Whenever pregnancy comes up in books, films or TV programs, it nearly always goes hand in hand with the mother-to-be having crazy cravings. These can cover the full spectrum from bizarre to downright ridiculous – I worked with a pregnant colleague once who would chew on kitchen sponges (those ones with a rough texture on one side for cleaning pots and pans) and I never really understood why.

What are the reasons behind these cravings?

Although no one can really pin point for sure the reasons behind pregnancy cravings, some nutritionists and healthcare practitioners believe that certain cravings are meaningful. They might be linked to something lacking in their nutrition such as a shortage of magnesium in the diet could trigger a craving for chocolate. Foods that contain magnesium include whole grains, beans, nuts, seeds and green vegetables such as spinach.  Others might need more essential fatty acids in their diet.  For example, when they start taking fish oil or flax oil, their food cravings disappear. A desire for red meat might be a need for protein or those bowls of fresh peaches could be a response to body requiring beta carotene.

It is also thought that aversions to certain foods can be linked with cravings. While some mothers develop this aversion to foods or beverages that are harmful, so others might sadly steer clear of the good stuff.

At the moment, studies are unable to satisfactorily explain food cravings

However, there is a new study out that does shed some light on why a healthy diet during pregnancy could be critical to the future health of your children.  Leading this research was Beverly Muhlhausler Ph.D from the FOODplus Research Centre at the School of Agriculture Food and Wine at The University of Adelaide in Adelaide, Australia and published in the March 2013 issue of The FASEB Journal.

This study found that pregnant mothers who consume junk food actually cause changes in the development of the “opioid signalling pathway” in the brains of their unborn children, resulting in the babies being less sensitive to opioids, which are released upon consumption of foods that are high in bad fats and sugar.

Poor food choices during pregnancy could have a 2 fold reaction

(1) fewer nutrients to nourish your unborn child and

(2) setting the stage for your child to have a higher “tolerance” to junk food plus the need to eat more of it to achieve a “feel good” response.

For many decades, mothers-to-be have been encouraged to eat healthily during pregnancy and beyond but the results of this research could underscore even more the lasting effect their diet on the development of their child’s lifelong good food preferences as well as the risk or not of metabolic disease.

How the study was run

During this study, Beverly Muhlausler and colleagues studied the pups of two groups of rats, one of which had been fed normal rat food and the other which had been given a range of human junk foods during pregnancy and lactation. After weaning, the pups were given daily injections of an opioid receptor blocker, which blocks opioid signaling. Blocking opioid signaling lowers the intake of bad fat and sugar by preventing the release of dopamine.

Results showed that the opioid receptor blocker was less effective at reducing fat and sugar intake in the pups of the junk food fed mothers, suggesting that the opioid signaling pathway in these offspring was less sensitive than for pups whose mothers were eating a standard rat feed.

Here is more about what goes on with the unborn baby during pregnancy

You might be interested to watch the video by Annie Murphy Paul “What we learn before we are born” here.  With regard to food, Annie explains that the baby tastes and smells during its time in the womb.

She says: “By seven months of gestation, the fetus’ taste buds are fully developed, and its olfactory receptors, which allow it to smell, are functioning. The flavors of the food a pregnant woman eats find their way into the amniotic fluid, which is continuously swallowed by the fetus. Babies seem to remember and prefer those tastes once they’re out in the world. In one experiment, a group of pregnant women was asked to drink a lot of carrot juice during their third trimester of pregnancy, while another group of pregnant women drank only water. Six months later, the women’s infants were offered cereal mixed with carrot juice, and their facial expressions were observed while they ate it. The offspring of the carrot juice drinking women ate more carrot-flavored cereal , they seemed to enjoy it more.”

Annie goes on to tell another story “A sort of French version of this experiment was carried out in Dijon, France where researchers found that mothers who consumed food and drink flavored with licorice-flavored anise during pregnancy showed a preference for anise on their first day of life, and again, when they were tested later, on their fourth day of life. Babies whose mothers did not eat anise during pregnancy showed a reaction that translated roughly as ‘yuck’.” 

The video emphasizes how babies in the womb are effectively being taught by their mothers about what is safe and good to eat while at the same time they are being taught about the particular culture that they’ll be joining through one of culture’s most powerful expressions – namely food.  Isn’t it wonderful that babies are being introduced to the characteristic flavors and spices of their culture’s cuisine even before they arrive.

It would seem that it cannot be overemphasized about how important it is to your unborn baby what you eat and drink during your pregnancy for all kinds of reasons.

Modern moms-to-be are usually aware of the importance of folic acid, iron, calcium and vitamins in those months leading up to the birth of their baby. But just as important but perhaps less well known is a water-soluble nutrient in the B vitamin stable.

Recent research has put choline right up there with the others at the top of the nutrients status.

Choline is a critical nutrient. It is a key molecule in your brain (a neurotransmitter) and it’s crucial in your cell membranes.

We don’t tend to even think about choline in our diet because it is naturally present in much of what we eat so most people have sufficient. In fact, many of us don’t even know of its existence. Nevertheless, research has shown that choline is particularly important during pregnancy.  Like folate, choline is recommended to pregnant women to lower a baby’s lifelong risk of stress and metabolic issues.

Moms-to-be should consume a diet that is rich in choline

• Free range/organic eggs and chicken
• Grass fed meat
• Free range pork
• Cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, Brussels sprouts and cauliflower
• Tofu, navy beans, organic peanut butter, dried parsley, chili powder and even organic chocolate

Animal product foods are a better source than plant foods so for vegetarians who are pregnant, supplemental choline might be needed because it is not usually included in prenatal vitamin supplements.

Choline has significant positive effects from before infancy into adulthood.

It is difficult for researchers to study choline because it is related to brain development and even depression later in life but one recent study found that babies (whose mothers had low choline in their blood during pregnancy) scored lower on cognitive tests at 18 months, indicating that their brain development had been compromised. Other studies have pointed to choline during pregnancy increasing intelligence into adulthood and even protecting against memory loss later in life. A further study found that a high choline level during pregnancy appeared to help decrease the baby’s levels of cortisol – the stress hormone – perhaps helping reduce the impact of a pregnant mother’s stress on the baby’s developing brain, nervous system and metabolism.

This research also highlights that if your own mother had a poor diet when she was pregnant with you, it could affect your health.

Fortunately, you can change your future risk of diabetes and hypertension and pass on healthier genes to your own children by the nutrients – including choline – that you take during pregnancy and beyond. Choline allows you to switch off any of those “passed down” negative influences on your health. Isn’t that great news?

Consider taking PhosChol as a supplement. If you’re genetically at risk for heart disease or diabetes, it could help you overcome this risk.

How much choline is needed?

The current recommendation for pregnancy is 450 milligrams a day, and the number jumps to 550 milligrams a day for breastfeeding moms. Some health sites recommend even higher doses. In addition, infants and toddlers also need choline because brain development is crucial during the first three years of a child’s life. Infants need 125 milligrams a day, while toddlers need closer to 200 milligrams a day.

If you can breastfeed for as long as possible, your baby will get the benefit of an excellent source of choline. Research shows a definite link between breastfeeding and optimal brain development. If formula is used, parents should check the label to make sure choline is included.

One word of warning

It is possible to have too much choline but mainly from too high a dosage of supplements. This would become evident by a fishy body odor, vomiting and/or decreased blood pressure.

Choline is a nutrient that is vital to the proper functioning of the body.

Everyone – and not just moms-to-be – should ensure sufficient choline in their diet every day.

Sources:

http://health.usnews.com/health-news/blogs/eat-run/2012/08/31/pregnant-get-your-choline

http://www.secondopinonnewsletter.com/

I came across this article by Dr. Mercola and felt it was so important for all parents of young children to read that it should be repeated in its entirety here on the amoils.com health blog.

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2012/05/31/child-safety-tips.aspx

Sippy Cups and Other Little-Known Childhood Hazards

by Dr. Mercola

Sippy cups, bottles and pacifiers are the last items you’d expect to hurt your child. After all, their very purpose is designed for nourishment, nurturing and comfort …

However, a new study has revealed that these objects can be extremely hazardous for young children, and in this case it’s not referring to plastics chemicals like bisphenol-A, but instead their ability to cause an alarmingly high rate of injuries.

