Parenting Tips » baby care tips

Tackling thumb-sucking

Mritunjay — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 20:19:08 +0000

Thumb sucking is a common action performed by majority of babies. One thing about thumb sucking is that, it subsides on its own with the passage of time. As baby grows older, this habit tends to subsidises. Normally it has been found that a child quits this habit of thumb sucking between the age of thee and six. Most of the babies stop this habit before the appearance of the second teeth. A child resorts to thumb sucking because he/she seeks additional comfort or support. But parents need not worry about this habit as it will go anyhow. But parents should not force child to leave this habit through coercive measures.

Parents should watch the frequency of thumb sucking. If the child does it occasionally, it is not a concern then but if child does it frequently then it might be a cause of concern. As frequent thumb sucking indicates lack of love or even maladjustment. There could be several other reasons like if child is seeking companionship or [parents are giving him enough time or could be anything else. It is the job of the parents to identify what is bothering the kid and take corrective measures.

There are certain steps that parents could think of. One of them is stop nagging the child. It won’t do any good to the kid. There is also no point in making the kid feel conscious about it. Parents should stop worrying unduly about the habit of thumb sucking. Your worry is not going to help the situation. You can think of using different methods to distract her. For example, you can use toy for distraction or offer some candies to the kid if he does not suck the thumb. Finally, don’t use any harsh treatment and rather focus on friendly methods.

Baby’s Clothes

Mritunjay — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 20:20:11 +0000

One of the toughest works for any mother would be taking care of baby’s clothes. It is no doubt a problematic task that needs to be done any which way. The thing with a cloth is that it is very close to a baby’s skin and because of that clothes need to be in hygienic condition. It is quite imperative for parents to keep baby’s clothes germ free. Baby will also feel comfortable if her clothes are cool, comfortable, soft and clean. Parents need to devote utmost attention to hygiene factor and any carelessness in this regard can prove costly. A new born baby is susceptible to allergy or any sort of reaction if clothes are not well managed. So apart from health perspective, clean clothes also help in making baby feel comfortable and relaxed.

Ideally, baby’s clothes should be washed with a soap or mild detergent. Don’t use any detergent that has high levels of chemicals in it. Strong detergents make clothes very harsh and rough and that will make baby uncomfortable. It is also important to get every ounce of detergent out of clothes so health perspective.

You can also use fabric softeners while washing baby’s clothes. That will help in keeping baby’s clothes soft. One mistake often committed by people is washing baby’s clothes with adult’s clothes or others clothes. Avoid that habit as germs from other clothes can harm your baby. Soap should always be washed completely off from baby’s clothes. You should also dry baby’s clothes in sun because that will ensure all the germs present in clothes will be killed completely. Finally, avoid using detergents with strong scents and soak your baby’s clothes in warm water before washing. Following all these suggestions will keep your baby healthy and hearty.

Sleeping Tips

Mritunjay — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 20:21:30 +0000

So you along with several other parents are facing the problem of sleeping cycle of the baby? Sleepless nights are often faced by parents and they keep wondering to handle this problem. When the baby is born there is all round excitement and parents experience world of emotions. But soon enough the pleasure is accompanied by gamut of emotions ranging from hormonal changes, sleepless nights and constant feedings. This is experienced by every mother and no doubt it is hard. So ideally, mothers should prepare themselves for such eventualities. When it has to happen anyway then why not get yourself ready for it any which way? Probably, few months or years down the line, you are going to remember all this and feel proud of whatever sacrifices you made and pain you endured. For the first few months, you have to be ready for sleepless nights keeping aside all your works. You have to adjust your timing according to baby’s sleeping pattern and hours.

As the baby grows, she will start sleeping longer. You should never try your baby to change sleep pattern like forcefully keeping her awake during the day so that she will be sleeping all night. Don’t do that. A baby needs lots of sleep and forced sleeping cycles will adversely affect her. Let her sleep as and when she desires. You can also change certain things like keeping silent in nights and turning off the lights so that baby will learn that night is for sleeping.

Baby must be fed whenever she demands it. Do not try to enforce a routine as per your convenience. One more thing that you can do is to bundle up the baby in a cloth preferably cotton sheet. This way, she will feel secure and will sleep properly.

First-Time Parents

Mritunjay — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 10:56:52 +0000

A newly born baby is a sight to behold and a feeling to cherish. Try holding a young one or a newborn baby for few seconds and imagine the joy you would be getting. Everyone loves to hold and cuddle a baby but taking care of them requires more responsibility and dedication. If you are a first time mother or father, it will even be slightly difficult for you. But then there are certain guidelines following which you will be more equipped to handle your new born baby. A new born baby normally sleeps for 16 hours and you must provide her comfortable sleeping surroundings. Don’t fret if the baby is sleeping for long hours as that’s quite normal considering new born babies are not fully develop.

If you bottle feed your baby then make sure bottle is thoroughly washed and sterilized. The process of sterilizing is quite simple. All you have to do is to clean the bottle and then boil it for some time to get rid of the germs. Its winter time so parents must be prepared for that with woollen clothes, sweaters and trousers. These things will protect baby from the cold climate. During the summer, have pure cotton clothes for the baby because of the comfort factor.

Use bathing tub or seat while bathing your baby. Be very careful when you bathe your little bundle of joy. Use good quality baby cream or lotion to massage. Take time to take special care of the baby. Give her a caring and protective environment. Attend to her needs. Make baby feel loved and cared. That will help in her growth as a confident and competent person. If you devote enough time on your baby, she will turn out to be a healthy individual with a positive outlook in life.