Hormones in a woman’s body prepare her for and trigger the production of breast milk. Toward the end of pregnancy and during the first few days after delivery, glands in the breast produce colostrum. When the body releases prolactin, a hormone that stimulates milk production, your breasts produce more milk. The more frequently you breast-feed, the more milk your breasts glands will produce.

Breast-feeding is a learned technique so you will get better at it with practice. Almost all breast-feeding difficulties, such as sore nipples, may be prevented using proper technique, and by talking to your doctor or lactation consultant. The first weeks of breast-feeding are usually the most challenging for young mothers.

What is mastitis?

Mastitis is an inflammation of the breast; it might cause swelling, redness, tenderness and pain. There may be an infection as well, so it is wise to consult your health-care provider to determine if antibiotics are necessary. In some cases, breast infection can become a breast abscess that requires surgical draining. However, this is easy to prevent by promp treatment of mastitis.

Signs of mastitis

• Part or the entire breast is intensely painful, hot, tender, red, and swollen. Some mothers can pinpoint a definite area of inflammation, but sometimes, entire breast is tender.

• The woman feels tired, run down, achy, has chills, or thinks she might have the flu. A breastfeeding mother who thinks she has the flu probably has mastitis. Mothers with mastitis sometimes experience these flu-like symptoms, and this happens even before they get a fever or notice breast tenderness. Woman also has chills or feel feverish, or a body temperature is 101F or higher. These symptoms suggest that you have an infection known as mastitis and you should visit your doctor. If you are feeling progressively worse, your breasts are growing more tender, and your fever is worse, you have to visit the doctor. With simple engorgement, a plugged duct, or mastitis without infection, you should gradually feel better in time, not worse.

Home treatment of mastitis

From the time you begin breast-feeding until your baby is weaned, it is wise to take measures to prevent mastitis. If you have any symptom of mastitis, you should contact your health professional right away. Delaying treatment can lead to an abscess forming in the affected breast, which is a serious condition. Severe infection could even require intravenous antibiotics in the hospital.

Along with oral antibiotic treatment, adequate emptying of the affected breast helps prevent more bacteria from collecting. It may also shorten the duration of the infection.

You can safely continue breast-feeding your baby or pumping breast milk to feed your baby during the illness. You could also continue with breast-feeding even if you receive treatment for mastitis. You should know that your baby is the most efficient pump you have for emptying your breasts. Your breast milk is safe for your baby to drink because any bacteria in your milk will be destroyed by your baby’s digestive juices. Before breast-feeding your baby, place a warm, wet washcloth over the affected breast for about 15 minutes. You should do it only if your milk leaks easily; try this at least 3 times a day. This increases the milk flow in the breast. Massaging the affected breast may also increase the milk flow. If possible, you should continue breast-feeding on both sides, ideally starting on the affected side. It is critical that this breast is emptied thoroughly. If this breast is too painful to start with, try feeding from the healthy breast first and then after your milk starts flowing, breast-feed from the affected breast until it feels soft. After this, switch back to the healthy breast and breast-feed until your baby has finished.
Pump or express milk from the affected breast if the pain prevents you from breast-feeding during mastitis. A common problem is nipple pain that you feel because the baby latches onto sore nipples.

Self-care measures for mastitis

First off, take your prescribed antibiotics regularly and continue to breast-feed or pump breast milk according to your doctor’s instructions. Beside this, there are some other steps you can take to make yourself feel better until mastitis goes away. You may take acetaminophen such as Tylenol, to relieve your pain or discomfort. You can take ibuprofen along with acetaminophen to reduce the inflammation if necessary. Try to rest as much as possible. You might also apply ice packs to the affected breast to help reduce your pain. Place the ice outside of your bra or clothing; do not put the ice directly on your bare skin. You should drink extra fluids, and if your breasts are overfull, pump or express a small amount of breast milk before breast-feeding. This will make your breasts less full and will make it easier for your baby to latch onto your breast. If pus is draining from your infected breast, wash the nipple gently and let it air dry. Disposable breast pads placed in the bra cup may absorb the drainage.

Most women can successfully continue breast-feeding during a breast infection or mastitis. If mastitis makes it difficult for you to continue breast-feeding while the infection is under treatment, remember that emptying your breasts regularly is essential.

