How the baby grows in the womb

Doctors and midwives time pregnancy, not from conception but from the first day of a woman’s monthly period. So what is called ‘four weeks pregnant ‘is actually about two weeks after conception. On this timing, pregnancy lasts for forty weeks.
Of course, forty weeks is only an average .some pregnancies are usually short, while some longer.
If you are not sure about the date of your last period, then an ultrasound scan can give a good indication of when your baby will be due.
How the baby develops
In the very early weeks the developing baby is called an embryo .then from about eight weeks onwards, it is called a fetus, which means ‘young one ‘.

WEEK 3
This is 3 weeks from the day of your last monthly period...the fertilized egg moves slowly along the fallopian tube towards the womb. The egg begins as one single cell. This cell divides again and again. By the time the egg reaches the womb, it has become a mass of 100 cells and is still growing.
Once in the womb the egg attaches itself to the womb lining .this is called implantation

WEEK S 4-5
The egg now settles into the womb lining .the outer cells reach out like roots to link with the mother’s blood supply. The inner cells form into two, and later three layers. Each of these layers will grow to be different part of the baby’s body. One layer becomes the brain and the nervous system, the skin, eyes and ears. Another layer becomes the lungs, stomach and guts. The third layer becomes the heart, blood, muscles and bones.
The fifth week is the time of the first missed period, when most women are only just beginning to think that they might be pregnant. Yet already the baby’s nervous system is beginning to develop.
A groove forms in the top layer of the cells .the cells fold up and round to make a hollow tube. This is called the neural tube. It will become the baby’s brain and spinal cord, so the tube has a ‘head end ‘and a ‘tail end’. At the same time the heart is forming, and the baby already has some of its own blood vessels. A string of these blood vessels connect baby and mother and will finally become the umbilical cord.

WEEKS 6-7
There is now a large bulge where the heart is, and a bump for the head because the brain is developing. The heart begins to beat and can be seen beating on an ultrasound scan.
Dimples on the side of the head will become the ears, and there are thickenings where the eyes will be. On the body, bumps are forming, which will become muscles and bones, and small swelling called limb buds show where the arms and legs are growing.
At seven weeks, the embryo is about 8mm (1/4 in) long from head to bottom (or from ‘crown to rump’)

WEEKS 8-9
At this time, a face is slowly forming. The eyes are more obvious and have some color in them. There is a mouth with a tongue. There are now the beginnings of hands and feet, with ridges where the fingers and toes will be. The major internal organs are all developing-the heart, brain, lungs, kidneys, liver and gut.
At nine weeks, the baby is about 17mm (3/4in) long from head to bottom.

WEEKS 10-14
Just twelve weeks after conception, the fetus is fully formed. It has all its organs, muscles, limbs, and bones. From now on, it has to grow and mature.
The sex organs are now well developed. But at this early stage, it is impossible to make out the baby’s sex in an ultrasound picture.
The baby is already moving about, but the movement cannot yet be felt
By about fourteen weeks, the heartbeat is strong and can be heard using an ultrasound detector. The heartbeat is very fast –about twice as fast as a normal adult’s heartbeat. The baby is about 56mm(2 1/2in)long from head to bottom .the pregnancy may just be beginning to show, though may vary from woman to woman.

WEEKS 15-22
The baby is now growing quickly .he body and head are now more in proportion, the face begins to look more human, and the hair is beginning to grow, as well as eyebrows and eyelashes. The eyelids still stay closed over the eyes.
The lines on the skin of the fingers are now formed, finger and toenails are growing, and the baby, has a firm hand grip.
At about the twenty-two weeks the baby becomes covered in a very fine, soft hair called lanugos .this finally disappears again before birth, although sometimes, just a little is left and disappears later.
At about the 18th-22nd week, you will feel your baby move for the first time. If this is your second baby you will feel it move earlier, at about the 14th to 16th week, after conception.
At first, you feel a fluttering, bubbling or a very slight shifting movement, maybe bit kike indigestion, later you can’t mistake the movements, and you can even see the baby kicking about. You can often guess which bump is a foot or a hand.
Make a note of the date you felt the first movement; it might also be used to check your expected date of delivery.

WEEKS 23-30
Now the baby is moving about vigorously and responds to touch and sound. Sometimes the baby may get hiccups, and you can feel the jerks of each hiccup. The baby may also begin to follow a pattern of sleeping and waking, which may often be different from yours. So when you go to bed at night, the baby wakes up and starts kicking.
The baby’s heartbeat can now be heard by your partner, when he puts his ears to your tummy .the baby is now covered by a white, greasy substance called vernix.this mostly disappears before birth.

WEEKS 31-40(or 42 for later birth)
At this stage the baby is growing plumper so the skin, which was quite wrinkled before, is now smoother. Both the vernix and the lanugos begin to disappear.
By about 32nd week ,the baby is usually lying head downwards ,ready for birth.Sometime,before birth the head may move down into the pelvis, and is said to be ‘ engaged’ ,but sometimes the baby’s head does not engage until labor has started.

how to prepare your body for pregnancy

Image via Wikipedia

A woman’s health and behavior in pregnancy affects the baby. A poor diet, some drugs, certain illnesses, smoking, alcohol…these and other things can hold back the baby’s development or even cause abnormalities. Most women know this, and the knowledge can be worrying

It is the early months of pregnancy that are especially important. In the twelve weeks after conception, all the baby’s organs are formed, including the brain .the nervous system, and the heart. Yet during this vital early time, you may not even know that you are pregnant.

So since no couple can know exactly when they will conceive, it makes sense to ‘prepare’ for pregnancy. Then you can be certain that from the moment of conception onwards you will be giving your baby the best possible chance of being healthy. And you will be less likely to be worried or anxious during pregnancy.

Some women don’t like the idea of’preparing’for pregnancy. They feel pregnancy is something that ought to happen without a lot of planning and they don’t want to think too much about it until it’s happened. A few even feel that if you think too much about it, it won’t happen. Other women feel that preparing for pregnancy is a good idea but, find it difficult to do. Giving up alcohol for the sake of your baby, for example is much easier once you know the baby is there.

