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How to calm your crying baby

Bob Brian — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 20:42:32 +0000

crying-baby © by bbaunach

All babies cry, it is a fact of life. With no command of speech crying is your baby’s way of telling you that is needs care and comfort. It can be difficult to work out what your baby needs but this article contains some tips about how you can sooth your tot.

The most common problems are hunger, tiredness, a dirty nappy, wind, being too hot or cold, over-stimulation, boredom or just simply wanting a cuddle. You may notice that your baby cries more often at certain times of the day or night. Make a note of these times as it will help you deduce what the problem may be.

If you have tried to fix all of the common problems, here are some more things you can try to calm your baby. Hold your baby close to your chest or put them in a sling so they are close to your and sway gently with them, talk to them or sing.

You can also try gently and rhythmically stroking your baby’s back either by standing and holding them to your chest or by lying your baby in their front on your lap.

Try distracting your baby with a rattle or the radio or TV, lying down still next to them also helps to calm distressed babies.

If all else fails do not feel ashamed to go to your GP for advice. There are lots of ways they can help you calm your crying baby.

Trends in baby names

Bob Brian — Tue, 30 Aug 2011 20:24:38 +0000

If you compare the most common names that are given to new born babies in the US and in the UK, you will notice that there is a common feature that can be assigned to the majority of these names. The feature I speak of is the usability of the names to be used as diminutives. Many names that were once regarded as diminutives are now regarded as “normal” names. Examples for this development include “Bobby”, “Billy” etc. For boys as well as for girls, parents try to already assign cuteness by their naming scheme.

I Baptize You... © by Ambrose Little

Among the names that gained the strongest popularity in 2010 in Britain are Alfie, Olly and Archie for the boys as well as Maisie. Poppy and Ellie for the girls. In the US 2010 gave a lot of boost to Landon, Anthony and Gavin for the boys. On the girls’ side you will find Addison, Avery and Hailey. You can easily spot a trend here to name that sound cute. Most of the time this means that the name ends on an “ee” sound.

Beside this, there is a trend to choose names for girls that are derived from mens’ names. Darcy & Darcey are a good example of a pair like this. You will also see that girls’ names quite of begin with an “L”: Lily, Leila, Lulu, Lila etc.

I do not want to give explanations here as to why we observe this trends. I think you should draw your conclusions itself. But you certainly should think twice before naming your boy “Alfie”…

Excessive baby fat poses health risks

Bob Brian — Thu, 21 Jul 2011 22:07:31 +0000

fat baby © by ernop

According to the Institute of Medicine, a national health advisory organization, doctors and policymakers should focus on obesity prevention. They should also address the health problems that normally attend childhood obesity. In their report, experts advise that American children should get a healthy start in life by eating the right kinds of food at the right amounts. They should also get adequate amounts of sleep and physical activity.

More than 20 percent of all American children between the ages of 2 and 5 are overweight or obese. They are at risk of lifelong health problems associated with excess weight. When it comes to infants and toddlers, 10 percent are overweight. According to Sara Benjamin Neelon of Duke University’s Medical Center, “A lot of us used to think that a chubby baby is a healthy baby and a sign of good parenting. In fact, too much chubbiness is not a good thing. Babies don’t always grow out of their baby fat.”

Excess weight early in a person’s life often leads to a struggle with weight with lasts a lifetime. This extra weight can contribute to a host of chronic illnesses including heart disease and diabetes. While there has been a lot of research and policy recommendations during the past decade about health initiatives for school-age children, the focus has now shifted to younger children and preventing excess weight-related health issues at an earlier age.

The focus is now trending towards helping parents and children break unhealthy dietary habits long before they become very hard to break and lead to serious health issue later on in life.

Breast feeding: how often?

Bob Brian — Mon, 18 Jul 2011 17:55:52 +0000

Woman breast feeding baby © by hdptcar

Are you worried whether you can give enough milk to your baby? Well, there are some signs that can be observed on a well fed baby:

- It is gaining wet (obviously)
- The diapers fill up frequently (6 or more wet diapers a day; yellow stool)
- The baby seems to satisfied after feeding

It is also helpful to observe the feeding pattern of your baby. The baby should feed not less than 8 to 12 times over the course of a day, which translates into a feeding session every 1,5 to 3 hours. You should hear some swallowing while the baby feeds and there should be any pain at your breast. If everything went well the baby should look satisfied and fall asleep. However, if your baby sleeps longer than 4 hours in a row, wake it up for feeding.
Control the weight either yourself or on doctor’s visits. It is normal the babies lose some weight in the first week after birth but it should have regained the weight by the end of the second week. Afterward, it is healthy for a baby to gain 0,5-1 ounce per day over the next three months.
It is not hard to determine whether you baby is hungry or not. First of all, you will become familiar with its feeding patterns. You can also look for signs like an alert expression when awaking, an increased activity and some breast-feeding “simulating” behavior like sucking motions.

