Babies Sleeping Pattern

Babies Sleeping Pattern – A newborn babies sleeping pattern is all over the place, but they soon get into a routine of sleeping. Most newborn babies sleep for about 16 hours a day at different times and for different lengths of time. 

Usually baby wakes up from his or her, or heaven forbid “their” nap when mum and dad want to go to bed or to get some cleaning  done, but baby will get out of this soon from about six weeks when there sleep pattern stabilises and the routine puts itself into place, obviously baby will still usually wake up to be fed or have a nappy change. As an infant gets older the sleep pattern will change and baby will have less naps but for maybe longer periods of time.

By six months most babies usual sleeping behaviours typically lasts for a longer time at night in a block of sleep and maybe one or two short naps through the daytime, also they are not as hungry as a young baby usually is because from six months the weaning process is introduced to the infant.

The best thing you can do to help your baby’s snooze pattern is to try to keep a routine between you and them that you’re familiar with, then baby knows where they stand and you know what you are doing and when. An affective solution many mothers use is to settle baby down and leave the little mite to soothe him or herself which usually sees them drop off.

Doing this will help your child’s sleep through later years.

Do you want your baby to sleep through the night. if so, a good idea would be to try to leave baby’s last feed later than the normal time you would feed the infant. If they have had substantial amount to fill them up, they will be less likely to wake in the night for a feed.

Always try to ensure that you teach baby the difference between night and day and light and dark, so in the daytime your baby knows that there should be noise and light and stimulating play going on in the house. Then at night the atmosphere will change of which your baby will notice.

He/she will become familiar with dull lighting, quietness and relaxing surroundings and will know it’s time for blanket Street.

Getting baby to get a good nights sleep, then about an hour before taking the child off to bed make sure there are no loud noises going on around them and give them a nice warm bath before putting on their baby grow/pyjamas.

Once the child is ready to go down give them their feed (bottle) and make sure they are content and their belly has been filled, and they have been winded (burped).

Now take baby up and say your good nights as quietly as possible with dimmed lights. So as not to wake baby up avoid bright lights and let him/her soothe themselves off to sleep.

By the time you have tried these babies sleeping pattern routines, you will be so happy and well rested yourself because you are getting a much better sleep. And a happy parent who has had a good nights sleep,  it will also give you more energy in the day to spend playing with baby, and spending precious moments together that neither of you will ever forget.

Pregnancy Stages

The pregnancy stages that you will go through in the nine months of pregnancy,   

Pregnancy usually lasts for 40 weeks from the first day of your last period, The 40 weeks are divided into stages called trimesters.  

You in the first trimester is week 1 to week 12 

Your first trimester is when all your hormones begin to affect your entire body and from then on you can begin to have pregnancy symptoms, the first will more than likely be that your period stops, then you may begin to feel more tired and have tender breasts. Then we have morning sickness another common pregnancy symptom which is not restricted to that particular time of the day vomiting can happen at any time. Also a pregnant woman might have the frequent need to go to the toilet to wee more often than she would do normally. 

Then we have the classic pregnancy symptom “cravings.” Pregnancy can bring many changes connected to the body, and also to the taste buds too. You could find yourself eating foods you wouldn’t normally eat. 

These are just some of the changes that may happen in your first trimester; the changes may feel uncomfortable for a while but will soon ease off.     

 Baby in the first trimester    

Baby will grow very quickly and will already have lots of the organs your baby needs to survive, including the heart and nervous system which will be there from around nine weeks pregnant, your baby is no longer referred to as an embryo, and is now a fetus. From about ten weeks the nutrients are passed to your baby through the placenta.   

You in the second trimester is week 13 to week 28    

This pregnancy stage will feel much easier to cope with as your body is settling in nicely with the hormones and getting used to the changes, the sickness and tiredness begin to ease off slowly but surely. Towards the end of this stage of pregnancy you may begin to feel some back ache, or as some pregnant women will describe being more of back pain. Other: Darkening of the nipples and there maybe a few stretch marks in sight also.  

