There is something instinctive about seeing a newborn baby, with his soft skin, and wanting to pick him up and cuddle him. Follow your instinct because cuddling with your baby has a range of benefits. A newborn adjusting to life outside the room enjoys cuddling as a comfort measure. An infant bonds with his parents through cuddling.

It may come as no surprise to parents, but cuddling your baby provides them with social benefits for years afterwards, according to scientists.

They found a clear link between love and attention in the early years and healthy emotional responses in later life.
Even if they are then smothered with love as toddlers, it can be very difficult to repair the damage.Children who have been deprived of physical contact as babies have lower levels of social-bonding hormones, the researchers found.

The research, published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, looked at hormones called oxytocin and arginine vasopressin.

Both play a role in response to stress and social bonding, with levels typically rising after the subject has been comforted with human contact.

Cuddle me, I love you……

There are many ways to cuddle your baby.  First and foremost holding and loving your baby is most important. Swaddling, bathing, massaging, rocking while singing lullabies, and anything that is interactive with your baby that consists of soothing human touch and connection.

Breastfeeding is like a hike through the woods: Natural, but not always simple. In fact, it can be challenging, breathtaking, and full of the unexpected.

The hormones can be intense

Oxytocin:

This powerful hormone is responsible for breast milk “letting down,” or moving to the front of the breasts. And it also happens to be the same chemical released in the brain when a person falls in love, says Laura Viehmann, assistant professor of pediatrics at Brown University and spokesperson for the American Academy of Pediatricians. No wonder you couldn’t care less about all that spit-up and poop! You’re too busy swooning.

Breastfeeding helps (some) women lose their pregnancy weight

The nursing weight-loss plan doesn’t work for everyone. Some moms find their metabolism slowing to a frustrating crawl. “I nursed my son for 27 months
In fact, in a poll of BabyCenter moms, 40 percent say breastfeeding didn’t help them drop pounds while 60 percent say it did. Interesting….. and it didn’t help me lose weight. Then I lost 15 pounds within about two weeks after weaning,” one mom reports.

Your breast milk is perfectly tailored to your baby

Imagine if every single time you were hungry, you were served a delectable, satisfying meal that contained the perfect balance of electrolytes, fats, and nutrients for your body at that particular time. Amazingly, your breast milk gives your baby exactly what she needs immunologically as well.  The components of the milk shift so that it always complements whatever antibodies the baby is low on at that particular time. This is why breastfeeding can actually keep your baby from getting sick. Welcome to your baby’s world!

Nursing Pillows help make this experience a more relaxed and comfortable one!

Source: Cheryl Tallman and Joan Ahlers, Fresh Baby        

Introducing solid foods is a very important step in your baby’s development and well-being. In fact, studies show that babies who are fed nutritious, healthy diets grow into stronger kids and better-adjusted eaters than those who are fed poor diets.

Many parents don’t realize that making baby food at home is a simple and economical plan to provide your baby with the best in quality, nutrition and taste. It makes it easy for you to ensure your child gets the best start possible. Making baby food using fresh, all-natural ingredients has many benefits, including:

Increased nutritional value

Vitamins and other nutrients are critically important to your baby. For the next three years, your baby will experience rapid growth and development. It is essential that he be fed a healthy and nutritious diet to maximize his growth and development process.

Processed baby foods have added water, sugars and starchy fillers. While these products are not nutritionally bad for your baby, their use in baby food dilutes the nutrient content of the actual foods. To make matters worse, processed baby foods are cooked at high temperatures to kill bacteria, so they can be stored in jars at room temperature. Bacteria are not the only things that are eliminated in this process. Vitamins and nutrients are also destroyed. Many baby food manufacturers compensate for the loss of vitamins by artificially adding some of them back in after the food is processed.

When you make baby food at home, you can cook it quickly. This process not only preserves the wonderful color and taste of the food, but most importantly it maximizes the foods’ nutrient content for your precious baby

Elimination of additives

Processed baby foods contain trace amounts of chemicals, including pesticides, herbicides and fungicides. Although the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved these chemicals, you may choose not to feed your baby products containing them. Buying certified organic produce (fresh or frozen) and preparing food at home eliminates agricultural chemicals from your baby’s diet.

In addition, many varieties of processed baby foods add ingredients that are not essential or beneficial to your baby’s diet. These can include ingredients such sugar, butter and salt. Most healthcare professionals will recommend you avoid the introduction of these foods until your child is much older. Homemade baby food is pure, wholesome food with nothing added that you did not add yourself.

Improved freshness

Have you compared fresh green peas to a jar of pea baby food? Even though they are the same food, they don’t look, smell or taste similar. While your baby does not have the refined palate of an adult, he does respond to taste, color and smell. With the enormous availability of fresh produce in your grocery store and the simplicity of making baby food, there is really is no reason he needs to be deprived of colorful, tasty, great-smelling baby food. And serving fresh food from the very beginning will help your baby be more open to tasting new flavors and types of food.

