The return visit of Aunty Flo!

There aren't any set formulas for determining when a nursing mother will resume her periods.

Some women produce enough oestrogen to begin menstruating again even before they've weaned their babies, sometimes as early as 6 weeks - 3 months postnatal. But others, particularly those who have breastfed for a long time, nursed exclusively or had irregular menstrual periods before pregnancy, will have a break from menstruation until 7 months after they've weaned. Be sure, however, that you're eating enough and haven't been losing weight too quickly; as strenuous dieting especially when combined with strenuous exercising can temporarily hold off the return of the menstrual cycle.

Keep in mind that just because you're not getting your period doesn't mean you can't get pregnant again!

For more of your post-pregnancy concerns answered visit http://www.babyonline.co.za/

How long to feed?

Many believe that keeping initial feedings short (5 minutes on each breast) can prevent sore nipples by allowing them to toughen up slowly.

Would you believe that sore nipples actually result from incorrect positioning of the baby on the breast, than length of feeding. So as long as your positioning is correct, there is no need to reduce the time your baby spends on the breast. Instead, follow your babies own nursing pattern.

Be warned, some newborns an take up to 45 minutes to complete a feeding (average time is 20 - 30 minutes). So don't stop baby from feeding after 15 minutes on breast one, rather wait until he seems ready to quit and then offer the second breast.

Ideally, at least one breast should be emptied at each feeding. A good tip is to fasten a safety pin to your nursing bra on the side you started with at the previous feeding, or you can tuck a nursing pad in your bra cup on that side.

For more breastfeeding tips visit htto://www.babyonline.co.za/

Baby Pimples

No need to grab the Clearasil after spotting a few whiteheads on baby's face.

These blemishes are temporary and not a sign of future complexion trouble. The best treatment for these milia, which are caused by clogging of the newborns immature oil glands, is no treatment at all - avoid the temptation to squeeze, scrub or treat. They'll disappear spontaneously, usually within a few weeks.

For more useful baby info visit http://www.babyonline.co.za/

Morning Sickness linked to higher child IQ

Researchers have found that among 121 children between the ages of 3 and 7, those whose mothers had suffered morning sickness scored higher on average, on certain IQ tests, memory and language skills.

The findings also suggest that nausea and vomiting in pregnancy is not harmful and in fact may enhance children's long-term mental development.

Nausea and vomiting during pregnancy is quite common, especially during the first trimester as it is related to changes in particular hormones that are needed for the placenta's development.

Past studies have also linked morning sickness to lower rates of miscarriage, stillbirth and preterm delivery.

For more of your pregnancy concerns answered visit http://www.babyonline.co.za/

What to avoid when breastfeeding

While breastfeeding there are a number of substances that are smart to avoid, or at least cut-back on.

Nicotine: many of the toxic substances in tobacco enter the bloodstream and eventually your milk. Heavy smoking decreases milk production and can cause vomiting, diarrhoea, rapid heart rate and restlessness in babies. Secondhand smoke from parents can also cause a variety of health problems in offspring including, colic, respiratory infections and an increase in the risk of SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome).

Alcohol: Alcohol does find its way into your breast milk in lesser amounts than you drink. While it's okay to have a few drinks a week, you should try to limit your consumption of alcohol while nursing. In large amounts, alcohol can make baby sleepy, sluggish and unresponsive. In excessive amounts it can even affect breathing.

Caffeine: One or two cups of coffee, tea or coca cola a day won't affect your baby or you. More than that could make one or both of you jittery, irritable and sleepless. caffeine has also been linked to reflux in some babies.

Herbs: Although natural, herbs aren't always safe especially when breastfeeding. Consult your doctor before taking any herbal remedy and think twice before drinking herbal teas.

Chemicals: As a general rule, avoid processed foods that contain long lists of additives, and try the following safe eating tips:

• Sweeten safely. Aspartame is probably better than saccharin (only a tiny amount of aspartame pass into breast milk), but because long-term health affects aren't know, excess is definitely a "no". However Sucralose, made from sugar is a better option out of the two.


• Go organic. Try to avoid incidental pesticides by choosing organic fruit and veg.


• Stay low-fat. Not only does a low-fat diet help you loose your pregnancy weight, but pesticides and other chemicals ingested by animals are stored in their fat.