How to prevent mastitis?

The best way to prevent mastitis is to avoid the situations that set you up for it and relieve engorgement promptly. Your doctor should tell you that the milk that does not flow gets thicker and clogs the ducts, which is a set-up for mastitis. This means you should breastfeed frequently and not restrict the length of feedings. If you feel your breasts getting full, encourage your baby to nurse and relieve you. You do not have to wait for the baby to tell you he is hungry. You should also avoid sleeping on your stomach, or so far over on your side that your breasts compress against the mattress. Take care of yourself and get plenty of rest, both of mind and body.
Problems with recurrent mastitis are usually the result of irregular breastfeeding patterns: missing feedings. This could also be the result of giving bottles in place of breast-feedings. In some cases, skipping pumping sessions when separated from the baby could also be the reason for mastitis. That is why to prevent mastitis, you have to avoid these situations. Recurrent mastitis may also mean that your immune system is generally rundown, possibly due to fatigue and stress. Mastitis is a sign that you need to take a closer look at your lifestyle and breastfeeding relationship and make adjustments as necessary.

When does a woman need antibiotic treatment for mastitis?

You can experience the pain and inflammation of mastitis without necessarily having a bacterial infection. Yet, it is often difficult to tell whether mastitis has become a breast infection and when it is going to pass on its own. That is why it is necessary to consult your healthcare provider as soon as you suspect mastitis. In medical practice, most doctors operate on the principle of better to treat mastitis earlier than later. Mothers who start with antibiotics too late in the course of mastitis are more likely to wean their babies from the breast. They are also more likely to have a more severe infection, and to have the infection recur. In this case, it will be hard to prevent mastitis.

You may not need an antibiotic if you do not have a history of frequent episodes of mastitis. If you do not feel that sick, or if you have not gotten progressively sicker over the last few hours, you may not need antibiotics either. Your fever not rising and the breast pain and tenderness not increasing means your mastitis could pass, given time.

If you can easily correct whatever factors may have set you up for engorgement in the first place, you should not consider antibiotic therapy. However, if you do have a history of frequent mastitis, and your fever is raising, you might need antibiotics to treat mastitis. If you are feeling progressively sicker as the hours go by and your nipples are cracked, which allows bacteria to get into your breast tissue more easily, antibiotics are necessary.

Which antibiotics are best for treating mastitis?

The type of bacteria involved in mastitis is usually staphylococcus. In this case, the two safest and most effective classes of antibiotics against this organism are cloxacillins and cephalosporins. Other frequently prescribed antibiotics are either Augmentin® or erythromycin, depending on case specifics. All of these antibiotics are safe to take while breastfeeding and will not affect your baby. Even though you will feel better after a few days of taking antibiotics, you have to be sure to complete the full course prescribed by your doctor. Therapy usually lasts for ten days and you have to take it all. Otherwise, you run the risk of the mastitis returning. If you do not feel better after two or three days on antibiotics, you should call your doctor, so he or she might prescribe a different medication to treat your mastitis.

The main advantage youth brings is that you are likely to be fitter and less at risk of pregnancy complications – but of course that all comes down to your physical health. A younger mum who is overweight, eats a poor diet and takes little exercise likely won’t be as healthy as an older mum who takes better care of herself. Your general health and attitude also follows through into how you cope as a mum.

Your pregnancy as a younger mum-to-be
Assuming that you take care of yourself and were healthy going into your pregnancy, you’re less at risk of having a miscarriage than an older mum-to-be. This comes down to chronology: you’re basically working with a younger set of eggs that are far less likely to be affected by chromosomal problems such as Down syndrome.

You’ll have various tests and checks during your first trimester that will assess your risks of having an affected baby, but if you’re under 35 your risk of Down syndrome is less than one percent. This carries through into the fact that younger women are less likely to have an amniocentesis, an invasive diagnostic test, which, in itself, carries a slight risk of miscarriage. For comparison, a mum-to-be age 45 has a three per cent risk of conceiving a baby with Down. But despite your lower overall risk, most babies with Down syndrome are actually born to women under the age of 35 simply because more of them have babies.

