If your baby does not feel well and has a cold or the flu, you probably can’t rest easy. Tiny noses that are all stuffed up can make both of you feel miserable. But it’s helpful to know when to take your little one to the doctor and how to ease symptoms at home.

As soon as your baby starts showing signs of a cold, you might wonder if you need to go to the doctor. If your baby is younger than three months, a trip to the pediatrician is needed as soon as symptoms start.

For babies older than three months, some signs to see your baby’s doctor include a cold that does not improve in five days. Also, if your baby’s mucus is green or yellow or he is pulling at his ear, it’s also a good idea to visit the doctor.

If your baby is older than three months and continues to be active, is feeding well and does not seem to be bothered by symptoms, you may not need to run to the doctor. Of course, regardless of your baby’s age if you have concerns or questions, a trip to the doctor will not hurt.

Cold and Flu Symptoms

Symptoms of a cold may include loss of appetite, a runny or stuffy nose and red eyes. Some babies also develop a cough, fever and become irritable. Since your baby’s nose may be stuffed, breastfeeding may be more difficult.

Although cold and flu are terms which are sometimes used interchangeably, they are not the same thing. A cold is a viral infection that affects the upper respiratory tract (nose, mouth and throat). The flu is also a viral infection, but symptoms may come on faster and may be more severe than a cold.

Either way, you want to do what you can to make your baby feel better. One thing that may help is easing your baby’s nasal congestion. Since babies can’t blow their nose, you’ll have to help remove the mucus. Consider using saline drops and a bulb suction to clear mucus. Put a few drops of saline in each nostril and suction the mucus with the bulb syringe. Saline baby drops are available at most pharmacies.

Placing a cool mist vaporizer in your baby’s room may also help loosen congestion. Just be sure to clean the machine regularly to prevent mold growth. Also, encourage extra feedings to prevent your baby from becoming dehydrated.

Don’t give your baby any medication without first talking to your pediatrician. Over the counter cold meds are not recommended for babies under six months.

Written by MaryAnn DePietro @ writerlady34

This information is not intended to replace the advice of a trained medical doctor. Health & Parenting Ltd disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information, which is provided to you on a general information basis only and not as a substitute for personalized medical advice. All contents copyright © Health & Parenting Ltd 2016. All rights reserved.

Many parents of babies born prematurely worry about their child’s development. You may worry about whether he will be able to catch up with his peers, and may even find yourself comparing him to other babies. Babies born prematurely face enormous challenges at the very beginning of their life. They have amazing strength and determination. Many babies born prematurely have caught up with their peers by the time they are two years old. You may be wondering whether there are any steps you can take to encourage development in premature babies. Here are five easy things you can do to help your baby develop:

1. Build a strong bond

Many premature babies spend time in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). This environment can be noisy, bright and, at times, chaotic. Though you spent plenty of time by your baby’s side, you may not have been able to hold him as often as you’d have liked. Once your baby has been discharged from the hospital, it’s time for you to focus on building a strong bond with your little fighter. Carve out time each day to spend enjoying skin-to-skin contact, invest in a sling or wrap so you can carry your baby easily and give baby massage a try. Touch is important for building a strong bond, so make sure you spend lots of time cuddling and interacting with your baby.

2. Talk to your baby

Babies learn a lot from listening to you speak. They learn language skills and communications skills as well as developing a greater understanding of social interactions. The more you speak to your baby, the more words he’ll hear and the more opportunity he has for learning. If you’re struggling to find the words to say, read children’s books aloud to your baby at bedtime. Wearing your baby in a sling when out and about provides plenty of opportunities to talk to your baby. Point out things you see on your travels. From the safety of your chest, he’ll also have a front row seat to your conversations with other adults, allowing him to learn more about social interactions.

3. Play

The best thing you can give your baby is time. He doesn’t care about fancy toys or expensive classes, he just wants to hang out with his mama. Life can get pretty hectic, so make sure you set aside some time each day to truly focus on your child. Sing songs, play games and explore objects of interest together. Try to engage him in activities that will stimulate all of his senses. Babies use their sense to learn about the world around them, so engaging your child in play will aid his development.

