Colic is one of the most common problems in babies during the first few months. The problem is so common that parents already know how to deal with it even before it occurs. Ways in dealing with colic have been passed on for generations through of mouth or through baby books and digests.

Colic is a problem that everybody seem to know but few can understand. In fact, up until now, scientists and medical experts are not able to decipher what causes colic. All they know is that it is characterized by a pain in the stomach and abdominal area; but where this problem roots from… well that’s something that they are still trying to determine.

Many believe that colic is genetic. This means that parents who suffered from colic when they were babies will also produce babies who will also have colic. Some put the blame on allergens that babies get from their food or from the breast milk that their mommies give them. Others think that colic is just gas that gets stuck inside the still developing systems of the baby.

Colic begins as early as three weeks of age. For premature babies, onset will be a little later because their bodies have not yet developed. Colic episodes will peak at around second month of age and will begin to decline on the third month. Often, episodes will cease during the fourth month of the baby.

Colic symptoms are so obvious that it is impossible for parents miss them. In fact, some sings are so “in-your-face” that parents sometimes tend to panic because of fear that something more major is happening. Colic is actually not a serious problem in babies. Unlike in horses when it is considered to be an emergency and matter of life and death, colic in babies will just cease on their own. Of course, it is important that you also know what differentiates a colic episode from something that is really major. What you think is just colic can be something already serious.

This is why it is also important that you consult your pediatrician when colic starts to ensure that it is really colic that you are dealing with. Since there are no tests that can pinpoint to colic, the most that doctors can do is to exclude other possible causes of crying and screaming episodes. Among the problems that may cause the same reactions are intestinal blockage, infection in the abdomen, an ear infection and sometimes even a scratch in the baby’s eye. Other reasons are obstruction in the digestive tracts, hernia and problems in the bowel.
Since there is really no specific cause of colic, treating or curing colic is impossible. The only thing that parents can do is to make sure that their babies become as comfortable as possible when they are suffering from a colic episode. One of the things that you can do is to walk your baby and to wrap him or her up in a swaddling. You can also have him listen to some soothing music that will calm him down during an episode. It is important that you do not overfeed your baby, something which most parents will do when their babies cry. Also, check with your pediatrician if your baby is allergic to some foods or liquids that he is taking in. Sometimes allergens that can cause colic can be passed from the mom to the child through breast milk.

A colic is a child that has excessive crying phases during the day or night and they make parents aware about their responsibilities of having a child and taking care.

No drugs help a colic baby. The parents just have to face it and adapt to the baby getting used to the new environment and they can just use some natural remedies in trying to soothe the colic baby. The simplest remedy would be to use soft and soothing music to lull the baby. You can just put a speaker in the baby’s room and play a soft soothing song for the child to relax and sleep comfortably.

The other natural remedy would be eating right. Since the child solely relies on mother’s milk. The mother’s diet can make the child unsettled. Here the dietician can help Mother to produce milk without the side effects of producing milk and soothing the baby and make them comfortable.

If breastfeeding is not an issue you will need to find what is making the child colic and if the concentrated milk is the cause you can try soymilk or any other supplement.

The water is also the main ingredient of the child and some parents do not feed water to their babies for few months. You can contact your pediatrician to start feeding water to the child.

Usually the colic baby when carried is comforted and relaxes. If the mother has hard time to carry the baby they can take the baby into the carriage and take them for a walk. The motion will put them to sleep.

A warm bath, massage or aromatherapy can help baby relax. Bear in mind that the children also suffer from stress and this is the best way to make them relax. You can also give them warm water bath. The new environment also plays an important part in child being colic. They are so cocooned into their mother’s womb that getting used to outside world takes time for some babies. The babies need to adjust to the outside world.

Of course this all may not work at all and the parents should not worry much as over time the results will show. If it is a very sever case you can opt for medicine available for colic babies. For this you need to consult the pediatrician and administer the proper medication.

Parents should not panic if the child is classified as colic. This is because it is not a disorder and this is a good indication that the baby is normal. Both the mother and father should be ready for some hard days ahead since there will be a lot of sleepless nights and making one feel very exhausted.

Baby shower can be lots of fun for the mother to be. This is the time when she can be made important and she does not have to go out and buy things for her baby. If you have a close friend or a family member who is pregnant and you want to throw a baby shower for her. It can be fun planning the party. You can take the help of your friend to give you the list of people she would want to invite. But if you want to keep the thing a surprise you can do so but be careful too much of surprise is not good or she can go into labor.

1) Making the list of Guests
When making the list, remember to include all the family members and close friends. At least give them a chance to attend the party if they wish to.
2) Games
Plan to enjoy and make everyone happy by playing some fun games and pass out some great prizes. Here is the list of games which can be played at baby showers.

Mommy’s belly- Make the mother-to-be in the middle and let the people guess the size of her belly. Then you can give the prize to the person who guessed correct or the closest.

