Another Reason Why Baby Might Be Crying

Our little Sweetie Bum doesn't ever seriously cry for no apparent reason, so a while back when he was really crying while feeding, I tried figuring out what the problem was since he never cries like that at feeding time.

And I found out what the problem was, and as soon as I fixed the it he quit crying and happily carried on with his meal.  :)

Turns out all I needed to do was un-tie the buttons around his nappy area because it seems things were too tight down there!  I didn't realize it of course, I just thought it was a snug fit, but when the nappy got wet and it puffed up, it made things too tight and he didn't like it.  It was time to get some new clothes as he was definitely starting to outgrow his first set of clothes!  :)

Since that was the first time it happened, I wasn't sure if it was what I did that made him feel better or if he just stopped crying at the same time by coincidence, so I didn't think much of it afterwards, but when the same thing happened again the other day (with a different outfit!) I was convinced I did actually solve the problem.

So next time your baby cries and you dunno why, remember this!  :)

How We Soothe a Crying Baby

Little Aidan is almost 2 months old . . . how did time go so fast?!?!  Anyway, I'm glad to say that we've figured out this soothing thing pretty good.  :)  It's seldom that he cries for more than a few minutes because we always manage to fix the "problem".  Here's how we do it!

• First we check if he's hungry.  Usually we know more or less if the crying is because of hunger because we know he eats about every 2 - 3 hours on average, but to make sure we pat a finger on the area between his mouth and nose and he'll open his mouth as if to grab a teat.  You can also touch his cheek on either side of his mouth and he'll move to that side and open his mouth also as if to take a teat - it's called a rooting reflex.  Usually before he starts crying for food he'll also show us he's hungry by making a cute little fist and swooshing it past his nose or making a cute little pouting thing with his mouth - yes, EVERYTHING he does is cute!  I don't know if these last 2 things are something all babies do or if it's just Aidan that does it, but we've recognized them as his way of saying "I'm hungry!".

• If we don't see any sign that he's hungry, and he's just recently finished feeding, then we'll try to burp him.  We put him on our knee and gently bounce him quickly for a little while and then pat his back for a bit while he leans a little forward and then go back to bouncing etc until we get a burp. Sometimes when we just sit him up after a feeding he'll burp on his own, but mostly we have to work a bit to get that burp.

Trying to get rid of that burpie:

 

• If it's neither of the above things, then we change his nappy (provided he hasn't *just* had a nappy change).

•  Sometimes he still cries and then it seems all he wants is to be held and then he calms down or falls asleep.  If he also seems to be crying for no reason that we can tell, or he's crying while he's waiting for his food to be prepared, then we put him up over our shoulder and that seems to keep him happy and cry-free for quite a while.

•  If he's laying down and there's no obvious problem like hunger or burp or dirty nappy and we're trying to get him to stop crying and get to sleep, we turn him on his side and rub his back - this usually works pretty well if there's none of the above issues!  Soon he'll calm down and fall asleep.  Patting his bum also seems to do the same trick while laying on his side.  Sometimes we'll also make a loud "ssshhh" sound to calm him down and that has worked really well too!  Apparently they find it soothing because it sounds similar to what he hears inside the womb.  What Noob Dad has done is download sounds like white noise or rain etc and we'll play that to him to help soothe him to sleep as well.

• Another thing that really works to calm him down is swaddling - to snugly wrap him up in a blankie.  This is to make him feel secure so that he doesn't get disturbed by the little jerks babies make (called the startle reflex), or to comfort him so that he calms down or falls asleep, because he's all snug like he used to be in the womb and that makes him feel secure.  You should use a light blankie, not a thick one so that he doesn't overheat (swaddling should in any case not be used as a way to keep baby warm, and you shouldn't wrap him too tightly so that his circulation is cut off, or that his legs are pinned straight out as this may cause hip problems - his legs should be bent up as he naturally lies and he should be allowed to move his legs slightly.  Some babies don't like to have their arms tucked in, so you can swaddle him under his arms, and some babies don't like to be swaddled at all.  And one needs to make sure that his face isn't covered up so that he can breathe freely!  Swaddling should also be discontinued once he reaches about 1 month of age as it may interfere with his movement and development.  Here's how it's done:

Cute little bundle!

