Baby Reactions

The babies are born explorers and are curious to every new thing that they see, hear, taste or touch and it is a wonderful experience to study their eager eyes and never-ending curiosity to things that have become almost a second habit with us. Many-a-times we wonder how come we don't even acknowledge the existence of many of these things, while newborn babies are so excited about them that they almost burst with happiness and apprehension about every thing that crosses their path for the first time. The arrival of a train or noises of the airplanes flying above our homes are enough to fill our little boys and girls with wonder. Here are some interesting things and reactions of the newborn that you are likely to witness right from the initial weeks of their lives. Read on to know about stimulus response in babies.
Newborn Baby Reactions

• In early learning phases, the reflexes and innate survival mechanisms of the baby are the most dominant ones that you will witness.
• Even a newborn baby blinks the eyes, when you flash light on them. Do not overdo it or you may hurt the little eyes.
• Stroking the cheeks of newborn babies make them seek your finger that they try to suck, as if to feed on it.
• If you hold the baby from under their arms in upright positions and there is no hard, solid ground for them to rest their legs, they often move their legs frantically to look for the support that will eventually develop as walking skills.
• Babies tend to hold everything tightly that is put in their hands, right from your fingers to carrots and to coins. When they become a little older, they will try to clutch on everything and put it in their mouth to taste it. One needs to pay attention that there are no small or sharp-edged things near the babies during this phase, so that they don’t hurt themselves.
• A sudden noise that startles the baby will get them to shoot out their arms and legs to grasp the mom's dress to feel secure and if unable to find it, would curl himself/herself like a ball in a fetal position.
• Tracking moving things and sounds with eyes are some other reactions that kids give that indicate early learning phases of more complex and advanced skills.
• Imitating your facial expression such as sticking out tongue and raising eyebrows are the favorite kids’ actions enjoyed by parents. Smiles and loving expressions and rude and angry expressions are all learnt from parents, so be careful how you act and react in front of your babies and toddlers.

Holding Your Baby

Holding babies can be a puzzle for their dads who dread hurting their soft cuddly bodies and crushing the delicate babies with their loving embraces. Mom's hugs and dad's embraces are the right of every child that enters this world and makes a new baby feel loved and cared for. The reassurances communicated by the firm and secure arms of a father and soothing touches of a mother is irreplaceable by anything else and plays an important role in the development of a child's reactions to the world. Similarly, swaddling the baby is also an ancient way to soothe a child when mothers cannot afford to hold or hug the child and have to leave him/her alone for sometime to finish the other household chores. Here are some useful tips for holding your baby safely.
How to Hold Your Baby

• The head of the infants need a firm support, as the muscles of their neck are still not strong enough to hold the head in position.
• Pick the baby very gently and keep your movements slow and smooth.
• Be confident and do not pick the baby when your hands are shaking for you may drop the child accidentally.
• If the baby is sleepy, hold them upright against your shoulder. Rest their head against the shoulder; place one hand on their upper back and other on their bottom.
• To lift the baby or talk to them, cradle them in arms while resting their little heads just above the crook of the arm and allowing the lower arm support the rest of their body. Use the other hand to rest their bottom and make sure that their head is at a slightly raised position than the bottom.
• See if your baby really gets soothed when being swaddled or becomes more frantic. However, most babies do calm down by swaddling as they feel as if they are being held securely.
• To swaddle the baby, lay them on a cotton blanket or sheet spread on a flat surface. The neck of the baby should be in line with the long edge. One side of the sheet should be passed diagonally across the baby's shoulder and tucked under the body snugly. The arms of the baby should be free to move and the sheet should not be very tight. Bring the other side across the other shoulder of the baby and tuck it under the other side of their body safely. The bottom of the baby may also be tucked under baby's feet.
• If you have tightly swaddled the baby and the little one falls asleep, keep an eye on the temperature and breathing pattern of the baby as overheating may cause a problem.

Why Do Babies Cry

You try and try, but it doesn’t seem to work. You baby wont seem to stop crying, no matter how hard your try to make him/her quiet. You try singing a song and the baby cries even more. You try to find some way to pacify the crying child, but it just doesn’t work. You are not alone. There are many parents who, when confronted with a crying baby, are just not able to understand what to do to stop the crying, since they don’t know why the baby is crying. Well, even experts worldwide do a lot of research as to why some babies cry a lot, while others are easily pacified. What you need to understand and accept is that crying is the only way for a baby to communicate. There may be different reasons for a baby to cry, and with time you will be able to judge as to why your child is crying at a given moment. Read on to know more about why do babies cry.
Reasons Why Babies Cry

• Hunger is the main reason why babies cry. If you are able to learn the signs of hunger, feed the baby before he/she cries to communicate hunger. Some signs to look for in a newborn are - fusing, lip smacking, putting their hands in their mouth.
• Need for sleep may be another reason for your baby to cry. Adults think that it is easy for the babies to go off to sleep. The fact is that it is not all that easy for them. They may fuss and cry when they are too tired, instead of just dozing off.
• A dirty diaper is one of the common reasons for a baby to cry. It is very easy to check for a dirty diaper and if attended on time, you can prevent your baby from crying. Some of them will let you know right away, but some babies tolerate it for some time, and crying when they can no more tolerate it.
• You might face a situation wherein you have catered to all the needs of your baby and still he/she is crying. Yes, it is time to call your doctor. Your baby may fall sick because of many reasons and they have can only resort to crying to show they are in discomfort.
• Babies are very sensitive and anything too cold or warm can make them uncomfortable. Newborns like to be fully covered and kept warm, so when you remove their clothes for changing them or wipe their bottom while changing the diaper, they may protest by crying. Similarly, they don’t like too much of warmth also and may cry to signal you to unbutton some of their clothes.
• Babies love cuddling and crave for someone to lift them up and love them. They love their parents to be around them. Crying is their way to ask you to keep them close to you.
• Dentition or teething can be very painful for your baby, as each new gum pushes its way through their tender young gums. Some babies suffer more than others, but all are likely to get fussy and tearful at some point. If you are wondering why your baby is crying, try feeling their gums, you may be surprised to feel a hard nub of a baby tooth on its way.

• Tummy problems because of gas and colic can lead to a lot of crying. If your baby tends to get restless after every meal, he/she might be having some pain in the stomach. Colic is rather a mysterious condition that can make your baby cry for three hours a day.
• If your baby cries after feeding, all he needs is just a burp may be. Babies swallow air while being fed and if the air is not out, it may cause discomfort. So, they need to burp out the air.
• Lights, noise, getting passed from hand to hand may make the baby feel irritated. Crying is the only way through which they can say enough is enough.

