5 tips for helping relieve baby's gas pains.

With every baby comes the problem of gas, and gas-related pains. For some babies these pains come only once in a great while, for others they are a regular part of their eating and sleeping routine. Gas pains can be identified by a few basic signs like squirming while asleep, sudden crying out (for no apparent reason when you know they shouldn't be hungry yet, and their diaper is clean), pushing the legs straight and stiff, and grunts which end in cries.

Some parents have had success using homeopathic gas remedies, but I have found that their effect is very small if detectable at all and much too expensive to be feasible for daily use. Also, one should be careful with gas drops because they work by consolidating all of the small bubbles in your babies tummy which encourage the gas to be expelled in one big burp rather than traveling through the digestive system. This doesn't always work as planned, if your baby does not burp after a feeding despite gas drops being used the resulting gas pains will be a lot worse than they would have been without them. Gripe water is often a better assistant, but many babies do not respond to it either. These tips and tricks are a few quick easy things you can do to help relieve your baby's discomfort from gas pains.

1. Prop your babies feet up an inch or two while they are sleeping.
This position reduces pressure on the abdomen, and as a result your baby will strain less when pushing to expel gas or gas-causing solids. Many women during pregnancy find this position comfortable for the same reason. I would recommend using something solid like part of a side-sleep support rather than a blanket because there is less of a risk that the baby could find a way to pull it over their face, or wiggle under it.

2. Gently massage around your baby's belly button in a clockwise circular motion.
This is one of the most basic forms of infant massage designed to help move gas and solids through the large intestine, which is the area it most often will get lodged in, causing pain. Other basic infant massage strokes include stroking from the base of your baby's rib cage downward to their hips and walking your fingers from left to right across your baby's tummy over and over again slowly moving from beneath the ribs to the diaper fastenings. If it is warm out, you can massage your baby while in nothing but their diaper using a light water based moisturizer like Avalon Organics Baby Lotion.

3. Place a warm towel low on the belly.
Sometimes a baby can get cramps from straining to move gas and solids through their bowels that are comparable to most menstrual cramps. Placing a warmed towel low on their tummy provides the same kind of relief that a heating pad provides for a grown woman. A warm bath can also be soothing in the same way.

4. Give your baby some tummy-time.
A little pressure on the tummy can be just the thing to help your baby push the irritation out. While your baby is laying on their tummy gentle stroking of the back from shoulder blades down to the hips can also sooth and relax your baby enough that the gas can be naturally expelled with less straining. Tummy time can be uncomfortable just after feeding, so do try to wait at least 15-20 minutes before you try this tip.

5. Play "Toes-On-Your-Nose" with your baby.
This is a home-remedy that has been passed down for generations. While your baby is laying on a comfortably padded and safe surface (like your lap), take their feet in your hands and gently stretch them up toward your baby's face. It is fun to sing or recite a little rhyme while you do this, and you might even elicit a little giggle from an older infant. When your baby is nice and relaxed, they should be able to touch their toes to their nose with very little pressure from you. Do not ever force your baby into a position that they are resisting. Also, be sensitive to their signals, and if they cry and arch away from you the game could be pinching a gas bubble or increasing their discomfort in another way. However if your baby is enjoying the game it can not only relieve gas, but be a sweet bonding-time for the two of you.

Gas pains are inevitable for babies, but for some they can make you both down-right miserable. I've recently added a few more tips for parents to try that can be read here. These tips have given me a helping time and again over the years. I hope you find them useful, please feel free to leave comments and questions or suggestions about these or any of my tips. If you find these tips helpful please do share them with your friends and family, especially those who are expecting a new baby. Thank you for reading!

5 tips for natural teething remedies.

It happens to every new parent. You just got things settled, your baby is in a great routine, when out of the blue... teething strikes. Yikes! Teething! Whether that image brings up crying babies or painful nursing it's not a pleasant thought. Some types of discomfort that often accompany teething are: fever, diaper rash, facial rash, excessive salivation, upset stomach and, of course, tooth and gum pain.

Now there are as many treatments for the tooth and gum pain as there are stars in the sky (I didn't count, but it looked like it was ballpark). But with all of the concern about problems with plastics, chemicals and choking hazards, it is very difficult to know where to begin looking for safe and effective methods for helping your baby feel better. Here are 5 tried and tested techniques that I trust, which use no harsh chemicals and are completely natural. Today I am including some links to a few sites where you can find the products that I am talking about, these are not solicited or paid endorsements, they are simply sites that I trust to provide quality products. You might also be interested in trying my acupressure point for teething pain.

1. Sterling silver or stainless steel teething rings.

There is a reason that key-rings are the unofficial teething toy of the known universe, babies find the feel of smooth cool metal on their gums unquestionably helpful in reducing inflammation and pain. However, key-rings are full of sharp edges and germ-filled crevices that make them less than ideal for your baby's safety. Substituting a classy and safe sterling silver ring is a great option. I recommend getting at least three, and have two chilling in the refrigerator while your baby chews on one. There are many beautiful designs, some more affordable than others. I personally like the multiple-ring styles.

