Newborn Care For First Time Parents - How to Care For Your Newborn Baby

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First off congratulations on your newborn baby! While at the hospital, ask the nurses and doctors as many questions as you can think of there is no dumb question. The nurses working with you have been around a lot of babies and will be happy to show you anything they know on extra tips to help with your baby. Don't forget to enlist any family and friends to help out for the first few weeks. The granny's are already pros, and can teach you a lot. So keep this in mind when they are giving advice. Do not feel obligated to use every ones instructions follow your instincts.
First and most important is the car seat. Follow the instructions, if you need help the hospital nurse will help, and there is always a number to the manufacturer. Just do not buy a used car seat. You have no way of knowing if the seat has been in a car wreck. If a car seat has been in a wreck, this impairs the protection that a car seat is meant to provide. If your in a wreck call the manufacturers some will send you another car seat just for asking.
Do not be afraid to hold your baby. While this seems intimidating as long as you support the head there are many positions you can hold your baby in. Against your shoulder, across your lap. With your hand under the baby's chest, neck, and jaws you can actually lay the baby on your forearm, good for leaving your other hand free.
If your going to breast feed ask the hospital to send a lactation specialist to your room, and let them know you want a pump. This will help out so much. In addition ask where you can rent a pump. This will make a big difference in milk production as well as keeping the breast from overfilling. Just remember to ask to be shown how to nurse, and do not get frustrated if this does not work the first time. Give the baby about 15 minutes on each breast.
When formula feeding give them a couple ounces of course ask the doctor first. If the baby has any problem with feeding call your doctor for advice. Whichever method you use be sure to burp the baby often. This is easy enough, you can pat the baby's back gently and hold in whichever position is most comfortable to you. If the baby still seems to have gas you can lay the baby in your lap, and lightly bounce, your knees while patting the baby's back, and supporting the head.
Changing your babies diapers. At the hospital diapers are provided, you may choose to use cloth, and this is a personal preference. Just remember a baby's bladder is no larger than a peanut, so check them often, and remember you will be going through a lot of diapers for the first few months about 10 per day. If you do not have baby wipe warmer, at least run a few through warm water. Always clean the back too, as urine and feces can go up the back. Make sure with a female to always clean front to back and get in all the folds. Keep diaper rash medicine on hand and use as a preventative with each diaper change. An old home remedy, if you brown some dry flour in a pan, this can be used as baby powder without all the dust. Now that the diaper change is done this is the time to clean the umbilical cord with alcohol as directed by your doctor.
Bathing your baby is relaxing for the baby. This is best done at the changing table even if it is the baby tub since all the baby supplies are right there. Until the umbilical cord falls off it is best to sponge bath, this is quick and easy. Since your sponge bathing you can leave the diaper on until you get to that part. Get a little container of warm water, use the washcloth to wash the baby from head to toe all but the face, start with the hair, and leave the private area for last. To wash the hair just use the damp cloth or baby brush lightly to clean the head, and be careful when cleaning soft spot.  While washing the baby keep dipping the wash cloth in the water to keep it warm, and be sure to get in all the crevices. Take your time with the fingers and toes. You can use a q-tip to clean the creases around the neck. After your all done with the body, wash the face and eyes with a cotton ball with just water. Quickly dry the baby, then give them a nice light massage all over with a little lotion, then dress. When the baby graduates to tub baths, make sure the room is warm. Lay a towel on the changing table to set the baby tub on. Fill the tub with just a couple inches of water check the water with your elbow, to make sure it is not too warm or cold.  Most important is the support, put your hand under the babies head with one hand, and use the other hand to wash the baby, soak up water and keep squeezing this over the baby to keep them comfy. To wash the back you can lay the baby over your arm long ways and support the head while working quickly to wash the back. Just make sure you give one last rinse over, and until the baby then quickly wrap baby, and dry the baby. Dress the baby so they will not be cold.
Finally the bathing, and feeding are done. So you can put the baby to bed. The baby's bed, should not have a bunch of covers, blankets stuffed animals or cute items in the bed with the baby. As long as the baby is swaddled, and you keep the temperature warm in the home this is enough. The baby needs to be trained to sleep on the back. You can not be too careful because of sudden infant death syndrome. It is best to keep the bassinet in the room with you if you can, until the baby is 3 months or be sure there is a baby monitor next to the baby's bed so you can hear them if there is any problem. It can take weeks for a baby to sleep all night, so catch your sleep when the baby is napping so you can get your strength up.
Some vanity items that you will find useful. A baby swing which can not be used until baby can hold the head up, a baby wipe warmer, a battery operated bottle warmer/cooler combo, baby Einstein lullaby music, sun protection-all year round, portable changing pad, a diaper genie, a nursing pillow-this can be used even when not nursing to help support baby, netting for the top of a playpen when outside, baby monitors, sleep position blocks, and a baby sling.
Recommended reading topics. Sudden infant death syndrome. Shaken baby syndrome. What to expect the first year is the best book I ever read about child care be sure to buy it or check it out from the library.
Important tips: Do not shake your baby. Do not ever leave a baby unattended in a car even for a minute. Always completely engage the belts and support for placing baby in the car seat per the manufacturer instructions. Never leave a baby unattended on changing table, or in the baby bath, or anywhere except the baby bed, not even for a second.
I am not a physician, and  all information is from my personal knowledge. This information is not intended to be used in place of medical advice. Any questions always call your pediatrician first.

