Dangers of caffeine in pregnancy

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Caffeine which is usually found in coffee,colas,tea and some soft drinks have been found to cross the placenta and enter the circulation of the fetus. A recent test of caffeine on developing animal fetus showed lots of harmful effects.

Apart from the reason stated above there are other valid reasons why you should give up caffeinated coffee, teas and colas during pregnancy (or at least to cut down the consumption).

First of all, caffeine has a diuretic effect, drawing fluid and calcium (both vital to the maternal and fetal health) from the body. If you are having problems with frequent urination anyway caffeine intake will compound it.

Second, coffee and tea especially when taken with sugar and cream are filling and satisfying without being nutritious, and can spoil your appetite for the nutritious food you need. Colas are not only filling but may contain some chemicals in addition to unneeded sugars.

Third, caffeine can exacerbate your normal pregnancy mood swings and also interfere with adequate rest.

Fourth, caffeine may interfere with the absorption of the iron both mother and baby needs

Fifth, consumption of caffeine by pregnant women, according to recent research, might result in her baby eventually developing diabetes.

How you can break the habit
First you need to understand why you are breaking the habit in the first place, which is for your baby’s health and yours as well.

Second you need to determine why you indulge, and which beverages you can use to substitute the caffeine containing ones you usually take. If it is the taste of coffee or tea that appeals to you then switch to a naturally decaffeinated replacement. If it is the caffeine lift you crave ,you will get more natural long-lasting boost from exercise and good food, especially complex carbohydrates and protein or from doing something that exhilarates you, like jogging,dancing,taking a walk. If you take your caffeinated beverage as part of a daily ritual, change the location of that ritual and change the beverage that accompanies it.

How to minimize caffeine withdrawal symptoms
Caffeine is an addictive drug .lots of caffeine lovers or imbibers who quit just like that can expect to experience withdrawal symptoms, including headaches, fatigue, and irritability.which is why it is better to ease off the caffeine gradually.

Here are some tips to help minimize withdrawal symptom:

1. Get some outdoor exercise each day
2. Make sure you get enough sleep and rest
3. eat frequent small meals that are rich in proteins and complex carbohydrate foods (don’t forget to take your pregnancy vitamins)
If after this your taste buds still crave the flavor of coffee, continue to satisfy them by using a brewed decaffeinated coffee.

Breastfeeding through infection: Risks to baby

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Infections of the breast are very rare during pregnancy but unfortunately they are more frequent after delivery and during lactation or breastfeeding.

It’s safe to breastfeed your baby during common illnesses such as colds and flu.

But it depends on what is causing the cold or flu symptoms. If for example the cause is a cytomegalovirus. Breastfeeding will be dangerous to the baby.

Mastitis (an infection in the breast), thrush, cracked nipples, breast abscesses, Milk stasis (Milk stasis is when a milk duct is blocked and cannot drain properly)

Does not pose any risk to your baby. But there are a few situations, however, in which breastfeeding is not advised.

1. Contagious pulmonary tuberculosis: this infection can be very dangerous to the baby’s health if the mother does not undergo complete treatment. But Breastfeeding can be continued as soon as the mother has undergone treatment and is no longer contagious.

2. Herpes simplex: There are two different Herpes Simplex strains:

Herpes I - generally produces cold sores on the lips and mouth

Herpes II – is generally genital lesions.

Breastfeeding is safe if there are no lesions on the breast. But if there are lesions, they must be well treated, and since Herpes sores are spread through contact, the mother should cover her breast and must be careful to avoid direct contact on baby’s mouth or food. In other words, she should always wash her hands.

3. Chicken pox: If you have chickenpox, avoid contact with other pregnant women and new babies until at least five days after the rash appears, or until all the blisters have crusted over. It is advisable to separate mother and baby from each other and the baby should be nurtured by another individual during the mother’s period of infectivity. The baby will be offered varicella-zoster immunoglobulin (VZIG). Breastfeeding is safe as soon as the mother is noninfectious, meaning all spots are crusted over.

4. Hepatitis A: Breastfeeding is safe after the mother receives a dose of gamma globulin.

5. Lyme disease: Lyme disease is caused by a microorganism known as a spirochete, which is carried by ticks. There is no research documentation confirming the presence of the spirochete in human milk or transmission by breastfeeding, to be absolutely safe, if a mother is suspected of having acute Lyme disease, she should stop breastfeeding. Breastfeeding is safe as soon as the mother initiates treatment.

6. HIV infection or HTLV-1: Breastfeeding is not recommended if a woman is infected with HIV, there is a chance that her baby also will become infected with HIV during pregnancy, delivery, or breastfeeding. HIV transmission through breast milk is more likely among mothers with advanced disease, reflected in low CD4+ cell counts.

7. Hepatitis B: Breastfeeding is safe after the baby receives a dose of Hepatitis B immune globulin (HBIG). The baby should also be started on the first of three doses of Hepatitis B vaccine.

If a woman is diagnosed with HBV, her infant should receive the first dose of hepatitis B vaccine within 48 hours of birth, as soon as possible thereafter. Subsequent doses of the vaccine should be given with routine childhood immunization at one month and six months of age. There is no vaccine for the prevention of HCV infection.

How to deal with colic in babies.

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What is colic?

That all babies cry is a reality anywhere in the world. Generally, between three weeks and the three months of age is when they cry the most and, frequently, especially during the afternoons or nights.

The duration of a baby’s weeping depends on his/her temperament and the circumstances or cause of his/her cry ,but the experts call it " colic" when it lasts three or more hours a day, for three to four days a week, for a period of four or more weeks.

For the parents, colic can be a source of frustration and stress, especially because it is not clear, what the cause or cure might be (only the duration is known.

The best explanation apparently, is that the baby absorbs the experiences his/her new world and its day to day activities and arrives at a point in which his/her immature nervous system is overloaded. And due to the fact that the baby uses every nerve of his/her immature body during all this processes of assimilation, they tend to cry and feel pains, especially in the stomach, which is one part that works non-stop.

Luckily, as the baby grows and his/her nervous system matures, he/she will be able to develop more abilities to separate his/her mind from some things and be able to stay calm. However, until that moment, the family life can be difficult. What be done meanwhile?

How to calm a baby with colic

Here are some verified tactics that will help calm the baby:

- Movement: swing, rock, take your baby out for a walk, and make him/her dance in the arms of mother or papa. Apparently, the movement practically eliminates the restlessness. You can experiments with different types of movement, since all babies are different

- Sound: music (not heavy metal), songs, originating smooth noises of a fan or another mechanical device (vacuum cleaner) or white noise. can also help soothe babies.

- Touch: research has shown that carrying babies in a frontal knapsack or baby-carrier during the first hours of the day (when the baby is not crying), really will reduce to the duration of the night cry, but not to be done frequently.

Once the baby begins to cry, you can massage him/her smoothly at the back, caress his stomach exerting a slight pressure and wrap him/her in a blanket to help him stay calm.

What happens if it is not colic?

In many occasions, some components in the mother’s diet during the period of breast-feeding, might be altered or might change. It can help a lot if the mother diminishes her intake of caffeine or cabbages, spices or scented vegetables. See if these alleviate the problem. If the baby is bottle fed, you might change it, but don`t change his/her formula, without consulting the pediatrician. In addition, you should also be alert for any sign that the baby might be ill or has an injury; naturally, these also can make babies cry.