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Facts About Food Poisoning

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Digital video monitors are becoming increasingly well-known and you will discover numerous reasons for this. Digital Baby Monitors are less prone to interference from home electronics and the transmission signals are a lot stronger resulting in clearer images on the parents units.

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It is crucial to note that digital monitor images aren't as smooth as analogue monitors. A lot of video monitors have facilities for additional cameras. Should you think that you may require to expand your monitoring system then ensure that your supplier carries them as stock items. Top Baby Monitors Reviews http://www.top10bestsellers.info/top10babymonitors

It's critical to note that digital monitor images are not as smooth as analogue monitors. Quite a few video monitors have facilities for extra cameras. If you believe that you may well require to expand your monitoring system then ensure that your supplier carries them as stock items. Top Baby Monitors Reviews http://www.top10bestsellers.info/top10babymonitors

Pain Relief in Labour – Tens Machine

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No woman knows how they will respond to labour. Even having done it once, subsequent labours can be quite different. We all have different views on the type of labour we want and the pain relief we might consider.

My advice to any new mum would be to understand all the options available to you before going into labour. It’s good to be able to make an informed decision during labour, even if it is “just give me drugs!” Labour means a loss of control as you body is doing something that you don’t have a lot of say over, so if you can have some control over any part of labour, that can make it seem a lot les scary.

One method of pain relief that is totally under your control during labour is a TENS machine. TENS stands for ‘transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation’. It can be used from the very start of labour, and in fact it takes a while to build up effectiveness, so the earlier you use it the better.

Tens machines work by giving out little pulses of electrical energy via four sticky pads that are attached via wires to the control unit. The pads are used with gel to allow the electrical pulses to be conducted through the skin effectively. Two pads are placed at about bra strap level, either side of your spine and the other two at the bottom of your back. You then have control over the frequency and intensity of the pulses via the control unit. Although each TENS machine will vary slightly, there will be dials for adjusting the frequency and strength of the pulses and a boost button for you to hold in your hand and press when you want maximum output at the height of a difficult contraction.

Tens machines work well for some women and others find them an annoyance. They work by stimulating the body to produce its own endorphins, the bodies’ feel good substance and natural pain relief. They can also help by giving you more control over your contractions and provide a distraction. Because they do take at least an hour to reach maximum effectiveness it’s worth persevering before assuming it’s not for you. You can also purchase additional pads for your TENS machine (though they can be used more than once) so you can try it at home before labour starts. You might find it helps with late pregnancy backache for example.

Some women use a TENS machine at the start of labour and find that they may need a stronger means of pain relief as labour becomes more established and others use it all the way through labour. It’s recommended that you start with the pulses at their lowest level and gradually turn them up when you feel that you need more help managing your contractions.

SHOULD I BUY A TENS MACHINE?

Don’t assume your local hospital will provide one as a pain relief option. A TENS machine is less effective when started later in labour, so hospitals feel that by the time a woman arrives with them a TENS machine may not be the best pain relief option. Some hospitals do hire them out so check with your midwife.

It’s possible to hire a TENS machine and an internet search will bring up several companies happy to supply one. You would probably need to hire it for at least a month to make sure that it was available at the right time.

TENS machines are available to buy at reasonable prices and this is a good option if you are planning more children and may wish to use it for subsequent labours.   TENS machines can also be used to treat general aches and pains (chiropractors use the same electrical pulse treatment) and on other parts of the body so it may be worth buying if you think you will use it more than once.

ADVANTAGES

-          It’s easy to use

-          It can be used at home.

-          It’s portable.

-          It’s non invasive.

-          It has no lasting side effects for you or your baby.

-          It’s under your control.

-          You can stay mobile while using it.

DISADVANTAGES

-          It may only help in the early stages of labour.

-          It may not help at all.

-          You will (probably) have to pay to buy or hire.

-          You will need help to position the pads correctly.

-          You can’t wear it in the bath or birthing pool.

-          You may have to remove it if your baby needs monitoring.

I used a TENS machine during labour and I have no idea if it made things more bearable or not – I wasn’t going to take it off to find out! I do know that it gave me some control, provided distraction and even some giggles when constantly pressing the boost button at the wrong time. The good thing is, unlike some other types of pain relief, if it doesn’t work for you every other option is still open. You have nothing to lose by trying it.

