by Sarah on 17. February 2013 in Good to Know | Parenting | What's The Big Deal
We are delighted to have Dr. Jane Scott stop by the blog today! Dr. Jane is a pediatrician, neonatologist, and mother of four. She has watched flat head syndrome grow exponentially in infants to recent epidemic numbers, and she has witnessed countless parents struggle to treat this. She has made it her life’s mission to educate new parents on the prevention of flat head and to offer a non-invasive, affordable solution to prevent and treat mild cases of early-diagnosed positional plagiocephaly and torticollis in infants. She is here to share her expertise with us on this topic and how it can be prevented!
These days, moms and babies are constantly on the go, running errands, going to play dates, childcare etc. For baby, this means spending a lot of time in car seats, strollers and bouncers. Add the time baby spends sleeping in their crib at night- on their backs of course- and it’s no wonder that nearly 1 in 2 babies will develop flat head syndrome by the time they are 5 months old.
Flat head syndrome is comprised of 2 conditions that often coincide or prompt the other. Plagiocephaly is the condition in which flat spots develop on an infant’s skull. Infants’ skull bones are soft and thus can be easily flattened during the formative time between birth and 6 months of age. Similarly, infants’ heads are large and heavy, while their necks are weak. Torticollis occurs when an infant’s neck muscles become tight on one side, causing a head tilt. Sometimes babies are born with these issues due to restricted positioning in utero or during the birthing process. However, flat head syndrome most commonly occurs because of the extended amount of time babies spend on their backs. In fact, there has been a 600% increase in flat head syndrome since 1992, the year the AAP introduced the “Back to Sleep” campaign to reduce the risk of SIDS.
The good news? Flat head syndrome is almost always preventable, especially when parents are educated about the issue and proactive in their prevention efforts. Due to the recent epidemic of flat head syndrome, the AAP now requests that medical providers counsel new parents on how to avoid flat head syndrome during their newborn’s checkups. To prevent the development of flat spots, parents should actively reposition their infant’s head throughout the day. The goal of repositioning is to encourage baby to place equal weight distribution on various areas of the head (to avoid the formation of a flat spot) as well as to stretch the neck muscles through rotation to both sides of their body.
Dr. Jane Scott
Board Certified Neonatologist,
Pediatrician, and Founder of Tortle Products, LLC
In addition to educating new parents on the prevention of plagiocephaly, Dr. Jane created Tortle, a non-invasive affordable solution that not only treats mild cases and early diagnosed positional plagiocephaly and torticollis in young infants, but can prevent it from ever occurring. The Tortle is a patented, FDA cleared device that Jane hopes will eradicate flat head syndrome while allowing moms to safely follow AAP’s important Back to Sleep protocol.
The Tortle is an FDA cleared, simple, safe, and comfortable beanie designed to aid parents in positioning their infants. By switching the Tortle from side to side with each feeding, parents alleviate the flat spots and neck tightness that newborns often develop.
For more information about Tortle and Dr. Jane’s mission, watch this video, and visit the Tortle site here.
by Sarah on 27. June 2012 in Parenting | Well-Being
New parents hardly need an expert to them that they need more sleep. Unfortunately, sleep deprivation is just something that comes with the territory when raising infants… especially in the very beginning. The real cure for lack of sleep is obviously to just get more ZZZ’s….but, since that’s usually an unlikely solution…here are a few tips we’ve used to help minimize the effects of needing more sleep!
:: EAT HEALTHY
One common mistake that we make when we are tired is to stop taking care of our bodies. We can totally relate to not wanting to cook up something gourmet when tired, and we can also relate to those times when we end up reaching for a stale brownie as breakfast! An obviously better choice is to maintain good eating habits. Avoiding processed foods and drinking a lot of water throughout the day will help keep your energy up. Dehydration can make you more tired than anything…so if nothing else…keep that water bottle handy! Also, eating fruits/veggies, or some light bread/pasta instead of pizza, burgers, and other heavy food choices can help you to avoid that post-meal rut.
