The Bliss of Baby Sleeping--All Night Long
September 2, 2010
by Tera of "Thriving Momma"
The first year with my babies was a litany of sleep-deprived nights, up every two hours to feed. Though I had a co-sleeper next to my bed, baby ended up by my side, my nursing breast accessible whenever baby whimpered. In the morning I’d wake up, pajama draped around my neck but baby snuggled close. I barely remember that first year. Sleep deprivation stymied my sentences and short-term memory. With my third child I vowed not to repeat this saga again.
The other night I lay my 2-month-old baby down on her mattress. She was awake and protested slightly. But she looked at herself in the mirror–a montessori-style sleeping arrangement set-up for the infant. After several minutes she drifted off to sleep. She stayed asleep for 5 hours. My heart danced with joy.
How did I manage this shift? Whether it’s sleeping habits, colic, bedwetting, or sibling rivalry, using the Law of Attraction can help shift the challenging behavior.
1. Set the intention. Journal what you would like to create. I like to write a letter to my angels. Write it in present tense as if it has already happened. Express gratitude. For example, “I am so happy and grateful my baby goes to sleep peacefully on her own and sleeps through the night. etc.”
2. Use energy work such as Emotional Freedom Technique EFT or Calyco Healing to find the emotional block and clear it. EFT is a free technique that uses tapping on acupressure points while repeating a release statement, followed by repeating the affirmation of what you want to create. For example, when I first attempted to put my baby on her crib mattress, she cried. While she cried, I comforted her and tapped lightly between the eyebrows, on her sternum, underneath her armpit, and on the crown of her head. I could see her distress lessen.
3. Use muscle-testing to pinpoint the root cause of the challenge. One method is to make an “O” with your thumb and finger on one hand. Use your other finger to try to break the O. Practice by testing the difference when you say Yes versus No. For example, the second night when my baby cried, I thought she was still resistant to sleeping on her mattress. Muscle-testing revealed that she was fine with her mattress, but was not comfortable with sleeping apart from me. We were able to clear that through Calyco Healing.
If you are not comfortable with EFT or Calyco Healing, you can always seek help from an energy work practitioner. Calyco Healing has been an amazing tool I use with my own clients because it can release emotional blocks about multiple issues in one session.
Know that when we face a challenge, this is simply the in-between space before overcoming the struggle. Keep on moving forward and the storm will pass. Remembering this will help shift the vibration faster in your favor.
Now, my breastmilk-fed baby sleeps until the morning.
Happy Parenting!
Friday, September 10, 2010
Sunday, September 5, 2010
Excessive Crying and Newborns.
We think is is very important for you to know both sides of the story. There is research out there that 'proves' that crying may be harmful to babies. We have included this study in our literature as you may be approached by parents who have read this research and we want to make sure you understand the implications of 'excessive' crying.
We have copied the following so there will be no misunderstanding of what the researchers have said. Each is referenced with the researched articles so you can also do your own research and come to your own conclusions.
We, at Gentle Ventures believe the operative word is 'excessive'. We do not believe that the gentle method of crying we use starting at 1 min would be considered 'excessive. We believe using this method the babies gradually learn to self soothe. Even allowing a baby to cry for 45 minutes we are checking on the baby and if necessary we are changing positions, offering the pacifier, or patting the baby.
"The more we know about brain development, the more we know that when a mother is not responsive, it's linked to [poor] cognitive development and social behavior," says Leach. a British developmental child psychologist, "The hazard is of a child with too little conviction that he is really loved, as in unconditional love. If you don't respond to him when he cries, he comes to distrust the validity of his own feelings and your willingness to respond to them."
In the research we find that when babies cry alone and they are not attended in any form they can experience stress symptoms. Scientific studies show their brains and bodies are flooded with adrenaline and cortisol stress hormones. We also know from studies that when this happens for a prolonged period of time those nerves won't form the proper connections to other nerves. So is there permanent damage? Here is what we found.
Chemical and hormonal imbalances in the brain
According to Dr. Sears.com: Research has shown that infants who are routinely separated from parents in a stressful way have abnormally high levels of the stress hormone cortisol, as well as lower growth hormone levels. These imbalances inhibit the development of nerve tissue in the brain, suppress growth, and depress the immune system. (5, 9, 11, 16)
Researchers at Yale University and Harvard Medical School found that intense stress early in life can alter the brain’s neurotransmitter systems and cause structural and functional changes in regions of the brain similar to those seen in adults with depression. (17)
One study showed infants who experienced persistent crying episodes were 10 times more likely to have ADHD as a child, along with poor school performance and antisocial behavior. The researchers concluded these findings may be due to the lack of responsive attitude of the parents toward their babies. (14.)
Dr. Bruce Perry’s research at Baylor University may explain this finding. He found when chronic stress over-stimulates an infant’s brain stem (the part of the brain that controls adrenaline release), and the portions of the brain that thrive on physical and emotional input are neglected (such as when a baby is repeatedly left to cry alone), the child will grow up with an over-active adrenaline system. Such a child will display increased aggression, impulsivity, and violence later in life because the brain stem floods the body with adrenaline and other stress hormones at inappropriate and frequent times. (6 )
Dr. Allan Schore of the UCLA School of Medicine has demonstrated that the stress hormone cortisol (which floods the brain during intense crying and other stressful events) actually destroys nerve connections in critical portions of an infant’s developing brain. In addition, when the portions of the brain responsible for attachment and emotional control are not stimulated during infancy (as may occur when a baby is repeatedly neglected) these sections of the brain will not develop. The result – a violent, impulsive, emotionally unattached child. He concludes that the sensitivity and responsiveness of a parent stimulates and shapes the nerve connections in key sections of the brain responsible for attachment and emotional well-being. (7, 8 )
Decreased intellectual, emotional, and social development
Infant developmental specialist Dr. Michael Lewis presented research findings at an American Academy of Pediatrics meeting, concluding that “the single most important influence of a child’s intellectual development is the responsiveness of the mother to the cues of her baby.”
