Pregnancy Week by Week » Newborn Q&A

Is it okay to use a night light in my baby’s room?

Elzet — Thu, 02 Jun 2011 09:07:43 +0000

Using soft light or a night light in your baby’s room is perfectly fine, especially if it makes it easier for you to check on your little one. Babies under 6 months however, are used to a dark environment and are certainly not afraid of ghosts or monsters – they haven’t learnt this yet! So if your baby wakes in the night, she may become upset when she realises you are not there but she is not frightened. If you feel that your baby is happier and sleeps better with a night light on then we recommend using one!

]]>

How long do the baby blues and postnatal depression last?

Editor — Tue, 01 Mar 2011 05:00:07 +0000

As common as the baby blues are, no new mother likes being reduced to a heap of puffy eyes, dirty hair and crumpled clothing. Attributed to exhaustion, heightened emotional state and massive shifts in hormones, this condition causes crying spells, insomnia, anxiety and poor concentration, amongst other unpleasant symptoms. The good news is that the baby blues will generally subside without treatment within two weeks of baby’s birth. Sleeping whenever baby sleeps, a healthy diet, regular exercise and support from friends and family is generally all it takes to alleviate the symptoms.

Postnatal depression, on the other hand, is a far more debilitating condition, hangs around for longer than the baby blues and is annoyingly tricky to treat. PND will respond to all the techniques adopted to fight the baby blues, but needs a more focused and determined approach. If you feel that you are not getting any better, speak to your doctor, because untreated postnatal depression can persist for years after your baby’s birth.

]]>

How do I prevent SIDS and when will my baby stop being at risk?

Editor — Wed, 02 Feb 2011 05:00:00 +0000

SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome) is the sudden and inexplicable death of an infant under the age of one year. Most commonly occurring during the first four months of life, sudden infant death syndrome is feared by parents all over the world, mainly due to the fact that the tragedy is neither explainable nor completely preventable. Studies have shown, however, that there are a number of measures that parents can take to reduce their baby’s risk of falling victim to this frightening syndrome. Once your baby has reached his first birthday, there is almost no risk of SIDS occurring. The one safety measure that childcare experts agree on is that infants should always sleep on a firm, flat surface – and always on their backs. Sleeping on their sides, stomachs, or on soft surfaces with loose fabrics that might cause suffocation, is strongly discouraged. Other hazards include smoking while pregnant, leaving toys in his crib, overheating his room, overdressing him and covering his head. Studies show that breastfeeding, swaddling, the use of dummies and correct prenatal nutrition are all beneficial and serve as protection against SIDS.

]]>

When will my baby have a growth spurt?

Elzet — Fri, 14 Jan 2011 05:00:46 +0000

Most babies have obvious growth spurts around 3 – 4 weeks, 6 – 8 weeks, 12 – 14 weeks, 16 weeks, 6 months and 9 months.

What is a growth spurt and how do I deal with one?

]]>

What routine should I follow and when should I start?

Elzet — Mon, 13 Sep 2010 08:18:43 +0000

There are many different routines to choose from. Find one that fits in with your family lifestyle. The important thing about a routine is to remember that you need to be flexible. There will be times when life happens, just relax and make do with what you have, then bounce back into routine as soon as possible. Your baby won’t get confused as long as you are mostly being consistent.

Sample Routine

All that baby really needs in the first week or two is loads of cuddles and of course a sufficient milk supply. Baby should be feeding every 2 – 3 hours, but you need to listen to her and feed as she demands, especially during the first week.

Tip: Baby should not get used to relying on a feed (or rocking) to fall asleep, so instead of:

Baby wakes up > Play > Feed > Sleep
It should be:
Baby wakes up > Feed > Play > Sleep

Routine:

5/6 am – feed
9 am – feed
12 pm – feed
3 pm – feed
5 pm – good feed (both sides) or bottle
6 pm – bath
6.30 – 7 pm – top-up feed
7 pm – put down to sleep
9 pm – feed
12 pm – feed
3 am – feed

]]>

What can I expect from the first week at home?

Elzet — Mon, 13 Sep 2010 07:57:44 +0000

Enjoy the moment you have been waiting for – just relax and snuggle baby close
all day long.

You may feel vulnerable and overwhelmed – it takes a little while to find your feet
and settle into this new, exciting position called Mom.

