The post Hand expressing milk for your baby appeared first on All4Baby.
]]>Breast pumps can cost a fortune and with so many on the market it is easy to look past the simple truth that hand expression is just as efficient.
Hand expressing milk helps with breast comfort, preventing your breasts from becoming overfull which increases the risks of engorgement and other breast issues.
Maintaining breast milk production during breastfeeding is vital and expressing is an important method to use in order to encourage the continuation of breastfeeding.
So why should you choose to hand express over using a pump?
Looking at the simplicity factor, your hands are always with you and expressing with your hand is often a lot gentler than using a pump.
There is also less risk of cross infection as maintaining a hygiene standard with hand expression is simplified.
Having a baby is costly and saving money on a pump can go a long way.
The length that it takes you to express milk will depend on the reason for expressing:
As with breastfeeding, hand expressing may take time before it becomes easy, but the benefits are well worth it.
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]]>The post Breastfeeding a newborn: How much liquid should you be drinking? appeared first on All4Baby.
]]>Dr du Plessis believes that mothers should aim to drink between eight and 10 glasses of fluid or water per day to stay hydrated. “Drinking to quench thirst” is a nursing mother’s best guide as to how much liquid she should drink.
Good sources of fluids include water, fruit and vegetable juices, milk and soups.
Contrary to popular belief, a mom does not produce more milk if she drinks more, but she may surely produce less when the intake of liquids are diminished and even more so when she is dehydrated. If the baby does not have unrestricted access to the breast, due to the limited production, he could become dehydrated as well.
“Furthermore, the nutritional content of the milk might change when the mother is dehydrated leading to adverse health effects for both mother and baby if the dehydration lasts for more than one or two days,” adds Dr du Plessis.
Breast milk alone is the ideal nourishment for infants for the first six months of life, because it contains all the nutrients, antibodies and hormones that an infant needs to thrive. Babies who are breastfed through the first year of life have fewer illnesses and a lower chance of death and serious illness as breast milk protects them from diarrhoea and acute respiratory infections.
It furthermore stimulates their immune systems and responses to diseases and aids the response to vaccination. For these reasons, it is important for nursing mothers to remain hydrated so that they increase their chances of successful breastfeeding.
Astrid Anderson, distributer of Philips AVENT products adds that the storage of excess breast milk does not need to be of concern to breastfeeding moms. “Philips AVENT has made it easy for mothers who choose to conveniently and safely store baby’s precious liquid. There are two fitting options for storage, both of which are fridge and freezer safe; The Philips AVENT VIA Breast Milk storage cups are dishwasher safe and compatible with all Philips AVENT breast pumps and teats and The Philips AVENT Breast Milk Storage Bags, which hold 180ml of breast milk, come conveniently pre-sterilized for immediate use,” adds Anderson.
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]]>The post Is your newborn not sleeping? Don’t fall for these myths! appeared first on All4Baby.
]]>Here are the most common myths about sleep…
Unfortunately, not all soothers (dummy’s, taglet blankets, mommy’s fingers, milk) is good for your child’s sleeping habits. It depends on your child’s age and tendencies, but chances are that he can use some of these to aid in falling asleep which never allows the self soothing skill to develop.
Actually it works the other way around. The better rested your child is, the more he will sleep.
Did you know that studies have shown that adults who tend to have insomnia and bad sleeping habits were actually bad sleepers as children? Sleeping is actually a skill we need to teach our children, just like walking, eating and drinking. Your baby will not grow out of it. The earlier you address it the better…
Fact: we, as parents interfere with our children’s healthy development of good sleep cycles. There is so much that we can do better from the day they are born to implement healthy sleep associations and awake-sleep cycles.
Teaching your child to self soothe is not just a matter of leaving him to cry. There is so much that you can do as parent to follow a structured sleep plan that will teach your baby this skill. Sleep is influenced by so many things; stimulation, routine, feeding habits, bedtime, health, discipline, and a trained professional can help you to implement changes in your child’s life that teaches him the art to self soothe. Remember that crying is your child’s way of protesting change, and not all crying is bad.
Remember that teaching your child self soothing strategies are not about you. Consolidated, uninterrupted (11 to 12 hours) sleep is what your child needs. By taking the necessary steps to achieve restful, consolidated sleep for your child, you will be giving them a skill they will carry with them throughout their lives. And this is truly a gift.
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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]]>The post Weeks 5 to 8: Your baby at two months old appeared first on All4Baby.
]]>At two months old, your baby will also be awake more often in the day, which is a perfect time for you to start playing with your baby, which will assist in her development.
Have the camera ready! Your baby will flash her first non-gassy smile between four and six weeks of age. From that first smile, your baby will likely smile each time you engage with her. Some moms even believe that babies return each smile that they are given, so be sure to smile at your baby as you talk to her.
