The post How to Handle Holiday Travel with Infants appeared first on PregnancyBeyond.
]]>By Erica Weber
Going on holiday with an infant? Erica, who has visited 38 countries with her younger daughter shares 20 awesome tips!
…
On the first day of Christmas my true love sent to me: 10 diapers and wipes, 9 poop explosions, 8 oz of breast milk, 7 hrs of travel, 6 impending germy relatives, 5 pieces of baby gear, 4 overexcited grandparents, 3 modes of transportation, 2 nervous parents and a crying baby in an airplane.
Worried about taking planes, trains or automobiles for the first time with your new ornament in tow for the holidays? With these tips, you’ll be flying high with your infant and only worrying about the unidentifiable ingredients in your Aunt’s holiday cake. At 15 months old our little one has been on 85+ flights so I think it’s safe to say we’ve had some experience!
- Extra Extra Extra – read all about it, diaper days are here to stay! Regardless of the length of flight, I bring 1.5 days worth of diapers and wipes in my carry-on baby bag. Is it overkill? If everything goes to plan then yes. But if you get stranded somewhere, heavily delayed, or snowed in by a poopocalypse then you’ll happily take cover under your pile of diapers. I usually say minimize everything, but when it comes to diapers, the more the merrier in my book to avoid the shit hitting the airplane fan (literally).
- Bring more pads than the NFL starting lineup – pads in your carry-on for here, there and everywhere are necessary for a new moms lady bits…because postpartum is gross.
- Outfits galore for your baby Zsa Zsa Gabor – bring multiple extra outfits for the baby (aka more than just 1) and throw in an additional shirt for you and your partner as well.
- BYOB = Bring Your Own Bibs – dress the baby in a bib so you only have to change that, instead of their entire outfit every time they spit up. And, needless to say, bring lots of extras to keep switching out wet ones for dry ones.
- Baby toiletries bag – plan for any scenario by packing a solid baby toiletries bag in your carry-on with all your essentials to treat that nasally baby on the go. Check our Baby Travel Toiletries post to point you in the right direction.
- Pick your seat wisely to avoid the baby getting Julia Gulia’d by a drink cart – a window or middle seat is best for whoever is holding the baby, then choose an aisle seat for the diaper changing pit crew for easy bathroom access. Tip: Choose a window and aisle seat in the hopes of the middle seat remaining empty; worst case scenario one of you moves over or you can make someone awkwardly sit in between you and pass the baby over their lap.
- You’re going to an airport, not the Arctic Circle – don’t go all Joey Tribiani and dress the baby in everything they own. Put them in a max of 2 layers and bring a blanket in your baby bag in case it’s cold on the airplane.
- Leisure suits are back – fly babies in zippered jammies such as Carter’s 1-Piece Snug Fit Cotton PJs and avoid buttons or snaps like you dodge your Grandmother’s lipstick layered kisses.
- Easy access – we’re not talking about your lingerie here (I think that’s how we got ourselves into this situation!). Breastfeeding moms are best in easy access attire such as Rosie Pope’s Seamless Nursing Cami with padded shelf bra beneath a comfy sweater, and like your lingerie, no bra is required.
- Time is on your side, until it screws you – pack a few days ahead of time, leave for the airport earlier than you would have pre-baby, and assume things will take you more time than usual as you fumble through your first airport attempts with a baby.
- Check yo self before you wreck yo self – being a former carry-on only traveler, it took some time to adjust to the checked baggage stage of life, but it’s by far the way to go when traveling with a baby. Free hands, full checked bags can’t lose, so ditch those bags as early as possible (curbside even) and leave that valuable hand space ready for your baby.
- Give your baby gear abandonment issues – check the car seat, and even the stroller, at the check-in counter and just wear the baby on you, or use a travel friendly stroller like the Babyzen Yoyo to minimize your life. Car seats and strollers are free checked baggage on almost all airlines, so don’t worry about the cost.
- The welcomed kind of preemie – TSA Precheck is the golden ticket to make you fly through security without removing your computer or shoes so you can focus on the baby.
- Like with losing your virginity, it’s best to set expectations – tell the flight attendant it’s your first flight. They are magical keepers of all things baby travel wisdom.
- Neck and arms need love too – bring a travel pillow that you’d normally use for your neck and wedge it under your arm to comfortably hold the baby on an airplane armrest.
