Infants are so tiny and fragile. There are lots of different emotions you feel after you give birth. Caring for your infant night and day, while you are recovering from labor and the birth process, can be exhausting. As you feed, diaper, and bond with your infant, you will feel more at ease. This is a wonderful time for you and your infant to get to know each other better.

Adjusting to your infants every need can be very tiring at first. Soon you will get into a routine and it will seem like a normal schedule again. It is hard to be a caring loving mother when you are exhausted. It is especially frustrating for first time new mothers.

You will have a wide range of emotions right now. You feel angry and sad when you do not seem to be able to accomplish everything your old schedule allowed. Keeping up with daily task, like the laundry and dishes can become a real chore. You need to realize that having these feelings are normal but it is how you deal with them that is important. You need to take some personal time for yourself. If you can, take a nap when your infant is sleeping. Remember you are losing a lot of sleep because of waking up several times in the middle of the night to care for your infant. You need to stay healthy for your infant’s sake.

It is so easy to want to catch up on chores or start dinner when the baby is asleep. But remember your health is very important. Simple adjustments can make a world of difference. For example, take out, or calling out for a pizza to be delivered a couple of nights a week, will make dinner preparation and clean up easier.

Post partum blues can set in immediately. Hormones are partly to blame but it is also all the lifestyle changes you are experiencing. Some factors in your feelings of sadness are less time with your partner, missing friends at work, and even concerns over how the family budget is changing. These feelings should subside after a week or two but remember give yourself some quiet, alone time.

Some parents are just beginning to relax and feel more comfortable about all the changes around six weeks. You might want to find a baby sitter and go out for a relaxing evening. You should accept help from friends and family members that are offering. You might even want to exchange babysitting with another mom. You should also look for support groups for new mothers. If you want you can exercise and eat right, if you want to make your body return to is pre-pregnancy form. You shouldn’t expect too much from yourself and take the chance to relax whenever you can. Most importantly enjoy your new family member.

1) ALWAYS place your child on his/her back to sleep, also make sure that the mattress is firm and that the sheets are tight-fitting so your child is unable to get curled up in them.

2) Keep your child away from cigarette smoke

3) DO NOT overheat your child. (Most say to go by the temp. of the baby’s hands and feet.)

4) When in the crib or bassinet keep ALL blankets, quilts, pillows, stuffed animals, soft bedding, etc. out so that the child does not roll over into them or get curled up in them.

5) DO NOT place your child on a waterbed, beanbag, shag rug or any other really soft/flexible place or padding.

6) Keep his/her face clear from blankets, pillows, or any thing else that may take his/her breath away. Also NEVER use the baby’s blanket as a sunscreen

Other Helpful Hint:

1) Allow your child to play on his/her tummy daily (when old enough) to strengthen his/her neck muscles.

2) Baby proof your entire house to make sure that your child does not get a hold of anything that may harm him/her.

- If the family is moving
- A new baby is due
- Another family member having an unexpected illness
- When there is a lot of tension in the home, such as a loss of employment would bring

You should start by letting your child casually sit on his own special potty chair. Do not force him/her to sit there. Allow him /her to come and go. He /she needs to feel comfortable with his/her new habit. Next you need to show the child what the potty chair is for. Every time he or she has a bowel movement dump the contents into the potty chair. Allow him to view the contents and say “this is where potty goes.” After a few times he /she will begin to understand that it is ok for the potty to go here. It is important to be patient during this time as you want it to become a happy moment instead of one filled with tension. After the bowel movement encourage the child to sit on the potty seat. You should reward success with a hug, kiss and /or a treat.

Never criticize a child when there isn’t success. You don’t want to expect too much. This is a learning process for everyone involved. Potty training takes time. Just like walking and crawling. A child must feel comfortable and that will lead to the next step in his / her development. You shouldn’t compare him/her to other children that might have had success faster. Each child is different and they will send you signals letting you know they are ready for the next step. A punishment should never follow an unsuccessful attempt. This only makes the child want to give up and go back to babyhood .he/she will begin to view the Big Boy or Big Girl stage as too hard. Accidents will happen. It is a part of potty training. After all, your child has been able to relieve himself anytime, any place. If your child protests you should try another day. It might be too soon.

