admin – Page 6 – Baby Care Journals

The Added Dangers of Flying in Airplanes for Babies and Toddlers

September 30, 2014September 30, 2014 admin

Small two year old baby girl sleep in a bassinet on a airplane

You have a new baby, and maybe you’re eager to take him or her on a flight to meet the grandparents … or you want to take your infant on a faraway vacation with you.

New research shows it may be best to wait until your child is a little older, and if you do choose to take a small infant or toddler on a flight, it’s wise to buy the child his or her own seat ticket.

Until recently, safety considerations for young babies flying in airplanes had centered around what to do in the event of a crash; but now, researchers have begun paying more attention to in-flight medical emergencies, sleeping positions, injuries from in-flight turbulence and other dangers.

Is It Safe to Eat Canned Tuna During Pregnancy?

September 5, 2014 admin

You may have heard about the recent recommendation from Consumer Reports that all pregnant and nursing women avoid all types of tuna, due to concerns about mercury exposure for the unborn baby or newborn. This has a lot of women, and even some doctors, confused about whether to nix all tuna for pregnant or nursing women, or whether it is still safe to consume some tuna varieties.

Until now, public health experts agreed that albacore tuna (the white variety) was unsafe, due to its higher mercury content. But chunk “light” tuna (the darker kind) was always recommended as safe, so long as it was eaten in moderation. In fact, only in June of this year, the Environmental Protection Agency and the Food and Drug Administration issued a joint recommendation that pregnant or nursing women eat a minimum of 8 to 12 ounces (2-3 servings) of low-mercury fish per week. Canned light tuna was included on the list of these safer fish that pregnant or nursing women could consume.

Cigarettes and Nicotine Products in Pregnancy All Linked to Higher ADHD Risk in Children

August 27, 2014December 22, 2014 admin

For years, doctors have been urging women who get pregnant to give up cigarettes due to the many serious dangers that they pose to unborn babies and pregnant women. In the age of nicotine patches and nicotine gum, some physicians have even advised expecting women to switch to these, as they are believed to be less harmful to the baby than cigarette smoke.

But that may not be the case when it comes to attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in children. Read More

Risk Factors for Death from SIDS Vary According to Baby’s Age, Says Study

August 21, 2014August 21, 2014 admin

A baby’s age influences risk factors for sudden infant death syndrome, according to new research.

Younger babies are more likely to succumb to SIDS when they’re sharing beds with others, while older babies face a greater risk when there are objects in their cribs, such as blankets or pillows.

The study is the first to show that risk of death from SIDS appears to change with the baby’s age, according to lead author Dr. Rachel Moon, associate chief of general pediatrics and community health at Children’s National Medical Center in Washington, D.C.

Bed-sharing is a big risk factor for SIDS death in babies under 4 months of age, said Dr. Moon. And for young, as well as older babies, it is important to insure that there is nothing else in a baby’s crib, other than the baby. This includes blankets, pillows, stuffed toys and bumper pads.

Placenta Is a Gateway to Friendly (and Unfriendly) Bacteria for Fetus

August 11, 2014 admin

The placenta is the organ that a pregnant woman develops inside her uterus, to transfer oxygen and nutrients to her baby via the blood, while removing gasses and other waste from the infant. Researchers once thought that the placenta was a “sterile” environment, devoid of any bacteria that might find its way to the growing baby attached by the umbilical cord. But a new study has uncovered that the placenta actually harbors hundreds of bacteria species; most of them are harmless or beneficial.

Scientists found about 300 types of bacteria; they then compared the distribution of bacteria types with those that had been found previously in other parts of mothers’ bodies, including the mouth, skin, gut and vagina.

Phthalates Were Removed from Babies’ Toys in U.S., but Infants Still Get Them in Excess from Foods

July 29, 2014August 21, 2014 admin

A study has found that babies are getting twice the amount of harmful phthalates in their diets that the Environmental Protection Agency considers to be safe.

Phthalates are man-made chemicals used to make plastics softer and more flexible; they can be found in storage containers, water bottles, electronics, vinyl curtains and floors, plastic toys and many other consumer products.

But a number of studies on animals over the years linked phthalates to premature birth, low birth weight, lower sperm counts and anatomical defects in male genitalia. In addition, they remain in human tissue over time; studies have found that almost every person tested in the United States has the chemicals in their system.

Study Finds Link Between Pesticides and Autism, Developmental Delays

July 22, 2014July 29, 2014 admin

Researchers at the University of California, Davis, MIND Institute have found that exposure to certain synthetic pesticides is linked to a higher risk of autism and developmental delays in children whose mothers were exposed to the pesticides while pregnant.

The study team found that the risk for autism increased from 60 to 200 percent, depending on the type of pesticide used, how close the mother had lived to the treated areas, and when in the pregnancy the mother was exposed.

Carrying a Cell Phone in Pants’ Pocket or on Waist Reduces a Man’s Fertility

July 2, 2014 admin

Yet another study has found that carrying a cellular phone in close proximity to a man’s testicles reduces the sperm’s ability to swim toward the egg, and it decreases the number of sperm that are alive to try to fertilize the egg.

Researchers from the University of Exeter in England reviewed findings of 10 studies that examined how exposure to radio-frequency electromagnetic radiation from cell phones might affect male fertility when the phones are carried in a front pocket or clipped to the waist.

Pregnancy Weight Gain Helps Protect Babies in Uterus from Pollutants

June 24, 2014 admin

Measuring tape around protuberant abdomen

Women of average weight who become pregnant are told by their doctors that they should put on between 25 and 30 pounds by the end of their pregnancy. This weight is the combined weight of the baby, amniotic fluid and the placenta. But it also factors in a little extra fat that will accumulate around the mother’s waist and over her belly. This new fat will help nourish the fetus, especially in the third trimester, when it starts to grow a lot more.

A new study finds that the new fat that mothers-to-be put on during pregnancy also serves to protect the unborn infant from exposure to some highly toxic chemicals that have accumulated in the mother’s pre-pregnancy fat over the years.

How to Protect Your Unborn Baby from Toxic Substances

June 11, 2014 admin

It’s always smart to do our best to avoid artificial chemicals and other harmful substances in our lives; but it is all the more important for a woman who is expecting a child. A baby developing in the uterus is much more sensitive to many substances that the mother may be better able to tolerate. And some toxic agents can result in birth defects, other life-long adverse consequences, or even death.

While the list of harmful substances for unborn baby and mother is increasingly long in our modern times, the following are important steps you can take during your pregnancy, to help insure the well-being of both you and your unborn infant.