Skylar Overton is a freelance writer, she writes about a wide range of subject. She has raised her own children, and has been the caretaker of many newborns.
Skylar is currently writing a series of books and continues to turn in articles as often as possible.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Skylar_Overton

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Natural Treatment of Baby Eczema - Fewer Bath Products and Better Nutrition May Be the Answer

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What causes baby eczema?
According to the National Institutes of Health, eczema affects up to 20% of infants and children in the United States. The rate of eczema has been rising for years, and is highest in industrialized countries. Hundreds of studies have been undertaken, linking eczema to food allergies, atopy (a triad of conditions including allergy, asthma and eczema), heredity (a child is more likely to get eczema if a parent has an atopic condition), household income (the rate of eczema seems to increase with higher income), houses that are too clean (the "hygiene hypothesis"), houses that are too dirty (dust mite allergy), urban upbringing vs. rural upbringing (kids who grow up on farms have the lowest rates of all atopic conditions)... the list goes on and on.
As eczema is a sign of an underlying condition and not an illness, the answer is probably "all of the above." Eczema can be triggered by food allergies, by contact allergies (contact with irritating substances), by nutritional deficiencies, and as a side effect of other diseases like insulin resistance and diabetes. The eczema trigger is different for each person--and may depend a lot on genetics.
The nutrition hypothesis
The nutritional value of the food we eat has changed dramatically over the past several decades. "Factory farming," where fields are sown with the same vegetables year after year, fertilized with petroleum by-products and sprayed heavily with herbicides and insecticides, has reduced levels of key vitamins and minerals in vegetables. Meat and dairy animals are raised on huge feedlots, fed an unnatural diet of grain and animal by-products, and heavily dosed with antibiotics to keep them alive long enough to slaughter.
Eczema is strongly connected with nutrient deficiency, so it's not surprising that a decline in the nutritional value of food would coincide with an increase in rates of eczema.
Early bathing may irritate newborn skin
Bathing routines and products we take for granted may interfere with the development of healthy infant skin. Babies are born with sterile skin, which is covered by a thick, creamy substance called vernix caseosa. Vernix has antimicrobial and antifungal properties that protect the baby's skin in the womb and after birth, when the baby first comes into contact with bacteria in the outside world. World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines for newborn care specify that, to protect the baby, vernix should not be removed for at least six hours. Unfortunately, in modern societies this protective substance is immediately washed off in the hospital, leaving the baby's skin vulnerable to colonization by bacteria and fungi.
Newborn skin is very thin and loses moisture rapidly. It takes a few weeks for infant skin to develop the "acid mantle," a slightly acidic (pH about 5.5) mixture of sebum, sweat and "friendly" bacteria. (By adulthood, skin may be colonized by nearly two hundred different species of bacteria.) Ideally, over the first few weeks of life, a baby's skin is colonized by beneficial bacteria picked up from close contact with the mother and family. These bacteria perform an important function: they keep skin healthy by preventing colonization by disease-causing microorganisms. If this important step is compromised, skin can be colonized by harmful bacteria. The skin of people with eczema tends to carry a high concentration of Staphylococcus aureus, bacteria which cause skin infections, pneumonia, and even MRSA.
Excessive bathing, soap, and moisturizer use can interfere with development of healthy skin
Infant skin will naturally develop a healthy acid mantle and strong immune defenses if it's allowed to. But again, bathing routines and products we take for granted, including soaps and moisturizing lotions, can interfere with this process.
Infant skin is so delicate that even exposure to plain water disturbs it enough to dry it out. Soap accelerates this process by raising the skin's pH and removing beneficial oils, resulting in impaired skin protection for hours after bathing.
Fragrance and preservative chemicals in soaps and moisturizers irritate skin further, and can actually affect the way skin develops. What's worse, these chemicals can be absorbed through an infant's skin into the bloodstream, potentially affecting the baby's developing hormonal system.
A healthier way to care for infant skin
Babies' skin doesn't get very dirty for the first few weeks of life, so generally the less it's interfered with, the healthier it will be. Adding a half-teaspoon of lemon juice--to reduce the water's pH and add skin-friendly ascorbic acid--and a teaspoon of sunflower or safflower oil to the bathwater will keep baby clean without harming skin. If a moisturizer is needed, use a fragrance free baby oil containing sunflower or safflower oil, which are excellent moisturizers and have the added benefit of helping to prevent bacterial skin infections.
If your baby's skin does become irritated, bathing with Epsom salts or Dead Sea salts is a safe and clinically proven way to soothe irritated skin. (Epsom salts are not salt at all, but magnesium sulfate, a natural mineral effective for soothing inflamed skin. Dead Sea salts are evaporated mineral salts from the Dead Sea in Israel.)
Some magnesium in an Epsom salts bath is absorbed through the skin and is a safe way to supplement this important mineral, while Dead Sea salts provide a whole range of vitamins and minerals essential for healthy skin, including magnesium, zinc, potassium, copper, and B vitamins. A teaspoon of bath salts is plenty for an infant bath.
For older kids and for gentle cleansing when soap is required, try a natural bar soap or highly diluted castile soap, like Dr. Bronner's.
Nutrition and healthy infant skin
Nutritional factors affect how a baby's skin develops, too. Deficiencies of zinc or magnesium are fairly common and cause symptoms which are indistinguishable from other types of eczema. A deficiency of vitamin B6 may result in seborrheic dermatitis, or cradle cap.
Baby eczema may be a sign of zinc or magnesium deficiency
When a breast-fed baby develops eczema, the mother's diet is often suspected as the cause. However, the eczema may have nothing to do with food allergy. Breast milk is often low in zinc, and a sign of zinc deficiency is dry, irritated skin. Recent studies suggest that zinc deficiency may be much more common than previously suspected. Low levels of magnesium may also cause eczema-like symptoms by raising the level of histamine in the blood and making the body more sensitive to allergens.
