Cradle cap is a flaky crusty scalp condition, tends to develop on the baby’s head that may look like dandruff during the first few months after birth. The main cause of developing cradle cap is not known. however, it might be due to the overproduction of oil due to oil glands in hair follicles.
In most cases, the cradle cap is not itchy.
Babies tend to develop cradle cap on their heads, typically seem like a thick dandruff layer that is scaly with yellow or while thick skin flakes.
Although it is harmless still itching can take its toll leaving parents worried.
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How to treat cradle cap fast
The good news is, in many cases cradle cap is gone within a few months even If you leave it on its own.
Although the cradle cap is harmless it may seem uncomfortable for the baby. It may get itchy.
The solution to dealing with cradle cap is gently massage baby’s scalp with oil and then scrape off gently with soft bristles comb.
For my son, I have tried coconut oil, and other scrubbers to take that off but nothing seemed to work.
The only method that worked to help get rid of the cradle cap is advised by my child’s pediatrician.
The best remedy to get rid of cradle cap
Take a baby comb and gently scrape off the cradle cap while it is wet, after a baby bath. Also, you can soften it with the help of oil by gently massaging and try scraping it off with the help of a comb.
Do not use nails or scratch skin as it may not be soft enough to scrape off easily.
Baby combs are gentle and the bristles are plastic so it can gently glide.
The scrubber available in the market is not as effective as the bristles are super soft. Also, it will not remove the cradle cap even it is wet unless the baby has very thin patches on her scalp.
New moms may notice dry flakes developing during the first few weeks after the baby’s birth. if the baby seems to develop a cradle cap or not, use soft baby comb after every bath and gently comb it through the baby’s hair right.
Just keep in mind, baby’s head has a soft spot and it should not be touched aggressively for the first few months as the skull bones develop over the course of a few months. Try to be gentle as much as you can.
Money is the biggest deciding factor when you plan on having kids and starting a family. accept it or not, lack of savings haunt new parents. The fear of losing a job and not having enough money when it comes to providing can be very stressful for new parents.
Parenting is hard and having kids is expensive. frugal living gets really important for parents who are in low to moderate-income brackets.
Here are a few smart tips for parents to save money in the short and long run to have better saving for a better life for kids and for themselves.
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Money-saving habits that can benefit frugal living
1. Minimalism
This is the key to saving. Consumerism is the killer of your effective frugal ways of living. The best way is to have less stuff around so you will have less stress to maintain.
For instance, if you have too much furniture in your house more than you need, it requires more maintenance and more decor.
If you do not feel a connection or hold no emotional value to things at home, the best thing to do is PURGE.
2. Do not spend on unnecessary stuff
When you go shopping, you have to think twice, Do I even need it?
If you already have new baby stuff, there is quite a chance you have pretty much everything. Do not buy unnecessary stuff just because they are in the market.
If you have a reasonable dinner set at home, ideally you do not need it unless it is broken or it does not serve enough people.
3. Spend on useful stuff only
Have you ever been in a situation where you throwing up too much stuff finding it useless, although you have bought it with so much devotion?
My advice to you, if you have to spend even $5 or $500, spend it on something that is useful and it is going to add value to your life not just sitting in your closet making no sense to you at all.
4. Less Dine out
I cannot advise you to stop dining or eating out altogether, even though dining out is the biggest money killer.
I am so fond of restaurant foods and for me eating out once or twice a week is essential like I have to eat out to feel and think normal. Although eating out is the biggest sucker of your earnings and I am not going to say that you do not eat outside just to save money.
Occasional dine out is good for mental and emotional well-being, there are days when you want to relax too.
However, if you can MANAGE homecooked food most days then you should focus on homemade food to save a significant amount of money. You can still go for occasional dine in for kids’ birthdays. Best tip: keep a small money bank to save money biweekly to order a pizza etc.
5. Love to shop? – Go for grocery shopping the way you can enjoy
I don’t know about you, but I love to shop and sometimes just window shopping is enough for me. If you miss going on shopping and spending money, go for grocery shopping the way you going to enjoy just like a mall visit.
6. Spend wisely for your family
Do you like spending money? Saving is not your cup of tea?
I understand I have been there too.
My advice to you, spend your money wisely. Given your financial situation, if there is something you must have, set up your priorities and see you can compromise on what.
Let’s say if you want to get a car and you cannot get a luxurious car but you still want to have it. Figure out what are your priorities, like, enough space in the trunk, enough legroom, a number of seats, high ceilings, speed, etc. See in what price you can get your priorities set. If you can get all of this for $300 a month, why spend $600 for a mere show-off.
That being said, if you have to spend, spend wisely.
7. Return unused stuff
If you are on the journey of saving money and in search of frugal tips, return what you have in your closet with tags on and you are not going to use it.
Pass the date get the store credit to use for birthdays etc.
You can still get store credit for later use, to buy a gift later or sponsor your retail therapy.
8. Retail therapy
Going for a day out, and do a sweet tiny shopping is a great way to have your retail therapy.
If you have kids, obviously you do not want to spend too much when you have plans for saving enough for the future. I HAVE to shop in order to feel at peace, that’s just me. I used to buy a lot of unnecessary, too many clothes that I do not get a chance to wear.
So now I would just buy something that is useful for me during the day, at home, in kitchen or storage baskets to be more organized.
However, I suggest not to visit stores too often.
Money-saving tips for new moms
9. Make baby food at home and freeze homecooked meals
About 2 years ago a lady next to me in the queue at a local grocery store paid more than $400 for ready-to-use baby food for her twins. It could be normal for the family with twins but it is a lot to pay for food even if you are working or stay at home.
Baby food is expensive.
New moms might want to prepare a baby’s food at home and freeze it. With kids, a lot of food gets wasted.
You can get some awesome recipes if you have time to make and freeze meals at home.
10. Cloth Diapering for babies
Since using disposable diapers are pretty expensive and it is a continuous thing for about 3 years. In order to save all that disposable diaper money, cloth diapering is another frugal way to save a good amount of money. Although cloth diapering has its pros and cons and you end up paying for detergent and maybe laundry trips.
11. Breastfeeding
Do you know how much exclusively breastfeeding moms save money? The formula milk is super expensive for babies. If you are a new mom, the best way to save money is by exclusively nursing or use a combination feed.
This is the mistake I have been doing. I used to buy toys for my son when he was about 3 months. I used to get him toys forcefully that he didn’t even play with because he was too small at that time.
Now I regret not saving that money for getting toys later on when he can actually enjoy a toy car for a good sufficient amount of time.
Pregnancy is the most exciting time to start preparation and all that Newborn shopping seems so much fun. But let me tell you, DO NOT BUY too many clothes for the first year. Newborns tend to grow out of these within weeks and you hardly get to dress them up in three outfits a day.
Baby and kids shops have so many different products, In the beginning, just get what is essential for you and the baby. Do not get everything that happens to be available in the market.
