- Parents lose an average of 200 hours of sleep the first year of their child’s life? If you break that down that is not sleeping the entire month of February. This is not necessary.
- By age 4 months OVER half of babies are sleep deprived?
- Llack of sleep is directly correlated to ADD, ADHD and obesity in children?
- Sleep habits created in infancy follow a person throughout their lives?
- SLEEP IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING FOR YOUR CHILD’S DEVELOPING BRAIN?
Saturday, April 5, 2008
Did U Know?????
Wednesday, April 2, 2008
What To Do When Baby Cries
All babies cry.
They cry because they are hungry, cold, wet, tired, bored, warm, or just uncomfortable.
Doctors have found that during the first 7 weeks of life, a baby may cry 21/2 hours a day. Babies usually cry less as they grow older and they find other ways to calm themselves, like sucking on pacifiers or fingers or playing with their hands. While crying is normal, some babies seem to cry for no reason. They are not easily calmed, and they cry for long periods of time. These babies are often referred to as having colic.
What Is Colic?
These signs may mean that a baby has colic:
They cry because they are hungry, cold, wet, tired, bored, warm, or just uncomfortable.
Doctors have found that during the first 7 weeks of life, a baby may cry 21/2 hours a day. Babies usually cry less as they grow older and they find other ways to calm themselves, like sucking on pacifiers or fingers or playing with their hands. While crying is normal, some babies seem to cry for no reason. They are not easily calmed, and they cry for long periods of time. These babies are often referred to as having colic.
What Is Colic?
These signs may mean that a baby has colic:
- Unexplained crying and fussiness (not due to hunger or pain)
- Crying that begins in baby's first month (usually in the first weeks)
- Irregular crying, one or more times a day
- Excessive crying (from 20 minutes to 2 hours each time, or more than 4 hours total each day)
- Nothing seems to calm baby
A colicky baby may also do one or more of these things:
- Cry a loud, piercing cry
- Swing her arms and legs while crying
- Arch his back while crying
- Pull her knees up to her stomach while crying
What Causes Colic?
We don't know for sure, but babies may cry because ...
- Gases passing through the baby's stomach cause pain.
- Painful cramps occur because of changes in hormones after birth.
- The baby is too stimulated by the outside world. A colicky baby may not be able to "ignore" sights and sounds.
- The baby cries to release tension.
- The baby cannot stop unwanted behaviors, such as crying, because don't yet know ways of the baby.
Tips for Remedy and Relief
There is no cure for colic, but there are some things you can do to comfort a fussy baby. To help baby cry less, follow these tips:
- Feed just the right amount-not too much, not too little.
- Babies who cry after eating may want to suck rather than eat more, or they may need to cry a little as they fall asleep.
- Talk with your doctor if you aren't sure if your baby is eating enough.
- Give the baby things to look at or listen to earlier in the day. To keep baby calm, avoid active play late in the day.
- change the baby's position. If you are holding the baby, put her down and let her kick. If the baby is lying down, pick him up and talk to him.
- Handle baby gently. Don't shake or move the baby roughly.
Try these ideas, too:
- hold your baby in your arms. Keep his arms close to his body. Walk or rock the baby gently, while talking to him softly. Remember gentle! Shaking or bouncing too roughly can harm your baby, or even cause death.
- Sit and hold your baby face down with your hand under her tummy. Slowly rock your legs back and forth, or lift them gently up and down.
- Lie on your back and lay your baby on top of you with his tummy down. Massage or pat his back slowly and gently.
- Give your baby a warm bath, gently massaging her tummy with your hand, soap, or a soft cloth.
- Turn on a radio, vacuum cleaner, hair dryer, clothes dryer, or water faucet. Some babies are calmed by steady sounds and noises.
- Offer your baby a pacifier (again, remember to be gentle-you can injure the baby's mouth if you are too rough).
- Take your baby for a ride. If you use a car, be sure to place baby in a safety seat.
- Place the baby in a wind-up swing; be sure that his neck is supported.
Seeking Medical Help
If you find that your newborn cries a great deal, see a doctor to be sure there isn't a medical problem. Parents of colicky babies shouldn't be afraid to talk openly with their doctors. It's important to mention any concerns you have so you can put them at rest. In some situations a doctor may prescribe medicine, but there is not any medicine yet that completely cures colic in all infants. If medication is prescribed, ask your doctor to talk about the possible side effects.
Coping Techniques for Parents
Caring for a colicky infant can be very difficult. The frustration may become overwhelming. Parents of a colicky baby need to have a plan to help them get through the stress of colic. Keep these ideas and tips in mind:
- remember not to take the crying personally. Your baby's crying is not a comment on you as a parent.
- Take deep breaths. Try to relax as much as possible. A crying baby can be very frustrating, so try not to "lose your head."
- Take turns with the baby (with your spouse or someone else).
- Try taking 15 minutes to calm your baby. If she is still crying, put her down and let her cry. After 15 minutes, try to calm her again.
- Your first concern should be to make sure baby is safe and secure. It is normal for babies to sometimes cry.
- Take a break from your baby. Ask a trusted friend or relative to babysit so you can spend some time away from your infant.
- Talk to other parents, especially people who have had colicky babies themselves. These may be friends, relatives, or people in a parent support group.
- Don't be afraid to accept or ask for help from friends or relatives who offer. If you can, hire someone to help you around the home.
Sunday, March 30, 2008
Tips for getting your baby to fall asleep easier
Despite wishing it were so, it’s not possible to click your fingers and hypnotize your baby to sleep, although that would be wonderful! Sleep is not something you can force on someone, regardless of how much you want or need them to drift off. However, setting the scene for sleep on a nightly basis can be an excellent way of establishing good habits and making sure that your baby knows that nighttime is sleep time.
Recognize the signs of tiredness
7pm might be bedtime most nights, but if your baby is displaying signs of tiredness earlier, put him to bed earlier. An overtired baby is harder to settle and will be more likely to wake during the night. You may even need to spend half an hour or so with him helping him to wind down after a particularly hectic day.