 

Daily Baby Care

Daily Baby Care

‘Who cares if things get any better when my newborn is three months old? I would have died from lack of sleep by then!’ This is what all the moms might feel at the end of each tiring day. Taking care of babies is definitely not a cakewalk. It calls in for a lot of patience, tolerance, and hard work on the part of parents. While you take the newborn for the first time in your arms, you would have never imagined how challenging it could be to take care of him/her. However once that little baby starts growing, a wholesome daily care for him/her becomes essential. It becomes the chief concern of all parents to determine what all their baby requires as part of daily care. Right from the time when the baby wakes up in the morning till he/she goes back to sleep at night, what all should we do? How should we feed them, make them take bath etc.? All these how’s keep haunting mothers day in and day out. This article will provide you with the guidelines which might prove helpful to you to chase these questions out of your life.

Daily Care For Babies

Nappies
This is what your day might start if you are a mother of a newborn. You can expect eight to ten nappy change everyday. However, the number of change reduces as the baby grows up. Lots of nappies are actually a good sign. It shows that baby is getting all the fluids he/she needs.

Bathing
To give bath to your baby might be the second task in a day. Babies generally run from taking bath as the feel of water may be a bit cold. It is better to give them bath in warm water. Until 6 months of age, you can bathe them in a little tub. Once they can sit up, you can shift them to normal bath tub. Ensure bath safety is kept top on mind, while cleaning up your babies. It is better to stick to non-soap cleanser, as it won’t irritate the baby’s skin the way soaps can. You can follow a basic order in cleaning up your baby. Wash the face first, their body second and the genitals last.

Clothing
It is better to keep clothes practical and convenient enough. Stretchy body suits, t-shirt tops, cotton elastic waist pants and tops with envelope necks that stretch over head, make dressing and undressing easier. While taking your baby out, make sure they are protected well by sun and dust.

Oral Care
Most of the babies get their first tooth between 6-10 months, while few of them don’t get it till 12 months. You can start cleaning your baby’s teeth as soon as they appear. You can keep your baby’s smile fresh by using a clean wash cloth to gently rub the teeth clean, at least twice a day. After the breakfast and before going to bed are good times to give it a go. Even baby’s toothpaste is not recommended, until he/she is 2 yrs old.

Nail Care
It is important to keep your baby’s nail clean, as half the time their hands are in their mouth. You can use a small ordinary nail scissor or a child nail clipper. Be very careful and gentle, while using a nail clipper. Stop as soon as the baby protests and pulls the hand away, as it may hurt them. You can continue when they are asleep. A toy can make them distract and get over anxiety. Even if you want to just continue and get through with it, it is of no use as your baby might get scared and develops fear, it will make trimming almost impossible later on. Toe nails should always be clipped straight. Never round the edges as it may lead to ingrown toenails.

Nappy Rashes
Change your baby’s nappies as soon as possible after a poo, to avoid nappy rashes. Poo is acidic and can burn the skin. Apply a dollop of nappy rash cream right where it counts to prevent rashes. If your baby’s skin has rashes and it has become hard, its better to get it some air by letting them go bare bottom for a while.

Nose Cleaning
Cotton swabs and rolled up tissue can irritate the inside of your baby’s nose. Suck out the mucus with a baby nasal aspirator, if your baby is really stuffy. Saline drops may soften the mucus first. Cradle your baby or make him/her sit up while cleaning their nose. 

Bonding With Your Baby

Someone very rightly said that romance fails us and so does friendship, but the relationship of parent and child, less noisy than all others, remains indelible and indestructible, the strongest relationship on earth. The bonding that you share with your baby is infinitely precious. It is a process of forming an attachment or emotional connection with your baby. A secure attachment between the parents and the child develops from predictable, responsive, and nurturing care giving. You can promptly respond to your baby’s needs in a loving manner and this will help the relationship to develop. Simple touch, care, playing around together, talking and upon everything, the love given will create a strong bond between the child and a parent. Little loving gestures from your side can develop a comfort zone for your child to come to and take shelter whenever he/she needs it the most. Read on to know more on bonding with your baby.
Ways To Bond With You Baby

• Have as much as possible, face to face conversation with your baby. Make eye contact and maintain closeness while speaking to the baby. Your smile, love and changing expressions and voice will cement the bong between the two of you
• Massage your baby regularly. Baby massage is a very simple and effective way to develop and improve your bonding. It is a language of love between the parent and a child. It also helps your baby to relax, reduce stress and get a sound sleep.
• Generous and loving body gestures that portray your care towards the babies can be one of the ways to develop their sensory awareness. Kiss them, cuddle them, stroke their hair, caress their cheeks, shoulder and arms while speaking to them or while giving them a bath. Try and show love to your babies in whatever small ways you can.
• Skin to skin contact is quite soothing and comforting. Hold your baby close to your chest and breathe slowly, let them hear your heartbeat, so that they can relate to you. The smell of your body, its warmth and your heartbeat are reassuring for your baby.
• Involve your baby in whatever you do. Talk to them, share with them your entire day’s activity, and don’t think whether you are sounding silly. Once your baby starts making sounds, respond to their voice, their growing vocabulary, by repeating those sounds to them.
• You can even express your love and joy to babies by singing to them. Don’t worry about whether your singing is good or not, your baby will surely enjoy it. No need to just stick to lullabies, you can sing whatever pleases you.
• Babies just love music. They love moving to any tune, they can even be a good dancing partner. Play a soothing music and dance with them gently and slowly around the room. This makes the babies very happy.
• It is better for your baby to undergo a bit of exercise. A gentle playful exercise will benefit them both physically and mentally. This is also a simple and a fun way to express love and affection towards your baby.
• Parents think if they buy their babies enough toys, they will be happy. However, there is no need of expensive toys to show your love. You are the best toy for your baby. Play around with your babies. Look for every opportunity to be playful with them.
• Reading is also a very important way to bond with your baby. Read fairy tales and short stories to your kids. Read them books with big illustrations, and colorful pictures.