Guess the nursery rhyme- You can pass the sheet of nursery rhymes and they would try to finish it. This can be fun as it will make everyone remember it.

Memory- Here you can use the baby items which will be placed in a bin and the people have to guess as many as possible. Here you can allow the guests to look in the bin for a few seconds and then let them mke the list on apiece of paper. The person with the most correct answers wins.
Did you say Baby Game?- Every guest gets a pin when he/she says baby and the person with the most
pins wins the prize.

Baby Food Tasting – You can have a variety of baby food prepared in a jar and place the number on the bottom of the jar. All the people get the chance to try out the food and they have to guess what exactly that is. The person who guesses the most wins the prize.

Have a great baby shower and don’t forget to bring a gift.

The pregnancy in a lady changes all the facets of life. Mainly the body changes, the clothes do not fit and your looks also alter. Since you feel everything changing you do not want to enjoy all what is happening around you. And especially holidays like Halloween.

The pregnancy does not stop you from dressing up. For Halloween buying a dress for yourself or make one is always fun. The markets are filled with clothes for Halloween either for a single person or a couple.

The pregnant woman can go dressed like a baker, oven or an egg etc and the outfits available are very cute and if you want to you can make them at home with a little bit of creativity. If you are a creative person you can make your own costume and it can be fun designing them. Even if you are not very creative you can always check the internet for some ideas on how to make a costume. Few of the ideas are given for your reference.

The eyeball: Wear black clothes and paint your stomach white and draw the eyes blood shot and some veins to make it look scary. You can wear a small shirt or a shirt tucked up and showing of your tummy. This will look so cute and you will enjoy yourself immensely.

If you do not want to stand out in the crowd try wearing a pumpkin dress. You can cut slits into your shirt and paint it orange and show your stomach. To finish the effect make a green cap.

Get a green jeans and a sweat shirt for a pea. This costume will look great and will keep you warm. You can keep the shirt up or cut a hold and you will look like a small pod. Paint it green.
If you are not in the mood for the costume, you can just show off your stomach by painting it.

You can think of many other styles and design. But if you always wear witches dress on Halloween you can do so this year too as the witches can also be mothers. This year you can go a pregnant witch and you can make your stomach look like a pumpkin.

A bun in the oven is another great idea. Take a box and cut it and slide your head through it and cut the box in the front and you can paint the message “Bun in the Oven”. Paint your stomach for everyone to see.

Announcing a pregnancy to the family and friends can be fun. Some of them wait for certain time to pass and some want to tell everyone immediately.

Telling The Father

For daddy to be, you can arrange a romantic dinner which may be your last time for a long time to come. What with morning sickness and taking care of the baby you may not find time to have the romantic dinner. At the end you can drink apple juice instead of wine and give him the baby bib or booties.

If the father is away send him a parcel with the baby items in it and a baby name book in the middle. It will be fun to see his confusion and how much time he takes to realize. You can pick up baby items from the discount or dollar stores. Start laying the baby items at a place he likely to be and if at the end of the week prepare for a big gift and give it him with a big sign saying Hi Daddy!
Telling Family and Friends

It is easier to announce to the family and friends about your pregnancy. You can just wear a T-shirt with the message saying “Baby on Board” or a “Bun in the Oven” on it and all of them will know it. You will be mobbed and be prepared for the questions.
If this is not your first baby you may want to call the grandparents and tell them. If this is the first child you can send the grandparents the T-shirt with a message as “grandma No. 1” This will be cherished by them forever.

When you are pregnant, you would want to pick the unusual and the best name for your baby. You will have to keep in mind the baby when he/she grows up, he/she should not hate their names or people should not make fun of their names. There are many things to consider before you pick the name for your baby.

Origin

You can gift a bit of history to the child. The family history like naming the child for his/her great grandfather or mother etc will be a best thing you can give your baby. The origin of the family will make them proud and they will cherish their name. The heritage also can be considered in choosing the name for the baby.

The Sound

Some names are hard to pronounce, not only for the child but for the adults too. Do not choose such names, as it will be difficult for the child to learn and he/she will hate it. The spelling should be simple enough or else it will be confusing for the child. The spelling should be simple and it should not be too long. The long spellings the children will not be able to learn it in the kindergarten and he can be the butt of all the jokes the other children will crack. Think of the child first and then decide. Choose a name that is unique but easy to spell and pronounce.

Meaning

The meaning of the name will make the child proud of his/her name. You may want to research on the names and its meanings. Also think of the positive meaning for the child as this will be the first thing in the child’s life after he/she is born.

Gender names

The Gender names are also important issues as there are many names which can go either way. So be careful what you choose. Think about the name and find out if they sound like a boy’s or girl’s and then choose.
Nicknames

When you have decided on the name make sure that it does not end up being called by the nickname. For this you will need to pick a name which cannot be shortened and is short in itself. Even though it can happen in the shorter names make sure you pick up the name of which the nickname you and your child will enjoy.