- Use boob, bottle or beer to pop it like it’s hot on takeoff and landing – keep those jaws moving and decrease ear discomfort for all ages during times of pressure changes in the cabin. Beer is obviously for the oversized children we call our partners.
- Don’t poke the bear – if your baby falls asleep before takeoff or landing, do not wake them up to feed them for ear pressure issues. Letting them sleep through those moments is just as effective.
- Replace toys with the original FaceTime – since we’re talking 0-6 months of age here, your baby requires little to no toys for a flight. For 0-3 months toys are just extra things to fumble and drop, and your newborn doesn’t need them at all. For 3-6 months bring one or two teethers with clippable straps. In general, use your face to entertain them, and they’ll find it hysterical. Can you blame them?!
- Strap ons for the win – don’t ever let that pacifier hit the germ infested airplane floor. Strap it to your babe or to yourself and bring extras along with sanitizing wipes. Pretend like you’re playing the “hot lava” game we played as kids using the airplane floor as the no-fly zone.
- Be mindful about germs – bring a nursing cover even if you’re not breast feeding so the baby can eat, sleep and be protected by strange coughs from seat 3E.
Like bees, babies can smell fear, so CHILL OUT! Traveling with an infant is really no different than going out on the town with them, so stop worrying yourself sick about a few hours on public transportation – it’ll be totally fine if you are prepared and stay calm. Just avoid getting snowed in with no supplies or leaking like Edward Snowden by taking the advice above. So fly yourself towards some family babysitting and have Happy Holidays, from our family to yours!
Follow Erica on Instagram @theworldwidewebers . She Blogs at www.theworldwidewebers.com
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]]>The post How to Swaddle a Newborn Baby Safely | Easy Video appeared first on PregnancyBeyond.
]]>How to Swaddle a Newborn Baby Safely | Easy Technique | Video
What is Swaddling? How do I swaddle a newborn baby safely? Swaddling is an ancient practice of wrapping a newborn/ baby snugly and gently in a blanket or sheet to help them feel calm, relax and eventually fall asleep. Being swaddled reminds babies of the womb’s embrace and it is a similar experience to being cuddled skin-to-skin, which may make them sleep more deeply. ( See Video for how to swaddle safely at the bottom of this page).
Most importantly, swaddling promotes safe sleeping in infants and improve the quality of sleep in young babies If you are going to swaddle, evidence suggests it is safest to do it from birth.
Swaddling prevents:
- Your newborn baby from startling herself and disrupting sleep.
- Your baby from scratching or rubbing as they go to sleep, lots of babies scratch or rub as they fall asleep.
- Babies from turning from their back to a face-down position, potentially protecting them from SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome).
RELATED: What is Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)?
Safe Sleeping Swaddling Guidance
If you decide to adopt swaddling, please follow the safe sleeping swaddling guidance for babies.
- Use thin materials
- Do not swaddle above the shoulders
- Never put a baby to sleep on their front
- Do not swaddle too tight
- Check the baby’s temperature to ensure they do not get too hot
- Not a good idea to swaddle a baby when bed-sharing. A swaddled baby is not able to effectively move covers from the face or use arms and legs to alert an adult who is too close
- Stop swaddling as soon as your baby shows any signs of trying to roll over.
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]]>The post Reasons To Call Your Doctor For Your Newborn appeared first on PregnancyBeyond.
]]>Top 6 Reasons To Call Your Doctor For Your Newborn
- Fever
- Jaundice
- Vomiting
- Urine output
- Poopy Diaper
- your newborn isn’t having a daily BM in the first few weeks of life.
More details in the video below
PRESS PLAY
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Reasons To Call Your Doctor For Your Newborn
There are some important newborn essentials that you need to keep in mind in your maternal newborn nursing stage. Newborn baby care(at home) and newborn assessment should surely be at the top of your priority list. You must make sure that problems like intense newborn baby crying is properly addressed. Moreover, you must invigilate your newborn baby’s routine to avoid any such issues. Stressing it further, we have created a video in which we have mentioned six instances when you should definitely call the pediatrician. You should definitely watch it to make yourself aware of the problems that might occur in your parenting journey.
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Read More: Caring for Your Newborn.