First Week With Baby

The first week with the newborn baby can be quite taxing for new moms. While they have not still recuperated from the tiring and painful labor experience, the chores of the newborn are burdened on them. Add to it the constant stream of friends and relatives, who come in to see the new child and congratulate the parents. Rather than being happy, you and your partner are under constant stress, which can only lead to baby blues for many couples. In such a scenario, support from partner or spouse and other friends and family can relieve the stress on the mother to a great extent and leave her free to enjoy the bliss of motherhood.
Surviving Baby's First Week
Help From Husband
For the first week, husband should try to take as much leave from his work as possible and encourage and motivate the mum by praising her and telling her how well she is managing everything. Don't feel jealous of your child for he/she may be steering attention of your wife away from you. Instead, look at it as a family-bonding phase. Dad and child bonding is as important as mom-child relationship, so be ready to do your share of work for the newborn including changing diapers and bottle feeding the baby.
You may also help the new mother with house hold chores, such as cleaning the room, cooking, attending visitors and telephone calls. Remember, you should be supportive of your wife's feelings. Know that she may be susceptible to mood swings temporarily. If you need to go to the office, once you are back, let your wife take rest, while you take up the responsibility of taking care of the baby. Remember, you may have to sacrifice your sleep as well. Try to wake up after every few hours, to ensure that the baby is sleeping tight.
Help From Family & Friends
Instead of advising a new mom, be supportive. She would like if you actually come forward and offer help, instead of heaping her with advice. One of the easiest things to do would be to pay an empathetic ear to the new mom. There are a lot of changes that happen to a new mom, be it physically, emotionally or spiritually. All you need to do is allow her to give vent to her feelings. A small reassurance by you can make much of a difference in the life of the new mother.
If the new mom has older children, take them out for a while. This would solve dual purpose - while the mother would be relieved off the tension about her elder child, the child, on the other hand, would also feel nice. If the newborn baby is a wakeful one, take him/her for a stroll, so that the mother can rest. Help the new mother make a chart of what are the things that need to be done, so that when people come over, they can pick a job and complete it. Small chores like cleaning a cupboard or paying off the telephone bill will be your bit of help to the new mom.

Temperature in Babies

Babies need to be comfortable at all times; their body temperature should neither be too hot nor too cold. No matter how healthy your baby keeps, fever among babies is a normal occurrence and though this is no cause to worry regarding your baby’s safety, taking certain precautions can certainly help. If the body temperature constantly keeps high, you need to consult the doctor at the earliest and it may be indicative of a deeper problem. The article brings you information on how to deal with your baby’s fever. Read on to help yourself with your baby’s fever.
Ideal Sleeping Temperature For Babies
To sleep well, the baby doesn't need a specially heated room. Studies have found that a cool room allows both adults and babies to sleep well. The ideal temperature is around 18 degrees centigrade (65 degrees Fahrenheit). Babies, like adults, will need less clothing in summer. So, make sure you clothe your baby lightly, especially while he is sleeping to ensure there is no overheating. If it is cold outside, you can wrap your baby with an extra blanket. However once during the night, make sure you remove the extra layers of clothing to ensure that he/she doesn't get too hot.
Reading Baby’s Temperature
People often tell you that you can find out whether your baby is hot or cold by feeling their palms and the sole of their feet. But these are not indicators of baby's body temperature. To find out the 'core temperature', place your hand flat against the skin of the baby’s back or chest. If he/she feels pleasantly warm and not too hot or cold, it means his/her body temperature is normal. If the baby is very hot, he/she will feel sweaty, may have a heat rash around the neck and the face may be flushed. Reducing the number of clothes that the baby is wearing or the layers covering him/her will make him/her feel better. If the baby is feeling very cold, he/she will cry and even shiver. Sometimes, when the babies feel extremely cold, they will become motionless, as they want to safe energy to keep themselves warm. Adding clothing or covering will make them warm. You could hold them close to your body, so that they get warm as a result of your body heat. New parents often worry that they will not be able to tell when their baby is unwell. Once you get accustomed to the routine of your baby, you will be able to notice any change in behavior or routine. Sometimes, you may not realize that your baby is ill. Here are a few signs that will help you detect that the baby is ill:

• Lack of energy.
• Doesn't pass urine for over eight hours.
• Stools are yellow-green in color.
• Not feeding normally.
• Cries and is irritated when carried.
• Is vomiting.
• Feels hot and sweaty or hot and dry.

Using an ear thermometer is the most accurate way of finding out the baby's temperature. You can find out the 'core temperature' by placing your hand flat against the skin of his chest or back. If he/she feels hot, it indicates that the baby has fever.
Dealing with Infant Fever
Put the baby in a cool room and dress him/her lightly. Sponging the baby with lukewarm water will reduce his/her temperature. Remove all his clothes except his nappy, dip the sponge in lukewarm water and gently rub all over his body. Allow this water to evaporate from the skin, thus lowering the temperature. When the baby has very high temperature, he/she may experience febrile convulsions or fits. This happens when the baby's temperature rises suddenly. Some children may face this before they are one year old. Consult the doctor if the body temperature doesn’t decrease after sponging the baby.
Additional Tips:

• Their clothing should suit the weather and the heating within the house should suit the children and adults alike.
• If the house is centrally heated, your baby will be comfortable in just a vest and a stretch suit when he/she is indoors.
•  When the baby leaves the house, he/she may need more clothing depending on what the temperature outside is.
•  At bedtime, cover them with as many blankets as you would use, if you were sleeping in that room. Each folded blanket is equivalent to two blankets. You don't have to keep the central heating on through the night.

