The use of nipple shields can provide relief and encourage nipple healing without having to express and bottle feed
Nipple shields are soft silicon covers that go over your nipple before your baby latches to feed. Do this by:
·Expressing a little milk into the shield and smear some on the outside to encourage attachment
·Hold shield in place with fingers as you wait for your baby to open their mouth wide
·Move your baby to the nipple when their mouth is wide
·Hold them firmly until they have a good latch
After one to three weeks of using the shield:
·Your nipples should be completely healed
·Breast milk flow and production is more established
·Your baby is bigger
·You are more comfortable with the feeding process
It is time to encourage your baby to feed without using the shields. Do this by:
·Removing the shield halfway through a feed. Try this during the mid morning feed first as you will usually have more milk and your baby is often more alert
·Continue to focus on removing the shield for all feeds
·Eventually your baby will attach to your nipple without using the shield
Below is a video to give you an idea of what a nipple shield looks like.
Your aim is to have your baby not relying on sucking a dummy to sleep by four months. If after four months your baby still relies on it to get to sleep, you can get rid of this habit either slowly or abruptly. How you do this will depend on your baby’s personality, how much they are dependent on it, what you can handle and your environmental situation.
Slow withdrawal:
·Put their dummy in to settle them to sleep as usual
Watch them closely and slowly remove the dummy as your baby slows their sucking and gets sleepy
Put it back in if they start searching and mouthing around for it
Take it out again as their sucking slows
Put it back in if they start to look for it again, you may do this in and out process five or six times but this will slowly reduce as they get used to settling to sleep without it
Be persistent and consistent.
Quick withdrawal:
Before you take their dummy away, make sure they have been introduced to another cuddly toy at the same time as using the dummy. Use both for security for a few weeks before taking the dummy away
When it is time to free them from the dummy, do the same pre bedtime routine that they are used to but only give them the cuddly, not the dummy
Follow a settling strategy appropriate for your baby’s age group. This could involve leaving them to cry for a few minutes and going back to reassure them with a cuddle or a pat. Keep it up for an hour then just cuddle them to sleep. Give it a couple of days of consistency to work and seek further help if they are not settling
If you have a toddler who is still using a dummy there are a few other techniques you can try. Pick the one that you think would work best for your toddler:
Take them to a shop or zoo and use the dummy as currency (plus money of course) in exchange for a special toy
At Christmas or Easter Santa Claus or Easter Bunny can swap it for something special
Rub a little Tabasco sauce orfresh chilli or garlic (or similar) on the dummy tip
If your toddler relies on using a dummy day and night, take it off them for day time use for a few weeks and distract them into other activities before attempting the night
Always be encouraging that they are a big boy now and do not need it any more. Distract them into more fun activities involving you until the habit, insecurity and associations are gone. For a toddler this could take a few weeks and devoted time from you.
If it is time for you to get rid of the dummy then you may be interested inlearning more about this age group
Baby poo is a good indicator of how a baby is tolerating feeding.
What can a normal baby poop look like?
A newborn baby’s first bowel movement will be greenish-black, thick and sticky. A good one for the dads to learn how to change!
These first poos consists of epithelial cells, lanugo, mucus, amniotic fluid, bile, and water which are intestinal substances that an unborn foetus ingests while in the womb.
As a newborn begins to ingest colostrum (mother’s first breast liquid), breast milk and or infant formula this poo will begin to change into a dark brown colour and be less sticky.
When a baby is breastfeeding the poo will progress to a more mustard colour with tiny, white, grainy seed like pieces in it. It will be a very loose consistency and can occur at every nappy change or every few days or even up to 14 days. Unlike a formula fed baby a breast fed baby does not get constipated.
All is normal if a breast fed baby’s poo is mainly mustard yellow and occasionally has green specks and streaks but then goes back to being like seeded mustard.
When a baby is regularly ingesting an infant formula their poo will be a pasty consistency and often green in colour. Each brand of infant formula creates a slightly different variation of the colour green.
