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Posted by admin in Attachment Parenting, Babies 0-6 months, Breastfeeding, General, How to, Pregnancy on August 7th, 2021
Many women decide during pregnancy they want to breastfeed their babies when they are born. While breastfeeding is perfectly natural it still takes some getting used to and there are many (common) concerns Mums have when they begin their breastfeeding journey. Questions like “How do I know my baby is getting enough milk?”, “Will it hurt?” and “Where can I get help if I need it?” are very common themes. We’ve set out 10 tips and tricks for Mums who are planning on breastfeeding, a little guide if you like to answer the most commonly asked questions and hopefully answer any questions you may have.
Learn the signs that your baby is getting enough milk Some good signs that your baby is getting enough milk are:
Posted by admin in General, How to, Maternal Health, Pregnancy on March 8th, 2019
It is an exciting moment when you are your partner decide that it is time to start trying for a baby. Bringing a new life into the world is an amazing thing and the feelings that you start to have once you become a parent are ones you never knew were possible. For some people falling pregnant can be very quick and easy and others it may take some time to happen. There is no need to stress if it does not happen the first time you have unprotected sex, there are many factors that can contribute to why you have not fallen pregnant. There are things that you can also do to help to increase your chances of falling pregnant.
Unfortunately you can not just fall pregnant at any time, although how handy would that be! In order to fall pregnant the released egg must be fertilized by the sperm within 24 hours of being released. This means that there is a small window each month in which you can get pregnant. Your egg is typically released around 14 days before the first day of your next period which means that having intercourse a day or so before this and when the egg is being released is the ideal timing.
If you do not have a regular 28 day cycle and are unsure on when you are ovulating you can track your ovulation in a couple of ways including tracking your temperature, vaginal discharge or by purchasing an ovulation tracking kit.
Your lifestyle can play a part in falling pregnant. It is recommended to try to live a healthy lifestyle whilst trying to fall pregnant. This can include ensuring that you are getting an adequate amount of exercise, eating a healthy diet and not taking part in activities such as binge drinking and illegal drug use.
When choosing your foods for your healthy eating ensure that you are eating goods packed with food nutrients such as leafy greens, good amounts of protein and lots of fresh plant based foods. Try to avoid fatty foods and caffeinated drinks.
Exercising to keep your weight down and your body fit is a good idea however try not to take part in too many strenuous activities. Completing too much strenuous exercise can alter your periods which means that your ovulation dates can change which can then throw off your whole tracking.
When you decide that you are going to begin trying for a baby it is a good idea to start starting prenatal vitamins. These vitamins are full of goodness that will not only help you and your body but also help the progression of the pregnancy and health of the fetus once you fall pregnant. When you find out you are pregnant you are normally a few weeks in already which means that there has been time where you did not know you were pregnant, starting the vitamins whilst you are trying means that you have covered the new baby during those first few weeks
As hard as it may sound, it is best to try not too stress too much. You may be stressing about the falling pregnant or stressing about other things in your life at the time. Stress can play a lot of havoc on your mind and your body and too much stress can also lead to reduced periods or your periods becoming irregular. Maintaining a regular period means that you will be able to track your ovulation a lot easier and not be confused about when your ideal window is.
If at any point you think that there may be something wrong or you have been trying to fall pregnant for a while without success, put your mind at ease and visit your doctor. They would be happy to speak with you about what you have tried, complete testing if necessary and provide help and assistance where they can.
Remember as well, just because there is an ideal window, doesn’t mean that you can not ‘practice’ through out the month ?
Posted by admin in Attachment Parenting, Babies 0-6 months, General, How to, Pregnancy on March 8th, 2019
It is an exciting time when you are preparing for the birth of your new baby. There are so many changes that you have already gone through and so many more that are about to come. Your life will change a lot and in different ways. Not only do you need to prepare yourself but you also need to prepare your partner and family and also your home ready for the new arrival. We hope our list of tips and ideas will help you in your own preparations at home.