Chromosomal disorders such as Down increase your rate of miscarrying so the fact that your risk is lower means you are less likely to lose your baby – up to the age of about 35 one pregnant woman in eight miscarries, but once you pass this age that falls to one in four and once you pass 40 it’s one in three.

You’ll still be hit hard by pregnancy tiredness in your first trimester (weeks 0-12), as your baby develops, but you may be able to cope better with it because your energy levels may be higher and you may have more stamina than an older mum-to-be. You also are at less risk of problems that tend to be more likely as we age, such as diabetes and high blood pressure, unless you are a teenage mum-to-be – 17 is a key cut-off age, and mums and pregnant women around this age or younger are at as high, or higher, a risk of high blood pressure as older mums-to-be, and also are at a higher risk of anemia due to the fact that their diet may not be as healthy as that of an older woman. This mean your midwife will still screen you for gestational diabetes and pre-eclampsia (pregnancy-induced high blood pressure) during your pregnancy.

Your labour as a younger mum-to-be
The fact you’re less likely to develop issues such as gestational diabetes and pre-eclampsia means that many younger mums-to-be have a lower risk of having a pre-term birth for these specific reasons than older mums-to-be. However, this doesn’t mean you’re out of the woods entirely. There is evidence that very young mums-to-be (under 20 years of age) are at higher risk of a preterm delivery. Smoking and alcohol consumption also are linked to preterm labour, so if you don’t quit these habits during your pregnancy these may factor in.

Sexually transmitted infections are also a big risk among younger mums-to-be, and teenage mums-to-be in particular are more likely to be underweight when they become pregnant and also less likely to gain an adequate amount of weight during their pregnancy. Low weight gain increases the risk of having a low-birthweight baby – and around 10 percent of teenage mums have low birthweight babies compared to around 9 percent of older mums. Pregnant teens are also the least likely of all the maternal age groups to get early and regular antenatal care.

But if these issues don’t apply to you and you are healthy, the fact that you’re less likely to naturally conceive twins or multiples, less likely to have used fertility treatments to conceive, and less likely to already have had a preterm birth, also factor in to make early delivery unusual.

However you do have a big advantage for the labour itself although, once again, it depends on how fit and healthy you are going into your pregnancy. Assuming you are, you’re likely to be more flexible and have better muscle tone that makes it easier for you to deliver your baby naturally – younger labouring women are less likely to need assisted deliveries and caesareans.

Parenting as a younger mum
As a younger parent you may be less mature and settled than an older parent and if you’re the only one among all your friends who has a baby it can be hard to cope with the fact that you may not be able to go out and enjoy yourself like you used to. This can be complicated if your baby was unplanned, which is more likely among very young mums-to-be. You also may be less likely to be in a solid, secure relationship and even if you are, a younger partner may not be as supportive as an older, more mature significant other.

You may be still in the middle of studying and even if you are in a good job you may not yet have much financial security. Babies are expensive to kit out, and you may find you’re having to care for yours on a very tight budget.

While you may have more physical stamina when it comes to coping with the sleepless nights and 24-7 baby care routine, there is no doubt that these aspects of parenthood can be emotionally exhausting too. If you don‘t have much experience of spending time with friends’ babies, or other babies within your extended family, the sheer work involved can come as a big shock.

Now is when you will need to start thinking like an older mum, in order that you can approach parenthood with the right level of maturity. Taking care of yourself is vital, because improved health and fitness can make all the difference. That’s where you have your biggest advantage – the fact that you will likely have more energy when you most need it and will be young enough to better relate to your baby as she grows.

There has long been debate over whether nature or nurture is responsible for the differences between baby boys and baby girls – but MRI scanning techniques have revealed over a hundred minute differences between the male and female brain and these come into play the minute your baby is born, becoming even more apparent as he grows. He has higher levels of testosterone in his body and this impacts on how he processes, stores and retrieves information. He’ll respond very differently to the world around him than a baby girl will, and when it comes to raising him it can help to keep this in mind.

So what can you expect from your baby boy?

Nappy changes are easier with a baby boy: As a rule it’ll be easier to clean your baby boy when you change his nappy, simply because poo tends to make its way into a baby girl’s vagina. No such problem with a baby boy. And don’t be surprised if your baby boy gets erections – it’s perfectly normal and you may see it at every nappy change. It can often signal that he is about to pee, so have a towel ready at nappy changes to avoid a soaking!

