Breaking Up With Your Pediatrician

You only want the best for your baby. Before birth, you may have interviewed doctors and thought you had chosen the perfect provider. But now that you’re seeing this pediatrician regularly, you’re having second thoughts. The first step is to raise your concerns. If you feel like you’re being rushed through your appointments or if the office staff is unsupportive, a simple statement to the doctor such as, “I feel my last appointment was hurried” can open the door for discussion. Your baby’s doctor will appreciate the feedback about how their office functions.

If your problems are on a more philosophical level – your doctor is condescending about your breastfeeding issues and suggests formula again and again, for example – it can be hard to open a conversation. Be polite, and refrain from any judgmental language. Ask questions so you can fully understand the doctor’s recommendations. If you still can’t reach consensus and continue to feel maltreated, do not hesitate to look for another provider.

Changing doctors is an emotional thing – you have put your trust in this one. You’re unsure not only how to go about firing him or her, but also how you can find another doctor to rely on.

You may want to fire your baby’s doctor if:

  • He or she is behind the times on best-practice for infants and children
  • The doctor disregards your wishes or doesn’t fully answer your questions
  • He or she is rude, condescending or paternalistic
  • The office staff is disorganized or unfriendly
  • The doctor or nurse is unreachable for simple questions
  • You just don’t feel comfortable with this provider

You’ll likely want to have a new doctor lined up before you fire your old one. Ask friends, relatives, and co-workers for their opinions and recommendations for doctors in your area.

Once you’ve selected someone, be sure you check whether they are enrolling new patients, and if they accept your insurance. Then meet with them so you can decide if they are right for you and your baby.

When you interview a new doctor:

  • Ask about their philosophies for vaccination and breastfeeding, if these are important to you. A great resource for questions to help find a breastfeeding friendly pediatric practice can be found through the American Academy of Pediatrics.
  • Ask what the policy is for phone calls and emails. Is there a nurse or other staff member in the office who can answer routine questions?
  • What are their policies regarding scheduling well-visits and sick-visits? Is there a walk-in clinic, or do you need an appointment?
  • Where did the physician(s) go to school? What professional societies do they belong to? Do they regularly keep up with conferences or continuing education opportunities?
  • Most importantly, ask yourself if you feel comfortable with this doctor after the interview.

Be sure to request your records be transferred to the new doctor you have chosen, and let the doctor know why you’re leaving his or her practice, if appropriate. Most of all, trust your instincts. If you don’t feel comfortable with your baby’s current provider, don’t be afraid to make a change.

Have you ever had to fire your doctor? What advice can you add?

Written by Michelle, childbirth instructor, lactation consultant, and mother to 4 busy kids

This information is not intended to replace the advice of a trained medical doctor. Health & Parenting Ltd disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information, which is provided to you on a general information basis only and not as a substitute for personalized medical advice.  All contents copyright © Health & Parenting Ltd 2016. All rights reserved.

5 Car Accessories Your Baby Will Love

Babies and long car journeys aren’t exactly a match made in heaven. Now that your baby is old enough to have developed a feisty personality, she probably fights like a wild animal when it’s time to try and strap her into her car seat. Your baby is busy learning how to mobilize, so it’s no wonder she doesn’t want to be strapped into a car seat. She’s too busy climbing the furniture, lifting herself up and crawling off under the sofa. She’s too busy for car seats. You may, however, be able to convince her with a few of these nifty car accessories:

  1. Sun shade

When you have a child in the car, you need to make sure you have a sun shade. These not only stop your child from getting too hot under the bright sun, they also stop the sun from getting in your baby’s eyes. Try to get one that provides good coverage on the window closest to your baby’s car seat. There are all kinds of shades available, you could even get one with a picture of your baby’s favorite TV character on it.

  1. Teething toy

Your baby’s molars will probably be making an appearance over the next few months, and that could mean you’re in for some hellish car journeys. To make things a little easier, make sure your baby always has a teething toy within easy reach in the car. Remember, you won’t always be able to help your baby out whilst you’re driving, so she’ll need to be able to grab hold of the toy herself.

  1. Backseat mirror

For safety reasons, you should try to keep your child rear-facing for as long as possible. A plastic mirror can be easily fixed to the headrest of your backseat, allowing you and your baby to see each other when in the car. Your baby will be able to see you when you chat to her, but you’ll also have the peace of mind that you can glance back to check your baby is ok whenever you feel the need.

  1. Car toys

Toys can help to keep your baby entertained on long journeys. If they fall onto the floor, however, you’ll be left with a very unhappy baby and will have to pullover to try and retrieve them. You can avoid this problem entirely by opting for toys which have been specially designed for cars. These toy collections fasten to the headrest of the backseat and are easily accessible for your baby.

