Foremilk and hindmilk are concepts that really only make sense when longer intervals such as two to three hours or more occur between feedings. The longer the time gap between feedings and the fuller a mother’s breasts become, the greater the difference in fat content between the foremilk and hindmilk. These differences in fat content can vary greatly over the course of a day. For example, when a long breastfeeding gap occurs during the night, at the next feeding a mother’s foremilk will be lower in fat than during the evening when her baby breastfeeds more often.

Foremilk and Pumping

If you are pumping, you may have noticed the difference between the foremilk and the hindmilk. When you first start pumping, it can look very light and watery and gradually become a richer color and consistency. You may have been told in the hospital to do 10 minutes on each breast. While this is true for colostrum, it is not the best way to feed with the increased volume of milk. If you continue this 10/10 pattern, babies will usually only empty the foremilk on each breast causing the below listed problems. Remember to empty one or both breasts during a pumping session so that every bottle has a good mixture of both foremilk and hindmilk.

Too Much Foremilk

For new moms, it’s easy to overfeed the newborn with Foremilk. Babies with colic and reflux are frequently fussy it’s easy to believe your baby is finished with the first breast and ready for the next one. This can contribute to both oversupply and a foremilk/hindmilk imbalance, both of which can aggravate colic and reflux. This is easily corrected understanding the issue and altering nursing habits.

“Although infants are not lactose intolerant by nature, a high volume of lactose can overwhelm a baby’s digestive system. When there is not enough lactase to break down all the lactose, the excess lactose causes gassiness and discomfort, and frequently green, watery or foamy stools. Over time, large amounts of undigested lactose can irritate the lining of the intestines so that even a little bit passing through can cause irritation.” Diana West, BA, IBCLC, co-author with Lisa Marasco of The Breastfeeding Mother’s Guide to Making More Milk (McGraw-Hill, December 2008) and Elliot Hirsch of Breastfeeding After Breast and Nipple Procedures (Hale Publishing, July 2008)

There are three breech positions. Each of these positions are different and may require your doctor to treat each with a different approach. See the breech baby video below for a visual understanding of a breech presentation.

Frank Breech

The fetus’ buttocks are aimed toward the birth canal and the legs stick straight up in front of the body with buttocks are set to be delivered first. The feet are near the head. This is the most common breech position. This occurs in about 50-70% of the breech presentations.

Complete Breech

The buttocks are down, with the legs folded at the knees and the feet near the buttocks. The hips and knees are flexed. This occurs in about 5-10% of the breech presentations.

Kneeling Breech

The baby is in a kneeling position, with one or both legs extended at the hips and flexed at the knees. This is extremely rare and is excluded from many classifications.

Footling Breech

One or both of the fetus’ feet are pointing down and will come out first. This occurs in about 10-30% of the breech presentations.

What Causes a Breech Baby

There are many factors that can cause a baby to remain the the head-up position. Fortunately, there are a number of things you and your doctor can do to have a successful birth. Below are a few of the main causes of a breech fetus.

• Early Labor – labor that begins before week 37 of pregnancy. The baby may not have yet be ready or able to turn itself to a normal cephalic position.
• Position of the Umbilical Cord – in some cases the umbilical cord prevents the baby from rotating.
• Incorrect Amount Of Amniotic Fluid – The amount of fluid in the uterus may prevent the baby from turning properly.
• Twins – With twins there is limited room for mobility in the uterus. This may cause or increase the likelihood of breech babies.
• Past Pregnancies – Weakened uterine muscles or other prior complications may cause a breech pregnancy. The more pregnancies a woman has, the higher the chances of having breech presentation during delivery.
• Placenta Previa – The placenta implants over the cervical opening rather than the side of the uterus. This is a common cause of a breech baby.

How To Treat A Breech Pregnancy

In some cases it’s possible for your doctor to turn the baby from a breech position to a head-down position by using a procedure called an External Cephalic Version. If the baby can be turned head-down before labor starts, you may be able to have a vaginal birth. The average success rate of this procedure is about 65%. Even if the procedure works at first, there’s still a chance that the baby will turn back around to the breech position. If your baby is unable to turn to a standard position, it’s likely your doctor will opt for a cesarean deliver (c-section). If a c-section is planned, which is likely for most women, it will usually be scheduled for 38 or 39 weeks. To make sure your baby hasn’t changed position in the meantime, you’ll have an ultrasound at the hospital to confirm his position just before the surgery.

