Mother-child

Brain Body Parenting

From a leading child psychologist comes this groundbreaking new understanding of children’s behavior, offering insight and strategies to support both parents and children. These families are understandably focused on correcting or improving a child’s lack of compliance, emotional outbursts, tantrums, and other “out of control” behavior. But, as she has shared with these families, a perspective shift is needed. Behavior, no matter how challenging, is not the problem but a symptom; a clue about what is happening in a child’s unique physiologic makeup.

MOST RECENT

Top Stories

Welcome to Pre-natal care and nutrition

When you find out you’re pregnant, immediate questions probably come to mind: What can I eat? Can I still exercise? Are my sushi days in the past? Taking care of yourself has never been more important, but it’s not hard to learn. Here’s how to maintain a healthy pregnancy through nutrition, vitamins, good habits, and more.

Nutrition

Eating a nutritious diet during pregnancy is linked to good brain development and a healthy birth weight, and can reduce the risk of many birth defects. A balanced diet will also reduce the risks of anemia, as well as other unpleasant pregnancy symptoms such as fatigue and morning sickness.

What not to eat

To protect you and baby from a bacterial or parasitic infection, such as listeriosis, make sure that all milk, cheese, and juice are pasteurized. Don’t eat meat from the deli counter or hot dogs unless they are thoroughly heated. Also avoid refrigerated smoked seafood and undercooked meat and seafood. If you or someone in your family has had a history of allergies, speak to your doctor about other foods to avoid.

When to start postnatal exercise

When can I start exercising after birth?

If you had a straightforward birth, you can start gentle exercise as soon as you feel up to it. This could include walking, gentle stretches, pelvic floor and tummy exercises. It's usually a good idea to wait until after your 6-week postnatal check before you start any high-impact exercise, such as aerobics or running. If you exercised regularly before giving birth and you feel fit and well, you may be able to start earlier. Talk to your midwife, health visitor or GP. If you had a more complicated delivery or a caesarean, your recovery time will be longer. Talk to your midwife, health visitor or GP before starting anything strenuous.

What should I be aware of before exercising?

Your lower back and core abdominal muscles may be weaker than they used to be. Your ligaments and joints are also more supple and flexible for a few months after birth, so there's an increased risk of injury if you stretch or twist too much. Do not rely on your pre-pregnancy sports bra. Your back and cup size are likely to have changed, so get measured for a new one.

How do I know if I'm overdoing exercise after having a baby?

If your postnatal bleeding (lochia) gets heavier or changes colour (becomes pink or red) after activity, you could be overdoing it. You're also likely to feel very tired. Listen to your body. Pace yourself and make sure you get plenty of rest too.

How to take care of cord and swaddling an infant

What Is an Umbilical Cord?

The umbilical cord is the tube-like structure that carries food and oxygen from a mother to their baby while pregnant. It also carries waste products away from the baby so the mother’s body can get rid of them. After you give birth, doctors clamp and cut the cord. The cord has no nerves, so neither you nor your baby will feel anything. A small stump will be left on your child’s belly. It can be anywhere from a half-inch to an inch long. At first, the stump might look shiny and yellow. But as it dries out, it may turn brown or gray or even purplish or blue. It’ll shrivel and turn black before it falls off on its own. Usually, it comes off between 10 and 14 days after your baby is born, but can take as long as 21 days.

Caring for Baby’s Umbilical Cord Stump

Here are a few things to keep in mind until the cord comes off:

Be gentle. Keep your hands off of it, and don’t ever pull on it.

Keep the cord clean and dry at all times. Skip the tub and sink and give your baby sponge baths instead.
Leave the cord alone until it falls off by itself. (In the past, doctors suggested cleaning the cord’s base with rubbing alcohol to help it dry out, but that guidance has changed.)
Fold diapers so that they rest below the cord to shield it from your little one’s pee. You can look for diapers that have an area cut out for the cord or cut a spot out of a regular diaper. Just place a piece of tape around it to seal the edges.