(ARA) – Whether you’re relaxing beachside on vacation, picnicking in the park or strolling through the neighborhood, warm weather offers many opportunities for outdoor fun. However, these activities can lead to dehydration, sunburn and fatigue if you’re not careful. Barbara Dehn, women’s health nurse practitioner and award-winning author, offers tips to keep mom and baby safe all summer long.

“Mom and baby both need extra protection in the months following birth, especially during the summer season,” says Dehn. “By following a few simple guidelines, the entire family can enjoy summer outings and activities together.”

Dehn suggests protecting yourself and your little one with these tips:

Practice sun protection — If sun exposure is unavoidable, don’t forget to shield yourself and your little one with a hat and sunblock to guard against powerful UVA and UVB rays. Make sure to use a baby-safe sunblock with a high SPF that has no artificial colors or unnecessary chemical additives.

Stay nourished — It is important to maintain your overall health, especially in the heat. Sufficient hydration is essential because a lack of fluids can cause heat exhaustion and improper digestion. Moms should also increase their intake of foods that are high in protein as well as those that contain natural liquids to improve energy and emotional state, and prevent dehydration. Best bets include dark green vegetables, juicy fruits, eggs and almonds.

For babies who are using infant formula, you can choose one that is designed to support your baby’s natural defenses and digestive health. For example, Similac Advance EarlyShield is specially designed to support your baby’s developing immune system. It’s the only formula that has the EarlyShield blend of prebiotics, nucleotides and antioxidants — nutrients found naturally in breast milk.

Refocus and recenter — Summertime is meant to be carefree. Allow yourself some alone time to unwind. Have your partner or a friend watch the baby so you can focus on yourself. Keeping a journal is a simple way to organize your thoughts and help examine your emotions. Help baby relax, too. Set aside time to give your newborn a massage. Massaging enhances the emotional bond with your baby, improves sleep patterns, aids with digestion, boosts immunity, helps fight disease and calms your baby.

Rest up — Hot temperatures during the summer months can cause fatigue. Nap time is not just for your little one. Force yourself to drop chores and nap while the baby does. Use a lavender-scented eye mask to get maximum rest and awaken refreshed. For baby, start a consistent bedtime routine as early as possible. Sing lullabies, read books, give a warm bath or rock in a rocking chair to help trigger bedtime.

Following these simple tips will help ensure a safe and happy summer for both you and your baby. For more information, visit www.earlyshield.com.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

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Bottle basics: If you cannot or choose not to breastfeed, choose an infant formula like Nestlé Good Start that is made from 100% whey protein and is partially broken down which makes it easier for baby to digest.

Burp me!: Most babies will swallow some air during a feed. Depending on the baby and the amount of air swallowed, these air bubbles can cause discomfort and contribute to gassiness. To help baby out, try rubbing the left side of his back. Start at the lower back then slowly rub up to the shoulder.

Take time out: Limiting active play and keeping your child upright for about 30 minutes after feedings can help keep food down.

Your baby’s mood can often be a clue to their condition. If your baby is irritable, distressed during feedings or experiences symptoms like excessive spit-up, gas, or constipation, they may be suffering from digestive discomfort. Consult with your physician before making any feeding changes.

Credit: www.newscanada.com

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Stage One Of The Nutritional Guidelines for Infants

Initially, a baby’s mouth is designed only to suckle at its mother’s breast or upon a bottle.  The tongue is actually designed with a thrust reflex that will push things out of its mouth until the infant turns about five months old.  The baby actually has a rooting instinct, much the same as that seen in puppies and kittens, which will assist the baby in rooting for the breast of its mother. For the newborn infant, breast milk or fortified baby formula is the only dietary requirement for daily nutritious meals.

Stage Two Introduces Solids In A Very Liquid State

As the baby grows, it begins to increase its nutritional needs.  The infant’s nutritional requirements begin to grow at a parallel rate with the infant and by the fifth month the infant is ready to begin experimenting with small spoonfuls of pureed food.  Generally babies begin their first experience “eating solids” by consuming a “watered” down version of baby oatmeal; a specialty oatmeal designed for infants that is actually diluted with breast milk or formula into a very liquid state that is easy to swallow but still encourages the infant to ingest the “solid”.  This oatmeal is basically a supplemental meal to the daily bottle or breast-feeding sessions and does not yet constitute a main meal within the daily nutrition of the infant’s dietary needs.

Learning To Implement Healthy Food Choices At A Young Age Will Leave A Lifelong Dietary Impression

For a concerned mother, monitoring her infant’s nutritional and dietary needs can be very assuring when trying to provide for her child.  Through the introduction of different healthy food choices, reading dietary guidelines and suggestions for healthy dietary meals and learning to cook home-prepared baby foods a concerned mother can encourage a nutritious diet for her infant that will build into a healthy lifestyle for her child.