Additional variety

Processed baby food is developed for the mass market and, as a result, is limited in variety. Variety is key to a balanced diet and healthy living. Today’s grocery stores offer a tremendous variety of fresh and frozen fruits and vegetables. There is no reason why your baby should be limited by what food manufacturers consider the most popular foods. What’s more, preparing baby food at home enables you to add herbs, combine flavors, and easily introduce new textures, making your baby’s mealtime a pleasurable, gourmet experience.

Luna Lullaby is having a fun “Homemade Baby food” recipe contest on our Facebook page! We would love for all of our viewers/followers to participate! First, Second, and Third prizes will win Luna products.  Check it out and share your favorite recipe!

If you’re a new parent, you probably have your child’s diapering area set up appropriately. Diapers and wipes – check. Diaper cream – check. Baby powder – you may want to hold off on. Although baby powder is sold with baby essentials and has that sweet smell that few can resist, it’s one of those items that just isn’t necessary. In fact, baby powder can be possibly harmful, especially to a young infant.

Traditionally, baby powder has been used on infants to keep the skin soft and dry, thus fighting off diaper rash. Even though it feels and smells good, pediatricians do not recommend the powdery stuff and neither does the American Academy of Pediatrics. Since baby powder is expelled into the air, your little one can breathe it in and irritate his or her lungs. This may lead to further breathing difficulties down the road.

Although baby powder isn’t recommended, you don’t have to throw away that bottle quite yet. First, make sure that it is made from cornstarch instead of talc, as many are. Cornstarch is better for the skin and the lungs, and isn’t inhaled as easily. Second, you can use the baby powder in skin folds and creases that may be subject to irritation. Just make sure you don’t let the powder build up in the skin creases and that you don’t shake the powder near baby’s face.

And of course, when setting up your diapering area, you now know that you don’t have to include baby powder into the mix.

If you do have several bottles laying around from your child’s welcome home gifts, consider using the baby powder for other applications. For example, baby powder works great when at the beach and you need something to get the sticky, wet sand off your feet. Or if you’ve skipped a shower (or two), toss some in your hair for a refreshing lift. Baby powder can also be used on oily spots and spills, as it absorbs the oil.

Image: mothersspace.in

Many of us know the benefits of vaccinating our babies, but then there are the possible risks that seem to have parents on pins and needles these days.  Does the same apply to preemies?  This is a good question, and one I had to research pretty quickly as there has been ongoing confusion if vaccinations are safe for preemies since they are not as developed as healthy newborns. Here is what I found:

According to the Labor of Love,  “just like a newborn, the decision to vaccinate your preemie is entirely up to you.” But, and this is a big but, if you decide to get your preemie vaccinated at two months old, you should take every precaution possible as they are at an “increased risk for respiratory and/or heart side effects.” This is why waiting until more than two months after they are born to have them vaccinated is recommended. Because so many preemies have multiple health conditions, getting them too many vaccinations all at once can put them at great risk of continued health problems, which you most definitely want to avoid.  Studies do show that “preemies do have the worse reactions to vaccines just within 48 hours than other babies.”

I guess the best overall advice to any parent with a preemie is to just wait until your preemie is older to avoid those medical and health risks. Again, it is up to you what you choose to do, but don’t forget to ask your preemie’s pediatrician for advice before going forward with any vaccinations.

For more information, check out Tundraco’s Daily Living Guide.

Source: Labor of Love

Image: Wikimedia Commons

You may be looking forward to the sunny summer months, but are you stocked on all the warm weather essentials? Before you reach for just any tube of sunscreen, check out the ingredient list. Too often, parents think their kids are protected from the sun when really they’re not. Just slathering on sunscreen and sending your kids out to play isn’t enough.

To start with, experts recommend that infants under 6 months should avoid the sun. Since this isn’t always possible, make sure small infants have the necessary gear, including sun hats with SPF protection.

When choosing sunscreen, most parents make the mistake of selecting a kid’s brand with a high SPF. Surprisingly, there’s not a big difference between kid and adult products. Instead, the differences lie in the ingredients.

Always choose products that are physical; made with minerals instead of chemicals. The sunscreen should be made with zinc oxide or titanium dioxide. These minerals sit on top of the skin and start working immediately.

Chemical-based products on the other hand, require 30 minutes to absorb into the skin and start acting. Plus, since these ingredients leech into the skin, they are more likely to cause allergic reactions or skin irritations.

Sunscreens that contain either zinc oxide or titanium dioxide will protect against UVA and UVB rays. And, you don’t need to buy anything over an SPF 30. These products contain more chemicals and are not necessary. Instead, stick to SPF 15 or 30 and don’t go out of your way to buy kid’s products; adult ones are just as good.

Looking for recommendations? Try Coppertone Water Babies Pure and Simple formula that contains zinc oxide and comes with a moderate price tag. Other products are offered from the natural brands of Badger or Loving Naturals.

Don’t forget to replenish your sunscreen supply, as they’re no longer effective after one year.

