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Saturday, September 13, 2008
How Much Crying Is Normal?
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When is it just crying and when is it colic?
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An Inconsolable Baby
For the first two weeks of her life, our firstborn, Elizabeth, indulged our fantasy of parenthood -- Mom and Dad reclining dreamily, one moment dissolving into the next in a placid composition. Then the scenery changed dramatically. At around 5 p.m., she began to fuss, then cry, then howl, until about 7 p.m. She wasn't hungry, sleepy, wet, or bored.
I knew babies cried when they wanted to be held, but when I picked her up, she cried even louder. It was profoundly demoralizing: If I couldn't do something as basic as console my own baby, how would I maneuver through teething and tantrums, to say nothing of the vast, treacherous road beyond?
Since I was breastfeeding, the pediatrician suggested I eliminate coffee, dairy products, and certain vegetables from my diet. When that had no discernible effect, he shrugged. "She probably has a touch of colic," he said.
Colic. The very word struck terror in my new mom's heart. I had no real idea what it meant, of course, other than that it was bad and sounded vaguely gastrointestinal. To me it said, "Your baby is going to be tuned to the crying channel for the next three months."
I had every reason to be confused. Even among the medical community, colic is less a condition than a classification, defined by the rule of threes: inconsolable crying that begins and ends for no apparent reason, lasts at least three hours, occurs on at least three days a week, and continues for at least three weeks but seldom more than three months. By that definition, some 16 to 26 percent of infants are categorized as colicky.
- What Is Colic?
Sunday, July 13, 2008
8 Surprising Reasons Your Baby's Crying
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Your baby's been fed, her diaper is dry, and she seems well rested. So what's with the sudden whimpering? Although her insta-tears may seem baffling, keep in mind that babies always cry for a reason. To help you figure out her crankiness, we've compiled the top things your child may be trying to tell you, along with strategies for bringing back her smile.
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"Would you please take off this sweater?"
Just because the air is a tad brisk outside doesn't mean your baby needs to be dressed for dogsledding in Siberia. Parents tend to overdress infants, who get cranky when they're hot and sweaty -- just like adults do.
The fix: Dress your baby in the same number of layers as you're wearing. If you're not sure whether she's too hot or too cold, put your hand on her tummy or back to gauge her body temperature. "A baby's feet or cheeks can often seem cool even when she's comfortable," says Charlotte Cowan, MD, a pediatrician in Boston..
- "Can't we all just get along?"
Source: http://www.parents.com/baby/care/crying-colic/reasons-your-babys-crying/?sssdmh=dm17.321755&esrc=nwpcb52&email=201779094
Sunday, June 1, 2008
Basic Babyproofing Made Simple
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A room-by-room guide with easy ways to create safe quarters for your child.
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Baby's Crib
Knowledge is power when it comes to protecting children. It can take just one tidbit of information to prevent an injury or even save a life. For many more tips than we could include in this excerpt, check out Consumer Reports Guide to Childproofing & Safety ($13; bookstores, amazon.com).
The crib has to be the one place you feel comfortable leaving your child alone, so buy a new one if you can. Used cribs grow rickety as their hardware gets worn down or goes missing, and vintage cribs are likely to have dangerous openings or headboards.
Don't hang anything (pictures, shelves) over the crib or the changing table. It's not worth the risk that something could come off and fall on your baby.
The exception: You can attach a mobile to baby's crib rail or to the side of the changing table, but remember that it's supposed to be seen and not touched. Most mobiles have strings and small parts, so once your child can push up on his hands and knees (by 5 or 6 months), put them away.
Make sure the mattress is at the right height. Most cribs allow you to adjust it. The higher levels make it easier to lift a newborn out of the crib, but they become dangerous when your child is able to pull herself to standing. Around the 6-month mark, move the mattress to its lowest setting.
Let baby sleep unencumbered. Don't bundle an infant in blankets or comforters (though a wearable blanket is fine); he can become entangled and unable to free himself. Don't add pillows, quilts, sheepskins, stuffed animals, or dolls to the crib; these can lead to suffocation and/or overheating, which are thought to be two leading causes of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).
Always put your baby to sleep on her back, not on her stomach. This practice has significantly reduced the number of SIDS deaths.
Whether baby sleeps in a crib, bassinet, or play yard, use the correct sheet. Making do with a crib sheet in the bassinet or a twin sheet in the crib means you won't have a snug fit and baby could get entangled.
Bumper Blues
Crib bumpers are cute but need to be tied with string, a potential hazard. If you use a bumper, be sure it's thin, firm, and securely tied. CozyWedge, a firm foam bumper, adds some color with possibly fewer risks ($60; cozywedge.com).
--J. Hartshorn
- Baby's Room
Source:
http://www.parents.com/baby/safety/babyproofing/basic-babyproofing-made-simple/?sssdmh=dm17.314633&esrc=nwpcb46&email=201779094
Monday, April 7, 2008
10 Fun Things to Do with Your Baby
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New motherhood is incredibly joyful, but face it: It can sometimes be downright boring for both of you. So check out these activities and let the good times begin.
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- All-Day Fun
- Start an Infant Playgroup
All-Day Fun
Pack a picnic. Head to your local park with a blanket and lunch. Let your baby feel the grass tickle his feet, and have him lie on your lap and watch the leaves rustle in the wind. Even if he's too young to roll a ball, he'll love watching other people play. Frisbee games, bikes, dogs, birds, and squirrels are all five-star entertainment.