Researchers have found babies whose cries are usually ignored will not develop healthy intellectual and social skills. (19)
Dr. Rao and colleagues at the National Institutes of Health showed that infants with prolonged crying (but not due to colic) in the first 3 months of life had an average IQ 9 points lower at 5 years of age. They also showed poor fine motor development. (2)
Researchers at Pennsylvania State and Arizona State Universities found that infants with excessive crying during the early months showed more difficulty controlling their emotions and became even fussier when parents tried to console them at 10 months. (15)
Other research has shown that these babies have a more annoying quality to their cry, are more clingy during the day, and take longer to become independent as children (1).
1.P. Heron, “Non-Reactive Cosleeping and Child Behavior: Getting a Good Night’s Sleep All Night, Every Night,” Master’s thesis, Department of Psychology, University of Bristol, 1994.
2.M R Rao, et al; Long Term Cognitive Development in Children with Prolonged Crying, National Institutes of Health, Archives of Disease in Childhood 2004; 89:989-992.
3.J pediatrics 1988 Brazy, J E. Mar 112 (3): 457-61. Duke University
4.Ludington-Hoe SM, Case Western U, Neonatal Network 2002 Mar; 21(2): 29-36
5.Butler, S R, et al. Maternal Behavior as a Regulator of Polyamine Biosynthesis in Brain and Heart of Developing Rat Pups. Science 1978, 199:445-447.
6.Perry, B. (1997), “Incubated in Terror: Neurodevelopmental Factors in the Cycle of Violence,” Children in a Violent Society, Guilford Press, New York.
7.Schore, A.N. (1996), “The Experience-Dependent Maturation of a Regulatory System in the Orbital Prefrontal Cortex and the Origen of Developmental Psychopathology,” Development and Psychopathology 8: 59 – 87.
8.Karr-Morse, R, Wiley, M. Interview With Dr. Allan Schore, Ghosts From the Nursery, 1997, pg 200.
9.Kuhn, C M, et al. Selective Depression of Serum Growth Hormone During Maternal Deprivation in Rat Pups. Science 1978, 201:1035-1036.
10.Hollenbeck, A R, et al. Children with Serious Illness: Behavioral Correlates of Separation and Solution. Child Psychiatry and Human Development 1980, 11:3-11.
11.Coe, C L, et al. Endocrine and Immune Responses to Separation and Maternal Loss in Non-Human Primates. The Psychology of Attachment and Separation, ed. M Reite and T Fields, 1985. Pg. 163-199. New York: Academic Press.
12.Rosenblum and Moltz, The Mother-Infant Interaction as a Regulator of Infant Physiology and Behavior. In Symbiosis in Parent-Offspring Interactions, New York: Plenum, 1983.
13.Hofer, M and H. Shair, Control of Sleep-Wake States in the Infant Rat by Features of the Mother-Infant Relationship. Developmental Psychobiology, 1982, 15:229-243.
14.Wolke, D, et al, Persistent Infant Crying and Hyperactivity Problems in Middle Childhood, Pediatrics, 2002; 109:1054-1060.
15.Stifter and Spinrad, The Effect of Excessive Crying on the Development of Emotion Regulation, Infancy, 2002; 3(2), 133-152.
16.Ahnert L, et al, Transition to Child Care: Associations with Infant-mother Attachment, Infant Negative Emotion, and Cortisol Elevations, Child Development, 2004, May-June; 75(3):649-650.
17.Kaufman J, Charney D. Effects of Early Stress on Brain Structure and Function: Implications for Understanding the Relationship Between Child Maltreatment and Depression, Developmental Psychopathology, 2001 Summer; 13(3):451-471.
18.Teicher MH et al, The Neurobiological Consequences of Early Stress and Childhood Maltreatment, Neuroscience Biobehavior Review 2003, Jan-Mar; 27(1-2):33-44.
19.Leiberman, A. F., & Zeanah, H., Disorders of Attachment in Infancy, Infant Psychiatry 1995, 4:571-587.
Posted by Nancy at 8:35 PM
We have copied the following so there will be no misunderstanding of what the researchers have said. Each is referenced with the researched articles so you can also do your own research and come to your own conclusions.
We, at Gentle Ventures believe the operative word is 'excessive'. We do not believe that the gentle method of crying we use starting at 1 min would be considered 'excessive. We believe using this method the babies gradually learn to self soothe. Even allowing a baby to cry for 45 minutes we are checking on the baby and if necessary we are changing positions, offering the pacifier, or patting the baby.
"The more we know about brain development, the more we know that when a mother is not responsive, it's linked to [poor] cognitive development and social behavior," says Leach. a British developmental child psychologist, "The hazard is of a child with too little conviction that he is really loved, as in unconditional love. If you don't respond to him when he cries, he comes to distrust the validity of his own feelings and your willingness to respond to them."
In the research we find that when babies cry alone and they are not attended in any form they can experience stress symptoms. Scientific studies show their brains and bodies are flooded with adrenaline and cortisol stress hormones. We also know from studies that when this happens for a prolonged period of time those nerves won't form the proper connections to other nerves. So is there permanent damage? Here is what we found.
Chemical and hormonal imbalances in the brain
According to Dr. Sears.com: Research has shown that infants who are routinely separated from parents in a stressful way have abnormally high levels of the stress hormone cortisol, as well as lower growth hormone levels. These imbalances inhibit the development of nerve tissue in the brain, suppress growth, and depress the immune system. (5, 9, 11, 16)
Researchers at Yale University and Harvard Medical School found that intense stress early in life can alter the brain’s neurotransmitter systems and cause structural and functional changes in regions of the brain similar to those seen in adults with depression. (17)
One study showed infants who experienced persistent crying episodes were 10 times more likely to have ADHD as a child, along with poor school performance and antisocial behavior. The researchers concluded these findings may be due to the lack of responsive attitude of the parents toward their babies. (14.)