A simple blood test can identify a zinc or magnesium deficiency, and supplementing with the missing mineral may solve the problem. A special kind of zinc can also be applied as a topical cream for absorption through the skin. Caregivers should talk to their pediatrician about correct dosing before giving a baby a vitamin supplement.
Formula-fed babies may also be deficient in vitamins or in essential fatty acids (EFAs)-fats which are essential to healthy development of the brain, nervous system and skin. Some babies may not be able to utilize the vitamins and fats in baby formula, or the formula itself may not provide enough of them. A doctor or knowledgeable nutritionist can help caregivers choose a more appropriate formula or supplement with the necessary vitamins and essential fatty acids-especially zinc, magnesium, and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), a type of EFA.
Food allergies and eczema
About 30% of infants and children with eczema test do positive for food allergies. A baby or child has a much greater chance of developing food allergies if either of the parents have allergies themselves. The most common allergens include cow's milk, soy, egg, wheat, peanuts and shellfish. In breastfed babies, allergens from foods may pass directly to the child through breast milk. Avoiding these foods while breastfeeding may keep the child from developing eczema or other allergic reactions. The La Leche League website has an excellent page on allergies and breastfeeding.
In formula-fed babies, changing the formula may eliminate the problem. Special, easy-to-digest hydrolyzed formulas (formulas where the proteins are partially broken down) are often recommended for formula-fed babies with food allergies. Adding probiotics or prebiotics--beneficial bacteria that live in the gut and help digest food--to infant diets helps to reduce or prevent both food allergies and other illnesses and has been shown to help relieve eczema, too.
Breastfeeding longer, introducing solid foods late (after 6 months), introducing new foods one at a time, and waiting to introduce allergenic foods until after the baby is about a year old help reduce the risk of allergic reactions. Most babies outgrow early allergies to milk and eggs, although peanut allergy is more likely to persist to adulthood. However, children with food allergies are more likely to develop asthma or other atopic diseases when they grow older. Caregivers should talk to their pediatrician if they suspect a food allergy. A food elimination diet should only be utilized under a doctor's supervision, to limit the risk of nutrient deficiency.
Steroid creams and ointments commonly prescribed for eczema can cause adrenal damage in infants and children
Steroid creams and ointments are the most commonly prescribed treatment for eczema, but can have dangerous side effects, especially for infants. Steroids are easily absorbed through the skin, and children can absorb a high percentage of the drugs because their skin is thin and they have more skin in relation to their body size. Even short courses of treatment with steroids can cause damage to the adrenal glands, which regulate the body's hormones.
Steroids work by interfering with the chemicals the body uses to signal inflammation. They turn off the inflammation response and cause tiny blood vessels called capillaries to constrict, reducing redness and swelling. Topical steroids also suppress the body's immune system and can lead to an increased susceptibility to fungal or bacterial infections of the skin.
Before using a steroid medicine, caregivers should work with a pediatrician to see if the baby's skin condition is caused by a nutritional deficiency, a food allergy, or irritation from soaps or moisturizers. Treating the root cause, rather than the symptom, of eczema will start a baby on the road to a lifetime of healthy skin. What causes baby eczema?
According to the National Institutes of Health, eczema affects up to 20% of infants and children in the United States. The rate of eczema has been rising for years, and is highest in industrialized countries. Hundreds of studies have been undertaken, linking eczema to food allergies, atopy (a triad of conditions including allergy, asthma and eczema), heredity (a child is more likely to get eczema if a parent has an atopic condition), household income (the rate of eczema seems to increase with higher income), houses that are too clean (the "hygiene hypothesis"), houses that are too dirty (dust mite allergy), urban upbringing vs. rural upbringing (kids who grow up on farms have the lowest rates of all atopic conditions)... the list goes on and on.
As eczema is a sign of an underlying condition and not an illness, the answer is probably "all of the above." Eczema can be triggered by food allergies, by contact allergies (contact with irritating substances), by nutritional deficiencies, and as a side effect of other diseases like insulin resistance and diabetes. The eczema trigger is different for each person--and may depend a lot on genetics.
The nutrition hypothesis The nutritional value of the food we eat has changed dramatically over the past several decades. "Factory farming," where fields are sown with the same vegetables year after year, fertilized with petroleum by-products and sprayed heavily with herbicides and insecticides, has reduced levels of key vitamins and minerals in vegetables. Meat and dairy animals are raised on huge feedlots, fed an unnatural diet of grain and animal by-products, and heavily dosed with antibiotics to keep them alive long enough to slaughter.
Eczema is strongly connected with nutrient deficiency, so it's not surprising that a decline in the nutritional value of food would coincide with an increase in rates of eczema. Early bathing may irritate newborn skin Bathing routines and products we take for granted may interfere with the development of healthy infant skin. Babies are born with sterile skin, which is covered by a thick, creamy substance called vernix caseosa. Vernix has antimicrobial and antifungal properties that protect the baby's skin in the womb and after birth, when the baby first comes into contact with bacteria in the outside world. World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines for newborn care specify that, to protect the baby, vernix should not be removed for at least six hours. Unfortunately, in modern societies this protective substance is immediately washed off in the hospital, leaving the baby's skin vulnerable to colonization by bacteria and fungi.
Newborn skin is very thin and loses moisture rapidly. It takes a few weeks for infant skin to develop the "acid mantle," a slightly acidic (pH about 5.5) mixture of sebum, sweat and "friendly" bacteria. (By adulthood, skin may be colonized by nearly two hundred different species of bacteria.) Ideally, over the first few weeks of life, a baby's skin is colonized by beneficial bacteria picked up from close contact with the mother and family. These bacteria perform an important function: they keep skin healthy by preventing colonization by disease-causing microorganisms. If this important step is compromised, skin can be colonized by harmful bacteria. The skin of people with eczema tends to carry a high concentration of Staphylococcus aureus, bacteria which cause skin infections, pneumonia, and even MRSA.