Don’t bother getting out of your PJ’s – sleep whenever you get a gap.

Don’t let eager visitors pressurise you – fit them in when it suits you. Grannies are
usually super eager so try and make time for them, as for the rest – fit them in
when you feel up to it.

Take it easy. All you have to do right now is eat small healthy meals and sleep
when baby sleeps.

Tears are perfectly normal, be patient and kind to yourself.

Baby will sleep most of the time and your routine will consist of feeds, nappy changes,
cuddle time and yes, more sleep.

Baby may feed every 2 – 3 hours, listen to her and feed as she demands. One feed
can take up to an hour, this is normal.

You may starting to feel a bit more confident towards the end of the first week.
Well done – you are doing a great job!

]]>

My baby is constipated – what can I give her?

Elzet — Mon, 13 Sep 2010 07:26:42 +0000

A natural remedy is half a teaspoon of dark brown sugar (the sticky type) in 50 ml of cooled boiled water. Try one of these in the morning and one in the afternoon. If this doesn’t sort her out in a day or two, have a chat to your clinic sister. She might suggest glycerin suppositories or Duphalac syrup.

]]>

My baby is niggly and struggles to settle – is this due to winds?

Elzet — Mon, 13 Sep 2010 07:08:26 +0000

If he’s fed and had a nappy change chances are good that he still has a wind. If he falls asleep just to wake up after a few minutes and continue doing this, it might be a wind that keeps him from settling.

Winding can be tricky and most babies struggle with winds at some stage. There are different winding techniques that you can try. A magic winding remedy is Telament drops. This is safe to use on babies of all ages. Add the drops to his bottle, in his mouth or a drop or two on his dummy before feeding.

It’s been said that breastfed babies may get less winds than bottle fed babies. This being said, it doesn’t mean that breastfed babies won’t struggle with winds. If you are bottle feeding your baby, make sure that you are tilting the bottle enough for the milk to cover the teat completely. This will reduce the amount of air baby swallows.

How do you know your baby has a wind?

It might look like they’re smiling but they are actually grimacing due to the discomfort
Might appear restless and sleep for only a few minutes just to wake up unsettled
Their tongue might be in an ‘up’ position opposed to being relaxed
He might stop drinking during a feed and appear unsettled

If you have been winding him for 5 minutes and haven’t been rewarded with a wind, he might still be hungry.

]]>

My baby is vomiting up all his milk. Surely this is not normal?

Elzet — Fri, 10 Sep 2010 09:17:58 +0000

A little bit of milk is quite normal but excessive vomiting might be due to reflux. It’s quite common and means that the valve between the stomach and the oesophagus is underdeveloped. The good news is that it will strengthen with age; most babies outgrow this by the age of one, some earlier.

In the meantime it’s causing extreme discomfort. It’s also possible for a baby not to show any visible signs of vomiting but are suffering discomfort. There is nothing to worry about as long as your baby is gaining weight.

These handy tips will certainly help but not cure the reflux:

Keep baby upright for about 15 minutes after a feed
Limit handling after a feed
Lift the top half of her cot so that she sleeps on a slightly raised platform. It’s a good idea to place a rolled-up towel or blanket at the bottom so that she doesn’t slide down under the blankets.
Change her formula to an anti-reflux formula or speak to your clinic sister about thickening the milk.

]]>

Why is my Baby Crying?

Elzet — Fri, 10 Sep 2010 08:51:56 +0000

Your baby may be crying for any of these reasons. It helps to go through a quick process of elimination:

Is he due for a nappy change?
Is it time for his nap?
Is he overstimulated?
Is he too hot or too cold?
Is he hungry?
Is he uncomfortable? Cramps, windy, indigestion, constipation, over-feeding, reflux
Does he need comfort/touch?

His crying might be caused by hunger if:

It’s more than 2 – 3 hours since his last feed
His previous feed was not sufficient
He slept longer between feeds for a period of 12 – 24 hours and now needs to catch up on feeds. Try to stick to your routine, even if it means waking him every 3 hours.
He finishes his bottle most of the time and is wanting more
He is above average weight for his age
He has less than 5 – 6 nappies a day
He is not gaining weight adequately
He is going through a growth spurt

If you have gone through this check list and eliminated all possible causes like a stubborn wind, hunger pains, over stimulation, a much needed sleep etc. it’s probably a good idea to give your clinic sister a buzz.

]]>