What sort of poo is not normal?

Diarrhea

Your baby may have diarrhea if:

• her poop is very runny
• she is pooing more often, or passing larger amounts than normal
• the poop is explosive or spurts out of her bottom
  

If you are breastfeeding your baby, she is less likely to suffer from diarrhea. This is because your milk helps to prevent the growth of the bacteria that cause it (DH 2009).

Bottle-fed babies are more prone to infection, which is why it's so important to sterilize equipment and always wash your hands thoroughly.

If your baby has diarrhea, the cause could be:

• an infection, such as gastroenteritis
• too much fruit or juice
• a reaction to medication
• a sensitivity or allergy to a food

If you're bottle feeding, your baby could be reacting badly to the brand of formula you're using. But talk to your doctor before you switch brands, in case there is another cause (UNICEF 2010).

If your baby is teething her poo may be looser than normal. If you baby has diarrhea don't assume that her teething is the cause, it's more likely to be an infection.

In an older baby, diarrhea can also be a sign of severe constipation. Fresh poop may be leaking out past a blockage of hard poo (CKS 2010, DH 2009).

Diarrhea should clear up without treatment within 24 hours. If it doesn't, get it checked out as your baby is at risk of dehydration.

If your baby shows any signs of dehydration, take her to the doctor right immediately.

Constipation

Many babies turn bright red and push hard when they have a poo. This is normal.
Constipation, on the other hand, is when:

Your baby seems to have real difficulty in moving her bowels.

Her poops are small and dry, like rabbit droppings. Alternatively, they may be large and hard.

Your baby seems irritable, straining and crying when she has a poop.

Her tummy feels tight to the touch.

Her poops are hard and have streaks of blood in them. This can be caused by tiny cracks in the skin, called anal fissures, caused by passing hard poos (CKS 2010).
Breastfed babies don't tend to suffer as much constipation as bottle-fed babies. Their milk contains all the right nutrients to keep their poops soft (DH 2009).

Mixing up formula milk with too much powder can lead to constipation. Always follow the instructions when making up a bottle. Make sure you put water up to the recommended level first before adding the powder (DH 2009, UNICEF 2010).

Constipation can also be caused by:

• fever
• dehydration
• changes in fluid intake
• a change in diet
• certain medications(CKS 2010)

Sometimes, older babies become constipated because they are trying to avoid pain. For example, they may have a tear in the skin around the opening of the anus (anal fissure). This can become a vicious cycle. Your baby holds on and gets more constipated, and then the pain is even worse when she does eventually go (CKS 2010, DH 2009).

Always take your baby to your doctor as soon as possible if she's constipated, particularly if you notice blood in her poops. They will be able to check out all possible causes (DH 2010).

You'll probably be advised to increase your baby's fluid intake, as well as the amount of fibre in her diet if she is on solids. Giving her pureed prunes or apricots can be a good way to do this.

Green poo

Green poo can be a sign that your baby is taking in too much lactose (the natural sugar found in milk). This can happen if she feeds often, but doesn't get the rich milk at the end of the feed to fill her up. Make sure your baby finishes feeding from one breast before your offer her your other one.

If the symptoms last longer than 24 hours, visit your doctor. The cause may be:

The brand of formula you're using. Some can make your baby's poo dark green (DH 2009).

• A food sensitivity.
• Side effects of medication.
• Your baby's feeding routine.
• A stomach bug.

Very pale poo

This can be a sign of jaundice. This is common in newborns and usually clears up within a couple of weeks of the birth. However, it can be a problem if it lasts longer than this.

Ask your midwife or doctor to check your baby over, even if she doesn't look jaundiced (DH 2009).

Streaks of blood

Your baby's poos may be flecked with blood if she's constipated. This is because straining can cause tiny splits in the skin around her anus (anal fissures). These bleed when she poos.

Always get any blood in your baby's poo checked out by your doctor (DH 2009).

Take a look at our baby poo photo gallery to see what's normal and what's not.

Can a baby poop while in the womb?

Yes, After a certain age. But this will not harm the mother or the fetus unless the fetus consumes it feces (which can be okay but may need care after delivery). 

Usually when this happens it is a sign of stress in the baby, it is found when the amniotic sac breaks (or is broken by the medical attendant) at some point in labor or just prior to labor beginning.

The danger is to the baby if he inhales the meconium (first BM) - either prior to birth or when he takes his first breath. Meconium is thick and sticky, when inhaled it clogs the bronchial passages and can cause a serious case of pneumonia. 

To prevent the baby from inhaling and to clean any meconium from the baby's mouth and throat the doctor will instruct the laboring mother to stop pushing as soon as the baby's head is delivered and then suction the baby's mouth and throat. The baby will need to be seen by a Pediatrician as soon as he is born and will be monitored by the nursing staff for the first 24 to 48 hours, to watch for signs of pneumonia.

How many bowel movements should a newborn have in one day?

A newborn can have as many as eight to ten bowel movements a day, but as long as she is having at least one, she's probably all right.

One day without a bowel movement is usually no cause for concern. As long as your baby is feeding well and wetting her diaper five or six times a day, then she's most likely getting enough to eat. If she starts to become uncomfortable or has a persistently swollen abdomen, then she may need some help with pooping, and you should speak to your pediatrician about how to facilitate this.

 

In the early days, a newborn's bowel movements are thick and dark green in color. This is due to a substance called meconium that has been building up in her intestines during pregnancy. As the baby starts to feed and have bowel movements, she will finish expelling the meconium and her stools will start to turn yellowish. It is not uncommon for an infant's bowel movements to vary in color from day to day. The color of the stools can depend on a variety of things, including what a breastfeeding mom is eating, how hydrated the baby is, and the type and frequency of formula the infant is being fed, if applicable.

 The first days What you saw in his hospital nappies — the greenish-black tar-like stuff — is called meconium. This first newborn poop usually appears within about 24 hours of birth. Instead of food, it's made up of the stuff your baby collected in his intestines while in utero — old blood cells and skin cells, for instance (good thing the menu out here is more delectable). That's why it looks so drastically different from all the baby poop yet to come.

 

Two to four days after you meet your bundle of joy, you should notice "transitional" stools — they tend to be green and less tacky than meconium. This is a sign that your baby's intestinal tract is all-systems-go. From that point on, the type of food your baby is eating will determine the scoop on his poop:

 

Breastfed baby poop is normal when...

It's mustard yellow, green, or brown. (Think "welcome to earth tones"!)
It's seedy or pasty.
It smells sweet(ish!) — not normal bowel-movement odor.
It fills his diapers at least five times a day (and for some babies, during or after each feeding). Mom's milk digests at a faster rate than formula does.

Formula-fed baby poop is normal when...

It's yellowish-brown to brown.
Its texture ranges from nut-butter to pudding.
It smells more like regular poop.
It fills the diaper three to four times a day.

Once your baby's feeding schedule has been established, his "special delivery" diapers may appear five or more times a day or once every three days. That's perfectly normal. As long as his stools are soft, he isn't constipated. But you should call your doctor if...

 

Your breastfed baby doesn't poop for more than three days.
Your formula-fed baby doesn't poop for more than five days.
Stools are hard and pebbly, or much thicker than peanut butter.
Stools are thin, watery, or you see mucus in the diaper — this may be diarrhea.
You notice his stool is red or black, which could indicate bleeding.
You notice his stool is white, which could indicate he's not properly absorbing nutrients.
Welcome to the world of baby poop!

what's normal and what's not about your baby's poo

However, what's normal for your baby will depend on:

• how old she is
• whether she's breastfed or bottle-fed
• whether she's started solids(DH 2009)
  

Your baby's poop will change as she develops from a newborn through her first year. They may also change from one day to the next! Don't worry, you'll soon be able to tell what's usual for her.

What will my newborn's poops be like?

For the first couple of days after the birth, your baby will pass meconium. This is made up of mucus, amniotic fluid, and everything your baby has ingested while she was in your uterus (womb).

Meconium is greeny-black in colour, and has a sticky, tar-like texture. It may be difficult to wipe off that tiny bottom, but its appearance is a good sign that your baby's bowels are working normally.

What will my baby's poops be like if I'm breastfeeding?

Your colostrum, or first milk, acts as a laxative, helping to push meconium out of your baby's system. Once your milk comes in, after about three days, your baby's poos will gradually change. They will be:

Lighter in colour, changing from a greenish-brown to bright or mustard yellow. This yellow poo may smell slightly sweet (DH 2009).