There will be lots of other changes happening to your body at this point though, because your abdomen will be growing bigger and you may have what is called a pregnancy mask which is browning of the cheeks and other areas, and you could have swelling in your ankles, at the end of this trimester you will also be able to feel your new baby kick.    

Baby in the second trimester    

Baby is swallowing amniotic fluid and then gets rid of this through their gut. At this stage of pregnancy the baby’s organs are maturing more each day. Their sex organs will develop also, their kidneys start to work and baby can now pass a small amount of urine and also hear noises and sounds made, while still in the womb.    

You in the third trimester is week 29 to week 40  

In this final trimester with baby growing bigger, your body adjusting and getting ready for birth you will feel short of breath, some heartburn. Also some women get piles or feel constipated, your breast will be getting ready for breast feeding, and also growing and feel very tender and sore and may leak slightly which looks like watery milk. You will probably be having difficulty in sleeping and not being able to get in a comfortable position. Your baby will be trying to position themselves into place so they will be head down. You could also get Braxton hicks at this stage which are false contractions but don’t mistake them for the real contractions.    

Baby in the third trimester    

Baby will now have fine hair and finger nails and they can now open and close their eyes to blink, the unborn infant also at this time can make breathing motions even though he/she cannot breathe until birth. Baby’s teeth can also start growing under their gum, but it has been known of some baby’s to be born with teeth already set in place.   

End of your pregnancy    

As your due date comes closer your cervix gets ready for birth and begins to thin and soften, this time is an anxious time for both parents it is a waiting game and baby will come out when ready.

Body After Birth

You’re Body After Birth – Having a baby changes you’re body after birth, you may not like what changes, or you may just be ecstatic that you have become a mother if it’s your first child. If you like the way you are then you haven’t got a problem, but lots of mothers don’t like the change birth does to their body.

After giving birth some parts of the body may never be quite the same again.

You will have stretch marks in places you never knew existed obviously they will fade in time but will never go away, the saggy tummy from the excess stretched skin from carrying baby, you can in time tighten your stomach area up with exercise and eating the right food’s. You can lose the weight combined with the exercise, But don’t expect this to happen quickly It takes nine months to have a baby at least give yourself long enough for yourself and body to recover.

Treat yourself from time to time to cheer yourself up it can’t do any damage, Go for a pamper day or a manicure or the hair dressers they are just a few ideas to cheer yourself up.

There may be some physical problems with you’re body after birth such as:

• back pain, 
• a weak bladder 
• painful intercourse 
• infection from having stitches  

 

To help these problems after giving birth, you could do pelvic floor exercises these help to tighten the muscles of the vagina the back passage and help you control a weak bladder.

To do pelvic floor exercises to help, try sitting or standing, you can do them anywhere:

•  Squeeze and draw your back passage in at the same time
•  Hold this for five seconds then let go
•  Do this in sets of five as a many times a day as you can ten times a day if possible.

To help firm up your stomach area, lie on the floor:

• Lie on the floor with knees up high, but so your feet are flat on the floor. 

• Put your stomach in and slowly lift your head and shoulders, reach for your knees with the hands and then lower back down slowly. 

• Begin by doing a few and gradually increase if you need too. 

To ease any back problems after giving birth:

• When feeding baby always try to sit with your back supported and straight. 

• When you have jobs to do which are in low cupboards or bathing baby make sure you kneel or squat, avoid bending your back, make the knees do the work. 

• Also try to keep a straight back when pushing baby in the pram or carrying in a baby sling. 

• To lift a carrycot or another child, always bend your knees, keep your back straight and hold the weight close to you. 

If you feel concerned about you’re body after birth then always see your midwife or health visitor as they will be in contact with you for a number of weeks after you bring baby home.

Want To Get Pregnant

Want To Get Pregnant – Women who want to get pregnant often are disheartened by the pee stick that states those dreaded words “NOT PREGNANT” or display the negative symbol. Of course the wannabe please let me have a baby woman will feel like it’s the end of the world after maybe trying for years to get pregnant, but pregnancy doesn’t always happen overnight.