Even if these are your feelings, read through, you may not follow all the advice, but there may still be one or two you may want to take before you try for a baby.

Stopping contraception

If you are taking the contraceptive pills, it is probably best to stop about three months before you try to conceive. A condom, spermicidal gel, a cap or sheath can be used instead of pills .the reason why many doctors suggest leaving a gap between stopping the pills and starting a baby is because the pill alters the amounts of certain substance in the blood. A gap allows you to get back to normal before you become pregnant.Also,if your monthly circle is back to normal before you conceive, then you can be very sure of you baby’s due date ,when you get pregnant.

If you use a coil, then it has to be taken out at the end of a period. Then there is no need to wait before you try to conceive.

Rubella (German measles)

If you catch rubella while you are pregnant, your baby can be severely damaged, especially if it is during the first 3months of pregnancy.

Rubella can damage the baby’s heart and nervous system and cause deafness and blindness. It can also be the cause of miscarriage and stillbirth.

What to do: make sure you are immune to rubella before you get pregnant. Most girls are now routinely vaccinated against rubella while they are at school, so it may be that you have already been vaccinated. You are also likely to be immune if you have had it before, but it is safe to take a blood test to be completely sure.

If you become pregnant before you are immunized, and then come into contact with someone who has it, do tell your doctor at once, he would tell you what next to do.

Stopping Smoking

Besides the harm that smoking does to your own health, it is known beyond any doubt that the smoking can hurt the developing baby.

Some people dispute this. Their own experience or that of others makes them doubt whether there is really any harm in smoking. The truth remains that smoking does harm the baby.

What to do: deciding to give up smoking, even for the sake of your baby isn’t always easy. Many women have to weigh up what for them are real advantages of smoking against what they know to be the dangers, and they find that the advantages can weigh heavily in the balance.

It will help you a lot if you can decide to stop with your partner, or with someone else who smokes. And even if your friends and family don’t smoke you will need their help and support.

Once you have decided to stop, you are half way there, now fix a date, and stick to it. So how do you do it?well,just throw out the cigarettes,lighters,matches,ashtrays and anything that reminds you or draw your attention to smoking and just STOP .

Find something to do with your hands, to replace holding a cigarette—knit, sew, doodle.

You can also find other ways of relaxing, like some deep breathing, a long bath, or go for a walk

Whenever you want a cigarette, do something, no matter what: eat an apple, sing, and drink water, anything but smoking.

But never sit still and think about how much you want to smoke

Get through one day and then another, eventually it begins to get easier and you begin to enjoy the advantages of not smoking-feeling healthier, having more money and so on.

Stopping alcohol

Just like smoking, drinking during pregnancy can affect the development of the baby, especially during the early weeks. Even when you drink moderately or a little, the alcohol that enters the blood stream passes into your baby’s bloodstream.

What to do: remember that, from conception onwards, the less you drink, the better your chances of a successful pregnancy and a healthy baby. It is true that if you limit yourself to just an occasional drink (not more than 1 or 2 units a week, the risk to your baby will be small. But it is safer to cut off alcohol completely.

Inherited abnormality

Just as characteristics like hair and eye colors passes on from generations to generation through the genes ,so also are certain abnormalities (in those who have them)can be genetically inherited. If either you or your partner have some sort of inherited conditions (such as sickle cell disease,haemophilia or cystic fibrosis, muscle dystrophy)or have a relative with such a condition, then you may want to know ,what sort of risk, if any, you would be taking by having a baby. Let your doctor know everything, this is not the time to hide anything. Your doctor might refer you to a genetic councellor,who can tell you much more about the sort of risk you would be taken.

AIDS

HIV is the virus that causes AIDS.

If you have this virus ,becoming pregnant can be dangerous for both you and the baby.

What to do: take a blood test to be sure of your status, and then your doctor will tell you what the risk are.

Although, there had been many reports of infected mothers having healthy babies, but it all starts before conception.

Other infections

It is really advisable to see your doctor for a general body checkup, before conception. Every sexually transmitted diseases, must be treated and other like candida, thrush and the lots should also be treated completely so as not to affect the baby.

What you eat

If you are already eating a healthy diet at the timer you conceive, you will be increasing your baby’s chances of being healthy at birth. Your developing baby depends solely on you for all its food the moment he is conceived, so if the mother’s diet is healthy, the baby is more likely to be healthy.

Also ask your doctors for good vitamins you can take while preparing for conception. For example, folic acid, is good taken, three months before conception and continued while pregnant, as prescribed by your doctor.

Hints And Tips For Dressing Babies

Snowsuits in August. Pullovers put on in reverse. Boots on the wrong feet. Once a toddler starts getting into the dressing act, there are plenty of fashion no-nos to come, and these are as inevitable as the squeals of 'I want to choose it myself'.

Nevertheless, self-dressing is an important part of your toddler growing up, and getting them involved in the whole process is a critical component of you letting go of at least some well-entrenched mothering/fathering instincts. It is quite possible to entice that involvement without creating some of the sorts of fashion howlers that will have all those other mums stifling their giggles in the high street!

Once we have spent twenty or thirty odd years in the habit of dressing ourselves, grown-ups tend to take the mechanics of self-dressing for granted. For toddlers, however, even the simplest components of dressing oneself can provide a significant challenge.

Help yours meet those obstacles with some straightforward dressing tips.Your child will find it considerably easier to differentiate the fronts to the backs of garments if, for example they only have designs on the front. When they don't, teach the toddler to look for the label, which is almost invariably in the back of an item of clothing.

Clothes that don't have labels can be marked with a laundry pen on the inside. (One cracking idea is to mark the inside with a 'B' - thus cunningly giving your young genius an early insight into the alphabet.) Boys will have a simpler time than girls when it comes to underwear, since pants and shorts come with a distinctive front; for girls, perhaps try to choose designs that have either a bow or some image or other to make the job simpler for them.

Arranging poppers or buttons starting at the bottom is the most straightforward way to ensure that they end up being the same all the way up to the top.