Loose in texture. The poos may seem grainy at times, curdled at others.
In the early weeks, your baby may poo during or after every feed. On average, she will have four poops a day in the first week (CKS 2010). This will settle down and her bowels will work out their own routine. You may find she poops at a similar time each day.

Some breastfed babies poo once every few days or even once a week. This is not a problem as long as your baby's poops are soft and pass easily(CKS 2010, DH 2009).

Your baby's routine may change:

• when you introduce solids
• if she is feeling unwell
• when she starts to take fewer feeds

How often should my baby have a poop?

There are no hard and fast rules. In the early months it will depend on whether you're breastfeeding or bottle feeding your baby.

Breastfed babies who are not on solids may poop four times a day or more, or only once every three days (DH 2009).

Bottle-fed babies normally need to poop every day to feel comfortable and avoid constipation (UNICEF 2010).

Lots of babies strain and cry a bit when they poop, but it doesn't mean there's a problem. As long as your baby's poos are soft and easy to pass (DH 2009), there's no cause for concern.

Why does my baby poop in a bath

This is quite common and even normal. The water in a warm bath is a muscle relaxant and pain reliever, so it's often easier for a baby to have a bowel movement in a bath than in a diaper, explains William Klish, M.D., a pediatric gastroenterologist and a professor of pediatrics at Baylor College of Medicine, in Houston.

In fact, a warm bath is often recommended when a child is having trouble going to the bathroom or appears to be withholding a bowel movement. "If an infant has painful anal fissures (tiny tears in the rectum) and is withholding stool as a result, placing the child in a warm bath can help him have a bowel movement," says Dr. Klish.

 

If your baby goes to the bathroom in the tub, remove him, then the poop, drain the water, rinse the tub, and start over. It's important to use fresh water for the rest of the bath so that you're not washing your baby with bits of fecal matter, which contain bacteria. While it's obviously not ideal, don't panic if your baby takes a sip of the water before you can remove him from the bath. "It's doubtful that an infection would occur because the infant already harbors any organisms from the poop in his body," explains Dr. Klish.

 

If you find that your baby often has a bowel movement while in the tub, you might want to take a look at his schedule. Most babies will go to the bathroom after eating, so it might help to wait an hour after dinner before giving him his bath. And be sure you don't compromise your safety standards when coping with the situation: Never leave your baby's side, even for a second. A baby who is unattended in a tub could drown in less than a minute.

Warning signs of infant hearing loss

Two types of newborn hearing screening tests are used: automated auditory brainstem response (AABR) and otoacoustic emissions (OAE). Each takes only five or ten minutes and is perfectly painless. Many babies sleep through the screening.

To do the AABR test, a nurse places sensors, connected to a computer, on your baby's scalp. These sensors measure your baby's brainwave activity in response to little clicking sounds that are transmitted through small earphones.

The OAE test measures sound waves in the inner ear. The screener places a little device in your baby's ear that makes soft clicking sounds, and a computer connected to the device records the ear's response to the sounds.

Some hospitals use both tests, while others screen first with OAE and follow up with AABR if the baby doesn't test well.

Your baby's ability to hear is in large part the foundation of his ability to learn. Hearing screening is the most important early way to tell if a baby's hearing is impaired, but parents and other caregivers also need to be alert for warning signs.

Warning signs: Newborn to 3 months

• doesn't startle in response to a sudden loud sound
• doesn't respond to sounds, music, or voices
• isn't soothed by soft sounds
• doesn't move or wake up at the sound of voices or nearby noises when sleeping in a quiet room
• by 2 months, doesn't make vowel sounds like "ohh"
• by 2 months, doesn't become quiet at the sound of familiar voices
  

Warning signs: 4 to 8 months

• doesn't turn his head or eyes toward a sound he can't see
• doesn't change expressions at the sound of a voice or a loud noise when he's in a quiet setting
• doesn't seem to enjoy shaking a rattle, ringing bells, or squeezing noisemakers
• by 6 months, doesn't try to imitate sounds
• hasn't begun to babble to himself or back at others who speak to him
• doesn't respond to "no" and changes in tone of voice
• seems to hear some sounds but not others
• seems to pay attention to vibrating noises (those that can be felt) but not those that are only heard

Warning signs: 9 to 12 months

• doesn't turn quickly or directly toward a soft noisemaker or "shush"
• doesn't respond to his name
• doesn't vary his pitch when babbling
• doesn't make several different consonant sounds when babbling (m, p, b, g, etc.)
• doesn't respond to music by listening, bouncing, or singing along
• at 1 year, doesn't say single words, like "da-da" and ma-ma"
• at 1 year, doesn't pronounce many different consonant sounds at the beginning of words
• doesn't understand words for common items (like "shoe"), expressions (like "bye-bye"), or commands (like "come here")

Early Hearing tests for babies

The ability to hear is the foundation of your baby's ability to learn, so it's important to identify any problems just as soon as possible. That's why experts recommend that your baby's hearing be screened before he leaves the hospital. In fact, most hospitals do routine hearing tests for babies as part of their newborn screening.

If you're not sure whether your baby's hearing was tested after birth, call and ask. If it wasn't, or if your baby was born someplace without available testing, ask his doctor about hearing screening, preferably within the first month.

This is true even if your baby isn't at risk for hearing loss. In the United States, 2 to 3 in 1,000 babies are born with hearing loss, making it the most common birth defect. (This statistic is based on significant hearing loss in otherwise healthy babies. When babies in the neonatal intensive care unit and babies with mild hearing loss are included, the number jumps to 6 in 1,000.)

"Babies who receive appropriate diagnosis and intervention for their hearing loss before the age of 6 months usually do just fine," says Alison Grimes, audiologist and assistant clinical professor at UCLA Medical Center. "But those who don't often suffer delays in speech and language, social, and academic skills."

Signs of hearing loss can be different for different babies, and the extent of hearing impairment can vary. On their own, the warning signs may not be cause for worry (maybe your baby is a very sound sleeper, for example, or has colic and won't calm to any voice or soothing sound, no matter what).

What happens if my baby doesn't pass the test?
If your baby doesn't pass the screening at birth, it doesn't necessarily mean that he has a hearing problem, but it does mean that more testing is necessary. It's important that your baby be scheduled for a repeat screen within the first month of life.

Babies sometimes fail the first screening because they have fluid in the middle ear or debris (like vernix) in the ear canal, or because the room is too noisy or they're too feisty during the test (moving or crying). Many babies who fail the first screening go on to pass follow-up testing.

Typically, if a baby doesn't pass the first hearing screening, he'll be checked again in a week or two or referred to an audiologist (a hearing expert). The audiologist will do more complete tests to find out whether your baby does have hearing loss, how significant it is, and what can be done to help him.

 

If my baby passes the hearing test, could he still have hearing loss?

Yes. The newborn screening tests don't detect mild degrees of permanent hearing impairment, so passing the newborn hearing screening doesn't mean that a baby's hearing is perfect. It's very possible for a baby to pass the newborn hearing screening but either have a mild hearing loss or develop a hearing loss later.

Delayed-onset hearing loss can happen for a number of reasons, including illness, injury, genetics, or exposure to loud and prolonged levels of noise.

That's why it's important to have your baby's hearing checked regularly, at every well-baby checkup. If you're concerned about your baby's hearing or if your baby has risk factors for delayed-onset or progressive hearing loss, ask his doctor to refer you to an audiologist for further testing.

The develpment of infant vision

Infant Sight at Birth

At birth, infants really cannot see very well at all. If you were able to measure it, your newborns sight would only be about 20/400. Over the next weeks and months, a baby's eyesight is steadily improving though some babies will not achieve 20/20 vision until they are about 2 years old.
Early Newborn Vision

A newborn can focus best on objects about 1 foot from their eyes. Newborns have about a 90 degree range of vision and can see in color but do not necessarily distinguish all colors clearly. However by one to two weeks, infants can already begin to recognize features of their mothers face.