Make his crib comfortable and welcoming
The crib should be positioned in a warm (or cool) spot in the room, should be clean and dry and arranged with the covers neatly tucked in.
Make sure he’s clean, dry and fed
A baby who has been bathed, dressed in clean, dry pyjamas, had his diaper freshly changed and has a contented tummy really should have no reason not to feel sleepy!
Create an environment that’s conducive to sleep
Turn the lights down low. If your baby’s room has shutters, blinds or drapes that block out light from outside, even better. Total darkness is not necessary, and if there is a little light present, for instance from a night-light or a soft lamp, it will mean you can check on him without disturbing him. Aromatherapy can be useful in helping a baby to wind down. Essential oils of lavender and chamomile are recommended.
Sounds to sleep by
Remember that your baby spent nine months, give or take, in your womb and listened to your heartbeat and other exotic sounds while there. Pure silence isn’t necessary for sleep and your baby will feel comforted by rhythmic, soft sounds in the background as she drifts off to sleep. Classical music can be relaxing and if you can play a CD that runs for an hour, it can turn itself off and your baby should already be in the Land of Nod. Also, an old clock that ticks and tocks can be a delightful sound. The best thing about it is, it doesn’t stop unless the batteries need changing. A fan, air conditioner or the washing machine or dryer in the next room can all provide ‘white noise’ that a baby can tune in, and then out, to.
Be consistent
Babies respond beautifully to routine and consistency. By trying your best to maintain the night time routine, your baby will come to know what to expect, and by the time you bring out the lavender oil, he’ll know it’s time to lay his head down to sleep.
Going to bed awake
Ideally, your baby should be put in his crib awake so that he can wind down and go off to sleep without assistance. Your reassurance and comforting will help him to understand that he’s loved and safe, and by learning to put himself to sleep, he will learn behaviors that will stand him in good stead in other areas as well. Of course, if he’s asleep when you put him to bed, that’s fine too! No one likes to wake a sleeping baby because a child who is asleep is like 24-carat gold … rare, precious and delightful to behold.
Recognize the signs of tiredness
7pm might be bedtime most nights, but if your baby is displaying signs of tiredness earlier, put him to bed earlier. An overtired baby is harder to settle and will be more likely to wake during the night. You may even need to spend half an hour or so with him helping him to wind down after a particularly hectic day.
Make his crib comfortable and welcoming
The crib should be positioned in a warm (or cool) spot in the room, should be clean and dry and arranged with the covers neatly tucked in.
Make sure he’s clean, dry and fed
A baby who has been bathed, dressed in clean, dry pyjamas, had his diaper freshly changed and has a contented tummy really should have no reason not to feel sleepy!
Create an environment that’s conducive to sleep
Turn the lights down low. If your baby’s room has shutters, blinds or drapes that block out light from outside, even better. Total darkness is not necessary, and if there is a little light present, for instance from a night-light or a soft lamp, it will mean you can check on him without disturbing him. Aromatherapy can be useful in helping a baby to wind down. Essential oils of lavender and chamomile are recommended.
Sounds to sleep by
Remember that your baby spent nine months, give or take, in your womb and listened to your heartbeat and other exotic sounds while there. Pure silence isn’t necessary for sleep and your baby will feel comforted by rhythmic, soft sounds in the background as she drifts off to sleep. Classical music can be relaxing and if you can play a CD that runs for an hour, it can turn itself off and your baby should already be in the Land of Nod. Also, an old clock that ticks and tocks can be a delightful sound. The best thing about it is, it doesn’t stop unless the batteries need changing. A fan, air conditioner or the washing machine or dryer in the next room can all provide ‘white noise’ that a baby can tune in, and then out, to.
Be consistent
Babies respond beautifully to routine and consistency. By trying your best to maintain the night time routine, your baby will come to know what to expect, and by the time you bring out the lavender oil, he’ll know it’s time to lay his head down to sleep.
Going to bed awake
Ideally, your baby should be put in his crib awake so that he can wind down and go off to sleep without assistance. Your reassurance and comforting will help him to understand that he’s loved and safe, and by learning to put himself to sleep, he will learn behaviors that will stand him in good stead in other areas as well. Of course, if he’s asleep when you put him to bed, that’s fine too! No one likes to wake a sleeping baby because a child who is asleep is like 24-carat gold … rare, precious and delightful to behold.
Communication - that’s what a baby’s crying is for. This sweet thing that suddenly turn into a fit of tears is just craving for your sweeter attention. All cultures in the world nod to this pattern all infants are accustomed to.A baby cries the most during his or her first three months. Though the amount of crying steadily increase, the crying time period may vary from an hour to most of the day and this could still be considered within normal range. Like, whoah, right? Babies are also known as howling tear factories.
Some thought that a baby cries more during the afternoon accounting it to the anxiousness of the mother or the stressed mood of the father after going home from work. But the most accepted assumption now is that babies have this automatic screening ability they use to shut off all the noise that may stimulate some response from them so they could get enough rest. But in the long run, this filter weakens and totally disappears during the approximate age of six weeks. This, then, make a baby very sensitive to the external factors such as noise, movements, etc. And these generally elicit a reaction from a baby and how best could he or she respond but only through crying
There are many reasons why a baby succumbs to crying. Deciphering these reasons is the major feat a parent must surmount. Here are some of the things your sweetsome baby is making you understand through crying.
Hunger. Yes, your attention-hungry baby is craving to let you know that his tummy is grumbling. This is the most common reason for a baby to cry, especially, during his early months. The pattern of the hunger howl could be characterized as being persistent, demanding and almost rhythmical. But that rhythm is not at any rate close to becoming musical, of course.
