needs are met.

Tags: child growth standards, baby care, Queensland, babies, misdiagnosed babies, breastfeeding, Australian Babies

A video in youtube recently show us how to massage a baby. It’s fairly new in the United States and other western countries. However, massaging babies has been a parenting tradition in many cultures for centuries.

In India, mothers regularly massage everyone in their families and pass this knowledge on to their daughters. After studying and working in India in the early 1970s and learning how mothers massaged their babies, Vimala McClure brought the practice of infant massage to the west in her book, Infant Massage: A Handbook for Loving Parents.

She developed a curriculum that includes Swedish strokes, reflexology, and yoga, along with Indian massage strokes, and shared her discoveries with other parents. Interest in the art of infant massage continues to grow, and Vimala’s organization, the International Association of Infant Massage Instructors, has trained hundreds of massage instructors all over the world.

Giving a Massage
Watch the video to give a massage. Choose a place that is warm, quiet and comfortable for your baby’s massage. For massage oil, the best choices are light, organic, cold-pressed vegetable oils, such as safflower, apricot kernel or almond. Commercially produced mineral-type baby oils have a non organic or non food petroleum base and are not a good choice.

All of your massage strokes should be soft and gentle, long, slow and rhythmic, with just enough pressure to be comfortable but stimulating. Listen to, watch your baby’s reactions, and respond accordingly. Let your baby set the pace. You can learn infant massage techniques by reading a book or by taking an infant massage class. To find an instructor in your area, contact the International Association of Infant Massage Instructors. Many Certified Infant Massage Instructors have developed specialized programs for special needs, premature babies and teen parents.

Your massages will have to be adapted as your baby grows into a child. When a baby begins crawling or walking, there are just too many exciting things to explore and the baby may crawl or walk away from the massage, making it harder or impossible to do. It’s never a good idea to force a child to receive a massage. Just wait until the child is ready again.

Benefits for Baby
Touch is a primal need, and the first important mode of communication between a mother and her new baby. Nurturing touch communicates love, the main ingredient for physical and emotional growth and well-being. The one-on-one interaction of infant massage promotes health on all levels – psychologically, emotionally, developmentally and physiologically. Massage improves circulation, strengthens immunity, enhances neurological development, and stimulates digestion, providing relief of gas and colic. Massage can also raise a child’s sense of self and worth, which is tied to developing self-esteem.

When babies are upset, a soothing massage can lessen their tension and irritability and help them to feel more secure. In our culture, babies are born into a fast-paced, technologically advanced world with many unknown situations. This environment can create stress for a newborn. Without relief, this stress can accumulate and may cause a baby to shut down or block sensory intake and learning. Massage is a great buffer against stress. When we give our babies massage, we teach them how to relax. When relaxation is learned this early in life, they can have a lifetime tool for dealing with stress.

The benefits of infant massage are continually unfolding in scientific research. The Touch Research Institute at the University of Miami conducts research on the benefits of nurturing touch. They have published studies that suggest that touch deprivation negatively affects the immune system and massage can stimulate immunity. In studies on touch deprivation among preschool children who were separated from their mother, they noted more frequent illnesses, particularly upper respiratory infections, diarrhea and constipation. A suppressed immune response has also been noted in several studies that monitored the separation of monkeys from their mothers. In a study on human infants (10 weeks old) the opposite effects were noted when the mothers provided extra tactile stimulation. The infants whose backs were massaged by their mothers experienced fewer colds and fewer occurrences of diarrhea.

Other studies involved preterm infants who, upon receiving daily massages, averaged 47% more weight gain than infants in the control group. The studies suggest that the tactile deprivation that many preterm infants experience in intensive care may delay their recovery. Massage therapy helps preterm neonates grow more quickly and leave the hospital sooner.

The benefits of massage are carried into adulthood. Recent findings indicate that the secure attachments with primary caregivers formed in infancy produce adults more capable of healthy, happy, and trusting relationships. When the attachment bonds are not formed, children grow up being less sympathetic to others, and relationships lack trust and intimacy. Love, trust, compassion, warmth, openness and respect are conveyed through massage. The attachment bond of being held and touched helps make children more compassionate, loving, relaxed and natural. Studies have demonstrated that in societies where people are breastfed, massaged, carried and held as babies, the adults are less aggressive and violent, and more cooperative and compassionate.

Benefits for Parents
Massage is a pleasurable way to develop trust and intimacy with your baby and strengthen the bond between the two of you. It can promote a strong sense of confidence in parenting, since you can receive a great deal of feedback about your baby. Through massage, you can become more aware of how your baby communicates. You can also discover her threshold for stimulation by watching her body language and noticing how she looks and feels when she is tense or relaxed. Parents can also find relaxation, peace, and calming for themselves through infant massage. Fathers can be wonderful at infant massage. Giving massage can give them positive interaction and a special bond with their baby at a time when a father can easily feel left out.

