Blog Recommend Alert!

Planning Family Blog

If you still have questions unanswered then this blog is perfect for you!  It has been around for a long while and has extensive posts that will be helpful for you and your family.  At http://www.planningfamily.com/ they have information on Preconception, Pregnancy, Newborn, Baby, Toddler, Parents, and even Free Baby Stuff!  I will answer a couple questions you may have about this site and then I urge you to check it out for yourself!

First: “Is this blog good for me, as a new parent?”

Yes! In skawering through this blog I’ve found that it is perfect for the needs of our own audience of new parents.  In their section labeled “NEWBORN” they have articles and videos of what you might need to know with having a newborn baby such as: Bringing your baby home, Feeding, Newborn Care, Depression, Circumcision, Baby Blues and Postpartum, Premature Babies. They also have sections on quizzes, recipes, checklists, and tools (example: Birth Announcements, Breastfeeding and Diaper Changing Log, ect.) Come and look through on your own: http://www.planningfamily.com/newborn/

Second: “Is what I’m reading reliable?”

Reliable information is hard to come by on internet sometimes! This is why we, UpAllNight, started our blog.  We’ve worked hard in providing reliable information from reliable sources.  With that said, it is still important for you, as a reader, to always double check your answers.  Since anyone can post things on the internet what you need to do is check if their article has “references” at the bottom of it.  References show you where the author got their information.  If the article doesn’t have references, don’t be distraught!  Just double check the information with your local pediatrician, with a quick call.  Planning  Family has many great articles, but if you have a question about what you’re reading don’t be afraid to double check your information. 

Remember: Planning Family offers general information and is for educational purposes only. This information is not a substitute for professional medical, psychiatric or psychological advice.  Nothing on this website should be taken to imply an endorsement of Planning Family or its partners by any person quoted or mentioned.

Third: “Will I be able to apply what Planning Family in my own life?”

Lucky for you, this blog has hundreds and hundreds of articles!  Since this blog was made to educate their reader, it not hard to find what you are looking for.  You may go looking for one specific question and come out with an answer to that question along with other ideas that you hadn’t thought of before.

Fourth: “Is it an easy read?”

Everybody likes easy reads, don’t they?  The nice thing about this website is it gives you the information, without you needing to go hunting for it.  For example, if you have a question on feeding your newborn you go to the section on “feeding” and click on the article that best describes your question.  There isn’t a lot of “fluff” so they give you the information without you needing to hunt for it.

Last question: “What do you think about this blog, Chelsey?”

I’ve loved exploring this blog!  It has A LOT of information, which is very comforting to you as a reader.  I’ve loved how well established this blog and updated the information provided is.  I would recommend it to anyone!  But REMEMBER, check your resources and call your pediatrician if you have any questions and as always, don’t settle on one article or blog to answer your questions!

Five Normal Feelings for a New Mom

Before the arrival of your baby, you attend baby showers, pick out the perfect name, create an adorable nursery and find the exact outfit you want to bring your baby home in. You have also spent the last nine months in love with your baby, picturing how things are going to be and by the time your baby is born you feel like you already know him/her. You have so much joy and love for the baby that when you start feeling something different you might feel like an imperfect mother. Well relax, it is common to have some fearful type feelings. In fact, the other day I was watching a local lifestyle TV program and they had Dr. Margit Lister, an ob/gyn, on discussing five normal feelings a new mom has after giving birth. I found this to be interesting and thought I would share it with you.

The first feeling that she mentions is fear. Dr. Lister said it is very common for new parents to feel fear. This is a new experience and the unknown can bring fear to people. She said that many new moms have a fear of being unsuccessful at breastfeeding, fear of bringing the baby home for the first time and even fear of injury.

The second normal feeling is that of uncertainty. Many women feel uncertain about serious things such as “why is my baby crying so much.” Lister stated “The trick with the uncertainty is to keep it in check. It is okay to think these things but let your brain keep your heart from making your decisions.”