As their vision develops, infants show preference for certain bold patterns like stripes. Babies prefer bold colors and patterns because it is easier for them to see high contrast objects.
Vision at 6-8 Weeks

By 6 to 8 weeks, babies can fix their gaze on an object and follow moving objects too. At about 4 months, infants develop coordination between both eyes, which allows them to perceive depth and learn about spatial relationships. Once they can see more clearly, babies will begin batting at objects and reaching for toys that are within their field of vision.
Infant Vision Concerns

If you notice your baby's eyes seem to move independently or become crossed after 4 months you should request an examination from your doctor. This may be caused by a condition known as strabismus wherein the eyes do not align properly.
Fully Developed Baby Vision

In many babies, vision is fully developed by the time they are 6 months old. At this point they can distinguish colors clearly and focus on objects both far and near.
Focus and Tracking: Newborn babies have peripheral vision (the ability to see to the sides) and in the first weeks of life gradually develop the ability to focus on an object or point in front of them. At one month, a baby can focus briefly on objects up to three feet away.

By two months, infants are also able to track (follow) moving objects, as their visual coordination and depth perception improves. By three months they also have the hand/arm control needed to bat at nearby moving objects. If a baby's eyes are not working together to focus and track objects by three months of age, a pediatrician should be consulted.

Distance vision continues to develop in the early months. By four months a baby may smile when they see a parent across a room, and they can see objects outside when looking through a window.

 
Light and Images: At birth, babies are very sensitive to bright light, so their pupils remain constricted to limit the light coming into the eyes. After about two weeks, the pupils begin to enlarge and babies can see a range of shades of light and dark. As the retinas (the light-sensitive tissue inside the eye) develop, the ability to see and recognize patterns improves. High contrast images like black-and-white pictures, bull's eyes or very simple face shapes are most likely to attract babies' attention in the early weeks.

The human face is always babies' favorite image. When someone holds a baby, he or she will look intently at the person's face, especially the eyes. As the baby's visual span increases in the first month, he/she will be able to see the person's whole face and will be much more responsive to facial expressions.

Color Vision: Babies' color vision matures at about the same rate as the other visual abilities. At one month, they are sensitive to the brightness or intensity of color and will look longer at bold colors and contrasting patterns than at lighter tones. By about four months babies can differentiate and respond to the full range and shades of colors.

 

What Does your Baby See?

Have you ever wondered how well or how much your baby can see? During the first months of her life, her eyesight will be improving more and more. Find out what babies can see in the beginning and how their vision develops over time.

One of the many joys of a newborn baby is witnessing the development of the senses. A baby is born with the eye structures needed for vision, but must learn how to use them together to actually be able to "see." Although newborns can't see very well, they can see quite a bit. Newborns can differentiate between light and dark, but can't see all colors. They are also extremely nearsighted, meaning that far away objects are blurry. This nearsightedness may explain why babies seem to gaze at nearby objects. Studies have shown that infants enjoy looking at faces, but they probably aren't able to see much facial detail. Your baby may appear to focus intently on your face, but he's probably studying your hairline or the outline of your face. An infant is not able to see fine details.

Amazingly, the sense of sight seems to develop quite rapidly. By six months of age, sight becomes a baby's most dominant sense. Some six-month-old babies actually have better vision than some adults.

Focus and Tracking: Newborn babies have peripheral vision (the ability to see to the sides) and in the first weeks of life gradually develop the ability to focus on an object or point in front of them. At one month, a baby can focus briefly on objects up to three feet away.

By two months, infants are also able to track (follow) moving objects, as their visual coordination and depth perception improves. By three months they also have the hand/arm control needed to bat at nearby moving objects. If a baby's eyes are not working together to focus and track objects by three months of age, a pediatrician should be consulted.

Distance vision continues to develop in the early months. By four months a baby may smile when they see a parent across a room, and they can see objects outside when looking through a window.

Eczema and Your Baby

There is nothing worse than seeing your baby suffer from Eczema. Eczema is an allergic reaction to the environment and/or food that causes the skin to become inflamed, dry, and often ooze. I have found that it is best to treat this condition naturally rather than use often dangerous steroidal creams that usually do not work.

The causes of eczema are many and varied and depend on the particular type of eczema that a person has. Atopic eczema is thought to be a hereditary condition, being genetically linked. Some people with atopic eczema are sensitive to allergens in the environment. There is an excessive reaction by the immune system producing inflamed, irritated and sore skin. Associated atopic conditions include asthma and hay fever. Other types of eczema are caused by irritants such as chemicals and detergents and allergens such as nickel.
 

As eczema is a very individual condition, finding the right treatments is a trial-and-error process. Fortunately, there are many ways to ease the suffering and a huge number of products on the market especially formulated for treating the condition including soap-free washes, emollients, topical steroids and other treatments such as wet-wrapping, natural therapies, immunosuppressant creams, etc. The right treatment regime for the individual can make a big difference to the condition of the skin.
 
It is important to have the condition properly diagnosed by your GP and it is wise to visit a Dermatologist who specialises in skin conditions.
 
Some other strategies for reducing the severity of eczema include the use of cotton clothing and bedding, reduction of dust mites and keeping the sufferer as cool as possible. The use of a suitable infant formula and following an appropriate diet (strictly under the direction of a professional dietitian) can also help.

 

• "Oil" your baby's diet. The skin's softness is highly influenced by the amount and types of healthy fats in your baby's diet. In older children, I regard dry, scaly skin as a clue that the child may not be incorporating enough healthy fats, such as omega 3's, into the diet. In fact, one of the newest treatments of eczema in both children and adults is to eat oily seafood and take daily fish oil capsules. If you are breastfeeding, you can increase the healthy fats in your breast milk by upping your own dietary intake of omega-3 fatty acids. I suggest eating at least four ounces of wild salmon twice weekly (wild Alaskan salmon is not only the highest in omega-3 fats, but also the lowest in pollutants) as well as taking a daily fish oil capsule at a dose of at least one gram. An especially good supplement for pregnant and lactating mothers is Neuromins, which contains DHA, a highly nutritional omega-3 fatty acid that is also added to most infant formulas. If you are formula-feeding, be sure you feed your baby a formula whose label reads "enriched with DHA and ARA." If dry skin is still a problem as your baby gets older and begins eating solid foods, offer her such healthy-fat foods as wild salmon, avocado, and flax oil.
• "Wet" your baby's skin. It's quite possible that your baby's skin is under-hydrated, both inside and out. If you're formula-feeding, offer your baby an extra four to eight ounces of water a day. If you're nursing, try adding one extra feeding to give her additional fluids. After her baths, instead of toweling her completely dry, gently blot her skin of excess water. Let the areas of skin that are particularly problematic air-dry. Dressing your baby in loose-fitting cotton clothing and sleepwear also allows the skin to breathe.
• Dry heat (such as central home heating) is one of the main causes of dry, scaly skin conditions. So it makes sense that your baby's skin is suffering in the cold winter months. To counteract the dry heat, use a moist heat source: Run one or two vaporizers in your baby's nursery. The condensation of the water releases heat and humidifies the air, making your baby's sleeping environment more skin-friendly. As an extra perk, the humidified air will keep her tiny breathing passages from drying out.

How to treat Newborn Eczema

Many parents are faced with the problems associated with having a baby or young child with eczema. It can be heart-breaking seeing your little one suffering, trying to do all you can to cope with the condition and not finding relief. These problems can have a huge impact on the whole family with sleepless nights being a very common side effect.
 
Eczema affects up to 30% of the Australian population at some time of life. Although there is no known cure for eczema, the condition can be controlled.
 
Eczema, or dermatitis as it is sometimes called, is a disorder which results in dry, inflamed and sometimes weeping or infected skin. It can cause redness and intense itching. The most common form is Atopic. Although it can look unpleasant, eczema is not contagious. With suitable treatment, the inflammation and itchiness of eczema can be reduced.

• Wash your baby only once or twice a week to prevent drying his/her skin.
• Only pat your baby's skin after a bath. You want his/her skin to be moist when applying a moisturizer. The moisture helps the skin hold on to the moisturizer.
• Most importantly, have your baby tested for allergies (food or environment). Once those allergens are avoided, your baby's eczema may clear up almost immediately.

Steps

 1. Give the infant a bath in an infant bathtub with about 8 drops of tea tree oil. The tea tree oil soothes and heals the eczema. It also prevents an infection from occurring.
 2. If the infant has eczema on his/her scalp, add tea tree oil to his/her gentle, fragrance-free shampoo (i.e. "California Baby"), shampoo the hair, letting it sit on the scalp for about 5 minutes before thoroughly rinsing.
 3. After drying baby (Do not dry skin completely), apply Witch Hazel (a natural anti-inflammatory) only to the red, inflamed areas. You might want to dilute the witch hazel (50:50) with water.
 4.Microwave about a table spoon of Organic Cold Pressed olive oil. Massage infant's entire body with olive oil.
 5. Immediately after applying the warm olive oil, apply raw shea butter the the entire body. This will leave the baby's skin moisturized through most of the day.
 6. If the baby is itching, aloe vera gel can help. Apply this to the itchy areas throughout the day.
 7 .Keep repeating the above steps. I noticed a difference in my baby in about 1 week. Just remember...you must eliminate the allergens that are causing your baby's eczema in order to see a very dramatic difference. Good luck!