Once your child has a successful attempt in his/her chair, you should begin to schedule trips to the potty. Take your child and place him on the potty once every hour. As he begins to understand the process and reasons why he/she is sitting on the potty, he will begin to be able to have more bladder control. He will have fewer accidents and be able to hold the urine in his bladder for longer periods of time. Eventually your child will understand what you expect.

Good habits start early. Show the child how to wipe from front to back to avoid bacteria in the genital area. Tell them to wash their hands with soap and have them dry their hands completely. Children love to play with water so this should be a fun part of potty training. As your child gets older he/ she will begin to go to the bathroom on his own. Night bladder control should be accomplished by the age of five. If you are still having the child wet at night at that age you should discuss it with your doctor. There are several ways to help. One thing you might try is, having fewer drinks after dinner. No drinks within an hour before bed. Have the child use the bathroom to empty his bladder just before climbing into bed. They make several products that help with this as well. An alarm that wakes the child up when he begins to urinate lets the child know he needs to get up out of bed and go to the bathroom. There are medications that can help as well. Remember lots of children go through this. Sometimes they may have a smaller bladder tan most. Do not think that it is a behavioral problem. Seek the advice of your physician.

Studies show that you should introduce solid foods at 6 months of age. At which time your baby’s intake of formula will be less. Experts recommend that you breast or bottle feed at least until baby’s first birthday.

One benefit of bottle feeding is that older siblings can be more involved with the feeding process. Let an older sibling sit and feed the baby a bottle. That will create a special bond between them. Let them know how special it is that they are helping you with the baby. It is important to make them feel as special as possible in this unsettling time for them. After all they no longer have mom’s undivided attention. This is an easy way to make them feel apart of all the changes that are happening around them.

Breast feeding babies will eat for 10-15 minutes on each breast every 1 ½ to 3 hours. This is just a guideline to go by but every baby is different. Some parents like to feed on demand, while others feel this will cause obesity in a child. You have to do what is best for you and your baby. While taking advice from a more experienced person is great, it might not be for you.

Breast milk contains the perfect balance of nutrients and is easy to digest. For the first few days breast milk contains colostrums. Breast milk provides antibodies that protect your baby. Breast milk’s protein and fat are more easily handled by the baby’s digestive system than are the protein and fat in cows milk. Therefore it puts less stress on the kidneys of a newborn. More than 1 out of 10 babies turn out to be allergic to cows milk or formula. Soy formula is a good alternative and usually solves the milk allergy problem. Babies that are breastfed also have less problems with constipation. There is a special bond between mom and a breastfed baby. Whatever you choose make sure it is right for you. What might be the right choice for one mom might not be the right choice for everyone. Enjoy feeding your baby and watching him/her grow daily.

Enlist dad’s help after work and dinner. Maybe he could clean up dinner or do dishes to give you a moment of rest. Dad can even hold the baby (a great time for father and baby bonding) while you do some laundry or take a relaxing bath. It is normal for the baby to lose a few ounces during the first week of life.

Caring for the baby’s umbilical cord is important. It should stay clean and dry. At times it will look a little gross but as long as it is not oozing puss it is fine. It will drop off on its own. Do not get impatient and pull on it.

Sometimes you might see a little blood stain on the baby’s sleeper. Again it is fine if it is not losing constant blood. Do not become alarmed if your baby sleeps for hours. Most babies wake up when they get hungry. Some babies might even sleep up to nine hours at a time. You should check on baby every so often and they say to never leave the baby alone. You should not restrict your noise level in the house too much. Babies should get used to the t.v. or other background noise fairly easily.

By the third week your baby will probably regained most of the weight that he lost in week one. You might notice your baby looking at your face, and might even notice a spontaneous smile. Some people will disagree with you. Old school says that a baby that smiles this young has gas. He/she may even begin to recognize familiar sounds, such as mommie’s voice. He/she might also start to recognize familiar objects. Studies have proven that babies at this age can see objects that are black, white, and red.

Your baby at this age will try to lift his head, that is why it is important not to place anything inside the bassinet with the baby. Stuffed animals and blankets can cause suffocation. Studies now show that you should always place a baby on their back. This can prevent suffocation and even SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome). It is also important not to place a pacifier on a string. It can easily get wrapped around the baby’s neck causing suffocation.