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(NC)-Autumn is often a new beginning for many youngsters with the start of school, daycare or play groups and unfortunately it is also the start of ear infection season. Many parents have experienced the agony of having their babies and young children go through the pain of a middle ear infection. The anxiety associated with the infection is often compounded by the fact that they can reoccur and cause on-going problems with hearing – potentially affecting the child’s speech and language skills.

Middle ear infections, or acute otitis media, are extremely common in babies and young children since the tubes in children’s ears are smaller and shorter than those of adults. Over 70 per cent of children will have at least one ear infection before their third birthday.

If your child is prone to infections, their doctor may recommend the insertion of tympanostomy tubes (tiny tubes surgically implanted in the middle ear) to decrease the chance of future ear infections, repair short-term hearing loss caused by middle ear fluid and reduce the chance of speech problems.

Although tubes can provide relief from chronic ear infections, it is advised your child avoid getting water in their ears while swimming or bathing. Specialty ear plugs or other water-tight devices can reduce the chance of infection.

If infection occurs, talk to your child’s doctor to determine the best way to treat and manage your child’s middle ear infections with tubes. The recommended treatment for any further bacterial infection is a class of antibiotics known as fluoroquinolones administered in ear drop format. These ear drops are easy to use, quick to treat the infection and combined with an agent that reduces swelling, meaning the antibiotic can get to the source of the infection.

Dr. Michael Hawke is an ear, nose and throat specialist who practices in Toronto. He is a professor in the Department of Otolaryngology of the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Toronto. An international authority on ear disease, Dr. Hawke has published 12 textbooks on diseases of the ears, nose and throat; several of which have been translated into other languages.

Credit: www.newscanada.com

Photo Courtesy of metrocreativegraphics.com

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If hugging, talking and singing a song doesn’t work, check to see if the baby needs a diaper change or is hungry; but what do you do if none of these tricks calm your baby? According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, extreme fussiness that doesn’t let up, even when the child is being comforted, could be a sign of illness, so you should take the baby’s temperature. But as any parent who has had to deal with a fussy baby will tell you, that can be easier said than done.

While you often can tell if your child is warmer than usual by feeling the forehead, only a thermometer can tell if he or she has a fever and how high the temperature is. Ordinarily, a rectal reading of 97.9 to 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit, an oral reading of 95.9 to 99.5 degrees Fahrenheit and an ear reading of 96.4 to 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit is considered normal, while higher readings indicate fever; but good luck getting an accurate reading from a baby who is flailing about and screaming. The thermometer must be in place for a minute or longer.

Well, now there’s some good news for parents struggling with this dilemma. The Kidz-Med Thermofocus, the world’s first non-contact clinical thermometer, is now available in the United States. Introducing the innovative NeverWake Technology, there is no need to touch, startle, upset or wake your child with this thermometer.

All you have to do to obtain an accurate reading of your child’s temperature is hold the thermometer perpendicular to the forehead, and using infrared technology, within in a few hundredths of a second, the Thermofocus will carry out a sequence of up to 125 calculations. It will then deliver an accurate reading of the child’s temperature on a digital display. In a nutshell, a simple point, press and release produces an instant reading.

Fevers under 101 degrees Fahrenheit generally don’t need to be treated unless the child is uncomfortable. To ease the pain your baby may be experiencing, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends you give them acetaminophen or ibuprofen. Dosage depends on the child’s age and weight. Check with your doctor for his or her recommendation.

According to Dr. Richard G. Lagueruela, director of surgical services at Miami Children’s Hospital, “It’s extremely accurate and children of all ages aren’t even aware their temperature is being taken, so there’s no need to restrain an infant or child. Obtaining an accurate temperature is trauma free: no earpiece, mouth probe, or rectal entry required. It’s safe, accurate, and painless. The Thermofocus will revolutionize the health industry and make a difficult part of parenting a delight!”

Among the benefits of Thermofocus that Dr. Lagueruela and his colleagues like best:

* You don’t have to wake, or startle, a child when they are sick to take their temperature.

* The infrared technology is completely safe.

* Parents can rest assured they are getting an accurate reading.

* The method is totally hygienic

Not only does the Thermofocus take the temperature of the body, but it can also be used to take the readings of baby’s food, bottle, bath water and even room temperature. All you have to do is point the thermometer in the direction of the item being tested and you’ll get an accurate reading back almost immediately.

To learn more about the Kidz-Med Thermofocus, which is available for purchase online direct from the distributor, log on to www.kidzmed.com.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

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