Sneezing, coughing, and little running noses is tough to watch a child go through. Their cranky, uncomfortable, and sometimes down right miserable! If your child seems ill, bring them to the doctor. I am no doctor but as a mother of two and one on the way, I am going to share some tips of advice on how to properly handle a baby or toddler that gets a cold. With the cold weather coming babies are getting sick everywhere! Germs are out there just waiting to get babies sick. So what can be done to keep colds to a minimum and as short lived as possible? Precautions 1. Wash Hands. Wash your hands, baby's hands, and have everyone who comes into the home wash their hands. 2. Sanitize Surfaces. With a bleach solution of 1 part bleach, 3 parts water, in a spray bottle, with a clean wash cloth, spray and scrub everything! Walls, Tables, Chairs, Toys, Door Handles, Remotes, Bathrooms ( toilets, shower/tub, counters, sink, floors) Kitchen (counters, sick, stove, walls, floors) Bedrooms ( beds, walls, mattress, toys) Take all the bedding and wash in hot water and plenty of laundry detergent and switch pillow cases and sheets daily while sick. Sanitation is the quickest way to ensure that illness will not last as long and be concurred quickly. It may feel tedious, expecially bleaching walls and doors, if it's not something regularly done regardless, but it will be worth it! 3. Air Out The House. Let fresh air come in and air out the house. Releasing the smell of bleach and circulating the air will help kill germs as well. It may be hard to let in the fresh air with winter coming but it doesn't need to be for long. The cold will ultimately kill any remaining germs left in the house. Make sure the children are dressed warm while doing so, and air out rooms that the children are not in after you've bleached or while you are bleaching. The child 1. Bathe the child. Washing their hands is not sufficient enough to kill the common cold. Bathing the child before they go to bed every night that they are ill will make them feel better, as well as keep them clean and help limit germs that they carry. If they wake up with runny noses dried all over their face another warm bath in the morning is necessary. Keep them clean, and change clothes often. 2. Wipe Little Noses. Letting a child walk around with a buggy face will not fight the cold. Wiping with little noses, and boogie wipes are ideal, but wipes and tissues work just as well. Baby wipes when the buggies are hard, and tissues when they are runny. If the toddler is old enough, maybe 1 or 2 the latest, teach them how to blow their nose. So when you are wiping their nose they can release the boogers and get more out! If the child is not old enough or haven't understood the concept of blowing their nose, a nose sucker is a must! Most hate it, most will scream, but their immune systems with thank you later! 3. Cover their Cough. Teach the toddler at an early age to cover their coughs, following washing their hands. After they cough on something or cover their coughs wash the surfaces around them as well. 4. Vitamin C. Found in Orange Juice, Sunny D, Oranges, Natural vitamin c is important for fighting off a child's illness effectively. Always talk to the pediatrician before giving any vitamins or supplements, but keeping their sippy cup filled with Sunny D is completely safe as long as their are no allergies. Clean their cups regularly and in between drinks with hot water and soap. Adding vitamin C found naturally in foods, and drinks will help 5. Medication. Never give a child under the age of 2 anything but Tylonal. Cough Syrup is a medication you have to choose carefully, and is not for an infant under the age of 2 years old (24 months). I suggest talking to a doctor before choosing a cough syrup for a child 2 years or older. Tylonal can be given to an infant, but make sure it is infant tylonal and read the dosing carefully. 6. Plenty of Rest. Keep babies comfortable and encourage naps. Lay them down with a movie and a sippy cup of sunny d for nap time. If they are miserable cuddle them with a movie on the couch. Cover up with a blanket, read a book and make them feel secure. Never tell a child to stay away from you because they are sick, and you don't want to get sick. That's just sad, and makes the child feel worse. I understand that as a parent it is important to take care of yourself as well but take a shower after they fall asleep, or take precautions like sanitizing the house again. They will feel better sooner if you do so. 7. Change Clothes Often. Do not keep a sick child, baby, or toddler in the same clothes all day. They need fresh clothes throughout the day to keep germs away and help them fight their colds. Never put a child in the same clothes after a bath regardless of them being sick or not. They are sneezing, wiping, running, and anything else you can imagine on the clothes they are wearing, storing germs in their clothes. Change clothes often. 8. Monitor Temperatures. Keep a log of the temps the child has. Checking for fever, every couple hours and keeping track of normal and abnormal temps will help manage and determine when hospitalization is needed. Keeping good record of their temp will come in handy when they go to the doctor or if they need to be hospitalized. 9. Doctor Visit. Bring the child/baby to the doctor and explain the symptoms. The doctor will most likely prescribe antibiotics and check for an ear infection. The Caregiver As a caregiver of a sick child, chances are your going to get sick as well. A sick child needs to feel their caregivers love even when they are sick, if not more. Be there for your child, and in return take proper precautions to avoid getting sick yourself. 1. Shower Daily. Along with scrubbing your hands through out the day, shower daily. Hand sanitizer is not enough but a good addition to use regularly. 2. Wash Hands Often. 3. Medication. Medication is safer for adults than for children. If you feel your throat starting to hurt, or your sneezing and becoming congested, start taking a cough and cold medication when you feel it coming on before it kicks you in your butt. Taking cough and cold medication before you become fully sick can prevent you from getting more sick than if you didn't take medication ahead of time. 4. Take care of yourself, and your baby. No one likes to be sick, however when a child is Ill they feel more miserable than any adult who is sick. Care for your baby and make sure Side note: Even if you don't have children, it's still cold season. Keep clean by bleaching floors, tables, and walls. I hope you all feel better soon! Also, you might want to consider upping your vitamin c intake, as it will show you a tremendous increase in your daily health.
