What They Don’t Tell You About Breastfeeding Your Baby

Breastfeeding, as you will doubtless be told frequently, is best for baby. What you won’t be told is that for a large number of women it’s a battle. It may be natural but some one forgot to tell some newborns that information! In order to promote breastfeeding professionals simply omit to tell women about the realities of breastfeeding and many midwives are simply too overstretched to be able to support women who are experiencing problems.

Ironically, if women were more aware of the difficulties they may encounter, then maybe they would be less likely to give up at the first hurdle and less likely to feel guilty at their perceived failure. So here are some of those possible problems and hopefully a few myths put to rights too.

Babies are not all born knowing instinctively how to breastfeed, like you they need to learn. It can take many attempts and of course perseverance pays off. The problem is many women feel pressured to feed their baby instantly and feel panicky when their newborn loses some birth weight. At this point the temptation to top up with a bit of formula is great however this in itself can create issues for successful breastfeeding. A breastfed baby needs to open their mouth wide to feed and their mouth shape is very different to a bottle fed baby. Offering a bottle before a baby is established on the breast ( at about 6 weeks ) can make breastfeeding very hard as it is too confusing for the baby. It is better, if you feel the need to offer formula, to offer a baby formula off a spoon to be lapped up in order to avoid any confusion.

Women who have Caesarians, especially elected can take longer for their milk to “come in” therefore breast feeding can be trickier as the pressure to feed their infant increases. It can be hard to find a position to feed your baby in comfortably. Some women need to sit upright to feed and this can take a little while to manage post Caesarian.

It doesn’t matter what size your breasts are, breast feeding is possible. Don’t believe the myth that small breasted women can’t feed it simply isn’t true. It is true that many women find it painful and suffer sore and cracked nipples. This is usually due to poor or improper positioning of the baby when latching on. A baby needs to tilt their head back to take in the nipple and aureola, placing your baby nose to nipple and tickling their upper lip with the nipple helps the baby to learn a good position. You should be belly to belly with your baby and they should be lifted to the breast, don’t lean over to the baby as this encourages a poor position. You can buy special breast feeding cushions that help in the early weeks of feeding.

If you are struggling seek advice before giving up, sometimes it can be a simple issue such as the baby being tongue tied and a small procedure can correct this. Even a women who has had breast augmentation can potentially breast feed as modern techniques do not always interfere with the process.

Breast milk is easier to digest than formula so you may find yourself feeding every 2 hours or so, day and night, so you may find yourself feeling envious of formula fed babies who can sleep longer as formula is slower to digest. Some people also believe breastfeeding helps shift the baby weight quicker. While this is true for some women breast feeding requires increased calorie intake and over exercising can affect milk supply. Don’t compare yourself to celebrities that are back in their jeans after 3 weeks, chances are they are formula feeding and at the gym every hour available!

Breast feeding is a great way of bonding with your baby but it can take time and effort. Some women take to it easily, others struggle. Many women can express milk at the drop of a hat while others never really take to it, it can be difficult to get a “let down” of milk when you have a pump in your hand.

Stress can be a real factor that affects successful breastfeeding, the more pressure a woman feels the harder it is.  Support is vital, as is good advice and reassurance. You can find many excellent books and DVD’s on breastfeeding . The old adage “practice makes perfect” is very apt when it comes to breastfeeding, don’t expect to be able to do it first time, there a very few women who medically can’t feed so be prepared with the facts and you should succeed.

How to make baby shower cookies that keep their shape!

Baby shower cookies are a great idea and a lovely gift to put in a goody bag for guests. You can buy these but they are expensive so why not get a few friends around and have fun making these cookies?

The advantage of making them yourself is that you can add little personal touches such as the year of birth or initials on a bib Cookie. When making cookies for a baby shower the last think you want is for them to spread and lose shape. This is a great recipe for keeping your cute cookies in shape!!

Sugar Cookie Recipe

Makes approx 60 3″ cookies

6 cups All purpose flour
3 teaspoons of baking powder
2 cups of sugar
2 cups of butter
2 eggs
2 teaspoons Vanilla extract.
1 teaspoon of salt.

1) In a bowl cream together the butter and sugar until fluffy. Pour beaten eggs and vanilla into the bowl, mix well. Mix baking power and salt into the flour and add gradually to the butter mixture.
2) Mix until it is all well blended and forms a dough.

3) Place in refrigerator to chill for an hour.

4) Roll out to required thickness and cut shapes out with cutters. You can buy lovely cutters with baby themes such as onesie textured cookie cutters or Wilton Baby Cutters. Place on a baking sheet at 350 degrees for up to 10 mins. Remove when they are starting to turn brown at the edges.