If you are tight on budget and not tight on love, you still do not need wipes warmer unless you are living in a super cold climate where there is no heating system.
Also, keep in mind, you have to make space for everything you get for the first time in order to save it for your second child.
15. Do not buy too many toys that are the source of mess and increase your stress
Like I said do not buy too many toys when they are too little to play with, this doesn’t mean you just pile up toys in your home when they are young. Moderation is the best approach. Too many toys are overwhelming for moms. Not only it increases stress but also it is going to be pretty expensive in your pocket.
According to Says law “Supply creates its own demand.”
Do not fall trap of the things that are available in the market and you automatically feel bound to buy such products. make your life easy with less consumerism and more contentment.
Are you in the struggle of organizing kids’ stuff every other day?
Moms of little kids may find these tips helpful for organizing kids’ stuff when it is too much and overwhelming. Learn these simple and easy organizing hacks for baby’s clothing, kids jackets, shoes that need a designated place in your home. Also, how moms can organize kids’ toys. books depending on the space of your house.
For fairly small space, you can get ideas on how you can maximize your limited space with multiple kids and their stuff.
If you have too many kids’ toys, the best thing is to declutter and here is how you can do it.
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Easy Organizing hacks for kid(s) stuff
Regardless of how big or small, your space is, having too many things around you may increase your stress level.
The best approach is to stay minimalist with your stuff, too many things mean too much clutter. Although when you have kids, you may need a bigger space or a separate room to accommodate your kid’s stuff, still you need to be decluttering every two to four weeks to avoid the overwhelm and get rid of the stuff that your child has outgrown in a matter of few weeks.
When moms feel overwhelmed due to kids’ toys, clothes everywhere, these simple things will help moms keep motherhood organized and less stressful. However, it is highly advised to keep the configuration of your house in mind.
1. Use Wall basket for Lost socks
Install wall baskets in your laundry room and outside laundry room to track all your household lost socks.
2.Install Hooks on the entryway
Install basket or hooks for gloves and other winter wear on the entryway. This is the tree hall I have and it caters kids’ shoes, jackets, school bags everything. If you have space to optimize your entryway, then this is the hall tree you should get.
3. Wall hooks for hanging baby stuff
Ideally, you should install wall Hooks for hanging baby’s bibs, toys and other things that keep messing up your space.
4. Wall organizers for medicines
Babies are vulnerable to fall sick in the first year of their lives. You need a designated place in the kitchen cabinets for medicines. You have to make sure the medicines are not in your kid(s) reach.
Tip – Always make sure the medicines are best to use and throw away expired ones.
5. Jewelry organizer for girls
For little girls, you have to have jewelry organizers so that it is not getting lost every other day. Also, this will help girls to learn how to keep jewelry organized while they are still young.
Choose a practical and highly functional jewelry organizer that is age-appropriate and easy to use for little girls. Using this one can save you a lot of space on the dresser.
For instance, you can use a wall organizer for baby receiving blankets, baby’s shoes, bibs, onesies, pj’s, bodysuits, baby’s diaper essentials. Small space rooms can save up a lot of space by just using these organizers depending on your room configuration.
Moreover, a wall or hanging door organizer can be used for multiple things like, for little girls who are fond of barbies. You can put Barbie dolls and other toys in there.
Organizer your kids’ small stuff toys in that wall hanging organizers.
As kids grow older, the best practice is to purge what you find unnecessary for your kids. Space-saving bins are your best friend when it comes to organizing kids room especially boys rooms who has the ultimate selection of cars.
8. Storing clothes for next season or for the sibling
9. Need to store clothes for the next season for siblings or expected baby, these bags can be helpful for keeping stuff safe
9. Bedside caddy to organize bed clutter
Do you do late-night feedings or you do not have a nightstand on either side of your bed, use this night caddy for easy access for the stuff you may need at night.
Bedside caddy can be used in kids’ dorm rooms, in their own rooms or even if they are sharing a room with siblings.
You can use bedside caddy to use for kids’ rooms, to put bedtime books, etc.
10. Drawer organizers for small clothing items like onesies
11. This drawer organizer can be used as a onesie organizer. Onesies are the best and the comfiest clothing essential your newborn has. Keeping all sorted in your drawers when you do not have hanging space in your closet.
11. Closet wall foldable drying rack
Are you aware of having multiple throw-ups and poop stains? well, sometimes you cannot just put everything in the washer right away. You gotta have this when it comes to air dry a few items.
Install this foldable drying rack in your laundry wall to keep air dry clothes that you need to.
12. Mesh bags for washing smallest clothing piece
You cannot go wrong by using mess bags for tinniest socks that misplace every wash. Lost socks are a problem of every household from infant to adult. Solve this issue by using these mesh bags.
Fill this mesh bag up for laundry so once your load is done, you have full pairs of socks safe in one place.
13. Storing kids art and crafts
do you seem to do crafts with kids and no place to keep it safe and reminding? These clear bins with lids can help keep everything organized and clutter-free.
14. Wall shelves
The moving wall shelves can be used to organize kids’ books in the reading section. You can also utilize wall shelves to organize kids’ other stuff like small cars that can be stored vertically. This can save up a lot of space and clutter.
This wall shelf you can get from amazon for kids’ room to have their book organizer in a space-saving manner.
15. Use a bench with drawers or bins underneath.
While you are setting up your kid’s room if you want to have a sitting bench or table for a sofa make sure it has storage to put away toys to have a better-organized room.
Instead of shoving your bags or girls’ bags under the bed storage, the best thing is to get these bags hanging storage to keep them safe so they can retain their shape, stay scratch-free for a long time.
17. Bath toys organizers
Do your kids play with toys while they take shower or bathe? You might want to get these bath toys organizer. This will help you avoid any moldy toys by keeping them dry.
18. Organizing Board Games
While kids are growing up, things keep piling up with new stuff. Some kids are fond of board games like monopoly. If you have a relatively small space, the best thing is to get a closet hanging organizer or cubby organizer to safely organize and store board games.
This over the door organizer can be used for anything that needs to be organized in a space-saving manner.
When you are going for an air trip with kids, the biggest issue is what to pack and how to pack. In order to pack in a space-saving manner is extremely important to have a stress-free and enjoyable trip.
You do not want to have a load of clutter here and there, while you are staying in a hotel room. And, then pack everything again for a hotel check-out gets challenging. Obviously, you do not want to waste your vacation in packing and unpacking all the time.
For domestic flights, almost all the airlines charge extra money for check-in luggage. Although you can take a carry-on with you, still you cannot pack EVERYTHING in your carry-on.
The good news is if you know these hacks, you might be able to take everything you need in your carry on bag.
So if you are planning something with kids, the biggest concern is what to pack and how to pack in your suitcase for air travel so you do not end up leaving essential items.
The most important thing is the “Minimalist Approach”.
