New parents are urged to keep their children's immunisations up to date from the day their bundle of joy arrives in an attempt to keep dangerous diseases at bay. But there's one vaccine which could protect children from a deadly disease which isn't on the nation's child immunisation schedule.(canvas prints photo on canvas canvas prints australia)
Meningococcal B vaccine Bexsero (4CMenB) has been available for purchase privately in Australia since March 5 this year, but unlike the vaccine for Meningococcal C, is not funded through the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme. And at about $125 per injection -with babies requiring four injections before they are 12 months old - it is simply financially out of reach for many families.
The recent death of a two-year-old boy in NSW who was infected with meningococcal B has thrown the spotlight on the new vaccine, with support groups calling for it to be included in the National Immunisation Program (NIP) immediately.
The Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee is meeting next month to discuss if the B-strain vaccine should be included on the NIP. An application by Bexsero manufacturer Novartis Vaccines for PBS listing last year was rejected by the committee, which argued the vaccine was not cost effective.
Meningococcal Australia director Kirsten Baker said although the disease is rare, the speed at which is spreads and its potentially deadly outcome justify the inclusion of the Bexsero vaccine as a routine immunisation.
"The problem is so many of the symptoms are similar to when a child has a bit of a cold. Parents often don't realise something is really wrong until they see the rash, but the rash is the usually the final symptom appear,'' Baker said.
"Also young children may not be able to explain what they are feeling, so they might just appear to be tired and generally unhappy in the early stages. But the clear message is that whoever thinks their child, or a child in their care, is showing symptoms of meningococcal disease, should seek urgent medical attention.
"This disease can become deadly within hours, and the sooner treatment is started the better the chance of a positive outcome."
Baker spent two weeks in hospital after contracting meningococcal septicaemia in 2005. She said the symptoms came on suddenly and believes if she had not sought immediate medical attention she may not have survived.
She is hopeful the government committee will approve an application to add Bexsero to the routine childhood immunisation schedule. She also encourages adults to make sure their own vaccinations are up to date.
"The rates of meningoccal C have plummeted since the vaccination was added to the childhood immunisation program in 2003, and we would love to see that happen with the B strain,'' she said.
One family who knows how quickly meningococcal disease can take hold is the Manulat family from Anna Bay, north of Newcastle in NSW.
Last Tuesday night their two-year-old son Ryder went to bed showing no signs of sickness, before waking up on Wednesday morning with a rash of pinprick spots on his body. He was rushed to hospital, where doctors quickly diagnosed the deadly meningococcal disease and administered antibiotics.
By 10am the little boy, who had Down syndrome, was placed on life support, and by 2pm he had passed away.
After the little boy's death his parents spoke about the fact they were not aware of the availability of a vaccine for the meningococcal B-strain which killed their son.
Around 200 Australians contract meningococcal disease each year, with children under five years of age and teenagers and adults between 15 and 25 most at risk. Up to 10 per cent of people who contract the disease die as a result.
According to Meningococcal Australia, symptoms of the disease vary and include headache, fever, drowsiness, a stiff or painful neck, sensitivity to light, vomiting, shivering, cold hands or feet, muscle or joint pain, and changes in skin colour. A late-stage rash may also develop, which can start off as spots, blisters and pinpricks and later appear as purple, bruise-like blotches.
One fifth of survivors are left with lifelong disabilities, including brain damage and limb loss.
Meningococcal B is the most common strain of the disease in Australia, being responsible for 83 per cent of cases.
Besxero has been approved by the TGA for use in Australia following a review of the vaccine’s safety and effectiveness. The vaccine has already been recommended for inclusion on the childhood National Immunisation Program in the UK, based on the results of trials involving more than 8000 people.
Friday, January 30, 2015
Running for these precious lives
"In that instant our brains went into shut-down. It's like we went into a wind tunnel and were cut off from anything happening around us, unable to take anything in. I would say it was like my worst nightmare, but I don't think I have ever had a nightmare as bad as what we were being told."(canvas prints photo on canvas canvas prints online)
They are the words of father Simon Rowe describing the moment he and partner Hanna Torsh learnt that their baby girl had been diagnosed with cancer 11 days before her first birthday.
Simon and Hanna took daughter Lena to the doctor in early March this year after noticing her left eyelid was not opening fully. They were referred to an ophthalmologist and were told their little girl most likely had a viral infection.
Lena's family and friends are taking part in the Run2Cure even to help raise money for research into neuroblastoma.
Lena's family and friends are taking part in the Run2Cure even to help raise money for research into neuroblastoma.
But two days later the left side of Lena's face became paralysed, and her parents took her to the emergency department at Sydney Children's Hospital in Randwick.
"We were told it was probably Bell's palsy, which can be triggered by a viral infection,'' Simon remembers. "They decided to do a scan of her head to rule out other possibilities. We were told it could be a tumour but also that it was very unlikely that was the case."
But two-and-a-half hours later, as they continued to wait for their daughter to be brought out from the procedure they were told would take only 45 minutes, Simon and Hanna were worried.
"The paediatric neurologist came and spoke to us and said 'Sorry, it's really bad news, it's cancer. It's not what we were expecting'. He told us the tumour was in the bones of Lena's face and skull and encasing both her eyes."
Lena's form of cancer is neuroblastoma, the third most common type of childhood cancer after leukemia and brain tumours. It is the leading cause of cancer deaths of children under five.
It's been just over three months since her diagnosis and in that time the family, including four-and-a-half-year-old big sister Lottie, have had their world turned upside down.
Initially Lena's cancer was assessed as being of "intermediate risk", meaning there was 90 per cent chance of survival. But sadly, tests last week showed the tumour had grown despite two rounds of chemotherapy. Her condition is now considered "high-risk".
"We've been told the chances of survival are now very much the wrong side of 50/50,'' Simon says. "Because her tumour has gotten worse we are now facing more cycles of increased intensity chemotherapy with more negative side effects and a greater risk of infection."
Despite the ordeal she's going through at such a tender age, Simon says little Lena is "probably the happiest person in our family right now".
"Because of her age, she is shielded from the knowledge and understanding of what is happening. The rest of us are filled with pain every time we look at our beautiful baby girl,'' Simon says.
"Lottie doesn't have a full understanding of what's happening, but she knows that Lena is sick and Mum and Dad are very worried. She has learnt the word 'cancer', but we try not to say too much around her as she's been having nightmares about death."
Despite the difficult time the family is facing, Simon says he and Hanna remain thankful for two things.
Firstly, that they live in a city where getting their daughter the best possible medical care does not mean having to uproot their family for the duration of her treatment. Secondly, the family has been blown away by the support they have received from extended family and friends - some who they had not been in contact with for years.
"We are very fortunate that we have an amazing network of friends and family helping us through,'' Simon says. "Whether it's dropping off food for us, or toys for the girls, or taking Lottie for playdates while Hanna and I need to be at hospital with Lena, so many people have shown us they care."
In addition to helping Simon, Hanna, Lena and Lottie in practical ways, some of those friends and family members will also be doing their bit to help raise funds for research into Neuroblastoma. The group will be taking part in the Run2Cure Neuroblastoma fun run in Sydney's Domain and Botanical Gardens this Sunday.
"Fundraising for neurobalstoma is very important," Simon, who is himself an intern doctor, explains. "Even though it's the cancer which kills the most children it's still a very rare condition, so from a public health perspective it's not something the government can justify spending money on.
"The only way we are going to get a cure, or better treatments, is through fundraising and the collaboration of researchers across the world in America, Europe and here in Australia."
They are the words of father Simon Rowe describing the moment he and partner Hanna Torsh learnt that their baby girl had been diagnosed with cancer 11 days before her first birthday.
Simon and Hanna took daughter Lena to the doctor in early March this year after noticing her left eyelid was not opening fully. They were referred to an ophthalmologist and were told their little girl most likely had a viral infection.
Lena's family and friends are taking part in the Run2Cure even to help raise money for research into neuroblastoma.
Lena's family and friends are taking part in the Run2Cure even to help raise money for research into neuroblastoma.
But two days later the left side of Lena's face became paralysed, and her parents took her to the emergency department at Sydney Children's Hospital in Randwick.
"We were told it was probably Bell's palsy, which can be triggered by a viral infection,'' Simon remembers. "They decided to do a scan of her head to rule out other possibilities. We were told it could be a tumour but also that it was very unlikely that was the case."
But two-and-a-half hours later, as they continued to wait for their daughter to be brought out from the procedure they were told would take only 45 minutes, Simon and Hanna were worried.
"The paediatric neurologist came and spoke to us and said 'Sorry, it's really bad news, it's cancer. It's not what we were expecting'. He told us the tumour was in the bones of Lena's face and skull and encasing both her eyes."
Lena's form of cancer is neuroblastoma, the third most common type of childhood cancer after leukemia and brain tumours. It is the leading cause of cancer deaths of children under five.
It's been just over three months since her diagnosis and in that time the family, including four-and-a-half-year-old big sister Lottie, have had their world turned upside down.
Initially Lena's cancer was assessed as being of "intermediate risk", meaning there was 90 per cent chance of survival. But sadly, tests last week showed the tumour had grown despite two rounds of chemotherapy. Her condition is now considered "high-risk".
"We've been told the chances of survival are now very much the wrong side of 50/50,'' Simon says. "Because her tumour has gotten worse we are now facing more cycles of increased intensity chemotherapy with more negative side effects and a greater risk of infection."
Despite the ordeal she's going through at such a tender age, Simon says little Lena is "probably the happiest person in our family right now".
"Because of her age, she is shielded from the knowledge and understanding of what is happening. The rest of us are filled with pain every time we look at our beautiful baby girl,'' Simon says.
"Lottie doesn't have a full understanding of what's happening, but she knows that Lena is sick and Mum and Dad are very worried. She has learnt the word 'cancer', but we try not to say too much around her as she's been having nightmares about death."
Despite the difficult time the family is facing, Simon says he and Hanna remain thankful for two things.
Firstly, that they live in a city where getting their daughter the best possible medical care does not mean having to uproot their family for the duration of her treatment. Secondly, the family has been blown away by the support they have received from extended family and friends - some who they had not been in contact with for years.
"We are very fortunate that we have an amazing network of friends and family helping us through,'' Simon says. "Whether it's dropping off food for us, or toys for the girls, or taking Lottie for playdates while Hanna and I need to be at hospital with Lena, so many people have shown us they care."
In addition to helping Simon, Hanna, Lena and Lottie in practical ways, some of those friends and family members will also be doing their bit to help raise funds for research into Neuroblastoma. The group will be taking part in the Run2Cure Neuroblastoma fun run in Sydney's Domain and Botanical Gardens this Sunday.
"Fundraising for neurobalstoma is very important," Simon, who is himself an intern doctor, explains. "Even though it's the cancer which kills the most children it's still a very rare condition, so from a public health perspective it's not something the government can justify spending money on.
"The only way we are going to get a cure, or better treatments, is through fundraising and the collaboration of researchers across the world in America, Europe and here in Australia."
Thursday, January 29, 2015
New rotavirus vaccine to cut death rate in babies
A new vaccine is protecting newborns from rotavirus, a common cause of severe diarrhoea which kills about 500,000 children aged under five around the world each year.
The lifesaving vaccine our children are being denied
Nine out of 10 babies showed a strong immune response to the vaccine after receiving a first dose within days of birth and subsequent doses at two and four months.(canvas prints photo on canvas canvas prints online)
The results, from a New Zealand trial in which 95 babies were given the vaccine, are being presented at the International Rotavirus Symposium in India on Thursday.
Lead researcher Julie Bines, of the Murdoch Children's Research Institute in Melbourne, said the results were a major step towards widespread protection against rotavirus for newborns.
"The advantage of this vaccine is the birth dose, which is the earliest opportunity to provide protection to babies from severe rotavirus gastroenteritis," she said.
"This world-first approach has enormous potential to reduce disease and dying in the most vulnerable children around the world."
Development of the vaccine is being led by academic institutions in a bid to keep it affordable for developing countries, where most rotavirus deaths occur and current vaccines are not widely available.
Australian children currently receive a rotavirus vaccine at two months, but the new vaccine has shown fewer side effects and can be given at birth, offering added protection.
In Australia, before introduction of rotavirus vaccination in 2007, about 10,000 young children were hospitalised with rotavirus gastroenteritis, and one child died each year from complications.
Now more than than 7000 hospital admissions are prevented each year, and children who are hospitalised are less severely affected.
Professor Bines said many of the babies now hospitalised in Australia were too young to have received the current vaccine, and required treatment for dehydration.
Dehydrated babies in developing countries can die without receiving the fluids they need.
Professor Bines said one of the barriers to a widespread rollout of the current rotavirus vaccine in developing countries was inadequate follow-up healthcare for babies, but providing the new vaccine at birth before families returned to their communities helped overcome the problem.
Researchers believe the vaccine offers some protection after a single dose, but they need to do further studies to establish how much.
Trials of the new vaccine are also under way in Indonesia, where about 10,000 babies die from rotavirus gastroenteritis each year.
Researchers hope the vaccine will be widely available by 2016.
A new vaccine is protecting newborns from rotavirus, a common cause of severe diarrhoea which kills about 500,000 children aged under five around the world each year.
The lifesaving vaccine our children are being denied
Nine out of 10 babies showed a strong immune response to the vaccine after receiving a first dose within days of birth and subsequent doses at two and four months.
The results, from a New Zealand trial in which 95 babies were given the vaccine, are being presented at the International Rotavirus Symposium in India on Thursday.
Lead researcher Julie Bines, of the Murdoch Children's Research Institute in Melbourne, said the results were a major step towards widespread protection against rotavirus for newborns.
"The advantage of this vaccine is the birth dose, which is the earliest opportunity to provide protection to babies from severe rotavirus gastroenteritis," she said.
"This world-first approach has enormous potential to reduce disease and dying in the most vulnerable children around the world."
Development of the vaccine is being led by academic institutions in a bid to keep it affordable for developing countries, where most rotavirus deaths occur and current vaccines are not widely available.
Australian children currently receive a rotavirus vaccine at two months, but the new vaccine has shown fewer side effects and can be given at birth, offering added protection.
In Australia, before introduction of rotavirus vaccination in 2007, about 10,000 young children were hospitalised with rotavirus gastroenteritis, and one child died each year from complications.
Now more than than 7000 hospital admissions are prevented each year, and children who are hospitalised are less severely affected.
Professor Bines said many of the babies now hospitalised in Australia were too young to have received the current vaccine, and required treatment for dehydration.
Dehydrated babies in developing countries can die without receiving the fluids they need.
Professor Bines said one of the barriers to a widespread rollout of the current rotavirus vaccine in developing countries was inadequate follow-up healthcare for babies, but providing the new vaccine at birth before families returned to their communities helped overcome the problem.
Researchers believe the vaccine offers some protection after a single dose, but they need to do further studies to establish how much.
Trials of the new vaccine are also under way in Indonesia, where about 10,000 babies die from rotavirus gastroenteritis each year.
Researchers hope the vaccine will be widely available by 2016.
Video: 7-week-old baby hears for the first time
Heart-warming video alert!
Baby Lachlan was diagnosed with moderate to severe hearing loss in both ears at birth. Doctors decided that fitting a hearing aid in his first few months of life would be his best bet at having a chance to hear the world around him.
So at just seven weeks of age, the baby, from Victoria, Australia, had the procedure - and his parents caught the moment on camera. (canvas prints photo on canvas canvas prints online)
“When they turned the headphones on and Lachlan smiled and his face lit up, it was the most magical thing I’d ever seen in my life,” Lachlan’s mum, Michelle Lever, told Daily Mail Australia.
"I had never been more happy in my life."
"I thought Lachlan would not be able to talk, make friends and I was worried he would get teased. I now know that whilst those thoughts were completely normal, they are not true," she said.
The video shows little Lachlan start to cry as he's fitted with his hearing aid - but as the specialist finishes putting it in his ear, he stops crying and appears to listen carefully to the sounds around him for the first time ever.
Moments later he smiles towards the camera.
Throughout the video Lachlan continues to stare upwards with a confused look and smiles back at people including his mum and dad, Michelle and Toby Lever, as they talk to him.
Michelle said she was glad to share the video to give other families of hearing-impaired children hope.
“I am so happy that we can share our magic moment with the world,” she said. “I hope it can give some other families the realisation everything is going to be okay.”
Lachlan, who is now two years old (the video was taken in 2012), is doing well.
“He is the biggest chatterbox out there," Michelle said. "He's only two so there’s a lot of gibberish that you can't understand, but when he’s telling you something, he makes sure you understand."
Baby Lachlan was diagnosed with moderate to severe hearing loss in both ears at birth. Doctors decided that fitting a hearing aid in his first few months of life would be his best bet at having a chance to hear the world around him.
So at just seven weeks of age, the baby, from Victoria, Australia, had the procedure - and his parents caught the moment on camera. (canvas prints photo on canvas canvas prints online)
“When they turned the headphones on and Lachlan smiled and his face lit up, it was the most magical thing I’d ever seen in my life,” Lachlan’s mum, Michelle Lever, told Daily Mail Australia.
"I had never been more happy in my life."
