Winter is almost here and we do not want to catch cold at all. So, let`s learn some elementary tricks, allowing starting a swarm attack against viral infection, penetrating into our organism.
If you feel you caught cold, it`s useful to rub garlic into your palms and feet, put on woolen socks and lie in bed, holding hands under blanker during whole night. It`s also recommended to rub cider vinegar in your hands before going to bed, putting them in hot water during 10 minutes beforehand. You can rub castor oil in your feet before going to bed and put on woolen socks. To increase medicinal effect you can add turpentine (1 table spoon) in warmed castor oil (2 table spoons) and rub this mixture in your chest before going to bed.
If you notice first cold symptoms, drink hot raspberry, lime-blossom and lemon tea or hot milk with honey and small quantity of soda, stick capsicum plaster to heels or put on socks with dry mustard, lie in bed, cover yourself with a warm blanket and try to fall asleep.
Drops
If you or your baby suffer from coryza, don`t rush to buy nasal drops. Warm olive, peach, dog-rose, sea-buckthorn, menthol or sunflower-seed oil, and also vitamin A Solutio oleosa will be much more efficient.
You will probably find several garlic cloves in every house. You can prepare garlic drops of it. Peel of 3 garlic cloves, pound them, pour with 50 ml of boiling water, leave for 2 hours and drop in nose several times per day.
Onion juice is also efficient. Grate onion clove small and squeeze onion gruel. You will need just 1 drop of onion juice for 1 table spoon of water.
Drop this mixture in your nose every hour.
If you have honey, prepare honey drops. Dilute honey (better white) with warm water in proportion 1:2 and drop 5-8 drops in each nostril 3-4 times per day.
Inhalations
As a rule, steam inhalations are used twice a day - in the morning and evening. Duration of any inhalation should not exceed 15 minutes for adults and 5-7 minutes for children, as longer procedures can increase huskiness and cause irritation of already inflamed nasopharynx.
Inhalations are carried out at least 30 minutes after meal. During inhalation you should not look aside - read or talk. If your nasopharynx is affected, then you should inhale through nose and breathe out through nose and mouth. If your bronchi are affected, inhale through mouth and breathe out through mouth and nose.
Anyway, after breath you need to outwind for several seconds, then make a deep outward breath. Breathing should not be rapid, to avoid cough.
Most often they use potato for breathing above it. But there are also lots of other much more efficient compositions for inhalations. Here`re some of them:
- add 5-10 drops of iodine tincture or 1 tea spoon of onion juice in a kettle of boiling water (4-5 glasses);
- put 3 table spoons of pine buds in a pan, pour with 0,5 liters of boiling water, heat during 3-5 minutes on weak fire, remove decoction from fire and put a pan on a scorching brick;
- add 2-5 drops of eucalyptus, menthol or fir oil in a kettle with 250 ml of boiling water;
- our 250 ml of boiling water in a tin and add small quantity of Vietnamese balm.
Compresses
Compress is used for quick resorption of local inflammatory processes. It is put to a problem area - throat, ear, chest, back, nape, feet, legs. Compress should consist of 4 layers.
The first one - is a rag of material, folded in 2-3 layers and moistened in room temperature water or vodka: squeeze it and put on body.
Second one - oil-cloth, waxed paper or cellophane.
Third - cotton wool.
Fourth- material or bandage for wrapping and this way compress is fixed on body tightly (avoid compressing vessels). You can also put on a woolen scarf on top.
First layer`s size should be slightly bigger that a part of body where compress is put. Every other layer`s size is 2-3 cm bigger than previous.
Duration of compress is from 1 to 12 hours, depending on a patient`s age, severity of illness and kind of compress. Folk medicine has lots of remedies, which can be used for cold treatment at home.
- Moisten cloth in sunflower-seed oil and apply on body for 4 hours.
- Apply a night compress: mix 50 ml of vinegar, 20 ml of camphor-oil and 30 ml of vegetable oil.
- Mix ground red pepper with slightly squeezed gruel of grated potato, apply to neck, chest, legs, feet or behind ears.
- If you suffer from fever, put horse-radish gruel on cloth and apply to nape for 30 minutes.
- Mix pounded potato, boiled in jacket, with honey, vegetable oil, spirit, mustard and apply to back in the form of flats. If you have high temperature, grate 2 raw potatoes in jackets, add 1 table spoon of vinegar, wrap received paste in a clean cloth or gauze and put to forehead - fever will disappear during an hour.
Baths
Baths with medicinal herbs give a good result while colds, but you should remember that one cannot take bath, if he has high temperature and bad state of health. Water temperature should be between 35-37C, and duration of bath should not exceed 15 minutes. Best of all is to take baths before going to bed or 1 hour before eating.
To prepare medicinal baths it is recommended to add such plants, as chamomile (flowers), pine-tree (needles and shoots), oak and birch leaves, mint, marjoram, wormwood, sage, valerian, milfoil in water. 300-400 g of stuff is poured with a bucket of boiling water, extracted during an hour, filtered and poured into bath. You can use 1-2 plants, but decoctions of 4-5 plants give stronger medicinal effect.
Mustard hot footbaths contribute to quick recovery while cold. They are prepared this way: dilute 250-400 g of dry mustard in warm water to receive sour cream consistence and pound until you sense acrid mustard smell. Pour received gruel in a basin and shake it up carefully in water. Duration of such bath is 5-6 minutes. After bath you should rinse feet quickly and lie in bed, wrapping yourself in a warm blanket.
If you notice cold symptoms in yourself, change your food ration urgently. Refuse from fat heavy food for 1-2 days. Switch to a cleaning diet. Eat in general salads, vegetable soups and fruits. Drink more. Diaphoretic teas and fresh juices are very health-giving, especially pine-apple juice.
Source: baby-health.net
Sunday, November 23, 2008
Breastfeeding while on seizure meds doesn't harm babies
Mothers who breastfeed while on certain seizure medications do not appear to harm their children's cognitive development, a new study finds.
"Our early findings show breastfeeding during anti-epilepsy drug treatment doesn't appear to have a negative impact on a child's cognitive abilities," study author Kimford Meador, of the University of Florida at Gainesville, said in a prepared statement. "However, more research is needed to confirm our findings, and women should use caution due to the limitations of our study."