Excessive bathing, soap, and moisturizer use can interfere with development of healthy skin Infant skin will naturally develop a healthy acid mantle and strong immune defenses if it's allowed to. But again, bathing routines and products we take for granted, including soaps and moisturizing lotions, can interfere with this process.
Infant skin is so delicate that even exposure to plain water disturbs it enough to dry it out. Soap accelerates this process by raising the skin's pH and removing beneficial oils, resulting in impaired skin protection for hours after bathing.
Fragrance and preservative chemicals in soaps and moisturizers irritate skin further, and can actually affect the way skin develops. What's worse, these chemicals can be absorbed through an infant's skin into the bloodstream, potentially affecting the baby's developing hormonal system.
A healthier way to care for infant skin Babies' skin doesn't get very dirty for the first few weeks of life, so generally the less it's interfered with, the healthier it will be. Adding a half-teaspoon of lemon juice--to reduce the water's pH and add skin-friendly ascorbic acid--and a teaspoon of sunflower or safflower oil to the bathwater will keep baby clean without harming skin. If a moisturizer is needed, use a fragrance free baby oil containing sunflower or safflower oil, which are excellent moisturizers and have the added benefit of helping to prevent bacterial skin infections.
If your baby's skin does become irritated, bathing with Epsom salts or Dead Sea salts is a safe and clinically proven way to soothe irritated skin. (Epsom salts are not salt at all, but magnesium sulfate, a natural mineral effective for soothing inflamed skin. Dead Sea salts are evaporated mineral salts from the Dead Sea in Israel.)
Some magnesium in an Epsom salts bath is absorbed through the skin and is a safe way to supplement this important mineral, while Dead Sea salts provide a whole range of vitamins and minerals essential for healthy skin, including magnesium, zinc, potassium, copper, and B vitamins. A teaspoon of bath salts is plenty for an infant bath.
For older kids and for gentle cleansing when soap is required, try a natural bar soap or highly diluted castile soap, like Dr. Bronner's.
Nutrition and healthy infant skin
Nutritional factors affect how a baby's skin develops, too. Deficiencies of zinc or magnesium are fairly common and cause symptoms which are indistinguishable from other types of eczema. A deficiency of vitamin B6 may result in seborrheic dermatitis, or cradle cap.
Baby eczema may be a sign of zinc or magnesium deficiency
When a breast-fed baby develops eczema, the mother's diet is often suspected as the cause. However, the eczema may have nothing to do with food allergy. Breast milk is often low in zinc, and a sign of zinc deficiency is dry, irritated skin. Recent studies suggest that zinc deficiency may be much more common than previously suspected. Low levels of magnesium may also cause eczema-like symptoms by raising the level of histamine in the blood and making the body more sensitive to allergens.
A simple blood test can identify a zinc or magnesium deficiency, and supplementing with the missing mineral may solve the problem. A special kind of zinc can also be applied as a topical cream for absorption through the skin. Caregivers should talk to their pediatrician about correct dosing before giving a baby a vitamin supplement.
Formula-fed babies may also be deficient in vitamins or in essential fatty acids (EFAs)-fats which are essential to healthy development of the brain, nervous system and skin. Some babies may not be able to utilize the vitamins and fats in baby formula, or the formula itself may not provide enough of them. A doctor or knowledgeable nutritionist can help caregivers choose a more appropriate formula or supplement with the necessary vitamins and essential fatty acids-especially zinc, magnesium, and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), a type of EFA.
Food allergies and eczema
About 30% of infants and children with eczema test do positive for food allergies. A baby or child has a much greater chance of developing food allergies if either of the parents have allergies themselves. The most common allergens include cow's milk, soy, egg, wheat, peanuts and shellfish. In breastfed babies, allergens from foods may pass directly to the child through breast milk. Avoiding these foods while breastfeeding may keep the child from developing eczema or other allergic reactions. The La Leche League website has an excellent page on allergies and breastfeeding.
In formula-fed babies, changing the formula may eliminate the problem. Special, easy-to-digest hydrolyzed formulas (formulas where the proteins are partially broken down) are often recommended for formula-fed babies with food allergies. Adding probiotics or prebiotics--beneficial bacteria that live in the gut and help digest food--to infant diets helps to reduce or prevent both food allergies and other illnesses and has been shown to help relieve eczema, too.
Breastfeeding longer, introducing solid foods late (after 6 months), introducing new foods one at a time, and waiting to introduce allergenic foods until after the baby is about a year old help reduce the risk of allergic reactions. Most babies outgrow early allergies to milk and eggs, although peanut allergy is more likely to persist to adulthood. However, children with food allergies are more likely to develop asthma or other atopic diseases when they grow older. Caregivers should talk to their pediatrician if they suspect a food allergy. A food elimination diet should only be utilized under a doctor's supervision, to limit the risk of nutrient deficiency.
Steroid creams and ointments commonly prescribed for eczema can cause adrenal damage in infants and children
Steroid creams and ointments are the most commonly prescribed treatment for eczema, but can have dangerous side effects, especially for infants. Steroids are easily absorbed through the skin, and children can absorb a high percentage of the drugs because their skin is thin and they have more skin in relation to their body size. Even short courses of treatment with steroids can cause damage to the adrenal glands, which regulate the body's hormones.
Steroids work by interfering with the chemicals the body uses to signal inflammation. They turn off the inflammation response and cause tiny blood vessels called capillaries to constrict, reducing redness and swelling. Topical steroids also suppress the body's immune system and can lead to an increased susceptibility to fungal or bacterial infections of the skin.
Before using a steroid medicine, caregivers should work with a pediatrician to see if the baby's skin condition is caused by a nutritional deficiency, a food allergy, or irritation from soaps or moisturizers. Treating the root cause, rather than the symptom, of eczema will start a baby on the road to a lifetime of healthy skin.

