First Time Parents Guide to Bathing Your Baby

You may give your newborn his first daily sponge bath when e is a few days old. It is best to bathe a very young infant before his morning feeding. As he grows older and becomes more active, you may wish to switch his bath time to the late afternoon. Never leave the baby alone in his bath. Be sure the room in which you bathe the baby is warm and free from drafts. Your hands and fingernails should be washed thoroughly before you begin. You may want to have an extra towel on hand to keep yourself dry.

The following items should be ready:

• Basin of warm (not hot) water
• Large bath towel
• Soft washcloth
• Mild baby soap
• Baby shampoo (if desired)
• Sterile cotton balls or swabs
• Baby lotion or oil
• Baby powder
• Clean diaper or clothing
• Large pins or diaper pins

Sponge bath

A sponge bath may be preferable to tub bathing during the baby's first few weeks. This time allows for the healing of your baby's navel, which at birth may have the remains of the umbilical cord attached to it. Withing the first few weeks following birth any remnant if the cord will wither and become detached. The navel will be raw and tender and should consequently be kept as dry as possible to encourage scab formation and healing. Complete healing usually takes a few weeks.

The sponge bath will also give you the confidence you need to handle and maneuver your baby comfortably and effectively. Place your infant on a table covered with a large towel or pad. Never leave him alone on a table or high surface. Remove his clothing or diaper and cleanse his genital area carefully. If your baby boy is circumcised, his penis should be protected with petroleum jelly and a gauze bandage until the wound has completely healed (usually within a week or two).

Cover the baby with a large towel. Clean his nose and outer ears with a dampened cotton ball or swab, never inserting its tip farther than you can see. Wash his face with a soft washcloth and clear water. Avoid using soap on a baby's face for the first three months. Wipe each eyelid with sterilized cotton, moving from the inside corner outwards. Clean the outside of his mouth thoroughly but avoid washing the inside. Pat his face dry.

With your arm under the baby's back and your hand supporting his head, you can wash his scalp using very mild soap and water or baby shampoo. Lather his head using gentle circular motions. His head should be held back to prevent soap and water from dripping down his face or into his eyes. Rinse the baby's scalp with clear water.

Tub bath

Giving your infant a tub bath can be quite an adventure for a new parent. Your doctor will advise you as to when you may begin tub bathing your child.

The bath can be given in a basin, tub, baby bath, or even the kitchen sink. Have available all the necessary articles that were required for a sponge bath. Fill the tub or basin with about three inches (8 cm) of warm water. Test its temperature using your elbow to make sure it is not too hot. A rubber mat or towel may be placed on the bottom of the tub to prevent the baby from slipping.

At first, you may want to wash the baby's face and head as you would during a sponge bath. Then lower him into the tub, supporting his head and back with one arm and his buttocks with the other. As you gain experience or when your child is old enough to sit up, it may be simpler to wash his face and scalp while he sits in the tub. Soap and rinse the front of his body thoroughly, all the while supporting his back firmly. Then, shifting his weight forward and supporting him under the chin with one hand, you can wash and rinse his back. Pay special attention to the creases and folds of his skin.

When you are finished, lift the baby carefully onto a table, again supporting his head and back with one hand and his buttocks with the other. Dry him thoroughly and apply lotion and a light dusting of powder to those parts of his body most subject to chafing and irritation, especially his thighs and buttocks.

Dressing

You may find that dressing your baby is not the easiest job in the world. Most infants, when being changed, will attempt to roll over, twist around or put up some sort of struggle. It may be helpful to distract your baby with a favorite toy or plaything while you dress him, using this time as a play period

First Time Parents Guide on Diapering and Diapers

Diapers should be changed when wet to soiled to prevent skin rashes. You may find that changing your baby just before or after each feeding will probably be sufficient to keep him comfortable and prevent diaper rash. Some babies have particularly sensitive skin and may require more frequent changes.