What are the side-effects after his immunisations

All medicines, including immunisations, can occasionally cause some mild side-effects. Try not to worry if your baby does have side-effects. They shouldn't last for long.

 

After your baby has the DTaP/IPV/Hib vaccine, the PCV, and the MenC vaccine, you may notice some side-effects. They usually appear within 24 hours of him having the vaccine. Your baby may:

• have a mild fever
• have pain, swelling or redness at the site of the injection
• feel sick, or vomit
• have diarrhoea
• feel a bit off-colour

The MMR vaccine can occasionally cause some mild side-effects six to 10 days after the injection. Your child may:

• have a mild fever
• develop a measles-like rash
• go off his food
• feel a bit off-colour

Don't worry if your child develops a rash. It doesn't mean he has measles. He's just having a reaction to the live but weakened virus in the MMR vaccine as his body is building immunity against the disease.

There is chance that all immunisations may cause a fever. Keep a close eye on your child if he develops a high temperature. Occasionally, young children with a high temperature develop convulsions (seizures or fits). These are rare, but if your child develops a fever after having an immunisation, make sure you treat the fever straight away. Your child may be more at risk of having a convulsion if he's had one before, or if there's a family history of seizures.

 

With all immunisations, there is an extremely rare possibility that your child may have a severe allergic reaction, called anaphylaxis. This means your child could develop allergy symptoms within 10 minutes of having the injection. These can include a nettle-like rash, swelling of the skin, lips or face, vomiting, or breathing problems. The chances of this happening really are tiny, only about one in a million.

 

You'll probably be asked to stay at the clinic for about 10 minutes after your child has had his injections, just to make he's fine. But if you're worried at all about any side-effects, mild or otherwise, you could always ask to stay on a little longer.

Side effects of BABY VACCINATIONS

All medicines, including immunisations, can occasionally cause some mild side-effects. Try not to worry if your baby does have side-effects. They shouldn't last for long.

A common side effect of vaccinations is injection site complications. Redness, swelling and tenderness may occur at the site of vaccination, reports the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). You may notice a hard lump where the shot was given. These side effects should only last for a couple of days following vaccination. A cool compress may be used to diminish swelling. Use caution while lifting and handling your child. Avoid placing additional pressure on the affected area.

You may notice that your baby is not eating as well following vaccination. This is a common side effect of vaccines. Encourage formula or breast milk multiple times throughout the day to avoid dehydration in your baby. If your child is older, an electrolyte solution is an effective way to keep your child hydrated. Your baby's appetite should return to normal after a couple of days. If your child refuses to eat, seek immediate medical attention.

Your baby may develop a low-grade fever following vaccination. Ask your physician if you could use an age appropriate dose of infant strength acetaminophen (Tylenol) to relieve your child's fever. Irritability is common following vaccination. Your baby may seem upset and more difficult to soothe. Some physicians will recommend infant acetaminophen to relieve irritability. If your baby develops a fever that does not respond to medication, contact your healthcare provider immediately.

Which diseases will my baby be immunised against?

Vaccinations are given to babies to protect them against disease and illness. The Centers for for Disease Control and Prevention has developed a schedule for when a child should receive his immunizations. The vaccination schedule begins at birth and continues throughout adulthood. Although some vaccinations carry the risk of certain side effects, the benefits of vaccinations far outweigh the risks, reports the March of Dimes. Parents should be aware of and understand how to manage side effects.

• DTaP/IPV/Hib

This vaccine protects your baby against:
Diphtheria. This is a bacterial infection of the chest and throat. It spreads when someone with diphtheria sneezes or coughs. Symptoms include a sore throat, high temperature and breathing difficulties. A severe case can cause damage to the heart and nervous system, or even death.

Tetanus. Sometimes called lockjaw, tetanus can cause painful muscle spasms and stiffness. The disease can be fatal. The bacteria that causes tetanus is found in soil and animal manure, and it can enter the body through a cut or wound. Tetanus can also be caught through animal bites.

Whooping cough (pertussis). This is highly infectious. It's spread through coughing and sneezing. It's like a cold at first, but the coughing spasms, with the distinctive "whoop", become more severe. Babies and young children are most at risk of developing complications, such as pneumonia, vomiting, dehydration, weight loss and, rarely, brain damage and death.

Polio. This is a virus that attacks nerve tissue in the brain and spinal cord. It can cause paralysis. It's now rare in the UK. You can catch it if you come into contact with the poo, mucus or saliva of an infected person.

Haemophilus influenzae type B (Hib). This is a bacterial infection of the throat, chest and ear. It can also lead to more serious infections, such as meningitis, pneumonia or blockages of the throat (epiglottitis)

The DTaP/IPV/Hib vaccine will be offered when your baby is:
eight weeks
12 weeks
16 weeks
A preschool booster will also be given when your child is four or five, and again when he's a teenager, between the ages of 13 and 18.

 

• PCV

PCV stands for pneumococcal conjugate vaccine. It protects your baby against:
Pneumococcal bacteria. These bacteria can cause serious illnesses such as meningitis, blood poisoning (septicaemia) and pneumonia. One in 10 cases of meningitis is caused by the pneumococcal bacteria. This form of meningitis is more dangerous than meningitis C, and can often be fatal. It also causes a higher rate of long-term health problems in children who survive, such as deafness, epilepsy and learning difficulties.

The PCV will be offered when your baby is:
eight weeks
16 weeks
13 months

• MenC

This vaccine protects your baby against:
Meningococcal bacteria. These bacteria cause meningitis and blood poisoning (septicaemia). The bacteria have several strains and this vaccination is against the C strain. Meningitis is a serious illness that can cause long-term damage to the brain and nervous system, and can even be fatal. It spreads when someone with meningitis sneezes or coughs.

The MenC vaccine will be offered when your baby is:
12 weeks
16 weeks
Your child will have it again when he's about one in an injection that also contains the Hib vaccine.

 

• Hib/MenC

This vaccine protects against:
Haemophilus influenzae type B (Hib) bacteria. These bacteria can cause throat, chest and ear infections. It can also lead to more serious infections, such as meningitis, pneumonia or blockages of the throat (epiglottitis).

Meningococcal bacteria. See information about the single MenC vaccine, above.

MMR

This vaccine protects against:

Measles. This used to be a common childhood illness before the immunisation was introduced. It's highly infectious, and spreads when someone with measles sneezes or coughs. It starts like a bad cold. A rash appears after three or four days. Measles can lead to convulsions (seizures or fits), bronchitis, bronchiolitis, ear infections and croup. In rare cases, measles can cause inflammation of the brain (encephalitis).

Mumps. This is a viral illness which causes swelling around the cheeks and neck. It can lead to complications such as meningitis, deafness, inflammation of the brain (encephalitis) and inflammation of the genitals.

Rubella. This viral illness is usually mild, causing a fever, a rash and swollen glands. However, if you catch rubella in the first eight to 10 weeks of your pregnancy you can pass it on to your baby. This is called congenital rubella syndrome, and it can cause babies to be born with deafness, blindness, heart problems or brain damage. Rubella is very rare in the UK, with only a few cases a year of congenital rubella syndrome.

 

The MMR vaccine will be offered when your baby is 13 months. A preschool booster will also be given when your child is four or five.

Why your newborn cries

A crying baby is trying to tell you something. Your job is to figure out why your baby is crying and what — if anything — you can do about it.

Consider what your crying baby could be thinking.

I'm hungry
Most newborns eat every few hours round-the-clock. Some babies become frantic when hunger strikes. They might get so worked up by the time the feeding begins that they gulp air with the milk, which can cause spitting up, trapped gas and more crying.

To avoid such frenzy, respond to early signs of hunger. If your baby begins to gulp during the feeding, take a break. Also take time to burp your baby during and after each feeding.

If you're breast-feeding your baby, the flavor of the milk might change in response to what you eat and drink. If you suspect that a certain food or drink is making your baby fussier than usual, avoid it for several days to see if it makes a difference.