One Child Hurt Every Four Hours …

A new study found that an average of 2,270 children under 3 are treated in emergency rooms every year due to injuries related to bottles, pacifiers and sippy cups.i In all, more than 45,000 such injuries were reported from 1991 to 2010, which equates to about one child harmed every four hours. Since the study only looked at emergency room visits, it’s likely there were actually far more injuries as well, which were treated either at home or by a pediatrician.

Most often (in 86 percent of cases), the injury occurred when a child fell while using the product, often leading to a laceration of the mouth. As you might suspect, 1-year-olds were injured most often, likely because they’re still unsteady on their feet and are more prone to falling down. Bottles were the most common cause of injury, followed by pacifiers and then sippy cups.

It’s estimated that half of 1- and 2-year-olds still use a bottle, while more than three-quarters in this age group use a sippy cup,ii even though the American Academy of Pediatrics officially recommends transitioning to a regular, lidless cup around age 1.The researchers reasoned that up to 80 percent of the injuries could be prevented if these guidelines were followed, primarily because most parents would make sure that their young children were seated while using a lidless cup to avoid spills, and this, in turn, greatly reduces the risk of injury.

Button Batteries Also a Major Source of Injury

A second study revealed that nearly 66,000 children and teens were treated at emergency rooms due to battery-related injuries from 1990 to 2009 — and the rate doubled during the study period.iii Children under 5 were particularly at risk from a battery-related injury.

Small “button” batteries, such as lithium-cell batteries, were the most common source of injury (nearly 84 percent of cases), and most often they were swallowed. This presents not only a serious risk of choking, but in the case of lithium batteries severe tissue damage can result in a matter of two hours. Past research noted that 13 deaths have been reported due to ingestion of lithium cell batteries, which can lead to esophageal perforation, vocal cord paralysis and other serious problems if they become lodged in the esophagus.

Top 5 Dangerous Things Kids Like to Swallow

Batteries are only one of the dangers on this list, so if you have a small child at home, keep reading. These 5 objects reported by Timev are incredibly common, and can be enticing to toddlers who love to pick up anything and everything and put it in their mouths. You might not perceive them as particularly dangerous, but each poses a unique danger if ingested.

1. Tiny Magnets

Magnets have been linked to deaths and serious injury in children. Particularly dangerous are magnets made from neodymium and formed into Buckyballs, which are small, very high-powered magnets, but any magnet can pose a danger. Once ingested, magnets can connect across the intestinal wall, causing serious intestinal injury, like punching holes in the stomach and intestines. In recent months, a 1-year-old boy from Mississippi has lost 90 percent of his intestines after swallowing 8 magnetic beads from an adult desk toy, and a 3-year-old from Oregon also underwent surgery after swallowing 37 Buckyball magnets. Incidences are on the rise.

2. Button Batteries

As mentioned above, button batteries, particularly the 20-mm lithium variety used in children’s toys, hearing aids and watches, are incredibly dangerous. Two deaths and 19 serious complications occurred in the 3,400 children who swallowed lithium batteries in 2010. When the batteries are swallowed, they release an electrical current that causes a hazardous chemical reaction in just two hours. The esophagus and vocal cords can be so badly damaged that a feeding tube is required.

3. Hair

If a child eats enough hair, it can lead to a hairball called a bezoar (a mass trapped in your stomach). Along with causing pain and stomach obstruction, surgery may be required to remove it in severe cases.

4. Pills and Alcohol

Certain medications and even vitamins (especially those that contain iron) can be deadly to small children, as can small amounts of alcohol (including medications containing alcohol). Prescription pain medications, heart pills, aspirin, antidepressants, and diabetes drugs are particularly dangerous. For an infant, even half a tablet of a drug like hydrocodone can be lethal. Because medications are so common, a child can be exposed not only at home when a parent takes a bottle out of the medicine cabinet, but also just about anywhere a pill can fall out of someone’s pocket or be left on a table.

5. Nails, Needles, Pins and Tacks

Young children are drawn to these shiny metal objects, which can easily puncture their esophagus, stomach or intestines when swallowed. Seek medication attention immediately if you see your child swallow any sharp object, although fortunately in most cases, the items noted above will pass through naturally in a day or two. Parents should keep a watchful eye out for any signs of complications, however, including blood in the stool, pain or vomiting.

8 Simple Child Safety Tips

It takes only an instant for a child to get injured or swallow an object that could cause lasting, or even deadly, damage. The tips that follow can help keep your child safe from the common hazards noted above:

Only give your children a sippy cup or bottle when they are seated
Transition your children away from using a pacifier at about 6 months of age, and transition to a lidless cup around 1 year
Keep all medications, whether prescription or over-the-counter, pill form or liquid, out of the reach of children, and do not remove the child-proof caps
Be very careful not to drop any pills on the floor (at home or when you’re visiting a friend or in a public place)
Install child-safety locks on cabinets to keep little hands out
Do not leave button batteries within the reach of children, and only give children battery-powered toys if they have a child-proof battery compartment
Be very careful about keeping magnets in your home; small magnets should be treated as a deadly substance and should be kept out of the reach of children
Be mindful of small objects anywhere in your home, and do a quick check of floors and countertops for pins, tacks, buttons, batteries, hair balls, etc., before allowing your child access to the space

References:

i Pediatrics May 14, 2012
ii The New York Times May 14, 2012
iii Pediatrics May 14, 2012 (doi: 10.1542/peds.2011-0012)
iv Pediatrics Vol. 125 No. 6 June 1, 2010, pp. 1178 -1183
v Time Healthland March 6, 2012

Sources:

The New York Times May 14, 2012
Center for Injury Research and Policy May 14, 2012
Pediatrics May 14, 2012
Pediatrics May 14, 2012 (doi: 10.1542/peds.2011-0012)
Reuters May 14, 2012
Fox News May 10, 2012
Time Healthland March 6, 2012

This article was brought to you by Dr. Mercola. Founder of the world’s #1 natural health site, he gives you the low-down on cholesterol. Discover why you actually need Cholesterol in this FREE report.

]]> http://www.amoils.com/health-blog/everyday-hazards-facing-young-children/feed/ 1 http://www.amoils.com/health-blog/baby-eczema-and-how-to-treat-the-symptoms-naturally/ http://www.amoils.com/health-blog/baby-eczema-and-how-to-treat-the-symptoms-naturally/#comments Wed, 21 Mar 2012 13:06:48 +0000 Jane Chitty http://www.amoils.com/health-blog/?p=6769

Eczema will often appear during the first year of a baby’s life particularly in the skin folds of the arms, neck or legs but it can also occur first on a baby’s forehead, cheeks and scalp before spreading to other parts of the body. This baby eczema can look like dry, thickened and scaly skin or be made up of tiny red bumps that can blister and ooze. The problem can be when it becomes itchy as infection can set in if scratched but baby eczema is not contagious.

It is surprisingly common, affecting as many as one in five children and can often be a warning of asthma to follow. As children grow older, eczema can spread to the body and limbs, with the limb creases – backs, wrists, ankle and neck, and the front of the elbows being particularly affected.

Reasons why eczema can appear in babies and young children

• Many families find that eczema is inherited from a parent or close family member who suffers from hay fever, eczema, asthma or other allergies.
• Although it is not an allergic reaction to a substance, baby eczema can be triggered by certain allergens in your baby’s diet or in your diet if your baby is breast fed.
• In many cases the condition may be due to an allergy to certain food groups such as citrus, soybeans, fish, nuts, wheat, eggs, peanuts or milk protein while dust mites, feather pollens and other allergens may be a contributing factor.
• This eczema rash can also be aggravated by heat as well as changes in temperature.
• Some babies are susceptible to irritants that come into contact with their skin. These can be chemicals in certain soaps, lotions and detergents. Wool is another irritant.
• Dry skin can be a further trigger.

