When your baby is weighed and measured, the pediatrician will tell you where your baby`s weight and length rank in terms of a “percentile”. This simply tells you how your baby compares to other babies of the same age. For example, if your baby`s weight falls into the 80th percentile, it means she weighs more than 80 percent of babies her age. Some people seem to think ranking in a high percentile is a good thing, because it means the baby is thriving. However, this is not necessarily the case. A baby in the 40th percentile might be thriving, but just destined to be a small person. For example, my daughter has consistently ranked in about the 50th percentile, and she is very healthy, and has plenty of meat on her bones. My husband and I are not very large people, and it seems that she has simply inherited our body size.

Your baby`s length will be ranked in exactly the same way, and can give you an idea of whether your baby will be tall, medium or average in height. If both you and your husband are short, don`t expect a baby to rank in the 90th percentile in height, though it can happen.

One thing you do need to look for is a major difference between the height and weight percentiles. They should be pretty close. If your baby is in the 40th percentile in height, and 90th in weight, you might be feeding her a bit too much. On the other hand, a baby in the 90th percentile in height that ranks in the 30th percentile in weight is probably a bit on the thin side. Your doctor will advise you if your child`s diet needs attention.

The most important thing you can do to monitor your child`s development is to attend those well baby visits with your pediatrician. Your doctor will be monitoring your baby`s progress, and in the event that any area needs attention, he will be able to alert you to the issues. This first year of development is critical and it is good to keep tabs on the progress.

A baby nursery, or separate bedroom for a new born, is not the usual practice in many countries. My children by my first marriage were brought up in England, where a baby, on
being taken home from hospital, will go home to a separate bedroom or nursery. My young daughter, Saffron, was born here in the Philippines where the tradition is for babies to sleep with the parents.

It can be a difficult choice for new parents: do we put our new baby in her own nursery room, or do we have her in our bedroom in a crib or even in our bed? There are conflicting opinions about this choice, and it is one that attracted quite a lot of comment and surprise here when we opted to put Saffron in her own crib in her own nursery room, the day she came home from the baby clinic.

I was very firm in my own mind that a separate room is best in the long term and therefore it is best in the beginning. A baby, and then child, will grow in accordance with what they are used to, and what they come to see and feel as the norm. The most important things for a baby are that :

1. They are fed well;

2. They are kept clean;

3. They are comfortable;

4. They feel secure knowing that the parents, especially mother, will be there when she wakes.

5. They are loved.

All of those things are easily achievable in a baby nursery separate from the
parents’ room.

Advantages Of A Separate Baby Nursery

A separate baby nursery brings with it a number of important advantages, for the baby and the parents. These include:

1. The baby will sleep undisturbed by parents coming and going. As they get older that will be particularly important in the evening and night.

2. The parents will have their own privacy and time for themselves. This will be more and more appreciated as the weeks, months and then years pass.

3. The parents will sleep better too, especially compared to those who have a baby in their own bed.

4. The baby is more likely to grow into a strong and independent child, with a large amount of confidence. So long as they are happy and secure, they will not be worried about sleeping alone, as this is what they have come to expect. They know that when they wake, their mother and father are close to hand.

Disadvantages Of A Separate Baby Nursery

I cannot think of one genuine disadvantage of a separate baby nursery, assuming that the room is within earshot. A baby at birth can cry quite loudly, and why should that be if the natural state is always for the mother to be at their side? A baby cries so mother can hear from a distance. If that distance is another bedroom nearby, then that is fine. The baby will be unconcerned if it cries and you appear
through a door rather than at her side already.

Some first time parents will worry that they will not hear the baby if they are asleep and she is in a separate room. There is no need to worry; the mother especially will be tuned in to the cry of the baby, and will be subconsciously alert to the slightest sound. My wife was concerned about this very thing when Saffron was born, so for her assurance we left our bedroom door open, and Saffron’s door too.
She soon realised there was no risk of not hearing the baby, so first Saffron’s door, and then our door, were later kept closed at night.