The study was expected to be presented Thursday at the American Academy of Neurology annual meeting, in Chicago.
The cognitive development of 187 2-year-old children whose mothers were taking the epilepsy drugs lamotrigine, carbamazepine, phenytoin or valproate were tested in the study. Of these children, 41 percent were breastfed.
The children of mothers who breastfed while on the epilepsy medications actually scored consistently higher on IQ tests than those children in the study who were not breastfed. However, the results were not significantly different after adjusting for the mother's intelligence as the children who were breastfed also had higher IQs.
While animal studies have shown that some anti-epilepsy drugs can cause cells death in immature brains, Meador said beta estradiol, which is the mother's sex hormone, is thought to prevent that from occurring.
The study will continue and, ultimately, examine the effects of in utero anti-epilepsy drug exposure on children at 6 years old.
What you can do? Breastfeed your child if you can. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends breastfeeding your baby for at least the first year of life, and longer if both you and your child wish to continue.
Source: babycenter.com
"Our early findings show breastfeeding during anti-epilepsy drug treatment doesn't appear to have a negative impact on a child's cognitive abilities," study author Kimford Meador, of the University of Florida at Gainesville, said in a prepared statement. "However, more research is needed to confirm our findings, and women should use caution due to the limitations of our study."
The study was expected to be presented Thursday at the American Academy of Neurology annual meeting, in Chicago.
The cognitive development of 187 2-year-old children whose mothers were taking the epilepsy drugs lamotrigine, carbamazepine, phenytoin or valproate were tested in the study. Of these children, 41 percent were breastfed.
The children of mothers who breastfed while on the epilepsy medications actually scored consistently higher on IQ tests than those children in the study who were not breastfed. However, the results were not significantly different after adjusting for the mother's intelligence as the children who were breastfed also had higher IQs.
While animal studies have shown that some anti-epilepsy drugs can cause cells death in immature brains, Meador said beta estradiol, which is the mother's sex hormone, is thought to prevent that from occurring.
The study will continue and, ultimately, examine the effects of in utero anti-epilepsy drug exposure on children at 6 years old.
What you can do? Breastfeed your child if you can. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends breastfeeding your baby for at least the first year of life, and longer if both you and your child wish to continue.
Source: babycenter.com
Saturday, July 05, 2008
Mom's Vitamin D Levels Affect Baby's Dental Health
FRIDAY, July 4 (HealthDay News) -- Babies born to women with low levels of vitamin D during pregnancy may be at increased risk for tooth enamel defects and early childhood tooth decay, a Canadian study finds.
Researchers at the University of Manitoba analyzed the vitamin D levels of 206 women in their second trimester of pregnancy and found only 21 (10.5 percent) of the women had adequate vitamin D levels. The women's levels of vitamin D were related to the frequency of milk consumption and prenatal vitamin use.
The researchers also examined 135 infants and found that 21.6 percent of them had enamel defects and 33.6 percent had early childhood tooth decay. Mothers of infants with enamel defects had lower, but not significantly different, mean vitamin D concentrations during pregnancy than mothers of infants without enamel defects.
Mothers of infants with early childhood tooth decay had significantly lower vitamin D levels than mothers of cavity-free infants. Infants with enamel defects were significantly more likely to have early childhood tooth decay, the researchers said.
The study, expected to be presented July 4 at the General Session of the International Association for Dental Research, in Toronto, is the first to show that pregnant women's vitamin D levels may affect the dental health of their infants.
Source: HealthDay News
Researchers at the University of Manitoba analyzed the vitamin D levels of 206 women in their second trimester of pregnancy and found only 21 (10.5 percent) of the women had adequate vitamin D levels. The women's levels of vitamin D were related to the frequency of milk consumption and prenatal vitamin use.
The researchers also examined 135 infants and found that 21.6 percent of them had enamel defects and 33.6 percent had early childhood tooth decay. Mothers of infants with enamel defects had lower, but not significantly different, mean vitamin D concentrations during pregnancy than mothers of infants without enamel defects.
Mothers of infants with early childhood tooth decay had significantly lower vitamin D levels than mothers of cavity-free infants. Infants with enamel defects were significantly more likely to have early childhood tooth decay, the researchers said.
The study, expected to be presented July 4 at the General Session of the International Association for Dental Research, in Toronto, is the first to show that pregnant women's vitamin D levels may affect the dental health of their infants.
Source: HealthDay News
Shaken Baby Syndrome - Topic Overview
What is shaken baby syndrome?
Shaken baby syndrome (SBS) is a form of child abuse. It refers to brain injury that happens to the child. It occurs when someone shakes a baby or slams or throws a baby against an object. A child could be shaken by the arms, legs, chest, or shoulders.
Some experts use the term shaken-impact syndrome, because injury from throwing a child against a surface can equal that of shaking.1 Many doctors use the term "abusive head trauma" or "intentional head injury."
Shaken baby syndrome often occurs when a baby won't stop crying and a caregiver shakes a baby out of frustration. To help prevent this problem, learn healthy ways to relieve stress and anger, and carefully choose your child care providers.
Normal play, such as bouncing a child on a knee or gently tossing a child in the air, does not cause shaken baby syndrome.
Shaken baby syndrome occurs mostly in children younger than 3, and is most common in babies younger than 1 year of age. But it also can affect children up to age 5. Shaken baby syndrome can cause serious long-term problems.
What causes the brain injury?
Shaking or throwing a child, or slamming the child against an object causes uncontrollable forward, backward, and twisting head movement. Brain tissue, blood vessels, and nerves tear. The child’s skull can hit the brain with force, causing brain tissue to bleed and swell.
Young children are most likely to have brain injury when they are shaken or thrown because they have:
- Heavy, large heads for their body size.
- Weak neck muscles that do not hold up the head well.
- Delicate blood vessels in their brains.
What are the symptoms?
Symptoms vary among kids based on their age, how often they've been abused, how long they were abused each time, and how much force was used.
