When Breastfeeding Gets Tough – How to Get the Help You Need

If you’re feeling frustrated with breastfeeding, remind yourself of why you wanted to nurse your baby in the first place, then run – don’t walk – to find the help you need to continue to breastfeed.

Here are some of the benefits of breastfeeding your baby.

1. Breastfeeding creates a strong emotional bond between Mom and baby. Breastfeeding can even help you be a better Mom – when you breastfeed, your body is stimulated to create the mothering hormones, prolactin and oxytocin, which can help you feel relaxed and calm. These hormones even make you feel less stressed and more rested despite sleep deprivation!

2. Breastfeeding can create a calmer baby too. The regular skin-to-skin contact that breastfeeding provides helps reduce the stress baby feels of having left the womb.

3. If your baby is experiencing discomfort or pain, the closeness of breastfeeding can help as well. Besides physical closeness, breast milk contains endorphins that help suppress any pain your baby feels.

4. Breastfed babies are healthier. According to many studies, breastfeeding your baby can help reduce food allergies, eczema, asthma, prolonged colds, childhood cancers, bronchitis, diaper rashes, and many other conditions.

5. Breastfeeding mothers can also be healthier. They have lower rates of breast, ovarian, uterine, and endometrial cancers, as well as a reduced risk of developing osteoporosis.

5. Breastfed babies are smarter. Some studies show that breastfeeding can increase an infant’s IQ, and there is evidence that breastfed children achieve higher on developmental tests.

6. Breastfeeding mothers lose weight more quickly. If you’re anxious to shed those pregnancy pounds, stick with breastfeeding. Breastfeeding helps the uterus return to its pre-pregnancy size faster than if you don’t breastfeed. Breastfeeding also increases the level of the hormone prolactin which speeds up post-partum weight loss.

If you’re having breastfeeding frustrations, here are some places you can find the support you need.

1. Remember that your doctor may not have the answers you need. If she can’t answer your questions, don’t give up – just look for help somewhere else.

2. Find someone who is specially trained to answer your breastfeeding questions, like a lactation specialist or a member of the International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC).

3. You could also speak with a La Leche League Leader. These are volunteers who have been specially trained to help mothers with breastfeeding. They are also good listeners, and non-judgmental.

4. One of your best sources of help and support can be other mothers who have successfully breastfed their children. They can tell you about their experiences, and assure you that things you are experiencing are normal. They can also give you advice and tell you what worked for them.

If you’re not having problems with breastfeeding right now, it is still a good idea to learn what resources are available and where you can connect with other breastfeeding moms. If you ever do have concerns, you will know exactly where to go for help and won’t be tempted to give up breastfeeding your baby before you’re ready.

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Finding Relief And Help With Baby Eczema

If your newborn starts developing red, itchy patches on her scalp, don’t ignore it! Your mom might tell you it’s just cradle cap, but if the patches are spreading and are scaly, it is likely another condition known as baby eczema. This uncomfortable condition causes your infant to suffer from intense itching, which is frustrating to her because she can’t do anything about it. You may find that she constantly bats at the patches and is fussy most of the time. If so, you need to find a treatment for her.

Perhaps you are wondering what caused your infant to develop this condition. Rest assured that it is not your fault. This condition is actually quite common in newborns and small children, particularly because their skin becomes dry so easily. No one knows for sure what causes this condition, but if your child develops it, chances are there is no amount of moisturizing you could have done to prevent it. Many doctors believe it is in the child’s genetic makeup. In fact, close to a quarter of all of the infants in the world have this condition.

If you notice symptoms of baby eczema on your infant, the first step to treating it is to make sure the child’s skin is always moisturized. After you bathe your child, moisturize with lotions that contain natural ingredients. This is the best time to apply lotion, because her skin is warm and ready to accept the moisture.

There is no cure for this condition, which is a fact that disturbs many parents. However, the good news is that many children outgrow it. In fact, close to 85% of infants who suffer from this condition outgrow it by the time they are in preschool. Until that time, though, you will need to find a way to control your child’s symptoms, so he or she can be free from the intense itching they are experiencing.

If the baby eczema your child is experiencing starts spreading or is causing intense discomfort, your doctor will likely prescribe a crème to use on your little one, but you need to know something about this crème. Chances are it contains steroids. Many parents are shocked to learn that their doctor is prescribing steroids for their child. There are other alternatives that you can use to treat your child’s condition.