Keeping infant skin well-moisturized is an important way to protect against baby eczema. In clinical studies, sunflower oil has been shown to protect against moisture loss and bacterial infection while providing healthy fatty acids through skin absorption. SoftBaby - http://www.softress.com/softbaby.php - is a fragrance-free baby oil that combines sunflower oil, olive oil, and evening primrose oil with other plant oils and antioxidants in a blend that contains optimal amounts of the essential fatty acids and vitamins needed to nourish and protect infant skin. It's made by Softress, a company specializing in oils for sensitive skin care. Nina Birnbaum, founder of Softress, developed SoftBaby for her daughter, who suffered from eczema.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Nina_Birnbaum

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Baby Health ~ Natural Remedies - Relieve Colic, Intestinal Cramps, Gas, Teething Pain, Promote Sleep

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What is the Baby Bowen Procedure? The Bowen Baby Procedure consists of 7 gentle, light touch moves for stimulating balance in your baby's autonomic nervous system (ANA). This gentle stimulation will relieve your baby's colic and enhance her/his overall health and well-being.
Bowen therapy was developed by an Australian named Tom Bowen. The government-commissioned Webb report in 1975 reported Tom Bowen attending some thirteen thousand patients annually with an 80-90% success rate, usually in only one or two sessions.
BENEFITS: Colic; Asthma; healthy functioning of all organs and systems, especially the nervous, respiratory, digestive and alimentary (elimination) systems; promotes bonding between parents and baby.
HOW OFTEN: May perform Baby Bowen Moves as often as needed (at the first sign of your baby's discomfort) for the first six-weeks after birth, or weekly as a preventative and for Well Baby Care.
BABY BOWEN PROCEDURE, Part I
The first 4 moves are made on your baby's back, between her/his shoulder blades.
Your baby lays face down, on her/his stomach, or if there are two of you one may hold the baby with her/his chest facing you while the other one performs the first 2 Baby Bowen Moves.
BABY BOWEN MOVES
1. Always begin by doing your first Baby Bowen Move on the Left side. Place the pad of your Right thumb flat on top of the muscles lying along the Left side of your baby's spine. Your Right thumb is just above the bottom angle of your baby's Left shoulder blade.
You must first get into the correct position for performing your Baby Bowen Move by gently pulling the flat pad of your Right thumb toward you, moving the skin away from your baby's spine as far as it will go, like drawing the string of a bow.
At this end point you will gently press down and in, hooking the bottom edge of your thumb slightly. Hold this "gateway" entry position for 3-seconds.
By holding for 3 seconds you are giving a tiny challenge to your baby's nervous system, letting it know you are there. You may (or may not) notice a slight softening of the tissue as the nerve endings repond and open to your tiny challenge. This feedback loop takes about 3-seconds.
Remember there is ALWAYS a 3-second challenge before each Bowen Baby Move!
Now push your Right thumb TOWARD your baby's spine, move slowly with even, gentle pressure across the muscles, the pad of your thumb flattens as you perform the move.
Your gentle Bowen Baby Move are activating nerve endings and sending a signal along the nerve pathway, like a reset switch to your baby's nervous system, to enhance balance and stimulate your baby's natural healing response.
Think of your Baby Bowen Move like turning on a light switch.
2. Now immediately perform the next Baby Bowen Move by reaching across your baby's spinal column and placing the Right pad of your index finger atop the muscles along your baby's spine.
Again you must first get into the correct position for performing your Baby Bowen Move by gently pushing with the pad of your Right index finger, to move the skin away from your baby's spine as far as it will go.
At this end point you will gently press down and in with the pad of your Right index finger, hooking your finger tip slightly. Remember to hold this gateway entry position for a 3-second challenge.
Now with the pad of your Right index finger, pull your index finger TOWARD your baby's spine, move slowly with even, gentle pressure across the muscles, the pad of your Right index finger will flatten as you perform the move.
