Tag Archives: Infants

During Pregnancy: Is it Safe? – KC Baby magazine

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KC Baby magazine – Winter 2013 issue
Stacey Hatton

Pregnant woman holding exposed bellyThe majority of pregnant women worry about something harming their baby in utero. What should I stay away from? Is this safe for my baby? Here are a few answers to the frequent questions asked by moms around Kansas City.
Is it safe to…

Smoke? As soon as a woman discovers she is pregnant, she should quit smoking. The risks to the fetus are preterm deliveries, miscarriages, low birth weight and poor lung function. Smoking cessation tips are available at www.LungUSA.org. According to the American Lung Association, “Do not allow smoking around your baby. Secondhand smoke is especially harmful to young children, particularly those whose lungs are still developing.”
Paint? Jennifer O’Hara, pediatric nurse and mom, said her OB/GYN gave her “brochures that said not to paint, but I know many other women who paint every room in the house with Latex when they are in the nesting phase and they are okay.” However, it is recommended to avoid exposure to oil-based and lead paints. If you have someone else paint for you, keep the house well ventilated and don’t return until the air is clear.
Use cockroach or ant spray? Both are toxic and aren’t good for anyone to inhale directly. You should wait twice the amount of recommended time before entering your house after fumigation. Removing pests without sprays, by using traps or outdoor powders, is preferable.
Use cleaning supplies? Proper ventilation is key. If you start to feel nauseous or light headed, or a headache starts, you need to leave the area and breathe in fresh air until you feel better. O’Hara says she was advised “to not to be in confined spaces with bleach. Also, it’s dangerous for anyone to be around bleach combined with ammonia.” Baking soda and vinegar can be healthy substitutes.
Highlight your hair? The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists say hair dyes are “probably safe to use during pregnancy” since minimal dye is absorbed through the skin. However, some providers ask pregnant women not to use permanent hair color.
Change the cat’s litter box? Toxoplasmosis is a parasitic infection found in some cat feces. Pregnant women shouldn’t change litter boxes and be cautious working in outdoor gardens where cats may have left “surprises.” Toxoplasmosis in pregnant moms can be passed onto fetus.
Drink caffeine? The American Pregnancy Association (APA) states, “Moderate levels of caffeine have not been found to have a negative effect on pregnancy. Avoiding caffeine is your safest course of action.” You should discuss amounts with your health care provider.
Consume alcohol? “Alcohol crosses the placenta to your baby. When you drink alcohol, so does your baby. There is no safe amount of alcohol to consume while you are pregnant,” recommends the APA.
Be in a hot tub? According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (AGOG), becoming overheated in a hot tub is not recommended during pregnancy. The mother can pass out and overheating slows down uterine blood flow, stressing the baby.

Close Up Of Baby Sleeping On TowelIf you are worried whether something will harm your baby, always weigh on the “better safe than sorry” side. So until someone invents a magic eight ball that gives you the correct answers, it’s up to you and your medical provider to decide what’s best for you and baby.

©2013 Stacey Hatton. All rights reserved.

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Infant Car Seat Installing for Beginners

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 GUEST POST: by David Hermes Stanley

Off to get a mani and pedi…Mr. Stanley (aka Car Seat writer guy) has so kindly offered to write this informative piece on car seat safety and how to get the durn thang installed correctly.  Isn’t he totally awesome!?  My additional advice is…(because I just can’t keep my opinions to myself)…ALWAYS HAVE A CAR SEAT PROFESSIONAL (FROM THE CITY, POLICE, OR YOUR HOSPITAL CHECK YOUR CAR SEAT FOR CORRECT POSITIONING!! ~ Nurse Mommy

(Now David, it’s your turn to shine!!!)

I am sure you all know by now that if you are driving by car with your baby, he or she should be seated and secured in a specially designed infant car seat, not just because it is required by law in all American states and pretty much all the countries in the world, but also because it is the only way to ensure that your child will be safe in the unfortunate event of a crash. With that being said, nowadays those car seats are usually pretty high on a parent’s “to buy” list when preparing for the arrival of his or her baby.

Buying a good infant car seat however, is only one half of the equation. The other half is installing it properly and unfortunately, most parents seem to fail at that. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Association, 3 out of 4 or 75% of infant car seats found in cars, are not properly installed! Here are some tips and instructions that should help you install your seat as properly and safely as possible, even if you are doing so for the very first time in your life.

1. Read the manuals

Before you start installing your baby car seat, you should carefully read the manual that comes with it, as well as that of your car. Keep those manuals close to you throughout the entire installation process; they will certainly come in handy!

2. Proper placement and orientation

The safest place to install an infant car seat is as close to the center of your car’s backseat as possible, or in the middle backseat if you own a minivan, a station wagon or a “people carrier”. When it comes to the seat’s orientation, all infants, newborns and toddlers should be seated in a rear facing seat. Please note that a rear facing seat should NEVER be installed in the passenger seat of a car equipped with passenger side airbags. Children should remain in those seats until they get at least two years old or until they reach the weight and height safety limits indicated by the seat’s manufacturer. Once your child outgrows his rear facing seat, he or she may “graduate” to a front facing one.

3. Proper installation

Modern infant car seats are installed and secured using two methods: the so called LATCH system and the car’s seat belts.

