News Moms Need

If your baby is in the NICU, kangaroo care can seem like a life saver. Kangaroo care is a way to hold your baby so that there is as much skin contact between you and your baby as possible. It has wonderful benefits for both you and your baby.

For kangaroo care, your baby is placed upright on your bare chest.
• Ask the nurse for a warm blanket to cover you and your baby.
• Strong smells like perfume or cigarette smoke on you or your clothing can bother your baby, so be sure to wash before holding.
• Hold your baby for at least an hour in this position. Be sure to go to the bathroom and put your phone away before getting comfortable. Your baby needs your full attention.

Gentle, still touch is very important, especially for the most sick and fragile of babies. It might make you feel good to stroke your baby, but it doesn’t feel good to your baby in the NICU. Stroking can make a baby feel uneasy or uncomfortable. Touching without moving your hands is best.

Kangaroo care is good for your baby because it can:
• Keep your baby warm
• Stabilize your baby’s heart rate
• Help your baby gain weight
• Comfort your baby

It’s good for Mom and Dad too because:
• It can help you bond with your baby.
• It can stimulate a mother’s ability to make breast milk.
• It can reduce your stress and lift your spirits.
• It may help you become more confident parents.

Kangaroo care is safe and beneficial, even if your baby is connected to machines. Whatever your situation, kangaroo care is a precious way to be close to your baby. You will cherish this time. You can learn more about kangaroo care by looking at our Power Point presentation at this link.

Your baby’s bowel moments depend on her age and eating habits. Every baby is different. Some babies have a bowel movement right after each feeding. Others have it only once a day.

In the first week of life, newborns should produce some stool at least once a day. If your baby is not, let her health care provider know. You want to be sure all systems are functioning normally. After a week or two her system will shift into a pattern that works well for her. It is not uncommon for a breastfed baby (3 to 6 weeks of age) to pass stools every few days or only once a week. Formula fed babies, however, should pass stools at least once a day.

If your baby is having irregular bowel movements but her stools are soft (no firmer than peanut butter), this isn’t a sign of constipation. But if your baby’s stools are firm, she seems fussy or cries when having a bowel movement, she might be constipated. At any age, if the stools are large, hard and dry and hurt to pass, or if you see blood on or in the stool, talk to your baby’s health care provider. He may recommend giving her small amounts of water or prune juice.

In toddlers and older children, aside from increasing the amount of water they drink, you may need to add more high-fiber foods to their diet – foods like apricots, prunes, plums, peas, beans, broccoli and whole-grain cereals and breads. Back off foods that can tend to bind you up like bananas, white rice and plain white bread.

Looking for a great gift for someone pregnant or thinking about pregnancy? Order a copy of HEALTHY MOM, HEALTHY BABY, brought to you by the March of Dimes! This new book clearly lays out all the must-know information about every stage of pregnancy, along with research-based advice to help stay healthy and full of energy!

Written by obstetrician gynecologist and medical advisor to the March of Dimes Siobhan Dolan, M.D. and award-winning health writer Alice Lesch Kelly, HEALTHY MOM, HEALTHY BABY (HarperOne; February 2013: Trade Paperback Original) is designed for women at all stages of pregnancy. It provides the most accurate, up-to-date pregnancy health information including information you need before pregnancy, throughout nine months, and into the newborn period. HEALTHY MOM, HEALTHY BABY is a practical, accessible, friendly guide with clear explanations, research-based recommendations, and sensible advice for the healthiest pregnancy possible, and explains the latest advances in:
• Prenatal testing
• Pregnancy nutrition
• Fitness recommendations
• Breastfeeding
• Infant screening and care
• Making your home environment safe
• Managing postpartum symptoms.

The book also provides practical advice every mom-to-be wants quick access to, including:
• A month by month guide showing your baby’s development
• A comprehensive checklist for labor, delivery and beyond
• A glossary of terms women are likely to hear over the course of their pregnancy
• A list of resources for specific circumstances (i.e. pregnant athletes; moms of multiples; and those lacking health insurance).

