Keep it Pure and Simple by Breastfeeding Your Baby.

Most mothers bottle feed their baby and there is no doubt that breastfeeding can sometimes be difficult to get started, but if a mother persists, she finds that it is a lot less bother than bottle feeding. Breastfeeding is actually less stressful and less work than bottle-feeding.

Mothers who give up breastfeeding, state that it is because of the discomfort or embarrassment they feel. Both of these reasons are understandable, but they can both be overcome. All it takes is patience.

A mother can avoid the pain of sore nipples by making sure that her baby is matched on? properly. This means that the baby sucks on the breast in the correct position. The nipple should be placed well in to the baby's mouth. It is the areola (the dark area surrounding the nipple) that the baby actually sucks on; not the nipple. Getting the baby to latch on reduces the baby's chances of becoming "gassy", and also allows the baby to control the flow of milk - something that is easier for the baby to do when breastfeeding rather than bottle feeding.

Also, the mother can take some general steps to avoid painful nipples. Nipples should be exposed to air as much as possible. If this isn't possible, then plastic dome-shaped breast shells (not nipple shields) can be worn to protect your nipples from rubbing by your clothing. Don't over wash the nipples; bathing once a day is more than enough.

Engorgement of the breasts usually occurs 3 to 4 days after birth but can be avoided by getting the baby to latch on correctly. However, if your breasts become engorged to the point of severe discomfort or if the baby is not able to suckle, cabbage leaves seem to help decrease the engorgement more rapidly than ice packs or other treatments. If you are unable to get the baby latched on, start cabbage leaves, start expressing your milk and give the expressed milk to the baby by spoon, cup, finger feeding or eyedropper. If it persists consult your midwife or health visitor.

Embarrassment of breastfeeding is something that Western society seems to condone. It was not always so. If you feel this way you should discuss this with your partner and family. If the support is not forthcoming, then try to educate them! Finally, use your doctor or midwife as a support. Attitudes in the medical profession have changed drastically in recent years and you should find a lot of support at your local clinic. If you don't then change clinic, midwife or doctor.

Breastfeeding really is a lot easier than bottle feeding and it is certainly a lot better for your baby. Companies making milk formula tell us how their formula is the most like breast milk it has ever been? Maybe this is true, but it never will be as good as breast milk. If you read the ingredients on the side of the tin you will find many of the following: vegetable oils; disodium guanosine-5, monophosphate, taurine, magnesium, sodium citrate, pantothenic acid, potassium chloride, beta-carotene and biotin. What exactly is disodium guanosine-5? Companies have been making formula for only the past century; women have been making breast milk a lot longer than that. Also, formula is made for everyone's baby, whereas a mother's breast milk is unique; it's made only for her child.

Getting up in the middle of the night to feed a baby is incredibly tiring. Why make it even more tiring than it already is by bottle feeding?  When you bottle feed, you have to get out of bed and boil water, make the formula and then wait for it to cool before you can feed baby. When you breastfeed you don't have to even get out of bed, if you child is in a crib beside you. You can feed your child and go back to sleep far sooner than if you bottle feed.

Some other things that make breastfeeding easier than bottle feeding;

1. It's cheaper.
2. It's a lot easier to clean your breasts than a whole stack of bottles.
3. Breast milk doesn't leave permanent stains on clothes, unlike formula.
4. You can go anywhere, at anytime on the spur of the moment. You don't have to worry about having enough formula.
5. You also travel light; no need to bring a bag full of bottles and formula

Breastfeeding may be harder to get started than bottle-feeding for a lot of mothers, but the benefits outweigh these early problems. So, if you were thinking of bottle-feeding rather than breastfeeding, think again. Breast milk is pure goodness for your child and breastfeeding makes life a lot simpler for mothers.

Unique Baby Names

The Right Baby Name: The Scientific Guide to Naming Your Baby

What's in a name?  Errell, everything, really! Of course your little bundle of joy is the sweetest, most beautiful thing you have ever seen and you want to choose a name that reflects his/her individuality, spirituality, uniqueness and all-round special-ness. 

But wait a minute!

Remember that the unique baby name you choose will help define junior's life - how they are viewed and accepted - for many, many years. What sounds cute and original for a 5-year-old, may not sound so funky for a 15-year-old and what about a 55-year old?