Mild injuries may cause subtle symptoms. A child may vomit or be fussy or grouchy, sluggish, or not very hungry. More severe injuries may cause seizures, a slow heartbeat, trouble hearing, or bleeding inside one or both eyes.
It is important to get help if something doesn't seem right with your baby. Shaken baby syndrome may cause only mild symptoms at first, but any head injury in a young child can be dangerous. A child who has trouble breathing, is unconscious, or has seizures needs hospital care right away.
Symptoms can start quickly, especially in a badly injured child. Other times, it may take a few days for brain swelling to show symptoms. Often the caregiver who shook the child puts the child to bed in the hope that symptoms will get better with rest. By the time the child gets to a doctor, the child needs urgent care. In some cases, the child may be in a coma before a caregiver seeks help.
Shaken children may also have other signs of abuse, such as broken bones, bruises, or burns.
How is shaken baby syndrome diagnosed?
Doctors may first suspect shaken baby syndrome when caregivers give vague or changing information about what has happened to the sick child. For example, the caregiver may tell a doctor that the child fell out of bed and then later say that a sibling or a pet caused the injury.
Shaken baby syndrome can be hard to detect because often there aren't clear signs of abuse. A baby may vomit, have a poor appetite, or be fussy or sluggish. These symptoms may at first seem related to an infection, such as the flu or meningitis. Sadly, you may not find out that shaken baby syndrome caused your child’s injury until repeated abuse or more severe harm occurs.
Doctors check for shaken baby syndrome in several ways. They ask for a child’s medical history. They may also do a physical exam and blood tests. Imaging tests such as X-rays, a CT scan, or an MRI can look for bleeding problems or other injury.
A doctor may also do tests to rule out other conditions. For example, a lumbar puncture checks a baby's spinal fluid for signs of meningitis. Blood found in this sample could point to a shaking injury.
A doctor who suspects shaken baby syndrome must report it to the local child welfare office and police.
If you suspect child abuse and the child is not in immediate danger, call local child protective services or the police. Do not confront the person who may have abused the child. This may cause more harm to the child.
How is it treated?
A child with shaken baby syndrome needs to be in the hospital, sometimes in an intensive care unit (ICU). Oxygen therapy may be used to help the child breathe. Doctors may give the child medicine to help ease brain swelling. Sometimes a cooling mattress will help lower the child's body temperature and reduce brain swelling too. A child who has severe bleeding in the brain may need surgery.
Depending on the symptoms, doctors may try seizure medicine, physical therapy, or other treatments.
What are the long-term problems from shaken baby syndrome?
About 1 out of 4 children who are forcefully shaken or thrown against an object die from their injuries.1 Those who survive may have brain and vision problems that can last forever. These problems can include:
- Seizures, which are sudden bursts of abnormal electrical activity in the brain. A baby may have uncontrolled muscle movement and be unable to speak, see, or interact normally.
- Muscle stiffness (spasticity) that results in stiff, awkward movements.
- Mental retardation that can affect every area of a child's life, such as learning to talk or being able to care for himself or herself in the future.
- Blindness or trouble seeing.
- Physical or emotional growth delays.
- Learning or behavior problems that may not appear until the child starts school.
Source: Healthwise
Shaken baby syndrome (SBS) is a form of child abuse. It refers to brain injury that happens to the child. It occurs when someone shakes a baby or slams or throws a baby against an object. A child could be shaken by the arms, legs, chest, or shoulders.
Some experts use the term shaken-impact syndrome, because injury from throwing a child against a surface can equal that of shaking.1 Many doctors use the term "abusive head trauma" or "intentional head injury."
Shaken baby syndrome often occurs when a baby won't stop crying and a caregiver shakes a baby out of frustration. To help prevent this problem, learn healthy ways to relieve stress and anger, and carefully choose your child care providers.
Normal play, such as bouncing a child on a knee or gently tossing a child in the air, does not cause shaken baby syndrome.
Shaken baby syndrome occurs mostly in children younger than 3, and is most common in babies younger than 1 year of age. But it also can affect children up to age 5. Shaken baby syndrome can cause serious long-term problems.
What causes the brain injury?
Shaking or throwing a child, or slamming the child against an object causes uncontrollable forward, backward, and twisting head movement. Brain tissue, blood vessels, and nerves tear. The child’s skull can hit the brain with force, causing brain tissue to bleed and swell.
Young children are most likely to have brain injury when they are shaken or thrown because they have:
- Heavy, large heads for their body size.
- Weak neck muscles that do not hold up the head well.
- Delicate blood vessels in their brains.
What are the symptoms?
Symptoms vary among kids based on their age, how often they've been abused, how long they were abused each time, and how much force was used.
Mild injuries may cause subtle symptoms. A child may vomit or be fussy or grouchy, sluggish, or not very hungry. More severe injuries may cause seizures, a slow heartbeat, trouble hearing, or bleeding inside one or both eyes.
It is important to get help if something doesn't seem right with your baby. Shaken baby syndrome may cause only mild symptoms at first, but any head injury in a young child can be dangerous. A child who has trouble breathing, is unconscious, or has seizures needs hospital care right away.
Symptoms can start quickly, especially in a badly injured child. Other times, it may take a few days for brain swelling to show symptoms. Often the caregiver who shook the child puts the child to bed in the hope that symptoms will get better with rest. By the time the child gets to a doctor, the child needs urgent care. In some cases, the child may be in a coma before a caregiver seeks help.
Shaken children may also have other signs of abuse, such as broken bones, bruises, or burns.
How is shaken baby syndrome diagnosed?
Doctors may first suspect shaken baby syndrome when caregivers give vague or changing information about what has happened to the sick child. For example, the caregiver may tell a doctor that the child fell out of bed and then later say that a sibling or a pet caused the injury.
Shaken baby syndrome can be hard to detect because often there aren't clear signs of abuse. A baby may vomit, have a poor appetite, or be fussy or sluggish. These symptoms may at first seem related to an infection, such as the flu or meningitis. Sadly, you may not find out that shaken baby syndrome caused your child’s injury until repeated abuse or more severe harm occurs.
