BABY HEALTH TIPS

BABY HEALTH TIPS
Baby Health Care
Baby Health care or healthcare is the prevention, treatment, and management of illness and the preservation of mental and physical well-being through the services offered by the medical, nursing, and allied health professions. The organised provision of such services may constitute a baby health care system. This can include a specific governmental organisation such as, in the UK, the National Health Service or a cooperation across the National Health Service and Social Services as in Shared Care.
Baby Health Tips
1- Keep Baby CleanKeep your babies always clean. Cleanness is the major health tip for a baby. You should always keep clean your babies bed, clothes, nappies, nails, hands, etc..
2- Jaundice in the New-born BabyDo not be alarmed if the whites of your baby's eyes and their skin turns a slight yellow colour after 3 days. This is a condition called jaundice and is caused because your baby's liver cannot work fast enough to dispose of a pigment called bilirubin. Premature babies are more likely to suffer from jaundice. It usually clears up after a few days and this can be aided by exposure to sunlight (through a window).You may also be encouraged to feed your baby as often as possible. Sometimes when the bilirubin levels are very high a baby may need to be exposed to controlled amounts of ultra violet light in the form of phototherapy. Ultra violet breaks down the pigment levels in the skin. This will be carried out in hospital. Your baby will be placed in a special crib sometimes in Special Care. This is a routine treatment and is very effective.
3- Coping with ColicWhen a baby suffered from Colic, the best way to deal with it was to carry her with her tummy down, long ways on the arm, using the hand to cradle her head. It never failed to soothe her and help her with her tummy pains.
4- Refluxing - Premature BabiesRefluxing is a common problem with premature babies. One way of lessening the reflux is to keep your baby's head elevated. Bouncers come in handy for this purpose.
5- Alcohol and SmokingIt is best to avoid smoking and drinking while pregnant. Both cross the placenta and can have a harmful effect on the baby. The odd glass of wine is considered safe, but remember the adage - everything in moderation.
6- Sleeping problems from ear acheBabies can be extremely susceptible to ear infections and this can cause them immense discomfort. Problems like this are usually recognised by prolonged periods of screaming and generally not able to settle at all. A warm rice bag may help to soothe. These come in many different shapes and colours but are essentially a cloth bag filled with rice. They can also help with sore muscles. Warm the bag in a microwave oven until warm and place it under the baby's head, next to his/her ear. It will stay warm for a long time and help to relax them.
7- Get some air to the baby's bottomIf a baby is suffering from nappy rash, try bathing them in lukewarm water. This will remove all traces of urine. Do not add any bubble bath. Let their bottom dry naturally in the air. Nappy rash is caused by ammonia, in urine, reacting on the babies skin. It breaks down their natural protective skin barrier. This then makes the skin red, sore, spotty and can lead to blisters. This leaves the skin open to infections such as thrush. Nappy rash is a very common problem but should not be overlooked. If the nappy rash does not clear up after a few days with using normal antiseptic barrier cream at nappy changes, consult your health visitor or doctor.
8- Sensitive skin in the sunA babies skin can be up to 20 times more sensitive than yours and you can see a noticeable difference after 5 minutes. If the sun is out, remember to give baby a covering of good sun block to keep out those harmful rays.
9- Cradle CapIf a baby develops a yellow, hard crust on his/her scalp then your baby probably has Cradle Cap. This is very common. We have found rubbing coconut oil into the scalp, leaving overnight and then shampooing as usual the following morning, very effective. You may need to repeat this several times. The problem resolved itself and then reappeared a week later, this is quite normal. Other friends of ours have found that warm olive oil, sunflower oil or baby oil, equally effective. Baby Cradle Cap, a good surefire way to get rid of cradle cap is to use a very soft bristle toothbrush and gently rub it over the scalp while bathing. Being even more gentle over the soft spot. Just apply shampoo and start to rub gently.