"I thought Lachlan would not be able to talk, make friends and I was worried he would get teased. I now know that whilst those thoughts were completely normal, they are not true," she said.
The video shows little Lachlan start to cry as he's fitted with his hearing aid - but as the specialist finishes putting it in his ear, he stops crying and appears to listen carefully to the sounds around him for the first time ever.
Moments later he smiles towards the camera.
Throughout the video Lachlan continues to stare upwards with a confused look and smiles back at people including his mum and dad, Michelle and Toby Lever, as they talk to him.
Michelle said she was glad to share the video to give other families of hearing-impaired children hope.
“I am so happy that we can share our magic moment with the world,” she said. “I hope it can give some other families the realisation everything is going to be okay.”
Lachlan, who is now two years old (the video was taken in 2012), is doing well.
“He is the biggest chatterbox out there," Michelle said. "He's only two so there’s a lot of gibberish that you can't understand, but when he’s telling you something, he makes sure you understand."
Wednesday, January 28, 2015
Raising an adventurous eater
Late last year, my pregnant wife and I were out for one of our last dinners together before we became parents. As a family with a pair of preschoolers sat at the table nearby, a part of me thought, "That could be us in a few years."(canvas prints photo on canvas canvas prints australia)
When the waiter arrived to take their order, the mother put down the menu. "Could the kitchen make something for the kids? Maybe some buttered noodles or chicken nuggets? They won't eat anything else."
"I hope that isn't us in a few years!" I thought.
I'm a food writer, so my diet spans the globe. One day I might be eating Ghanaian stew on a ball of fufu for lunch, then sushi for dinner; the next might include dim sum in the morning and roasted duck breast at night. Don't get me wrong: chicken nuggets and buttered noodles aren't inherently bad and I've enjoyed both. However, the thought of my child exclusively eating the so-called "beige diet" - fried foods and carbs - made my stomach churn.
So what could my wife, Indira, and I do to help raise an adventurous eater?
As it turns out, my wife's dinner that night (anchovy crostini, prosciutto-topped Neapolitan pizza) was already shaping our child's tastes. So was the vegetable burrito with hot sauce she’d eaten for lunch.
"Learning about food occurs long before the first taste of food," says Julie Mennella, a bio psychologist at the Monell Center in Philadelphia. "The flavours of the mother's diet get into the amniotic fluid."
The same thing happens when the mother breastfeeds, she said – and because my wife’s diet is nearly as varied as my own, she'd expose our child to a panoply of cuisines.
Born in early January, Zephyr was a healthy boy with a ravenous hunger. The next few months were a happy blur, and it wasn't long before we were talking about adding solid foods to his diet.
But I'm no culinary maestro and I needed help crafting the purees. After asking our paediatrician a flurry of questions, I reached out to Tucker Yoder, executive chef of the Clifton Inn in Charlottesville, and a father of four. He agreed to teach me a few tricks.
Yoder and his wife have a few simple rules for feeding their children. "We try to give them what we're having," he says, "and we'll try giving them anything." His children enjoy a wide variety of food, including kale-fortified breakfast smoothies and omelettes filled with freshly foraged mushrooms.
His next rule sounds identical to one my mother enforced. "If it's on your plate, you've got to try it," he says.
The couple shop seasonally and locally as much as possible, and they draw on their garden for tomatoes, leafy greens and herbs.
We ended up making five purees, lightly spicing them to add depth of flavour: curried carrots, minted pineapple mango, basiled beets and strawberries, sweet potatoes with a dash of crushed red pepper flakes, and cauliflower accented with cumin. I would have enjoyed eating any of them.
Placing Zephyr in his high chair that evening, I mentally crossed my fingers as I dipped the spoon into the pineapple-mango mixture. I then fed him solids for the first time.
He looked confused for a moment. Then his eyes lit up, he worked his jaw, and he swallowed. He pulled the spoon toward his mouth for seconds.
Trying the strawberry-beet puree the next evening, I experienced similarly gratifying success. Two days later, however, when I picked Zephyr up from day care, his carer said: "He didn't like the sweet potatoes. He spat them out."
I shouldn't have been surprised. Maybe we got too cocky putting crushed red pepper flakes in there, though it was just a few specks. Indira has an insatiable appetite for spicy food, and I thought Zephyr might have inherited it.
"They're not going to eat everything," warned Jenny Carenco, author of Bebe Gourmet: 100 French-Inspired Baby Food Recipes for Raising an Adventurous Eater. "My kids don't eat everything. My daughter hates zucchini."
Repetition is the key to winning children over to new tastes, says Carenco. "Just keep serving it and make it a positive experience," she says. "The mistake is to stop serving it. If they don't like peas, it's not going to kill you to cook up and throw away a spoonful of peas after every meal. Serve them at every meal. And if they have one, it's a victory. Then they'll have two."
Michael Harr, executive chef at Food, Wine & Co in Bethesda, had another piece of simple advice: "Think of simple dishes that you like, then puree them." He created a play on peaches and cream (and celery!) for his son Benjamin, and when he shared the recipe, it became a favourite in my household. Zephyr grinned broadly as he devoured his first portion.
As my wife and I laughed over his reaction while eating our own dinner, I thought back on something his paediatrician had said: "Make eating enjoyable, and do it as a family as much as you can." This was just the beginning of Zephyr's appreciation for food, but so far, so good.
I was still smiling as I went to store the remainder of the peaches and cream. When I opened our refrigerator, the second shelf was filled with a rainbow of purees - not one of them beige.
When the waiter arrived to take their order, the mother put down the menu. "Could the kitchen make something for the kids? Maybe some buttered noodles or chicken nuggets? They won't eat anything else."
"I hope that isn't us in a few years!" I thought.
I'm a food writer, so my diet spans the globe. One day I might be eating Ghanaian stew on a ball of fufu for lunch, then sushi for dinner; the next might include dim sum in the morning and roasted duck breast at night. Don't get me wrong: chicken nuggets and buttered noodles aren't inherently bad and I've enjoyed both. However, the thought of my child exclusively eating the so-called "beige diet" - fried foods and carbs - made my stomach churn.
So what could my wife, Indira, and I do to help raise an adventurous eater?
As it turns out, my wife's dinner that night (anchovy crostini, prosciutto-topped Neapolitan pizza) was already shaping our child's tastes. So was the vegetable burrito with hot sauce she’d eaten for lunch.
"Learning about food occurs long before the first taste of food," says Julie Mennella, a bio psychologist at the Monell Center in Philadelphia. "The flavours of the mother's diet get into the amniotic fluid."
The same thing happens when the mother breastfeeds, she said – and because my wife’s diet is nearly as varied as my own, she'd expose our child to a panoply of cuisines.
Born in early January, Zephyr was a healthy boy with a ravenous hunger. The next few months were a happy blur, and it wasn't long before we were talking about adding solid foods to his diet.
But I'm no culinary maestro and I needed help crafting the purees. After asking our paediatrician a flurry of questions, I reached out to Tucker Yoder, executive chef of the Clifton Inn in Charlottesville, and a father of four. He agreed to teach me a few tricks.
Yoder and his wife have a few simple rules for feeding their children. "We try to give them what we're having," he says, "and we'll try giving them anything." His children enjoy a wide variety of food, including kale-fortified breakfast smoothies and omelettes filled with freshly foraged mushrooms.
His next rule sounds identical to one my mother enforced. "If it's on your plate, you've got to try it," he says.
The couple shop seasonally and locally as much as possible, and they draw on their garden for tomatoes, leafy greens and herbs.
We ended up making five purees, lightly spicing them to add depth of flavour: curried carrots, minted pineapple mango, basiled beets and strawberries, sweet potatoes with a dash of crushed red pepper flakes, and cauliflower accented with cumin. I would have enjoyed eating any of them.
Placing Zephyr in his high chair that evening, I mentally crossed my fingers as I dipped the spoon into the pineapple-mango mixture. I then fed him solids for the first time.
He looked confused for a moment. Then his eyes lit up, he worked his jaw, and he swallowed. He pulled the spoon toward his mouth for seconds.
Trying the strawberry-beet puree the next evening, I experienced similarly gratifying success. Two days later, however, when I picked Zephyr up from day care, his carer said: "He didn't like the sweet potatoes. He spat them out."
I shouldn't have been surprised. Maybe we got too cocky putting crushed red pepper flakes in there, though it was just a few specks. Indira has an insatiable appetite for spicy food, and I thought Zephyr might have inherited it.
"They're not going to eat everything," warned Jenny Carenco, author of Bebe Gourmet: 100 French-Inspired Baby Food Recipes for Raising an Adventurous Eater. "My kids don't eat everything. My daughter hates zucchini."
Repetition is the key to winning children over to new tastes, says Carenco. "Just keep serving it and make it a positive experience," she says. "The mistake is to stop serving it. If they don't like peas, it's not going to kill you to cook up and throw away a spoonful of peas after every meal. Serve them at every meal. And if they have one, it's a victory. Then they'll have two."
Michael Harr, executive chef at Food, Wine & Co in Bethesda, had another piece of simple advice: "Think of simple dishes that you like, then puree them." He created a play on peaches and cream (and celery!) for his son Benjamin, and when he shared the recipe, it became a favourite in my household. Zephyr grinned broadly as he devoured his first portion.
As my wife and I laughed over his reaction while eating our own dinner, I thought back on something his paediatrician had said: "Make eating enjoyable, and do it as a family as much as you can." This was just the beginning of Zephyr's appreciation for food, but so far, so good.
I was still smiling as I went to store the remainder of the peaches and cream. When I opened our refrigerator, the second shelf was filled with a rainbow of purees - not one of them beige.
Pineapple and mango puree
This summery puree can be refrigerated in individual containers for up to one week, or frozen for up to six months. It makes 1 cup (6 servings).
Ingredients
1 cup chunked mango
1/2 cup fresh chunked pineapple
6 mint leaves, coarsely chopped
Water (optional)
Method
• Combine the mango, pineapple and mint in a deep mixing cup. Use a stick blender to puree until smooth.
• If desired, add water a teaspoon or two of at a time to achieve the desired consistency.
• Transfer to airtight containers for storing.(canvas prints photo on canvas canvas prints online)
Ingredients
1 cup chunked mango
1/2 cup fresh chunked pineapple
6 mint leaves, coarsely chopped
Water (optional)
Method
• Combine the mango, pineapple and mint in a deep mixing cup. Use a stick blender to puree until smooth.
• If desired, add water a teaspoon or two of at a time to achieve the desired consistency.
• Transfer to airtight containers for storing.(canvas prints photo on canvas canvas prints online)
Tuesday, January 27, 2015
Peaches and cream puree
Think of this as a pureed parfait for baby. Celery adds body to the mix; feel free to incorporate more if the puree gets too soupy.(canvas prints photo on canvas canvas prints australia)
The puree can be refrigerated for up to one week in airtight containers, or frozen for up to six months. Makes six cups (36 servings); the recipe can be cut in half.
Ingredients
6 peaches (unpeeled), pitted then cut into large dice
2 to 3 sticks celery, diced, or more as needed
3 strawberries, hulled then coarsely chopped
Water
1 cup organic vanilla yogurt
Method
• Combine the peaches, two celery sticks and all the strawberries in a large, heavy-bottomed pot. Add enough water to cover, then place over medium heat.
• Once the water begins to bubble, cover and cook for about 15 minutes, until tender. Remove from the heat.
• Working in batches, use a slotted spoon to transfer the cooked fruit and celery to a blender, along with about 1/4 cup total of the cooking liquid and all the yogurt. Puree until smooth and creamy, then transfer to a mixing bowl.
• If the consistency is too loose for your liking, dice the remaining celery stick and puree along with some of already-pureed mixture until smooth. Stir into the bowl.
• If the mixture's still too loose, serve it as soup.
• Transfer to airtight containers for storing.
The puree can be refrigerated for up to one week in airtight containers, or frozen for up to six months. Makes six cups (36 servings); the recipe can be cut in half.
Ingredients
6 peaches (unpeeled), pitted then cut into large dice
2 to 3 sticks celery, diced, or more as needed
3 strawberries, hulled then coarsely chopped
Water
1 cup organic vanilla yogurt
Method
• Combine the peaches, two celery sticks and all the strawberries in a large, heavy-bottomed pot. Add enough water to cover, then place over medium heat.
• Once the water begins to bubble, cover and cook for about 15 minutes, until tender. Remove from the heat.
• Working in batches, use a slotted spoon to transfer the cooked fruit and celery to a blender, along with about 1/4 cup total of the cooking liquid and all the yogurt. Puree until smooth and creamy, then transfer to a mixing bowl.
• If the consistency is too loose for your liking, dice the remaining celery stick and puree along with some of already-pureed mixture until smooth. Stir into the bowl.
• If the mixture's still too loose, serve it as soup.
• Transfer to airtight containers for storing.
Macro Organic baby food pouches recalled
Woolworths has issued a recall on a popular brand of baby food pouches which may cause illness if consumed.(canvas prints photo on canvas canvas prints online)
The supermarket giant has recalled Macro Organic Baby Food Puree in three varieties, Lamb and Sweet Potato Puree, Beef with Vegetable and Rice Puree and Chicken with Sweetcorn and Pasta Puree.
The products were sold at from Woolworths Supermarkets, Safeway Food for Less and Flemings Supermarkets nationally.
Recall: Macro Organic baby food pouches.
Recall: Macro Organic baby food pouches.
The recall is due to a packaging fault resulting in the potential to cause spoilage and possible illness if consumed.
Parents should not give this product to their children to eat, and should return the products to the place of purchase for a full refund.
Product name and date marking is as follows:
• Macro Organic Lamb and Sweet Potato Puree, best before 11/SEP/14 and 13/SEP/14
• Macro Organic Beef with Vegetable and Rice Puree best before, 12/SEP/14
• Macro Organic Chicken with Sweetcorn and Pasta Puree, best before 13/SEP/14
Woolworths acquired the Macro Wholefoods brand in 2009.
The supermarket giant has recalled Macro Organic Baby Food Puree in three varieties, Lamb and Sweet Potato Puree, Beef with Vegetable and Rice Puree and Chicken with Sweetcorn and Pasta Puree.
The products were sold at from Woolworths Supermarkets, Safeway Food for Less and Flemings Supermarkets nationally.
Recall: Macro Organic baby food pouches.
Recall: Macro Organic baby food pouches.
The recall is due to a packaging fault resulting in the potential to cause spoilage and possible illness if consumed.
Parents should not give this product to their children to eat, and should return the products to the place of purchase for a full refund.
Product name and date marking is as follows:
• Macro Organic Lamb and Sweet Potato Puree, best before 11/SEP/14 and 13/SEP/14
• Macro Organic Beef with Vegetable and Rice Puree best before, 12/SEP/14
• Macro Organic Chicken with Sweetcorn and Pasta Puree, best before 13/SEP/14
Woolworths acquired the Macro Wholefoods brand in 2009.
Monday, January 26, 2015
Australian babies most sleep-deprived: study
This is four hours less than the 12 hours of sleep recommended by child and family health professionals for optimum growth and development.(canvas prints photo on canvas canvas prints australia)
The ‘Golden Sleep Survey', sponsored by nappy brand Pampers in conjunction with Tresillian Family Care Centres, looked at the extent of Australia’s infant sleep deficit and its impact on baby development.
Conducted among 1,000 Australian mums, the survey found mums were unanimous in their belief that sleep is vital for baby’s happiness and ongoing development. The survey reveals infants who have eight or more hours of uninterrupted ‘golden’ sleep each night are significantly more sociable and eager to play, compared to infants who sleep for five or less hours per night, proving sleep is the key to emotional, physical and cognitive development in infants.
According to Professor Cathrine Fowler, Tresillian Chair in Child and Family Health, “Parents know the value of sleep. In fact the survey demonstrated 92% of mums believe sleep is one of the most important things their baby needs to grow and develop, and that their infant is likely to be more responsive throughout the day after a good period of uninterrupted sleep.
However, achieving uninterrupted sleep is not always easy.”
“From my experience, infants who benefit from uninterrupted ‘golden’ sleep embrace each day with a better temperament and mood, setting the tone for a much happier day for everyone” adds Professor Fowler.
Versus a study of over 50,000 mums in Western Europe conducted by Pampers, Australian babies are found to be significantly more sleep deprived. In Western Europe, nearly 75% of infants aged 12-24 months sleep for eight or more uninterrupted hours per night, compared to only 44% of infants in the same age bracket in Australia.
In addition, the survey found parents most often lack sleep because their baby is not sleeping. Seventy-five percent (75%) of mums said lack of sleep was one of the greatest challenges of parenthood, however this increased to 83% of mums whose baby has less than five hours of sleep per night.
Three quarters of Australian mums said having an uninterrupted ‘golden’ night of sleep would be priceless.
Tresillian advice for encouraging babies to sleep for longer uninterrupted periods
1. Have realistic expectations
In the early months of life babies are learning to adapt to their environment whilst developing sleep and feeding patterns. If parents respond sensitively and promptly to their baby’s need for reassurance in these early months, their baby tends to feel more secure and good sleep patterns are more likely to be developed by 3-6 months.