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]]>The post The Ultimate Fashion Gift Guide For Christmas 2019 appeared first on PregnancyBeyond.
]]>- Kate Spade New York Ruffle Dress (Baby Girls)
2. Kate Spade New York Carolyn Dress (Baby Girls)
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DON’T MISS: AMAZING BLACK FRIDAY DEALS IN MATERNITY & BABY
BEST BLACK FRIDAY DEALS IN FAMILY & HOME
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]]>The post Best Gifts For Pregnant Women 2019 appeared first on PregnancyBeyond.
]]>Black Friday deals are here and these are the best deals in Maternity and Baby that is available right now, and while supplies last!
They are going quick! Go take a look…
Pregnant? This is a must-read and it is PregnancyBeyond endorsed!
“Sweet Pregnancy Sleep by Mom Coach Kaytee is your friendly, short and accurate guide for your perfect sleep in pregnancy!
In this eBook Mom Coach Kaytee addresses sleep issues in pregnancy holistically- from physical causes such as reflux, leg cramps and body pains to the emotional and mental turmoil that can be experienced in pregnancy such as stress and anxiety.
The steps provided by Mom Coach Kaytee to tackle these problems are easy to follow and realistic steps to take.
It is a must-read for all pregnant woman and is relevant through the three trimesters in pregnancy.
Having just gone through the journey myself, I can say that the tips provided by Mom Coach Kaytee are very helpful and should be every pregnant woman’s helping guide for achieving that perfect sleep.
To simply put it, this is a book and a guide that all momma’s -to-be must have!”
Tobi Coker M.D., OB/GYN
- 4-in-1 car seat gives you 10 years of use: seamlessly transforms from rear-facing harness car seat
- Graco ProtectPlus Engineered helps to protect your little one in the frontal, side, rear and rollover crashes.
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]]>When To Call the Doctor For Your Newborn?
When To Call the Doctor For Your Newborn ( or go to the ER ) By Dr. Cathryn.
Congratulations on your new baby! It’s such an exciting, overwhelming, confusing, joyous, and scary time. The first few weeks can be particularly challenging. All of a sudden you’re totally responsible for another human being—and you may not have any previous experience with babies or any friends or family nearby to guide you.
My goal is to help make the beginning of this journey easier for you. Babies are strange little creatures and they’re not always easy to read. Many new parents feel hesitant about calling their doctor and wonder whether they’re over-reacting. So, I’ve put together a list of a few common newborn problems that require a call or visit your healthcare provider in the first month of life. It will help you for knowing When To Call the Doctor For Your Newborn.
FEVER: Newborn babies may get a fever as the first and the only sign of a serious infection. Call your baby’s doctor immediately or better yet, go to the Emergency Room, if your new baby is younger than 1 month old and has a rectal temperature of 100.4°F (38°C) or higher. This isn’t a situation to watch and see whether the fever goes away on its own.
JAUNDICE: Yellowing of the skin and eyes is very common in the first few days of a new baby’s life. For most babies, jaundice will go away on its own. However, some new babies will require treatment in the hospital. You should see your baby’s health-care provider if your little one appears more jaundiced or feedings aren’t going well. Also, watch for signs of dehydration, such as fewer wet diapers, or urates in the diaper. (Urates are a red-orange stain found in your baby’s diaper that may be caused by dehydration).
BREASTFEEDING YOUR NEWBORN: WHAT TO EXPECT
VOMITING: Many babies spit up. But it’s important to be able to differentiate between vomit and spit-up because vomiting needs a trip to the hospital, while spit-up can be discussed with your doctor. How can you tell the difference? Spit-up effortlessly spills out of the mouth, is typically a small amount, and sometimes comes up with a burp. While vomiting is more forceful and is a larger amount. If your baby’s vomit is consistently forceful or dark green in color or spit-up is copious, you should take your little guy to the hospital. If you’re not sure whether your baby is spitting-up or vomiting, err on the side of safety, and have your baby seen by a doctor.
INS & OUTS: Since your baby can’t tell you how she’s feeling, you’ll partly need to depend on wet and poopy diapers to guide you about her hydration and nutrition.
Urine output—-In the early days, a baby typically has one wet diaper for each day of life. In other words, 1 wet diaper on day one, 2 on day two, and so on… Once your milk comes in, you can expect approximately 5 – 6 wet diapers in a day.