10- ColicAlthough we are used to the term Colic being associated with wind or the inability to digest food, this is not the whole story. The broad definition of colic refers to prolonged periods of crying, usually at regular intervals. One cause of colic has been associated with external stimuli. Excess gas or wind in the digestive tract still seems to be associated with colicky babies and of course this can be helped with medicine. Ask your doctor about Colic Drops. These contain an active ingredient called simethicone which is not absorbed into the body. It helps to reduce gas without any side effects. Babies usually don't suffer from colic after the first three months although there can be exceptions of upto 5months.
11- Sticky eyesIf a new born is suffering from sticky eyes, a common problem caused by blocked tear ducts, then here are a few ways to help the problem. Dab some cotton wool in some boiled, cool water and massage the corners of your baby's eyes. Use different cotton wool for each eye to avoid cross infection. Cool tea can also be very effective. Just pour boiling water onto a tea bag and let it stew for a couple of minutes. Then let it cool down and use cotton wool to, again, wipe the corners of the eyes. Gentle massage around the eyes with your finger can also help to free the tear ducts.
12- Head liceMost children at some point will get head lice (nits). This is very common. Some myths say that it is the result of dirty hair but in fact it is quite the opposite. Head lice will only infect clean hair. There are many medicated shampoos which you can obtain from a pharmacy. These kill the eggs and nits. You then have to use a special fine comb to remove the eggs. Speak to your chemist or doctor first because some shampoos should definitely not be used for babies and small children. Also, check the rest of the family as head easily pass from one to another with close contact. 13- Cold relief for babiesIt is very common for babies to catch colds and we have found a number of things help. You can put a few drops of Karvol onto a hankerchief and tie it near to where your baby is sleeping. You can do this even for a newnborn baby. You can also use a vapour rub such as Snufflebabe which should help your baby to breathe more easily. If your baby is having trouble feeding because of the cold its probably best to contact your Dr who will be able to suggest a number of things. If your baby is feverish (you don't have to take their temperature:- your hand is an excellent way of telling how hot your baby is when placed on their forehead) try giving Calpol or any paracetamol elixir specifically for babies and young children. Always give as directed and don't exceed the maximum daily dose, even if the child has vomited you don't know how much has been absorbed. REMEMBER Nobody knows a baby like its mother and father.
14- Vitamin C & the Mini pillIf you are taking the mini pill as your contraception whilst breastfeeding and are also taking a supplement of vitamin C, please be aware that if you take these around the same time of the day, it may lower the effectiveness of the mini pill. A useful tip for anyone taking the mini pill.
15- How to take your baby's temperatureWhen you think your baby is ill you should take her temperature. There are a few types of thermometer. Digital, Mercury & Strip. The normal temperature for your baby is 37°C.
16- White spots on baby's faceIf a new born baby develops little white spots on his or her face don't worry, this is quite normal. These can occurr on the nose or cheeks and are sometimes known as milk spots. The cause of these spots is due to a temporary blockage of the sebaceous glands. These are the oil producing glands of the body. Never squeeze them, they will disappear on their own within the first 2 or 3 weeks.
17- Infant botulism and honeyIt is advisable not to give honey to your baby until he is over a year old, as it contains spores which can cause infant botulism. Infant botulism is caused by the bacteria clostridium which is the same bacteria that causes food poisoning. Although these spores can be found in soil, honey is the only food stuff that has been found to be associated with infant botulism. The reason children under one year are susceptible to this and other bacteria is because they have not developed any gut flora which is the body's own natural defence against the food poisoning bacteria. Remember after your baby is one year old, honey is an excellent natural food.
18- Peanut allergyIf you use nipple cream for sore nipples ensure you choose one that doesn't contain peanut oil (also known as arachis) as this can cause your baby to have a serious allergic reaction to peanuts at a later date (sensitisation), speak to your doctor or pharmacist who can recommend one. You should also remember that you are advised not to eat peanuts while pregnant or while breast feeding as this may also cause an allergic reaction in childhood.