Boredom. What can I say? Aren’t these babies just plain spoiled? Crying because of boredom, errr, I’d find that a bit more twisted or weird if it’s with an adult that is. But babies are really built like this. Crying is their way of telling you, “Hey get me a life here!” Aside from attention and food, consequently, babies need a lot of stimulation. And when they don’t get this, there you get your waaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhh!!! The trick is to pick the baby up and play with him. This move may be frowned upon by some because of its amounting to spoiling the baby. But it is important to know that stimulation is also one of the major necessities of an infant and it won’t hurt to provide him with some while in his growing age. This boredom cry is said to be also rhythmical and full of sobs and moans.
Discomfort. Pain is another precursor of the baby’s crying. Who won’t cry when in pain, right? Babies are not Major Paynes to endure the most excruciating discomfort they could undergo. They are little, vulnerable beings that need to be attended to when injured or when in an inconvenient situation. This cry could be more persistent, louder and more demanding. Shrieking and screaming, those are words that better describe the crying pattern roused by pain.
Another cause may be disturbance; surely, howling will proceed just when they’re about to sleep or are already fast asleep and suddenly gets surprised by some noise, or movement. An illness that causes discomfort to a baby may also be the reason for a baby’s bursting into fit of tears.
Have you ever wondered why toys for babies tend to have so many bells, whistlesand lights? Or why they have so many different textures, and materials and colors?It’s almost as if we want to provide young babies with a whole world of stimulation andwe can’t quite get it to them fast enough.
Play gyms or activity gyms as they are sometimes called tend to be a firm favorite withbabies from newborn up to about 12 months. These play gyms and activity nests mostly comein the form of comfortable, quilted or softly padded playmats, sometimesraised at the edges with a space in the middle for baby (like a ring doughnut).And these play gyms can be either brightly colored or in soft, pastel shades.But don’t be fooled by thinking they are just snug and comfy resting places forbabies to fall asleep in!These activity gyms can provide a plethora of visual, audio and tactile stimulationfor fast developing young inquisitive minds.
Often decorated with well known and lovable characters, Winnie-the-Pooh, Tigger, Eyore,or farm and zoo animals as well, they can consist of detachable, hanging parts forsmall babies to try to grasp. They tend to have parts that are crinkly, soft, scrunchytextures for baby to touch, squeeze and stroke. Some come with bright twinklinglights and bells and others make funny sounds, or musical sounds, and some even do both.You will often find mirrors attached to these activity gyms, so that your babygets to find and see its own reflection, often providing hours of fun for babiesand carers alike. All of this is extremely important for developing young minds.Babies are like a sponge, they are ready to absorb whatever information they can -and boy - they can’t grasp it fast enough!A lot of new research points to the first three years of life as being critical to a baby’sdeveloping brain. It is a known fact that during this period, not only does the brain triplein weight but it also establishes thousands of billions of nerve connections. Astonishingly,at the age of three, a young child has twice as many nerve connections as many adults. Therefore,in your role as a parent, or primary care giver, it is of paramount importance that you recognizethis and understand just how much development is taking place inside your young baby’s brain frombirth until the age of three.At birth, children have most of the neurons (brain cells) they need for a lifetime however, thesebrain cells are not yet linked (or “wired”) together to form the complex networks that are requiredfor mature thought processes to take place. And what happens is that in the early years, youngchildren’s brain cells form these connections, or synapses as they are commonly called, very veryrapidly.One of the crucial ingredients to aiding these connections to form, is experience, and repetition.In a word, the more times you repeat something new, like showing a baby how to scrunch up a ball,the quicker these connections are formed. Therefore, it naturally follows that the more positiveinteraction you give an infant or toddler, the more you are helping to stimulate young brains.This stimulation causes new connections to form neural pathways and strengthens existing ones.Playing with activity gyms, with allthe bells and whistles that they offer or reading to a child, anything which allows a child tohave positive, interactive processes, will aid your child’s brain development.
So, as you lovingly sit and watch your young baby laughing and gurgling on theplay mat or under the activity gym - do not underestimate the power of the changes taking placein the brain, all enriching an inquisitive mind and arming it with a plethora of knowledge andunderstanding for years to come.
Tips for a first time Dad
So you’re going to become a father. Now is not the time to panic. You’ve got lots of time to get used to the idea, before that new life you helped create, arrives to join your own. These tips for a first-time Dad will help you to survive the pre-baby and post-birth jitters.
Be supportive of your partner during the pregnancy. Some women have a more difficult time than others, and the fluctuation of hormones can bring on everything from mood swings to what seems to be unreasonable irritation with you, and everything else. While you may not understand her moods, remember that they are transient, and weather them in whatever way works best for you both. She may be irritated, but would appreciate a simple gesture like flowers, a foot rub, or even a cup of tea without having to get up. You’ll find your own paths to peace, as the pregnancy progresses.
When the baby arrives, don’t be upset if you don’t fall in love immediately. You’re excited to be a father, but often men think they are failing in some respect, when they don’t feel the same overwhelming bond that a mother does. But you didn’t carry another life inside you for nine months. So one of the best tips for a first-time Dad, is to give yourself time to love, and be loved back.
Because you have been basically on the “outside” of things until the birth, you may not feel you’re really an integral part of their life. Nothing could be further from the truth, because you are now a father, and with that comes all the responsibilities and worries that a mother has.
Parenting isn’t done alone, it’s done together, with the two of you supporting each other, giving each other breaks from the routine and stresses, as well as taking pleasure in watching your child grow and thrive, together.
Saturday, March 29, 2008
Perkembangan Bayi
Minggu pertama - 8 hari selepas proses persenyawaan berlaku, blastocyst (kini mengandungi 200 sel) merembeskan mukus untuk memberitahu kehadirannya di dalam rahim.
Minggu ke-2 - Blastocyst menggelembung dan sel-sel mula berkembang dan terbahagi kira-kira 2 kali sehari sehinggalah pada hari yang ke-12 jumlahnya telah bertambah dan membantu blastocyst terpaut atau disauh dengan kukuh pada endometrium.
Minggu ke-3 - Saiz embrio terbentuk dan saiznya hanyalah sepanjang 0.08 inci/2 mm. Gen janin mula hendak membentuk dalam 3 lapisan benih (sel) daripada organ badan yang akan bergabung.