Poopy diapers—- Newborn poop comes in a variety of colors and consistency. Pooping is also a reflection of your baby’s wellbeing. First comes meconium, the black tarry stool that filled your baby’s intestine when in utero. Next comes a transitional stool, which is a dark green, yellow, yellow-green, loose, and possibly seedy stool. Then within a few days comes a mustard-like color, watery, or seedy stool for breast-fed babies. A bottle-fed baby’s poop can have a more brownish colored stool that is soft but formed.
So here’s the deal. There’s a lot of variation of normal newborn poop! So, what’s average? In the first few weeks of life, a breastfed baby may have 1 – 10 bowel movements per day with the average being 5. A bottle-fed baby will typically have 2 bowel movements a day, but this number may also vary.
When should you contact your physician regarding your baby’s Ins & Outs in the first month of life? (It’s important to realize we are talking about the first month of life—as your baby’s digestive system is changing quickly and what’s considered normal will change after this time).
Call your doctor if:
1️⃣ your baby has urates in several diapers
2️⃣your little one isn’t having adequate urine output.
3️⃣your newborn isn’t having a daily BM in the first few weeks of life.
4️⃣ stools are white or light-colored stool (especially if your baby is jaundiced, as this may reflect liver problems)
Other reasons to see your doctor would include non-stop crying, feeding problems, sleeping more than usual, breathing rapidly, and anything that makes you feel worried.
Finally, if anything about your baby’s condition is making you feel uncomfortable, please see your healthcare provider. Trust your instincts—they’re typically right!
MUST-READ : Seven Secrets Every Woman Must Know Before Giving Birth
Medical Disclaimer. The information on this site is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. All content, including text, graphics, images and information, contained on or available through this web site is for general information purposes only.
About the Author: Dr. Cathryn is a consulting and general pediatrician for more than 30 years. Her work has been featured in NY Times, LA Times, Washington Post, Globe & Mail, Dear Abby, Parents, Todays Parent, Canadian Living, etc. She’s also the mother of four successful and lovely young adults, and one wildly playful puppy (who’s causing her more grief than her children ever did). Find more of her @healthiest_baby
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]]>Cord Blood Donation:
Cord Blood Donation – A Guide For Parents By Karen Ballen, MD, and Arthur Flatau, PhD
How can I donate cord blood to a public cord blood bank?
As explained in previous installments in this series, parents who are getting ready for the birth of a baby. Have several options for the blood within the umbilical cord and placenta. Generally, is a rich source of stem cells for treating a wide range of diseases.
Instead of discarding the umbilical cord blood as medical waste, they can;
Donate the cord blood to a public cord blood bank for use by anyone with a medical need.Pay to store the cord blood in a private family cord blood bank. For possible future use by their familyThis article looks specifically at donations.
Thousands of patients have received a second chance at life. Because families around the world have made the generous decision to donate their baby’s cord blood to a public bank. The steps are easy, but they do vary somewhat from country to country.
When should the decision be made?
Between the 28th and 34th week of your pregnancy, talk to your obstetrician or other health care provider. About your interest in donating your baby’s cord blood.
Information about donating cord blood in the United States can be found on the “Be The Match” website. Which is maintained by the National Marrow Donor Program. The website provides donation guidelines and lists U.S. hospitals that collect cord blood for public use.
Similar information is also available for many other countries at the Parent’s Guide to Cord Blood Foundation website at https://parentsguidecordblood.org/en.
Unfortunately, not every hospital offers cord blood donation.
Is donating cord blood safe?
Cord blood donation is completely safe for the mother and her baby. No blood is taken from the baby. It’s only taken from the umbilical cord itself. After the baby is born and after the cord, it clamped and cut. The mother’s labor and delivery are not affected.
What does it cost?
There is no fee to donate to a public cord blood bank. There also are no collection or storage costs. The blood is processed and frozen at a cord blood bank. Where it is stored and available for anyone in need of a transplant.
Characteristics of the donated blood are listed in an international registry. So that it can be located by anyone who is a close biological match.
Are donations confidential?
Yes. The identity of you and your child are kept confidential. Your baby’s cord blood will be labeled with a number, not your child’s name.
How important are public donations?
Patients from diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds often have a more challenging time finding a suitably matched donor. Adding donated cord blood from diverse communities to the banks and registries. Increases the likelihood that every patient will find a life-saving match.
