December 24, 2011
Filed under: Baby public health — Alan @ 3:11 am
Dealing with a divorce is relatively easy to cope with when it occurs, but during the Christmas holidays it can be much harder given the fact that there are so many festivities going on in the face of the dismal time in family life. Ironically, even though everyone thinks of the holidays as family time the website Metro.co.uk reports that it is actually one of the busiest times of the year for divorce lawyers who find more people filing then ever as the forced time together is more than a couple that is stressed can stand.
For children, facing the separation of their parents can be very hard as they will no doubt already know that their parents are tense and sense that their parents are at war. Parents at this point should try to protect them and keep them outside of the relationship being careful not to discuss how they feel about each other in front of the children and to keep their fights a minimum when the children are present.
However, parents still need to tell their children what is going on because avoiding the subject altogether could also cause problems. It can be hard as a parent to know exactly how to explain a divorce to a child. Young kids can be told that sometimes people have fights and need some time apart just like friends do which are terms that they can understand. They also need to be told that even if their parents break up both Mom and Dad will still love them as they may not understand this fact right away.
Older children most likely already have an indication of what is going on and given their advanced maturity will benefit most from being told straightforward what is going on. While they will need reassurance that both parents will love them and that they are not the source of the problem, being blunt with them will make them respect you more than if you try to hide it from them.
As mentioned, all of this is stressful without the holidays around to add to the problem which is why it is helpful to know how to stay calm on Christmas Day. To start off, as an adult you need to invoke your right to say no to situations that may be hard to handle such as spending the day at the in-laws. Instead, maybe friends would be a better choice or perhaps a different member of the family as they may help take the stress off you back.
On the other hand, a simple Christmas that is easy on the children and both you and your partner may be the best choice so that everyone can relax and just focus on the day instead of their public faces around people that they do not want to see their troubles. In addition, you may consider starting a new tradition such as doing something different to help from getting into any situation that is going to make you sentimental and emotional. IN the end the choice is yours, but the aim is to avoid adding on any more emotional stress then you already have which can be easily done if you take control of the holiday and plan it the way you want.
October 10, 2011
Filed under: Baby public health — Alan @ 9:40 pm
Later this month a new baby clinic is set to open in Yorkshire, this is the first of its kind in the North of England. The clinic is located at for Good Health centre, in Leeds. This private clinic is run by the organisation Milk Matters, which focuses on the solving of parenting problems early on; such as helping parents whose children have sleeping or feeding problems.
Milk Matters is run by Charlotte Young who is from Halifax. She has been working to help young mothers since 2003. Charlotte also hosts and writes for Analytical Armadillo, which is a popular blog focusing on parenting.
Charlotte has commented, “the clinic is a place where parents can come to when they have run out of patience, babies who are suffering from sleep disturbances, colic, reflux, or feeding problems can cause parents a great deal of stress.
“When parents come to us we try and assess all of the factors that have contributed to their distressed state. We look at the mother, the birth, and the baby. Going through this process helps us to understand and identify the problem so we can better treat the symptoms. When treating babies, our skilled diagnosis process have meant parents have enjoyed results which are taken effect overnight.”
The clinic will be open to anyone who has problems from birth to one year, whether they are breast or bottle fed. It is the natural progression for Charlotte, who has spent seven years helping babies via home visits, helplines and online.
Charlotte is a certified breastfeeding counsellor who has undertaken extensive further training to specialise, and will be joined at the clinic by other practitioners if the case demands. This includes Independent Lactation Consultant Ann Dobson, a well-known specialist in treating tongue tie.
Lucie Biddle , 32, from Liversedge, is just one of the mums helped by Milk Matters. Lucie said: “Louie is my third child and he was seven months old when I contacted Milk Matters back in July.
“He was not only a very frequent feeder but would also get very distressed. He would wriggle, squirm, writhe, arch his back and fight me until finally becoming so distressed and hysterical that I had to stop feeding and cuddle him until he calmed down.
“He would be sick so much after each feed that I had to cover us both with a bath towel. But because he was gaining weight, the health visitor and doctor didn’t seem concerned; he prescribed Gaviscon for reflux and we were sent on our way.
“He was never settled, crying so hard while trying to feed that he often stopped breathing for a moment. He never slept for more than a couple of hours at a time and would have several screaming fits each night.
“After trying an osteopath, raising the mattress and all the usual tips given for reflux, I turned in desperation to the internet and found an article by Milk Matters. I contacted Charlotte on a Friday and she came over the same day; even though it was a bank holiday, Charlotte booked us in for a further appointment on the Monday.