• On the odd occasion when he's a little whiny we'll give him a dummy (pacifier) and that'll keep him quiet and sometimes he'll soon fall asleep too.

•  And if there's nothing really big bothering him, holding him and swaying with him calms him down too.

All in all his a pretty good baby and doing the above things have always helped to quieten him and calm him down!  :)

Toys for Hand-Eye Co-ordination (0-6 months)

I found an article about toys for new babies to help develop their hand-eye co-ordination which I thought was interesting and useful. :)

Baby's first few weeks
Baby's hands and eyes don't work together, baby just watches.  His favourite things are bright / colourful and things that move.  Some toys and games for baby are . . .

• his reflection in the mirror
• the toys on his gym or a mobile
• shining a torch on the ceiling of a dark room, and flashing lights

6 weeks +
Baby is more ready to swipe at things with his hands, so he'll have fun with:

• the toys on his gym, bouncer or stroller
• a rattle that you hold for him

2-4 months
Now baby will start to grab things and shake them, so . . .

• get him toys that have small enough section for him to grab and hold onto

5-6 months
Baby's grasping is more deliberate and he'll reach out for stuff without constantly monitoring his hand, and he may like to pass things from one hand to the other, so toy's he'll like are:

• toys that he can pick up, take to his mouth and pass from hand to hand
• toys that make noises when he grabs them
• toys with textures
• soft toys that he can cuddle
• toys that he can bat with an open hand

Well now at least I can buy (the correct) toys with a purpose in mind. :D

Understanding What Baby's Saying

I have no idea how universal this is, but I'll keep it anyway and see if I can recognize when baby does any of these.  Either that, or I suppose we'll soon enough figure out baby's own language, hehe.

According to the Dunstan method, this is what baby's saying:

Neh

I'm hungry - An infant uses the sound reflex "Neh" to communicate its hunger. The sound is produced when the sucking reflex is triggered, and the tongue is pushed up on the roof of the mouth.

Owh

I'm sleepy - An infant uses the sound reflex "Owh" to communicate that they are tired. The sound is produced much like an audible yawn.

Heh

I'm experiencing discomfort - An infant uses the sound reflex "Heh" to communicate stress, discomfort, or perhaps that it needs a fresh diaper. The sound is produced by a response to a skin reflex, such as feeling itchiness on the bum.

Eairh

I have lower gas - An infant uses the sound reflex "Eairh" to communicate they have flatulence or an upset stomach. The sound is produced when trapped air from a burp is unable to release and travels to the stomach where the muscles of the intestines tighten to force the air bubble out. Often, this sound will indicate that a bowel movement is in progress, and the infant will bend its knees, bringing the legs toward the torso. This leg movement assists in the ongoing process.

Eh

I have gas - An infant uses the sound reflex "Eh" to communicate that it needs to be burped. The sound is produced when a large bubble of trapped air is caught in the chest, and the reflex is trying to release this out of the mouth.

Well, time will tell how useful this will be! :)

Storing Breast Milk

Sometimes it's convenient to store expressed milk for later use, so here's what I've read to be safe ways of doing so:

Remember that once baby starts feeding from a bottle, it should be used with an hour, and if baby doesn't finish the milk it can be kept in the fridge for the very next feeding (up to 2 hours later), after which it must be discarded, because bacteria could be transferred to the milk through baby's feeding from the bottle.

And remember to label any stored milk so that you know how long it's been in the fridge or freezer.

Room temp
Expressed milk can be kept at room temp for a max of about 4 hours to be on the safe side, after which is must either be used or discarded.

Cool box
In a cool box with ice packs, milk can be stored for up to 24 hours.

Refrigerated milk
If you're going to refrigerate milk, do so as soon as possible after expressing it.  I've read different sources that say milk can be kept in the fridge for about 3, 5 or up to 8 days, so I'm going to go with 5 days to be on the safe side.  The fridge temp should be 4 degrees C or cooler.