Dr. Bruce Perry’s research at Baylor University may explain this finding. He found when chronic stress over-stimulates an infant’s brain stem (the part of the brain that controls adrenaline release), and the portions of the brain that thrive on physical and emotional input are neglected (such as when a baby is repeatedly left to cry alone), the child will grow up with an over-active adrenaline system. Such a child will display increased aggression, impulsivity, and violence later in life because the brain stem floods the body with adrenaline and other stress hormones at inappropriate and frequent times. (6 )
Dr. Allan Schore of the UCLA School of Medicine has demonstrated that the stress hormone cortisol (which floods the brain during intense crying and other stressful events) actually destroys nerve connections in critical portions of an infant’s developing brain. In addition, when the portions of the brain responsible for attachment and emotional control are not stimulated during infancy (as may occur when a baby is repeatedly neglected) these sections of the brain will not develop. The result – a violent, impulsive, emotionally unattached child. He concludes that the sensitivity and responsiveness of a parent stimulates and shapes the nerve connections in key sections of the brain responsible for attachment and emotional well-being. (7, 8 )
Decreased intellectual, emotional, and social development
Infant developmental specialist Dr. Michael Lewis presented research findings at an American Academy of Pediatrics meeting, concluding that “the single most important influence of a child’s intellectual development is the responsiveness of the mother to the cues of her baby.”
Researchers have found babies whose cries are usually ignored will not develop healthy intellectual and social skills. (19)
Dr. Rao and colleagues at the National Institutes of Health showed that infants with prolonged crying (but not due to colic) in the first 3 months of life had an average IQ 9 points lower at 5 years of age. They also showed poor fine motor development. (2)
Researchers at Pennsylvania State and Arizona State Universities found that infants with excessive crying during the early months showed more difficulty controlling their emotions and became even fussier when parents tried to console them at 10 months. (15)
Other research has shown that these babies have a more annoying quality to their cry, are more clingy during the day, and take longer to become independent as children (1).
1.P. Heron, “Non-Reactive Cosleeping and Child Behavior: Getting a Good Night’s Sleep All Night, Every Night,” Master’s thesis, Department of Psychology, University of Bristol, 1994.
2.M R Rao, et al; Long Term Cognitive Development in Children with Prolonged Crying, National Institutes of Health, Archives of Disease in Childhood 2004; 89:989-992.
3.J pediatrics 1988 Brazy, J E. Mar 112 (3): 457-61. Duke University
4.Ludington-Hoe SM, Case Western U, Neonatal Network 2002 Mar; 21(2): 29-36
5.Butler, S R, et al. Maternal Behavior as a Regulator of Polyamine Biosynthesis in Brain and Heart of Developing Rat Pups. Science 1978, 199:445-447.
6.Perry, B. (1997), “Incubated in Terror: Neurodevelopmental Factors in the Cycle of Violence,” Children in a Violent Society, Guilford Press, New York.
7.Schore, A.N. (1996), “The Experience-Dependent Maturation of a Regulatory System in the Orbital Prefrontal Cortex and the Origen of Developmental Psychopathology,” Development and Psychopathology 8: 59 – 87.
8.Karr-Morse, R, Wiley, M. Interview With Dr. Allan Schore, Ghosts From the Nursery, 1997, pg 200.
9.Kuhn, C M, et al. Selective Depression of Serum Growth Hormone During Maternal Deprivation in Rat Pups. Science 1978, 201:1035-1036.
10.Hollenbeck, A R, et al. Children with Serious Illness: Behavioral Correlates of Separation and Solution. Child Psychiatry and Human Development 1980, 11:3-11.
11.Coe, C L, et al. Endocrine and Immune Responses to Separation and Maternal Loss in Non-Human Primates. The Psychology of Attachment and Separation, ed. M Reite and T Fields, 1985. Pg. 163-199. New York: Academic Press.
12.Rosenblum and Moltz, The Mother-Infant Interaction as a Regulator of Infant Physiology and Behavior. In Symbiosis in Parent-Offspring Interactions, New York: Plenum, 1983.
13.Hofer, M and H. Shair, Control of Sleep-Wake States in the Infant Rat by Features of the Mother-Infant Relationship. Developmental Psychobiology, 1982, 15:229-243.
14.Wolke, D, et al, Persistent Infant Crying and Hyperactivity Problems in Middle Childhood, Pediatrics, 2002; 109:1054-1060.
15.Stifter and Spinrad, The Effect of Excessive Crying on the Development of Emotion Regulation, Infancy, 2002; 3(2), 133-152.
16.Ahnert L, et al, Transition to Child Care: Associations with Infant-mother Attachment, Infant Negative Emotion, and Cortisol Elevations, Child Development, 2004, May-June; 75(3):649-650.
17.Kaufman J, Charney D. Effects of Early Stress on Brain Structure and Function: Implications for Understanding the Relationship Between Child Maltreatment and Depression, Developmental Psychopathology, 2001 Summer; 13(3):451-471.
18.Teicher MH et al, The Neurobiological Consequences of Early Stress and Childhood Maltreatment, Neuroscience Biobehavior Review 2003, Jan-Mar; 27(1-2):33-44.
19.Leiberman, A. F., & Zeanah, H., Disorders of Attachment in Infancy, Infant Psychiatry 1995, 4:571-587.
Posted by Nancy at 8:35 PM
Baby Only Organic's Toddler Formula GREAT for newborns
After many inquiries into whether or not Baby's Only Organic's Toddlers formula was safe for a newborn, I sent an official query to Baby's Only. Here is the response.
Many thanks for your recent inquiry and also your interest in our Baby’s Only Organic® formulas. Regarding the use of our Baby’s Only Organic® formulas during infancy, similar to other commercially available infant formulas, our Baby’s Only Organic® formulas provide the correct balance of proteins, carbohydrates, essential fatty acids, vitamins and minerals needed to support normal growth and development of full term, healthy infants. No extra dilution is needed. Nothing needs to be added to make the formula more “complete” when prepared according to label instructions. It is because of our strong position on breastfeeding that we prefer to maintain a “toddler” status, thereby not encouraging mothers to use our product when breast milk is available. Thus, we state that “Baby’s Only Organic® is not intended for infants under 1-year of age unless specified by a healthcare professional.”
However, we also recognize that long term breast feeding or exclusive breastfeeding is not feasible for every mother. There are many fine and very personal reasons, such as you mentioned, that may necessitate the use of a formula. In those cases, we are happy to provide an alternative. Therefore, we formulated all of Baby’s Only Organic® formulas to provide the same nutrition as popular infant formulas. Baby’s Only Organic® formulas meet the nutritional composition requirements of the Infant Formula Act and the Academy of Pediatrics’ guidelines on nutritional content for an infant formula.
