Preparing for Your Baby with Childbirth Classes

Preparing for Your Baby with Childbirth Classes

May 27th, 2010 by admin  |  No Comments

You hear all about the things that you have to do during pregnancy in preparation for your new baby. Though there are some things that may seem more pertinent and pressing than others, there are some things that are fundamental and can be quite helpful.

One thing that seems to be on every new parent’s checklist is childbirth classes. Though parents that have been through the process will often say that they didn’t necessarily use much of the knowledge when the time came, they are a valuable part of pregnancy. Not everybody signs up for these classes as they certainly aren’t a requirement, but they can be of great help in getting you and your partner as prepared as possible. So what can you possibly learn? How valuable can they really be? Understanding what goes on in childbirth classes can be of great value in advance.

What Value Do They Bring?

There are so many different kinds of childbirth classes out there. Each offers a unique perspective and many different preparation methods for your new baby. The point of these classes is to help a parent understand certain aspects of the birthing process and of parenthood in general.

The most common type of childbirth class is one that focuses on what it really means to go through the childbirth process. This will walk you through all of the ins and outs of the process, and gives you a very real accounting of what one can expect. This is good for both the man and the woman in so many different ways. For the woman, it can help her to see what her body will naturally do. It can outline what happens in the various types of birth, and what will happen if things go in a manner that wasn’t predicted. Sometimes preparing for the unpredictable is the most beneficial thing that a woman can see.

These classes can be quite valuable to the man as it helps him to mentally prepare for his role as a coach. He will likely be there with his partner every step of the way and will help her through the birthing process. This is an important role and requires a great deal of time and attention so that he knows how to keep her calm and focused. This can be a great bonding experience for both parents as they can share the excitement for the upcoming birth of their baby. As you can imagine, this all provides some great value and is something that helps in the full preparation.

Additional Resources to Consider

As part of the childbirth classes at some hospitals or medical facilities, parents can sign up for additional classes. They can take a tour of the hospital so that they can see where they will deliver, where the rooms are located, where the nursery is, and generally see the layout of the hospital overall. Many parents often wish to get involved in childbirth classes that focus on breastfeeding, caring for their baby, or even on CPR. There are many different derivations of these classes, and they are all aimed at preparation and helping to make the best parent possible. Though this may seem like a lot to take in, if you carry away just a few lessons with you over time then it’s well worth it.

Supporting Baby’s Immune Health

Supporting Baby’s Immune Health

May 4th, 2010 by admin  |  No Comments

We all know that the immune system exists to protect our bodies from harmful invaders, and that it is vital to keeping us healthy. The complex immune system is a powerful force for identifying and eliminating dangerous foreign matter that enters the body. A baby’s immune system, however, is not yet developed enough to successfully defend that tiny body – it needs a little help. Do you know how to best support your baby’s immune system so that it can do its job keeping your little one healthy? Answer these three basic questions to find out!

What is the Number One Way to Boost a Newborn’s Immune System?

When it comes to strengthening your newborn’s fledgling immune system, the absolute best thing you can do is to choose to breastfeed. Breast milk, especially the early, darker colored milk called colostrum, is packed with antibodies that your baby can’t get anywhere else. These antibodies are the building blocks of immunity. They give your newborn a fighting chance against the bacteria and viruses that are new to his body. Your baby received antibodies through the placenta during your pregnancy, but from the moment of birth that protection begins to wane. The only way to continue to protect him is to keep the supply of antibodies up through breast milk.

While formulas have come a long way over the years, they simply can not provide these antibodies to your baby, so if you can, breastfeed for as long as possible. When you stop breastfeeding, the same effect will occur as when you gave birth – the antibodies will become less and less effective. The longer you breastfeed, the more time you allow for your baby to grow bigger and stronger, and for his immune system to make its own antibodies.

What Does a Fever Mean?

Fever is a sign that your baby’s immune system has kicked into gear to fight off an invading force. In the first few months of life, a fever in your baby is your first clue that something is not right. While older children and adults will come through most fevers just fine, a newborn doesn’t have the strength to fight off whatever the fever is signaling. Any fever in a newborn warrants a call to your doctor’s office. Antibiotics might be necessary to help her immune system fight off the illness causing the fever.

Recognize the signs that your baby is getting sick, such as fever and others – lethargy, changes in appetite and sleep habits – and help your baby’s immune system fight off the illness by stepping in quickly.

Is Exposing Baby to Germs Good or Bad?

