New Research Findings On SIDS and What You Can Do

According to a Pediatrics study published in 2009, Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) is one of the leading causes of post neonatal newborn death for babies after one month of age. The study found that most SIDS deaths happen in infants that are between 2 and 4 months old.

For children under 1 year of age, SIDS is the most common cause of death. It makes up roughly 9% of all newborn death, and takes place primarily in the first 6 months of life. Sudden Infant Death Syndrome rarely occurs before 1 month of age or after 6 months.

About 2,600 newborns in the United States die each year from SIDS. In Canada, SIDS is the leading cause of death for babies over four weeks old, making up about one infant death out of every 1,410 live births. Three decades of investigation have discovered factors that increase the risk of SIDS-like letting newborns sleep on their stomachs-but no definitive answers as to what causes the condition. In the face of years of rigorous research, the causes of SIDS continue to be unknown.

What The Latest Research Can Tell Parents

Infants under the age of one year are more prone to SIDS. In general, a SIDS death occurs when a quietly sleeping baby just never wakes up. Infants might experience episodes termed apparent life-threatening events (ALTEs). These are clinical events in which young newborns can face abrupt changes in breathing, color, or muscle tone. Infants have died as a result of SIDS at all times of the day and night, in cribs, bassinets, car seats, strollers, even in a parent’s caring arms. Although SIDS used to be referred to more commonly as crib death, that does not mean that it only occurred in cribs, that simply tended to be the place most dead newborns were discovered.

To add even greater complexity to the matter, doctors and police may be uninformed of a family’s past, or they may be blinded by compassion for the grieving parents. A tragic story is of Marybeth Tinning of Schenectady, New York, who won only sympathy as, one by one, her nine youngsters died of SIDS and other vague natural causes between 1972 and 1985. Doctors still do not know what causes this condition. In actuality, the verdict of SIDS is made only after every other possible explanations are ruled out.

Newborns with alleged cases of SIDS ought to have an autopsy performed by a forensic pathologist who has specialized training in cause-of-death determinations, and the autopsy should include histological and toxicological examinations. The quality and interpretation of postmortem information varies, in part, because some investigative certifier systems do not have a written protocol that specifies the criteria to be used to make a diagnosis of SIDS. Infants of all socioeconomic, racial, and ethnic groups are potentially vulnerable, though with varying risk. Newborns at maximum risk of SIDS consist of: pre-term newborns, especially those weighing less than 2.3 pounds or 1,000 gm; infants who had intrauterine growth restriction; newborns born to mothers with little or no prenatal care or less than 20 years old; males; and African Americans and Native Americans. Infants who sleep on their stomachs and sides have a higher rate of SIDS than infants who sleep on their backs.

Infants who die from SIDS are likely to have elevated concentrations of nicotine and cotinine (a biological marker for secondhand smoke contact) in their lungs than those who die from other causes. Babies that come into contact with secondhand smoke after birth are too at a higher risk of SIDS.

Newborns whose mothers smoked all through pregnancy were born with smaller airways. That causes predisposed breathing troubles following birth. We also know that more babies die of SIDS whose mothers smoked during and after pregnancy. Babies create a lot of phlegm and have a ton of secretions still moving out of their lungs. The lungs are irritated by smoke which causes even more phlegm to be produced. Cigarette smoking through pregnancy can diminish the amount of oxygen the fetus gets. Cigarette taxes and laws regulating inside smoking are acknowledged to be good predictors of smoking behaviors amongst all adults and expecting women. If smoking is actually a connecting determinant of SIDS, then policies which lower smoking should have the added benefit of reducing SIDS cases.

A problem with branding smoking as a underlying determinant of SIDS is clear: newborns never exposed to cigarette smoke nevertheless die of SIDS. To make matters even more complicated, studies reveal that infants who are breast fed, that have had great prenatal care, that were full term and of normal birth weight, that have parents who have not used drugs, to the point, who have no known risk factors, nevertheless die from SIDS. Notwithstanding these problems, we do know that mothers that smoke all through pregnancy are three times more likely to have a SIDS baby and contact with passive smoke after pregnancy doubles a baby’s risk of SIDS.

