From birth, normal babies can show so many differences in growth and behavior, it’s no wonder parents have so many questions .So here are some questions that are frequently asked by a number of parents.
Why doesn’t my baby sleep at night?
A common complaint, but cause is usually not serious. Sometimes, when a baby sleeps in his/her parents’ room, parents complain that the baby is waking them up, crying and fussing. But it may be the parents who are waking the baby up because of their snoring and flailing about during sleep. If the baby has a cold, crying may be a sign of earache. By contrast, crying that occurs around the same time every night in a baby who seems fine during the day is usually habitual and unrelated to illness.
What about sudden infant death syndrome [SIDS]?
Parents of new born babies start worrying about SIDS; they should remember it is very rare. Measures that may decrease the risk include avoiding exposure to tobacco smoke and putting young babies on their backs on a firm, flat surface for sleeping. However, once the baby is able to roll over to find a comfortable sleeping position, it’s then okay to leave him.
Does my baby see properly?
Newborns don’t see as clearly as babies a few weeks older. Their main difficulty is focusing on objects at different distances. To the one month old, an adult face looks pretty blurry but is identifiable. By three months of age the baby is exploring the environment, easily making eye contact with others and following objects at some distance. When your baby is in an attentive mood; hold the baby facing you at arm’s length and slowly but steadily move your face to one side. Babies will often follow your face and the baby who looks right at you can see you. Rapid jiggling of eyes is often a sign of trouble requiring examination by a specialist.
Does my baby hear properly?
The technique which measures the brain’s electrical responses when different sounds are presented to the baby’s ears –the so called auditory brain stem responses [ABR]. The test can tell if transmission of the sound impulse is occurring, their kids are normal. Parents can check this when the baby is wide awake and alert. A sleepy baby pays a little attention to sounds.
Should my new born son be circumcised?
Some studies indicate fewer urinary tract infections in circumcised males and a higher rate of sexually transmitted diseases among uncircumcised males. Yet more than 98 percent of uncircumcised male infants don’t get urinary tract infections.
“The evidence of benefits and harms if circumcision is so evenly balanced it does support recommending circumcision as a routine procedure for newborns.” Parents should be advised of the state of medical knowledge and left to base their decision “on personal, religious or cultural factors.”
Should I give my baby a vitamin supplement?
For breast fed babies, human milk contains all the vitamins they need for the first few months of life. Nevertheless, parents should ask their doctor if vitamin D supplement is necessary, especially, if their baby gets little daily exposure to sunlight. Though there is no scientific evidence to support the popular belief that they will make normal children stronger, prevent colds or improve appetites.
Whatever they ask, parents of new born babies need all the comfort and reassurance doctors can provide. Happily, many things they worry about turn out to be variations of normal, for each of us has a collection of peculiarities that makes us unique.