Is Your Baby Sleeping Through The Night?

One of the main problems you have as a new mom at home is to establish some really good nighttime sleeping habits with you baby.  One of the primary goals is to get your baby asleep on his/her own. 

When you start out you just about have to nap when they sleep and most of the time that’s together.  Every baby will have to go through a transition from sleeping with their mother and getting into a bedtime routine and sleeping by themselves.

Here are some baby sleep tips  to help the transition. Just remember that these baby sleep tips and tricks are not hard rules and you should always consider your parental instincts as a mother.

Daily Feeding Habits

One consideration when trying to teach your newborn to sleep at night is your daily feeding habits.  You should make sure that your baby is eating all the required meals that was recommended by your doctor.

This does two things  – create an important association that feeding goes with the daytime and your child’s appetite will be satisfied for the night.  If your baby wakes up during the night make sure that he’s getting a full meal the first time awake. Night time is not snack time.

Set a Bedtime Ritual

You need to set a bedtime ritual for your baby as soon as possible.  When you baby starts off not sleeping well at night it’s usually because they are use to the naps  with mom. Try to think about and focus on a consistent bedtime routine because your baby is dependant on routines. By repeating the same routine every night like a full feeding, maybe a warm bath and changing will slowly begin to associate these things with sleep.  The main thing to remember is to make these rituals consistent.

Your Baby Needs To Be Comfortable

When putting your baby to sleep at night always try to make your baby physically comfortable as you can.  Baby’s sometimes takes times for them to learn to breathe through their mouth so you need to pay close attention to their nasal breathing and make sure you move the stuffed animals and loose blankets and pillow away from your baby. 

You should make sure that your babies clothes are comfortable to them not cute to us.  Try different clothes out and see which ones your baby may like the best.

The thing to remember is trust your own instincts when it comes to your baby’s comfort.

Your Baby Needs to be Relaxed During the Day

It is very important to encourage restful days at a peaceful pace.  If you spend the time rocking, holding your baby in your arms and kept peaceful you have a better chance that it will carry over into the night.  Also if your baby’s day is stressful like is on his own a lot, and cry for a while to be feed will also carry over into the night. Think about how you are as an adult you have a stress day you have a stress night, same with your baby. 

Develop a Good Attitude

You want your child to develop an attitude in which sleep is both something they enjoy and also a secure safe state of mind.  Your baby should think of sleep as something that’s comforting and something that comes naturally.  When you pay attention to your baby’s feeling and what they want you will encourage a healthier attitude toward their night’s asleep.

A Familiar Environment is Important

Most people think that you have to tiptoe around your baby when they are sleeping to not awaken them.  Just remember where your newborn has been sleeping for the last nine months. 

Your baby slept in many situations that was far from quiet with no sounds and even more so when the mother was out in public socializing with others. You should try to have some back ground noises to help the sleep process.  There are many products on the market today to create these soothing noises. 

The Ferber Method

The Ferber Method was invented by Dr. Richard Ferber which is also known as "graduated extinction" is the most well known sleep training program for children.  This method usually works within a couple of weeks.  The only problem I see with this method is that some people just can not stand to her their baby cry and you have to let your baby cry some before you go in and intervene. 

Associations That go with Sleep

Babies when very young develop sleep associations which are things that you associate with bedtime.  The way you put your child to sleep by holding them, putting in a sleeper or  maybe using a pacifier is creating a sleep association.  Without you doing anything your baby is going to create their own sleep associations.  What you want to do is try to help create associations with items that the baby will have under their control. 

I hope these tips and tricks help with your baby sleep but just remember that these are just tips and tricks and not the hard rule that you have to follow.  Remember your parental  instincts are just as important. 

Spotting during pregnancy:  What causes it and what do you do

One of the first things you may think when you notice that you are spotting while you are pregnant is if something is wrong. A lot of questions may pop up in your mind and you may start getting concerned because of the possibility of a  miscarriage.  There is a lot of specific symptoms that goes along with a miscarriage aside from just spotting.

In a typical pregnancy some women do spot, normally in the first three months of pregnancy.  This is caused by your body adjusting to the hormone levels and could happen around the time of your normal period.  As a rule vaginal spotting (discharge) if light and clear is normal. Understanding the most common causes of vaginal bleeding during pregnancy will help you know what to look for and what to do.