It might sound like a silly question, but it’s a good one. Exposure to germs is what triggers the immune system to respond, and create antibodies that will fight off illness. However, a baby’s body isn’t strong enough to fight off many of the germs he might encounter. So what is the right answer? Avoid exposure to germs as much as possible for the first few months of life, when baby is still very small and vulnerable. During those early months, a simple illness can quickly become very serious, so be very careful.

As she grows and becomes stronger, you can be a little less militant on the germ patrol. This doesn’t mean exposing her to people you know are sick so she can build antibodies! Just that you can take her to more places and let her body start to build its defenses against what it encounters.

With the answers to all three of these questions, you arm yourself with the knowledge to boost your baby’s immune system so that eventually her body will be able to defend itself.

A Healthy Immune System for Baby

A Healthy Immune System for Baby

April 29th, 2010 by admin  |  No Comments

A healthy immune system is vital to helping your baby’s body to fight off infections and avoid illness. To keep her immune system working at peak performance, baby needs a little help from you.

In the womb, antibodies are passed to baby from her mother via the placenta. But after birth, their power will start to wane, and unless they are replace baby will be vulnerable to illness. A baby won’t start to produce her own antibodies until she is a few months old. In the meantime, there is a way to help her out.

Breastfeeding and Immunity

Breast milk is the only way to get vital antibodies to your baby in the first months of life. The AAP recommends that new mothers breastfeed for at least the first four months, but preferably exclusively for the first six months. This isn’t just because breast milk contains antibodies. It also gives your baby the optimum nutritional content she needs to be healthy. A body that is receiving all the nutrients it needs is a body that supports immune health.

Baby’s Diet and Immune Health

When your baby starts on solid baby foods, make sure to offer her a wide variety of healthy foods, especially fruits and vegetables. The nutrients in these foods will help to support her immune system and keep her healthy. Look for foods high in vitamins C and E, which are known to have immunity-strengthening properties. These foods include choices like applesauce, carrots, sweet potatoes, broccoli and more. Also, be sure to include foods high in zinc, which also supports immune health. This important mineral appears in proteins such as chicken and eggs.

Probiotics have recently been recognized as playing a major role in immune health. They are the good bacteria that our bodies need in order to fight off any number of illnesses. Probiotics can be found in foods like yogurt, but use caution. Many commercial yogurts have been flash heated to maintain shelf life – which kills many of the good bacteria. Look for an all natural yogurt that has not been heated. You can also use probiotic supplements; talk to your baby’s doctor about how to implement them into baby food diet.

The Importance of Sleep

It might not be the first thing to come to mind when you think of a healthy immune system, but making sure that your baby gets the sleep he needs is actually vital to supporting a healthy immune system. In the same way that adults can get run down and become vulnerable to infection when we aren’t getting enough sleep, babies need sleep to stay healthy – and they require a lot more sleep than we do.

During sleep, the body repairs and rejuvenates itself, making it better able to fight off illness. A newborn requires upwards of 16 hours of sleep, and in the first year of life that need won’t go down much. Make sure baby gets enough rest by sticking to a bedtime routine and a nap schedule as much as you can. If baby seems to be sleeping more than usual, he might be fighting something off. Let him get his rest, and watch for further signs of illness. Sometimes all the body needs is a little extra down time to let the immune system kick in and do its job.

A healthy immune system means a healthy baby, so do everything you can to support it from the day he is born. If you pay attention to his body’s needs, your baby’s immune system will stay strong and keep him strong too.

Choices for Feeding Your Baby

Choices for Feeding Your Baby

April 5th, 2010 by admin  |  No Comments

One of the most important decisions you will need to make when preparing for the arrival of your new baby is how you plan to feed her. This can be a difficult and emotional topic for many new mothers, but making the decision is a little easier when you know the facts about both breast and formula feeding.

The Benefits of Breastfeeding

The American Academy of Pediatrics along with countless other medical associations all make the same recommendation: breastfeeding is the best choice for newborns. Human breast milk contains everything your baby needs to stay healthy and grow strong, including many compounds that can not be imitated by any commercial formula available today. Colostrum, the earliest breast milk that is produced in the first days after your baby’s birth, is rich in nutrients and antibodies that can’t be found anywhere else. These antibodies are crucial to strengthening your baby’s immune system.