Bowel movements may be less frequent than a breast fed baby but to avoid constipation a baby will need to be passing a poo every day or every second day.
A baby that is breastfeeding but has top ups of infant formula will have a variation in between these two poos depending on the ratio of breast milk to formula.
BABY POOP THAT IS NOT NORMAL AND INDICATES THE NEED FOR FURTHER ASSESSMENT BY A HEALTH PROFESSIONAL
Green frothy poo and possibly associated with unsettledness, bloating, wind and nappy rash
Very liquid consistency with no white seedy bits
A formula fed baby who cries when they poo and the stool is a pebble like consistency
A formula fed baby who has not passed a poo for 3 ormore days
A poo that has streaks of blood in it
A poo that is green with a stringy egg white consistency
Projectile vomiting after 3 consecutive feeds associated with no bowel movement
It was 10:10 a.m., March 9th, 1989, when I returned home with my six month old son, Jack, from our next-door neighbour’s house. My husband Michael was playing Duplo (blocks) with Ben on the lounge-room rug.
Michael told me that he’d been outside chain-sawing some branches he’d trimmed off a tree, when he had an intense attack of guilt about Ben.
He said that Ben had asked him to stay inside and play with him about fifteen minutes earlier, so he’d put down the saw and come inside.
I sat down to breast-feed Jack, while Michael went to make a cup of coffee. Ben quietly went upstairs. Only a few minutes had passed when I went upstairs to check on him. It was then that I found him sitting on the floor with a box of medical supplies. Some quinine sulphate tablets were scattered around him.
At first, I thought he’d only sucked the sugar coating off, as I tasted them and they were very bitter.
We immediately called the poison information service and they said to expect vomiting and disorientation from ringing in the ears.
It seemed that they didn’t think the situation was very serious.
But it was….
Finally, the time came to leave the hospital, where we had brought our son only seven hours earlier. I couldn’t have imagined then that we would never bring him home again.
We got into the van and just sat there stunned.
Driving out the gate, there was a toddler playing on the swings. How
could it be, that he was still playing and Ben wasn’t?
I have written in the past that foods should not be seen as neither good nor bad, but rather as foods to eat more of, and some foods to eat less of. This also suggests that everything is good in moderation. But think about the moderation principle for a minute. What exactly is moderation? It can mean different things to different people. Where does it stop? What if you eat pizza in moderation, hamburgers in moderation and fried chicken in moderation? Yes, you are only eating specific fast foods in moderation, but you are still living on junk food. Using moderation as a guide to healthy eating can be very vague. It’s too general and open to misinterpretation. How can you break the addictive cycle of sugar and fat by giving yourself regular “hits” under the guise of moderation? I’m not suggestion you eat a perfect diet, but just be wary of justifying regular junk food indulgences under the guise of moderation.
FOOD FOR THOUGHT!
This is a very important concept to consider while raising your babies and children.
How much tinned, packaged food and takeaway food is good for your growing children?
Yes, make it easy on yourself!! Kids fight home cooking anyway so why bother!!
Is that really teaching our children a good culture for eating and health in the future?
No one prepares a mother sufficiently for the extreme exhaustion that a new baby brings if they do not sleep well. You have my empathy. I’ve been there!
Research has determined that humans must sleep and, in fact, people can survive longer without food than without sleep. We must sleep in order to function and live. Falling asleep and waking up is largely determined by your circadian rhythm, a day-night cycle which develops around seven weeks of age. If this rhythm is not encouraged or is inhibited for some reason, it can take a lot longer to establish hence erratic sleeping patterns continue. Once your baby is about three weeks old, your aim is to be encouraging them with regular and balanced feed, play, sleep rhythms, where they start to settle themselves to sleep and sleep through at least one sleep cycle. This can prove difficult for some babies during their first four months for a number of reasons:
Tired signs are ignored, resulting in overtired
Getting up at the end of one sleep cycle, preventing a longer sleep
No sleep cues or aids are used
Over stimulation from extra visitors, noise, outings, fluorescent lighting and TV
Hungry
Overfed or fed too often
Mother and baby emotional issues and mix; tensions mimicked
Allergies and intolerances through breast milk or from infant formula
Growth spurts not understood or managed correctly
Lower bowel, abdominal, oesophageal pain or discomfort
Illness
It helps to understand and allow your baby’s getting to sleep process to progress. For a baby this takes about 10-20 minutes. It starts with showing tired signs then if all is well progresses to a vacant stare, drooping eyelids, and shut eyelids.