It is a good idea to stock up on the necessities before the birth of your little one. Buying a few weeks supply of nappies and wipes will help to reduce the need to go shopping with a newborn and reduces the risk of running out at a very inconvenient time (which of course will always be in the middle of the night with a huge poo explosion).
Also having a large supply of singlets, long onesies and short onesies means that you can reduce the number of loads of washing you need to do during those first few weeks.
If you are feeling up to it in the weeks leading up to the birth of your little one it is a good idea to spend a day making and freezing meals. This will help during those first few weeks when you are exhausted and not feeling like cooking. Ensuring that you are eating properly is important to make sure that you have energy and are able to continue functioning with your newborn. If you are breastfeeding you also need to ensure that you are getting a good amount of nutrients. There are many meals that can be prepared and frozen for eating later on.
The last thing you want to be doing the day you bring your baby home is setting up the cot or bassinet. It is a good idea to set up as much of the nursery as possible before coming home from the hospital. This way there is not that stress on you or your partner when you should be spending the time cuddling and relaxing with your new baby. Having the car seat / capsule properly installed before the birth is also important. At Rock-A-Bye Baby all our staff are Accredited Restraint Fitters and you can hire a capsule or carseat from us or we can install your own restraint for you.
The labour is one of the hardest things to prepare for as each and every labour is going to be different. If you have friends with children they have most likely told you their labour stories in a hope to help prepare you for yours. The first step of preparing for your labour is to have a plan in place. Decide the type of labour you would like to have and whether you would like to use any pain relief. Our labour TENS for hire are a good item to add to your labour toolkit if you’re hoping to have a drug free birth. When making your plan you need to be aware and okay with the fact that it may not go to plan. There are times when things change through out labour and different measures need to be taken and it may change the plan that you originally had. Remember throughout that the doctors and midwives are their for the safety of you and your baby and that if they recommend a different way of doing things it is because they feel it is going to benefit you both the best.
Before the birth of your baby, sit down with your partner and decide on how you would like the visitation to go after the birth of your baby. Whether you would like any one visiting on the day of birth and if so who. If you would prefer to wait until you get home for visitors then decide on times that suit you and your partner. These should be communicated to those around you and let them know that it is essential to call or message you beforehand to make sure that it is okay for them to be visiting.
Remember throughout all of your preparations and decisions to stop and enjoy the moments. There are some big changes coming and it is such an exciting and happy time for you and your family. Cherish each and every month and try not to stress too much. Accept help when it is offered and sleep when you can!
Posted by admin in Attachment Parenting, Breastfeeding, How to, Maternal Health, Pregnancy, Safety on September 11th, 2018
Mastitis is a painful breast condition that occurs in breastfeeding mothers and is generally the result of a blocked milk duct that hasn’t cleared or can sometimes be caused by a knock or bump to the breast. What happens is milk within the duct gets blocked up and is eventually forced into nearby breast tissue, causing the tissue to become red, hot, painful and inflamed. The inflammation is called mastitis and although infection is generally the partner of mastitis, it is not always present in every case.
Early symptoms of mastitis can give you shivers and aches, a temperature and sometimes there is red welts or streaks on the affected breast. Some mothers can get mastitis quite out of the blue with no previous duct blockage or issues.
The affected breast is generally quite sore like it is with a blocked duct, only worse. It is usually swollen and hot, and red and painful to touch and move. The skin on the breast may appear shiny and striped with red streaks. You will probably feel quite ill as if you are getting a flu and it is quite common for the ill feeling to come on very quickly.
Firstly – please see your health care professional and then start treatment as soon as you feel a lump or sore spot in your breast.
Drain the breast often – but do so gently.
This is not the time to stop breastfeeding. More than anything else, to get rid of the mastitis your breasts need to be kept as empty as possible and your baby’s feeding at the breast is the best way to do this. Your milk is not infected in any way and it is perfectly safe for your baby to drink.
When you have mastitis, it is recommended that you feed more often than usual, starting every feed on the sore breast first and let your baby suck long enough on this side to make sure that it is being drained well.
