From Pregnancy To Baby Blog » Baby

Breast-Feeding Or Nursing Your Baby

From Pregnancy To Baby — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 15:21:50 +0000

Breast-Feeding or Nursing is the optimal source of nutrition for your baby in their first year, nursing has obvious psychological benefits for both mother and child. When born, infants see only a closeup which is the distance between a nursing baby and its mothers face. Studies have found that infants as young as 1 week prefer the smell of their own mothers milk.

Multiple psychologists believe that a nursing baby enjoys a sense of security from the warmth and presence of the mother, especially when there is skin-to-skin contact during feeding. Most parents of bottle-fed babies may be tempted to prop bottles in the babies mouth. This lacks the human contact during feeding. It is important that a nursing mother cuddle and kiss her infant many times during the day. Nursing becomes more than a way to feed a baby; it’s a source of tenderness, warmth and comfort.

Studies have shown that when a baby is being fed and nurtured in this way, it’s natural for them to fall relax and fall asleep quickly. After you learn about your baby, you know how much he or she can consume in one feeding. If they fall asleep too soon, try to gently nudge them awake to finish the feeding. You can easily wake them with a little tickle on the bottom of their feet. If you do not they will get hungry sooner, then you’ll be feeding he or she off their schedule and make your life more difficult. This is one time in your life that you will want to get it right the first time.

Breast-Feeding is great for a new mother as well as for her baby. The bond that is created is once in a lifetime experience that one should never miss. This sets up the babies emotional support system for their future at this time. Studies have shown that a breast fed child is more emotionally secure than a child who is not a breast fed child.

The other side of breastfeeding is there are no bottles to sterilize. You don’t have to run to the store and buy formula that has to be mixed, measured and heated before feeding. Another benefit is the mother will start to lose the added weight that she gained during the pregnancy while nursing. This is natures way of added natural weight loss to compensate for the pounds gained during pregnancy. It burns calories and helps the nursing mother to lose the pounds of pregnancy naturally. Natural lactation stimulates the uterus to contract back to its original size.

A nursing mother must always get the extra needed rest. It is important she sit down, put her feet up and relax every couple of hours. This helps in the natural healing of the body to childbirth. The good thing is during breastfeeding at night, you do not have to go to the refrigerator for a bottle and warm it while the baby cries. Both you and the baby will also rest if you are breastfeeding and dozing while you nurse at night. It is important to have a comfortable rocking chair during this time period, money is no object for this luxury of rest.

In conclusion, if you suspect any problems with your breast milk, your child’s’ health or nursing, consult with your Pediatrician immediately. Remember, you are the sole source of nourishment for your baby and it is important you do not smoke or drink at this time. Eat organic food and live your life naturally during this time of your life. If you suspect your child has allergies, consult with your Pediatrician also.

Scott Fitzgerald is a consultant dealing with various products and Marketing. He can be reached at http://www.breastfeeding23.com or http://www.allergy-safehomes.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Scott_Fitzgerald
http://EzineArticles.com/?Breast-Feeding-Or-Nursing-Your-Baby&id=1769082

How to Choose Baby Strollers

From Pregnancy To Baby — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 06:00:59 +0000

By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Oliver_Turner]Oliver Turner

One of the more important accessories for a parent is a baby stroller. With the many choices of strollers available in the stores today, it proves to be difficult to choose the right baby stroller for your baby. It has to be basically safe and comfortable for you and the baby and easy to open, close, maneuver and store.

There are many types of baby strollers found today like the carriage stroller which is a great first stroller and the umbrella stroller which is easy to fold and thus convenient as a secondary stroller to be used for jaunts and trips. The standard stroller is usually the primary baby stroller that comes with many features like storage basket and bumper tray.

Lightweight strollers are also great for traveling purposes but are generally high priced than its typical counterparts. The car seat/stroller combo is a great baby stroller to be used for those using the car regularly. You can go jogging taking your baby with you in the jogging stroller while tandem and side-by-side strollers are best for those having children close in age, twins or triplets. In these types of strollers, the seats are fixed next to each other, on a large, single frame.

When choosing the right baby stroller, make sure that it is sturdy, and is of quality construction. It should have all terrain wheels so that it can be used on all surfaces. There should be some safety features in the baby stroller and be comparatively easy to use by all parents. Make sure the stroller can fold and unfold easily and is rather maneuverable.

It is better to choose baby strollers that are easy to clean with removable and machine washable seat covers. Choose baby strollers that accommodate the baby as it grows and those that have storage baskets that are generously sized.

