Bringing up baby

I sat in front of the television last night in horror, when I watched the so called maternity nurse guru Claire Verity in the channel 4 series Bringing up baby, train two couples to bring their babies up following the 1950s routine from Dr Frederic Truby King. Dr Frederic Truby King’s Strict Routine Method emphasis that all babies should be treated the same. For me it does not work because all babies and mums are different and cannot be treated like machines. This method says that babies should be fed strictly every four hours and mum should not make any eye contact and keep the baby away from her body. This could not be more inhumane and unnatural to the baby. Firstly, babies should be breastfed whenever possible, as this is the most natural way to feed a baby, it also helps the baby to develop their immune system effectively, protect against infections and allergies, also helps to bond with mum. It is impossible to breastfed a newborn every four hours, as breastfed babies tend to eat every hour or so during the first few weeks of life and gradually increase the gap to every for hours. As babies are born with stomachs the size of a walnut, they need small and frequent amounts of food. When babies are bottle fed every four hours from the beginning their stomach is inflated to accommodate all the food, also formula milk is more difficult to digest and can lead to constipation, wind, colic and bloated tummy. When babies are breastfed they are very close to their mothers, which make them feel secure and reassured, also it is the best time to make eye contact and bond with the baby. For me having a baby is not about sleeping through the night and having a normal life back as before the baby arrived, because it is naturally impossible. Looking after a newborn baby is about enjoyment, pleasure, happiness, tiredness and sleepless nights for a little while. It is about spending time with the baby and learn through mistakes. This is a time of discovery for mum and baby, it is about learning to know your baby and develop with them and then once the baby grows to be a fine man or woman, look back and be proud of all the hard work and time spent with them, which was not in vain. The 1950’s method of bringing up babies is a post war approach, which discourages contact between parents and babies, with the hope to detach babies from parents as soon as possible in order to have an independent child. Dr Frederic Truby King recommends a mere 10 minutes of cuddling per day. I find this insane, even pets get more cuddle than that. Babies are born to be loved and cuddled as much as possible, all humans are born with a survival instinct to hold on to mummy or daddy, as they need to be reassured and comforted in order to feel safe. In fact resent studies have suggested that babies should be held at least for four hours per day in order to avoid mental health problems later on in life. Cuddles also release a feel good factor for baby and parents and having a baby is about having fun with him or her and give them cuddles whenever you feel like it. For me, you can never have too much of it and any forced restrictions on cuddles can not only damage the relationship between the baby and the parents but also spoil a precious and special moment that passes by very quickly indeed. Everyone knows that fresh air is good for you, but I find it incomprehensible the idea that babies should be left outside on their own for hours on end… as a parent I want to know my baby is safe and I would not feel at ease by leaving him in the garden on his own with the door shut behind him, knowing that he could be in danger of being attacked by cats or foxes or even be snatched by a stranger. I think the 1950’s method of bringing up babies is an abuse of the baby’s human rights, as it is no different from neglecting a child. It is hard enough going through birth, babies should not be treated in this way. If a baby is crying it is in need of something, as a parent I want to make sure my baby is content and comfortable with all his needs fulfilled. At the end of the day, a happy baby is a cuddled baby.

