3 Months-Week 2

Your baby

You may have nicknamed her Smiley because anytime she sees someone she gives a radiant smile, she giggles easily and I bet you love every minute of it mom. It’s evident that she enjoys the busy world, she delights in seeing new and unfamiliar faces so what seemed funny a week ago might not be funny today. Mom, you have to work harder or try something new, do unexpected things. It’s amazing how she’s already picking up on patterns and anticipating the continuance of something she enjoys, for example when daddy will tickle her and pause before he tickles her again she would giggle in anticipation.

Good news for you mom, baby now sleeps through the night and you both can rest although you may still wake up during the night just to check if everything is ok. I know we all do it, however during the day she is awake most of the time so be sure to use this time to bond and develop her senses. Play, sing and read to her.

Now we realise where the saying “being a mom is something you grow into” came from. Now that baby sleeps for an extended period (if you are one of the lucky few), you are more relaxed during the day, you are now used to each other, you are getting the hang of things and you enjoy each other’s company.

Concerns: What is SIDS?

Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) is the term for the sudden death of an infant under 1 year of age. This remains unexplained after a complete investigation and because most SIDS deaths occur while infants are sleeping in a crib, SIDS is commonly referred to as “crib death” however cribs do not cause death.

This is every parent’s worst nightmare.

Approximately 3,000 babies die of SIDS each year worldwide. Even though doctors and nurses still don’t know what causes SIDS, they do know:

• Most SIDS deaths occur when a baby is between 2 and 4 months of age.
• More boys die of SIDS than girls.
• A SIDS death happens quickly, with no signs of suffering.
• More SIDS deaths occur in the colder months.

Here are some points suggested by pediatrics to reduce the risk of SIDS.

• Place your baby on his or her back to sleep, at night time and naptime. Place your

baby on a firm mattress, such as in a safety-approved crib.

• Remove all fluffy and loose bedding and other soft items from the sleep area.
• Make sure your baby’s head and face stay uncovered during sleep.
• Don’t smoke before or after the birth of your baby.
• Don’t let your baby get too warm during sleep.
• New findings have proved that a fan in baby’s room may lower SIDS risk.

Make sure your baby doesn’t miss any baby check-ups. Enjoy your baby try not to be over anxious as this can leave you stressed and make baby uneasy.

Dad bonding with baby

Did you know that Dads role in caring for the baby is often misunderstood? Some say that a father cannot bond with his baby if he doesn't help in feeding the baby. There is so

Dad can often enhance bonding by:

• Having eye-to-eye contact.
• Taking their babies for walks.
• Holding baby close and talking to her. (When baby is fussy, often the sound of dad’s voice and his touch will calm baby down).
• Rocking, cuddling, playing and bathing the baby.
• Changing and burping the baby.

What can Dad do to help?

A few special ways that Dad can be involved and help support mom are:

• Changing baby’s nappy.
• Get mom something to drink, eat, and/or read while she is nursing.
• Take over child care between nursing’s so mom can get some rest, or have a little time to herself.
• Do grocery shopping and share in household chores.
• Tell your partner that she is doing a good job and that you think what she is doing is important!!
• Share with friends and family that your partner is doing something unique and wonderfully important for your baby.