Doctors check for shaken baby syndrome in several ways. They ask for a child’s medical history. They may also do a physical exam and blood tests. Imaging tests such as X-rays, a CT scan, or an MRI can look for bleeding problems or other injury.
A doctor may also do tests to rule out other conditions. For example, a lumbar puncture checks a baby's spinal fluid for signs of meningitis. Blood found in this sample could point to a shaking injury.
A doctor who suspects shaken baby syndrome must report it to the local child welfare office and police.
If you suspect child abuse and the child is not in immediate danger, call local child protective services or the police. Do not confront the person who may have abused the child. This may cause more harm to the child.
How is it treated?
A child with shaken baby syndrome needs to be in the hospital, sometimes in an intensive care unit (ICU). Oxygen therapy may be used to help the child breathe. Doctors may give the child medicine to help ease brain swelling. Sometimes a cooling mattress will help lower the child's body temperature and reduce brain swelling too. A child who has severe bleeding in the brain may need surgery.
Depending on the symptoms, doctors may try seizure medicine, physical therapy, or other treatments.
What are the long-term problems from shaken baby syndrome?
About 1 out of 4 children who are forcefully shaken or thrown against an object die from their injuries.1 Those who survive may have brain and vision problems that can last forever. These problems can include:
- Seizures, which are sudden bursts of abnormal electrical activity in the brain. A baby may have uncontrolled muscle movement and be unable to speak, see, or interact normally.
- Muscle stiffness (spasticity) that results in stiff, awkward movements.
- Mental retardation that can affect every area of a child's life, such as learning to talk or being able to care for himself or herself in the future.
- Blindness or trouble seeing.
- Physical or emotional growth delays.
- Learning or behavior problems that may not appear until the child starts school.
Source: Healthwise
Friday, May 19, 2006
Should I Let My Baby Cry It Out?
By Elizabeth Pantley, Author of No Cry Sleep Solution
Does it takes forever for your baby to fall asleep? Does he or she only fall asleep if you breastfeed, give a bottle or pacifier, rock, carry, swing, take a ride in the car, or perform other elaborate rituals? Does your baby wake up frequently throughout the night? Are your sleep issues further complicated because your baby won’t nap easily, or takes very short naps?
Do you ever feel like Leesa, mother of 9-month-old Kyra who said, "I am truly distressed, as the lack of sleep is starting to affect all aspects of my life. I feel as though I can't carry on an intelligent conversation. I am extremely unorganized and don't have the energy to even attempt reorganization. I love this child more than anything in the world, and I don't want to make her cry, but I'm near tears myself thinking about going to bed every night. Sometimes I think, 'What's the point? I'll just be up in an hour anyway.'"
As your sleep issues cast lengthening shadows over your life, you may begin to live purely for the moment. Your sleep-deprived, foggy brain may focus so intently on sleep that you can’t think beyond the next few hours of rest. You may have one – or many – people telling you that you should just let your baby cry to sleep. You are probably frustrated and confused. What you lack is perspective. To gain that perspective, ask yourself these questions:
Where will I be five years from now? How will I look back on this time?
Will I be proud of how I handled my baby's sleep routines, or will I regret my actions?
How will the things I do with my baby today affect the person he will become in the future?
Once you have some perspective about your baby’s current sleep issues, it is important to be realistic in determining your goals and to be honest in assessing the situation's effect on your life. Some people can handle two night wakings easily, while others find that the effect of even one night waking is just too much to handle. The key is to evaluate whether your baby’s sleep schedule is a problem in your eyes, or just in those of the people around you.
Begin today by contemplating these questions:
Am I content with the way things are, or am I becoming resentful, angry, or frustrated?
Is my baby’s nighttime routine negatively affecting my marriage, my job, or my relationships with my other children?
Is my baby happy, healthy, and seemingly well rested?
Am I happy, healthy, and well rested?
What is a reasonable expectation for my baby at his/her age?
What naptime and bedtime situation would I consider "acceptable"?
What naptime and bedtime situation would I consider "pure bliss"?
Why do I want to change my baby’s sleep patterns? Is it truly what’s best for me and my baby, or am I doing this to meet someone else's expectations?
Am I willing to be patient and make a gradual, gentle change for my baby if that means no crying?
Once you answer these questions, you will have a better understanding of not only what is happening with regard to your baby's sleep, but what approach you will feel most comfortable using to help your baby sleep better.
In addition to my two-year-old son Coleton, I have three older children, and they have afforded me the perspective I lacked the first time around. My children have taught me how very quickly babyhood passes. I struggle now to remember the difficulties of those first couple years, so fleeting are they. And I am proud that I didn’t cave in to the pressures of others around us to do what they felt was right; instead I followed my heart as I gently nurtured all of my babies. That time is long gone for us, but those memories remain. And now, all four of them sleep through the night. And so do I.
About the Author: Elizabeth Pantley is the author of several books, including Gentle Baby Care : No-cry, No-fuss, No-worry -- Essential Tips for Raising Your Baby, The No-Cry Sleep Solution: Gentle Ways to Help Your Baby Sleep Through the Night, Kid Cooperation (with an introduction by William Sears, MD), Perfect Parenting, as well as her latest The No-Cry Sleep Solution for Toddlers and Preschoolers and is also president of Better Beginnings, Inc. She is a popular speaker on family issues, and her newsletter, Parent Tips, is seen in schools nationwide. She appears as a regular radio show guest, and has been quoted in Parents, Parenting, Redbook, Good Housekeeping, American Baby, Working Mother, and Woman's Day magazines. Visit Elizabeth's web site http://www.pantley.com/elizabeth.
(Source: Babies Online)
Saturday, March 11, 2006
Should You Bring Your Baby into Bed?
Should You Bring Your Baby into Bed?
Factors and precautions to consider
By Susan Spicer
Many parents find bringing their babies into bed helps make nights a little easier. But a recent statement by the Canadian Paediatric Society (CPS) has called bed sharing into question: "For the first year of life, the safest place for babies to sleep is in their own crib, and in the parent's room for the first six months," says the statement.