There are lots of things to try to help boost your fertility to conceive:

• Women trying to have a baby don’t realize the importance of eating a healthy balanced diet which will up the odds for them   falling pregnant. The human body needs lots of vitamins and minerals found in foods to give the chemicals your body needs.

• Also from deciding you want to try for a baby you should start to take folic acid tablets which prevents baby once pregnant from developing spina bifida and neural tube defects. You can find out more about folic acid tablets and their purpose by going online or talking to your doctor.

• It’s vital you stop smoking or using other types of tobacco products other than cigarettes as this is a poison going into your body and can reduce both partners level of fertility.

• Get fit; it makes sense to have good health so that when you do fall pregnant you will deliver a healthy baby. If you’re body is in good shape and in a healthy condition then conception has more chance of happening. A healthy body also helps clear away any stress you may feel and you will look great to which is a bonus.

• If you have a problem with drink, then talk to your GP about this. Avoid alcohol if possible; too much consumption can cause miscarriage. It also affects fertility and prevents vitamins and minerals from working.

• Also your other half should consider wearing loose cotton underwear and avoid hot baths to improve his sperm count.

• Draw up a chart, or keep a diary to see where you’re at with your cycle so you know when you’re ovulating, it is at this time when sexual intercourse should be practiced, there are ovulation kits you could use too.

• Avoid getting stressed. If you find yourself in stressful situations then get out of them. Don’t see getting pregnant and having sex with your partner as a chore still have fun with it and it will happen eventually.

Ovulation happens each month; an egg is released from one of your ovaries. Sometimes more than one egg is released. Usually within 24 hours of the first egg being released, the lining of the womb is beginning to thicken and the mucus in the cervix becomes thinner so sperm can swim through easily.

The egg begins to travel slowly down the fallopian tube. If you and your partner have had sex recently, the egg may be fertilized here by the man’s sperm. The lining of the womb is now thick enough for the egg to take its place after it’s been fertilized.

If the egg is not fertilized, out of the body it goes during the woman’s monthly period, along with the lining of the womb.

If you have sex during the seven days before you ovulate. This is usually about 12 days after the first day of your last period you’re most likely to get pregnant during this time.

An egg lives for about 12–24 hours after it’s released It’s hard to know exactly when ovulation happens, but in most women ovulation usually happens 10-16 days before the start of the next period. The menstrual cycle is from the first day of your period. Sometime after the period you will ovulate, and then 10-16 days after this.

Always check with your GP if you have been trying to conceive for 12 months or more and not yet succeeded. What you must never do like some women, is blaming their partner or themselves for no swelling belly. This will stress you out even more. Take each day at a time and you know what they say it comes to those who wait. Good luck when you’re pregnancy has been determined.

Breast feeding

Breastfeeding is a natural way for a mother to feed her baby and helps her to bond with her child. Putting baby to nipple for the first 6 months of a babies life is said to benefit baby along with solids for months after.

Each time you put your little one to the breast it makes a big difference to your child’s health. A baby being fed with mothers milk helps maintain a more emotional and physical bond between you and your baby, which makes a healthy happy infant and a happy mother.

Lots of new moms find Breast feeding a real struggle to begin with because the baby may not latch on to mothers nipple or cannot grasp the suckling motion for long enough to release milk from the breast. So lots of women give up very quickly and revert to a bottle because it is much simpler. But as soon as you and baby get the knack of it, you will never want to change that closeness you will feel with baby after this, the bond will be as strong as it can be.

Whilst feeding baby, you as a mother are looking after the health and well being off your child, not just because breast is best, or because of all the natural nutrients in breast milk, but you save your baby from illnesses such as

• Gastroenteritis
• Ear infections
• Urinary Tract Infections
• Coughs
• Colds

And who can say better than that to give your child the best start in life you could possibly give, when feeding you have to watch what you eat and drink, you need to try and eat larger portions and frequent snacks to help meet demands of breast feeding baby also avoiding alcohol.

