Archive for the ‘General’ Category

Baby Care

Monday, January 25th, 2010

“Taking care of my own baby is so tough, it’s so much different from babysitting other’s baby. My baby is constantly on my mind and I think of nothing else. I worry so much and I’ve lost my appetite as well as my sleep.”   Jennifer, 28 years; Anders, 2 weeks

Dr. Stork says: It’ll be tough if you are a first-time parent. It’s even harder if your baby cries a lot, which most babies do in the first few weeks of life. Some babies may cry more than others, no matter how much mom and dad try to meet their needs. The hardest part of those first weeks with baby may be lack of time to do anything for yourself. Whether you are breastfeeding or bottle-feeding, you need to take good care of yourself. When you are breastfeeding you need about 500 extra calories each day. A sandwich and two extra glasses of milk in addition to your “regular” nutritious diet should be enough. Also be sure you drink 12-16 glasses of liquids each day. You don’t have to drink milk to make breast milk. Of course, if you can drink milk, include it as part of your liquids. In addition, drink water and fruit juices, limit your intake of coffee or tea to two cups a day though. When you are nursing, it is important to get comfortable. If you get too tired, you may not be able to produce as much milk. You need to take care of yourself before you can take care of the baby.

Read more on Preparation of Mother, Newborn Baby Care Basics, FAQ On Newborn Baby Care

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Does Baby Need Vitamin/Mineral Supplement?

Friday, January 22nd, 2010

My friend recommended some baby vitamin/mineral supplements for my 2-month-old baby. Should I let him take some of the supplements?        Holly, 30 years; Gary, 2 months

Dr. Stork says:You need to continue taking your prenatal vitamins for at least two or three months if you are breastfeeding. This way, your baby will not need an extra vitamin supplement during those first few months that you are breastfeeding. Before giving your baby any supplement at any time, it’s vital to ask your pediatrician. Check with him if your baby needs extra fluoride. Getting enough helps prevent cavities in our teeth, while too much fluoride can be a problem. It can lead to discolored teeth. Since the amount of fluoride in your water supply may be high or low, it’s important that you ask your health care provider how much, if any, fluoride supplement your baby needs. Give exactly as prescribed. Don’t overdose! If you are eating enough nutritious, iron-rich foods, your breast milk will provide enough iron for your baby for about four months. At that time, your pediatrician may suggest an iron supplement. Or he may tell you it’s all right to start feeding your baby an iron-fortified cereal. Most commercial formulas in the market contain fortified iron.

Read also related topics: Milk Nutritional Benefits for Growing Child, Child Development and Food Nutrition

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Bathing Baby

Tuesday, January 19th, 2010

I have been ‘sponging’ my baby since birth but I think he needs a ‘thorough’ wash now. He is 3 weeks old but I am scared to put him in the water. How do I bathe a baby?       Julia, 26; Joseph, 3 weeks

Dr. Stork says: Most mothers do not put their babies in the water until the navel cord dropped off. And the real baby baths, when you set the baby in the water, can be a little scary at first. When you bathe your baby, wash his head and face first. Don’t use soap on his face. Wash his hair with plain soap or baby shampoo at least once a week. Then use your hand to lather the rest of his body with plain soap. Remember to test the water to be sure it isn’t too hot. Stick your elbow in it. It’s more sensitive to temperature than your hands are. Wash his genitals just as you do the rest of his body. After rinsing him thoroughly, wrap him in a towel and pat him dry. Bath time is always a great time to talk with your baby. Describe what you are doing to him. Tell him how gorgeous he is. He may not like his bath at fist but he’ll probably enjoy it before long. Always remember, NEVER leave baby alone in his bath.

Read also FAQ on Newborn Baby Care

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More On Breastfeeding

Saturday, January 16th, 2010

Dr. Stork says: I recently received a lot of calls and enquires on the why, how, when and where on breastfeeding issues. I have compiled the questions and is now presenting the information in this short passage:

Breast milk is the best food for your baby. Breastfeeding is also good for mom as the mom does not have to clean the bottles, does not have to mix the formula and the milk is always at the right temperature to feed! It’s also cheap and it’s more convenient too. Most importantly, it’s satisfying for the mom.