The secret to eliminating eczema is moisturization

• Don’t let your baby’s skin become dry. Daily bathing in lukewarm water is helpful if you use a mild soap and shampoo to wash at the end of the session which should not be too long.
• Immediately pat the skin dry without rubbing before applying plenty of natural moisturizer or emollient to keep the moisture in.
• Twice a week add half a cup of bleach to a full standard sized bath for a 5 to 10 minutes soak (if your baby is 6 months or older) as this has been found to be 5 times more effective than plain water in treating eczema. Your child’s limbs and torso should be immersed leaving the head and neck above water.   Pat dry and apply a heavy slathering of moisturizer. 
• A soothing bath with warm chamomile and oatmeal is a good home remedy for children with eczema. Add 4 tablespoons chamomile flowers and half a cup of oatmeal to a “knee-high” stocking, and tie the open end of the stocking with a rubber band before placing under the tap as you fill the bathtub. While your child plays in the bath, the chamomile and oats concoction will help to ease any itching.
• Let your baby’s skin breathe by using cool natural fabrics such as cotton for both clothing and bed linen. Avoid wool as this can be scratchy and irritating to the skin.
• Use natural fragrance-free detergents for washing your baby’s clothes and bed linen and never use fabric softeners.
• Avoid extreme temperature changes for your child.
• Keep the fingernails cut short and put mittens on so that your child cannot scratch the eczema rash. Cool compresses to the area for a few minutes at a time will soothe and discourage scratching too. Babies cannot control the urge to scratch and if they do, this can result in bacterial infections, bleeding and major discomfort. Scratching not only disturbs your baby’s sleep but can worsen the itch and cause further inflammation.

The good news about baby eczema is that by the age of 3 years, the number of children with eczema is halved and approximately 70% of all children completely outgrow this condition by their teens.

In the meantime remember that baby eczema is a condition that is chronic and needs to be managed in the long run, as there are intermittent flare-ups every few weeks.

The rocking chair is that timeless piece of furniture found in so many homes in the USA and elsewhere. While rocking chairs will usually conjure up an image of a couple of elderly people rocking gently on their porch or a young mother rocking her baby to sleep, you might not be aware of the tremendous health benefits gained from rocking.

This post concentrates on those benefits for the new mother and her child. Rocking is very healthy for both:

-  We are all familiar with the idea of rocking a baby to calm and help them off to sleep but research has also found that the rocking of babies by their mothers is crucial in the bonding process between them both. So mothers and newborns will bond better when spending time rocking together.

 -  A rocking chair is helpful and beneficial during the different stages of pregnancy too as rocking regularly for a few minutes or longer at a time helps in the development of the nervous system of the fetus while soothing or even preventing back pain in the mother-to-be.

-   In addition, new moms and adopted babies will also benefit from this practice. Dr. Wendy Hanevold who is a therapist in the Atlanta, GA area, and also an adoptive parent of two (through international adoption), encourages rocking in a rocking chair towards fostering positive attachment with parents and adopted children. Dr. Hanevold says: “Rocking is marvelous – it has smell, touch, sound and kinesthetic approaches that combine to reward both parties.”

-  Studies have shown that new mothers who rock their babies in a rocking chair for an hour a day recover faster after a C-section delivery, reporting less gas pain after surgery, the ability to walk faster and if they have rocked in the hospital itself, they will spend less days in the hospital than those who have not. Rocking offers post operative relief from any acute, painful medical procedure.

-  Varicose Veins can benefit from rocking as it stimulates circulation and improves muscle tone, helping prevent and and even treat varicose veins.  Pregnant women may find rocking chairs especially beneficial because the chairs provide back support and often have matching stools that let the mom-to-be put her feet up and reduce swelling.

-  More good news for new moms is that rocking burns about 150 calories an hour, helping mothers recover more rapidly from the experience of childbirth and even leading to weight loss.

-  In newborn babies, rocking has been found to reduce crying and assessed as a beneficial comforting method for pain – especially those who suffer from colic – while improving the regulation of breathing in both premature and full term babies. Rocking soothes fussy babies and relaxes mothers but it also stimulates the balance mechanism of the inner ear, helping an infant’s biological development and his or her ability to be alert and attentive.

 In the womb, babies are lulled to sleep by the natural movement of their mother’s body but after delivery, rocking chairs re-create some of this natural movement and help newborns to relax. According to T. Farrimond of the University of Waikato, New Zealand, this can reduce the odds of apnea and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). “Some infants seem to be born with a degree of respiratory centre immaturity which in combination with other problems such as illness, head colds, exposure to cold, air or smoke, may result in cessation of breathing. Vestibular stimulation by rocking has been shown to be beneficial for premature babies in reducing apnea. There also appear to be other benefits, resulting in more rapid maturation of the nerve cells of the cerebellum which is still developing during the first six months of life. The suggestion is made that crib deaths may be reduced by the use of automatically rocking cribs, particularly during the night when most deaths occur.”

We have had a rocking chair in our home for decades – it is a mid century Swedish wooden rocking chair that I gave to my husband for his 21^st birthday before we were married. I found it invaluable when feeding and nursing my babies but was unaware of just how beneficial at the time. It was moved into the nursery for every new baby.

]]> http://www.amoils.com/health-blog/new-moms-and-that-all-important-rocking-chair/feed/ 1 http://www.amoils.com/health-blog/flame-retardant-items-harmful-for-you-and-your-family/ http://www.amoils.com/health-blog/flame-retardant-items-harmful-for-you-and-your-family/#comments Thu, 16 Feb 2012 15:51:38 +0000 Jtucker http://www.amoils.com/health-blog/?p=6005 A system was developed in the US, after the tragic fire that took the lives of the Apollo crew on the launch pad in the late 1960s, and this was for flame retardant material. This flame retardant system was intended to be used exclusively for space clothing but went on to be used for flammable materials in the helicopters in the Vietnam War because so many soldiers were dying from out-of-control onboard fires during fire fights.

Unfortunately, it did not stop there

Flame retardants, made with bromine which is a persistent, bioaccumulative toxin, ended up being used in many fabrics for items such as sleepwear, undergarments, pillows, bedding, mattresses and more. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) pushed for its inclusion in virtually anything that could burn.

But in recent years, there has been significant controversy about flame retardants in general, and in infant clothing in particular. In 1999 a Swedish study found a 60-fold increase in these chemicals in breast milk from 1972-1997 with the San Francisco Bay area breast milk showing an average of 6-10 times higher than the national with these toxins. Related to PCBs and PBDEs, the toxins in flame retardant items interfere with brain development, can alter hormone function, and are linked to cancer. Children are testing positive for these toxins in treated sleepware as well as from the computers, TVs, building materials and other items in the home and the general environment. They are even showing up in the food chain – particularly in fish.

PCBs, or polychlorinated biphenyls, are a class of man-made organic chemicals while PBDEs are chemical compounds that are used as flame retardants

They can be found in almost anything that carries an electrical current or is highly flammable.  In addition to the TV and the computer, they can also be found in your cellphone,  your car, your toaster and your sofa.  PBDE stands for polybrominated diphenyl ether – a compound which contains bromine atoms.

Here are two studies about the link with PBDES and PCBs and breast milk. Breast milk from North American women contained much higher amounts of PBDEs while PBDEs and PCBs in breast adipose tissues of California women participating in a breast cancer study.

PBDE flame retardants leach from clothing, spandex, mattresses, curtains, computers, car interiors, packaging and more continuously over a long period of time. Unfortunately, they are not washed out after going through your family’s washing machine a few times.

PBDEs are everywhere

They accumulate and they spread.  And they’re really not good for us.  It is hoped that with enough bad publicity, flame retardants will be phased out.

To safeguard your family, change to natural organic cotton bed linen, sleepwear and other clothing that has not been treated with such flame retardant chemicals. Eliminate the 100% toxic exposure and rather focus on ensuring your home has up to date smoke detectors, escape routes and other fire safety methods in place.

Most of us have had experience of pink eye or conjunctivits and know how highly contagious it can be. It is alarming for parents the first time they see this condition on a young child because it may make the eyes extremely red and even spread rapidly. The good news is that it usually causes no long term damage either to the vision or the eyes themselves.

Some types of pink eye go away on their own while other require treatment.

