I have been so lucky to have time to research how to help little Emma and everytime I find something new I get so frustrated I didn't know it earlier. Why don't babies come with a manual suited to their make/model? It sure would make parents' lives easier. Well I am now a wealth of information and am passing it on in my small way.
Dunstan Baby- this is an awesome DVD (available at the local library) that talks about babies' reflexes and how when they put a sound to these reflexes, it makes a certain noise. It talks about 5 different sounds to listen for to distinguish what a baby needs. However, it is only applicable in the first 3 months. I think by that time you have an idea what they are telling you anyways.
White noise- babies love the sound of vacuums, fans, blowdryers, etc.
Happiest baby on the block- this talks about five ways to soothe a crying baby quickly using the five Ss: Swaddle, Side/Stomach, Shushing, Swinging, and Sucking. This is available in a book or DVD format (also available at the local library.)
Baby massage for releaving gas.
Swings and Vibrating bouncers are a must!
Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child- this book talks about the importance of getting enough sleep. Some concepts I didn't know are that if a baby sleeps well during the day, they'll sleep better at night and if you keep a baby up too long they go into a fight or flight hyperarousal mode in order to stay awake and then it is much harder for them to get to sleep. Also, a young baby needs to sleep after a maximum of 2 hours of being awake. This book talks about the different ages and how their sleep should look at that point. It also explains common problems babies face in a medically backed way that makes it really clear. This has been my favorite source of information, with the internet being a close second.
The Towle Method of Colic Relief- This was harder for me to find online. If you have a cryer, let me know and I can forward this to you. It basically talks about how to avoid a colic crying episode. If you feed a baby until they are 100% full, they have a lot of pressure in their poor belly and are unable to burp up the air efficiently and instead will push it out into the intestines leading to hours of discomfort. If you have a "windy" baby, feed them less more often and only until they are about 3/4 full. This means extra feedings and more difficulty establishing a routine--at least for me--but much less crying!
Blogs are a wealth of applicable information!- Babywise is another great guide for parenting. It talks about routines. I haven't been able to implement this fully yet with Emma's poor eating habits, but you can search for babywise blogs and get tons of first-hand experience from experienced moms! Just an example. Search blogs for first-hand experience from moms who know.
And I'm sure there is more, but that's all I can think of right now. I am also amazed at how much of this stuff you kinda just figure out on your own. Best of luck to all my friends and family who are joining the new mom club! It's quite a journey!
This is FANTASTIC information. I especially like the information on only filling the belly 3/4 of the way. I've been using that (or tyring to pretend like I know when she hits that level) since you suggested it, and I think it's going to be a really good tactic! Thanks for all the info again. New moms like me really appreciate it! :)
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