Our experts have made a research and found the best strollers and stroller stores. Find it only on the Strollers Planet. All about baby strollers and jogging strollers on http://www.leandernet.com/Baby-strollers/Baby-strollers

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Oliver_Turner http://EzineArticles.com/?How-to-Choose-Baby-Strollers&id=400094

Leave A Comment>>

Strollers

Technorati Tags: Baby, Strollers

How to get baby to sleep through the night

From Pregnancy To Baby — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 01:53:11 +0000

I like many parents, especially first time parents, have had a issue with getting my child to sleep through the night. If you could do it wrong, I did it! Well I had to seek out answers to what was happening with my baby daughter and what we could do to fix it.

First, a little background in what is happening with your baby. When a baby is in the womb, they get the opposite of what the mom gets. During the daytime the sun provides chemicals in your body to help keep you awake. Your baby gets these chemicals at night. When your baby is born they still are on a schedule of the night. One of the first tips for a new baby is to get them in a sun filled room so their body starts producing these chemicals. This will help them to start to sleep longer through the night so you aren’t so beat through the day!

Now that your baby sleeps at night there is a very important thing to remember. Children like adults form associations with sleeping. For example, try to go to sleep tonight without your pillow. You may get some sleep but you will probably toss and turn all night and you will wake feeling very unrested. This is because you have created an association with sleeping and your pillow. Babies develop associations too. So if you help them to create an association with rocking them to sleep, or any other undesirable association, you may find yourself doing this for ever because they wake up and then need to be rocked to fall back to sleep. For me it became very difficult because we ended up having to break that association. In order to do this we had to put our baby to sleep and let her cry. Then after 30 seconds we went in and reassured her everything was ok and put her back down to sleep. This went on constantly until she would fall asleep. Each night we would extend the length of time until it became longer and longer. After a couple of weeks we put her down and she would fall fast asleep and sleep through the night. I guarantee this is much harder on the parents than it was on my daughter.

Now this doesn’t mean that you can never rock your child to sleep especially if they are having a rough night. But if you make a habit of doing it everytime you may find this is where you travel down a path that you wish you had not.

I have not used this myself, but I have talked with moms who have used the womb sounds to help their newborns sleep and have had good success with them. Other things that will help baby sleep include setting consistent nap routines and bedtime rituals. Make sure your child gets enough eating in during the day so they won’t be tempted to wake to eat throughout the night. Sometimes they just get so busy playing and exploring they forget to eat.

Keeping baby asleep can be done by making sure they’ve been fed, changed and are comfortable. A nice, dark, quiet room can help. Music or white noise can help mask household noises.

Not all babies are alike and nothing works everytime even for the same child. Remember to always reassure your baby that everything is ok so they feel secure.

Diapering 101 Video

From Pregnancy To Baby — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 02:46:11 +0000

Technorati Tags: Baby, Diapering

We Are Up and Running!

From Pregnancy To Baby — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 04:46:59 +0000

We are very happy to announce that our site is up and running. Come over and take a look at frompregnancytobaby.com. We will be growing and improving with new articles, information and products as time goes on. Visit us often.

We would love to hear from you. Post a comment and let us know what you think!

Technorati Tags: Baby, Maternity, Pregnancy, Pregnancy Symptons

Car Seats and Newborn Babies

From Pregnancy To Baby — Sun, 02 Nov 2008 02:44:57 +0000

By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Ant_Arthur]Ant Arthur

I remember very clearly the first day we brought our oldest daughter home from the hospital. Lucky for me my husband is a car seat technician, so I had no worries that we had installed our Graco infant carrier correctly. Interestingly, my husband procrastinated installing the seat until the day I was scheduled to go in for my induction (my baby was a week overdue).

I think until that point the idea of having a baby wasn’t real. Reality sure struck like a hammer however a few days later, when we packed our bags up and prepared to bring our bundle of joy home. The nurse in the maternity ward was insistent about checking to make sure our baby was nestled safely into her carseat. She took great care to coach me about how to put the baby in the carseat and support her head. She also told me of the steps I should take to make sure the straps weren’t too tight and adjusted properly. Of course, she knew of my husbands experience but still walked down to make sure we had installed the car seat properly. She wanted to make sure the seat was in the middle of the backseat.

My husband and I smiled at each other. Once we got in the car however we realized how terrified we were. That was the first time I have ever seen my husband drive 20 miles an hour down the highway back home. Normally the drive was about 25 minutes to the hospital. It probably took us close to an hour to get home that day. Looking back, we are lucky we didn’t get into an accident for driving too slow!

Selecting The Perfect Carseat
Of course, that was the fun part of the story. Actually finding a car seat was a mindboggling task. As first time parents, everyone and their mother had an opinion about the best type of car seat for us to use. There were loads of fans of the Graco brand (which we finally settled on). I had one friend drag me to Babies R Us and insist I try out an Eddie Bauer model. Still others looked at me and laughed when I told them I wasn’t going to buy a travel system that came with a car seat and stroller. Others suggested starting right off the bat with a convertible car seat. And everyone, I mean EVERYONE was positive their opinion was the best.

