Baby

Image: Shutterstock IN THIS ARTICLE Hearing loss, deafness, or hearing impairment is the complete or partial loss of the ability to hear sounds in one or both ears. Hearing loss in babies before developing speech and language skills is called prelingual hearing loss, which may negatively impact the development of auditory centers of the brain.

Image: Shutterstock IN THIS ARTICLE Ventricular septal defect (VSD) is an abnormal opening in the ventricular septum, the tissue or wall that separates the heart’s lower chambers (ventricles). It is one of the most common types of congenital heart defects, accounting for about half of congenital heart disease cases in babies. The ventricular septum prevents

Image: Shutterstock IN THIS ARTICLE Breastfeeding twins means feeding two babies optimally. However, feeding twins optimally without compromising breast milkquality and quantity is a valid concern for a mother. But this should not stop a mother from breastfeeding her twins. Experts believe that most mothers can breastfeed twins successfully with proper guidance and prompt support.

Image: iStock IN THIS ARTICLE Parachute reflex is a primitive, postural reflex where a baby standing in an upright position, when lowered face down towards a flat surface, extends the arms outwards and spreads the fingers wide (just like a parachute) to prevent a fall. For most full-term, healthy babies, this gross motor skill appears

Image: Shutterstock IN THIS ARTICLE If your breast milk smells and tastes off or soapy, it could be due to high lipase activity. Lipase is an enzyme naturally found in breast milk. This enzyme has several benefits, such as hydrolyzing milk fat into easily digestible and absorbable fatty acids. Parents share that babies refuse to

Image: Shutterstock IN THIS ARTICLE Antibiotics or antibacterials are medications that fight bacterial infections. They may act by stopping the growth (bacteriostatic) or destroying (bactericidal) the bacteria. Broad-spectrum antibiotics target many bacteria, and narrow-spectrum antibiotics are prescribed for specific bacterial infections. Single or combination antibiotic therapies are given depending on the condition. Antibiotics can be

Image: Shutterstock IN THIS ARTICLE Crying is a significant form of communication for babies since it lets them express hunger, pain, and tiredness. However, it is not uncommon for babies to sometimes cry for no apparent reason. A baby may display random fake crying or may even do so for a specific purpose, which most

Image: Shutterstock IN THIS ARTICLE Purple and violet have a special place among the colors. These colors are often associated with royalty, nobility, luxury, and power. Naming babies after these colors has gained popularity nowadays, as parents search for unique and different names for their babies. Names carry your child’s identity throughout their life, and

Image: Shutterstock IN THIS ARTICLE Wet-nursing is an old, alternative feeding practice where a mother breastfeeds a baby other than her own. Although it is also called cross-nursing, both are different. Wet-nursing is full-time breastfeeding of an infant other than one’s own, usually for money. On the other hand, cross-nursing is done occasionally by a

Image: Shutterstock IN THIS ARTICLE Urine is usually clear or pale yellow with a mild smell. There could be moments when your baby’s urine may have a strong odor. Passing strong-smelling urine occasionally may not be a problem if your baby is well-hydrated and the urine has a pale color. However, persistent foul-smelling urine may

Image: Shutterstock IN THIS ARTICLE Dehydration is a lack of adequate fluid in the body. It may occur due to reduced fluid intake and/or increased fluid loss from the body. Water is essential for several physiological functions, including bowel movements, urination, and sweating. Babies and toddlers are usually at a higher risk of dehydration, which

Image: Shutterstock IN THIS ARTICLE Breastfeeding is a pleasant experience. But it can become overwhelming, especially for those experiencing lactation woes, such as breast pain and low milk flow. While most of these nursing issues resolve on their own, a few may require extra care and alternative treatment techniques, such as a lactation massage. Lactation

There’s lots to consider when buying a kid’s mattress, but let’s start with the basics: When it comes to mattresses of any size—from crib to California king—your options are spring, foam and hybrid. Spring mattresses are firm and supportive, thanks to the steel coils inside. The number, gauge, shape and positioning of the coils varies

Image: Shutterstock IN THIS ARTICLE Breastfeeding is a beautiful journey that most mothers wish to continue for long. However, in some cases, premature breastfeeding cessation may occur due to some reasons. In such instances, if a mother desires, she could resume nursing through relactation. Relactation is the process of establishing breast milk supply after it

Image: Shutterstock IN THIS ARTICLE Tantrums, screaming, aggression, defiance, mood swings, etc., — you will have to deal with all these if you have a toddler. Dealing with these can be challenging and can give you a hard time, but know that they are all signs of healthy development in your toddler. As your dependant

Image: Shutterstock IN THIS ARTICLE Power pumping or cluster pumping is a breast pumping technique that mimics frequent feeding sessions with minimal breaks (cluster feeding). This may increase the milk letdown and stimulate breast milk production by emptying the breasts frequently. Power pumping may boost the milk supply in some women, while some may require

It’s not that uncommon to have intrusive thoughts after having a baby, but if you’re exhibiting signs of postpartum OCD, it’s time to get help. Update, March 25, 2021: A new study out of the University of British Columbia suggests postpartum OCD might be more common than previously thought. The study estimates that 17 percent of

Image: Shutterstock Breast milk production is based on supply and demand, and the breasts produce as much milk as required by the baby. However, lactating mothers can suffer from over or undersupply of breast milk. When the baby drinks all the breast milk and the breast is empty, this emptiness stimulates the body to produce

Image: Shutterstock IN THIS ARTICLE Congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) occurs when the diaphragm, a muscle that separates the abdominal and chest cavity, fails to close during the fetal period. The abdominal organs herniate to the chest cavity through these openings and impact the growth of the lungs. CDH may result in pulmonary hypoplasia (smaller lung

Image: Shutterstock IN THIS ARTICLE Tandem breastfeeding or tandem nursing refers to the practice of nursing two babies of different ages simultaneously. Although tandem breastfeeding may sound unusual to some, the practice becomes necessary if you have given birth to the second child while still breastfeeding the first one (1). Whether or not you wish