Place the baby on a towel and remove his diaper. Using warm water, wash the genital area gently from front to back, then pat dry with a towel. If the baby has had a bowel movement, fold the soiled portion of the diaper under and wipe the buttocks with cotton or toilet tissue. The baby's behind should then be washed with mid soap and water, rinsed and patted dry. You can apply lotion or oil to the area with cotton, being attentive to skin folds and creases.

Holding his ankles between your thumbs and middle finger (with your index finger between his ankles), raise his hips and slide a clean, folder diaper under hum. The diaper should be folded so that there is an area of extra thickness where it can absorb the most urine -  in front for boys and in back for girls. Then pull the diaper between baby's legs and pin it on each other side. Remember to keep your finger between the pin and the baby to avoid pricking him. Plastic or rubber pants may be put on over the diaper to keep outer clothing and bedding dry. However, they may lead to diaper rash or other skin irritations in sensitive babies, and therefore it may be better to use them only when going out.

Wet diapers should be rinsed immediately and placed in a covered pail containing water. A mild soap thoroughly dissolved in the water will help remove stains. Diapers must be washed each day, separately from all other clothes. They should be rinsed thoroughly in at least four changes of clear water to make sure all traces of soap or detergent have been removed. If your baby is subject to diaper rash or has particularly sensitive skin, it may be necessary to boil his diapers to kill any stubborn bacteria. You can also sterilize diapers by adding a diaper antiseptic to the final water rinse. Your doctor may be able to recommend such an antiseptic. If possible, it is best to dry your baby's diapers in the sun, since sunlight destroys many bacteria. 

Today, more and more parents use disposable diapers for convenience. Available in a number of sizes and thicknesses, disposable diapers require no safety pins or rubber pants. Although more expensive than cloth diapers, they require no washing and are particularly handy when you travel with your baby.

Breast-Feeding - Benefits to You and Your Baby

Breast Feeding

By nature's design, breast feeding is the best possible way of meeting your infant's nutritional needs. At the same time, it provides a warm, intimate relationship between you and your child, which is quite  important for his healthy psychological growth. Breast milk is the ideal food for infants. It contains all the nutrients a normal child needs to develop and thrive.

Benefits to your baby

Besides offering your infant a natural, complete diet, breast milk also provides a number of other important benefits. Its proper balance of proteins, carbohydrates, fats and minerals permits easier digestion with fewer intestinal problems such as diarrhea or constipation. Breast-def babies are less likely to become overweight. There is also less chance that your breast-fed infant will suffer from excessive water loss or other related disorders.

Breast-fed infants are less likely to experience allergic reactions or bacterial infections. In addition, breast milk provides the newborn with many natural immunities, because important antibodies are transmitted from mother to child through the milk.

Breast feeding also affords psychological benefits to the baby by allowing him to experience the close, physical warmth of his mother's body, to take pleasure in the sound of her voice and the sight of her face and, at the same time, to satisfy his sucking needs.

Benefits to you

As a breast feeding mother, you too will benefit by sharing a unique and satisfying relationship with your infant. The physical act of your baby's sucking will relieve the discomfort of your full breast. Breast feeding also helps you regain your figure more quickly, while permitting your uterus to return more rapidly to its normal non-pregnancy state. Furthermore, breast feeding is a convenient, economical means of feeding your child. A supply of milk, warmed to the right temperature, is available whenever your baby is hungry. Additionally, of course, breast feeding saves the time, effort and expense of formula preparation.

Some thoughts about breast feeding

Because breast feeding is unquestionably the best method if feeding your baby, you should talk with your doctor early during pregnancy so that you can develop a comfortable attitude toward it and prepare yourself physically for nursing. You may also want to discuss your decision with your husband, who can lend his full emotional support to your efforts.

 You must take proper care of your breasts and nipples both during and after pregnancy. During the final weeks of pregnancy you can begin to prepare your nipples for nursing by rubbing them once or twice a day with quick strokes using a towel or washcloth. Another helpful exercise involves rolling the nipple between your thumb and forefinger a few minutes each day. To prevent any unnecessary drying of the nipples, you should avoid soaping them while showering. Instead, allow clear water to run over them freely.