Since buttoning itself is beyond the fine-motor capabilities of most toddlers, you can begin teaching this act by demonstrating how you line up the bottom button with the bottom button hole.Let them practice buttoning, snapping and zipping skills on his or her own clothes and in addition provide some sort of book or doll that has poppers, laces and zips to practice on.

It's important to teach careful zipping, especially for boys, who run the risk of catching a particularly sensitive part of their body. Even if they are not doing the zipping themselves yet (but especially if they actually are) show them how to operate the zip well away from their skin.Matching the right shoe with the right foot (and left with left) is one of the hardest parts of dressing, and most children will still find this a challenge well beyond toddler-hood.

A way to help understand this process is firstly, to show that Velcro and buckles usually go towards the outside of the shoe. Secondly, you could draw a little picture on the inside and show your child that this always goes on the inside.

Or, thirdly, leaving the shoes laid out in ready-to-put on position will be a great help.Cold-weather clothingWhen it's below freezing outside, a hat is the best thing to keep a toddler warm, as a great deal of body heat can be lost through a bare head. Insist that it's worn when temperatures plummet, and it may help if you wear a hat yourself.

Also have a scarf around their neck to keep that warm.Layering is a good idea as your toddler needs to adapt between sitting in the pushchair and running around in the playground. Start with long thermal underwear, move to a turtle-neck, a cardigan and warm trousers. Or consider a fleece or sweatshirt. Then, finally the coat. Obviously you don't necessarily need all these layers, but this just gives you a guide. Wool is warming, but can irritate sensitive skin.Buy mittens (or gloves) in bulk.

These are absolutely essential in cold weather because fingers are prone to frostbite. Buy duplicate pairs, so that if one mitten goes missing, you can discard the mate. Carry spares along the way, so that you can replace lost or wet ones.Insulated boots are best for cold weather, rather than shoes; make sure they're waterproof and snug around the top.

Thermal socks will keep your toddler's feet extra comfortable rather than cotton ones that stay wet once wet.Warm-weather clothesWhen it's hot, light-coloured, lightweight clothing is the most comfortable.

When playing in the sun, though, tightly woven, darker fabrics protect against the sun better. If you're dressing your toddler lightly, put sunscreen on under the garments.

The Emotional and Physical Aspects of Sex after Childbirth

It can be hard to adjust to life with your new baby. You're in pain, exhausted and emotional, and you need to care for this new needy infant. But your infant isn't the only one with needs. Your husband wants your affection, too. When the right time to resume your sex life? And what are some of the obstacles facing new parents?


After nine months of pregnancy and grueling labour and delivery (or possibly a C-section), you've had your baby. Now you're home, and between constant feedings and sleepless nights, you feel more like a cow-zombie than a woman. Every waking moment is dedicated to your helpless, needy infant. But your baby isn't the only needy one. Your husband, anxious to resume life as it was pre-baby, wants to know when you're going to have sex again. And all you want … is a nap.

Post-Delivery Discomfort
After delivery, doctors tell most women that they cannot have sex for four to six weeks, and most husbands begin checking off their calendars, counting down, explains Dr. Sue Edbril, an Instructor in Psychology in the department of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, who also has a private practice specializing in women's issues. But sex is not on the minds of most new moms. Many new mothers are initially focused on pain either from an episiotomy or a C_section; these women cannot even urinate or sneeze without discomfort.

During this uncomfortable period, most moms should not be engaging in sex. Sara Mannix, a nurse practitioner in Watertown, MA, specializing in childbirth education, explains that while the length of waiting time may vary (often between four to six weeks), a woman should heal before resuming sexual activity. She advises waiting until the bleeding has stopped, as blood is a sign that your body has not yet healed. If a woman has had a C-section, considered major surgery, she will likely have a recovery time of about six weeks. Jenny Weaver, a nurse with Cambridge's Harvard Vanguard Women's Health and Obstetrics Department, agrees that there is no set time frame for waiting. How a woman heals depends on many factors, including the varying degrees of vaginal tearing and how long it takes her cervix to close again. In addition, "Many women just feel like they don't want to [have sex] until after they've seen their doctor," she says.

Medical issues aside, many new mothers simply aren't interested in sex or are afraid of the discomfort they will experience, explains Mannix. Moms need to prioritize every day, and sex can fall low on their "to do" lists.

"Sex didn't even cross my mind," confesses Carol*, the mother of a one year old, who had a particularly hard time getting back to her old self. The stitches from her episiotomy did not heal properly, and she was in a lot of pain. On top of her physical discomfort, her baby was colicky and she was exhausted. "I felt gross. I was bleeding and sweating. I showered twice a day. I just felt very unfresh. My husband asked, 'Are you ever going to want to have sex again?'"

The Battle for the Breast
While there is a major shift in the lives of new parents, the mother's life changes more dramatically than her spouse's. As their perception of their breasts changes from sex object to source of food and comfort, most new mothers' bodies feel more maternal than sexual, explains Dr. Edbril.
Leeann*, a mother of two-year-old twins, says she felt like a milk machine. "My priority was feeding. I was being touched all day. I didn't feel like my body was my own. The last thing I wanted was to be touched by one more person — to have another person wanting a piece [of me.]"

Dr. Edbril explains that the notion of sex is different for women than it is for men. Women need to feel emotionally connected to have sex, but "men use sex to feel close to their wives," she explains, and with their wives' decreased desires, tensions rise. To make matters worse for a husband, many of a woman's' intense emotional needs are met through breastfeeding and her connection to the baby. Husbands sometimes feel left out, as they cannot partake in nursing, says Edbril. Leeann recalls her husband feeling as though there was suddenly a barrier in front of him, "What was once [my husband's] was now someone else'

Breastfeeding can act as a barrier to sex in more than just the physical sense. Carol nursed for nine months and felt her libido diminish dramatically. Her doctor explained that breastfeeding causes estrogen levels to drop; estrogen affects not only the libido, but also the lining of the vagina, which for her became dry, making sex painful. Carol talked to her doctor about her discomfort, and he prescribed a vaginal cream, which helped her tremendously.