To be honest, with kids there is absolutely no minimalism unless they are grown-ups and able to manage their stuff by themselves.
Recently, I have traveled to four destinations with two kids 3.5 years old and 2 years old, we were nine in total and, we had to take about 5 flights within 15 days.
It was not easy. Trust me!
Packing for everyone is tough especially when you are planning a vacation for more than a week.
Although we were traveling through southwest airlines and we were allowed to take 2 bags each passenger, still we could not overpack as we were 9 people. Therefore, we could not have 18 bags to stroll around multiple flights. All we needed was a reasonable amount of bags that pack 15 days of clothing and essentials.
In order to travel light, the best hack is, MINIMALISM. You cannot pack everything, but essentials. It is that simple.
During the holidays time, a lot of families seem to be traveling to see their loved ones and they may want to stay for a long time despite having other commitments.
There are a few packing hacks for my readers that can be helpful when you are packing your bags with lots of shopping and gifts.
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Space-saving Packing hacks for moms air-traveling with kids
1.Travel light
This is something really hard to understand. It took me a couple of travels to understand what does it actually means. DO NOT OVERPACK.
Take the essential stuff only you think is necessary. When you are traveling, you hardly get time for unnecessary stuff that you may use once in a while at home.
For instance, no matter how religiously the self-care routine you follow, you may not want to take your pedicure kit with you if you expecting a busy schedule on your trip.
2. Foresee how busy is your travel
If you are traveling for leisure only, you can foresee how busy you would be while you are at the destination.
Do not take your hobby kits, if you are going to have a super tiring day.
3. Throw away boxes
For me traveling is fun if there is a lot of shopping. I love to shop and love to buy gifts for my family.
If you like to shop too, the best hack is to throw away boxes so that it can save you a lot of space in the luggage.
Also, if you are shopping from big stores like Apple or Macy’s, you can fold bags nicely and put it in the outermost luggage compartment to keep it wrinkle-free. You can use it on the destination while giving away gifts for your loved ones.
4. Buy small box gifts
Are you buying gifts for someone? Try to get something smaller where everything can be contained in a small box so it doesn’t take up a lot of space.
If you have gifts for the family choose things which may be smaller in size, not value.
5. Get travel size bottles
If you are going to have a short trip, using travel size bottles is the best thing you can do to save up space, stress, and energy.
Hotel rooms provide shampoo and basic toiletries. If you do not have any special preferences about shampoo, conditioner or other toiletries, you can use the ones your hotel has to offer.
However, do not forget your body spray, and deodorants. Hotels do not really have that.
6. Remove hangers Brand-new clothes
Brand new kids’ clothes come with hangers. If you do not have enough room in your luggage, remove hangers.
However, to be more organized you may want to use hangers to hang clothes in hotel rooms closets if you are staying for two or more days.
7. Brand new undergarments
Well, as a matter of fact, most of the time we tend to buy some new stuff for travel, for kids or for other family members. Whatever is in the boxes, unbox and put it in a ziplock or clear bag.
If it is a pack of clothes, take out unnecessary boards, paper, etc. it will save you tons of weight and space.
For instance, If you have a brand new pack of undergarments – The best advice is to unpack.
8. Packing pairs
Do you know the pain of a missing sock? If you are packing too many pair of socks or have new ones, tape each pair of socks with the help of a scotch tape so it doesn’t get lost in the luggage.
Also, you may want to put socks in your shoes (if any pair is staying in the luggage) to maintain its shape.
9. Saving bags in the luggage
Women bags and shoes get messed up in the luggage due to so much weight and luggage abuse at the airport.
Fill in your purses or shoes with small clothing items thus, they do not get out of shape.
10. Organize and utilize space efficiently
Packing luggage depends on your personality. Some people wants to keep it minimal and they do not know how to efficiently utilize the space. And pack a sufficient amount of stuff.
However, some are rough packers like me, they utilize the space, regardless of how the suitcase looks like from inside. I am still working on to have clean packing that looks pretty from inside too.
For efficient packing, you need to know what item needs space and which requires more weight.
11. Compression bags
Use compression bags if you have stuff with too much volume. You can get compression bags from almost every store like Walmart, target, Tjmax, etc. If you are short of time you can also order from Amazon and get it in two days of you are a prime member.
12. Packing Diapers
Well the money-saving tip, if you have a huge stock for diapers, the best thing is to take them with you whether its a domestic or international travel.
Moms traveling with little kids need diapers for little ones. Open and put in the closing lid.
Or
Layer in the bottom of the suitcase.
Diapers do not have much weight but volume. Adjust diapers according to your bag and luggage requirements.
13. Packing Clothes for Multiple kids
Packing clothes for multiple kids – use ziplock bags for planning outfits for each day. When you are traveling with kids
Pin or tape your rolled clothes so you do not have to deal with luggage clutter or automatic unfolding
For makeup lovers – if you have a million palettes and you love all of them, you still gotta choose one or two that is sufficient and do justice to your makeover.
14. Use a pills organizer for jewelry.
If you are packing jewelry for your daughter(s) and yourself, there are chances you need to take a few pieces with you. In order to be precise about what to pack, take a pill organizer for tiny jewelry pieces. Also, you can organize according to days.
15. Hanging bag for toiletries if packing for the whole family
Although you can use ziplock bags for packing toileteris as well and if you are packing for two and more people, this is the travel hanging bag that can cater almost everything. The best part is it is available in two sizes, large and extra-large to pack for the whole family.
Bags are good to keep everything contained in one place. For toiletries or makeup bags, use the most lightweight bags you have in your closet.
16. Choosing travel-efficient Bags
It is not recommended to travel with a bag that weighs 10lbs already without luggage.
Get a lightweight, hard-side, four-wheeler spinner luggage that you can stroll with one hand. It is super essential for your travel with a kid.
There are chances when you have to pack a lot of stuff you have to organize it and balance the weight between items that have volume and small items having more weight.
As a rule of thumb, for instance, if you are packing things with super volume like diapers and pillow, I highly recommend you to choose duffle bags. They are light-weight yet have tons of space to accommodate pretty much everything.
17. Choose Digital scale
You need to have a scale to make sure it is 50 lbs and under. I highly recommend you to use the digital scale as the non-digital scales are not going to be accurate.
18. Kids carry on backpacks
When you are on the plane you must have these essential items for kids if anyone wears diapers. You need to know what to put in clear bags for TSA security screening to save time and delays. Also, you can take milk in a baby bottle but do not forget to put it in the tray while screening.
Motherhood is a challenging phase of life. before giving birth women are all excited about holding a baby in their arms, looking at the joyful side of a journey. The journey from labor pains to childbirth is a life-changing event.
Counting babies kicks and most of all watching your baby moving in your third-trimester belly is one of the fondest memories of being pregnant.
Rest assured the joys of holding a baby are beautiful and you are going to have the most cherishable memories of all times.