• Fish selectively.To minimize your and your baby's exposure to mercury avoid eating shark, swordfish, marlin, ling mackerel and tile fish, and limit your consumption to 340g per week of salmon, sea bass, flounder, sole, haddock, halibut, ocean perch, pollack, cod and farm-raised trout. The FSA also advises that you don't eat more than 280g of canned tuna, or one fresh tuna steak per week.

For more healthy eating tips while breastfeeding visit http://www.babyonline.co.za/

Jealous Pooch & Baby

Sharing the love and intention between an intensely jealous pooch and that tiny but threatening new human you'll soon be bringing home from the hospital is worrisome.

Though a little initial moping around my be unavoidable, you'll have to do whatever is necessary to avoid excessive jealousy and more seriously any aggressive reactions. Here's how:

1. If you dog isn't already trained, invest in an obedience training programme.
   
2. Get your dog use to babies now


3. Get your dog used to life with a baby in the house - play baby with a doll


4. Get your dog used to sleeping alone


5. Take your dog for a complete medical checkup. Be sure your dog is flea, tick and worm-free


6. If you dog's feeding station is one your baby will later be able to easily get to, move it to the garage or any other suitable place that doesn't attract the curious roamer.


7. After delivery, but while you're still in hospital have your spouse bring home an unwashed piece of clothing your newborn has worn so that your pet can get used to your baby's scent.


8. Be attentive to your baby, but don't act overprotective around your dog. This will only make your pet more jealous and insecure.


9. If despite your efforts to prepare her, your dog is still hostile towards the new arrival keep her tied up and away from the baby. Just because your dog hasn't bitten before doesn't mean she's not capable of it.

To ease more of your baby related concerns visit http://www.babyonline.co.za/

Baby's First Recipes - Carrots & Apples

Carrots and Apple
Suitable for babies 6 months and up; yields 32 tablespoons

Ingredients:
1 bag peeled baby carrots
½ Golden Delicious peeled and diced
1 pinch ground ginger (optional)

Directions:
1. Place carrots in a pan with a steamer basket. Add enough water so that it just comes to the bottom of the basket. Bring to a slow boil, cover and steam for 5 minutes.
2. Add diced apple and steam for 10 minutes more. Transfer to a blender and reserve the steaming liquid.
3. Add ginger (optional) and 1/2 cup of reserved liquid; puree until smooth and desired consistency. Add more liquid if necessary.
4. Cool to room temperature. Divide into ice cube trays, cover with plastic wrap and freeze.

For more easy recipes visit http://www.babyonline.co.za/

Baby's First Recipes - Stewed Fruit

Stewed Fruit

Suitable for babies 4-8 months old.
Makes 1-2 cups, depending on the fruit used.

Ingredients:

2 fresh apples, pears, peaches or plums, or 3-5 apricots, well scrubbed, peeled, cored or pitted and cut into medium-size chunks.
Water, apple or white grape juice, breast milk or formula (optional)

Method:

1. Pour water to a depth of 2.5cm into a medium-size saucepan and bring to the boil over a high heat.


2. Place the fruit of choice in the pan, cover, lower the heat to a simmer and cook the fruit until tender, 7-10 minutes.

Note:

Most fruits are naturally sweet. If a fruit puree you are serving tastes a little bitter, add a dash of apple or grape juice. But remember, babies haven't developed a sweet tooth yet and it's best to keep it that way for as long as you can, by keeping fruits not too sweet.

For more on baby, visit http://www.babyonline.co.za/

Dieting and Pregnancy...is it good for you?

Almost all medical expert condemn dieting during pregnancy for the simple reason that dieting can affect the quality of nutrition a baby receives.

Normal-Weight Women

Women who are not obese are not encouraged to go on a pregnancy diet, as a lack of nutrition may have a a negative impact on baby. Research has found that children of women who had the lowest calories intake had thicker arteries, regardless of their mother's weight, health, whether she smoked or exercised during pregnancy. Birth defects have also been linked to pregnancy diets. dieting during pregnancy increases the risk of neutral tube defects, in which the spinal cord and brain don't fully develop.

