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Baby Sleep Information

October 1, 2012 by

The famous baby care company, Johnson & Johnson, have published a new section on their website that is chock full of helpful advice on how to reduce the stress that can arise when there is an infant in the house.

No matter how much you love your new baby, the reality is that the baby can seriously disrupt your normal routine, especially when it comes to sleeping, and this will inevitably leave most parents feeling tired.

In fact, the company draws an analogy between jet lag and the tiredness associated with interrupted sleep. Just as undertaking several transatlantic flights in quick succession will cause jet lag, having your sleep interrupted by your baby over several nights will cause what they have dubbed “babylag.”

The company has come up with a 3-step bedtime routine, designed to get your baby off to a deep and relaxed sleep. They collaborated with a leading paediatrician to test the effectiveness of their baby sleep information and the results are impressive. After just seven days using the routine, a significant proportion of the babies whose parents used the routine were sleeping longer.

The website features a fun, interactive quiz that measures how “babylagged” you are. Tiredness affects the ability to make sound judgments, and also reduces reaction times. The interactive quiz, which takes just a few minutes to complete, is in three parts, and the site uses your results to estimate to what degree you are affected by babylag.

Following the quiz, the site takes you through the 3-step bedtime routine. These are simple steps that everybody can use. The steps help to relax both baby and parent.

The website has loads of suggestions and tips on many aspects of baby care. There are sections on nappy changing, how to give relaxing massages to your baby, and bath time routines.

You can take the test and get access to all the advice by visiting the website at http://www.johnsonsbaby.co.uk/microsites/babylag.

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Filed Under: Child Health, Family Health, Sleep problems

Childhood Illnesses

April 26, 2011 by

Many parents would rather be sick themselves, than have their child be sick. When those childhood illnesses occur, there is a trusted brand you can turn to, Calpol.

The first thing you can do to make your little baby under two months to feel better is by administering Calpol Little babies under the age of two months often suffer from stuffy noses. Of course, they are too young to blow their noses and this can just make them miserable. When this occurs, lay the baby flat on their back. Turn the babies head to the side, and insert the nozzle of Calpol – Soothe and Care Nasal Spray into the nostril. Squeeze one time and then repeat on the other side.

This stuffy nose, in a baby, is the result of nasal tissues becoming swollen and therefore, excess fluid builds up and leads to the stuffy nose feeling. The cause of this excess fluid can be many things, including childhood illnesses such as a cold, the flu or allergies. This stuffy feeling can make a baby very uncomfortable.

When the congestion becomes a bigger concern is when it interferes with the baby’s ability to nurse or when the baby is having a hard time breathing. If the baby is not eating, or if the baby is having a hard time breathing it is often best to seek professional advice in a baby who is this young.

While most stuffy noses are not a medical emergency, it is important that the baby stay hydrated. If the baby stops eating, it can become a medical emergency very quickly, because of dehydration.
The second thing you can do to make a baby with a stuffy nose feel better is to use a humidifier. The humidifier makes the air moister, and this stops the mucus from becoming thick. Fill the humidifier with water that has been filtered to remove minerals. Place the humidifier about three feet from the baby’s crib. Ensure that there is no way that the baby can reach the humidifier.

The third thing you can do to make a baby with a stuffy nose feel better is to go into the bathroom and turn on the shower water as hot as it can get. Make sure and close the bathroom door so that the steam will build up in the room, and wait for ten minutes before entering the room, holding the baby to your chest. The steam will help loosen the baby’s mucus.

A fourth thing you can do is administer a homemade rub. Many people are afraid to administer medicine to a baby this young for good reasons. A great rub can be made at home, that will help to soothe the baby. To make this rub, simply combine 10 drops of peppermint oil, five drops of eucalyptus oil, two drops of tea tree oil and two teaspoons of almond oil. Dip a cotton swab in this rub, and gently apply to the back of the baby’s ears, the bottom of the baby’s feet and to the baby’s chest.

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Filed Under: Child Health, Featured Tagged With: ,

Teething and the painful process it is

May 5, 2010 by

Teething can be a horrible time for both parents and children but it is unlikely to get to the stage where any invasive treatment like root canal are necessary though recently there have been reports of children aged as little as 3 having to get teeth extracted; it often causes children to become emotional and clingy and may also result in them having a raised temperature, sickness and diarrhoea and a general feeling of being unwell.

Teething generally starts around the age of six months, when children start to develop their first tooth; every child is different and this is only a general guide. Teeth continue to develop over the course of the next few months and by the age of two most children have a full set of milk teeth. When babies are teething, they may tend to dribble more and be more inclined to chew and bite on toys and other objects.

Teething affects all babies in a different way; some are fine, while others suffer enormously when their teeth start coming through. If you have a child that is suffering because they are teething you can give them over the counter pain relief, including sugar-free ibuprofen or paracetamol but you should always check the labels or ask your doctor or pharmacist for advice if you’re not sure what medication your baby can have. Try to avoid giving them rusks as most contain sugar; instead given them something fairly hard and cold to chew on, like a teething ring or a breadstick. You can also rub sugar free teething gel into their gums; this will help to soothe the gums and reduce pain.

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Filed Under: Child Health, Dental Care, Family Health Tagged With: ,

Dentists teach children and families good oral hygiene

April 16, 2010 by

How many times did your mom or dad say: “Stop squeezing the toothpaste tube!” or “Squeeze the tube from the bottom up!”? Kids seem to be fascinated with toothpaste as it squirts out the tube and may battle to keep the paste on the brush as it wiggles in hand nearer to their teeth.

Although children are told to brush their teeth morning and night, or after every meal, do they actually understand the basics to oral hygiene? Growingkids.co.uk offers valuable information for parents or guardians of children about the importance of developing good oral hygiene from childhood. The reasons provided include: tooth disease, halitosis (bad breath), plaque removal to prevent tartar buildup,and tooth decays caused by plaque that can later result in the need for root canal treatment or tooth extraction.

Good oral hygiene involves regular brushing of teeth with toothpaste and getting a new brush every two to three months, flossing weekly, rinsing the mouth with antiseptic mouth wash, chewing sugar free gum after meals if brushing is not possible, and visiting a dentist every six to twelve months for a checkup dental job and advice. Only a dentist can remove tartar caused by plaque buildup on the teeth, can identify inflammation that may result in tooth decay, and can teach you and your children about good oral hygiene.

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Filed Under: Child Health, Dental Care, Family Health Tagged With: ,