Minggu ke-4 - Janin sudah mulai membentuk struktur asas manusia dimana sel-sel mula bergabung dan pada masa itu embrio sudah mulai memanjang kira-kira 1/4 inci (6 mm = sebesar biji tembikai). Pada masa ini sudah kelihatan pembentukan otak dan tulang belakang serta anggota lain seperti jantung yang mengepam darah ke paru-paru dan aorta (urat besar yang membawa darah daripada jantung).
Minggu ke-5 - Embrio akan terus membesar. Terdapat 3 lapisan iaitu ectoderm, mesoderm dan dan endoderm. Ectoderm adalah lapisan yang paling atas. Ianya akan membentuk sistem saraf pada janin tersebut yang seterusnya membentuk otak, tulang belakang, kulit serta rambut. Manakala lapisan mesoderm pula yang berada pada lapisan tengah akan membentuk organ penting yang asas iaitu jantung, buah pinggang, tulang dan organ reproduktif. Sistem peredaran darah adalah yang pertama terbentuk dan berfungsi. Akhir sekali ialah lapisan endoderm iaitu lapisan paling dalam yang akan membentuk organ dalaman seperti usus, hati, pankreas dan pundi kencing.
Minggu ke-6 - Sekiranya pemeriksaan secara ultrasound dilakukan, kita akan dapat melihat janin sudah membentuk kepada dan badan. Biasanya getaran jantungnya juga sudah dapat dikesan.
Minggu ke-7 - Pembentukan bayi semakin jelas terbentuk. Kepala bayi seolah-olah tertunduk dan berada dalam cecair (air ketuban atau amnotic sac) yang akan memberikan keperluan tumbesaran bayi semasa dalam kandungan.
Minggu ke-8 - Rupa bayi sudah mulai terbentuk antaranya pembentukan lubang hidung, bibir, mulut serta lidah. Matanya juga sudah kelihatan berada di bawah membran kulit yang nipis. Pada masa ini juga anggota tangan serta kaki juga terbentuk walaupun tidak berapa jelas lagi.
Minggu ke-9 - Saiz bayi ketika ini hanyalah sebesar sebiji anggur iaitu dalam saiz seinci. Pembentukan telinga sudah kelihatan pada masa ini. Dan yang paling mengembirakan bagi bakal ibu ialah pada saat inilah bayi kita sudah mulai mengerakkan anggota badannya. (Sudah boleh menggerakkan jejari tangan manakala jejari kakinya masih bercantum).
Minggu ke-10 - Bayi sudah kelihatan seperti manusia yang lengkap. Pada minggu ini, payu dara akan sedikit membengkak kerana terdapat cecair oestrogen dan progesterone sebagai persediaan untuk menyusukan bayi kelak.
Minggu ke-11 - Bayi dalam kandungan akan mulai suatu proses pertumbuhan yang pesat dan mula mengangkat kepala ke atas jauh daripada dadanya. Alat kelamin luar pula mula terbentuk tetapi masih kecil sehingga sukar untuk melihat jantinanya samada lelaki atau perempuan semasa membuat imbasan.
Minggu ke-12 - Usia kehamilan masuk 3 bulan, kebanyakan wanita akan mula kelihatan tanda-tanda fizikal tentang kehamilannya. Sekarang bayi akan membesar dengan cepat. Saiz bayi dalam kandungan akan bertambah beberapa milimeter setiap hari. Wajahnya juga semakin jelas. Jari jemari kaki dan tangan mula terbentuk termasuk telinga dan kelopak mata. Berat bayi pada masa ini adalah kira-kira satu aun (28g) dan panjangnya dalam 8 cm. Risiko keguguran berkurangan pada minggu ke-12 kerana bayi semakin kukuh kedudukannya. Pada masa ini bayi sudah boleh menguap, menggeliat, memusing badan tetapi kerana saiznya yang masih kecil kita tidak akan dapat merasakan sebarang pergerakan.
Minggu ke-13 - Kepala bayi membesar dengan lebih cepat daripada yang lain-lain. Badannya juga semakin membesar untuk mengejar tumbesaran kepala. Berat bayi kini boleh mencecah kira-kira 30g. Kuku kaki dan tangan juga mula tumbuh. Pada masa ini ibu mungkin akan mengalami perubahan ketara akibat perubahan hormon yang berlaku dalam badan. Sebagai contoh rembesan minyak menyebabkan wajah kita berbintik-bintik.
Minggu ke-14 - Degupan jantung bayi akan semakin kuat dan kita sudah boleh mendengarnya melalui ujian imbasan. Lajunya adalah 2 kali ganda kelajuan jantung kita. Pada masa ini bayi kelihatan kurus kerana belum terdapat lapisan lemak. Kulitnya juga sangat nipis sehingga kita dapat melihat saluran darahnya. Pada tahap ini juga biasanya ibu hamil akan mengalami masalah sembelit kerana pergerakan usus cenderung diperlahankan semasa hamil.
Minggu ke-15 - Bayi sudah mampu menggenggam tangannya dan menghisap ibu jari. Kelopak matanya masih tertutup dan akan terus kekal sedemikian sehingga minggu ke-26. Walaupun begitu bayi boleh mengetahui perubahan cahaya ketika ini. Bayi juga sudah boleh menelan. Ibu akan merasa perubahan ketara kerana garis pinggang akan mengembang dan jantung mula berdegup 20% lebih pantas kerana isipadu darah mengalir dalam badan telah meningkat.
Minggu ke-16 - Kehamilan kini sudah hampir 4 bulan. Pada masa ini badan perlu senantiasa sihat dan bertenaga. Bayi telah terbentuk sepenuhnya dan perlu diberikan nutrien yang secukupnya oleh plasenta. Bayi mula menerima nutrien dari plasenta sejak minggu ke-14. Kini bayi dalam kandungan telah mempunyai tulang yang kuat dan sudah boleh mendengar bunyi-bunyian untuk pertama kali.
