|
|
BabyHaven.net - Find what's right for your
baby
The Crying Baby
Crying - Newborns can cry up to four hours a
day. That's can put a lot of stress on a parent or caregiver. However, if you can learn to identify the different messages your baby is trying to send you, it will make caring for your baby much easier, and your baby much happier.
Top Reasons for Baby's Crying:
1. Baby has gas
Gas is very common in infants, affecting more than half of all newborns. Gas
bubbles can cause discomfort and make your baby. Many infants with gas will also
pull their legs up, lying in a curled position in effort to relieve their discomfort.
2. Baby is in pain
This crying is generally unmistakabe. It's loud and sudden, with long high-pitched shrieks followed
by a pause and then a wail. If you are unable to find a minor and this type of crying persists (the baby is inconsolable), you should
call your healthcare provider immediately.
3. Baby feels lonely
Often your just wants some attention. She may be cooing pleasantly at first, but then if she doesn’t get the
attention she wants or needs, she'll proceed to wail. Remember, there's no such thing as too much love, cuddling, and
hugging your baby in the first six months, so go ahea, pick her up, and
give her your comfort and warmth.
4. Baby is or uncomfortable
If baby’s cries seem whiny, are nasal, and continuous, he’s
probably overtired, he's too warm or too cold, he may be about to have a bowel movement, or experiencing some other discomfort.
5. Baby just needs a good cry
This usually occurs at the end of the day, or the "witching
hour." If your baby has been "good" all day, they might just need to release some energy by crying.
6. Baby is a bit of a crank!
Some babies are just fussy by nature. Their irritable crying will occur randomly, and vary in duration, without any evident cause.
Could gas be making my baby fussy?
The first two months of life can be the toughest for more than half of all newborns. Infant gas or gas bubbles can cause discomfort, leading to crankiness and crying.
Here are some ideas on how you can help relieve and prevent your newborn from experiencing painful gas.
How can I prevent my baby from getting infant gas?
- If breast feeding, avoid "gassy" foods such as beans, bran, broccoli, brussels sprouts,
cabbage, cauliflower, caffeine, and onions. These can
cause your infant to get gas.
- Never feed your baby cow's milk until they are 12 months old or older. Your baby's digestive system isn't mature enough to handle this type of milk, and he'll experience digestive discomfort. Cow's milk also has too much sodium, potassium, and chloride, which can tax your baby's kidneys. Baby Formulas, though often produced from Whey (a component of cow's milk) are engineered to be more digestable for infants.
- Make sure the nipple is the right flow speed if you are bottle-feeding. If the holes in the nipple
are too large, your baby will eat too fast; if it's too small, it will
cause your baby to gulp air.
- Burp your baby every one to two ounces during feedings, or before switching
breasts if nursing.
- Burp your baby up against your shoulder, face down across your lap, or
sitting upright on your lap, supporting her head and chest as you gently pat
her back.
- Avoid jostling or playing vigorously with your baby after feedings.
- Encourage quiet time after your baby eats.
Colic
Colic usually starts around week 3 and can go on until around 3 months. Colic is defined as repeated crying by a healthy, well-fed baby for which no medical explanation exists. The crying often happens every
day at the same time. To find out if your baby is experiencing Colic, forgo your regular feeding schedule and feed your baby whenever he seems to want to nurse to determine if the crying is caused by hunger. Schedule
a checkup with your pediatrician to rule out an ear infection or other medical
condition before labeling your baby colicky. Your child will likely grow out
of a colicky stage by three-and-a-half months. To help calm your baby in the meantime, try the following techniques:
Gripe Water
"Gripe water" is an herbal supplement first formulated in England in 1851. It is recommended by some pediatricians and alternative practitioners as a naturopathic treatment option for minor digestive discomfort. Common ingredients in Gripe water include Chamomile, Fennel, Caraway, Peppermint and Ginger. Be careful to read a product's ingredients before giving a solution to your baby. Many over the counter Gripe Waters contain Sodium Bicarbonate (a.k.a. Baking Soda). Sodium bicarbonate is an alkali (antacid) which alters the naturally occurring pH of baby's stomach acid. It may counteract some discomfort caused by acid reflux in cases of acidic stomach. However, changing the delicate pH balance in baby’s system can cause over-alkalinity and exacerbate a colicky condition.Sodium bicarbonate is also absorbed into the bloodstream and can have unwanted side effects. Studies have shown that sodium bicarbonate can deplete and interfere with Folic Acid and Iron absorption, which are important nutirients and minerals for your newborn.
Raising Baby - This week's healthy
tip for your pride and joy
Your childs health and well-being are of utmost concern for
us at Baby Haven. This week features info on colic
babies and some natural remedies you can try so your baby
will feel better, get better rest, and give you a break! Click
here for more...
What BabyHaven.net is all about
At Baby Haven, we are passionate about interactive content.
Baby Haven has always been a different kind of media company.
From our original idea of marrying user reviews with product
information, to our focus on original baby-related information,
stories and content. We are focused on harnessing the power
of the Internet to create an engaging destination for new parents,
expecting parents and couples planning their families. We want
to empower parents to find the right supplies, educational toys,
strollers, bedding, diapers—everything that goes into
preparing and providing for their wee loved ones.
In 2005, when pretty much everyone else was "repurposing"
content for the Internet, we saw an opportunity to define
how content should look, feel, and act. As we move forward,
we will continue our efforts to find the best in baby products,
health information and care, and expert information on your
child's development. Trust BabyHaven to provide you the prospective
parent or toddler-chasing newbie, the best information, because
we're parents too.
|
|
|
|
[an error occurred while processing this directive]
|
| |
|
|