Warm the milk by running warm water over the container of milk, and use within 24 hours and thereafter discard if there is still milk left after feeding.

Frozen milk
Milk can be frozen for about 3 months (some even say up to 6 months) . . . but why would one wanna freeze it for that long anyway?!  This is only suitable for a real freezer that cools keeps food cool to -18 degrees C or colder.  Freeze the milk as soon as possible after expressing.

When filling a bottle with milk, leave about an inch of empty space in the bottle to leave some space for the frozen milk to expand (because frozen liquids expand).

The milk should be defrosted in the fridge (it takes about 24 hours, so do this well ahead of time!), or otherwise defrost it by running warm water over the container of milk until it's at room temp, or place it in a large container filled with warm water and as the water cools, replace with warm water again until the milk is defrosted.  Use immediately (or can be stored in fridge for another 24 hours) and thereafter discard if there's still milk left after feeding.  Never re-freeze thawed milk and never microwave the milk (whether it's for heating up or defrosting) or heat it up on the stove, and definitely never boil it.

Don't freeze milk as a regular thing, since freezing it destroys some of the immune properties of the milk, so refrigerating it is actually better.  And of course fresh milk is the best.

Storage containers
It's said that the best way to store milk is in sterilized glass or hard clear plastic containers with a tight sealing lid. 

Changes in milk appearance
Refrigerating or freezing milk may change the way it looks.  Apparently the milk may appear slightly blueish, yellowish or brownish.  It may also separate in that the cream will rise to the top, so just swirl it around until it's mixed again before feeding it to baby.

How much to store
Store milk in small amounts as opposed to putting too much in a container and then baby can't finish it - this helps to prevent milk from being wasted.  You can always begin adding more milk if you see baby starts drinking more.

Flat Head Syndrome - Say What? . . .

I nearly giggled when I read these words for the first time because it just sounded so odd, but it's actually quite a serious condition, and luckily one which can be prevented.

Flat head syndrome refers to a condition of the flattening of the back or side of a baby's head caused by pressure on that part of the head over time.  (There are other serious medical issues that can cause flat head syndrome too, but I'm just going to be talking about the one not caused by specific medical issues.)

It's suggested that one of the contributing causes of flat head syndrome is because babies are spending more and more of their time on their backs, eg because of the convenience of carrying baby around in reclined carrier seats and the like, so there's more pressure being placed on the back of their head etc - so not only are babies spending snooze time on their backs, but awake time too.

It's still important that babies snooze on their backs (because of the whole cot death thing), but there are some things you can do to lessen the time baby spends with pressure on their head during awake time.

Prevention tip 1 - snooze time

One thing you can do is to turn baby's head to the left when you put them down for snoozing, and for the next snooze turn their head to the right, and then alternate this way for every snooze time.  Apparently babies don't always move their head that much while they snooze.

Prevention tip 2 - tummy time

And the next thing you can do is to give baby more "tummy time" while they're awake.  Tummy time should always be supervised.  Since some babies don't always like the idea of tummy time, here are some ways to do it to make it more amusing for baby:

• lay baby on your chest, tummy to tummy
• prop baby up with your leg or a rolled up blanket under their chest, and you could give baby a mirror to look into and other toys to play with while in this position
• lie down with baby on the floor as well so that they can see you
• have some snuggle time with baby
• after a bath, lay baby on their tummy while drying them

 Prevention tip 3 - avoid unnecessary extended car seat time

Don't let baby spend unnecessary time in car carrier seats.  It may be convenient to keep baby in the seat and just cart them from home, to car, to shopping etc without leaving the carrier, but letting baby snooze in that position causes baby to be in a slumped position for a long time, putting pressure on one area of the head.  Very new babies are still too weak to keep their heads up and body upright, so it doesn't do them any good being in that slumped position longer than is really necessary.
Also, when putting them in the car seat, vary the head position like you would do when putting them to bed.