Always remember, babies cry to be heard, so unless you are both very heavy sleepers, there is very little chance of you not hearing the baby when she is hungry, needs changing, or has some other problem.

To start, we need to look at the reasons for behavior. According to behavioral approaches, most of the behavior we see results from one of three reasons: a request, seeking attention, or a sensory reason. Let’s look deeper at these three reasons for behavior and the ways we currently handle them.

Handling a request is fairly straightforward. To put it very simply, a request is usually something externally controlled by both reinforcing appropriate requests and not reinforcing inappropriate ones, such as a tantrum.

For negative attention-seeking behaviors, we can eliminate the behavior by not giving the negative behavior attention and give attention for desired behavior – very straightforward, and again, usually externally controlled.

The sensory reasons arise from both the external and internal events that a child experiences through the five senses, and may or may not be externally controlled. In all of these situations, our internal responses – our feelings and thoughts about events fire us into action. In stressful situations, the resulting “knee jerk” reactions are often difficult to manage with a purely behavioral approach
for a few reasons:

1. Thoughts and feelings are often lightning-fast, internally-controlled events, therefore difficult to manage through external behavioral modifications.

2. Thoughts and feelings can’t be measured, and as a result, behavioral approaches simply don’t address them. It doesn’t mean that these things don t exist or aren’t important. It just means that they’re left out of the equation.

3. Behavioral approaches address the cause and consequence of behaviors the beginning and the end. But internal responses (i.e. thoughts and feelings) happen in the moments between the cause and the consequence. By not dealing with thoughts, feelings and solutions at these moments, we leave a child to figure out solutions on his or her own.

4. Children on the autism spectrum have a limited ability to adapt to new or changing situations, solve problems, compare past to present, or see possibilities. Because of this, if a child never learns how to think through a challenging situation during the emotional moments, when faced with it again, the same behavior will probably repeat itself, no matter what the consequence, or how many times they’ve
been through it before.

This situation calls for tools to deal with overwhelming thoughts, feelings and strategies in the moment before the tantrum, not just consequences after. In the book The Explosive Child, Ross Greene talks about this situation. This book applies to any disorders that have limitations in problem solving and executive thought, including all PDDs, such as Asperger’s Syndrome, PDD-NOS, and all autism
spectrum disorders. ADD, ADHD, and various other developmental disabilities also share these problem-solving / executive thought issues and can benefit from using this approach, according to Dr. Greene.

In the book, first we pick our battles carefully, and then talk through our thought process out loud. This way our children can hear us think through situations before tantrums. This also creates a memory of how they triumphed in the situation without resorting to negative behaviors.

Progress is made in small increments, but as time goes on, tantrums should decrease, and you can even start to ask your child to contribute ideas about solving problems during those emotional moments. In doing this, you help your child learn how to solve problems and become confident about handling new, changing, or challenging situations. You’ll combine the best of all worlds, to the benefit of your child.

Diaper rash is a really annoying baby problem.

Some babies are just more prone to diaper rash than others, and if yours is prone, you`ll really have to keep on top of the problem. The most important thing you can do is change your baby`s diaper regularly. Diaper rash is caused by the skin being constantly exposed to wetness, so changing frequently can prevent the problem. Most of the diaper rash ointments on the market are designed simply to protect your baby`s skin from wetness, so they are great at preventing diaper rash. If your baby is diaper rash prone, you might want to use an ointment at every changing as a preventative measure.

But, what if your baby already has a raging case of diaper rash? As I said, most of the products labeled as diaper rash ointments are best at preventing diaper rash, not healing it. There are a few concoctions that can help cure a bad case of diaper rash.

The first is Maalox – yes Maalox. Put some liquid Maalox on a cotton ball and apply to baby`s sore bottom. Let it dry a bit before diapering. For obvious reasons, don`t buy the
mint flavor, and don`t use this bottle of Maalox for anything but treating diaper rash.

