June 29, 2011
Filed under: Baby public health — Alan @ 4:22 am
Launched in Kinross and Perth in 2088 Give It Up For Baby (GIUFB) offers pregnant women who smoke a financial incentive to quit. Figures show that close to 20% of those women that quite while pregnant remained smoke free for up to three months after delivering their baby.
The total that have signed up is 260 women in Perth and Kinross and 60% stay smoke free for up to four weeks and close to 36% for 12 weeks. Just 21% stay off long term but nevertheless the figures are better than from other Scotland smoking cessation schemes.
Every week participants visit a pharmacy for carbon monoxide tests and get credits of £12.50 on a card for the store if it shows they have not smoked. The credit is then good for baby products or groceries at selected supermarkets.
After the birth of the baby the funding can last for up to three additional months, thereby giving the newborns the best possible opportunity to begin life and also it helps the health of their mums who also are offered group support and nicotine replacement therapy. The NHS Tayside and its partner agencies have been running the project jointly.
June 28, 2011
Filed under: Baby health — Alan @ 3:12 am
At Paintworks, Bristol, the Love Baby Festival will be held on Sunday, July 3 and will be a must attend for all expectant parents and parents will very young children. Behind the event is the team from Love Food Festival the popular Bristol festival that recently visited Bath, for the first time.
The Love Baby Festival was in January and was a huge success with organizers commenting they had never seen such a large number of bumps and babies in the same place.
Those that visit the Festival can expect great people exhibiting and offering their experiences on all types of issues with parenthood and pregnancy and with opportunities to receive treatments and purchase clothes, food and toys. If you bring a swimming costume you can even try the birthing pool.
Youngsters can enjoy playing in the area of the baby sensory palace and there is a café to relax in and listen to music and meet with other families from around the area which makes for the opportune time to make friends, share stories and chat.
For those expecting mums that need that extra comfort and pampering massages or a pedicure are available or even to get a painted bump by Rose Popay, local art tart. There will be various workshops held throughout the day. Subjects will include baby massage, baby yoga and reflexology and ante and post natal advice. The workshops are all free but a donation is welcome to the Precious Drops Campaign. For more information visit www.lovefoodfestival.com/lovebaby.html.
June 21, 2011
Filed under: Baby health — Alan @ 6:40 am
There is not a baby that does not cry. But there are those that cry forever it seems, not matter what you do to help. This type of crying – endless and endless – in babies between three weeks and three months usually means they have colic. Even though disconcerting for the parents in some babies it is normal.
Doctors will usually diagnose colic in a baby when a healthy baby cries much more than normal in three pattern: for more than three hours a day, for more than three days a week, for more than three weeks in a row. Colic is most common in babies between 6 to 8 weeks and will usually go away by itself when the baby is between 8 and 14 weeks.
Doctors have not been able to pinpoint a reason for what causes colic but many believe it is the result of a baby’s immature nervous system and sensitive temperament. These are some of the things doctors believe make babies cry and as they grow up and develop they are better able to control crying.
For many years parents thought colic was related to health conditions, but it is not even though gas in a baby’s belly may make them cry worse. Pain or illness do not cause colic, so if you think your baby may be crying due to being sick or hurt, you should contact your care provider.
Symptoms of colic are not easy to determine but usually a baby will stop cry when fed, held or given attention. But those things do not always work for a colic baby. Also, when crying they may stiffen their legs and stomach and clench their fists, while some may even arch their back and even other pull their legs up into their stomach.
One way to try and make it easier on you and the baby is try and figure out a crying pattern. If your baby cries more at certain times of the day then try and hold them and comfort them more during those times. You may try rocking them in a quiet room or take them for a walk in a stroller. Whatever you do, just remember, it will all eventually pass.
June 19, 2011
Filed under: Baby health — Alan @ 9:25 am
HiPP Organic the original organic food company for baby food is happy to announce the arrival of a new range of Fruit Pouches that are specifically developed for babies that are four months or older. Because they place their customers at the centre of all they do, HiPP Organic knows that mums were looking for their tasty, nutritious renowned products in a more convenient presentation.