Consider a class. Because of unpredictable naps and moods, babies who are younger than 6 months don't always get a huge amount out of classes. Moms probably benefit more from them -- and that's okay as long as you choose an activity you actually enjoy! Some examples: Mommy and Me yoga (check your local yoga studio), a music class like Music Together or Kindermusik, a group exercise class such as Stroller Strides or Strollercize, or infant massage (hospitals often offer classes).
Paint a pot. When her son was 5 months old, Lori Bloomberg, of Manhattan, arranged to meet some of her new-mommy friends and their babies at a pottery-painting studio. "Each of us put our baby's footprint on something, like a bowl or a spoon rest. I made a frame with my son Avery's footprint, put a photo in it, and saved it for his dad's Father's Day gift," Bloomberg says. If you don't have a pottery studio near you, buy a handprint or footprint kit at a crafts store with a couple of other mothers and head to one mom's backyard.
Tune in, rock out. When was the last time you gave your dusty CDs a second look? Plant yourselves in front of your collection, and listen to favorites from your college years or your best-loved soundtracks. Stacey Rosenberg, of Weston, Connecticut, preferred to keep the TV turned off when her twin boys were babies, but she spent lots of time listening to music with them. "I exposed them to the artists my husband and I like most, such as Bob Marley and Dave Matthews," Rosenberg says. "Not only did these songs soothe them, but they soothed me as well!"
Make a net flick. As soon as you manage to send one batch of baby photos to loved ones, you're hounded for new pictures. Thankfully, today's technology can make sharing milestones a creative project. Robyn Wolkofsky, of Charlotte, North Carolina, used a digital camera to record mini videos of her daughter, Brooke, each day. Then she sent the short movies via the Internet to her baby's grandparents. "When I sat Brooke on my lap in front of the camera, she turned into such a ham-cooing and blowing raspberries. It was so funny, and it helped her grandparents, who live eight states away, feel close to her." To easily e-mail audio clips of your little one, check out the audio recorder at firstwordz.com.
Talk to the animals. Go to the pet store, and watch your baby laugh with glee when she sees the puppies and kittens jumping around. Identify the animals, and then help her wave hello to each of them. Exotic-bird stores can be entertaining, too, especially if the bird gives your baby a shout-out.
Relive your wedding day. Get out your wedding video and have fun reminiscing about your big day, while pointing out all the guests your baby knows. He'll be amazed to see them on TV! "My son, Jack, liked watching our video so much that more than two years later, he still asks me to turn on 'The Wedding Show,'" says Laurie Rosen, of Westchester, New York.
Say hola, bambino. Always wanted to polish up your Spanish or learn the basics of French? Do it! Borrow language tapes from the library, or buy them from a bookstore or at berlitz.com. Then practice them around your child. You can also find storybooks in Spanish to read aloud. Your baby may not actually pick up any words, but research has shown that a baby's exposure to another language can help improve her mastery of foreign languages down the road.
Share a soak. Relaxing in a tub can be a reality! Listen to classical music or sing a lullaby as you soak together in warm water. If your baby is feeling more playful, add in some bath toys and plastic cups, and sing Ernie's "Rubber Duckie." Either way, it's a great bonding experience. For safety reasons, be sure not to fill the tub too high, and always have a firm hold on your child.
Walk down the aisle of a fabric store. For some reason, new motherhood can bring out our inner craftswoman. Dreams of adorable, hand-sewn stuffed animals dance in our heads (even if we've never held a needle and thread). Spend some time in a fabric store, and you'll be inspired to channel your energy into a creative project. If you're feeling overwhelmed by the selection, ask staffers to suggest some ideas, including those of the no-sew variety. At the same time, make the shopping experience a visual and tactile adventure for your baby. Expose him to furry fabrics, yards of shimmery sequins, and rolls of satiny ribbons.
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
Smart Solutions for Soothing Baby
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When your baby won't stop fussing, here's what to do so both of you can relax.
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Why Is Baby Crying?
Nothing gets a parent's attention like a baby's cries. Those howls are more jarring than an alarm clock buzzing at 6 a.m. (Too bad you can't just hit snooze!) While it's unrealistic to expect a fuss-free day, all hope isn't lost for taming the tears before baby's cries reach a glass-shattering pitch. Armed with these soothing strategies, you'll be able to replace your child's shrieks with soft coos. Aah, music to your ears.
What's All the Fuss About, Baby?
If your child is crying and there's an odor in the air, you know what to do next. But aside from changing a diaper or offering the breast or bottle, parents often feel helpless when it comes to finding the magical method that comforts their baby.
To unravel that mystery, it's important to understand why babies might make a fuss. "The womb is a rich symphony of sensations," says Harvey Karp, MD, creator of The Happiest Baby on the Block DVD (Trinity Home Entertainment). But when we put kids to sleep with no movement in a room by themselves, it's like sensory deprivation. "Babies are often reacting to the lack of rhythmic sounds and motions they experienced when they were in the womb," says Dr. Karp.
"They may also cry because they can't settle down," says Laura Jana, MD, coauthor of Heading Home with Your Newborn (American Academy of Pediatrics). "When you're tired, nothing is more frustrating than not falling asleep." Instead of tossing and turning, which babies can't do, they wail.
To Continue Reading this Article, Go To:
http://www.parents.com/parents/story.jsp?sssdmh=dm17.307766&storyid=/templatedata/ab/story/data/1203534705505.xml&esrc=nwpcb40&email=201779094
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