A second helpful treatment for diaper rash is an oatmeal bath. There are some good oatmeal bath products on the market, even some designed especially for baby. These work wonders on diaper rash. Usually one or two baths is all it takes.

Finally, I had great luck when I mixed diaper rash ointment with a little bit of hydrocortisone cream. About 3 parts diaper rash ointment to one part hydrocortisone. One caution here- check with your doctor before you try this one, since hydrocortisone cream is normally not recommended for use on children under the age of two years.

If these remedies don`t work, check with your pediatrician. There may be some prescription products for extreme cases. But, the most important measure to take for diaper rash seems to be persistence. Keeping on top of the problem is your best bet for keeping the rash at bay.

- Diaper Rash – Diaper rash is caused by baby`s bottom being constantly exposed to wetness. For most babies, changing their diaper a little more often and applying an over
the counter cream are enough to solve the problem. If all your measures don`t work, or if the rash looks different than a typical diaper rash, call the doctor.

- Cradle Cap – Cradle cap is the presence of scales on the baby`s scalp, and usually occurs in very young infants. It is actually a form of dermatitis, and usually is not bothersome to the child. For most babies, a massage using petroleum jelly followed by a shampoo will take care of the problem. Try this at every bath until the problem stops recurring. Cradle cap is worsened by weating, so keep your baby`s head cool, avoiding the use of hats. If these measures don`t work, your doctor can prescribe an ointment or shampoo. Babies typically outgrow cradle cap within the first six months of life.

- Mystery Fever – Nearly all babies have this at one time or another. A low grade fever, with no other accompanying symptoms. If your baby is under two months of age, you should
seek medical attention with any fever. Otherwise, as long as the fever doesn`t go above 102A

Bruxism (greeting of teeth) occurs as a result of rhythmic clonus of masticatory muscles, accompanied by low sound, resembling gritting or clicking. During bruxism, a change of pulse, arterial pressure, breath etc. takes place. This phenomenon during sleep is met rather often. Mechanisms of bruxism origin are still not clear.

No personal changes, typical for those who suffer from bruxism were found. It is considered that bruxism can be one of displays of defects of sleep regulation, like somnambulism, night enuresis and nightmares. It was discovered that these phenomena are displayed more often under epilepsy.

Bruxism is found in 5-15% cases in population, and in about 50% of children. There`re facts about inherited predisposition to bruxism. Bruxism causes no problems for majority of children, and many of them get out of this habit with time. During sleep, you may notice several episodes of bruxism, lasting up to 10 seconds. If bruxism`s episodes last longer and are extremely intensive, then this may lead to damage of teeth and surrounding soft parts.

During severe fits of bruxism a child may wake up in the morning with headache, toothache and even painful feelings in his face. This may turn out to be very serious. If gritting of teeth
lasts for more than months and years, teeth can undergo significant wear. Moreover,this may damage the joint that helps lower jaw to join a side of head.

If your child is gritting his teeth all the time, you should consult a dentist, which can make a special tire for your child, which won`t allow teeth to adjoin. If your child is gritting his teeth only sometimes, then you can try to use methods, recommended by experts, or you may also use them together with a tire in his mouth.

Give rest to jaws. If your child doesn`t chew, swallow or talk, his upper and lower teeth shouldn`t adjoin. If teeth adjoin, there`s only one step to gritting left. Explain to a child and ask him to try keeping his teeth slightly pulled out, when his jaws are relaxed.

Encourage exercising. Regular exercises can help your child to relieve stress and muscle tension, which lead to a night gritting of teeth. Calm occupations before going to bed. A child shouldn`t take part in some struggle, drawing and other impetuous games before going to bed. Strained muscles need time to relax, before a child falls asleep. Create a calm atmosphere for your child 1 hour before he goes to bed. You can read a book or give him a possibility to read or look through pictures by himself during this period.