Time was when only celebrities could get away with unique baby names (Zowie Bowie, Dweezil and Moon Unit Zappa, etc), but in the modern world, individuality is more prized than ever before, and increasingly, this starts with our names. Great idea - but don't allow a flash of a self-indulgence to condemn your child to a lifetime of problems; it's reported that a Chinese couple named their child "Saddam Sars" to mark the current world events at the time of the birth!  I just hope it means something nice in Mandarin, or Cantonese!

This probably wouldn't have happened in Germany, where names can only be registered if they recognizable, do not ridicule the child and are gender specific. Perhaps there is at least one Chinese child in the world, who will grow up wishing he/she were German!

So - assuming you are not German - what should you do if you want to create a unique baby name, without creating too many problems? Here are some tips and some warnings to make the process less painful:

1.    Anagrams: try creating an anagram of an existing name.

2.    Father and Mother: try using derivatives of one of the parents' names, or a combination of both. Alternatively, how does the mother's maiden name sound as a first name?

3.    Telescoping: try dropping letters from another name or a word, until you get a nice-sounding unique baby name.

4.    Spelling: an unusual spelling of a common name creates uniqueness.  However, remember that your child will be condemned to a lifetime of "What's David spelt D..A..Y..V..I..D? conversations.

5.    Pronunciation: another trick is to pronounce a common name in an unusual way. But this can also lead to a lifetime of corrections and explanations - as well as teasing and accusations of pretentiousness.

6.    History: do some research into names that were popular in previous eras, but have become less so.

7.    Family History: are there any unusual baby names that can be used to honor family members or ancestors?  But beware family politics?
8.    Nature: many names come from the natural world, particularly flowers (e.g. Rose) and it's a great source for unique baby names (e.g. Gwyneth Paltrow's daughter Apple).

9.    Geography: another useful source of great names - grab an atlas and start searching.  David and Victoria Beckham called their first son Brooklyn, which many people think is a cool-sounding name. However, it's reported that the choice was made because that's where conception took place.  Hmmm, imagine a lifetime in which your name is a constant reminder of your parents having sex!  Eeeuuuuww!!!

10.    Celebrities: famous people with slightly unusual names are a common source of inspiration. There are lots of teenage "Kylie"s running around the UK since Kylie Minogue's arrival on the music scene at end of the '80's, and her recent resurgence, will have created a second wave of them.  And I'm sure many little "Be'yonce"s have been popping up over the last few years.  The only problem is that names like these very soon begin to sound a little silly and "wannabe". 

11.    Foreign Names: consider using a foreign version of a name, e.g.,  Pedro, instead of Peter. Or try using a name from a completely different culture.

12.    Nicknames: try using a nickname e.g. Angie, instead of Angela or Angelina.  However, make sure the name is will pass the "age test" - see number 17 below.

13.    Middle Names: a great way to accommodate individuality when naming your baby, is to combine a common first name with a unique second/middle name.  The benefit of this is that your child can avoid embarrassment throughout his/her life by ignoring it of keeping it hidden.

14.    Initials: when you have settled on some baby names, check that the initials aren't embarrassing. This is an easy trap to fall into and can lead to a lifetime of misery.  "Zina Indigo" are may be nice sounding names for your lovely daughter, but make sure your surname doesn't begin with "T"!

15.    First Name-Surname: check how the selected first name combines with the surname. Make sure the two names do not create some something recognizable, to prevent a lifetime of teasing.  Also, check the rhythm of the two names; a different number of syllables in each name usually flows much better.  Avoid rhyming the 2 names at all costs or your child will hate you forever!

16.    The loudness test: try saying the name softly, at normal pitch and shouting it very loudly.  You may be surprised at the results.  

17.    The age test: try to visualize your child with the name as a baby, as a teenager, as a young adult, a mature adult and as a senior citizen. A name can create completely different perceptions of the individual at separate stages of life.

18.    The meaning: the final test of the baby name that you choose should be to check its meaning (if any). Don't leave your child open to getting a nasty surprise later in life.

Whatever unique baby name you decide, don't fall into the trap of self-indulgence.  Remember, it's not about you, it's all about your child.  Your grand design to celebrate the uniqueness of this new human being, may eventually lead to a lifelong, desperate desire for conformity and anonymity.   Even Zowie Bowie eventually changed his name to "Joey"?

Baby Formula Goes Organic

Organic foods may finally get a seat at the kids' table.

Seven out of 10 Americans said they prefer organic alternatives. It's probably no surprise that many parents say they want to give their babies the benefits of an organic product when it comes to feeding them baby formula. However, the problem has been that until recently, there hasn't been an organic formula available that provides babies with two key nutrients for mental and visual development: the lipids DHA and ARA.