“The affect on Louis was instant. He slept twelve hours that night and is now sleeping well during the day. We have no hysterical screaming fits at all. I can’t believe how we managed for so long.”
www.milkmatters.org.uk
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.
February 4, 2011
Filed under: Baby public health — Alan @ 3:07 am
There is no reason why you should not continue to breastfeed your baby even after you start feeding them solid foods. If you are worried that you are not producing sufficient milk, you can always add formula milk, but in any case, you should always consult your GP.
For the first few months, a mother’s milk will be enough for a new baby. Signs that a baby is ready to move on to solid foods include being able to sit up a little by themselves with the support of a steady hand and being able to keep their head up while feeding.
Start with them off with something simple like cereals and rice. Remember, that that they have only been used to one form of nutrition until this time, so introduce any changes gradually, for instance different varieties. Adding milk or water is acceptable but don’t attempt anything else at this stage.
If your baby shows any side effects whatsoever of any new feed, this may be early symptoms of allergies and you should consult your GP and advise the food company
After a couple of months you can begin to be a bit more adventurous, you can even start to give them their five fruit and vegetables a day, in liquid form, at least. Once your and your baby are happy with that (always listen to your baby), move on to proteins, including fish, whites of an egg and meat, in the form of soup.
If you do continue to breastfeed, allow sufficient time between feeds, a couple of hours should be sufficient as a balanced diet is important right from the start.
January 21, 2011
Filed under: Baby public health — Alan @ 6:27 am
Baby carriers can offer many advantages over other means of baby transport, such as strollers and traditional prams.
Chances are, first and foremost in your considerations is safety. In much the same way as hands-free phone facilities in cars, baby carriers allow you to do what you need to do safely, very useful for you multi-taskers to do the housework (unless you’re fortunate enough to have a good husband who does it), shopping, and so on. You can even carry your baby while not carrying your baby as carriers strap around your upper body. This can also help if your baby is particularly clingy or fussy.
You can bond better with your baby as many baby carriers face the adult carrier, so you can look each other in the eye. Your baby will feel comforted being so close to you and your heartbeat will remind them of the womb. It will also be easier for you to keep your eye on your little bundle of joy, and their dummy is much less likely to fall on the floor. Your baby’s eyesight is also still poor as it develops, so the closer you are the better. Going from darkness (like the womb) to bright lights is a problem for adults sometimes, let alone babies. The position of the baby carrier helps the transition to be smooth.
Practicality on the move sling carriers can often be better than strollers for moving your little one around. Your house can often become cluttered with toys, or simply because of the existing layout and furniture, in which case a carrier may be much easier. Also, in busy public places, a stroller can get in the way and vice versa.
Whatever the situation and wherever you are, consider a baby carrier as a practical solution to the impracticalities of life.
November 13, 2010
Filed under: Baby public health — Alan @ 12:57 pm
An inquest held at Sheffield’s Medico-Legal Centre may result in perjury charges against some members of the staff at Sheffield Children’s Hospital. Sheffield Assistant Deputy Coroner David Urpeth said he might bring in the police, after hearing testimony that a senior consultant had instructed a colleague to make a statement that was found to be untrue.
Mr. Urpeth heard testimony from doctors and nurses involved with the care of Julia Gujdanaca, a six-month-old baby who died at the hospital last October after being transferred from the intensive care ward to make room for other patients. The baby was suffering from superbug MRSA and another undiagnosed ailment.
According to testimony, ICU doctors told nurses that Julia was in stable condition, but the nurses told a different story. Senior nurse Bethany West, who was in charge of the ward that night, told the court that Julia’s condition deteriorated and she was crying so intensely that the nurses were afraid she might “crash”. However when West requested the baby be transferred back to ICU, she got the response that “it was a nursing issue” and got no help from the ICU staff.
Finally, after repeated requests and more than three hours, the baby was moved back to ICU, but she suffered a heart attack and died just minutes after the transfer.
The pathologist recorded cause of death as “a complex syndrome of genetic origin”, but Urpeth recorded a verdict of natural causes contributed to by neglect. The perjury charge would be based on a doctor telling a testifying staff member to say that the transfer was appropriate since the baby was ‘stable’. Julia’s parents have said that they may instigate legal action against the hospital.
March 26, 2010
Filed under: Baby public health — Alan @ 5:46 am
After the deaths of 14 children health authorities in the United States are warning parents about the dangers that using baby slings can bring with them.