2. Teach your baby how to settle
Learning how to self-settle and go to sleep is a skill babies usually gain during the first year of their life. Like most skills, it takes time and occurs at an individual rate. In the early months of life a baby has a need to be physically connected to their parents. This is a normal state of adjustment, where erratic feeding and sleeping patterns, periods of crying and unsettled behaviour, are common.
3. Look out for the tired signs (or cues)
Tired signs are the individual signals or cues your baby gives to let you know they are getting tired and need to sleep. Responding to your baby’s tired signs (or cues for sleep) promptly prevents your baby becoming overtired or distressed that will requires lots of effort to calm.
4. Understand how much sleep your baby needs
All babies are different which means that some babies will sleep more and some will sleep less. By the end of the first month you can expect your baby to sleep approximately 13-14 hours per day, spread across day and night. Then, as your baby matures the sleep requirement of 13-14 hours remains much the same with the length of time your baby sleeps at night, increasing.
5. Understand that your baby’s sleep cycle is different to adults
Babies are not born with a day/night rhythm. It takes time to develop their 24 hour internal clock that controls the sleep-wake cycle.
From birth, a sleep cycle is about 40 – 60 minutes, with 20 - 30 minutes deep sleep within the cycle. The periods of deep sleep in each cycle and the time to move into deep sleep, increases with age.
6. Set a routine for your baby
Routines are generally structured around three main activities: feed, play and sleep. These are regular events that occur throughout the day. After a feed and/or play (depending on day or night) you may use a range of activities that signal to your baby that bedtime is approaching, helping your baby move to a calm state in preparation for sleep.
7. Wrap your baby
For thousands of years, mothers have swaddled or wrapped their newborns. For some babies the use of a wrap may be helpful. A wrap lessens the baby’s involuntary movements giving a sense of security and promoting a state of calm in preparation for sleep.
8. Settle in arms in the early weeks
Most babies will take time to learn to settle and consistency with your choice of options is important in helping your baby establish good sleep patterns. Prior to any settling option ensure your baby is not hungry and is comfortable (dry nappy, not over or under dressed). Suggestions include:
1. Hold your baby in your arms until they fall asleep
2. Use gentle rhythmic patting, rocking, stroking, talking, or softly singing prior to putting your baby into the cot asleep
9. Use hands-on settling for babies under 6 months
As your baby grows you can progress to hands on settling in a cot.
The length of time it takes to calm your baby will lessen over time.
10. Use comfort settling for babies over 6 months
Comfort settling provides your older baby with reassurance and support while also providing an opportunity for your baby to discover their own way of going to sleep.
12. Crying is part of normal behaviour
Crying is a part of normal behaviour, it’s your babies way of communicatin
The ‘Golden Sleep Survey', sponsored by nappy brand Pampers in conjunction with Tresillian Family Care Centres, looked at the extent of Australia’s infant sleep deficit and its impact on baby development.
Conducted among 1,000 Australian mums, the survey found mums were unanimous in their belief that sleep is vital for baby’s happiness and ongoing development. The survey reveals infants who have eight or more hours of uninterrupted ‘golden’ sleep each night are significantly more sociable and eager to play, compared to infants who sleep for five or less hours per night, proving sleep is the key to emotional, physical and cognitive development in infants.
According to Professor Cathrine Fowler, Tresillian Chair in Child and Family Health, “Parents know the value of sleep. In fact the survey demonstrated 92% of mums believe sleep is one of the most important things their baby needs to grow and develop, and that their infant is likely to be more responsive throughout the day after a good period of uninterrupted sleep.
However, achieving uninterrupted sleep is not always easy.”
“From my experience, infants who benefit from uninterrupted ‘golden’ sleep embrace each day with a better temperament and mood, setting the tone for a much happier day for everyone” adds Professor Fowler.
Versus a study of over 50,000 mums in Western Europe conducted by Pampers, Australian babies are found to be significantly more sleep deprived. In Western Europe, nearly 75% of infants aged 12-24 months sleep for eight or more uninterrupted hours per night, compared to only 44% of infants in the same age bracket in Australia.
In addition, the survey found parents most often lack sleep because their baby is not sleeping. Seventy-five percent (75%) of mums said lack of sleep was one of the greatest challenges of parenthood, however this increased to 83% of mums whose baby has less than five hours of sleep per night.
Three quarters of Australian mums said having an uninterrupted ‘golden’ night of sleep would be priceless.
Tresillian advice for encouraging babies to sleep for longer uninterrupted periods
1. Have realistic expectations
In the early months of life babies are learning to adapt to their environment whilst developing sleep and feeding patterns. If parents respond sensitively and promptly to their baby’s need for reassurance in these early months, their baby tends to feel more secure and good sleep patterns are more likely to be developed by 3-6 months.
2. Teach your baby how to settle
Learning how to self-settle and go to sleep is a skill babies usually gain during the first year of their life. Like most skills, it takes time and occurs at an individual rate. In the early months of life a baby has a need to be physically connected to their parents. This is a normal state of adjustment, where erratic feeding and sleeping patterns, periods of crying and unsettled behaviour, are common.
3. Look out for the tired signs (or cues)
Tired signs are the individual signals or cues your baby gives to let you know they are getting tired and need to sleep. Responding to your baby’s tired signs (or cues for sleep) promptly prevents your baby becoming overtired or distressed that will requires lots of effort to calm.
4. Understand how much sleep your baby needs
All babies are different which means that some babies will sleep more and some will sleep less. By the end of the first month you can expect your baby to sleep approximately 13-14 hours per day, spread across day and night. Then, as your baby matures the sleep requirement of 13-14 hours remains much the same with the length of time your baby sleeps at night, increasing.
5. Understand that your baby’s sleep cycle is different to adults
Babies are not born with a day/night rhythm. It takes time to develop their 24 hour internal clock that controls the sleep-wake cycle.
From birth, a sleep cycle is about 40 – 60 minutes, with 20 - 30 minutes deep sleep within the cycle. The periods of deep sleep in each cycle and the time to move into deep sleep, increases with age.
6. Set a routine for your baby
Routines are generally structured around three main activities: feed, play and sleep. These are regular events that occur throughout the day. After a feed and/or play (depending on day or night) you may use a range of activities that signal to your baby that bedtime is approaching, helping your baby move to a calm state in preparation for sleep.
7. Wrap your baby
For thousands of years, mothers have swaddled or wrapped their newborns. For some babies the use of a wrap may be helpful. A wrap lessens the baby’s involuntary movements giving a sense of security and promoting a state of calm in preparation for sleep.
8. Settle in arms in the early weeks
Most babies will take time to learn to settle and consistency with your choice of options is important in helping your baby establish good sleep patterns. Prior to any settling option ensure your baby is not hungry and is comfortable (dry nappy, not over or under dressed). Suggestions include:
1. Hold your baby in your arms until they fall asleep
2. Use gentle rhythmic patting, rocking, stroking, talking, or softly singing prior to putting your baby into the cot asleep
9. Use hands-on settling for babies under 6 months
As your baby grows you can progress to hands on settling in a cot.
The length of time it takes to calm your baby will lessen over time.
10. Use comfort settling for babies over 6 months
Comfort settling provides your older baby with reassurance and support while also providing an opportunity for your baby to discover their own way of going to sleep.
12. Crying is part of normal behaviour
Crying is a part of normal behaviour, it’s your babies way of communicatin
When Grandma won't follow your sleep routine
Q: We find it hard to get into a routine as we have our baby minded by his grandmothers 2 days a week who rock him to sleep and leave him napping on their lap? Is this the reason he is not self settling for us?(canvas prints photo on canvas canvas prints online)
A. Firstly how wonderful to have two grandmothers caring for your baby every week and no doubt showering him with love and cuddles! I can imagine that all they want to do is hold him forever and savour every moment when it’s just the two of them!
A good rule to follow is to keep in mind the “feed, play, sleep” strategy
I am not sure what age your baby is but in my experience consistency is a key factor in establishing a workable routine for you and baby and guiding/teaching him to settle himself. So I would encourage you to have a chat to both grandmothers and explain how important it is that they try to implement the same routine that you and your son have at home. You could explain that if there is consistency in his care and routine then he will be a happy contented baby. He will be less likely to become over tired and grumpy and maybe even a bit confused from one day to the next. This is especially important at the end of the day when you may be trying to prepare dinner, bath and feed baby to put him down for the night and be energised enough to spend time with your partner!
So a good rule to follow is to keep in mind the “feed, play, sleep” strategy which works so well in my experience particularly for babies under six months. So when he wakes from his sleep (no cat napping I hope!) he should be given a breast or bottle feed generally within 15 minutes or so, after a nappy change and a cuddle and chat. Then some “play” or just awake time, and there are guidelines for this relevant to their age. But soon enough you will be able to read the “tired” signs, and they can vary with each little baby. There could be one or several indications, from yawning and rubbing his eyes to jerky movements with their arms and legs, staring into space or just getting grisly and cross….then it is off to bed! And try to keep the same routine for bed time, so eventually baby will understand this part of his daily routine and resist less and less. As babies work towards their much needed hours of sleep in a 24 hour period they will become happier, more relaxed and will be less resistant to self-settling in their cot.
I understand that when your baby is being cared for by his grandmothers that the environment changes for him. But if the "going to bed" routine remains the same ie wrapping, blinds/curtains down, quietly talking to him to soothe him and then tucking him firmly into his bed, then he should start to improve his ability to self-settle. If the situation is starting to get a little out of control, then I would be happy to assist you with some added support and education.
I hope this advice has helped you, I know this chat with your family won’t be an easy one. It is important though for everyone who loves and cares for your baby, that some simple guidelines be implemented. Then everyone will be enjoying your new arrival, including you and your partner!
A. Firstly how wonderful to have two grandmothers caring for your baby every week and no doubt showering him with love and cuddles! I can imagine that all they want to do is hold him forever and savour every moment when it’s just the two of them!
A good rule to follow is to keep in mind the “feed, play, sleep” strategy
I am not sure what age your baby is but in my experience consistency is a key factor in establishing a workable routine for you and baby and guiding/teaching him to settle himself. So I would encourage you to have a chat to both grandmothers and explain how important it is that they try to implement the same routine that you and your son have at home. You could explain that if there is consistency in his care and routine then he will be a happy contented baby. He will be less likely to become over tired and grumpy and maybe even a bit confused from one day to the next. This is especially important at the end of the day when you may be trying to prepare dinner, bath and feed baby to put him down for the night and be energised enough to spend time with your partner!
So a good rule to follow is to keep in mind the “feed, play, sleep” strategy which works so well in my experience particularly for babies under six months. So when he wakes from his sleep (no cat napping I hope!) he should be given a breast or bottle feed generally within 15 minutes or so, after a nappy change and a cuddle and chat. Then some “play” or just awake time, and there are guidelines for this relevant to their age. But soon enough you will be able to read the “tired” signs, and they can vary with each little baby. There could be one or several indications, from yawning and rubbing his eyes to jerky movements with their arms and legs, staring into space or just getting grisly and cross….then it is off to bed! And try to keep the same routine for bed time, so eventually baby will understand this part of his daily routine and resist less and less. As babies work towards their much needed hours of sleep in a 24 hour period they will become happier, more relaxed and will be less resistant to self-settling in their cot.
I understand that when your baby is being cared for by his grandmothers that the environment changes for him. But if the "going to bed" routine remains the same ie wrapping, blinds/curtains down, quietly talking to him to soothe him and then tucking him firmly into his bed, then he should start to improve his ability to self-settle. If the situation is starting to get a little out of control, then I would be happy to assist you with some added support and education.
I hope this advice has helped you, I know this chat with your family won’t be an easy one. It is important though for everyone who loves and cares for your baby, that some simple guidelines be implemented. Then everyone will be enjoying your new arrival, including you and your partner!
Sunday, January 25, 2015
Advice against co-sleeping 'too simplistic', says expert
The American Academy of Pediatrics flatly recommends against it, because of the risk that co-sleeping could result in a baby's suffocation. Since 2005, the academy has recommended "room-sharing without bed-sharing"; that means using a crib or bassinet near the parents' bed.(canvas prints photo on canvas canvas prints australia)
Similarly, here in Australia, SIDS and Kids guidelines state: "Sleep baby in its own safe sleeping environment next to the parent’s bed for the first six to twelve months of life."
But many mothers and fathers ignore that advice, as studies show that the majority of parents sleep with their babies at least some of the time.
Anthropologist James McKenna, author of the book Sleeping With Baby, is head of the Mother-Baby Behavioral Sleep Laboratory at the University of Notre Dame. He argues that safe bed-sharing can and does occur, and that the recommendation of the pediatrics academy is too simplistic.
He said medical professionals have "isolated themselves from what parents are doing", and that they don't provide them with information they need to sleep with their babies safely. Parents, knowing their doctors would disapprove, may actually claim they don't sleep together because the baby begins the night in the crib; what they may not say is that the baby often ends up in the adult bed by morning.
"I advocate bed-sharing for informed parents that feel they are able to create the safest bed-sharing environment for their baby, which begins with breastfeeding," he said. "It is much less likely that breastfeeding mothers will ever roll over on their infants (because) they sleep lighter, and both mother and baby are conditioned to be more sensitive."
Mothers and babies often share beds in other cultures, but one of the differences is that they're often sleeping on the ground or on mats on the floor. They don't use all the fluffy blankets and pillows that have become a tradition in most western cultures, where extra, soft bedding can cover the baby's face and obstruct breathing.
McKenna was an adviser to the pediatrics academy's task force, and he voted against the recommendation against bed-sharing. But he and the other academy members agree that babies are safest if they sleep close to parents. Studies show that room-sharing is associated with a reduced risk of sudden infant death syndrome, the unexplained death of infants in the first year of life.
The academy's recommendation was also aimed at avoiding the many tragic cases of babies who suffocate while sleeping on a couch or recliner with parents who may be drunk or simply exhausted.
McKenna agrees that babies shouldn't sleep in those dangerous circumstances. But he said prevailing public health messages incorrectly imply that all co-sleeping is dangerous.
"I don't like the rhetoric," McKenna said. "The worst thing (is that) parents are being taught that they have nothing to say in decisions about their own babies."
Similarly, here in Australia, SIDS and Kids guidelines state: "Sleep baby in its own safe sleeping environment next to the parent’s bed for the first six to twelve months of life."
But many mothers and fathers ignore that advice, as studies show that the majority of parents sleep with their babies at least some of the time.
Anthropologist James McKenna, author of the book Sleeping With Baby, is head of the Mother-Baby Behavioral Sleep Laboratory at the University of Notre Dame. He argues that safe bed-sharing can and does occur, and that the recommendation of the pediatrics academy is too simplistic.
He said medical professionals have "isolated themselves from what parents are doing", and that they don't provide them with information they need to sleep with their babies safely. Parents, knowing their doctors would disapprove, may actually claim they don't sleep together because the baby begins the night in the crib; what they may not say is that the baby often ends up in the adult bed by morning.
"I advocate bed-sharing for informed parents that feel they are able to create the safest bed-sharing environment for their baby, which begins with breastfeeding," he said. "It is much less likely that breastfeeding mothers will ever roll over on their infants (because) they sleep lighter, and both mother and baby are conditioned to be more sensitive."
Mothers and babies often share beds in other cultures, but one of the differences is that they're often sleeping on the ground or on mats on the floor. They don't use all the fluffy blankets and pillows that have become a tradition in most western cultures, where extra, soft bedding can cover the baby's face and obstruct breathing.
McKenna was an adviser to the pediatrics academy's task force, and he voted against the recommendation against bed-sharing. But he and the other academy members agree that babies are safest if they sleep close to parents. Studies show that room-sharing is associated with a reduced risk of sudden infant death syndrome, the unexplained death of infants in the first year of life.
The academy's recommendation was also aimed at avoiding the many tragic cases of babies who suffocate while sleeping on a couch or recliner with parents who may be drunk or simply exhausted.
McKenna agrees that babies shouldn't sleep in those dangerous circumstances. But he said prevailing public health messages incorrectly imply that all co-sleeping is dangerous.
"I don't like the rhetoric," McKenna said. "The worst thing (is that) parents are being taught that they have nothing to say in decisions about their own babies."
Broken sleep as bad as no sleep at all
Sometimes science quantifies something many of us know to be true. So listen up, new parents: Waking up repeatedly to care for a little one isn't good for your moods and your ability to attend to tasks, and it's just as bad as not sleeping much at all.(canvas prints photo on canvas canvas prints online)
So if you get up in the morning feeling more exhausted than when you went to bed, you've got research on your side.
Researchers at Tel Aviv University, in Israel, tracked 58 young adults in two groups: those who got four hours of sleep and those who got eight but had that sleep repeatedly interrupted by tasks of at least 10 minutes - not unlike waking to feed or soothe an infant, or dealing with work during an on-call shift.
"Vast proportions of the population experience night wakings regularly due to occupational demands, environmental circumstances or the very common parental need to tend to a child during the night," the researchers wrote recently in the journal Sleep Medicine. They cited a study of nearly 30,000 parents in 11 countries that showed about a quarter wake up twice a night with their children up to age three, and an additional 19.5 per cent reported an average of three or more night wakings.