Image c/o The Fun Times Guide

When it comes to cleaning baby bottles, a simple washing with hot water and dish soap is just not enough. Plastic bottles are a breeding ground for viruses and bacteria so it is important to sterilize the bottles properly. It is especially important to sterilize the bottles right after purchasing them and before use.

How to Sterilize baby bottles

1. Gather the bottles, caps, nipples, and pacifiers together to prepare for sterilizing.

2. Wash the items with hot water and soap.

3. Fill a pot with water and place on the stove. Turn the heat on high until boiling point.

4. Carefully place all bottle parts into the boiling water. Do not submerge more than the pot can handle. The water may bubble over.

5. Keep the bottle and items in boiling water for five minutes.

6. Take the bottle and its parts out of the pot of water with tongs or anything that may help you to avoid burning yourself.

7. Set items on a dish rack to air dry or dry them with a paper towel.

For more information on sterilizing baby bottles, check out baby basics on babyzone.com.

Image: Wikimedia Commons

For new parents, Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) lurks in the backs of their minds until their children reach their first birthdays. A lack of answers is what makes SIDS so scary and what keeps researchers motivated to find these answers.

In 1997, the Back to Sleep Campaign was launched, encouraging parents to place their little ones on their backs to sleep. Since this campaign was started, the rate of SIDS has dropped by half. But there is still much to be learned about SIDS and researchers are now pointing toward gender.

About 60 percent of SIDS cases are baby boys. A new study published in the magazine Sleep suggests that infant boys are more easily roused while sleeping when they’re 2 to 4 weeks old, prompting parents to place them on their stomachs to sleep easier and longer. However, it’s this type of heavy sleeping that puts babies more at risk.

By the time male infants are 2 to 3 months, there is no significant difference between baby boys and girls. Researchers and pediatricians continue to educate parents on the importance of putting their infants on their backs to sleep. Medical experts in this field are always conducting studies, as they feel that the more information they have to educate parents, the more likely parents will be to cooperate.

Not only does sleeping on the belly cause a longer, deeper sleep that puts babies at risk, but studies indicate that babies aren’t getting enough fresh oxygen when sleeping on their bellies. The oxygen is recycled and doesn’t allow the baby’s brain to be alerted that something isn’t right.

For now, it’s important for all parents to place their children on their backs to sleep. When your little one starts rolling over however, you don’t have to worry about the sleeping position that he or she ends up in. And by the time your child reaches his or her first birthday, the risk of SIDS is gone.

Other ways to help decrease the risk is by putting your child to bed with a pacifier, turning on a fan or opening a window, breastfeeding and eliminating smoking and drinking.

Image c/o Officer

It’s a common question for parents: Will my baby’s eyes stay this color?

For many, the sparkling, baby blue eyes that many newborns are born with are adored by parents, with the hope that their baby’s eyes will stay the same color. It’s hard to know exactly what your child’s eye color will end up being, but you can expect it to darken over the coming months.

This is because the iris, which is the colored part of the eye, will continue to darken over the first 9 months. This doesn’t necessarily mean that your little one won’t have the same eye color as he or she does now, but chances are likely that it will darken somewhat. The irises will never lighten however, so your baby won’t end up with lighter eyes.

Children born from African and Asian descent generally have brown eyes that stay brown. Caucasian babies on the other hand, are often born with steel grey or dark blue eyes. Some continue to stay a steel grey or blue color, while others evolve into green, brown or hazel by the time the 9-month mark rolls around.

What happens if your child ends up with blue eyes and you and your partner both have brown? No need to worry about where the sparkling blues came from, as blue eyes come from two recessive genes. So in this case, you and your partner both possess the recessive gene for blue eyes. But remember, brown eyes are dominant genes, which means your next baby could very well have brown peepers.

Image c/o hiren.info

Bringing home a newborn is a challenging task in its own. However, bringing home a preemie… well, that poses a whole new set of worries for new parents. One of the most critical factors in caring for premature babies is paying close attention to their health and nutrition and making sure to take baby to the pediatrician often.

You may find yourself overwhelmed at the thought of selecting a pediatrician that you feel you can trust. Don’t worry – these doctors are highly trained in this field. Before selecting your pediatric care center, it is a good idea to visit several in your area so you canvrest assured you made the right decisions.

Here are a few things you may want to ask the staff (or even the doctor if he is available to speak):

• Do you have separate waiting rooms for children that are sick and healthy children? (This lowers your baby’s chance of becoming ill at a time when his immune system is not fully developed.)
• If I have an emergency after hours, how long will it take for me to get a response if I call your answering service?
• Do you put a strong emphasis on nutrition for premature babies?
• Does your office provide referrals to specialists or early-intervention programs?
• Will the same doctor be seeing my preemie at every visit?

It is always a good idea to ask your OBGYN if they know of any good pediatricians that they may be able to recommend. Also, check with your insurance company to get a list of providers in your area that are covered under your baby’s insurance.

Image c/o www.bakersfieldmom.com