Getting rest when you have mastitis is vital to your recover. So stayin bed if you can, or at least put your feet up for most of the day. If you can go to bed for a day or two then take your baby with you and set yourself up with nappy supplies and enough food and drinks so you don’t have to get up and down. If you have other children and can’t go to bed then setting up a daybed on the couch in the living room might suit.
There are a range of things you can do to help relieve mastitis:
Tips to try and prevent mastitis occuring (or reoccuring):
Posted by admin in Attachment Parenting, Babies 0-6 months, Babies 6 months - 4 years, Breastfeeding, General, Pregnancy on June 12th, 2015
There’s many reasons why mothers might express their breastmilk to feed their babies.
Some are short term issues that need to be overcome such as having to take a medication that is incompatible with breastfeeding;
or to manage breast engorgement or allow sore or damaged nipples to heal. Sometimes using an electric breastpump such as a Medela Symphony is recommended as a way of increasing a mother’s milk supply.
For some mums expressing is a longer-term plan for managing times when you can’t physically be with your baby – perhaps you’re going back to work or study or your baby is in hospital still and you need to pump and feed that way.
For occasional short term separations (such as a weekly evening out), hand expression or a manual pump may be all you need.
But if you’re going to be expressing most of your baby’s feeds then you’d be best to consider a hospital grade breastpump like the Medela Symphony. These generally aren’t available as retail items due to their very high price tag (in the thousands) so its definately an item that you’d hire rather than buy.
Hospital grade breast pumps are extremely powerful, long-lasting, super efficient at extracting breastmilk yet very gentle and comfortable to use. Most importantly, the Medela Symphony has been designed to be able to be safely and hygienically used by multiple users.
When you hire you have a “single user sterile pumping kit” that contains all the parts that come into contact with you, your breast, your milk and your baby so hiring is quite safe.
Have you heard of The Try Guys? They’re BuzzFeeds quartet of men who try things that typically men don’t, wouldn’t or can’t normally do.
In one of their most viewed episodes they endure simulated labour and the pain that goes with it. If you’ve ever wanted to see a man feel the pain of childbirth, this video is for you. Its very funny indeed to watch. Some of the best quotes from the video include:
A word of warning there is quite a bit of language in the video as well as lots of crotch grabbing etc so viewer discretion is advised.
Posted by admin in Attachment Parenting, Babies 0-6 months, General, How to, Maternal Health, Pregnancy on May 27th, 2015
When you first fall pregnant, 9 months can seem like FOREVER. All the shopping and appointments and excitement among family and friends is so wonderful and you can’t wait to hold your very own baby in your arms. But before you know it, you have your baby shower or gender reveal party behind you and and just a big belly in the front and wham! your due date is just weeks away. Why not check out our list of 10 things you should get done BEFORE bubs arrives.
Posted by admin in Attachment Parenting, Babies 0-6 months, General, How to, Pregnancy on May 26th, 2015
Whether you’re hosting a Gender Reveal Party or you just want a cute way to tell family and friends that you are having a baby boy or girl, we’ve got our top 10 gender revealing ideas to help you make the big announcement.
Gender reveal parties are a fun way to include family and friends in the joy and excitement that comes with a new baby. Feel free to share your own gender reveal party ideas below or your pics on our Facebook page.
Posted by admin in Maternal Health, Pregnancy on April 28th, 2015
Nausea and vomiting during pregnancy is very common and studies estimate that between 50 – 90% of expecting mothers will experience what is generally called “morning sickness”. For the majority of Mums, morning (or even all day) sickness is not a serious problem and it does not place you or your baby at any risk of harm.
Hyperemesis Gravidarum (HG) is a much more severe form of nausea and vomiting in pregnancy. HG can place you and your baby at some risk as the nausea and vomiting prevent you from retaining and utilising sufficient necessary food and fluid to stay healthy.