In our final installment in this series, we will look at private family banking. As well as provide other authoritative sources.
NEXT ARTICLE: CORD BLOOD BANKING FOR PRIVATE FAMILY USE
Karen Ballen, MD, a hematologist/oncologist at the University of Virginia Health System. Who does cord blood research and whose articles about cord blood therapies frequently appear in medical journals. Also, Arthur Flatau, Ph.D., who is a leukemia survivor is chair of the Cord Blood Association Public Education Committee.
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Image Credit: Flicker
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]]>The post Baby Died After Contracting Herpes Virus From Kiss appeared first on PregnancyBeyond.
]]>Baby Died After Contracting Herpes Virus From Kiss:
A newborn baby died after catching herpes from a ‘kiss of death’, her heartbroken mother has revealed.
The parents of a newborn baby who died just eight days after her birth are warning others. About the potential dangers of allowing family and friends to touch and kiss infants.
Aliza Rose Friend was just eight days old when she passed away after developing neonatal herpes. Her mother Abigail says Aliza was healthy for the first 36 hours of her life before she developed a fever.
4D ULTRASOUND CAPTURES TWIN BABIES KISSING INSIDE MOM’S WOMB
The newborn baby began to deteriorate as the disease quickly “ate her lungs and brain”. Leaving her struggling to breathe and suffering multiple seizures.
The DailyMail reports that the baby was soon declared brain dead. Doctors turned off her life-support while her mother sang ‘you are my sunshine’
HSV-1 typically causes cold sores or small blisters on the mouth, eye, or lips, which can lead to severe infections or even death in newborns due to their undeveloped immune systems. According to the New York State Department of Health, about 70 percent of U.S. adults are infected with HSV-1 and can shed virus in their saliva at any time, even if they don’t show symptoms. The virus can be transferred to newborns from close contact with someone who is shedding HSV-1 or has an active outbreak.
Her mother Abigail Rose Friend was told by doctors her daughter caught the infection after being kissed by a carrier or touched by unwashed, contaminated hands. Due to her having many visitors, it is unclear who passed the virus on.
DAD WARNS OF DANGERS OF DRY DROWNING AFTER 4-YEAR-OLD’S DEATH
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]]>The post Child-Proofing Your Home: 13 Things To Look Out For! appeared first on PregnancyBeyond.
]]>Child-Proofing Your Home:
Child-Proofing Your Home: 13 Things To Look Out For!
Children are naturally curious and they learn by exploring their environment. As you would know, a child’s curiosity can be very dangerous and for that reason, parents will need to take necessary precautions in keeping their child safe.
Here are 13 of the biggest concerns when it comes to the home and ways parents/caregivers can address them:
1 . Unsecured Drawers
Small children tend to climb on furniture such as freestanding bookcases, drawers, wardrobes and sideboards, and if the furniture is unsecured the child’s weight can cause it to topple. When shopping for furniture, look for furniture that comes with safety information or equipment for anchoring it to the walls. Drawer should also remain shut to prevent small children from climbing into them.
2. Draw Strings
Drawstrings on children’s garments at the neck and waist are a safety hazard. They can catch on cribs, playground equipment, and vehicle doors, resulting in injuries including strangulation. Waist drawstrings can become caught in bus or car door. Cut all drawstrings out of hoods, jackets, and waistbands in your young child’s wardrobe. It is also important to keep drawstring bags out of reach and warn older children about the risk of hanging a drawstring bag around their neck.
3. Window Blind & Cotton Cord
When window cords are accessible to small children, these seemingly harmless products may become strangulation hazards. Toddlers are usually unable to free themselves if they become entangled as their muscular control is not fully developed yet. More so, their windpipes are smaller and less rigid than those of adults and older children, this means that they suffocate far more quickly if their necks are constricted. If possible, use only non-corded window coverings in homes where infants and young children are present.
4. Family Dog
According to DogBiteLaw.com, the most severe dog bite injuries happen almost exclusively to children under the age of 10 and the majority of attacks happen in familiar places by a dog that belongs to the victim’s family or friend. Teach children to be gentle with dogs and to never tease, corner, or disturb a dog that’s eating, sleeping, or caring for puppies. Additionally, pet food and pet toys with small parts can also be choking hazards.