Royal Icing

4 cups powdered/Icing Sugar
2 tablespoons Meringue powder
6 tablespoons water

1) Put into mixer on a low speed for 8-10 minutes. When mixture is no longer shiny it is ready. If it is too thick mix in extra water gradually by hand.

2) Pipe around the edge of the cookie with the thick mixture. Allow to dry. Add more water to the Icing until it flows easily off a spoon and flood or fill in the area required. Dry over night before adding decoration or different colored icing detail.

3) When decorated present them in cookie bags and tie with ribbon or for extra wow factor make them into cookie lollipops; simply place a lollipop stick into cookie before baking and seal in bag afterwards.You can make baby face shaped cookies or even ones shaped to match a baby shower theme such as a rubber duck.

Top Tips on How to Throw a Great Baby Shower

A baby shower is the baby equivalent of a bachelorette party or Hen night. It’s a great way to show your expectant friend or relation how much they mean to you and to celebrate the imminent arrival! It’s a good opportunity to give gifts for her and her baby to enjoy, receive some attention and pampering while she still can.

The Organiser and timing.

A friend who knows what the expectant Mum likes is probably the best choice when it comes to organising a Baby shower. The only rule should be that the mum-to-be shouldn’t be responsible as she really doesn’t need the extra stress. As for the timing, it is usual to hold a baby shower in the third trimester. Some people plan a surprise party, others choose to tell the mum so she feels involved.

Venues

The size of the venue will determine the number of guests you can invite. Never hold it at the expectant Mum’s house, she won’t appreciate clearing up after the event. Find either a friend who will hold the event at their house or book a venue. There are lots of options from function rooms in hotels to church halls.

Costing

You may be best to ask all the guests to contribute to the cost. Don’t forget to include venue hire, disposable plates, cups etc, decorations, a gift (if you are buying a joint one), prizes and party bags, also a cake. Remember you need to send invitations, the cheapest and quickest option is e-invites by email.

Theme options

It is good fun to have a theme. Create one yourself or consider;

A favorite kids book such as …..The Gruffalo

Cute animals

Teddy bear’s picnic

Nursery rhymes

Pink or Blue – if the gender of the baby is known.

To play Games or Not.

This really depends on how you think the Mum to be will feel. Some games are great ice breakers, especially when all the guests don’t know each other.

Popular games are:

• Guess who;

Get everyone to bring a baby picture of themselves and play guess who.

• Celebrity bump;

Get magazine pictures and cut out pregnant celebrities. Cover the heads with a “?” and get every one to guess the famous mum to be.

• Guess the name or gender;

If your mum to be is involved and happy they may agree to telling you their choice of name. Scramble it in a list of others and see who guesses right. Some Mums even allow you to guess the gender of the baby if they have kept it a secret before.

• Word search;

Make up a word grid with hidden words such as diaper, birth, stroller, sleep, teething etc.

Don’t forget some fun prizes.

• Party bags

Every one loves a little goody bag. Some thing fun and small is a good idea, chocolates, even a home made cookie iced to look like a baby’s face or even include scented soap.

• Food

It is cheaper to do this yourself and get everyone to bring a dish. Be aware pregnant women need to avoid certain foods but apart from that use your imagination. Some make their food like that at a kids party.

Enjoy it!

How to Get Pregnant Naturally

Infertility may be broadly defined as the inability to get pregnant after trying for at least one year without using any birth control.

In Western countries, infertility affects an estimated 15% of the population. While a part of them are trying to conceive using alternative methods like IVF, others prefer to optimize the chances of getting pregnant naturally. Trying to get pregnant naturally may be very important, since many couples and individuals who are diagnosed with infertility may be able to get pregnant without treatment (and hence should be defined as “subfertile” rather than “infertile”).

When trying to get pregnant naturally, the most important factor is to understand the menstrual cycle and the timing of ovulation, which leads to the optimum chances of getting impregnated. Usually, ovulation occurs around the fourteenth day, and hence, to get pregnant naturally, a couple should have as much sexual intercourse as possible between the twelfth and the fifteenth day. Different women have slightly varying menstrual cycles.Hence, to improve the chances of becoming pregnant, it is imperative to study one’s periods, and calculate exactly when one ovulates.

Determining the signs of ovulation.

To check for the right timings of ovulation, a woman can do one, or many, of the following things:

. Keep a calendar. Keeping a calendar to chart the days is an easy and effective method to determine the right time to have sexual intercourse.

