The biggest issue most parents have with their newborn is not changing diapers or even the crying. It’s the lack of sleep! Newborns usually sleep up to 18 hours during the day, however it is not in one long stretch but broken up into lots of shorter durations from 20 minutes to four hours. There is no sleep “schedule” and baby sleeps at will during the day and night. Parents can get sleep deprived in a hurry and one of the biggest issues for new parents is finding a way to get enough sleep. Luckily, there are ways to help your infant sleep better. The only true solution is time, but eventually everyone will start sleeping through the night.

Ambient noise is one method parents find to be helpful with some infants. Keep in mind not all infants will react well to ambient noise and sleep better. Just like adults, some infants are sound sleepers while others sleep fitfully. Many babies do like ambient noise to help them sleep, though, because the womb was far from a quiet place. Since baby is used to hearing the sound of a heart beating, blood flowing, and his mother’s voice, there is no reason to assume that baby must sleep in a quiet place. Play some music, put on a white noise machine, or turn the TV on low for some background noise. Adults might prefer silence for sleeping, but infants are used to noise and having noise might help them fall asleep and stay asleep longer.

If you have been putting baby down in complete silence only to have him wake faster than you can turn around then try turning on some music for your little one. It just might be the thing he needs to go to sleep and stay asleep for a little while!

There are many ways to promote infant sleep and music is one of them! Babies were accustomed to being lulled to sleep by mom’s heartbeat for nine months making them especially responsive to rhythm. Find music that incorporates a heartbeat or similar rhythm to help calm baby. The following suggestions will help you find the best music for your infant.

Relaxing

The first thing you want to consider is that the music is relaxing. The music should be both relaxing to mom and dad as well as baby. Everyone can benefit from some calming music.

Harmony

Most babies respond very well to music with harmony and rhythm. There are even some CDs designed for infants that claim to recreate the sounds from the uterus. You may want to try several different types of songs, some with words others with just melody, to see what your baby responds to the most.

No Toddler Music

While toddler music is fun and enjoyable for a toddler it’s not designed for your infant. Buy lullabies that are soothing or even classical music that is calming. Many libraries have CDs you can check out or else you might want to download a song or two from the Internet to see what songs seem to work best for calming and soothing your infant and you!

These are just a few tips that will help you find the right music for your baby. Keep in mind that songs labeled as “sleep selections” are best for promoting a calm and sleepy baby. There are other CDs designed for infants that you may want to listen to during the day that are more upbeat and will help keep baby alert and awake during the day. This in itself will help baby sleep more at night, which is what most parents need!

The first few months of an infant’s life are difficult simply because they don’t sleep for long stretches of time, need to breastfeed almost constantly, and really enjoy being held. That can be taxing on a family that also has other children and responsibilities, but is just a short stage of the child’s overall life and development. Parents are always interested in finding ways to promote sleep and one method that you have certainly heard about is adding rice cereal to your infant’s bottle to help fill her up so she will sleep longer. Is this truly recommended, though? Some doctors will recommend it and some won’t so how do you know you are doing what’s right for your infant?

Either way you go there is no evidence that doing this will actually work. And since there is nothing to prove that your baby will actually sleep longer there really is no reason to try it. Babies given a full meal just before bed or a bottle of rice cereal won’t necessarily sleep longer because hunger is not the only thing that will wake baby up. Parents should realize that infants are naturally programmed to wake up throughout the night. They simply don’t sleep for long stretches of time, despite this being difficult on parents. Babies won’t sleep through the night whether you give them rice cereal or anything else until their central nervous system has matured to the point that will allow them to sleep through the night. You will also want to keep in mind that “sleeping through the night” is considered sleeping for a stretch of five hours. This is surprising to many parents, but when infants can sleep for 5 hours at a time that is considered excellent!

Don’t let your exhaustion interfere with what’s best for your baby. Breast milk or formula is all your baby needs for the first four to six months of life anyway and by giving your baby rice cereal too early you could be setting the stage for allergies.

When it comes to vaccines all babies are required by law to receive certain vaccinations unless they have an exemption not to. However, there are some children that should not receive certain vaccines or should wait to receive them. The following information will help you determine whether your child is okay to receive vaccines or not.

DTaP Vaccine

Any child who is sick should not receive the DTaP vaccine. Kids who just have a cold are okay to receive the DTaP vaccine unless they have had a bad reaction after one dose of this vaccine. In this case, a second dose should not be given. Some doctors would be willing to give your child a follow up dose if they had seizures, cried for more than three hours, or had a fever over 105 degrees. In this instances, it is not a good idea to continue with the vaccine schedule because the child obviously had a bad reaction.

Children over the age of seven should not receive this vaccine.

Hepatitis B Vaccine

Anyone who has ever had a bad reaction to yeast or to previous Hepatitis B vaccine should not be given subsequent doses. Any child who is ill should not receive the vaccine until they have recovered sufficiently.

Hib Vaccine

If a child experiences a bad reaction after the first Hib vaccine then subsequent vaccines should not be given. Children under six weeks of age should not be given this vaccine, either. Children should be healthy before receiving this vaccine.

