Category: Newborn Care

A mother’s quality of sleep is only as good as her baby’s. Since your little one is still getting used to literally everything, whole nights of sleep are a rarity. You’ll want to take necessary actions to put your baby and yourself in the best position for a full night’s sleep to enjoy each other’s company during daytime.

Here are five practical ways to help your baby sleep through the night.

1. Pass on the Pacifier 

Pacifiers often fall out of infants’ mouths in the middle of the night. This slight change is enough to wake them up and cause them to cry. Around their 8th month, most babies will have developed the fine motor skills required to place the pacifier back into their mouths. Until then, however, you’ll be dealing with a cranky baby.

“Your choice is either to get rid of the pacifier altogether, or to let your baby cry it out in the middle of the night,” warns founder of NYC Sleep Doctor Janet K. Kennedy, PhD. Foregoing the pacifier may cause a rough couple of days, but eventually your baby will not need it to sleep through the night.

2. Say Yes to An Electric Fan

The slightest noise can interrupt a baby’s sleep. One way to minimize this is by using white noise, such as the steady hum of an electric fan.

When used safely as part of your baby’s bedtime routine, consistent background noise can help mask sudden sounds that may wake them. Over time, your baby may begin to associate the familiar sound with sleep.

3. Gradually Reduce Nighttime Feedings

Many mothers feed their infants at odd hours of the night to soothe them back to sleep. While this can work, it does take its toll on these already exhausted mothers. Take a load off, close shop, and get some rest! Consult your pediatrician when you can completely cut off your baby from night feeding. According to Kim West, clinical social worker and author of 52 Sleep Secrets for Babies, 90% of 6-month-olds can sleep through the night without feeding.

To do so, put your baby to bed while they’re still awake but clearly sleepy. Leave them be without feeding them and check in on them every few minutes until they’re asleep. If you don’t want to suddenly stop nighttime feeding, you can gradually decrease their nighttime food intake. Eventually your baby will realize that the milk bank closes at night and will sleep through it.

Always consult your pediatrician before weaning your baby from nighttime feedings

4. Set a Bedtime Routine

This is no hack or trick: a bedtime routine is important to set your baby up for a good night’s sleep. “Creating a bedtime routine for a child is a simple step that every family can do,” says Jodi Mindell, PhD, Professor of Psychology at Saint Joseph’s University and Associate Director of the Sleep Center at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. “It can pay off not only to make bedtime easier, but also that a child is likely to sleep better throughout the entire night.”

To set a routine, consider the following:

• Set active games for daytime and quieter games for nighttime. This way, your baby won’t be as hyper before bedtime and will be tired from the day’s earlier games.
• Give your baby a bath right before bedtime to put them in a calmer state.
• Your baby’s favorite activity should be saved for last and performed in the bedroom. It’s a simple association: your baby will associate their favorite activity with their bedroom, which makes them look forward to bedtime. (link to 7 Tips to Make Baby’s Bedtime Easier article)

As much as possible, keep the conditions of their sleep space consistent (lights, sounds, temperature, etc.). This will comfort them should they wake up abruptly.

5. Encourage Active Play During the Day

Babies spend all their energy trying to master newly acquired skills, like rolling or crawling. A baby can find themselves stuck in a new position and may be unable to get back to their original position, though they’ll try as much as they can. They can get so excited that they have a hard time getting back to sleep.

To help tone down your baby’s persistent late-night work ethic, devote time during the day for them to practice their new skill. Avoid the stroller if you can and allow your baby to move around. Let them exert energy and tire themselves out during the day for a deeper nighttime sleep.

We hope this guide has helped answer your questions. If you’d like to learn more or need EQ support, don’t hesitate to reach out.

The first few months of parenthood are the hardest. The feeling of helplessness every time your baby cries is a dilemma that every parent goes through. Hunger, pain, discomfort, restlessness – a hundred different possible reasons run through every parent’s mind every time their baby cries. However, if your baby cries for hours at a time with no obvious reason, they may be experiencing colic.

