Baby Care and Parenting Tips

You already know it is important to eat a well-balanced diet, but it is more important when you are pregnant. Remember now you are eating for two. Whatever you eat, the baby eats as well. In fact the baby actually takes your nourishments so you must eat enough for both of you. The healthier you eat the better it  is for the baby and you.

Never miss a meal while you are pregnant, especially breakfast. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day and your baby has probably been waiting since  he/she woke up in the middle of the night. You may learn that if you wait so long before eating you start to feel sick, this is your body telling you to eat. Do it!

Make sure you are getting enough food you need daily.  It takes 4-6 servings of dairy a day for a healthy pregnancy, this include some cheeses, milk, yogurt.  This provides the baby with calcium which it’ll need to develop healthy growing bones. Adding extra calcium to your diet wouldn’t hurt you either, especially your teeth and bones.

Don’t forget about fruit and vegetable servings. Lots of green is a good choice, so are sweet potatoes.  Not only will you be giving your body what it needs but you’ll start to have more energy. Try laying off the sweets for a week and replace them with healthier items and you will feel better.

Foods to Avoid
Not all foods are safe during your pregnancy, there are a few things you should avoid eating:

-  unpasteurized  products- brie
-  Certain fish- exotic, shark, swordfish, anything high in mercury
-  Raw eggs
-  Undercooked meats- lunch meats. If you are buying a deli sandwich you can ask for them to eat the meat up a little.
-  Caffeine- soda, chocolate. If you find this difficult you can wean yourself off, but the less caffeine in your system the better it is for the baby.

If you are ever unsure of the foods you can eat you can ask your doctor for a list of items to avoid during pregnancy. They’ll be more than happy to share this with you. You may also learn that your stomach won’t handle certain foods that it would before. Some of those foods may include foods that contain grease, fast foods, meat, and certain foods that have a strong odor.

Eating healthy doesn’t mean you have to cut out all the fun in your life, you can still treat yourself from time to time. Go out and get a frozen yogurt or a  smoothie. The baby will thank later because you have give her/him good nutrition. Who knows that you really enjoy eating healthier and continue it even after the pregnancy.

When new parents find that their baby may be getting to that age where solid foods should be introduced, a whole new list of panics start to form. There are so many questions that new parents have about when to give their child solid foods. Also, there is great concern on what they should or should not be starting their baby out on. There is probably a lot of advice coming in from friends and family, especially the grandparents, but how does a person know if they are getting the best advice.

Sure, maybe your parents gave you full hot dogs to chew on when you were a kid but that does not mean that it was safe. Back in the day, many people had their babies sitting on their lap in the front seat of a moving car. That was considered okay back then but that kind of behavior would land you in jail today. This type of example is a good reason why it is important to make sure that you are double-checking the suggestions you are given by your parents and other people. It is much better to be safe rather than sorry.

So what is the appropriate age to introduce your baby to solid foods? Doctors say that you can begin to introduce your baby to solid foods anytime between four to six months depending on how quickly your baby becomes ready for it. Now on to the next concern. How do you know when your baby is ready for solid food? You first have to make sure that your baby has good head control. If you start to notice your baby doing a little chewing motion with his or her mouth then that is another sign.

You may also notice that your baby has suddenly an increased interest in the foods that you are eating. If you notice him or her trying to reach for your food then it is another sign that your baby is ready to try a little solid food of his or her own. Weight gain is another sign that your baby is ready to move on to the good stuff. It is said that your baby needs to have at least doubled his or her birth weight and be at least four months old.

Now that you are ready to introduce your baby to solid foods, do you start with the rice cereal or the steak? While that may seem like a funny question there are a lot of parents out there who truly have no clue what to start their baby on and this is generally because he or she is their first child. Rice cereal is the general rule of thumb. As your baby gets used to the idea of solid food you can add in things such as mashed potatoes and applesauce. These are foods that will be very easy for the baby to handle without too much of a risk of harm to the child.

Just take it slow and allow your baby to move at his or her own pace. If you find that your child is not ready right at four months of age, do not worry. Babies are different and he or she will eventually be getting their face covered with food before you know it.

by Amanda Isbitt

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Being pregnant doesn’t mean you have to stop breastfeeding your child. Long ago doctors believed it actually took nutrients away from the baby inside you, however that is not the case. Even today have people that believe this and they will argue with you the entire time. Only you can decide it. Don’t let someone else make that decision for you.

Reasons to Stop
A few reasons you might want to stop breastfeeding may be if you are feeling tired or maybe your child has started to bite. Sometimes your milk will just dry up, this is your body’s way of telling you to take a break.  Mastitis could play a big role in making you stop immediately as well. Mastitis is an infection in the breast when it isn’t expressed enough and gets engorged.

Stopping or Weaning
If you do plan on stopping because you are pregnant, make sure it is for the right reasons. If your baby has reached a certain age, it might be best. But never just yank it away from them.  Your child could wonder why it is being taken away. Wonder if they had done something or become discouraged about the new baby coming. Some children decide to wean themselves, which is a big help to you and you won’t feel so guilty about it. You can choose to do it cold turkey, or slowly wean him/her off. Cold turkey can have some bad results.  Try limiting his/her feeding times to certain hours and gradually take away more. Your child will quickly stop on his/her own and it won’t be a traumatic event.

Continuing to Feed
If you do plan on continuing to breastfeed while you are pregnant, talk with your doctor about it. Not all doctors will agree with your decision.  Sometimes he/she may see something in your health. Listen carefully and find out if it is a health reason or simply his/her own belief.  If it is the doctor’s belief, you can always seek out one that agrees with you.  Being pregnant hard enough at times, knows you have someone in your corner will only relieve the stress.  Don’t be surprised if your family and friends will probably give you all kind of advice on how to stop and what they’ve read. Nicely explain to them it is your decision and you’ll do what you think is best for your children. Try finding a support group in your area so you have someone to vent to or talk about these issues. Check out if there is a La Leche League near you or online that you can join.

Remember you’ll be able to safely breastfeed while pregnant if you take proper care of yourself and your body.