Obese Women

In the past, obese women were often advised to either lose weight during pregnancy or to maintain their pregnancy weight, even though they tend not to gain as much weight during pregnancy as smaller women. however, obese pregnant women are more likely to experience complications during pregnancy such as, hypertension, gestational diabetes and more likely to require a C-section. while some doctors encourage weight lose, most feel this could be dangerous. Undernourished babies are more likely to be born prematurely. Pregnancy diets also increase risk of infant mortality.

Lifestyle Diets
Most doctors agree that lifestyle or fad diets e.g the Atkins, Zone or South Beach Diet should not be followed while pregnant.

Eating a well-balanced meal is key to staying healthy during pregnancy and ensuring your baby develops properly. Vitamins such as a prenatal multivitamin, plus a daily mineral supplement are encouraged. Folic acid supplements are also important.

For more pregnancy info visit http://www.babyonline.co.za/

Parental Nudity

Worried about getting dressed in front of your baby? Wondering how long should I let him see me naked?

Experts agree that up until the preschool years, parental nudity won't affect a child in any way i.e beyond the age of 3 or 4. At that point, many believe, it may not be healthy for children to see parents of the opposite sex fully naked.

An infant under a year is too young to remember year's later what he has seen and is unlikely to notice anything special about mom's birthday suit!

If your baby is curious about what he sees, and wants to touch your public hair or pull your nipples, feel free to end any exploration that bothers you. His interest in the private parts of your body is, after all, just as innocent as being interested in your belly button or ears.

For more of your baby concerns answered visit http://www.babyonline.co.za/

Baldy Baby

Tired of hearing "what a cute little boy" whenever you're out with your cute little girl? If your daughter was born bald and still has little more than peach fuzz...don't worry the days of pretty bows, pig-tails and plaits will soon come.

Like toothlessness, hairlessness at an early age is normal and not permanent. Hairlessness is most common among fair babies with light hair and is not a forecast of scarce hair later in life.
In no time hair strands will sprout with most of them arriving as late as 2 years old in some cases.

In the meantime just be grateful you don't have to wrestle to comb or wash a tangled headful of hair!

For more of your baby concerns answered visit http://www.babyonline.co.za/

Is Your Baby a Chubby Checker?

With dimples on knees and elbows, a Buddha belly, double chin and puffy cheeks, she is a picture of absolute cuteness, but could this be the way to becoming a fat child and an obese adult?

One study has found that babies who put on weight fast in their first 4 months may be at an increased risk of obesity later on in life. The baby who is too heavy to move may become victim to a vicious cycle of inactivity and overweight. The more chubbier baby is, the less she moves and the more chubbier she will get. Her inability to move will make her frustrated and irritable, which may lead to parents overfeeding her to keep her happy.

The prescription for a chubby baby is not usually a diet, but rather slowing down the rate of weight gain. Here are a few tips to help with this:

• Use feeding only to satisfy hunger and not other needs.


• Make dietary adjustments if necessary e.g. switch to low calorie formula or use skimmed milk.


• Try water for a overweight older baby who wants to keep sucking after her appetite has been satisfied, or who is thirsty rather than hungry.


• Don't give solids prematurely as a way to encourage sleeping through the night - it doesn't work and may lead to overweight.


• Evaluate your baby's diet. If you've already started your baby on solids and she's taking more than just a few spoonfuls of cereal, reduce the milk intake. Cut back on solids if you have started them prematurely (most experts recommend not starting solids until 6 months). If baby is taking juices (which shouldn't be before the age of 6 months) dilute them. and don't put thin cereal in a bottle for feeding.


• Get your baby moving e.g. let your "stand" on your lap and bounce

For more tips on how to keep baby healthy and happy visit http://www.babyonline.co.za/

Baby on the Way? ...Get Ready for a Lifestyle Change!

After much procrastination, a friend of mine has finally decided to start trying for a baby. Being a person accustomed to a certain lifestyle, I wondered does she really know how much her life is going to be turned upside down?

They say change is as good as a holiday, but when baby arrives it's anything but a holiday!
Many women I feel are still disillusioned and believe life will carry on as always, but the reality is that nappies aren't the only things that will be changing around your house when baby arrives.

Almost everything of your lifestyle - from your priorities to your attitudes, from your sleeping patterns to your eating patterns, from the way you spend yours nights and weekends, from romance to finance -will change, to some degree. Dinner outs may still happen, but fewer of them will be at the latest trendy social spots and more of them at family-style restaurants with high chairs and play areas. Late nights in are likely to replace the late nights out and spontaneous lovemaking is less likely than scheduled "time slots" around baby's nap.