The U.S Infant Formula Act requirements and also the Academy of Pediatrics guidelines on nutrient composition of an infant formula specify ranges for most nutrients including vitamins and minerals. As noted previously, Baby’s Only Organic® formulas all meet the requirements. You will note in our comparison charts, shown be clicking on the links below, that all infant formulas are similar in overall nutrient composition because of these requirement and guidelines. The differences in formulas are mainly based on the type and source of ingredients. As you know, we take great pride in our organic ingredients. Please see the following links for nutritional comparisons of Baby’s Only Organic® to other popular brands.
Dairy nutritional comparison: http://www.naturesone.com/documents/chart.pdf
Organic Dairy nutritional comparison: http://www.naturesone.com/documents/organic_chart.pdfutritional comparison: http://www.naturesone.com/documents/chart_soy.pdf
Organic Soy nutritional comparison: http://www.naturesone.com/documents/soy_organic_chart.pdf
Lactose Free nutritional comparison: http://www.naturesone.com/documents/lactose-free_chart.pdf
Many thanks for your recent inquiry and also your interest in our Baby’s Only Organic® formulas. Regarding the use of our Baby’s Only Organic® formulas during infancy, similar to other commercially available infant formulas, our Baby’s Only Organic® formulas provide the correct balance of proteins, carbohydrates, essential fatty acids, vitamins and minerals needed to support normal growth and development of full term, healthy infants. No extra dilution is needed. Nothing needs to be added to make the formula more “complete” when prepared according to label instructions. It is because of our strong position on breastfeeding that we prefer to maintain a “toddler” status, thereby not encouraging mothers to use our product when breast milk is available. Thus, we state that “Baby’s Only Organic® is not intended for infants under 1-year of age unless specified by a healthcare professional.”
However, we also recognize that long term breast feeding or exclusive breastfeeding is not feasible for every mother. There are many fine and very personal reasons, such as you mentioned, that may necessitate the use of a formula. In those cases, we are happy to provide an alternative. Therefore, we formulated all of Baby’s Only Organic® formulas to provide the same nutrition as popular infant formulas. Baby’s Only Organic® formulas meet the nutritional composition requirements of the Infant Formula Act and the Academy of Pediatrics’ guidelines on nutritional content for an infant formula.
The U.S Infant Formula Act requirements and also the Academy of Pediatrics guidelines on nutrient composition of an infant formula specify ranges for most nutrients including vitamins and minerals. As noted previously, Baby’s Only Organic® formulas all meet the requirements. You will note in our comparison charts, shown be clicking on the links below, that all infant formulas are similar in overall nutrient composition because of these requirement and guidelines. The differences in formulas are mainly based on the type and source of ingredients. As you know, we take great pride in our organic ingredients. Please see the following links for nutritional comparisons of Baby’s Only Organic® to other popular brands.
Dairy nutritional comparison: http://www.naturesone.com/documents/chart.pdf
Organic Dairy nutritional comparison: http://www.naturesone.com/documents/organic_chart.pdfutritional comparison: http://www.naturesone.com/documents/chart_soy.pdf
Organic Soy nutritional comparison: http://www.naturesone.com/documents/soy_organic_chart.pdf
Lactose Free nutritional comparison: http://www.naturesone.com/documents/lactose-free_chart.pdf
Bottle Feed a Breast Fed Baby
Breastfeeding is a wonderful bonding and a very intimate moment Mommy and baby can share. It is always the best way to feed a baby but sometimes things get out of hand. The time may come when Mom wants a day out, she may have to go back to work or maybe an emergency will happen and if the baby is completely breastfed, who will feed the baby. There is nothing more frustrating that having a hungry baby that is rejecting the only way to get food…the bottle.
My suggestion to Parents is that although breastfeeding is great and it is the best most nutritious, introduce the bottle within the first week. This goes against everything the lactation specialist will tell you but I have found in my 19 years of experience that this will not deter breastfeeding but it does free up mom once a day. It also gives Dad a chance to bond with baby. Dad can do this in the middle of the night to give Mom a break and get some extra sleep. Please note that we are not advocating the feeding of formula. The one time at night and after every feed if Mom pumps she will have enough breastmilk to feed once a day. We find that when mom feeds off one side and pumps the other and they will build up their supply of saved breast milk fast.
Just in case you were not one of the Mommies that introduced that bottle in the first week we have some suggestions for you that may help you get your little one to eat.
1. Wear the bottle nipple in your bra for a day so it smells like you.
2. Put some of the milk on the outside of the bottle nipple.
3. Hold the baby in a position that does not mimic the breastfeeding position. You may have great success sitting your baby in a bouncy seat or car seat, putting on a baby video and reaching from behind and putting the bottle in the mouth. The visual will distract baby while you reach around from behind and put bottle in baby's mouth.
4. Let your partner feed the baby with you not in the room. Some babies are really smart and Mom may not even be in the house.
5. If/when the baby is hungry ENOUGH, they would take the bottle. Some babies will hold off for up to 12 hours before eating. Talk to your child care provider to check on this but I have talked to many parents who have done this and they agree - they will not starve as the survival instinct will eventually kick in.
6. Feed baby the bottle the first thing in the morning when she is hungry and still half asleep or the last bottle at night when they are stocking up for the night when tend to eat more. Have Daddy do this feed. If baby refuses have him wait a few minutes and retry. Be consistent doing the same thing each morning/evening. Do not force the baby but be general but firm. Do not get caught in the baby trap where she refuses and you go ahead and nurse her. She will soon catch on to this game and never take the bottle. Offer her the bottle in a quiet, gentle way, with lots of encouragement, and calming strokes (through all the screams). You can keep that routine until she is use to it and then vary it so she is getting the bottle at a different time also. If you do not do this you will have a baby who will take the bottle only in the morning/evening. Follow up every day after that with at least one bottle a day.
7. Serve the bottle in different temperatures. Warm the milk warmer than necessary. Some babies want it cold, right out of the refrigerator.
8. Try a different bottle, a different nipple. Some babies won't *touch* a silicone nipple - only rubber. Try glass instead of plastic. Try holding her differently. Try offering the bottle every 20 minutes or so.