Minggu ke-2 - Blastocyst menggelembung dan sel-sel mula berkembang dan terbahagi kira-kira 2 kali sehari sehinggalah pada hari yang ke-12 jumlahnya telah bertambah dan membantu blastocyst terpaut atau disauh dengan kukuh pada endometrium.
Minggu ke-3 - Saiz embrio terbentuk dan saiznya hanyalah sepanjang 0.08 inci/2 mm. Gen janin mula hendak membentuk dalam 3 lapisan benih (sel) daripada organ badan yang akan bergabung.
Minggu ke-4 - Janin sudah mulai membentuk struktur asas manusia dimana sel-sel mula bergabung dan pada masa itu embrio sudah mulai memanjang kira-kira 1/4 inci (6 mm = sebesar biji tembikai). Pada masa ini sudah kelihatan pembentukan otak dan tulang belakang serta anggota lain seperti jantung yang mengepam darah ke paru-paru dan aorta (urat besar yang membawa darah daripada jantung).
Minggu ke-5 - Embrio akan terus membesar. Terdapat 3 lapisan iaitu ectoderm, mesoderm dan dan endoderm. Ectoderm adalah lapisan yang paling atas. Ianya akan membentuk sistem saraf pada janin tersebut yang seterusnya membentuk otak, tulang belakang, kulit serta rambut. Manakala lapisan mesoderm pula yang berada pada lapisan tengah akan membentuk organ penting yang asas iaitu jantung, buah pinggang, tulang dan organ reproduktif. Sistem peredaran darah adalah yang pertama terbentuk dan berfungsi. Akhir sekali ialah lapisan endoderm iaitu lapisan paling dalam yang akan membentuk organ dalaman seperti usus, hati, pankreas dan pundi kencing.
Minggu ke-6 - Sekiranya pemeriksaan secara ultrasound dilakukan, kita akan dapat melihat janin sudah membentuk kepada dan badan. Biasanya getaran jantungnya juga sudah dapat dikesan.
Minggu ke-7 - Pembentukan bayi semakin jelas terbentuk. Kepala bayi seolah-olah tertunduk dan berada dalam cecair (air ketuban atau amnotic sac) yang akan memberikan keperluan tumbesaran bayi semasa dalam kandungan.
Minggu ke-8 - Rupa bayi sudah mulai terbentuk antaranya pembentukan lubang hidung, bibir, mulut serta lidah. Matanya juga sudah kelihatan berada di bawah membran kulit yang nipis. Pada masa ini juga anggota tangan serta kaki juga terbentuk walaupun tidak berapa jelas lagi.
Minggu ke-9 - Saiz bayi ketika ini hanyalah sebesar sebiji anggur iaitu dalam saiz seinci. Pembentukan telinga sudah kelihatan pada masa ini. Dan yang paling mengembirakan bagi bakal ibu ialah pada saat inilah bayi kita sudah mulai mengerakkan anggota badannya. (Sudah boleh menggerakkan jejari tangan manakala jejari kakinya masih bercantum).
Minggu ke-10 - Bayi sudah kelihatan seperti manusia yang lengkap. Pada minggu ini, payu dara akan sedikit membengkak kerana terdapat cecair oestrogen dan progesterone sebagai persediaan untuk menyusukan bayi kelak.
Minggu ke-11 - Bayi dalam kandungan akan mulai suatu proses pertumbuhan yang pesat dan mula mengangkat kepala ke atas jauh daripada dadanya. Alat kelamin luar pula mula terbentuk tetapi masih kecil sehingga sukar untuk melihat jantinanya samada lelaki atau perempuan semasa membuat imbasan.
Minggu ke-12 - Usia kehamilan masuk 3 bulan, kebanyakan wanita akan mula kelihatan tanda-tanda fizikal tentang kehamilannya. Sekarang bayi akan membesar dengan cepat. Saiz bayi dalam kandungan akan bertambah beberapa milimeter setiap hari. Wajahnya juga semakin jelas. Jari jemari kaki dan tangan mula terbentuk termasuk telinga dan kelopak mata. Berat bayi pada masa ini adalah kira-kira satu aun (28g) dan panjangnya dalam 8 cm. Risiko keguguran berkurangan pada minggu ke-12 kerana bayi semakin kukuh kedudukannya. Pada masa ini bayi sudah boleh menguap, menggeliat, memusing badan tetapi kerana saiznya yang masih kecil kita tidak akan dapat merasakan sebarang pergerakan.
Minggu ke-13 - Kepala bayi membesar dengan lebih cepat daripada yang lain-lain. Badannya juga semakin membesar untuk mengejar tumbesaran kepala. Berat bayi kini boleh mencecah kira-kira 30g. Kuku kaki dan tangan juga mula tumbuh. Pada masa ini ibu mungkin akan mengalami perubahan ketara akibat perubahan hormon yang berlaku dalam badan. Sebagai contoh rembesan minyak menyebabkan wajah kita berbintik-bintik.
Minggu ke-14 - Degupan jantung bayi akan semakin kuat dan kita sudah boleh mendengarnya melalui ujian imbasan. Lajunya adalah 2 kali ganda kelajuan jantung kita. Pada masa ini bayi kelihatan kurus kerana belum terdapat lapisan lemak. Kulitnya juga sangat nipis sehingga kita dapat melihat saluran darahnya. Pada tahap ini juga biasanya ibu hamil akan mengalami masalah sembelit kerana pergerakan usus cenderung diperlahankan semasa hamil.
Minggu ke-15 - Bayi sudah mampu menggenggam tangannya dan menghisap ibu jari. Kelopak matanya masih tertutup dan akan terus kekal sedemikian sehingga minggu ke-26. Walaupun begitu bayi boleh mengetahui perubahan cahaya ketika ini. Bayi juga sudah boleh menelan. Ibu akan merasa perubahan ketara kerana garis pinggang akan mengembang dan jantung mula berdegup 20% lebih pantas kerana isipadu darah mengalir dalam badan telah meningkat.