What type of Baby Monitor is right for you?

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When I was a baby there were no baby monitors (unless you could afford a nanny of course)! There was also a lot less debate about how to deal with your baby during the night and at nap time. As my mum likes to say “we just got on with it”.

Nowadays, we have many ways to discuss and communicate with each other. Social networking, dedicated websites, discussion boards as well as the more traditional antenatal groups are available to expectant mothers. Although in many ways this is a godsend, giving us access to a wealth of advice and opinion; it can equally be confusing, giving us ‘information overload’.

Most parents start out with their new baby in their room. It gives you a chance to get to know each other, and makes it easy to quickly feed or change. It is reassuring for new parents as they can quickly respond to distress, perhaps meaning that other siblings don’t wake.

However, even if your baby sleeps in your room for the recommended six months, which many parents find hard (we got less sleep when ours were in with us as we woke to every snort and snuffle), chances are you will want a baby monitor from birth for their daytime naps.

So unlike poor me, who as a baby might or might not have been heard squawking from my pram in the garden in all weathers; we have the option to hear our babies, see them, and even monitor their breathing and movement should we choose to do so.

Even though a monitor will probably be high up your list of essential purchases for your baby, there are a bewildering number of different types on the market. Most recently video monitors have become common. I didn’t have the option of buying a video monitor when my first child was born nearly six years ago – so looking at all the options today – I wonder what I would buy now?

All monitors start with a minimum of two units. One unit is placed where your baby sleeps. This picks up and transmits the sounds he makes to your unit, allowing you to listen to your baby. A video monitor will allow you position a camera so that you can also see him.

As a general rule, the more you spend, the more features you will get with your monitor. But there is no point in spending more to have a feature you don’t need! However, beware spending too little and then finding you end up buying another monitor later on.

Some of the features that you will find on monitors are:

Analogue / Digital:          An important consideration as digital monitors are usually more expensive. Analog baby monitors use frequencies that can be used by other electronic gadgets so can find themselves competing with phones or other monitors. So where you live may be central to your decision. Digital monitors have a stronger signal which is encrypted so won’t be picked up elsewhere and can be used over longer distances. However, both analogue and digital can experience interference though it’s more common with analog. Most monitors have a choice of channels so you can select the one with the least interference. Some digital monitors come on only when sound is detected rather than constantly streaming the sound.

Mains and battery operation:    This lets you take the receiver off the mains charging unit and carry it with you round the house. Consider battery life too as some of them don’t last long if not on charge.

Talk-back facility:            This allows you to talk into your unit, and your baby to hear your voice through the unit in their room.

Sound Light Display:       The monitor uses lights to indicate the level of sound. The more lights that come on, the more noise your baby is making. Useful if you want to turn the audio down or off at times. If your baby often cries themselves to sleep you want to be aware of the noise but not necessarily share it!

Baby Unit Night Light:   If you want to use the unit in your baby’s room as a nightlight as well as a monitor.

Sensor Pad:                        Some monitors come with a sensor pad that you put under your child’s sheet which monitors their breathing. They can work in different ways so make sure you consider what’s right for you. Some parents find they cause more alarm than reassurance because the alarm can be triggered (through no fault of the monitor) if your baby moves off or away from the sensor.

Temperature Sensor:     Shows the temperature of your baby’s room allowing you to adjust their bedding layers appropriately.

Video Capability:             Many options are available from a simple small unit to a large display that can be used as a digital picture frame later on. It is also possible to send the signal from a video unit to your smart phone. Video monitors are (obviously) designed to be used in low light but may have different qualities of ‘night vision’. Picture quality is also variable so check out reviews and opinions from other parents

You may also come across features such as remote control, lullabies, connection to MP3 players – but unfortunately none yet can guarantee a sleeping baby!

I know we went through about three baby monitors after our daughter was born as it’s often only when you use them that you realise the features that are really important to you. Had they been available I think I probably would have chosen a video monitor as there’s nothing more reassuring as being able to see your baby. But whether that reassurance justifies paying for a really good one is very much a matter of personal choice – just like whether you can manage that recommended six months of baby snuffling in your room!