Just few days after I published Bottle Feeding Tips, A dozen of the leading environmental groups in the country published the results of a study which says the vast majority of plastic baby bottles might pose a significant health risk. They contain bisphenol A (BPA), a chemical linked to obesity, cancer and other conditions in animal experiments.

The 20-page study, “Baby’s Toxic Bottle” came from the University of Missouri, with funding from environmental groups. Today, many of those groups demand that manufacturers stop using BPA in baby bottles and other food containers.

It’s a parent’s nightmare. But before you panic, consider this: U.S. and E.U. health and environment authorities still stand behind polycarbonate plastic, putting the safe level of daily bisphenol A exposure at more than 25 times the levels found in baby bottles. (The Canadian agency, Health Canada, is currently reviewing its bisphenol A policy; conclusions are due in May.)

So who’s right?

Opponents of bisphenol A say official safety figures are far too high, given what the chemical, which mimics the hormone estrogen in the body, does in animals. In the lab, even low exposure levels — adjusted for body weight — have been linked to a variety of sex-hormone-imbalance effects, including breast and prostate cancer, early puberty, miscarriage, low sperm count, and immune-system changes.

Critics also claim that in developing infants, such sex-hormone effects may come into play at exposure levels far below what health authorities have deemed safe for adults. “The reproductive system is developing, the brain is developing, the immune system is developing,” David Carpenter, director of the Institute for Health and the Environment at the University at Albany, told a news conference Thursday on behalf of the environmental agencies. Knowing that, he said, it is “absolutely obscene” to expose infants to the compound. Legislation has been proposed in several U.S. states to limit or ban the use bisphenol A. And a handful of stores, including Whole Foods and Patagonia, have yanked polycarbonate bottles from their shelves.

Still, the scientific establishment disagrees. In a 2006 summary explaining its review of bisphenol A safety, the European Food Safety Authority argued that animal trials of the chemical simply don’t tell us very much about humans. For one thing, when humans ingest the compound, it’s quickly excreted through the urine; when rats and mice eat it, it’s released into the bloodstream and remains in the body much longer — with much more time to throw off the body’s sex-hormone balance, causing nasty effects.

Though the study is still controversial, recent toy and food recalls have left many Americans on edge. Parents looking to steer clear of plastic-free baby bottles may want to consult resources that help them avoid the potentially dangerous chemicals. They are are playing it safe with glass bottles.

Well, it’s your decide now. Will you change to glass bottles ?

• Make sure the bottle is thoroughly rinsed and cleaned. Use special liquid cleanser for nursing bottle. It’s designed to wash away thoroughly dirt on teethers, soothers, and nursing bottle without pigment left.
• Sterilize the bottle. You can boil the bottle & nipple for 5 minutes or you can use bottle sterilizer
• Know which nipple type your baby like most. There are silicon nipple (white) and rubber nipple (yellow). My baby daughter prefer rubber because it’s more elastic than the other one.
• Prepare the formula just before baby’s feeding time. Pumping milk, like breastfeeding takes some time to perfect but breast milk can be stored at room temperature for a longer time.
• If you want to try an infant formula-breast milk combo, introduce the bottle after baby is a breastfeeding expert. You can expect this to happen in the first four weeks. This will help avoid nipple confusion.

Getting started on the bottle

• Give baby a “start feeding signal” by stroking her cheek with the tip of the teat. Her rooting reflex will make her turn in the direction of the teat and she will start sucking from the teat.
• Tilt the bottle in a way such that the teat is always completely filled with formula. This will prevent baby taking up too much air and save you the anxiety of dealing with a gassy baby later. Better still is to use an angled bottle that helps retain the formula in the teat. Burp baby in between feeds and after every feed.
• Check the flow of formula. Turn the bottle upside down. Milk should spray a little and then start flowing steadily drop by drop. Baby’s sucking and gulping movements will also help you judge the flow.
• Your baby might drink only a few milliliters of formula in the first few days. For a rough guide on how much formula baby needs, refer to infant formula fundamentals.
• If your baby rejects the bottle, let someone else offer it to her instead of you. A baby who has been breast fed for sometime might not readily accept the bottle.

More bottle feeding basics

• Never prop the bottle and leave your baby alone during a feed. This not only poses a risk of choking but also deprives baby from the emotional gratification she receives from being cuddled. This habit can also lead to tooth decay once baby’s teeth start coming in.
• Skin to skin contact promotes bonding between baby and whoever is offering her the bottle. Bottle feeding gives dad a wonderful chance to forge a great relationship with baby.
• Do not force the bottle. Let baby decide how much to drink and how long to drink. Force-feeding will make baby averse to milk and can lead to plumpness and obesity in later life.
• If you wanted to breast feed your baby and ended up bottle-feeding instead, there is no need to take a guilt trip. Whether you are planning to feed baby formula or breast milk in a bottle, the most important ingredient is love. Show your baby that you care by cuddling up during feeding sessions and watch her bask in your affection.

Beginning Your Search
There are several sources you can tap into to locate qualified pediatricians in your community.

• A good place to start is the ̶