Such interruptions "disrupt the natural sleep rhythm. The impact of such night wakings on an individual's daytime alertness, mood and cognitive abilities had never been studied," Avi Sadeh, a professor at the university's School of Psychological Sciences said in a statement. Sadeh directs a sleep clinic at the university. "Our study demonstrates that induced night wakings, in otherwise normal individuals, clearly lead to compromised attention and negative mood."
The research is important because many people don't realise how their interrupted sleep affects them, said Vonda Dennis, owner of the Stork Stops Here, a Los Angeles company that offers home services for prenatal and postpartum care, primarily sleep issues.
"Whatever they're already dealing with is going to be exacerbated," Dennis said by phone; she is not connected to the study. She cited one mother "who couldn't make a decision on salad dressing without bursting into tears" and a surgeon parent whom she had to remind that going to work sleep-deprived could be dangerous.
Dennis said she helps parents to settle the infant on a schedule as early as possible.
Sadeh and colleagues monitored sleep of volunteers in their homes. The participants wore wristwatch-style devices that could detect sleep and wakefulness. They also completed questionnaires before going to bed and in the morning. Everyone slept one eight-hour night.
Then, those in one group went to bed for eight hours but were awakened four times by telephone and told to complete a 10-to-15-minute computer task before returning to bed. In the other group, participants went to bed for four hours. The effects were assessed with various performance and mood tests.
The interrupted sleep "leads to significant negative effects on mood and sustained attention, which are indistinguishable from those results from sleep restriction of four hours per night," the researchers wrote.
This area of research, the authors said, is new, and additional work is needed to look at spontaneous versus induced awakenings and other issues.
So if you get up in the morning feeling more exhausted than when you went to bed, you've got research on your side.
Researchers at Tel Aviv University, in Israel, tracked 58 young adults in two groups: those who got four hours of sleep and those who got eight but had that sleep repeatedly interrupted by tasks of at least 10 minutes - not unlike waking to feed or soothe an infant, or dealing with work during an on-call shift.
"Vast proportions of the population experience night wakings regularly due to occupational demands, environmental circumstances or the very common parental need to tend to a child during the night," the researchers wrote recently in the journal Sleep Medicine. They cited a study of nearly 30,000 parents in 11 countries that showed about a quarter wake up twice a night with their children up to age three, and an additional 19.5 per cent reported an average of three or more night wakings.
Such interruptions "disrupt the natural sleep rhythm. The impact of such night wakings on an individual's daytime alertness, mood and cognitive abilities had never been studied," Avi Sadeh, a professor at the university's School of Psychological Sciences said in a statement. Sadeh directs a sleep clinic at the university. "Our study demonstrates that induced night wakings, in otherwise normal individuals, clearly lead to compromised attention and negative mood."
The research is important because many people don't realise how their interrupted sleep affects them, said Vonda Dennis, owner of the Stork Stops Here, a Los Angeles company that offers home services for prenatal and postpartum care, primarily sleep issues.
"Whatever they're already dealing with is going to be exacerbated," Dennis said by phone; she is not connected to the study. She cited one mother "who couldn't make a decision on salad dressing without bursting into tears" and a surgeon parent whom she had to remind that going to work sleep-deprived could be dangerous.
Dennis said she helps parents to settle the infant on a schedule as early as possible.
Sadeh and colleagues monitored sleep of volunteers in their homes. The participants wore wristwatch-style devices that could detect sleep and wakefulness. They also completed questionnaires before going to bed and in the morning. Everyone slept one eight-hour night.
Then, those in one group went to bed for eight hours but were awakened four times by telephone and told to complete a 10-to-15-minute computer task before returning to bed. In the other group, participants went to bed for four hours. The effects were assessed with various performance and mood tests.
The interrupted sleep "leads to significant negative effects on mood and sustained attention, which are indistinguishable from those results from sleep restriction of four hours per night," the researchers wrote.
This area of research, the authors said, is new, and additional work is needed to look at spontaneous versus induced awakenings and other issues.
Friday, January 23, 2015
Meet the baby whisperers who shun 'crying it out'
For parents with nocturnal babies, the advice of a "baby whisperer" or "sleep trainer" can be extremely divisive.(canvas prints photo on canvas canvas prints australia)
Tizzie Hall, author of Save Our Sleep, for example, has sold thousands of books, and no doubt has just as many satisfied customers. However, her sleep training methods and philosophy also attract a great deal of criticism and there are entire communities of mothers who oppose her.
But while many mums associate the words "baby whisperer" with controversial sleep training methods such as "cry it out" (CIO) or "controlled crying" (CC), many of these experts shun the "tough love" sleep training methods all together.
Sleep consultant Anita Vitanova runs the Baby Academy in Sydney and has been helping families with their babies sleep for the last 12 years. She is passionate about supporting new mums and dads transition into their new roles as parents. “It’s a pretty special job,” she says.
While Vitanova is clear that she does not judge parents that do choose CIO or CC, they are not methods that she endorses for her clients. “I believe that many sleep problems can be solved by making changes in the daytime routine, diet, activities, environment without resorting to leaving a baby to cry,” she says.
Vitanova says she finds the idea of CIO and CC upsetting. “Imagine if you were a baby and had all the comfort of having your mummy next to you, being fed whenever you requested, comforted whenever you needed it to then being left by yourself to cry and no one responding to your needs,” she says.
Instead Vitanova uses the gentler “gradual withdrawal” method, which she acknowledges does take some time. “Every baby will change their sleep habits at a different pace. If it took them four, eight or 12 months of falling asleep one way, it will take longer than one night for your baby to learn how to fall asleep in a different way,” she explains.
Sleep consultant and naturopath Emma Sunderland of Calm Bubba says that she believes that CIO puts the babies emotional wellbeing into jeopardy. “Babies are hard wired to require close contact, to be constantly reassured and nurtured,” she says.
“Being left alone in a state of high stress is not conducive to optimal neurological development and teaches the baby that switching off their emotions is the only way to get through,” she explains.
Sunderland says that when it comes to educating parents about the potential risks of CIO she asks them to put themselves in the babies’ shoes. “Babies do not manipulate, they are responding to their biological needs. All babies can protest cry, but if it escalates into a scared cry then it’s time to go in and respond with reassurance,” she explains.
However, having been “pushed to the limits” by sleep deprivation with her own daughter, Sunderland says that she can understand the “absolute desperation” that drives some parents to opt for CIO.
Sunderland’s sleep training techniques vary from baby to baby as she says that they all have individual needs that need to be addressed. Some of the basics include ensuring that the sleep strategy is age appropriate and checking that the right foundations are in place.
For example, Sunderland says that environmental factors such as temperature, light levels and exposure to toxins should be considered. “Often you see marked improvement in sleeping when you have taken a week or two to improve these foundational elements,” she says.
Helen Stevens, a registered nurse, midwife and maternal and child health nurse, says she has had a complete change of heart with regards to CIO and CC.
“I was trained in CC and had told many families how to do it from my office desk. But I had never been with a child, nor had I felt the gut wrenching experience of hearing a baby screaming and not being 'allowed' to respond or offer comfort,” she explains.
After experiencing CC first hand, Stevens decided that she didn’t want to continue with her role as a maternal and child health nurse because she didn’t want to keep endorsing CC to sleep deprived parents. She is now the director of Safe Sleep Space.
While Stevens does not condemn those that have chosen to use CC (that would be “pointless”, she says) she does try and educate parents about the alternatives.
Stevens notes there are no circumstances in which she would now recommend CC or CIO. Instead, she encourages parents to interpret cries and behaviors as the sign that the baby has a need that has to be met.
“There was a time that CC was my default position because I knew it worked,” she says. “But now all our work is based on responding to the cues and behaviors of the infant, thus refining the parents ability to connect with their infant or child.
“This connectedness is the foundation for relationships throughout life and are at their most active in terms of development in the early years of life, especially the first year.”
Tizzie Hall, author of Save Our Sleep, for example, has sold thousands of books, and no doubt has just as many satisfied customers. However, her sleep training methods and philosophy also attract a great deal of criticism and there are entire communities of mothers who oppose her.
But while many mums associate the words "baby whisperer" with controversial sleep training methods such as "cry it out" (CIO) or "controlled crying" (CC), many of these experts shun the "tough love" sleep training methods all together.
Sleep consultant Anita Vitanova runs the Baby Academy in Sydney and has been helping families with their babies sleep for the last 12 years. She is passionate about supporting new mums and dads transition into their new roles as parents. “It’s a pretty special job,” she says.
While Vitanova is clear that she does not judge parents that do choose CIO or CC, they are not methods that she endorses for her clients. “I believe that many sleep problems can be solved by making changes in the daytime routine, diet, activities, environment without resorting to leaving a baby to cry,” she says.
Vitanova says she finds the idea of CIO and CC upsetting. “Imagine if you were a baby and had all the comfort of having your mummy next to you, being fed whenever you requested, comforted whenever you needed it to then being left by yourself to cry and no one responding to your needs,” she says.
Instead Vitanova uses the gentler “gradual withdrawal” method, which she acknowledges does take some time. “Every baby will change their sleep habits at a different pace. If it took them four, eight or 12 months of falling asleep one way, it will take longer than one night for your baby to learn how to fall asleep in a different way,” she explains.
Sleep consultant and naturopath Emma Sunderland of Calm Bubba says that she believes that CIO puts the babies emotional wellbeing into jeopardy. “Babies are hard wired to require close contact, to be constantly reassured and nurtured,” she says.
“Being left alone in a state of high stress is not conducive to optimal neurological development and teaches the baby that switching off their emotions is the only way to get through,” she explains.
Sunderland says that when it comes to educating parents about the potential risks of CIO she asks them to put themselves in the babies’ shoes. “Babies do not manipulate, they are responding to their biological needs. All babies can protest cry, but if it escalates into a scared cry then it’s time to go in and respond with reassurance,” she explains.
However, having been “pushed to the limits” by sleep deprivation with her own daughter, Sunderland says that she can understand the “absolute desperation” that drives some parents to opt for CIO.
Sunderland’s sleep training techniques vary from baby to baby as she says that they all have individual needs that need to be addressed. Some of the basics include ensuring that the sleep strategy is age appropriate and checking that the right foundations are in place.
For example, Sunderland says that environmental factors such as temperature, light levels and exposure to toxins should be considered. “Often you see marked improvement in sleeping when you have taken a week or two to improve these foundational elements,” she says.
Helen Stevens, a registered nurse, midwife and maternal and child health nurse, says she has had a complete change of heart with regards to CIO and CC.
“I was trained in CC and had told many families how to do it from my office desk. But I had never been with a child, nor had I felt the gut wrenching experience of hearing a baby screaming and not being 'allowed' to respond or offer comfort,” she explains.
After experiencing CC first hand, Stevens decided that she didn’t want to continue with her role as a maternal and child health nurse because she didn’t want to keep endorsing CC to sleep deprived parents. She is now the director of Safe Sleep Space.
While Stevens does not condemn those that have chosen to use CC (that would be “pointless”, she says) she does try and educate parents about the alternatives.
Stevens notes there are no circumstances in which she would now recommend CC or CIO. Instead, she encourages parents to interpret cries and behaviors as the sign that the baby has a need that has to be met.
“There was a time that CC was my default position because I knew it worked,” she says. “But now all our work is based on responding to the cues and behaviors of the infant, thus refining the parents ability to connect with their infant or child.
“This connectedness is the foundation for relationships throughout life and are at their most active in terms of development in the early years of life, especially the first year.”
Grieving parents hope inquest will stop more deaths in childcare
The parents of a five-month-old who died on her first day at a home daycare hope the findings of an inquest will help prevent other families suffering the same heartbreak they've experienced.(canvas prints photo on canvas canvas prints online)
Emma Hicks dropped her baby daughter Indianna off at the home of Tracey Cross, who provided services for the Sunshine Coast Family Day Care Scheme, on the morning of July 20, 2012.
After putting Indianna down for a nap that afternoon, Ms Cross returned to find her laying face down and pale.
Indianna and her brother Lachlan.
Attempts to resuscitate her failed and she was pronounced dead a short time later at Caloundra Hospital.
Ms Cross told the inquest that she thought she had been responsible for the death, only hearing about a sudden infant death syndrome verdict months later.
"I thought I must have wrapped her wrong or suffocated her or something and I blamed myself," she told the inquest.
Sobbing, she told the court that she hadn't known how to break the news to Ms Hicks when she arrived to pick up her daughter and her son from the daycare.
"I apologise to no end that we didn't get to Emma in time," she said.
"I knew Emma was going to turn up and I was worried about who was going to tell her. I knew I was in no position [to]."
After a two-day inquest concluded on Tuesday, deputy state coroner John Lock said he would hand down his findings on December 12.
He will look at the circumstances leading to Indianna's death, best sleeping practices for children aged three to six months, and how similar deaths could be prevented.
Outside court, Indianna's father Derek Hicks said he didn't want his daughter's death to be in vain.
"This inquest has identified problems that exist in regards to inconsistent and non-existent policies around safe sleeping practices - particularly among the childcare and family daycare industry," Mr Hicks told reporters.
"Nothing will bring our beautiful daughter back."
However, Mr Hicks said through such a tragedy, changes might be made to reduce the risk and stop "this happening to another family".
Although Ms Cross was qualified, the inquest heard no formal qualifications were required at the time of Indianna's death for carers in her role.
It also highlighted inconsistencies in advice for parents in regards to how to wrap sleeping children and the use of teething necklaces while sleeping.
Although Indianna's death was determined to have been due to sudden infant death syndrome, her family has called on Mr Lock to rule her cause of death as "unknown".
The family also called for a working group of key stakeholders, including families such as themselves, childcare professionals and medical experts, to help develop uniform policies and guidelines for daycare workers to adhere to.
Emma Hicks dropped her baby daughter Indianna off at the home of Tracey Cross, who provided services for the Sunshine Coast Family Day Care Scheme, on the morning of July 20, 2012.
After putting Indianna down for a nap that afternoon, Ms Cross returned to find her laying face down and pale.
Indianna and her brother Lachlan.
Attempts to resuscitate her failed and she was pronounced dead a short time later at Caloundra Hospital.
Ms Cross told the inquest that she thought she had been responsible for the death, only hearing about a sudden infant death syndrome verdict months later.
"I thought I must have wrapped her wrong or suffocated her or something and I blamed myself," she told the inquest.
Sobbing, she told the court that she hadn't known how to break the news to Ms Hicks when she arrived to pick up her daughter and her son from the daycare.
"I apologise to no end that we didn't get to Emma in time," she said.
"I knew Emma was going to turn up and I was worried about who was going to tell her. I knew I was in no position [to]."
After a two-day inquest concluded on Tuesday, deputy state coroner John Lock said he would hand down his findings on December 12.
He will look at the circumstances leading to Indianna's death, best sleeping practices for children aged three to six months, and how similar deaths could be prevented.
Outside court, Indianna's father Derek Hicks said he didn't want his daughter's death to be in vain.
"This inquest has identified problems that exist in regards to inconsistent and non-existent policies around safe sleeping practices - particularly among the childcare and family daycare industry," Mr Hicks told reporters.
"Nothing will bring our beautiful daughter back."
However, Mr Hicks said through such a tragedy, changes might be made to reduce the risk and stop "this happening to another family".
Although Ms Cross was qualified, the inquest heard no formal qualifications were required at the time of Indianna's death for carers in her role.
It also highlighted inconsistencies in advice for parents in regards to how to wrap sleeping children and the use of teething necklaces while sleeping.
Although Indianna's death was determined to have been due to sudden infant death syndrome, her family has called on Mr Lock to rule her cause of death as "unknown".
The family also called for a working group of key stakeholders, including families such as themselves, childcare professionals and medical experts, to help develop uniform policies and guidelines for daycare workers to adhere to.
Thursday, January 22, 2015
Breastfeeding mum told off by elderly man in Speedos
A Sunshine Coast mum who was breastfeeding in public for the first time was reduced to tears after a stranger told her that what she was doing was "disgusting".(canvas prints photo on canvas canvas prints australia)
Jess Eva was feeding her 13-day-old son, Fred, on the Mooloolaba Esplanade on Monday when she was approached by an elderly man wearing Speedos.
He stood in front of the breastfeeding mother, who had her son covered with a cloth, and pointed at her.
"He shook his finger and said, 'that's disgusting, that's disgusting. Go home you little girl, go home'," Ms Eva said.
"I apologised and stopped feeding. But I wish I didn't. Not at all."
Ms Eva, on maternity leave from her role as breakfast co-host on 91.9 Sea FM, said the encounter had just thrown fuel on the doubt she already had on herself being a first time mum.
"His reaction made me doubt everything again. I was made to be felt about an inch tall," said the mum of one, who says she was suffering the 'baby blues' when it happened.
"If it had happened in a couple of months I would have shrugged it off, but being my first time in public I was already nervous about it.
"I wish I stood up in some way. It's just justifying his opinion."
Yesterday was her first time back out in public since the incident.
She fed Fred with a bottle, saying she didn't have the confidence to breastfeed in public again yet.
"I'm not going to let him stop me," she said.
"The more mothers doing it, the more accepted it will be in the long term. If we keep going and doing it, it will be accepted."
The experience was detailed on the Sea FM blog earlier this week.
Since then, mothers in similar situations have reached out to her.