The symptoms of pink eye are:

-   Redness or swelling of the white of the eye or inside the eyelid

-  Increased amount of tears

-  White, yellow or green eye discharge

-  Itchy eyes

-  Burning eyes

-  Increased sensitivity to light

-  Gritty feeling in the eye

-  Crusting of eyelids or lashes

Pink eye can be caused by:

-  The bacteria and viruses that are responsible for colds and other infections such as ear, sinus or throat infections.

-  The same bacteria that can lead to sexually transmitted diseases – known as chlamydia and gonorrhea.

-  Allergies – although this is more likely when a child has other allergic reactions such as hay fever.

-  Irritants in the environment such as chemicals in chlorine or soaps or air pollutants such as smoke or fumes.

Chlorine in higher concentrations such as in public swimming kpools can be the culprit if your child experiences frequent bouts of conjunctivitis. The chlorine can break down the protective layers of lubrication that cover the eyes so that they become more vulnerable to getting infected if they are rubbed. Triggers of this type of allergic conjunctivitis include grass, ragweed pollen, animal dander and dust mites.

Fortunately, most cases of conjunctivitis resolve on their own within a week or so but when the pink eye produces a green or yellow discharge, using an over-the-counter antibiotic eye drop can be very helpful. Even if the pink eye appears in just one eye, it is safer to put one drop in each eye because it is so easy for the conjunctivitis to spread. Continue the treatment daily for at least two days after all signs of the redness have gone.

With add-ons, the nursery cot just keeps on growing and giving

Stokke AS is a Norwegian company owned by the Stokke family and founded in 1932 in Ålesund, in the northwestern part of Norway, but provides worldwide distribution through selected retailers represented in around fifty countries. They believe in creating unique, functional and long‐lasting products, attractively designed with a wide variety of accessories to provide, support, and promote wellbeing for both parent and child. The Stokke Sleepi bed was first launched in 1999.

The Stokke SleepI is made of solid attractive beech wood and grows in length so that one bed can be adapted as your child grows. There is a choice of color finishes – white, natural, walnut brown, grey and whitewash.

Here are the different stages

1. For the newborn, the Stokke Sleepi Mini provides the perfect first bed as it creates a nest like environmment that is comfortable and secure. Smooth action lockable wheels can be used to rock your baby gently to sleep as well as making the crib easy to move from room to room while the width of 67 cm means it will easily fit through a standard doorway. Depending on your baby, this first size will fit up to 6 months.

2. The second stage of development is Stokke Sleepi Bed where the mini easily converts into a cot bed so that your baby has his or her similar and familiar environment but is safe and secure whether sleeping or awake. The height positions can be adjusted and the bed extension is an add-on to the Mini. Ideal up to the age of 18 months.

3. The same Stokke Sleepi Bed accommodates your todler’s changing development so that when he or she reaches the curious climbing stage, you can remove one side of the bed for easy access and to boost feelings of freedom and independence. This will be perfect for your young child up to the age of 3 years.

4. With the Junior Extension available as an add-on, the Stokke Sleepi Bed becomes the perfect sleeping place for your child up to the age of 10 years.

5. And there is even a 5th stage because once your child is 10 years old and ready to move into an adult bed, the Stokki Sleepi makes a practical mini sofa for any room in the home or it can be used as two chairs.

The Stokki keeps on going until your child has his or her own children and you need to start accommodating grandchildren!

Too much heat and sweat can make the skin even more irritated and itchy.  When the body sweats, valuable water and moisture is lost from the skin. Keeping the skin moisturized is key to controlling this affliction. It is vital to establish a skin care routine.

A daily bath helps to moisturize the skin, using moisturizing aqueous cream rather than ordinary soaps for cleaning. The temperature should be just warm and it is helpful to soak for 15 to 20 minutes so that the skin’s outer layer can absorb moisture. Avoid any excessive scrubbing. For an additional soothing treat, add colloidal oatmeal like Aveeno to the bath, and even use oatmeal as a soap substitute. For the bath, pour 2 cups of colloidal oatmeal into the lukewarm water. This oatmeal is a fine powder that will remain suspended in water. For use as a soap substitute, wrap colloidal oatmeal in a handkerchief, place a rubber band around the top, wet it, wring it out and use as you would a normal washcloth. After the bath, the skin should be partly dried by gently patting with a towel to remove excess water while still leaving the skin damp.

Use an emollient cream for adding moisture to the clean but still damp skin. The best moisturizer is a basic fragrance-free one that is more greasy than creamy such as Vaseline. Unfortunately, Vaseline is a petroleum byproduct but I have a recipe for a natural jelly to use instead. An emollient cream is even more important to use if your child is in an air conditioned or heated environment. Use the cream twice a day and even more often on the hands if they are affected.

Recipe for natural petroleum jelly:

Place 1 oz. of beeswax in the top of a double boiler and heat slowly until it melts. Don’t put beeswax in the microwave or in a standard saucepan, as it is flammable when exposed to direct heat.

Remove the melted wax from heat and squeeze the oil from six x 400 IU vitamin E capsules into the wax. Vitamin E has antioxidant properties which nourish and protect your skin while acting as a natural preservative to prolong the shelf life of your petroleum jelly.

Stir in 1/2 cup of extra virgin or cold pressed sweet almond oil. Stir the ingredients constantly as the mixture cools and thickens. While still slightly warm, scoop the jelly mixture into a dark glass jar and leave unsealed to cool completely.

Keep in a cool, dark place, or in your refrigerator. Use it as you would use commercial petroleum jelly.

Of course a child with eczema is going to be very tempted to scratch those areas that itch. Keep their nails cut very short and covered with cotton mittens at night and more often if your child is young enough not to pull them off. The big problem with scratching eczema is that it triggers eczematous rashes. If you can stop the scratching, some eczematous rashes will actually disappear on their own.

There are a host of home remedies that you can also try. You may find that one or more of these are perfect for your child:

-  Apply coconut oil to the affected area to keep the skin smooth and soft.

-  Make a paste of 1 teaspoon sandalwood and 1 teaspoon camphor and apply to the eczema.

-  Another paste can be made of 1 tablespoon each of turmeric powder and bitter neem leaves.

-  Try just using water. Apply cold compresses or cold water. Cold, wet dressings can help soothe and relieve the itching associated with eczema. You can even use cold milk instead of water as this may be a lot more soothing. Put milk into a glass with ice cubes and let it sit for a few minutes. Then pour the milk onto a gauze pad or thin piece of cotton and apply it to the irritated skin for 2 or 3 minutes. Re-soak the cloth and reapply, continuing the process for about 10 minutes several times per day.

-  Calamine lotion is good for many types of rashes that ooze and need to be dried out.

-  Another suggested remedy for eczema is to dab some witch hazel on the affected area with a cotton ball.

-  Some regular sunlight (in moderation) can be helpful as it tops up your child’s Vitamin D and kills harmful bacteria at the same time.

-  Eczema is aggravated by dehumidified air, especially during winter months when forced-air heat circulates in the home. As this heat is more drying than other types, a good humidifier is an excellent home remedy for eczema. Make sure your humidifier is covering a sufficient area of the home (to be beneficial) and have one next to your child’s bed bed when he or she is sleeping.

-  Cotton clothing worn next to the skin is kinder than other material. Bed linens and towels should be pure cotton too. Avoid all synthetic or itchy fabrics as well as tight or ill fitting clothing. Even labels on clothing can be a source of irritation.

-  Eliminate any foods that can aggravate the eczema. Traditionally eggs, orange juice and milk have been suggested as eczema aggravators in children but it may well be something different such as tomatoes, citrus fruits, salty food, refined fats, white sugar, coffee, red meat or raw garlic. Allergy tests will ascertain if a particular food or diet is contributing to the eczema.

-  Reducing the effect of house dust mite can be an important step to take as many children are affected by the allergens in the droppings of these mite that thrive in warm and moist environments, living in bedding, mattresses, curtains and carpets. Effective and regular vacuuming as well as damp dusting and the washing or airing of bedding will help with this. If you can change from carpeting to another form of flooring, even better.