Now you are ready to give birth and excited too, I highly recommend you should visit your hospital pre-birth and get yourself registered. This will save you a lot of time when you will be actually in labor and need immediate assistance.
Visit your hospital labor and delivery department to be well aware of the rooms and other formalities, you might have to take care of.
This is a very common question for first-time moms when you know it’s time to bring baby home.
Having all those excitement and butterflies in your belly; one fine day your time would come with real pains and probably with a gush of water.
When you know these are not Braxton hicks (false contractions) and you could actually time your pains at equal intervals. If your contractions are exactly at 20 minutes interval, maybe less or more, you need to pack up your hospital bag.
Well, as a matter of fact, these contractions interval may take days to shrink down to maybe 5 minutes or 3 minutes. Whenever you are able to time them for like 2 to 3 hours at the same interval, you need to call your doctor, nurse or a midwife at your hospital you are planning on to deliver.
If your water breaks, you need to call right away, even you do not feel any sort of contraction or pains.
Once you are at the hospital, you need to check in with all those bands with barcodes. These bands are going to stay on your wrist until you are staying at the hospital.
What happens in the labor room?
Nurses would take care of everything when you get there. If you have more frequent contractions, they would find out and provide immediate assistance. Your doctor or midwife is going to find out how much dilated you are by that time.
If your labor pains are not very frequent and you don’t seem to be dilated more than 2 cm, you might be sent back home.
If your baby is full-term at 39 weeks, you might want to discuss the option of Pitocin, a medicine to speed up the labor pains.
You can opt for epidural. Before that, you need to eat or drink whatever you want because once you get epidural you won’t be able to drink water even.
What happens in the surgery room in case you have scheduled a cesarean or emergency C-section?
If you have a scheduled C-section due to many reasons like baby’s position, multiple fetuses, health concerns, etc., chances are you have to get it in the morning. Thus, you have to make sure you should not have eaten at least 12 hours on the day of C-section. You have to be an empty stomach.
Eat well the night before and sleep better as you are already signing up for sleep deprivation motherhood brings. 🙂
Epidural or General Anesthesia
By any chance you end up having C-section, you most likely be given epidural (spinal) If not general anesthesia.
Nurses would make sure your area for the incision is shaved.
After that, they are going to apply medicine and all the surgical procedure you can expect.
Although doctors, surgeons, anesthesia staff, nurses, every concerned person would be in the surgery room. However, if you want your partner or husband to be in the surgery room, you can surely ask nurses.
They are going to provide the medicated clothes for him so that he can be with you inside the surgery room and you both could enjoy the birth of your baby.
What to expect right after Childbirth
You might be an expert by now for what happens in pregnancy and how to deal with those nauseous mornings, but getting to know what happens in the hospital right after birth is not too far now.
Curious to know or not – here the things you must need to know what happens after birth.
1. Apgar Evaluation
This is a necessary evaluation procedure done after birth. The purpose is to see if there are any medical concerns or not. Doctors measure five signs of the baby’s condition
Heart rate
Breathing
Reflexes
Activity and muscles tone
Skin color
Apgar evaluation score varies from 0 to 10. Babies who score 7 or more are considered healthy. Low Apgar score does not mean any necessary medical concerns.
Researchers say that in more than 98% of babies, quite often the Apgar score reaches 7 within 5 minutes of baby’s life as it is checked twice in the first 5 minutes of baby’s life after birth.
2. Vitamin K injection
Babies are born with vitamin K deficiency as it does not reach the placenta during pregnancy. Thus, doctors make sure that babies get vitamin K injection right after birth to make sure no bleeding in the brain or intestines could occur. Right after the birth baby is given vitamin K injection to help with blood to clot.
3. Antibiotic eye ointment
Your baby will be applied Erythromycin an eye antibiotic ointment to her eyes so that it does not cause an infection that could occur during delivery. Infections could occur due to sexually transmitted diseases, gonorrhea, and chlamydia.
If you are concerned, babies can see through the ointment and it is not irritating for babies.
4. Oxygen saturation testing
This procedure is done to check for lower levels of oxygen in the baby’s bloodstream that might identify any significant yet rare heart defects. This is a needleless procedure involves placing a band-aid-like sensor on the baby’s right hand and right foot.
4. Baby Foot is printed
Your baby’s foot will be printed.
5. Identification Bands on wrists and legs
Your baby will also be wearing an identification band on with your name as a mother.
6. Skin to skin
Research has shown that an hour after birth is when your baby is very awake and alert and during that time and it is highly recommended when mother and baby has to be more on skin to skin.
7. Regulating the baby’s body temperature
Baby’s lose body heat fairly quickly, thus it is highly advisable to practice more and more skin to skin to regulate baby’s body temperature after birth.
8. Latching or Breastfeeding right after birth
As soon as your baby is done with all those requirements after birth, mothers are advised to start breastfeeding their babies right away, as this will help with the flow of milk supply for moms.
Breastfeeding has numerous benefits along with it helps the uterus to come back to its original size within 6 weeks.
9. Bonding with your baby
Right after birth, It is very normal to feel overjoyed to see your little bundle of happiness. Some mothers cannot feel that way which is normal too. Do not stress about bonding if you are not in that state of mind, because most of the time it is the effect of medicines as well.
However, dads would be happy to perform skin to skin if mom is having a surgical delivery.
In my both C section deliveries, at the time my first one was born I was in labor pains for three days, tired and exhausted, yet I just was super excited about bonding with my little guy. On the other hand, while with my second delivery, which was within 19 months, it took a while for me to feel normal again I was having extreme shoulder pain and my blood pressure dropped significantly. I just could not talk. And I could not hold her for a long time.
It is not advisable to hold your baby when you are not feeling normal about yourself. Bonding can weight but you as a healthy mother is more important.
Start skin to skin the moment you start feeling better and want to connect.
Nursing, latching, and feeding after childbirth
If you are a first-time mom, and you THINK that you KNOW how to breastfeed, do not stay in this misconception.
There is a big difference between knowing something and actually doing it.
Some babies do not know how to latch. They will learn slowly and gradually.
However, some babies are great at latching. They know suckle very well.
I would highly recommend first-time moms to consult a lactation specialist. Many hospitals in the US offer lactation classes which are super helpful.
Doctors would not allow you to go home if your baby is not having enough wet and dirty diapers. This means your baby is not having enough to eat.
The lactation consultants will visit you every day during your hospital stay and are there to help. Seek help, consult if you are struggling with breastfeeding.
Some facts about breastfeeding after childbirth
Moms expect delayed milk supply as it takes time to settle in. However, babies are not going to eat too much in the beginning.
Colostrum is the thick form of milk that comes in before the milk supply. Colostrum is the most beneficial first baby food and sufficient for the early days of a baby’s life.
