Make sure he is isolated and have no physical contact with the child.
If Mother Is Positive
And child is old enough to take care of themselves, avoid physical contact and be in isolation.
If your child is young, you can be with your child to take care of him/her while taking appropriate precautionary measures.
• Wear a mask while you are breast feeding or taking care of the baby. Make sure your nose and mouth are covered properly.
• Avoid touching your face then touching any surface or your baby.
• Wash your hands and use sanitizer before touching their things or them.
• I would prefer wearing an apron while baby is with you, sometimes when we sneeze or cough our clothes can get some of infected droplets on it.
If Both Are Positive
Please Do Not send your child to your relatives or friends, cause their is a high chance your child is exposed and can spread infection. You can be with your child by taking precautionary measures mentioned above.
If you have a care giver at home who is not positive and can take care of your baby, Mother could pump her breast milk and the person who is not infected can feed the baby.
This could be a very difficult time for parents, but it’s important to take care of your child and yourself too!
Keep monitoring yourself for symptoms. Mainly your Saturation and Temperature and if your symptoms are getting better or worst.
Keep an close eye on your child and watch for symptoms like fever, cough, shortness of breath or rashes. If you suspect any of these symptoms contact your pediatrician right away.
Positivity
Keep reminding yourself that this is just a Phase that shall pass. Surround yourself and your family with positive vibes.
New born babies usually pass greenish color poop, Meconuim. It’s made of proteins,fats, cells and intestinal secretions. It is totally normal. Actually you should be relieved, you want baby to pass meconium rather that it sitting in babies intestine.
Low Fat Content in Breastmilk
While baby latches to the breast what comes first is a Foremilk. Which is low in fat and high in lactose, Looks watery! Then comes Hindmilk which has high fat content and is important for babies growth, looks like whole milk.
If baby is getting full on foremilk and not getting enough hindmilk, this can cause milk to transit faster through gut than usual, could cause digestive problems and lead to green poop. Please contact to lactation consultant.
Drooling
Around 3 months of age babies usually starts to drool a lot as the salivary glands starts to produce more saliva. Sometimes babies swallows the excessive saliva, which can make there tummy irritated. And this could cause green poop.
Diet
If baby is on solids and eating greens like spinach, fenugreek.
Medicine
Poop can also turn green as a result of taking iron supplements. This is totally normal. The color just indicates Unabsorbed iron.
Diarrhoea
Baby may have viral infection or stomach flu, which can lead to diarrhoea, watery green poop. If you think this could be the case, please contact your pediatrician immediately.
Hunger
If baby is not fed well, not getting enough milk this could result in starvation stool. If you think baby is not eating well or not getting enough milk, Is fussy even after feeding, please contact your pediatrician.
Disclaimer: This website provides medical information for use as information or for educational purposes. We do not warrant that information we provide will meet your medical requirements. It is up to you to contact a health professional if you are concerned about your or your child’s health.
All parents know the struggle of taking your little ones temperature. The moment thermometer is showing the figures you don’t wanna see, you start questioning the thermometer itself or the method you are using to check it & the fluctuating figures adds up to the confusion.
And Then it begins…baby is not still may be that’s why it’s not showing accurate temperature, may be we should check orally or under axilla. Or may be the batteries in the thermometer are discharge!! On & on it goes!
First let’s check out how many types of thermometers are available in the market, you can decide which one is best suitable to you!
Types of thermometer
1. Digital Thermometer
Digital thermometer are easy to use. Mostly Used for oral, rectal and under axillary. These are the most fastest and accurate type in the market.
2. Forehead
These type of thermometer are place on temporal artery, it reads heat by infrared. Not as accurate as digital.
3. Ear
Very useful for babies who don’t like to stay still at all. All though the accuracy is not as good as digit one.
4. Mercury or glass thermometer
These types of thermometer were used year’s before, when our mom or dad use to place it under our axilla or under our tongue, wait for exactly one minute and see the mercury level.
(Mom use to see 101°f & dad 99.9°f,lol)
Using glass thermometer are very risky as it could break easily and it rises risk of mercury poisoning, so many experts advise to discard it, if you still have one!
5. Plastic strip or fever strip
These kind don’t give you exact temperature, just tell you if someone has fever. Good for little babies, you just have to place them on their forehead.
6. Pacifier thermometer
Again these are designed for babies, it takes about a minute or two, could give inaccurate readings if babies are not keeping it still in mouth.
7. No contact thermometer
In this current situation of pandemic these types are available easily. They are more useful in hospital and public places rather than household.
How to take temperature?
Oral
Keep the thermometer under your child’s tongue, and ask not to bite and hold it tightly by lips. If child is not able to do it, you can do it for them by holding it using your fingers. Wait for 30sec or to thermometer beep and check readings.
Make sure child has not anything hot or cold at least 15-20 min before taking temperature.
Ear
Gently pull ear back to straighten up the canal, the tip should point towards the other side of ear, hear a beep then see the readings.
Under Axilla
Place the tip of thermometer under child’s arm and secure it by putting arm against chest m, wait for 30sec to a minute and check reading. Some pediatrician recommend to add a degree to your reading in this method.
Example, if your reading is 98.9F, count it as 99.9F
Add up a degree. As sweat can give you inaccurate readings.
Forehead
Aim the sensors across the forehead, this helps to take a accurate readings.
Rectal
Place baby on stomach, put some petroleum jelly on the tip of thermometer and insert 1/2 in(below 3 months)which is about the silver tip. Wait about 30 sec and check the readings.
Disclaimer: This website provides medical information for use as information or for educational purposes. We do not warrant that information we provide will meet your medical requirements. It is up to you to contact a health professional if you are concerned about your or your child’s health.