Prevention tip 4 - how to carry baby

Carry baby in your arms instead of letting them spend all their time in some or other cute baby-carrying gadget - most of them keep baby in the same position all the time, putting pressure on the same areas on baby's head.  Here are some different ideas on how to carry baby, so that your arms don't get tired of carrying in the same position all the time:

• upright sitting on your arm
• on your hip, similar to how you often see parents carrying toddlers
• in a sling, and this will leave your hands free
• like a football (but no touch downs aloud, hehe)
• like an airplane 
• lying on your arms facing outward

Prevention tip 5 - incorporating into daily activities

• make turns feeding baby in your left and then right arms
• also make turns feeding baby in your arms as above and resting baby on your legs facing up
• if you have a baby gym, vary the sides on which you hang the toys
• when baby becomes stronger, let baby sit between your legs, and if baby is able to sit up by themselves, let them do so (but assisted and supervised!)
• burp baby by leaning them forward (is there really any other way to burp them anyway...?)

I had no idea something like this even existed until I found it by accident . . .  can't even remember how.   But I'm glad I did! :)

 source

What Teas Are Safe During Pregnancy?

If you're unsure, rather don't drink any tea at all, but here's what I've read:

Non-herbal teas:
These are teas made from the leaves of tea plants and usually contain caffeine, which is why they're not recommended during pregnancy, since the baby can't tolerate caffeine.
A caffeine-free non-herbal tea is Rooibos tea - and it's delicious and sweet (my favourite tea).  So rooibos tea is safe during pregnancy.  It also contains a lot of anti-oxidants.

Herbal teas:
These are teas that are made from berries, roots, seeds, flowers and leaves of non-tea plants.  They don't contain any caffeine, but many of them have medicinal properties, which is why some of them are not suitable during pregnancy.
Some say certain herbal teas are safe during pregnancy while other claim those same teas to be unsafe, so I think I'll just stay away from herbal teas, just to be safe.  And stick to rooibos tea! :)

What Not To Feed a New Baby

I remembered hearing somewhere that you can't feed babies honey within their first year, so that got me thinking . . . what else can't one feed a new baby?  Here are some other things that shouldn't be fed to babies before their first year:

• Firstly, from birth to 4 - 6 months, baby shouldn't be eating ANYTHING other than breast milk (or formula if you HAVE to use it).
•  Honey - it may contain clostridium botulinum sprores which could lead to infant botulism, because their digestive systems can't yet fight off this type of botulism.  Other liquid natural sweeteners like agave and maple syrup pose a similar risk.
• Cow's milk & soy milk - milks besides breast milk (and formula if you HAVE to use it) contain proteins that baby can't yet digest, and minerals that could damage baby's still-developing kidneys.  Some babies also can't handle the lactose or may be allergic to the milk proteins.  Also soy milk contains high levels of estrogens that are not good for baby's hormones (this applies to adults too).
• Unpasteurized cheeses - they have a slight poisoning risk in babies.
• Peanut butter - not only can some babies have serious peanut allergies, but peanut butter is thick & sticky and could easily get stuck in baby's throat.
• Soft sticky foods - like marshmallows & gummy sweets - they can easily get stuck in baby's throat.
• Some veggies - I was surprised to see this, but some common everyday used veggies shouldn't be fed to baby...spinach, lettuce, collard greens (green leaves related to cabbage and broccoli), beet & fennel - this is because they contain levels of nitrates too high for baby to process, which means baby can't digest 'em, which could then block the blood's ability to transport oxygen (known as Blue Baby Syndrome).
• Some fish, & shellfish - some fish contain levels of mercury that are too high for baby.  Also, some people can have serious shellfish allergies, so wait until baby is at least 3 before feeding them any shellfish.
• Berries & citrus - huh, who'd a thunk this one . . . not meee!  Strawberries, blueberries, blackberries & raspberries contain proteins that are hard for baby to digest, and citrus fruits are highly acidic and can cause stomach upsets and nappy / diaper rash.  Berries are also a choking hazard, so when giving them to baby later on, chop them up into small pieces, and only give a little berries / citrus at a time.  This may apply to fruit juices too.
• Salt - babies don't need added salt to their diets, and their kidneys are not yet able to cope with large amounts of sodium . . . which also means you can't feed baby any processed foods, since they often contain lots of sodium (which is in any case bad for adults as well).
• Seeds & nuts - not only are they choking hazards, but they are highly allergenic (like peanuts)
• Grapes - they're also chocking hazards, and the skin is difficult for baby to break down completely.  Raisins should also be avoided because of choking hazard.
• Egg whites - apparently egg white allergies in babies is very common, but cooked egg yolks seem to be safe
• Chocolate - the caffeine in here is not good for baby, and the dairy could be hard for baby to digest as well.
• Caffeine -  also to be found in things like ice tea.
• Raw carrots - apparently raw sliced carrots are also a very common choking hazard.  Rather give baby soft cooked mashed carrots instead.
• Popcorn - another chocking hazard!
• Hotdogs - it seems sliced hotdogs are also a common choking hazard.  In any case, hotdogs are processed meats containing nitrates that baby's system is not able to break down, causing Blue Baby Syndrome
• Small hard candies - another obvious choking hazard
• Wheat - a large portion of the population is allergic to wheat (gluten intolerance and the more serious celiac disease), so it's best to not try to introduce this into baby's diet in his/her first year.  This includes breads, wheat pastas, cereals and crackers, so watch the ingredients label.