  • Using the LATCH system: LATCH stands for Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children and is a system that has been specially designed to make infant car seat installation as easy, quick and safe as possible. All cars manufactured from 2002 onwards and many earlier models are compatible with it. Seats using the LATCH are permanently attached to special “anchors” found in the rear seats of the cars mentioned above. You can locate those “anchors” by reading your car’s manual, or by feeling around the backseat. Just attach the seat to the anchors following the instructions provided by the seat’s manufacturer and you should be fine.
  • Using the seat belts: If your car is not LATCH compatible or if you don’t want to use this system, then you’ll have to secure your infant car seat in place using your car’s seat belts. The most important thing when installing an infant car seat this way, is making sure that the seat belt is threaded through the right slots, so keep checking the seat’s manual to make sure that you have the right one. Apart from that, you should also pull the belt as tightly as possible; making sure that it has no slack. Once you’ve done that, buckle the belt and start trying to move seat forwards and backwards and side to side, if it’s not moving more than an inch in each direction, you’re good to go! Please note that the seat belts of some older models only lock into place in if the car comes to a sudden stop. If that is the case with your car’s seat belts, then you are going to have to get a locking clip to secure them into place.

4. The inch rule

Your seat should always be installed as safely and as tightly as possible. The best way to ensure this, is putting some weight on it when you are installing it. You can do this by placing your knee on the seat for as much of the installation process as possible. This will make sure that your infant car seat is installed as closely to your car’s seat as possible. Once you’re done installing the seat, try yanking and moving it forwards and backwards and side to side. If it doesn’t move more than an inch in any direction, then congratulations, your seat is properly installed. If it does move however, you are going to have to reinstall it.

 

David Hermes Stanley is a freelance writer currently writing for a website focusing on reviews and articles concerning the top rated car seats for infants and toddlers.

 

 

 

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Teething Specialists: A Dentist, Pediatrician and a Mom Walk up to a Teething Child

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KC Baby magazine (Spring 2011 issue)

3/15/2011 12:00:00 AM

Tips for your Teething Tot
Dr. Donna K. Thomas, DDS, at Pediatric Dental Specialists, has several offices in Kansas City.

Q: When does a baby’s first tooth usually come in?
A: Between 6 1/2 and 7 months is the norm, but it can vary. As early as 3 months of age up to 15 months is still considered within normal limits.

Q: How many deciduous (primary) teeth are there, and in what order do they come in?
A: Typically the two lower central incisors are the first to erupt, followed by the maxillary central and lateral incisors, then the lower lateral incisors. Next to come through are typically the first primary molars, canines and finally the second primary molars. Usually, the primary dentition is complete by age 3.

Q: After the teeth have erupted, what should parents do to clean them?
A: I recommend brushing the tooth or teeth with a small soft toothbrush. I feel this is more appropriate than just wiping with a wash cloth once the teeth erupt. No toothpaste is necessary at this age. As more teeth erupt, a non-fluoride “pre- or toddler toothpaste” is useful until the child is able to understand the concept of spitting or not swallowing, which is usually around 3 years of age.

Q: When should a child come in to see the dentist for the first time?
A: We recommend all children be seen around 12 months of age or within six months of the eruption of the first tooth.

Dr. Christine White, MD, a pediatrician at Johnson County Pediatrics in Shawnee Mission, KS, has been in private practice since 2000.

Q: How do I know my child is teething?
A: Symptoms of teething may include swollen gums, which can make the child irritable and decrease their appetite a bit. They tend to drool more and they chew on their fingers or anything else they can get in their mouths.

Q: Are there symptoms on which pediatricians and parents disagree related to teething?
A: Parents often believe that teething causes high fevers, runny nose and diarrhea. In reality, a teething child may have a 99 to 100 degree temperature. If it’s over 100.5, there is something else going on. The teething child’s stools may be a slight bit more runny than normal, but a significant change is likely due to some other cause. Teething does not usually cause nasal congestion or discharge.

Q: What do you suggest to parents to ease teething pain?
A: To ease teething pain, I usually recommend putting a wet washcloth in the freezer for about 30 minutes and then letting the child chew on that. Firm rubber teething toys, not liquid filled toys that could rupture and leak fluid, are also a good option.
Acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil) are good choices, especially when the child is trying to sleep and has no distractions—which makes the pain seem worse. I don’t recommend Baby Orajel as a first-line therapy, because if too much is used, or it is used too often, there could be negative side effects. These could include a decreased gag reflex with an increased risk of aspiration, and possibly seizures. The homeopathic teething tablets must be used with caution. They contain a very small amount of belladonna, which at certain levels, can cause symptoms such as lethargy, seizures, difficulty breathing, agitation and difficulty urinating. These tablets should be used sparingly.

Jen Lee is an Overland Park mom with an actively teething daughter.

Q: What’s a parent’s biggest teething frustration?
A: The symptoms are not always easy to figure out. Is it a “bug” or a tooth coming in? It also seems like a long process – they can have symptoms and no tooth shows up. Then symptoms go away…and in comes the tooth.

Q: What symptoms does your child experience?
A: My baby gets extra tired and cranky and gets awful diarrhea.

Q: What works?
A: Medicine doesn’t work with this baby. I usually use a wet rag or something cold. I also bought (Vulli’s) Sophie the Giraffe Teether. She loves to the hold the legs and really chew on the head! I also have friends whose kids love the Infantino Vibrating Teether.

Stacey Hatton is a pediatric RN, freelance writer and mother of two non-drooling girls.

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