As your baby begins to grow he will be more alert. Most people do not like to use the same detergent on the baby’s clothes that they use for their own. They make a special detergent just for babies that is usually available at most retail stores. If your infant develops a rash you should immediately discontinue any new product that you have tried. You should consult a physician if the rash does not disappear. Most of all, take time to enjoy your infant. They do not stay infants for long and soon you will be chasing after your toddler and saying “they sure grow up fast”.

DIPHTHERIA is a thick mucus in the back of your throat which can cause breathing problems. Some complications of this illness are heart failure, paralysis, and even death.

TETANUS also known as LOCKJAW can enter your body through a cut. It can prevent a person from opening their mouth. It also can cause other muscle spasms and stiffness as well as seizures and death.

PERTUSSIS also known as WHOOPING COUGH is an illness that causes coughing spells that can lead to breathing problems. Some of the complications of PERTUSSIS are pneumonia, brain damage, seizures and even death.

The DPaT shot is usually given at 2 months, 4 months, and 6 months. Then the child should receive 2 booster shots somewhere between 15 – 18 months and 4-6 years of age. Children must get a booster shot (Td) around the age of twelve. Every 10 years after that they recommend you get a TETNUS booster.

The common side effects of this shot are loss of appetite and fussiness. Some children will run a fever. The risk of seizures usually occur in a child whose fever is 104 degrees or higher. The high fever is usually what causes the seizure. If a sibling has had a seizure they used to recommend that the child not get the DPaT but today researchers disagree because studies have proven that the seizures were usually caused by the fever rather than the shot itself.

MMR – MEASLES, MUMPS, RUBELLA (GERMAN MEASLES, 3 DAY MEASLES)

MEASLES is an infectious disease that can have serious complications. It is estimated that 1 million unvaccinated people around the world die every year. The most common complications are flu like symptoms, rash, ear infections and pneumonia. Some other complications include deafness, seizures and encephalitis.

MUMPS is swelling of the cheeks and jaw. It is spread through the air. Some complications include deafness, meningitis, and encephalitis.

RUBELLA also known as GERMAN MEASLES and 3 DAY MEASLES is a virus that causes a fever and a rash. If exposed a pregnant women that has not been vaccinated carries the risk for miscarriage or of having a baby born with CONGENITAL RUBELLA SYNDROME (CRS). Complications of this can be birth defects such as deafness, blindness or heart defects. It is very important for a pregnant woman to talk with her doctor if she has never had the disease or been vaccinated in the past. This vaccine is usually given between the ages of 12-15 months of age and between 4-6 years of age.

IVP – INACTIVATED POLIO VACCINE

POLIOMYELITIS also known as POLIO causes paralysis of muscles including the muscles you breathe with. Some complications are permanent damage to muscles or death. They used to give the oral form of the vaccine to children but they now recommend the IPV. It is usually given at 2 months, 4 months, between the ages of 6-18 months and 4-6 years of age.

HIB – HAEMOPHILUS INFLUENZAE TYPE b

HAEMOPHILUS INFLUENZAE TYPE b is spread by coughing and sneezing. Some complications include infection of the joints, pneumonia, brain damage, meningitis and even death.

Usually tree or four shots are given at ages 2 months, 4 months, 6 months and between 12-15 months of age.

HEP B –

HEP B is also known as HEPATITIS B can cause joint and muscle pain. Vomiting, diarrhea, and loss of appetite can also be a common complication. Some more serious complications can include cirrhosis, liver cancer and death.

The vaccine is usually given between the ages of birth-2 months, and approx. one month later between the ages of 1-4 months, and between the ages of 6-18 months of age.

VARICELLA –

VARICELLA also known as CHICKEN POX is a contagious disease that usually causes a fever and a rash. Some more serious complications can include encephalitis and death. The vaccine is usually given between the ages of 12-18 months.

Another mistake people make when choosing a name is …choosing a long first name with a long last name. Also , a short first name with a short last name. The rule of thumb here is a long last name with a short first name, or a short first name with a long last name. You might also want to avoid rhyming names Example …Taylor Sailor. You need to think if there could be another meaning behind the name. Example…May Day.