Colic is a condition that causes pain in your baby’s gastrointestinal tract. Colic usually affects babies who are at least 2-3 weeks old and lasts until the 3^rd or 4^th month. The symptoms include irritability, abdominal pain, gassiness, and endless bouts of uncontrollable crying.

How to Help Soothe a Baby with Colic

If you think your baby is suffering from colic, you can try some of the tips below to help soothe your baby:

Review Your Diet if You’re Breastfeeding

If you think that your baby’s colic may be caused by something in your breast milk, you can try changing your diet. It has been found that traces of spicy food or cow’s milk in the mother’s diet cause the baby’s tummy problems after they ingest her breast milk. Talk to your doctor about what you can eliminate from your diet.

One way of preventing this is to eliminate dairy products like cow’s milk, cheeses, and yogurt from your diet. In order to do this, stop eating them for a few weeks. This will give your body ample time to cleanse out any traces of dairy in the milk that your breasts produce.

Talk to your doctor before making major dietary changes.

Adjust Your Baby’s Feeding Habits

If your baby is formula-fed and still experiences colic, consult your pediatrician to determine whether a different infant formula may be more suitable. Some babies may have sensitivities or allergies that require a hypoallergenic formula.

Another possibility is swallowed air during feeding, which may contribute to gas and discomfort. Burping your baby during and after feeding can help. If you’re bottle-feeding, using a nipple with an appropriate flow may also reduce the amount of air your baby swallows.

Try a Gentle Infant Massage

An infant massage can help your baby relax and calm down.

If gas seems to be contributing to their discomfort, place your baby tummy-down across your legs and gently rub their back. Another option is to lay your baby on their back and slowly move their legs in a bicycle motion. This gentle movement may help release trapped gas.

Comfort Your Baby

The discomfort caused by colic is the main reason why your baby keeps on crying. Comfort him by holding him close to you so he can feel your heartbeat. Sit down, relax, and take steady breaths while holding him and wait until your heartbeat stabilizes. The steady sound of your heartbeat will help calm him down.

Another way to help comfort your baby is through motion. Gently rock your baby in your arms using a steady rhythm to soothe him. You can also take him for a stroll, a ride, or a walk to help him relax. Soothing sounds can also help ease your baby’s discomfort – try humming or singing a lullaby to help your baby relax and fall asleep.

Comfort is the number one cure for colic. Since colic causes discomfort to your baby, learning what makes your baby comfortable is the number one solution to ease his pain. Don’t be scared or distressed every time your baby cries. It is through these rough moments that you grow as a parent. And it is through these moments that you understand what it takes to become a good parent.

When to Talk to Your Pediatrician

While colic usually goes away on its own as your baby grows, it’s important to contact your pediatrician if your baby’s crying is accompanied by fever, vomiting, poor feeding, difficulty breathing, or if you are concerned about their overall health. These symptoms may indicate a condition other than colic.

We hope this guide has answered your questions. If there’s anything else you’d like to know about our products or if you need assistance, feel free to contact our EQ support team.

Sources:

http://www.babycenter.com/0_colic-what-is-it_77.bc

http://www.webmd.com/parenting/baby/colictreatments

http://www.babycentre.co.uk/x25005619/how-can-i-soothe-my-colicky-baby#ixzz41uNiTzcz

 

Congratulations on your bundle of joy, mommy! Now, you’ve probably heard about how breastfeeding is beneficial for both you and your baby. Making the decision to breastfeed is perhaps one of the more important decisions you will make in rearing your child. Here is a handy guide explaining everything you need to know about the practice.

Health Benefits of Breastfeeding

Medical experts such as the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) advocate that newborns be exclusively breastfed for at least six months and recommend continuing breastfeeding alongside complementary foods for up to one year or longer, as long as both mother and baby desire.

This is because breast milk is the ideal source of nourishment for infants. It contains the perfect medley of vitamins, fat, protein, and antibodies needed to help develop and strengthen the immune system, since breastfeeding allows mothers to transfer their own antibodies to their children. Essentially, by choosing to breastfeed, you are protecting your child against diseases.