3. You will immediately follow these first two moves with two more in the same exact sequence and locations except in the opposite direction, AWAY from your baby's spine.
Place the pad of your Right index finger, flat on top of the muscles along the left side of your baby's spine, and push the skin away towards your baby's spine, as far as it will go.
Gently press down and in with the pad of your Right index finger, hooking your finger tip slightly, press gently on the muscles, activating the nerve endings for a 3-second challenge.
Now with the pad of your Right index finger, pull your index finger away from your baby's spine, move slowly with even, gentle pressure across the muscles, the pad of your index finger will flatten as you perform the move.
4. Now immediately perform the next Baby Bowen Move by reaching across your baby's spinal column and placing the Right pad of your thumb atop the muscles along your baby's spine.
Again you must first get into the correct position for performing your Baby Bowen Move by gently pulling with the pad of your index finger, to move the skin toward your baby's spine as far as it will go.
At this end point you will gently press down and in with the pad of your Right index finger, hooking the bottom edge of your thumb slightly. Remember to hold this gateway entry position for a 3-second challenge.
Now with the pad of your Right thumb, push AWAY from your baby's spine, move slowly with even, gentle pressure across the muscles, the pad of your Right thumb will flatten as you perform the move.
BABY BOWEN PROCEDURE, Part II
Your last 3 Baby Bowen Moves are made with your baby lying flat on her/his back.
BABY BOWEN MOVES
Holding Point or Energy Blocker - With the middle finger of your left hand apply gentle pressure just below the tip of cartilage at the end of your baby's breast bone, called the xiphoid process. Maintain this holding point with gentle pressure while performing the following two Baby Bowen Moves.
The purpose of a Holding Point or Energy Blocker is to set your intention for focusing your Baby Bowen Move to a particular location and effectively concentrates the signal you are sending along a particular nerve pathway.
5. Place the pad of your Right thumb mid-way along the border of your baby's left rib cage, slowly move the skin up along the border of your baby's rib cage, to end point as as far as it can go.
Now slip the edge of your Right thumb pad slightly under the angle of your baby's rib and with very gentle, light touch pressure, move your Right thumb downward, along the angle of your baby's rib to the end point and flatten your thumb.
6. Repeat the move on the right side of your baby's rib cage this time using the pad of your Right middle finger. Find your position mid-way along the border of your baby's rib cage, move up along the border to the end point.
Now slip the edge of your Right middle finger slightly under angle of your baby's rib and with gentle, light touch pressure, move downward along the angle of the rib to the end point and flatten your finger.
7. Take your Left middle finger off your Holding Point or Energy Blocker and place your Left hand on top of your baby's chest to feel your baby's rythmic pattern of breathing.
Place the pad of your Right middle finger about 1 inch below your baby's xiphoid process.
Feel the breath, in and out, get in sync and on an out breath perform the following move.
Baby Bowen Move: With the Right pad of your middle finger, gently draw your baby's skin up toward the tip of her/his xiphoid process, then press gently down and in, hooking your finger tip and pulling downward with gentle, light touch pressure then flatten your finger.
Baby Bowen Moves are most effective when performed as your baby is exhaled, breath out. Just do the best you can and with practice you will get into the feel of doing your Baby Bowen Moves to achieve outstanding results!
Bowen therapy is currently being researched in hopes to better understand why this gentle, noninvasive and holistic system of healing is so effective. The International Bowen Therapy Academy Conference is being hosted in June 2006 by Yale University where a Masters Degree program is being offered.
AROMATHERAPY FOR YOUR BABY: German (True) Chamomile is a traditional remedy for fussy babies. Known to help relieve colic, intestinal cramps and gas, as well as to ease teething pain. Because of its benign nature True Chamomile may be used to soothe diaper rash. Use in a very weak dilution of pure jojoba oil of less than 1%.