Dr. Denis Leduc is one of the authors of the statement and is former chair of the CPS community paediatrics committee. Leduc explains that in recent years there's been an increased pursuit of the causes of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). While we can't yet identify the exact causes of these unexpected deaths, researchers continue to identify specific risk factors.
It's difficult for health professionals and parents alike to weigh the risks, the odds and the evidence against the reality of family life. If, for instance, you're breastfeeding your baby --which Leduc says in and of itself is probably protective against SIDS-- and getting up frequently throughout the night to get the baby from the crib and then struggling to stay awake while you feed him, chances are you'll end up tired and frustrated. Should a mom who brings a baby into bed to nurse more comfortably and then drifts off to sleep worry that she is putting her baby at risk?
The CPS statement acknowledges that bed sharing is widespread and has, in fact, increased in Canada. (In 1999, almost 83 percent of 1,500 parents responding to a Today's Parent survey said they shared sleep with their babies at least some of the time.) So, how does Leduc respond to a parent who wants to know how to bed-share safely? Leduc says parents have to know the risk factors associated with SIDS. "The evidence we have doesn't allow me to recommend bed haring, but if you eliminate all the risk factors that have been identified -- if you've never smoked, if you don't drink or take drugs, if the family bed is really free of all of the things that a aby could get wrapped up or tangled in, if it's a firm mattress and not a waterbed — then bed sharing is in all likelihood safe."
Source: todaysparent.com
Factors and precautions to consider
By Susan Spicer
Many parents find bringing their babies into bed helps make nights a little easier. But a recent statement by the Canadian Paediatric Society (CPS) has called bed sharing into question: "For the first year of life, the safest place for babies to sleep is in their own crib, and in the parent's room for the first six months," says the statement.
Dr. Denis Leduc is one of the authors of the statement and is former chair of the CPS community paediatrics committee. Leduc explains that in recent years there's been an increased pursuit of the causes of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). While we can't yet identify the exact causes of these unexpected deaths, researchers continue to identify specific risk factors.
It's difficult for health professionals and parents alike to weigh the risks, the odds and the evidence against the reality of family life. If, for instance, you're breastfeeding your baby --which Leduc says in and of itself is probably protective against SIDS-- and getting up frequently throughout the night to get the baby from the crib and then struggling to stay awake while you feed him, chances are you'll end up tired and frustrated. Should a mom who brings a baby into bed to nurse more comfortably and then drifts off to sleep worry that she is putting her baby at risk?
The CPS statement acknowledges that bed sharing is widespread and has, in fact, increased in Canada. (In 1999, almost 83 percent of 1,500 parents responding to a Today's Parent survey said they shared sleep with their babies at least some of the time.) So, how does Leduc respond to a parent who wants to know how to bed-share safely? Leduc says parents have to know the risk factors associated with SIDS. "The evidence we have doesn't allow me to recommend bed haring, but if you eliminate all the risk factors that have been identified -- if you've never smoked, if you don't drink or take drugs, if the family bed is really free of all of the things that a aby could get wrapped up or tangled in, if it's a firm mattress and not a waterbed — then bed sharing is in all likelihood safe."
Source: todaysparent.com
Wednesday, March 01, 2006
Wonderful Sounds for Sleep
By Elizabeth Pantley, Author of No Cry Sleep Solution
The environment that your baby enjoyed for nine long months in the womb was not one of absolute quiet. There was a constant symphony of sound -- your heartbeat and fluids rushing in and out of the placenta. (Remember those sounds from when you listened to your baby's heartbeat with the Doppler stethoscope?) Research indicates that "white noise" sounds or soft bedtime music helps many babies to relax and fall asleep more easily. This is most certainly because these sounds create an environment more familiar to your baby than a very quiet room.
Many people enjoy using soothing music as their baby's sleep sound. If you do, choose bedtime music carefully. Some music (including jazz and much classical music) is too complex and stimulating. For music to be soothing to your baby, pick simple, repetitive, predictable music, like traditional lullabies. Tapes created especially for putting babies to sleep are great choices. Pick something that you will enjoy listening to night after night, too. (Using a tape player with an automatic repeat function is helpful for keeping the music going as long as you need it to play.)
There are widely available, and very lovely, "nature sounds" tapes that work nicely, too, as well those small sound-generating or white-noise devices and clocks you may have seen in stores. The sounds on these -- raindrops, a bubbling brook or running water -- often are similar to those sounds your baby heard in utero. A ticking clock or a bubbling fish tank also make wonderful white-noise options.
"I went out today and bought a small aquarium and the humming noise does seem to relax Chloe and help her to sleep. I didn't buy any fish though. Who has time to take care of fish when you're half asleep all day?" Tanya, mother of 13-month-old Chloe You can find some suitable tapes and CDs made especially for babies or those made for adults to listen to when they want to relax. Whatever you choose, listen to it first and ask yourself: Does this relax me? Would it
make me feel sleepy if I listened to it in bed?
If you must put your baby to sleep in a noisy, active house full of people, keeping the tape running (auto rewind) will help mask baby-waking noises like dishes clanking, people talking, siblings giggling, TV, dogs barking, etc. This can also help transition your sleeping baby from a noisy daytime house to which he's become accustomed subconsciously to one of absolute nighttime quiet.
Once your baby is familiar with his calming noise, or music, you can use these to help your baby fall back to sleep when he wakes up in the middle of the night. Simply sooth him by playing the music (very quietly) during the calming and falling-asleep time. If he wakes and cries, repeat this process. If your baby gets used to his sleep time sounds you can take advantage of this and take the tape with you if you will be away from home for naptime or bedtime. The familiarity of these sounds will help your baby sleep in an unfamiliar environment.
Eventually your baby will rely on this technique less and less to fall and stay asleep. Don't feel you must rush the process; there is no harm in your baby falling asleep to these gentle sounds. When you are ready to wean him of these you can help this process along by reducing the volume by a small amount every night until you finally don't turn the music or sounds on at all.
Babies enjoy these peaceful sounds, and they are just one more piece in the puzzle that helps you to help your baby sleep - gently, without any crying at all.