"It turned into a nice support network. I've found other mothers have experienced the same thing," Ms Eva said.
"We're not alone. There are a lot of new mums on the Coast, and they're great people."
Australian Breastfeeding Association Queensland spokeswoman Dr Maya Griffiths said some people saw breasts as a sexualised object and had difficulty viewing them for any other purpose.
"It's just disappointing some members of public have such a narrow and old way of thinking," she said.
"We don't tell adults to go home when they're hungry."
Jess Eva was feeding her 13-day-old son, Fred, on the Mooloolaba Esplanade on Monday when she was approached by an elderly man wearing Speedos.
He stood in front of the breastfeeding mother, who had her son covered with a cloth, and pointed at her.
"He shook his finger and said, 'that's disgusting, that's disgusting. Go home you little girl, go home'," Ms Eva said.
"I apologised and stopped feeding. But I wish I didn't. Not at all."
Ms Eva, on maternity leave from her role as breakfast co-host on 91.9 Sea FM, said the encounter had just thrown fuel on the doubt she already had on herself being a first time mum.
"His reaction made me doubt everything again. I was made to be felt about an inch tall," said the mum of one, who says she was suffering the 'baby blues' when it happened.
"If it had happened in a couple of months I would have shrugged it off, but being my first time in public I was already nervous about it.
"I wish I stood up in some way. It's just justifying his opinion."
Yesterday was her first time back out in public since the incident.
She fed Fred with a bottle, saying she didn't have the confidence to breastfeed in public again yet.
"I'm not going to let him stop me," she said.
"The more mothers doing it, the more accepted it will be in the long term. If we keep going and doing it, it will be accepted."
The experience was detailed on the Sea FM blog earlier this week.
Since then, mothers in similar situations have reached out to her.
"It turned into a nice support network. I've found other mothers have experienced the same thing," Ms Eva said.
"We're not alone. There are a lot of new mums on the Coast, and they're great people."
Australian Breastfeeding Association Queensland spokeswoman Dr Maya Griffiths said some people saw breasts as a sexualised object and had difficulty viewing them for any other purpose.
"It's just disappointing some members of public have such a narrow and old way of thinking," she said.
"We don't tell adults to go home when they're hungry."
Mum with 'insane' pumping skills breaks world record
She may have had a hard time breastfeeding her own four kids, but Amelia Boomker has helped feed thousands of other people’s babies.(canvas prints photo on canvas canvas prints online)
Between 2008 and 2013, the mum from Bolingbrook, Illinois, donated almost 483 litres of breast milk to the Indiana Mothers' Milk Bank in Indianapolis – enough for her to recently take out the Guinness World Record for breast milk donation.
Boomker said she’s proud she’s been able produce plenty of milk for both her own children and those of strangers.
“We joke that there was probably a wet nurse somewhere in the family tree,” the 36-year-old told TODAY.com.
The donated milk is pasteurised and then given to babies in hospitals in and around Illinois, with premature and ill infants in neonatal intensive care units getting priority treatment.
Boomker has donated enough milk to fill 4000 milk bottles - the equivalent of 241 2-litre bottles, or 2047 coffee cups - which have helped feed thousands of babies, said Carissa Hawkins, spokesperson for the Indiana Mothers' Milk Bank.
“It just so happens that Amelia … has some pumping skills,” Hawkins said. “It’s just insane.”
But all that milk doesn’t mean that breastfeeding was an easy act for Boomker and her four children, according to Today Moms.
Her eldest child, Danny, now 9, was born with a heart condition and had to be tube-fed. It meant Boomker spent a lot of time in the hospital’s lactation room pumping milk for her sick son.
Next, her son Liam, 6, had a high palate and couldn’t latch, while Ryan, 4, never took to breastfeeding. Connor, 18 months old, was only able to do it for a few weeks, but she continues to express three times a day for him.
But Boomker persevered, continuing to pump and donating any excess milk to the local bank – in fact, before breaking the current record she had donated 207 litres to another milk bank.
The IT worker says that consistency is the key to successful pumping, and she’s grateful that her employer is understanding and flexible about her activities, as she pumps in a lactation room on site a few times a day.
Boomker plans to continue donating, and hopes that other mums are encouraged by her story.
“I hope that the record continues to get beaten because frankly that means much more milk is getting donated,” she said.
Between 2008 and 2013, the mum from Bolingbrook, Illinois, donated almost 483 litres of breast milk to the Indiana Mothers' Milk Bank in Indianapolis – enough for her to recently take out the Guinness World Record for breast milk donation.
Boomker said she’s proud she’s been able produce plenty of milk for both her own children and those of strangers.
“We joke that there was probably a wet nurse somewhere in the family tree,” the 36-year-old told TODAY.com.
The donated milk is pasteurised and then given to babies in hospitals in and around Illinois, with premature and ill infants in neonatal intensive care units getting priority treatment.
Boomker has donated enough milk to fill 4000 milk bottles - the equivalent of 241 2-litre bottles, or 2047 coffee cups - which have helped feed thousands of babies, said Carissa Hawkins, spokesperson for the Indiana Mothers' Milk Bank.
“It just so happens that Amelia … has some pumping skills,” Hawkins said. “It’s just insane.”
But all that milk doesn’t mean that breastfeeding was an easy act for Boomker and her four children, according to Today Moms.
Her eldest child, Danny, now 9, was born with a heart condition and had to be tube-fed. It meant Boomker spent a lot of time in the hospital’s lactation room pumping milk for her sick son.
Next, her son Liam, 6, had a high palate and couldn’t latch, while Ryan, 4, never took to breastfeeding. Connor, 18 months old, was only able to do it for a few weeks, but she continues to express three times a day for him.
But Boomker persevered, continuing to pump and donating any excess milk to the local bank – in fact, before breaking the current record she had donated 207 litres to another milk bank.
The IT worker says that consistency is the key to successful pumping, and she’s grateful that her employer is understanding and flexible about her activities, as she pumps in a lactation room on site a few times a day.
Boomker plans to continue donating, and hopes that other mums are encouraged by her story.
“I hope that the record continues to get beaten because frankly that means much more milk is getting donated,” she said.
Wednesday, January 21, 2015
Baby's first month: development, medical and sleep
Congratulations you have a brand new addition to your family! Whether it is your first or fifth plenty of Mums can't remember exactly what's it's like to have newborn (blame the comb of sleep deprivation and pregnancy brain!), so find out about baby's first month on Essential Baby.(photo on canvas Acrylic canvas printing)
Many skills babies learn in the first year can be learnt only if there is an opportunity to practice when lying on their tummy. So allowing your baby to lie on her stomach during playtime is very important for this. But because babies breathe only centimetres from the ground make sure your baby is on a clean, safe surface, such as a blanket placed on carpet. She will start to uncurl from the foetal position and lift her head when in this position as she learns balance.
You may also hear them breathing rapidly, shallowly and irregularly, which is normal as you baby is still developing breathing control.
Development
Newborn babies are born with a number of inherent, fundamental reflexes that are vital for survival. These include the sucking reflex, the swallowing reflex and the gagging reflex that prevents him from taking too much liquid and the labyrinthine reflex, where a baby that lies on his stomach will automatically turn his head, instead of just lying with his head down.
At this age babies can also move their head from side to side, bring their hands to their face, respond to familiar voices, blink at lights, extend their arms to grab hold of you and grip tightly with their fingers.
But your baby will still learn several important things in the first month. Your newborn's eyesight is still developing and as he learns to focus on objects in front of him, he may cross their eyes but this is typical. A one month old baby is short sighted, and focuses best on objects that are between 20 and 35 centimetres away to the left or the right rather than straight ahead, and will switch between attentiveness and vacant staring. Objects that are closer or farther away than this will appear blurry, although shiny, contrasting colours or moving objects will catch her eye. One month old babies are also fascinated by faces that are placed within their focus, even their own reflection in a mirror, and sometimes can tell the difference between a face and an object. Mirrors, mobiles and activity boards are all suitable for this reason. Taste and touch are two senses that develop quickly after birth, with babies being sensitive to both these things, while their sense of smell is less developed.
Babies often strain to listen carefully to sounds, without moving their heads. They may become irritated when they can’t switch off from a sound, and this is known as sensory overload or sensory fatigue. By comforting your baby immediately when she begins to cry in the first month, you will not be spoiling her or creating bad habits for the future – you are responding to her needs and giving her a sense of security. Babies harness their understanding of how you respond to their different cries in later months but are still crying instinctually at this point rather than deliberately trying to communicate.
Feeding
If your baby isn’t thriving on your breast milk alone (gaining approximately three to five kilograms amount of weight within a month and growing to 50-60cm within the first month) formula is usually suggested.
A baby who is feeding properly should produce at least 8-12 wet nappies each day. Posseting is not a sign of failure to thrive unless it is attached to low weight gain, contains blood or is projectile. In that instance see your doctor.
Medical
Shortly after birth babies may have discoloured or scaly skin with red or pink blotchy patches and their skull may appear misshapen and their eyes puffy but this will subside over the next few weeks.
Bathing is important in order to keep the stump near the belly button, clean and free of infection.
Possetting is also common from the first month, which is when babies regurgitate milk in small quantities either because they have been overfed or when the baby gulps in air while feeding and releases partially digested milk when their stomach contract. Most babies outgrow this between six and twelve months but you can avoid this by keeping your baby still during and after a feed and by remembering to burp him during a feed as well as afterwards. Continual possetting may be related to reflux which isn’t serious but does require medical intervention.
Soft bowel movements are another good indication of your baby’s health. Five or more movements every day are normal initially and progressively lessen as time goes on. Diarrhoea can be distinguished by smell and in conjunction with other symptoms such as fever. Constipation can be distinguished by hard, infrequent stools. Babies often pull faces when passing stools so don’t be concerned about this but if you are in any doubt about your baby’s health talk to your doctor.
Sleep
Newborn babies are not able to fall into a perfect slumber. Infant behaviour can be categorised into six states of consciousness: quiet alert, active alert, crying, drowsiness, quiet sleep and active sleep. The long periods of sleep are assisting with development and as they grow, babies will be able to stay awake for longer periods. But at this time, most babies are only alert for 2-3 hours per day. But you should use this time to catch up on your own sleep!
A newborn’s sleep is quite restless, and he will probably make facial expressions and move a lot. Newborns wake up often during sleep because much of their sleep is REM sleep, which is active sleep and if they sleep in the same room with you, you will hear them stir, twitch and grunt. You may also hear them breathing rapidly, shallowly and irregularly, which is normal as you baby is still developing breathing control.
Babies sleep for an average of 16 and a half hours each day in the first month, but this can vary between 14 and 22 hours, usually for one to three hours intervals, regardless of the time of day because they cannot distinguish between day and night.
They will pass through two states of sleep –quiet sleep and alert sleep– every half hour. Quiet sleep is the most restful period where your baby will remain still and her breathing will be smooth and she will rarely startle. Alert sleep is REM sleep where your baby’s eyes will move beneath her eyelids and she will breathe irregularly which is normal and this will lessen as your baby’s brain matures. Place your baby on her back to sleep, as this is the safest position to protect against SIDS, and keep blankets, pillows and toys out of the cot for further safety. Your baby’s head will stay turned to one side when lying on her back, with one arm out straight and the other bent at the elbow. Most of the time a baby’s head droops forward when tired.
They are usually able to sleep in a noisy environment and this can be a good thing as it enables them to sleep in a variety of places such as in the car and in the stroller.
Most babies reach milestones in their own time but if you have any concerns it’s best to check with your doctor. Be aware that premature babies may also reach milestones later than other babies, usually achieving them closer to their adjusted age. It is only when a baby is not achieving what a child of their age should be able to do on a regular basis that there is a need to be concerned. By providing a stimulating environment, adequate diet and health care, medical attention and affection you are helping your baby to develop to the best of their ability.
Many skills babies learn in the first year can be learnt only if there is an opportunity to practice when lying on their tummy. So allowing your baby to lie on her stomach during playtime is very important for this. But because babies breathe only centimetres from the ground make sure your baby is on a clean, safe surface, such as a blanket placed on carpet. She will start to uncurl from the foetal position and lift her head when in this position as she learns balance.
You may also hear them breathing rapidly, shallowly and irregularly, which is normal as you baby is still developing breathing control.
Development
Newborn babies are born with a number of inherent, fundamental reflexes that are vital for survival. These include the sucking reflex, the swallowing reflex and the gagging reflex that prevents him from taking too much liquid and the labyrinthine reflex, where a baby that lies on his stomach will automatically turn his head, instead of just lying with his head down.
At this age babies can also move their head from side to side, bring their hands to their face, respond to familiar voices, blink at lights, extend their arms to grab hold of you and grip tightly with their fingers.
But your baby will still learn several important things in the first month. Your newborn's eyesight is still developing and as he learns to focus on objects in front of him, he may cross their eyes but this is typical. A one month old baby is short sighted, and focuses best on objects that are between 20 and 35 centimetres away to the left or the right rather than straight ahead, and will switch between attentiveness and vacant staring. Objects that are closer or farther away than this will appear blurry, although shiny, contrasting colours or moving objects will catch her eye. One month old babies are also fascinated by faces that are placed within their focus, even their own reflection in a mirror, and sometimes can tell the difference between a face and an object. Mirrors, mobiles and activity boards are all suitable for this reason. Taste and touch are two senses that develop quickly after birth, with babies being sensitive to both these things, while their sense of smell is less developed.
Babies often strain to listen carefully to sounds, without moving their heads. They may become irritated when they can’t switch off from a sound, and this is known as sensory overload or sensory fatigue. By comforting your baby immediately when she begins to cry in the first month, you will not be spoiling her or creating bad habits for the future – you are responding to her needs and giving her a sense of security. Babies harness their understanding of how you respond to their different cries in later months but are still crying instinctually at this point rather than deliberately trying to communicate.
Feeding
If your baby isn’t thriving on your breast milk alone (gaining approximately three to five kilograms amount of weight within a month and growing to 50-60cm within the first month) formula is usually suggested.
A baby who is feeding properly should produce at least 8-12 wet nappies each day. Posseting is not a sign of failure to thrive unless it is attached to low weight gain, contains blood or is projectile. In that instance see your doctor.
Medical
Shortly after birth babies may have discoloured or scaly skin with red or pink blotchy patches and their skull may appear misshapen and their eyes puffy but this will subside over the next few weeks.
Bathing is important in order to keep the stump near the belly button, clean and free of infection.
Possetting is also common from the first month, which is when babies regurgitate milk in small quantities either because they have been overfed or when the baby gulps in air while feeding and releases partially digested milk when their stomach contract. Most babies outgrow this between six and twelve months but you can avoid this by keeping your baby still during and after a feed and by remembering to burp him during a feed as well as afterwards. Continual possetting may be related to reflux which isn’t serious but does require medical intervention.
Soft bowel movements are another good indication of your baby’s health. Five or more movements every day are normal initially and progressively lessen as time goes on. Diarrhoea can be distinguished by smell and in conjunction with other symptoms such as fever. Constipation can be distinguished by hard, infrequent stools. Babies often pull faces when passing stools so don’t be concerned about this but if you are in any doubt about your baby’s health talk to your doctor.
Sleep
Newborn babies are not able to fall into a perfect slumber. Infant behaviour can be categorised into six states of consciousness: quiet alert, active alert, crying, drowsiness, quiet sleep and active sleep. The long periods of sleep are assisting with development and as they grow, babies will be able to stay awake for longer periods. But at this time, most babies are only alert for 2-3 hours per day. But you should use this time to catch up on your own sleep!
A newborn’s sleep is quite restless, and he will probably make facial expressions and move a lot. Newborns wake up often during sleep because much of their sleep is REM sleep, which is active sleep and if they sleep in the same room with you, you will hear them stir, twitch and grunt. You may also hear them breathing rapidly, shallowly and irregularly, which is normal as you baby is still developing breathing control.
Babies sleep for an average of 16 and a half hours each day in the first month, but this can vary between 14 and 22 hours, usually for one to three hours intervals, regardless of the time of day because they cannot distinguish between day and night.
They will pass through two states of sleep –quiet sleep and alert sleep– every half hour. Quiet sleep is the most restful period where your baby will remain still and her breathing will be smooth and she will rarely startle. Alert sleep is REM sleep where your baby’s eyes will move beneath her eyelids and she will breathe irregularly which is normal and this will lessen as your baby’s brain matures. Place your baby on her back to sleep, as this is the safest position to protect against SIDS, and keep blankets, pillows and toys out of the cot for further safety. Your baby’s head will stay turned to one side when lying on her back, with one arm out straight and the other bent at the elbow. Most of the time a baby’s head droops forward when tired.
They are usually able to sleep in a noisy environment and this can be a good thing as it enables them to sleep in a variety of places such as in the car and in the stroller.
Most babies reach milestones in their own time but if you have any concerns it’s best to check with your doctor. Be aware that premature babies may also reach milestones later than other babies, usually achieving them closer to their adjusted age. It is only when a baby is not achieving what a child of their age should be able to do on a regular basis that there is a need to be concerned. By providing a stimulating environment, adequate diet and health care, medical attention and affection you are helping your baby to develop to the best of their ability.
Child privacy: where do you draw the line?