4. Work with the doctor

One of the most important things you can do as a parent to a baby born prematurely is to continue to work with your baby’s doctors. Report any concerns and always listen to their feedback. Some premature babies need speech, physical or occupational therapy to help them development as they grow older. If your baby needs this additional help, the sooner it is provided, the better it will be. That’s why it’s important to keep communication open with your healthcare provider, be upfront and listen to their advice.

5. Don’t compare

Pretty much all parents are guilty of comparing their offspring to other children. When you’re surrounded by babies, it’s only natural to notice who is crawling and who isn’t. It’s important to remember though, your baby had a more challenging start in life. Your baby is older than he should be, he was busy impressing you with his strength and courage when those other babies were still tucked up safely in their mama’s wombs. Don’t compare your baby to other babies. Remember, all babies are different.

What things do you do to encourage development in your premature baby?

Written by Fiona (@Fiona_Peacock), mother, writer and lover of all things baby related.

This information is not intended to replace the advice of a trained medical doctor. Health & Parenting Ltd disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information, which is provided to you on a general information basis only and not as a substitute for personalized medical advice. All contents copyright © Health & Parenting Ltd 2016. All rights reserved.

“BaBaBaBa”

“MaMaMaMa”

“DaDaDaDa”

Have you started hearing some of these syllables on repeat yet? Or what about your baby blowing raspberries or making bubbles with his or her mouth? You’ve probably even noticed your little one babbling incoherently, repeating sounds you aren’t even sure how they figured out.

Rest assured, this is all totally normal at this age! Your baby is starting to understand his or her ability to make these noises, and they are delighted by the fact that they are able to put on their own concert of sorts just by using their mouth! It’s actually a great sign, because it is the beginning of language development. And sure, it can be exciting to hear those dadas and mamas, but they probably aren’t talking to you just yet—instead, they are simply repeating the syllables they’ve figured out along the way.

Soon enough, though, your little one will be looking you right in the eye, reaching out and offering up a “Dada” or “Mama” that is impossible to mistake!

Until then, look at this repetition of sounds as your baby’s way of practicing. The babbling can be a bit annoying at times, especially when the same sounds are on repeat for hours at a time, but just remember that it is all part of your baby’s learning curve. And if your little one is repeating those sounds at night, when you would prefer he or she were sleeping, look at the bright side: they aren’t crying, and they are actually probably doing a pretty good job of entertaining themselves with the exploration of those noises.

Try engaging your little one in a conversation as they practice those noises. Let them babble first, and then you talk back as though they have said something coherent, before pausing to give them a chance to respond. Your baby will be thrilled with this game, and it is another great way to help him or her with language development, as well as with social abilities.

Over time, your baby will latch onto a new set of sounds to repeat as they continue to explore the capabilities of their mouth and vocal chords. And before you know it, those sounds will morph into actual words—words your baby is saying with intention in an effort to communicate with you. Enjoy this process, as it goes by faster than you might think. Someday soon, you may find you miss that repetition of raspberries your little one had become so good at making!

Written by Leah Campbell, infertility advocate, adoptive mama, writer and editor. Find me @sifinalaska on Twitter.

This information is not intended to replace the advice of a trained medical doctor. Health & Parenting Ltd disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information, which is provided to you on a general informational basis only and not as a substitute for personalized medical advice. All contents copyright Health & Parenting Ltd 2016. All rights reserved.

Have you noticed your baby staring at the cat as it darts across the room? Or watching intently as you push a vacuum across the carpet or slide a toy car from one place to another? At this age, babies love to watch that movement, and they are especially interested in the path certain objects take to get from point A to point B. It’s that trajectory they are curious about, and helping them to explore that curiosity can be a great way to boost their brain development at this age!

Following your baby’s interest in movement, seek out toys and household items that will allow for rolling or pulling across the floor. There are plenty of baby toys made with this exact activity in mind, but paper towel rolls and rolling pins can also pique your little ones interest.

Get down on the floor with your baby, either in a sitting position (if your baby is sitting up yet, or if you have some pillows that can be used for comfort and support) or in a tummy time position. Then, roll objects across the floor. If possible, get your partner in on the action so that he or she can roll things back. Watch how your baby’s eyes track those items, and talk about what you’re doing as you do it.