Your breast produces milk in response to baby being put to breast, the more you feed with the milk from the boob the more your breasts produce, basically feed on demand. When you first breast feed your baby you may feel like a milking machine because they like to feed often, around every two hours. Once they feed better each time the less frequent it will become.

Breast milk contains antibodies which gives your child protection from picking up any virus from mother and from fighting any illness or infection they may get themselves. This milk is easily digestible in a baby than formula milk, and less likely to cause stomach upsets and nobody wants a baby with diarrhea you’ve got enough to do at the best of times.

Tiny premature babies who are fed on breast milk are more likely to do well than being formula fed, and is also said to be good for babies teeth and eyesight. Also baby’s that have been breastfed are easier to wean due to already having traces of what the mother eats and drinks in their bodies whilst being breast feeding.

For the first few days after giving birth your breasts produce a food called ‘colostrums’ which looks like creamy milk and is yellow in colour. This contains the food your baby needs and the antibodies to protect your child, after a few days your breasts begin to produce breast milk which will look thin compared to the colostrum.

How your baby feeds on your breast is different to a bottle, the breasts are never empty, but the milk has to be let down so it can gather behind your nipple. To make milk flow from the breast, baby needs to be in a good position.

Make sure your also comfortable when feeding baby, hold baby close to the breast this may take time to get used to but you will do it eventually it just takes practise, make sure your back is supported which ever position you and baby find easiest and most comfortable that will be normally be best.

Babies toys

Babies toys are great for stimulating their mind and also teaching them lots of information, Babies toys which they will use more as they are growing are a good start in life because they remember a lot as they are growing, just a shame us parents have lost ours since having kids and fitting so much  into our schedules.

There are lots of choice in babies toys for our kids out now and so many new ones coming out regularly. When buying new toys forbabies or older children we should always ensure they are age appropriate and always have the safety kite mark.

For newborn babies the best baby’s toys and comfort friends are the cuddly teddy bear also lots of bright, colourful and musical toys, a soft chewable teething rattle as it soothes the baby’s gums and also stimulates play. Also cot mobiles with lots of soothing lights and sounds to help baby drift of to sleep.

For 0 to 6 months

Play mat’s are great because they are soft so a newborn baby can lay on it, also as they get bigger they can learn and play with the flaps that make a crunch noise and mirrors which baby loves to play peek a boo, also noisy rattles keep them amused for hours.

6 to 12 months

Once baby reaches this stage in life they begin to be aware of there favourite fluffy toy or blanket and know when they haven’t got this with them. Toys for fun at this stage can be Learning and activity toys that are usually small enough for a little baby to grasp hold of, or if the child is older can have fun while furthering their education unbeknown to them. You should consider walker toys which are loved by all children especially when they feel so proud when they move it and begin to walk

1 to 2 years

Any toy that a child can pull or can press buttons that make a noise, toy telephones are good also building blocks can help with babies imagination, tiny soft bodied dolls are great too any toy which helps baby to learn are great including colouring and arts and crafts are ideal for babies imagination.

2 to 3 years

Bikes and scooters are wonderful for children of this age group as they can go out more and enjoy the fresh air learning to ride their bikes, and learn how to keep their balance on scooters plus it teaches them road safety at the same time, and not talking to strangers this is a big learning process for children and they love to learn. That’s why they are always asking questions to gain more information before they proceed on to nursery school.

3 to 5 years

Where did those years go, your precious baby is no longer a baby they are children now and ready to go off to nursery then Pre School. But the best toys will be the characters they watch and see on television e. g. Winnie the pooh, in the night garden, Dora or Diego. Any item that keeps your child’s mind active at this age will be a god send for both child and parent.

Always ensure when a child has a toy that there are no small parts that could harm or be a choking hazard. But even so always ensure that an appropriate adult can watch at all times just in case any accident does occur.

Colic

Colic is very common in newborn babies and the condition usually starts withina few weeks of birth, a newborn could have colic for four or five months. Although your baby may seem upset or distressed, colic is not harmful. Your baby will continue to feed and gain weight as any child would without this condition. There’s no evidence that colic causes any long-term effects. So don’t panic everything will turn out fine.