You need to consult your doctor to make sure that there are no pregnancy risks and your spotting is just an early sign of pregnancy.  Here are some of the possible causes of vaginal bleeding during early pregnancy include:

• Implantation in the Uterus – Bleeding can occur when the embryo is attached to the walls of the uterus.
• Ectopic Pregnancy – Bleeding can also occur when the embryo develops in the fallopian tube called a tubal pregnancy.
• Infections – Yeast infections, bacterial infections even sexually transmitted infections can also cause spotting.
• Soften of the cervix – Normally after about 37 weeks spotting could occur.
• Irritated or Inflamed Cervix – Spotting can occur after having a Pap smear and sometimes after intercourse.
• Miscarriage – During the first 12 weeks spotting could be a warning sign of a miscarriage.
• Molar Pregnancy – When an abnormal mass forms inside the uterus after fertilization.

IMPORTANT… If your spotting goes away within a day do not be concerned and tell your doctor about it on your next visit.  If your bleeding last more that a day contact your health care provider as soon as possible.  If you have any abdominal pain, cramping, fever or chills during the time of spotting contact your doctor like right now.

Gestational Diabetes: What it Means for Me and My Baby

What is gestational diabetes?

Gestational diabetes is first recognized or develops during pregnancy. A women loses the ability to control the level of sugar in her blood automatically. This means that your blood glucose is too high.

What causes gestational diabetes?

In pregnancy, the placenta produces hormones to sustain your pregnancy. Theses hormones make your cells more resistant to insulin.  In the second and third trimesters pregnancy complications can occur when your placenta grows larger which secretes more of these hormones.  This makes it harder for insulin to do its job.  
Your pancreas responds by producing extra insulin to fight this resistance. Your pancreas sometimes can not keep up with the higher demand for insulin then the body falls behind in processing glucose and the result, gestational diabetes. 

What are the symptoms and signs of gestational diabetes?

Usually there are no symptoms for gestational diabetes so for good pregnancy wellness you need to be tested for the condition. It’s very important to be tested for gestational diabetes because high blood sugar can cause problems for you and your baby.

If a women has another type of diabetes without knowing it she could have symptoms, they may include:

• Increased thirst
• Increased urination
• Weight loss in spite of increased appetite
• Fatigue
• Nausea and vomiting
• Frequent infections including those of the bladder,  vagina, and skin
• Blurred vision

Beware that having these symptoms does not mean that a women has diabetes.  What you need to do is talk with your doctor and be tested for diabetes.

Will my baby have diabetes?

Babies are not born with diabetes when their mother had diabetes when pregnant.  The most common problem would be if the mothers diabetes was not controlled during pregnancy could cause low blood sugar in the newborn baby.  The baby will have to be watched closely to make sure the babies body adjusts the amount of insulin it makes.

How is gestational diabetes treated?

Gestational diabetes can be treated by controlling your blood sugar level.  You can control your blood sugar level by changing your diet and make sure you get the right pregnancy exercises .  You may need to check your gestational diabetes at home and make sure you see your doctor on a regular basic.  Just do not discard the importance of good pregnancy nutrition.

I have diabetes and want to get pregnant how do I prevent problems to myself and my baby? 

Here are some of the things to look at to prevent problems to the mother and her baby.

• Need to plan the pregnancy – It’s important for a women with diabetes to get her body ready before getting pregnant. 
• Eat Health Foods – A women with diabetes should eat the foods from a meal plan that was made for a women with diabetes.
• Exercise Regularly – A women should be on an exercise program prior to getting pregnant. Help keep blood sugar under control.
• Regular Visits To Your Doctor – Your doctor can recommend the things you need to do prior to getting pregnant.
• Take Required Medications – Very important to take your medications on time.
• Monitor Blood Sugar At Home Regularly – Checking blood sugar levels often can help a woman keep her blood sugar in control.

Increases in preterm birth and preterm-related infant mortality account for much of the lack of decline in the United States’ infant mortality rate from 2000 to 2005.

There are large differences in infant mortality rates by race and ethnicity. Non-Hispanic black, American Indian or Alaska Native, and Puerto Rican women have the highest infant mortality rates; rates are lowest for Asian or Pacific Islander, Central and South American, and Cuban women.

Source:  CDC

Complications of pregnancy are the symptoms and problems that are associated with pregnancy.

There are both routine problems and serious, even potentially fatal problems. The routine problems are normal complications, and pose no significant danger to either the woman or the fetus. Serious pregnancy complications can cause both maternal death and fetal death if untreated.

Most women have normal, uncomplicated pregnancies and deliveries.  Unfortunately there are some women that experience some pregnancy complications during their pregnancy.