Minggu ke-16 - Kehamilan kini sudah hampir 4 bulan. Pada masa ini badan perlu senantiasa sihat dan bertenaga. Bayi telah terbentuk sepenuhnya dan perlu diberikan nutrien yang secukupnya oleh plasenta. Bayi mula menerima nutrien dari plasenta sejak minggu ke-14. Kini bayi dalam kandungan telah mempunyai tulang yang kuat dan sudah boleh mendengar bunyi-bunyian untuk pertama kali.
"I Love U" - The three golden words
"I love you"
Can any words possibly sound sweeter or offer greater comfort? Is any statement more natural – or necessary – between a parent and child? In many families, these words come easily. But if you grew up never hearing them, saying "I love you" may feel somewhat unnatural to you. Or if members of your family used loving statements to control or manipulate, you may be very uncomfortable using them with your own children.
Many families either don't communicate loving feelings very often or they communicate them in destructive ways. A counselor friend once told me she was appalled to discover that some of her clients had never heard the words, "I love you" from their parents: "I couldn't imagine parents who couldn't say 'I love you' to their children, probably because I grew up hearing it all the time. But in the middle of my shock and self-righteousness, I realized that in my family, that statement was always loaded with expectations for me to do something. Most of the time when my parents said 'I love you' they would stand there and wait for us to say 'I love you, too'. So that statement always came off as a solicitation, rather than an expression of how they really felt about us."
If either of these extremes describe your upbringing, chances are, you aren't using loving statements as often – or as "cleanly" – as you might. A few simple guidelines can help.
Let's hear it! We all need to hear loving statements from people we care about. It may be easy to assume that your kids know you love them. After all, you do love them and you probably do a lot of loving things for them. That's important.
But feeling love for someone is not the same as expressing it. Nor is doing loving things. Loving feelings and loving behaviors are not loving words – and those are important, too.
If you find it hard to get the words out of your mouth, either from lack of familiarity or fear of rejection, start slowly. A parent in one of my workshops confessed to practicing on the dog for a few days before she could get up the nerve to try it out on her kids! Another started by writing love notes to her children, sneaking them into their lunch bags or under their pillows. Both reported such a strong, positive response from their children, that saying "I love you" came much more easily after that.
Let's hear it some more. None of this "I-told-you-I-love-you-in-1985" stuff, OK? This isn't like going to the dentist twice a year. So maybe it's still not easy to say, even with the practice and little successes. Maybe hearing "I love you" even gives your kids the creeps (this is more age specific than anything else and less likely to happen if you don't say it in front of his entire 5th grade class). Say it anyhow. As a gift to yourself, communicate your love daily. At least.
Keep it simple! "I love you" is a complete sentence. We don't need to tie our feelings for a person to the person's behavior. In fact, whenever we connect it to something the other person has done, "I love you" becomes a statement of conditional caring.
"I love you when you make your bed", or "I love you when you make the honor roll", suggest that you love your child because of his behavior or accomplishment. It also suggests that the love wouldn't be there – or be quite the same – if the child hadn't made the bed or the grades. (Don't you love your kid in either case?) You can still be excited and happy about the behavior, but avoid communicating that your loving feelings for your child exist because he's doing what pleases you.
"I love you". Period.
No "buts" about it! By the same token, watch the tendency to use "I love you" as a lead-in to a confrontation about something your child has done that you find disturbing. If you need to address the child's behavior or set a boundary, by all means do so. But deal with the behavior – not the worth of the child, or your feelings for him or her.
If the child needs to clean her room or miss the movie because her chores were not done, deal with the situation, not your feelings. You don't need to say, "I love you but..." to soften the blow. Your feelings are not an issue here.
Besides, because of the way the brain processes the words we hear, whatever you say before the word "but” automatically gets canceled out anyhow. (In other words, if you say, "I love you, but your room is a mess," all the child ends up hearing is, "Your room is a mess.")
Using "but" in the same sentence as "I love you" is confusing and manipulative. As in the previous example, this type of statement suggests that the child is only lovable conditionally. Cut to the chase. Avoid tying the feelings you express to the way the child is acting – good or bad.
No expectations. Say "I love you" because you want to say "I love you." Say it because you feel love toward the person you're talking to. Say it because it feels good to say it.
"I love you" is a powerful statement and lots of times it will evoke a loving response from the recipient. But attaching an expectation for a response to the statement is a set-up – both for you and the other person. If the expectation is there, your child will know it. If he does respond, it will probably be to avoid guilt or conflict rather than genuine, spontaneous caring. Is that what you really want?
If your children haven't learned how to say "I love you" yet, it's OK to tell them that you need to hear those three little words sometimes, too. Then give them some space to risk, practice and learn. By far their best lessons will come from your own unconditional modeling.
Turn the love inward. Next to unconditional love, the best gift you can give another person is the love you give yourself! In fact the ability to love, appreciate and care for yourself is essential to healthy, loving relationships with others.
So, look in the mirror. Look into your eyes. Say "I love you." No "buts." No qualifiers. Say it out loud. Say it often. Mean it. What better way to affirm how worthwhile and lovable you are. And what better way to practice one of the most basic, most precious and important parenting skills there is.
When your children aren't very loving...
"I HATE YOU, MOMMY!"
OK. You're really working hard on your boundaries and recognize that sometimes responsible parenting means saying "no" to your child's request for Milk Duds for dinner or a plea for a 4 a.m. curfew. If your child is doing her job, you can count on her to occasionally resist you efforts at setting even reasonable limits. And sometimes that means she is going to fight dirty, especially if it's worked in the past.
"I HATE YOU, MOMMY!"
Nothing will trigger anger, shame, shock and a sense of inadequacy faster than this statement. It's hard to hear someone you love tell you that he hates you and not take it rather personally. Children know this. They figure out, often at a very early age, that this is a short-cut to a lot of attention (negative attention though it may be) and often to getting their own way.
So, how do you respond?