The condition is more common to occur in bottle fed babies but does still occur in breastfed baby’s too.

Colic can be an upsetting time for both parent and baby. You may feel like you’re letting your baby down or that you’re doing wrong. However, although colic can be a very distressing time, it is a phase which will pass in a few weeks or so.

Baby’s sometimes cry for no obvious reason even they have had a good feed and are clean, warm and cared for. If your baby has repeated episodes of excessive or inconsolable crying but still appear to be thriving and healthy, then baby could have colic (always seek your GP’s advice for any problem concerning baby in which you are not sure about).

We all know and I think agree too, that babies cry some a lot more than others. It is an effective way for them to communicate to people, it is your baby’s way of letting you know they’re hungry, tired, need a nappy change or unwell, even something simple like they want your attention or a cuddle.

Some colic symptoms include:

1. An uncontrollable cry so much so, baby’s face goes flushed red and there is little or nothing you can do to console them  
2. Your babies’ posture changes dramatically with drawn knees into stomach with back arched and fists clenched  
3. Disrupted feeding pattern due to crying with pain  
4. Difficulty sleeping  
5. Excess wind passed  
6. Restless at bedtimes  

 What causes colic?

1. The causes for colic are unknown  
2. Smoking in pregnancy gives your baby more chance of having colic  

 How you can help your baby:

1. Stay very calm, and try not to feel anxious as baby will pick it up from you  
2. If breastfeeding try and test different foods you consume in case that is a factor  
3. Bottle fed babies try a change of formula in case of an intolerance to ingredients  
4. Always try winding often  
5. Don’t overfeed baby  
6. If    baby is not sleeping well try not to over-stimulate before bedtime  
7. Try rubbing babies stomach whilst rocking  
8. Feed up right when possible  
9. Go for a stroll or a drive in the car  

There are lots of parents who have gone through the colicky period with their child, always try to talk to other parents and listen to what they found a help because it will be a struggle and seem like you cant do anything to calm baby.

But you can do it, have faith in yourself and remember a mother’s instinct knows best.

Potty Training

Why is potty training a child seen as a mission for some women and not others, is it something the mother could be doing differently when teaching their child to use the potty, or is it something to do with child in general. Read on to find out more about potty training your toddler.

I believe there are lots for our children to learn as well as lots to take on board, and one of these common issues include   potty and toilet training. Once you have got past the first hurdle of potty training, most moms think ha-ha they’ve cracked it. I myself was guilty of this, and it was my youngest daughter that proved it was not going to be the breeze I expected it to be.

It was one step forward and two back with the training part but we got through it, but this was not the end as all you moms are aware because the next step up from this was the issue of toilet training. Of course and to be expected with little kids learning to use the potty and loo there were still the odd accidents happening every now and again. Nearly every child has their own way of letting you know when they are ready to use the potty or the toilet. Of course these ways may differ greatly in each child.

Some children might use signs like dancing on the spot trying to hold their wee, while others use their face and body, where you see their body quiver. However most common way to let you know is he/she will strip the nappy off and throwing it at their parents or anybody else who gets in the way.
When is the best time to start potty and toilet training your baby? Good question. You know your own child better than any other so this should give you great insight to what is the best time. If you have concerns then speak with your GP or local midwife.

It is hard not to try and push your children to begin using the potty or the toilet because it really is frustrating when you see other children of the same age as your own child using the toilet without a problem, it does make you feel as though you are doing something wrong or have started to late or to early, but I realized if you go with the flow it will happen eventually.

But it can be difficult, and gets easier over time when the learning process kicks in.

It is said that the majority of children can control there bowels before they can control there bladder and also that by the time a child reaches two years old there would be one in two children dry throughout the daytime.

All I can say is that both of my children were not dry like them mentioned above, and also I think that each child is different and will do it when they are ready to do so.