Resuming Sex
It could take months before a couple's sex life is back to normal, explains Mannix. Edbril estimates that it could take even longer – up to two years – and the "irony is that's when [a couple] starts thinking about baby number two." But Edbril believes that a couple should find more time together after about three months, when the baby sleeps for longer stretches. She offers some tips on how to resume a sexual relationship with your spouse:


Normalize the situation: You and your spouse both need to understand that your lack of sexual desire, and less frequent sex, is normal. Moms have had a disruption to their bodies. Their "energy has changed, and sex is a different experience," says Edbril.
Be realistic and think about what you are both looking for.
Figure out how to make that happen together.

"A big part of having a baby," states Edbril, "is mourning that life will never be the same." There is now a baby who needs constant attention, and the couples that adjust the best are those who accept, acknowledge, and embrace these life changes.

Couples can absolutely resume a normal sex life after having a baby. Leeann, who endured three months of sex-free bed rest while pregnant, resumed having sex with her husband only six weeks after giving birth. She admits to initially being scared about how sex would feel post delivery, but was shocked by how her vagina returned to normal.

"The good news is," laughs Carol "After all that, my sex life is better than ever!" She suggests that new parents be realistic about their new situations. Life has changed; most of your time is focused on your child. "Sometimes," she says, "You need to ignore the dishes, dirt, and laundry and just sit down and make the time to be together."

Hints And Tips For Dressing Babies

Swimming trunks in January. Snowsuits in August. Pullovers put on in reverse. Boots on the wrong feet. Once a toddler starts getting into the dressing act, there are plenty of fashion no-nos to come, and these are as inevitable as the squeals of 'I want to choose it myself'. Nevertheless, self-dressing is an important part of your toddler growing up, and getting them involved in the whole process is a critical component of you letting go of at least some well-entrenched mothering/fathering instincts.

It is quite possible to entice that involvement without creating some of the sorts of fashion howlers that will have all those other mums stifling their giggles in the high street!
Once we have spent twenty or thirty odd years in the habit of dressing ourselves, grown-ups tend to take the mechanics of self-dressing for granted. For toddlers, however, even the simplest components of dressing oneself can provide a significant challenge. Help yours meet those obstacles with some straightforward dressing tips.

Your child will find it considerably easier to differentiate the fronts to the backs of garments if, for example they only have designs on the front. When they don't, teach the toddler to look for the label, which is almost invariably in the back of an item of clothing.

Clothes that don't have labels can be marked with a laundry pen on the inside. (One cracking idea is to mark the inside with a 'B' - thus cunningly giving your young genius an early insight into the alphabet.) Boys will have a simpler time than girls when it comes to underwear, since pants and shorts come with a distinctive front; for girls, perhaps try to choose designs that have either a bow or some image or other to make the job simpler for them.

Arranging poppers or buttons starting at the bottom is the most straightforward way to ensure that they end up being the same all the way up to the top. Since buttoning itself is beyond the fine-motor capabilities of most toddlers, you can begin teaching this act by demonstrating how you line up the bottom button with the bottom button hole.

Let them practice buttoning, snapping and zipping skills on his or her own clothes and in addition provide some sort of book or doll that has poppers, laces and zips to practice on.

It's important to teach careful zipping, especially for boys, who run the risk of catching a particularly sensitive part of their body. Even if they are not doing the zipping themselves yet (but especially if they actually are) show them how to operate the zip well away from their skin.

Matching the right shoe with the right foot (and left with left) is one of the hardest parts of dressing, and most children will still find this a challenge well beyond toddler-hood. A way to help understand this process is firstly, to show that Velcro and buckles usually go towards the outside of the shoe. Secondly, you could draw a little picture on the inside and show your child that this always goes on the inside. Or, thirdly, leaving the shoes laid out in ready-to-put on position will be a great help.

Cold-weather clothing
When it's below freezing outside, a hat is the best thing to keep a toddler warm, as a great deal of body heat can be lost through a bare head. Insist that it's worn when temperatures plummet, and it may help if you wear a hat yourself. Also have a scarf around their neck to keep that warm.

Layering is a good idea as your toddler needs to adapt between sitting in the pushchair and running around in the playground. Start with long thermal underwear, move to a turtle-neck, a cardigan and warm trousers. Or consider a fleece or sweatshirt. Then, finally the coat. Obviously you don't necessarily need all these layers, but this just gives you a guide. Wool is warming, but can irritate sensitive skin.

Buy mittens (or gloves) in bulk. These are absolutely essential in cold weather because fingers are prone to frostbite. Buy duplicate pairs, so that if one mitten goes missing, you can discard the mate. Carry spares along the way, so that you can replace lost or wet ones.


Insulated boots are best for cold weather, rather than shoes; make sure they're waterproof and snug around the top. Thermal socks will keep your toddler's feet extra comfortable rather than cotton ones that stay wet once wet.

Warm-weather clothes
When it's hot, light-coloured, lightweight clothing is the most comfortable. When playing in the sun, though, tightly woven, darker fabrics protect against the sun better. If you're dressing your toddler lightly, put sunscreen on under the garments.

Month 5 Worry: How & When to Start Solid Feedings

Is it time to vary your five-month-old's diet? Our pediatrician explains how to introduce Baby's first foods, and why it's important to wait until now.


Every parent has a number of magical parenting moments pre-programmed in his or her brain even before the baby is born. Watching your child's first step, having your first phone conversation, letting go of the two-wheel bicycle for the first time as your child rides away—all are common, wonderful parenting expectations. The first feeding is one of those seminal events most of us are counting on. Is the timing of that first feed important?

What's the Issue?
Most pediatricians think the answer is yes. Many babies have the oromotor (chewing and swallowing) skills to handle solid foods at three to four months of age, but development has little to do with the timing of solid food introduction these days.

What we know is that the introduction of simple solids at about six months of age reduces your baby's risk of developing food allergies later on in childhood. Too early raises the risk, too late and your child's risk is raised as well.

Consider the Numbers

In 2007, the incidence of peanut allergy is about one out of every 100 school-aged children (about two million kids in the United States). This incidence has about doubled in the past decade. Why? There are brilliant physicians and scientists who have devoted their lives to studying this issue and even they don't understand the "why."


