Cute Babies

Massaging is one of the vital elements in the growing up stage of babies. According to one study, regular massage often results in babies gaining more weight. It also affects positively in terms of alertness and high activity. Regular massage helps babies in mature neurological development compared to babies that are not massaged. Massaging refers to sense of touch and surprisingly this sense is felt by human embryos that are just eight weeks old. The sensitive skin does it for the foetus. So why massaging is important for babies?

The single most important fact comes out in the open when we imagine the situation of a baby who has just come out of the comfort of mother’s womb. The world will seem a strange place and everything will appear unfamiliar. Even as adult we find it difficult to adjust to new surroundings so thinking from a baby’s point of view, it must be quite difficult. Massage in the initial phase must be feeling like a strange experience. But slowly, a baby gets used to it and consequently it helps her in understanding and practicing input and she responds it with relaxed demeanour. A massage is often accompanied by soothing voice and comfortable physical contact so that makes it an overall pleasurable experience for the baby.

Human bonding is enhanced by sense of touch. Similarly, a bond between mother and child is strengthened by touch. Massaging acts as most basic method of bonding between the parents and baby. Massaging acts as a powerful tool and parents must ensure regular massage for their babies.

Parenting is no easy task. It involves several sleepless nights, constant feeding and inherent factors like hormonal changes. Mothers must be prepared for months of hard work and inconsistent sleep cycle. It’s a hard job, no doubt but it is also fulfilling. Mothers can only sleep when baby is asleep and sleeping cycle of babies is never consistent. They can keep you awake whole night because of food requirement. As baby grows older, he/she will start sleeping for longer duration.

Mothers must be prepared to feed baby as and when he requires. Babies must be fed as much as possible before bed hour. Some mothers prefer to give babies formula feed and vitamin supplements. Because of that, she will sleep longer. Mothers can also inculcate habit in babies of feeding time. Quite often parents try to keep babies awake during day time so that she will sleep at night. This is not advisable considering babies need lot of sleep. Don’t interfere with her sleep cycle and let her sleep as long as she wants. However, parents can try to keep lights off during night so that babies can learn that night is for sleeping.

One of the important processes in babies sleeping cycle is swaddling. It means making the baby feel secure. For doing that, parents can use a warmer fabric like cotton to bundle up the infant. This way, babies can feel secure and will sleep comfortably. If the baby is tightly wrapped he or she wont trouble you much and will remain in peace. As baby start growing old, you don’t need to wrap her tightly or just let her arms out of the sheet.

The skin of baby is very sensitive. That makes it quite imperative for parents, especially mother to understand the skin of the babies. We should also know why some babies are born with acne. Quite often, new born babies also develop severe acne in the first few weeks of the birth. The reason is, hormonal changes taking place in mothers during pregnancy. Apart from hormones, iron and calcium also get passed to the babies and a combination of these elements can cause acne in babies.

Quite a number of parents complain and worry about acne. But the fact is these acne disappear after few months. Once the hormone factor gets stabilised, the skin tends to settle down and it again becomes totally smooth and blemish free. Just make sure, mothers are not using harsh soap on skin for removing rashes. That will further deteriorate the skin.   There are several forms of acne that might trouble your cute baby.

One of the common forms of skin irritation is diaper rash. It takes place in the diaper area and often cause attributed to stool and urine. Another possibility of this irritation could be allergy to diaper. If your baby develops diaper rash, mother should keep the area clean and dry. If the area is exposed to air that would also work in his favour. Apply soothing cream to the place and always wash the area with warm water.

When the baby develops crusty patches on the scalp, it is known as cradle cap. Mostly, oil producing glands on the scalp cause this problem. The solution is to use baby shampoo on a regular basis. Keep the area clean and it won’t take much before the cradle cap is gone. Heat rush is another form of irritant that babies are susceptible to. To avoid this condition try to keep baby in airy surroundings and place must be well ventilated. Make sure to use sunscreen on his skin for further protection.

Some babies just refuse to fall asleep at night and keep the parents wake up at odd hours. So here are some of the tips which can help your baby to sleep through the night. Bathe your baby with luke warm water before you make him/her sleep. Change the massage routine and give your baby a massage before the bath in the night. It has been noticed that massage helps the baby to sleep peacefully and massaging the babies in the night works for many parents. Also, bathing the baby twice a day should be avoided instead you can always give you baby a sponge bath.

