Tips to Help You Stay Motivated As A New Mom

Having a baby is a wonderful thing. It’s a privilege that God has given us to create life. Caring for your baby is also a privilege; people pray for these things world over, on a daily basis. It shouldn’t be taken for granted.
                                         

From experience, I know that caring for your new baby can be very demanding – physically, emotionally, psychologically. I previously wrote an article about things no one warned me about being a new mum.

I guess this article can serve as a kind of “solution” for those challenging times. Here are a few tips to help you relax and stay motivated.

1. Get help

Your baby will be very fine without you. You, on the other hand, might not be…if you’re over-worked. Let someone take care of your baby for a few hours. That way, you can have more time to relax, or to do house chores.

2. Treat yourself

Treat yourself to a manicure/pedicure session. Treat yourself to a new hairdo. Try shopping for new clothes or shoes. Your feet are probably half a size larger now, anyway.

3. Do things you enjoy

Some things I enjoy doing indoors are: reading blogs and playing phone games. Even though they sound basic, they help me relax.

4. Date night (or Date afternoon)

It might be tricky to leave your baby at home to have dinner with your husband for an extended period of time in the evening. Why not try afternoon? Saturday, Sunday? Talk about things you love about each other, gossip, eat dessert, laugh!

5. Go out with friends

You remember how you used to “hangout” with your friends when you did not have a baby? You might need some of that girl time now.

6. Work out

Thirty minutes of work out never hurt anyone. Download a workout app to your phone and use it. Sign up at a gym, and use it. On the days I work out, I feel energized and motivated.

Baby care in summers

Summer is here and almost everyone we know hates it. The wind is warm, the skin is sweating and everything is simply unbearable. Of course, as adults, we can crib as much as we like but what about teeny, tiny babies?
                                           

Your newborns need you to be extra attentive in the coming months. They may not be able to say it out loud but summer is never kind to babies. Here are some things you should know:

1. Babies need more milk

You must have heard and read this everywhere that you must drink more water in summers to keep yourself well hydrated. The same goes for babies. Their bodies too lose water quickly in the warm season and therefore need to be replenished enough and often.

2. Avoid stepping out with the baby between 10am to 2pm

Dr Nagrath suggests that because the sun’s rays are strongest between 10am to 2pm, it is best to avoid stepping out with your baby at these times. If push comes to shove and there is no way to avoid it, make sure you take necessary precautions. “Baby skin is really sensitive to sun’s rays. Make sure that if you step out during high noon, the baby is well covered, maybe dress her in a light-coloured full sleeves shirt and pants, take an umbrella or make her wear a cap to protect her face. You can even buy the baby friendly sunscreens that are now available in the market but make sure they are below SPF 15 range,” she says.

3. Don’t pile clothes on the baby

Indians have a thing for piling clothes on babies no matter the season. Dr Akshay Kapoor, consultant (paediatrics) at Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals, says that parents must be strongly discouraged from doing so. “People clothe their babies in vests, then shirts, then sweaters and even warm caps in summers. They shouldn’t,” he says.

Dr Nagrath also says that the babies should only be dressed in clothes made from natural fibre like cotton. “I always tell my patients that you should dress the baby the way you would dress yourself. You wouldn’t want to walk around wearing sweaters in May right?,” she says.

4. Buy the right stroller and crib

Make sure the places where your baby sleeps or spends any amount of time resting, is comfortable and cool. Satin sheets and woollen bedding can heat up really quickly, without giving proper ventilation. When you buy a stroller, choose one with a lightweight fabric, preferably nylon. Fancy strollers and cribs, sold in Europe or America are not ideal for the Indian climate.

Simulation Exercises Reduces Anxiety of Taking Baby Home From NICU

This research grew from my experience as a neonatal nurse. I have worked with many families preparing to take their baby home and have seen the anxiety they experience wondering if they will be able to take care of their baby’s medical needs at home.
                                         

Parents are usually most anxious about emergency situations that may occur. Majority of these parents are able to state what they should do, but have never experienced the actual situation with their baby. This study was designed to see if a simulation experience would fill this gap in parents’ preparation for the discharge of their baby from the NICU. This study had parents participated in a customized simulation to have them experience the care needed by their baby at home following discharge from the NICU.

MedicalResearch.com: What should readers take away from your report?