Yes, little babies make a big difference in how you live your life. But while every couple finds that their lifestyle changes somewhat once they become parents, just how much yours will change will depend on you, your spouse, and your baby (some babies are more adaptable than others).

So it's a good idea to emotionally prepare yourself for these lifestyle changes, although it's difficult to exactly predict how hard parenthood will hit you until your little bundle of joy arrives. Remember change is not only challenging but exciting too! Though your life will be different, it will also be in many ways more fulfilling...ask any parent.

Have more baby related questions? Visit http://www.babyonline.co.za/

Pink or Blue?

Are you expecting? Can't wait to find out what you are having? Good news, you only have to wait in anticipation for 8 weeks.

A safe, non-invasive test that can determine a baby's gender at a mere 8 weeks into pregnancy, has been made available in South Africa by local firm, DNAlysis Biotechnology. The new Pink or Blue test determines the baby's sex by characterising minute quantities of foetal cellular material which is released into the maternal bloodstream as part of normal foetal developement. A small sample of blood is drawn for this purpose.

The advantage of the Pink or Blue test is that not only is it available earlier than any of the other methods, but it is more accurate than ultrasound, which depends largely on the position of the baby at that particular time. The Pink or Blue results are available within 4 - 5 working days and is accurate 95% of the time.

For parents who are carriers of sex-linked disorders, such as muscular dystrophy, early gender identification of the foetus is invaluable.

For more info, visit http://www.dnalysis.co.za/

Why Buy Expensive Toys for Kids?

A friend sent me this video clip, it's just too cute not to share :)
Why buy expensive toys for kids when the simplest things amuse them.
Why Buy Expensive Toys for Kids?

Feeding Bottles - Picking the Right One

Never did I imagine that buying a baby feeding bottle would be such a daunting task.

With the wide array of brands out there all promising to be "THE" bottle it's easy to feel completely clueless as to which one is best for baby.

Recently a friend introduced me to Dr Brown's Natural Flow baby bottle. Your probably thinking not another glorified feeding bottle, cutely packaged, doing the same thing as all the others.
Well here's why I think this particular brand is so great:

The Dr. Brown's Natural Flow baby bottle is the first baby bottle to feature an internal vent system that eliminates the vacuum, air bubbles and negative pressure associated with conventional bottle feeding. This unique design gives moms the only fully vented bottle option that creates positive pressure or Natural Flow, that actually mimics breastfeeding - it is the only bottle that works in this way.

Some of the health benefits include:

1. postive-pressure feeding
2. helps reduce colic

3. prevents oxidation of nutrients (Vitamin C, A & E) found in formula or breastmilk

4. bottles are made of BPA-free polypropylene plastic or BPA-free borosilicate glass

To view available accessories, or for more info on Dr Brown's Natural Flow baby bottle visit http://www.handi-craft.com/home.html

Forgetfulness

Wondering why can’t your child remember when you ask him to do something? And when you ask him what he did at playschool, he cannot remember.

Although a toddler (unlike young babies) can store information, they often have problems in retrieving that information from their memory banks. Until their concentration increases they often forget what you've just told them. eg. don't walk on the floor, it's wet. Getting distracted is easy… he wants to get to the toy on the other side of the wet floor. So repeat instructions regularly and try to be tolerant. Limit your instructions to one or two at a time and keep them simple; please pick up your toy and put it in the box.

Retelling information, ie. what he did at school, will also improve as he gets older. In fact, expect the time soon when he will tell you countless, long, long stories.

It is important not to show irritation when your child cannot remember. As he grows so will his powers of remembering. If you'd like to help, the more exercise a memory gets, the better it becomes. Here are four ideas of memory games you can play:

1. Kim's game: line three objects up in a row, ask your toddler to take a good look. Then cover them up and ask what was there.

2. Remember together: After a visit to the park sit down together and remember what you saw and did. If he can't remember, say, do you remember the squirrel? And what else did you see?

3. Magic moments: At supper time routinely ask family members to share a special event in the day.

4. Use reminder notes: Ref the wet floor, put a drawing down on the floor eg. a picture of a bright red line across a pair of footsteps."