Try to put your child to bed earlier. Probably, your child is just too tired, and this may lead to gritting of teeth in the night. In this case, earlier going to bed may help him. If your child usually went to bed at 9 pm, try to put him to bed at 8 pm.

Avoid eating before going to bed. If digestive juices are working in the night, this may lead to excess tension of a baby during sleep. Don`t give anything to your child, except water, an hour before he goes to bed.

Speak with a child about his problems. If your child is worried with some difficult home task or a coming school performance, this may serve as a reason that makes him gritting his teeth in the night. If something worries a child, don`t let him go to bed with this anxiety in his head. Talk to him before he goes to bed, so that all troubles would leave him, this often helps to relieve tension. Make a 5 or 10 minutes conversation a daily sedative procedure before your child falls asleep.

Apply warm, wet compresses. If your child`s jaw aches in the morning, moisten a terry-cloth tissue in warm water, squeeze it and apply to an aching jaw till your child feels better. This
will help to calm down pain.

Genital hygiene should be treated very carefully since the very birth. Otherwise, strangury, different inflammations or problems in youth age can occur. In fact, there`s nothing difficult here, you just need to learn several simple rules.

Boys

During first week, boys can suffer from scrotum edema. Genitals look too big and swelled up. You shouldn`t be worried. This is connected with the fact that through placenta or breast milk an excessive quantity of maternal hormones penetrates into a new-born baby`s organism. As a rule, this edema disappears in several days. But if such edema still presents by the end of the second week, apply for a doctor immediately.

Intimate hygiene for boys means regular (while each change of a diaper) washing of genitals with warm water. Doing this, you should move a skin wrinkle (foreskin) off a head of a penis necessarily. Fatty substance (smegma) is accumulated there, which should be removed. If you see reddening on foreskin, then you need to cleanse it with a cotton tampon, moistened in a light (light-pink) manganese solution or bur-marigold extract several times a day.

Sometimes, foreskin can be very narrow and doesn`t allow baring a head of penis completely. In such case, it`s desirable to apply for a doctor as soon as possible. As a rule, a surgeon just needs to make a small cut of a skin wrinkle. And the earlier he does such operation, the better.

If a baby has very sensitive skin, then you may sometimes do just “dry” washing with the help of wet or oiled tissues. You should wash a baby`s genitals with soap no less than once in 4-5 days.

Girls

In the end of the first week of a girl`s life you may notice mucous excreta or excreta with some blood. As a rule, they disappear by itself in 2-3 days. This is also connected with excessive amount of maternal hormones coming to a girls`organism. During this period, a baby needs careful care. Diapers should be changed every 1,5-2 hours. If excreta still take place for more than 3 days, you need to apply for a doctor.

Girls` genitals are very sensitive and have rather low resistibility to different infections. The most common “female” disease of new-born babies is vulvitis (inflammation of external genitals). So, keep them clean and warm all the time. Every time you change a diaper, wash your daughter with warm water. You can wash her either under tap or with a cotton tampon moistened in water. Move from pubis to coccyx, to prevent excesses of excrement from coming to genitals. Soap should also be used no more than once in 4-5 days, to prevent skin from getting too dry.

And yet, try not to take a great interest in babies` cosmetics. Use various creams, oils and powders only in case of need (while irritations and diaper rashes), not regularly. Otherwise you`ll break a natural protective skin layer of a new-born.

Let`s think a little: there`s no universal and absolutely correct scheme of dealing with a baby. You`re unique, both you and your baby. Relax and calm down. Maternal instinct will help you to make a right choice. Many inexperienced mothers are just afraid of doing something wrong and this prevents them from listening to their inner voice.

Probably, you`ll become more confident after reading a story of a mother of 2 children, who passed a way from frightened inexperience to calm conviction. Everyone has his own way. A woman can find her way, listening to herself and her baby carefully. And you may miss the answer to this question, while listening to your advisers all togethera

Rubella or German Measles: It`s sometimes referred to as the 3-day measles as well. It affects the skin and lymph nodes. It`s not the same virus that cause measles. It can pass through a pregnant woman`s bloodstream to infect her unbornbaby.