Response: Simulation with hi-fidelity simulators has been shown to be an effective learning strategy for healthcare professionals. The advantage of simulation is that parents can experience the “what if” problems that cannot be replicated in the clinical setting without placing the baby at risk. For example talking through the action you will take if your baby become apneic or is unresponsive is a different experience that having the baby become apneic or unresponsive in front of you and having to initiate the action on your own.

MedicalResearch.com: What recommendations do you have for future research as a result of this study?

Response: Future research will include a more diverse group of parents and other potential caregivers in the home. In addition, follow-up of the parent’s level of anxiety in the home following the baby’s discharge and the use of healthcare resources during the first year post discharge are areas in need of study. Taking a newborn home from the NICU is stressful for the parents but can also have a long-term impact on family dynamics. Interventions to decrease parents’ anxiety and to increase their competence can have a lasting impact on the well-being of the infant and the family unit.

Why Baby Boys Feel More Stress Than Baby Girls Do

It’s common sense that babies need plenty of attention and loving care to thrive. But new risks have been uncovered that relate to infant care, and they apply specifically to baby boys.

A new review of empirical research by Allan N. Schore posits that the developing brain of the infant male is not able to regulate as well as the female brain, leaving baby boys more vulnerable to environmental stresses, and ultimately, to neuropsychiatric disorders including autism spectrum disorders.

In “All Our Sons: The developmental neurobiology and neuroendocrinology of boys at risk,” Schore writes that research “indicates that the stress-regulating circuits of the male brain mature more slowly than those of the female.”

In Psychology Today, Darcia Narvaez, Ph.D., summarizes that these neuropsychiatric disorders related to brain development “have been increasing in recent decades (interestingly, as more babies have been put into daycare settings, nearly all of which provide inadequate care for babies).”

Basically, infant day care attendance could be one factor related to the rise in disorders that skew heavily male, like autism spectrum disorders.

But should we panic about day care? Elizabeth Mack, a psychotherapist in private practice in Los Angeles and a mother of two boys, says “These findings are alarming, particularly for parents of boys. And while we should not ignore the correlation between greater numbers of boys diagnosed with disorders such as autism and ADHD as more and more babies enter day care, we must not forget that there are several factors that may account for higher rates of diagnosis, including the fact that there is more testing for these disorders going on than ever before.” So although more babies are in day care, more testing is going on, which naturally leads to more diagnoses. Correlation, in other words, does not equal causation.

“There is indeed evidence that boys are more vulnerable than girls to certain childhood problems (specifically, ADHD, conduct disorders and autism spectrum disorders),” says University of Southern California assistant professor of psychology Darby Saxbe. But she notes that, starting in adolescence, girls become more vulnerable to other problems, like anxiety and depression. “So it’s not necessarily the case that males are much more psychologically vulnerable than females across all domains, but it is the case that everyone — male or female — needs extra love and attention in infancy and early childhood because it is such a critical time for brain development.”

Baby Care Tip – Burp your baby well to help her sleep better

We know that it is important to burp baby after every feed. Burping the right way helps the baby to expel extra air that she swallows while feeding. This extra air when trapped in the tummy could give rise to colic pain. Here are five home remedies to treat colic naturally.

"The cuddle police can go to hell," according to babycare author and toddler tactician Pinky McKay, ahead of her appearance at the Essential Baby & Toddler Show in Brisbane on March 3-5.

Ms McKay is the author of Sleeping like a Baby, Parenting by Heart and Toddler Tactics, as well as the creator of Boobie Bikkies, which support and boost a healthy milk supply for mothers.
However, sometimes we underestimate the importance of burping. There are times when your child might fall asleep during a feed and the next thing you do is put her to bed. But even before you can settle yourself on the couch and have the first sip of your coffee (thinking she will sleep for a few hours now) she wails and wakes up. While there could be a number of reasons for fragmented sleep, not burping her the right way could be one of them. Here are 10 ways to help your baby sleep better.
‘There are times when a baby might not burp after a feed. But it is still advisable to carry her on the shoulder and stroke her back gently to help her expel air trapped in her abdomen. Even if the baby doesn’t burp it will help her throw out small amounts of air and avoid incidences of colic which could definitely disturb sleep too,’ Dr Chaitali Laddad, Founder & Director, The Pediatric Network.