Learn more at this link.

You’ve welcomed your beautiful new baby to the world and have now brought him home. Having a new baby can be an exciting and joyous event. But it can also leave many new parents, moms especially, feeling overwhelmed and exhausted. Some moms might feel that compared to the first few weeks of life with a newborn, childbirth was the easy part!

Between the endless feedings, sleepless nights and other responsibilities, many women feel really, really tired in the weeks after birth. You may find it hard to balance taking care of a new baby, yourself, your family and your home. Take comfort in knowing you’re not alone. These feelings are normal. You can take steps to help you find more energy and overcome new mom fatigue.

Get plenty of rest - When there’s a new baby in the home, sleep is on everyone’s mind! Newborns sleep about 16 hours a day, often in about 3-hour periods. In the first few weeks of a baby’s life, it can be hard, if not impossible, for mom to get a solid stretch of 6 to 8 hours sleep at night. Try these steps to help you get the rest you need.
   • Sleep when the baby sleeps, even if it’s just for a quick nap.
   • Place the baby in the baby’s room.
   • Put off other household responsibilities (laundry, dishes, cleaning, etc.).
   • Limit visitors.

Eat healthy and be active - Eating healthy foods and getting exercise can help you have much needed energy and feel rested. 
   • Eat healthy foods.
   • Drink lots of water.
   • With your health care provider’s OK, get active. 

Look to family, friends and others for help - As much as you may want to be “super mom,” no woman can be everything to everyone. If someone offers to help, say yes! Ask your partner, family and friends for help when you need it.
   • Share nighttime parenting jobs.
   • Ask guests to help out.
   • Take advantage of babysitting offers.
   • If you can afford it, hire some help for a little while. 

Caring for a new baby can be a wonderful time in your life. When you’re feeling overwhelmed and exhausted, remember that the newborn days won’t last long. Soon, you’ll be better able to manage your time and energy and enjoy these first precious moments in your child’s life.

Looking at my neighbor’s sweet new baby girl and watching her mother beam with love made me think of this short poem by William Butler Yates:

     I kiss you and kiss you,
     With arms round my own,
     Ah, how shall I miss you,
     When, dear, you have grown.

Hug your babies and snuggle while you can. Enjoy the tender coos, the sleepless nights, the amazing accomplishments and stubborn refusals, the shared laughter and the arguments… Children grow so fast, the years fly by. We need to treasure these days because they will be asking for the keys to the car before you know it!

Join us on Twitter on Friday November 16th at 3 PM ET to participate in a global relay on premature birth.

Hear from our global network partners: European Foundation for the Care of Newborn Infants (Europe), @EFCNIwecare; Bliss Baby Charity (United Kingdom), @blisscharity; National Premmie Foundation (Australia), @premmfoundation; Little Big Souls International Foundation (Africa), @littlebigsoulsi; and others.

Parents from around the world are encouraged to take part and share their stories. Be sure to use #worldprematurityday to actively participate.

Although the relay chat is on Friday, Saturday November 17th is the actual World Prematurity Day. We will be tweeting and would love to see pictures of preemies from around the world. Please join us then and share your photos on #worldprematurityday.

In emergency situations, babies have an increased need for the disease-fighting factors and the comfort provided by breastfeeding. Breastfeeding is especially recommended during a disaster because it is naturally clean. Refrigeration, bottles, or water for preparing formula are not necessary.

Breast milk is the best food for a baby during the first year of life. In emergencies, it’s usually best for the baby if the mother can continue to breastfeed. If pre-prepared formula is unavailable or water supplies are unsafe, breastfeeding is especially wise. Breast milk can be especially good for premature babies.

While stress may affect milk supply, breastfeeding itself can help to reduce stress. When you breastfeed, your body creates hormones that are calming. Do your best to make breastfeeding time as relaxed as you can under the circumstances.

