Babies - Inspired Living SA

Babies, Children, Competitions, Family, Lifestyle, Parenting, Parenting Advice

Babies In Mind

Having a baby is a beautiful and wonderful thing, but it can sometimes feel traumatic, depressing and even frightening. Everyone has their own birth experience and stories to tell but very often they will neglect to mention the ‘best kept secret’, that babies are sometimes hard and parenthood – particularly motherhood can be gruelling but at the same time, of course, it is the best thing in the world.

I thought I would share some facts on motherhood and parenting with you:

• Women are more likely to become depressed in the first year after having a baby (and the last trimester in pregnancy) than any other time in their lives.
• 10-15% of mothers develop postnatal depression (PND), and in developing countries and poverty-stricken areas, the figures are much higher.
• Research has shown that 1/3 of Khayelitsha moms suffer from PND.
• Suicide is the leading cause of maternal death in developed countries.
• The new father can also get depressed. Dads often feel left out and unwanted when babies come along.

As a new mom, it’s so hard to feel frustrated, disappointed, confused, depressed and anxious when you’re expected to be blissfully happy. The media contributes to this problem by perpetuating a lie about motherhood and babies by publishing only pictures of young, beautiful, skinny, model mothers, and bouncy, smiley, contented babies. There are relatively few pictures in baby and parenting magazines of the graveyard shift, mothers looking and feeling like hell, trying to soothe an unhappy baby, trying to breastfeed a screaming baby who can’t seem to latch, etc. In the context of this fairy tale, idealized image of how motherhood and babies are supposed to be, the reality can feel like a huge let down. It can even feel like a betrayal.

The truth is that real babies can disappoint their parents sometimes …especially sick babies, colicky or reflux prone babies, unplanned babies, high need babies who cry a lot and are irritable and difficult to soothe, babies who don’t feed well, and babies who are abnormal or handicapped in some way. It’s very disappointing when you realize that your baby can’t meet your own unmet needs and he won’t be everything you want him to be.

It is vital to have a support system during parenting, especially in the first few months. The loving support of a spouse is really important! Part of the dad’s role in the beginning is to look after the new mother. Support from friends and family is also protective, as long as it is the kind of support that empowers rather than controls. Often your own mother can be the most powerful factor that either strengthens or undermines your ability to cope as a new mom. Connecting with other people, especially other new moms, is extremely important. New mothers are often socially isolated, and being alone with an unhappy baby is not easy.

If you find yourself struggling as a new parent or if you need emotional support or guidance with your baby, contact one of our Babies in Mind practitioners in your area, either to join one of our workshops, attend one of our talks, or for individual consultations. All our practitioners are mental health professionals with specialized training and expertise.

Babies in Mind, written by Jenny Perkel, is all about staying sane during the wonderful but challenging first year of your baby’s life. It is the guide to help you understand both yourself and your baby from a psychological perspective. Feeding, sleeping and crying usually bring the most stress to parents and their babies. They are the classic sanity wreckers. Read about these and other sanity wreckers like high need babies and postnatal depression.

We are excited to let you know that we have three copies of the Babies In Mind to giveaway! Babies In Mind, written by Jenny Perkel, author of Babies in Mind and Streets of Jewels, she is a clinical psychologist, a mother and a trained nurse / midwife who has published numerous articles about babies, children and parenting for South African magazines.

All you need to do to win a copy of this wonderful book for yourself or a friend is show us some Facebook love! Follow the simple steps on the entry form below:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Competition Details:

The Babies In MInd Giveaway will run from 2nd December 2012, until the 10th December 2012. The winner/s will then be selected via the Rafflecopter form and announced on my blog and on Facebook. The winners will also be notified via email.
Please leave a comment on this blog, below the post, stating that you have completed the above, along with your details in the comment section below this post (please use a valid email address). Your details will be used to validate your entry if you are selected as a winner.
Conditions of entry: Anyone may enter this giveaway but please be advised that the various companies sponsoring prizes on Super Mom Blog, are based in South Africa and therefore prizes will only be shipped within South Africa. The prizes may not be exchanged for cash.

Babies, Children, Family, Product Reviews, Reviews and Features

Beautiful Earth Barrier Cream Review

Recently we were asked to review the Beautiful Earth Barrier Cream. Beautiful Earth is an amazing range of 100% natural personal care products, sold to both the individual consumers and the hospitality industry. This brand is no stranger to Super Mom Blog, as we have done reviews of their products before, which you can see here.

The BE Barrier Cream contains Calendula and Benzoin essential oils, which act as a natural barrier to protect delicate skin against wetness. Also very effective for treating nappy rash. Apply a thin layer on baby’s bottom before putting on a nappy. ~ BE

Below is the feedback we received about the Barrier Cream, from Lyndsay, who is a mom to four boys:

Her initial thought, was that the cream was quite thin in consistency. “As a ‘Barrier Cream’ I was expecting something quite a bit thicker, much like other products on the market. It goes on really well and sinks in without leaving a greasy residue; you could even use it as an all over body cream.” When she applied it to her baby son’s bum, it was almost transparent so she was initially hesitant that it would act like a barrier cream, but she was pleasantly surprised. He had no adverse reaction to it (and her boys all have problematic, eczema prone skin) and his bum was smooth and clear.

The product does have a fairly strong smell – not unpleasant but something different to what you would normally associate with a baby product, again her son is very sensitive to most products, so she normally buys fragrance free products.