If you are not mentally or physically ready to take care of your baby, talk to your nurse about it. They are there to help. You can ask them to take your baby for the night and have her in the nursery room so you can sleep or rest for that night.
You can also tell them to bring the baby in for her feed or they could give formula if you have talked to your doctor about it.
Whatever you decide to feed your baby, remember FED IS THE BEST.
While you stay a the hospital nurses give you a chart to record about your baby eats, wee and poo schedule.
You have to feed every 2 hours or as per demand. The more you nurse the earlier and quick would be the milk supply.
Care providers want you to time baby’s eating, pee, and poo schedule to ensure baby is performing great after birth.
Baby’s First Poop
Baby’s first poo is called Meconium which is made of mucus, amniotic fluid and everything which baby has ingested while in the womb. Meconium is a black almost tar-like consistency.
Rarely, during normal delivery, babies tend to poo during the delivery process (while passing through the birth canal) which has to be monitored closely. It should not be swallowed as it could pose high risks.
Some babies poo within the first couple of days after birth. This first poo meconium is a good sign that means your baby’s digestive system is working just fine.
Colostrum, your first milk, will help meconium to excrete out of the baby’s body. It protects against infections and also acts as a laxative.
Well during your hospital stay doctors and nurses are going to closely monitor your baby’s health after birth.
Vital Signs test
Vital signs test is a baby’s hearing screening test.
This test is done before you leave the hospital. During this hearing screening, babies are monitored to respond to any sounds by using tiny earphones.
Some babies do not pass their test on their first attempt due to fluids in ears. There are very likely to pass the next day or so. In order to keep baby calm, the examiner might have to give sweet water (don’t worry, it’s just a drop) to have baby calm during the test.
Hearing problems are not very uncommon. If newborns by any chance do not pass the test, it would be helpful to treat any hearing defects earlier.
Physical weight check
Baby’s weight is monitored right at birth and then within the first few days after birth. It is very normal for babies to reduce weight during the first few days of their life.
It is normal for a baby to lose 7 to 10 percent of birth weight in the first couple of days after birth. If your baby keeps losing weight more than 10% of birth weight then you might want to consider supplementing.
Waiting for breastmilk supply is a great way to ensure healthy nutrition for your baby, BUT, if your baby is losing weight and you are struggling with milk supply, you should discuss your concerns about it with your doctor.
They measure the baby’s weight, height, and head circumference.
They are going to check how is your baby breathing.
Number of wet and dirty
To ensure how well your baby is eating, the number of wet diapers could depict. If your baby does not wee or have a wet diaper within 24 hours then your baby needs more nutrition.
Despite, your baby is losing weight after birth within limits even then the number of wet diapers confirms your baby is eating just fine.
If there are no wet diapers for more than 24 hours then you should be concerned.
Shots / vaccinations
If your baby has got a shot/vaccination, the hospital will provide you with a card and name of the vaccination with dates and everything that you need to know for a record.
Hep B vaccination
All Babies get the hepatitis B vaccine before leaving the hospital. HBV is a series of three different shots. All three of them will be received over the course of two years i.e. three times in 24 months.
Newborn Metabolic screening
This test is done by pricking your baby’s heel to take blood samples to rule out any signs of illness or diseases. This is done to make sure the baby does not have any disabilities, organ damage, etc.
First bath
The nurse is going to give the baby a bath. Wash baby’s hair and rest she sponge bath baby without having umbilical cord wet.
Additional tests for baby
Measuring bilirubin levels
Some, but not all, newborns require a bilirubin level check – a substance in the bloodstream responsible for causing jaundice.
Baby’s blood type test
Those babies who are born to women having Rh negative or O blood type must be tested. Other babies may get tested depending on the requirements and circumstances.
Other blood tests
Other tests are done to check blood sugar, blood counts, and blood cultures as per the circumstances.
Circumcision
Circumcision is the surgical procedure of removing foreskin on a baby boy’s penis.
Most but not all, boys get their penis circumcised before hospital discharge. Choosing this procedure could be personal or religious preference and could be scheduled even after discharge from the hospital.
In case you want to get it done for your baby boy, circumcision is widely practiced all over the world with many health benefits.
Always discuss its pros and cons with your doctor before you even decide to get it done for your baby boy.
Given the risks and concerns, this needs a lot of aftercare. Watch any signs of an infection. Keep the area dry and keep it covered with cotton gauze and a substantial amount of petroleum jelly on the wee-wee area.
This does not mean to get the process done right away. If you want your boy to get this done, you may want to do it in a couple of days after birth. The earlier the better as it heals pretty quickly within just a few days.
Nurses are going to guide you with care instructions.
We all know what
breastfeeding is, but knowing and practically doing are two different things.
Breastfeeding experience varies from one mom to the other.
You have to know what breastfeeding may seem like in the first couple of weeks, it won’t stay like that. Those who are worrying about the flow should know that there have been millions of moms who were able to breastfeed successfully.
That being said, every mom has struggled with breastfeeding one way or the other.
You must have heard the slogan, “breast is best”, indeed it is due to its natural benefits and nutritional value. Breastfeeding is getting popular as compared to a few decades ago when fewer moms chose to breastfeed.
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Tips for breastfeeding moms
Although it takes several weeks for breastfeeding moms to have everything go smooth and you may have to give your baby some time to establish a good latch that will eventually lead to a picture-perfect breastfeeding experience. Remember every mom’s experience is different and so as their body.
For exclusively breastfeeding, new moms have to stay put and see how well you experience yourself as a nursing mom.
For moms who choose a combination feed for their babies does not make them bad in any way. in addition to that, there are a few moms who may not have enough supply even after several weeks of trying. No matter what way you choose to feed your baby, remember, “fed is best”. You should not starve your child just for the sake of giving breast only.
1. Milk Supply takes a couple of days
Before you jump on to supplementing, remember breastmilk and the right flow takes about a couple of weeks. It is a matter of supply on demand. Your baby’s latch is essential to have the flow ready.
Babies take time to latch. Some are quick learners. They have good suckle naturally, while some have to learn and they take their sweet time.
2. Take the right advice
You may have tons and tons of advice or pressure from other moms in the family, friends, nurses, doctors, lactation consultants, listen to what they say. Some of the advice may prove to be helpful. Also, be aware you may end up having unsolicited suggestions, contradictory, confusing or just plain wrong advice.
If you want to breastfeed, someone’s advice may prove to be helpful and make things better for you. But if it is not helpful in any way, follow what you think best for your child.
Caution: this is not a
doctor’s advice but a mom’s
During this struggling period, if you think your newborn is losing weight and dehydrated due to no milk supply or less milk supply, you have to discuss it with your doctor. DO NOT STARVE YOUR BABY just out of sheer pressure of breastfeeding.
It is okay to wait for milk supply if you wish but for that, you have to remember, neither every baby is the same nor every mom, choose what is best at the right time for your baby.
