Babies are hard to dress. And when it’s winter, the passages from the outside cold to warm environment, or overheated, are not easy to manage. How to dress babies in the winter?

Why is it good baby clothes in winter and protection from the cold?

The thermal control system, which helps maintain body temperature at 37 ° C, is not yet mature during the first few months of life. Babies suffer more than us so cold (and hot, but it’s less of the season!). They also have the same facilities as us, or older children, for us to express their discomfort, so it is the parents who decide alone how to dress. Here are some tips.

Babies in winter: do not refrain exits

First thing to remember: just because it’s cold that baby can not get out. The first few weeks, it is certainly better to keep warm, or possibly against you in a sling, but after two months the children can get out safely in a stroller – just avoid the fog. And of course, make sure baby is safe from the rain. A requirement to respect the above, the outputs are more beneficial for toddlers.

How to keep baby warm in winter?

While covering his head disproportionate to the rest of the body devoid of hair and most of the time, it will result in loss of heat for babies. Caps or hats are a must! And even if baby itself is not a big fan. Bet on soft textiles that do not itch. But also on the hoods or hats that you can tie under the chin.
Do not forget the extremities: hands and feet become cold more quickly than the rest, so it is important to cover them carefully and see if baby has not got rid of his gloves or socks on the way .
Multiply layers: first, they will help you quickly remove baby when you get in a heated (or overheated). And they are the best asset against the cold, because the air between two layers is also insulation. Bet on loose clothing so that you overlap.
How to tell if your baby is hot or cold? A baby who is too hot sweat and breathe heavily. A baby who is too cold will have very cold hands (when in doubt, you can also check the temperature of his neck or his arm).

Each year, the epidemic of gastroenteritis is responsible for more than one million doctor visits. Be aware that the management of this condition has changed. It’s time to shake up preconceptions and stop self medication.

Gastroenteritis is the leading cause of death, excluding accidents, among children under 5 years. But this is not diarrhea itself that threatens the smaller is the dehydration! If adults can easily compensate for water loss and minerals by drinking lots (water, broth, etc.). Is a real problem for toddlers. In children, it is important to prevent this complication early what dehydration with oral rehydration solutions. Their effectiveness is well demonstrated. Alas, they remain underutilized. These solutions are available without prescription. But on doctor’s prescription, they are reimbursed by social security. Before the epidemic, it is recommended that parents of children to complete their preventive medicine cabinet with this product. But also, it must avoid giving the coke! This reflex widespread or systematic, should be abandoned. Pediatric gastroenterologists are now very clear decision in the case of coca can be dangerous gastrointestinal aggravating diarrhea. In addition, the sodium content of the drink is too low to compensate for water loss. These experts also advise to forget the drugs and carrot, and not to change milk. In conclusion, what is needed is rehydrate children, routinely and only with oral rehydration solutions. If medical advice is usually not necessary, it is mandatory for young children and people with weakened. Indeed, dehydration threatens all fragile subjects, including the elderly. The oral rehydration solutions are also recommended for these populations.

Can we prevent gastroenteritis?

The main route of infection by viruses is represented by the hands. We must therefore meet strict hygiene is very simple: wash your hands thoroughly and regularly with soap and water, especially before cooking, leaving the toilet, after public transport, and also systematically before dealing children! And know that the classic gastroenteritis, viral or food disappears spontaneously in 3 days.

Disorders of physical and mental development of children are usually a sign of disease. It is important to detect them in time to diagnosis of a condition. In developed countries, the development of children is rarely impeded by undernutrition or malnutrition.

You will find below listed the ages at which most children develop some new skills or abilities. All children can occasionally be lagging behind the average: this is not disturbing. But if your child rarely fails to do what most kids his age, please talk to your doctor.

At the age of 2 months: The child smiles, coos, look at people, watching him
4 months: The child laughed loudly, put on his stomach he lifts his head and shoulders, grabs objects
6 months: The child babbles, turns to noise, rolls on itself, holds his head well when sitting
9 months: The child responds to his name, playing hide (Cuckoo!), Sits alone, ramp, manages to stand up holding on to furniture
1 year: The child is “goodbye” of the hand, said “Mom” or “Papa” when he is walking hand takes objects between thumb and forefinger
18 months: The child said three words other than Mom and Dad, scribbles, walks alone, eats alone with a spoon
2 years: The child combines two words, speaks of himself using his name, over easy, up the stairs alone
3 years: The child knows his age, knows close buttons, wash and dry hands, throws a ball, makes the tricycle
4 years: The child knows his first and last name, tells stories, four objects, swaying on one leg, knows how to use scissors to paper
5 years: The child names four colors, there are ten objects, jumping on one foot, dressed only

This is known as colic, they are crying with grimaces and very difficult to calm. Some information to better understand and treat them.

The colic do they have a digestive origin?