Some babies wake up at night for a few minutes and then sleep on their own. Mothers sometimes get over protective and wake up at the slightest sound the baby makes. They then go and pat and try to put the baby to sleep and this backfires sometimes. The baby just refuses to go to sleep then. Sometimes, mothers and for that matter even fathers should just wait before they go and pt their baby to sleep. See for a few minutes if the baby goes to sleep on its own or not. If he/she cannot, and cries continuously then only try patting the baby.

Also, sleep arrangements are important. For the first few days, see which sleep arrangement works best for your baby. Notice if your baby sleeps well in the crib or on your bed with pillows etc. Does your baby need a lot of space, does he or she move around in sleep etc is what parents need to notice and prepare themselves for their baby’s sleep! And another question that arises here is that should parents play with their babies before going to bed? Some babies get so energetic after playing that they just do not want to sleep. So accordingly, I think, it is best to play with your baby at least an hour before you want to put them to sleep. Feeding your baby an hour before bedtime is also advisable so that your baby is full and wont cry out of hunger in the night. But inspite of feeding before bedtime, some babies still feel hungry at around 4 am so mums have to feed them to put them to sleep again. Put your baby to sleep at the same time every night. It is better to stick to a schedule.

Sometimes mothers are just unable to understand why babies cry inspite of all the babies’ needs being taken care of. Some research study has indicated that four out of five babies have daily crying sessions which last from fifteen minutes to an hour for no apparent reason. These crying sessions usually occur in the evening. Sometimes, babies cry because they experience a sensory overload. For the baby it could be the end of a tiring day, and that is why babies would like to relax by having a good cry.

Like adults, babies need change too. Mothers sometimes are tired of pampering their wailing baby especially when they just don’t stop to cry. Babies too need to see fresh faces. Give your baby a change – a change of people, a change of place. Stressed mothers can hardly do things to stop their babies from crying.  Babies are good with understanding mother’s tension and frustration and will respond with nothing but more tears. For a day, let the fathers or someone else in the house take over.

Babies can also cry if they are bored. Babies too need entertainment and cannot sleep and stare the world. Let the whole family sit with the baby and have some hearty laughs. Your baby will catch the happy vibrations and feel start feeling good. This does not mean giving toys to the baby and leaving him or her with it. Spend happy time with them and do something that is usually not a part of your daily routine. Sometimes your baby needs some fresh air. Taking your baby outdoors will often dramatically improve her mood. Taking her for a drive or take him to a garden and see how their mood changes.

Crying is the first form of baby talk and it is the only way your baby communicates to you to tell you about his/her hunger, his/her pain, his/her happiness, his/her feeling etc. Mothers can understand from the difference in the cry as to why her baby is crying and she [provides the baby with the necessity. It is over a period of time that your baby becomes more self-reliant and a better communicator to tell you what he or she wants.

Usually babies cry when they are hungry. Some parents begin to catch the cry of hunger at a very early age.  It has been observed over the years that the feeling of a full stomach gives a lot of comfort to the baby. Babies also sometimes cry to themselves because of fatigue. Parents get worried and apprehensive with this. However, there is no need to panic. Your baby will eventually outgrow this habit. Parents should try and not pick the baby up, attempting to soothe the baby as this will make it difficult for the baby to learn to fall asleep on his own. A regular bedtime routine and adequate rest during the day is what should be taken care of.

Babies also cry because of indigestion and stomach pain. If you feel that your baby is suffering and crying because of stomach ache and indigestion it is advisable to take your baby to the doctor. Try and observe the food that is not suiting your baby. For example, some babies are not able to digest a particular type of milk and may cry because that is what is causing the trouble to the baby. In order to relieve this pain, many Indian mothers prefer to give their babies gripe water.  Although the medical benefits of gripe are still not clear. Babies also cry because they often feel uncomfortable if they have swallowed air. Parents can take a few precautionary measures to prevent this happening. Keep the baby upright as this will help them to swallow less air while feeding.