Babies' Poop - A Guide for Worried Parents

    Being a new parent is not easy. You are always worried about your baby and their well-being. One of the common concerns for new parents is their baby's poop. How do you know if your baby's poop is normal? Should you be worried about the color, consistency or amount of poop your baby is producing? Amount of Poop: When you open your baby's diaper, you should check the amount of poop your baby is producing. If the poop is just a little smear, then it's okay. However, if the poop is more than 50%, it may be a sign of concern. Consistency of Poop: Initially, a baby's poop is watery, and as the baby grows, it becomes more solid and formed. Hard stool is not desirable at all. If you see hard stools, it's time to see a doctor to find out what the problem is and help your baby. Color of Poop: The initial color of your baby's poop is black meconium or dark green. As the milk intake improves, the color changes to yellow or orange, which looks like mustard. Green poop usually happens when the intestines move too fast, and there is no time for the bile to change the color from green to yellow. Brown poop is more common in babies who are eating solid food. Meconium, which is the initial stool, is only seen in the first few days, maximum three days. Clay-colored poop is quite dangerous, indicating that the baby has a liver problem. If you notice clay-colored stools, see a doctor to find out or do some blood tests, ultrasound to identify and solve the problem. It's normal to be concerned about your baby's poop, but using the Amsterdam Stool Scale will give you a better idea of what's normal and what's not. If you're still concerned, don't hesitate to contact your pediatrician. Remember, your baby's poop is an essential indicator of their overall health, so it's better to be safe than sorry.

A Gentle Touch of Love

Infant massage is a practice that has been around for years and is growing in popularity recently. It can provide a range of benefits for both the baby and the parent plus it's a fun way to bond with your little one and watch them grow in front of your eyes! One of the most obvious benefits of infant massage is the bonding experience it provides for parents and their babies. It allows parents to connect with their baby on a physical and emotional level, the act of physically touching and holding the baby can also help to release the hormone oxytocin, which is known to promote feelings of love and bonding. This will be a chance for you to make silly faces, sing silly songs and create special moments with your baby that will last a lifetime. It's also a great opportunity for dads to get in on the action and bond with their little one too. Did you know that infant massage can also be a great way to relieve colic, constipation, and gas? No more fussing and crying from your little one, just a happy and content baby. Plus, it can improve sleep patterns and make your baby more relaxed and calm. Now that's something to sing about! But the benefits don't stop there. Infant massage can also have a positive impact on your baby's physical development, from improving circulation to promoting growth and development. It's like a mini workout for your baby! And let's not forget about the benefits for the parents. Infant massage can provide a sense of empowerment and confidence. It can also be a valuable tool for stress management and self-care. You'll be surprised how much more relaxed you feel after a little massage session with your baby. Infant massage can also be beneficial for premature or special needs babies. It can help to improve overall development and well-being, and make them stronger and healthier.   Infant massage is a fun and enjoyable way to bond with your baby, while also providing a wide range of benefits for both baby and parent. It's a chance to create special moments and watch your baby grow and develop in front of your eyes. So go ahead, give it a try and see the magic happen! If you're interested in trying infant massage, do check out our class happening soon! Register for the class here

Setting Up Your House To Ensure Crawling Safety For Your Child

Congratulations — and welcome to a whole new phase of babyhood! Now that your infant has mastered movement on all fours, she's able to explore her world, pique her curiosity, and engage in some skill-boosting activities (like scooting toward the ball instead of crying for you to bring it to her). But along with your baby’s newfound mobility comes the potential for mischief as she crawls toward trouble spots (the electrical outlet, the cat’s litter box). So it’s time to start thinking about crawling safety. These tips will help ensure that your little mover and shaker segues into crawling with as few bumps and bruises as possible. Make things safe for your little crawler. Haven't gotten around to making your home a safe place for baby? Now is the time to get serious about babyproofing. Here are some crawling safety basics: Move electrical and window cords out of the way; plug up electrical outlets; lock cabinets that contain dangerous items (think poisons, medicines, sharp objects, or breakables), and get rid of items on the floor that are small enough to fit into your baby's mouth and possibly choke her (since your baby will mouth anything she gets her hands on!). Section off any danger zones (like the bathroom) by installing a safety gate at the entrance of the room or area or keeping the door closed. If your house has multiple levels, you’ll need to install a gate at the top and bottom of the stairs — that way your baby won’t be able to crawl up from the bottom and tumble back down. (Though you may want to put the bottom gate a few steps up from the landing so that your baby has a chance to practice her crawling skills on the bottom steps.) Crawl as a couple. A great way to help you understand the view your child has of the world — and see what potential dangers she may encounter (even if you have baby proofed) is to get down on the ground and crawl with her. You may notice a long-forgotten possible choking hazard under the armchair or discover that the edge of your coffee table is sharper than you thought! Crawling around with your baby will also give you the chance to teach her some crawling safety tips — i.e., what’s okay for her to grab and what’s not. It may take a while for her to catch on to the fact that she can’t have the food in the dog’s bowl but she can play with the Tupperware in the kitchen cabinet. Just keep at it though — after enough repetition on your part, she’ll get the picture. Level the playing field (and floor). Make sure that wood floors are free from splinters, nails, or any other sharp objects so that your baby has a smooth surface on which to roam. If you don’t have many carpeted areas in your home, you may want to consider getting a non slip rug or floor padding (you can find colorful floor pads made especially for little ones at baby stores) to give your baby the chance to crawl on some soft surfaces — and reduce any bruising to her tender knees. Dress for success. You may love the way your little fashionista looks in frilly dresses and skirts, but while she’s learning to crawl, these girlie garments could slow her down and frustrate her. But style doesn’t have to take a backseat to crawling safety. Simply don your baby in comfy pants (the better to cushion her knees) or lightweight leggings in warmer weather. (If you really feel the need to protect your little crawler’s gams when she’s sporting shorts in the summer, there are knee pads you can buy.) Got a baby boy? Make sure his pants aren’t too baggy or they’ll bunch up at the knees and interfere with his efforts. Maintain an eagle eye. No matter what crawling safety precautions you’ve taken in your home, you’ll still need to watch your newly minted crawler at all times to make sure she doesn’t get into any mischief or get hurt. The only time you can safely take your eyes off your baby is when she’s in her crib or play yard. And remember that when you’re not at home, your little crawler will be extra interested in exploring the new environment, which means you'll need to be extra vigilant about keeping tabs on her! Happy (and safe) exploring!