About the Author: Elizabeth Pantley is the author of several books, including Gentle Baby Care : No-cry, No-fuss, No-worry -- Essential Tips for Raising Your Baby, The No-Cry Sleep Solution: Gentle Ways to Help Your Baby Sleep Through the Night, Kid Cooperation (with an introduction by William Sears, MD), Perfect Parenting, as well as her latest The No-Cry Sleep Solution for Toddlers and Preschoolers and is also president of Better Beginnings, Inc. She is a popular speaker on family issues, and her newsletter, Parent Tips, is seen in schools nationwide. She appears as a regular radio show guest, and has been quoted in Parents, Parenting, Redbook, Good Housekeeping, American Baby, Working Mother, and Woman's Day magazines. Visit Elizabeth's web site http://www.pantley.com/elizabeth.
(Source: Babyies Online)
The environment that your baby enjoyed for nine long months in the womb was not one of absolute quiet. There was a constant symphony of sound -- your heartbeat and fluids rushing in and out of the placenta. (Remember those sounds from when you listened to your baby's heartbeat with the Doppler stethoscope?) Research indicates that "white noise" sounds or soft bedtime music helps many babies to relax and fall asleep more easily. This is most certainly because these sounds create an environment more familiar to your baby than a very quiet room.
Many people enjoy using soothing music as their baby's sleep sound. If you do, choose bedtime music carefully. Some music (including jazz and much classical music) is too complex and stimulating. For music to be soothing to your baby, pick simple, repetitive, predictable music, like traditional lullabies. Tapes created especially for putting babies to sleep are great choices. Pick something that you will enjoy listening to night after night, too. (Using a tape player with an automatic repeat function is helpful for keeping the music going as long as you need it to play.)
There are widely available, and very lovely, "nature sounds" tapes that work nicely, too, as well those small sound-generating or white-noise devices and clocks you may have seen in stores. The sounds on these -- raindrops, a bubbling brook or running water -- often are similar to those sounds your baby heard in utero. A ticking clock or a bubbling fish tank also make wonderful white-noise options.
"I went out today and bought a small aquarium and the humming noise does seem to relax Chloe and help her to sleep. I didn't buy any fish though. Who has time to take care of fish when you're half asleep all day?" Tanya, mother of 13-month-old Chloe You can find some suitable tapes and CDs made especially for babies or those made for adults to listen to when they want to relax. Whatever you choose, listen to it first and ask yourself: Does this relax me? Would it
make me feel sleepy if I listened to it in bed?
If you must put your baby to sleep in a noisy, active house full of people, keeping the tape running (auto rewind) will help mask baby-waking noises like dishes clanking, people talking, siblings giggling, TV, dogs barking, etc. This can also help transition your sleeping baby from a noisy daytime house to which he's become accustomed subconsciously to one of absolute nighttime quiet.
Once your baby is familiar with his calming noise, or music, you can use these to help your baby fall back to sleep when he wakes up in the middle of the night. Simply sooth him by playing the music (very quietly) during the calming and falling-asleep time. If he wakes and cries, repeat this process. If your baby gets used to his sleep time sounds you can take advantage of this and take the tape with you if you will be away from home for naptime or bedtime. The familiarity of these sounds will help your baby sleep in an unfamiliar environment.
Eventually your baby will rely on this technique less and less to fall and stay asleep. Don't feel you must rush the process; there is no harm in your baby falling asleep to these gentle sounds. When you are ready to wean him of these you can help this process along by reducing the volume by a small amount every night until you finally don't turn the music or sounds on at all.
Babies enjoy these peaceful sounds, and they are just one more piece in the puzzle that helps you to help your baby sleep - gently, without any crying at all.
About the Author: Elizabeth Pantley is the author of several books, including Gentle Baby Care : No-cry, No-fuss, No-worry -- Essential Tips for Raising Your Baby, The No-Cry Sleep Solution: Gentle Ways to Help Your Baby Sleep Through the Night, Kid Cooperation (with an introduction by William Sears, MD), Perfect Parenting, as well as her latest The No-Cry Sleep Solution for Toddlers and Preschoolers and is also president of Better Beginnings, Inc. She is a popular speaker on family issues, and her newsletter, Parent Tips, is seen in schools nationwide. She appears as a regular radio show guest, and has been quoted in Parents, Parenting, Redbook, Good Housekeeping, American Baby, Working Mother, and Woman's Day magazines. Visit Elizabeth's web site http://www.pantley.com/elizabeth.
(Source: Babyies Online)
Friday, February 24, 2006
Breastfeeding: A Little Voice
After thirty-one hours of labor my little Peanut (aka Chantal) made her debut into this world three weeks early and just less than six pounds.
I didn't get to hold my little angel after she was born. I barely got to see her. All I saw was the NICU nurses fussing over her on the other side of the room. They were about to whisk Chantal away when I cried out to see her. They merely held her up and tilted her in my general direction as they scurried out the door with my husband hot on the trail.
Several hours later they brought her to me so that I could nurse. I was taken aback by how little she was. Little but beautiful.
She was somewhat drowsy so I thought nothing of it when she wouldn't latch on.
A few hours later, I painfully waddled my way to the NICU to try again. I was anxious to hold my little girl and establish that wonderful bond I had heard so much about.
As I approached her incubator I felt a pang of sympathy and worry upon seeing the intravenous tube coming out of her tiny hand and all the monitors she was hooked up to. She had developed jaundice and was a little dehydrated.
I carefully lifted my little peanut out of her incubator and brought her, along with all of her tubes and IV drip, to the nursing area.
My second attempt at nursing was a dismal failure. Not only did she not latch on but also screamed in frustration as several pairs of hands trying to get her to latch jostled her about.
The nurses then "told me" that they would have to bottle-feed her. I assumed that this was absolutely necessary and that I didn't have any say in the matter. After all, they were the professionals ...right?
When I returned two hours later I was told that Chantal's jaundice had become serious and that we wouldn't be able to go home until this was under control.
For the next several days I stayed in the "family room" which felt more like a bed in a closet. My husband would come every evening to keep me company and spend as much time as he could with Chantal.
Every three hours I would make my way to the NICU to try and nurse Chantal. Every time it was worse. She would thrash about and wail until I couldn't bear it anymore. Enter nurse with bottle.
