AsiaLIFE

Breastfeeding
Significant evidence indicates that breastfeeding has a wide range of health benefits for both the baby and the mother. For the baby these include a reduction in gastrointestinal, respiratory and ear infections. Mothers can recover faster from the delivery, allowing them to care both for themselves and their babies more effectively. There is also evidence of a reduction in ovarian and breast cancer. Breast fed babies feed frequently and must be allowed to do so. Breastfeeding works in a supply and demand way – the more the baby feeds the more milk the mother produces. It is recommended that babies are fed only breast milk for the first six months of life. Breastfeeding can be difficult, so seek skilled assistance as soon as problems occur. A learnt skill, like any new skill, often involves a lot of trial and error before everything runs smoothly.

Growth
When looking at babies’ growth patterns look at trends over a month, rather than any one or two particular recordings. Sometimes it appears your baby has grown remarkably or indeed shrunk! This can depend on the technique used to weigh your baby or the scales used for weighing. In the early months have the same person check the baby each time and use the same scales. Typically at birth, babies can lose up to 10 percent of their birth weight, but by week two they should have returned to their original weight. From birth to month three babies usually put on 150 to 200 grams per week, weight gain then slows a little and from months three to six they put on 100 to 150 grams per week. Look out for signs your baby is growing well, such as when clothes become too small, the baby looks well, and people are commenting on how much your baby has grown.

Development
At birth babies’ movements are reflexes, such as when a newborn baby grasps your finger when his or her palm is touched. By month two they should be smiling. From month two to four they begin to gain some control over their bodies. They coo, smile, babble, see more and manage a little control of their head. More deliberate movement should occur by month six. They may roll from stomach to back, grasp toys, explore objects with their mouth, laugh, squeal and enjoy their reflection in the mirror. Your baby should attain distinct developmental milestones within the first six months. Make sure your baby has a health and developmental assessment performed by a health professional at identified key developmental stages, ideally at birth, between week one to four, week eight, between weeks 16 to 18, and at month six. These assessments – involving language, movement, hearing and vision, and overall health – identify any issues early, so that they can be monitored and treated as soon as possible.

Sleep
Babies need a remarkable amount of sleep. This is when they grow. It sometimes feels that getting them to nod off takes longer than the actual sleep itself. This is often due to the baby being overtired, which makes it difficult for them to settle to sleep. Tired signs are your baby’s way of telling you they need sleep. It is common for parents to confuse tired signs with the baby needing a feed, a nappy change or simply some attention. Typical tired signs include the baby crying or grizzling, yawning and grimacing, clenching fists, jerky movements and looking away from you. Unlike when they are well rested, babies will not be distracted by things they normally enjoy, such as you chatting, feeding or playing with you. Up to week six babies typically need 16-20 hours sleep per 24 hours, spread over sleeps lasting two to four hours. At this age they can only manage to stay awake for about an hour or less before they become tired. From week six to month three they need about 15 hours sleep per 24 hours. Sometimes they can cope with being awake for a little longer, up to one and a half hours, before they are tired and ready for bed. By month six they sleep a total of 14 hours, and will stay awake happily for two to two-and-a-half hours before needing a sleep. They usually have two sleeps a day. All babies are very different and can present their own unique challenges. Parents need not feel alone. Seeking medical help cannot only provide health and development assessments, but also offer an abundance of information, guidance and support that can make caring for your baby much easier and more enjoyable.