A pregnant performance artist is going to give birth live on stage later his month, as part of a work about childbirth. Marni Kotak will spend the rest of her pregnancy at the Microscope gallery in New York, until the baby arrives in a public display of ‘art’ titled ‘The Birth of Baby X.’(glass prints Cheap Canvas Online Wholesale Photo Prints)
Wow, brave woman. As much as I wouldn’t have cared if all of New York had walked through the ward in the final pushing stages of my labours, I can’t imagine being too thrilled about being on display in those earlier, still coherent but not overly presentable, moments. But, each to their own. If Ms Kotak wants to make a public performance of her baby’s birth it should be her right, shouldn’t it?
At least that’s what I thought until I started to read the online comments to the story, where many questioned what rights her baby has, if any, of it’s first moments in the world being publically broadcast. Which got me thinking about our children’s rights to privacy in general and where each of us draw the line.
With the rise of ‘Mummy bloggers,’ Twitter and Facebook we are all sharing stories and pictures of our offspring more than ever. On hugely popular sites such as Dooce.com mothers write about the daily lives of their children, complete with photos, to an audience who lap it up, engaging with their stories and forming an emotional attachment to children they have never met. And closer to home many members on Essential Baby regularly write about the experiences of their children through their comments, photos and blogs.
As, of course, do I. My life has been a fairly open book to my followers on Essential Baby over the last four years, as have many of my children’s first experiences. However, over the years I have changed the way I write about them somewhat, when I became conscious that perhaps one day they wouldn’t want everything they did as babies to be shared with the world. But then, if I ever get too concerned about that I remind myself that they will be two of billions of other people who have had their whole lives documented since birth, so they’ll all be in the same basket!
From photos of pregnant bellies and ultra sound scans, to the first happy snaps of a screaming baby entering the world, we naturally love to share the joy of parenthood with those around us. But for all those parents who love to show off photos of their kids, there are plenty who are far more wary and pedantically guard their children’s privacy, refusing to have any photos of them online at all.
I sit somewhere in the middle. Clearly I write about my kids on EB and I have done many public photo shoots with them throughout their lives. But I also mostly keep my online pictures of them to my personal Facebook site, rather than my public one, and I try not to write about things I think they would one day have an issue with. Me writing about their refusal to sleep through the night, or throwing a ripper toddler tantrum won’t exactly make them special or unique amongst their peers in future years, so I think I’ll be ok.
And as far as MY experiences of motherhood and pregnancy go, well they are my stories to share and I will continue to be as honest and authentic about them as I can be. I believe one of the best things to come out of the new online world is the knowledge that we all go through the same struggles and joys as each other. And experiences shared make for a less daunting and isolating time for all of us.
I also don’t want to let the fear of the lurking predator impact on everything I do. I was at my nieces netball game recently, where my father in law was told he was not allowed to take photos of the game in an attempt to protect the children’s privacy. That makes me incredibly sad, and angry. What has the world come to when a proud grandfather can’t take a photo at a public sporting game?
The dangers are ever present, no doubt. And we do need to protect our children, but for each of us that means a different thing. So for those of you out there, where do you draw the line? Do you write about and post photos of your kids or keep their stories and images off the net all together? And what do you think our children will make of their online lives being so well documented in the future? Or will they be so busy trashing their own reputations with Facebook updates of teenage misadventures that a few embarrassing baby photos will be the least of their worries?!
Wow, brave woman. As much as I wouldn’t have cared if all of New York had walked through the ward in the final pushing stages of my labours, I can’t imagine being too thrilled about being on display in those earlier, still coherent but not overly presentable, moments. But, each to their own. If Ms Kotak wants to make a public performance of her baby’s birth it should be her right, shouldn’t it?
At least that’s what I thought until I started to read the online comments to the story, where many questioned what rights her baby has, if any, of it’s first moments in the world being publically broadcast. Which got me thinking about our children’s rights to privacy in general and where each of us draw the line.
With the rise of ‘Mummy bloggers,’ Twitter and Facebook we are all sharing stories and pictures of our offspring more than ever. On hugely popular sites such as Dooce.com mothers write about the daily lives of their children, complete with photos, to an audience who lap it up, engaging with their stories and forming an emotional attachment to children they have never met. And closer to home many members on Essential Baby regularly write about the experiences of their children through their comments, photos and blogs.
As, of course, do I. My life has been a fairly open book to my followers on Essential Baby over the last four years, as have many of my children’s first experiences. However, over the years I have changed the way I write about them somewhat, when I became conscious that perhaps one day they wouldn’t want everything they did as babies to be shared with the world. But then, if I ever get too concerned about that I remind myself that they will be two of billions of other people who have had their whole lives documented since birth, so they’ll all be in the same basket!
From photos of pregnant bellies and ultra sound scans, to the first happy snaps of a screaming baby entering the world, we naturally love to share the joy of parenthood with those around us. But for all those parents who love to show off photos of their kids, there are plenty who are far more wary and pedantically guard their children’s privacy, refusing to have any photos of them online at all.
I sit somewhere in the middle. Clearly I write about my kids on EB and I have done many public photo shoots with them throughout their lives. But I also mostly keep my online pictures of them to my personal Facebook site, rather than my public one, and I try not to write about things I think they would one day have an issue with. Me writing about their refusal to sleep through the night, or throwing a ripper toddler tantrum won’t exactly make them special or unique amongst their peers in future years, so I think I’ll be ok.
And as far as MY experiences of motherhood and pregnancy go, well they are my stories to share and I will continue to be as honest and authentic about them as I can be. I believe one of the best things to come out of the new online world is the knowledge that we all go through the same struggles and joys as each other. And experiences shared make for a less daunting and isolating time for all of us.
I also don’t want to let the fear of the lurking predator impact on everything I do. I was at my nieces netball game recently, where my father in law was told he was not allowed to take photos of the game in an attempt to protect the children’s privacy. That makes me incredibly sad, and angry. What has the world come to when a proud grandfather can’t take a photo at a public sporting game?
The dangers are ever present, no doubt. And we do need to protect our children, but for each of us that means a different thing. So for those of you out there, where do you draw the line? Do you write about and post photos of your kids or keep their stories and images off the net all together? And what do you think our children will make of their online lives being so well documented in the future? Or will they be so busy trashing their own reputations with Facebook updates of teenage misadventures that a few embarrassing baby photos will be the least of their worries?!
Tuesday, January 20, 2015
Your baby’s developmental roadmap
Caring for your new little baby for the first time can feel like driving along a dark highway without a GPS. You know your destination – a happy, healthy human being – but you’re not sure whether you’re heading in the right direction. And there’s always the danger that you might take the wrong exit, and end up somewhere completely different. It can be daunting!(photo on canvas Acrylic canvas printing)
There may be no set roadmap for how to care for your baby, but there is a vague roadmap for your baby’s development. It’s your baby’s development that can serve as reassurance that you’re on the right track, and alert you if there are any hazards on the road ahead.
Babies undergo phenomenal growth, learning, and change during their first year. They begin as relatively helpless tiny newborns, and within 12 months, they’ve developed into robust little people who can sit, grab, and maybe say a word or two.
Every baby goes through some typical developmental stages. Babies progress in their own way, and according to their own timeline. But there are some key developmental markers that are worth understanding and celebrating.
0 - 3 months: I’m new here
In their first few months, your baby is adjusting to being out of the womb and in the world. The world is an interesting but often overwhelming place. Babies cry to communicate feeling hungry, tired, uncomfortable and irritated, and every time you respond, they develop a stronger sense of security and safety in their world.
Over the first three months, your child will learn to focus on other people and things, smile and laugh, and kick and fling his legs and arms.
3 - 6 months: Hello world!
By six months, your baby is a lot more social and interested in the outside world. He's starting to come out of his cocoon, interacting and engaging with you, other people, and their environment more.
Over these three months, your baby will learn to grab objects, roll over, and lift his head. He'll also start being more expressive at showing his pleasure and delight; if he likes you bathing him, dressing him or playing certain games, he’ll let you know.
6 - 9 months: Keep me safe
As babies begin to open themselves up and interact more with their world, there comes a time when they become more wary and cautious about what’s going on around them. It’s typical during this stage for babies to cry with strangers, appear anxious with new people or in new situations, and be upset if you’re not around. The world is opening up and that can be scary at times. But your baby is also learning some great new skills, like how to sit up, hold a cup or bottle to drink, and how to crawl around.
9 - 12 months: Time to explore
Although babies may still be anxious around new people and situations during this stage, they are continuing to develop their skills and express their personality. By 12 months, your baby will be much more mobile, either crawling, bum shuffling, standing up, and even walking. And babies will also be more communicative, shaking their heads, saying words, and responding to you when you speak.
In their first year, babies learn physical, social and emotional skills, and they develop more of a sense of self. You can help your baby’s development by being warm, loving, and affectionate, talking to your baby about what you’re doing and what’s happening in their world, and playing, laughing, singing and involving them in your everyday life.
If you love and care for your baby and take note of their developmental story, that dark highway will soon seem like an exciting road trip with plenty of amazing experiences and possibilities ahead.
There may be no set roadmap for how to care for your baby, but there is a vague roadmap for your baby’s development. It’s your baby’s development that can serve as reassurance that you’re on the right track, and alert you if there are any hazards on the road ahead.
Babies undergo phenomenal growth, learning, and change during their first year. They begin as relatively helpless tiny newborns, and within 12 months, they’ve developed into robust little people who can sit, grab, and maybe say a word or two.
Every baby goes through some typical developmental stages. Babies progress in their own way, and according to their own timeline. But there are some key developmental markers that are worth understanding and celebrating.
0 - 3 months: I’m new here
In their first few months, your baby is adjusting to being out of the womb and in the world. The world is an interesting but often overwhelming place. Babies cry to communicate feeling hungry, tired, uncomfortable and irritated, and every time you respond, they develop a stronger sense of security and safety in their world.
Over the first three months, your child will learn to focus on other people and things, smile and laugh, and kick and fling his legs and arms.
3 - 6 months: Hello world!
By six months, your baby is a lot more social and interested in the outside world. He's starting to come out of his cocoon, interacting and engaging with you, other people, and their environment more.
Over these three months, your baby will learn to grab objects, roll over, and lift his head. He'll also start being more expressive at showing his pleasure and delight; if he likes you bathing him, dressing him or playing certain games, he’ll let you know.
6 - 9 months: Keep me safe
As babies begin to open themselves up and interact more with their world, there comes a time when they become more wary and cautious about what’s going on around them. It’s typical during this stage for babies to cry with strangers, appear anxious with new people or in new situations, and be upset if you’re not around. The world is opening up and that can be scary at times. But your baby is also learning some great new skills, like how to sit up, hold a cup or bottle to drink, and how to crawl around.
9 - 12 months: Time to explore
Although babies may still be anxious around new people and situations during this stage, they are continuing to develop their skills and express their personality. By 12 months, your baby will be much more mobile, either crawling, bum shuffling, standing up, and even walking. And babies will also be more communicative, shaking their heads, saying words, and responding to you when you speak.
In their first year, babies learn physical, social and emotional skills, and they develop more of a sense of self. You can help your baby’s development by being warm, loving, and affectionate, talking to your baby about what you’re doing and what’s happening in their world, and playing, laughing, singing and involving them in your everyday life.
If you love and care for your baby and take note of their developmental story, that dark highway will soon seem like an exciting road trip with plenty of amazing experiences and possibilities ahead.
Be careful what you say, your baby is listening
People might look at you strangely as you wander through the supermarket having enthusiastic conversations with your baby when you receive only "goos" and "gaas" in return. However, new research shows those one-sided conversations are actually helping switch on the mechanics in your little one's brain which are needed to say their own words one day.(glass prints Cheap Canvas Online Wholesale Photo Prints)
The University of Washington study of 57 babies aged between seven and 11 months found speech sounds - often exaggerated when adults speak to babies in "parentese" - stimulate areas of the brain that coordinate and plan motor movements for speech.
The infants' brain activity was measured by a brain scanner which uses a noninvasive technique called magnetoencephalography to take readings.
The babies each listened to a series of native and foreign language syllables such as "da" and "ta" while researchers monitored their brain activity. The researchers observed brain activity in an auditory area of the brain responsible for planning the motor movements required for producing speech.
"Most babies babble by seven months, but don't utter their first words until after their first birthdays," co-director of the university's Institute for Learning and Brain Sciences Patricia Kuhl said.
"Finding activation in motor areas of the brain when infants are simply listening is significant, because it means the baby brain is engaged in trying to talk back right from the start, and suggests that seven-month-olds' brains are already trying to figure out how to make the right movements that will produce words."
Interestingly, activation occurred in the seven-month-old babies' brains when listening to sounds in their native language as well as in a foreign language, showing that infants of this age are responding to all speech sounds. But by 11 to 12 months of age, infants' brains increase in motor activation to the non-native speech sounds relative to native speech. Researchers believe this shows that more effort is required for a baby to predict these foreign speech sounds, meaning the experience of listening to sounds from their native language in the previous months has already helped develop their language perception.
Professor Kohl believes the results are proof of the importance of talking to babies during social interactions, even if they're not yet talking back.
"Hearing us talk exercises the action areas of infants' brains, going beyond what we thought happens when we talk to them," she said. "Infants' brains are preparing them to act on the world by practicing how to speak before they actually say a word."
The University of Washington study of 57 babies aged between seven and 11 months found speech sounds - often exaggerated when adults speak to babies in "parentese" - stimulate areas of the brain that coordinate and plan motor movements for speech.
The infants' brain activity was measured by a brain scanner which uses a noninvasive technique called magnetoencephalography to take readings.
The babies each listened to a series of native and foreign language syllables such as "da" and "ta" while researchers monitored their brain activity. The researchers observed brain activity in an auditory area of the brain responsible for planning the motor movements required for producing speech.
"Most babies babble by seven months, but don't utter their first words until after their first birthdays," co-director of the university's Institute for Learning and Brain Sciences Patricia Kuhl said.
"Finding activation in motor areas of the brain when infants are simply listening is significant, because it means the baby brain is engaged in trying to talk back right from the start, and suggests that seven-month-olds' brains are already trying to figure out how to make the right movements that will produce words."
Interestingly, activation occurred in the seven-month-old babies' brains when listening to sounds in their native language as well as in a foreign language, showing that infants of this age are responding to all speech sounds. But by 11 to 12 months of age, infants' brains increase in motor activation to the non-native speech sounds relative to native speech. Researchers believe this shows that more effort is required for a baby to predict these foreign speech sounds, meaning the experience of listening to sounds from their native language in the previous months has already helped develop their language perception.
Professor Kohl believes the results are proof of the importance of talking to babies during social interactions, even if they're not yet talking back.
"Hearing us talk exercises the action areas of infants' brains, going beyond what we thought happens when we talk to them," she said. "Infants' brains are preparing them to act on the world by practicing how to speak before they actually say a word."
Monday, January 19, 2015
It's mum who keeps the baby talk going
Between birth and seven months of age, the average baby born into a two-parent household hears nearly three times as much babbling, cooing and sing-song questions-and-answers from a woman - generally the mother - than from a man, new research shows.(cheap canvas prints canvas print)
Virtually no single factor - neither a mother's education level nor a family's financial resources - influences a child's language abilities and IQ more powerfully than does the amount of parental speech a baby hears. Pediatric researchers from Women & Infants Hospital of Rhode Island in the US sought to discover which parent that speech comes from and how often - and to which children - parents dispense it.
What they found is that, even on days when both mother and father were with a baby, the mother engaged in the lion's share of vocalizations aimed at the child. Babies returned the conversational favour by vocally responding to their mothers' vocal overtures consistently more often than they did to speech from their fathers.
And mothers, in turn, were more responsive to conversational overtures from their baby girls than they were to those from their baby boys.
That preferential pattern was barely discernible by the time the babies were about seven months old. But a mother's more consistent early response to a baby girl may help explain why, on average, girls start talking earlier than boys, develop larger vocabularies and greater grammatical complexity than boys, read earlier and spell better. Another possibility: that girls' greater responsiveness to vocal cues from the start prompts more ongoing verbal attention from mothers.
As the babies neared seven months of age, however, their responses to both parents' speech increased.
The new findings, published this week in the US journal Pediatrics, emerged from a study that recorded and analyzed 16-hour blocks of vocal interaction between babies and their parents, starting from the babies' first days in the hospital. Twice more over the next seven months - on days when both mother and father were home - the researchers had parents switch on a recording device that would pick up any vocal exchange between baby and parent.
The researchers didn't count crying (or burps or other "vegetative sounds") as vocal cues.
Long before discernible language emerges, the give-and-take of vocalisations between an infant and his caregiver is thought to serve several key functions: It builds a baby's sense of effectiveness by teaching that calling out will make someone respond. And it introduces babies to the conventions of human speech and conversation, setting the stage for smooth social interaction.
When a mother's verbal interactions are minimal - as often happens when a mother is depressed - babies can suffer lasting consequences.
A landmark study published in 1995 by researchers Betty Hart and Todd R. Risley found that by the time they were 3 years old, children growing up in households that received welfare payments heard 30 million fewer words by age 4 than did children growing up in professional families. Further, their parents' messages were generally more discouraging and negative than were those of more affluent parents.