Measles in Babies

Measles is a dangerous disease. It is a contagious infection that can spread from person to person. The virus of the disease present in the air makes it more dangerous and difficult for the people to take some precautions. It spreads like some flu in babies, causing many deaths also. Measles is also popularly known as ‘Rubeola’. It is a disease of respiratory system and spreads very quickly. A person suffering from measles lies down in a state of pity. The disease brings along shivering due to coldness and white spots which turn pink in a day or so all over the body. The patient gets rashes which grow quickly to the upper body, back and legs. There are not many treatments available for the disease because of it being an airborne disease. The best treatment is to prevent the disease, and you can prevent the disease only through vaccination. If the mother of the child is vaccinated then the chances for the kid to get affected is less, but it is better to get the kids also vaccinated. There are few vaccinations available in the market. The best and the most recommended among them is MMR. This article will provide you with information on the causes, symptoms and treatment of the disease.
Causes
Measles is caused due to the paramyxo virus present in the air, so it is also an airborne disease. The virus causes respiratory problems in infants. The babies suffering with rubeola may have high fever and rashes all over their body. This disease can spread if a child comes in direct contact with another child suffering from the disease. Secondly, the virus may be present in the saliva, sputum and phlegm of a child. So, there are chances of this virus to spread if that kid sneezes, coughs or splits.
Symptoms
The basic symptoms that a baby suffering from this disease will show is feeling cold, fever, rashes all over the body, cough and conjunctivitis. However, once the paramyxo virus hits a kid it takes 10 to 12 days for it to show its full affect. Between these days there will be certain symptoms shown by the kid which will appear in certain pattern.
Incubation period
This is the time lag between the exposure to the virus and actual culmination of the disease. It may last for a period of 12 days and on the 14th day, rashes appear all over the body.
Prodrome
This succeeds the incubation period. This period projects a cold like symptom. Babies will have running nose and watery eyes. They can get high fever.
Appearance Of Rashes
Rashes show out completely after 2 or 3 days of projection of cold symptoms. Rashes are pinkish in color that grow dark in the later stages.
Disappearance Of Rashes
The rashes begin to fade down after 3 to 4 days. Once the rashes disappear the kid may or may not have running temperature.
Treatment
Though drugs like Ibuprofen, Advil, etc. are recommended for babies, home treatment is the best for this infection. It takes almost two weeks to recover from the disease. Doctors recommend bed rest in such cases. Measles reduces the level of vitamin A in the body which may complicate things. The best treatment is to immunize the person.
Prevention
It is a bit difficult to prevent rubeola as it is an airborne disease. However there are few precautionary measures that when taken can help prevent the disease. The best among them is to provide vaccination to the patient suffering from the disease. There is a vaccine called MMR which stands for measles, mumps and rubella. This vaccine should be provided to all kids after fifteen months of their birth.

Nail Biting in Toddlers

Toddlers and even grownups develop the habit of biting nails whenever they are in some trouble or are stressed out or simply when they are bored. Nail biting is a very common habit that can develop in any person. It is a habit which gets developed without even the person himself knowing about it. Your child might be watching some horror movie and suddenly would have started biting his nails. Also when he/ she are narrating you something new or different about their class or school, you might suddenly see them biting their nails. It is a very normal reaction by any person or a child. It helps them deal with the pressure of stress, anxiety, excitement or curiosity. It may become a topic of concern and worry when it becomes a routine for your child. Here are few points on the causes and remedies for this unconscious but unhealthy habit.
Causes of Toddler Nail Biting
Boredom or Curiousness
Children tend to get bored very fast. They always want something new to happen around them. They are always curious to know and find out new things. This feeling of boredom and curiousness may also develop the habit of biting nails among them. In this case there is nothing to get worried as the habit will disappear with time.
Nervousness
Nail biting is a very common habit among the toddlers and falls in line of other habits like nose picking, hair twisting and tooth grinding which kids develop to get rid of their nervousness and irritation. Almost all the kids develop such a habit before preschool.
Tension And Anxiety
Nail biting is often taken up by children to get rid of some tension or anxiety that they are living with. While taking the first steps towards the world outside, all kids tend to get scared and anxious. The first day of school, feeling shy in gatherings, learning something new in school are the common triggers. But, at times some serious problems at home or school may also be concerning them. Otherwise there is no need to worry if your child is biting his/ her nail because it is just their way to get away from their small tensions.
Negative Effects Of Nail Biting
Bleeding
Nail biting can lead to red, painful fingertips. Your child may bite the nail so hard that it may swell up the fingertip which can turn out to be very painful and start bleeding.
Infection
Nail biting transfers germs from the nails to the mouth and this can lead to various infections. Even bacteria from the mouth can get transferred to the skin through nails.
Deformed Nail Bed
Nail bed tends to get deformed due to continuous nail biting. It may cause the newly grown nails to look odd and out of shape.
Chipped Teeth
Biting nails can result in broken or chipped front teeth. It may also transfer germs to the mouth which may cause cavities in the gums.
Cuticle Biting
Your child while biting his/ her nail may also pull off the skin from above the nail bed, called the cuticle. Cuticle damage may cause bleeding and painful nail bed.
Psychological Effects
Nail biting may be a sign of great anxiety in a person. It can also cause self-consciousness and embarrassment in a person.
How to Stop Nails Biting in Toddlers
Provide Distraction
If you can determine and you know when your child will bite his/ her nails, while watching TV for example, find out something that will distract them from biting their nails. Give them some toys in hand or play with them so that their attention is diverted. This will prevent them from biting their nails.
Do Not Overreact
You are tired with your kid’s habit and start inveigling and cajoling your kid. Offering them options like painting their nails, telling them every now and then that their habit is disgusting will only make the matters worse. Kids love attention, negative or positive, and they measure attention by quantity and not quality.
Take Advice From Your Pediatrician
Taking advice from your pediatrician is a good option. You may be told that the habit will fade away with time, but mention smallest details like if their finger bleeds and so on. This will help the pediatrician in judging the anxiety level in your child.
Make The Habit Less Tempting
Cut your baby’s nails and keep them clean always. This will leave them with no option but to refrain from biting their nails. There are products available that if brushed on, leave a bitter taste which lasts for days together. This discourages the little ones to opt for biting. However parents are happy with such products but, experts consider them to be harmful for use.
Make Your Child Aware Of Their Habit
Encourage your child to be aware of his/ her bad habit. Don’t forget to give quite, secret reminders if they forget: a light pat on the arm, or some eye movement. This will make them conscious of what they are doing.
Don’t Scold Or Punish
The first reaction from a parent, if they see their child biting his/ her nail is to scold or punish them. Nail biting like any other habit is unconsciously adapted. May be your child doesn’t even know they are biting their nails. Nagging them or punishing them at that time will not serve any purpose. Speak to them in an understanding and compassionate way and make them understand that even though unconscious, biting nail is a bad habit and that you can’t watch them doing so. This understanding gesture on your side will help them make an effort to get rid of their habit.
Praise Your Child
Praise your child if they are not biting their nails. Encourage them by rewarding them, if possible. Appreciate their efforts and make sure they continue to show such positive attitude towards you whenever asked for.