At an early age babies are starting to learn consequences, love and security which lead to healthy attachments and relationships in the future.How your baby goes off to sleep is one of the first associations you are teaching them. They are learning what to expect when they wake, stir and need to go back off to sleep. Seek help or support early with sleep issues before your sleep deprivation becomes dangerous for you and those around you.
If you have recently had baby number two and things are getting a little tense with your toddler, then put yourself in your toddler’s shoes for a moment…
You are the centre of attention and have had every need met at the time you have usually demanded it. Cuddles when you need them, sitting on a knee to have stories anytime and food as requested, then all of a sudden your mummy goes away for a few days and life just isn’t the same. She brings back a little bundle that cries night and day and demands her instant attention. Your mummy seems tired and does not have the time to spend with you and gets cranky at things that normally wouldn’t have mattered. You find you have to do things that you know will make her give you attention.
This can be a difficult time for all but there are a few things that can be done in regards to your toddler that can help this situation be less stressful. These include:
· Try to avoid making any changes in your toddler’s life either two months before or two months after a new baby arrives. This could include things like toilet training, changing into a bed, starting day careand moving house
· Introduce your toddler to visitors as the big brother or sister not the baby as their little baby. This makes your toddler feel important
· Use a toddler feeding bag. This is a small collection of your toddler’s popular food choices (not junk), favourite books that they can look at alone or with you, puzzles that are age appropriate, a new toy from the baby, easy to use drink bottle of water and a short dance or music DVD. Have all these itemsin an easy to open bag or box that your toddler brings out only at baby’s feed time, then puts it away when feed time is finished
· Have your toddler fetch and carry things for you; it makes them feel important and a valuable member of the family team
· Don’t push your toddler away from being with you and the baby. Instead, help them to be involved by showing and encouraging them with the behaviour that you expect. Just telling your toddler to be gentle and not poke the baby’s eyes will not be enough. Show them how and where is acceptable to touch the baby such as stroking them on the head
· Read books together about families
· Give your toddler attention when the baby is up not only when they are asleep
· Keep your toddler’s life as routine as it was before the baby was born. If you do not have them in a routine, it will be time for you to establish one. See http://www.settlepetal.com for a FREE GIFT of Suggested Routines
· Give extra cuddles and make eye contact down at your toddler’s level as much as possible
· Understand that your toddler’s world has changed and for a while they may regress with more night waking, more toilet accidents (if previously toilet trained) and food refusal for a short time. Hang in there; keep your cool while encouraging acceptable behaviour; it will pass.
Dulcie Wilson, owner of Balance Physio on Buderim, is an experienced physiotherapist with training in both women’s health issues and also Pilates. Dulcie writes to us about caring for your body after birth in the area of pelvic floor and core strengthening.
Post-natally, mothers have to do a lot of lifting and bending which can take its toll on their body. Body shape can change due to weakened abdominal muscles and core muscles, and also from poor posture when feeding. Pilates can improve strength and posture and help to prevent aches and pains associated with those body changes and lack of support.
It is important for new mums to resume pelvic floor strengthening also for the return of good sexual function. Weakness and laxity in the pelvic floor muscles decreases sensation for both you and also sometimes your partner. So keep that pleasure in the bedroom by toning up those muscles!
Try to take time out for yourself. What better way of doing this than by
exercising to improve not only your muscle strength but also your general well being.
Pilates sessions are found in most towns and can be either individual or small groups of no more than 2 or 3 people in a group. Pilates programming can normally be started 4-6 weeks post-natally after a vaginal birth and 8-12 weeks after a birth by caesarean section. Always consult your doctor before signing up for any classes. It is highly recommended that gentle pelvic floor muscle contractions be started within 24-48 hrs of birth. Walking is also advisable as soon as you feel comfortable.