Here is what you should do if your baby doesn’t burp and falls asleep during a feed: ‘Carry your baby on your shoulder for at least 15 to 20 minutes even after she falls asleep while taking a feed. If she doesn’t burp, try to keep the bed elevated from the side where she rests her head. You can also keep a pillow below her mattress which will help to avoid tummy pain due to trapped air or even a spit-up,’ says Dr Laddad.
However, don’t use a pillow for your baby until she is two years of age, as this could lead to neck sprain or other troubles like choking hazards or flat head syndrome. Here are more reasons why you should not use a pillow for your baby.

5 Harmful Ingredients in Baby Care Products

Does your baby really need that plastic teething ring? Most parents are shocked to learn that many popular baby products, including teething rings, contain harmful ingredients linked to serious health problems. Which ingredients should concern you?
         

Formaldehyde

In 2011, formaldehyde was classified as a “known human carcinogen” in a report by the National Toxicology Program, a division of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Researchers found that long-term exposure to formaldehyde was linked to an increase in leukemia and brain cancer. It’s important to note that this exposure happened over many years, which is probably why manufacturers of products containing formaldehyde consider small amounts over a limited time reasonably safe.

Talc

Who doesn’t love the sweet smell of baby powder? It’s made from a mineral called talc, which is composed of magnesium, silicon, and oxygen. Talc became associated with cancer risk years ago, when it was often contaminated with asbestos. The good news is that asbestos is not present in the consumer products sold today in the U.S.

Propylene Glycol

This petroleum-based chemical absorbs liquids and maintains a uniform moisture level in antifreeze and many other consumer goods, including some brands of baby wipes. It’s well known and accepted that propylene glycol is dangerous in high doses, but it isn’t clear that small doses on the skin cause harm. However, you should be careful to always put your baby wipes away immediately after use, so your baby or toddler doesn’t put one into her mouth. At higher concentrations, it can cause skin irritation and contact dermatitis.

Mineral Oil

Baby oil is one of the most popular infant care products of all time. Used exactly as directed,there don’t appear to be any major safety concerns about it. However, children have developed serious respiratory problems by inhaling small amounts of mineral oil. Apparently, it prevents the tiny hairs in the airway from triggering a cough when the liquid is inhaled. Since there’s no coughing, the mineral oil can travel directly into the lungs and cause serious illness.

Reducing the Chemical Load

Of course, you can shop for safer, more natural baby products. You can also minimize exposure to these substances by using oils, lotions, and shampoos sparingly, and only when necessary. There’s no need to slather your baby with chemicals simply because it “smells good.” Perhaps the easiest way to reduce the chemical load on their developing bodies is simply to read labels, minimize the use of skin care products, and keep plastic toys out of their mouths.

Skin-to-skin ‘kangaroo’ baby care tied to better health years later

Premature and underweight newborns may be healthier as children and young adults if they pass their early days with their bare chests nestled directly against their mothers’ breasts, a new study suggests.
             

Researchers focused on a practice known as “kangaroo care,” which has been linked to lower infant mortality and better developmental outcomes for vulnerable babies. Kangaroo care includes skin-to-skin contact between the newborn and mother, exclusive breastfeeding, early discharge from the hospital after delivery and close follow-up care at home.

For the current study, researchers examined data on 228 young adults who had been randomly chosen to receive kangaroo care as part of a study done when they were babies. Charpak and her colleagues compared outcomes for these kids to those of 213 young adults from the infant study who didn’t receive kangaroo care.

Babies that received kangaroo care were 61 percent less likely to die during infancy than newborns who didn’t receive this type of care, the researchers report in Pediatrics.

Breastfeeding rates were higher for the kangaroo care babies than the other infants, the study found. In addition, the infants who got kangaroo care had fewer severe infections requiring hospitalization.

It’s possible some of these outcomes might be the result of kangaroo care’s protective effect on the immature brains of preemies, Charpak said by email. This type of care might foster brain development that occurs late in pregnancy for full-term babies but that doesn’t have a chance to happen before premature infants are born.

Another possibility is that parents who provide kangaroo care also nurture children in other ways that are beneficial to health, social and behavioral outcomes, Charpak added.

One limitation of the study is that it doesn’t prove how kangaroo care may benefit babies, only that there are associations between receiving this treatment and several positive health outcomes, the authors note.