It's actually pretty simple – at least on paper. First of all, resist the temptation to talk about how this statement "really hurts me and brings up all my abandonment and inadequacy issues." Sure, tell your therapist or your sponsor, but don't dump on your 4-year-old. (Even if your children happen to have degrees in psychiatry, do you really want to make them responsible for your feelings? They're not, you know, and the burden can be overwhelming even for healthy, well-adjusted adults with excellent personal boundaries!)
Instead, acknowledge the feelings behind the statement: "You sound pretty angry," "You're upset about that'" or even "I understand."
Disengage – especially if you find yourself getting upset. Watch out for the temptation to hurt back. Saying "I hate you too, sometimes!" may be exactly what you are feeling at the moment, but it won't help you, your child or your relationship for you to become a 4-year-old who is acting out. If you need some support, encouragement, reassurance or understanding, call on your adult resources.
And leave the door open for further discussions with your child at a later, and calmer, time: "Let's talk about this in a little bit."
If you are able to stay "unhooked" and refuse to change your mind because your child has said that she hates you, she's far less likely to continue using this statement to manipulate your feelings and behaviors. Plus, you'll be able to hang onto the idea that you're still a wonderful and lovable person – no matter what your kids say!
Yes this works on Daddies, too.
Can any words possibly sound sweeter or offer greater comfort? Is any statement more natural – or necessary – between a parent and child? In many families, these words come easily. But if you grew up never hearing them, saying "I love you" may feel somewhat unnatural to you. Or if members of your family used loving statements to control or manipulate, you may be very uncomfortable using them with your own children.
Many families either don't communicate loving feelings very often or they communicate them in destructive ways. A counselor friend once told me she was appalled to discover that some of her clients had never heard the words, "I love you" from their parents: "I couldn't imagine parents who couldn't say 'I love you' to their children, probably because I grew up hearing it all the time. But in the middle of my shock and self-righteousness, I realized that in my family, that statement was always loaded with expectations for me to do something. Most of the time when my parents said 'I love you' they would stand there and wait for us to say 'I love you, too'. So that statement always came off as a solicitation, rather than an expression of how they really felt about us."
If either of these extremes describe your upbringing, chances are, you aren't using loving statements as often – or as "cleanly" – as you might. A few simple guidelines can help.
Let's hear it! We all need to hear loving statements from people we care about. It may be easy to assume that your kids know you love them. After all, you do love them and you probably do a lot of loving things for them. That's important.
But feeling love for someone is not the same as expressing it. Nor is doing loving things. Loving feelings and loving behaviors are not loving words – and those are important, too.
If you find it hard to get the words out of your mouth, either from lack of familiarity or fear of rejection, start slowly. A parent in one of my workshops confessed to practicing on the dog for a few days before she could get up the nerve to try it out on her kids! Another started by writing love notes to her children, sneaking them into their lunch bags or under their pillows. Both reported such a strong, positive response from their children, that saying "I love you" came much more easily after that.
Let's hear it some more. None of this "I-told-you-I-love-you-in-1985" stuff, OK? This isn't like going to the dentist twice a year. So maybe it's still not easy to say, even with the practice and little successes. Maybe hearing "I love you" even gives your kids the creeps (this is more age specific than anything else and less likely to happen if you don't say it in front of his entire 5th grade class). Say it anyhow. As a gift to yourself, communicate your love daily. At least.
Keep it simple! "I love you" is a complete sentence. We don't need to tie our feelings for a person to the person's behavior. In fact, whenever we connect it to something the other person has done, "I love you" becomes a statement of conditional caring.
"I love you when you make your bed", or "I love you when you make the honor roll", suggest that you love your child because of his behavior or accomplishment. It also suggests that the love wouldn't be there – or be quite the same – if the child hadn't made the bed or the grades. (Don't you love your kid in either case?) You can still be excited and happy about the behavior, but avoid communicating that your loving feelings for your child exist because he's doing what pleases you.
"I love you". Period.
No "buts" about it! By the same token, watch the tendency to use "I love you" as a lead-in to a confrontation about something your child has done that you find disturbing. If you need to address the child's behavior or set a boundary, by all means do so. But deal with the behavior – not the worth of the child, or your feelings for him or her.
If the child needs to clean her room or miss the movie because her chores were not done, deal with the situation, not your feelings. You don't need to say, "I love you but..." to soften the blow. Your feelings are not an issue here.
Besides, because of the way the brain processes the words we hear, whatever you say before the word "but” automatically gets canceled out anyhow. (In other words, if you say, "I love you, but your room is a mess," all the child ends up hearing is, "Your room is a mess.")
Using "but" in the same sentence as "I love you" is confusing and manipulative. As in the previous example, this type of statement suggests that the child is only lovable conditionally. Cut to the chase. Avoid tying the feelings you express to the way the child is acting – good or bad.
No expectations. Say "I love you" because you want to say "I love you." Say it because you feel love toward the person you're talking to. Say it because it feels good to say it.
"I love you" is a powerful statement and lots of times it will evoke a loving response from the recipient. But attaching an expectation for a response to the statement is a set-up – both for you and the other person. If the expectation is there, your child will know it. If he does respond, it will probably be to avoid guilt or conflict rather than genuine, spontaneous caring. Is that what you really want?
If your children haven't learned how to say "I love you" yet, it's OK to tell them that you need to hear those three little words sometimes, too. Then give them some space to risk, practice and learn. By far their best lessons will come from your own unconditional modeling.
Turn the love inward. Next to unconditional love, the best gift you can give another person is the love you give yourself! In fact the ability to love, appreciate and care for yourself is essential to healthy, loving relationships with others.
So, look in the mirror. Look into your eyes. Say "I love you." No "buts." No qualifiers. Say it out loud. Say it often. Mean it. What better way to affirm how worthwhile and lovable you are. And what better way to practice one of the most basic, most precious and important parenting skills there is.
When your children aren't very loving...
"I HATE YOU, MOMMY!"