By the time I pumped and trudged my way back to NICU with my meager offerings I might have gotten one hour of sleep between attempts.
In retrospect I can see now that everything that went on during those four days created a very confused little baby.
I was told that my nipples were too flat, or inverted, or that I didn't have enough milk etc. We tried breast shields, lactation aids, and even had to resort to tube feeding her when she refused the bottle as well.
My poor little girl was so exhausted that she couldn't even bother to suck anymore.
On several occasions, Chantal's thrashing and screaming would be too much to bear and I would find myself crying right along with her. I started to doubt my ability to breastfeed. But as I made my way back to my room that little voice inside of me would whisper, "don't give up".
Four days later I took my little treasure home....the elusive latch still not established.
Over the next week I became a nervous wreck. Everyone, including my mother and my husband (who at this point was very worried about my state of mind and lack of sleep) suggested that perhaps I should give up on breastfeeding.
But something in my heart kept telling me to keep trying....
One week later my pediatrician told me that Chantal "looked like a baby from a starving country". He suggested that I quit breastfeeding and stick with formula.
With tears streaming down my face I exited the doctor's office and hurried to my car as quickly as possible. My husband caught up with me to find me sobbing and feeling guilty about "starving my baby".
He reassured me that I was doing a great job.
As the tears subsided my guilt and humiliation turned to anger and determination. Again, something kept telling me not to give up on her.
I became sleep deprived and fell into postpartum depression as I continued to attempt breastfeeding every three hours around the clock. At each failure my husband would attempt to bottle-feed her my expressed breast milk.
Her intake was less than adequate. Maybe the doctor was right. Was I hurting my baby with my stubbornness to breastfeed? I couldn't even explain or justify my desire to keep trying.
Two weeks had now passed. It felt like a lifetime. In the dark hours of early morning, I dragged myself out of bed to rouse my tiny baby from a deep sleep to try nursing yet again.
I sat myself down and mentally prepared myself for the possibility of another failure. I gently put Chantal on her nursing pillow and tried to latch her onto the right side. She rooted and squirmed and began to whine in frustration. This wasn't going to work... again.
I mechanically repositioned her and half-heartedly tried once again.
My heart skipped a beat....I felt a momentary tug. Was I imagining it? I quickly readjusted Chantal and tried again. I dared not get my hopes up.
That little voice inside me was screaming as I gently guided her tiny mouth to my nipple. She opened wide and hit her mark!
No crying, no whining, no thrashing. Just a little chin moving up and down as she collected her reward.
When those big brown eyes looked up at me I was overcome with emotion and the tears began flowing down my cheeks. I wanted to laugh out loud I was so giddy with joy...but I dared not move in case I broke the latch!
We have never looked back. It has not been an easy journey. We never did establish a perfect latch, which I now know, was caused by all the well meant but counter productive interventions in her first few days of life.
Nipple confusion DOES exist. I have battled with thrush and extremely sore nipples for 11 months due to the less than perfect latch.
I have had to deal with milk production issues along the way and due to some complications resulting from childbirth I also had surgery when Chantal was only 3.5 months old. Yet, now that I have experienced the joys and rewards of breastfeeding, I can easily say that I would gladly do it all again.
My heart aches whenever I think of what I would have missed had I given up on breastfeeding. I believe that the emotional well-being and gratification experienced by breastfeeding mothers is unequalled by any other experience.
The bond that exists between a mother and her nursling is unique. There is nothing that can soothe an upset baby like putting her to the breast.
Whenever my little one is not well or is frightened I can instantly calm her by nursing.
I must mention that I also discovered breastfeeding to be the best cure for hiccups! So for any new mommies out there, who doubt themselves or are being pressured not to breast feed, make sure you listen to that little voice inside you called "mother's instinct".
Breastfeeding your baby is more than just a mutual benefit...it's a blessing.
By: Sylvie Plourde (breastfeeding.com)
I didn't get to hold my little angel after she was born. I barely got to see her. All I saw was the NICU nurses fussing over her on the other side of the room. They were about to whisk Chantal away when I cried out to see her. They merely held her up and tilted her in my general direction as they scurried out the door with my husband hot on the trail.
Several hours later they brought her to me so that I could nurse. I was taken aback by how little she was. Little but beautiful.
She was somewhat drowsy so I thought nothing of it when she wouldn't latch on.
A few hours later, I painfully waddled my way to the NICU to try again. I was anxious to hold my little girl and establish that wonderful bond I had heard so much about.
As I approached her incubator I felt a pang of sympathy and worry upon seeing the intravenous tube coming out of her tiny hand and all the monitors she was hooked up to. She had developed jaundice and was a little dehydrated.
I carefully lifted my little peanut out of her incubator and brought her, along with all of her tubes and IV drip, to the nursing area.
My second attempt at nursing was a dismal failure. Not only did she not latch on but also screamed in frustration as several pairs of hands trying to get her to latch jostled her about.
The nurses then "told me" that they would have to bottle-feed her. I assumed that this was absolutely necessary and that I didn't have any say in the matter. After all, they were the professionals ...right?
When I returned two hours later I was told that Chantal's jaundice had become serious and that we wouldn't be able to go home until this was under control.
For the next several days I stayed in the "family room" which felt more like a bed in a closet. My husband would come every evening to keep me company and spend as much time as he could with Chantal.
Every three hours I would make my way to the NICU to try and nurse Chantal. Every time it was worse. She would thrash about and wail until I couldn't bear it anymore. Enter nurse with bottle.
By the time I pumped and trudged my way back to NICU with my meager offerings I might have gotten one hour of sleep between attempts.
In retrospect I can see now that everything that went on during those four days created a very confused little baby.
I was told that my nipples were too flat, or inverted, or that I didn't have enough milk etc. We tried breast shields, lactation aids, and even had to resort to tube feeding her when she refused the bottle as well.
My poor little girl was so exhausted that she couldn't even bother to suck anymore.
On several occasions, Chantal's thrashing and screaming would be too much to bear and I would find myself crying right along with her. I started to doubt my ability to breastfeed. But as I made my way back to my room that little voice inside of me would whisper, "don't give up".