I always thought bedtime would be the hardest of all, but with my first daughter I just took her out of nappies as soon as she was dry in the day and when she woke the morning after, for me to find her nappy bone dry I never looked back after that. But it proved more difficult with my second daughter which when I relate back to what I was saying earlier that each child differs and they are ready when their ready.

It’s been said that getting a child to become dry at night will take longer than the daytime being dry because a child has to know the feeling of a full bladder and the sensation that they get, and also need to wake up when they feel there bladders full and needs to be emptied, it sounds easy to us adults but a child just does not understand.

*Children start to become aware of the sensation and feeling that they need to  the toilet

*They realize the uncomfortable feeling of having a damp or wet nappy

*Also they will get to know when they need the potty or the toilet and may say 
  so.

*If all of the above are happening you may want to try your child on a potty or toilet depending on which stage you and your child are at

*Helpful advice for both mum and her baby below to help encourage her infant (son or daughter.) to poo and wee in the potty or toilet

*Leave the potty around on the floor where the child is so he/she can see it and even and try putting a doll or cuddly bear on it and make a big fuss when pretending that the doll/bear has had a wee.

*If you notice a certain time scale that your child needs the toilet try and ask or remind them just before the time they usually go.

*When your child does attempt to go to the potty/toilet but can’t do anything, don’t be upset praise them for attempting to do something rather than thinking of the bad side that they did not do anything because, they tried at the end of the day and you cannot ask for much more than that surely.

*When your child does do anything on the potty/toilet no matter how small it may be always give the praise and hugs and let them know how pleased and happy they have made you feel.

*I feel the better you make a child feel the more they want to do it all the more.

*A big help could be the big girl/boy toilet seat which helps them feel more secure on the toilet because it can be frightening for them the size of that toilet hole compared to the size of the child’s bottom/bum.

And if all else fails the last resort as they get older and start to understand more you could try a reward chart if you feel your child has got to the point where they just can’t be bothered or they are being lazy. Set a target and if they reach the target for going to the toilet they get a reward of their choice obviously within reason, you can also use the chart for other problems that you may want to nip in the bud – stick to your guns at all times and it will work.

Problems with potty/toilet training

If your child is just not showing any interest in going to the toilet, then don’t be disheartened by this reaction, it will happen when your child decides that he/she does not like feeling uncomfortable in a wet nappy.

If you do find it hard and you feel you are getting nowhere with the toilet training then revert back to potty days for a week or so and then just try again.

If your child has a mishap and dirties when you feel you were getting somewhere just always remember to keep calm and don’t shout just remember they are trying and it is hard for them as well as yourselves.

Also if you finally get your child dry for a while and then wetting a lot starts again then it maybe an underlying problem, maybe they are worrying about something maybe as simple as a change of address or it could be down to something as simple as they got over excited and forgot whilst playing with friends.

Just always remember you will get there eventually and when you do you can be proud and the children can be proud of their achievement.

Teething

Teething – When baby cuts his or her first tooth, the elation in both parents is somewhat an indescribable feeling. However even though a joyous “moment” and one to be remembered, there are moments you would like to forget. Prior to the breaking of the gum the amount of times mom and dad may have had to pace the floor trying to console there little one to soothe the pain of a teething infant, are the ‘I want to forget’ times I refer too.

We all know teething can be a difficult time for both parents and babies, most babies start the teething process between six to nine months of age, but it can vary with each child. A baby’s first teeth are known as milk teeth.

Sometimes few babies sail through the teething process with few symptoms or problems. However, sadly some not so fortunate, and suffer considerably from the usual teething problems. Expected discomforts normally derive from aching gums caused by swelling, and pains which can lead to further complications such as earache caused by the pain from teeth cutting through the gum.

Typical symptoms of teething include:

1. Some symptoms include redness of the cheeks and gums
2. Dribbling lots
3. Pain in the ear on the side the new tooth is coming through
4. Needing to chew away at anything and everything to help soothe the pain

A primary nibbling tool baby loves to slobber over is its fist. If baby is prone to scratching his or her skin and is, wearing gloves /scratch mittens due to the chewing of fists be careful there are no loose materials or cotton that could choke a child.