In order to breast feed successfully, you should eat correctly. A well balanced diet during your pregnancy, and especially while nursing, is important in order to supply an adequate amount of high quality milk. You will probably have to increase your daily food intake by 500 to 600 calories, paying particular attention to foods high in protein such as meat and eggs, as well as to green and yellow vegetables for vitamins and minerals. You should try to drink at least one pint of milk (approximately 1/2 liter) daily. Other liquids such as water and juices are also important for adequate milk production. 

Unless prescribed by your doctor, drugs of any kind should not be taken during your pregnancy, especially while breast feeding, since they can be transmitted to the baby through your milk. You must also avoid alcohol and cigarettes during this period.

First Time Parents Guide if Feeding Problems Develop on Baby

Preventing feeding problems is much easier than correcting them. When, despite parent's good intentions, feeding problems do develop, there should be an analysis of the causes. Then parents should agree on and firmly adhere to a course of action.

What is feeding problem? It's when a child fails to eat as his parents expect him to. Whether these expectations are right or wrong the results is the same - tensions which create unhappy family situation.

Most feeding problems fall into two classes. One is the child's not eating enough, or what the parents think is "enough." The other is the child's not eating specific foods the parents would like accepted. Usually these are "good for you" foods such as milk, meat and vegetables. It's well for these parents to remember a child's appetite is a good guide to how much he should eat and there is no one food which a child must eat.

Few feeding problems develop in the first year. Growth is rapid, foods needs are high and babies' appetites are good. Parents are satisfied with the volume they eat. It's in the second and third year's, when growth rate, food needs and intake diminish, that trouble is more likely to occur.

Everybody likes attention. A toddler is likely to get it, the first few times he eats less than usual. Whether it's mild coaxing or forced feeding, the child knows he's being noticed. Pretty soon he knows that refusing food is an attention-getter. It can even be more fun than eating. The remedy is to be alert to ignore the lowered intake.Most toddlers go through a normal stage of saying "no" to everything, even when they don't mean it. If it happens to attract attention, saying "no" at mealtime can get to be quite a game and a habit. It should be ignored like any other play for attention.

Some youngsters use refusal of food as a bargaining device in obtaining certain desires. It's most unwise ever to bribe a child to eat. Families should always maintain the attitude that eating is a privilege, not a favor.

Babies are great imitator and quickly follow the example of a parent or older brother or sister. When they eat at the family table family member can help by being willing to set good examples. Only favorable attitudes, by word or gesture, should be expressed toward food. Too much discussion, even of the favorable type, is unwise.

Mealtime surroundings should be clean, bright and cheerful and the atmosphere a happy one. There should be no unnecessary distractions which draw a child's attention from eating. Decorations, conversation or activity should not be overdone. A desire to play can be a strong distraction for toddlers.Sometimes firm policies have to be made or its control.

Wise parents use every opportunity to develop and maintain a toddler's interest in food. Even though it's slow and untidy, self feeding should be encouraged. Protect the floor with newspaper and put the baby on his own. The food may often miss its target but baby's interest will be maintained through his sense of accomplishment. Toward the end of the meal, when the baby tires, he'll usually appreciate help with the last few spoonfuls.

Mealtime discipline, such as stress on table manners, can deter a toddler's interest in food. Training of this type is more effective in the later pre-school period when there's better muscular coordination. In the meantime, some progress might be made through imitation of good examples set by older family members.

Dawdling at mealtime is a common problem. Like refusal off food, it can easily become an attention-getter and is therefore ignored. Allowance should be made for a small child's lack of skill. But if a meal stretches beyond a reasonable period, it's well to remove thee food calmly and without comment.

Ending a meal for dawdling or outright refusal of food should be done in the most matter-of-fact way and without discussion or argument. The success of this procedure depends on the parents' calm firmness in withholding all additional food until the next regular meal. This is a hard thing for parents to do even when common sense and scientific evidence indicate a few hours of hunger can't hurt a child. Young children simply don't starve themselves.

