All4Baby » WEEK_08 https://all4baby.co.za From Pregnancy to birth to baby and beyond. The place to find, chat, and share. Wed, 16 Jul 2014 09:55:57 +0000 en-US hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=171 Colic: The causes and symptoms https://all4baby.co.za/newborns-0-6-months/newborn-basics/840/colic-causes-symptoms/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=colic-causes-symptoms https://all4baby.co.za/newborns-0-6-months/newborn-basics/840/colic-causes-symptoms/#comments Mon, 02 Jun 2014 11:04:04 +0000 https://all4baby.co.za/?p=840 Colic occurs in less than 5% of babies. We look at the explanation behind colic, the causes and the symptoms.

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The word colic is derived from the Greek word which means “colon”. Thus, a baby diagnosed with colic, is thought to cry from stomach pain. However, after many years of research, it is still not confirmed that stomach pain is the reason behind the extended crying of colicky babies.

Colic explained

Colic is simply explained as long periods of crying from an infant that is hard to soothe or settle.

There is no definite explanation for the crying, which makes it very stressful for parents. It is important to note that the incessant crying does not necessarily mean that there is something wrong with your baby.

Causes of Colic

Regardless of many year’s of research, the cause of colic remains unexplained. Over the years there have been a few suggestions, but no conclusive cause has been found.  These suggestions include;

  • Pain caused by a build up of wind
  • An intolerance to lactose
  • Your baby’s inability to regulate behaviour

Signs of Colic

The crying episodes usually start at two weeks of age, peak at two months and start to fade at the age of four months.

If your baby has colic, he or she will cry inconsolably for no apparent reason. During these episodes (which usually occur in the late afternoon or evening) your baby might also arch his back, pull her legs up towards her body and have a painful facial expression. For the duration of the episode, your baby will be difficult to comfort.

 

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Help your baby through his first cold https://all4baby.co.za/newborns-0-6-months/newborn-basics/470/help-baby-first-cold/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=help-baby-first-cold https://all4baby.co.za/newborns-0-6-months/newborn-basics/470/help-baby-first-cold/#comments Thu, 24 Apr 2014 08:26:22 +0000 https://all4baby.co.za/?p=470 Unfortunately, colds are a horrible fact of life and pop up frequently, especially in childhood. For your baby, who won’t understand what’s going on, their first week of sniffles can be a shock!

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You knew the day was coming – it was only a matter of time before your baby caught their first cold.

Small children develop colds for a number of reasons;

  • Often because their immune system is just developing
  • In winter, heating can dry out the sinuses causing additional problems
  • Being around other adults or children who are ill is another common cause

How do you know if you baby has a cold?

Colds are difficult for babies, as they can’t tell you what’s wrong. So how do you know if your baby has a cold, or something different?

For the first few days of a cold, your baby may be fidgety, irritable and hard to settle. Once a congested nose kicks in, they’ll tend to prefer trying to breathe through their nostrils even when they are blocked. As a result, they will find it hard to feed so may be a little off their food.

Like adults, sneezing, coughing, a hoarse ‘voice’ or cries and red or watery eyes may be signs.

How to help your baby

There is still no cure for the common cold. So while you wait for the symptoms to go, you can try the following to make your baby more comfortable:

Warm baths and showers

To ease congestion (and make them feel better) a hot, steamy and humid environment is perfect. Just a few minutes will help, though half an hour or more will do wonders.

Whether you bathe them and relax them, or just take them into the bathroom while you shower yourself, it should help, and will clean away some of that horrible ‘ill’ feeling.

Vaporisers and humidifiers

These do the same job as a steamy bathroom, but can be left in your child’s room at night. Night time is the worst time for a cold, as lying down worsens congestion.  Humidifiers will help to combat a blocked nose, but for additional help, try propping the mattress up using a few folded towels so your baby sleeps at a more upright angle.

Saline nasal drops OR breastmilk

Sometimes, that congestion just won’t budge. Saline nasal drops can help this but should be used carefully. Make sure that any nasal solutions you use are pure and do not contain any decongestant medication.

Breastmilk can double as a nasal solution as it is pure, and full of goodness. If the area underneath the nose is getting sore, use petroleum jelly to protect it.

Offer more feeds

If your baby is finding it hard to feed, their fluid intake will be down. But when you have a cold, the first thing you need is more drink and nourishment.

Little and often is the best way to feed, and for toddlers you should offer drinks, ice pops, even frozen breastmilk ice cubes and runny, liquid based foods regularly.

Watch out for signs of dehydration, and if you’re worried about their fluid intake, seek help.

