For many new parents, the pacifier is a lifesaver. Not only is it quick and simple, but it also seems to do a better job of stopping the baby’s crying than virtually anything else. After hours of rocking, cuddling, and singing with no reprieve in the baby’s crying, having that pacifier on hand can be a great relief. Yet even though pacifiers work quite well for many children, there are some potential drawbacks that parents should be aware of. In the end, pacifiers are great as a short-term solution to baby’s crying, but they should be used with caution.
Category: Feeding
Hunger is Not Why Babies Wake up at Night
For new parents, sleep can seem like a rare and priceless asset. During the early months, babies can be very unpredictable in their sleeping habits, and they wake at all hours, sometimes for seemingly no reason. Many pants find that their infants settle down and sleep more predictably after the first couple of months, but then things get rough again a little later, usually between the ages of 6 and 10 months. No one is sure exactly why this happens, and research has not made it clear. However, it is likely that frequent wakeups at this age result from a variety of factors. Here are a few of the most common ones.
Read MoreWhat Is Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder?
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder is an umbrella term which describes the various birth defects which can occur in people whose mothers drink alcohol during their pregnancy.
Read MoreImportant ‘Tummy Time’ With Your Baby
Parents are now very aware of the importance of laying their babies on their backs to sleep as lying them on their tummies can increase the risk of SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome). In fact, cot deaths have decreased by 40% since the recommendation was put into effect in 1994.
Step-By-Step Weaning for a Healthy Baby
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that mothers continue to breastfeed their babies throughout the first year of life. This is a great goal, and mothers who can achieve it should be proud. However, the fact is that a variety of factors tend to get in the way. Work and other responsibilities can be disruptive to the breastfeeding routine, and in many cases babies may voluntarily give up the breast before reaching that one-year point.
Read MorePacifiers
Dummies, pacifiers, comforters or soothers have been used by mothers for centuries to soothe and calm their babies. There is a dummy debate that has been going for a long time as whilst there are some parents who feel they couldn’t live without them, there are other parents who detest them.
Read MoreSome Bottle Feeding Facts
At some point most mothers bottle feeding their babies will experience some kind of problem. Most are easy to resolve but any major concerns should be addressed to your doctor. A common problem is not enough air entering the bottle after the baby has sucked out some of the milk. It causes a problem because the air is needed to balance the pressure inside the bottle. Air enters through the holes in the end of the nipple or between the nipple ring and the bottle. There are some orthodontic nipples that have extra holes at the nipple base (near the nipple ring). If the nipple ring is screwed on too tightly to the bottle and your baby’s tongue is covering and making a seal over the nipple holes you will probably have difficulty bottle feeding. Try loosening and tightening the nipple ring to see if this helps. When there is a continuous and steady flow of bubbles entering the bottle when baby drinks then you have got it right.
Read MorePremature Babies
There have been modern developments in caring for babies who are born prematurely. However, in terms of fixing the problem of premature birth (preterm labour) there has not been very much improvement. It is not fully understood why some women break their waters or go into labour too early.
Read MoreHealthy Parenting: Nutrition and Exercise During Pregnancy
Most adults can get away with not eating as well as they should or not exercising the optimal amount. But when it comes to pregnancy, all the things that you have heard about the importance of good health become much more urgent. As the cliché goes, you are eating for two now, and everything you do must be thought of in terms of how it will affect your baby’s development. Of course, it is not an emergency if you have an occasional dessert or miss a day of exercise, but pregnancy requires increased vigilance against bad habits.
Read MoreStarting Solid Foods: When and How
By Lisa Pecos
For several months following birth, breast milk (or formula) is the only food that your child needs. It is only a matter of time, however, before your child begins to develop cravings for solid food. As muscle coordination develops and the baby’s nutritional needs begin to change, the transition from an all-liquid diet to a mixed one becomes inevitable. Moving to solid foods is a big step, but the good news is that it usually comes naturally, so you will not have to force it.
Read More