Down Syndrome Occurrence Rate Down syndrome (formerly called mongolism), was named after Dr. Langdon Down, who described these children in 1866. Down syndrome occurs in one out of seven hundred births. The chance of having a Down syndrome baby increases with the age of the mother. Women under age 23—1 in 2,000 births Women at […]
Breastfed Baby Weight Gain A breastfed baby’s weight gain is one of the indicators of whether or not the mother is producing a sufficient amount of milk. New mothers are zealous weight watchers. While it’s not true that good weight gain is an index of good mothering, a baby’s weight gain may be some tangible […]
Elimination Diet for Breastfeeding Mothers Martha recommends the elimination diet in her lactation-counseling practice whenever she suspects a baby’s colic could be caused by sensitivities to food in a breastfeeding mother’s diet. This diet was developed by William G. Crook, M.D. (Detecting Your Hidden Allergies, Jackson, Tenn: Professional Books, 1987), and it has several variations, depending […]
Ways to Get Your Baby to Sleep and Stay Asleep Over the years of putting our own children to sleep, keeping them asleep, and counseling thousands of other moms and dads on various styles of nighttime parenting, here are some time-tested, proven attitudes and techniques for getting baby to sleep. Most of these are applicable […]
Why Veggies are so Good For You Your mother always said, “eat your vegetables” and she was right – maybe in more ways than she knew. While you don’t have to go all veggie and become a strict vegetarian, one of the healthiest eating habits you can foster in your family is to eat more […]
Getting Baby to Sleep Through the Night High need babies not only need help to fall asleep, they often need help staying asleep. Here are ways for getting baby to sleep through the night so that you can stay asleep, too. 1. Sleep Where Baby Sleeps Best Every mom, dad, and baby must work out […]
What to Do When Your Child is Throwing Up Your normally happy and playful 2-year-old has not been himself all day. He’s been clingy, fussy, and has refused to eat his favorite foods. Then out of nowhere, he starts throwing up what you think was breakfast. It doesn’t stop there. For the next three hours, […]
How to Tell if Your Child Is Constipated Constipation refers to the compactness of the stools and the difficulty passing them, not the frequency of bowel movements. The consistency and number of stools vary according to age and from baby to baby. Newborns have several stools a day that are soft and the consistency of […]
Handling Tantrums in Older Children As a child nears three years of age, tantrums usually lessen as he gains the language to express himself, and he’s busy developing in other areas of his life (such as a blossoming imagination). Tantrums in older children (starting around 4-years-old) may appear with a surprising twist. A four-year-old is […]
My Baby Prefers to Sleep on Tummy – is this OK? Parents are often concerned when their child prefers to sleep on their tummy. Unless your doctor says otherwise, it’s best to let your baby sleep in a position she prefers. If baby doesn’t settle well or stay on her back or side, front sleeping […]
Comfort Your Gassy Baby Swallowing air and passing gas is common in infancy. However, excessive intestinal gas can make a young baby miserable. A mother of one of my gassy little patients describes these bloated episodes: When my daughter is trying to pass gas, it is like a mother going through a difficult labor. How […]
A Newborn’s Umbilical Cord and Belly Button Most first-time parents are understandably worried when they notice bleeding or discharge from their newborn’s belly button. Here is a little guide to help you understand when this is normal and when you need to call your doctor. In 2006, it was newly recommended that you no longer […]