Four days later I took my little treasure home....the elusive latch still not established.
Over the next week I became a nervous wreck. Everyone, including my mother and my husband (who at this point was very worried about my state of mind and lack of sleep) suggested that perhaps I should give up on breastfeeding.
But something in my heart kept telling me to keep trying....
One week later my pediatrician told me that Chantal "looked like a baby from a starving country". He suggested that I quit breastfeeding and stick with formula.
With tears streaming down my face I exited the doctor's office and hurried to my car as quickly as possible. My husband caught up with me to find me sobbing and feeling guilty about "starving my baby".
He reassured me that I was doing a great job.
As the tears subsided my guilt and humiliation turned to anger and determination. Again, something kept telling me not to give up on her.
I became sleep deprived and fell into postpartum depression as I continued to attempt breastfeeding every three hours around the clock. At each failure my husband would attempt to bottle-feed her my expressed breast milk.
Her intake was less than adequate. Maybe the doctor was right. Was I hurting my baby with my stubbornness to breastfeed? I couldn't even explain or justify my desire to keep trying.
Two weeks had now passed. It felt like a lifetime. In the dark hours of early morning, I dragged myself out of bed to rouse my tiny baby from a deep sleep to try nursing yet again.
I sat myself down and mentally prepared myself for the possibility of another failure. I gently put Chantal on her nursing pillow and tried to latch her onto the right side. She rooted and squirmed and began to whine in frustration. This wasn't going to work... again.
I mechanically repositioned her and half-heartedly tried once again.
My heart skipped a beat....I felt a momentary tug. Was I imagining it? I quickly readjusted Chantal and tried again. I dared not get my hopes up.
That little voice inside me was screaming as I gently guided her tiny mouth to my nipple. She opened wide and hit her mark!
No crying, no whining, no thrashing. Just a little chin moving up and down as she collected her reward.
When those big brown eyes looked up at me I was overcome with emotion and the tears began flowing down my cheeks. I wanted to laugh out loud I was so giddy with joy...but I dared not move in case I broke the latch!
We have never looked back. It has not been an easy journey. We never did establish a perfect latch, which I now know, was caused by all the well meant but counter productive interventions in her first few days of life.
Nipple confusion DOES exist. I have battled with thrush and extremely sore nipples for 11 months due to the less than perfect latch.
I have had to deal with milk production issues along the way and due to some complications resulting from childbirth I also had surgery when Chantal was only 3.5 months old. Yet, now that I have experienced the joys and rewards of breastfeeding, I can easily say that I would gladly do it all again.
My heart aches whenever I think of what I would have missed had I given up on breastfeeding. I believe that the emotional well-being and gratification experienced by breastfeeding mothers is unequalled by any other experience.
The bond that exists between a mother and her nursling is unique. There is nothing that can soothe an upset baby like putting her to the breast.
Whenever my little one is not well or is frightened I can instantly calm her by nursing.
I must mention that I also discovered breastfeeding to be the best cure for hiccups! So for any new mommies out there, who doubt themselves or are being pressured not to breast feed, make sure you listen to that little voice inside you called "mother's instinct".
Breastfeeding your baby is more than just a mutual benefit...it's a blessing.
By: Sylvie Plourde (breastfeeding.com)
Tuesday, February 07, 2006
How to Go Gently into that Good Night - Baby Sleep Tricks
By Teresa Pitman
By the time my first baby was a month old, I was exhausted, worried about doing something wrong, and completely confused by all the conflicting advice I was getting.
I'd nurse him, and he'd fall asleep at the breast. Then I'd try to shift him to the crib, and he'd wake up immediately - often before his little body even touched the mattress.
Put him in the crib while he's still awake but sleepy, someone advised me. But I never could figure that one out. If he was getting sleepy as he nursed and I took him off the breast, he'd start to cry frantically.
Four babies later, I'd learned a few tricks - and that what works beautifully with one baby may not work at all with another. With that in mind, here are some tips from parents who've been there and have the dark circles under their eyes to prove it:
Let your baby's sense of touch help. Put a receiving blanket into the dryer so it's nice and warm, then use it to wrap your baby in before putting him in the crib. (You can also try warming the crib mattress and sheets, before laying your baby down, with a heating pad set at a moderate temperature, or a hot water bottle, so there's no sudden change in temperature.)
For the early months, many infants like to be wrapped snugly. Some startle themselves awake, flinging their limbs out and crying. Swaddling these babies may help them sleep longer. Just make sure your baby isn't overheated - the back of her neck should not be hot and damp.
If you lay your baby down asleep, try gently patting her tummy (remember that babies should always be put to sleep on their backs). Gradually make your touch lighter and softer until you can remove your hand and baby stays asleep.
Source: TodaysParent.com
By the time my first baby was a month old, I was exhausted, worried about doing something wrong, and completely confused by all the conflicting advice I was getting.
I'd nurse him, and he'd fall asleep at the breast. Then I'd try to shift him to the crib, and he'd wake up immediately - often before his little body even touched the mattress.
Put him in the crib while he's still awake but sleepy, someone advised me. But I never could figure that one out. If he was getting sleepy as he nursed and I took him off the breast, he'd start to cry frantically.
Four babies later, I'd learned a few tricks - and that what works beautifully with one baby may not work at all with another. With that in mind, here are some tips from parents who've been there and have the dark circles under their eyes to prove it:
Let your baby's sense of touch help. Put a receiving blanket into the dryer so it's nice and warm, then use it to wrap your baby in before putting him in the crib. (You can also try warming the crib mattress and sheets, before laying your baby down, with a heating pad set at a moderate temperature, or a hot water bottle, so there's no sudden change in temperature.)
For the early months, many infants like to be wrapped snugly. Some startle themselves awake, flinging their limbs out and crying. Swaddling these babies may help them sleep longer. Just make sure your baby isn't overheated - the back of her neck should not be hot and damp.
If you lay your baby down asleep, try gently patting her tummy (remember that babies should always be put to sleep on their backs). Gradually make your touch lighter and softer until you can remove your hand and baby stays asleep.
Source: TodaysParent.com
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