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Babies
Holding your baby in your arms for the first time is a life changing experience. Not everyone knows what to expect when they first have their baby. Hopefully if you don't know what to expect you have amazing doctors and nurses, who will guide you in what you need to know. Unfortunately that doesn't always happen. They won't answer questions that are not asked. So what are some good questions to ask your doctor and know before having the baby? How much and how often does a newborn baby eat? The simple answer that you may receive in return would be "every baby is different" well yes this is true but where do you start? Newborns will usually start off with a half oz their first feeding. For their first feeding don't go overboard. If they will take a full oz then give them a full oz. Their second feeding gradually increases to an oz or an oz and a half. The next feedings may only be an oz or 2 at a time or less. Breast fed babies need to eat every 2 hours while most bottle fed babies need to eat every 3 hours at first. A good goal would be by the age of 2-3 days to be eating 2-3oz every 3 hours. By the time they are a week old a good goal would be 4 oz every 3 hours. Every baby is different, but by gradually increasing the amount of formula during feedings will encourage the baby to eat more. Also depending on the size of the baby also depends on how much they need. A ten pound baby might eat more at first then a 6 pound baby. They also need to be burped every half oz. A baby that needs to be burped can be very fussy because their belly is upset. Babies need to be burped to release the bubbles from their bellies that they can not release themselves. Don't assume after the first burp they are all done burping. Some babies need to burp more often then others. How to burp a newborn? Everyone has different styles that they are comfortable with. Always make sure their head is fully supported and they are comfortable with the position they are in. Some positions include holding them against your shoulder, or sitting on your lap against your chest. Always make sure the baby can feel you there. Don't hold the baby away from you while you burp them. Hold them close for security and bonding. Have a blanket in between their back and the hand that burps them. It cushions their back and makes them more comfortable with being burped. Okay the baby is crying, what do I do? A newborn needs to feel love and be cared for the second they start to stir. A baby will make noises before they start to scream. Little noises to let you know they need something will start and if their not picked up right away will turn into loud cries or screams. Getting to the baby and picking the baby up before they are crying will help build security and aid in bonding. Do not let the newborn cry. They need to learn that their caregiver is always going to be there for them to feel safe. 1. The baby just woke up and is starting to stir 2. Pick the baby up and hold the baby close to your chest. Reassure the baby that you are there and they are safe. 3. Talk to the baby as you change their diaper. 4. Feed the baby a bottle, burping every half oz. 5. After the baby is done eating make sure their clothes are clean, if not change them. Keep them dry by using a bib during feedings and burp cloths to wipe their mouths. 6. Swaddle the baby. Wrapping the baby up in a blanket using the swaddle method will keep them feeling safe and secure. 7. Hold the baby till the baby falls back asleep and then after they are sound asleep put them in their bassinet. Newborns sleep quite a bit. Most will wake up for a diaper and feeding then fall back asleep. They don't need to be woken for a feeding, but they will need a diaper in between feedings. You can try to change them without waking them up, but they will most likely fall back to sleep after being held or rocked if they are not hungry again. What kind of diapers should I use? The Pampers Swaddlers work the best because they have a yellow line on the front of the diaper that will turn blue when the baby is wet. They are also incredibly soft. Huggies little movers work really good when they get bigger. Don't be tempted to buy cheap diapers. The price really isn't much different and if your baby has sensitive skin, forget about it. They will end up with an irritated rash and be rather fussy and uncomfortable because of it. Pampers are the softest diapers I have ever used for my babies. How many diapers does a newborn baby use? A newborn baby will go through at least 10 diapers a day. So be prepared. Have plenty of size 1 and size 2 diapers ready before they are born so there isn't any last minute runs to the store with a newborn. Don't forget to get some newborn diapers as well. If you're expecting a smaller baby have plenty of newborn diapers. You never know how long a baby will be in a newborn diaper for. Fold the top of the diaper down to prevent the diaper from rubbing against their umbilical cord. Newborn Pampers Swaddlers are made to avoid the belly button area. When will the umbilical cord fall off and how to treat it? Keep their cord dry. They used to recommend washing it with alcohol wipes, but you don't need to unless there is an infection or the doctor says otherwise. Keep it dry by giving the baby sponge baths until the cord falls off, on its own. When the cord will fall off is different for every baby. It will usually fall off before or sometimes at their 2 week appointment. Emma's fell off at her 2 week appointment and Mya's fell off around 2 weeks as well. After the cord falls off, it's time for their first full bath in the baby tub. Signs of infection include redness, or bleeding. If you have any concerns it's important to call your doctor before using any kind of ointment or you have any questions. As some of you may know, I've been working on a children's book. This book will be filled with learning concepts and will come in a series. To advance development as the child progresses.
