Optimizing Baby's Position: Tips for Easier Labour and Birth
Understanding your baby’s position during pregnancy is key to making labour and birth easier. This guide explores the different fetal positions, how they affect labour, and tips to encourage optimal positioning for a smoother, more comfortable delivery. Learn how to support your baby's ideal position for a better birth experience.
A Letter from Your Newborn
Discover the heartfelt wisdom of a newborn in this touching letter. It's a gentle reminder to embrace patience, love, and understanding as you navigate the early days of parenthood. From feeding on demand to cherishing cuddles and prioritizing self-care, these words offer reassurance and perspective during this precious, yet fleeting, time.
What Do Babies Do All Day in your Uterus? A Peek Inside Their Busy Little World
Ever wonder what your baby is up to while nestled snugly in your womb? Spoiler alert: they're not just lounging around! From hiccupping and stretching to practicing their ninja moves, babies are surprisingly active in utero. This fascinating little world of kicks, tumbles, and even "breathing" practice offers a glimpse into their development and growing personality. Get ready to dive into the amazing daily life of your womb-dweller!
The Golden Hour: Why the First Hour After Birth is So Important
The "Golden Hour" refers to the precious first hour after birth, a crucial time for both you and your newborn. During this time, your baby is alert and ready to bond, making it the perfect moment for skin-to-skin contact and initiating breastfeeding. The benefits are immense, from regulating your baby’s body temperature to promoting healthy brain development. For you, it’s a time to begin forming a deep connection with your little one, setting the stage for a lifetime of love and trust. This sacred hour is not just for baby—it’s an essential bonding experience for both parents to embrace.
What is Fetal Growth Restriction?
Fetal Growth Restriction (FGR), also called intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) is a term that describes an unborn baby who isn’t growing at the normal rate inside the uterus. These babies usually have a low weight at birth. Find out more….
Breathing for the first time - an amazing journey!
Within seconds of birth, a baby takes in its own oxygen for the first time. For that to happen, their tiny lungs and circulatory system have to transform in a matter of seconds. So how does a tiny human manage to take what could be the most challenging breath of its life just seconds after birth?
All you need to know about Colic.
The reality is, all babies cry: It's the best (and only) way for them to communicate their needs at this tender age. And as parents, we’re biologically programmed to respond so those needs get met. But in babies with colic, the crying starts suddenly for no apparent reason. Worst of all, try as you might — and try you will — it's extremely difficult to calm a colicky baby, which only compounds your own frustration, worry and exhaustion. Read on….
Fetal Hiccups.
Pop…pop…pop! If you’re in your second or third trimester and your belly suddenly feels like a popcorn popper, chances are baby’s got a case of the hiccups. By the time those first fluttery baby movements turn into actual jabs, punches and rolls, you’ll likely also begin to notice the telltale rhythmic movements of fetal hiccups as well. But why do babies hiccup in the womb, and how often is normal? Oh no, is she okay? Is she in distress? Are they annoying her? Read on to learn more about hiccups in utero.
Your baby's movements while in utero.
It's reassuring for every pregnant person to feel their baby move, and any perceived lack of movement can leave you fearing the worst. Baby movements in your uterus, also known as fetal movements or ‘kicks’, can feel like anything from a flutter, kick, swish or roll. The type of movement may change as your pregnancy progresses. Read more….
Choosing the perfect name!
So, you're sitting at the traffic lights waiting for the lights to turn green when a great song comes on the radio. It mentions a name and you start thinking it could be the perfect name for your baby! Choosing the perfect baby name can feel all at once thrilling and intimidating. After all, the name you give your little one will be an everlasting part of your child’s identity that they’ll carry with them from their hospital I.D. bracelet to their days on the playground and beyond. Continue here…..
Baby Massage - the underlying language of comfort.
Baby massage is a gentle, soothing way to bond with your little one while promoting relaxation and comfort. Through soft, rhythmic strokes, you can ease your baby’s tension, improve sleep, and even relieve common discomforts like gas or colic. This nurturing practice not only benefits your baby's physical well-being but also strengthens your emotional connection. Whether you're a beginner or have some experience, baby massage is a beautiful and calming routine to incorporate into your daily care.
What to do when your baby is upset.
When your baby’s crying feels overwhelming, finding the right soothing method can make all the difference. From offering a pacifier to trying gentle swaddling, rhythmic music, or even a calming bath, there are plenty of ways to help your little one relax. This guide explores practical tips for soothing babies, while also reminding parents to take care of themselves during these challenging moments. Discover the comforting techniques that can bring peace to both you and your baby.
Never Shake a Baby.
Shaken Baby Syndrome is a serious injury to the brain resulting from intentional head trauma which can occur when a baby is thrown, jogged, jerked, or shaken - often because the baby or child won't stop crying. It is the single most preventable cause of serious head injury in babies under 1 year of age in New Zealand. Babies, especially very young ones, have relatively large heads, and weak neck muscles, so any kind of violent movement will cause a kind of whiplash effect. A baby’s delicate, developing brain is much more sensitive to injury and serious damage than an adult’s.
Feeding your baby formula.
There are many reasons a family may not breastfeed: some may be unable to produce enough milk for their baby’s needs, others may have a health condition or take medication that prevents them from breastfeeding, some may choose not to breastfeed and some may need to return to work. Others may be in a same-sex relationship or are adoptive, foster parents or carers. There are many reasons why formula might be the best option for you and your baby. Yes, breastfeeding is ideal, but that does not mean formula is bad.
Does the position of your baby have an impact on your labour? You bet it does!
One of the things you can do to help your labour go well is to line your baby up so that it can take the easiest (optimal) pathway through your pelvis. Ideally, your baby should have it's back on your left and towards the front with feet kicking on your right, this is called an anterior position (or optimal fetal position).
Newborns and their day-night cycle.
All babies are different, and their sleep patterns can vary a lot. For these first few weeks, it’s a good idea just to let them nap when they’re tired, and to feed on demand when they’re hungry. Newborns sleep a lot - around 16 out of every 24 hours – and they need eight to 12 feeds a day so they get enough food for growth and development. This means when they’re awake, they’re usually feeding, and after feeding, they’ll probably want to go back to sleep. This seemingly never-ending feed-sleep cycle starts to change after three to four weeks, when your baby starts to take in their surroundings and be a little more interactive with you. But still, at this age, there isn’t much time for play.
The Soothing Benefits of Baby and Infant Foot Massage.
Your gentle touch and stroke has the power to instantly alleviate your baby’s crying, crankiness, gas, tummy pains and general discomfort. Often when babies experience discomfort, they will cry as this is the only way they know how to express themselves.
What is Vernix Caseosa?
During your pregnancy, vernix plays an essential role, acting as a waterproof barrier to protect your baby’s skin against the amniotic fluid that surrounds them until they are born. Vernix begins to form on your baby at about 20 weeks gestation, partially to prevent your baby’s skin from getting too waterlogged