For more useful toddler info visit: http://www.babyonline.co.za/

Super Baby Not Little Einstein

Following from my previous blog on "creating little Einstein", I thought it would be worthwhile to go through the first year "course load" of babyhood.

During these 12 months, babies learn have to form attachments to others, to trust, to grasp the fact that when daddy hides behind the chair, he's still there eventhough I don't see him.

They need to learn to use their bodies (to sit, crawl, walk), their hands (to pick up dropped items), and their minds (how to get that toy off the table). They'll need to learn the meaning of loads of words, and eventually how to reproduce them. And they'll need to learn something about who they are (what makes me happy or sad).

With so much lined up to learn, further academic extras may overload baby and even result in neglecting some of the fundamental learning areas. The best way forward is not to try and create a whizz kid but a wonderful child - one who reaches his or her full potential when suitable to him or her. This doesn't mean signing-up baby for classes or surrounding him or her with heaps of educational toys, but rather standing by to offer encouragement as baby accomplishes normal baby tasks, exposing him or her to many stimuli (stores, parks, beaches, zoos), nuturing baby's natural curosity, explaining how things work or what they are used for .

Providing your baby with an environment which is filled with songs, books, talking will boost language skills immediately.

Know you know how to put the super in baby!

For more baby & learning info visit http://www.babyonline.co.za/

Creating Little Einstein

So you've heard about the latest educational toys guarenteed to boost your baby's mental development and send those fine motor skills soaring off the charts? From Mozart CD's to DVD's that promise to reach a reading age of ten by your little ones second birthday.

Maybe you are wondering how parents could buy into these Einstein generating products and programmes - how they can force this on their little ones. Maybe you are considering doing the same with yours. Before you rush off to sign up for the latest baby genius class, take a minute and read on.

Though it is possible to teach an infant a wide range of skills long before they are normally learned, the majority of experts agree that there is no evidence that intense early learning actually provides a long-term advantage over more traditional learning patterns.

In a nutshell, your baby should spend his or her first year being a baby!

For more baby related info visit http://www.babyonline.co.za/

What's Happening To My Lady Lumps?

Many women feel like their breasts don't belong to them since becoming pregnant...they change so much! So what's happening to "the girls "?

The changes that a woman’s breasts undergo are to prepare them for their new function and are caused by hormones. Some women’s breasts grow fast right from the start – up to 3 cup sizes – while others notice little change. Breasts may be sore or tender because of their expansion. In addition the nipples and the areola (the area around the nipples) may grow and become darker. Some women feel little bumps under their skin. These are sweat glands and disappear after the pregnancy.

For more pregnancy questions answered visit http://www.babyonline.co.za/

Coffee Fix and Pregnancy

If coffee is your lifeline to get you through the day, you might be feeling a little uneasy about drinking it while pregnant.

The fact of the matter is that coffee does get through to your baby. So while there are no definitive studies that show that coffee is harmful to your foetus, you know in your heart that it can’t be good. Your baby’s system takes longer than yours to process chemicals, which means that the caffeine also stays in the baby’s system for longer than it does in yours.

If you are unable to quit drinking coffee you should cut down as much as possible – ideally to one or two cups per day. There seems to be a link between heavy coffee consumption (around 6 cups per day) and increased risk of miscarriage. Perhaps it would be helpful to try a lighter brand, since the caffeine content of different coffees varies dramatically. Since your already consuming considerable quantities of caffeine, be sure to check the labels of the foods you choose because a surprising number of foods such as chocolate and soft drinks also contain caffeine.

There are a couple of other aspects you need to be aware of. The first is that the diuretic effect of coffee can deplete your calcium stores, and also leach water from your system. In addition to making you run to the toilet even more than normal, this can be unhealthy for the foetus. Also be aware that you may be taking in more empty calories than you realize, what with the sugar and milk or cream.

Visit http://www.babyonline.co.za/ for all your pregnancy & baby questions answered.

You're Invited!

The new baby has arrived and then begin the various celebrations...birth announcements, christenings and many birthday parties. We to start you wonder? First things first, you need a "wow" invitation to invite those near and dear to the momentous occassion.

Project Flair, a CPT based events and stationery company provides the full spectrum of services from event planning to exclusive stationery design, planning the perfect day for your special bundle is easy.

