Picking up a crying baby

Crying is baby’s way of communicating and drawing attention to his needs. Babies have different cries to communicate different information. When baby cries it is for a definite reason and he will keep on crying till his needs are met. The reasons could be as simple as hunger, soiled nappies, tiredness, thirst, cold or too much warmth, or colic. Sometimes the baby will cry when he feels lonely and wants the comfort of being cuddled and, feeling snug. Cuddling baby is a magic that will produce miracle results.

Learn to say ‘No’ to your child

Parents who love their children give them what they need and saying ‘No’ to unreasonable demands or showing children the extent to which they can go is good emotionally and is proper upbringing. It is reassuring for a child to know that he is cared for and that his needs are met. On the other hand, parents who give children all they want and indulge them in all their whims and fancies are actually spoiling them. This is not the correct expression of parental love and concern.
It is good to allow children to explore, experiment, take decisions and make choices for themselves. Encourage in them creativity and the power of reason, and give them scope to grow up as well-behaved and intelligent children.

Bed-wetting is not a sign of stress

Most children wet their beds, unconsciously, till they are about three or four years old, because their bladders are full. This is not a sign of an emotional problem or stress. You can help the baby by teaching him to urinate before going to bed. This helps him in gaining control over his bladder. Baby will not willfully wet his bed, because like other children he doesn’t want to feel ashamed when found out. Bed-wetting is an involuntary action. You should be discreet about this and not make the child feel guilty.
Boys take longer than girls to get out of this habit. However, if the child is wet because of a continuous dribble of urine, there might be a physical problem. A medical examination by your pediatrician is necessary to rule out kidney or bladder disorder or an emotional problem.

Expressing milk by pump

Expressing with a specially made pump can be quicker and less tiring than hand expressing. Choose a syringe-type pump where the outer cylinder converts into a bottle. Soften your breasts first with warm water and massage them as if expressing by hand. The feeling on your breasts should be like your baby’s jaws. Place the funnel of the pump over the areola so it forms an airtight seal. Pull the outer cylinder away from you. In this way, the suction draws milk from your breast.

Expressing milk by hand

Expressing your own milk means you can freeze it for up to one month and someone else can give it to your baby. This allows you greater freedom and flexibility. It is an easy and painless process. Help the flow of milk by applying a warm washcloth first. Support your breast in one hand and start the massage from above using your whole hand. Do at least 10 “circuits” and stroke downward towards the areola with your fingers. Squeeze from behind the areola with thumb and forefinger and press backwards to get a spurt.

Soothing sore nipples

Sore, red nipples are usually the result of your baby not latching on properly. Check that he takes the whole nipple and areola into his mouth and that his temples and ears are moving. It infers that his jaw muscles are working hard to suck the nipples. Cracked nipples give you shooting pains during feeding, but don’t stop feeding, as you may become engorged with milk and make problem worse. Apply cream or an antiseptic spray to relieve the soreness. Place a plastic breast shell to cover your nipple inside your bra to keep your breast dry. Allow the breasts shell to air.