-  Essential oils have been used down the centuries as a successful home remedy for eczema and other skin conditions. Now H-Eczema from Healing Natural Oils is specially formulated from pure essential oils to provide the perfect healing eczema treatment that is gentle, safe and successful to use.

It can take some time and effort to find the perfect combination of treatments to suit your child but well worth it to manage this eczema condition.
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Stress making you reach for the bottle?

Many behaviors that increase in times of stress are actually very negative. These could be taking drugs, sleeping pills or pain medication; turning to alcohol; taking up or increasing a smoking habit; overeating or just as harmful under eating; withdrawing from friends, family and activities; sleeping too much or sleeping badly (insomnia); taking out your stress on others; procrastinating; or escaping by lying on the couch for hours watching TV. These habits are not going to help but will actually make the stress worse.

Stuck in traffic?

Commuters who regularly get stuck in traffic jams when driving can experience as much as a 64% hike in their general stress levels. One way to cope is to keep repeating a calming mantra to yourself – perhaps a bit like saying a prayer or reciting the rosary. Adapt what you say to your own particular spiritual or religious beliefs. Try to view stressful situations from a more positive perspective. Rather than fuming about a traffic jam, look at it as an opportunity to pause and regroup, listen to your favorite radio station or enjoy some alone time.

Feeling particularly miserable?

Laughter is a great way to cure the blues. If you cannot get together with friends who you know will make you laugh, then watch a comedy movie or a stand up comic that you enjoy to get the laughter going and to release a whole host of hormones and chemicals that can only have a positive effect on your misery. Your stress will be reduced, your blood pressure will drop, your immune system will be boosted and most of all your depression will be lifted. You also need to learn to laugh at yourself for additional benefits.

Are you pregnant and stressed?

All the more reason to find a solution for that stress because babies who are born to stressed mothers can arrive earlier than they should and could be underweight.

And once your baby is born?

Babies however young can be very perceptive to emotional displays by their mothers and could be emotionally affected for years to come. Be aware of this and try to keep the environment stress-free for both you and your baby. Perfectionism is a major source of avoidable stress especially when you are a new mom. Stop setting yourself up for failure by demanding perfection. Set reasonable standards for yourself at this, and other times, and learn to be okay with “good enough.”

How to ease the stress?

-  Not all stress can be avoided, and it’s not healthy to avoid a situation that needs to be addressed. You may be surprised, however, by the number of stressors in your life that you can eliminate. For example, learn how to say “no” by knowing your limits and stick to them; avoid people who stress you out; take control of your environment; avoid controversial topics such as religion or politics if you get upset over them; pare down your to-do list by distinguishing between the “shoulds” and the “musts.”

-  Copy the British and enjoy a soothing cup of tea whenever the need arises. Even better is to follow the South African habit of brewing a cup of Rooibos tea which is widely used to enhance a feeling of well being while supporting the immune system and combating stress.

-  Another stress reliever is to take up a repetitive task at such times – go out into the garden and start digging over the flower beds; pull up all those weeds; take the time to sit quietly and do some knitting; or say over and over again “I want to feel calm”.

-  If you have the opportunity of getting into some warm water (a pool or a jacuzi or even the ocean) do this and just float in the water. This ignites the body’s relaxation responses while helping to lower the stress hormone levels. If you are warm, relaxed and floating, you will soon feel better.

-  You can control your stress levels with relaxation techniques that evoke the body’s relaxation response, a state of restfulness that is the opposite of the stress response. Exercising regularly is another key way to reduce and prevent the effects of stress. Make time for at least 30 minutes of exercise, three times per week.

-  In addition, eat a healthy diet as a well nourished body is better prepared to cope with stress.  At the same time, reduce caffeine and sugar.

Finally, get enough sleep because good, regular sleep fuels your mind, as well as your body. Feeling tired will increase your stress because it may cause you to think irrationally.

A big part of course is healthy eating habits and avoiding all fruity, sugary drinks. Your child only needs two beverages to drink – water and milk (preferably breast milk or raw dairy milk).

As soon as the first baby tooth appears, you can start to use a small soft toothbrush to keep the tooth, gums and tongue clean twice a day. It does not matter how thorough you are at the start – it is more a matter of getting your child used to the routine. Be very gentle and patient and avoid commercial toothpastes which are actually poisonous to children – rather use a natural toothpaste with safe ingredients. Be especially wary of fluoride in toothpastes and do your own research online regarding this harmful additive. You will find plenty of choice for natural toothpastes in health stores or online.

The best method is to sit your child on your lap, have a cuddle and then tilt the head up gently while cleaning each tooth in a circular motion. You can make a game of rinsing and spitting out the toothpaste afterwards. If your child doesn’t want to brush, let him brush your teeth first. By the age of three, you can start to encourage them to start using the toothbrush themselves but under your watchful eye until school going age. When your child is older, an electric toothbrush is an excellent choice. Setting a timer to 2 minutes is another useful aid when children are cleaning their teeth. Caring for milk teeth teaches children how to care for their permanent teeth.

Never ignore broken or damaged milk teeth as they play an extremely important role in your child’s development as follows:

- They determine facial appearance and speech development.
- They determine the growth pattern of permanent teeth.
- They help children to advance to eating solid food.

I read about such a good idea that one parent uses. She enlist’s the help of the “tooth fairy” by telling a story of how the tooth fairy checks their teeth every night when they are asleep to make sure that they are beautiful because she wants to collect the very best teeth when they fall out. You can add the extra bit about how there will be a surprise from the tooth fairy when that day comes if they can give her strong, healthy teeth.

Parents should take their child to the dentist as soon as the very first tooth appears or after their first birthday. Prepare them for the dentist by encouraging your child to explore his or her own mouth several times before the appointment. Do a ‘cave search’ using a torch and a mirror. Book with a child-friendly dentist who will look out for early problems and ensure the experience is a positive one for your child.

Cavities are the number one problem in children’s dental health. Here are 10 excellent suggested steps to follow from a very early age for preventing cavities in your children.  All the tips come from this website: http://www.eves-best.com/cavities-in-baby-teeth.htm

1. As soon as your baby has teeth, wipe them clean after each meal. While breast milk actually contains natural cavity fighters, formula does not.

2. Do not allow your formula fed baby to go to sleep with a bottle, unless you plan on cleaning his teeth with a wipe and tooth gel after he is asleep.

3. If your baby uses a pacifier, brush it daily. Do not put her pacifier in your mouth and then into hers. Bacteria from your mouth will grow in her mouth. This is especially a no-no if you have cavity/gum problems yourself.

4. As soon as your child’s teeth are close together, begin flossing daily. Both of my children had cavities in the middle of their front two teeth. A little flossing would have saved these teeth.

5. Do not use fluoride toothpaste or a fluoride rinse. You can make your own rinse with water and xylitol.

6. Do use a toothpaste/gel which contains xylitol. You can begin using a baby gel as soon as the teeth come in when you use Spry Infant Tooth Gel. You can learn more about xylitol and the many benefits it provides, especially when you use it to replace the sugar in your foods. Xylitol helps kill the cavity causing bacteria in your child’s mouth, and when replacing the sugar with xylitol, you are helping double-fold.

7. Cut back on processed foods, chips, white bread, candy, and soda (you get the idea). Do not allow your child to walk around with a bottle or sippy cup, unless you put water in it. Constantly bathing your child’s teeth in sugary juice is a BIG no-no. A great candy alternative is a healthy xylitol product called Sparx. You can get it in Berry, Fruit, and Citrus. Once your child can chew gum, you can also add another xylitol product like Spry Fresh Fruit Gum. Do not use other “sugar-free” gums that contain artificial sweeteners in addition to xylitol. Artificial sweeteners should be avoided for other health reasons.

8. Allow your toddler to brush his teeth, and then brush them yourself afterwards. Children need help until the age of 7 or 8. Twice a day is adequate, three times a day is even better. For toddlers, a battery powered toothbrush with an oscillating head works great since they can simply hold the toothbrush on different teeth and get a lot done that way.