  1. Summer car seat covers

On hot days, your child’s car seat can actually be a pretty uncomfortable place to be. It quickly becomes hot and sticky, especially with the sun shining through the glass windows. Many car seat manufacturers now offer car seat covers that can be used to reduce discomfort on warm days. These covers are made of breathable material so they don’t get quite so sticky during sweaty journeys. They’re also washable, allowing for you to keep your baby’s seat pleasant for the next journey.

What keeps your baby happy on long car journeys?

Written by Fiona (@Fiona_Peacock), mother, writer and lover of all things baby related.

This information is not intended to replace the advice of a trained medical doctor. Health & Parenting Ltd disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information, which is provided to you on a general information basis only and not as a substitute for personalized medical advice. All contents copyright © Health & Parenting Ltd 2016. All rights reserved.

Do Babies Dream?

You’re snuggling your little one to sleep and look down to see a tiny smile flickering across her face. You love watching her sleep – the calm breathing and soft warm body against yours. When she first falls asleep, you notice her twitching eyes and small body movements – and you wonder what she might be dreaming about, hopeful it’s about the pleasant life you have created for her filled with mother’s love.

Sleep Cycles

Adults move through 5 sleep cycles, starting off in deep sleep and moving into lighter sleep. As the hours pass, adults spend more time in light, REM sleep and less in deep sleep, spending about a quarter of their overall sleep time in the REM stage. And REM sleep (so-called because of the rapid eye movements of this stage) is associated with dreaming.

Infants, on the other hand, sleep differently. They enter sleep in the REM stage for about 20 minutes, and then move into deep sleep. Infant sleep cycles are also much shorter than adult cycles – babies move from REM to deep and back to REM in about an hour whereas adults take about 90 minutes to complete a cycle. This means babies spend a much greater proportion of their sleep time in the REM stage – about 50 to 80 percent of their total sleep.

Brain Growth

Human babies are the most neurologically immature mammals – with brains that are only a portion of their adult brain volume and that take a long time to mature. At birth, your baby has all of the neurons she will ever have, but they still need to form more connections. This interconnectivity is the basis for memory storage, learning, emotions, and more.

By age 3, your baby’s brain is about 80 percent of it’s adult size and has twice as many synapses as an adult brain. During those first 3 years of growth, the rapid brain growth leaves room for pruning – eliminating unused connections – which will take place through adolescence.

What we know from research is that there’s lots of activity going on inside your baby’s growing brain when she’s in the early stages of sleep. Scientists believe babies are processing newly acquired knowledge while they are asleep, making new connections and pathways in their brains. This is linked very closely to language learning for your wee little one.

So, do babies dream?

Our dreams tend to have a storyline based on our past experiences. If we translate this to babies, there is not much they can dream about apart from diaper changes and eating. But every interaction with the world gives your baby new input.

While babies might not be dreaming in the same way we do, their brains are working hard during sleep. Experts say that by age 2 or 3, children’s vivid imaginations can lead to vivid dreaming (and maybe even nightmares). By age 7 or 8, when children develop a stronger sense of self, dreams tend to take on more of the story-like quality we associate with the activity.

Since babies can’t yet tell us, we’re not absolutely certain that they’re not dreaming. Regardless of whether or not your baby is imaging a relaxing breastfeeding session, a nap on dad’s chest, or is simply filing away the sights and sounds of the day, REM sleep is helping your baby’s brain development.

Written by Michelle, childbirth instructor, lactation consultant, and mother to 4 busy kids

This information is not intended to replace the advice of a trained medical doctor. Health & Parenting Ltd disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information, which is provided to you on a general information basis only and not as a substitute for personalized medical advice.  All contents copyright © Health & Parenting Ltd 2016. All rights reserved.

Mission Impossible: Going Out in Public With Your Baby

Hopefully by now, you’ve already had plenty of adventures with your baby outside the home. Not only because it is healthy for you both to get some fresh air (and to have an excuse to shower) but also because… Mama needs a life! And sometimes, going out in public with your baby is the only way to make that happen.

Still, there is a difference between going to the park with your little one, and going out to eat. And so it’s fair if you haven’t yet taken your baby on an epic shopping trip, or out to your favorite restaurant.

Fair, but… it’s also time to branch out.

Look, for the record, no one should ever do anything with their baby that they aren’t totally comfortable with. If the idea of eating out with your little one sounds miserable, don’t do it! But just remember that babies have to learn how to behave in these situations at some point, and sometimes, exposing your little one to some of your favorite activities early on can pave the way for them to be great little sidekicks in the future.

Obviously, though, there are a few ground rules. Hitting up your favorite store or restaurant is one thing, but paying attention to ambiance and child-friendliness is also important. You probably don’t want to take your baby (who is known to spit up from time to time) to a high-end boutique, and busy bars or upscale restaurants should probably be off limits as well.