Always choose the name carefully, as children can be cruel and they can make your child cringe with rage if they have the names which can be converted into jokes for the other kids to trouble your kid. The child should be proud of her/his name and should not feel ashamed.

Of course, you cannot please everyone, but if you like the name, there are all the possibilities that your child will like it too and will be proud about it.

The process of breast feeding for some mothers comes naturally and for some they need to learn the skill and the correct techniques. The position the mother uses is very important in the breast feeding. If the mother has wrong posture there are every chances of injuring their nipple or breast.

When the mother put the nipple on the baby’s cheeks and stroking it, the babies will open their mouth and then the nipple should be pushed in the baby’s mouth for a good fill of nipple and areola. This is latching on. In this position the women prefer wearing a nursing bra rather than the normal bra.

The feeding time varies from child to child. During the feeding whatever time it takes the mothers should be comfortable. The best positions are described below for you to feel comfortable.

1) Upright: This is in a sitting position with a straight back.

2) Mobile: While carrying the baby in a sling, a mother feeds her baby. This allows the mother to carry out their work simultaneously.

3) Lying down: The night feeds should be given like this and it is also good for mothers having the baby from caesarean section.

4) On her back: Mother sitting upright.

5) On her side: The baby and the mother are both lying on their sides.

6) Hands and Knees: In this mother is on all fours and the baby down. This is not the position which is normally recommended.

At any point if the mother is not feeling comfortable while feeding they can stop and change their positions. For each mother the different position is comfortable and they can find out their comfort position by trying all of them.

The best milk for the babies is mother’s milk. They can easily take only the milk up to the age of 4 months. Most of the babies are happy and content with mother’s milk for the age up to 6 months. The outside milk will not give anything extra to the child. The breast milk if sufficient for the child supplies all the basic things which is required by the child.
It has
1) Water: Breast milk is 90% water and even in the summer the babies do not require water as they are getting enough from the breast milk. Only if they have feeding problems you can try and give the babies water.
2) Vitamin D: The Vitamin content in breast milk is limited. But the child when born takes the Vitamin D from the mothers body and store it in their body. Unless the mother is Vitamin deficient the baby do not require much Vitamin D. Exposure to sun can give the needed Vitamin D to the child. Even during winters if you expose your child to the covered sky they will have enough Vitamin D.
3) Iron: Breast milk contains less iron than the powdered milk available in the market. Iron gives added protection to the child against illness and infections. The iron found in the breast milk is used by the baby well. The iron supplements should be started with the baby by the time they are 6 months old and it should not be delayed.
Breast Milk is the best for the child up to the age of 6 months. After the first six months you can start solid food with the child.

Breast feeding a baby of your own is easy but to breast feed adopted is also not very difficult and like the way you produce milk with your own baby there are chances that you will produce the same or more amount of milk. Of course when you are pregnant with the baby for nine months it is natural to breast feed the baby and the adopted baby is a different matter altogether.

The main two objectives are milk and Breast feed. The first is to get your baby to the breast and make the baby feed on it and the other involves producing the milk.

Many natural mothers are just happy to put the baby’s mouth to their breasts and feed them even if the milk producing is not sufficient. The closeness of the mother and baby is more important here and they create a bond with each other.
Usually when the baby is born you must immediately give them your breast to feed as once they get used to the bottle or the artificial nipple it is very difficult to get back to breast feeding.

Here the baby will expect to get the flow of the milk if they are used to the bottle.
Once you have decided to adopt a baby and the baby is born immediately contact the lactation clinic in your area and start getting yourself ready for the production of milk. There are chances that you may not produce milk but then there is all the likelihood of the milk being produced by you which will make the baby attached to you and sucking at your breast.

Once you have reached six months in pregnancy you will start thinking of buying nursing bras, pads and loose front button shirts to make it easier when you start nursing. You can also designate area for yourself where you will peacefully nurse the child.
The designated area should be in a room by the window or a bedroom. If you want, your family members to sit with you while you are nursing then arrange for an extra space for one person to accommodate.
However, if you want to nurse without any one disturbing you, you can choose the bedroom or any spare room in your house. If you want, you can have a light music in the room, which will help you relax.
If you rather sit on a chair and nurse, you should have your own area with your own chair, which has a good back support and is comfortable.
To comfortably sitting on the chair, you will need a stool to keep your foot on and sit comfortable without leaning too much in order to reach the baby with your breasts.
Make the chair more comfortable adding pillows; the whole body of yours will need support. The pillow can be put on your lap to elevate the child to reach your breast that will avoid back aches and other neck pains.
During nursing always, keep a table at your side to keep water or juice at you side and sip. You can also keep some fruits or healthy snacks to eat while nursing.
In case, you need to nurse your child for a longer periods you can have many books of your interest by your side. This can relax you. A phone is also a good idea you can catch up with family and friends while nursing the baby.