Food

A mother’s comfort is Essentials to the nursing process. When you begin nursing, it is important to choose a tranquil place in your home. Find a comfortable chair, pull up a foot rest, and nestle into a nursing cushion keeping your baby close to your breast.

Your baby will sense your calm energy and feed more easily. This is equally applicable to bottle feeding. Don’t forget if you are nursing to keep a glass of water handy as you will be very thirsty.

During the first few weeks of breastfeeding you can expect your breasts to feel very swollen with new milk. But once you’ve established a breastfeeding routine, which generally happens by the third month, the swelling will diminish and you’ll hardly notice the milk at all

Nursing is the most effective way to give all the nutrients your baby needs. Mothers milk is the most complete and natural food source. It is also easy for your baby to digest and it reinforces the immune system

There are milk banks where mothers will donate excess milk. The bank preserves the mothers milk for those babies who would need it such as prematurely born infants.

While nursing or bottle feeding your baby also swallows air. This causes gasses to accumulate in the baby’s little insides causing terrible discomfort. Feeding the baby at a time when everyone is relaxed will help prevent this situation. Sometimes it is necessary to “burp” your child midway through the feed and also at the end (especially when you’re bottle feeding). If these gas problems are within the first 3 months of the baby’s life, it is called colic.

The dilemma of a colicky baby can seem eternal. Take solace in the idea that it will usually only last until your child is 3 months old. If the symptoms continue after 3 months your child might have a cold, or a lot of mucus which can cause the baby to swallow excess air when feeding. This is a common problem when there are older siblings in the home. Nevertheless, you should always consult your pediatrician if you have any doubts or concerns.

The principle cause for cracks on your nipples during breastfeeding is the incorrect positioning of your baby. You can place your child in a variety of ways shuch as lying down or sitting however, regardless of the placement the baby should be placed straight on the areola of the breast (its logical that if you have to twist your nipple to fit to where the baby’s mouth is and the amount of times you need to do that in a 24hr period…that cracks will appear as its not the natural position of the nipple …). When you are about to nurse make sure that the environment is relaxed so that you and your baby can enjoy this intimate experience

Breastfeeding should NOT HURT! It is normal that your nipples will feel a bit sensitive in the first few days as they are not accustomed to being used for hours on end. But, if you notice that your nipples are damaged, or bleeding or that they have small tears or cracks, you have a fever etc…please seek urgent help from a Lactation consultant or Nursing expert RIGHT AWAY.

Sleep

Sleeping is just as important as eating for babies. When babies sleep they excrete a growth hormone. If the baby does not sleep well their defences drop and they will not grow at the same rate.

A massage is a way to communicate with the baby via touch, and your affectionate eyes help the baby sleep and be more relaxed.

Some schools of thought suggest that if you wish for your baby to sleep on its own you should nurse until the baby is sleepy but not asleep. Try to remove the breast, bottle or soother and let them fall asleep with no aids.Other schools of thought say that its completely normal for the baby to want to be close to the parent and that they will on their own time grow out of this dependency, some babies sooner than others

General information...

The kangaroo method is used to help sick or premature babies. It is when the mother or father holds the baby close to the skin. This action helps the baby to grow better, and in sick or premature children it helps them to recover and grow sooner.

The scallyness you might see on your baby’s head is quite common in newborns. In order to eliminate it you just have to apply a little olive oil or Vaseline a few hours before bathing the child and repeat it everyday until it disappears

Stress, an unhealthy diet and a lack of sleep are all factors that impede us in reaching the optimum state of beauty and health. After giving birth the priority must be to relax and enjoy your baby and reeducate your perineum muscles

Up to 75% of all women suffer from some form of depressive state after giving birth due to the readjustment of hormones, lack of sleep and worrying about the baby. It is a momentary state of mind and it tends to remedy itself in a few days.

Pregnancy

During pregnancy it is recommended that you walk about 30min a day since moderate exercise helps the circulation in your legs. Your ob/gyn might indicate a different schedule. It is important that you are strong and fit for the birth of your child.

When you are pregnant you need to consume more water than normal.

Folic acid is a vitamin found in vegtables, milk, liver and kidneys and our body does not store it. This is why we need to consume these products or take a supplement especially when you are pregnant. Of course like all medication it must be done under the direction of your physician at all times.

A pregnancy lasts 40 weeks on average. However, this is only an average. A baby born at 38 weeks or 41 weeks is also “normal”

It is easy to calculate the approximate day of the birth of your baby using the following formula: Add 7 days to the first day of your last period and subtract 3 months from the month of your last menstruation.