Look for a Woman’s Health Physio in your area or if you are on the Sunshine Coast, Queensland contact Dulcie Wilson Email: dwilsonphysio@optusnet.com.au
There are choices you make every day that will impact upon your short-term and long-term health. Reflecting on how these choices will impact on your health, and the difference it can make to your quality of life can be a great motivational tool. I have two young daughters, and I was teaching them to ride their bikes without training wheels. This involves a lot of running (staying close behind them making sure they don’t fall). I realised that being fit helped me keep up and enjoy an incredibly rewarding experience with my kids. Take time to reflect on what a difference better health can make to your life.
Prior to discussing the power of probiotics, I have made a confession. I sold an antibiotic for five years. When initially learning about the product, I was passionate about selling its efficacy, safety, etc. I felt that I had a magic pill in my ‘pharmaceutical bag’ that would eliminate any pathogen and improve the patient’s health. Five years later I had a paradigm shift in thinking.
To summarize my thoughts, antibiotics have a purpose. They save millions of lives every year when used properly. Unfortunately the general populous doesn’t have a firm grasp of how to properly utilize antibiotics and how often to take them. Antibiotics are indiscriminant killers that destroy the ‘good flora’ in our systems. Patients wake up in the morning, sniffle, then immediately run to their local family practice physician to demand a prescription antibiotic. Although responsible physicians will send them away and tell the patient to rest, there are large portions that grow weary of the harassment and simply write the prescription. The patient will take the unnecessary antibiotic and potentially cause further long term damage to their immune system. If they continue to feel ‘under the weather’ they may return to the physician’s office and ask for an additional course of antibiotics. NOTE: If your antibiotic doesn’t work the first time, it has FAILED. Asking for a second course is usually a waste of your time, the physician’s time and a waste of money due to the second co-pay.
You can save yourself trips to the physician’s office; significantly reduce the need for prescription medication and energize your immune system with probiotics. If you commit to improving your health through diet (cleaner eating) and exercise, the consumption of probiotics should be a part of your daily ritual. If you’re proactive with probiotics, you can avoid antibiotics. Get it?
Probiotics are live and active microorganisms that aid with digestion and offer protection from harmful bacteria. They flood your system with ‘good’ and ‘protective’ bacteria. You can take a probiotic supplement or consume foods that have been predigested by bacteria or fungi. Fermented foods such as sauerkraut, yogurt, kefir, cheese, kimchi and tempeh are fantastic sources for natural probiotics.
I take a strong probiotic every morning along with regular consumption of Greek yogurt with antioxidant rich blueberries. My profession takes me into hospitals, clinics and physicians offices. I’m exposed to harmful pathogens on a daily basis. Due to my diet and emphasis on holistic, preventative health, I’m rarely, if ever, ill.
Does your child have ‘leaky-gut’ syndrome? Many children with autism suffer from this condition. Antibiotics destroy the ‘good/protective bacteria’ in their system while ignoring harmful candida. With the depletion of good bacteria, candida begins to overtake the gut. In basketball terms, candida begins to ‘box out’ the good bacteria for space in the gut. The candida eventually turns into its fungal or mycelial form. The mycelial form is toxic and eventually burrows a hole in the gut. The gut becomes ‘leaky’. A healthy intestine allows nutrients to pass into the blood stream while filtering products like starches, proteins and fats. Children with a leaky gut have a compromised intestinal wall and are unable to filter the aforementioned harmful foreign substances. The leaky gut forces the child’s immune system to work overtime. Probiotics can prevent and reverse ‘leak-gut syndrome’.
Although not a ‘cure all’, probiotics can significantly improve your immune system, treat diarrhea, prevent yeast infections and treat eczema. You can make a significant improvement in your overall health by consuming probiotics on a daily basis. I encourage you to do so.
Harry G. Psaros is the publisher of Health, Nutrition and Wellness (.com)