The eight most common allergens which make up 90 percent of all childhood food allergies are: milk, egg, peanut, tree nut, wheat, soy, fish, and shellfish. Since babies don't eat much in the way of solids, we see milk and soy allergy as the big problem in young infants.


Signs and symptoms of anaphylaxis (a severe, potentially fatal allergic reaction) can occur anywhere from within minutes of exposure to a food to two hours after exposure.


Approximately five percent of the pediatric population under age three has a diagnosed food allergy.

What Parents Can Do
When starting Baby on solid foods, most doctors recommend beginning at six months with cereals first, followed by fruits and veggies. Add new foods in one at a time, a new food every five days or so. By adding foods individually, you will know what the culprit is if an infant food reaction should occur. Signs to look for would be rash, vomiting, difficulty breathing, or blood in the stool.

What the Doctors May Do
The diagnosis of food allergy is usually clinical, made by a practitioner who takes a careful history of your family's allergies and your child's specific reaction, and performs a complete physical exam. In infants, the treatment is usually food avoidance for an extended period of time. In some instances, bloodwork or skin testing may be recommended. Talk to your pediatrician if you think your child may be showing signs of food allergy.

More 5th Month Health Help
Even the most confident parent has concerns about her child's health and wellness from time to time. Learn more about which medical issues are most common at each baby age, here. (If you have any pressing concerns or questions about your baby's health, please check with her healthcare provider.)

18 Checklist For Your Baby-Sitter

Leaving your baby with a sitter for the first time can be stressful enough without worrying about whether you are leaving him or her with the right person in the right place .but you can make it less stressful and uncomfortable by leaving down some intrusions for the sitter no matter who the person is.

Even the best-trained, most experienced baby-sitter needs instructions (after all, every baby and every family) has different needs).before you leave your baby with anyone make certain that he or she is familiar with the following:

•How your baby is most easily calmed (rocking, a special song, a favorite toy, a ride in the baby carrier e.t.c)

•what your baby’s favorite toy is

•that your baby should sleep face up with no pillows or comforters

•how your baby is best burped (over the shoulders, on the lap, after feeding, during feeding)

•how to diaper and clean baby (do you use wipes or cotton balls? an ointment for diaper rash?)And where diapers supplies are kept

•where extra clothing is kept in case the one baby is wearing gets soiled

•how to give the feeding bottle, if your baby is bottle fed or is to get a supplement of formula or expressed milk.

•what your baby can and can’t eat or drink (making it clear that no food, drink, or medicine should be given to your baby without your consent or that of the doctors

•any habits or character of your child that the sitter might not expect

•the habits of any pets you may have and also rules concerning the baby and he pets

•baby safety rules, you might want to photocopy one and paste it in an obvious place for the sitter

•where the first aid kit is located

•where the flash lights or candles are located, in case of sudden power cut

•on who to or not to allow into the house when you are out

•what to do in case the fire alarm goes off, or smoke or fire is observed(or even burglar

YOU SHOULD ALSO LEAVE THE FOLLOWING FOR THE BABY-SITTER

•important phone numbers(your cell phone or pager number(and that of your husband, if necessary)or place you can be reached, your parents, a friend or neighbor who can be reached, the baby’s doctor, the ambulance,the police and fire service

•cab fare in case of unexpected emergencies

•a signed consent form authorizing medical care within specific limits, if you cannot be reached8this should be worked out in advance with baby’s doctor

It will be very helpful and relaxing to combine this entire list in a paper for the sitter.

11 Stressless Tips to Flatten Abdomen

Are you feeling bloated?

1.Try drinking warm water, said Gillian McKeith, a holistic nutritionist and author of "You Are What You Eat" and "Food Bible: How to Use Food to Cure What Ails You." She recommends drinking a glass of room temperature water before meals and make sure you only take little sips. However, avoid ice-cold water. McKeith said it will give you gas.

2.Chomp on some celery. McKeith said celery contains sodium and potassium needed for water balance.
3.Chicory will also help relieve bloating. It contains prebiotocs that feed 'good bacteria' to your stomach, according to McKeith.
4.Miso soup will not only warm you up on a cold day - but miso also contains enzymes that help with proper digestion.
5.Go for some raw sauerkraut. McKeith said this traditional German food contains enzymes and beneficial bacteria that help with digestion.
6.Have a bowl of brown rice or millet. Both contain fiber, which helps to encourage good bacteria as well as bowel function.
7.Throw some ground flax seed into your morning smoothie. Flax seeds contain fiber that soothes and lubricates the intestines, according to McKeith. And remember, to fight bloat always avoid refined carbohydrates, alcohol, dairy products, salt, spices, caffeine and processed or packaged foods.
8.One large banana contains about 602 milligrams of potassium, which helps beat bloat by regulating the bodies sodium levels.
9.Eating ginger or drinking ginger tea will help you beat bloat by easing digestion. Ginger also contains the compounds ginerols, which ease stomach bloat.
10.Parsley is a natural diuretic and can be easily sprinkled on anything from your morning eggs to your dinner potato.
11.Besides being sweet and juicy, pineapple contains the bromelain, an enzyme that eases digestion and helps beat bloat.

9 Ways to Make Your Baby Laugh

Bliss on the brain
Don't bother trying to keep things new and exciting -- nothing pleases your baby more than knowing what's going to happen next, says Jill Stamm, Ph.D., author of Bright From the Start. A regular nap schedule, a nightly cuddle, and your singing "You Are My Sunshine" for the hundredth time will keep him content. Happiness is that simple when you're tiny. (Hey, he hasn't even heard of the economy yet.)

Totally pacified
Sucking is your baby's most instinctive survival reflex, designed to get him nutrition. But even after his tummy's satisfied, his urge to suck may not be. That can make him cranky -- unless you let him go to town on a paci or his fingers (both are perfectly okay). His sense of calm will be restored

Put on a happy face
Your baby loves looking at you. Loves it. Loves it like you love looking at her (or Hugh Jackman, whatever). So flash her a goofy grin and open your eyes wide so she knows exactly what happy looks like. Play peekaboo. Lean in close and kiss her nose. Whatever gets your smiling face in her field of vision will be a thrill.