Polio in Babies

In their early years, a child is exposed to the risk of developing serious ailments that can last for a lifetime and in certain cases prove fatal too. Educating yourself on the signs of possible illness in babies and the various vaccinations can outweigh all risks and ensure your baby has a healthy and happy childhood. Vaccinations today are considered as one of the safest and the easiest ways to deflect any possible threats to your child’s health. Immunizing your baby can be a life savior for your little one. Polio is certainly a big example on how immunization practice has helped to avert a grave disease among kids today. Polio has been wiped out of most countries with only a few developing nations facing its threat now. For this, babies are now being given routinely polio vaccines to ward off any possible threat to their health. However, due to polio being almost eliminated now, most parents often do not realize how important it is to vaccinate their little one against this disease. Polio is a serious life crippling ailment and if not taken care of, it may show up as an ultimate danger to your child’s life.
Your Baby & Polio
Polio is a highly contagious viral illness that can induce graver health complications like paralysis, respiratory disorders and even death. A person exposed to polio may not reveal any serious symptoms initially. However, at times polio virus can show flu-like indications in non-paralytic form and a much graver symptom in paralytic polio. In paralytic polio, the polio virus attacks the central nervous system, crippling the entire system and at times proving fatal. Anybody suffering from paralytic polio may lose the ability to use one or both the limbs, and face complications while breathing. The rate of recovery depends from person to person, but people afflicted with polio will complain of weakness in their arm and leg for their entire life. Also the chance of recuperating from paralytic polio is quite low.
Symptoms
Given that polio can have life threatening complications, it is surprising to note that most people infected with the disease never realize that they are affected. People suffering from non-paralytic polio or abortive poliomyelitis may reveal the usual symptoms of viral illness like fever, sore throat, headache, vomiting, malaise, back pain, neck pain, pain or stiffness in limbs, muscle spasms and even meningitis. Paralytic polio, which is a more serious but rare form of this disease shows initial symptoms of fever and headache and other signs of non-paralytic polio in the beginning. However, later signs like loss of reflexes, severe muscle aches or spasms, loose and floppy limbs might show up as the infection progresses. Paralysis may hit all of a sudden.
Causes

• Polio is caused by a virus that lives in the throat and intestinal tract. It primarily spreads through human feces and thrives in areas with poor sanitation.
• It can also be transmitted through throat secretions.
• People with weak immune system and those who haven’t been immunized are likely to catch poliovirus, if exposed to infected person or contaminated surroundings.
• Poliovirus spreads itself through contaminated water, food, or even through direct contact with the infected person.
• Due to the highly contagious nature of the virus, people infected with it can continue to spread the virus weeks on through their feces even after the disease has been detected.

Possible Threats
Anyone who has not been immunized against the disease has the maximum chances of acquiring it. Expecting mothers, young infants and children and adults with fragile immune systems living in unhygienic conditions and in areas without regular or nonexistent immunization programs, are potent victims of poliovirus. If you have not been immunized against polio, here are some things to watch out for:

• Do not travel to areas where polio is common or has recently suffered an epidemic.
• Avoid being in direct contact with someone who is infected with poliovirus.
• Do not deal with lab specimens containing poliovirus.
• You need to be careful if you have undergone tonsillectomy.
• Stay away from doing any taxing physical activity once exposed to poliovirus as it might further depress your immune system.

Complications
Paralytic polio may have grave consequences like paralysis, disability, and deformities of the hips, ankles and feet in children. Although they may be corrected with surgeries or therapies, it may not be possible in areas where polio is still prevalent.
Diagnosis
Polio can be easily diagnosed by following symptoms like back stiffness, abnormal reflexes, and difficulty swallowing and breathing. A stool test or samples of throat secretions and cerebrospinal fluids may be checked to confirm the presence of poliovirus in the patient.
Treatment

• Polio is untreatable once infected and hence the prime focus of a treatment is usually aimed on offering comfort, quick recovery and averting further complications.
• The patient should be given complete bed rest.
• A nutritious diet is strictly advised.
• Antibiotics are usually prescribed to deal with secondary infections.
• Analgesics are advised to relive pains.
• Portable ventilators to help in comfortable breathing.
• Physiotherapy to avoid deformity and loss of muscle function.

Prevention
Apart from improving public sanitation and maintaining personal hygiene, another successful way to put a stop to this disease is through polio vaccine. OPV (oral polio vaccine) and IPV (inactivated poliovirus) is effective against polio and offers resistance to people with weakened immune system. However IPV is not recommended for anyone who is allergic to antibiotics streptomycin, polymyxin B and neomycin. If you or your child experiences an allergic reaction after any shot, get medical help immediately. The common symptoms of allergy are high fever, breathing disorder, weakness, wheezing, skin rashes, rapid heart rate, swelling of the throat, dizziness and unusual paleness. Polio vaccine is normally given to your baby together with other vaccinations, including diphtheria, tetanus and acellular pertussis (DTaP); hepatitis B-Haemophilus influenzae type b (HBV-Hib); and pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV).

Flu in Babies

Your days were passing by happily with your baby. You were busy taking care of them and they were busy playing around and giving you more trouble. Suddenly one day your baby gets uneasy and irritable. You take him/ her to the doctor and come to know that your little baby is suffering from some deadly flu. It is quite difficult to accept that suddenly your child has been attacked by some virus, isn’t it? But, this uncertainty is always present with the growing babies. Their immune system is still developing and so weak. They are prone to get infected and attacked by any infection or virus if not taken care of. Flu of any kind is caused by a specific bug: the influenza virus.
Children under 2 years of age are more likely to get affected than the grownups, and the flu can prove to be quite dangerous for these young ones. Babies with flu require special care and full attention. The earlier the flu is detected, the better and easier it will be for you to provide medical attention to them. The symptoms of flu are quite common, which makes it difficult to diagnose. A baby with flu may simply be lethargic or may not eat as well, or they may have symptoms similar to that of cold. So because of the uncertainty and common symptoms and signs, it becomes important for the parents to be extra careful for their babies.
Causes
Influenza A and influenza B are potent pathogens flu viruses, which can easily spread through air. If your baby is near someone with the flu and is coughing and sneezing, they may breathe in infected droplets through their mouth and nose. The virus proliferates when people are in close contact. It travels easily through schools, playgroups, families and daycare centers. The victim will get sick one to four days after the exposure, making it difficult for diagnosing it. The severity of the virus differs from person to person, and because the symptoms are mild many a time people mistake it to be just a simple cold. This unpredictability and invisible nature of the virus makes it a threat for the person affected and the ones around them.
Symptoms

• A child suffering from flu might show signs of sudden onset of fever, typically 101 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Congestion and normal coughing are also one of the symptoms of the flu, which are taken lightly and left unattended.
• The child may also suffer from fatigue and chills, followed by respiratory symptoms like running nose and dry cough.
• Your baby may also suffer with ear ache, which gets quite painful with time.
• Poor appetite, sore throat and swollen glands are few other signs of flu. The flu can also bring along abdominal pain, diarrhea and vomiting making your baby irritable.
• The baby might also start wheezing or working harder for breathing than usual.
• A baby suffering with the flu might fall sick again and again, even after recovering back from the flu.