Nicknames are just as important as your real name. For example… If you do not like the name John then you might not want to use the name Jonathan , or Robert shortened to Bob Although these names sound nice at the time ,the child may grow up and decide to shorten it.

Some people want to name the baby after dad. This can get confusing later in life, as you both get phone calls or mail into the house. It might make more sense to change the spelling just a little. For example… Elijah (Elias) You might also decide to call the baby by his middle name instead of the same name as dad.

Some people choose a name solely based on the meaning. Some Examples are… Justin Timothy (upright/just one, honoring God), Christina Elizabeth (Christian, consecrated to God) Whatever you decide … be proud of your new addition. We have made this guide to help you in your selection of a name.

3 months old

-Your baby should be making cooing sounds
-Your baby should be able to lift his/her head while on her tummy
-Your baby should be able to follow you with his /her eyes when you walk around the room
-Your baby will act surprised when he/she hears a loud sound
-Your baby should be able to smile at you
-Your baby should be playing with his/her hands
-Your baby should be putting his/hers hands in her mouth

6 months old

-Your baby should be putting toys in his/her mouth
-Your baby should turn his/her head towards your voice
-Your baby should be able to roll from his/her back to tummy
-Your baby should be able to reach for a toy
-Your baby should be able to hold a toy
-Your baby should be able to laugh out loud
-Your baby should be babbling

9 months old

-Your baby should be sitting alone without assistance
-Your baby should shake his/her head “no”
-Your baby should be crawling or pulling his/her self around
-Your baby should look down when he/she drops a toy
-Your baby should be able to hold 2 things at one time (1 in each hand)
-Your baby should be able to stand holding on to something

12 months old

-Your baby should look at the right thing when you say words like… mommy, ball and book
-Your baby should be trying to take steps while holding on to something or someone
-Your baby should be able to pick up finger foods using his/ her thumb and index finger
-Your baby should be able to play peek-a- boo with you
-Your baby should be able to recognize mommy and daddy when you say it
-Your baby should be able to crawl on his/her hands and knees

15 months old

-Your baby should be able to point for things she wants
-Your baby should walk without help
-Your baby should be able to say Mama and Dada
-Your baby should be able to draw on paper with crayons
-Your baby should be able to feed herself finger foods

18 months old

-Your baby should be able to drink from a cup
-Your baby should be bale to turn pages of a book by himself / herself
-Your baby should be putting objects into containers
-Your baby should be able to point to a few body parts when asked

24 months old

-Your baby should be bale to take off his /her socks off by himself / herself
-Your baby should be able to stack blocks on top of each other
-Your baby should be able to point to pictures in a book as you say them
-Your baby should be able to put 2 words together like “My ball, “ Go bye-bye,” or “Daddy’s car”

30 months old

-Your child should be able to put 3 or more words together like “I love you”
-Your child should be able to turn pages of a book, one at a time
-Your child should be using the words me, you, and I
-Your child should be able to walk up the stairs
-Your child should be able to follow simple directions

36 months old

-Your child should be able to ask questions
-Your child should be able to jump up and down
-Your child should be able to help undress himself/herself
-Your child should be able to follow a two-step instruction like “go to the living room and put on your jacket”
-Your child should be able to correctly answer when someone asks him/her “What is your name?”

For younger babies:

Never leave your child unattended. Accidents can happen within seconds. Do not leave them alone to run and do laundry in a basement apartment building, it only takes a few seconds for a fire to spark. Simple things like checking the mail while your baby sleeps can result in things like, forgetting your keys and your baby is locked inside. Never leave a baby in an automobile, anything could happen. The brake could slip sending the baby towards traffic. It only takes seconds for a baby snatcher to get into your car and be gone with your baby in the car seat in the back. The temperature in a closed up vehicle can rise rapidly. It is always better to wake a baby up and bring him/ her inside then to leave them unattended for even a minute in a vehicle. The window left open does not provide enough ventilation for baby.