Here are some of the best known pregnancy complications to be aware of…

Ectopic Pregnancy

A ectopic pregnancy is when a fertilized egg implants outside of the uterus, most often in the fallopian tubes. Even though this could happen to any women pregnancy you are more likely to have an ectopic pregnancy if you have had a pelvic inflammatory disease or other sexually transmitted disease. It could also happen if you had an ectopic pregnancy previously or have had some previous tubal surgery.

Gestational Diabetes

Gestational Diabetes is a type of diabetes that occurs only during pregnancy. Gestational Diabetes affects the way your body uses sugar (glucose) which is your body’s main source of fuel.  Good news is it can be managed during your pregnancy by eating healthy foods, exercising regularly and in some cases taking medication.  Blood sugar levels typically return to normal soon after delivery.
Hepatitis B

HIV Infection/Sexually Transmitted Diseases

According to the March of Dimes, there are about 6,000 to 7,000 women infected with HIV give birth every year.  The bad part about this is the mother can give HIV to there child.  HIV transmission from mother to child during pregnancy, labor, delivery or breastfeeding is called prenatal transmission. Prenatal HIV transmission is the most common way children are infected with HIV.

Hyperemesis Gravidarum (HG)

HG is a severe form of morning sickness, with unrelenting, excessive pregnancy-related nausea and /or vomiting that prevents adequate intake of food and fluids. The serious , and sometimes fatal complications of HG are almost always avoided with aggressive treatment.

Miscarriage

A miscarriage is a loss of the fetus before the 20th week and sometimes sooner by the tenth week.  About 10 to 30 percent of pregnancies end in miscarriage.

Listeriosis

Listeriosis is a serious infection caused by eating food contaminated with bacterium, Listeria monocytogenes.    Listeriosis is relatively rare and occurs primarily in pregnant women, newborn infants, elderly patients, and patients who are immunocompromised. Infected pregnant women may experience only a mild, flu-like illness; however, infections during pregnancy can lead to miscarriage or stillbirth, premature delivery, or infection of the newborn.

Toxoplasmosis

Toxoplasjmosis is an infection caused by a single-celled parasite called Toxoplasma gondjj.  The infection is most commonly acquired from contact with cats and their feces or with raw or undercooked meat.

Urinary Tract Infection

Urinary tract infections (UTI) are infections in the bladder, kidneys, ureters (the tubes that carry urine from your kidneys to your bladder) or urethra (the tube that carries urine from your bladder to the outside of your body). UTIs are caused by bacteria. If not treated and you have a kidney infection it could cause early labor in your pregnancy. If your doctor treats a urinary tract infection early and properly, it won’t hurt your baby.

Placenta Previa

Placenta previa is an uncommon pregnancy complication that can cause excessive bleeding before or during delivery. It’s when the placenta has attached to the uterine wall close to or covering the cervix.

Placental Abruption

This is when there is a separation of the placenta from the uterus. It can cause heavy bleeding in the mother and can deprive the baby of oxygen and nutrients.  Placental Abruption should be treated quickly before it puts both mother and baby in jeopardy.

High-Blood Pressure/Preeclampsia

Preeclampsia is a disorder is a disorder that occurs only during pregnancy and will effect both the mother and baby.  It is a rapidly progressive condition characterized by high blood pressure and the presence of protein in the urine.

Premature or Pre-term Labor

Premature labor, also known as preterm labor, is a very serious complication of pregnancy. This is defined as labor that begins prior to 37 weeks gestation.  Early detection can help prevent premature birth and possibly enable you to carry your pregnancy to term or to give your baby a better chance of survival.

Post-partum Depression

Postpartum depression (PPD, also called postnatal depression) is a form of clinical depression which can affect women, and less frequently men, after childbirth. Postpartum depression can make you feel restless, anxious, fatigued and worthless.  Symptoms typically last from a few hours to several days, and include tearfulness, irritability, hypochondriasis, sleeplessness, impairment of concentration, isolation and headache.

Mastitis

Mastitis is an infection of the breast tissue that causes pain, swelling and redness of the breast. Mastitis most commonly affects women who are breast-feeding, although in rare circumstances this condition can occur outside of lactation.

Fifth Disease

Fifth disease is caused by a virus called parvovirus B19. It commonly infects children and typically causes a mild rash that may resemble a “slapped-cheek”. Other symptoms that can occur include joint pain (arthralgia), fever and general flu-like symptoms.