Do your emotions really affect your baby’s sleep?

Have you experienced this:-
You are tired, your baby is crotchety and just won’t settle, you feel frazzled and just can’t seem to find that magic solution to calm your baby despite trying everything and then someone suggests that maybe you aren’t coping? Perhaps you have postnatal depression?

[caption id="attachment_2319" align="alignleft" width="150"] Baby can't sleep[/caption]

For a lot women this just adds fuel to the fire. All you want is some understanding and support and you get blame. All of a sudden it’s your fault that your baby is unsettled. How is that fair?
For many this is real. There are many who think for themself, “Maybe I do have postnatal depression” without anyone else suggesting it. In fact the majority of women consider this at some time in the early weeks and months with their baby.
Our emotions affect our interactions everyday of our lives. When we are happy and relaxed, feeling confident and that we have control and influence over our lives, we function extremely well. It’s when this falls down that we may not feel confident and effective in our abilities and responsibilities. This includes our reactions to others including our baby and children and partner.
The reality is that yes your emotions do affect your baby in ways that may interfere with your baby’s sleep. Your emotions affect how you interact with adults why wouldn’t it affect your baby? When you are exhausted, working 24 hours a day as a new parent as well as doing all the other things expected of you it is easy to become reactive rather than responsive.
Your baby responds to your tone of voice, the tension in your muscles and the movements of your actions. Your baby will pick up on any tension way before you will simply because he or she is on the receiving end and knows you better than you know yourself.
Not everyone who has questions about their emotional health with a new baby will have or develop postnatal depression. Some will yes, but not all. For most women the transition to having and caring for a new baby is challenging, draining and confounding for the first few months. Those who have the support, guidance and care of family and friends to support through this transition, not surprisingly do better than those struggling all on their own. It is unrealistic for anyone to perform optimally in a job 24 hours a day, yet we expect this of women with a new baby.
So come on people, next time you think you or someone else may be experiencing difficulty managing with their new baby, offer support not judgement. Have the conversation- How can I help you? What will make a difference to you? If it is you wondering if you may be having difficulty- have the conversation with your family and friends. Tell them what you need- Ask for it. Work out a way you can get it.
It’s imperative we look after mums.

Little known baby sleep secrets

[caption id="attachment_2252" align="alignleft" width="150"] Brisbane baby sleep tips[/caption]

Now is the time for you  to take care of yourself if you are not already- this means time out just for you. Do something you enjoy.

 

It may be gym, walk, swim, knit, sew, read, coffee with friend, window shop, crosswords, music- You need to do something for you. It’s about self care, self respect, self value and generally taking care of your self and showing others including your baby that you respect yourself and value yourself.  This is so that your children grow up learning to respect you and themselves too and that you respect yourself too.  Your children learn from you from day one- they are watching you every minute of every day and know you better than you know yourself.

 

Remember when you feel taken care of, it fills your bucket of giving and you are a better person in all aspects of your life.

Remember you are not just a mother.  Being a mother is a new role that you have taken on. It is not your only role.

Taking time for you does not mean that you love your children less.  It means that you love them more because you have more to give.

Little known Breastfeeding Facts for success

[caption id="attachment_2306" align="alignleft" width="150"] Breastfeeding secrets of lactation consultants[/caption]

 

Most babies will feed very soon after birth and it goes very well.
Probably the most confusing thing for parents particularly, is that after the first feed sometimes it can seem like your baby doesn’t know what to do and can’t find the nipple again. Your baby may cry, get on the nipple, come off, cry again, move his or head mouth over, on, around the nipple, come off , cry and repeat a number of times.
For us looking on, it can be a bit frustrating. We think “ just get on, you are on it, just close your mouth and suck”.

This is all normal behaviour and is just your baby imprinting on the nipple, finding his or her way to the nipple, co –ordinating the suck and generally just imprinting into his or her brain abut feeding. The important thing is to be patient and let your baby go through this. He or she will get it again. If you try to force it by pushing your baby’s head onto the nipple it won’t work. Your baby will push back against what ever is touching the back of his or her head. Support the head if you need to but never force them.
Most babies don’t like the back of their head being touched . In fact most people don’t like the back of their head being push so it is easy to understand .
Often during this time a lot of babies will move their head back and just look at their mother, at the world around them and generally take it in. This is another time when I see a lot of parents be impatient and think something is wrong. It is not wrong, just your baby getting a handle on thing around him or her. Let your baby look around, do their thing and within a few minutes they will usually look for a feed again.
Sometimes, your baby will try to feed, get frustrated, have a little sleep and then wake up after 30-120 seconds and look for the nipple again. All this is normal. Sometimes they may have a little sleep a couple of times and then wake up and have a try. In normal circumstances this is normal and will pass. Sometimes it may take up to 20 minutes of on and off , looking around to get on, this is all normal especially if your baby was crying and distressed for quite some time before the feed.
Allow baby to bob his head around on your nipple. It may take him a little while to get there, but if he can do it himself , he will achieve a much better latch usually. Everyone needs to be patient at this time and allow your baby time to do his or her thing. If we take the pressure off around feeding for your baby, it usually helps it go much smoother.