Rubella infection may begin with 1 or 2 days of mild fever (99 to 100 degrees Fahrenheit, or 37.2 to 37.8 degrees Celsius) and swollen, tender lymph nodes, usually in the back of the neck or behind the baby`s ears. On the second or third day, a rash appears that begins on the baby`s face and spreads downward. As it spreads down the body, it usually clears on the face. This rash is often the first
sign of illness that a parent notices.

The rubella rash can look like many other viral rashes. It appears as either pink or light red spots, which may merge to form evenly colored patches. The rash can itch and lasts up to 3 days. As the rash passes, the affected skin occasionally sheds in very fine flakes.

Its importance is the potential effects on an unborn baby if infection is acquired during early pregnancy.

The introduction of the MMR vaccine has reduced the incidence of primary rubella infection, and the number of severely affected unborn babies. The incubation period is 14-21 days, fever is often mild, and children do not feel particularly unwell, unlike measles infection. Woman who may be pregnant should not come into contact with infected children.

Chickenpox: occurs most often in the late winter and early spring, is very contagious and if exposed to an infected family member, about 80% to 90% of those in a household who haven’t had chickenpox will get it. However, immunization of children with the chickenpox vaccine that’s now available is expected to decrease cases of the disease dramatically over the next few years.

Although it’s more common in kids under the age of 15, anyone, including babies, can get chickenpox. A person usually has only one episode of chickenpox in his or her lifetime. But the virus that causes chickenpox can lie dormant within the body and can cause a different type of skin eruption later in life called shingles, also referred to as herpes-zoster.

It`s usually a mild illness in children. The incubation period is 14-16 days, and there are often no symptoms other than the rash. The rash generally only lasts 8-10 days. Some children develop a mild fever in the first 2-3 days. The spots appear in crops, first as small bumps, and rapidly changing into little blisters. The blisters soon dry and crust, and scabs form over the top. Keep your child from scratching them or it could lead to scarring. Calamine creams are useful to help relieve any itching from the spots.

Roseola Infantum: Affects babies under two. The baby will have a high fever, but appear well otherwise, and 3 or 4 days later the temperature will rapidly drop to normal. At this time, after the fever has gone, a faint rash appears which only lasts 1 or 2 days at most. There are no complications.

Coughs and Colds:

Most children will have at least six respiratory infections each year. These are almost always mild, last only a few days and have no consequences. Children will simply get a blocked, runny nose, may have a mild fever and feel slightly unwell. In young babies (who are nose breathers) feeding can become difficult for a couple of days. Children should be treated with Paracetamol or Ibuprofen if they have a fever, and may be helped by nasal decongestants. There is rarely a need for antibiotics. Occasionally coughing, especially at night times can be the main symptom of asthma, and children with persistent nocturnal coughs should see a doctor.

Sore Throat, Pharingitis and Tonsillitis: Very common between the ages of 4-7 years old. Symptoms include pain while swallowing and eating, earache, and fever. Giving them soft food to eat and lots of fluids. Children should see a doctor if they have a fever too. Pharyngitis is caused by viruses and so will not always require antibiotic treatment. Tonsillectomies are rarely performed now.

Earache: Very common in children and babies. It can be associated or caused by chest infections, colds and coughs. Sometimes there is no infection in the ear, pain is due to the Eustachian Tube being blocked. When blocked it doesn`t maintain the correct pressure in the ear.

Where there is a true infection, Otits Media, or Middle Ear Infection, the eardrum becomes red and inflamed and can cause the baby to have a fever. Babies may become irritable or hold their hands over their ears. If you suspect your baby has an ear infection, you should see a doctor.

Vomiting and Diarrhea: Very common, especially if you take your baby on travels to foreign countries. In the US and other developed nations, vomiting and diarrhea are commonly caused by viral infections. and Diarrhea will often be watery. It may be difficult to distinguish from urine in a nappy.