. Keep a check on vaginal fluids. Mucus discharge from the vagina usually becomes heavier, thinner, clearer and stretchy during ovulation when compared to the usual times.

. Feel the inside of the vagina. During ovulation, the cervix is softer and slightly more open than usual.

. Keep tabs on any sharp pain in the abdomen. Sharp pains in the abdomen, or some slight spotting, may be indicative of ovulation.

. Other physical conditions. Headaches, bloating, breast tenderness and pain may be signs of ovulation.

Having checked for ovulation, there are some other things that an individual can do to increase the chances of getting pregnant naturally. These include lying still for a while after having sexual intercourse, avoiding the bathroom for about thirty minutes after having sexual intercourse, and most importantly, figuring out how many times one should have sexual intercourse.

Men often neglect their own part to play in this whole scenario. The sperms need to be of the correct constitution, correct shape and correct motility too, or else, however fertile the women may be, impregnation does not occur naturally. A way of ensuring that the sperms are undamaged is by wearing boxers instead of briefs. Boxers help in keeping the testicles from overheating and damaging sperms.

For both women and men, the anatomical and hormonal factors are not the only ones to be monitored and corrected. In most cases, failure to conceive may result from an improper diet, undue stress, the use of drugs like alcohol and nicotine, and even environmental factors such as proximity to harmful doses of pesticides. Abstinence from such factors goes a long way in ensuring a pregnancy.

One should always keep in mind that the holistic approach to solving a problem is the optimal way to tackle infertility. Getting regular health checkups, taking supplements to combat existing problem, exercising and stress reduction techniques are only part of the holistic solution to infertility which considers the problem as part of a whole unlike the conventional approach which tackles a specific body organ in its attempt to heal. The holistic approach is not only a surefire way to increase your chances of conception it also guarantees a safe and healthy pregnancy.

This article is based on the book, “Pregnancy Miracle” by Lisa Olson. Lisa is an author, researcher, nutritionist and health consultant who dedicated her life to creating the ultimate pregnancy solution guaranteed to permanently reverse the root of infertility, help you get pregnant quickly and naturally and dramatically improve the overall quality of your life, without the use prescription medication and without any surgical procedures. Learn more by visiting her website: Pregnancy Miracle

The Risks of Pets Around Your Baby

Many homes have a pet it is quite common and increasingly desirable. No doubt the popularity of pet ownership has increased over the years and, with the recent media frenzy over celebrities and their designer dogs that are photographed every where with them, the popularity is growing.

As well as owning a pet you will have to consider the huge responsibility of having a new baby and assess the safety implications your animal may pose to your baby.

A real concern is that an existing animal can become very jealous when a new arrival enters the home that they regard as theirs. Unfortunately this can result in an infant suffering harm by the family pet, previously thought of as safe, due to this feeling of jealousy.

As a dog is by nature a member of a pack it ranks itself in the family. A new baby to a dog can be a threat as they regard themselves above the baby in pack order if an owner is not careful to address this through training. Al dog can naturally want to protect the new baby and can be a threat to friends and visitors who may come near the child.

It is not only a dog that potentially are a problem, as cats can also cause harm to a baby. They can easily claw a baby’s skin scratching it or worse their eyes resulting in possible health concerns for the future.

Some cats may be welcoming to a new baby but be aware cats enjoy the warmth and cosiness of being close up to anyone and this can mean your baby. Cats are extremely good at jumping and can climb almost anything, it is no problem for them to jump into a stroller or baby crib and cause a sleeping baby to suffocate . You can buy special cat prevention nets that fit over a stroller or crib to stop a cat from being able to climb in to them, a cat is very quick to snuggle up to a baby so be cautious.

You will need to closely watch your pets behavior towards your new baby and take instant action if you observe any signs that your animal may be a safety risk to your child.

Sadly it may be that a beloved pet is un able to accept your baby and you may have to find it a new home or some one who will look after it until your child is that bit older.

There is also a question of allergies. Some babies will develop allergies to pets and react to animal hair, therefore it may be that it is not viable to have a pet around them.

If you do have a pet, or indeed more than one you will have to be very vigilant. Animals are very unpredictable creatures, even the gentlest of animals can have a sudden character change. You can’t be too cautious around a small baby when it comes to their safety around a pet. Bear in mind if you are taking your baby to visit family or friends that their pets may also be a possible threat. Never leave your child unattended around any animal and if you are considering buying a pet wait until your child is beyond the crawling stage and able to be understand how to treat a pet gently and safely.