Never take your eyes off baby when you place him/her on a changing table, chair, couch or bed. You should always use the straps on a changing table. Keep one hand loosely on the baby at all times, especially if you need to bend over to pick something up. You should never leave the baby in a bathtub alone. Even a small amount of water can drown a baby that has fallen and can’t roll over or get out of the water. You should place a towel at the bottom of a bathtub to prevent slipping.

Never leave a young child alone with your baby. An affectionate hug could even suffocate your baby. Another child might not realize the danger in squeezing too tight or shaking a baby. They might even try and play with baby and give your baby toys that are not age appropriate, which could potentially make the baby choke.

Never shake your baby or throw him / her into the air. You shouldn’t hold your baby’s arms and swing him around. Do not play with a baby near strings or cords such as telephone cords. Make sure all plastic bags are place out of the baby’s reach. They can cause suffocation within seconds.

Never leave your baby unattended while shopping. Never ask a stranger to watch him/her for even a minute. Have the baby in view at all times. When you need to turn and get an item from the shelf, face the cart with the baby closest to you. This will deter a baby snatcher. Strollers can block your view of your baby. A stranger could appear to be bending over to pick up an item off the bottom shelf. You should move the baby and stroller back out of the strangers reach. After the stranger has gotten his item and is walking off then resume shopping. You can never be too cautious with strangers. You do not know these individuals and unfortunately there are some people out there that you need to be cautious of.

For Older Babies:

Baby proofing your home will be a little harder at this stage of the game. You have to plan ahead. Your baby is now more mobile. It is important that baby is never left alone. This article is to help you make your baby’s world a little safer.

You should walk through your home and fix the things that are obvious like any peeling paint or broken tiles. Walk through with pen and paper in hand and make a list for every room. Things too look for:
Loose knobs on cabinet doors or furniture
Peeling paint on walls or furniture
Unstable furniture
Loose tiles on walls or floors
Splinters in wood flooring
Windows on higher levels
Make sure all screens in windows are secure
Cords on blinds or drapes
Electrical outlets
Poisonous plants
Lid on toy box
Throw rugs
Cleaning solutions under cabinets
After you make your list, go shopping. Get the supplies that will make these household changes easier. For example… electrical outlet plugs, cabinet locks, and baby gates. Do one complete room at a time so you don’t leave anything out. Its smart to start with the simple changes. You can start by putting corner guards on all sharp table corners. They also make protective pads that you can place around a fireplace. Use electrical outlet plugs in every electrical outlet. You need to secure your chemicals in your lower cabinets by using cabinet locks. They also have toilet and stove locks. A baby can flush things down a toilet causing an expensive plumbing bill. Be sure to check the garage area as well. You might want to put a lock on the freezer, so your baby can’t get inside. You will want to place gates at the top of any stairs that your baby has access to. You should make sure all second story windows do not open enough for your baby to climb out. Place all plants out of your baby’s reach. If your baby samples a plant you should call poison control immediately. Replace all loose wall or floor tiles. Sand down any splintering areas of a wood floor. You may want to do this to an outside deck as well. You should also make sure all nails are hammered in and check for loose boards on a deck. Repair and repaint any old furniture. Remove toy box lids completely if necessary. Finally place things like scissors and marbles out of your baby’s reach. Remember, even though some of these home adjustments can be annoying, they are only temporary and its things that you can live with. More importantly it is things your baby can live with.

A food allergy is present when your body’s immune system makes an allergen antibody to something you have ingested. As an example, if you are allergic to eggs and consume them, your body will produce IgE (immunoglobulin) antibodies to the egg. When the IgE binds to the egg protein and the allergy cells, chemicals such as histamines are released, which will cause allergic reactions. Some of these symptoms are itching, rash or breathing problems.

A food intolerance occurs when you have a negative reaction to a food and the immune system is not involved in the reaction. A good example of this is lactose intolerance. Children and adults can have intolerances to both foods and additives. It is not uncommon for a person’s body to react negatively to MSG, food dyes, high fructose corn syrup, aspartame, sulfites and more. If your child is misbehaving or hyperactive and food allergies have been ruled out by allergy testing, keep a food journal to find what he or she is reacting to.

If you have food allergies, the only way to stop a reaction is to never ingest the allergen. Exposure to a food you are allergic to can cause serious, if not life threatening, reactions.