Once your baby seems to understand the way the object moves, try rolling it gently his or her way. They will probably try to pick it up, and will likely attempt to put it in their mouth—so make sure to only use items that wouldn’t be dangerous for your baby to taste test!

Another great way to help your baby test this movement and the trajectory of certain items is to get a tube of some sort that you can roll balls or trucks through. Toys that can be pulled and will roll behind you are also great. And maybe try to utilize your partner in another room, out of sight of your baby, so that you can roll items away and laugh gleefully as they come back. Try alternating the items you roll, so that as one disappears, another returns. Does your baby notice? Talk to him or her about the difference, and be animated in the game as you continue to engage your little one.

With time, your baby may start to roll items back to you—though that likely won’t happen anytime soon. So for now, just enjoy watching your little one learn and grow through their understanding of movement. They’ll be the ones on the move themselves before long!

Written by Leah Campbell, infertility advocate, adoptive mama, writer and editor. Find me @sifinalaska on Twitter.

This information is not intended to replace the advice of a trained medical doctor. Health & Parenting Ltd disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information, which is provided to you on a general informational basis only and not as a substitute for personalized medical advice. All contents copyright Health & Parenting Ltd 2016. All rights reserved.

Breastmilk is all your baby needs for the first six months. Many healthcare providers recommend starting with packaged baby cereal – mixed with expressed breastmilk, water or juice – as your baby’s first solid food. They then suggest trying vegetables, fruits, and finally meats. Researchers, however, say that if your baby is older than 6 months when you start solids, the order you introduce them is of little consequence.

Once your baby is ready to start solids, though, consider introducing these first foods:

Bananas: Banana’s sweetness and smooth consistency make it a great first food. Plus, it doesn’t need to be cooked for baby. Simply mash a very ripe banana with a fork and offer small spoonfuls (or fingertip-fulls).

Avocados: Ripe avovados can be mashed and fed to baby uncooked, too. Packed with vitamins an minerals, as well as healthy fats, avocados make a great nutrient-dense addition to baby’s diet.

Sweet Potatoes: Bake and mash a sweet potato, adding a little expressed breastmilk or water to achieve the right consistency. Sweet potatoes are a great source of vitamin B6. If you cook the potato in the microwave, be sure to check for hot spots before feeding to baby.

Pears: Shred or mash a ripe pear, or puree it like applesauce. Pears have a mild flavor along with lots of vitamins A and C.

Carrots: steam carrots or cut well-cooked carrots into bite sized pieces. High in vitamin A and beta carotene, carrots contribute to healthy vision. Avoid raw carrots, though, as they are a choking hazard.

You don’t necessarily need to puree baby’s first foods. As long as they are soft, your baby is able to sit on his own, and has lost the tongue thrust reflex, he should do fine with small pieces of well-cooked, soft, mashed foods.

If your baby is interested in feeding himself, you can provide teething biscuits and O-shaped cereals occasionally and with supervision.

You may still hear advice that you need to introduce vegetables before fruits or your baby will always expect sweet tastes. Because human milk is sweet and baby’s tongue has a high proportion of sweet taste buds, it’s not surprising that baby might favor fruits. Try sweet vegetables – like sweet potatoes or carrots. Be persistent if your baby refuses vegetables. Your baby will learn to like many foods when you keep offering them.

What are your baby’s favorite first foods?

Written by Michelle, childbirth instructor, lactation consultant, and mother to 4 busy kids

This information is not intended to replace the advice of a trained medical doctor. Health & Parenting Ltd disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information, which is provided to you on a general information basis only and not as a substitute for personalized medical advice.  All contents copyright © Health & Parenting Ltd 2016. All rights reserved.

You spent nine long months reading books, writing lists and vetoing crazy suggestions before you finally settled on your baby’s name. The name you chose is one you and your partner loved. It is a name you hope will carry your child through to adulthood with strength, dignity and confidence. It’s not easy choosing a name for your child, in fact, it can be a really difficult decision to make.

So, when you’ve finally found a name you both know and love, you’re excited to share it with the world. You may have already shortened your baby’s name yourself or created a cute nickname you can call the baby. But what if somebody else has coined one you don’t like? After you’ve spent so long finding the perfect name, it can be pretty crushing to hear people choosing to use a nickname instead, especially if it’s one you don’t like.