3. Search for support groups
Breastfeeding could be
daunting and painful in the beginning but it is not going to be the same in the
coming week or months. It is going to be a beautiful motherhood experience.
However, if you still feel
overwhelmed search up for support.
i). IBCLC
Find an international board-certified lactation consultant IBCLC. These consultants are professionals with knowledge and training in breastfeeding support. Ask your hospital or your baby’s doctor for the name of a local lactation consultant.
Call the national
breastfeeding helpline call la leche league or visit their website www.lalecheleague.org
iii). Get help from the hospital
Hospitals offer breastfeeding classes with lactation specialists. For the first time moms, they may want you to have a lactation class at the hospital if you are struggling with breastfeeding experience. Always ask your hospital or nurses if there is something like that.
I highly recommend first-time moms to take breastfeeding class at the hospital or take advantage of lactation expert visits while you stay at the hospital.
They are really helpful if you want to
LEARN how to breastfeed.
Turn to your pediatrician for further advice or assistance.
Always talk to your baby’s pediatricians about your problems and struggles with breastfeeding and they will help you.
iv). Help from friends and family
Don’t be hesitant to enlist your spouse, partner, or friends.
Join a support group or don’t be afraid to talk to your friends and family about it. Someone’s advice or support may prove to be helpful.
4. Breastfeeding is healthiest of all feeding options
Breastfeeding is healthiest in all aspects. Not only it is nutritionally healthy food for babies, but it also reduces the risk of SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome), reduces the infections, allergens or concerning health conditions.
Breastfeeding gives moms an altogether different perspective. Your breasts are nurturing a child is an incredibly beautiful experience for moms.
Although mother feed is the healthiest food for baby, however, it should not take a toll on your mental and physical health.
There is always room for formula feeding if you ever want to think about it. Even though a few moms get overwhelmed with the idea of breastfeeding but still most of them choose to breastfeed.
Once you deliver, the first thing you are asked to do at the hospital is to latch your baby to the breast. Some babies learn it fast while some may take time. This totally depends on the hospital staff attitude towards breastfeeding.
It is very obvious for moms to feel emotionally and physically exhausted, which may hinder breastfeeding experience. It does not hurt to take some time in order to feel physically or emotionally ready to breastfeed.
However, the ideal situation would be to start latching or breastfeeding, right after delivery (even in the delivery room or recovery room). The sooner the better.
6. Breastfeed every 2 hours or more frequent
Sometimes nurses may take babies to the nursery room and feed a ready-made bottle so that moms can rest. If you want to breastfeed the right way, you should start while you are in the hospital at least every 2 hours to establish a good milk supply immediately after delivery.
7. Getting Comfortable While Breastfeeding
When you are breastfeeding, you have to make sure you are comfortable. Either you had a vaginal delivery or a C-section delivery, you have to make sure the way you are holding a baby is not putting stress on your shoulders, belly, back, etc. Your posture should be straight and comfortable.
Have a couple of pillows for support. Keeping your essentials in an arm’s reach is helpful, a book, a phone, some snacks to munch on, a water bottle, TV remote control, etc.
While you are nursing, you have to make sure, you are not leaning on the baby rather bring your baby to the level of breasts by using support pillows or nursing pillows.
However, there are different ways you can choose to breastfeed.
i) Cradle hold
This is the most common way to breastfeed. If you had a C-section delivery you need a lot of belly support. Wearing a postpartum belly belt would give you good support. However, it may get a little uncomfortable for too many layers but it is helpful for breastfeeding as well as shrinking your body faster.
Putting pillows in the back
would give your back good support to avoid any aches and pains while
breastfeeding. Have a specially designed nursing pillow that would help in
positioning your baby sideways.
Remember you bring baby closer to you, not lean on to get closer to the baby. Adjust baby’s height with pillows and support the baby’s head with your arm on each side while breastfeeding.
Before you try other breastfeeding positions, you should be aware of your baby has started latching.
ii) Football or clutch hold
You position your baby on one side of your arm just like a football player holding a football under his arm and runs the downfield. Position baby’s head closer to your breasts so you can nurse with convenience.
iii) Side by side are lying down position
Once you get comfortable breastfeeding and get your flow just in time, you can breastfeed in laying down position. You can do this if you feel exhausted or just due to c-section delivery.
8. Make sure there is enough Breathing room for baby
Regardless of what breastfeeding position you choose, you have to make sure you and your baby are comfortable. Your baby needs support under her head. But you still need to make sure there is plenty of room for her to adjust while she is close to your breast.
There should be enough room to breathe at all times. As a general rule, at least one nostril is visible at all times and not completely covered by your breast.
9. Make the best use of Colostrum
It is the first natural food for your baby, thick and yellowish milk your breast starts producing earlier in the second trimester. Colostrum provides them everything they need for the first several days of life including nutrition and infection-fighting antibodies.
By the end of the first week, if not sooner, you most likely be able to produce runny flow milk called transitional milk.
However, if you are already producing colostrum, you are almost halfway there.
10. Ensure a Proper Latch
When your baby latches, you have to make sure, it has the whole areola in her mouth (the darker part) as she sucks.
To nurse effectively, babies
tend to use their tongues to essentially lap or massage milk out of the
breasts.
However, sucking with no outcome is going to be painful for a while and after that, it is smooth sailing.
You have to develop your baby’s interest in breastmilk by gently expressing a few drops to have her coming for the target.
Rooting reflex is a reflex that should have a baby open her mouth in search of mom’s nipple.
Try to lightly stroke her cheeks just to the sides on her mouth to stimulate rooting reflex. You should help her open her mouth wide.
If baby’s suckle is bothering you because of the wrong latch, gently insert your finger in baby mouth and pull a breast out with the help of your finger. Do not just pull off as it is going to hurt more.
Do not hesitate to try again if the baby refused to nurse for the first time.
12. Dealing with tongue-tie
You have to make sure if your breastfeeding experience is not working with all the struggle, there are chances your baby is tongue-tied.
Tongue-tie is caused when a piece of tissue under the tongue limits the ability of the tongue to extend known as ankyloglossia. The vast majority of babies have been able to successfully breastfeed with no issues. However, for some in order for them to breastfeed, they need a minor procedure to help them latching.
Not every breast or nipple is created equal. There are different sizes and shapes. Sometimes nipple size may become a problem for breastfeeding. In order to solve that, moms may use a nipple shield for a better breastfeeding experience.
Breastfeeding becomes painful with sore nipples, cracked and dry nipples that hurt. Once you have the flow and your baby gets a proper latch then the pain surely fades away.
Mild irritation or discomfort that occurs only at the start of each feeding is generally associated with newness of breastfeeding. Use alternate breasts to get used to the new journey of nursing.
Once mother feed starts coming in, you have to make sure the baby is latching properly and the pain will go away. Using nipple cream after every feed is highly recommended.
