When you’re calm and your baby cries, what do you do? If you’re like most parents, you’ll pick up your baby, cradle it in your arms, and begin to rock. It might be a slow, swaying rock. It can be a bit of a bouncy rock. Maybe you pace the floor. No matter how you define the motions of your rocking, it’s still rocking. And, if you’re like most parents, you don’t even think about it; you just do it.
Breastfeeding is best for both mother and baby, but it’s not always easy. Countless issues can arise, especially in the early stages – sore nipples, latching problems, engorgement, concerns over milk production and more. How do you resolve these issues? Well, that all depends on who you ask.
Current research supports the idea that infants learn language after they are born. However, a recent study form the University of Washington, as well as a couple of other studies, has recently led scientists to believe that language development actually starts while still in the womb.
For new parents (or even parents who have a few children under their belts), the awareness of certain conditions like SIDS can lead to worry and sleepless nights. You check on the baby frequently, you watch for breath sounds, and when you finally try to fall asleep, you may even have a heavy feeling of anxiety in your chest.
Swaddling isn’t a new trend. In fact, it is one of the longest-standing methods for making a baby feel safe, comfortable and warm. But over the years, doctors have learned something very important about swaddling, and it’s something that every new parent should know.
Back in June 2011, the CDC recommended that all pregnant women receive a one-time Tdap vaccine if they had not previously received it. That recommendation has now been replaced in an effort to contain the widespread pertussis (whooping cough) outbreak; health officials now say women should receive the vaccine during each and every pregnancy, regardless of whether or not she’s received the vaccine before.
When to cut a baby’s umbilical cord has long been a topic of debate; while most doctors and midwives still follow the recommended protocol of 30 seconds after birth, there are others that have claimed for years that there are benefits to waiting.
Sleep is a rather valuable commodity for new parents and it seems that you can never quite get enough. But oddly enough, it seems that mothers who suffer from anxiety, the lack of sleep may be partially the result of their own doing.
Every new parent will tell you that the first few weeks are full of crying, on both the part of parent and baby. Lack of sleep, colic, adjustment to a new world, stress, breastfeeding troubles and so much more can push parents to the brink of insanity. Sadly, this can sometimes result in a myriad of stress-related situations: marital troubles, shaken babies and breastfeeding failure.