Every mother’s breast milk is unique, and tailored precisely to the baby’s needs. Studies have shown that the composition of breast milk changes over time as your baby grows and her nutritional needs change. A mother’s body is also capable of compensating for premature birth by producing breast milk specific to the needs of a preterm infant.

Breast fed babies have a lower risk of a long list of problems later in life, including obesity, heart disease, diabetes, respiratory problems, and allergies. Because of the antibodies in breast milk, breast fed infants will catch fewer colds in the first years and generally maintain better health overall.

Breastfeeding has other benefits as well. It costs significantly less than formula feeding, you won’t spend a lot of time on washing and sanitizing bottles, and you won’t have to worry about bringing a lot of gear with you everywhere you go. Recent research has also shown that mothers who breastfeed have a lower risk of breast and ovarian cancer.

While some mothers are concerned that breastfeeding will leave the new dad out of the feeding process, a breast pump can easily solve this problem. This way, dad can take on some of the night feedings while you get some much-needed rest.

Formula Feeding

There are a number of reasons for choosing formula feeding for your newborn. Some mothers may have difficulty with milk supply or illnesses which could be transferred to the baby through breast milk. Mothers of adopted infants will not have the necessary hormones from pregnancy to produce breast milk. Working mothers may find pumping at work difficult or in some cases nearly impossible.

Formula feeding also offers the benefit of making the new dad an equal partner in the feeding process, without the extra work of having to pump breast milk for him to use. Dads can mix a bottle and feed the baby without ever having to disturb your much-needed sleep.

Today’s formulas offer better nutrition than ever before, and there are a number of formula choices on the market in case your baby’s stomach is sensitive and you need to try a different brand.

The Third Choice: Compromise

Many new mothers see the breast or formula feeding choice as an all or nothing proposition, but there is plenty of room for compromise. A combination of breast and formula feeding will ensure your baby reaps some of the benefits of breast milk while taking some of the pressure off of an already exhausted mom.

You may wish to breastfeed while you are on maternity leave, and then switch to formula when you return to work. Your baby will still have received many of the important antibodies provided by the early milk.

Whatever your choice, remember that a relaxed, happy mom is important to baby’s health and happiness too. Don’t let your feeding choice become a source of major stress in your life at a time when you need all your strength to care for your new baby.

The First Days with Your New Baby

The First Days with Your New Baby

March 31st, 2010 by admin  |  No Comments

There is nothing like the magical moment when you see your long-awaited baby for the first time. The first few days of life with baby are both the most wonderful and some of the most challenging for new parents. Suddenly everything has changed, and your world revolves around this tiny little person whose health and well-being are entirely in your hands.

What Your Baby Looks Like

Years of seeing babies being “born” on television and in movies have ill prepared new parents for the reality of a newborn. Your baby might not be the perfect bundle of joy you were expecting. The process of birth can be difficult on a baby, especially with a long vaginal birth. You might see things like a cone-shaped head, squished nose, and red marks on baby’s face and body.

Babies often have blotchy skin and still have some of the waxy white coating on their skin known as vernix, which covers a baby’s skin in the uterus to protect it from the long exposure to amniotic fluid. It is not uncommon for babies to be born with a little extra hair on their bodies as well. Both of these will soon be gone.

Your baby will also have a piece of the umbilical cord still attached, which will be clamped off at first. This usually falls off within the first few weeks of life. You may notice that your baby’s genitals appear swollen – this is a normal reaction to hormones passed from the mother, and will recede over time.

What Your Baby Needs

In the first days of life, what your baby will do most is eat and sleep. It is not unusual for baby to fall asleep not long after birth; after all, it has been a long and trying day. While it is tempting to stay awake and watch this sleeping miracle you have waited so long to see, new moms should take advantage of their newborn’s naps to get some much needed rest as well. Sleep in the first days will be erratic, so get it while you can!

If you are breastfeeding your baby, you may put her to the breast immediately following birth, but don’t expect much. She may be tired and has not yet mastered latching on, although the sucking reflex is well developed in full-term infants. When she is awake, you can try again. The first few days are a time for mom and baby to learn the ropes of nursing. Don’t be concerned if your baby doesn’t seem to be eating a lot at first. She is still being sustained by nutrients passed through the umbilical cord, and her appetite will soon grow.

It is entirely normal for a newborn to lose up to 10% of her birth weight within the first few days of life. Your doctor will monitor her weight to ensure it starts to climb again.