:: KNOW YOUR LIMITS
Sleep deprivation tends to increase irritability, alter decision making, and make you a bit irrational at times. If you’re lacking in sleep, it’s a good idea to simplify your daily routine. Try to avoid situations that will increase your stress level or test your patience. If you can find a way to scale back the agenda, do it. When it comes to tasks around the house, try to tackle 1-2 small tasks a day…and gradually add back to that list as your sleep routine becomes more regular again.
:: ASK FOR HELP
Involving your partner is essential to figuring out how to best manage the interruption in your nightly rest. Whether you bottle or breast feed, your partner can help to take shifts throughout the night. Planning out the night before it begins can help you to at least sleep in blocks of time at once. Let your partner change the baby and soothe them back to sleep while you capitalize on much needed rest. Trading off blocks of time throughout the night will benefit you both…and will make for TWO happier parents! In addition, don’t be afraid to ask for help throughout the day. We’ve found that family, friends, and neighbors love to be able to spare you off for an hour or two while you catch up. Chances are, if they are parents…they will totally understand what you’re going through, and they will be more than willing to help the cause!
:: CONVINCE YOURSELF YOU’RE NOT THAT TIRED
It may sound silly, but there are things you can do to trick your brain into thinking you’re more alert than your sleep would indicate. Showering first thing is practically worth two hours of sleep! Staying in your pajamas all day only makes you more tired, and we’ve found that getting up and getting ready for the day tends to at least get you through the morning and into the afternoon!
:: SCHEDULE A NAP
It can be a hard to convince yourself of this when parenting infants, but sleep is more important than a clean home. Let some of your chores go, invest in yourself, and try and squeeze in a short afteroon nap. Sleep is so important to your overall well-being. It keeps your immune system strong, your mind clear, and makes your chances of being a good parent much more likely. Even just a 15-20 minute nap can boost your energy and alertness, so when baby goes down…take the first block of his/her nap and treat yourself to one, too.
Remember, this is only a phase…and you will eventually get sleep again! As baby transitions out of the newborn stage…there are so many great resources out there to help you get on a consistent sleep routine. Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child by Marc Weissbluth, MD is one of our favorites. His philosophy is that the most important thing to have is a well-rested family—and we couldn’t agree more!
You can read more about Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child here.
by Sarah on 28. February 2012 in Good to Know | Pregnancy | Well-Being
It’s a time of utter exhaustion, when it seems that sleep should be easy to come by. Unfortunately, however, pregnancy can offer all sorts of obstacles when it comes to getting a good (and comfortable) night’s sleep! Between hormones, anxiety, stress, physical discomfort, and an increasingly cramped bladder… an uninterrupted night of sleep is usually highly unlikely- especially as you get further into your pregnancy. Maybe it’s Mother Nature’s way of preparing new moms for sleepless nights to come?!
Luckily, there are a few things you can try to make your sleepy time a more pleasant one.
:: STAY HYDRATED (but not too close to bedtime)
Drinking plenty of fluids, mainly water, during the day can greatly improve how you feel at all times of the day. Staying well hydrated can reduce your chances of muscle cramping, and improve the function of all of your organs. Just be careful not to drink too much for the few hours before bedtime. Chances are, you’ll be tending to your bladder at some point in the night anyway… try not to add unnecessary trips to the bathroom during the night!
:: EXERCISE REGULARLY
For optimum health, and to improve your circulation… frequent (and appropriate) exercise when pregnant can help your sleep patterns tremendously. Try not to exercise right before bed, though, as it may increase your adrenaline and make it hard for you to settle into sleep.
:: REDUCE STRESS & ANXIETY
Find ways throughout your day to reduce stress and anxiety, so that when bedtime comes, your mind is at ease and can concentrate only on pleasant dreams!