Treatment

• Nothing is better than giving your baby full rest and lots of fluids. Nurse your baby often and if they eat solid, try giving them frozen fruit bars to encourage them to get extra liquids along with soup or broth, this will ease their congestion.
• Do not pressurize your doctor to give antibiotics, which kill only bacteria, to your child. It is the virus not the bacteria that causes flu, so antibiotics won’t be of any help. Antibiotics will only be useful if your baby develops any bacterial infection such as pneumonia, an ear infection as a result of having flu.
• If your baby is uncomfortable, ask your doctor whether you can give your baby a pain reliever like children’s acetaminophen.
• Your baby may get better in three to five days. First the fever will break down and then their appetite will return. But, some children have cold and cough associated body aches that may hang on till two weeks or so.

Preventive Measures
Flu Shots
CDS or the center for disease control and prevention, strictly recommends flu shots for all the people, children and adults. Even if your baby is too small for the shots, those who are in close contact should get vaccinated to reduce the risk of spreading the virus. This vaccine is more important for children in high-risk group. Like if your baby is suffering with other diseases like diabetes, or a suppressed immune system, severe anemia or a chronic heart, lung or kidney disease, they become more prone to get infected, so vaccination is a must for them.
But, this vaccination does not give a hundred percent guarantee. The effectiveness of the vaccine also depends on the health of your baby, and also how well the vaccine is matched to the virus that is circulating. If at all your baby gets flu even after getting vaccinated, there is a good chance that he/ she will get a milder case.
Be Hygienic
Hygiene is the best way to keep away from any kind of viruses or bacteria. Make sure that your baby’s hands are always clean. Develop this habit in your baby and all other members of the family. This will prevent the germs from spreading. Keeping your baby away from the people who are sick will also help a great deal. No matter how clean and conscientious you are, your baby may get affected by the virus. So being hygienic is just a preventive step that you can take to help your baby stay away from the viral infections.

Hiccups in Babies

You are enjoying your food and suddenly you hear a ‘hic’ sound and it continues till you have some water. These are called hiccups and often come without any prior trigger. Hiccups happen when we do two things together, like laughing or talking while eating or drinking. Hiccups in babies happen while feeding. Like sneezing and snuffling, hiccups are also normal and very common in babies. Very rarely hiccups happen due to any health problems. Hiccups are definitely not a health emergency, but for some people it may continue for months together. In such cases medical assistant is necessary. Hiccups are caused by a sudden, unpredictable tightening of the diaphragm i.e. the muscle at the bottom of the lungs that you use while breathing, sucking air into the lungs. Just after the muscle start moving, the epiglottis (a flap in the wind pipe which stops food and drinks going down the lungs) closes over the airway, causing the ‘hic’ sound. This is the scientific explanation for the cause of hiccups. In simple words, hiccups occur when we swallow in excess of air. Hiccups are very common with babies. They often get hiccups while being fed and also after meals. This so happens because the babies tend to swallow air when they are been fed, creating gas in their stomach leading to hiccups. This is not at all an alarming situation and does not call in for not feeding the baby. You can just follow simple steps and cure the hiccups of your babies even while feeding them. Here are tips as to how you can cure your baby’s hiccups.
How to Stop Baby Hiccups

• Hold the baby against your shoulder and pat his/ her back. Some babies tend to swallow a lot of air during the feeding process and this distends the stomach which leads to hiccups. So some gentle pats on their back can stop these hiccups.
• A baby can take in a lot of air through the feeding bottle also if the hole in the nipple is too big. The hole should be such that there is drop by drop flow and not a continuous flow. This will not allow extra air to flow in for the babies to swallow, thus preventing hiccups.
• There is a myth stating that you should not feed your baby at the time of hiccups. This is not true and thus, you should do not delay your baby’s eating process because of hiccups since hiccups will not create any problem while feeding your baby.
• Anise seeds for infants is also said to work. Add a teaspoon of anise seeds into a cup of boiling water and feed the baby two or three teaspoons. It often cures the hiccups immediately.
• If for the first few months your baby is continuously getting hiccups, then overfeeding can be one of the causes. Feed your baby in portions and with time intervals. If you have realized that you have been overfeeding your baby, then start feeding them only on demand rather than the schedule created by you. Also don’t force them to eat more than what they want.
• This is a traditional European remedy. Gripe water contains safe, fast, effective and natural ingredients for curing colic discomforts. Gripe water is being used since centuries by mothers to cure their babies from hiccups, stomach cramps, gas and colic discomforts.

New Mother Care

Soon after the baby arrives, all your energy and attention will be focused on caring for the baby and making him/her comfortable. You may consciously want to focus on the baby and not pay much attention to taking care of yourself. In spite of your busy schedule, you will have to take time out to take care of yourself. Your health, both physical and psychological, is undergoing a healing process after delivery and you will have to pay attention to it. Once the baby has arrived, all your family and friends will want to visit you and your newborn baby. Having too many visitors just after delivery and with the new baby can be very stressful and extremely difficult to handle, whether in the hospital or at home.
During the initial weeks after delivery, it is best to accept all the help you can get in doing the various chores around the house. It would be ideal if you could get your mother, mother-in-law, any relative or friend to stay with you, at least, for the first month. This will definitely ease the pressure off you and will help you get used to having the baby as part of your routine. The first few weeks can be overwhelming and some new mothers just cannot cope with the pressures of having a new baby. This is also the reason why they become irritable and crabby. As much as the newborn requires care and comfort, so do the new mother. Read through our related sections to find valuable tips and advice for the new mother.
Post Delivery Stitches
When asked about their experience of delivering a baby, most women will tell you that it was like rebirth. There is no doubt about the fact that having a baby is one of the most exhilarating experiences in the world. But there is as much pain, as there is joy in this experience and a lot of people overlook this fact. A new mother not only has to care for her newborn baby, but also has to take care of herself to ensure that she heals well.
Postnatal Depression
Postnatal depression, or postpartum depression, is a form of clinical depression which can affect both men and women after child birth. However, it is very less frequent in men as compared to women, in whom the prevalence rate may vary from 5% to 25%. If a new mother in your family is suffering from postnatal depression, it is difficult to deal with her as she may not even want to admit that she is depressed.
Postnatal Exercises
Childbirth and care of the newborn are both physically exhausting tasks. Most new mothers' find that they do not have the same energy level, which they had before their baby was born. In the first few months, the mother's night sleep is disturbed and this adds to the exhaustion. The pressures of taking care of a newborn and managing the house leaves the mother mentally and physically drained.
Postnatal Period
A woman's body undergoes tremendous and several changes during pregnancy. As soon as the baby is out of womb, the body begins its physical healing process, so as to restore its pre-pregnancy state. The uterus, which contains four-and-half liters of water during pregnancy, begins to reduce in size almost immediately after delivery.
Postpartum Depression
There is an enormous feeling of relief and gratitude, once the delivery is over. After months of waiting and apprehension, when the child is born healthy, the sense of fulfillment is immense. But the first few weeks, even months after childbirth, with the baby can be confusing and emotionally draining. There maybe other reasons for distress as well.