If breastfeeding has been interrupted, the La Leche League provides information to help you start again. The International Lactation Consultant Association also provides help with breastfeeding. Call (919) 787-5181.

Some women may find it impossible to continue to breastfeed. If this occurs, wean the baby as slowly as possible. This is important for both your health and the baby’s. Hold and cuddle your baby as much as possible to reduce your baby’s stress. In a disaster, pre-prepared formula is recommended because of concerns about water safety.

The La Leche League provides information about breastfeeding for women affected by disasters. 

If you are staying in a shelter and need help with breastfeeding, ask the medical staff for assistance.

If breastfeeding is not possible, have a supply of single-serving, ready-to-feed formula. Ready-to-feed formula does not need mixing, and water should not be added to it. When using ready-to-feed formula, pour the needed amount into a bottle, and throw away the formula that the baby does not drink if you cannot refrigerate it. After it is opened, the formula must be refrigerated.

Regarding water for drinking, cooking and bathing, listen to and follow public announcements. Local authorities will tell you if tap water is safe to drink or to use for cooking or bathing. If the water is not safe to use, follow local instructions to use bottled water or to boil or disinfect tap water for cooking, cleaning or bathing.

If tap water is not safe, boiling is the preferred way to kill harmful bacteria and parasites. To kill most organisms, bring water to a rolling boil for 1 minute.
 
If you can’t boil unsafe tap water, you can treat it with chlorine tablets or iodine tablets. Follow the directions that come with the tablets. Keep treated water out of reach of children and toddlers.

If you have a baby and are not breastfeeding, ready-to-feed formula is recommended because of concerns about water safety. Do not use water treated with iodine or chlorine tablets to prepare powdered formulas.

Moms should do their best to drink at least six to eight glasses (eight-ounce servings) of water, juice or milk every day.

For more information about caring for a newborn after a disaster, read this article.

Many new moms and dads are nervous about caring for their baby’s umbilical cord stump. It’s not difficult, but you need to pay attention to make sure it doesn’t get infected.

Your baby’s umbilical cord stump will drop off at about 10 days after birth. Until then, keep it clean and dry.
• Tuck the diaper below the cord so that the cord is exposed to the air.
• Be sure the area around the cord is clean and dry. If it gets dirty, clean the area with a baby wipe. Or dip a cotton swab in rubbing alcohol, and gently clean around the cord.
• Call your baby’s provider if you see pus or redness or if he cries when you touch the area. These could be signs of infection.
To learn how to give your baby a sponge bath until his belly button heals, read Bathing Your Baby.

As every breastfeeding mom will tell you, breastmilk is precious and you want to keep it around as long as it’s safe to do so. You can keep pumped breastmilk in the refrigerator or freezer in either bottles or bags made just for storing breastmilk. It doesn’t last forever, so be sure to write the date on the container before you store it. So, how long will it last?

• In the refrigerator (temperature must be 32-39 degrees F), breastmilk can be kept for 5-8 days.
• If stored in the freezer inside your refrigerator, it will keep for two weeks.
• If your refrigerator has a freezer with a separate door (top, bottom or side-by-side), it will keep 3-6 months.
• If you have a separate, stand-alone freezer, breastmilk will keep for 6-12 months.

When you’re ready to use it, thaw and warm the milk. Don’t put it in the microwave because it can get too hot in there. Instead, put a bag or bottle of frozen milk under cold running water. To warm milk, put the bottle or bag under hot running water or in a bowl of warm water. Shake the bottle or bag to even out the temperature throughout the container. Be sure to put a drop or two of milk on the inside of your wrist to test the temperature before giving it to your baby.

One in every 10 babies born in the U.S. is admitted to a newborn intensive care unit (NICU) because of premature birth or another medical condition. Having a baby hospitalized in a NICU, can be frightening, confusing and overwhelming for parents. In conjunction with its national Prematurity Campaign, the March of Dimes has developed NICU Family Support to provide information and comfort to those families in crisis.

Take a look at this video highlighting Rhode Island’s NICU Family Support Program.