This discussion shows most feeding problems to be psychological in origin and nature. Occasionally the blame may rest in the diet itself. Diets too high in fat, sweets or starch appetite is poor, the interval between meal might be increased. Sometimes feeding smaller portions helps. Seeing too much food can blunt appetite.

Sufficient fresh air, exercise and sleep are other factors known to have a favorable influence on appetite. In today's casual living, most youngsters get enough of these but they are worth checking if appetite is poor.

Tips for New Parents on Your Baby’s First Year Diet

Your baby's first year diet should be prescribed by a doctor. But you, as parents, have the day in, day out responsibility of carrying out these directions. The job is larger than simply buying and feeding certain foods. It includes making every mealtime a happy time.

Through happy mealtimes your baby's physical and emotional hunger are both satisfied. Since food meets a basic need, it is one of the first means by which a newborn baby can be given security. The young nursing baby, cuddled in his mother's arms, also has the warmth and support which satisfy two other basic needs. These early mealtimes are indeed happy!

Early in your baby's development, mealtimes become more than just a means to physical comfort.The love, expressed through your voice, your smiles and gentle handling, becomes meaningful. Before long, these are as important to happy mealtimes as the food served.

A little later, your baby makes many other pleasant associations with eating. He learns to like the bright color, smooth texture and pleasant odor and flavor of certain strained foods. He begins to anticipate a meal, just by being placed in his feeding table, having a bib tied around his neck, seeing a baby picture on a package of cereal or watching the warming of a dish of strained food. He learns to enjoy the companionship of other family members.

Sometime soon, it becomes impossible to count all the things that make your baby enjoy his meals, although his pleasure is obvious. You will feel it worth much planning and effort to maintain this happy state.

YOU'RE IN CHARGE. From the first feeding you will want to see that you - not your baby - are in control of the situation. This does not have to be accomplished with a battle royal. Arguing with a tiny baby is childish and futile. Calm, gentle, pleasant and patient firmness are earmarks of maturity in parents. As expressions of your love and concern, they give your baby far more security than having his own way.

FLEXIBLE SCHEDULES. Your baby's grandparents probably were "raised by the book." Perhaps you were too. Fortunately, the rigid feeding schedules which characterized the first forty years of this century have been abandoned.Modern parents recognize individual differences in food needs. This is true of the amount of food needed and the frequency with it should be fed.

Most babies will set up a rhythm of eating and sleeping, in keeping with their own special needs. "Big eaters" usually space their meals farther apart, while other babies will want less food, more frequently. With a little give and take, both baby and the rest of the family can settle down to a reasonably regular schedule. A recognition of individual differences and a calm, flexible attitude toward adjustments, if indicated, are all it takes.

Baby Tips for New Parents: Cereals – First Solid Foods

Cereals are the most frequently prescribed first solid foods. Cereals are designed to meet the special needs of young infants. They are bland and palatable. Thoroughly precooked and low in crude fiber, they are readily digested.They have a creamy texture and consistency when stirred into milk, formula or other liquid.

Babies have high iron requirements. Milk supplies very little. As usually used, strained foods contribute some but not enough. That's why iron-enriched dry baby cereals have been widely available and prescribed for over forty years. One-half ounce (six tablespoons) of any cereal meets an infant's full daily recommended dietary allowance for iron.

As further aids to your baby's well being, important B-vitamins (thiamine, niacin and riboflavin), calcium and phosphorous are added to cereals. Cereals are good sources of calories and most supply at least moderate amounts of proteins.

Of all baby foods, the iron and vitamin enriched cereals can meet special infant needs for the longest time.They are protective against iron-deficiency anemia throughout the first and even second year.

You will find cereals just as convenient and economical as they are nourishing. They mix with liquids instantly, requiring no cooking or straining. The smallest portion can be prepared without waste of cereal, fuel or time.

In addition to directing when cereal or other solid food is started, the doctor may be quite specific about which one to give first. Definite directions should be followed closely.