Also, I will be beginning to look for a publisher and also sell this book on my website. If anyone knows of a good publishers website or contact information please contact me. I will keep everyone updated. So stay tuned for the release date. My dream has always been to reach out and aid in as many children's developmental process as I can. What better way to put my ideas into a book. A book, children from all over, will be able to benefit from. Also, We Love The Babies will be adding a store location on this website for charts, tutus, bows, and more.Coming soon :) ✂Let's get creative ✏ Welovethebabies Over the last year a lot has changed. Since my last update, I am now the mother of 3 baby girls. A surprise but the most beautiful blessing to have entered my life. I couldn't imagine my life without anyone of my babies. I love them all so much and everything I do is for them. Here is an update from oldest to youngest :)
Emma turned 3 in May and can speak in full sentences. She's in her winey faze, but terrible two's was never an issue for her. She is still a little sweetheart ♥ She is totally onto having friends, more than ever! She likes to play with the older kids. She doesn't like it when the younger ones mess with her. I tought her to say "I don't like that." She is learning how to express her feelings in a positive way. Toddlers have a lot of feelings they don't understand. She loves animals, especially water creatures. She's gentle and a very good big sister. Mya just turned two in September. She is filled with energy. I love that she can use her words to tell me what she wants now. She always wants something it seems, so it's nice to know what it is now. Before she would just scream until she was understood. It was quite the guessing game. I've been very busy making sure she gets the attention she needs. Her hair is finally long enough to put it in a small pony tail. She loves playing with her baby sister! As the middle child I make sure she knows that she is a good little sister and a good big sister. It's an important job. The newest addition to our family is my sophie dophie ... Sophia is a beautiful baby. She is a big baby, the classic Gerber baby :) I can't believe how much time has passed. Sophia will be a year old dec. 6th already. She started sitting up on her own at 4 months old, and crawling at 6 months. It was a beautiful blessing to watch. Mya learned faster because she had someone to watch. Sophia is learning a little faster because she sees her two sisters. Our family has grown a bit in the last 3 years and it is everything I ever could have hoped for. We did some traveling to visit some family and old friends. Before Sophia was born we took a bus to Oklahoma for Halloween last year and then to Illinois for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and left for home by plane shortly after Valentines day. It was a nice experience for the girls. They enjoyed the time we spent away, but they are happy we are home. It has been quite the adventure the last year or so, to say the least. During my travels I've seen a variety of different parenting techniques.
I plan on putting more into my website and continuing my education.I've come to be very interested in marketing, psychology, and motivational techniques. So I decided it was time to make an instagram dedicated to welovethebabies and show some love to our viewers! I appreciate all of the support and feedback we have received throughout this journey! So find us on Instagram @welovethebabies && for shoutouts and pictures you would like me to post you can request via Facebook or leave me a message on here ... Thank you :) Don't forget to like our Facebook page as well. Stayed tuned update on my baby girls coming next. Enjoy your day! This Halloween was so much fun
If there's one thing I've learned from the previous years, be prepared! With having three little ones being prepared saves a lot of stress. Next year, I would love to make their costumes. This year between work and everything else. I was very happy with the outcome. Emma was a Kitty Kat, Mya was Minnie Mouse, and Sophia was a Circus Tiger. They were very well behaved. Emma hasn't stopped talking about Halloween since. HOPE EVERYONE HAD A HAPPY HALLOWEEN AND HAS GREAT HOLIDAYS COMING UP! Before the babies cord falls off it's important to give the baby a sponge bath. Keep the cord dry, it will fall off on it's own. At the hospital have the nurses show you how to give the baby a sponge bath. They will need one before they leave the hospital and every hospital does sponge baths differently. With all the formula they drink, and with how much they poop their going to need a sponge bath before leaving the hospital and after they come home. When their cord falls off they are ready for a full bath in their baby tub.