If you’re feeling nervous, start somewhere simple—a local chain restaurant, for instance, that is known for being child-friendly. Your little one should be big enough to sit in a high chair now, and if they have crayons and coloring books to provide, even better! (Of course, you could always keep a few entertainment items on hand for your baby as well—just in case.)

If your little one needs to be changed, nearly all women’s public restrooms have changing tables these days (just make sure you’re stocked up on wipes, diapers, and a change of clothes before you leave the house). And if your baby needs to be fed, you can either share some small bites from your plate, prepare a bottle, or breastfeed right where you are.

Because that is your legal right—no matter where you are!

The point is, you and your baby both deserve to get out. And you may find that your little one actually behaves quite well in public. Sometimes all the new sights and sounds can keep a baby pretty occupied and happy—at least for as long as it takes for you to finish your meal or swipe your credit card for that new purse you’ve had your eye on!

Just make sure it’s big enough to fit diapers in… you’re not quite out of the woods there yet!

Written by Leah Campbell, infertility advocate, adoptive mama, writer and editor. Find me @sifinalaska on Twitter.

This information is not intended to replace the advice of a trained medical doctor. Health & Parenting Ltd disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information, which is provided to you on a general informational basis only and not as a substitute for personalized medical advice. All contents copyright Health & Parenting Ltd 2016. All rights reserved.

Cha-Ching: Dealing With How Much Babies Cost

You likely knew before motherhood that having a baby would mean your bank account would take a bit of a hit. Even if you breastfeed and stay home with your little one, there are still plenty of costs to consider.

Costs that can add up fast, and seem never-ending.

Of course, now that you have your baby, you know just how worth every cent he or she has been. But that doesn’t change the fact that things may still be a bit tight in your home right now.

According to figures from the U.S. Government, the average parent will spend at least $242,000 raising their baby from birth to 18—not counting college tuition.

We’ll give you a minute to swallow that pill.

In this first year, the biggest expenses are often daycare (working families spend an average of $6750 per year), diapers, formula, and clothes (those little buggers grow out of everything!). In years to come, you’ll be looking at extracurricular fees, school trips, and still… more clothes. Because they just keep growing! And of course, there is always health insurance and medical bills to worry about.

If you’ve been feeling the pinch of a new baby, know there are some ways to mitigate your costs, or to at least make it all a little more manageable.

Now that your little one is on solid foods, your grocery bill will go up steadily over the next 10 years—now may be the time to start learning the art of coupon cutting.

And all those clothes? You might want to check out your local kid’s consignment shop! They often have great deals on cute clothes that look as though they have never been worn.

Car seats can be expensive, but keeping your kiddo safe is important—some fire stations keep good seats on hand to give to families in need, so calling yours up is a great idea if you’ve found it is time to get your little one out of their bucket seat and into a rear facing option, but you’re worried about how to pay for the new one.

Now may also be the time to look into a tax-free savings plan—granting you the opportunity to invest in your child’s future, while also reducing your own tax liability.

Either way, take some deep breaths and reach out for help (a financial counselor, for instance) if the money stress is starting to get to you. And try not to think too much about the big dollar sign that accompanies your little one’s entire childhood. Yes, babies cost money, but you’ll figure it out; just take it one day at a time!

Written by Leah Campbell, infertility advocate, adoptive mama, writer and editor. Find me @sifinalaska on Twitter.

 This information is not intended to replace the advice of a trained medical doctor. Health & Parenting Ltd disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information, which is provided to you on a general informational basis only and not as a substitute for personalized medical advice. All contents copyright Health & Parenting Ltd 2016. All rights reserved.

5 Common Parenting Mistakes

Nobody wants to believe they make mistakes when it comes to parenting, but the truth is, all parents mess up at some point. Being a parent is the hardest job in the world and you’ll never be 100% perfect at it. All you can do is try your best and strive to be the best parent you can be.

  1. Doing everything for your child

Babies and toddlers are pretty slow when it comes to getting jobs done. If you wait for them to do things by themselves, you could be waiting a long time. But, that time will be well spent. It’s important to provide you child with ample opportunity to develop new skills, build his confidence and explore. By hurrying your child and doing everything for him, you rob him of vital learning opportunities. Try to give your child the time and space to do things for himself.

  1. Avoiding risk

After nine months spent growing the world’s most perfect human, it’s understandable that you want to keep that human safe from harm. You can be forgiven for wanting that tiny human to stay firmly planted in your arms at all time. As your child grows and becomes mobile, however, it’s important to allow him to take risks. Don’t worry, not real risks like jumping out of moving planes or playing Russian roulette, just safe, calculated risks. For example, by climbing trees or exploring the play equipment at your local park, your child can take risks in a reasonably safe environment.