For further info or to request contact details, email marketing@babyonline.co.za

To view more invite designs visit http://www.babyonline.co.za/babyshop/devinedesign/divinedesign.htm

Walking - The Right Age

Your baby's first birthday is next week and a few people have expressed surprise that she isn't walking yet - should you be concerned!

Absolutely not!

Your baby will walk when she is ready. That's the trusth. So some babies are walking well by their first birthday, while others take months more. Actually, the majority of babies walk after their first birthday. Whatever anyone says to you, the fact is that walking age is not an indicator of intelligence or physical ability.

For more of your baby concerns answered visit http://www.babyonline.co.za/

Babies Get Flashy... Bling Dummies!

While American rappers such as Jay Z and P Diddy brag about their bling in most of their music videos, South African babies are set to give them a run for their money.

Bling dummies have become a must-have accessory among moms who want their children to be cooler than Hollywood A-listers. Known as Elli Belli Bling Dummies, the colourful pacifiers come with a price tag of R350 each.

Bling dummies may be new in SA, but local celebs and fashionista parents have long been paying top dollar for stylish baby accessories. These trendy Swarovski crystal enrusted dummies are not only super cute, but completely safe and make the perfect gift.

To view the full range of Elli Belli Bling Dummies and/or place an order visit: http://www.babyonline.co.za/babyshop/ellibelli/ellibelli.htm

Terrible Two's & Tantrums

I'm a godmother to a beautiful girl who has just turned two - the terrilbe two's! As sweet as she can be, a little monster emerges when she throws one of her not-so-little tantrums. It begins with high pitch screaming, then kicking, followed by flung toys and eventually mommy becomes a punching bag.

When toddlers throw there toys-out-the-cot it's very easy to give into their demands just to keep the peace. However this defeats the purpose of actually teaching your tot what appropriate behaviour is. Sadly so, there is no parenting technique that magically makes tantrums disappear. The good news is that your toddler’s tantrums are a childhood behaviour that she will outgrow.

It is not possible to get rid of your toddler’s tantrums completely, however it is possible to minimize them.

Stay calm and speak softly because your screaming over her screaming will only encourage your toddler to scream louder....ear plugs prove to be ineffective!

Express understanding; say “I know it’s hard when you can’t have that. Sometimes mommy also gets angry when I can’t get what I want.

Get down to her level. Sitting on the floor may help to even out the frustrating size difference between you and her.

Ignore the demand, continue to go about your business, try humming to make it clear that you are not paying attention to the tantrum. In the beginning this might make it worst however eventually she will work it out that she is not being taken note of. If you can’t ignore the tantrum because you at a shopping mall, call it a time-out.

If you unable to stop a tantrum don’t worry just let it run its course however try not to give into demands or else she will always use her tantrums to get her way.

....easier said than done, right moms? Time to show a little tough love!

Antenatal Classes - How To Choose?

You've just found out you've got a bun-in-the-oven and then suddenly a fload of questions flog your mind...what am I going to tell the family? when will I start showing? how do I prepare for the arrival of my baby? and is there a difference between all these fancy antenatal classes?

In todays time and age, moms and dads-to-be are really spoiled for choice.
Many couples attend classes at the hospital, which they have chosen for delivery. Those are mostly free. But there are other options. Midwives also provide childbirth education, occasionally for free. A more expensive form is an aqua natal class, which can be more fun. Otherwise you can choose if you want to go in a ‘Mothers Only’ class, or in a “Couples” class. If this is not your first delivery you can go to a refresher course. Which ever you choose, book ASAP and ensure that the teacher knows what she is doing....being comfortable and getting the most out of classes is what counts.

For more top baby and parenting tips and advice visit
http://www.babyonline.co.za/

Arrival of the babyonline blog!

Now that http://www.babyonline.co.za/ is all grown-up with a very active facebook group, naturally we decided that the next step would be to start a blog. Like a first time mom this is all very new to us! We're being to crawl around, explore the new gadgets and hopefully in time help walk mom's through the highs and lows of parenting....and we're going to have fun doing it!

Let’s embrace the full spectrum of parenthood, from cravings, to raging hormones, to the “awh cute” moments, to stylish nursery ideas, fashion, beauty and plain old baby talk.

Hope you enjoy the blog :)