General Health
Many Babies Are Fed Solid Foods Too Soon, CDC Study Finds
A study published in late March, 2013 in the American Academy of Pediatrics journal Pediatrics found that a majority of babies in the United States may be getting introduced to solid foods much too early, often leading to a variety of chronic illnesses.
Researchers at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention surveyed 1,334 new moms nationwide; they found that almost 93 percent had introduced solid foods to their infants before the babies were six months old, 40 percent had introduced solids before four months, and 9 percent had done so before four weeks of age.
Continue readingThe Dangers of Hidden Chemicals in Skincare and Grooming Products for Babies
Though things often appear not to improve fast enough, concerned citizens and scientists in the industrialized countries of our planet are gradually compelling governing bodies to take concrete steps to curb the toxic chemicals all around us, be they in our foods, the soil, the air, or the water.
But interestingly, the area of cosmetics (defined as grooming, skincare and make-up products) — and the toxic chemicals in them — have remained, until recently, virtually a “no man’s land.”
The National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (an arm of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, GA) estimates that close to 900 of the chemicals used in cosmetics are toxic!
Research by the Environmental Working Group, an alliance of scientists, engineers, policy experts and lawyers, with several offices nationwide, found that, with the exception of products made by small companies in the fast-growing natural products sector, nearly all personal care products contain Continue reading
What to do About an Overweight Baby
If you are worried that your baby has gained weight too fast and now weighs too much, it is most likely that you are worried over nothing. Infants can indeed become overweight if they are overfed, but this happens only rarely. Even most perfectly healthy infants go through many different phases in their first year of life, and those who are born large and thrive during their early months commonly accumulate a lot of fat, which can make them look rather round and pudgy. But looks can be deceiving. Whereas we usually think of adults with a lot of fat as unhealthy, a decent amount of extra fat on a baby can Continue reading
Double Dangers of Drug Exposure During Pregnancy
Drug abuse is doubly dangerous if you are a pregnant woman as drugs can harm you, compromising your ability to have a healthy pregnancy and they can also directly damage your baby’s prenatal development. As a pregnant woman it is vital you lead a healthy lifestyle by having a well-balanced and nutritional diet, you get enough rest and carry out some light exercise. It is very important to abstain from doing anything that could harm your unborn baby like smoking, drinking alcohol or using drugs.
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What to Do When Your Baby Rejects the Bottle
After several months of breastfeeding, many babies are understandably reluctant to change. Breastfeeding is warm and comforting, it brings mother and baby close together, and it comes easily and naturally. So when it comes time to introduce the bottle and your baby does not take to it right away, do not be frustrated. The plastic nipple takes some getting used to, and the temperature of the milk in the bottle can be difficult to regulate. Plus, if you are introducing formula at the same time, this adds another element of difficulty.
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Staying On The Ball!
You may be one of the many pregnant women who use a birthing ball to exercise and strengthen your back. Unfortunately, most do not utilize the benefits of their birthing balls until they have gone into labor. Midwives recommend birthing balls to pregnant women because they encourage you to maintain good posture by balancing on them. By sitting on the ball you are forced to sit properly so that your back is well aligned and this relieves your back of pressure which is especially helpful later on in your pregnancy. Birthing balls are sometimes used to encourage your unborn baby to move into the correct position enabling you to be more comfortable during labor. You often see them in maternity wards.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Getting an Infant to Sleep: Strategies for Parents
When it comes to getting an infant to sleep, there are many factors that parents have to balance. They have to balance the child’s personality and preferences with the recommendations of doctors and parenting guides-and these two things are seldom perfectly aligned. They have to balance the child’s sleep schedule with their own schedules. They have to figure out how to regulate the child’s naps so that he or she sleeps the proper amount during the night. And in addition to these issues, there may be other, unexpected factors that come into play. All in all, figuring out how to give your child healthy sleep is one of the biggest challenges of the first several months of parenting.
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