Furthermore, according to pediatricians, the yellow, watery pre-milk substance known as colostrum is produced during the first few days of breastfeeding. This contains high amounts of protective nutrients, which further enhances your baby’s digestive system.

Aside from boosting your child’s immune system, countless studies have established that you are also protecting your infant from developing allergies. Additionally, formula-fed infants face greater risk of acquiring severe respiratory infections compared to breastfed babies. It also reduces the likelihood of ear infections, lessening the chances of your infant going through multiple courses of antibiotics.

To top it off, the health benefits of breastfeeding are not limited to just infants. It has been established that breastfeeding helps shed pregnancy weight. Up to 500 calories can be burned a day while nursing. The process also produces an influx of oxytocin, a hormone that causes the uterus to quickly revert back to its normal size. Lastly, studies have shown that women who breastfeed have reduced risk for postpartum depression, breast and ovarian cancer, and developing osteoporosis later in life.

How to Help Your Baby Latch Properly

Nursing is a natural instinct in both mothers and babies. However, sometimes it takes a few tries before you feel comfortable enough to breastfeed exclusively for at least six months.

To breastfeed effectively, your baby needs to latch on properly. Latching is the process through which the baby properly attaches to the nipple to suck milk. A good latch helps prevent sore nipples and keeps the breast from becoming engorged, reducing the chances of infection.

To get a proper latch, position your nipple so that it touches the center of your infant’s lips. Doing so triggers your baby’s rooting reflex, which causes him to open his mouth and make sucking motions. This indicates that it is the right time for him to feed. Finally, let your nipple into your infant’s mouth and try to include as much of the areola as he can accommodate. To do so, try cupping your hand under the breast and gently tuck your areola into his mouth using your thumb. Reposition the infant’s head so he doesn’t have to turn his neck to suckle. Once you hear a low-pitched swallowing over a sucking noise, this means your baby has latched on and is feeding properly.

Understanding the Let-Down Reflex

The process that starts your milk flowing is commonly referred to as the “let down.” When starting out, it can take a few minutes for the milk to flow, but as you feed your baby, the milk flows out quicker. This usually happens after the first day or so.

During the first week of breastfeeding, it’s common to feel cramps or contractions in your uterus due to the release of oxytocin. While it helps push your milk from the ducts to the nipples, it can also cause uterine contractions. Not to worry; this only means that your uterus is shrinking to its pre-pregnancy size and the cramping should get better after a week.

For a quicker let down, make sure that the baby is well positioned on your breast. Also, try to relax. If you are too tense, then try different methods to calm down like listening to soothing music. Finally, do not smoke, drink alcohol, or use recreational drugs.

Breastfeeding Tips for New Moms

It is important to start feeding your baby shortly after birth to keep his blood sugar level stable and help him feel comfortable with latching as you proceed with regular feeding, up to 10 to 12 times a day.

Similarly, watch what you eat. Babies can suffer from gastrointestinal discomfort from your diet. If your baby seems uncomfortable after feeding, consider what you’ve eaten that day and refrain from indulging in the meantime. Finally, find out if your medication is safe to take while breastfeeding. Antibiotics, ibuprofen, and acetaminophen are often safe. When in doubt, consult your pediatrician.

Finally, find out if your medication is safe to take while breastfeeding. Antibiotics, ibuprofen, and acetaminophen are often considered safe, but always consult your doctor before taking any medication while nursing.

Supporting Your Breastfeeding Journey

Breastfeeding is a learning experience for both you and your baby. While it may take time to become comfortable with nursing, patience and practice can make the process easier. If you have questions or experience challenges with breastfeeding, don’t hesitate to seek guidance from your doctor, pediatrician, or a certified lactation consultant.

Have more questions about your pregnancy and parenthood journey? Browse our other blogs for expert tips and helpful resources. If you need product assistance, don’t hesitate to reach out to our EQ Support team.

 

Sources:

http://www.nrdc.org/breastmilk/benefits.asp

http://www.webmd.com/parenting/baby/features/breastbreastfeeding_basics

http://www.parents.com/baby/breastfeeding/basics/breastfeeding-basics/