Sleeping Angels – Help your baby sleep through the night

Bob Brian — Tue, 12 Jul 2011 20:33:11 +0000

Getting your baby to sleep through the night is one of the most challenging aspects of being a new parent. At first it is not important to fall into a sleeping rhythm. It is easy as a parent to be concerned about sleep deprivation but it is important to be flexible and to sleep when your baby sleeps. For the first few weeks your baby will need regular feeding, day and night, but if the sleepless nights continue after this initial period here are a few tips to help you and your baby rediscover bedtime.

photo © 2009 Ben Hoyt | more info (via: Wylio)

Encourage your baby to learn the difference between night and day. Open the curtains during the day and let the natural light flood the room. Your baby will be more alert during the day. If they do sleep in the day do not be especially careful about keeping everyday noises down. By all means put the washing on or do the vacuuming. At night time whisper and be especially quiet. Dim the lights and really show your baby what night time is all about. Gradually they will learn that night time is for sleeping.
Bedtime routines can also help. A warm bath, clean nappy and pyjamas and a bed time story or lullaby are a great way to make your baby happy and relaxed before bed. If you leave the room while your baby is still awake it will get used to drifting off to sleep naturally and try to space the feeds out so that your baby is not going sleep on a super full tummy as indigestion will certainly not aid the sleeping process.

Parental History from The Mother or father Instructor Association, 1918

Bob Brian — Wed, 29 Jun 2011 18:15:43 +0000

Check out these mother and father images:

Mother or father Instructor Association (PTA) Reception, 1918

Image by UA Archives | Upper Arlington History
Until finally Upper Arlington opened its school system in October 1918, young children in the neighborhood attended the Grandview schools. The Grandview Father or mother Teacher Association (PTA) met at the Willits H. Sawyer residence at 1499 Roxbury Street on Wednesday, May 15, 1918. The meeting consisted of a reception and organization meeting, as effectively as a series of presentations on the lawn provided by classes from the school, the Camp Fire Women, and the Boy Scouts.

—————————————-

Identifier: hinw08p018i01
Date (yyyy-mm-dd): c. 1918-06
Authentic Dimensions: 12.5 cm x seven.5 cm
Format: Black and White Halftone Photograph
Resource: Norwester, June 1918, web page 18
Original Publisher: Upper Arlington Neighborhood (Ohio)
Spot/s: Grandview Heights (USA, Ohio, Franklin County)
Repository: Upper Arlington Historical Society
Digital Publisher: UA Archives – Upper Arlington Public Library

Credit score: UA Archives – Upper Arlington Public Library (Repository: UA Historical Society)

[Mothers and fathers MAGAZINE, Lady WITH CAT]

Accession Quantity: 1971:0145:0001

Maker: Nickolas Muray (American 1892-1965)

Title: [&quotPARENTS MAGAZINE, Woman WITH CAT&quot]

Date: ca. 1945

Medium: &quotcolor print, assembly (Carbro) process&quot

Dimensions: Dimensions Unidentified

George Eastman Residence Assortment

Basic &ndash information about the George Eastman Property Photography Collection is obtainable at http://www.eastmanhouse.org/inc/collections/photography.php.

For data on getting reproductions go to: www.eastmanhouse.org/flickr/index.php?pid=197101450001.

“Although Mother and father Rest”, twenty October 1943 / Sam Hood

Picture by State Library of New South Wales assortment
Format: Photograph

Notes: &quotWhile mothers and fathers sleep&quot is the title of a play. This photograph is a even now from the 1943 stage creation .

Find much more thorough data about this photographic collection. Research for much more fantastic pictures in the State Library’s collections.

From the assortment of the State Library of New South Wales www.sl.nsw.gov.au

Wonderful Baby-Travel through time …

Bob Brian — Tue, 28 Jun 2011 20:38:05 +0000

A handful of great little one photos I found:

Portrait of Mrs. Gertrude Steindl and infant

Location: Queensland, Australia

Date: Undated

Description: Portrait of Mrs. Gertrude Steindl (nee Brennan), spouse of Lee Steindl, and little one. Mrs. Steindl is wearing an embroidered blouse and a hat swathed in material. Little one is wearing a dress and bonnet. Photograph taken by Olesen and Sturdy of Maryborough.

Info about State Library of Queensland’s selection: pictureqld.slq.qld.gov.au/

Baby op een weegschaal / Baby on a scale

Nationaal Archief/Willem van de Poll

Nederlands: Infant op een weegschaal. (epko).

English: Little one on a scale.

Hebt u meer informatie about deze foto, laat het ons weten. Laat een reactie achter (als u ingelogd bent bij Flickr) of stuur een mailtje naar: flickrthecommons@nationaalarchief.nl

Please assist us achieve much more information on the subject material of our selection by basically including a comment with info. If you do not wish to log in, you can write an e-mail to: flickrthecommons@nationaalarchief.nl

Meer foto’s van het Nationaal Archief zijn te vinden op onze beeldbank.