The real magic is was to keep trying every day and remember that babies will not starve themselves and they will take the bottle when they realizes that is their only option. If your schedule is irregular, you could try to make sure you leave her with someone else to offer the bottle a few hours every day, so she learns it is a regular thing. Keep trying, because the longer you wait, the more stubborn they get (in my experience). You might also try formula instead of breast milk in the bottle –some babies will refuse breast milk from any source other than the breast, but she will did drink formula. They will make up for the lack in breast milk when you are available.
10. Be consistent with the person giving her the bottle and the type of bottle and whether you put formula or breast milk in the bottle.
12. Try varying how the person feeding the bottle holds the baby -- some prefer a greater distinction from nursing position, while others reject the bottle unless everything else is as close as possible to nursing.
13. One Mom’s experience: “During the ''training'' time he did flat out refuse to take a bottle and we were pretty freaked out. He was crying like crazy. So, we put the bottle aside. I did NOT breast feed him. He stopped crying after a few minutes, then we tried the bottle again in an hour and he sucked down the whole thing. I didn't even have to leave the house. I'm guessing he really wasn't that hungry at first and was irritated about having a nipple shoved in his mouth. So, maybe next time your baby refuses a bottle just try being patient and let him get hungry enough. I wouldn't wait all day long, maybe just an hour before trying again”.
14. Another Mom experience: “While bathing her, I just picked up a nipple (no bottle), put a little warm water in it, and put it near her mouth. She sucked it, so I repeated it with water, and then put a little milk in it (still, just the nipple, not the bottle). I can't remember if I introduced the bottle then, or at a later bath. After that, she took the bottle--although she still always preferred nursing and didn't like me to give her a bottle. However, she'd take it from someone else easily after that. I think the key was that we were both relaxed and happy at the time, and the situation wasn't loaded...it just occurred to me to try this while she was in her bath”.
15. Check the refrigerated/frozen breast milk. Make sure it hasn't soured. High amounts of lipase can cause the milk to appear sour and the baby may refuse it. This milk is not harmful to baby and some babies will still take it without problem.
16. Make your bottle routine really different than the breast feeding routine. That may mean Mom not being in the house or involved in the feed. Dad can feed her in a different position perhaps even putting the baby on the floor. Do something Mom does not do, perhaps sing or walk while feeding. If mom feeds in the nursery, Dad should feed in the living room or outside or any other place the baby is not normally nursed.
17. Don’t let it escalate. When the baby is crying a lot, stop, we didn't want it to become a war of wills and have him associate the bottle with being really upset. Try in another hour or so.
18. Take a break –If you baby is being very stubborn, wait a couple of days or a week and try again. Remember they will always be resistant.
21. Nurse the baby till she falls asleep and the nipple falls out of her mouth then slip the bottle into her mouth. She would then get use to the bottle when she was very relaxed. In this way she will get use to a different nipple and not be aware of it.
22. It is very important to remain calm and detached (which is not easy with a screaming, hungry baby in your arms) and to have an "I don't care if she drinks this or not" attitude. The baby will feed off your attitude, if you are anxious and uptight it will make it much harder on the infant.
Hard case:
5. To begin use an Avent sippy cup with the soft sippy cup spouts. Don't take out the valve, the milk will just flow way too fast and they will gag. Cut out a very small piece from the valve. This will allow the milk to flow slow enough for the baby to handle. You can begin by spoon feeding him milk at first until he was able to get use to the Avent sippy cups.
Putting a little formula may help to get them started, breast milk may not seem right to them as it wasn't coming out of a breast.
3. Feed the baby with a medicine dropper to get her to drink her milk. This may work if you are persistent. Be sure to notice when the baby starts to suck on the dropper and change to the bottle.
My suggestion to Parents is that although breastfeeding is great and it is the best most nutritious, introduce the bottle within the first week. This goes against everything the lactation specialist will tell you but I have found in my 19 years of experience that this will not deter breastfeeding but it does free up mom once a day. It also gives Dad a chance to bond with baby. Dad can do this in the middle of the night to give Mom a break and get some extra sleep. Please note that we are not advocating the feeding of formula. The one time at night and after every feed if Mom pumps she will have enough breastmilk to feed once a day. We find that when mom feeds off one side and pumps the other and they will build up their supply of saved breast milk fast.
Just in case you were not one of the Mommies that introduced that bottle in the first week we have some suggestions for you that may help you get your little one to eat.
1. Wear the bottle nipple in your bra for a day so it smells like you.
2. Put some of the milk on the outside of the bottle nipple.
3. Hold the baby in a position that does not mimic the breastfeeding position. You may have great success sitting your baby in a bouncy seat or car seat, putting on a baby video and reaching from behind and putting the bottle in the mouth. The visual will distract baby while you reach around from behind and put bottle in baby's mouth.
4. Let your partner feed the baby with you not in the room. Some babies are really smart and Mom may not even be in the house.
5. If/when the baby is hungry ENOUGH, they would take the bottle. Some babies will hold off for up to 12 hours before eating. Talk to your child care provider to check on this but I have talked to many parents who have done this and they agree - they will not starve as the survival instinct will eventually kick in.
6. Feed baby the bottle the first thing in the morning when she is hungry and still half asleep or the last bottle at night when they are stocking up for the night when tend to eat more. Have Daddy do this feed. If baby refuses have him wait a few minutes and retry. Be consistent doing the same thing each morning/evening. Do not force the baby but be general but firm. Do not get caught in the baby trap where she refuses and you go ahead and nurse her. She will soon catch on to this game and never take the bottle. Offer her the bottle in a quiet, gentle way, with lots of encouragement, and calming strokes (through all the screams). You can keep that routine until she is use to it and then vary it so she is getting the bottle at a different time also. If you do not do this you will have a baby who will take the bottle only in the morning/evening. Follow up every day after that with at least one bottle a day.
7. Serve the bottle in different temperatures. Warm the milk warmer than necessary. Some babies want it cold, right out of the refrigerator.
8. Try a different bottle, a different nipple. Some babies won't *touch* a silicone nipple - only rubber. Try glass instead of plastic. Try holding her differently. Try offering the bottle every 20 minutes or so.
