Newborns usually sleep for 16 to 18 hours out of every 24, and wake every two hours. By the time they are one years old, they sleep for 9 to 12 hours out of every 24, and their afternoon nap might fall away.

Parenting Expert and Pampers Institute Member, Sister Lilian, shares a set of guidelines for baby sleep from newborn up until one year’s old in this Pampers YouTube video. She also discusses the ages in between.

Helpful advice and tips from the Pampers® Institute are available at www.Pampers.co.za and on www.youtube.com/PampersZA Receive emails with information tailored to your baby’s age by subscribing at www.Pampers.co.za/registration and connect with us at www.facebook.com/PampersSA

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Music affects social behaviour

While it has already been proven that people who move in time together in activities ranging from dancing to rowing a boat are likely to bond and work together, the McMaster study is believed to be the first to study the effects on babies.

“Moving in sync with others is an important part of musical activities,” says lead author and doctoral student Laura Cirelli. “These effects show that movement is a fundamental part of music that affects social behavior from a very young age.”

Bouncing to the beat

Researchers worked in pairs to bounce each baby in the study, which tested a total of 68 babies.

When the music started playing, one researcher bounced the baby in a forward facing carrier, while the other researcher stood facing the baby and the person holding him.

The pairs of researchers bounced either in sync or at a different tempo, depending upon whether they were in the test or control group.

When the music stopped, subjects were given a classical test of child altruism in which the researcher who had been facing him would pretend to accidentally drop an object to see if the baby would help him.

The babies who had been bounced in sync with the researcher across from them were 20 percent more likely to help than those bounced offbeat.

Rhythm an essential part of learning

Cirelli believes her findings are significant towards building a more cooperative social climate and that singing, clapping and dancing in time to music should be an essential part of developmental learning.

Moving forward, Cirelli is now working on a project to determine whether the babies’ bouncing-inspired helpfulness extends to others, or if it is geared solely towards his bouncing partner.

The study will be published in an upcoming issue of Developmental Science.

(AFP Relaxnews)

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In addition to focusing on stretch marks as a result of these transformations,Bio-Oil explored the emotional effects of these changes and the adjustments women have to make as they transition from teenager to woman, and from woman to mother.

Stretch marks affect 88% of pregnant women

Stretch marks commonly occur during pregnancy, affecting up to 88% of pregnant women. Research indicates that adolescents are also affected, with up to 70% of girls and 40% of boys developing stretch marks during puberty, some from as young as10 years old.

Bio-Oil commissioned husband and wife team, Rob and Karin Schermbrucker, to capture the Marks of Change as experienced by 14 ‘real’ teenage girls and women, none of whom are professional models, but who were willing to share their experiences.

Understand your body’s journey

“Understanding the body’s journey allows one to embrace the changes and celebrate the process. As a wife and mother of two, I was able to identify with the journey from teenager to woman and from woman to mother,” said photographer Karin Schermbrucker.

“I was challenged as to how I would translate the ‘marks of change’ visually, and emotively capture the essence of these two pivotal times in a woman’s life. Our ‘models’ arrived, awkward, closed and somewhat self-conscious but left feeling free and beautiful!”

Marks of Change exhibition

Through a series of emotive photographs and video, Bio-Oil presented the Marks of Change exhibition at a special briefing session for the media. In addition to this, Bio-Oil invited medical professionals to explore the topic in an expert panel discussion. Dermatologist Dr Ayesha Moolla, gynaecologist Dr Jana Rossouw, life coach and psychologist Megan de Beyer and clinical psychologist Maropeng Ralenala answered questions around these transitional phases from an expert skin, body and mind perspective.

Kirsten with Amelia Jane, 2 weeks old

Stretch marks, or striae, occur when the body expands faster than the skin covering it, resulting in internal tears in the deepdermis. When these tears heal, they form scars known as stretch marks.

Although stretch marks do not represent a significant medical problem, they can cause emotional distress to those who develop them.

The likelihood of developing them varies according to skin type, age, genetic disposition, diet and the hydration of the skin. Dr Moolla highlights that, “recognising striae early is crucial. The condition may respond to products and prescription treatment if commenced on newly developed striae.Once the striae are older, they are more refractory to treatment”.

Tracey with Rain, 2 months old

Mothers’ Marks of Change

During pregnancy the body expands so rapidly that the skin isn’t always able to adjust sufficiently, resulting in stretch marks,which affect up to 88% of pregnant women.

Research shows that one in three women feel self-conscious, embarrassed,worried or even ashamed about their stretch marks.