Bringing Baby Home

Depending on whether you had a vaginal birth or a caesarean section, you will likely be in the hospital for the first 2-4 days of your baby’s life. During this time you will have the assistance of the nurses in caring for your baby. Don’t be surprised if going home, that much anticipated event, feels a bit overwhelming or even frightening. This is a normal reaction to the realization of the monumental task before you.

In these early days, focus on caring for your new baby and yourself. Don’t worry about the housework, and if you have offers of help don’t be afraid to accept. The first days with a newborn are exhausting and challenging, especially for moms recovering from a difficult birth or from a c-section.

Remember that both you and your newborn are making a major adjustment to a whole new life, and there are bound to be some bumps in the road. You will soon settle into a new routine, and things will smooth out again.

The Amount of Liquids Your Baby Should Be Drinking at Each Age

The Amount of Liquids Your Baby Should Be Drinking at Each Age

February 22nd, 2010 by admin  |  No Comments

Babies begin life with a liquid diet of either breast milk, formula or a combination of the two. They should remain on an entirely liquid diet until around six months when solid solid foods are introduced gradually. By a year, your baby should be eating three meals and two snacks a day of table food and drinking milk as a supplement – not a meal. It’s a fast transition for both mother and child, and the most important part of ensuring a smooth transition is determining how much your child should be drinking over that first year.

Birth to Six Months

Breastfeeding

When you breastfeed your baby, you normally don’t have a gauge of how much your baby is actually eating other than the amount of time he spends on each breast. A session of breastfeeding, once established for both mother and child, should take ten to thirty minutes, but can be longer for any number of reasons. As a newborn, your baby might nurse eight to twelve times a day at any interval and this pattern can last up to six months of age.

Bottle Feeding

Formula takes a bit longer to digest, so babies typically wait a bit longer between feedings, and the amounts consumed can vary widely among babies. There is no average amount, but before the introduction of solids, your baby is likely drinking 16 to 32 ounces, or 460 to 940 mL, a day. Some babies drink more or less, and the best way to gauge if the amount is correct is to check your baby’s weight gain and growth over time. Your doctor will be doing this at every appointment.

A more numerical approach to the amount a child should be eating is offered by the American Academy of Pediatrics, -On average, your baby should take in about 2 1/2 ounces of formula a day for every pound of body weight.- This translates to 24 to 36 ounces of formula after four months for most babies.

Six Months to One Year

Around six months you will start introducing solid foods. During this period of introduction, the solid foods are a supplement to the milk-based diet, but over the remaining months, solid food will become the basis of your baby’s diet and he will be supplemented first by breast milk or formula and then by cow’s milk (unless you continue to nurse after this point.)

At six months your child will be nursing on demand or drinking close to 36 ounces of formula per day. This requirement should hold steady over the next few months as you increase his diet in solid foods. As solids become more proficient, milk will actually decrease until he is drinking only about two cups at his first birthday per day. The two cup requirement is an average and is the same for toddlers and young children of all ages.

Breastfeeding Basics

Breastfeeding Basics

February 19th, 2010 by admin  |  No Comments

Breast milk is the best baby food for your newborns because it is full of healthy nutrition. Breast milk provides all the nutrients that a baby needs. So it is important to make sure that your baby receives enough breast milk.

How Often and How Long Should You Breastfeed?

Newborn infants should feed on cue in every 2 to 3 hours. They will usually breastfeed for about 10 to 15 minutes per breast at each feeding until they are satisfied. As the baby gets older, the baby will learn to feed more efficiently. Hence the feeding time will be shorter.

When a baby is ready to feed, they may show the following signs:

  • increased fussiness or agitation
  • tongue or lip movements
  • fists in mouth
  • open his mouth when the skin around his mouth, cheek or lips is touch
  • crying (late sign)

During the first 4 weeks, a newborn infant should be breastfed at least every 4 hours. If the infant is sleeping, he should be awakened to feed.

How Much is Enough

Counting the number of diapers produced by a newborn infant is one way of knowing if he is getting enough breast milk. A newborn baby should have 6 to 8 wet diapers after the first week of life.

Each breastfeeding session should last about 10 to 15 minute. The length of time spent at the breast is a good indicator that your baby is receiving enough breast milk. After feeding, breasts should feel softer.

Another way of checking if the newborn infant is receiving enough breast milk is by monitoring the weight gain of your infant. To ensure adequate weight gain, be sure to have your baby weighted properly after the first week.