A few tips for reducing stress and anxiety:
1. Find people you can talk to and commiserate with.
2. Make lists to prepare for baby, and find peace in checking them off each day.
3. Give yourself a break…take a short nap during the day.
:: FIND COMFORT
While comfort is hardly a word used to describe pregnancy, you can at least improve your level of comfort when it comes to sleep. Make pillows your friend, and experiment with ways to position them in order to achieve some support and relief from the weight of baby. Pregnancy or body pillows can be particularly helpful, while regular pillows can typically do the trick with some adapting. A pillow between bent knees, and one behind your back is one position that has been known to provide some relief for those expecting. Also, if you’re feeling like baby is restricting your breathing, you can alleviate pressure on the lungs by propping yourself into a semi-sitting position with pillows.
Keep in mind that it is recommended that expectant moms sleep on their left side for best blood flow to the fetus and to your uterus and kidneys. It is best to avoid lying flat on your back for a long period of time. However, don’t lose even more sleep worrying about accidently rolling on your back. Most likely, the discomfort will awaken you anyway.
:: ESTABLISH A BEDTIME ROUTINE
Just as important as it is to establish nighttime rituals when baby arrives, is establishing your own routine before bedtime. Try to decompress about 45 minutes before lying down. Try prenatal yoga, take a bath, or read a book to get your body and mind ready to settle down for sleep. Use a favorite lotion, massage your feet and hands, or light a calming candle. You can avoid restless (and awkward) tossing and turning, by preparing yourself for sleep before ever entering your bed.
Sources:
:: http://www.sheknows.com/health-and-wellness/articles/812876/better-sleep-tips-for-pregnant-women
:: http://www.parents.com/pregnancy/my-life/sleep/
:: http://www.whattoexpect.com/pregnancy/landing-page.aspx
:: http://busymommymedia.com/2010/11/pregnancy-guide-week-20/
* image from busymommymedia.com
by Sarah on 21. September 2011 in Pregnancy | Well-Being
Since I am now rounding out trimester one of my second pregnancy, something fresh on my mind is that lovely little pregnancy friend called morning sickness. It seems like such a mean trick sometimes, doesn’t it? The time you need to eat the most frequently in life, you never feel like eating anything.! Ugh!
While it certainly helps to know what’s in store at the end of pregnancy… that constant nagging of nausea and extreme aversions to food can be a real bummer and leave you feeling frustrated, tired, and all around blah.
Lately, I’ve done plenty of research on ways to curve the nausea, and here are some that I have tried…or am planning to try ASAP!
PREVENT YOUR STOMACH FROM BEING EMPTY
:: Eat small frequent meals and snacks throughout the day. Eating 6-8 small meals a day is easier to digest,
and prevents stomach emptiness
:: Keep simple snacks, like crackers, by your bed. Eat a few when you first wake up, and wait 20-30 minutes
before getting up for the day
:: Never skip meals
STAY HYDRATED
:: Drink fluid between meals. Sip fluids frequently throughout the day, and try not to take in large gulps
at a time
:: Cold, carbonated beverages can be easiest to keep down
VITAMINS/MEDICATIONS
:: Take prenatal vitamins with food or just before bed. Talk with your doctor about other prenatal vitamins if
your current one is making you unusually nauseous
:: Talk with your doctor about options for anti-nausea medications or vitamin options
TREAT YOUR BODY WELL
:: Reduce Stress
:: Nausea can be worse if you are tired—give yourself time to relax and nap every day
:: Exercise- take frequent walks, try pregnancy yoga, etc.
FOOD REMEDIES
:: Eat Ginger such as Ginger Ale, Ginger Snaps, or Ginger Tea
:: Saltine Crackers help to ease nausea and settle an upset stomach
:: Snack on nuts such as almonds, sunflower seeds, and cashews
:: Drink a glass of soy milk
:: Eat Wint-O-Green Lifesavers throughout the day
:: Drink the juice of half of a fresh lemon
|