Breech Babies: Alternative Medicine?

When you first hear from your caregiver that your baby is breech it can be scary. The most important thing you can do is to remain calm and listen to the advise of your doctors. There are a few alternative techniques that have worked for some women. Review each of these and consult your doctor or midwife for their input before taking part in an alternative therapy.

• Chiropractic care
• Relaxation, visualization and soft music
• Body position exercises to help the fetus to turn
• Chinese natural medicine
• Homeopathy
• Walking
• Crawling on all-fours
• Breech Tilt or Pelvic Tilt exercises
• Water bath
• Meditation and mental exercises

Where does baby gas come from?

Most baby gas comes from the same place as it does for adults including food digestion and swallowing air. Due to crying, babies swallow more air than children or adults. They also have a harder time releasing the gas than their older siblings.

Babies also ingest air while eating, especially during nursing. For this reason, it is important to burp every 3 to 5 minutes during feedings or between breasts. If your baby is bottle-fed, make certain that the bottle’s nipple is the right size. A nipple that is too large may cause the baby to eat too fast, or too small, they will gulp air while trying to eat.

Another possible reason for infant gas is hyper-lactation syndrome. When a mother has a very abundant milk supply, she may produce a larger amount of foremilk. Foremilk is higher in water content, higher in lactose.

Is Gas Painful For A Baby?

In most cases, no. “If the baby is generally happy and only fusses for a few seconds while passing gas, that’s a sign that it’s normal,” says Jennifer Shu, MD, a board-certified pediatrician in Atlanta and the author of Food Fights:Winning the Nutritional Challenges of Parenthood Armed with Insight, Humor, and a Bottle of Ketchup, published by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

It’s important to note that gas doesn’t cause colic. This is a common misconception. This belief stems from the fact that colicky babies cry more and swallow more air and therefore pass more gas. While gas can cause discomfort, it doesn’t cause the inconsolable distress and crying that are symptoms of colic.

How to Relieve Gas In Your Baby

• Burping – Slow repeated gentle patting on your baby’s back should do the trick — there’s no need to pound hard. To prevent messy cleanups when your baby spits up or has a “wet burp,” you might want to place a towel or bib under your baby’s chin or on your shoulder.
• Gripe Water – Many European countries use Gripe Water, which has been known to ease a baby’s discomfort due to colic, gas, hiccups or teething by acting as a digestive aid. Doctors and pharmacists in other parts of the world routinely recommend Gripe Water for babies with these symptoms.
• Massage – Rub your baby’s belly gently with a circular motion. Running your hand gently down toward the pelvic region can also help relieve pain caused by baby gas.

If you are a woman who is married to or dating a man who isn’t interested in having a family that involves children, you’ve probably asked yourself a bunch of questions. What if he never changes his mind? Can I live a life without kids? Am I crazy for wanting kids? Why does he not want kids when I want them so badly? Does he really love me if he doesn’t want to have kids with me? And, probably a hundred more.

The questions can keep your head spinning and start some pretty big fights with your partner. It’s easy to get hurt feelings and cause a lot of misunderstandings. Especially when one day he says “maybe someday” and the next day he says that he never wants kids. It’s important in a time like this to understand he is as confused as you are. While you’ve had a lifetime of thinking about kids, he’s just begun. He probably didn’t think about kids until you first mentioned it, or he saw a male companion that he admires enjoying life with kids. He’s got a lot of catching up to do. Be patient.

Try Logic?

Undoubtedly, you’ll try to convince him that you really want to have kids. You might think, he’s a man and men are usually logical, right? You can try giving him a long list of reasons such as: I want them, kids are great, think about how happy they are to see you when you get home, they will always love you, you’ll love them, you’ll be a great dad, think about the fun we’ll have together, etc. He might talk about all of the negative things such as: think about the cost, we don’t need kids to be happy, think about how limiting it will be for us, etc.