I want to suck on something
Sucking is a natural reflex. For many babies, it's a comforting, soothing activity. If your baby isn't hungry, try a clean finger or pacifier.

I'm tired
Tired babies are often fussy — and your baby might need more sleep than you think. Newborns often sleep up to 16 hours a day. Some newborns sleep even more.

I'm wet
For some babies, a wet or soiled diaper is a surefire way to trigger tears. Check your baby's diaper often to make sure it's clean and dry.

I want to move
Sometimes a rocking session or walk through the house is enough to soothe a crying baby. In other cases, a change of position is all that's needed. Keeping safety precautions in mind, try a baby swing or vibrating infant seat.

Weather permitting, head outdoors with the stroller. You might even want to buckle up for a ride in the car.

I'd rather be bundled
Some babies feel most secure in a swaddle wrap. Snugly wrap your baby in a receiving blanket or other small, lightweight blanket.

I'm hot
A baby who's too hot is likely to be uncomfortable. The same goes for a baby who's too cold. Add or remove a layer of clothing as needed.

I'm lonely
Sometimes simply seeing you, hearing your voice or being cuddled can stop the tears. Gentle massage or light pats on the back might soothe a crying baby, too.

I've had enough
Too much noise, movement or visual stimulation might drive your baby to tears. Move to a calmer environment or place your baby in the crib. White noise — such as a recording of ocean waves or the monotonous sound of an electric fan or vacuum cleaner — might help your crying baby relax.

Remember that many babies have predictable periods of fussiness during the day. This kind of crying can help your baby get rid of excess energy. There might be little you can do but comfort your baby as the crying runs its course.

Over time you might be able to identify your baby's needs by the way he or she is crying. For example, a hungry cry might be short and low-pitched, while a cry of pain might be a sudden, long, high-pitched shriek. Picking up on any patterns can help you better respond to your baby's cries.

 

How Much and How Often Should Your Baby Eat?

Breastfed babies generally eat more frequently than those who are formula fed. Newborns usually nurse on their mothers' breasts every 2 to 3 hours; as they become older, the time between feedings will increase as the capacity of their stomachs becomes larger. By contrast, formula-fed newborns will start out by eating approximately every 3 to 4 hours during the first few weeks of life.

When you hold your baby to feed her a bottle, watch for cues that she is full, instead of using the clock as a guide. It's more important that you are attentive to clues or signals from your baby that indicate she's hungry. These are called hunger cues. When she wants to eat, she may become more alert, put her hands or fingers on or in her mouth, make sucking motions, stick out her tongue, smack her lips, kick or squirm, or begin rooting (moving her jaw and mouth or head in search of your breast). If she begins crying, this is usually a late signal that she wants to eat.

Whether breastfeeding or formula feeding, most parents worry about whether their babies are getting enough to eat. Because babies suck not only for hunger, but also for comfort, this can be hard to know at first. Even when babies no longer act hungry, some parents worry about whether all of their nutritional needs are being met.

Again, don't panic. Your baby will let you know when she's had enough or wants more. In most cases, she'll consume about 90% of the available breast milk during the first 10 minutes of feeding on each breast. Then she might move away from the breast or simply doze off. Among the many advantages of breastfeeding is that it tends to be cued or on-demand feeding, meaning that in a sense, your baby will take charge of her own feedings. If you watch your baby's responses, you should be able to figure out when she's full. She may turn her head or give other signals that she's no longer interested in eating. The formula-fed baby will also let you know when she's had enough. You might notice her becoming distracted while drinking from the bottle, or she might start fidgeting or turn her head. She may close her mouth tightly. As your baby gets a little older and her eye-to-hand coordination gets better, she might try to knock the bottle or spoon out of your grip.

On the other hand, if your baby finishes a bottle and starts smacking her lips or begins to cry, she probably wants more. On average, by the end of the first month, she should be taking in at least 4 ounces of formula per feeding. At 6 months of age, she'll be consuming 6 to 8 ounces per feeding.

You can also rely on your baby's diapers to give you clues on whether she's getting enough to eat. In the first month of your newborn's life, she should wet her diaper 6 or more times a day and have 3 to 4 (often more) bowel movements each day. Your baby should also appear satisfied for a couple of hours after each feeding if she's consuming adequate amounts of food.

What if your baby almost always seems to be hungry—or what if she doesn't appear to have the appetite that you think she should? If that's the case, talk to your pediatrician. The doctor will be able to answer specific questions or respond to your concerns about whether your baby is getting enough nourishment and is growing normally. During each office visit, the pediatrician is already keeping track of your baby's weight gain and monitoring whether her weight is continuing to increase steadily. For instance,

• From months 1 through 4 of life, your baby should gain about 1 1⁄2 to 2 pounds each month, while growing about 1 to 1 1⁄2 inches.
• Between 4 and 7 months of age, she'll add another 1 to 1 1⁄2 pounds per month and grow about 2 to 3 inches in length.
• By 8 months, the average boy will weigh between 14 1⁄2 and 17 1⁄2 pounds, while girls will probably weigh about a halfpound less.
• At 1 year of age, the typical child weighs about 3 times her birth weight.
• Breastfed babies tend to be chubbier than formula-fed babies during the first 4 to 6 months of life. Then they usually become leaner than formula-fed babies by 9 months to 1 year of age.
  

 

How to get your baby to take bottle

It should come as no surprise that babies can be very opinionated about where their milk is coming from. A bottle and an artificial nipple are not the same as a breast, even if the bottle is offered by someone cradling the baby in secure, loving arms. Nevertheless, babies can and do learn to drink from a bottle when mother is not around. But what if baby refuses bottles? Some breastfed babies won't settle for anything less than the breast. Don't panic. This is a problem that can be solved. You don't have to change your plans about going back to work. And you won't have to starve your baby into submission either. (This wouldn't be a good idea under any circumstances!) Here are some tricks and tips for helping breastfed babies learn to accept milk from a bottle. If one approach doesn't work, try another.

• Don't offer your baby bottles before four weeks of age--"to get him used to them." Undoing nipple confusion in a young baby is more difficult than getting a slightly older baby to take a bottle. Problems with nipple confusion can quickly lead to the end of breastfeeding. Don't feel that you, the mother, must be the one who teaches your baby to take a bottle. It's okay to make this job your caregiver's responsibility. Breastfeeding is an important part of your relationship with your baby. Bottle-feeding is part of the relationship between your baby and the caregiver.
• Introduce the bottle about two weeks before you return to work. If you introduce bottles earlier, don't make them a daily event. Baby doesn't need a bottle every day to maintain his skills - two a week should give him enough practice.
• Breastfed babies may not accept bottles from their mothers. (Why settle for artificial milk when the real thing is only a few layers of fabric away?) Some discerning babies will balk if mother is even in the same room. So it may be best if father or a substitute caregiver is the one to introduce the bottle. Ignore the people who say "I told you so. You should have given that baby a bottle right from the start." Bottles in the first few weeks often lead to early weaning because of nipple confusion or interference with mom's milk supply (see "Alternatives to Bottles".) It's true that wouldn't have this problem if you had given your baby a bottle when she was two weeks old, but the reason you wouldn't have the problem is because she might not be breastfeeding at all any more.
• Fathers are often the logical choice to offer a baby her first bottles, but if your baby does not accept bottles readily from dad, avoid frustration and call in an experienced bottle-feeder. This might be a grandmother, a substitute caregiver, or a friend with bottle-feeding experience. After baby has learned to take a bottle, dad can take over these feedings.
• It may take some experimentation to discover your baby's bottle-feeding preferences, and the person offering the substitute feeding will have to be patient. Bottle- feeding is a challenge that caregiver and baby will have to work on together. It shouldn't become a battle of wills.
• Experiment with different positions for bottle-feeding. Some babies appreciate a bottle-feeding experience that is made to seem almost like breastfeeding: a familiar setting, the cradle hold, skin contact, lots of social interaction. Others see bottle- feeding as a completely different activity. They may, at first, prefer to be held upright on the caregiver's lap, even facing outward rather than looking at her.
• Try walking around while offering the bottle. Using a baby sling can make this easier.
  Don't wait until baby is desperately hungry or in need of comfort sucking. For babies, as well as adults, new experiences are easier to handle when they are well rested and not feeling anxious.
• Try nipples that resemble, as much as possible, the shape of your areola and nipple. Use a nipple that has a wide base that gradually tapers down to the tip of the nipple, much like your areola tapers down to your nipple. Avoid nipples that offer only a half-inch nubbin to latch-on to.
• A milk flow of one drop per second is easy for most babies to handle. To judge how fast the milk flows, turn a full bottle upside down and watch the milk drip. A faster flow may overwhelm the baby who is used to the breast. A slower nipple will give baby more sucking time.
• If baby is unhappy with one type of nipple, try another. No matter what the packaging claims, no rubber nipple is just like mother.
  Warm the nipple under running water before offering it to the baby. Or cool it in the refrigerator if the baby is teething.
• Instead of inserting the artificial nipple into the baby's mouth, put it near his lips and encourage him to open wide and take the nipple on his own, as he does the breast, with a wide-open mouth. Be sure he latches onto the wide base and not just the tip of the nipple. If he starts using lazy latch-on techniques learned while bottle-feeding when he nurses at your breast, you'll be sore.
• Don't bottle-prop. Not only is leaving baby unattended during a feeding potentially dangerous if baby chokes and needs attention, but sucking from a bottle while lying down allows milk to enter the middle ear through the eustachian tube and triggers ear infections (especially if using formula). Remember, feeding time is a social interaction. "Nursing" implies both comforting and nourishing, whether by bottle or breast. Always put a person at both ends of the bottle.
• Remember that there are alternatives to bottles. Babies can also be cup- fed, finger-fed with a nursing supplementer, or they can take milk from a spoon or dropper. Babies who have begun to eat solid foods may get much of their nourishment from non-milk sources while mother is away.