The real magic is was to keep trying every day and remember that babies will not starve themselves and they will take the bottle when they realizes that is their only option. If your schedule is irregular, you could try to make sure you leave her with someone else to offer the bottle a few hours every day, so she learns it is a regular thing. Keep trying, because the longer you wait, the more stubborn they get (in my experience). You might also try formula instead of breast milk in the bottle –some babies will refuse breast milk from any source other than the breast, but she will did drink formula. They will make up for the lack in breast milk when you are available.
10. Be consistent with the person giving her the bottle and the type of bottle and whether you put formula or breast milk in the bottle.
12. Try varying how the person feeding the bottle holds the baby -- some prefer a greater distinction from nursing position, while others reject the bottle unless everything else is as close as possible to nursing.
13. One Mom’s experience: “During the ''training'' time he did flat out refuse to take a bottle and we were pretty freaked out. He was crying like crazy. So, we put the bottle aside. I did NOT breast feed him. He stopped crying after a few minutes, then we tried the bottle again in an hour and he sucked down the whole thing. I didn't even have to leave the house. I'm guessing he really wasn't that hungry at first and was irritated about having a nipple shoved in his mouth. So, maybe next time your baby refuses a bottle just try being patient and let him get hungry enough. I wouldn't wait all day long, maybe just an hour before trying again”.
14. Another Mom experience: “While bathing her, I just picked up a nipple (no bottle), put a little warm water in it, and put it near her mouth. She sucked it, so I repeated it with water, and then put a little milk in it (still, just the nipple, not the bottle). I can't remember if I introduced the bottle then, or at a later bath. After that, she took the bottle--although she still always preferred nursing and didn't like me to give her a bottle. However, she'd take it from someone else easily after that. I think the key was that we were both relaxed and happy at the time, and the situation wasn't loaded...it just occurred to me to try this while she was in her bath”.
15. Check the refrigerated/frozen breast milk. Make sure it hasn't soured. High amounts of lipase can cause the milk to appear sour and the baby may refuse it. This milk is not harmful to baby and some babies will still take it without problem.
16. Make your bottle routine really different than the breast feeding routine. That may mean Mom not being in the house or involved in the feed. Dad can feed her in a different position perhaps even putting the baby on the floor. Do something Mom does not do, perhaps sing or walk while feeding. If mom feeds in the nursery, Dad should feed in the living room or outside or any other place the baby is not normally nursed.
17. Don’t let it escalate. When the baby is crying a lot, stop, we didn't want it to become a war of wills and have him associate the bottle with being really upset. Try in another hour or so.
18. Take a break –If you baby is being very stubborn, wait a couple of days or a week and try again. Remember they will always be resistant.
21. Nurse the baby till she falls asleep and the nipple falls out of her mouth then slip the bottle into her mouth. She would then get use to the bottle when she was very relaxed. In this way she will get use to a different nipple and not be aware of it.
22. It is very important to remain calm and detached (which is not easy with a screaming, hungry baby in your arms) and to have an "I don't care if she drinks this or not" attitude. The baby will feed off your attitude, if you are anxious and uptight it will make it much harder on the infant.
Hard case:
5. To begin use an Avent sippy cup with the soft sippy cup spouts. Don't take out the valve, the milk will just flow way too fast and they will gag. Cut out a very small piece from the valve. This will allow the milk to flow slow enough for the baby to handle. You can begin by spoon feeding him milk at first until he was able to get use to the Avent sippy cups.
Putting a little formula may help to get them started, breast milk may not seem right to them as it wasn't coming out of a breast.
3. Feed the baby with a medicine dropper to get her to drink her milk. This may work if you are persistent. Be sure to notice when the baby starts to suck on the dropper and change to the bottle.
Swaddle Update
Parents and professionals in certain parts of the United States and Australia are being given erroneous information about swaddling. Not only is the message confusing and disingenuous at best, it's potentially harmful at worst. These messages are being delivered via education and through mislabeled products. These misguided messages are being propagated, in some instances, for reputational gain and in others for profit and they absolutely fly in the face of ALL the research done - over decades - on the subject.
Examples:
The term "swaddling" is being exploited and illegitimately applied to various non-swaddling items in order to validate the use of clinical studies to promote those products for profit.
Parents are being advised that swaddling a baby with their hands at their sides, or inside the blanket, prevents on-going development and soothing, even though all studies done on swaddling have been performed with the arms and hands in this position and have still shown improved development.
Parents are being told that the AAP advises swaddling could be hazardous to newborns in the crib due to the risk of loose bedding. This is patently false: The AAP has advocated swaddling on many occasions and has, on several occasions, written about the benefits of swaddling. Additionally, we have never been able to find a single incident of injury of this kind linked to swaddling even though there are so many millions of parents swaddling around the world, every night.
We have in our possession, several (nearly all), well-known, scientific studies that clearly define swaddling as wrapping an infant snugly with arms to the side to make a newborn feel more secure and to limit the startle reflex thus preventing unwanted arousal. As you know, proper swaddling also allows infants to safely stay asleep on their back even when they otherwise prefer the risky stomach-sleeping position. Because of this, swaddling has become perhaps the single most effective tool available to new parents when it comes to providing safe sleep for infants and has even been shown to significantly reduce the risk of SIDS by as much as 30% according to an exhaustive study done in Australia.
Because of our own experience of swaddling nearly one million newborns with the Miracle Blanket (with a still-perfect safety record, in spite of the statistical likelihood of SIDS deaths with that many users) we are extremely concerned about parents being incorrectly educated regarding sleep positions that have not been clinically studied.
Nowhere is this trend more directly evident than in North Carolina. As part of the implementation of the "Infant Safe Sleep Campaign" the NC Healthy Start Foundation says the long held tradition of swaddling could lead to suffocation due to loose bedding. While loose bedding is a serious problem, it is altogether separate from swaddling safety and this theory linking it to swaddling lacks evidence, data and/or clinical studies. It goes directly against decades of research and empirical data from around the world.
Equally disturbing, in the U.S. and Australia, emerging products are being marketed as "swaddlers" when they are in fact lacking the very discernible scientifically-proven attributes that make swaddling safe and effective. While these products do serve a purpose by eliminating loose bedding, they are misleading parents who are missing out on the very real benefits of a true swaddle which include SIDS reduction, soothing of stress/colic/crying, elimination/reduction of startle reflex/waking, and lateral belly pressure.