14. Timeline for milk supply you should keep in mind
It takes about 2 to 5 days for milk to settle in from colostrum to transitional milk, and then mature milk.
Although for some moms it is a few hours of colostrum and then good enough milk to have a sufficient flow of transitional milk. Mom and baby both get hang of breastfeeding smoothly.
There could be a number of
factors in delayed milk production, most common in C-section moms.
The effect of IVs for
C-sections mom.
The effect of a medicine.
15. How much milk supply is enough in the beginning
However, for a few new moms, it is not as easy as it may sound. The noticeable change in milk takes place over the course of a few days. If you are concerned about your milk flow, or if your newborn baby is getting enough, or there are signs when you are not sure what is going on.
For instance, you may notice a perfect latch but no supply or your baby is crying unusually too much possible due to hunger or, not having enough wet diapers, then you should never delay a visit to a pediatrician.
Not every case is the same. You should never delay if you feel your baby is not getting enough.
When milk production
progress, you would know when yellowish milk becomes white, appears thinner and
clearer.
The baby would be making more obvious and gulping noises, and they may seem more calm and busy
Every mom would have that tingling sensation, although not the same for everyone when milk production increases and breasts become more fuller.
16. Ways you can deal with breast engorgement
When milk production starts, fullness from breastmilk often called engorgement. It means full to the capacity of being painful.
Frequently nursing your baby can help with breast engorgement as fuller breasts can be painful and the letdown tingle can be seriously uncomfortable for new moms.
Using a Breast pump can be helpful if the let-down is pretty quick.
Express some of the milk to
relieve the pain. And expression to the extent that your body gets the message
of producing more.
Taking a warm shower and using a warm compress on your breast can be a source of relief.
17. Dealing with Mastitis
Mastitis is the breast infection when one of the milk ducts gets infected that stores milk. This will cause swollen, red, painful breasts. In a couple of days, you start feeling sick, feverish, very achy in your breast.
You need to start antibiotics
once it is evaluated by the professional health provider.
In the meantime, you can
still breastfeed as frequent as every two hours to keep the breasts becoming
overly sore
Make sure your baby is latched on well every time you breastfeed and try to change the positions.
Apply a warm compress
Wear a supportive bra and try to massage breast may speed up the healing process.
18. Dealing with Leaking breasts
Not every mom has the same amount of leaking breast issues.
Leakage will subside with time. You may experience more leakage with your first child doesn’t mean it is going to be the same as the second one too. This process will take its own time of recovery. Do not stress over it.
Another way you can stop leaking is by putting inward pressure on your breasts. Pushing back your breasts with closed arms if you are in public, may work most of the time.
Using breast pads and keep a few in your baby bag if you have leaky breasts most of the time, would help with public exposure of wet shirts.
19. Use nursing bra for the better breastfeeding experience
A good nursing bra, a sports bra is going to be super helpful for your whole breastfeeding experience. It is not only going to protect your breast from sagging but also keep them in a good shape.
You need a good fitting bra, not too tight and try to wear it 24/7.
Prefer a comfort and convenience when choosing a bra that you are going to wear 24 hours a day.
It should be easy to use and has flaps to fasten and unfasten.
There is a room of expansion as when the breasts are fuller, it should not be bulging out.
20. Feeding frequency
The aim is to give 8 to 12
feedings to your newborn baby during 24 hours.
For newborns, you need to feed more frequently every 2 to 3 hours once your milk supply settles in.
During the day, keep it more
frequent feedings for a better and faster flow. However, for the night, if your
newborn sleeps for at the most 4 hours and eats well during the day then you
can stretch your night feedings for upto 4 hours. Set your alarm to feed your
baby.
Most likely babies wake up within 3 to 4 hours at night to breastfeed.
If you are struggling with your milk flow and your baby is not eating well during the day or does not have enough wet diapers, then you should wake up every two hours to establish a good flow to breastfeed.
When you are trying to
establish a breastfeeding routine for your newborn, you should breast every 2
to 3 hours, keeping one stretch for 4 hours or more preferably at night for a
better routine.
21. Breastfeeding on the go
One of the advantages of breastfeeding is you can nurse whenever your baby needs to eat. Either you are traveling by car or in an airplane, visiting a friend or going to the mall, you have all the ease and convenience of feeding your baby without having to worry about bottles.
22. Breastfeeding in public
Many moms, if not all, are comfortable breastfeeding in public and there is nothing wrong about it. It is all about when and what your baby needs and how comfortable you are to breastfeed in public.
Using a nursing cover while in public is the best you can do for having some privacy.
23. Breastfeeding by number
Breastfeeding every 2 to 3 hours means, if you are feeding at 8 AM in the morning, that may last till 8:30 with a consequent diaper change, then the next feed is going to be at 10:30.
If the nursing session lasts from 8 AM till 9 am on each breast, then the next feeding will be at 11 am.
24. How frequent mom should nurse
Moms need to feed 8 to 12 feedings in 24 hours a day to make sure your newborn is not dehydrated and gaining weight.
25. Consider Signs of inadequate Milk supply
Newborns who are still waiting for mother’s milk to come in or those who are slow to latch on, or nurse even when there is abundant milk supply would end up having less energy and tend to sleep more.
When newborns seem less interested in feeding become lethargic, sleepy, dehydrated and more fatigued.
In the beginning, new moms have to work hard to have them eat every 2 to 3 hours during the day to establish routine and healthy weight gain.
This is a really important
measure after birth. Although all newborns are expected to lose weight after
birth but not more than 7 to 10% of their birth weight. Your pediatrician in 3
to 5 days appointment can tell you if your baby is losing more weight. On your
baby’s 2 weeks checkup, if she is gaining back her birth weight then it is a
sign the breastfeeding experience is going great.
However, if your baby is
losing weight then it is a matter of concern and you should not delay a visit
or call doctor’s office without waiting for a 2-week checkup.
28. Alternate breasts to nurse
Nursing on both sides every
time is going to be helpful for good flow on both sides as well as avoid
engorgement on one breast.
Ideally, 15-minutes of breastfeeding on each side is going to prevent any lopsidedness in your breasts.
29. Hindmilk – benefit of emptying breasts
Some experts believed that fully nursing on one side would give babies a dessert equivalent of hindmilk that is richer in fats and more creamy than foremilk that babies need to grow and develop.
If you notice, your baby has green frothy poops, this could be a sign your baby is not getting enough hindmilk.
Emptying one breast in each feeding would help your baby benefit from hindmilk.
Keep track of what side you have nursed previously and then start off with the other side if you are choosing one side for each feeding.
There is no such thing as spoiling your newborn babies for the first several weeks. If your baby demands feed or seem hungry, nurse if needed. You should always be available to your newborn needs in order to make sure they are well fed.
31. Avoid Using Pacifier for the first few weeks
Newborns tend to suck on as their natural instinct. For some babies, sucking is not just about getting fed. This interest is known as non-nutritive sucking and this is the reason why pacifiers come in handy to console the fussy baby.