 

When Baby Refuses a Bottle

During the early weeks of life, your baby is feeding reflexively and is likely to go back and forth between breast and bottle without trouble. However, once your baby becomes self-aware in the second month, he or she can make decisions – and the first decision may be to refuse all bottles, even if he or she has been taking one daily!

There is no easy solution to this frustrating problem, but your baby will return to bottle-feeding if you are patient and consistent. Here are some ideas to help you:

• Continue with the same bottle. Your baby is not refusing that particular nipple – he or she just would much prefer a breast. If your baby has never taken a bottle, and he or she is about to start with a nanny or in day care, check with these people and see which bottles they feel confident with. You may find that the nanny or day-care provider is happy to take care of the problem for you.
• If your baby takes a pacifier, you can look for a nipple with a similar shape. Some parents have found they can start the baby on the pacifier and then transfer him or her to the bottle.
• Your baby is more likely to accept a bottle if someone other than Mom offers it. The mother should not be seen or heard when the bottle is offered, as this will remind your baby that Mom's breast is available.
• Timing can make a difference. Generally, babies are least likely to accept a bottle in the evening, as they seem more dependent on the comfort of breast-feeding at that time.
  It may be better to offer the bottle in a place that does not remind the baby of breast-feeding.
• Offer the bottle as if it is a special treat. Look and act happy and confident, and talk calmly, or even sing.
• Try distracting your baby. Position the baby facing out (back against your chest) and looking out of a window, at a mobile or at a TV, or walk outside.
• Expect your baby to reject your initial attempts and be prepared for this reaction. Persist with the bottle held gently, but firmly, to your baby's lips even though he or she may shake his or her head and arch away. After several minutes, put down your baby and the bottle, and move out of sight. Return a few moments later, cuddle with your baby and again happily offer the bottle.
• Do not breast-feed as soon as your baby rejects the bottle, as this may prolong your baby's refusal.
• If your baby is over three months of age, try apple juice in the bottle. If your baby takes this successfully, then try breast milk or formula again. Sometimes a baby will refuse formula but take a mixture of half breast milk and half formula. You should quickly decrease the juice.
• It can help if a mother leaves the house and allows another family member or a competent caregiver to bottle-feed the baby, as long as the individual understands the topics addressed above. While gone, the mother should not call home and check up on the feed! This can undermine the confidence of the person bottle-feeding the baby.
  Sometimes a baby will accept the bottle if the bottle-giver places Mom's unwashed t-shirt across his or her chest and holds the bottle against this with the baby in a breast-feeding position.
• Find a trustworthy, patient and experienced caregiver to help you if family members find bottle-feeding too frustrating. Choose someone who considers this situation a challenge, not a problem.
• Try feeding the baby from a cup or spoon.
• Some mothers have found they can slip the bottle nipple into the baby's mouth while the baby is at the breast. Next, they offer the bottle held against a bare breast. Finally, the baby will accept the bottle from others.
  

 

Why your baby suddenly refuse the bottle

When my baby was about three months old, she suddenly stopped being the voracious eater she'd once been. She'd either act completely disinterested in the bottle - or even offended by it - or continually turn her head away from the nipple once she'd started eating. Joking half-seriously that she acted like I was torturing her when I was just trying to nourish her, I found myself trying every trick in the book just to get her to consume about half of the recommended daily amount. In the process, I learned there are many reasons (and combinations of reasons) a bottle-fed baby might suddenly refuse to eat.

• Pain or Discomfort
  If your baby is starting to teethe, the act of sucking may put painful pressure on her aching gums. Similarly, if she has nasal congestion, it might be uncomfortable to try to breathe and suck at the same time. As a result of these (or other) painful circumstances, she might start eating and then stop when she realizes it's uncomfortable, or she might remember it's uncomfortable and refuse to start eating at all.
• Constipation
  When my baby refuses the bottle, I've learned that oftentimes the culprit is a backed-up digestive system. Once she goes #2, she makes room to take more milk. In fact, when she was tiny, I used to joke that a dirty diaper made her forget I'd fed her at all that day. She acted starving!
• Bottle Temperature
  I'd always been taught that the temperature of milk should feel neither hot nor cold on your wrist after you warm it. Well, as it turns out, that bottle temperature is not every baby's preference. My daughter has proven to prefer hers either room temperature or even a little on the chilly side. If it is too warm or too cold, she may refuse the bottle.
• Position
  Somewhere along the way, I'd taken to holding my baby on my lap facing outward as I fed her. When my mom visited and cradled her toward her chest, the baby always seemed to eat well, if not better. I tried my mom's technique, and it made a huge difference in our bottle-feeding success. It could be a tiny adjustment in positioning that makes feeding a more or less enjoyable experience for your baby.
• Tiredness
  Sometimes my baby is just too tired to continue eating. This can be quite the conundrum when she is too hungry to sleep but too tired to eat, making a good case for the advice from experts such as Tracy Hogg (The "Baby Whisperer") that you separate meal time from naptime in your baby's routine. Sometimes, though it's not ideal, I have to let her doze off and gather enough energy to finish her bottle.
• Nipple Preference
  This could, of course, refer to human versus synthetic nipple, but it can also refer to the type of bottle nipple you're using. One of my friends has a cupboard full of different types of bottles because it took a long time to find a shape her fussy baby would take without complaint. Flow level can make a difference, too. If the flow is too slow or too fast, the baby will likely get frustrated with the bottle.

These are only six of the multitude of reasons your little one might decide he's not interested in eating on any given day. He might be distracted by the world around him, have tummy issues that need to be addressed, or simply be starting to stay full longer. The problem-solving process can be trying, but try to think outside the box and don't despair. The first empty bottle after the "bottle strike" will make your trouble well worth it!

 

The tips of How to Position an Infant for Sleep

1

Provide proper bedding: a firm infant mattress free of pillows, stuffed animals or comforters that could block your baby's airway. Crib bumpers should be securely fastened to the bars.

2
Lay your newborn down on his back, not his stomach. Research suggests that this position may lower the risk of SIDS.
3
Ask your pediatrician about alternate sleeping positions if your baby was a preemie who experienced respiratory distress or if your baby has a gastroesophageal reflux.

4
Consider purchasing a newborn sleep pillow to keep your baby from rolling from his back or side to his stomach. Discuss this idea with your doctor.

5
Avoid covering your baby with a blanket. Instead, put him in a sleeper suit that will keep him warm without blankets.

How Long Babies Sleep

A newborn may sleep as much as 16 hours a day (or even more), often in stretches of 3 to 4 hours at a time. And like the sleep all of us experience, babies have different phases of sleep: drowsiness, REM (rapid eye movement) sleep, light sleep, deep sleep, and very deep sleep. As babies grow, their periods of wakefulness increase.