Our intention here is three-fold. Not only do we feel an urgent need to bring this to your attention, we would be grateful for your feedback and thoughts. We are also assembling a coalition of professionals that understand and support legitimate swaddling as defined in all studies done on the subject. This will be part of a campaign we plan to roll out that will properly educate parents on how to swaddle. Please feel free to send your comments to me at Mike@MiracleBlanket.com.
Examples:
The term "swaddling" is being exploited and illegitimately applied to various non-swaddling items in order to validate the use of clinical studies to promote those products for profit.
Parents are being advised that swaddling a baby with their hands at their sides, or inside the blanket, prevents on-going development and soothing, even though all studies done on swaddling have been performed with the arms and hands in this position and have still shown improved development.
Parents are being told that the AAP advises swaddling could be hazardous to newborns in the crib due to the risk of loose bedding. This is patently false: The AAP has advocated swaddling on many occasions and has, on several occasions, written about the benefits of swaddling. Additionally, we have never been able to find a single incident of injury of this kind linked to swaddling even though there are so many millions of parents swaddling around the world, every night.
We have in our possession, several (nearly all), well-known, scientific studies that clearly define swaddling as wrapping an infant snugly with arms to the side to make a newborn feel more secure and to limit the startle reflex thus preventing unwanted arousal. As you know, proper swaddling also allows infants to safely stay asleep on their back even when they otherwise prefer the risky stomach-sleeping position. Because of this, swaddling has become perhaps the single most effective tool available to new parents when it comes to providing safe sleep for infants and has even been shown to significantly reduce the risk of SIDS by as much as 30% according to an exhaustive study done in Australia.
Because of our own experience of swaddling nearly one million newborns with the Miracle Blanket (with a still-perfect safety record, in spite of the statistical likelihood of SIDS deaths with that many users) we are extremely concerned about parents being incorrectly educated regarding sleep positions that have not been clinically studied.
Nowhere is this trend more directly evident than in North Carolina. As part of the implementation of the "Infant Safe Sleep Campaign" the NC Healthy Start Foundation says the long held tradition of swaddling could lead to suffocation due to loose bedding. While loose bedding is a serious problem, it is altogether separate from swaddling safety and this theory linking it to swaddling lacks evidence, data and/or clinical studies. It goes directly against decades of research and empirical data from around the world.
Equally disturbing, in the U.S. and Australia, emerging products are being marketed as "swaddlers" when they are in fact lacking the very discernible scientifically-proven attributes that make swaddling safe and effective. While these products do serve a purpose by eliminating loose bedding, they are misleading parents who are missing out on the very real benefits of a true swaddle which include SIDS reduction, soothing of stress/colic/crying, elimination/reduction of startle reflex/waking, and lateral belly pressure.
Our intention here is three-fold. Not only do we feel an urgent need to bring this to your attention, we would be grateful for your feedback and thoughts. We are also assembling a coalition of professionals that understand and support legitimate swaddling as defined in all studies done on the subject. This will be part of a campaign we plan to roll out that will properly educate parents on how to swaddle. Please feel free to send your comments to me at Mike@MiracleBlanket.com.
Breast Milk Storage
This is a quote from a mother who was not identified:
I have to say that for the better part of the 8+ years I have been pumping and breast feeding my four kids, I have never left it out this long, but the most definitive research performed says you can leave fresh breast milk at room temperature for 10 HOURS!
Breast milk has anti-bacterial qualities which inhibit bacterial growth in the milk, even at room temperature. In fact, the bigger issue is not from the milk itself, but rather from other contaminants that affect the milk collection process, such as germs on mom’s hands and skin, the bottle, cap, etc.
Here are a couple of really interesting references for the 10 hour figure. There was a landmark study done in 1987 by researchers named Barger and Bull that compared milk in clean but not sterile containers left for 10 hours at room temperature and 10 hours in the refrigerator. The study found no statistically different bacteria levels! Just amazing! Here are some articles in order of preference.....
http://www.llli.org/FAQ/milkstorage.html
http://members.tripod.com/~bmsg/storageconcerns.htm
http://www.llli.org/NB/NBJulAug98p109.html
http://parenting.ivillage.com/baby/bbreastfeed/0,,3x9q,00.html
I myself, never left milk out longer than probably four hours or so. There were a few times when at work I realized I forgot the ice packs and it stayed warm the whole day. There were no ill effects on junior! All of this may have had more to do with my germ paranoia than actual science.
When my youngest was in the NICU and I was hospitalized after his birth I was pumping. I couldn’t get out of bed to deliver his milk to the NICU, and the poor nurses were often too busy to cart it down there for me. So I often worried about it "spoiling". Once when the neonatologist visited me to discuss my son I asked him about the milk at room temperature. I didn’t believe him at the time, but he said expressed breast milk was fine for up to 12 hours, and in fact has been used over the course of history in medicine to treat the wounds of patients who were injured in emergency situations when no other form of treatment was available. Again, just AMAZING!
Enjoy your breastfeeding experience and good luck with the pumping. What a wonderful gift for your baby!!
I have to say that for the better part of the 8+ years I have been pumping and breast feeding my four kids, I have never left it out this long, but the most definitive research performed says you can leave fresh breast milk at room temperature for 10 HOURS!
Breast milk has anti-bacterial qualities which inhibit bacterial growth in the milk, even at room temperature. In fact, the bigger issue is not from the milk itself, but rather from other contaminants that affect the milk collection process, such as germs on mom’s hands and skin, the bottle, cap, etc.
Here are a couple of really interesting references for the 10 hour figure. There was a landmark study done in 1987 by researchers named Barger and Bull that compared milk in clean but not sterile containers left for 10 hours at room temperature and 10 hours in the refrigerator. The study found no statistically different bacteria levels! Just amazing! Here are some articles in order of preference.....
http://www.llli.org/FAQ/milkstorage.html
http://members.tripod.com/~bmsg/storageconcerns.htm
http://www.llli.org/NB/NBJulAug98p109.html
http://parenting.ivillage.com/baby/bbreastfeed/0,,3x9q,00.html
I myself, never left milk out longer than probably four hours or so. There were a few times when at work I realized I forgot the ice packs and it stayed warm the whole day. There were no ill effects on junior! All of this may have had more to do with my germ paranoia than actual science.