MMR Vaccine

Children that are sick, moderately or severely, should not receive this vaccine. Also, any child who has had a bad reaction to a previous dose should avoid subsequent doses. Babies who are allergic to neomycin and/or gelatin should not receive this vaccine.

There is a natural jealousy that occurs between older children and newborns. This is especially true if the older child was the only child. That only child, who was once the center of the family’s universe, now has to share the limelight, and he’s not happy about it. In addition, it may seem to an older child that the newborn gets everything that it wants, just by crying! If the newborn wants to eat, she cries and is fed. If she has a wet diaper, she cries and is changed. In toddlers, it is even common for behavior to regress, to where the toddler is acting like the newborn in order to get attention. Fortunately, there are things that you can do to reduce the sibling rivalry that occurs between older children and newborns.

The first step in addressing sibling rivalry and newborns is to focus for a while on your older child. Listen to his wants and his needs. Spend some quality time just with him, and make sure he is getting praise and positive attention, not just the negative attention that may come with acting out. By actively working on your relationship with your older child, you will actually be reducing sibling rivalry between him and your newborn.

Even before the baby is born, there are things you can do to reduce sibling rivalry. Help your older child know what to expect. Talk about what will happen when the baby is born. Listen to her concerns about having a newborn brother or sister. Answer the questions she has, and answer them in a way that is geared toward her level of understanding and maturity. In this way, you will also reduce the sibling rivalry she might have with the newborn.

Finally, try to make your older child an active part of the newborn’s life. In this way, your older child will begin to see himself as a partner with you, rather than as a competitor with the newborn. If he’s old enough, let him feed the newborn for example. If he is not, make him the “diaper sheriff” - in charge of bringing you a diaper when the newborn goes to the bathroom. By making your older child feel like a participant, you will reduce those natural feelings of jealousy.

There were several studies conducted in Africa during the 1980s that suggested that those men who were not circumcised had a higher risk of contracting HIV. The studies were conducted using information from maps, high risk populations, as well as the individuals that visited STD health clinics. The information in these studies resulted in a conclusion that men who were not circumcised had a greater chance of contracting HIV through unsafe sex and other risky activities. However, several studies that were performed on random populations in Africa have shown that men who are circumcised re actually more likely to have HIV infections.

Medical literature makes this very confusing because it is frequently stated that a male’s foreskin places him at a high risk for contracting HIV. Locations in Africa that practice male circumcision found that HIV seroprevalence was much lower than in places that don’t practice circumcision in Africa. Information that could affect the study like when the individual first had sex, whether they were monogamous, and other factors were not considered. Circumcision data from the 1950s was used because it was decided that it had not changed since then. It was noticed that in areas that had high levels of circumcision also had high levels of HIV.

The idea that circumcision could help reduce the spread of HIV is not correct and it is actually dangerous to think this because it could result in males involving themselves in unsafe sexual situations.

There are other studies, like those from the WHO, that correlate HIV infection with individuals who have not been circumcised. With so much contradicting information floating around it is difficult for people to determine what is right and what is not.
The most important thing to keep in mind in regards to circumcision and HIV is that it won’t prevent an HIV infection. Males who are circumcised and those who are not should always take care to prevent themselves from being exposed to HIV and other STDs. There is no way to prevent HIV and STDs in males regardless of whether they are circumcised or not other than through abstinence.

Due to this, parents should consider the other benefits and risks of circumcision before deciding whether or not they should circumcise their child.

Many doctors have long held the belief that circumcision helps reduce the risk of STDs. This belief was based on the belief of how men handled their sexual hygiene based on whether they were circumcised or not. No evidence supported this other than opinion and many men that were involved in the US military service during the first World Wars were actually circumcised in an attempt to help them ward off any STDs.

One study has determined that men who have been circumcised males are actually at a higher risk for STDs because it has been proven these males engage in more sexually risky behavior. The majority of men in the United States are circumcised and have much higher rates of STDs and lack of condom usage that the majority of men in the United Kingdom who are intact.

In fact, there are many aspects of the intact penis that actually protect against infection rather than the other way around. For example, men who have been circumcised have mucus membranes that are dried out as compared to naturally moist membranes in intact men. What this means is that men who are circumcised have fewer natural defenses against STDs than men who are not circumcised.

The foreskin moisturizes the penis naturally so that it will stay in the best condition and healthy. Lyzosyme is an enzyme that is found in the moisture in the folds of the skin and it actually attacks and destroys bacteria cells.

Many studies have been conducted that have found no health reason for circumcision. In fact, many studies have actually found that men who are circumcised have higher frequency of STDs than non circumcised men. Men who have many sexual partners and no foreskin actually have higher levels of STDs. Interestingly, a study found that men who were circumcised had a rate of 25.4/1000 for Chlamydia while intact men had a rate of zero. Men with intact foreskin had a rate of 8.1/1000 of herpes while circumcised males had 14.9/1000. This shows without a doubt that men who are circumcised will have a higher chance of contracting an STD over their lifetime.