Frustration is the third normal feeling a new mom may have after giving birth. You start out with all of the normal stress one has in life and add to it a new baby, one can start feeling frustrated. Lister claims that sleep deprivation is a huge part in feeling frustrated. It can be especially difficult if you are a single mom or when your spouse goes back to work.

The fourth normal feeling is guilt. Lister said that many mothers may start feeling guilt because they feel like they are not organized and that they are the only new mother that “can’t get it together.”

Depression is the last feeling that was discussed. According to Lister, feelings of depression could even make it so you want to stop being with your baby. Other signs of depression are constantly crying, not wanting to get out of bed, losing interest in things you usually like to do and even having depression so bad that you regret having your baby. 

Now that we know what the common feelings are, how do we overcome them? Dr. Lister suggests the following:

Get Help-When you start feeling frustrated with everything, ask for help. Don’t be shy to ask for assistance and be specific on what you would like help with. If you feel that you need help with household chores or watching the baby than don’t be afraid to ask someone to help you. You need time to yourself.

Exercise-Get outside and talk a walk with you baby, both the exercise and sunshine is good for you. In addition, exercise helps relieve stress.

Sleep-You need as much sleep as possible. If you are breastfeeding, have your spouse bring the baby to you and then have them soothe the baby back to sleep. Work together as a team.

Talk- talk to someone that you trust. Don’t be afraid to discuss your fear, anxiety, and concerns. Speak with a health professional or counselor if you feel like things are getting out of control.

Hopefully, if you are feeling these emotions you can use the above tips to help you overcome them.

-Laura

KSL, (2012, February 24). Studio Five [Television broadcast]. Salt Lake City, UT: KSL Broadcasting.

Immunizations and Newborns

It can be hard to decide whether or not you want your baby to get immunizations. I know a few years ago parents were not immunizing their babies because of a research that showed a correlation between autism and immunizations. This research was skewed to show the desired results of the researcher. “There is no evidence that currently recommended vaccines overload or weaken the infant immune system. Infants have an enormous capacity to respond safely and effectively to multiple vaccines” (Gregson & Edelman, 2003). Immunizations are recommended for infants because diseases are far more serious or common among infants.  According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, of the infants under six months of age who get whooping cough, 72% must be hospitalized and about 84% of all deaths from Pertussis are among children younger than 6 months of age (2007).  Not vaccinating your baby can put your baby at risk. Immunizations are safe and effective.

Recommended Immunizations for Babies

At Birth:

·         Hep B

2 Months:

·         HepB

·         DTaP

·         PCV

·         Hib

·         Polio

·         RV

4 Months:

·         DTaP

·         PCV

·         Hib

·         Polio

·         Rv

6 Months:

·         HepB (6-18 months)

·         DTaP

·         PCV

·         Hib

·         Polio (6-18 months)

·         RV

12 Months:

·         MMR (12-15 months)

·         PCV (12-15 months)

·         Hib (12-15 months)

·         Varicella (12-15 months)

·         HepA (12-23 months)

Vaccine Descriptions

I know all of this information can be overwhelming so below a short and simple vaccine description is included.  

HepB: protects against hepatitis B

DTaP: a combined vaccine that protects against diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis (whooping cough)

Hib: Protects against Haemophilus influenza type b

PCV: protects against pneumococcal disease

Polio: protects against polio, the vaccine is also known as IPV

RV: protects against infections caused by rotavirus

Influenza: protects against influenza (flu)

MMR: protects against measles, mumps, and rubella (German measles)

Varicella: protects against varicella, also known as chickenpox

HepA: protects against hepatitis A

I decided that for my children keeping them up-to-date on vaccinations was essential. I know that not everyone will feel this way and that is okay. I hope you found this basic information helpful. If you have any further questions about immunizations and your baby contact your baby’s pediatrician.

