Tag Archives: newborns

What to Expect If Your Baby is Jaundiced

If your baby is diagnosed with jaundice, the news can be scary for you. Jaundice can range from mild to severe. If left untreated, mild cases may resolve themselves. Severe cases could lead to brain damage or even death. Fortunately, for babies, jaundice is very common, and doctors and hospitals are well aware of the signs and the treatment. All three of my children were diagnosed with jaundice. Each had a different degree of jaundice and therefore different treatment or combination of treatments. Here is what to expect if your baby is diagnosed with jaundice. Pricks and blood tests Depending … Continue reading →

When You Disagree with the Hospital

Last week and into this one, I shared our personal story of how we felt coerced into staying in the hospital with our 3rd daughter, Meghan. To read that story you can check it out here (Part 1, Part 2, Part 3). I shared the story because I think a lot of moms feel sabotaged in their breastfeeding efforts by nurses during their hospital stay immediately following the birth of their baby. I think sometimes, parents disagree with the hospital staff but are either too tired to fight or don’t feel like they have any rights. However, as parents, you … Continue reading →

Hospital Staff Bullies vs. Parental Rights Part 3

If you haven’t read the first two blogs in this series, you may want to before delving into this blog. The story makes more sense as a whole. . .but is too long to tell in one blog. You can read the first part here and the second part here. To quickly summarize: We were in the hospital discussing our ‘options’ as we disagreed with the hospital’s treatment plan regarding our newborn daughter, Meghan. Almost the End of the Story Meghan was not nursing well, as by this time she had had numerous bottles and not a lot of time … Continue reading →

Hospital Staff Bullies vs. Parental Rights Part 2

I left off last time sharing our story of the birth of our 3rd daughter. You may remember that I’ve written about her before. . .but I’ll get to that. If you haven’t read the first blog, I suggest you do so as it will help you understand this one a little better. The Strenuous Job of the Nursing Staff Nursing is a tough job. I’m sure it’s harder in an inner city hospital. However, bringing a baby back to a mother or notifying her that her baby is hungry is not optional depending on how busy it is. Giving … Continue reading →

Hospital Staff Bullies vs. Parental Rights

This blog is in response to some comments made on another blog that I recently wrote about a man who was stunned with a tazer gun and as a result dropped his baby, whom he was trying to carry out of the hospital. Clearly, after hospital and police statements were made, the picture has changed slightly. However, I find in talking with new moms that what I call “the hospital staff bully” phenomenon, is alive and well, even if there is more to this one particular story. While most of us probably have more common sense and access to resources … Continue reading →

Hospital Crosses Line

Note: When I originally wrote this article, there were no statements available except from the mother and father and those that represent them. I looked up several articles to do this blog. The hospital and the police department have now added statements to the story in backing their position. I obviously am concerned about the health and safety of babies. As a result of ‘new’ information, I have changed this blog and am adding a follow up blog on our own story of hospital staff bullies. Look for it soon! I’ve written an incendiary title and I know it. This … Continue reading →

Ask a Baby Blogger: What Solids Should I Avoid?

Question: My baby seems to have a sensitive stomach. He seems to react to foods that even I eat. He is 4 months old and I want to start him on solids soon but I’m not sure which solid foods will make him constipated or irritate his stomach. Any advice? I think that as parents we spend most of our time with our babies feeding them. I can think of nothing else that takes up as much time as does feeding. Consequently we also spend the most time worrying and wondering about the how, what, when, etc. of starting solid … Continue reading →

Skin Color Changes – What Do They Mean?

Has your baby changed color recently? No, I am not referring to a melanin shift in the skin turning pale skin dark or dark skin pale. No, I’m talking about what happens when your baby develops a mottling of purplish, pink or even blue areas on their body. Most often, a change in skin color is due to an immature circulatory system. Imagine for a moment, when we cry or we are upset, the skin on our faces changes color – deepening to a red or pink shade. We describe a very angry person as mottling purple and a very … Continue reading →

Babies in the News: Interesting Bits & Stories

Occasionally, I get a lot of great news articles in my in box and today, I got quite a few of them. These are fun stories, sad stories and just plain interesting stories. Once upon a time, I read these stories with only a passing smile for the ideas in them – but since I became a mother, my perspective has changed. There is more in these stories that touches me now – maybe they will you too. December Babies Going Home in Stockings There’s a hospital in California that is sending home all of the babies born this month … Continue reading →

Inviting Siblings to Share in the New Baby

Welcoming a new baby to your home and looking for ways to ease the transition for your older children. A year ago, my sister-in-law gave birth to her youngest son and my older nephew had just turned six. It was important for all of us to make him feel very much a part of the birth of this new baby and to encourage him to bond with his new little brother. The desire to do this came from all the same reasons all families have – to make sure the older sibling does not feel neglected or excluded and at … Continue reading →