Mix the chosen first cereal according to directions on the package. It forms a creamy smooth mixture faster if you stir the cereal into the liquid - not vice versa.

If all goes well, repeat this same food three or four consecutive days before starting on a new one. This is a wise procedure when introducing every new food. Most foods agree with most babies. But if one doesn't, it's easier to spot the offender if it is the only new food given during a few days.

First Time Parents Guide on Starting Solid Foods for Baby

Just as you follow the doctor's advice on your baby's formula and vitamins D and C supplements, you will let him direct the addition of solids. He should decide when your baby is ready for them, suggest what should be served and the order in which they should be added.

Doctors have varied opinions on when solids should be started. There is widespread medical agreement that appropriate cereals and strained foods agree with babies almost from birth. On the other hand, there is seldom a reason why they need to started so early and it takes much time and patience to spoon feed a newborn baby.

That's why the majority of doctors delay the starting of cereals and/or strained food until sometime within the baby's second or third month. The family and baby have made many adjustments by this time, permitting the introduction of solids under more favorable circumstances.

The doctors who start babies on solids in the second and third months don't expect large quantities to be consumed. It is more with the idea of giving the baby plenty of time to get used to spoon feeding before there is a great nutritional need for solid foods. Knowing this, parents can offer the first solids in a relaxed frame of mind, not worrying about how well they are accepted the first day, the fist week or even the first month.

Set the Stage, starting solid foods is a limestone in your baby's development. The "feel" of the spoon and of cereal or strained food will be puzzling. Movements of the tongue and throat muscles, beyond those used in sucking and swallowing liquids, will have to be learned. The occasion merits careful staging so that the first experiences with solids will be relaxed and pleasant.

Timing is important. The first solid food should be given while the baby is in a pleasant frame of mind. Morning is usually a good time. It should be when the baby is reasonably hungry but not necessarily at the beginning of the meal. Babies very greatly in when they are most receptive to new foods. It may take a bit of experimenting to learn what works best with yours.

Prepare a small portion of the first solid food recommended by the doctor. This probably will be pre-cooked cereal but it might be plain strained fruit, vegetable or meat. For the first few feedings, it is well to thin down cereal with either formula or milk. A starting strained food could be thinned similarly but this probably will not  be necessary. Test the food for body temperature by putting a drop on your wrist.

A small, narrow, shallow-bowled spoon is best for early feeding. The preferred style might be described as a  "long-handled, after-dinner coffee spoon."

Take it Easy. When ready to try the solid food, hold the baby in your lap in a comfortable position. This should be similar to that used in breast or bottle feeding but more upright. This familiar position helps the baby anticipate food. Also, the food is less likely to "go down the wrong way." Draw a deep breath, relax and put on your best smile. Remember that it's unimportant whether the first try is successful or not.

Take a small amount of the new food on the tip of the spoon and place it well back on the baby's tongue. His head maybe tipped back slightly at the same time. This offers the best chance for the food being swallowed. Rather than the above method, some people advocate making the food more liquid and letting the baby suck it from the tip of the spoon. With some babies, this may work better. However, it doesn't teach a new skill and there's more chance of the food being pushed out when the baby's tongue encounters a new "feel."

Even with the best method of introduction, your baby may spit out the first few portions of solid food. It has nothing to do with whether he likes or dislikes it. He simply doesn't know what to do with it. Whatever happens, present a calm, unconcerned front. Offer another bite or so in the same casual manner, giving your baby plenty of time to get used to the idea. Avoid antagonizing the baby by holding him too tightly or using force or pressure. Make every effort to maintain the pleasant atmosphere you want your baby always to associate with eating.

Usually a baby will accept a new food or appear merely indifferent to it. The latter simply calls for a little more time and patience. But occasionally there will be signs of determined resistance or serious objection. When this happens, just calmly remove the food and make a fresh start the next day. If the same thing occurs then, it might be better to forget that food for several days, or even weeks, moving on to the many alternates available.