Baby Skin Care

From being couples to being parents, parenthood is a blissful journey that demands constant attention and commitment. Both first time parents and experienced ones need to understand that successful parenting is not easy and can only be attained by taking some proactive steps. Talking about the initial phase of parenthood, new born babies need a lot of care and concern. Right from the time they wake up in the morning till the time they go off to sleep and sometimes even during the night; parents need to be on toes to ensure their little one’s sound health and wellbeing. However, most parents would complain that even after taking all the due precautions and measures, some way or the other their baby incorporates a problem.
A simple answer to the above mentioned problem is that babies are constantly growing. What may be good for your baby today can be bad tomorrow! Talking about baby skin care, it demands a lot of attention and care. Almost all of you would agree that there is nothing as lovely as the soft, delicate skin of the baby, but nothing as irritating as a cranky baby who cries all day due to rashes, cradle cap or any other skin condition. The delicate skin of your baby needs utmost care and attention. A small rash can be extremely annoying for the baby and if not treated in due time, chances are it might take bigger shape in days to come. If like most new parents, you too are confused about how to maintain the proper skin care of your baby to keep him/her happy and comfortable; this section would be of immense help.
Baby Acne Treatment
Baby’s acne is a common occurrence in infants. These little red rough rashes are generally non-toxic and usually appear on the cheeks, nose, back and even tummy. It is basically transient in nature and painless, though the condition can aggravate if the baby comes in touch with saline water. However, to see your baby in distress is never a good feeling. A multiple number of reasons that are attributed to the occurrence of acne are hormonal causes
Baby Skin Care in Winter
Everyone is concerned about their skin care, especially in winters and of course, the most delicate creatures among us are babies, who deserve it the most. Humidity starts to vanish from air and you start battling against cold waves that dampens your baby’s skin badly. Efforts to keep skin healthy will count when your tiny todds will cuddle around your cheeks. Cold waves in winters may result in chapping
Baby Sun Protection
Wiggling toes, chubby little fingers, petal skin and glazing faces are the most prominent physical features of babies. However, they are also the most sensitive among all of us and can be badly affected by sunrays, if exposed to them without taking proper precautions and care. Their skin doesn’t produce enough melanin, which acts as a shield to harmful sun rays.
Every Day Baby Skin Care
The delicate and sensitive skin of your baby needs proper care. The air doesn’t seem to be so much pure and crisp as before and the pollution in the air and surroundings can irritate the skin resulting into more sensitiveness. Special attention and care has to be given to your tiny tots, and their skin should be taken care of everyday, apart from daily body massages.

Malaria in Babies

It can be most disheartening for parents to see their apple of eye down with sickness. Babies are more prone to infections during their early years of infancy. As parents the best gift you can give your child is a healthy childhood. Nutritious diet and basic hygienic care may not be always enough to protect your baby from acquiring harmful diseases. What you need is a correct attitude and proper awareness towards your baby’s health to combat all risks. Most parents often fancy thinking that their babies are less likely targets of diseases like tuberculosis and malaria. Result? They end up treating fever and flu as general signs of cold when at times it could indicate something graver. Educating yourself on some of the most common health threats of your child can help you fight all risks of infections. Malaria is one of the most common diseases to be found in children below five years of age. Malaria is a mosquito-borne parasitic infection generally characterized by fever, chills, and sweating. Malaria parasites contain the capacity to inflate in a short time thereby posing a risk of epidemic. A little care, proper diagnosis and timely medication can help save you a lot of trouble.
Causes
Malaria is more common in warm, tropical climates. A baby acquires malaria when smitten by an infected Anopheles mosquito and the parasites enter his bloodstream to his liver. Malaria can be treated with anti-malarial drugs. However not all drugs are suitable for your babies. Here’s more on malaria and ways to deal with it.
Symptoms

• Babies suffering from malaria will show sudden behavioral changes like irritability, lethargy, drowsiness, loss of appetite and aversion towards food.
• Your baby is likely to get fever when suffering from malaria. In certain cases, the fever can rise with time while in some infants, the fever can shoot up immediately and go as high as 105 degrees.
• When you baby is down with malaria, he will show flu-like symptoms like chills, sweating, headache and muscle aches.
• You baby may also show some rare symptoms of nausea, vomiting and diarrhea when suffering from malaria. 
• If malaria affects your baby’s brain, it might lead to serious and aggressive symptoms like seizures, convulsions and unconsciousness.
• You baby might pass less urine or even suffer kidney damage or kidney failure if malaria affects the kidneys.

Diagnosis
Malaria can be diagnosed by using special blood tests. A blood test is all it takes to confirm if one is infected with malaria.
Treatment
Malaria can at times lead to severe complications. Therefore, prompt diagnosis and treatment is required to fight it. Anti-malarial medicines such as chloroquine or quinine, given by mouth, by injection, or intravenously (into the veins) are used to treat malaria. The type of medicine prescribed, and the term of your treatment, will rest on a number of factors like the type of malaria, whether you are pregnant, your age, the place where you were infected and the severity of the symptoms. Doctors usually look out for signs of dehydration, convulsions, anemia, and other complications that can affect the brain, kidneys, or spleen in the patient. Babies suffering from malaria should to be kept on fluids, blood transfusions, and breathing assistance.
Prevention
Malaria is a serious threat to underdeveloped nations, while health authorities are taking adequate measures to control it by using mosquito-control programs aimed at killing mosquitoes that carry the disease. If you travel to the vulnerable areas of the world that run a higher risk of malaria, be careful to use window screens, insect repellents, and place mosquito netting over beds.
Vaccination
Consult your doctor before visiting any tropical or subtropical area and ask for anti-malarial drugs. Several vaccines are being developed to fight malaria but due to the complicated life cycle of malaria parasite, these vaccines are difficult to develop.