Statistics show that SIDS occurs most often in the winter months, and girls are affected less than boys. The infant has sometimes had a slight respiratory infection and may not have been feeding well in the preceding months. Figures confirm that African-American and Native-American babies are more likely to be at risk.

A new research report released by the British Medical Journal (BMJ) discovered over half of SIDS cases occurred while the newborn was co-sleeping with an adult or another child. Of those deaths, many occurred in a potentially dangerous situation, like in a bed or on a couch together with an individual that had just used drugs or alcohol.

A number of studies have revealed that an defect in the brain stem that controls respiratory functions was responsible for the death, however this hypothesis has yet to be set in stone. While very unusual, anaphylaxis as a result of any cause — such as a food, medicine, or environmental allergen — can lead to swift, unexpected death. With the basis of a well-documented instance of deadly anaphylactic shock in twin babies that occurred after each received a second dose of diphtheria toxoid and whole-cell pertussis vaccine (DwP), the committee concluded that the evidence favors acceptance of a linkage between this vaccine and infant death as a result of anaphylaxis.

The good news update is that the rate of SIDS is on the decline in the United States and other countries. That drop has been accomplished mainly through public education campaigns educating parents regarding some key factors associated with an increased risk of SIDS. Although they have recommended methods, there is no absolute method to preventing SIDS from taking place.

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How The Hipseat Helps Mothers To Be Relaxed And At Ease

The Hipseat is a very simple contraption but it definitely proves to be an answer to the needs of most moms out there. The fact that small kids need to be carried everywhere doesn’t make most mothers too pleased.

The process of the delivery itself is quite difficult on women and then there’s the proposition of having to carry these babies everywhere-babies that are growing a tad bit too fast for comfort. Hipseat’s popularity stems from this very point; it allows people to carry the babies without much effort; which is definitely a boon for their rapidly breaking backs!

As the name suggests, the Hipseat is supported on the hip of the mother. The mother has to just put the seat around her hip and then place the child in it. Once the child is properly cradled, the upper portion of the baby’s body can be easily supported by the carrier. One area where the Hipseat scored over other baby carriers is that it still allows the mother to hold the baby as she pleases, which gives her some freedom about still being to control her baby. The mom gets the feeling that the carrier is doing a good job of carrying the infant.

The problem with the conventional manner of carrying infants is that it makes the person lean on the other side so as to reduce the pressure of the baby’s weight. Now since the child isn’t going to grow up any time soon and the mother will be carrying the child for probably a couple of years at least, there’s the danger that the mother might injure her spine in the process. Nobody wants such complications to linger. And that is one more reason for the popularity of the Hipseat. It provides mothers the ability to maintain an erect posture even as they are carrying their babies around. No more bent spines means no more back injuries with lasting effects.

People have favorably commented about the Hipseat so far. These devices are actually quite hardy; there is nothing moving in them due to which they might abruptly stop working or fall apart. Like a loyal companion, they always help mothers in being able to carry their kids in the perfect and the most convenient manner. That’s why the Hipseat is nothing short of revolutionary in the sprawling world of childcare accessories.

The Hipseat is available in a range of four colors, which include blue, black, burgundy red and olive green. There are no sizes, it is made on a one-size-fits-all principle for now. Right now, the Hipseat is hot property on portals such as Amazon and eBay and on the website www.sunprotec.com.au from where it is being primarily sold.

Gentle Massage is Good for Babies

Premature babies are exposed to numerous stresses in intensive care nurseries, including loud noises, bright lights, blood drawing, and invasive procedures. Stress can have negative effect on these babies’ immune systems. Massage therapy can be beneficial because it lowers stress and improves their immune system.

Massage promotes growth and development in premature infants. Prior to birth babies are physically stimulated while in their mother’s wombs.

Premature and low birth weight babies are usually placed in incubators or open beds, are are connected to several monitors. This situation makes it very difficult to touch them as often as full term babies are.