This week your baby will start to;
This is an important week for your baby. She will visit her paediatrician for her six week check up and will also receive her first set of vaccinations. At your baby’s check up, expect the paediatrician to listen to her heart and lungs, in addition to evaluating her overall well-being. A few milestone checks will also be done to make sure that your baby is developing on track.
Your six week old baby;
This week your baby might make her biggest discovery yet: her hands. You will probably catch her playing with her hands and fingers as she has realised that those fingers actually belong to her.
She may also;
Your baby continues to grow and develop. Are you keeping a journal to log your baby’s weight and milestones? If not, you should think about doing so. It will one day be nice to look back at the adventures of your baby’s first few months.
At eight weeks your baby;
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]]>The post What’s in your baby’s nappy? appeared first on All4Baby.
]]>Having a baby is a wonderful experience. Before you know it, your little bundle of joy will turn your world upside down. You’ll soon notice that your conversations with your partner (which were once deep and meaningful), will now revolve around vomit and poo. Especially poo.
Decoding your baby’s nappy can sometimes be a mystery as stools change so often. Below is a guideline that will help you decide what’s normal and what’s not.
Remember if you notice something completely out of the ordinary for your baby, rather play it safe and contact your paediatrician or clinic sister.
Meconium is what your baby will pass the first few days after birth and is what lined your baby’s bowels while he was still growing in your womb. It is usually dark black and has a sticky consistency to it.
If you are breastfeeding your baby, his stool will change from the meconium to a yellowy-mustard colour. It may even look like your baby has eaten some seeds, as the texture may appear seedy.
Your baby does not need to poo every day and can go a few days without passing a stool. As long as the texture remains soft and paste-like, your baby is unlikely to be suffering from constipation.
This type of poo could be a sign of constipation in your baby. Before using over-the-counter laxatives (which you should never do without medical supervision), place baby on her back and move her legs in a bicycle motion to help relieve constipation. You can also massage your baby’s tummy around the navel in a clock-wise circular motion to assist in peristaltic movement.
Instead of a yellowy-mustard colour, formula fed babies often pass a stool that is dark green in colour. This is due to the heavy iron contents found in some formulas.Your breastfed baby can also pass this type of stool if you are taking an iron supplement.
Red bloody streaks can be a result of constipation. They are caused by cuts that occur when your baby is straining to push a hard poo out. If there are more than just a few streaks, or if it continues over a few nappies then contact your paediatrician or clinic sister.
Bright green poo is usually a result of an imbalance between foremilk and hindmilk in breastfed babies. This imbalance occurs when baby feeds for short periods on each breast, which results in him receiving more foremilk than hindmilk. Feeding baby for longer on each breast will restore the balance.
Diarrhoea stools are watery and chunky. Diarrhoea can quickly lead to dehydration in babies, so if your newborn passes a stool that is loose and watery then it is best to contact your paediatrician or clinic sister. In bigger babies, seek medical attention if the diarrhoea lasts for longer than 24 hours. It’s important to note, that the occasional loose stool is probably nothing to worry about.
There are probably more colours and textures that are also considered normal. However, there are certain things that shouldn’t be ignored and should be observed closely;
Remember, your baby’s stool will automatically change once you introduce solids.
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]]>The post Shaken baby syndrome: Why it’s never OK to shake a baby appeared first on All4Baby.
]]>This type of child abuse occurs when a baby is violently shaken, usually because he or she will not stop crying. Shaking a baby causes their brain to bounce back against their skull causing bruising, swelling and bleeding.
In simple terms, shaking a baby can lead to a severe head injury.
The medical prognosis for babies who suffer this type of abuse is poor, with death being a very real possibility.
Most often the injuries include bleeding around the brain (subdural and subarachnoid haemorrhages) and bleeding behind the eyes (retinal haemorrhages). Disability, blindness and lifelong medical care for brain damage injuries are but some of the devastating effects of the syndrome.
Babies can also suffer spinal and neck injuries.
Babies who do not suffer from debilitating effects will still spend a considerable time in hospital and will need to re-learn everything that they had previously accomplished, such as sitting and crawling. Long term effects on these babies include possible learning difficulties and behavioural problems.
Shaken baby syndrome is referred to as silent abuse because although the effects take only five seconds to appear, the damage caused is not immediately recognised by parents and caregivers.
The following symptoms occur as a response to the increased pressure (caused by swelling and bleeding) on the brain:
As the condition worsens, a baby’s skin tone will appear pale or blue and he or she may lose vision or consciousness.
While a baby will initially present with little to no physical damage, upon examination, broken and dislocated bones in the neck and spine can be identified.
Life sustaining measures are used to treat babies suffering from shaken baby syndrome. Surgery to relieve swelling and pressure is also a possibility.
While fingers cannot be pointed only in the direction of the caregiver, this type of abuse is caused often by those whom parents entrust to look after their baby or young child.
Be sure that you trust your baby’s caregiver and that he or she has a history of looking after babies well and kindly.
If your baby presents with any of the symptoms characteristic of shaken baby syndrome, seek emergency medical treatment.
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