PLEASE NOTE: There are many cheap, synthetic copies of aromatic oils, but these are not recommended for therapeutic use. For best results purchase the highest quality oils you can possibly find. Use certified organic essential oils, or oils that have been tested and are pesticide free.
Aromatherapy is a gentle and noninvasive complementary health care system used for balancing and synchronizing your body, mind, spirit and emotions to enhance your health. Properly administered essential oils are a natural, safe and effective way to enhance your health and well-being and can produce satisfying results where other methods have failed. Please consult with your physician regarding serious health concerns and do not attempt to self diagnose.

KG Stiles is a registered & accredited Bowenwork & BodyTalk practitioner & a certified aromatherapist practicing for more than 30 years in the alternative health care field. PurePlant Essentials is her line of pure organic essential oils. She is available for distant healing sessions, training seminars & speaking. Click to learn about & order: GERMAN (TRUE) CHAMOMILE To learn about Bowenwork visit LEARN ABOUT BOWENWORK Click to learn about & order PurePlant Essentials Aromatherapy Products: PUREPLANT ESSENTIALS AROMATHERAPY PRODUCTS More Info? Contact: KG Stiles at Springhill Wellness Center, 2520 Springhill Drive Ashland, OR USA (541) 941-7315 Mahalo!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=KG_Stiles

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Baby Sleep Training - How to Mimic the Feeling of the Womb

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For the entire beginning of their lives, babies are accustomed to one environment: the womb. It can be very jarring to come into a new world with so much new stimuli, and it can cause a feeling of insecurity in baby. The best way to help baby sleep more soundly, make the transition, and feel safe is to mimic some of the feelings of the womb.
Characteristics of The Womb
So what does the womb have that your house doesn't? Let's think about the environment baby is familiar with:

• Lots of white noise - he's used to a very loud environment, what with the outside noises mixing with the sounds of the body's machinery
• Cramped quarters - he's used to existing in a very small space, where everything is close together
• Feeling supported - he's used to being touched and supported on the sides and bottom of the womb, which creates a sense of comfort from being touched
• Fetal position - he's accustomed to laying in the fetal position, with the arms and legs drawn up and close to the body

As you read this, birth might seem to come as a relief. To us, the womb doesn't seem very comfortable, but to baby, it's home. You can ease the transition and help baby sleep by mimicking some of these qualities
Why Does This Feeling Help Baby Sleep? We've already talked about this, but it's important enough to say again. Babies, even in the womb, are extremely sensitive to emotions and feelings. Just like you, baby doesn't sleep well if she's not relaxed and feeling safe.
It comes as a domino effect: if baby is anxious or in some other way emotionally upset, she can't relax. When she can't relax, and you put her to bed and leave, she gets more upset, which makes it take even longer to relax. Until she relaxes, she can't fall asleep, and crying ensues.
Swaddle baby
Swaddling baby can help her relax and settle down because it mimics the close quarters of the womb. Babies can be unsettled by the free use of their arms and legs after birth, a feeling they didn't have in the womb. Additionally, babies tend to jerk a bit upon falling asleep and can wake themselves up or become startled by these natural movements.
Swaddling baby all the time is fine for the first month of life; after that, baby needs access to her arms and legs to develop properly. However, you can still swaddle baby for naps and nighttime to help her sleep.
So what is swaddling?
Swaddling is wrapping baby tightly in a blanket to mimic the feeling of the womb. Swaddling reminds baby of the safety and compact feeling of the womb.
How to swaddle baby

1. Lay a baby blanket on the floor and fold one corner into the center about 6 inches
2. Lay baby on her back on the blanket, with her head at the folded-down corner. The head should be off the blanket so it's free
3. Take the corner near baby's left hand and pull it across baby to the right, securing it underneath baby
4. Fold up the bottom of the blanket towards baby's chin, enclosing baby's feet
5. Take the corner near baby's right hand and pull it across baby to the left, securing it underneath baby

Important tips

• Swaddle baby when she is full, clean, and dry. Swaddling is meant to be a comfortable, comforting experience for baby, and if she is in some way unsettled, she will associate bad memories with swaddling.
• Don't swaddle baby when it is very hot. Keep baby from overheating by not swaddling when it is very hot outside or when baby is in a warm room. This is especially important when baby is going to sleep, as overheating is a risk factor for SIDS.
• Listen to baby so you know when she wants out. Baby will kick or squirm when she wants to be free, so pay attention for these actions. Let baby out if you know she is uncomfortable, or the feeling can cause distress and keep baby from relaxing.
• Don't swaddle baby constantly after the age of one month. She needs access to her limbs in order to develop correctly.