The Touch Research Institute has conducted numerous studies that revealed the benefits associated with infant massages. It stimulates the immune system, and increases the baby’s resistance to infection. Also massaged babies gain weight faster.

Massage also raises oxytocin levels, a hormone that possess pain relieving abilities and a calming effect.

Fourteen randomized massage studies involving premature and or low birth weight babies were reviewed.

The review included studies in which a control group of babies that did not receive massage. The were compared to the babies who did. The babies, in most of the studies were massaged for about 15 minutes, three or four times a day, for five or ten days. The studies determined that that babies receiving massage experienced more weight gain (about 5 grams), were discharged from the hospital faster, had slightly better developmental test scores and experienced fewer complications. Massage did not have any negative effects. While it is a time consuming process for nurses to provide, parents can perform it without extensive training.

Benefits for Babies:

*Enhances weight gain

* Helps the baby to become more organized

* Allows the baby to be more alert, so he can interact with you and others

* Helps start oral feeding earlier (rather than tube feeding)

*Promotes healthier bones

* Supports parent-infant interaction

*Facilitates weight gain in preterm infants

*Lowers cortisol levels, a major stress hormone

*Increases muscle tone

*Improves sleep

* Shortens lengths of stay in hospitals

* Improves cognitive and motor development at eight months of age

* Infant massage is an inexpensive tool

*Can be used as part of the baby’s developmental care plan

Benefits for Parents and Caregivers

* Provides all of the essential elements of intimate parent-infant bonding and attachment: eye-to-eye, touch, voice, smell, movement, and thermal regulation.

* Encourages pre-verbal communication between caregiver and infant

* Helps parents feel more confident and competent in caring for their children

* Helps parents to ease their stress if they are a working parent and must be separated from their children for extended periods during the day

* Allows parents interactive play or one-on-one quiet time with their child

* Creates a regular time of intimacy between parent and child

* Increases parents’ self-esteem by reinforcing and enhancing their skills as parents, and validates their role

* Provides parents with the tools for understanding their child’s unique behavior and patterns

* Teaches parents how to read their infants’ cues and recognize their states of awareness

* Gives parents a unique way to interact with their children who may be hospitalized. Helps parents feel a greater parent of the healing process

* Daily massage helps parents to unwind and relax

* Provides a positive way for fathers to interact with their infant children

Want to find out more about holistic family health, then visit Dr. Elaine Ferguson’s site on how to choose the best infant massage for your needs.

Starting To Be A Parent Or Gaurdian And Suggestions You Should Know

Motherhood has a feeling of delight and benefit for you to possess a bundle of enjoyment in your hands. All those 9 months are gone, however right here starts a new journey for both you and your newborn. In the event that it will be your first time, you should have got all of your concerns satisfied. Don’t look and feel ashamed or ponder what you need to question or complain concerning a ache.

Proper care considered in pregnancy is prenatal health care. Whenever you understand you happen to be expecting a baby seek advice from a health care provider instantly. The prenatal attention help is given through the health care provider. Whenever you understand you happen to be pregnant seek the advice of a doctor immediately in order that the suitable prescription medication can be used.There are plenty of elements that are avoided for example the feeding bottles and ways in which to care for your baby which you will need to master.

Be sure you attend most of the instructional classes organised for your prenatal sessions, even at the time when you’re feeling fine. Simply because it is vital to know your inner situation plus the progress of the newborn. While you are with child you’ll encounter constipation, early morning nausea or vomiting, problems, heartburn and stretch marks. Repeated urination additionally happens as there is tremendous pressure to the bladder near the womb. Even though your bladder is empty the force causes the sensation connected with urination. You shouldn’t command yourself, give in once you come to feel like urinating.

Once her infant is delivered it really is the choice of the mom and dad to breastfeed or maybe bottle nourish. Make a choice to benefit the infant and you. It’s seen that those which breastfeed, their infants have less danger for developing diarrhea, bronchial asthma, type 2 diabetes, allergic reactions, respiratory attacks and also leukaemia. Towards the new mother, breastfeeding a baby helps in faster recovery, faster drop of excess weight and reduces the danger of different types of cancer.