9. Examine your child’s teeth daily, looking for dark spots, holes, and chipped teeth. If anything looks “off,” call your dentist and make an appointment. It’s better to be safe than sorry! A small cavity is much easier (and cheaper) to handle than a large one that has been neglected.

10. Good oral health starts from the inside. To keep teeth (and the rest of the body!) at their healthiest, feed your child healthy foods and don’t forget a daily multivitamin. ALL children need a daily vitamin/mineral supplement. Increase Vitamin D intake during fall/winter when sunshine exposure goes down. RDA levels are way lower than what children should be taking. Given along with a raw dairy diet, my kids finally got an “all good” dentist visit after supplementing with Vitamin D during fall/winter. (I gave them each 5,000 IU about 3-4 times per week.)

Help your children to cherish and look after their teeth for a lifetime of activity.

If and when your children get sick, here is how to go the natural way with some good old fashioned home remedies:

1. Think BRAT for DIARRHEA. – that is a choice of bananas, rice, apple sauce and toast

2. Black licorice will cure children’s CONSTIPATION nine times out of ten.

3. The chemical reaction between baking soda and vinegar creates a cooling effect that will soothe your child’s MINOR BURNS. Just pour equal amounts of the ingredients into a bowl to bathe your child’s hand or other affected place till the burning stops.

4. For an EARACHE, use a hot pack big enough so they can lay their head down to relieve the “ache”. Another good home remedy is to keep a nasal spray pump filled with “food grade” 35% peroxide that has been diluted to 3% with “ionic silver” water (and available from companies providing peroxide water treatment equipment). A few drops of hydrogen peroxide in your child’s ears is safe, very effective and inexpensive. Just make sure you use a peroxide without the stabilizer. You can dilute the peroxide with purified water as an alternative to the iconic silver water.

5. For a HEADACHE give them a big drink of water and rub their head/neck making sure to work out the knots. There is a pressure point between your thumb and pointer finger. If all else fails, H-Headaches from Healing Natural Oils can be safely used on children of all ages for all headache pain.

6. For TEETHING take a wash cloth, wet the center with a little water, spread on a tablespoon of apple sauce, roll it up, then freeze it. Babies love this because it is is sweet, it is chewy and it is cold so it numbs their gums.

7. For COLDS and CONGESTION IN THE NOSE, a nasal wash using a few grains of crystal salt in 1/4 cup of warm water may help. You can use in a Netti Pot as well, but remember to use good quality sea salt and not the normal refined processed table salt.

8. A simple and quick remedy for a SORE THROAT is to place some natural sea salt on an apple slice for your child to eat. This is much easier than getting him or her to gargle salt water and works well.

9. For a really SORE THROAT, make your children “Granny’s lemon and honey drink”. Add one tablespoon of lemon juice and one and a half tablespoons of honey to one cup of warm water. Mix and drink frequent sips. It must be RAW honey and do not give honey to any child under the age of 1 year as they are at risk for botulism from honey.

10. Children who get a dose of honey COUGH less and sleep better than those who get cough medicine. A recipe for coughs:
- Put a pint of raw honey in a pan on the stove on very low heat (Do not boil honey as this changes its medicinal properties).
- Take a whole lemon and boil in some water in a separate pan for 2-3 minutes to both soften the lemon and kill any bacteria that may be on the lemon skin.
- Let the lemon cool enough to handle then cut it in slices and add it to the pint of honey on the stove.
- Let mixture cook on warm heat for about an hour.
- Then strain the lemon from the honey, making sure all lemon seeds are removed.
- Let cool, then bottle in a jar with a lid and store in the refrigerator. This syrup will keep for 2 months in the refrigerator.
- To soothe a cough, take 1/2 teaspoon for a 25 lb. child and 1 teaspoon for a 50 lb. child, about 4 times a day or as often as needed. Adults can take 1 tablespoon doses.

Help to keep your child germ free and able to fight off any virus by ensuring a STRONG IMMUNE SYSTEM by eating healthy whole foods, by regular exercise and by getting sufficient sleep.

Never underestimate the simple advice to WASH YOUR HANDS and those of your children frequently to ward off colds and other infections. Washing hands helps decrease the likelihood of spreading a virus to the nose and mouth as well as others around you but don’t use antibacterial soap for this. They are unnecessary, causing far more harm than good.

Currently, there is a lot of concern about the use of wi-fi technology and its health effects on us, including young children.

Electro-smog is the name given to the electromagnetic radiation that is created, and persists in the area, where electronic gadgets like TVs, microwaves, cordless phones, mobile phones, digital baby monitors and more are operating. Studies conducted over the years have shown that continuous exposure to electro-smog over a period of time affects the body’s nervous system resulting in symptoms like chronic fatigue, disruptive sleep patterns, headaches and abnormal patterns of behavior in young children. Therefore it is important for parents to learn about the effects of a digital baby monitor on their babies.

Baby monitors that are popular with parents are those with DECT technology (that is digitally enhanced cordless telecommunications) and this ensures that the audio signals between both receiver and transmitter are secure. But such wireless baby monitors emit microwave radiation. The base station of the baby monitor is kept near the crib or cot while the parent takes the receiver and either wears it on his or herself or places it nearby in order to be able to respond to the baby’s crying.

Although, ideally a baby monitor base station should be voice-activated, meaning that it transmits “sound only” when it senses a sound from the baby as this would go some way to reduce the microwave exposure of both infant and parent, , not all voice-activated baby monitors are alike. Some cut the radiation while others just cut the unwanted noise and those monitors sold in the US and Canada constantly emit microwave radiation, exposing the baby or young child to constant microwave radiation.

According to Dr. Martin Blank, PhD, who is one of the most experienced researchers of the cellular and molecular effects of electromagnetic fields in the US, the impact of electromagnetic fields on cells and DNA is both considerable and indisputable. He says that your DNA, due to its inherent ‘coil of coils’ structure, is particularly vulnerable to electromagnetic fields of all kinds.

Therefore, if you are using such a baby monitor, you should reduce your child’s exposure to emissions as far as possible by:

• Placing the baby monitor at least a metre away from the cot.

• Avoiding a system that transmits continuously – some experts are calling for those that emit microwave radiation continuously to be banned. See the web site http://www.magdahavas.com/2010/11/07/dect-baby-monitors-dangerous/

• Setting the unit to voice activation mode only.

• If the baby monitor is mains operated, ensuring that the adaptor is plugged in at least 50 cm away from the cot.

Avoiding placing all other appliances such as computers, television sets, cordless phones etc in your baby’s room. At the very least, any should be completely switched off when the baby is in the room sleeping.

It is difficult to completely avoid digital baby monitors as they have proven to be more efficient and have better reception than their older analogue versions but proper precautions are necessary and essential.

The Government officials are asking that parents should reduce the amount of time children spend being sedentary while watching television or being strapped in a stroller or pushchair.

Chubby children are also a big concern in the United States where the Institute of Medicine last month issued diet and activity recommendations for youngsters. In these recommendations, they suggested that preschool-aged children should get at least 15 minutes of exercise for every hour they spend in child care and recommended the US government create dietary guidelines for babies from the time they are born and up until they are 2 years old. 3 hours of activity for children under 5 should be spread throughout the day. While the children’s daily dose of exercise is likely to be met simply through playing, additional activities could include walking to school.

With at least one third of American adults being obese, I wonder how many parents are going to follow such guidelines when many are unhealthily overweight themselves. Close to 25% of British adults are obese, and experts estimate that by 2050, at the present rate of increase, about 90% of adults will be heavy.

At present, only about 5% of Britons meet the government’s minimum physical activity advice – namely about 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous exercise every week, including some every day.

We can only hope that if parents and child carers are encouraged to provide exercise opportunities for young children, some of that will rub off on the adults too.

Here are the suggestions for babies who are not yet walking:

- Both British and American child experts say parents should limit the amount of time babies spend in swings, bouncy seats or other equipment while they’re awake.

- For babies who can’t walk yet, physical activity should be encouraged from birth, including infants playing on their stomachs or having swimming sessions with their parents.

- Floor-based play encourages infants to use their muscles and helps bone development.

In Britain, it is recommended that older children from the age of 5 and up to 18 should have at least one hour of exercise and that this should include intensive activities to strengthen muscles and bones.