“It’s difficult to say what position a woman’s body will be in until she has had her kids, but it’s a sacrifice you need to make to have your children,” says Tracey, mother to Rain, 2 months old.

Lisa, mother to 11 month old Erin, shares this sentiment; “The changes in my body are because of my children and I wouldn’t have them if it weren’t for them. I’d be happier if they weren’t there, but not if it meant my children weren’t there.”

Lisa with Erin, 11 months old

Whilst many women experience negative emotional responses to their body post-pregnancy, these marks are also seen as a treasured reminder of their child’s birth. “Your body never goes back to how it was before, but I don’t think you expect it to because as a person you have also changed. It would feel very incongruent to have such a huge change happen internally and that not be reflected in some way,” says Kirsten, who is featured in Marks of Change with her second daughter, two-week-old Amelia Jane.

As a mother to two young children, Karin Schermbrucker reflects on the Marks of Change initiative with affection; “It was without a doubt, one of my most favourite shoots. My time with the women and the final images reminded me how much I love being a woman and just how magnificent and perfectly created the female form is.”

About the Author: To see the Marks of Change video visit www.youtube.com/BioOilSouthAfrica #BioOilSA #marksofchange For further information on Bio-Oil visit www.bio-oil.com

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Occupational Therapist and Pampers Institute Member, Kate Bailey, suggests that you make sure to prioritise unstructured free play so that your baby can make sense of the world with no added pressure.

Unstructured, free play time allows your baby to find his place in the world around him. Watch the Pampers YouTube video for more of Kate’s insight into why play time is so important for your baby.

Helpful advice and tips from the Pampers® Institute are available at www.Pampers.co.za and on www.youtube.com/PampersZA Receive emails with information tailored to your baby’s age by subscribing at www.Pampers.co.za/registration and connect with us at www.facebook.com/PampersSA

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Dr. Jorge Chavarro and colleagues at the Harvard School of Public Health in the US looked at how intake of different types of fats affected success of IVF treatment in 147 women, mostly in their 30s.

Mediterranean diet triples success

Findings revealed that diets rich in foods typically eaten as part of the Mediterranean diet, including sunflower oil and nuts and seeds, tripled the chances of success for women having the fertility treatment.

Saturated fats lead to fewer good eggs

In contrast, women who ate mostly saturated fat, found in dairy products and red meat, produced fewer good eggs for use in fertility treatment. High saturated fat intake has already been linked to lower sperm counts.

The best kinds of food to eat

“The best kinds of food to eat are avocados, which have a lot of monounsaturated fat and low levels of other sorts of fat, and olive oil,” said Chavarro. He said the study was small and more research is needed before clinical advice can be given to women. “While these results are interesting, this is the first time to our knowledge that dietary fats have been linked to treatment outcome in IVF.”

Coffee reduces success

Another new study presented at the same conference found that women who reported drinking five or more cups of coffee a day at the start of IVF treatment reduced their chance of success by 50 percent. The Danish researchers described heavy coffee drinking as being “comparable to the detrimental effect of smoking.”

(AFP Relaxnews)

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A urinary tract infection (UTI) is a bacterial infection in the urinary tract.

Pregnant women have an increased risk

Urinary tract infections are most common in women, especially if they are pregnant.

Physical and hormonal changes in the urinary tract during pregnancy often create the ideal environment for bacteria to flourish, which make pregnant women more susceptible to infection.

As the uterus grows, its increased weight can block the drainage of urine from the bladder. This stagnant urine is likely to cause urinary tract infection.

The increase of progesterone also causes the muscles that line the urine-making urethras to relax, which can allow bacteria to rise up into the bladder more easily than when you’re not pregnant.

Complications of a UTI in pregnancy

If the UTI goes untreated, it may lead to a kidney infection, which can be potentially life-threatening for mother and baby. Kidney infections may cause premature labour and low birth weight.

UTI symptoms

• Feeling an urgent need to urinate
• Frequent urination
• Finding it difficult to urinate
• Experiencing a burning sensation whilst urinating
• Cramps in your lower back or lower abdomen
• Urine that looks cloudy or has an odour

An asymptomatic infection

Pregnant women might not experience any symptoms, and it is therefore recommended that all pregnant women get checked for this ‘asymptomatic’ infection.

Treating a UTI

Conventional antibiotic treatments may clear up the infection, but they also kill the good bacteria in your body, which can be detrimental to your health over the long term.

About the Author: UTI’s during pregnancy can be safely treated with DMannose. DMannose is a pleasant tasting soluble powder that works quickly to stop UTI in its tracks by flushing the E.coli bacteria from your system, thus ensuring that the infection won’t recur. For a comprehensive stockist list, see the DMannose website under the “pharmacies” tab.