Eventually we decided to stick with the Graco infant carrier because it was convenient. Of course, we had a porky 8 pound baby that outgrew her seat within 8 months. Actually, technically she probably outgrew it closer to seven. After that we decided to go with a convertible car seat. While many parents suggested starting out with the convertible seat, I am actually glad we did have the infant carrier to start with. For a few months anyway, I started developing enviable biceps from carrying around my large, bouncing baby girl. I sort of missed that once we changed to the convertible.

There are many things to look for when deciding the right carseat. Here is what I learned from my car seat shopping adventures:

You may change your mind midway through. We thought the infant carrier would last us at least a year. As it turns out, we had to shop for another carseat much sooner than expected. If you think you will have a large baby (hint, your size or your partners, or even your mothers history might clue you in) shop for an infant carrier with a higher weight range. Some only carry a baby to 20 pounds, while others go to 22 (and two pounds is a world of difference for a baby).

Keep in mind the advice of others, but remember you know best when it comes to your lifestyle and preferences. You should select the carseat you are most comfortable with, not the one someone insists you buy because they like it.
Consider a convertible seat. They’ll last you a lifetime.
Remember your child will continue to need a carseat until they are about 80 pounds. Keep this in mind when investing in a carseat.
Look for a seat with washable and removable fabric. Trust me, your child will dirty the seat before you know it!

Last but not least, try not to get overwhelmed by the many accessories and extra features available. All you really need is a safe seat with a latching belt. Cup holders, toy attachments and other things are secondary to this.

Ant Arthur is a successful freelance writer with 10 years of professional experience providing consumers with informative articles on such topics as [http://www.1st-baby-carriers.com/]Baby Carriers, [http://www.1st-baby-carriers.com/baby-slings.html]Baby Slings and [http://www.1st-baby-carriers.com/baby-car-seats.html]Baby Car Seats

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ant_Arthur http://EzineArticles.com/?Car-Seats-and-Newborn-Babies&id=64098

Technorati Tags: Baby, Baby Carr Seats, Baby Safety, Car Seats, Infant Car Seats

Is Chiropractic Treatment Effective for Colic?

From Pregnancy To Baby — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 05:00:59 +0000

By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Vickie_Barnes]Vickie Barnes

If you have a baby suffering from colic then you know you will search to the ends of the earth to find some form of treatment to help soothe your baby’s suffering and make them stop crying. You may be looking for conventional or natural treatments, or both, to help your baby and may have discovered the option for chiropractic treatment. You might think chiropractic treatment is only for those suffering from problems with their spine’s alignment ad the like, and it is to some degree, not to mention this could be the problem that is causing your baby’s colic. Amazingly, chiropractic treatment has great results for relieving colic symptoms and helping baby and parents feel better again.

If you are not interested in chiropractic treatment for colic simply because you believe it is too radical or something you just don’t approve of, then you can learn some massage moves that might prove effective as well at relieving colic symptoms and soothing your baby. If you do want to try the chiropractic treatments then you need to find a certified chiropractor for infants and you will need to talk with him/her to ensure you are confident in their skills and perhaps even ask for references. This is important because while chiropractic treatment for colic is natural it can be harmful if done incorrectly so you want a qualified chiropractor to perform the treatment. Once you find a chiropractor licensed to perform treatments on infants that you are comfortable with and confident in then you should give it a try and see if it works for your baby.

You are probably anxious about how the treatments will work and what will actually happen to your baby. However, don’t worry because the treatments simply include lengthening procedures that lengthen the body to remove the kinks that are in the intestines. Additionally, many chiropractors simply align the baby’s spine by adjustments to help relieve colic. Many times this helps and you might be surprised when a chiropractic adjustment helps your baby. You should not worry your baby will be in pain, either, during chiropractic adjustments because they are normally painful. Your baby might look as if he/she is in pain because of the chiropractor’s strong hands and movements, but rest assured the adjustment is virtually pain free and will likely help your baby’s colic tremendously.

After the chiropractic adjustment your chiropractor will likely show you some exercises to perform on your baby each day. These are generally called colic release exercises and they benefit approximately 70% of babies suffering from this condition significantly while a great many others benefit marginally. So, there is a pretty good chance that a chiropractor can significantly help your baby’s colic pain, or at least reduce the pain somewhat, so you ought to give it a try.