In the US, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advise that the same age groups should be getting at least one hour of physical activity every day.

I fear that in many cases, children and teenagers are receiving a lot less exercise than that recommended.

This method is certainly not new because I used to resort to this with my youngest child in the 1970s and she is now a mother herself with a similar problem.

Never one to miss a business opportunity, companies are always inventing gadgets to put and keep your baby asleep. They know that tired and working parents will pay a high price for a good night’s sleep.

Now Fisher-Price have had a brainwave and come up with an imitation car trip – a seat that simulates a car journey. This brand new product rocks babies to sleep at home by imitating the swaying of a moving car AND the noise of the engine. “The Fisher-Price Cruisin’ Motion Soother sees your baby strapped into a snug bucket seat, where they feel the uneven motions of a car ride. There are also sounds that mimic engine hum and other noises.” And they did they homework as a survey revealed that 40% of new mothers drive their babies around to get them to doze off. It is a surprisingly common practise.

I think this new soother is a great idea – just think of the saving of gas, and time, and wear and tear on your vehicle (not to mention the environment) and the cost is approximately $34.99.

Of course such a gadget is not going to fit your baby or young child indefinitely so you will in time need to decide on a strategy for your baby’s sleeping habits. Everyone has different ideas about where a baby should or should not sleep but don’t always bow to pressure and wherever all family members sleep the best, is the right way for you and your baby. Each baby is of course unique and while some will sleep the best in their own cot and in their own room, others sleep more happily in a cot next to their parents’ bed or even snuggled right in bed next to their mother.

Such sleeping arrangements can change from time to time during the baby’s first two years of life for a variety of reasons. But do try to aim for having your child sleeping in his or her own bed (and if possible own room) by the time they are 2 years old. Eventually, you and your baby will work out the best sleeping arrangement for you both particularly as your child grows older.

In the early days, you just need to remember that the way your baby goes to sleep at night is the way they will want to go back to sleep if they happen to wake up during the night. So it might be better if you can vary the methods used to put your baby to sleep unless of course you are lucky enough to have a child who goes off to sleep quite happily every night with no fuss and no special treatment – a self soothing method. Unfortunately, such babies seem to be few and far between. Some need to be rocked or nursed to sleep either by breast feeding or bottle feeding while others like to be sung to sleep – these are the babies who need the parent soothing method which can of course be tiring and time consuming for the parent.

Whatever method you use to put your baby to sleep at night (and even during the day), it should be a happy experience for both of you. The Cruisin’ Motion Soother could be just what you have been waiting for!

There is a newcomer to the milk production industry and according to studies in Italy, it is proving to be a good alternative milk choice for those babies and children who suffer from cows milk allergies. This new kid on the block is the humble donkey.

According to the head pediatrician at the allergy unit at St. Anna Hospital in Turin, Italy, studies have been carried out on the effects of donkey milk for the past 7 years. And the donkeys (700 in total) at a farm in Northern Italy from where some fifty per cent of production is being sold to such pediatric units in the area.

Dr Giovanna Monti says: “We use this milk mostly for children who are allergic to certain proteins in cows’ milk. These proteins are often also present in formulated milk too.” She adds that the donkey milk is very similar to human milk and has many benefits.

Donkey milk has several health benefits in its favor:

1. It has a low saturated fat content plus high levels of omega three and six (putting it on a par with oily fish) so it can help lower cholesterol.

2. It has high levels of calcium, making it especially suitable for young and growing children.

3. It contains the enzyme Lysozeme, which is anti-bacterial and can protect against intestinal infections.

4. It can be made into a baby formula basis with added calories, making it suitable to feed a newborn baby.

5. It can be used in place of soya milk which has been getting a bad press lately and is now considered to be an unsuitable and even dangerous food for babies and children who are lactose intolerant. All allergies are unfortunately on the rise.

6. The use of goat and sheep’s milk is not always a suitable alternative because in most cases these milks will also lead to allergies.

I know that I said that donkey milk is the new kid on the block but actually donkey milk has been in use for centuries with Hippocrates promoting the milk for a whole range of conditions back in 460 BC with many other civilizations following in his footsteps.

Interestingly, the United Kingdom used donkey milk as an alternative to breast milk in times of need up until the nineteenth century.

However, donkeys have not evolved like cows to be milk machines, their milk production is limited and donkeys only have 2 teats instead of 4. For these reasons, donkey milk is hardly likely to become a big player in the milk production industry.

But as a safer alternative for those babies and children in need, this could be the future.

You might be interested to know that donkey cheese from the Balkans is the world’s most expensive cheese!  Called Pule cheese, this costs $1 350 per kilo and takes 25 liters of milk to make the one kilogram.

The average liter of breast milk contains insufficient vitamin D and so mothers need to boost this. Sunlight is the ideal way to go with half an hour’s exposure especially between the hours of 10 am and 2 pm on a daily basis. Sunlight (UV-B) is a primary and effective way to fulfill the requirement of Vitamin D. This is why many experts recommend getting an exposure of sunlight for at least 15-20 minutes daily but remember the darker your skin, the longer you need. Using soap if showering or bathing a few hours before or after this sun exposure and/or putting on sunscreen will negate the benefit of the vitamin D.

If sunlight exposure is impossible, especially in winter, then a vitamin D3 supplement is necessary.

According to Professior Bruce Hollis (a former director of the Vitamin D Council) the optimum blood level of vitamin D in pregnant and nursing mothers is 40 to 50 ng/ml. He came to this important conclusion when he was testing the levels of vitamin D in babies and found that when the nursing mothers had those levels, their breast milk in turn had enough vitamin D to support their babies. He further found that at levels below 40, the vitamin D content of breast milk became unpredictable.

For obvious reasons, this provides a good bench mark for the rest of us and if pregnant women can reach that level, there is no need to provide additional vitamin D supplements to babies all the time they are being breast fed. It is therefore so important both for moms-to-be and their babies to receive plenty and sufficient vitamin D.

Why is vitamin D so important to both moms and babies?

• The most common problem caused by a deficiency of Vitamin D is rickets. At first it was thought that calcium was the only component that affected the bones. Now it is known that vitamin D regulates the absorption of calcium from the blood stream.
• A deficiency in vitamin D can lead to asthma and even lung infections.
• Studies have revealed that low vitamin D in new born babies can double the risk of schizophrenia and other brain related disorders in later years.

So mothers-to-be can ensure they have adequate levels of vitamin D when they start breastfeeding by either getting enough sun exposure or taking enough vitamin D (usually 4,000–6,000 IU per day) to produce breast milk that is rich in vitamin D.

Additional vitamin D also occurs in foods like fortified milk, egg yolk, cheese, cereals and oily fish. are rich in Vitamin D.

As babies grow older, they also need to be exposed to gradual and regular sunlight. Children over the age of 1 year should take 1,000 IU of vitamin D3 supplements per every 25 pounds of body weight each day but if they spend the summer months outside they do not need to take any until the winter months come round again.

1. Bread was used for centuries but more recently the bagel has come into its own. You can freeze the bagel and even when it defrosts, it is the right consistency and an easy shape for a young child to hold and try to bite into.

2. The old sugary teething biscuits have been replaced with modern sugar-free versions but be wary of artificial sweeteners being used instead.  These are a definite no-no.

3. Vegetables such as carrots and cucumbers are ideal for teething after cooling in the refrigerator first. Older babies will be able to hold them too.

4. Other cold remedies include the freezing of apple slices so that the cold and the enzymes relieve the teething pain.

5. Another cold method is to place frozen peas or organic corn into a damp baby sock, securely tie it and then hand to baby to chew on.

6. Yet another is to freeze a fully ripe banana, secure it in a small nut milk bag and voila!

7. I found a really old and cold method from many years back from a Grandma who used to put an ice cube into the center of a clean wash cloth, place a rubber band around it to keep the ice cube in place. The wash cloth then soaked up the water from the ice cube as it melted.