Before you give food to your little one seek out evidence telling you that your little one is definitely eager. Mouth wide open just like a yawn with the tongue sticking somewhat out, continuous flutter in the eyes even if they may be closed, lip smacking are usually some of the signals suggesting the little one is definitely starving. Sobbing can be a later warning sign when the infant is a little older. Whenever your baby whines it is very important to sooth them and then nourish.

You have to burp your child whenever feeding is over. Often air gets in because the baby is eating and that’s why you will need to remove the air. It is easy to maintain your infant over the shoulder plus pat the back slowly and gradually. You can also keep your toddler in a seated position and support them using your hand and also pat the back is definitely a different way. But if your infant won’t burp you are able to continue on feeding. But frequently talk to your medical professional prior to deciding to make your own home remedies.

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Best Foods For Having A Girl

Can the foods you eat help determine the sex of your baby? You may be surprised to know that-yes it can. By eating the right foods you can change your body’s natural ph and ultimately influence the gender of your next baby.

If you eat right you can alter your vaginal ph. If you want a baby girl you will want to create a more acidic reproductive environment. This can increase your chance of conceiving a baby girl dramatically.

You need to realize that it’s the man’s sperm that ultimately determines the gender of your baby. While the woman’s egg always carries the (xx) chromosome (all girl) the man’s sperm can carry the (xy) chromosome (produces a girl) or the (yy) chromosome (produces a boy.)

Although not very scientific, I will refer to these different sperm as the girl sperm and the boy sperm (for the sake of simplicity.)

Physically the two sperm differ in the fact that the boy sperm is smaller, faster, and weaker (tends to die off quicker.) The girl sperm is of course the larger, slower, and hardier of the two.

By keeping these differences in mind, you can make life very difficult for the boy sperm by creating a more acidic vaginal environment. You do this by eating foods that are more acidic and high in calcium and magnesium, stay away from foods that are alkaline or high in potassium.

So what foods should you eat if you want a baby girl? Well start with foods rich in calcium such as milk, yogurt, and cheese. Add foods rich in magnesium such as beans, legumes, leafy green vegetables, as well as highly acidic foods such as corn, red meats, fish, and whole grains.

So what foods should you stay away from if wanting a baby girl? How about foods that are alkaline and/or high in potassium such as bananas, most vegetables, orange juice (that surprised me too) potatoes, spinach, and watermelon.Avoid alcohol and caffeine as well.

There is a much quicker way to change your vaginal ph, and that is by douching. I would suggest this route only while under your doctors supervision though, as douching has been known to cause vaginal infections.

Test your vaginal ph with test strips widely available either online or from your local health food store. Get in the habit of testing often so you can get a “feel” for when you are creating the proper ph. When you find out you’re carrying a baby girl, all your hard work will be worth it!

There are several ebooks out that will walk you through the process step by step, and if you are serious about having a little girl to complete your family you really need a good guide! You’ll find these ebooks at my website as well as other valuable information on baby gender selection.

I wish you luck in your baby gender prediction efforts. Remember even if you fail, you will still have a precious little baby boy to love!

And stop by What To Eat To Have A Baby Girl for even more information.

Recognizing Symptom Of Acid Reflux In Baby

At 12 to 18 months, some babies no longer experience the symptom of acid reflux. Since acid reflux is a recurring condition, it’s only normal for parents to be concerned. However, there are some babies that continue to show symptoms even after a year, and cases like this needs immediate medical attention. This article will talk about some symptom of acid reflux in baby and how to check for their severity.

Mild Symptoms

Babies spitting doesn’t necessarily mean they have acid reflux. To check for mild symptoms of acid reflux, take note of what happened before, during, and after your baby displayed certain behaviors:

- Before Feeding – Is your baby constantly refusing to feed every time your try to feed him/her? Understandably, a baby may refuse to feed because he/she is simply full. However, if your baby is constantly refusing to feed, that’s a clear sign that he or she may be experiencing mild symptoms of acid reflux.