When my youngest was in the NICU and I was hospitalized after his birth I was pumping. I couldn’t get out of bed to deliver his milk to the NICU, and the poor nurses were often too busy to cart it down there for me. So I often worried about it "spoiling". Once when the neonatologist visited me to discuss my son I asked him about the milk at room temperature. I didn’t believe him at the time, but he said expressed breast milk was fine for up to 12 hours, and in fact has been used over the course of history in medicine to treat the wounds of patients who were injured in emergency situations when no other form of treatment was available. Again, just AMAZING!
Enjoy your breastfeeding experience and good luck with the pumping. What a wonderful gift for your baby!!
Kangaroo Care Saves Baby
This week, an Australian couple, Kate and David Ogg, said that a "kangaroo cuddle" saved the life of one of their twins. Doctors told the couple that baby boy Jamie, who was delivered prematurely at 27 weeks and weighed 2.2 pounds, would not live.
Hospital staff tried to resuscitate the child for 20 minutes before giving the parents the heartbreaking news that Jamie had died, meaning only one of their babies would make it, French news agency AFP reported.
But Kate placed the baby on her chest and used the kangaroo method, which involves skin-to-skin contact between mother and child. She remained in that position for two hours and soon the infant's gasps became more regular and, after a while, he opened his eyes. When the Oggs sent their doctor a message that Jamie was showing signs of life, he dismissed the movements as reflexes.
Kangaroo care is a method that's often used on premature babies where the infant has skin-to-skin contact with his or her mother, just like a marsupial. It's thought that this type of closeness can help regulate the preemie's heartbeat and body temperature, giving the baby a better chance of survival.
In typical kangaroo care, the baby wears only a diaper and is secured to the mother's chest in a head-up position with a piece of cloth (example top left). The cloth wraps around under the baby's bottom to create a tight bundle -- like a kangaroo pouch.
Dr. Mitchell Goldstein, who practices neonatal-perinatal medicine and pediatrics in West Covina, Calif., tells AOL Health that it is possible that this baby was saved by kangaroo care. "This story is intriguing. I'm not saying that in all cases kangaroo care will resuscitate every preterm baby, but there are certain cues moms provide for babies -- it's something that's a testimony to the maternal instinct bond," he says.
"In the NICU, we're applying chest compression and respiration that are much more vigorous. Medications and fluids were probably given, and then when these things did not make a difference, they gave up. Would I advocate using kangaroo care before vigorous resuscitation? No. But after trying it, yes," says Goldstein.
But kangaroo care isn't for all preemies. If a baby is so small that his skin hasn't had a chance to fully developed, the skin could stick to the mother's body, causing more harm than good, Goldstein says.
Kangaroo care widely is used in developing countries where hospital crowding is common and there is a shortage of caregivers. If there aren't enough incubators available, skin-to-skin contact can regulate the baby's temperature. The method also allows for easy access for breast feeding and bonding opportunities between parent and baby (dads can do it, too).
Other benefits of kangaroo care include less stress for the parent and baby and lower hospital costs. But for the Oggs, the proof that kangaroo care works comes from the fact that their son Jamie is now very much alive and thriving. Now 5 months old, he and his twin sister have been taken to the United States on a media tour with their parents.
"Studies have shown that in third world countries kangaroo care improves survival rates by 90 percent," says Goldstein. "Moms are nature's incubators -- and not only to warm a baby. If a baby's temperature gets too high the mom will cool down. Kangaroo care also improves breast feeding. It can have a tremendous benefit for all babies, whether or not they are in distress or preterm."
Hospital staff tried to resuscitate the child for 20 minutes before giving the parents the heartbreaking news that Jamie had died, meaning only one of their babies would make it, French news agency AFP reported.
But Kate placed the baby on her chest and used the kangaroo method, which involves skin-to-skin contact between mother and child. She remained in that position for two hours and soon the infant's gasps became more regular and, after a while, he opened his eyes. When the Oggs sent their doctor a message that Jamie was showing signs of life, he dismissed the movements as reflexes.
Kangaroo care is a method that's often used on premature babies where the infant has skin-to-skin contact with his or her mother, just like a marsupial. It's thought that this type of closeness can help regulate the preemie's heartbeat and body temperature, giving the baby a better chance of survival.
In typical kangaroo care, the baby wears only a diaper and is secured to the mother's chest in a head-up position with a piece of cloth (example top left). The cloth wraps around under the baby's bottom to create a tight bundle -- like a kangaroo pouch.
Dr. Mitchell Goldstein, who practices neonatal-perinatal medicine and pediatrics in West Covina, Calif., tells AOL Health that it is possible that this baby was saved by kangaroo care. "This story is intriguing. I'm not saying that in all cases kangaroo care will resuscitate every preterm baby, but there are certain cues moms provide for babies -- it's something that's a testimony to the maternal instinct bond," he says.
"In the NICU, we're applying chest compression and respiration that are much more vigorous. Medications and fluids were probably given, and then when these things did not make a difference, they gave up. Would I advocate using kangaroo care before vigorous resuscitation? No. But after trying it, yes," says Goldstein.
But kangaroo care isn't for all preemies. If a baby is so small that his skin hasn't had a chance to fully developed, the skin could stick to the mother's body, causing more harm than good, Goldstein says.
Kangaroo care widely is used in developing countries where hospital crowding is common and there is a shortage of caregivers. If there aren't enough incubators available, skin-to-skin contact can regulate the baby's temperature. The method also allows for easy access for breast feeding and bonding opportunities between parent and baby (dads can do it, too).
Other benefits of kangaroo care include less stress for the parent and baby and lower hospital costs. But for the Oggs, the proof that kangaroo care works comes from the fact that their son Jamie is now very much alive and thriving. Now 5 months old, he and his twin sister have been taken to the United States on a media tour with their parents.
"Studies have shown that in third world countries kangaroo care improves survival rates by 90 percent," says Goldstein. "Moms are nature's incubators -- and not only to warm a baby. If a baby's temperature gets too high the mom will cool down. Kangaroo care also improves breast feeding. It can have a tremendous benefit for all babies, whether or not they are in distress or preterm."
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)