At first, these short stretches of 3 to 4 hours of sleep may be frustrating for you as they interfere with your sleep pattern. Have patience — this will change as your baby grows and begins to adapt to the rhythms of life outside the womb.

At first, though, the need to feed will outweigh the need to sleep. Many pediatricians recommend that a parent not let a newborn sleep too long without feeding. In practical terms, that means offering a feeding to your baby every 3 to 4 hours or so, and possibly more often for smaller or premature babies. Breastfed infants may get hungry more frequently than bottle-fed babies and need to nurse every 2 hours in the first few weeks.
You can help adjust your baby's body clock toward sleeping at night by avoiding stimulation during nighttime feedings and diaper changes. Try to keep the lights low and resist the urge to play or talk with your baby. This will reinforce the message that nighttime is for sleeping.

Overly tired infants often have more trouble sleeping than those who've had an appropriate amount of sleep during the day. So, keeping your baby up in hopes that he or she will sleep better at night will not necessarily work.

Consider establishing some sort of bedtime routine (bathing, reading, singing) to help get your baby to relax in the coming months. Even though your newborn may be too young to get the signals yet, setting up the bedtime drill now can keep you on the right track later.

What if your baby is fussy? It's OK to rock, cuddle, and sing as your baby is settling down. For the first months of your baby's life, "spoiling" is definitely not a problem. In fact, studies have shown that babies who are carried around during the day have less colic and fussiness.

The first months of a baby's life can be the hardest for the parents because you are potentially getting up every few hours to tend to the baby. Each baby is different in terms of when he or she will sleep through the night, and parents differ regarding when they're comfortable with encouraging their newborn to do so.

By 2 months most babies are sleeping 6 to 8 hours through the night. If your baby isn't sleeping through the night by 4 months, talk with your doctor about how you can help this to happen.

How a Baby Should Sleep

"Does your baby sleep through the night?" is one of the questions new parents hear the most. And the bleary-eyed moms and dads of newborns almost always answer: "No."

 

Newborn babies don't know the difference between day and night yet — and their tiny stomachs don't hold enough breast milk or formula to keep them satisfied for very long. They need food every few hours, no matter what time of day or night it is.

For the first weeks of life, most parents place their child's crib or bassinet in their own bedroom. A separate room just seems too far away at this early point.

 

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) recommend against bringing your infant to sleep in bed with you for safety reasons. Although many cultures endorse cosleeping, there is a risk that the baby can suffocate or strangle, and studies have shown that there's a higher incidence of SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome) in households where the baby slept in the parents' bed.

 

Establishing a routine right from the beginning can help. How we sleep is based in large part on habit and what our bodies use as the signals that it is time to sleep. Always putting your baby in the crib for sleeping will help signal to the infant that this is the place for sleep. Keep in mind, though, it may take a few weeks for your baby's brain to signal the difference between night and day. Unfortunately, there are no tricks to speed this up except to be as consistent in your routine as possible.

 

Always keep sleep safety in mind. Do not place anything in the crib or bassinet that may interfere with your baby's breathing; this includes plush toys, pillows, blankets, and bumper pads. Although bumper pads were widely used in the past, they are no longer recommended. A study, using data from the CPSC, found a number of accidental deaths appeared to be related to the use of bumper pads in cribs and bassinets. The AAP and other pediatric organizations strongly discourage the use of bumper pads in cribs to avoid accidental suffocation.

 

Also, avoid items with cords, ties, or ribbons that can wrap around a baby's neck, and objects with any kind of sharp edge or corner. Babies can also get tangled in hanging mobiles, so remove them as well. Don't forget to look around for the things that your baby can touch from a standing position in the crib. Wall hangings, pictures, draperies, and window blind cords are potentially harmful if within baby's reach.

 

The AAP recommends that healthy infants be placed on their backs to sleep, not on their stomachs. The incidence of SIDS has decreased by more than 50% since this recommendation was first made in 1992. It is now also recommended that premature infants sleep only on their backs.

 

It is thought that some babies sleeping on their stomachs may have a greater tendency toward sleep obstruction and rebreathing their own carbon dioxide because they are less likely to rouse themselves to change head positions. Another possibility is that they may suffocate on softer bedding if they are lying face-down.

 

If your baby has a medical condition, there may be an exception to these recommendations. Your baby's doctor can best advise you on the right sleep position for your little one.

Categories of Infant Development

Infant development is divided into four categories:

 

Social: How your baby interacts to the human face and voice. Examples include learning to smile and coo. A social delay may indicate a problem with vision or hearing or with emotional or intellectual development.

 

Language: Receptive language development (how well baby actually understands) is a better gauge of progress than expressive language development (how well baby actually speaks). Slow language development can indicate a vision or hearing problem and should be evaluated.

Large motor development: Holding their head up, sitting, pulling up, rolling over, and walking are examples of large motor development. Very slow starters should be evaluated to be certain there are no physical or health risks for normal development.

Small motor development: Eye-hand coordination, reaching or grasping, and manipulating objects are examples of small motor development. Early accomplishments may predict a person will be good with their hands, but delays do not necessarily mean they are going to be all "thumbs" later.

Baby’s Development Month by Month

The following milestones are listed under the FIRST month in which they may be achieved. However, remember that babies develop at different rates, so if your baby has not reached one or more of these milestones, it does not mean that something is wrong. He or she will probably develop these skills within the next few months. If you are still concerned, consider discussing this with your baby's pediatrician. The delay could indicate a problem, but more than likely it will turn out to be normal for your baby. Premature babies generally reach milestones later than others of the same birth age, often achieving them closer to the adjusted age and sometimes later.

 

• The First Month:
  Can lift head momentarily
  Turns head from side to side when lying on back
  Hands stay clenched
  Strong grasp reflex present
  Looks and follows object moving in front of them in range of 45 degrees
  Sees black and white patterns
  Quiets when a voice is heard
  Cries to express displeasure
  Makes throaty sounds
  Looks intently at parents when they talk to him/her
• The Second Month:
  Lifts head almost 45 degrees when lying on stomach
  Head bobs forward when held in sitting position
  Grasp reflex decreases
  Follows dangling objects with eyes
  Visually searches for sounds
  Makes noises other than crying
  Cries become distinctive (wet, hungry, etc.)
  Vocalizes to familiar voices
  Social smile demonstrated in response to various stimuli
• The Third Month:
  Begins to bear partial weight on both legs when held in a standing position
  Able to hold head up when sitting but still bobs forward
  When lying on stomach can raise head and shoulders between 45 and 90 degrees
  Bears weight on forearms
  Grasp reflex absent
  Holds objects but does not reach for them
  Clutches own hands and pulls at blankets and clothes
  Follows objects 180 degrees
  Locates sound by turning head and looking in the same direction
  Squeals, coos, babbles, and chuckles
  "Talks" when spoken to
  Recognizes faces, voices, and objects
  Smiles when he/she sees familiar people, and engages in play with them
  Shows awareness to strange situations
• The Fourth Month:
  Drooling begins
  Good head control
  Sits with support
  Bears some weight on legs when held upright
  Raises head and chest off surface to a 90 degree angle
  Rolls from back to side
  Explores and plays with hands
  Tries to reach for objects but overshoots
  Grasps objects with both hands
  Eye-hand coordination begins
  Makes consonant sounds
  Laughs
  Enjoys being rocked, bounced or swung
• The Fifth Month:
  Signs of teething begin
  Holds head up when sitting
  Rolls from stomach to back
  When lying on back puts feet to mouth
  Voluntarily grasps and holds objects
  Plays with toes
  Takes objects directly to mouth
  Watches objects that are dropped
  Says "ah-goo" or similar vowel-consonant combinations
  Smiles at mirror image
  Gets upset if you take a toy away
  Can tell family and strangers apart
  Begins to discover parts of his/her body
• The Sixth Month:
  Chewing and biting occur
  When on stomach can lift chest and part of stomach off the surface bearing weight on hands
  Lifts head when pulled to a sitting position
  Rolls from back to stomach
  Bears majority of weight when being held in a standing position
  Grasps and controls small objects
  Holds bottle
  Grabs feet and pulls to mouth
  Adjusts body to see an object
  Turns head from side to side and then looks up or down
  Prefers more complex visual stimuli
  Says one syllable sounds like "ma", "mu", "da", and "di"
  Recognizes parents
• The Seventh Month:
  Sits without support, may lean forward on both hands
  Bears full weight on feet
  Bounces when held in standing position
  Bears weight on one hand when lying on stomach
  Transfers objects from one hand to another
  Bangs objects on surfaces
  Able to fixate on small objects
  Responds to name
  Awareness of depth and space begin
  Has taste preferences
  "Talks" when others are talking
• The Eight Month:
  Sits well without support
  Bears weight on legs and may stand holding on to furniture
  Adjusts posture to reach an object
  Picks up objects using index, fourth, and fifth finger against thumb
  Able to release objects
  Pulls string to obtain object
  Reaches for toys that are out of reach
  Listens selectively to familiar words
  Begins combining syllables like "mama" and "dada" but does not attach a meaning
  Understands the word no (but does not always obey it!)
  Dislikes diaper change and being dressed
• The Ninth Month:
  Begins crawling
  Pulls up to standing position from sitting
  Sits for a prolonged time (10minutes)
  May develop a preference for use of one hand
  Uses thumb and index finger to pick up objects
  Responds to simple verbal commands
  Comprehends "no no"
  Increased interest in pleasing parents
  Puts arms in front of face to avoid having it washed
• The Tenth Month:
  Goes from stomach to sitting position
  Sits by falling down
  Recovers balance easily while sitting
  Lifts one foot to take a step while standing
  Comprehends "bye-bye"
  Says "dada" or "mama" with meaning
  Says one other word beside "mama" and "dada" (hi, bye, no, go)
  Waves bye
  Object permanence begins to develop
  Repeats actions that attract attention
  Plays interactive games such a "pat-a-cake"
  Enjoys being read to and follows pictures in books
• The Eleventh Month:
  Walks holding on to furniture or other objects
  Places one object after another into a container
  Reaches back to pick up an object when sitting
  Explores objects more thoroughly
  Able to manipulate objects out of tight fitting spaces
  Rolls a ball when asked
  Becomes excited when a task is mastered
  Acts frustrated when restricted
  Shakes head for "no"
• The Twelfth Month:
  Walks with one hand held
  May stand alone and attempt first steps alone
  Sits down from standing position without help
  Attempts to build two block tower but may fail
  Turns pages in a book
  Follows rapidly moving objects
  Says three or more words other than "mama" or "dada"
  Comprehends the meaning of several words
  Repeats the same words over & over again
  Imitates sounds, such as the sounds dogs and cats make
  Recognizes objects by name
  Understands simple verbal commands
  Shows affection
  Shows independence in familiar surrounding
  Clings to parents in strange situation
  Searches for object where it was last seen
  