The Role Of Nutrition
"These lipids are naturally supplied from mom to baby in breast milk, but in reality, not all moms can breast feed. If parents formula feed, and choose an organic infant formula, it's essential that they use an organic formula enriched with DHA and ARA," explains Dr. Barbara Levine, director of the Nutrition Information Center and associate professor of nutrition in clinical medicine at Weill College of Medicine of Cornell University.

The only nationally distributed organic baby formula with DHA and ARA is available at Wal-Mart and is called Parent's Choice Organic Infant Formula, made by PBM Nutritionals. In addition to having the essential lipids, the formula is enriched with the same nutrients as other baby formulas and meets the strict infant formula guidelines set by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Finding Affordable Formula
The formula helps parents looking for organic alternatives in a second way as well: It can save them some green. PBM got around the problem of high-priced organic foods by distributing its product nationally through Wal-Mart stores. Doing so allowed the manufacturer to reach many parents who did not have access to organic formulas-and to keep prices relatively low.

Baby Cribs - Safety Is Key

You have just learned that you are expecting a baby. Even if you have other children, you must take a look at cribs. Is the crib you already have an antique? You should look carefully at your second hand crib whether it is an antique or not.

The safety of your new baby makes this necessary. The screws and/or other fasteners such as bolts must be in place and not loose. It is of the utmost importance that this is tested before you place your baby in the crib.

Take something that is almost equal to your 4-month-old baby's weight. In order to be certain that it will hold its position bounce it off the mattress. If it doesn't your baby could be hurt seriously or worse. When you set up your nursery, if it isn't set-up already, seriously consider where you will place your crib.

If you have to place the crib near a window with Venetian blinds, you can either shorten the cords or anchor them to prevent your baby from reaching and getting hold of them. Avoid, if possible placing the crib near the window. As your baby grows into a toddler and begins to climb out of the crib, s/he could become seriously injured in a fall.

Blankets are not necessarily a good idea to use with your baby. Be sure that you avoid anything that could put your baby at risk, especially in the light of SIDS incidents today. The most advisable way to put your baby to bed is in a blanket sleeper.

Make sure to tuck the blanket tightly around and under the foot of the mattress with you baby's feet touching the footboard if you must have a blanket on your baby. You also want to help prevent your baby from sliding under the blanket and suffocating by not putting the blanket any higher than his chest.

 

There is a risk of your baby slipping between the mattress and the bumper pads causing suffocation, if bumper pads, which are a great concept, are not secured properly. Bumper pads if used should be fastened in each of the four corners and evenly spaced on each of the two sides. There should be sixteen ties in all, eight for the top and eight for the bottom.

Although mobiles are nice additions you need to take a precaution to prevent your baby from getting entangled in it. It must be removed when your baby starts sitting up by himself. You must also check to see if there are small parts that are removable that your baby could choke on.

No matter is your crib is second hand or one you had for a previous child, or you got it from someone else, the mattress must by checked out carefully. The mattress covering should be checked for any holes or cracks.

The mattress must fit in the crib properly. Your baby could slip between the mattress and side or end bars and suffocate if you are not careful. The mattress should be snug in the crib. The sheets you use in your baby crib should fit properly and not slip and slide.

There are sheet hooks available that attach to the sheet under the mattress and keep it in place. Placing the mattress in the proper position is extremely important to your baby's safety. When the baby comes home most parents put the mattress in the highest position because it is easier to reach the baby and change him.

Lower the mattress according to the growth and activity of your baby. If your baby can come to a standing position in the crib the mattress should be put in the lowest position and to add to his safety you should measure the distance between the mattress and the top of the sidebar.

There should be no more than 26 inches from the top of the side bar to the mattress when it is in the lowest position. Moving your child to a regular bed might be a good idea if your child is climbing out of the crib or his head is above the side bar.

There are convertible cribs that become beds and grow with your child. Inspect your child's crib to be sure there is nothing that will put your baby at risk. The ornate designs carved into the end boards of cribs are beautiful but could pose a hazard to your child. Have you seen them?

Your child could be injured if his head, arm, or leg get caught in them and possibly sustain an injury. A simpler design may increase your child's safety. Safety guidelines from 1974 for cribs state that slats should be no more than 2 and 3/8th inches apart; to keep your baby from getting his head caught between the slats.

Your baby's safety could be compromised if getting stuck caused him injury and necessitating the removal of some slats.