The Perils of Meconium
Meconium is your baby’s first poo! It has the consistency of treacle, it is odourless and unlike later offerings it is sterile. It is very dark and almost impossible to wipe clean. Meconium consists of water, mucus, amniotic fluid, lanugo which is downy baby hair and also intestinal epithelial cells. For most babies it is just their first poo (one of many!) and means a very gooey first nappy but in some cases it can be a cause for concern.
What Does It Mean If My Baby Has Tongue-Tie?
There is a visible string of tissue underneath your baby’s tongue that is attached to the floor of his mouth and is called the frenulum. Babies who have tongue-tie have a frenulum that is too short causing problems with the mobility of their tongue. The medical term for tongue-tie is ankyloglossia.
Posted in Dads, Development, Emotional - Social, Feeding, General Health, Health, Language Skills, Learning, Moms, Motor Skills, Newborns | 
Leave a commentHave You Heard of Nipple Confusion?!
Nipple confusion, hmm . . . this term can be somewhat misleading. It does not mean that your baby is perplexed as to what your nipple is for. It is a term to explain when babies are hesitant to feed from the breast and seems to prefer or find it easier to bottle feed milk which has been expressed.
Posted in Breastfeeding, Development, Feeding, Feeding Products, Food Allergies, Newborns, Nutrition | Leave a commentWhen Will My Baby Begin to Remember Things?
Your baby will start recording things in her mind from birth but will not be aware of what is really happening. During the third trimester of your pregnancy your baby will have begun to recognize your voice and at four days old she will be able to distinguish between your face and a stranger’s. It is at this time she will also recognize Dad if he has been present throughout the pregnancy. She will certainly recognize your smell and be comforted by it from birth.
Posted in Activities, Development, Emotional - Social, Health, Language Skills, Learning, Misc | Leave a commentBaby Napping: 7 Tips for Optimizing the Little One’s Sleep
Napping seems like such an ordinary thing, but to parents of young children it is a constant concern and often a source of anxiety. We know that getting the maximum amount of sleep possible is good for a child, yet the child is obviously not aware of this, and many seem to naturally resist being put down for naps. Some babies fuss, wake up frequently, and are unpredictable in when and how they like to nap. These are all simple facts of being a parent. And while you cannot stop nap troubles entirely, what you can do is minimize the difficulties.
Posted in Babysitter, Dads, Development, Health, Moms, Motor Skills, Nanny, Newborns, Sleep, Sleep Care | Leave a commentBaby Will Not Sleep Through the Night? Try These Strategies
In the first few months of a baby’s life, it is perfectly natural for the infant to wake regularly throughout the night for feeding or just to be snuggled. But there comes a time-usually after four to six months-when the baby is ready to begin sleeping through the night. It requires work and patience on the part of the parents, however, and the reality is that many babies never consistently sleep through the night until they are a year or two old.
Ideas for Naturally Inducing Labour
Premature birth may worry you as it worries most expectant parents but becoming overdue can also bring its own concerns and difficulties. As you become larger, sleeping can become more challenging. It becomes increasingly more difficult to get into a comfortable position as does breathing as your lungs become more crowded due to your overgrown uterus. If your baby stays in too long then there are risks associated with this, most commonly that your baby could pass meconium. If you find yourself overdue and are seeking advice to naturally help induce labour then the following is a list of ideas to do exactly that.
Posted in Activities, Care, Development, Health, Labour, Moms, Physical, Pregnancy | Leave a commentBreastfeeding Basics: Answers to Five Common Questions
Most new mothers who choose to breastfeed discover almost immediately that little instruction is required. The act of nursing is instinctive for both mother and baby, and even without outside help the process usually goes relatively smoothly. But even when things go relatively smoothly, it is common for problems to arise. If you are encountering breastfeeding problems or are worried about issues you may face in the future, here are some of the most common questions that might arise.
Communicating With Your Baby in the First Six Months
By Jamell Andrews
During the first six months of a child’s life, parents go through virtually every conceivable emotion, from elation, to frustration, to hope, to terror. But there is one that stands above all the rest: The pure elation you feel when you begin to truly communicate with their little one. During the very early weeks of the baby’s life, parents are busy taking care of all the baby’s needs, but it is not until a little later that the back-and-forth, loving communication becomes tangible. And when this happens, it is one of the highlights of any parent’s life.
Infant Napping: Everything You Need to Know
By Jamell Andrews
Everyone knows that babies spend a great deal of time napping, but many new parents are surprised by just how much of their time and energy will be devoted to fostering the baby’s naps. Getting a baby to nap regularly and on a set schedule is an immensely appealing idea to new parents who want a little predictability in their lives. But unfortunately, given that newborns’ sleep patterns tend to be unpredictable and may stay that way for several months, it is important to accept that it may be quite a while before your baby has set nap times.
Posted in Activities, Babysitter, Care, Development, General Health, Health, Moms, Nanny, Newborns, Sleep, Sleep Care | Leave a comment