Baby Teething Fever

Each baby has different teething patterns and symptoms, which can be generally recognized by fever, drooling, cranky behavior and swollen gums. It takes a great deal of time in this process and involves much pain for them leading to discomfort and laziness. Babies generally do not have very high fever and the body temperature goes to a maximum of 100 degree Fahrenheit. In case it is more than that, parents should consult pediatricians for any medication advice. Most of the times, Pediatrics normally allow the baby to go through the teething process without any medication and gradually, they become fine. Teething also happens to be the root cause of ear infection due to the development of pressure on the infant’s ear canal and sinus cavities by eruption of the new tooth. The process of teething can also follow hereditary patterns and will have almost similar patterns as per their parents. Read on to know more about teething in babies and its treatment.
Symptoms

• Fussiness is the initial and the main characteristic of fever from teething, as baby’s mouth is painful due to sharp little tooth rising from the surface of the gums leading to soreness and discomfort.
• Drooling is caused by stimulation of teeth in the mouth and it can be excessive sometimes so better pile a full lot of handkerchiefs around you!
• Fever is the most recognizable symptom of teething fever as it is a general indication to bulging out of teeth. The fever can be low or a bit high, in case of high fever, consult a pediatrician for prescription of medicines.
• Diarrhea, running nose, lesser sleep, knowing, biting are common symptoms for teething fever in babies.

Treatment

• As the gums are painful and swollen, it is advisable to rub little pieces of ice on the gums which will help to relieve the pain and swelling.
• You can also gently rub frozen cloth or cold spoons on the gums of baby to soothe the pain relieving the heat in the body. This will also bring the fever down.
• With a prior consultation from pediatrician, take some gel or paste for gums and rub on the gums, with its disinfectant properties, it will kill the germs in the mouth and make your baby a little more less feverish.
• Getting a normal body temperature is purely natural, if the degree of fever is normal to 100 degrees. In case the temperature is above 100 degrees, you can keep some cold water cotton straps on the forehead of the baby. Try not to give medicines to babies and if required, consult a pediatrician for the same.

Going Back To Work After Baby

Some new mothers will not be able to stay at home with their babies for long. They may have to return to their jobs after three or four months. However, you should try to stay at home for as long as you can. If you can work part-time or from home, nothing like it! The newborn needs your attention and care and a child minder is not going to give your baby the motherly care that only you can give. At the same time, you will have to get back to work sooner or later. You can’t avoid work for long no matter how much you want to be with your little baby. Eventually, both the mother and the baby will have to learn to live without each other for 8 to 10 hours of the day. Here are some things you can do to prepare yourself and your baby, so that going back to work after baby is easier for both of you.
Working After Having A Baby

• Before you join work, start leaving the baby for sometime with the child minder. This will make him/her get used to being with the child minder in your absence and he/she will not miss you terribly, when you are not around.
• Begin with a few hours and gradually, increase the number of hours you leave the baby with child minder. The baby will take some time to feel comfortable with the child minder. Therefore, don’tleave him/her with a stranger for long hours, right from the beginning.
• You could even give yourself a trial run of traveling back to work. This will give you confidence that you can travel again. Since you have been at home for quite some time, its better to get a hang of office work once again.
• These physical separations will help both the mother and the baby, once the mother returns to work. Leave the baby with the child minder and do outside jobs on your own, so that the baby doesn’tmind your long absence later on. It will give the baby time to get to know and adjust to the child minder.

Additional Tips

• During your maternity, keep in touch with your colleagues by phone or by E-mail. This will help you to maintain the same comfort level in rejoining after a long period of time.
• Be aware of what is going on in the office. Keeping yourself informed will only help you to be in touch, so that you look forward to joining office after the break.
• You can make some short visits to the office before your official joining date. This will help you get to know what is happening at office and will be seen as a proactive step to getting back to work.

Health Tips For New Moms

New mothers need to take special care of their health, along with attending to the needs of the new born. Since they have also gone through a lot during their pregnancy and delivery, physically as well as emotionally, it is important to give ample attention to the health front, so that recovery is quick and you are back to your normal healthy shape in just a matter of some days. Keeping hale and hearty is essential as a new baby can exhaust you very soon, making your feel tired and jaded. The article brings some very useful health tips for new moms. Read on to know how to be a healthy mother.
Health Tips For New Mothers
Keeping Fit
Nowadays, everyone wants to get back into to shape soon after the baby is born. Mothers would like to regain their original slim figures within a few months. Though it maybe difficult to find time and exercise with a newborn, mothers who make the effort feel much better, as your energy level increases as well. If you cannot go to an organized exercise class, find time do a few exercises at home or simply dancing at home can do the trick. Other ways to exercise are:

• Taking a walk is a good option; you could take your baby along. If the local park has a smooth pathway, you can us a pram or a baby sling.
• Some pools have crèche facilities, so you can leave your baby there and swim without worrying. Swimming once or twice a week is good enough.
• Join postnatal exercise classes at the local gym.
• Attend postnatal exercise classes conducted by the child health clinic.

Healthy Diet
As you will be breast-feeding the baby, you will have to eat well. It is possible to lose weight by following a healthy diet. Even while snacking, make sure that the snacks you eat are healthy. Try some of these:

• Vegetable soup with whole wheat or whole meal roll.
• Hummus eaten with breadsticks or sliced raw vegetables.
• Toast and baked beans.
• Toast and scrambled eggs.
• Tuna sandwiches.

Eat plenty of vegetables, fresh fruits and drink enough water. Increase your calcium intake by drinking a lot of milk and increasing consumption of diary products.
Socialize & Meet Others
Most new mothers feel more reassured and gain confidence when they interact with other women in the same situation as them. Try to form a group of new mothers, discuss problems and share solutions and skills. Others ways to socialize with new mothers are:

• Meet regularly at each other's houses.
• Establish a babysitting circle.
• Take care of each other's children.
• Going out together.
• Having a well-established social circle and play group for your children.
• Visiting mother and baby clinics together.
• Joining together local sports center for postnatal exercises or baby swimming classes.