The reason chiropractic techniques work so well is that they treat the condition of colic rather than the symptoms. Many parents give their children drugs or other remedies to treat symptoms and while this is ok it really is better to treat and eradicate the problem of colic altogether and that is what a chiropractor does. So, look for a certified chiropractic that can work on infants and give it a try, it just might be the best choice you ever made!

Vickie Barnes is a colic veteran of two colicky babies. Please visit her website [http://www.ColicHelp.com]ColicHelp.com, for more support and resources for dealing with [http://www.colichelp.com]colic.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Vickie_Barnes http://EzineArticles.com/?Is-Chiropractic-Treatment-Effective-for-Colic?&id=144564

Technorati Tags: Baby, Baby Colic, Baby Crying, Baby Health

Smoking During Pregnancy is Risky Business

From Pregnancy To Baby — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 00:39:12 +0000

If you are trying to get pregnant or are pregnant and you smoke….STOP!!!! If your partner smokes around you…. STOP!!!! The list of problems caused by either smoking or being around smoke are too serious to ignore. A common risk is low birthweight. The risk nearly doubles!! This is only the beginning of the risks that you are taking for your baby. Other risks include premature delivery, congenital heart defects, placental abruption, cleft lip or palate, cerebral palsy, to mention just a few. If that isn’t enough to make you stop, consider this… If you smoke during your pregnancy, your baby is 3 times more likely to die of SIDS. If your baby is around people who smoke, the chance of SIDS doubles accoring to the March of Dimes.

There are a couple of sites you can visit to help you stop smoking. Take a look at www.smokefree.gov or 1800quitnow.cancer.gov. Talk to your doctor or other health care professional. This is way too important to ignore!

Technorati Tags: Baby, SIDS, Smoking While Pregnant

How to Lose Pregnancy Weight Fast – Best Diet Product on the Market Today

From Pregnancy To Baby — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 05:00:59 +0000

Having a baby can be a major life changing experience but also the happiest day of your life. After having your baby, are you feeling overweight and unattractive because of the excess pounds you have added on? It is definitely no surprise that you feel this way or that possibly you are very anxious to find the best method to lose pregnancy weight fast and lose stomach fat fast.

You may be totally exhausted after giving birth and after taking care of that new baby. It can be very difficult on your body. Take it from experience; you will not be getting much sleep. Whether you are breastfeeding or not, it is very important to lose belly fat by focusing on giving your body the nutrition and energy it needs to get through the rough times rather than focusing on losing weight too quickly.

During your pregnancy, you may have gained 20-40 pounds or more and are desperate to lose weight. After giving birth you could possibly lose half and then the other half is what you will need to work on. The amount of time it takes you to lose the pregnancy weight will depend on how much weight you actually gained.

There are several methods you can utilize to get rid of belly fat. Try to research and choose the weight loss program that will still help keep you a healthy mother for your new baby.

As soon as your physician gives you the go ahead to begin a weight loss program to lose weight quickly, you may want to check out the best diet product on the market today which is Strip That Fat. You will not have to go on a crash diet or eat foods that are not tasty.

Below are a few examples of what Strip That Fat will show you on how to lose weight quickly and ways to get rid of stomach fat fast:

1. How to lose weight while you sleep 2. A muscle that you can build to blast weight loss 3. How to lose weight when eating out 4. How to lose 14 pounds in 14 days 5. How to drop inches in the next 7 days

The biggest advantage of this program for new moms is how easy it is to follow. You would just choose from a list of foods you care for and Strip That Fat’s online diet generator creates a customized 2 weak meal plan for you based on the foods you have chosen. It will then create a shopping list that you can print out for one easy trip to your grocery store. I am sure with a new baby you are looking for simplicity so this is ideal for you. This diet plan will give you fast results but also sustain long term weight loss as well.

If you are truly serious about losing pregnancy weight quickly and losing stomach fat fast, then visit the first place weight loss program now.

If you are desperate to lose weight the easy way, read our top 3 weight loss reviews.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Erika_Roberts
http://EzineArticles.com/?How-to-Lose-Pregnancy-Weight-Fast—Best-Diet-Product-on-the-Market-Today&id=1625681

Technorati Tags: Baby, diet, lose weight after pregnancy, Pregnancy

How long does baby acne usually last?

From Pregnancy To Baby — Sun, 19 Oct 2008 05:00:59 +0000

My four week old broke out pretty bad with baby acne this week and it is getting worse every day. I know not to mess with it and that it will go away on its own. I was just wondering how long it usually lasts?
Usually only a few weeks. Try using a baby wash or lotion for sensitive skin. If it worries you, go see your doctor. He could be allergic to something ( you are using baby detergent in the wash?) or have this condition where their skin gets red. Either way, it will go away.

Technorati Tags: Baby, Baby Acne