What to do if you don’t like your baby’s nickname

Sadly, there might not be much you can do about it. Parents are rarely given control over their child’s nickname. However, if the name is really bothering you, there are a couple of things you can do about it:

• Be honest – if it’s really bothering you, tell the person who keeps using the nickname. Yeah, you might sound a little bit precious or protective, but so what? You’re a new mum, you can pull off precious and protective. This is the baby you spent nine months growing, of course, it deserves the perfect name. Be polite and explain the reasons why you don’t love the nickname. There’s not guarantee that they’ll listen, but it’s worth a shot.

• Don’t let it take off – if you hate a nickname, don’t start using it. Even if one person is insisting on using the nickname, you can ask other friends and family members not to. It’s not perfect, but at least it will keep your upset to a minimum. You can continue to use the beautiful name that you carefully chose for your baby and ask others to do the same.

• Accept it – ok, this one won’t help you win the battle, but it might give you an easier life. If one friend or family member is insistent on using a nickname you don’t love, it might be easier to just accept it and move on. It can be their special thing. It doesn’t mean your child’s name is changing, just that this one person will call the baby something else.

Have you encountered this problem and, if so, how did you deal with it?

Written by Fiona (@Fiona_Peacock), mother, writer and lover of all things baby related.

This information is not intended to replace the advice of a trained medical doctor. Health & Parenting Ltd disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information, which is provided to you on a general information basis only and not as a substitute for personalized medical advice. All contents copyright © Health & Parenting Ltd 2016. All rights reserved.

Babies are not famed for their rock hard immune systems, so you may be wondering what steps you can take to keep your baby healthy during cold and flu season. Looking after a poorly baby isn’t much fun, babies get pretty miserable when they’re suffering from stuffy noses, weepy eyes and fevers. A poorly baby may struggle to sleep well and probably won’t want to be put down, meaning you’ll be feeling touched out and exhausted. To try and avoid that, there are a few things you can do to try and keep your baby healthy:

1. Stay away from poorly people

This one sounds easy enough, but during the winter months, poorly people are everywhere. If you want to reduce the risk of your baby getting ill, be upfront with potential visitors that you’d rather not expose your baby to germs and viruses. This should encourage poorly people to stay away. You can also request that people wash their hands before touching or holding the baby as a way of limiting the spread of germs.

2. Teach your older child about handwashing

If you have any older child who attends school or nursery, they’re likely to be a walking petri-dish of germs. If you want to try and prevent your baby from getting sick, you’ll need to educate your older child about how important it is to wash your hands before touching the baby. You’ll also have to stress the importance of not coughing or sneezing around the baby. With older children around, trying to keep your baby germ-free will be even more of a challenge.

3. Keep breastfeeding

Young babies don’t have much in the way of immune systems, but breastfeeding is a great way to help keep your baby healthy. Through breastfeeding, your baby will receive some of your immunities which may help to protect her from some of the viruses going around at the moment. Also, and prepare to be amazed by the genius of your body here, your breast milk contains antibodies to any germs your baby may have picked up. Scientists think that at each feed, a small amount of your baby’s saliva is absorbed into your body, if any bacteria or viruses are discovered, your body will start producing the necessary antibodies and these will be delivered to your baby via breast milk. Pretty impressive, right?

4. Encourage a healthy lifestyle

People function best when they’re eating healthy foods, exercising regularly and getting enough sleep. Ensuring your baby is enjoying all of these components of a healthy lifestyle could go some way to boosting their immune system. When your baby is old enough to start on solid foods, make sure you offer a healthy, balanced diet rich in fresh fruits, vegetables and greens.

The above tips may help to keep your baby healthy, but in reality, your baby is likely to encounter a few sniffles along the way. Your baby has an immature immune system and is at an increased risk of catching any bugs going round. You can follow the steps above to try and keep your baby healthy, but remember it’s not possible to completely eradicate the risk of your baby catching a cold.

Written by Fiona (@Fiona_Peacock), mother, writer and lover of all things baby related.

This information is not intended to replace the advice of a trained medical doctor. Health & Parenting Ltd disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information, which is provided to you on a general information basis only and not as a substitute for personalized medical advice. All contents copyright © Health & Parenting Ltd 2016. All rights reserved.