OK. You're really working hard on your boundaries and recognize that sometimes responsible parenting means saying "no" to your child's request for Milk Duds for dinner or a plea for a 4 a.m. curfew. If your child is doing her job, you can count on her to occasionally resist you efforts at setting even reasonable limits. And sometimes that means she is going to fight dirty, especially if it's worked in the past.
"I HATE YOU, MOMMY!"
Nothing will trigger anger, shame, shock and a sense of inadequacy faster than this statement. It's hard to hear someone you love tell you that he hates you and not take it rather personally. Children know this. They figure out, often at a very early age, that this is a short-cut to a lot of attention (negative attention though it may be) and often to getting their own way.
So, how do you respond?
It's actually pretty simple – at least on paper. First of all, resist the temptation to talk about how this statement "really hurts me and brings up all my abandonment and inadequacy issues." Sure, tell your therapist or your sponsor, but don't dump on your 4-year-old. (Even if your children happen to have degrees in psychiatry, do you really want to make them responsible for your feelings? They're not, you know, and the burden can be overwhelming even for healthy, well-adjusted adults with excellent personal boundaries!)
Instead, acknowledge the feelings behind the statement: "You sound pretty angry," "You're upset about that'" or even "I understand."
Disengage – especially if you find yourself getting upset. Watch out for the temptation to hurt back. Saying "I hate you too, sometimes!" may be exactly what you are feeling at the moment, but it won't help you, your child or your relationship for you to become a 4-year-old who is acting out. If you need some support, encouragement, reassurance or understanding, call on your adult resources.
And leave the door open for further discussions with your child at a later, and calmer, time: "Let's talk about this in a little bit."
If you are able to stay "unhooked" and refuse to change your mind because your child has said that she hates you, she's far less likely to continue using this statement to manipulate your feelings and behaviors. Plus, you'll be able to hang onto the idea that you're still a wonderful and lovable person – no matter what your kids say!
Yes this works on Daddies, too.
Just For You Moms
Tips mendapat bayi yg mesra dan tenang
Bakal ibu yang mahukan anak mereka berjaya dalam menjalin hubungan mesra dengan orang lain dan mudah mendapat rakan perlu menghindarkan tekanan ketika hamil, menurut saintis.
Pakar mendapati hormon yang dikeluarkan wanita hamil mempunyai kesan secara langsung terhadap kemampuan masa depan anak mereka untuk bergaul, berkomunikasi dan membina skil bahasa.
Bakal ibu yang tertekan mengeluarkan lebih banyak hormon lelaki iaitu testosterone yang dikatakan bertanggungjawab ke atas kekurangan skil komunikasi.
Jadi, rahsia untuk mendapat anak yang lebih mudah mesra dan bergaul ialah tenang ketika hamil, kata penyelidik.
Kesan tekanan ke atas bayi di dalam rahim sejak usianya seawal 13 minggu dikatakan begitu hebat sehingga boleh menyebabkan kanak-kanak lambat dalam mengembangkan skil bahasa, sukar menjalin hubungan dan lebih cenderung membangunkan tingkah laku keterlaluan.
Lebih menakutkan, ia menunjukkan gejala autisme, masalah saraf yang digambarkan dengan kesukaran dalam membina hubungan dan fanatik dengan rutin seharian.
Janin menghasilkan testosterone secara semula jadi tetapi turut terjejas oleh tahap hormon di sekitar cecair amnion yang datang daripada ibu.
Pengarah pusat penyelidikan autisme Universiti Cambridge, Profesor Simon Baron-Cohen, mendedahkan penemuannya kelmarin di satu persidangan di London bertujuan menentukan sama ada wanita dapat menjadi ketua yang lebih baik.
Kajiannya membabitkan 100 kanak-kanak, sejak pada peringkat awal dalam rahim ibu sehingga berusia tujuh tahun, untuk melihat bagaimana tahap testosterone menjejaskan perkembangan mereka
What makes a good parent ?
The foundation of good parenting begins when you :-
- Are respectful of your baby
- Know your baby as a unique individual
- Talk with, not at your baby
- Listen and, when asked, meet your baby's needs
- Let your baby know what's coming next by providing a daily dose of dependability, structure and predictability.
- Tracy Hogg, Secrets of the Baby Whisperer
Which Parent Will I Be?
"I got two A's," the small boy cried.
His voice was filled with glee.
His father very bluntly asked,
"Why didn't you get three?"
"Mom, I've got the dishes done,
"The girl called from the door.
Her mother very calmly said,
"Did you sweep the floor?"
"I've mowed the grass," the tall boy said,
"And put the mower away.
"His father asked him, with a shrug,
"Did you clean off the clay?"
The children in the house next
doorseem happy and content.
The same thing happened over there,
And this is how it went:
"I got two A's,"the small boy cried,
His voice was filled with glee.
His father very proudly said,
"That's great, I'm glad you belong to me."
"Mom, I've got the dishes done,
"The girl called from the door.
Her mother smiled and softly said,
"Each day I love you more."
"I've mowed the grass," the tall boy said,
"And put the mower away.
"His father answered with much joy,
"You've made my day happy."
Children deserve a little praise
For tasks they're asked to do.
If they're to lead a happy life,
So much depends on you.
His voice was filled with glee.
His father very bluntly asked,
"Why didn't you get three?"
"Mom, I've got the dishes done,
"The girl called from the door.
Her mother very calmly said,
"Did you sweep the floor?"
"I've mowed the grass," the tall boy said,
"And put the mower away.
"His father asked him, with a shrug,
"Did you clean off the clay?"
The children in the house next
doorseem happy and content.
The same thing happened over there,
And this is how it went:
"I got two A's,"the small boy cried,
His voice was filled with glee.
His father very proudly said,
"That's great, I'm glad you belong to me."
"Mom, I've got the dishes done,
"The girl called from the door.
Her mother smiled and softly said,
"Each day I love you more."
"I've mowed the grass," the tall boy said,
"And put the mower away.
"His father answered with much joy,
"You've made my day happy."
Children deserve a little praise
For tasks they're asked to do.
If they're to lead a happy life,
So much depends on you.
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