The truth is that it’s unlikely that you can make a compelling argument for having kids that he’ll accept. It would be very easy for each of you to get to a place where neither of you can change your mind without looking weak. For men this is something that he loathes to do. Many men equate looking weak to someone they respect to a sentence of death. Since you are a person he respects more than most, he would have a very hard time giving in to you and looking weak.

So what to do? There isn’t an easy 1-2-3 checklist. Your goal will be to help your partner find a compelling future with you and with the children you have together. How do you do that? To answer that question, you need to better understand men.

Let Him Find A Compelling Future

Men need to be needed. That’s why they play sports, work for jerk bosses, fall in love and get married, etc. Men want to provide. They want to be the hero. They want to be admired. They want honor and respect. They want to feel like they are free to lead themselves and their family. They want to set their own course and the course of the family.

When a man finds that a life with you and with children meets his needs, he will make the decision to have kids. It won’t be your decision that you made for him, but his decision. When this happens, watch out. When a man makes a decision that meets his needs he will work hard to do it. He’ll likely find his need for achievement will be fulfilled by getting you pregnant!

How can you help him find a compelling future? Ask him to imagine his life 5, 10, 20, and 40 years in the future. Ask him what he’s done. What did he miss out on? Who did he provide for? What is he most proud of? Ask him how did he feel like a hero. What legacy did he leave? Does he want a legacy more compelling than business or a job? Ask him if he might want more out of life. Did he mention the amount of love he had during those years? Would he like more love? Ask him how can he get more love in his life.

These questions and similar questions may over time help your partner see a future with you and children. Don’t expect an overnight change and don’t try to force it. The more you demand an immediate answer, the more likely he’ll be to deepen his resolve to not give you the answer you want. By demanding he make a decision or submit to your wishes, you will have taken away his need to chart his own course. He will be less likely to see that his needs could be met by having children with you.

A Note Of Caution

It’s suggested by some women that you should force his hand by either “accidentally” getting pregnant or telling him that you’ll leave him if he doesn’t have kids. This should be avoided. It certainly will damage the trust in your relationship that will show up later. This could ultimately lead to a divorce or worse, a long-term unhappy relationship. Either of which isn’t a healthy environment for you and your child.

Don’t be surprised if he says yes one day and no the next. Remember he’s confused and warming up to the idea of having kids. His brain is trying to process everything that he thought he wanted and trying to figure out how to change it. For some men, trying to understand why they might want kids is similar to them trying to understand that the earth really is flat. He’s had one set of beliefs for so long. Changing them isn’t easy. Expect some missteps and him saying things that don’t make sense. Don’t take it personally. Understand he’s going through a change that he didn’t know was coming and didn’t know he wanted. With this understanding, love him even more.

Take the time and let your man find a future with you and a larger family. Who knows, maybe he’ll want 3 or 4 kids once he decides.

Do You Need a Perinatologist?

Only about 10% of pregnant women need the extra care of a perinatologist. If you are referred to one, know that you will be receiving the necessary care for your baby and yourself in case any serious problems are detected. Your doctor is the best person to determine if you need to see a perinatologist.

A perinatologist may team up with neonatologists during the birth of the baby to make sure that all criteria for preserving the health of the baby and mother are taken during labor and immediately afterward

You may be referred to a Perinatologist for many reasons including

• Diabetes
• High blood pressure
• Heart problems
• Kidney disease
• Asthma
• Had trouble with earlier pregnancies
• Are older
• Are very overweight or underweight
• Are carrying more than one baby
• Had abnormal screening tests such as AFP (alpha fetoprotein)
• other at-risk conditions

No Referral?

If your obstetrician doesn’t offer you a referral to a perinatologist and you would like to see one, don’t be afraid to ask for your obstetrician for a referral. At the least, this will inform your obstetrician of your concerns with your pregnancy, if you haven’t already discussed them. If your obstetrician is not willing to give you a referral to a perinatologist and you believe you do need one, you could always search for a new obstetrician. Your pregnancy is just that, your pregnancy. It’s perfectly acceptable to get a second opinion or advice from a second doctor.