No Food a "Must". It is reassuring to know that there is no one food which your baby must eat to be healthy. Certain amino acids in proteins, certain fatty acids in fats and many individual minerals and vitamins are essential nutrients. But one gets these nutrients from so many different foods. If your baby strongly dislikes some food or one doesn't agree with him, there are any number of alternates choices.

First Time Parents Guide to Catering to Baby’s Likes in Food

Knowing the kinds of foods babies like is helpful in keeping meals pleasant and in building good food acceptances. Infants instinctively accept foods that are sweet, slightly sour and slightly salty. They reject bitter foods and those strongly sour and strongly salty. The basic tastes, in combination with odors, contribute to the overall characteristic flavors of different foods. Most baby foods have flavors infants naturally like or readily learn to like.

The texture and consistencies that infants like vary with age. Newborn babies want liquids only. Within a few weeks, the "feel" if starting cereals, strained meats, vegetables and fruit becomes acceptable. Junior (minced) foods and teething biscuits are favored after the appearance of a few teeth. You can use each progressive stage to add to the total variety of foods known and accepted by your baby.

When served "warm," baby foods should be just above body temperature. More leeway is possible when serving foods "cold." Recent studies have even shown good acceptance of cold formula! Though not necessary, it is still customary to serve formulas, meats, vegetables, egg yolks, dinners and high meat dinners warm. Precooked cereals usually are mixed with warm milk. Fruit juices, fruits, cottage cheese and desserts are more appropriately served without heating. 

SET A GOOD EXAMPLE. Even in the first year, babies react to examples set by parents and older children. They are accomplished mimics at only a few months. Any attitude expressed toward food should be a pleasant one. NEVER indicate or discuss a food dislike in front of a baby.

First Time Parents Guide to How Tall Will Baby Be

Studies of the growth records of thousands of persons measured from birth to adult age provide a guide.

A boy who is well nourished and with an average history of illness will double his 2 year length at 18 years of age. A girl at maturity will be twice her length at 18 months, When a boy is 6-1/2 and a girl is 5, they have attained two thirds of their full height. Three quarters of adult height is reached by a boy at 9 and a girl at 7-1/2.

Poor nutrition is the most usual cause of retarded growth. For this reason, proper feeding beginning at infancy is extremely important.

Parenting Guide on your Babies Yardstick of Growth

Baby will follow his own pattern of growth and development, not according to a fixed set of standards. Do not be surprised or dismayed, therefore, if the activities listed are reached before this yardstick says he might or if Baby appears backwards compared with other babies of the same age.

FIRST MONTH

Hearing is fully developed, but eyes do not focus and may appear crossed. Yawns a lot, hiccups, sneezes. Hands tightly curled, head needs support. Sleeps most of the time when not feeding.

SECOND MONTH

Turns head to voices. Cries vary for food, discomfort, and excitement. May begin to sleep through the night. Settles into regular routine.

THIRD MONTH

Smiles, babbles and finds that crying gets results. Can turn from side to back, holds up head. Enjoys bright colors and can hold rattle if put in hand.

FOURTH MONTH

Holds up head without support. Coos and smiles in response. Reaches for toes. Plays with hands and can grasp toys.

FIFTH MONTH

Birth weight usually doubled by now. Reaches for objects. Carries everything to mouth. Can turn from back to side. More selective in taste. Raises hands to be lifted.

SIXTH MONTH

Eyes and hands work together. Sits with some propping. Definite emotions. Makes sounds like "mamma," "dadda." First teeth may appear, usually the lower ones.

SEVEN TO EIGHT MONTHS

Sits without support. may start crawling. Transfers toys from hand to hand. Associates ideas with words.

NONE TO TWELVE MONTHS

Crawls. Stands with support. May even take first steps. Can say word or two, understands many. Probably has 6 to 8 teeth. Triples birth weight.

Newbie Parents Guide on Teething in Baby's

Although the average baby gets his first tooth between the sixth and eight month, Baby may get his, earlier or later. There is no need to worry because there are such wide variations in the ages when the first tooth comes through. Some babies will be over a year before they have any.