And...reach!
Stretching doesn't just feel good to adults. Try this stretch for some all-over happy, from Nicole Netelkos, owner of Om Baby Yoga in Point Pleasant Beach, NJ: With your baby on her back on a blanket, gently extend her left leg and right arm out from her body. Next, hug her right knee up to her chest and gently move it toward her left side. Repeat the moves with the opposite limbs

Soothe his stomach
Calm tummies make for contented babies, so if yours howls like he's in pain or draws his knees to his chest, especially after a meal, a stomachache could be taking its toll on his still-developing digestive system. To ease baby gas pains: Lay your baby facedown on your lap, so there's pressure on his belly, and pat his back. Or lay him on his back and pedal his legs in the air. Aah, relief (sometimes stinky).

Drier is better
No matter how quickly you swoop in on a dirty diaper, your baby will probably end up with diaper rash at some point. But you can bring the smiles back quickly by applying a zinc oxide ointment to irritated areas; it heals the rash and forms a barrier against wetness to prevent another one. And really, who doesn't feel happy with a warm, dry bum?

Handy trick
By 3 or 4 months, most babies are able to grab things, and get a kick out of clutching something in their little paws. A shockingly easy way to get a giggle: Hold something colorful and soft just in front of your baby, let her reach for it, then hand it over.

Baby steps
Even pre-walkers get a kick out of putting their legs to the test: Hold your baby under his arms and bounce him between a mini -- obstacle course of overturned laundry baskets and boxes; when he lands, let him put some weight on his legs before whisking him off to the next stop. It's a just-wild-enough ride to put your baby in a good mood.
Feel-good feet
Even though your baby doesn't have sore tootsies, she'll still be delighted when you give her feet a massage, since your gentle touch feels good and the massage will relax her. For a quickie foot rubdown, apply gentle pressure to each of your baby's tiny toes, then rub the palm of your hand in a circular motion on her heels. Press your thumbs up and down across the soles of her feet, then finish up with a kiss for each big toe

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By Melody Warnick, a mom of two

8 Ways Your Baby Says I Love You

BIRTH TO 6 MONTHS: Born to Love
Let's be real. Babies this little are not going to give you the kind of feedback you might desperately wish for after that grueling labor and those sleepless nights. But as you and your baby get to know each other, you'll get glimmers that a bond is forming, and that can be more meaningful than a big declaration of love. "Attachment is a process," says Debbie Laible, Ph.D., a professor of psychology at Lehigh University. When you take care of your baby, he falls more in love with you every day, and says thanks in his own baby ways:

Smiling, even for a split second.
You know those people who say that your baby's early smiles are just gas or an involuntary reflex? Don't listen to them. Recent research indicates that an infant's grin may mean a lot more. The goofy newborn smiles may be your baby reflecting your own smile. He's instinctively building a bond with you.
The first true social smiles start brightening moms' days between 6 and 8 weeks. Your baby may smile when he sees your face -- or Dad's or a big sib's. He's starting to associate your face with feeling good. The bond deepens!

Staring at you, so intently it's practically rude.
Right from birth, a baby can recognize his mother's face, voice, and smell, says Laible. The next step is linking those sounds and smells he trusts with something he can see. That's why he'll start studying your face as if he's trying to memorize it. In a way, he is. He's making sure he knows what comfort -- and love -- looks like. So next time you catch your baby's eyes locked on you, give him time to drink you in.

6 TO 12 MONTHS: Expressing that emotion
This is when it starts to get really fun. Babies past the 6-month mark are a lot more aware of the world around them and are developing new abilities practically every day. So your baby can now show her big-time affection for you in some pretty adorable ways:
Holding up her arms so you'll pick her up.
Kerry Smith recently noticed that her 6-month-old son, Leo, has a new way of expressing whom he wants the most. "When someone else is holding him and I walk up, he'll twist his body toward me and hold out his arms," says the Prescott Valley, AZ, mom of three.
Many babies adore being held right from the start, but it takes about six months until they have the physical and cognitive abilities to ask for a pick-me-up. It's a body-language expression of how much they've come to trust and adore their parents. And it can be enough, especially on one of those endless days, to make your heart lurch, too.

Smooching (sort of).
Sometime around a year old, your baby might start giving kisses -- and they probably won't be chaste pecks. Expect wet and sloppy ones that land (sometimes hard!) on whatever part of you is closest. "When I ask my daughter Evvi for a smooch, she crunches up her nose, tilts back her head, and then swoops up to my face and plants her lips on mine," VA. "She totally melts my heart!"
Evvi's enthusiasm shows she's been paying attention to the way her mom shows affection, and she wants to do the same, says Richard Gallagher, Ph.D., director of the Parenting Institute at the NYU Child Study Center. Babies are eager learners when it comes to physical affection, and there's no one they'd rather practice on than Mom and Dad.

Bouncing, wiggling, and cheering for you.
The way your baby acts when she sees you after a few hours -- or a few minutes? You'd be forgiven for thinking you're a bit of a rock star. This glee isn't just cute; it's a sign of the deep attachment that's grown between you.
On the flip side are your baby's wails of distress when you leave. It's part of her development, and she'll learn that you always come back. She understands object permanence now (you exist even when you're not around), so it's rough for her to know that the object of her affection is out there, and not here to snuggle.
Babies this age do their emotions big, so whether it's heartbreak that you're gone or earthshaking excitement that you're back, one thing is clear: You are loved. By a tiny, crazy little person, yes, but loved.