Action Items:

• Find or buy a baby blanket
• Practice swaddling a doll before attempting it on your live, squirming baby
• Pay attention to baby's reaction to being swaddled and adjust if necessary

Strategies for Mimicking the Womb Bathe baby in a bucket
There are a host of products available that offer an alternative to a mini-adult-like bath. Baths can be a pivotal relaxation tool each day to help baby sleep, mostly because being immersed in water reminds them of being in the womb.
Naturally, you can see that how you bathe baby becomes an important part of helping baby calm down and fall asleep. Babies feel most comfortable in the fetal position, and a bucket provides this capability. It supports baby's weight and allows her to be touched on the sides and the bottom of the bucket, again reminding her of the womb.
A bucket is a natural choice for a bath because it almost forces baby into the fetal position. This combined with warm water and the tightness of baby touching the sides and bottom of the bucket work together to recreate the feeling of the womb. As opposed to a bucket, a mini-adult-like bath gives baby the feeling of swimming, like in the womb, but makes her feel a bit lost, with nothing to control her arms and legs from floating around.
I know, it seems almost cruel to put your baby in a bucket, right? Think outside the box! It only seems strange because not many people do it...in the United States, that is. Bathing baby in a bucket is a popular form of baby care in Europe and is accepted as helping to calm and reassure babies in this big new world.
Quick tip: there's no need to go buy an expensive baby bathing bucket, though you certainly can. Use what you have at home, but be sure to choose a bucket you have not used with harsh chemicals. Think of a bucket used to build sand castles, perhaps. If possible, find a bucket with flexible sides, so that baby is supported softly and without any sharp edges or seams.
Action Items:

• Find a baby-sized bucket in the house and thoroughly clean it, or purchase a new one
• Confirm that the bucket is flexible, smooth, and won't tip over when baby is inside
• Test a bath to see if baby likes the feeling of a bucket better than a traditional baby bath

Sway and Shush Your Baby To Sleep
When a mother moves around doing daily tasks, a baby in the womb is naturally swung gently from side to side. This swaying motion becomes familiar and comforting, so parents can try using this as a means of calming baby before sleep. Remember, this isn't the kind of thing that you want to do every time that baby wakes up, or you will have to repeatedly get up in the middle of the night.
Instead, this is what you want to do to help settle baby down so that she can fall asleep on her own. When swaying baby, be gentle and consistent. She should fall into a sort of rhythm that helps calm her. Swaying shouldn't be fast or exciting, as it's meant to relax baby. Sway her too fast and she'll think it's playtime instead!
Shushing is another technique that mimics the womb. This is similar to the sounds that baby hears in the womb and can also be quieting. As with swaying, shushing should be gentle and rhythmic. It should be smooth and mimic the pattern of baby's breathing - one "shush" per exhale.
Shushing should be soft, not harsh; avoid the sound a teacher makes when quieting her classroom. Instead, use shushing as a sort of white noise, meant to calm baby without her ever even realizing it.
Action Items:

• Sing a song in your head while you sway or shush to help create a slow rhythm
• Try different speeds and voice levels to find out what quiets baby best

Wear Baby
Another solution that feels similar to the womb is wearing baby in a sling, wrap, or pouch. This has benefits for you, because it allows you to be close to baby while keeping your hands free, and it makes baby feel protected, safe, and comfortable.
Wearing baby helps keep baby warm, lets her hear your heartbeat, and builds a close relationship that is fostered through personal contact. Listed here are a few options for wearing baby, but it's up to you to decide which solution is best and most comfortable for you and baby:

• Wrap - wraps are long pieces of fabric tied to the wearer in various positions. Baby folds up inside it and it is very versatile. This is best for small babies; larger children will have trouble fitting, and it could be uncomfortable for the wearer.
• Mei Tai - an Asian-inspired carrier with more structure than a wrap. It can be worn on the front, back, or hip, depending on comfort and baby's size. This is a viable option for larger or older babies.
• Adjustable pouch - a pouch is a circle of fabric tied onto the wearer's front that holds the baby into the wearer's chest. It is similar to a Mei Tai and is also good for babies of all sizes.

Action Items:

• Evaluate your needs and baby's size to determine which style is right for you
• Practice tying on a wrap, sling or pouch with a doll prior to working with baby
• Adjust the fit as necessary - if baby seems uncomfortable, evaluate her fit to see if anything is rubbing or pinching. Try putting baby in while sitting down to see if this helps
• Consider different options as baby grows and your activities change. Some ways to wear baby are more appropriate for some types of activities than others

Naomi Knight is a contributor for http://www.parentinghq.com/ your best source for baby sleep, breastfeeding, colic, and crying advice from top baby care experts. For more articles on baby sleep training techniques, visit our baby sleep section at http://www.parentinghq.com/category/baby-sleep/

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Naomi_Knight

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