Your baby or child will usually only be sick a very short time. It is important to treat them right away to avoid your baby becoming dehydrated. Younger babies are more vulnerable than older children.

Dehydration initially causes children to become fretful, then lethargic, with sunken eyes and lax dry skin. Severe dehydration causes young children to become prostrate with deeply sunken eyes and cold mottled skin. Mild dehydration can be treated at home. Children should be given oral rehydration fluids, which can be bought at your local Pharmacy.

These are powders containing salts and sugar and which are dissolved in water. They allow prompt reversal of dehydration, and are more effective than water alone. No food should be given for 24 hours, after which time the normal diet can be gradually restarted. Moderate to severe dehydration requires hospitalization for intravenous fluid therapy. In tropical countries, adding salt to coca cola also
acts meningitis is usually mild, and rarely causes any long term problems.

Sticky Eyes: Very common in young babies. Usually there is no underlying infection, and simple salt-water washes are sufficient. Cotton wool soaked in saline should be used 2-3 times per day. The problem goes away in a few days, but can be recurring.

Conjunctivitis in babies is caused by infections, which do require antibiotic treatment. The eye will usually be red and inflamed with pus, rather than simply sticky with yellow secretions. In this case you should see your doctor so the eye can be swabbed and appropriate antibiotics started.

Fever: All children get fevers and it`s usually caused by common viruses such as ‘flu, spotty illnesses like measles or ear and chest infections. Children feel uncomfortable when they get hot, often cry, need comforting and lose their appetite. They should be given Paracetamol- based elixirs (Calpol in England) or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory pediatric elixirs like Ibuprofen to lower the temperature.

Keep your baby cool with damp tepid, not cold, sponges. Aspirin should not be used for children. You should not exceed the recommended daily dose of any medication. Most causes of fever will resolve within 2-3 days. You should see your doctor in case your baby requires antibiotics where an infection is present, but this is not usually an emergency. However, if your child becomes drowsy, complains
of headaches or neck stiffness, is intolerant of light or develops a blotchy dark rash, or multiple small spots, you should call your doctor immediately.

Convulsions: Occasionally babies between three months and five years will have a Febrile Convulsion, a brief fit with jerky movements of arms and legs, lasting less than ten minutes, and generally occurs at the beginning of febrile illnesses. Febrile convulsions are not epilepsy, do not continue through childhood, and do not cause or imply any sort of brain damage. Children should be laid on their front and their necks extended, cooled and treated with appropriate antibiotics. A rash can also be associated with febrile illnesses.

Mumps: A common viral infection, often with no symptoms at all. The incubation period is 16-21 days, after which children become febrile and feel unwell and lethargic. At this stage the baby`s face may swell up, due to enlargement of the parotid salivary glands over the angle of the jaw, just below the ears. Older children may complain of earache and difficulty in swallowing, and the swollen glands are often tender and painful. There is no specific treatment, and the swelling subsides in a few days. The MMR vaccine has reduced the incidence of mumps infection.

Meningitis is a common complication, in which the child has headache, a stiff neck and intolerance of light, but is a very rare occurrence.

Measles: Much less common since the introduction of the MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) vaccine in the UK and US. Measles is a very infectious disease. The incubation period is around 10 days, after which time children become febrile, snuffly, may cough, and may develop Conjunctivitis (red eyes). After three or four days a florid reddish rash appears, starting on the face and head, then spreading down to cover your baby`s whole body. The rash can become blotchy. It begins to fade by the 4th day, and the baby gradually improves. Paracetamol preparations (Calpol in the UK) can help reduce the fever, and relieve many of the symptoms. There is no specific treatment. Pneumonia and ear infections are common complications, which should be treated promptly. Children who become drowsy, start vomiting or complain of headache should be taken to a doctor, as encephalitis (inflammation of the brain) is a rare but well recognized complication of measles occurring 7-10 days after the onset of the illness.