Parents should keep this in mind when they are considering whether or not to circumcise their child. Unfortunately, many Americans choose to circumcise simply because the neighbors do. This is a risky decision that should be considered carefully before making the decision.

Circumcision is the cutting of the foreskin from the penis so the head is no longer covered. Many people know what a circumcised penis looks like, but few know what the process entails and how much the newborn infant must suffer in order for this procedure to take place. It is actually quite disheartening that so many parents are willing to put their newborn sons through this procedure without knowing exactly what it entails and how it will affect their child. The way the circumcision is performed is outlined below.

Procedure

The circumcision begins with the penis being evaluated for any problems. As long as everything is the way it should be then the doctor will insert a clamp or ring between the head of the penis and the foreskin to separate it. The clamp will remain in place in order to protect the rest of the penis so that the foreskin may be cut away. Once the procedure is completed then the wound will be dressed and the child will be returned to his parents or the nursery. Generally, only local anesthesia is used but in some cases no anesthesia is used. The baby’s heart rate increases and is obviously in distress.

Making a Decision

It is important for parents to understand what a circumcision entails and the effects it could have on their little one. Mistakes are made and sometimes too much skin is removed and other times not enough. Similarly, other mistakes may be made that will affect the child for the rest of their life. It doesn’t make sense to circumcise a newborn baby that has no idea what is happening and then must suffer for days with an open wound that burns each time the urinate.

In rare circumstances, a child may die from circumcision or develop a serious infection that could lead to serious health problems. This is not always the case, however it does occur and people should be well aware of the problems that can occur with circumcision.

Later Circumcision

Remember, parents who choose not to circumcise their sons will still allow them the opportunity to be circumcised at a later stage in life if that is what they choose. Leaving this decision up to the child is highly recommended because once a circumcision has taken place it is impossible to return the penis to normal. There are operations that may be performed, but it is not the same.

There are many complications that may result from a circumcision. Generally, the number of significant complications that result from circumcisions are rare, however considering the fact that more than 3,000 circumcisions are performed each day means that complications will occur. Most of the complications that do arise are short term although there are others that may last for the rest of the child’s life.

Simple Complications

Complications that are minor are those that include light bleeding, pain, irritation, infection, and other similar complications. Sometimes infection may even occur because the wound is exposed to fecal matter. Checking the wound regularly and ensuring it is well cared for is important, too, and can help avoid simple complications. Many babies will experience burning and pain when they urinate because the wound is open and in the same area where the urine is released. Generally, within the first week this pain has subsided completely. Some children will have some oozing from the wound or else blood in their diaper. Generally, this will clear up on its own, too. If not, an infection could develop and it is important to contact the doctor. Most parents will be instructed to place Vaseline or another similar product on the penis in order to protect it from stool, urine, and diaper irritation.

Serious Complications

Serious complications may also occur. That is because circumcision is a surgery and things may go wrong. In some situations, too much foreskin may be removed or too little is removed. This can result in painful erections and skin bridges. Botched circumcisions can also result in ugly scars and damage could occur to the urethra or less of sexual sensation. Some situations have resulted in the penis being amputated, fatal bacterial infections, and hemorrhaging.

These are rare complications, but with thousands of circumcisions being performed each day they are actually more common than some parents would like to believe. Because of this it is so important for parents to learn about circumcisions and understand what takes place before deicing on this procedure for their son. And remember, serious complications may be rare, but that does not guarantee they will not happen to your son. When it comes to your child you may not be willing to take the risk of something happening that could potentially be serious when this is not a necessary procedure.

A circumcision may be performed on a male of any age that has not been circumcised at a prior date. However, it is most usual for a newborn child to be circumcised within a few days of his birth. Sometimes, children are not circumcised and at a later age determine that they want to be circumcised. When this occurs the male simply needs to visit the doctor and express his concerns.

Later Circumcisions

Men choosing to have a circumcision at a later date may choose the type of circumcision they want. Some of the options include loose, tight, moderate, partial, minimal, and others. There are low and high circumcisions and each man can determine what he wants and direct the doctor in that way. With babies, the doctors make the decision for the baby and sometimes too much skin is cut away, other times not enough, and frequently infections occur. Later circumcisions are painful, just as they are for newborn babies. However, older males choosing to undergo a circumcision know what the pain is from, how to manage it, and that they chose to endure this pain. Newborn babies, however, who have just gone through the stressful process of delivery have terrible pain inflicted upon them and they are unaware of why or how. This is followed by several days of painful urination and could result in other problems, like an infection, too.

Self Circumcision

There are several options for self circumcision that may be done in the comfort of one’s own home. However, there is not the option of anesthesia or a doctor on hand should something go wrong. Not to mention, this could be quite uncomfortable and may not performed correctly. It is important for individuals interested in self circumcision to think about this seriously and even consider making an appointment with the doctor to discuss the pros and cons.

These are just a few of the things people should know about circumcision. Parents who like the idea of circumcision but not the idea of having their newborn suffer through the procedure may take comfort in the fact that the procedure may be performed at a later date. Plus, it gives boys the option of making their own decision regarding their penis’ appearance and what works best for them.