Nutritional considerations during Pregnancy

The BBC provides an excellent resource for information on what to eat, and what not to eat, during pregnancy. During pregnancy your body requires a rich supply of protein, vitamins and minerals to nourish both yourself and your developing child. It is important for an expectant mother to eat a good healthy diet, that is well balanced, that is one that contains foods from all the major food groups. Eating for two is an old wives tale, and is not recommended. But eating well is essential. Quality of food is far more important than quantity. Weight gain during pregnancy is expected, and the optimum weight gain in pregnancy is 12.5kg (27lb). However, in practice different women gain different amounts and many women who don't fall within this range still go on to give birth to healthy babies. Weight gains substantially more than 12.5kg in women of normal weight before pregnancy are unlikely to reflect an increase in foetal weight, maternal lean tissue or water. Rather, the excess weight is a gain in maternal fat. Because of this, concerns have been expressed that excessive weight gain can lead to overweight and obesity. Your doctor or midwife will advise you about weight gain, but it's important that you don't 'diet' during pregnancy. The key points from the Beeb's article are: 1. Take a folic acid supplement providing 400µg per day for the first 12 weeks of pregnancy. 2. A healthy balanced diet provides all the nutrients that most pregnant women need, but some may require supplements. 3. If supplements are used, the best choice is a specially-prepared formula for pregnancy. 4. Supplements containing vitamin A should be avoided. 5. Pregnant women should not eat liver, dishes containing raw or partially cooked eggs, or soft or blue-veined cheese, and should limit alcohol to 1 to 2 units once or twice a week. 6. Be scrupulous about food hygiene. 7. The average weight gain during pregnancy is 12.5kg, but there's a huge variation among individuals. Watch your weight gain, and speak to your midwife if you're concerned. Do not diet while pregnant. A Balanced Diet for Pregnancy Most of the additional nutrient needs of pregnancy can be met by eating a well-balanced and varied diet. With a few exceptions, you can continue to eat a normal, healthy diet. This includes regular meals and snacks, and a sensible healthy eating regime containing: 1. Plenty of starchy carbohydrates - bread, rice, pasta, breakfast cereals, chapattis, couscous and potatoes. 2. Plenty of fruit and vegetables - at least five portions a day. 3. Lots of milk, yoghurt, fromage frais and pasteurised cheeses. 4. Enough protein, such as meat, fish, eggs (well-cooked), beans and pulses. 5. Not too many fat-rich and sugary foods. 6. Aim to have at least eight glasses of fluids per day. Really, your diet during pregnancy should not differ to greatly from a health well balanced diet at any other time in your life. People that follow a healthy lifestyle do not need to make many changes when becoming pregnant. It is those who smoke, drink a lot of alcohol, and eat a very unhealthy diet, that have to make a lot of changes, and feel that they are making sacrifices. It is also worth remembering that if you are planning to conceive, then a healthy diet is also essential. Healthy people generally conceive quicker than unhealthy people - and that rule applies to male partners too!

Steroid dose warning in children

Today the BBC reports on expert advice that Children with allergic conditions such as asthma may be receiving too high a dose of steroids. "A Scottish study found almost one in 10 children prescribed corticosteroids for asthma were also given the drugs for other conditions such as hay fever. They risk adverse effects from cumulative steroid doses from inhalers, creams and nasal sprays, the British Pharmaceutical conference heard. " "It is not uncommon for children with asthma to also suffer from hay fever or eczema. Some children with severe conditions may receive both in inhaled corticosteroids to control their asthma and nasal corticosteroids for hay fever, resulting in high overall doses of steroids. Dr James McLay, senior lecturer in the Department of Medicine and Therapeutics at the University of Aberdeen looked at the records of 345,221 children from 304 general practices in Scotland. Among those with a repeat prescriptions for an inhaled corticosteroid for asthma, one in 11 were also prescribed at least one other steroid preparation such as nasal corticosteroids." Adverse effects: "Corticosteroids are a class of drugs which help to control inflammation. The potential long-term toxicity of chronic corticosteroid use in children is unclear, but there have been concerns about the impact on child growth. In rare cases, very high doses can be fatal. This research shows that a significant number of children are prescribed more than one corticosteroid preparation for an allergic condition," said Dr McLay. "If a child is prescribed corticosteroid treatment for one condition at the maximum or near the maximum dose, then another steroid prescription would tip them into over-exposure. And in children you can really get some dramatic adverse effects." Different GPs would be treating children for different conditions and computer alerts needed to be introduced to flag up high cumulative doses from different preparations. "We therefore recommend that all healthcare professionals or parents under the direction of a healthcare professional check for this issue," he added. It is very easy to accidentally overdose on medication, and if you think that you, or your child, have been prescribed steroids in several forms, then it is strongly advisable that you consult your family GP or healthcare professional