Virtually no single factor - neither a mother's education level nor a family's financial resources - influences a child's language abilities and IQ more powerfully than does the amount of parental speech a baby hears. Pediatric researchers from Women & Infants Hospital of Rhode Island in the US sought to discover which parent that speech comes from and how often - and to which children - parents dispense it.
What they found is that, even on days when both mother and father were with a baby, the mother engaged in the lion's share of vocalizations aimed at the child. Babies returned the conversational favour by vocally responding to their mothers' vocal overtures consistently more often than they did to speech from their fathers.
And mothers, in turn, were more responsive to conversational overtures from their baby girls than they were to those from their baby boys.
That preferential pattern was barely discernible by the time the babies were about seven months old. But a mother's more consistent early response to a baby girl may help explain why, on average, girls start talking earlier than boys, develop larger vocabularies and greater grammatical complexity than boys, read earlier and spell better. Another possibility: that girls' greater responsiveness to vocal cues from the start prompts more ongoing verbal attention from mothers.
As the babies neared seven months of age, however, their responses to both parents' speech increased.
The new findings, published this week in the US journal Pediatrics, emerged from a study that recorded and analyzed 16-hour blocks of vocal interaction between babies and their parents, starting from the babies' first days in the hospital. Twice more over the next seven months - on days when both mother and father were home - the researchers had parents switch on a recording device that would pick up any vocal exchange between baby and parent.
The researchers didn't count crying (or burps or other "vegetative sounds") as vocal cues.
Long before discernible language emerges, the give-and-take of vocalisations between an infant and his caregiver is thought to serve several key functions: It builds a baby's sense of effectiveness by teaching that calling out will make someone respond. And it introduces babies to the conventions of human speech and conversation, setting the stage for smooth social interaction.
When a mother's verbal interactions are minimal - as often happens when a mother is depressed - babies can suffer lasting consequences.
A landmark study published in 1995 by researchers Betty Hart and Todd R. Risley found that by the time they were 3 years old, children growing up in households that received welfare payments heard 30 million fewer words by age 4 than did children growing up in professional families. Further, their parents' messages were generally more discouraging and negative than were those of more affluent parents.
Four signs your baby will start walking soon
The anticipation is killing you. Is baby about to detach from the coffee table and start teetering around the house?(canvas prints canvas prints melbourne)
Not crawling? Don't worry
Some babies cruise around holding onto furniture for months and months while others start walking practically the moment they get up on two feet. Here, pediatrician Jennifer Shu, MD, describes the signs that those first steps are coming. If you're worried your baby is a little behind the curve, be patient - there's really no need for concern until 15 months.
Sign No. 1: Pulling up
Obviously, baby can't start walking until he's learned how to get himself upright. "Usually, babies are getting ready to walk when they start pulling up on their own," says Shu. "They want to stand." Lots of "Bumpies" see this start to happen around eight months, and this could last for up to three months before you see any independent steps. Babies will begin pulling up on furniture, so you'll want to finish baby-proofing ASAP.
Sign No. 2: Fussiness
Remember the dark days of teething? "Anytime babies reach a new milestone, they get fussier," Shu says. Fussiness tends to make an appearance at mealtime: If you suddenly have a pickier eater on your hands, it could signal you'll soon have a walker too.
Sign No. 3: Extra sleepiness
Shu says your soon-to-be walker might be snoozing a lot more than usual. "Bumpies" attest to this around 10 or 11 months, right as baby is also going through a growth spurt.
Sign No. 4: Acting like a daredevil
Once baby has gotten the hang of pulling herself up, she'll probably start testing the waters of balancing on her own. Shu says that whether your baby is an early walker or a late walker might have nothing to do with her ability and more to do with her personality. A super-brave kid might give it a go right away, while a more cautious one might want to be more confident she won't fall before letting go of the sofa.
Not crawling? Don't worry
Some babies cruise around holding onto furniture for months and months while others start walking practically the moment they get up on two feet. Here, pediatrician Jennifer Shu, MD, describes the signs that those first steps are coming. If you're worried your baby is a little behind the curve, be patient - there's really no need for concern until 15 months.
Sign No. 1: Pulling up
Obviously, baby can't start walking until he's learned how to get himself upright. "Usually, babies are getting ready to walk when they start pulling up on their own," says Shu. "They want to stand." Lots of "Bumpies" see this start to happen around eight months, and this could last for up to three months before you see any independent steps. Babies will begin pulling up on furniture, so you'll want to finish baby-proofing ASAP.
Sign No. 2: Fussiness
Remember the dark days of teething? "Anytime babies reach a new milestone, they get fussier," Shu says. Fussiness tends to make an appearance at mealtime: If you suddenly have a pickier eater on your hands, it could signal you'll soon have a walker too.
Sign No. 3: Extra sleepiness
Shu says your soon-to-be walker might be snoozing a lot more than usual. "Bumpies" attest to this around 10 or 11 months, right as baby is also going through a growth spurt.
Sign No. 4: Acting like a daredevil
Once baby has gotten the hang of pulling herself up, she'll probably start testing the waters of balancing on her own. Shu says that whether your baby is an early walker or a late walker might have nothing to do with her ability and more to do with her personality. A super-brave kid might give it a go right away, while a more cautious one might want to be more confident she won't fall before letting go of the sofa.
Sunday, January 18, 2015
Twelve months on the breast - normal, natural, healthy
New statistics from the 2008 Infant Nutrition Survey show that while 95% of new mothers initiate breastfeeding, many do not go on to exclusively breastfeed for six months as recommended by the National Health and Research Council and World Health Organisation.(photo on canvas Acrylic canvas printing)
The recommendation that breastfeeding be continued for a further six months and as long as possible thereafter is the basis for Queensland Health’s 12+ months on the breast – normal, natural, healthy breastfeeding campaign which is aiming to help Mums overcome the barriers that lead many women to cease breastfeeding within six months.
Returning to work is seen as a significant impediment to continuing breastfeeding, but by law your employer is obligated to reasonably accommodate your breastfeeding.
As encouraging as it sounds, it could also be considered very ambitious given that there are so many obstacles to long term breastfeeding such as an un-supportive work environment, temporary loss of fertility and medical concerns for both mothers and babies, besides other minor problems that range from having to limit alcohol intake and consumption of certain foods to the inability to share night feeding sessions with a partner.
It is these obstacles that (understandably) cause many mothers to cease breastfeeding and move on to formula feeding or weaning, despite being educated on the health benefits of breastfeeding. In fact the knowledge that the high levels of antibodies in breast milk protect children against SIDS and infections in babyhood, and lower the risk of developing chronic diseases later in life, only results in mothers feeling incredibly guilty when they do stop breastfeeding.
The Australian Breastfeeding Association stance is that with time, advice and support, breastfeeding can be learned by almost all mothers. Robyn Hamilton, the QLD president of the ABA says, “Some breastfeeding circumstances can prove challenging and take time to overcome. A long term view is important.”
Adopting a long term mindset can be extremely difficult for mothers whose experience of breastfeeding is tinged with the exhaustion, discomfort and pain that accompany a multitude of conditions such as thrush, leaking and overproduction, sore nipples, engorgement, and blocked milk ducts which can become mastitis, which can all occur repeatedly and simultaneously.
Swollen, cracked and bleeding nipples are very common and usually occur when your baby is not latched on properly, like in Tennille’s case. “My daughter was not attaching right,” says Tennille, 25. “After an emergency caesarean and being diagnosed with a severe post-op infection, trying to breastfeed to encourage my milk production and having the skin on my nipples become bruised, I was persuaded to put her on formula, for her health and my sanity.”
This type of situation is where expressing using a breast pump can be a godsend for mothers in helping to establish breastfeeding. However using a breast pump incorrectly can also damage breast tissue, especially if nipple trauma has already been sustained. “For mums with sore nipples whose babies are having attachment challenges, pumps can provide an even distribution of pressure around the breast, and allow damage to heal but should be used with care to ensure no further damage occurs,” Robyn says.
While breast pumps are an ideal solution for almost all breastfeeding issues that involve pain and inconvenience, they cannot help with supply problems. Amy, 26, initially attempted to breastfeed for six months but she stopped trying out of concern for her son’s health. “My son was almost ten pounds when he was born and always hungry and I didn’t have enough colostrum, plus I knew I would have to go back to work early so I made a decision to just go onto formula.”
“Perceived or real insufficient milk supply is a common concern, and is a major cause of infant weaning,” Robyn says. “Changes to breastfeeding management will be sufficient to increase milk supply in most women.”
Of course certain medical conditions can affect a woman’s milk supply until she recovers. True supply problems are uncommon but they do occur. Casey, 26, wasn’t unable to breastfeed because of low iron due to haemorrhaging. “After losing so much blood my breast milk didn’t come through properly and it took me about 8 months to get my iron back to normal,” says Casey.
Apart from haemorrhaging, other medical conditions such as abnormal thyroid function, polycystic ovary syndrome, some breast surgeries with nipple transposition and inadequate glandular tissue may stop a woman producing sufficient milk, but these are rare. For most women the actual problem is delivery not production, such as when a baby takes in plenty of foremilk and not enough calorie rich hindmilk at the end of a feed because they are not latched on properly which may result in the baby not gaining enough weight. However there are other things to consider.
“Weight gain is only one indicator that a baby is getting enough milk,” Robyn says. “If there is growth in length or head circumference and your baby has thoroughly wet nappies, bright eyes, good skin tone, and is generally contented amongst periods of fussy behaviour then breast milk is supplying all your baby’s needs.”
With regards to continuing breastfeeding upon returning to work, breast milk can be fed in bottles to babies by child care providers because breast milk can be refrigerated for up to eight days and frozen from four to six months, retaining a higher level of antioxidants than infant formula. But the embarrassment of having to express milk in the office toilets before storing it in the communal fridge and stockpiling breast pads in a desk drawer in case of leaking breasts are just some of the deterrents working mothers have to deal with because most Australian workplaces do not have specific breastfeeding policies in place.
Robyn says, “So many mums in Australia go back to work before their babies are 12 months old and it is true that returning to work is seen as a significant impediment to continuing breastfeeding, but by law your employer is obligated to reasonably accommodate your breastfeeding.” This can comprise scheduled lactation breaks throughout the day and providing a suitable room (not the toilets) for expressing.
But expressing milk and bottle feeding has its own set of problems when combined with breastfeeding. When Hayley, 25, contracted mastitis she fed her daughter Mia from a bottle while her breasts recovered. She persisted with breastfeeding even after contracting mastitis three times only to find her daughter was losing interest. “Mia was getting lazy on the breast as she liked the bottle better so I only breastfed for 8 weeks,” Hayley says. This is known as nursing strike which occurs because there is less effort required for babies to suck from a bottle. For this reason it is generally advised to delay using a bottle until the baby is accustomed to sucking directly from the breast.
But if physically feeding from the breast is too painful during a bout of mastitis what else is there to do but express? One option is to use the other unaffected breast to feed whilst draining the affected breast regularly so that a baby’s feeding routine isn’t affected. But don’t persevere to the point where breastfeeding is prioritised ahead of safety because if mastitis is left untreated it can develop into a breast abscess which requires surgery.
Hayley says breastfeeding her new baby has been a much more gratifying experience. “I am having great success this time and no mastitis so far. Having a better understanding of how it all works has helped and I definitely won’t introduce the bottle yet.” Robyn suggests in Hayley’s case, mothers who were unlucky in breastfeeding the first time may even like to resume breastfeeding their eldest child once their second child is born. This may particularly appeal to older Mums who stopped breastfeeding early in order to regain their fertility and conceive more children.
But Robyn says this is often not the case due to a widely held perception that breastfeeding a child beyond infancy is indulgent. “By and large breasts are seen as sexual objects and as a nation we are fairly uncomfortable about feeding older children,” says Robyn. The 12+ months emphasised in the campaign highlights the significance of trying to normalise extended breastfeeding so that more women feel comfortable doing it.
The most important thing to remember is that because a long term strategy for nourishing a baby for twelve months is usually balanced with sleep deprivation, eight hour working days, breast pain and care of older children, that any women who manages to breast feed for any period of time is to be commended. Assistance in the form of Medicare subsidisations for pumps, sterilisation equipment and lactation consultations could greatly increase the number of women in continuing feeding breast milk beyond the six month mark, because it ensures women are supported financially and emotionally.
“A chat with a breastfeeding counsellor can be invaluable,” Robyn says. “More often than not mums know what they want to do but don’t feel confident. We will support them in whatever decision they make because it will be the right one for them.”
The recommendation that breastfeeding be continued for a further six months and as long as possible thereafter is the basis for Queensland Health’s 12+ months on the breast – normal, natural, healthy breastfeeding campaign which is aiming to help Mums overcome the barriers that lead many women to cease breastfeeding within six months.
Returning to work is seen as a significant impediment to continuing breastfeeding, but by law your employer is obligated to reasonably accommodate your breastfeeding.
As encouraging as it sounds, it could also be considered very ambitious given that there are so many obstacles to long term breastfeeding such as an un-supportive work environment, temporary loss of fertility and medical concerns for both mothers and babies, besides other minor problems that range from having to limit alcohol intake and consumption of certain foods to the inability to share night feeding sessions with a partner.
It is these obstacles that (understandably) cause many mothers to cease breastfeeding and move on to formula feeding or weaning, despite being educated on the health benefits of breastfeeding. In fact the knowledge that the high levels of antibodies in breast milk protect children against SIDS and infections in babyhood, and lower the risk of developing chronic diseases later in life, only results in mothers feeling incredibly guilty when they do stop breastfeeding.
The Australian Breastfeeding Association stance is that with time, advice and support, breastfeeding can be learned by almost all mothers. Robyn Hamilton, the QLD president of the ABA says, “Some breastfeeding circumstances can prove challenging and take time to overcome. A long term view is important.”
Adopting a long term mindset can be extremely difficult for mothers whose experience of breastfeeding is tinged with the exhaustion, discomfort and pain that accompany a multitude of conditions such as thrush, leaking and overproduction, sore nipples, engorgement, and blocked milk ducts which can become mastitis, which can all occur repeatedly and simultaneously.
Swollen, cracked and bleeding nipples are very common and usually occur when your baby is not latched on properly, like in Tennille’s case. “My daughter was not attaching right,” says Tennille, 25. “After an emergency caesarean and being diagnosed with a severe post-op infection, trying to breastfeed to encourage my milk production and having the skin on my nipples become bruised, I was persuaded to put her on formula, for her health and my sanity.”
This type of situation is where expressing using a breast pump can be a godsend for mothers in helping to establish breastfeeding. However using a breast pump incorrectly can also damage breast tissue, especially if nipple trauma has already been sustained. “For mums with sore nipples whose babies are having attachment challenges, pumps can provide an even distribution of pressure around the breast, and allow damage to heal but should be used with care to ensure no further damage occurs,” Robyn says.
While breast pumps are an ideal solution for almost all breastfeeding issues that involve pain and inconvenience, they cannot help with supply problems. Amy, 26, initially attempted to breastfeed for six months but she stopped trying out of concern for her son’s health. “My son was almost ten pounds when he was born and always hungry and I didn’t have enough colostrum, plus I knew I would have to go back to work early so I made a decision to just go onto formula.”
“Perceived or real insufficient milk supply is a common concern, and is a major cause of infant weaning,” Robyn says. “Changes to breastfeeding management will be sufficient to increase milk supply in most women.”
Of course certain medical conditions can affect a woman’s milk supply until she recovers. True supply problems are uncommon but they do occur. Casey, 26, wasn’t unable to breastfeed because of low iron due to haemorrhaging. “After losing so much blood my breast milk didn’t come through properly and it took me about 8 months to get my iron back to normal,” says Casey.
Apart from haemorrhaging, other medical conditions such as abnormal thyroid function, polycystic ovary syndrome, some breast surgeries with nipple transposition and inadequate glandular tissue may stop a woman producing sufficient milk, but these are rare. For most women the actual problem is delivery not production, such as when a baby takes in plenty of foremilk and not enough calorie rich hindmilk at the end of a feed because they are not latched on properly which may result in the baby not gaining enough weight. However there are other things to consider.
“Weight gain is only one indicator that a baby is getting enough milk,” Robyn says. “If there is growth in length or head circumference and your baby has thoroughly wet nappies, bright eyes, good skin tone, and is generally contented amongst periods of fussy behaviour then breast milk is supplying all your baby’s needs.”
With regards to continuing breastfeeding upon returning to work, breast milk can be fed in bottles to babies by child care providers because breast milk can be refrigerated for up to eight days and frozen from four to six months, retaining a higher level of antioxidants than infant formula. But the embarrassment of having to express milk in the office toilets before storing it in the communal fridge and stockpiling breast pads in a desk drawer in case of leaking breasts are just some of the deterrents working mothers have to deal with because most Australian workplaces do not have specific breastfeeding policies in place.
Robyn says, “So many mums in Australia go back to work before their babies are 12 months old and it is true that returning to work is seen as a significant impediment to continuing breastfeeding, but by law your employer is obligated to reasonably accommodate your breastfeeding.” This can comprise scheduled lactation breaks throughout the day and providing a suitable room (not the toilets) for expressing.