Babies grow rapidly in their first 1000 days (read Early Brain Development for more info) and their stomach size is very small, due to which they need to feed frequently. And this results into interrupted sleep for parents.
It’s hard, it’s hard for both mom and dad but you know what, mom is already going through a lot. She is literally healing from inside, mentally and physically! This makes harder for mom to cop up with things!
This is the time dad, This the time when, “we need you!”
How dad can help with night waking?
• keep the room cozy and adequately dark.
• Make sure she is comfortable and hand her things she needs like, her phone, charger or a book and her glasses.
• Make sure she has a bottle of water handy, breastfeeding makes mother thirsty.
If Baby Is Bottle Feed
• If baby is on bottle feed, fathers can make sure that bottles are sterilized before hand.
• You can keep the powder measured out in clean containers.
• Boil water & keep it in thermos (vaccum flask) so it’s easier to use at night quickly. Pleas make sure water is not too hot or cold.
Some babies go back to sleep while feeding, but sometimes they get stimulated and wake themselves up. How fathers can help here,
• pickup baby and try to soothe her by gently rocking her to sleep.
• If baby is taking time to get sleepy, take turns with your partner.
Once baby is asleep put her down in her bed, make sure you put baby to sleep on her back.
Time you spend with your baby, helps you to bond with each other! And by sharing parenthood you get a greater sense of teamwork!!
Every parent loves to watch their little one to be happy and playful, but suddenly around early evening your happy little baby turns very restless and won’t stop crying!! And you just can’t figure out why!?
You tried everything thing which works for him otherwise, walking, singing, feeding! But nothing seems to work, sounds familiar??
As a new parent in this situation, the first advice you would get is “Maybe Baby is colic!”
But if baby is colic why would he cry at the same time everyday and not any other time!Well this is what we call WITCHING HOUR.
What is witching hour?
The simplest way to explain it would be, baby crying inconsolably around same time everyday! Mostly it could happen during early evenings!
Remember someone telling you, “Pata nahi kyon Sham hote hi rone lagta hai” that could be witching hour for the baby.
What causes this?
Their could be many reasons behind it, but some of the common reasons are,
1. Overstimulation
In evening we turn on the lights, start preparing for dinner, some one at home will listen to news, returning from work picking up the baby talking and playing with them. This all could be very overwhelming for a baby!
2. Tired baby
Over stimulation could lead to release a stress hormone called cortisol, which makes harder for babies to calm down & they get tired, which makes it harder for them to go to sleep.
3. Hunger
If mother is exclusively breast feeding throughout the day, in evening there is a possibility that milk supply lowers down, as a new borns are tend to feed frequently.
4. Colic
It’s hard to differentiate weather baby is colic or just sensitive and having a witching hour. To help with this we can go with the “Rule Of Three”
This witching hour could be very tiring and frustrating for parents, they feel so helpless! What can we do in this situation?
Acceptance: Accept the fact that this hour is gonna be hard for you and your baby and prepare for it before hand.
Self care: you know around what time baby gets fussy! Make sure you ate well before that and you are comfortable enough to calm your baby!
Bathing or walking: Give baby a gentle massage and give him a bath, this could help him calm. Go out for a walk!
Help: please don’t hesitate to ask for help! Take turns, this will help you calm down a little bit.
Witching hour could be very frustrating for new parents! Remember to stay calm!
When little people are overwhelmed with big emotions, it’s our job to share our calm! Not to join their chaos!!! _ L.R. Knost
First 1000 days which starts right from conception plays a very significant role in your babies life! This is when their brain goes through rapid growth & development. This is the time when they start knowing the world!!!
It’s our duty as a parent to make their surroundings filled with positive energy and loving interaction!!
Cause this is when they are going to develop their social skills, emotions,language, learn to interact with new people & new environment!
According to the campaign #EarlyMomentsMatter by UNICEF, early brain development depends on these 3 elements
• Nutrition
• Protection
• Stimulation
Nutrition
In early childhood your kid needs proper nutrition.Make sure you are giving them enough amount of protein, fatty acids and micronutrients such as zinc, calcium, iron, iodine and more which plays very important roles in Brain Development.
Before 6 month when baby is on breast feed make sure mother is eating healthy and rich food.
If a child is not getting enough nutrients, this may result into Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM).
Undernourished child may not have enough energy to explore and play. This May result into getting irritated and getting infected or ill more often. They could be very picky eaters and if lack of nutrition is going on for longer period, they may lose and show no interest in food.
Protection
Kids need protection in many ways like from increasing Air pollution. At this stage their lungs are not developed fully, make sure you are taking them some where, where they can breathe fresh air time to time!
Protecting them from Negative experiences which can scar them for life. Making sure you have good & nurturing environment at home.
Abuse & Neglecting a child can lead to some serious conditions & can affect their developing brain for life!
Stimulation
Playing with your child and baby talk may sound silly but it plays an important role in brain development. Specially pretend plays, they actually help your child to have a positive view for the world which is waiting out there!
Talk to your child as much as possible, this will help them develop their language and they will start recognizing things, colors and shapes around them.
Keep in mind that an individual learns better by experiencing things rather than by just telling or giving instructions! Show them get involved. When they are trying to tell you something by their actions respond to them!
Meal time is very important for a child and Responsive Feeding can help you with all three elements above. For more details check my blog Responsive Feeding And It’s Benefits.
Source
Early childhood development (UNICEF)
Giving Children the Best Start in Life: Integrating Nutrition and Early Childhood Development Programming within the First 1,000 Days (USAID, FANTA , Fhi360)
Kool Parenting 