Articles on Babies - Blogs

"Good Health Before, During And After Pregnancy"

no@spam.com (Sally Aubrey) — Wed, 21 Mar 2007 00:00:00 CDT

Pregnancy Care

"March is designated as "Healthy Beginnings" month, and Washtenaw County Public Health Department (WCPHD) officials are reminding women to take good care of themselves before, during, and after pregnancy to give their babies a healthy start.

"Long before a women is ready to be pregnant, the decisions she makes, such as using effective family planning methods and taking steps to prevent sexually transmitted diseases and HIV, help her chances of having a healthy pregnancy," said Sharon P. Sheldon, MPH, WCPHD Health Promotion, Disease Prevention Manager.

Once a woman is pregnant, the Washtenaw County Public Health Department offers many services to help ensure a healthy baby, especially for low-income women.

"We offer maternal support programs, including the Women, Infants and Children (WIC) nutrition program, not only because we care about women and babies but because they are good investment," said Sheldon. "In fact, for every dollar spent on WIC, $3.50 is saved in future costs; saving lives means saving dollars."

Good nutrition prevents many health problems in babies. The best food for most babies is breast milk. Breast-feeding lowers a child's risk for many types of infections and allergies and may also help protect children from some health problems, such as eczema and asthma. Health Department officials encourage moms to breastfeed until their babies are 12 months old, or longer.

"The Washtenaw County Public Health Department is always working to promote healthy babies by encouraging good nutrition, sleep routines, and lots of tender loving care," said Shannon Richards, WCPHD Maternal Infant Health Supervisor. "Promoting healthy babies also means making sure parents know they need to secure their child in an age-appropriate car seat when riding in a motor vehicle."

Despite the best preparation, some babies are born with disabilities. Then, Health Department staff coordinates Children's Special Health Care Services, which provides financial assistance for health care for certain medical conditions, with other services from Intermediate School Districts, hospitals, and other organizations in the community. The Washtenaw County Public Health Department is committed to promoting wellness, preventing disease, providing health care, and protecting the environment."

http://www.emaxhealth.com

Posted By Sally Aubrey www.AmazingPregnancySecrets.com

Healthy Way to Lose Weight

no@spam.com (Sarra Johnson) — Mon, 18 Dec 2006 00:00:00 CST

Getting back into shape is one very popular resolution. With winter approaching many people go into hibernation mode over the holidays only to realize that they’ve packed on a few pounds once January rolls around. If you are looking for a healthy way to lose weight consider that you are going to need not only a diet change but a lifestyle change as well.

Every day it seems that we are shown a new and effective way to get skinny quickly. On television and in magazines there are countless advertisements for pills and programs that guarantee amazing results. The real problem with many of these products and plans is that they are almost impossible to follow for any length of time. A healthy way to lose weight needs to include a balanced diet along with exercise. This will result in lasting results.

Nothing can be more frustrating than working hard to lose a few pounds only to gain it all back. With many fast weight loss methods this is exactly what happens. An effective and healthy way to lose weight should consist of a loss of a pound or two a week.

What you eat is incredibly important when you are trying to shrink your waistline. There are certain foods that you’ll need to omit from your diet. Anything that contains fat should be taken out of your menu plans. Instead turn to fruits and vegetables, lean meats and low fat dairy products as the staples of your meals.

As much as you need to watch what you eat, getting up and moving more is also a key to getting into shape. For someone who hasn’t been active this can prove even more challenging than changing your eating habits. However a healthy way to lose weight definitely calls for some form of exercise.

Walking can be an easy and inexpensive way to get your heart rate up and burn calories. You can begin with a few minutes a day and work your way up to thirty minutes, three or four times a week. When the weather isn’t cooperative hitting the gym for some time on the treadmill will keep you on the track to losing weight.

Willpower seems to be something that many people lack. This is especially true if you happen to frequent fast food restaurants or enjoy a candy bar every now and again. It’s a good idea to remember that not only will you look fantastic but you’ll be healthier as well once the extra pounds are gone. Although this is important to you, when you use a healthy way to lose weight your family will thank you for it. Use their love as your willpower.

What Food Has Folic Acid?

no@spam.com (Debbie Dee) — Tue, 05 Dec 2006 00:00:00 CST

What Food has Folic Acid in It?

Folic Acid is important for women before and during pregnancy. Folic Acid is a B vitamin. It’s critical to the health of new cells. A pregnant woman needs the Folic Acid for the health of the new baby. Folic acid can help prevent major birth defects in the new baby.

You should have folic acid everyday, even before you find out your pregnant. How much folic acid should you take if you're pregnant? 400 mcg seems to be the recommendation by most doctors and the government.

Read the rest of the article here at Folic Acid During Pregnancy.

How To Baby Proof Your Home

no@spam.com (Sarra Johnson) — Thu, 23 Nov 2006 00:00:00 CST

Is it time to begin baby proofing your home? I can give you a few pointers right off the bat. Place plastic covers on all open outlets. Purchase fasteners to hold cabinets closed. Put up gates near any stairwells to prevent you child from falling. It's also wise to not keep a pet around your infant. As much as you like you dog or cat, these animals are unpredictable. It's been proven time and time again. And finally, one major step to baby proofing your home concerns the security. Always keep windows and door locked. This is the part many new parents forget. You don't want anyone walking into your home. Also, never answer the door before checking first.

Baby Sign Language

no@spam.com (Debbie Dee) — Thu, 23 Nov 2006 00:00:00 CST

I have read a lot about baby sign language, but have never seen anyone that was using it. I really like the idea, but does it really work? could it hinder the development of speech? If it did, maybe only for a short period and most parents might not know the difference. If there has been anyone that has noticed a significant delay, I have not read about it or heard about it anywhere as of yet. You can read the rest of my thoughts here at Baby Sign Language.

Giving Gifts It's That Time of Year

no@spam.com (Debbie Dee) — Mon, 20 Nov 2006 00:00:00 CST

We are all bombarded with consumerism on a daily basis. We are told by magazines, television, and other forms of advertising, what we need to wear, what we have to drive and what stuff we should buy our kids. I have never been a person that finds it important to have a certain name brand. I look for clothes and shoes that are comfortable, high quality and affordable. I look at the price tag, the quality and the fit, in that order. If the item happens to be a popular name brand that is fine, but I do not go looking for clothing based on the designer.

I also do not buy gifts based on designer labels. I buy gifts, especially for children, that will help to encourage family time and increase family values. Whenever I am invited to a baby shower I bring books for children as my gift. Check out the rest of this article here at Books For Children.

Learning New Words

no@spam.com (Brenda Jones) — Sun, 22 Oct 2006 00:00:00 CDT

Why your baby masters some words faster than others

We as moms and dads want our babies to learn a develop. We try to get them to say "MOM" and "DAD" or "blanket" or whatever we think is important. No matter how hard you try to teach your baby the names for things you think he should learn ,she's far likelier to attach words to objects that excite her, like blue ball..

"Your baby learns the most from things that fascinate him," says Roberta Michnick Golinkoff, Ph.D., the H. Rodney Sharp Professor of Education at the University of Delaware, in Newark.

If your baby gets excited or giggles whenever she sees a favorite toy, tell her, "Ball.That is a Ball." In a study Golinkoff conducted along with researchers from Temple University, babies learned new words after hearing them just five times. As your baby gets older, she'll learn language differently. After 12 months kids master words more quickly when grown-ups are excited about them, too. By age 2 most toddlers easily learn words for all objects, regardless of their interest in them.