-Liz

Gregson, A., & Edelman, R. (2003). Does antigenic overload exist? the role of multiple immunizations in infants. Immunology and Allergy Clinics of North America, 23(4), 649-664.

Vaccines: Spec-grps/infants/infant immunizations. (2007). Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/spec-grps/infants/infant-child-imz.htm

Gorilla Moms: What They Can Teach Us About Breastfeeding

Gorilla Mothers:

What They Can Teach Us About 

Breastfeeding

 

     

     At the Memphis zoo, a human lactation specialist was hired for one of the female gorillas who had recently given birth (http://www.tmuffin.com/2011/08/lactation-consultant-for-gorilla.html). Zookeepers have learned that gorillas and apes raised in captivity, who have never seen other gorillas nurse their babies, need guidance to succeed at breastfeeding, and that humans can be the ones to teach them how! 
     In her popular book on breastfeeding, Janet Tamaro gives this account:

      “At an Ohio zoo, a female gorilla lived by herself. It's hard to breed gorillas in captivity, but eventually this gorilla was courted, won over, and impregnated by a visiting male. When her baby was born, the gorilla did a terrible thing that mother gorillas do if they haven't been taught a particular skill. She killed her baby.

    “She killed the baby because she didn't know how to feed him. Gorillas will do one of three things after they give birth. Their first choice is to breastfeed. If they don't know how to breastfeed, the gorilla world gives them only two other options: let their offspring starve, or kill them...

      “When this gorilla became pregnant again, her keeper knew she needed help to avoid a repeat performance. Somehow, he had to teach her how to breastfeed her baby...But how?”...He called the La Leche League and each day a nursing mother came to the zoo and fed her baby in front of the gorilla...For days, the gorilla couldn't have been less interested. She fished fleas off her fur, scratched her behind, made faces. But as day after day went by, and new La Leche League mothers showed up with bare breasts and babies, the gorilla got more and more interested. Finally, when it was close to her due date, she had her nose pressed up against the bars of her cage to get a better look.

     "But when her baby was born, she acted like a typical new mother. She'd forgotten all that she'd learned...She still didn't have a clue on how to hold  the baby or how to get it to latch onto her breast. The baby was crying. The gorilla mother was obviously agitated...

      "Her keeper feared for the infant...so he called the La Leche League again...Quickly, the League sent a mother out to the zoo. She stood in front of the bars and attached her baby step by step. She brought her baby's chest to her chest, slowly cradled the baby's head in her left arm, held her breast with her right hand, and tickled the baby's lips with the nipple to get the baby to open his mouth. Then she pulled the open-mouthed baby toward her breast and with one rapid arm motion, got the cooperative baby quickly onto her breast. The gorilla watched, mimicking the moves step by step until, with a nearly audible sigh of relief, the gorilla looked down at her chest and saw her baby feeding happily for the first time. When she had another baby, she didn't need any help from the La Leche League" (Tamaro, 1998, pp 37-38).

   Knowledge is Power! It changes what

we do, how we think, and who we 

are!

   The Science

      An article in the Journal of Social, Evolutionary, and Cultural Psychology, said a survey about great apes in captivity, showed “18% of all maternal infant care failures (i.e., death or human intervention) are the result of flawed or absent nursing” (Abello & Colell, 2006 as qtd by Volk, p 306). 

    
      Evolutionists say it may be that the human need for education is due to a “trade-off between the reliability of innate behaviors and the flexible power of a learning brain”, and that our “heightened intelligence... has greater learning requirements... and an increased reliance on learned behaviors such as maternal nursing” (Volk, 2009, p 306, 309). 

The Social Factor

     Primates and humans are altricial, that is, they are helpless at birth. They require greater parental investment, commitment, communication, and care for a longer period of time. Parents are able to pass on more knowledge and skills, which leads to a greater social support system, thereby increasing their progeny's chances of survival and learning.  This social system became a necessary part of human nature and human civilization as humans became interdependent. Social support is essential to social beings. We need to ask for and accept help and education.