The Tips of Eczema Treatment

Eczema Education
Become educated, talk to your family doctor or child health specialist to properly diagnose the problem.

Get in touch with organizations such as the Eczema Association of Australasia who are a wealth of information on eczema treatments.

A fantastic book is one written by Sydney Dermatologist Dr Phillip Artemi and Pharmacist Tina Aspres. All About Kids' Skin is a very informative look at children's skin and how best to care for it.

How to Apply Creams to a Baby with Eczema.

 Eczema Skin Care Treatments

Keep your child's skin moisturized and hydrated to minimize itching and dryness by using an emollient moisturiser that is completely fragrance free and apply this to your child's skin at least 4 times a day.

UK based research has shown that by following this method the occurrences and severity of eczema outbreaks are significantly reduced.

Avoid chemicals and fragrances on your child's skin the fun of a bubble bath can be the worst trigger for baby eczema.

Maintain moisture in the skin by using a humidifier as it keeps the air moist

Eczema and Infant Massage
Dr Tiffany Field, Ph.D., from the Touch Research Institute in Miami, has spent the past 25 years researching massage therapy. She conducted a study on young children with eczema who received daily massage from their parents, to see whether their symptoms decreased.

For one month, the parents of the first group massaged their children's prescribed eczema treatment into their skin for 20 minutes each day.

The second group applied their prescribed eczema treatment to their children's skin with no massage.

The study found that the children from the first group who received the daily massage  were less anxious and that the symptoms of redness, scaling, itching, thickening and skin abrasions had decreased significantly.

Eczema and Diet
Avoid processed, refined foods and stick with lots of vegetables, see a dietician, nutritionist or naturopath to diagnose food sensitivities.

For formula fed babies try a hypoallergenic formula that contains omega 3, taurine and glycine.

For breastfeeding mums, incorporate Omega 3 into your diet with oily fish such as salmon, tuna, trout, herrings and sardines, and seeds such as linseed and flaxseed oil. Watch for eczema triggering foods such as dairy and salicylates (tomatoes, oranges, grapes, sultanas).

As there are so many different triggers of eczema what effects one child won't necessarily be a problem for the next.

There is no known cure for eczema - Eczema treatment aims at observation, assessment and management of the condition.

HOW TO TRAET ECZEMA INSIDE EARS

Itchy, festering ears can result from eczema, a skin condition that affects infants, children and adults. Eczema of the ears can affect the ear lobe, skin covering the folds of the outer ear and the external auditory canal which is the tube through which sounds travel to reach the middle ear. Infants and pre-verbal children may show irritability and discomfort, and will tug or grasp at their ear. Older children will complain of itchiness, discomfort or pain. This condition is relatively common, and should not be ignored as it not only detracts from your child's quality of life, but it also can lead to further problems.

Indications
Symptoms of eczema differ from person to person and include itchy, dry skin that is inflamed and red. Severe cases can develop open lesions and rashes that spread. Eczema that is within the ear canal may not show external symptoms, but, often, outbreaks of eczema within the inner areas of the ear co-occur with the appearance of eczema symptoms on the visible parts of the ear or elsewhere on the body. Symptoms may include discharge from the ear or redness, itching, peeling or cracking of skin on the ear. Visible symptoms that appear elsewhere may include small bumps on the cheeks, scalp and forehead, or rashes on the trunk, arms and legs.

Causes
Atopic dermatitis is the most common cause of eczema, according to Healthy Skin Guide. Atopic dermatitis occurs when a person with sensitivities or intolerances is exposed to foods they are sensitive to, or have contact with allergens such as dust, mold, animal dander or pollen. Environmental irritants like chemicals, air conditioning, tobacco smoke, humid or dry conditions may also trigger episodes of ear eczema. Proclivities toward eczema have a genetic basis, according to authors Sara Brown and W. H. Irwin McLean at the Journal of Investigative Dermatology.

 

Seborrhoeic eczema commonly afflicts portions of the ears of infants, children and adults, according to HealthPDF.org. Infections of the skin caused by the yeast Pityrosporum may play a causal role in seborrhoeic eczema.

Effects
Above and beyond the itching, discomfort and scaly appearance on the outer parts of the ear, eczema can cause inflammation of the auditory ear canal, a condition termed otitis externa. Left untreated, otitis externa can develop into an inner ear infection, which, in turn, can lead to hearing loss.

Consultation
Consult with your child's pediatrician if she develops symptoms that may indicate eczema of the ear. A medical expert should evaluate your child to evaluate the severity of the condition, and to help diagnose the possible causes that contribute to your child's condition.

Seborrhoeic Eczema Treatment
Anti-yeast medication may be effective for treatment of seborrhoeic eczema. Topical application of selenium shampoo, coal tar preparations, anti-fungal creams, steroids, and emollient creams are often prescribed when eczema afflicts the scalp or skin. Though these applications may help for the outer ear, they are not appropriate for treatment of eczema, inflammation or infection of the ear canal. Your child's doctor will make recommendations for the treatment of symptoms and the underlying cause.

Atopic Eczema Treatment
Atopic eczema can result from varying causal factors, and so a systemic treatment approach is often indicated. Symptoms that affect the outer ear may be soothed with topical treatments. However, eczema of the inner ear may require a more complicated approach that focuses on identifying and eliminating foods and allergens that trigger the condition. Experts, such as Phyllis Balch, author of "Prescription for Nutritional Healing," suggest that certain foods and food additives may contribute to eczema outbreaks and severity. Use an elimination diet, as described at the website, Dr. Cranton, to identify foods that trigger or exacerbate symptoms. Eliminate all potential allergens from the diet, including dairy and milk products, eggs, products that contain wheat or gluten, and foods that contain additives, aspartame, preservatives, artificial colors and artificial flavors, per the recommendations outlined at Feingold.org. Mothers who are breastfeeding should also eliminate these allergens from their diet. Reintroduce these foods back into the diet one item at a time. Eliminate that food from the diet if eczema symptoms appear again or worsen.