There are some discomforts during teething even for a normal baby.Also teething sometimes lowers resistance and if the baby gets sick or develops fever, you should consult your doctor.

Taking Baby's Temperature Using a Rectal Thermometer

Here's a great article I found about using a Rectal Thermometer that are made of glass and contained mercury. I know this things are considered unsafe now a days. But in some remote areas, some people do still use this kind of things.

So here are some important guides if you are still using this mercury contained glass rectal thermometer.

If baby seems unduly listless, cries as though  in pain or gives other indications of possible illness, take his temperature rectally. A baby's normal rectal temperature ranges between 36.7º C and 37.5º C (98.6 and 99.6º F). A rectal temperature of 37.8º C(100º F) does not necessarily mean that he is ill. However, a temperature over that is a good indication that he is not well. Being able to take his temperature is, therefore, important, and you should always have a rectal thermometer on hand. A rectal thermometer has a large bulb, and if you are not already familiar with thermometers, be sure to have a druggist or your doctor show you how to read it and how to shake the mercury down.

The mercury should be well down below normal before taking Baby's temperature. Shake it down if it isn't. Put baby oil or petroleum jelly on the bulb end for easier insertion. Your physician will advice you which of the following methods he wishes you to use.

A. Lay Baby on his back on a table or bed. Hold him by his ankles with one hand, raising him slightly. Slip the bulb end of the thermometer in to his rectum about an inch.

B. With a towel on your lap, lay Baby on his stomach. Holding his legs gently but firmly, press the buttocks apart and insert the bulb end of the thermometer about an inch.

DO NOT LEAVE BABY ALONE OR LET GO OF THE THERMOMETER WHILE IT IS IN HIS RECTUM. Hold it there for three minutes, then take it out. The mercury wont slip down in the thermometer, so you can put it in a safe place while you put Baby back to bed.

Even if the thermometer used in the article is a Rectal Thermometer that are made of glass and contained mercury. You can still apply some of the guide in the article with a Rectal Thermometer that are digital.

Parenting Tips on Baby's Thumbsucking

It is believed that babies have an instinctive need to thumb-suck to some extent. It is further believed that the underlying cause is the need for more food or more love.

Sucking is the baby's means of satisfying hunger; the baby who suck his thumb may not be getting enough food; or he may be suffering from another type of hunger - he may not be getting sufficient affection.

Using mechanical restraints or bitter-tasting applications on his fingers won't correct either of these basic needs. The important remedy is to remove the under lying cause - whether its the need for more food or more love. Make sure that Baby is well nourished, comfortable and happy. It's likely that he'll stop his thumb-sucking sooner than you expect.

Parenting Guide On Baby's Exercise

The natural movements of Baby's arms and legs are his form of exercise and this should be encourages even during his bath and at changing time.

Clothing and bedding should therefore be loose to give him freedom of movement. Of course, his exercise will increase as he grow older. Crawling, which starts at about 7 to 10 months of age, is important for strengthening Baby's spinal column.

Parenting Guide on Baby's Bowel Movement

The stools of babies fed S-26 resemble those of breast fed infants in color (yellow to yellow green), consistency (soft, pasty) and frequency.

Some babies do not necessarily have to move their bowels every day; bowel movements vary in different babies. However, hard and formed stools are a sign of constipation. Loose bowel movement which are unusually frequent constitute diarrhea. Any sudden change in the usual consistency or frequency may indicate illness and you should notify your doctor immediately.

Airings For Your Baby

Airings are good for Baby. When he weighs 8 lbs. or more, he may be taken outdoors in the morning when the sun is shining and if it is not windy. Be sure to protect his eyes from glare. If you can't go out, Baby can have an airing indoors near an open sunny windows. After he reaches 10 lbs. or more, he may be exposed to the direct rays of the morning sun during fine weather gradually from two to twenty minutes a day.