5. Bath seat and rings
Bath seats are used to assist in supporting a baby or young child in a bathtub. The three primary dangers associated with baby bath seats include the bath seat tipping over, the child slipping or climbing out of the bath seat, and entrapment in the leg openings. In any of these incidences, there is a risk of injury or even possible death.Baby bath seats and rings pose a great danger of a child drowning if they climb out of the seat. In addition, many bath seats may easily tip over with the child or have defective seats and restraints that allow the child to slip through the leg holes, presenting a great risk of either injury or death to the infant.
Babies have drowned when the suction cups on the bath seat came loose and the bath seat tipped over, when the baby slipped through the leg openings, or when the babies were able to climb out of the bath seat. These deaths occurred when the babies were out of their caregiver’s sight and reach for only seconds.
6. Button Batteries
Parents and caregivers need to be aware of the risk posed by button batteries in their homes. Keep loose and spare batteries locked away and store any product that uses button batteries out of reach. This includes remote controls, watches, key fobs, calculator, certain games and toys, indeed any household item that is powered. Make sure that the battery compartments of all electronic items are taped shut or will require a screwdriver to open the battery compartment. Loose batteries should are always stored out of children’s reach.
READ: Heartbroken Dad Warns About The Dangers of Button Batteries
7. Cosmetics
Your makeup and lotion or aftershave and deodorant may not be the first things that come to mind as possibly dangerous household products. However, accidental exposures can make children sick and could require medical attention. As you probably know by now, toddler put everything in their mouth and these products are made for external use only.
If you look closely at the packaging on personal care items and cosmetics, you’ll notice that many of these products have warnings that instruct you to …
- Avoid contact with the eyes.
- Keep out of reach of children.
- Get medical help if swallowed.
Use only cosmetic and other personal products suitable for the age of your child. Some products should only be used by adults, such as those containing alpha-hydroxy acids (AHAs), hair removal products (depilatories, waxes, etc.), hair dye, and tooth whiteners.
8. Toys
Toys are a fun and important part of any child’s development. And there’s plenty you can do to make sure all toys are safe.
The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) has these tips for toy safety:
- Buy toys only from recognized outlets;
- Make sure the toy is suitable for the child, check the age range.
- Be particularly careful with toys for children under three.
- Be wary of young children playing with older children’s toys.
- Check for loose hair and small parts, sharp edges, and points.
- Ensure that garden swings and slides are robust and are not a strangulation hazard.
- Check toys regularly for wear and repair or dispose of them where necessary.
- Keep the play area tidy;
- Follow the instructions and warnings provided with toys.
- Supervise young children at play.
Also, parents are to avoid the purchase of loud noise-emitting toys as the noise can harm a child’s hearing. If you have to yell to be heard above the sound of a toy, then it is likely too loud for a child and should not be used. Supervise children at playtime.
9. Ballons
Balloons present safety and choking. Latex balloons are recommended for decoration rather than play as they pose both a choking and suffocation risk to children. The balloon could get sucked into and lodged in the child’s throat; there is also a risk of choking from pieces of broken balloons and uninflated balloons. Keep inflated and uninflated balloons, and pieces of broken balloons, out of the reach of children.
Parents should also be aware of dangers posed by helium balloons; danger occurs when the helium is inhaled into a child’s lungs thereby depriving them of oxygen supply. This can have fatal results.
10. Magnets
Swallowing magnets can have serious and sometimes fatal consequences. It is especially dangerous if a child swallows more than one magnet over a short period of time. The magnets can attract one another while traveling through the intestines. When this happens, the magnets can slowly tear through the intestinal walls. It is also possible for the magnets to twist the intestines and create a blockage.
A wide variety of toys contain small powerful magnets that can pose a real danger to children if they are accidentally swallowed or inhaled. Types of toys that may contain these magnets include:
- construction sets
- puzzles
- toy jewelry and dress-up items
- action figures and dolls
- board games
- train sets
11. Handbags, Pursers, Briefcases
Any bag, backpack, or suitcase that someone brings into your home may contain items that could poison, choke, or injure children, such as medications, change, hard candy, pen caps, safety pins, nail scissors, and matches. It only takes a few seconds for a small child to choke on any of these items where adults are busy talking.