A high risk pregnancy is never easy and is rarely predictable. It may be a surprise turn in a seemingly normal pregnancy that lands you in the high risk category, or because of your medical history, it may be a high risk pregnancy from the first day. Regardless of the complication, or the stage of pregnancy in which you find yourself, in the care of a qualified perinatologist is where you want to be when your pregnancy is labeled high risk. While it can be frightening to be referred to a perinatologist, it should ease your mind to know that your doctor recognized your situation and you are getting the care you need. When you visit the specialist, especially for the first time, be sure to bring a support person with you. Don’t focus on the worst but be prepared for any news the doctor might give. Know that your doctors will do their best to help you to have a successful pregnancy.

]]> http://www.childbirthhealth.com/what-is/what-is-a-perinatologist/feed/ 0 http://www.childbirthhealth.com/pregnancy/christmas-pregnancy-announcement-ideas/ http://www.childbirthhealth.com/pregnancy/christmas-pregnancy-announcement-ideas/#comments Sun, 06 Nov 2011 18:43:41 +0000 john http://www.childbirthhealth.com/?p=1669 Christmas offers a unique opportunity to share your great news. Christmas is a great time to announce the birth to a lot of people all at once. It’s most fun when you can give the news yourself and in-person. Having a big Christmas get together allows this to happen easily. Below are some ideas and suggestions that have been used to great success.

Christmas Pregnancy Announcements

• Calendar: Print a custom calendar or buy a pregnancy calendar and in your expected delivery month put the photo of your ultrasound and circle the due date. Give the calendars as gifts. When people get calendars as gifts, they immediately flip through the pages to look at the pictures. When they get to the right month, the look on their face will be priceless.
• Big Sis/Big Bro T-Shirt: If you already have a child, on Christmas morning have him or her put on a “Big Brother” or “Big Sister” shirt. See examples.
• “Birthday” Party: Give out invitation to true “Birthday” party. Include the due date with the location as the hospital.
• Photo Album: If this is your first baby, give baby photo albums to be filled in later, or with an ultrasound photo.
• Family Photo: For a crazier idea…gather everyone for a family photo. Set the timer on the camera and just as it’s about to snap, yell “we’re pregnant!” The looks on everyone’s faces will be priceless.
• Baby Names Book: If your family needs a really direct message, buy a baby names book and insert an ultrasound photo as a bookmark. It’s hard to miss the meaning of this gift.
• Stocking Stuffer: Add a small baby item to a stocking such as a baby rattle, baby names book, bib, pacifier, etc. It’s a fun and unexpected way to tell someone. Be sure to have a camcorder or camera ready to capture their surprise.
• Christmas Music CD: Make a CD of your favorite Christmas music. Play the music during dinner. In between one of the songs recorded on the CD, have your husband in a very strong voice say “Attention, Attention: we have an announcement,” then you give the news.
• Coffee/Baby Booties: if you keep your sugar in a container on the counter, replace the sugar with a pair of baby booties. Ask your mother to get the container. She’ll take off the lid and pull out the booties and be shocked. If you don’t think she’ll get the message, attach a small note.
• Big Bow: On Christmas morning walk into the room where the family is gathered with a giant holiday bow on your belly.
• Dessert: Serve dessert on a baby shower, first birthday, or other baby related paper plate.
• Napkins: it’s fairly cheap to print custom napkins. Fold the napkins with the writing on the inside. When the napkins are opened it reveals the message.
• Photo Frame: Get a best grandparents photo frame with “coming soon” printed in the photo area.
• Thank You Card: for a more sentimental announcement, get a thank you card. Send your parents a thank you card for being great parents and teaching you what you’ll now teach their grandchild. (have tissues ready when you give it)
• Tree Ornaments: Add clues to your Christmas tree on Christmas morning such as the ultra sound photo, tiny socks, pacifier, baby rattle, etc.
• Big Belly: On Christmas morning walk into the room where the family is gathered with a pillow under your shirt to make yourself look really pregnant. … then say, “just seeing what it’ll be like to be this big”. You can also add a mom theme mug or other items to sell the story.
• Pregnancy Announcement Cards: Send pregnancy announcement cards instead of Christmas Cards. You can also put the announcement cards on the table for Christmas dinner and have everyone open at the same time.

No matter when you announce, this is a special time. Make it great. Be sure to have your camera ready to remember the day.