Its estimated that HG occurs in about 1% of pregnancies. It often starts between four to six weeks of pregnancy and may continue all the way to the end. Thankfully symptoms will often improve from about 15 to 20 weeks but can occasionally last the entire pregnancy.
How to distinguish between morning sickness and hyperemesis gravidarum:
Intravenous rehydration is typically the first line of treatment for HG which will most often require you to go into hospital. The time you’ll spend in hospital will depend on the severity of your symptoms.
Often bed rest is recommended, and even if not, you may be so tired that you will want to be in bed anyway.
Because you will have been unable to keep sufficient food down, nutritional therapy is often included as art of your treatment for HG. This may mean nutrition delivered intravenously in severe cases, and in milder cases, just working with a dietician to ensure the that you are able to take in adequate calories and nourishment. Some anti-nausea drugs may be added to your drip or given to you by injection.
Medications are often part of the treatment for mothers suffering HG. All drugs should be used with care in pregnancy, particularly in your first trimester. But anti-sickness drugs have a good safety record and are unlikely to harm your baby.
If you can’t keep food or drink down, swallowing pills is also likely to be difficult so some of the anti-sickness medication has been developed so that you can dissolve it under your tongue rather than swallow it.
The absolute best resource for mothers experiencing HG is the Hyperemesis Education and Research Foundation. Visit their website at www.helpher.org for mother-to-mother forums, research, blog posts, and more.
Posted by admin in Attachment Parenting, Babies 0-6 months, Crying, General, Pregnancy, Sleep on April 21st, 2015
For normal, healthy infants crying is a very common occurrence, especially during the first 12 weeks of life. Between 2 and 6 weeks of age a baby’s crying steadily increases and can put a lot of strain on parents, making you feel stress, anxious, angry, upset or just helpless. All babies do go through this period of crying and it can vary in intensity. Much like height or weight, some babies are taller or heavier while others are shorter, some babies cry a great deal, others not so much.
The Period of PURPLE Crying is a concept developed by Dr. Ronald Barr, MCDM, FRCPC, as a way to educate new parents about normal crying behavior and its place in normal child development. The concept of PURPLE Crying is based on almost 50 years of early infant development and crying research by an international cast of scientist and pediatricians. Related studies were done on non-mammalian (breast feeding) species, like chimpanzees, and found that their babies have a similar crying curve. Crying is a normal part of child development.
The acronym PURPLE is used to describe specific characteristics of a baby’s crying during this period. Its important to know that what you are experiencing is quite normal and, although frustrating, is simply a phase in your baby’s development – and it will pass. The word Period is important because it tells parents that it is only temporary and it will come to an end.
When you are feeling frustrated, angry or upset it’s OK to walk away and take a break from the crying. Put your baby in a safe spot (their cot, a rocker or perhaps a pram) and step out of the room, perhaps to a space where you can no longer hear the crying and take a few minutes for yourself, walk around, have a cool glass of water or put the kettle on. The time you spend away from the crying can help you calm down, so you’ll be better able to handle the situation when you come back – even if your baby keeps crying they’ll be fine.
Even when you are at your wits-end, remember its just a phase, crying is normal and you’re doing fine.
Posted by admin in Attachment Parenting, Babies 0-6 months, Pregnancy on April 6th, 2015
Here’s a list (in no particular order) of our top 10 picks to read during your pregnancy.
Remember – you can choose to do only some of the things in some of the books, and some of the things in another different book, or you can choose to do none. Its your baby who you will come to know best, books are best to be enjoyed and take from them what you want but don’t expect your baby to have read it. 🙂
Posted by admin in Babies 0-6 months, Pregnancy, Safety on April 1st, 2015
So you’ve just walked into a huge baby stuff emporium for the first time ever and one of the employees hands you a great little checklist that lists everything you’ll need for your new baby.
Don’t believe the hype! A great many items on that list just aren’t necessary and another 25% of it is stuff you’ll only need for a few months so we’d suggest you consider borrowing from a friend or hiring, and save your $ for the more expensive years to come.
Baby Butt Fan – we’re not a Fan of the Baby Butt Fan