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Parenting Expert and Pampers Institute Member, Sister Lilian, fills parents in on this and how food and environmental allergens can make baby restless – especially during sleep time.

Watch the Pampers YouTube video for more.

Helpful advice and tips from the Pampers® Institute are available at www.Pampers.co.za and on www.youtube.com/PampersZA Receive emails with information tailored to your baby’s age by subscribing at www.Pampers.co.za/registration and connect with us at www.facebook.com/PampersSA

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Pediatricians encourage reading

Pediatricians have long encouraged reading to children, but the guidelines are the first official policy from the American Academy of Pediatrics telling doctors to talk to parents about daily reading to their children, from the first year of life until kindergarten.

It also calls on doctors and policymakers to ease the burden on poor and working families by distributing kids’ books for free to children in need.

Reading stimulates brain development

Reading with young children “stimulates optimal patterns of brain development and strengthens parent-child relationships at a critical time in child development, which, in turn, builds language, literacy and social-emotional skills that last a lifetime,” the AAP guidelines said.

Research has shown a stark divide among economic lines when it comes to reading — just one in three children in poverty are read to daily, resulting in “a significant learning disadvantage” when they get to school, the AAP added.

Even wealthier families do not always make reading a ritual, with 60 percent of those with incomes 400 percent of the poverty threshold saying they read to their children from birth to age five, according to a 2011-2012 survey.

Babies can benefit

Busy schedules are a constant obstacle, and some pediatricians are concerned about the widespread use of screen technology — from televisions to smartphones and tablets — which may be edging out reading time, too.

The AAP has previously said babies under age two should be as screen-free as possible, and that the best kind of learning takes place through unstructured, interactive play with humans and toys.

Very young babies can get benefits from reading, even if they do not seem interested, said Peter Richel, a fellow of the AAP and chief of pediatrics at Northern Westchester Hospital in New York.

“We can stimulate greater brain development in these months and years,” said Richel.

Earlier word recognition

“I do see earlier word recognition, earlier phrases and sentence formation, and singing — I always recognise that in those who are exposed to daily reading.”

In order to bridge the income gap, the AAP said it “supports federal and state funding for children’s books to be provided at pediatric health supervision visits for children at high risk.”

Word gap between children who read and those who don’t

Speaking at a Clinton Global Initiative America meeting in Denver, Colorado, former secretary of state Hillary Clinton said she supported the new guidelines.

Clinton also announced that Scholastic, a leading publisher of children’s books, would donate 500,000 books that pediatricians could distribute to families in need.

“By four years of age, children in lower-income families tend to have heard more than 30 million fewer words than children in more affluent families. Thirty million. Because they hear fewer words, they learn fewer words,” Clinton said.

“The word gap leads to an achievement gap that can have lifelong consequences.”

Clinton, whose daughter Chelsea is pregnant, said she remembered seeing her daughter’s face light up when she and her husband read to her as a child.

“Certainly we saw that when Bill and I were reading to Chelsea and we expect to do the same with our new grandchild coming in the fall,” Clinton said.

(AFP Relaxnews)

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In addition to keeping it simple and predictable, here are some top tips to creating a bedtime routine for your little one.

1. Keep it short – no longer than 30 minutes.
2. If you have a child older than 6 months, feed him or her  prior to bath time.
3. A bath is the best “activity” to kick-start your bedtime routine with.
4. For a toddler, set an egg timer for 30 minutes before bedtime to get him used to the idea that sleep is soon to follow.
5. No iPads or TV (or any other electronic devices) for at least two hours before bedtime. Rather invest in some quality family time.
6. Keep bedtime early. Typically, after 8pm it should only be mom and dad left in the living room.

Remember that children (until they reach a stage of puberty) need to sleep for a solid 11 or 12 hours at night. Therefore, an early bedtime for the whole family is a good idea.

In addition to a well rested child, you and your partner will still have a few hours left in the evening to enjoy quality time with each other.

About the Author: Good Night is a child and baby sleep consultancy that specialises in helping parents with children who struggle to sleep soundly. For more information, visit: www.goodnightbaby.co.za

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Parenting expert and Pampers Institute Member, Sister Lilian, chats about why sleep is so important for your baby’s brain development in this Pampers YouTube video.

Watch the video for more things you probably didn’t know about your baby and sleep.

Helpful advice and tips from the Pampers® Institute are available at www.Pampers.co.za and on www.youtube.com/PampersZA Receive emails with information tailored to your baby’s age by subscribing at www.Pampers.co.za/registration and connect with us at www.facebook.com/PampersSA

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