8. Hylands Teething Gel comes highly recommended by lots of moms and an all-natural teething gel with no benzocaine, no sugar, no artificial flavoring, no dyes or coloring agents and no parbens. For more information on this 100% natural, effective treatment, go to http://www.hylands.com/products/teethinggel.php

9. Another helpful hint for teething is to push down very hard to help cut the teeth and give instant relief.

10. A very popular method is to order and use an amber teething necklace. They help teething babies to sleep through the night, stay happy and relaxed and they even stop the drooling! Here is the web site so you can check them out – www.amberartisans.com/amberbracelets.html

11. Homeopathic Chamomilla is the the remedy of choice for many moms to ease teething discomfort. It is very effective and safe.

There is plenty to choose from this list so you find the perfect natural remedy for your teething baby or toddler to make him or her feel so much better again.

There are two sides to the biotic coin – there are antibiotics and then there are probiotics and if you have to take an antibiotic for any reason, then you need a probiotic to counteract the effects of the antibiotic. We all need probiotics or the “friendly bacteria” which when ingested acts to maintain a healthy intestinal tract and to help fight illness and disease so that we are less likely to need anti-biotics in the future!

“Probiotic” means “for life”.

A healthy lower intestine should contain at least 85% friendly bacteria to prevent the over colonization of disease-causing micro-organisms like E. coli and salmonella. So that means a ratio of 85% friendly bacteria to 15% unfriendly bacteria for optimum good health.

Unfortunately, many people have this percentage reversed.

Fortunately, probiotics are available in the form of dietary supplements and foods.

The benefits of taking probiotics in your food or as supplements are to:

- Treat diarrhea, especially following treatment with certain antibiotics

- Prevent and treat vaginal yeast infections and urinary tract infections

- Treat candida overgrowth

- Treat irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)

- Reduce bladder cancer recurrence and decrease the risk of certain other cancers

- Speed up treatment of certain intestinal infections

- Prevent and treat eczema and other allergies in children

- Prevent or reduce the severity of colds and flu

- Prevent or reduce the incidence of rhinitis and/or hayfever

- Decrease dental-carries-causing microbes in the mouth

- Keep healthy people staying healthy

Many probiotic foods have been used for centuries in different cultures in the form of fermented foods and cultured milk products but recently American interest in probiotics has been growing with the country’s spending, on probiotoc supplements, tripling in just 10 years. This could be as a reaction to the obsession with anti bacterial cleaning products and hand sanitizers as well as food safety regulations where food is sterilized and pasturized. In the quest to get rid of bad bacteria, the good can disappear too. Everything may be a lot cleaner and less disease ridden but not necessarily a lot healthier.

When shopping for food, look out for those labeled as ‘health-promoting’ that contain good bacteria. These include yogurt, some cheeses and sauerkraut. But for a complete list of the best probiotic foods to add to your diet, here are 10 from an article from Dr Edward Group.

http://www.healthiertalk.com/top-10-probiotic-foods-add-your-diet-3424

1. One of the best probiotic foods is live-cultured yogurt, especially when handmade from goat’s milk. Goat’s milk and cheese are particularly high in probiotics like thermophillus, bifudus, bulgaricus and acidophilus. Be aware that not all yogurts are made equally as many popular brands are filled with HFCS (high fructose corn syrup), artificial sweeteners and flavors.

2. Similar to yogurt, kefir is a fermented dairy product with a unique combination of goat milk and fermented grains. High in lactobacilli and bifidus bacteria, kefir is also rich in antioxidants and available from your local health food shop but check the ingredients as the quality can vary. You can even make your own kefir.

3. Made from fermented cabbage (as well as other vegetables), sauerkraut is not only extremely rich in healthy live cultures, vitamins B, A, E and C, but also assists in reducing allergy symptoms.

4. Delicious, high-quality dark chocolate has 4 times the amount of probiotics as many forms of dairy. If eaten in moderation, chocolate has many other health benefits too.

5. There are super-food ocean-based plants such as spirulina, chorella, and blue-green algae, collectively known as microalgae, that have been shown to increase the levels of both lactobacillus and bifidobacteria in the digestive tract, as well as offering the most amount of energetic return, per ounce, for the human system.

6. Miso is one the mainstays of Japanese traditional medicine, and is commonly used in macrobiotic cooking as a digestive regulator. Made from fermented rye, beans, rice or barley, adding a tablespoon of miso to hot water will make an excellent, quick, probiotic-rich soup. Beyond its important live cultures, miso is extremely nutrient-dense and is believed to help neutralize the effects of environmental pollution while alkalinizing the body and stopping the effects of carcinogens in the system.

7. lacto-fermented pickles such as the common green pickle.

8. As a great substitute for meat or tofu, tempeh is a fermented, probiotic-rich grain made from soybeans. A great source of vitamin B12, this vegetarian food can be sautéed, baked or eaten crumbled on salads. If prepared correctly, tempeh is also very low in salt, which makes it an ideal choice for those on a low-sodium diet.

9. This Asian form of pickled sauerkraut, known as kimchi, is an extremely spicy and sour fermented cabbage, served with most meals in Korea. In addition to its beneficial bacteria, Kimchi is also a great source of beta-carotene, calcium, iron and vitamins A, C, B1 & B2.

10. Kombucha Tea is a form of fermented tea high in healthy gut bacteria that has been used as a probiotic drink for centuries. The benefits include helping to increase your energy, enhancing your wellbeing and even leading to weight loss. It is not suitable for those with a candida overgrowth.

Remember to buy organic or raw, unpasturized probiotics whenever you can.

The numbers of skin problems, allergies, eczema, mood disorders, hyperactivity and attention deficit disorders have been increasing in an alarming way over recent times while a lowered immunity is also becoming a problem. The reasons for this could be household chemicals, preservatives, toxins, pollutants and of course the controversial vaccines.

So how about following these 10 natural ways to grow an earth child:

1. Traces of chemical toxins from body products are found in the newly birthed umbilical chord which means that products used by you could be absorbed and passed onto the unborn baby. Such products include nail polish, hair color, skin cream, deodorants and shampoos. Look for organic and natural alternatives as your first step to growing a natural baby when you discover you are pregnant.

2. Right from the beginning of your pregnancy, make it known that you are planning a natural baby so you can ensure that any baby gifts given to you by kind family and friends will be gifts you can use. They may need to be more inventive but nothing wrong with that! There are plenty of natural baby products on the market today including those made with pure essential oils. There are web sites devoted to toys and clothing that are eco and baby friendly.

3. Top of the list can be natural fiber, biodegradable or re-usable nappies.

4. Find pure cotton linen, clothing and mattress covers for the nursery.

5. Use sheepskin, wool or cotton to cover synthetic car seats.

6. Decorate your baby’s nursery (and preferably the whole of your house too) with low or zero VOC paints and use eco friendly furniture, curtains and flooring as well.

7. Once your baby has been born, breastfeeding strengthens a baby’s immunity and is the best environmentally friendly feeding option. The big plus for moms is that breast feeding helps to prevent breast cancer.

8. Once your baby is on to solids, encourage a taste for natural and organic. Choose natural sweeteners like stevia or maple syrup. Honey can be used once they are older. Children who are exposed to synthetic flavors like MSG tend to develop cravings and seek out junk food. Enlist the aid of your whole family in changing to a more healthy way of living for your child’s sake and your own good health. Be aware of food sensitivities like wheat and dairy which do not agree with some children. If so try alternatives like rye or rice or oat milk. Go for organic whenever you can – without pesticides, preservatives and additives you minimize the chances of toxic build up. Keep your child away from as many processed, refined and sugary foods as possible.

9. Vitamin D is vital for us all including a natural baby – if there is sunshine available, take your baby out in it for a short period every day. Sunlight is the very best way to boost vitamin D levels. If the weather is cloudy and wintry, give vitamin D drops.

10. As your baby grows, teach him or her about recycling, composting and planting. Foster a love for being outdoors and enjoying nature. Nature makes us feel good and it will make your children feel good too. Young children are little sponges and will soak up everything you give them. Don’t always resort to TV for entertainment. Use sensory stimulation such as music as a replacement some of the time.

Your baby depends on you to keep him or her safe and healthy – growing a natural baby gives the best possible start.