12. Cribs, Bunk Beds, and Bed Rails
Your baby will spend a lot of time in the crib. It’s your job to make sure it’s always a safe environment. The safest place for a baby to sleep is alone in a crib.
- Place baby on his/her back in a crib with a firm, tight-fitting mattress.
- Do not put pillows, quilts, comforters, sheepskins, pillow-like bumper pads, or pillow-like stuffed toys in the crib.
- Consider using a sleeper instead of a blanket.
- If you do use a blanket, place the baby with feet to the foot of the crib. Tuck a thin blanket around the crib mattress, covering the baby only as high as his/her chest.
- Use only a fitted bottom sheet specifically made for crib use.
STEPS TO HELP PREVENT SUDDEN INFANT DEATH SYNDROME
13. Second-hand products
Second-hand goods have become increasingly popular from charity shops, car boot sales, pawn stores, and auction websites – but buying a product second-hand is never as safe as buying something new. Never buy child car seats, helmets and other protective headgear second-hand expect of course you are assured of their history. These products once involved in an incident/ accident must not be used again.
Also, be sure to check with the manufacturer of a product for recalls before buying or using a second-hand product.
Completely childproofing a home can be difficult as little kids love to explore. To check your childproofing efforts, get down on your hands and knees in every room of your home for a kid’s-eye view.
Always close doors to bathrooms, the kitchen, and install a child lock. Remember you play an important role in keeping your child safe
BABY DIES IN HOT CAR WHILE MOM GOT HAIR DONE
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]]>Get Breastfeeding Off to a Good Start: Latch
Helping to Get Breastfeeding Off to a Good Start: Latch, By Rita Brhel, Hastings, Nebraska (La Leche League USA).
After years of supporting mothers at all stages of breastfeeding, I’ve learned that there are four key areas to focus on to get breastfeeding off to a good start: milk supply, latch, frequent access to the breast, and skin-to-skin contact. Let’s explore latch.
Frequent breast milk removal is key to building a good milk supply, and so is a good latch. Generally, the latch is how the baby’s mouth fits on the nipple. A good latch makes for good milk transfer. A poor latch makes for poor milk transfer. Also, a baby with a good latch will be more likely to be satisfied and to be able to build up or maintain a mother’s milk supply. A baby with a poor latch is less likely to do so.
It’s generally easy to figure out if the baby has a good or poor latch. A poor latch can be painful. While some initial tenderness is common in the first few days after birth, this tenderness goes away in the first seconds after a good latch, and then goes away for good after a few days to a week. Sometimes, a poor latch causes an ongoing discomfort beyond a week; sometimes, a poor latch causes bleeding and cracked nipples. Either way, pain while latching is a sign to seek help from a La Leche League Leader.
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Seeking out information and support before the baby’s arrival is an excellent way to learn about a good latch. Attend a series of La Leche League meetings to provide you with both information and support. If La Leche League isn’t available in your community, often hospitals or other health organizations offer classes. At some local hospitals, lactation consultants offer classes to all women who are in their third trimester. My first baby was an early preemie, so I didn’t get to take the class. I didn’t have a clue about getting my baby to latch and decided to exclusively pump. With my second baby, I was able to take the class, and it made a difference. It was all about latching, and then when I delivered, breastfeeding wasn’t such a mystery to me.
That’s not to say it’s always easy. I had more severe latch issues with my third baby, but because I recognized the importance of a good latch and of seeking help to attain it, I was finally able to overcome the sore nipples that might have otherwise convinced me to quit. My baby self-weaned at three and one-half years old. Of all the accomplishments in my life, full-term breastfeeding may be the highest on my list.
To find a La Leche League Group near you, go to www.lllusa.org/locator/.
Photo Credit: Suchalovelyhigh
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This article is by La Leche League USA
The mission of La Leche League USA is to help mothers to breastfeed through mother-to-mother support. Also, encouragement, information, and education, and to promote a better understanding of breastfeeding. As an important element in the healthy development of the baby and mother.
Join us over at the PB Moms Exclusive Circle. Where we invite healthcare experts to prepare us for life after childbirth and motherhood. Go to: pregnancybeyond.com/exclusive-circle.
Follow PregnancyBeyond on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.
The post Helping to Get Breastfeeding Off to a Good Start appeared first on PregnancyBeyond.
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