Patience is key for breaastfeeding success.

gut health and you

Probiotics and gut health is a topic of discussion currently. I received this newsletter about gut health and probiotics and thought I'd share with you. I like this company( I am not an affiliate of theirs) and like their newsletters with great tips and information each month.

 

 

Lacey Swartz (KV Organics ~ Miessence)

Probiotics: More Than a Gut Feeling

By Susan Taylor, RD Can bacteria really be "good" for you?  The answer is a resounding yes-if it is the right kind of bacteria.   A normal bowel contains an estimated 100 trillion microorganisms representing more than 500 different species.  Digestive problems may occur when the balance of friendly bacteria in your gut is disturbed - anything from taking antibiotics for an infection to damage to the lining of the intestine could do the trick. But, how do we get our gut back in balance? Probiotics may hold the key to this dilemma.  Probiotics, the "good bacteria," come in many forms such as powders, capsules, tablets, and foods like yogurt or dairy drinks. Benefits Recent studies have helped legitimize the use of probiotics in the treatment of many conditions such as: Infectious diarrhea in infants and children.  Lactobacillus GG has been shown useful in the treatment of this type of diarrhea as well as c-diff colitis. Crohns disease or ulcerative colitis.  Probiotics may help maintain remission of ulcerative colitis as well as prevent a relapse of Crohns disease. UTIs and yeast infections.  By restoring the normal balance of microflora, probiotics may aid in the fight against yeast infections and UTIs in women. Weak immune system.  The immune system may also benefit as probiotics may introduce friendly bacteria to help challenge the immune system in a healthy way. Which one to choose? With all the choices out there, how do you know which product is best?  It's always a good idea to look for a product from a reputable company whose products have been tested in research studies.  A reliable product will list the name of the specific probiotics it contains and should have verifiably living organisms that can then multiply in your gut. A great probiotic to consider is Miessence's InLiven Probiotic Fermented Superfoods.  Based on more than 20 years of research, it contains the complete Lactobacillus family of 13 strains combined with 26 certified organic whole foods naturally fermented for 3 weeks prior to bottling. InLiven uses an especially grown super breed of very strong Lactobacilli designed to reach the digestive tract intact so it can derive the most benefit.  Plus, the bacteria in InLiven is produced from fruits and vegetables -- not fast-tracked from fecal matter or genetically modified.  Just 1- 3 teaspoons a day can give your gut the beneficial bugs it needs to stay healthy. So why not give probiotics a try - your whole body, not just your gut will thank you! Note: though most with gluten issues are fine with InLiven because the proteins are broken down during fermentation, those with extreme gluten concerns may wish to use or start with the liquid gluten free option Fast Tract.  Listen to the recording below for more details.     Click here for a recorded interview with Czerral, creator of InLiven and Fast Tract

Product Q&A with Crystal Pizzaro Question:  I have read about Gut and Psychology Syndrome (GAPS) and how many individuals with mental health symptoms are more likely to also have gut dysbiosis, beginning in childhood. I heard that probiotics can reverse the dysbiosis and return the body's gut flora to a healthy balance. Are all probiotics created equal?   Answer: Great question! No, all probiotics are not created equal. There are many issues of quality that can make a huge difference in our body's ability to benefit from a probiotic supplement.  Miessence's In-Liven Fermented Probiotic Superfoods contains 26 certified organic whole foods fermented for 3 weeks prior to bottling in order to ensure optimal absorption. The 13 strains of Lactobacillus are exposed to stressful environments in order to become a "super family" of Lactobacillus that are extra hardy against common gut assaults in modern living. Your body will thank you through improved digestion, enhanced focus, and reduced hypertension and cholesterol levels. Be sure to check out Miessence's Recipe Book for kid-approved probiotic yummy recipes.   Click here for a checklist you can use to evaluate other probiotics brands in comparison

Community Updates

Meet Lacey Lacey Swartz is a wife and mother of five who longs to see sustainable life restored in all the world.  She enjoys sharing natural health and sustainable living resources to save her readers hours of research time, as well as answering common questions to spare her clients the waste and frustration of a trial and error approach to purchasing natural products. Equally passionate about economic sustainability, Lacey loves helping people find smart referral programs that can help reduce or eliminate household budget lines.  And even more so, as a social entrepreneur living in an era of massive job loss, she is deeply passionate about teaching people how to wisely evaluate home business options for the greatest potential long-term success. Having worked in the natural products and home business fields since 2005, Lacey is highly skilled at helping people understand both of these topics more fully in order to draw their own informed conclusions, without ever pushing her own opinions on anyone.  Although you'll most often find her working from home in her sweats, she is fully committed to running a consulting business of the utmost professionalism and especially thankful to be able to stay home with her young family while still putting her inner teacher and MA in Education to good use in the world. Learn more about Lacey and her work at  KVOrganics.com

Whether as an i-Mag reader only, or as a customer also, thank you again for being part of the Miessence Community.