Asking for Help

 

     Parenting, like breastfeeding, is not always easy, especially if you don't have a successful and current role model that can help you as you need it and are ready for it, like the gorilla mother at the Ohio zo. It is important that you reach out and search for answers from those who know. In the case of breastfeeding, lactation specialists are available and can be located through your hospital or pediatrician, or on the internet. It doesn't mean you are inferior or defective that you need to ask for help, it means you are human. As the science and our gorilla mothers have shown, sometimes the trade-off for greater intelligence is a greater need for education. If you are having trouble breastfeeding, or any other parenting issue, seek for help before small problems become big ones. True knowledge can make all the difference.

References

Tamaro, J. (1998). So that's what they're for!. Holbrook, MA: Adams Media Corporation

Volk, A. A. (2009). “Human breastfeeding is not automatic: Why that's so and what it means for    
     human evolution”. Journal of Social, Evolutionary, and Cultural Psychology  
     www.jsecjournal.com - 2009, 3(4), pp. 305-314). Retrieved March 3, 2012 at 
     http://shell.newpaltz.edu/jsec/articles/volume3/issue4/VolkV3I4.pdf

.

Choosing a Pediatrician

It is important to choose a pediatrician before your new baby arrives. Finding a pediatrician is not the easiest thing to do. There are several pediatricians to choose from who are all “committed to helping parents raise healthy children with the greatest possible ease, comfort, pleasure, and success” (Shelov & Pediatrics, 2005). Keep in mind that different pediatricians have different approaches so finding the one that fits your family’s needs is essential. A good way of finding out is to visit each pediatrician and determine which one is best for your family.  Preferably this should be done before the baby arrives. A recent study found that babies who see the same doctor for their first six months are up to twice as likely to receive important health tests before they turn 2 (Hunt, 2012).

 Listed below are some helpful tips you can use when you start looking for a pediatrician:

·         Make sure the pediatrician is licensed to practice. If you see the initials FAAP after a pediatrician’s name, it means they have passed the board exam and is a full fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics and they are board certified. These initials can be found on their certificate that is usually posted somewhere in their office.

·         Start by asking other parents you know and trust if they recommend anyone. Your obstetrician can also be someone you turn to for advice. Obstetricians will know local pediatricians that are respected within the medical community. You can also ask for a list of local pediatricians by going to the hospital or visiting the hospitals website.

·         Once you have a list of several pediatricians you wish to consider, contact them and arrange an interview. The front desk staff will be able to answer general questions you may have. Save the more in depth questions for the pediatrician. Here are some questions you can ask:

o   How soon after birth will the pediatrician see your baby?

o   When will your baby’s next exams take place?

o   When is the doctor available? By phone, email?

o   What hospital does the doctor prefer to use?

o   What happens if there is an emergency?

o   Who covers the office when pediatrician is unavailable?

o   How many checkups and immunizations does your baby need?

o   What are the costs of care?

·         After you have completed the interview process decide which pediatrician made you feel comfortable, if you are comfortable with their philosophy, policies, and practice. Most importantly do you feel you can trust them? You should also feel comfortable with the pediatrician’s staff.

I know that finding a pediatrician can be overwhelming. Just remember you are not trying to find the best pediatrician in the world instead you are trying to find a pediatrician that you feel comfortable with and that you trust. I hope that this information will help you when you start to look for your baby’s pediatrician.

-Liz

Hunt, K. (2012). How to select a pediatrician. Retrieved from www.parents.com

Shelov, S. P., & Pediatrics, A. A. O. (2005). Caring for your baby and young child, birth to age 5. (revised ed.). New York: Bantam.

Welcome To Our Blog

We are excited to start our blog. We hope to help new parents on their journey into parenthood. We will be covering a variety of topics with various contributors. Visit us often!