They also know that whilst mum and dad know about what constitutes their five a day, the same does not apply for the little ones. HiPP Organic therefore has placed two individual portions of pureed fruit cleverly in each pouch thereby helping parents give their baby some of their five a day in a convenient and simple way.
A comprehensive resource has been placed on their website to help mums that seek the importance of five a day. This indicates the recommended portion sizes for a number of vegetable and fruits.
Crammed with 100% natural goodness made from the finest of organic fruits the Fruit Pouches are available in fours tasty flavours –, ‘Peach, Apple, Blueberry & Raspberry’ ‘Banana, Pear & Mango,’ ‘Mango, Apple & Peach’ and Apple, Strawberry & Banana’. They are guaranteed to make the little ones scream for joy and want more of the tasty treats.
They are not only the ideal snack for between meals they are also a tasty dessert. And even more, the HiPP Organic recipes do not have any added sugar thus ensuring the babies really are getting the very best in organic products.
These Fruit Pouches are only the latest in an incredible range of popular HiPP Organic products that include a myriad of different choices for the baby’s development and only the finest of organic fruits juices are used with mineral water. Ensure the future good health of your baby being using HiPP Organic products.
June 17, 2011
Filed under: Baby health — Alan @ 6:24 pm
Is Your Baby Really Getting Their Recommended 5 A Day?
HiPP Organic realized that mums wanted their tasty, nutritious well renowned products in a more convenient presentation. The original organic baby food company, HiPP Organic is happy to announce the launch of the new range of organic Fruit Pouches.
They are specially developed for babies that are four months or older. Putting their consumer at the center of all they do, HiPP Organic understood how important it was for mum to have their tasty well renowned nutritious products in a better presentation.
They also realized that whilst adults know what constitutes their five a day the portions size is not applicable to the little ones. HiPP Organic therefore placed two individual portions of fruit into each pouch cleverly helping parents give their baby, in a convenient and simple way, some of their five a day.
To help educate mums further on the importance of the five a day HiPP Organic has developed a complete resource on their website that that indicates recommended portion sizes for an array of vegetables and fruits.
Made from the finest organic fruits, crammed with 100% natural goodness, the Fruit Pouches are available in four scrumptious flavours – ‘Apple, Strawberry & Banana’, ‘Banana, Pear & Mango,’ ‘Mango, Apple & Peach’ and ‘Peach, Apple, Blueberry & Raspberry’…guaranteed to incentivise little ones to consume wholesome fruit in a much more fun and enjoyable way!
Not only do they serve as the ideal snack between meals, they can also be enjoyed as a tasty dessert. What’s more, each of HiPP Organic’s delicious recipes contain no added sugar, ensuring that babies really are being fed the very best of organic.
Compact enough to squeeze into your baby changing bag or handbag, HiPP Organic Fruit Pouches are perfect for busy mums and dads on-the-go. What’s more, the re-sealable lid enables the fruit to be retained for later use.
Fruit Pouches are the latest addition to an all encompassing range of popular HiPP Organic products including; a tasty array of organic Jars offering endless recipe combinations across all stages of babies development, resealable Wholesome Pots comprising exciting ingredients & textures, Refreshing Drinks made using the finest organic fruit juices and mineral water, wholesome & nutritious toddler Tray Meals created especially for growing appetites and the Little Nibbles Finger Foods range specially designed for healthy in-between meal snacking.
Priced at 99p, HiPP Organic Fruit Pouches are available in Sainsbury’s & Waitrose amongst others. To check availability of HiPP Organic products, visit the stockists page
One Stop Shop for Information
Whether you’re looking to register to the baby club for free samples and information, seeking expert advice from pregnancy through to toddlerhood, in dire need of some innovative homemade recipes, or fancy your chances at a selection of competitions and quizzes, visit us at HiPP Organic we would love to see you!
June 8, 2011
Filed under: Child Birth — Alan @ 2:43 pm
A survey carried out by a UK independent baby product review website has revealed that over a third of women in the UK are choosing not to have any more children due to the side effects they suffered during pregnancy. British women are having few children now than in recent years, so the survey was held to ask them how they felt about being pregnant and having more children.
www.BabyChild.org.uk surveyed 1,847 women in the UK who were 18 or over and had at least one child. Those who responded were initially asked if they would like to have more children, to which 49% said no. Those who answered no where then asked the reasons behind this decision, and 36% said it was because of the side effects of pregnancy. 29% responded that their decision was used to financial reasons.