When Can You Expect Your Baby First Smile?

The first time your baby smiles at you, all the sleepless nights, morning sickness and newborn stress will suddenly seem worth it, a million times over. There's just nothing sweeter than an infant's face lighting up with happy recognition or delight. Smiling is also a welcome sign of baby's growing social skills, now that your newborn is making the transition from sweet sleepy lump to a sociable, irresistible little person.   When will my baby smile for the first time? You've probably already heard — from your mother-in-law, your pediatrician and all your friends with kids — that a newborn infant's smiles are most likely "just gas" until baby is at least 1 month old. The unfortunate truth is, they're right. (But if you prefer not to believe it or care, that's just fine!) But newborn babies do actually smile for reasons other than gas: Some smile because they're falling asleep, are feeling comfy and content, or are peeing. Feel free to revel in those sweet first smiles, no matter what their cause. Who could blame you? Before she launches her first full-fledged social smile, you may see your baby doing lots of smile trial runs, practicing and exploring how her mouth moves. Her first "true" social smile is most likely to occur sometime between weeks 6 and 8 (and usually not before weeks 4 to 6), and it will most likely be in response to recognizing someone very special: Mom or Dad. For a social smile, she'll use her whole face, not just her mouth — you'll notice the difference when you see it! How can I encourage my baby to smile? To help your baby along, smile to her, cuddle her, play with her and talk to her often. You can't spoil a newborn, and numerous studies have shown that babies who get lots of parental care and affection early on develop faster, have larger brains and are more sociable. So if you can't wait to see those first real smiles, snuggle away, and smile at her like she's the best thing since sliced bread (which, really, she is).  What if my baby isn't smiling yet? Just as some adults are quicker to smile than others, some babies are, too. If your 1-month-old still isn't smiling, don't be alarmed. That first "real" smile can seem frustratingly elusive, because for even some of the happiest babies, it can happen any time between 4 weeks and 4 months of age.  You may have heard that a delay in smiling is considered an early indicator for autism spectrum disorder. And while this is true, a delay in smiling is very rarely the only symptom that a child on the autism spectrum will exhibit. If your child hasn't smiled by 4 months but vocalizes, makes eye contact and responds to verbal and visual cues from you, she just might not be a naturally smiley personality — at least, not at this early stage in her development. Discuss any concerns you have with your pediatrician. What’s the next baby milestone to look forward to after the first smile? At around the same time your baby first smiles, she’ll likely also be practicing her first coos — putting her well on her way to another thrilling social development: baby's first laugh. Enjoy it all!

4 Reasons Why You Should Frequently Bathe Your Baby

Basic clean-up routines have their own perks and can give your baby a multitude of health benefits. According to the American Academy of Paediatrics (AAP), a newborn should be bathed 24 hours after birth. There are many benefits that can be reaped from bathing time other than dozens of adorable photo opportunities. This article would discuss 4 of those perks.  #1 It can boost the parent-baby bond If you were wondering why baby bathing time gives you an unfathomable amount of joy, this could be the reason. Bathtime can be the highlight of your day as a parent. It’s the best way to be alone with your child, just the two of you. At first, this particular bonding session can be difficult. Afterall a newborn can be somewhat delicate and even the best of us would be anxious to bathe them. However, as they grow and are able to socialize with you in a cute way, the bathing session can be entertaining to both the baby and the parent. Gaze into their eyes lovingly, count those cute tiny toes, coo sweet nothing, kiss that yummy baby belly and never forget to sing silly songs. It’s important for you to show how much you love your baby so that the little one would realize how much they were appreciated. #2 Bathing your baby can be a good learning experience There are a lot of things that you can learn and teach while bathing your baby. Some aspect of your baby’s personality can only appear at a certain point of time and this way, you can learn about your baby better. Try to trickle water gently into their tummy and see how they will react. Probably they will giggle endlessly. Teach him how to create a splash and who knows, probably they will get creative and kick the water instead. Some babies are not too hyperactive when they are bathing, but they are sure captivated. Just look at their wide-eyed gaze. For most children, water-related activities can be the most entertaining thing they would get to participate in. Don’t forget a play-by-play as you were bathing them. Try to name his body parts while you sud them. Soon enough, they would be learning a bunch of words, more than you would expect they could. #3 It’s the best way to soothe a fussy baby Have you ever encountered a fussy baby who cries their eyes out without any obvious reason and their parents decide to just bathe them? Me either. Most probably you learn this by observation or your own baby bathing experience but nothing is more comforting than a soak in a tub. It’s literally the best feeling in the world. You can amplify their calmness by trying a few infant massage techniques. If they love it, you can keep going but some might turn their head or make a fuss. Don’t worry, it’s normal. If they don’t like it, just cuddle instead. Soon, you will learn what works best for your child. #4 The best way to induce sleep Some babies tend to snooze themselves while bathing and that’s alright. This can happen especially if it is a part of your child’s bedtime routine. You can imagine it being the most secure situation; the lukewarm water, the warm room, and the warm feeling of being secure and loved.