2. Cool food teething sticks.

Whether you use a refrigerated bagel, carrot, cucumber or celery there is one important safety consideration to keep in mind with this technique. Do not let your baby chew on these things without your supervision. Any kind of food, no matter how soothing and comfortable for your baby to use, will eventually break down, and not always into easy-to-swallow portions either. To play it safe it is a good idea to use a mesh fresh food holder. The carrot is probably the best teething food before your baby has any teeth, but after those chompers pop out, it becomes a risk for choking. I personally like the celery the best, because even when it starts to break down, the thick fibers running the length of the stalk prevent any separating chunks from being too big. I recommend using older, wilted celery (still refrigerated and cold) because it has a more rubbery texture and is less likely to break off into chunks than if it was fresh.

3. Amber bead necklaces.

It is easy to come across criticism for this time-honored natural technique from those who haven't tried it, but if you are looking for a disappointed parent who doesn't believe it is effective after having tried it, you'll have a hard time finding one. The criticism focuses on the fact that the amber beads are choking hazards if separated from the necklace, and that the necklace itself is a choking hazard simply by virtue of the fact that it encircles the baby's neck. I have a solution for these issues though, take your amber necklace or bracelet and wrap it around your baby's ankle. Put a sock on over the beads to hold them in place next to the skin, and away from your baby's mouth. If your baby is at the "taking-off-my-socks-and-sucking-on-my-toes-is-the-funnest- thing-in-the-world" stage, simply put on a pair of footy-pajamas over the socks. You can find beautiful and natural amber necklaces for yourself and your baby here: http://www.amberartisans.com/ . I recommend buying two so one can be warming up in the sun while your baby is wearing the other one. Try to always warm the amber in the sun for an hour or two before letting your baby wear it because this softens the amber and mobilizes the oils that will help sooth your baby's pain.

4. Clove oil.

This natural local anesthetic is very potent and should be used with great care. One drop thoroughly diluted in 1 tsp olive oil should last for at least 8 applications. How you apply it is to take the mixture of olive oil and clove oil and dip a cotton swab into it, then quickly and carefully rub the cotton swab over your baby's gums. The clove oil has a nasty taste to it, so a quick feeding right afterward could help clear your baby's palate. It is very important not to over-use this mixture. It should only be applied about 4-6 times a day, and the best time to use it is at bedtime. A quick application before naps and night time sleep numbs the pain just long enough for your baby to fall asleep more easily.

5. Wooden teething rings sealed with beeswax.

Natural wooden teething rings which have been finished without the use of any harsh chemicals are one of the best things for a baby to chew on. If you place a wooden ring in the refrigerator in a small dish of water, it will stay cool for longer as your baby mauls it. One added benefit of the wooden ring is that you can wear it as a bracelet, and hand it to your baby as needed so that you don't have to spend 10 minutes searching the depths of the diaper bag for it. I do think that after your baby has gotten some teeth this style of teething ring is slightly less safe. Once your baby has teeth she can scrape away at the smooth surface, dig into the wood and possibly get a splinter. If you notice any cracking or scraping, remove or replace the ring right away. The wood used in most wooden teething rings is high quality, and the potential risk is a very small one, but if there is a drawback to this method, that's the only one I could think of.

http://milagrosboutique.com/2007/11/29/non-toxic-maple-teething-ring/

No matter how you choose to help your baby get through the most painful moments of teething, they are going to want to chew on something. Hopefully these natural options can give you some ideas for what will work best for you and your little drool-factory. If you have any questions or comments don't hesitate to leave them, I'd love to hear your thoughts. And for my special Tripi's Tip of the Day check me out on everythingmom.com! Happy parenting!

5 tips for helping your baby nap better.

"How often should a new baby nap?", "When and why do napping schedules change?" and "How can I get my baby to sleep better during the day?" Are all questions that most new parents will have at some point during their baby's development. Napping is such an inconsistent habit, always changing and developing along with your baby. It is hard to know if your baby's day-time sleep is normal for her age, and encouraging a healthy sleeping pattern isn't exactly something they teach you in pregnancy school. However, I do have a few tips that might prove helpful for parents who are struggling with keeping their double-snuggler on an appropriated napping schedule.