Using a pacifier may calm babies when they just want to suck on fingers or breasts with no urge to eat.
You can use a pacifier to help baby sleep at night.
32. When you should start using a bottle to feed
If you want to introduce a bottle whether formula or breastmilk in a bottle you should wait at least 4 to 6 weeks until you have a good milk supply to pump. Babies find artificial nipples more convenient and effortless than to lap out milk out of breasts.
So if you want to introduce a bottle, wait for a few weeks. Let your baby get regular on latching, nursing, peeing, pooping and gaining weight then you can start on pacifier or bottle feeding.
For irregular pumping, you can use a manual pump. Whereas for a routine and scheduled pumping, using an electric pump is a great option.
Besides, what type of pump you end up getting, Haakaa manual pump is something you need anyway. This will help moms save gold milk during sudden leaks and preserve it with a lid. Also, it can significantly help with breast engorgement which is painful.
Most likely if you have insurance, you may get on free from your insurance depending on the perks you have.
If you are pumping then there are chances your body is producing more milk. You can pump and store in the freezer in milk storing bags.
34. Keeping milk outside or frozen
Breastmilk is good for 6 to 8 hours at room temperature if it is very clean but no more than 3 to 4 hours is the best.
Refrigerated breastmilk is good if used within 3 days. It is still okay if used within 3 to 5 days.
Breastmilk can be frozen and used for up to 12 months on 0-degree Fahrenheit or colder. Otherwise 6 months on 24 degrees Fahrenheit or less.
Once you thaw frozen breastmilk you should never freeze again.
Writing dates on the milk storing bags is a great way to avoid any expired milk consumption. However, as a general rule of thumb if breastmilk smells bad it is better to dispose of.
35. Breastfeeding moms eating habits
Breastfeeding doesn’t take
more than 500 calories a day. Moms do not have to go wild over their cravings.
However, you still have the right to eat for two. Drink plenty of water and
avoid extra sugars to stay in shape and lose weight while you are
breastfeeding.
Babies can handle pretty much everything you eat, however, you still want to avoid some gassy foods for several weeks when your baby’s digestive system is developing. Although this is not supported by research, yet a lot of moms swear by some foods that they ate made their babies gassy.
Whenever you breastfeed keep a water bottle with you to stay hydrated. You can have flavored water or just plain water as per your taste. Staying hydrated can definitely help things get flowing.
Whether you are taking
supplements, herbal medication, prescription or pain medication, you should
always talk to your doctor about it, regardless. Medications may have a
negative effect on the milk supply.
Some medication is safe to use in breastfeeding as it does not have any effect on breastfeeding babies.
Studies reveal that intake of Caffeine – i.e. 2 to 3 cups of coffee (200 to 300 mg of caffeine) per day poses no inherent harm to nursing mothers and babies.
That being said, if you still notice your baby is irritable or fussy, you might want to try decreasing or gradually eliminating your caffeine intake.
37. Impact of Smoking and alcohol on breastmilk
Smoking cigarettes pose some health issues for your newborn. It may increase the risk of asthma, and SIDS.
Those moms, who still smoke, the AAP recommends only doing so right after nursing, smoking no more than a few cigarettes, and never smoking around your baby in your house or car.
Consumption of alcohol may significantly impair mothers’ ability to care for their newborns. However, knowing all those side effects of alcohol, AAP recommends having an occasional drink of alcohol right after nursing. Wait for 2 hours for the alcohol content to drop in breastmilk before starting the next feed.
Marijuana has the ability to reach fetuses during pregnancy and as well as potentially affect breastfed infants.
38. Bottles and nipples care for pumping
For newborns, the 4-ounce bottle is a perfect choice. When baby gets bigger you can start using 6 to 8 ounces bottles.
When you choose a bigger
bottle make sure you also buy nipples for 3 months and 6 months as required to
have better flow and better feeding experience.
Angled bottles and those with disposable bags, built-in vents or flow, may help in swallowing less air while feeding. An added benefit of milk storing bags is, you need to wash only nipples in the end.
39. Safety measure on Heating Breastmilk
Do not use the microwave for heating breastmilk, However, bottle warmers are the best option to warm breastmilk.
40. How to clean up bottles
Although all ready to feed
bottles come with packages nipples that are safe to use, however it is still
recommended to sterilize all feeding supplies and pacifiers before using.
You can buy a sterilizer available in the market or else you can sterilize your supplies by putting them in boiling water for about 5 minutes.
Washing bottles after every
feeding is also practiced by many parents and that also kills most of the
germs.
Invest in bottle and nipple brushes that are inexpensive and invaluable for cleaning hard to reach places.
You can buy a dishwasher safe basket to hold all your small feeding supplies to wash in a dishwasher.
41. Take Growth spurts into consideration
When babies grow their needs, and eating requirements grow too. That means increased hunger as your baby keeps growing. So moms need to incorporate variability in baby’s everyday routine.
42. Feed on demand or Cluster feeding
When you choose to feed on demand is called cluster feeding. If a baby decided to eat several times of the day when you are not following a 2 to 3 hours timeline.
Remember, babies who eat well during the day may end up sleeping at stretch at night.
Vitamin D is an important nutrient that helps prevent rickets and strengthens the immune system and reduce the risk of diabetes and other chronic diseases.
Chances are your pediatrician is going to provide you with vitamin D drops on your baby’s first checkup. You may have to apply a few drops on your nipple so the baby can easily suck on while feeding.
Breastfed babies need vitamin D drops whereas among formula-fed babies require only those who do not drink at least 32 ounces of formula every day.
44. Choosing pacifier
You can choose to use a pacifier for your baby if she is super fussy and sucking on fingers even after getting a good number of feedings.
Be sure not to offer pacifier
when your baby needs to be fed and hungry.
Babies seem disinterested in pacifiers when they do not see anything coming out of it. Keep trying if you feel your baby is still in search of breast just for comforts not because of hunger.
45. when babies get gas due to mother feed
Breastfed babies tend to get gassy due to specific types of food moms eat. Although this argument is not supported by science still many moms notice babies being fussier when they eat certain types of food. Not every mom face this, like I said, every mom and baby is different.
This does not mean you should avoid eating gassy foods altogether, however, the best approach is to avoid gassy foods for about 4 to 6 weeks after delivery until the baby’s digestive system gets mature enough to handle gas.
Hi -I am Madiha, mom to two beautiful kids. Here you can find helpful tips about pregnancy, postpartum, newborn care, toddlers and product reviews. Join the tribe and let’s grow together as moms. Enjoy having kids while they are still little and more fun.
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Hi -I am Madiha, mom to two beautiful kids. Here you can find helpful tips about pregnancy, postpartum, newborn care, toddlers and product reviews. Join the tribe and let’s grow together as moms. Enjoy having kids while they are still little and more fun.