- While Feeding – Spitting or vomiting while feeding is very normal. But if you find your baby constantly spitting every single time you feed him/her, he or she may have acid reflux. However, your baby may spit while crying. So take note of certain behaviors and figure out when these behaviors occur. If they happen (spitting, vomiting, or coughing) while your baby is feeding or crying, then he or she may have mild symptoms of acid reflux.

- Post Feeding – Take note of what happens after your baby displays peculiar behavior. If your baby is spitting or coughing during feeding and falling asleep right after feeding, then he or she may have acid reflux. The reason for this is that when a baby or adult lies down right after eating, the acid tends to travel to the esophagus. Of course, babies tend to sleep a lot, which is why the condition is so common among them. Babies that tend to do vigorous activity after feeding also has a higher risk of reflux.

Severe Symptoms

Other than spitting, vomiting, and coughing, there are other symptom of acid reflux in baby that may be much worse. To identify potentially severe symptoms, take note of:

- The Persistence of Symptoms – If your baby has been displaying symptoms for more then 18 months, then the condition might never go away unless treatment is applied.

- Complicating into Other Conditions – If it has come to a point that your baby is developing slower than a healthy baby should, then this is almost a sure sign that the acid reflux is getting worse. Because of discomfort or pain, a baby with acid reflux will continue to feed poorly even after several months. This makes things even worse as the digestive system can be severely affected. Your baby may have a bloody stool and loss of blood. Generally, a baby may gain or lose weight suddenly with worse cases of acid reflux.

Avoid acid reflux in baby from getting worse. Know more about the symptom acid reflux in baby.

Different Types Of Certifications For Midwives

Midwifery is a practice that not all people are aware of . Midwives were already practicing way before hospitals existed. Every year midwives grow in numbers. Because of rapid growth, many women are discovering the benefits of a midwife.

Over the years the requirements for midwives became stringent. Today midwives must take a licensing exam and are considered professionals. After reading this article you will be able to distinguish the different levels of midwives to enable you to choose the right one for you.

The first one is called certified midwife or CM. A midwife who belongs to this level is not a registered nurse. She has only the same qualification like a certified nurse-midwife. This is a great opportunity for those who was not able to finish college. By becoming a certified midwife you actually have license to practice helping others to give birth.

The next level is one that requires a bachelor’s degree and a master’s or doctorate, this is called CNM or Certified Nurse-Midwife. She must be a nurse and a midwife as well. the licensing and certification exams must be passed for her to be on this level. Most birth assistants in hospitals are CNMs.

The highest level is called the CPM or the Certified professional Midwife. This one is certified by the North American Registry of Midwives. The examinee must pass both written and practical exam. Those who have CM and CNM level of certifications are welcome to apply for this. Certified professional midwife is the most reliable midwife you can get when you want to deliver baby at home.

Since midwives come from different training and backgrounds, it’s very important to know the status of midwives before calling them to assist you for home birth. After reading you have been enabled to choose the best midwife perfect for you.

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Maternity Strategies – Terrified Of The Extra Pounds?

Many women become very worried that they’ll get overweight as a result of pregnancy and their bodies will hardly be the same again. It is no wonder pregnancy can be a stressful time for a lot of women everywhere.

Scars, saggy breasts, and pants that simply fail to go on the way they would once. Most females just find it so tough to keep their self-esteem up when their bodies are under-going such significant changes.

Hence what’s the true answer to remaining stunning during this stage during your life without gaining all those pounds?

Although it’s understandable to want to still look sexy whilst being pregnant, ensure you do not starve yourself in order to do so. Your baby needs to draw nutrients from your body, so depriving yourself of nourishment means depriving your baby of its food as well.

Many women go overboard however and gain too much weight during the pregnancy and this is not healthy for them or their babies, as being too much overweight can cause birth complications as well as defects in babies.

The other side effect of this is that the women who put on a lot of pounds during this period tend to have to battle weight loss after the birth of their child.

Start watching what you put inside your mouth, and just how much you put into your mouth. Just because a particular food has a low calorie count doesn’t mean you can go ahead and eat ten serves of it – watch the quantity.