Newbie Parents Guide on What To Do When Your Baby Cries

The only way Baby can tell you he is hungry or uncomfortable is by crying. You'll learn soon enough to distinguish his hunger cry from the cry of discomfort or pain.

To be sure, always make Baby comfortable. Sometimes all the air he has sucked while feeding is not brought out so try bubbling him. Perhaps he may feel too warm, so take off some of his clothes or cover. Or perhaps he may feel cold - his flesh will feel cold to your touch so put on more clothes or cover. If he is wet or has a soiled diaper, change to a fresh one. If he has skin irritation or diaper rash, bring him to the doctor. If he seem to be hungry, give him his bottle. If there seems to be no reason at all for his crying, he may just want to be cuddled for a few minutes. See that he gets enough attention and tender snuggling when you feed him.

Helpful Facts on Bottle Feeding with Formula S-26

The best alternative or supplement to your own breast milk is Formula S-26, a complete and modern infant formula. Babies raised on this food will grow, sleep, and thrive as well as breast fed babies.

The protein in Formula S-26 is of the same quality and quantity as that in human milk - 60% lactalbumin and 40% casein. The protein in cow's milk formula and in most canned milk formulas is 80% hard to digest casein and 20% lactalbumin. Formula S-26 is far more digestible, and si less likely to produce milk allergy, colic, "spitting up", diarrhea or constipation. The concentration of minerals in this formula is close to that of mothers milk - 250 mg. per 100cc. This protects Baby's immature kidney, which has only half the concentrating capacity of yours, from the stress of a mineral overload. Thus he is protected from dehydration even during hot weather, when he is likely to lose more water due to perspiration.

Formula S-26 contains lactose, or milk sugar, as its only carbohydrate, just as your own milk does, while most canned or cow's milk formulas require the addition of further carbohydrate. Lactose helps promote development of firm tissues, essential nerve and brain structures, and aids normal bowel function.

The fat in formula S-26 is a digestible, carefully balanced blend of oils, rich in unsaturated fatty acids. This protects Baby from skin rashes, reduces gastrointestinal upsets, and improves vitamin utilization. This formula  also contains the correct quantities of essential vitamins and trace elements needed for normal body functions, eliminating the need for vitamin mineral supplements.

All these features of formula S-26 afford Baby a food which closely resembles mother's milk in its composition, digestibility and nutritional value. In addition formula S-26 is easy to prepare, and comes in convenient, easy to open cans.

Tips for Caring of Baby's Bottles and Nipples

After Baby finishes a feeding, discard any formula left in the bottle and rinse it thoroughly with cold water. Fill the bottle with water and then set it aside until you are ready to scrub it.

Scrub nipples and caps immediately with a hot soapy water, rinse well by forcing water through nipple holes, and store in a covered water filled jar until time to sterilize them.

Sterilizer or large pan with tight fitting cover should be used once a day to boil for at least 15 minutes all utensils used in making Baby's formula. Nipples and rubber caps should be boiled in a separate pan not longer than 3 minutes. Lift them out with tongs and drain on a sterile towel. Then either put them on bottles and cap or keep them in a covered sterile jar.

Parenting Guide on Regurgitation and Vomiting

Regurgitation or "spitting up" is the non forceful return of a small amount of milk during or shortly after feeding. This is a common occurrence in infancy which may be due to faulty feeding technique, overfeeding or due to physical or mechanical causes primarily the swallowing of air. The nipple holes may be too small or too large causing the milk to flow too slowly or too rapidly, the bottle may be held at the wrong angle or the infant may be upset because of nervous excitement or over handling. Spitting up may be considerably reduced or even eliminated by burping Baby during and after feeding, by gentle handling and by avoiding the other possible causes. But as long as the weekly weight gain is attained there is no need to be concerned about occasional spitting up or "cheesing". This condition usually stops when the baby starts taking solid food.

Vomiting is a violent emptying of the stomach, usually with one or two strong stomach contractions. Vomiting is also a common occurrence in infancy and may be due to a great variety of causes, both minor and serious. If vomiting continues, consult your doctor.