The best option to treat your child’s skin condition is to find an all natural treatment. There are many out there, but the problem is that most of them are formulated for adults. You need to find an all natural treatment that is safe to use regularly on tiny babies, and often that is not so easy to do.

The good news is that the people at EczemaBathSalts have an option for you. They have created all natural bath salts that are safe to use on the youngest child. This means that with the help of these bath salts, your little one can experience relief from the symptoms of baby eczema. These bath salts contain no harmful ingredients and are safe to use regularly on a child’s delicate skin. Visit http://www.eczemabathsalts.com and find out more about what these bath salts can do for your child.

Help Baby Sleep through the Night – 8 Ways make it possible

As parents we are aware that quality sleep is an essential part of a child’s growth and well being. Most baby sleep disorders are a learned behavior. These can be overcome by changing the child’s environment before bedtime to help baby sleep through the night.

Addressed here are eight ways to help Mom, Dad and Baby have a good night sleep for days to come.

1. A bedtime Routine. Babies and infants are creatures of habit. They enjoy the predictability of a sleep ritual so a regular bedtime routine will help settle your baby more quickly and also increase the chances to help baby sleep through the night.

Routine helps to establish baby’s sleep pattern and once it is established your baby will be happier, more content, and more likely to sleep through the night. This needs to be incorporated right away during the newborn/infant stage. However, its not late to get this routine functioning. It will become harder and take longer as your child gets older.

An example of a good routine is; Put your child in PJ’s, set the mood by dimming the lights and establishing a quiet relaxed atmosphere, cuddle time with mom/dad. This is followed by baby in the cot with a story or lullabye. You could give a bath before bedtime as well, or a baby massage which babies love and parents love to do! Be consistent with the above routine. It must be done on a nightly basis until it becomes a habit for your child.

2. Do not feed your baby to sleep. Feeding a baby to sleep can create a problem with their sleep patterns. The baby will soon begin to recognize that you feed him or her at bedtime. This will become something they depend on and expect. This is the same issue with waking up at night as well.

There are a couple of ways to deal with making this change.

• Firstly, change the time or the amount of time you feed your baby when nearing his or her bedtime. Doing so will gradually remove the association of bedtime with feeding.

• Another option is to feed your child earlier in the evening instead of as a bedtime routine. When you do these things your baby will not associate feeding with bedtime. This will help your baby to learn to fall asleep on his or her own accord.

3. Bottle and breast feeding. Childcare professionals believe that combining formula bottle feedings and breast feedings can lead to sleep problems and works against the ways used to help baby sleep through the night.

With breast feeding the milk supply is replenished naturally by the breast with each feeding that takes place. When formula milk via a bottle is given instead of breast milk, the breast milk supply can lesson. So with the next breast feeding, there may not be much milk supply as previously. With this, your baby will require more frequent feedings and this is why he will wake up during the night, possible several times for a feeding. Of course, infants need to be woken up and fed every few hours but once this stage passes, your baby is able to go through the night without having to be fed, provided his appetite is satisfied in his last feeding before bed.

4. Be aware of when your child is getting tired. You can recognize this when they pull their ears and rub their eyes.

5. Teach your baby how to self-sooth to sleep. You can achieve this by associating soothing objects with bedtime (child safety proof of course!) Give your baby or let him choose a toy or favorite blanket to take to bed. This way when your baby wakes up during the night he could reach for it and go back to sleep. This a hot tip to help baby sleep through the night.

6. Feed your baby enough during the day. If your baby wants to play all day and not eat enough, he will want to eat during the night instead of sleep. Ensure that while he is playing and having fun he eats a nutritious diet.

7. Create a daily nap time routine. The sooner you start this the better. A nap helps your child sleep firmer at night. The nap should be timed appropriately to his bedtime so your child has time to play, do other things and have dinner well before bedtime.

8. Childcare provider training. If you have a childcare provider also responsible for putting your child to bed ensure they are following the same routine and rules you are. If there is inconsistency in the routine the procedure will take longer to take effect and your child will not be consistent with his bedtime behavior.

Parents all over the world struggle with learned baby sleep disorders. You are not alone, as many of us have walked before you. Much patience is required. Consistency is a must. It takes time so do not expect miracles overnight but throughout your journey you and your baby can look forward to a few more nights of sleep by utilizing the eight tips above, until it becomes a regular process.

FREE “Bedtime Delights” to help parent and child while working through a sleep routine and help baby sleep through the night.