The maternity period is not the opportunity for you let yourself go and eat anything you want. Maintain self-control and stay away from junk food and over-indulging. You will find that keeping this up and staying within recommended weight guidelines will not only benefit you during pregnancy, but after as well.

Regardless of what you might have heard or read in magazines, getting some exercise will do you and your baby a world of good as well. You shouldn’t be doing any excessive activity or going for kick-boxing classes clearly, just stick to the light exercise like walking on a treadmill for instance.

In conclusion, being pregnant does not necessarily mean you’ll be unattractive and overweight, no. You can look just as good as before but it will require effort on your part to stay disciplined, and a lot of trial and error till you find a routine that will work for you.

You would probably like to check out alternative maternity articles by this publisher on her home page regarding maternity bridal dresses as well as maternity bridesmaid dresses.

Baby Eczema – 3 Reasons Your Baby Might Be Suffering from Eczema

In this article we will discuss baby eczema and 3 reasons your baby may be suffering from this common health issue. It might be a common issue, but nevertheless it is very difficult to watch your child suffer from eczema. The three reasons outlined below can help identify what might be causing your child’s eczema symptoms.

1. Food allergies: People usually think of an immediate negative response when they hear the term food allergy. Usually people are unaware that you can have delayed reactions to a food that could result in symptoms like eczema.

While wheat and dairy are common food allergens, there are many others that can be the culprit. A problem with soy, tomatoes, sugar and more could be the cause of your baby’s eczema.

2. Pet Allergies: Although the most common allergy symptoms are sneezing, itchy eyes and/or nasal congestion, allergies to an animal can present themselves in many different ways. Eczema is one of the possibilities so it can be a good idea to go in for allergy testing to determine if your baby has any pet allergies.

3.Environmental Irritants: Underlying causes of baby eczema can include allergies to detergents, cigarette smoke, or even household dust. Allergy testing can help identify if any of your child’s symptoms are caused by these types of irritants. You can also keep a log of what your baby is exposed to if you don’t want to take them in just yet to be tested.

To prevent issues with some of these products, use hypo-allergenic detergents and mild cleansers.

In this article we discussed baby eczema and 3 reasons your baby may be suffering from this common skin condition. Food and pet allergies as well as problems with environmental irritants can all cause the dry, itchy skin. Eliminate the factors that are a problem for your baby and you’ll most likely see the eczema disappear.

Want more information?

Tess Rainey, a mother of two, has created a website that can help you find a cure for eczema and even cure baby eczema. Her website, BabyEczema.ParentMeltingPot.com, has information about baby eczema on face as well as baby eczema pictures.

The Baby Gender Prediction Chart

The Chinese Lunar Calendar is said to have been around for over 700 years now. Developed by a Chinese Scientist after years of research, many Chinese put a lot of faith in it’s results, many Westerners aren’t so sure. Whether you put much faith in it or not it can be a lot of fun, so just relax and enjoy it.

To get accurate results you need to be aware of the differences between the Chinese Lunar Calendar and the Gregorian Calendar used in much of the western world.

To use the calendar for predicting gender you must know the baby’s date of conception, that’s conception not birth. Many have mistakenly tried to use the actual birth date, which will produce inaccurate results.

The confusing part for most people is figuring the mothers age at conception, this is her age on the Chinese calendar not the Gregorian Calendar used in the west.

To figure the mother-to-be’s month of conception just add 9 months from her date of birth. Also take into consideration the fact that the Chinese New Year falls on a different date every year, always between January 22 and February 22.

Now using the parameters above, you simply figure the babys month of conception as well as the mothers month of conception, follow the two columns till they intersect and if the square is blue-it’s a boy, but if it’s pink you’ll be having a girl baby.

You, of course, can find out (by way of an ultra-sound) if you will have a boy or girl in your seventh or eighth month, but if nothing else the Chinese Lunar Calendar is fun to try and you can use it on your other children or anyones children for that matter.

The Chinese Baby Gender Predictor can be a lot of fun, but remember girl or boy, your baby is special and should be loved and nurtured.

For even more info on gender prediction visit Chinese Gender Predictor

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