The slings were made popular by a good number of ‘yummy mummies’ and celebrities.
The reason that slings are becoming used more is because they are said to help strengthen the bond between a mother and her child.
The US health authorities warn that suffocation is a potential danger because babies may get their noses and mouth buried in the material and do not have strong enough neck muscles to free themselves. To top off the problem, since the sling pushes the baby into a curled foetal position, the airways are restricted since the chin becomes bent towards the baby’s chest.
Celebrities including Nicole Kidman and Brad Pitt have endorsed swings because they allow parents to have their hands free while still holding their baby close to their body. They also are perceived as a very natural way to hold a baby since the common belief is that when a child can hear their parent’s heartbeat they feel much more secure.
On the flip side, the US has launched an investigation into the slings, which found that there were 14 deaths from the slings, 12 of which were babies that were not even yet four months old. There were also three additional deaths from sling use in 2009. With these facts in mind, the US Government stated that children under 16 weeks should not be placed in slings.
March 6, 2010
Filed under: Baby public health — Alan @ 4:17 am
A new study conducted by scientists from the University of Maryland School of Medicine discovered that children in the womb that are exposed to cocaine will face negative consequences to their health, but not so much the cognitive and physical areas that health professionals once believed.
Instead, after a careful review of several major studies that looked at children that were exposed to cocaine in the womb but are now school aged, the impact was found in more subtle areas of behaviour, such as the ability to self-regulate their own behaviour and sustained attention.
When a woman uses cocaine during pregnancy the flow of oxygen and nutrients to the brain is interrupted which places the baby at risk for low birth weight, premature birth, and other health problems.
The research surprisingly showed however that there is not much of a connection between cocaine use during pregnancy and IQ, growth, language functioning, and academic achievement.
Although many of the children were found to be low in these areas, the research suggested that these problems were the by-product of a bad home environment that is often found around those that use cocaine.
The results also showed that the problems that cocaine is likely connected to-self regulated behaviour and sustained attention- was likely to become worse as the children mature into adults.
Senior author of the study Maureen M. Black and professor at the UMS of Medicine stated that the information gleamed from the research showed that simply because a child is exposed to cocaine in the womb does not mean that they are necessarily going to have hardships and trouble for the rest of their lives.
February 5, 2010
Filed under: Baby public health — Alan @ 5:55 am
Heinz has been forced to recall thousands of baby food pots after it was discovered that they have been contaminated with small pieces of plastic within the food.
The Fruity Custard Fruit Medley is the flavour of baby food affected in the recall and has been called a choking hazard for babies.
The recall was prompted after four parents called Heinz to say they had found plastic inside the baby food jars. The company immediately posted a warning about the baby food and stores that sell the product will also receive posters alerting parents of the danger.
Each notice informs consumers that they should not feed their children the product and can call the Heinz careline to receive a refund.
Heinz for the moment must deal with the fallout of such an enormous mistake given that the baby food should be subject to a high level of safety tastes before released to the shelves.
According to the company’s website, Heinz has taken the measure of recalling all pots that were manufactured in batch 9307 of Heinz Fruity Custard in the four pot packs due to the presence of plastic in the baby jars. The company also apologized to customers and offered a refund by calling 09000 151557 from the UK.
Only the Fruity Custard Fruit Medley baby food in four packs with a best before date of November 3, 2010 and batch number 9307 on the label are affected by the recall.
December 21, 2009
Filed under: Baby public health — Alan @ 9:57 am
The first victim of the variant CJD strain might have died from infected baby food according to his father. Grant Goodwood, age 30, became the first person to die of the vCJD virus with his specific gene type. Other people who have suffered from the strain in the past have the same gene type, which was different than Grant’s.
His father, Thomas Goodwin, claims that Grant may have caught the disease from baby food that he received when he was a child that may have been infected. Scientist’s state that his death may prove that certain strains of the disease may be able incubate and survive for decade long periods.
Thomas stated that his son was usually very happy go lucky but once the illness overtook him he started to become paranoid and began seeing things.
Soon after Grant became ill he moved back home and was diagnosed with the vCJD strain becoming the first person with his gene type to become infected and die from the disease.
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Dealing with a divorce is relatively easy to cope with when it occurs, but during the Christmas holidays it can be much harder given the fact that there are so many festivities going on in the face of the dismal time in family life. Ironically, even though everyone thinks of the holidays as family time the website Metro.co.uk reports that it is actually one of the busiest times of the year for divorce lawyers who find more people filing then ever as the forced time together is more than a couple that is stressed can stand.