Is often thought, because the baby seems to have a stomach ache. But in reality, the link between colic and digestion baby is not well understood. In most cases, these crises have no impact on transit. The baby is not constipated, and has no diarrhea either. At present, many experts believe that colic is more psychological in origin, although not always agree on the precise causes: lack of hugs? Life too hectic? It is not clear.

At present, the actions recommended to soothe babies with colic are prey to comfort rather than cure;

Make light massage on the abdomen (not just after a meal). Their goal is to relax the baby rather than to heal Feel free to ask your pediatrician will probably give you an education or training.

The rocking or massage in a quiet and avoid over-stimulate (babies with colic are often nervous or sensitive).

Make her drink a small amount of sugar water. Again, the goal is to calm the baby and not to improve digestion. A small amount when he cries is sufficient.

In case of colic, calm parents

If your baby has colic, it is important to reassure you. For this, the first step is to see a pediatrician you trust who will check that your baby does not have underlying gastrointestinal disease. Also remember that colic always, if they are painful to bear, have a time and usually disappear before the fourth month of the baby.

Colic: drugs are often unnecessary

United States (1), doctors give babies drugs against gastroesophageal reflux. The amount of drugs prescribed was multiplied by 16 between 1999 and 2004!

Or if the reflux is very common in infants, it still does not deserve a medical treatment. Above all, such an increase is justified surely not by medical criteria.

The study authors therefore believe that the combination of reflux and colic, two factors that are not serious, worried parents to the point that they seek treatment for the problem. Although it is unclear whether this increase is also with us, it is certain that the reflux in babies can sometimes much worried parents.

Let us recall that the prescription of treatments against reflux is not without side effects, and should be reserved for cases where the reflux is very severe (if the baby is not growing, for example). Conclusion: If your baby spits up and has colic, bring him to the doctor. But does not necessarily come out with a prescription.

In a small minority of cases, bronchiolitis may require special treatment or hospitalization.

Only a minority of bronchiolitis warrant specialist care, physical therapy or hospitalization. But it is important to detect in time the (rare) cases that have a real need.

Bronchiolitis: a few warning signs to be familiar

In some cases, the condition of a young child with bronchiolitis can deteriorate in a few hours, especially if it is an infant and he was already sick of the lungs for another reason before the bronchiolitis . The appearance of only one of the following warning signs should prompt you to seek immediate medical attention:

Breathing difficulties in children seem to get worse instead of improving steadily; the hiss you hear when he rejects the air from the lungs is more noisy, or breathing accelerates more (especially if it breathes 60 times per minute or more);
when the child breathes, her belly is growing, and his nostrils open so unusual;
the skin of the child seems unusually pale or gray, or bluish lips appear;
the child seems to be difficult to catch his breath after a coughing episode (episode of apnea, that is to say, stopping breathing);
the child refuses to suck, or just head;
the child becomes drowsy and not wake to nurse or eat as usual;
the child is very irritable, sleep badly and becomes difficult to calm down;
the child’s temperature reaches or exceeds 39 ° C;
baby does not wet his diapers for six to eight hours, the fontanelle at the top of his head sinks, or mouth and lips feel dry.
Do not panic, however. In some cases, the occurrence of any of these signs will only be a false alarm. or consultation and support faster will quickly go out of a tight baby, including the prescription of a respiratory physiotherapy.

As every year at this time, the season of bronchiolitis is back! This very common respiratory virus is very dangerous for  some babies vulnerable. Bronchiolitis: common, banal and dangerous.

Bronchiolitis is a respiratory disease caused by respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). It is extremely common in infants: almost all children 2 years have contracted at least once in their lives. For most babies, bronchiolitis is synonymous with cough, stuffy nose, fever … bad night for parents. But for the most fragile, it is very dangerous and potentially life-threatening 17% of premature infants affected by bronchiolitis are hospitalized in a pediatric intensive care unit.

Premature infants at high risk for bronchiolitis

Some crucial changes take place during the last weeks of pregnancy, including the final development of the lungs. Result: the walls of the airways of premature babies are thicker and the bronchial tubes secrete a lot of mucus. The arrival of a respiratory virus which results in a narrowing of the airways and mucus secretion can quickly turn to respiratory distress. This shows that premature babies are hospitalized on average 1.5 to four times longer than the term infants when they catch RSV. It is therefore even more important to prevent this disease …

How to protect your Baby against bronchiolitis?

The basic rules are the same as to avoid any infection:

Wash hands before handling baby. Avoid as much as possible crowded places during the epidemic. Teach siblings, cousins ​​and so on. that when you have a cold, do not do kisses. Carefully blow the baby, and never reuse handkerchiefs. In the case of premature infants at risk, however, these precautions are not sufficient. There is currently no vaccine against RSV bronchiolitis, but it is possible to inject the baby antibodies that can directly control the disease if it arises. This treatment is effective, but its price prevents it to be used for all babies. At present it is reimbursed for premature infants younger than six months, or less than a year if they underwent artificial respiration after birth.

