Our Baby News

The baby nipple’s choice most important is the nipple material quality as well as the nipple model and so on whether to suit the baby to use. Certainly, the nipple alsoneeds with the milk bottle match.

The flow of the Nipple:
The flow of the nipple ranges from slow, for newborns, to quick, for babies that are experienced drinking from bottles.

It is important to pay attention to this while shopping, as well as consider the recommended age for the nipple that is being considered.

This way, the flow of the nipple can be controlled and the infant or toddler can have the appropriate choice for their needs.

As for nipples, clear silicone is preferable to plastic or yellow rubber. The rubber nipples tend to develop cracks faster than silicone, creating a harbor for bacteria. Rubber nipples may also release carcinogens and cause allergic reactions.

Now that you are finally using your breasts for their other biological purpose, (ask any anthropologist: they exist to attract a mate) you need to be aware of the pitfalls of breastfeeding:

The breast is a collection of milk sacs attached to ducts that empty at the nipple.

Sometimes these ducts become blocked, and the milk backs up in the sacs, causing moderately painful lumps.

Breast lumps that develop during nursing are almost always the result of blocked ducts and are completely benign.

They resolve with proper care, which essentially involves allowing the milk to flow. Massaging the area helps.

A tight bra may put too much pressure on a duct, adding to the problem.

More effective is allowing the baby to nurse from the affected side and then emptying the breast with a pump afterward if baby has not done so.

A sponge bath is more appropriate than a tub bath in the first few weeks.

Your baby was not born with a fully developed thermostat, and “mature” temp control comes after approximately two weeks. Then there’s the skin factor.

The umbilical stump (and healing circumcision if applicable) are raw, unhealed openings on the skin surface.

Water may allow bacteria (which are present on normal, intact skin) to proliferate and potentially cause infection.

The less opportunity you provide for these germs to grow, the better off your baby is.

A final precaution to take is to make sure that there are no strong fans or air currents when you’re sponge bathing him.

This increases evaporation heat loss and can cause a chill.

Tooth brushing

When do you start taking care of baby’s teeth? As soon as she has any.

Use a gauze pad or washcloth at first, water only, and gently rub the teeth and gums. Toothpaste comes later—when she won’t swallow it. You can switch to a soft, infant brush once she’s used to having you clean her teeth, although there is no rush. Gauze does just as good a job at this point.

If you do use a toothbrush, use only ones that have an approval stamp from the American Dental Association (ADA), and replace them every three or four months.

You are also caring for her teeth by ensuring that she gets proper nutrition (no sugarcoated food, no extra-sweetened juice) and avoids bottle damage to her teeth. Bottle damage results from allowing a baby to walk around or sleep with a bottle between her teeth, which permits high-sugar juice to pool around her teeth and gums.

 Snot and Coughing

Colds are caused by viruses, and viruses produce congestion and irritation of the moist (mucous membrane) nose and throat lining. The resultant cough probably bothers you more than it does your baby. Ditto for congestion: It might drive you to tears to see a runny nose, especially when it goes on for days and days, but your smiling, happy baby figures it’s normal to have wet 11s on his upper lip.

 So how do you treat it?

Not with antibiotics. Antibiotics eradicate bacteria, and you (or your doctor) ought to be sure a bacterial infection is present before using them. Instead, offer symptomatic relief.

Drop salt water (saline) into his nose, then use a squeeze bulb to aspirate hard mucous away. A cold-air humidifier serves the same purpose as nose drops and moistens up the dried snot. That’s what causes problems: Petrified boogers clog your baby’s airway making it hard to breathe and eat at the same time. Moistening them up again makes your baby feel better.