12 TO 20 Months: Mom totally rocks
As your baby goes from blob to bright-eyed to whirlwind, the way he shows his love gets more complicated, too. In the early toddler stage, your child is exploring his little world and testing boundaries, and he relies on you -- yep, because he loves you -- to help him. It's a busy time for a toddler, and that's why the ways he expresses his love can seem indirect:
Doing what you do.
Whoever said imitation is the sincerest form of flattery must have known a toddler or two. Whether he's lugging a briefcase down the stairs or cooing over a baby doll, he's definitely showing how cool he thinks you are. Like all people -- adults included! -- toddlers imitate the activities and behaviors of the people they love most, says Laible

Making a beeline for you when he's hurt.
When Emily Cook of Calgary, Alberta, gets a scrape or a sniffle, nothing makes her feel better like rocking on her mom's lap. The fact that your toddler runs to you for comfort -- and then can dry his eyes and run off -- means he loves and needs you.
Of course, you may also notice that your kid doesn't have to be that hurt to come to you wailing. Even a minor accident can make for big drama if Mom's around to see it. "Emily puts on this pout, coupled with dramatic sniffling. Then she throws in a big, unblinking stare that says 'Poor me!'?" says her mom, Heather. Yes, there's a plea for attention in there, but it really does make your baby feel better to get proof that you love him as much as he loves

Reserving bad behavior just for you.
What mom hasn't heard "He was an angel!" when picking up a toddler from a sitter, then witnessed downright devilish behavior mere minutes later? Toddlers test limits with abandon -- but most often with those people they love and trust. This isn't exactly the warmest, fuzziest way your child will say he loves you. But that's exactly what he's doing. "You know you've done your job well if he can hold it together in public but saves his blowups for you," says Elizabeth Short, Ph.D., professor of psychology at Case Western Reserve University. "He knows that you're safe -- he can act up and you'll still love him." You may never welcome a meltdown, but at least you can stop thinking your thrashing, screaming toddler is out to get you. He isn't. He just loves you sooo much.

Meagan Francis, a mom of four, is the author of Table for Eight: Raising a Large Family in a Small-Family World

More On Teething

What has the ability to turn your normally cheerful baby into a grouch? One of the most likely answers is teething. Teething can begin as early as three months and you will likely see your baby's first tooth sometime between four and seven months.

Signs that Baby is Teething
hile some babies are so easygoing that the first sign of teething is the appearance of a tooth, most babies display signs of discomfort. Clues that your baby is teething include:
Primary Symptoms
Drooling - You may want to keep a good supply of bibs on hand!

Irritability - Crankiness is common and it may be difficult to console a teething baby.

Swollen gums - Your baby's gums are likely to become engorged before the teeth emerge.

Waking at night - Babies who were sleeping well at night may now awaken a number of times.

Biting and chewing - Teething babies often gnaw on everything that they can get into their mouths -- toys, teething rings, and your fingers!

Secondary Symptoms
Rash - Some babies experience a bit of a rash or chapped skin on their faces, necks, or chest resulting from excessive drooling. Try to keep baby as dry as possible and coat irritated areas with a light layer of petroleum jelly to aid healing.

Diarrhea - Although not all babies experience tummy upsets when teething, some do.

Teething-related diarrhea is usually mild and clears up quickly on its own. Consult your baby's doctor about persistent diarrhea, since it is not likely to be due to teething.
Fever - Some babies run a slight fever when teething. Administering acetaminophen or ibuprofen will bring down fever and relieve pain. Again, it is best to check with your baby's doctor about specific concerns regarding fever and the administration of medication.

What to Expect
Typically, the first teeth to emerge will be the central incisors, located on the bottom, in front. The four upper front teeth (central and lateral incisors) usually follow within a month or two, and about a month after their appearance the lower lateral incisors (on each side of the center two teeth) will come in. Once the first eight teeth are in place, a few molars will appear and then the eyeteeth. By the time that babies celebrate their third birthdays, they usually have 20 primary teeth. While this scenario is most common, each child varies a bit and this is usually no cause for concern. If you have questions about your child's teeth, it is a good idea to consult with your GP or a pediatric dentist.
Easing the Pain
Each of us has a different tolerance for pain, and babies are no exception. Some babies sail through teething with barely an outward symptom while others appear to be in considerable pain. In addition to the pain relieving medications mentioned above, there are several other things that can help to make your baby more comfortable. Teething gels are widely available and may provide temporary relief. A good supply of icy teething rings will come in handy since cold helps to numb the gums. Many parents find that giving babies a frozen, wet washcloth to chew on is the best solution.

Cautions
Old fashioned methods of easing the discomfort associated with teething are often unsafe. Never attach a teething ring to a baby's clothing or tie it around baby's neck with a ribbon as both can cause strangulation. Also, never place an aspirin on a baby's gums since aspirin is not safe for babies and children. The same can be said for the age old custom of rubbing whiskey on a baby's gums. This is a definite no!

Caring for those Pearly Whites
Start a practice of good oral hygiene as soon as your baby's first tooth emerges. Clean it at least twice a day using a soft washcloth or soft, baby toothbrush. There is no need for toothpaste; clear water will do just fine. Once your baby is old enough to follow instructions, you may choose a fluoride toothpaste, but use just a pea sized dollop and supervise brushing so that your child learns to spit out the toothpaste, rather than swallowing it.
You should schedule an initial visit with a pediatric dentist before your child's second birthday. The dentist will help your toddler to learn proper brushing and flossing techniques, assuring a bright, healthy smile!

Breastfeeding A Teething Baby

Many new mothers tell me that they plan to nurse their babies for six months, or until they get teeth. With the AAP (American Academy of Pediatrics) now recommending nursing for at least a year, it makes sense to re-examine our ideas about breastfeeding babies with teeth. I have had two babies out of six who got teeth at four months, so if I had weaned them at that stage, they wouldn’t have been able to nurse for long at all.

Most babies will cut their first teeth sometime around six months. Usually the first teeth come in fairly easily, accompanied by a lot of drooling and chewing everything he can get his hands on. Cutting teeth may make your baby’s gums swollen and sore, and he may chew on the nipple just as he chews on everything else to relieve his discomfort. The first molars, cut at about a year, tend to cause the most discomfort .The very first tooth, and the second one that will follow it soon afterwards, will be bottom front teeth. It will probably be months before the matching top teeth come in, so even if he tries, he can’t really bite effectively (closing the top teeth against the bottom teeth) for a while. That doesn’t mean that a bite won’t be uncomfortable with one or two bottom teeth, however. We’ll discuss why some babies bite, how to prevent biting, and what to do if you do get bitten.

By the way, baby’s teeth come in a particular order, but at widely varying ages and intervals. Early teething doesn’t mean your baby will be advanced intellectually, and late teething doesn’t mean he’ll be slow in other areas.