Most likely, you may not be able to produce milk for two or three days after the delivery. However, there’ll be colostrums (yellowish liquid) which will help your baby fight off colds and other illnesses.

When your nipples are sore, as they may be that first week, letting them air dry after feeding will help. If your baby latches on (i.e. baby getting your nipple into his mouth) properly, your nipples shouldn’t hurt much. Be sure to get as much as possible of the areola (the dark area around the nipple) into his mouth as he sucks. If it hurts, break the suction and take him off, then latch him on with more of the areola in his mouth.

The more your baby sucks, the more milk your body will produce. To give breastfeeding a good start, it’s best not to give a baby a bottle during the first month. However, it’s a good idea to offer the baby a bottle once in a while after the first month. Then he’ll be more willing to take a bottle if you aren’t available, and so dad and other helpers can feed him occasionally.

It’s definitely not necessary to hide in your bedroom while you breastfeed. Babies like to eat when they get hungry, but it’s much harder for them to wait a while. You should be able to breastfeed almost anywhere by throwing a blanket over your baby.

Some mothers breastfeed only the first few days. They know how important the colostrums is for the baby during this time and the extra protection against illness the colostrums provide. Many moms continue until baby can drink milk from a cup, perhaps for a year. Their babies may have an occasional bottle, but rely mostly on breastfeeding. A few moms breastfeed longer, and that’s certainly alright too.

If you decided to stop breastfeeding your baby, do it gradually. Suddenly switching baby from your breast to a bottle would be hard on both you and your baby. Your breasts may hurt if you suddenly stop breastfeeding as your body continues to produce milk. It’s far better to give baby a bottle for one of her feedings each day for a few days, then cut out another breastfeeding, then another, until you’re feeding her from the bottle all the time.

Read more on Feeding the Baby, Breastfeeding Baby, Breastfeeding Problems and Advices

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Clean Or Happy Kids?

Thursday, November 19th, 2009

“I get furious when my child gets himself real dirty. Am I over-reacting?” James, 6 years old, Carol 38 years old

 

Dr. Stork says: Perhaps a little. Getting dirty is just a natural part of growing up. An over-anxious girl who cries because she has spilt something on her dress, or the boy who rushes in for his hands to be washed every five minutes, is not going to enjoy his or her early years. Remind yourself that the human body is incredibly efficient at keeping out infection, and that raising happy kids is infinitely more important than raising clean children.

 

 

Learn more about children’s immune system at: Probiotic Health – Its Benefit and Its Role in Regulation of Children Immune System

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Expert Parenting Advice from Dr Stork

Monday, April 20th, 2009

Dr.Stork has worked with hundreds of parents during the past twenty years as a pediatrician. She has walked many of the parents who worked hard at their parenting skills through this interesting life process, by offering them all the necessary expert parenting advices and help.

Dr.Stork became a mother herself at age 30; she realized that it could be a terrifying experience for first time parents to handle their child alone. If Dr. Stork, as a pediatrician herself, had such difficulty adjusting to the new demands of parenting, how must it be for a lay person? Drawing upon her years of working with kids and parents, and her own experience as a mother, she now offers this online diaries written specifically to parents. It provides practical, insightful information for all parents with young children. From the honest, real life personal stories of different parents, to the loving attention given to the most sensitive issues of parenting, Dr.Stork keeps the focus on the unique needs of her audience.

A major part of this blog is the comments and parenting suggestions and advices from Dr. Stork. Names of parents, their children, and a few personal details have been changed in order to protect confidentiality. Parents and children ages have not been changed. Their comments and questions are real and are almost always in the exact words used by the parent(s). Parenting is a difficult task, parenting the young children is even more challenging for most parents. Dr.Stork hopes this blog will help parents understand more the world of young children during that all-important first six years of life.

For more parenting advices,  please visit :

Early Childhood Parenting Tips

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