Lacey Swartz   |   KVOrganics.com
Customer Service:  609-504-1802   |   lacey@kvorganics.com

 

Peaceful baby sleep-'It was so easy'

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ONe mum I spoke with just 2 weeks ago( a colleague, also a midwife) was asking me about her 4 month old daughter who was breastfeeding all night- yes all night- up to 10 times and not sleeping during the day.

 

She was exhausted- they both were.

 

Needless to say her baby spent a lot of time in her arms, was always grizzly and with 3 other children under 7 yrs, it was not sustainable for her.

 

She had been avoiding doing anything because she thought it would be hard, horrible and include screaming.

 

She told me yesterday that she had 7 hours sleep this week in one go. And her baby daughter had 2 x 2 hr sleeps in the day.

 

She was amazed at how easy it was once she got her head around how to do it. She even finds time for herself now. She can’t believe how much more energy she has, how happy her baby is and that she even likes to go in her cot now.

 
If you know of someone who may benefit like this, please share far and wide, they can start with the free tips on my website-insyncwithinfants.com or call and we can arrange a time to chat. Leisa

[caption id="attachment_2287" align="alignleft" width="150"] Ipswich_My_Midwives_baby_sleep[/caption]

 

                 Brisbane newborn Baby sleep Help

For anyone in Brisbane or Gold Coast looking for help with their baby's sleep- here is

your answer. Here is a pic of me at Ipswich My midwives, talking with their mums about all important                       sleep.

 

 

 

From newborns to 4 year olds, your questions have answers, your problems have solutions, it is not impossible.  Whether you want to cuddle your baby, wear your baby, or use a  cot or pram, with some time spent on working through what 's working for you and your baby and what's not, you'll find what is right  for you.

ONe mum I spoke with just 2 weeks ago( a  colleague, also a midwife) was asking me about her 4 month old daughter who was breastfeeding all night- yes all night- up to 10 times and not sleeping during the day.  She was exhausted- they both were. Needless to say her baby spent a lot of times in her arms and with 3 other children under 7 yrs, it was not sustainable for her.  She had been avoiding doing anything because she thought it would be incredibly hard, unbelievably horrible and include crying and screaming for both of them.  She told me yesterday that she had 7 hours sleep last night  in one go.  And her baby daughter had 2 x 2 hr sleeps in the day.  She was amazed at how easy it was once she got her head around how to do it.  She even finds time for herself now. She can't believe how much more energy she has, how happy her baby is and that she even likes to go in her cot now.

You can have these results too.  Start with your free tips on our home page.  We are here to help. Leisa

What your baby needs

 

Babies have become a marketers dream and shops are full of things that you apparently NEED to make either your life happier or easier and your baby’s life better through all these gadgets etc.

 
After feeding and sleep, babies really don’t need a lot of other stuff to be happy or to develop.

 
As you hold and talk to your baby he or she will learn listening, understanding, comprehension, trust, sharing and turn taking. Your baby watches you and his or her environment to learn how to interact with others, speech, touch and affection.
Most parents are surprised to hear that floor time is the most important thing their baby needs to enhance their physical development. On the floor, your baby strengthens their muscles, develops eye hand co-ordination, works out where they are in relation to the space they are in and they develop their bi-focal ability. He or she learns to move his or her body and has the ability of repetition to learn and refine their movements.
After feeding and sleep and rest, development, particularly floor time for physical development- is the next important thing.
The opportunity to do things over and over, some objects and a few simple toys are all your baby needs. Using swings, jolly jumpers, easy walker and other objects are not necessary for development. If they are used in abundance they can hinder physical development by limiting what they are exposed to. If you use any of these things, use them for short periods of time only. Ten minutes is plenty.
In addition, your baby doesn’t need a lot of objects to explore, hold, mouth and look at. Simple household items can be just as interesting to your baby as some bought items. Of ten parents will say that their baby enjoys a simple cheap household item much more than a carefully and specially bought more expensive item. Commonly, plastic cups, spoons, containers are just as fascinating for your baby.

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Physical movement through play helps your baby to stay healthy, keep their brain busy, develops senses and teach your baby that people care about them. Your baby’s needs are simple.