]]> http://www.childbirthhealth.com/pregnancy/christmas-pregnancy-announcement-ideas/feed/ 0 http://www.childbirthhealth.com/what-is/what-is-cervical-mucus/ http://www.childbirthhealth.com/what-is/what-is-cervical-mucus/#comments Sat, 01 Oct 2011 03:42:10 +0000 admin http://www.childbirthhealth.com/?p=1656 Cervical Mucus is the jelly-like substance that’s produced during a woman’s menstrual cycle. The mucus sometimes resembles egg whites. Cervical Mucus is important in getting pregnant by helping the sperm to survive once in the woman’s body. This allows for a woman to be fertile for several days before ovulation. The role of the cervical mucus is to nourish, protect, and speed the sperm on its way up through the uterus and into the Fallopian tubes so that it can fertilize the egg and help you in getting pregnant. The cervical mucus also acts as a barrier to abnormal sperm. An abnormally shaped sperm is much less likely to be able to travel to the egg as quickly and easily as normal shaped sperm and actually can get slowed down in the cervical mucus.

For successful conception, it is important to try to conceive when cervical mucus is at its best. Your chances of conceiving are best during ovulation and just before. You can monitor your cervical mucus to determine how fertile you are. A good time to check your cervical mucus is when you first go to the bathroom in the morning. As you approach ovulation, the mucus will become clear and slippery, very much like raw egg white, and you’ll have more of it. The last day you see this egg-white consistency is the day that you’re most fertile. This is usually the day before or the day of ovulation.

When you are not fertile, at the beginning of your cycle and after ovulation, your cervical mucus is dry and scant or sticky. This means sperm cannot penetrate it. At these non-fertile times, the vagina is quite acidic, and is even hostile to sperm. Cervical mucus at this time serves as a barrier that plugs the cervical canal and prevents bacteria from entering the uterus.

If you’re hoping to get pregnant, you can use the cervical mucus method to determine the best days to have sex. Similarly, if you’re hoping to avoid pregnancy, you can use the cervical mucus method to determine which days to avoid unprotected sex. Note that this method, as with all forms of birth control, isn’t 100% effective. You can get pregnant when the cervical mucus consistency isn’t optimal for pregnancy.

How to Monitor Cervical Mucus

Wash your hands thoroughly. Be sure your fingernails aren’t long or have sharp edges. Stick your index and middle fingers into your vagina and find your cervix. Hold one finger on each side of the cervical opening and gently press to release a little mucus. Pull your fingers out and evaluate what you have. Be cautious when doing this, and if you have any questions, be sure to consult your doctor.

To test the mucus, a finger-tip can be lightly applied to the mucus on the tissue and then pulled gently away to test its capacity to stretch. It may feel sticky and break easily, which is not ideal for fertilization. It may also feel smoother and slippery like raw egg white and stretch between the thumb and first finger, from a little up to several inches before it breaks, which indicates the most ideal conditions for fertilization.

]]> http://www.childbirthhealth.com/what-is/what-is-cervical-mucus/feed/ 0 http://www.childbirthhealth.com/product-recalls/product-recall-list-mar-2011/ http://www.childbirthhealth.com/product-recalls/product-recall-list-mar-2011/#comments Fri, 23 Sep 2011 02:02:16 +0000 admin http://www.childbirthhealth.com/?p=1644 Girls' Jeans for Toddlers Recalled by Parigi Due to Choking Hazard]]>




