BestSitePicks has created another great Top 10 list of sites. This time we’re bringing you the best ones to help you find Child Care. Whether you are looking for day care, babysitters, an au pair, or a nanny these sites will be great resources to help you.
If we let nature take its own course and do not meddle too much in its ways, it usually works to our benefit. Scientists have for long known that breastfed babies are healthier and happier than formula-fed babies. Formulaic preparations for babies came into vogue during World War II and became the norm because of the convenience they offered. However, as we know today the convenience came at a cost to the babies, who were more vulnerable to illnesses as compared to babies fed on breast milk.
Breast milk is healthy because –
• The very first milk, colustrum, which is produced for the first two three days is a nutrient-packed thick whitish liquid that benefits the baby’s guts by helping good bacteria achieve an ascendancy over harmful bacteria. This is crucial because a baby’s digestive system is sterile when he is born. Colustrum is low in fat and high in carbohydrates, protein, and antibodies. Also it is easily digested by the baby. Colustrum has a laxative effect which helps the baby to pass the first stools, meconium, which is thick and tarry. It also helps to clear the baby’s body of excess bilirubin and prevent jaundice. Colustrum provides the baby with antibodies and white blood cells thereby preparing it to face life outside the womb.
• The second stage begins on the fourth day when the breast milk changes consistency and becomes thinner. It is no longer densely packed with antibodies but is still full of nutrition for the baby.
• Breast-fed babies are less susceptible to illnesses such as ear infections, disorders of the digestive systems, allergies, colds, flu, pneumonia, juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, etc. A huge benefit of breastfeeding is that offers a lifetime of protection against ulcerative colitis, insulin dependent diabetes, ovarian cancer, breast cancer, and Crohn’s disease.
• Women who breastfeed their babies for a period of around two years reduce their chances of contracting breast cancer and ovarian cancer. Breastfeeding is also a natural birth control mechanism as women who breastfeed their babies do not get their periods back till they have stopped breastfeeding the babies.
So, it is important to remember that breast milk is hugely beneficial to both the mother and the baby.
First time parents, especially those who live in a nuclear family without the support system that an extended family provides, often struggle for information and are faced with puzzling issues every day. This adds to the mirth and excitement of caring for a baby but also causes some helplessness if the parents don’t know how to react to a situation.
Do not worry if the first few bowel movements of your baby result in a greenish black and sticky discharge, this is called meconium. Later on the stools take on a runny consistency and a mustard yellow color. Babies can have bowel movement one to two times after every feed.
Lactating mothers should be aware that for the first two-three days after childbirth they produce colustrum which may not be much in quantity but is crucial for the life-long health of the baby. The colustrum initiates bowel movement that helps eliminate the meconium. Keep in mind that breastfeeding your baby during the beginning two-three days is very important. Also the more you suckle your baby the more it stimulates milk production in you.
Do not stress yourself if you find tiny white pimples on the baby’s face. These are termed milia and are caused by the baby’s oil glands getting clogged. They do not require any treatment and go away on their own in a few days.
Often you will find yellowish flakes collecting on the baby’s scalp. This is seborrhiec dermatitis and you can get rid of it using some baby oil or olive oil on the scalp. Follow the oil massage with a gentle shampoo bath and then use a gentle scrub to remove the scales.
A video on tips for changing baby diapers.
Get Your Baby to Sleep the Night
By: Deborah Nelson
Getting sleep becomes all the more precious when you have a newborn who wakes roughly every two to three hours to eat. Some newborns sleep longer stretches; parents of those babies are fortunate.
If you have a baby who doesn’t sleep a long time and you’d like to improve how much sleep you and your baby get, try these ideas:
Baby Proofing Basics
By: Olga Sysoef
One of the first things that goes through a new parent’s head is the need for safety. Baby proofing your home is a major concern - and rightfully so. Many accidents that happen in the home can be prevented with a few safety precautions.
Before you spend a penny on baby proofing accessories, take an inventory throughout your home to look for trouble spots. Some examples of baby dangers are chemicals, open toilets, bathtub faucets, sharp edges on tables and other furniture, staircases, unprotected electrical outlets, heavy furniture such as bookcases and entertainment centers that could fall on baby, window blind cords, electrical appliances, sharp utensils, doors that lock on the inside, and choking hazards.
A Guide to Hiring a Good Baby Sitter
By: Morgan Hamilton
Most parents sometimes need to find a baby sitter while they are at work or when they feel like taking a break for a while.
There is no doubt that being a parent is very hard and the best way to ease the stress you experience while taking care of your baby is to get a trustworthy baby sitter to help you out.
I’m sure that most parents realize that child care might sometimes be the only option, especially when you cannot take off from work every time your child sneezes or can’t go to school.
Baby Food: Is Homemade Best?
By: Mila Sidman & Alice Seba
This debate has gone on for some time. There are some mothers who swear by homemade baby food and won’t give their babies anything else. While other mothers rely on the convenience of baby food jars, cereals and snacks.
So which is best homemade or jars?
Like everything else it depends on your family’s needs and what works for you. However, there are a few things to keep in mind when contemplating what to feed your baby.
Helpful Tips To Make Bath Time Easier and More Fun for You and Baby
By: Terri O.
If you were like me, you were probably bathed in a sink lined with a towel, well those days are long gone.
For the first couple of weeks of your new baby’s life, you won’t have to worry about bathing your baby. Bathing your little one doesn’t start until the umbilical cord stump falls off and all has healed. During that time you will just gently sponge bathe your baby.
Most new parents develop anxiety when it comes to bathing their newborn and rightfully so, drowning is a major cause of child deaths.
All About Baby Equipment - Give Your Baby The Best Start In Life!
By: Tracie M. Loewe
The first thing you realize when becoming a parent is that you need a separate house, just to keep all the baby equipment in. For such tiny creatures, their material certainly takes up a great deal of space.
Going out to visit family and friends is a military exercise, and can’t really be spontaneous. You have to think ahead and decide what baby equipment will be needed. A lot of parents keep a bag ready and packed with all the baby equipment they’ll need. Going on vacation requires even more preparation