Age Number of Feeds Stools Wet Diapers
1 to 2 Days About 8 to 12 times per day . The number of feed will incease each day . Dark green or balck meconium. 1 to 3 wet diapers.
3 to 4 Days 8 to 12 times per day

Every 2 to 3 hours

 Day 3 stool may still be black.
Day 4 stoll will be lighter in color.		 3 to 4 soaked diapers.
5 to 6 Days 8 to 12 times per day About 2 to 3 stools per day. Stool will be yellowish or seedy in color and texture. 6 or more heavy soaked diapers.
7 Days to 1 Month 8 to 12 times per day About 3 to 5 stools per day. 6 or more heavy soaked diapers.
1 to 4 Months 6 to 8 times per day or every 3 to 4 hours. They may begin to sleep through the night without feeding. 3 to 5 stools per day. Stool frequency varies between babies 6 or more heavy soaked diapers.
Breast Milk Express

Breast Milk Express

February 19th, 2010 by admin  |  No Comments

Ideally, mother should always be available to breastfeed their babies when they are hungry. However, in reality certain situations that hinder breastfeeding are unavoidable. For such occasions, it is important to have a supply of milk that has been expressed from breast and is available for the baby whenever the baby is hungry.

Choosing a Breast Pump

Express breast milk would be easier with a breast pump. There are different types of breast pump available:

  • hand-operated breast pump
  • electric or battery-powered breast pump (for home use)
  • electric breast pump (for professional or hospital)

Hand-operated pumps and home use electric pumps are significantly less expensive than the professional- or hospital-grade pumps. However, they are not as efficient and powerful as hospital-grade breast pumps. Hospital-grade breast pumps can be rented from some hospitals, pharmacies or medical supply companies at minimal cost. Depending on how often you need to use a pump, get one which is best suit your need.

Steps for Success Breast Milk Express

  1. Make sure you wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water before pumping breast milk. Wash the breast pump with hot soapy water and air-dried the pump. Breast pump should be sterilized on daily basis.
  2. Find a quite place to pump. An article of clothing or a blanket that smell like baby may help let down the milk. Pumping should be done as often as a mother would breastfeed her infant.
  3. Pump each breast for approximately 10-15 minutes until the milk stops flowing.
  4. Collect milk in appropriate containers. Make sure the container is sterilized and it is labeled with date and time of expression. This will help to remember the order of the milk was pumped.
  5. The expressed breast milk should be stored in refrigerator or freezer. Frozen milk should be stored in small amount, for example 60 to 125 ml. Fresh milk can be stored up to 48 hours in the fridge whereas frozen can be store up to 6 months.
  6. Defrost frozen milk overnight in refrigerator or run under warm running water. Do not microwave or place breast milk in hot water because this will destroy its immunological components. Don’t forget to test temperature of the breast milk before feeding the baby.
  7. After the feeding, discard any unfinished breast milk.
Nutrition Needs for Mom during Breastfeeding

Nutrition Needs for Mom during Breastfeeding

February 19th, 2010 by admin  |  No Comments

In general, a breastfeeding mom needs 400 to 500 extra calories per day for the first 12 months because the production of breast milk requires energy. However, if you have gained more weight than you should have during pregnancy, you can add more calories only when you really need them. Eat when you are hungry and stop when you are full.

Below is a chart that shows the nutrition needs of a breastfeeding mom.

Nutrients Breastfeedign Mom Source
Vitamin A, C, E You need more vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E than when you were pregnant. Vitamin A: carrots, sweet potatoes, apricots, pumpkins, mangos, milk, cheese

Vitamin C: kiwifruit, orange, grapefruit, mangos, strawberry, broccoli, tomato

Vitamin E: wheat germ, corn oil, olive oil, almonds, soy oil
B Vitamins The needs for B vitamins remain the same as they were during pregnancy.

Folate You need a little less folate than you were during pregnancy. Dark green vegetables such as spinach, broccoli, whole fortified grains
Calcium Your calcium needs remain the same as when you were pregnant.
Iron You need less iron. However if you have anemic, you may require additional iron. Please check with your doctor.
Fibre Your fibre needs remain unchanged.
Breastfeeding Positions

Breastfeeding Positions

February 19th, 2010 by admin  |  No Comments

There are many ways you can hold your baby while breastfeeding. In whatever position you choose, your baby should have easy access to your breast and you should feel relaxed during breastfeeding. Below are four main breastfeeding positions which most women feel comfortable with.

- Cross Cradle Position

- Foot-ball Position

- Side-lying Position

- Cradle Position

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