Have everything set up and ready to go before starting. 1. Have 2 Bowls of Warm Water
3. New Diaper and Outfit
4. Towel to give them a bath on, Towel to keep them warm, and Towel to dry them off after their bath 5. Baby soap and lotion There are a couple of steps to take to make sure a sponge bath is a calm and warm experience for baby. 1. Put naked baby on a towel and cover them with another towel. 2. Start under neck and wash your way down. Remember to get the creases under the neck where formula tries to collect. 3. Use a good amount of warm water so they don't get cold and keep them warm with a towel. Another towel will be needed to dry them after their clean. 4. Wash their hair last. Wet the baby brush and add shampoo to the brush. Wash hair in circles until their hair is all soapy and clean. 5. Use the brush to rinse their hair. By rinsing the brush with warm clear water and brushing their hair, and repeating the process until all the soap is out of their hair. This will prevent cradle cap and keep their hair clean and washing dead skin away. 6. Dry Baby. 7. Lotion Baby. 8. Diaper and Clothe baby. 9. Swaddle Baby. TIPS
When I had my first daughter, I had a male doctor. He was very intelligent, however wasn't as vocal with what was happening to my body as I would have liked him to be. He did a great job with Emma and I and the labor went great. I had heard of midwives before but I thought that was something they did in the olden days, when you could have your baby in your home. Like an old folk tale, I didn't know much about midwives. A lot of people around me that were having children were using midwives. As far as I know, most midwives are female. I thought that by having a midwife they would be more in tune with your feeling and supportive.
When I became pregnant with Mya I decided to try a midwife. There was a team of midwives and I saw a different one each time I went to the doctors. They were very nice, and they had an ultra sound machine right in the office. Midwives are not Doctors. They are qualified to deliver a baby naturally, but not by c-section. They don't prepare you for if you do need a c-section. My whole pregnancy they knew my placenta was low. They told me my placenta wasn't low enough to be considered placenta previa. During labor my placenta started coming out first. I was rushed in for an emergency c-section. After having an epidural ten minutes before hand I was given spinal anesthesia for my c-section. They injected another needle into my spine. The spinal didn't work in time so they put a mask over my face and gave me general and put me to sleep. They had an anesthesiologist that took care of all the anesthetics. All of a sudden a Doctor that I had never met before comes in and starts getting ready to do my c-section. I don't know who delivered Mya, because I had a midwife and needed an emergency c-section. I was asleep during the c-section and because I was put asleep for the procedure, my husband wasn't aloud in the room. They made him wait outside the room while they took Mya out. Mya's first moments of life she didn't get her mommy or her daddy. Something was wrong with that situation alone. The point I was trying to make is I will never use a midwife. Now knowing that midwives are not trained enough to deliver a baby via c-section, what makes them qualified to deliver a baby naturally? Taking a class? I don't think a baby should be delivered by someone who is not qualified like a doctor. What if something went wrong during natural labor? The midwife only checked me three times before I had my c-section. They knew my placenta was low, they made me go for an ultra sound once a week for the last month and a half of my pregnancy. They weren't qualified enough to know I need a planned c-section, or deal with the complications I had during my pregnancy, never mind labor and delivery. They were very nice, but nice doesn't keep you or your baby safe during something so complicated as child birth. Child birth is different for every body and every pregnancy. Being qualified to handle complications and have adequate licenses to deliver babies should be important to someone planning on having a child. Just because a midwife is a woman, doesn't mean they are qualified to deliver a baby. A man can deliver a baby just as well as a woman. However I believe regardless of sex they should have a doctor degree in OB to deliver a baby. So to me a midwife is a less then qualified doctor who can't do procedures that a qualified doctor would be more prepared for. Think of the baby, and put the life of that baby in the hands of someone who is prepared for anything and capable of delivering the baby safely no matter the circumstances. Choose a doctor that can look for the warning signs of compactions and handle them appropriately and professionally. |
We Love the Babies
Mother of 3, graduated from Early Childhood Education program and continues to further knowledge on child development. Archives
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