First time moms are not to panic because there are various things you can do, to help soothe the pain of teething and which I have used with my children that I would like to share with you, which are listed below

1. Soothing gel is a specially formulated medication created solely for this  purpose which temporarily helps ease the teething pains, however, only use after the age of four months and use as directed by your GP.

2. Teething rings chilled or frozen are fabulous for soothing and are great in helping with inflamed gums. What I found most helpful at this fretful time was if a teething ring is not available was to use a chilled carrot to help with teething pain. Baby should never be left alone at any time no matter what it is they suck, or chew on, so always ensure an adult is watching due to choking hazards.

3. Rusk’ s are ok but always make sure they are the sugar free kind as sugar or other types of sweet substances are not good for any kiddies’ teeth.

Teething is not a pleasant time for both mother and baby, and particularly more so for the little mite when his/her back teeth known as the molars start to come through. These are the biggest and maybe the most painful ones to cut, and the teeth used for chewing. Most of what you have read here will apply to most newborns and upwards, yes you heard right, it has been known for babies to be born with teeth.

All babies differ, which might include the time they walk and talk or whatever, so some suggested treatments and solutions above may not be ideal for child due to several factors. I cannot express enough…no matter how minor the problem linked to your baby’s health is, if it concerns you then see a doctor right away. Never leave anything to chance because after all you are the infant’s protector so do what protective humans do, and protect, since baby is helpless to this for him or herself.

Whooping Cough

Whooping cough is not one of the baby conditions a mother likes to be told by her doctor that her baby is suffering from. Although every other baby illness or type of sickness that brings baby down with a fever, covers him/her in a rash, or has them vomit their little guts up, whooping cough is a type different with a throat ripping cough. It is known medically and often referred to as pertussis…a highly contagious respiratory tract infection. It is a condition with similar symptoms to the common cold we are used to, however it can be much more serious if a young baby is suffering from it.

In the more advanced stage of whooping cough it is recognized by a severe hacking cough followed by a high-pitched intake of breath that sounds like a “whoop.”  The incidence of this condition has been rising, chiefly among kiddies too young to complete a full course of vaccinations and teenagers whose immunity has faded.
If the proper treatment is prescribed, or medication administered, teens and adults recover from whooping cough without problems. As with all conditions there is the mild and the severe sorts. The severe sort can usually be prevented with early treatment.

Whoever the person and regardless of gender with the bacterium that causes whooping cough may see it taking up to 12 days for symptoms to show.

Symptoms normally include:

• A runny nose 
• Nasal blockage 
• Sneezing 
• Red, watery eyes 
• Mild fever 
• Dry cough 
• Nausea and loss of appetite  

Over time and if the illness reaches another level the symptoms worsen. From this you can expect:

• Severe coughing bouts bringing thick phlegm 
• Continual coughing maybe up to fifteen at a time 
• In kiddies, their bouts of severe coughing can cause them to vomit and their face turn red, or even blue at times
• Tiredness from the strenuous coughingSymptoms of whooping cough in adults are much the same as to them of bronchitis, a respiratory infection that causes an irritating severe cough causing small red spots which has ruptured blood vessels at the skin’s surface (petechiae) in the upper body, as well as small places of bleeding in the whites of the eyes.    

This happens duly because of pressure and strain from coughing.
It’s known for people to do them self an injury from the strain of constant coughing (Like breaking or bruising a rib.)

Patients typically suffer most at night when the cough is normally at its worst.

If your child shows whooping cough symptoms then have your GP check the child out to determine the condition, to make an accurate diagnosis that it is whooping cough. There are several diseases associated to young babies such as chicken pox measles mumps and meningitis, which all give reason for concern.   And it wouldn’t be normal for any mother not to worry; however all the help is out there you need to keep your baby’s health in tip top condition.

With babies never leave anything to chance. No matter how little your worry is over their health, and for whatever reason, do right by your child and have your baby examined by a doctor sooner than later.  The quicker a condition is cured, the quicker you get back your healthy little son or daughter.