Be there to comfort and keep wiping their nose

Often all an ill and confused child will want, is reassurance from you. So just be there to keep wiping noses, cuddle and soothe. Even if you feel helpless you’ll be helping more than you know!

When to seek help

If your baby’s symptoms do not improve after a few days, they have a high temperature (over 37°C), they refuse to feed, pull on their ears a lot, or they shows signs of a rash or hives, take them to a doctor immediately.

They may have a more serious condition, infection or even an allergy.

Dehydration may rapidly become a concern if babies are taking in less than half of their normal feed amount.  Always seek professional advice if you are unsure.

Do not give your baby cold treatment medications unless prescribed, as these are usually designed for adults and can cause damage to young children.

If you must use decongestants, apply them to fabrics in small amounts, not sensitive skin. Ensure these fabrics will not be exposed to little faces as they can cause skin discomfort.

Within a week, your baby’s symptoms should be easing and they’ll be back to their old selves. Colds are a part of growing up however, and they are sure to have (and get through) many more in future.

About the author: Suzanne Gibbard is a mother of three and owner of Bundles of Joy, a company that sells christening gifts and new baby gifts.

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Weeks 5 to 8: Your baby at two months old https://all4baby.co.za/newborns-0-6-months/month-by-month/366/weeks-5-8-baby-two-months-old/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=weeks-5-8-baby-two-months-old https://all4baby.co.za/newborns-0-6-months/month-by-month/366/weeks-5-8-baby-two-months-old/#comments Mon, 14 Apr 2014 11:19:36 +0000 https://all4baby.co.za/?p=366 Your baby has passed the one month mark. Here's what you can expect from weeks five to eight.

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Although the red rings around your eyes may not agree, your baby is starting to learn the difference between night and day. You can encourage differentiation by establishing a bath time and bed time routine.

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.

At five weeks old

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;

  • Ooh and aah during play time
  • Stare at your face more than she stares at other objects
  • Lift her head for a short while during tummy time
  • Stretch out even more from the curled up foetal position

While at six weeks

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;

  • May sleep four to six hours at night
  • Should stay awake for no longer than an hour at a time before going down for a nap
  • Should be fed every three to four hours during the day
  • Will start to communicate with you by cooing and not just crying

A seven 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;

  • Follow an object with her eyes (although tracking is usually only expected of older babies)
  • Turn her head towards sounds
  • Start to laugh

The two month mark

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;

  • Should nap at least three times per day
  • Will show tired cues after approximately one and a half hours of being awake
  • Will take an interest in objects with patterns or bright, contrasting colours
  • Will make more controlled movements

 

 

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Tips to help you shed those pregnancy kilos https://all4baby.co.za/birth/post-birth-recovery/228/tips-help-shed-pregnancy-kilos/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=tips-help-shed-pregnancy-kilos https://all4baby.co.za/birth/post-birth-recovery/228/tips-help-shed-pregnancy-kilos/#comments Wed, 09 Apr 2014 09:41:25 +0000 https://all4baby.co.za/?p=228 Durban based dietician, Laura May Janse Van Rensburg shares her healthy eating tips for breastfeeding and formula feeding moms.

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Breastfeeding moms are in luck when it comes to post pregnancy weight loss. Frequent and prolonged feeding results in an increased milk production acting as a natural energy burner before a mom even thinks of doing exercise.

This means that any extra weight gained during pregnancy will soon be lost.

Although this is very exciting to all lactating mothers, it is important to understand that this is not a time for dieting. Moms should still try to consume foods of high nutritional value in order to replenish those energy stores.

An additional intake of 2000kj may be required depending on frequency and length of feeds in order for a mom to maintain her weight. Fluid requirements are also slightly increased by 500ml per day. However, moms should listen to their thirst and drink accordingly.

For formula feeding moms, the weight loss task may be a bit more challenging but definitely not impossible. The key to returning to your pre-pregnancy weight is to re-establish your pre-pregnancy routine.

That means eating and exercising as you did and not concerning yourself too much with rapid weight loss but rather, gradual and safe weight loss.

Most moms take between three and six months to return to their pre-pregnancy weight. As your baby grows and demands more of your time, you will notice that you will need to be a lot more active around the house which also helps to burn those extra calories.

Here are some general healthy eating tips for both breastfeeding and formula feeding moms:

  • Never skip breakfast
  • Eat plenty of vegetables and fruits
  • Consume nutrient dense carbohydrates such as bread, potatoes, butternut, pasta and rice
  • Choose lean meat options and avoid frying. Rather bake, boil, grill or steam
  • Avoid too many high fat, high sugar-containing foods
  • Drink water according to thirst and avoid high sugar cooldrinks

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