Can a fetus feel pain?

Bob Brian — Mon, 13 Jun 2011 18:43:35 +0000

The scientific research on so-called “neonatal perception” rises the question, how far the sensory capabilities of fetuses are developed. Can it feel pain? Does it experience taste? What does it hear?
The research in this field bears some political importance of course. Pro-life activists claim, that even embryos feel pain. Consequently, abortions and miscarriages would be a painful end of the baby’s life. However, medical researches were able to refute these contentions. It is still uncertain though, what a fetus can perceive and to which extent.

photo © 2007 lunar caustic | more info (via: Wylio)

The pro-life activists falsely assume that a somehow developed central nervous system has to be necessarily in function. But a closer look on the nervous system reveals, that there are still some major components undeveloped and not properly working, even though a lot of the future nervous system is already in place. The components that seem to be necessary for experiencing pain are not yet fully developed at this stage.

Some scientists even claim that a child can only feel pain after its birth. A common standard though, is to assume the ability of feeling pain for fetuses from the third trimester on. This would still be before miscarriages happen or some abortions are performed. However, it is not clear what quality the pain perception of the fetus is like and whether it would suffer from an abortion.

The “American Medical Association” conducted a meta-study in 2005 that reviewed several earlier medical studies and backed the assumption, that a fetus can not feel pain in its first trimester. Thus, anaesthetics of the fetus are not recommended for abortions during that period. This study was strongly criticized by pro-life activist, due to the abortion related background of one of the researchers. His defence and the links to the study can be found at Medical News Today.

Of course, the above stated question will remain unanswered and controversial in the future. Its political implications inhibit a neutral and fruitful debate.

Is “crying it out” safe for babies?

Bob Brian — Mon, 13 Jun 2011 18:39:15 +0000

While it is very desirable for parents to experience their baby sleeping the night through, letting it cry out may not be an appropriate way of inducing sleep.

photo © 2006 Tudor | more info (via: Wylio)

A common approach of soothing babies before sleep is withholding of the parental response. This includes, that parents either gradually increase the response intervals and let their child cry longer or they let the baby cry until it falls asleep. Through this, the parents aim to accustom their child to situations where it can not rely on its parents care, but has to calm down and sleep. Thus, the infant can develop “normal” sleeping patterns and learns to be on its own.

Parents are usually advised to begin with this intervention at an age around six months. However, some advices even suggest refraining from parental response on crying babies at bedtime or during the night from three months on. It is commonly stated that this procedure has no harmful side effects on the baby. On the contrary, it is regarded as an important step in the development of the child.

However, a closer look on this method reveals that there is no scientific background that supports those assumptions. All studies conducted so far were focused on toddlers and preschoolers, but not on infants. Thus, there is no relevant data for infants below one year of age. There have to be further investigations to answer, whether letting your child cry is harmless even during the first months.

Consequently, letting you infant cry during the night can not be recommended, At least not below one year of age. While the discussed procedure certainly alleviates the stress of parents its effect on the baby can not yet be estimated. Until more focused research is done, parents still have to choose between their own comfort and a potential risk for the baby.

Further information on this and other question can also be found on infantsleep.org.

Baby swimming

Bob Brian — Sun, 01 May 2011 18:14:46 +0000

Swimming for babies provides so very much when acknowledged in a patient, child-paced, “baby friendly” natural environment: never-ending joy, self-assurance, individual development, as well as pleased, healthy and well adjusted kids. Raising a tyke will be the most crucial task a dad or mum will ever have and growing up is certainly not effortless. That is why well prepared, intelligent “child raising” selections by mom and dad are required in order to give their children a good start in life.

We must keep in mind that while we teach the kids to respect the water, we must never get rid of our respect for the little ones during the understanding process, where our foremost worry must be with the well-being of the youngster. Teaching a newborn to swim is a delicate, long run approach which requires social understanding, altruistic determination, insight, competency and joy. Patient moms and dads who are able to get pleasure from the occasion and at the same occasion “stay the program” will discover the virtue of water and it’s capability to nurture their baby’s full being. For the best folk, in the appropriate situation, baby swimming can create a connectedness to family, community and to the outer world. A cooperative partnership between parent, minor and coach is key to creating the sort of good relationship important to gently and playfully guide our young.

The learning expertise should be filled with of joy, peacefulness and fun. It is necessary to be discerning and ready of wisely realizing a “baby friendly” program that builds up a relationship with and honors your child as a special person with feelings and emotions, like a sponge or cloth able to broaden and grow. In tune, “baby aware” plans foster soft, fluid exercise through the water; the aquatic encounter is getting exciting, stimulating and comforting. The process becomes an spontaneous art, reaching a lot further than the wanted long lasting swimming safety goals, assisting to open up each kid in a splendid way, to whom they are supposed to be.