1. Keep in mind how often your baby "should" be napping at different ages.
Keeping this general schedule in mind will help you understand why your baby's naps are suddenly changing in frequency or why your baby suddenly refuses to nap at all at certain times.
Birth to 1 month: Napping should be on-demand, and very frequent during the day.
From 1 month to 6 months: Your baby will begin to gravitate toward four predictable naps a day, early morning, noon, afternoon, and evening.
6 months to 1 year: The evening nap will be dropped, or turn into the start of night-time sleep, but the other three naps will stay about the same. One of the naps, usually the noon nap, will be longer than the other two.
1year to 2 years: One more nap will be dropped, either the early morning one or the afternoon one. The bulk of day-sleep will probably take place during the noon nap.
From 2 years on: Only the noon nap is commonly kept after this point, and by 2.5 years or 3 years, your baby could drop their nap all together.
This schedule is just a basic framework, if your baby keeps an extra nap a bit longer, or drops a nap a bit earlier than I've described, don't worry, it is natural for babies to refuse to conform to blanket statements about what they should or should not be doing at any given time. Only if your baby is consistently getting a significantly smaller amount of sleep than described for longer than a week should you begin to be concerned. If you have any nagging worry about your baby's lack of naps, or if you think your baby is sleeping too much, ask your pediatrician for a more focused assessment.

2. Differentiate for your baby between night and day sleep.
It has been argued recently that it is important for really refreshing and restorative day sleep, that the circumstances be different than for night sleep. It is a theory that I have always encouraged simply because I have observed that babies tend to sleep better if they have naps in loud, bright areas of the house than if people try to tip toe around them in the middle of the day. At night after the third month, night sleep should be in a fairly dark environment, with white/or no noise, your baby should be swaddled and the smells in their room should be consistently associated with night sleep. For naps, there should be light, noises that are consistent but not too loud, usually no swaddle and the smells should reflect daytime activities like cooking and cleaning. This encourages your baby to block out light, sounds and smells during the day, and that makes it harder to accidentally wake him up. If your baby is used to this kind of day sleep it is a lot easier to be out and about with him because he will have the ability to nap in different environments more easily. If his day time sleep is full of light, smells and sounds, he is already conditioned to block out his surroundings during a nap. The earlier you start implementing this strategy the more effective it is. I recommend starting at the very beginning, and keeping the separation of sleep environments consistent. If you start later on, say at 8 or 9 months old, the adjustment will be very difficult and may never take hold all the way.

3. Use an appropriate progression of play and feeding.
When your baby begins to have consistent sleeping periods throughout the day you can encourage good sleep by engaging in intense, stimulating play with her one hour before her expected nap time. Then, about 30 minutes before you expect her to fall asleep, give her a nice big feeding, and make sure to get a burp up afterward. Change your baby's diaper and lay her down, chances are she will be asleep within moments. A major function of naps is to process the mental stimulation that your baby experiences through out the day. However some of the most common disruptions of day sleep can be wet or dirty diapers, and hunger. So if you give your baby a lot of stimulation, then address her other needs, she should sleep deep and long. Keeping up this routing for a few weeks will also encourage a healthy napping habit in your baby that should last even if you stop using the full progression routine.

4. Use a portable cot for your babies naps.
Using a portable cot will make traveling or going on holiday with your sweet little sun bear a lot easier. Even a play-date will be easier if your baby can go down for a nap in his portable cot. Imagine, if you don't have to rush home for nap time, you can stay and have some grown up mommy-time with your friend while the babies nap. As long as your boo has the familiarity of the same cot, it will be easier for him to adjust to sleeping in a new environment. For vacations where your baby will be using the cot for night sleep I would bring some elements from his night sleep area, like a familiar bed sheet and maybe a mobile to help with the continuity. However, even if the things you bring are all from your baby's day sleep routine, they will help to comfort your baby in a new environment and will smooth the transition to night sleep in a new place.

5. Utilizing the educational opportunity with sound and scent encourages deeper sleep.
There is no sense as powerfully tied to memory as the sense of smell, and there is no better time to stimulate your baby's early mental development than nap time. Day time sleep is when new neural pathways are being formed in your baby's brain that will constitute the framework of her cognitive processes later in life. As part of putting your baby down for a nap, try dabbing a small spot of scented lotion on your baby's earlobe, and then playing classical music or audio tapes of literary masterpieces. Your baby is way too young to understand or grasp any of the higher concepts of such works, but the brain development is still stimulated by the input. Also as your child gets older she can continue to use the olfactory assisted study method (which is basically applying a distinctive scent when studying, then applying that scent again just before a test). Try to choose a scent that your baby will not mind wearing when she is all grown up. Giving your little Einstein a heavy dose of mental stimulation while they are sleeping gives their subconscious mind something to do, and makes it that much easier for them to sleep deeply and serenely.

Your baby might still have napping issues from time to time. As babies develop they often will hit little "sleep hiccups" that throw off their whole routine. However, if you have some tricks up your sleeve you can get them back on track a lot faster(I share one of my very favorite tricks for better naps here). One common mistake many parents make is to try and limit the amount of day sleep their babies get in order to encourage night sleep. Though it may work in some cases, the sleep a sleep-deprived child gets will be less restful, and more easily startled out of. To help a baby sleep better at night one of the first things I recommend to parents is that they try to increase the quality, and the amount, of sleep that their baby is getting during the day. Not only does day sleep do wonders for your baby's mood, it can be just what the doctor ordered for a tired new parent.I hope you find these tips and tricks helpful, if you know any new or expecting parents please forward this information to them. Happy parenting!