Whew . . . so it seems that besides the health risks of some of the foods listed above, foods that constitute a choking hazard are quite important too, so keep that in mind before giving baby anything to eat!

Best Snoozing Postion During Later Pregnancy

From what I've read, it's better for you and baby if you snooze on your left side as opposed to on your back or right side, because . . .

• there's a main vein called the inferior vena cava that's situated just to the right of your spinal column
• this vein is responsible for draining the blood from the entire lower half of your body back to your heart
• when heavily pregnant, lying on your back or right side compresses this vein, making drainage of blood from the lower body sluggish, and obstructing blood flow to the heart (the latter causing hypotension, ie lowered blood pressure which also results in light-headedness)
• compression of the vein also increases swelling of your ankles, feet & legs, and it affects hemorrhoids too (the swelling is said to be caused by diminished kidney flow)
• lowered blood pressure could result in diminished blood flow to the uterus, placenta and baby

So, lying mostly on your left side keeps blood and kidney flow optimal, which is healthier for you as well as baby.  This is because as your uterus grows, it causes some pressure on other internal organs, so easing this pressure when you can, will only benefit you and baby.

And obviously you shouldn't be lying on your stomach as this puts too much pressure on the baby.

Sweet dreams!

Preparing for Pregnancy - Folic Acid!

I must admit, there's a teeny tiny part of me that's sort of happy that we didn't get pregnant right from the start.  WHY????? you say?  Well, because since we made the decision to have a baby, I've been doing soooo much research and reading about all things pregnancy related, and it's made me so much wiser on the topic, and as the months went by, I've had the opportunity to learn what I can do *before* conception to help improve my and baby's health.

I've always known that folic acid was a crucial supplement that one should take when pregnant, but what I didn't know at the beginning was that you need to begin taking this at least 3 months before conception...So I immediately began taking that supplement - it's been about a year now since I've started adding folic acid to my arsenal of vitamins, so I'm pretty sure I've built up an extra good reserve for baby. :)  So as soon as you decide to start trying for a baby, start taking folic acid!

And here's why you need to start taking folic acid before conception: according to several studies, taking 400mcg (0.4mg) helps to reduce the chances of neural tube defects in baby by up to 70%.  These defects relate to the underdevelopment and defects of the brain and spinal column...and what's more...these defects occur during the first month of pregnancy...when many women don't even know they're pregnant yet!

So you can see why folic acid is so important and why you need to start taking it long before conception.  With a varied diet we all get in some measure of folic acid, but to be on the safe side, take that supplement so that you can be sure you're getting enough of it.