Many babies never ever bite at all, and most who try it once usually respond to your startled reaction by never doing it again. With some babies, it is a little harder to break the habit, but all babies, no matter how old, can learn not to bite.

A baby who is latched on and nursing properly cannot bite the breast. If the nipple is positioned far back in his mouth, and his lips and gums are positioned about an inch behind the nipple on the areola, then his tongue will cover his gums, between his lower teeth and your breast. If he is actively nursing, he can’t bite – and if he is biting, he can’t be actively nursing at the same time. He should never really close his teeth on the breast while nursing, but his upper teeth will occasionally cause an imprint on the areola due to slight pressure exerted during feedings. This usually occurs with older babies, and is seldom painful. If it is uncomfortable, you can take him off and re-latch him. That will usually take care of the problem.

Here are some tips on how to prevent biting:

Check to see that he is latched on correctly. Make sure his mouth is open wide, and pull him in closely so the nipple is far back in his mouth. Sometimes after he has been nursing awhile, he gets sleepy and the nipple pulls back in his mouth, and he may bite reflexively as he feels the nipple slipping away.

Biting is most likely to occur when your baby is full and loses interest in nursing, toward the end of a feeding. Watch him closely for signs that he is ready to stop the feeding, so you can take him off before he bites.

Sometimes babies bite to get your attention. As he gets older, you tend to talk on the phone, read, or watch TV while nursing instead of focusing on your baby. Try to maintain eye contact, speak to him, and touch him while he is nursing. This way he will know he has your attention, and he will be less likely to bite. You will also be more likely to recognize signs that he is ready to end the feeding if you are paying attention to him.

Watch closely for cues that he is done with a feeding. Some babies will start to fidget, pull off the breast and look around, or even tense their jaws right before they clamp down. Learn to read his signals.

Don’t try to force him to nurse. The one time I got bitten that I really remember (and this is with nursing six babies) was during a breastfeeding class I was teaching when my youngest was seven months old. He was getting a little antsy, so I decided to put him on he breast to settle him down for a few minutes while I finished my talk. He was not at all interested in nursing, and bit down hard enough to break the skin. Then he grinned at me like he had done something really funny. I jumped about three feet off the chair, which my audience found vastly amusing. It was a great visual aid to demonstrate biting in a teething infant, but I was sore for days. By the way, he nursed for years after that and never bit me again.

Minimize distractions by dimming lights, turning off the TV, playing soothing music, or lying down in a quiet room. These techniques may help your baby settle down to nurse without biting.

Sometimes babies will clamp down on the nipple if their nose is congested and it is difficult for them to breathe. If they don’t have a clear airway, they may not suck effectively, and the nipple may fall forward in their mouth. Check with your doctor for treatment options if your baby has nasal congestion that is interfering with breastfeeding.

Try to keep your milk supply plentiful. Sometimes babies will bite out of frustration when your supply falls and the milk isn’t flowing as freely as they are used to. This can also occur when you have plugged ducts. (See article on “Breast Infections and Plugged Ducts” and “Increasing Your Milk Supply”).

If your baby does bite you, your natural response is to exclaim loudly and pull him away from the breast. This will usually startle him, and he will release the nipple and react with surprise. Often his feelings will be hurt and he will begin to cry. This is negative reinforcement that immediately follows the behavior you want to discourage, and is often enough to keep him from ever biting again. Some very sensitive babies will be so upset by your reaction that they will temporarily refuse to nurse altogether. See the article on “Nursing Strike” for tips on how to get him back on the breast.

Here are some tips on what to do if your baby bites you:

You do not want to pull him off your breast, although that is your natural reaction. Instead, pull him in close to you. His nose will be pressed against your breast and he will open his mouth so he can breathe. This is better than pulling him off, because then the nipple is stretched out while he is clamping down on it, and you may cause more pain and damage to the tissue than the bite itself. You can also slip your finger in between his gums or teeth to get him to open his mouth and let go of the nipple.

Stop the feeding immediately if he bites you. Even a very young infant can learn that if he wants to nurse, he can’t bite. If he is teething, offer him something to teethe on, such a teething toy, a cold washcloth, a frozen bagel or banana (if he is eating solids), a breastmilk popsicle or a knuckle (my baby’s favorite). Talk to your doctor before using the over the counter teething preparations. These products numb the gums and tongue, but only for a few seconds. Sometimes this numbing effect can make breastfeeding more difficult rather than easier. If he tends to bite at the beginning of a feeding, offer him a teething substitute before the feeding. Very young babies can learn that some things are appropriate to bite down on, but your nipple isn’t one of them.

If your baby continues to bite, you may want to tell him in a firm voice, “No, that hurts Mommy!” and set him down on the floor. He won’t like it, but he will quickly learn that if he wants to nurse, he can’t bite. Be sure to comfort him after a few seconds, but don’t continue to let him nurse if he bites.

Some older babies like to try to look around the room while they are nursing. This means that they turn their head while the nipple is clamped between their gums or teeth. Try to minimize distractions, but if he tries to turn his head while nursing, put your index finger in his mouth immediately. He will soon learn that when he turns away, he loses the nipple.

Sometimes older babies (Nine months or older) just decide to wean themselves. I had three babies wean before they were a year old. They were ready, but I wasn’t. A baby who consistently bites every time you try to nurse him, in spite of trying all the above suggestions, may be telling you that he is done with nursing. Babies younger than nine months will rarely wean themselves. There is very little you can do if a baby decides to wean, because it is just about impossible to make a baby nurse if he really doesn’t want to. I suggest that with babies of any age, (but especially those twelve months or younger) you try to encourage them to continue breastfeeding because of the many nutritional, emotional, and immunological benefits. Sometimes a baby who is not feeling well, whose mouth is sore due to teething or thrush, or who is emotionally upset over something will temporarily wean (see article on “Nursing Strikes”) but this is rarely permanent. If, in spite of all your best efforts to keep him nursing, your baby decides to wean, you can feel good about the time he did nurse, and know that he chose to end the nursing relationship when he was ready to move on to the next developmental stage.