A further 24% said they were content with the number of children they already had and just over a tenth, 11%, thought they were too old to have any more children.
The respondents who cited ‘pregnancy side effects’ as a reason for not wanting any more children were then asked to choose, from a multiple list of possible answers, what bothered them the most. The top 5 answers were as follows:
1) Morning sickness – 34%
2) Weight gain – 28%
3) Stretch marks – 16%
4) Pain – 13%
5) Other - 9%
Jill Tovey, co-founder of BabyChild.org.uk, commented on the study’s findings:
“We all know the side effects of pregnancy, but the intensity of some of these are sometimes underestimated. No two pregnancies are likely to be the same, but the side effects can be emotionally and physically challenging. What could be an amazing part of pregnancy for one expectant mother could be very uncomfortable for some other women.”
She continued:
“With the current economic climate, women are apparently having fewer children, but it is also now quite common to see women having children later on in life. They often prioritise their career and lifestyle first and tend to have children when they are well and truly ready, which is no bad thing!”
Filed under: IVF — Alan @ 3:24 am
Women who have had trouble conceiving naturally are getting denied IVF on the NHS as they are too young, too fat, too old, live in Wales or smoke. All of which are flagrant breaches of guidelines.
Revealed today around the country were the arbitrary nature NHS fertility clinics have placed restrictions which show that over 70% of the primary care trusts ignore guidance from NICE, the National Institute for Clinical Excellence that offers three free cycles of IVF for infertile couples. Five of the trusts do not even provide IVF at all on the NHS and they are West Sussex, North Yorkshire and York, Warrington, North Staffordshire and York.
Even where the cycles are offered to ages 23 to 40, they restrict the number of free ones to one or two, however in Wales women have to wait until the age of 38 and six months before they qualify for treatment in many health trusts and must complete two cycles quickly which is even one less than the three that Nice had recommended.
IVF success rates decline with age and for every 100 women that are aged 35 or younger 20 get pregnant; aged 36 to 38 15 will get pregnant; and age 39, 10 will get pregnant. Nice said in 2004 that couples should receive up to three IVF cycles on the NHS when a woman is between 23 and 39 years old.
The guidelines have never fully been implemented throughout the NHS. The last of the reminders was sent by NHS David Florey deputy chief executive last January. IVF has always had a perception problem that similar to the baldness cure for Wayne Rooney it is a choice of lifestyle. Infertility is usually kept a secret. Couples do not tell many family or friends they have problems with the dreaded sperm or egg counts.
IVF involves harvesting or removing eggs from the woman’s body and then fertilizing them in the laboratory after which they are placed back into the womb after the woman receives hormone drugs in preparation. The first baby born through IVF was Louise Brown in 1978 and she has since had her own baby born naturally.
June 5, 2011
Filed under: Baby health — Alan @ 6:27 am
When you take your baby in your arms it is one of your defining moments as a parent as you tenderly place them above your shoulder rub their little back and hear the burping noises ring in your ears. We burp babies because while they are feeding they can swallow some air which in turn gets trapped in their stomachs.
Every parent knows that babies cannot handle even the most minor of discomforts so when you burp a baby you are helping them expel the excess air thereby hoping to alleviate having a fretful baby with a tummy full of air.
There are a number of ways to burp a baby with the most common being over the shoulder. In this way the baby is held with their head on your shoulder and them resting on their chest. One hand supports them under the bottom and the other is used to gently pat the back. This is popular because it acts as an extension of cuddling.
Another type of method is to lay the baby face down across your lap with their head on one of your thighs and their stomach resting on the other. Then just pat or rub the back. Also you can lift their head in you head and pat the back as well.
Another method that is quite popular is have the baby in your lap in a sitting position slightly bent forward and with their head and chin resting in your hand you can gently pat their back. There may be a need to change to different methods since it is not always easy to get rid of the air in the baby’s tummy. One thing to remember, air is not all that is expelled with some burps. Some of them can be quite wet and milky looking.