  1. Failing to model desired behaviour

It’s all very well to lecture your child on the behaviour you would like to see, but it’s much more important to model that behaviour yourself. Your child pays more attention to the things you do rather than the words you say. If you want your child to say please and thank you, make sure that you always use these words when speaking to your child.

  1. Not fitting the car seat properly

Car safety is so unbelievably important for your baby’s safety, and yet it is estimated that the majority of car seats are fitted incorrectly. If not fitted correctly, your baby’s car seat may not be safe in the event of an accident. Unlike toddler seats, infant car seats are regularly removed from the car. This means there is plenty of opportunities to install it incorrectly. Parental tiredness, being in a rush and complicated manufacturer’s instructions could also play a part in the high number of ill-fitted car seats. Make sure you know exactly how to fit your child’s car seat. Ask for demonstrations from the retailer or search online for instructional videos. Always make sure that your child’s car seat is securely and properly fitted in the car.

  1. Not trusting your instincts

You may be new to this whole parenting thing, but that doesn’t necessarily mean you don’t know what you’re doing. There’s nothing wrong with seeking out advice, reading parenting books and making sure that each decision is the right one. There is a lot to be said, however, for trusting your instincts. Remember, you are the world’s leading expert in your baby. You know him better than anyone else so trust yourself to make decisions about his care. You know what you’re doing, even if it doesn’t always seem that way.

How many of these mistakes have you made?

Written by Fiona (@Fiona_Peacock), mother, writer and lover of all things baby related.

This information is not intended to replace the advice of a trained medical doctor. Health & Parenting Ltd disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information, which is provided to you on a general information basis only and not as a substitute for personalized medical advice. All contents copyright © Health & Parenting Ltd 2016. All rights reserved.

Are Essential Oils Safe For Baby?

Essential oils are everywhere – it seems like every day I read on social media about how great they are. And moms often want to know if specific oils can increase their breastmilk supply, or make their babies less fussy.

Essential oils are the distillation or extraction of oils from plants. They can be used for a number of purposes, one of which is for health and wellness. But just because these oils are derived from the natural world doesn’t necessarily make them safe for use on your baby.

Several factors influence the safety of essential oils, including the quality of the manufacturing process, the chemical composition of the oil itself, and how the oil will be used. For example, if an oil is a known skin irritant but you’re going to use it in a massage oil, you may want to think again. Some essential oils are known skin or mucous membrane irritants, while other can cause sensitivity to the sun. Knowing exactly which oil you’re using, and all of it’s properties, will help you make safe choices for your baby.

Additionally dosages will differ, and will often depend on the age of the person for whom the oil is meant. Babies and young children can be more sensitive to essential oils than adults and some essential oils should be completely avoided for them.

Because there isn’t enough research about the use of essential oils during pregnancy, most experts recommend avoiding using them during the first 3 months of pregnancy due to the possibility transfer to the fetus causing harm. The following essential oils should be avoided altogether during pregnancy: wormwood, rue, oak moss, Lavandula stoechas, camphor, parsley seed, sage, and hyssop.

Some moms may hear that certain essential oils can help with breastmilk production or breast problems. While there is some anecdotal evidence that essential oils can help, there is no scientific evidence as to safety. Experts believe that topical application is unlikely to have an adverse effect on baby unless the oil is applied to the breast, areola or nipple (where baby might ingest it). If a mother uses an essential oil on the breast, she should wash before feeding.

Babies have sensitive skin, and their body’s systems are all immature – so babies won’t react the same way to essential oil as adults. So using caution with essential oils is, well, essential.

Tips for using essential oils safely with your family include:

  • Keep in mind that herbal products are not regulated, and the potency and purity can vary from product to product.
  • Herbs – and essential oils – can have interactions with other herbs and with medications.
  • If using an essential oil on baby’s skin, always use a ‘carrier oil’ and do a patch test to be sure baby doesn’t have an allergic reaction.
  • Know what an allergic reaction might look like so you can seek help if your child has one.
  • Work with an aromatherapist, naturopath or holistic practitioner to determine the best essential oils for your own baby.

Use of essential oils shouldn’t be a replacement for a visit to the healthcare provider if your baby is sick. Do your research and get to know which oils are recommended for which purposes so you can make informed decisions.

Written by Michelle, childbirth instructor, lactation consultant, and mother to 4 busy kids

This information is not intended to replace the advice of a trained medical doctor. Health & Parenting Ltd disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information, which is provided to you on a general information basis only and not as a substitute for personalized medical advice.  All contents copyright © Health & Parenting Ltd 2016. All rights reserved.