But expressing milk and bottle feeding has its own set of problems when combined with breastfeeding. When Hayley, 25, contracted mastitis she fed her daughter Mia from a bottle while her breasts recovered. She persisted with breastfeeding even after contracting mastitis three times only to find her daughter was losing interest. “Mia was getting lazy on the breast as she liked the bottle better so I only breastfed for 8 weeks,” Hayley says. This is known as nursing strike which occurs because there is less effort required for babies to suck from a bottle. For this reason it is generally advised to delay using a bottle until the baby is accustomed to sucking directly from the breast.
But if physically feeding from the breast is too painful during a bout of mastitis what else is there to do but express? One option is to use the other unaffected breast to feed whilst draining the affected breast regularly so that a baby’s feeding routine isn’t affected. But don’t persevere to the point where breastfeeding is prioritised ahead of safety because if mastitis is left untreated it can develop into a breast abscess which requires surgery.
Hayley says breastfeeding her new baby has been a much more gratifying experience. “I am having great success this time and no mastitis so far. Having a better understanding of how it all works has helped and I definitely won’t introduce the bottle yet.” Robyn suggests in Hayley’s case, mothers who were unlucky in breastfeeding the first time may even like to resume breastfeeding their eldest child once their second child is born. This may particularly appeal to older Mums who stopped breastfeeding early in order to regain their fertility and conceive more children.
But Robyn says this is often not the case due to a widely held perception that breastfeeding a child beyond infancy is indulgent. “By and large breasts are seen as sexual objects and as a nation we are fairly uncomfortable about feeding older children,” says Robyn. The 12+ months emphasised in the campaign highlights the significance of trying to normalise extended breastfeeding so that more women feel comfortable doing it.
The most important thing to remember is that because a long term strategy for nourishing a baby for twelve months is usually balanced with sleep deprivation, eight hour working days, breast pain and care of older children, that any women who manages to breast feed for any period of time is to be commended. Assistance in the form of Medicare subsidisations for pumps, sterilisation equipment and lactation consultations could greatly increase the number of women in continuing feeding breast milk beyond the six month mark, because it ensures women are supported financially and emotionally.
“A chat with a breastfeeding counsellor can be invaluable,” Robyn says. “More often than not mums know what they want to do but don’t feel confident. We will support them in whatever decision they make because it will be the right one for them.”
Ten breastfeeding tips
Breastfeeding is a gift for your baby that keeps on giving, so enjoy the time together and seek help if you are having difficulties. There is plenty of support out there for new Mums.(glass prints Cheap Canvas Online Wholesale Photo Prints)
1. Eat a healthy, balanced diet while breastfeeding to ensure you get plenty of iron, protein and calcium.
2. Try to feed frequently, as this will help you to maintain your milk supply.
3. At each feed, offer both breasts, but wait until your baby seems finished with one before changing over. Signs may be your baby coming of the breast or seeming unsettled. Your breast will feel quite soft when it is emptier. Offering one breast first ensures that your baby gets the nourishing milk that is delivered later in the feed.
4. If your breasts start to feel uncomfortably full try to encourage your baby to feed with gentle techniques like unwrapping them and placing them on your bare chest where they will smell your milk. Stroking their cheek with your nipple may also rouse their interest in feeding. If you are unable to feed your baby then it is important that you don't stay overly full. Hand express enough for comfort if you will be able to feed shortly, or a good full express if you will be away some time. This regular emptying will ensure a good milk supply and your baby can still have your milk in your absence.
5. You can keep expressed milk in a sealed container in the back of the fridge (not the door) for up to 3-5 days. Alternatively, expressed breast milk can be kept safely in the freezer for up to 6 months. Find out more about breast milk storage times and information.
6. If your breasts are leaking, try using breast pads to absorb leaking milk. Change pads frequently to avoid the nipple becoming too soggy and prone to infection. Use waterproof breastpads only infrequently. An unwanted let-down can be stopped by crossing your arms and using your hands to place pressure directly on the nipple.
7. If your nipples are sore, dry and/or cracked, the positioning and latch of the baby may need correcting. If it doesn't feel right, if its painful, then the latch is not correct. Ask for help from a lactation consultant.
8. Find a comfortable position to feed in whilst lying down, as this will give you a chance to have a break. It is important you take all the time you need and are not rushed. Breastfeeding is a gift for your baby that keeps on giving, so enjoy the time together and seek help if you are having difficulties. There is plenty of support out there for new Mums.
9. Ask for your partner's support - ask for them to bring you some water and a snack whenever you are feeding.
10. Get a good chair or breastfeeding pillow and create a feeding area, with some magazines or books so you can relax while you feed.
1. Eat a healthy, balanced diet while breastfeeding to ensure you get plenty of iron, protein and calcium.
2. Try to feed frequently, as this will help you to maintain your milk supply.
3. At each feed, offer both breasts, but wait until your baby seems finished with one before changing over. Signs may be your baby coming of the breast or seeming unsettled. Your breast will feel quite soft when it is emptier. Offering one breast first ensures that your baby gets the nourishing milk that is delivered later in the feed.
4. If your breasts start to feel uncomfortably full try to encourage your baby to feed with gentle techniques like unwrapping them and placing them on your bare chest where they will smell your milk. Stroking their cheek with your nipple may also rouse their interest in feeding. If you are unable to feed your baby then it is important that you don't stay overly full. Hand express enough for comfort if you will be able to feed shortly, or a good full express if you will be away some time. This regular emptying will ensure a good milk supply and your baby can still have your milk in your absence.
5. You can keep expressed milk in a sealed container in the back of the fridge (not the door) for up to 3-5 days. Alternatively, expressed breast milk can be kept safely in the freezer for up to 6 months. Find out more about breast milk storage times and information.
6. If your breasts are leaking, try using breast pads to absorb leaking milk. Change pads frequently to avoid the nipple becoming too soggy and prone to infection. Use waterproof breastpads only infrequently. An unwanted let-down can be stopped by crossing your arms and using your hands to place pressure directly on the nipple.
7. If your nipples are sore, dry and/or cracked, the positioning and latch of the baby may need correcting. If it doesn't feel right, if its painful, then the latch is not correct. Ask for help from a lactation consultant.
8. Find a comfortable position to feed in whilst lying down, as this will give you a chance to have a break. It is important you take all the time you need and are not rushed. Breastfeeding is a gift for your baby that keeps on giving, so enjoy the time together and seek help if you are having difficulties. There is plenty of support out there for new Mums.
9. Ask for your partner's support - ask for them to bring you some water and a snack whenever you are feeding.
10. Get a good chair or breastfeeding pillow and create a feeding area, with some magazines or books so you can relax while you feed.
Friday, January 16, 2015
10 myths about babies
As a new parent, you'll be hearing a lot of advice and opinions. Some of it will be really helpful and some will be just plain wrong. Here are the most common things people say about babies that aren't true.(cheap canvas prints canvas print)
Myth 1: You'll instantly fall in love with your baby
Truth: You're probably expecting love at first sight, but it's totally normal if you don't feel this instant, gushing love. "Bonding is a process that happens over time," says clinical psychologist Shoshana Bennett. "Some mothers do feel the instantaneous closeness, but there's nothing wrong or 'different' about those who don't. The closeness will come." Sometimes it takes time to get to know each other, like it does with anyone else you meet.
Myth 2: Babies don't have kneecaps
Truth: Babies just don't have hard kneecaps. Pediatric occupational therapist Anne Zachry explains that an infant's kneecaps are made of soft cartilage, allowing for early growth spurts. The kneecaps get firmer throughout childhood as it forms into bone.
Myth 3: Newborns can't see
Truth: Newborns have blurry vision, but they can definitely see. The myth may be based on the weird way newborns' eyes tend to move. "Parents may notice that their newborn's eyes move in a jerky way at times, but that's normal because baby doesn't have full control of the eye muscles yet," Zachry says.
Recent research reveals that as early as two weeks old, babies see in colour and can differentiate red from green - before that, everything's in black and white.
Myth 4: Baby walkers help infants learn to walk
Truth: According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, walkers are actually dangerous. Since newborns can't see their feet, it's easy for them to have an accident (falling down stairs can happen - eek!). Plus, they give mobility to infants who aren't necessarily ready for it, which means the muscles are working in a way they wouldn't normally. This can lead to problems.
Another strike against walkers: They help baby reach things that are normally, and should be, out of their reach (double eek!).
Myth 5: There are 'good' and 'bad' baby bottles and nipples
Truth: Sorry, but there's no secret list of perfect bottles you can buy that will help every baby transition from breast to bottle, or that always prevents leaking or gas. That's because every baby really is different and has her own preferences.
"They're unique little beings from the beginning, and a lot of learning what works great depends on getting to know them," says Ali Wing, founder and CEO of Giggle. "Some parents complain about constant leaking from bottles and nipples, but this likely has as much to do with the baby, her style of sucking and the reality of their different mouths." It's probably not what you want to hear, but your best bet is to buy a few different bottle and nipple types and experiment with what baby takes to most.
Myth 6: Nipple confusion is a huge issue
Truth: Worried that one bottle feeding will mean the end of your breastfeeding days because baby will be confused by it? It's not that baby "doesn't get" what's happening when you switch, explains certified lactation consultant Leigh Anne O'Connor; some babies just prefer the faster flow of certain bottle nipples. "If a bottle is too easy, then baby may have a hard time going back and forth between breast and bottle," she explains. "Some babies are pickier than others. The important thing is to make sure baby doesn't gulp down bottles and that there's not too much in the bottle." So if you do use the occasional bottle, choose one with a slower flow.
Myth 7: Bouncing your baby will cause him to be bowlegged
Truth: This one falls into the old wives' tale category. "If anything, bouncing will lead to straighter legs," says pediatrician Vicki Papadeas. "Legs are often bowed by the in utero position and straighten when baby starts to stand and walk." So baby just needs some normal stretching and movement to straighten out what are bowed legs at birth. "We don't see as much bowing now that babies sleep on their backs," Papadeas adds.
Myth 8: Excessive crying means something is definitely wrong
Truth: When babies cry (and cry and cry), it usually doesn't mean they're sick or in pain. Sounds counterintuitive, right? Think of it this way: It takes healthy energy to fuel a loud cry. "Ill babies are usually limp and listless, breathing fast, febrile and generally more passive," says Papadeas. Crying is one of the main ways babies communicate. It usually means they're uncomfortable or want something. "If baby has no fever, is not breathing fast or struggling, is pink in colour - not bluish - has no visible injuries, is moving all arms and legs, ate well and had normal bowel movements, then he most likely is not sick."
Papadeas recommends checking for "hidden" sources of pain, like a scratched eye, but other than that, you're probably worrying for no reason. "I tell parents of crying babies that after checking the diaper, trying to feed, and soothing for 10 to 15 minutes, they need to switch gears." There's no problem, so don't try to fix it anymore - instead, concentrate on helping baby through her stress. "Darken the room and just sit there and cuddle. Babies respond to parental stress, so calm yourself down and just help him through it."
Myth 9: Attachment to the nanny or babysitter is a bad thing you should prevent
Truth: You're leaving baby in someone else's care, and your maternal instincts scream, "Please don't let him think she's his mum!" It's true baby will see the nanny as a parental figure, but attachment to a nanny is a good thing, says Lindsay Heller, "The Nanny Doctor." "If your child has a strong affinity for your nanny, then be proud of your child for having the capacity to love someone so much." And be proud of yourself for choosing someone who takes such good care of him.
Remind yourself that you can never, ever be replaced, and spend plenty of quality time with baby in the evenings and weekends to keep up your bond.
Myth 10: All baby cries sound the same
Truth: Your baby is developing a whole language of cries to communicate with you. "Cries for needing food, sleep, and diaper changes will sound different if you listen closely," says Heller. "You will notice a pattern." It takes time, but pay attention and you'll learn to decode those cries.
Heller notes parents say that an "owh" sound may mean baby's tired (the o-shape of the mouth mimics yawning), "eh" means "burp me" (tightening chest muscles makes this sound) and "neh" means baby's hungry (it just does!).
Myth 1: You'll instantly fall in love with your baby
Truth: You're probably expecting love at first sight, but it's totally normal if you don't feel this instant, gushing love. "Bonding is a process that happens over time," says clinical psychologist Shoshana Bennett. "Some mothers do feel the instantaneous closeness, but there's nothing wrong or 'different' about those who don't. The closeness will come." Sometimes it takes time to get to know each other, like it does with anyone else you meet.
Myth 2: Babies don't have kneecaps
Truth: Babies just don't have hard kneecaps. Pediatric occupational therapist Anne Zachry explains that an infant's kneecaps are made of soft cartilage, allowing for early growth spurts. The kneecaps get firmer throughout childhood as it forms into bone.
Myth 3: Newborns can't see
Truth: Newborns have blurry vision, but they can definitely see. The myth may be based on the weird way newborns' eyes tend to move. "Parents may notice that their newborn's eyes move in a jerky way at times, but that's normal because baby doesn't have full control of the eye muscles yet," Zachry says.
Recent research reveals that as early as two weeks old, babies see in colour and can differentiate red from green - before that, everything's in black and white.
Myth 4: Baby walkers help infants learn to walk
Truth: According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, walkers are actually dangerous. Since newborns can't see their feet, it's easy for them to have an accident (falling down stairs can happen - eek!). Plus, they give mobility to infants who aren't necessarily ready for it, which means the muscles are working in a way they wouldn't normally. This can lead to problems.
Another strike against walkers: They help baby reach things that are normally, and should be, out of their reach (double eek!).
Myth 5: There are 'good' and 'bad' baby bottles and nipples
Truth: Sorry, but there's no secret list of perfect bottles you can buy that will help every baby transition from breast to bottle, or that always prevents leaking or gas. That's because every baby really is different and has her own preferences.
"They're unique little beings from the beginning, and a lot of learning what works great depends on getting to know them," says Ali Wing, founder and CEO of Giggle. "Some parents complain about constant leaking from bottles and nipples, but this likely has as much to do with the baby, her style of sucking and the reality of their different mouths." It's probably not what you want to hear, but your best bet is to buy a few different bottle and nipple types and experiment with what baby takes to most.
Myth 6: Nipple confusion is a huge issue
Truth: Worried that one bottle feeding will mean the end of your breastfeeding days because baby will be confused by it? It's not that baby "doesn't get" what's happening when you switch, explains certified lactation consultant Leigh Anne O'Connor; some babies just prefer the faster flow of certain bottle nipples. "If a bottle is too easy, then baby may have a hard time going back and forth between breast and bottle," she explains. "Some babies are pickier than others. The important thing is to make sure baby doesn't gulp down bottles and that there's not too much in the bottle." So if you do use the occasional bottle, choose one with a slower flow.
Myth 7: Bouncing your baby will cause him to be bowlegged
Truth: This one falls into the old wives' tale category. "If anything, bouncing will lead to straighter legs," says pediatrician Vicki Papadeas. "Legs are often bowed by the in utero position and straighten when baby starts to stand and walk." So baby just needs some normal stretching and movement to straighten out what are bowed legs at birth. "We don't see as much bowing now that babies sleep on their backs," Papadeas adds.
Myth 8: Excessive crying means something is definitely wrong
Truth: When babies cry (and cry and cry), it usually doesn't mean they're sick or in pain. Sounds counterintuitive, right? Think of it this way: It takes healthy energy to fuel a loud cry. "Ill babies are usually limp and listless, breathing fast, febrile and generally more passive," says Papadeas. Crying is one of the main ways babies communicate. It usually means they're uncomfortable or want something. "If baby has no fever, is not breathing fast or struggling, is pink in colour - not bluish - has no visible injuries, is moving all arms and legs, ate well and had normal bowel movements, then he most likely is not sick."
Papadeas recommends checking for "hidden" sources of pain, like a scratched eye, but other than that, you're probably worrying for no reason. "I tell parents of crying babies that after checking the diaper, trying to feed, and soothing for 10 to 15 minutes, they need to switch gears." There's no problem, so don't try to fix it anymore - instead, concentrate on helping baby through her stress. "Darken the room and just sit there and cuddle. Babies respond to parental stress, so calm yourself down and just help him through it."
Myth 9: Attachment to the nanny or babysitter is a bad thing you should prevent
Truth: You're leaving baby in someone else's care, and your maternal instincts scream, "Please don't let him think she's his mum!" It's true baby will see the nanny as a parental figure, but attachment to a nanny is a good thing, says Lindsay Heller, "The Nanny Doctor." "If your child has a strong affinity for your nanny, then be proud of your child for having the capacity to love someone so much." And be proud of yourself for choosing someone who takes such good care of him.
Remind yourself that you can never, ever be replaced, and spend plenty of quality time with baby in the evenings and weekends to keep up your bond.
Myth 10: All baby cries sound the same
Truth: Your baby is developing a whole language of cries to communicate with you. "Cries for needing food, sleep, and diaper changes will sound different if you listen closely," says Heller. "You will notice a pattern." It takes time, but pay attention and you'll learn to decode those cries.
Heller notes parents say that an "owh" sound may mean baby's tired (the o-shape of the mouth mimics yawning), "eh" means "burp me" (tightening chest muscles makes this sound) and "neh" means baby's hungry (it just does!).
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