Girls' Jeans for Toddlers Recalled by Parigi Due to Choking Hazard
Hazard: Decorative rhinestones and sequins on the jeans' pockets can pose a choking hazard to young children. Incidents/Injuries: None reported. Description: Remedy: Consumers should immediately take the jeans away from children and return them to the retail store where they were purchased for a full refund, or contact the firm for instructions on how to return the product by mail for a full refund. Consumer Contact: Parigi Group collect at (212) 378-1205 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday or visit the firm's website at www.parigigroup.com	Product Recall Date 03/16/2011
Matilda Jane Recalls Girl's Chelsa Dress Due to Choking Hazard
Hazard: The buttons can come off, posing a choking hazard. Incidents/Injuries: Matilda Jane has received one report of an incident with no injuries. Description: The Chelsa dress is a girl's sleeveless sundress in sizes 2, 4, and 6. The top is white with green polka dots; the bottom is printed with a green and yellow floral design and has a multi-colored floral border at the hem. Remedy: Anyone possessing this dress should return it for repair or refund by contacting Matilda Jane Clothing. Consumer Contact: Matilda Jane Clothing at recall@matildajaneclothing.com, call collect at 260-424-3511 or visit www.matildajaneclothing.com	Product Recall Date 03/15/2011
Hazard: The knobs attached to the puzzle fruits can come loose, posing a choking hazard to young children. Incidents/Injuries: None reported. Description: This recall involves wooden puzzles that consist of a board and four pieces representing an orange, a plum, a pear and an apple. Each piece of fruit has a wooden knob. The puzzle board measures 12 x 4.5 x 1/2 inches. 'Grouping Objects - Fruit' and style number 10307 can be found on the packaging. Remedy: Consumers should immediately take the recalled puzzles away from children and return them to the retail store where they purchased it for a full refund. Consumers can also contact Kid O Products for instructions on how to mail the product to receive a full refund. Consumer Contact: Kid O Products collect at (212) 366-5858	Product Recall Date 03/10/2011

]]> http://www.childbirthhealth.com/product-recalls/product-recall-list-mar-2011/feed/ 0 http://www.childbirthhealth.com/babies/how-to-find-a-babysitter/ http://www.childbirthhealth.com/babies/how-to-find-a-babysitter/#comments Wed, 21 Sep 2011 00:32:53 +0000 admin http://www.childbirthhealth.com/?p=1631 If you have a newborn or young child. Finding a babysitter, especially your first babysitter can be stressful. This is one of the many stresses of being a new parent. The below information should give you a framework to start from. You can also use a babysitting service that pre-screens babysitters this help you to feel better about your selection. A recommended service is SitterCity. Follow this link for a 10% discount with SitterCity.

Before finding a babysitter, it’s important to know what you are looking for in a babysitter. Are you looking for a sitter who will simply make sure the kids don’t wreck the house or do you want a sitter or nanny that will get to know your kids, be an adjunct member of the family and help raise your kids or something in between.

Once you decide what you want in a ‘sitter, it’s helpful to interview and evaluate a potential sitter. You’ll want to keep hiring a babysitter who’s doing her job and doing more than just her job. You want a babysitter who genuinely cares for your kids and their well-being. Is the babysitter watching more TV than they are watching your kids? Is the house a mess when you get home? Are they following with your instructions? Did the kids get to bed on time? A bad sitter can undermine your efforts to raise your kids the way you want to.

Children can provide feedback on babysitters. Sometimes, they do this even if they can’t talk yet. Does your baby cry if she sees your babysitter? Do the kids light up when the sitter shows up? Some people have a certain rapport with kids. Maybe it has something to do with their personalities. Maybe the kids can relate to them. Your kids will tell you if they like the sitter. But, keep in mind that if they say they don’t like the sitter it may be because the babysitter is enforcing your rules. A careful parent can tell the difference.

Babysitter Evaluation

• Punctuality: Do they arrive on time and dressed appropriately?
• Reliability: Do they cancel at the last minute?
• Following The Rules: Do they follow your instructions?
• Communication: Do they give you honest feedback about the behavior of the kids?
• Cleanliness: Is the house at least as cleans as when you left it? Did they clean up any messes they or the kids made in the kitchen?
• Other Skills: Do they know CPR, can they tutor, can they cook, read stories to the kids, etc?
• Child’s Response: Does your child like them? Do they get excited when they get to the house?
• Interaction: Do the babysitter positively interact with your child? Do they squat down to their level to speak with them? Do they play games with the kids?
• Feedback: Do they take constructive feedback on their performance? If they forgot to do something, do they apologize or make false excuses?

Once you’ve hired a sitter, be sure to continually evaluate their performance. Think of them as an employee of your household. If you expect to use this babysitter or nanny frequently, offer to give or purchase them training for them such as CPR, first aid, cooking, and cognitive skills. Perhaps take some of these training with the babysitter. It will help you to get to know them and see how they are when they aren’t “on the job”.

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