Thank you Lyndsay for your feedback!

I think that sometimes natural products are somewhat different to their more synthetically processed counterparts and do not necessarily smell or feel the same, but in essence if they do the same job and we are doing something for the environment in the process, we should at least give them try. ~ Super Mom Blog

To find out more about the other baby products on offer from Beautiful Earth you can click over to their website.

Babies, Children, Family, Parenting, Parenting Advice

What is Colic?

What is colic? Well besides for being a nonsensical, immensely frustrating condition that tiny babies suffer from and something sent to test a parents every reserve. Colic is up there with myths and legends and things like UFO’s and Big-foot and nobody really knows why it happens to seemingly happy babies and although people tell you about it, you can only truly understand it, if happens to you.

Unfortunately doctors don’t know what causes colic, what the disorder is, or how to cure it. It is also uncertain whether colicky babies are in pain but what they do know, is that colic does not indicate the presence of a serious medical problem. It is maintained that a certain amount of crying is normal and healthy for a baby.

Infantile colic is most common in the first few weeks, to four months of a baby’s life; rarely does it endure past six months of age. Paediatricians often use the “Rule of Three” to diagnose colic: “A baby that cries for three or more hours per day, at least three times per week, within a three-month period”. {Wess, et al., “Paroxysmas fussing in infancy.” Pediatrics 1984:74:998.} About 25 percent of babies worldwide meet the official “Rule of Threes” criteria for medical diagnosis of colic.

What are the signs of colic:

Some of the more common signs are – Constant crying, tongue-trusting, irritability, abdominal bloating, frequent yawning, back and neck arching, spitting-up, blueness around the mouth, mottled skin.

Realistically you may spend every waking hour, either in your paediatricians office or on the internet searching for answers, as to what colic is or how to cure it but may never get the satisfactory answers or results you actually want or need. As my paed told me many years ago – “you will have tried every medical potion and in the end your baby will have naturally grown out of that phase of its life”.

What are the potential causes or triggers of colic in a newborn:

Newborns have an immature digestive system that has never processed food. The gastrointestinal system is literally just learning to function. Muscles that support digestion have not developed the proper rhythm for moving food efficiently thought the digestive tract. Additionally, newborns lack the benevolent bacterial flora (probiotics) that develop over time to aid digestion. This explains why almost all infants outgrow colic within the first six months.
It is also thought that certain foods eaten by mothers while breastfeeding contain volatile chemicals and allergens that in a small percentage of infants result in colic discomfort and upset a babies digestive system. It is possible that while breastfeeding certain trace elements of cruciferous vegetables and other gas-producing foods may be passed via breast milk to baby and cause gas and bloating.
Other factors that can cause colic are: hunger, overfeeding, swallowed air, the ingredients and the reconstitution of formulae could also be an issue.

There are many different trains of though as to what the best cure or remedies are to alleviate colic, so I thought I would share a few of these with you:

Mix a small amount of Rooibos (South African tea) with breast or formula milk for the colicky baby.
Drink one cup of chamomile tea a day as long as you are breastfeeding your baby. CAUTION: Do not give chamomile to a baby because it can cause an allergic reaction.
Other tea remedies for breastfeeding moms to drink, to alleviate colic symptoms are fennel seed tea and peppermint tea, which help to calm and sooth immature digestive systems and provide some relief from gas and bloating.
Products such as Colic Calm Gripe Water, Bennetts Colic Remedy, Colief Infant Drops. {there are many more but these are the ones I know of}
Homeopathic remedies such as Mag Phos and Chamomilla/Millefolium drops may help reduce the spasms and cramps.
Limiting the amount of stimulation that your baby is exposed to can also reduce the symptoms of colic.

Baby massage is also a great way to alleviate colic and reduce pain caused by bloating and it also soothing for your baby and massage can also help them sleep more peacefully. {This was a remedy that I found really worked for me – the pic above is off my youngest enjoying a baby massage!}
Chiropractic manipulation is also thought to help relieve colic, this is not something that I ever tried but many moms use this with great results.
Changes made to a mothers diet while breastfeeding can also reduce colic symptoms in a baby.
The last resort and a sometimes necessary option is medication, which you can obtain with prescription from your doctor or over-the-counter from your pharmacist.

Most importantly is that you seek professional help if the natural remedies do not work for your baby and remember to try one remedy at a time, to establish exactly what works and what does not. Also remember to look after yourself, a frazzled mom or dad is no good to anyone. Have a good support system and seek the help and advice of care givers such as midwives, clinic sisters or other moms that have been through this before – even if it is just to have someone to talk to.

I would love to hear from you – if you have any other colic remedies or would like to share your experience with us, please leave a comment below this post.

Source: Colic Calm, Baby Sense

Babies, Children, Family, FAR Photography

Cutest Baby Competition

I thought I would let you know about a wonderful baby competition happening over at Kalahari! You can WIN A BABY HAMPER FILLED WITH GOODIES VALUED AT R1000!

Kalahari would love to see how cute your little one is! Simply take a picture of your baby dressing up, splashing in mud or curling up on the dog, upload it, share it and get your friends to vote for your baby.

Little ones can be so full of surprises and if you’re lucky enough to capture that special moment on camera, you could stand a chance to win a baby hamper valued at R1000. There is no end to picture perfect moments with a baby, so get snapping!

The competition ends on the 31^st of October, so get your entries in as soon as possible! Click here to enter.

Images: Kalahari

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