New Ottawa Mom - Taking Care of Baby

Eight sleep strategies - by Ann Douglas

Thu, 29 Jun 2006 13:59:32 -0700

Sleep scientists have identified eight sleep strategies that are effective in encouraging healthy sleep habits in babies and young children:

1. Learn to spot and respond to your child’s sleep cues at each age and stage—during the baby, toddler, and preschool years. You want to ensure that your child is benefiting from adequate sleep.

2. Teach your baby to distinguish between night and day and expose your baby to sunlight to help reinforce your baby’s natural circadian rhythms (the body’s built in sleep/wake “clock”).

3. Establish a consistent, predictable, soothing bedtime routine during the newborn phase, and allow this routine to evolve as your child becomes an older baby, toddler, and a preschooler. You will find this easier to accomplish if you provide a sleep environment that is sleep-enhancing.

1-866-797-0000 - Telehealth HELP-Line

Mon, 26 Jun 2006 08:33:19 -0700

Description:

Telehealth Ontario is a free, confidential telephone service you can call to get health advice or general health information from a Registered Nurse.

That means quick, easy access to a qualified health professional, who can assess your symptoms and help you decide your best first step. We can help you decide whether to care for yourself, make an appointment with your doctor, go to a clinic, contact a community service or go to a hospital emergency room.

My husband and I used the Telehealth Line just recently, after picking up our daughter from daycare. She was vomiting, but had no fever. It took about 10 minutes for us to speak with a registered nurse, describe the situation and condition of our daughter, answer her questions and get information on what the causes could be, what to do and what to look for if emergency care at a hospital was needed. They were very helpful, and this was so much faster than going to the emergency room, which we've done in the past.
~Camielle Lang

Babies & Sun Protection

Tue, 23 May 2006 09:55:02 -0700

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Summer is here!! - and Jules has some great advice on protecting baby from harmful effects of the sun. Check out Jules' Q&A Archive for some very helpful information.

Diaper Rash - Prevention & Treatment

Thu, 18 May 2006 10:46:26 -0700

Description:

*What does diaper rash look like?
Diaper rash mostly causes mild redness and scaling where the diaper touches your baby's skin. In bad cases, the rash can cause pimples, blisters and other sores. If your baby's rash gets infected, the rash may be bright red and the skin may be swollen. Small red patches or spots may spread beyond the main part of the rash, even outside the diaper area.

*What causes diaper rash?
Most diaper rashes are caused by skin irritation. This can be caused by diapers that rub against the skin, fit too tightly or are left on for too long. Contact between urine (pee) and stool (bowel movements) can cause a chemical "burn" to the skin. This can be worse with diarrhea. Your baby's skin can also be sore from the soap used to wash cloth diapers, or by some brands of diapers or baby wipes. Plastic pants that fit over diapers hold heat and wetness in the diaper area. Heat, moisture and raw skin make it easy for diaper rash to start and for germs to grow. When a rash gets infected, it's often a yeast infection, also called Monilia or Candida. Bacteria can also infect the skin. Infection can make diaper rash much worse.

Contact:
From the College of Family Physicians of Canada

Feeding your Baby (City of Ottawa)

Mon, 8 May 2006 13:04:06 -0700

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Check out the City of Ottawa's guide to feeding your baby for great advice on breastfeeding, making your own baby food, sample menus for toddlers, and more.

Teeth & Teething Tips

Thu, 27 Apr 2006 18:39:05 -0700

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Remember to clean your baby’s mouth and gums daily from the start. This is good preparation for the onset of erupting teeth, and gets baby used to oral hygiene habits. Teething generally begins at four to six months. One tooth per month will appear until about 2½ years.

In promoting good dental care, avoid giving baby sugar or bottles of juice or milk at bedtime as this can promote tooth decay. Some professionals advise that toothpaste with fluoride be avoided unless the water supply in your area isn't fluoridated.

It is also advised that baby have a first visit with the dentist at about one year. This is a good way for you to learn if your baby’s teeth are developing well or if additional precautions or care needs to be taken (i.e. fluoride drops) and get answers to any questions you have.

Contact:
If you have a great idea to help ease the pain of teething, let us know about it. We'll add it to out tips list!