Weight Gain During Pregnancy : How Much is Too Much?

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I was delighted to read that Jessica Simpson has finally had a healthy baby girl whom she named Maxwell Drew Johnson. A strange name for a girl but hey that’s Hollywood for ya! After months of being criticised for her pregnancy weight gain, it was no surprise to read that the baby weighed in at a whopping 9lbs, 13oz.

Although we should all have more important things to discuss; most women can’t help having an interest in anything to do with weight. The average woman is getting bigger (now a size 18 in the UK, from a 14 twenty years ago), while our celebrity role models are getting smaller. Even Kate Winslet who probably is more ‘normal sized’ than most, got criticised for her weight in Titanic when she was a size 10-12. Interestingly, she is much thinner now as the usual size today for a leading lady is a size 6-8.

The one person who didn’t seem to be bothered about the pregnancy weight gain was Jessica Simpson herself. She seemed to take it all in her stride, making jokes and even posing nude in her eighth month on the cover of Elle magazine. For many women, it was probably refreshing to see a ‘star’ having a pretty normal pregnancy.

However, from a medical perspective, there is valid concern about a woman gaining too much weight in pregnancy. This is more to do with the total weight of the mother though, than the actual amount of weight gain itself. Being obese (BMI over 30) pre-pregnancy increases the risk of complications such as miscarriage, pre-eclampsia and gestational diabetes. Overweight women are more apt to give birth to heavier babies, who can be harder to deliver. They also tend to be less mobile, which can result in a need for more pain-relieving drugs during labour. These can be difficult to administer in obese women, resulting in a greater need for general anaesthesia with its associated risks.

There are no official guidelines for weight gain in pregnancy in the UK, just general advice that gain should be somewhere between 10kg and 12.5kg (22lb to 28lb) (DH 2009). This is quite a narrow band considering full term baby itself can quite normally weigh between 5 and 10lbs. A good rule of thumb is that the more you weighed pre pregnancy, the less you need to gain. There is no need to ‘eat for two’, the baby only needs an extra 200 calories per day in the last three months. However, it is dangerous to diet whilst pregnant as you might not get all the nutrients you and your baby need. So, the emphasis should be on healthy eating and ditching the junk.

No-one knows how much weight she gained during her pregnancy or whether it was even “too much”. What is certain though is that because she did not conform to the celebrity norm of seeming to put on no weight – she was vilified for it.

However, Ms Simpson is rumoured to already be in talks with Weightwatchers, so I suspect that she’ll be laughing all the way to the bank!

Funny things that babies do

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The problem is they don’t really do that much to begin with. This can come as a bit of a shock to the first time parent of a new baby. You have spent nine months anxiously waiting for the arrival of this precious little person, the cute clothes are all hanging in the nursery which is beautifully kitted out with lovely things to amuse and stimulate him or her.

Then they arrive – and they do very little. Let’s see - crying (a lot and usually for no discernible reason), sleeping (never enough), feeding (if they can stay awake long enough), weeing and pooing. That really is about it, but somehow this baby manages to occupy every moment of a new parent’s day (and night).

But within a couple of months, their personalities start to shine through and the sleepless nights seem a bit easier when your baby smiles when they see you.

So here are a few things that babies commonly do that you just might not have been expecting!

• Sleep with their bums in the air.
• Root for food on anyone with breasts.
• Cry when given to Grandma, Granddad, or other important visiting relative.
• Think they can talk to their own reflection.
• Scare themselves with their own farts.
• Blow spit bubbles.
• Drink bath, swimming pool and even sea water.
• Put everything in their mouths.
• Cause at least one fat lip through surprisingly hard head butts while learning head control.
• Never ‘perform’ on command.
• Go totally rigid to prevent you from putting them in car seat or buggy.
• Spend days trying to stand up then look totally shocked when they manage it.

Babies usually do most things when you are least expecting it as anyone who has ever changed a nappy can probably testify! But that’s what makes them so much fun. And if you have a video monitor, it’s like having your own non-subscription channel to baby TV, twenty four hours a day. So watch, enjoy, and feel free to share your funny baby stories.

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