The risk of iron deficiency in young children is not zero in our developed countries. The period following the cessation of breastfeeding is the most sensitive as a baby goes from milk containing highly absorbable iron in another iron-containing significantly less bioavailable. Better to carefully choose the milk away and watch for signs of fatigue and anorexia.

Iron and Anemia

In the body, iron is found in various forms. Overall, there is the heme iron that is present in hemoglobin, ferritin and iron which is the reserve. If deficiencies in vitamins and minerals are now very rare in developed countries, iron deficiency is one of the few that still persist. It concerns mainly young children under three months. The effects of iron deficiency are significant and result in anemia, which results in insufficient production of hemoglobin and tissue oxygenation, which ends up sounding on psychomotor performance.

Iron deficiency: fatigue, anorexia and weakness

But before reaching this stage, there are also iron deficiency that can be described as lighter and do not result in a marked anemia. Only the stock ferritin is decreased. This condition results this time by a decrease in physical abilities of young children, fatigue and anorexia. Psychomotor development slowed and reduced mental performance. Such a ferritin deficiency can result in behavioral problems: child fearful, irritable, restless sleep. It is also suspected iron deficiency to interfere with hyperactivity. But children who do not have sufficient iron levels are weakened, they are more vulnerable to infections, including intestinal and ENT, which is affecting their growth.

The absorption of dietary iron

In fact, toddlers need very high in iron, about eight times larger than those of adults. At birth, they have sufficient stock for the first six months of life. But then, the dietary intake is essential. Now the iron content in foods comes in different forms, making its availability varies. In other words, it is more or less absorbed, used by the body. So do not necessarily rely on theoretical iron content of foods (milk, cow’s milk, beef, liver, spinach, etc). You should know that the iron in breast milk is better absorbed with a bioavailability of 50-70%. By comparison, the bioavailability of iron in cow’s milk is 5 to 10%, 30% for meat and offal and less than 5% for vegetables.

Furthermore, bioavailability varies greatly with the cooking and the presence of other compounds. Some of the decrease (oxalates, tannins, phosphates, phytates), Others increase as vitamin C, citric acid or lactic acid. Finally, note that the amount of iron absorbed from vegetables and grains increases when these foods are consumed together with meat or fish or other foods rich in vitamin C.

In conclusion, we must ensure that baby receives sufficient iron intake and take into account the degree of absorption of iron for the food, rather than theoretical content. But that attention needs to be strengthened to stop breastfeeding. Indeed, the transition period when one moves on to the milk or cow’s milk is at risk for iron deficiency in the infant. You should choose a milk content of highly absorbable iron guarantee.

Here’s another reason to choose breastfeeding because feeding to breast promotes weight loss after childbirth.

Good reasons to breastfeed is no shortage

Breast milk is inimitable for the proper development of the baby. It is rich in antibodies that protect against risk of infection, protein for growth, carbohydrates, omega-3 and minerals to the developing brain and nervous system. It promotes intellectual development and reduces the risk of childhood obesity. There is another advantage of breastfeeding that is not often is that of weight loss of the mother after pregnancy. Many women struggle to regain their original weight after childbirth. Indeed, getting rid of the pounds accumulated during pregnancy is not always obvious. Choose breastfeeding can help.

Do not forget that some of the fat accumulated during pregnancy have naturally precisely the objective of use in the manufacture of milk. It is not surprising that women who breastfeed more easily find their ideal weight compared to non-lactating women. Generally between 6 months and one year after the postpartum period, breastfeeding women have lost more weight. This benefit of breastfeeding occurs provided they do not eat for two, under the pretext of feeding one’s own baby. As throughout pregnancy, during lactation, metabolism of the mother adapts so that the diet is enough to mother and child. So it’s not a question of mathematics: do not eat much, but better. This easier to lose weight after pregnancy is still favored if we take regular physical activity gradually as walking, swimming.? This is something that should not be overlooked.

Is it forbidden to diet while breastfeeding?

Of course, any drastic caloric restriction may lead to a decrease in lactation and have a negative impact on the duration of breastfeeding and the baby’s growth. However, breastfeeding is not incompatible with a healthy and balanced diet. What is needed is that it is not too restrictive (never less than 1800 calories intake per day) and it does not eliminate the food categories. Studies suggest that the loss of overweight nursing women has no effect on the weight of the child, provided that the food program is balanced and moderate weight loss, not more than 2 pounds per months.

Some tips

- Do not try to lose more than 2 pounds per month.
- Wait two to three months after giving birth the body to recover from pregnancy.
- Avoid wacky schemes.
- Ideally, get help from a dietician.
- Practice at least twice a week physical activity: walking, swimming, gym.