Boys sometimes walk sooner: Baby boys are more active than baby girls from day one, and will tend to kick and wriggle more. Boys also tend to have better gross motor skills than girls, so for that reason they may get on the move sooner and walk earlier than girls, and will tend to be much happier when they’re running or kicking a ball about. It means that you’ll probably have to encourage him more when it comes to getting him to sit down and do a task that involves concentrating and using fine motor skills, such as colouring. But it’s really in the late toddler and early preschool years that your boy will forge ahead when it comes to physical abilities and strength.

Boys prefer cars to dolls: Baby boys prefer to watch mechanical motion rather than human motion.  Your baby boy will be more spatially aware than a baby girl and better able to track motion – and it could be one reason for the fact that your efforts to be politically correct and get him to play with dolls will likely fall by the wayside as he clamours for his train set and toy cars!

Boys talk later than girls: Studies suggest that male brains have fewer nerve cells in the area of the brain that processes language and this may be why they often don’t vocalize as early or as clearly as girls the same age, and use less complex sentences once they do start talking. Speech delays are diagnosed in boys much more frequently than girls, so while you should expect him to be slightly behind girls the same age, get him assessed for a speech delay if he isn’t keeping up with other boys his age.

Boys are more emotional than you think: Your little boy may be a bigger softy at heart than a baby girl as he grows. Boys aren’t so good at socializing and communicating as girls and this often makes them less independent and more shy when it comes to mixing with others. You may find that your baby boy is more upset at being separated from you than a baby girl would be and that he’s actually more into cuddles with mummy!

However, as your baby boy grows he won’t be as adept as a girl at expressing his strong emotions – one reason why girls are more likely to talk things through and listen to reason when boys might be more likely to hit out. Help your boy by giving him the vocabulary he needs to label his emotions and express them verbally. If you see him looking cranky, tell him that’s how he feels – once he knows the right words to use, he’ll be more likely to use them.

There’s no doubt that boys and girls are different and that working with those differences can help you be a happy parent raising a happy baby boy. But do bear in mind that your baby boy is an individual and be prepared for some exceptions to the rules.

Baby boys are more at risk of poor health: Keep a close eye on your baby boy’s health in his first weeks and months as baby boys are more vulnerable to respiratory infections. They are more likely to suffer from bronchiolitis (a common illness in infancy) as well as wheezing and asthma. Baby boys who are born prematurely also fare less well than baby girls. Physically, boys have less mature skeletal systems, and this means that they’re more susceptible to injuring themselves than girls – the fact they are more physically active as they grow raises this risk.

There has long been debate over whether nature or nurture is responsible for the differences between baby boys and baby girls – but MRI scanning techniques have revealed over a hundred minute differences between the male and female brain and these come into play the minute your baby is born, becoming even more apparent as she grows.

The estrogen in her system affects her brain development, and she also has higher levels of the hormones serotonin and oxytocin. Serotonin affects mood, meaning that your baby girl may be less cranky and more easily soothed than a baby boy. Oxytocin is a hormone produced during sex and while lactating, and could be the key to a baby girl being more receptive to emotions than a baby boy.

What else can you expect from your baby girl?

Nappy changes will be more fiddly : With a baby girl you have to be extra careful to wipe from front to back as this can help to prevent poo from entering her vagina, which can result in a yeast infection (these are common in baby girls), and her urethra, which can jumpstart a urinary tract infection. In her first few days you will notice that your baby girls vulva is swollen and she may pass discharge – this is perfectly normal and results from oestrogen that entered her system from your body via blood passing through the placenta and umbilical cord. She also may have discharge from her nipples for the same reason.

Baby girls are often smaller: Baby girls tend to be born smaller than baby boys, although if you and your baby’s father are especially tall she may be larger than a baby boy whose parents are small. They tend to be healthier too: their skeletons are stronger, making them less vulnerable to injury, and they also seem less susceptible to developing complications from respiratory infections such as bronchiolitis. Premature baby girls typically thrive better than premature baby boys.

Baby girls love to be active! Don’t be taken in by the fact your baby girl may seem less physically strong and active than a baby boy – she still needs to run and climb and kick and throw a ball. You shouldn’t treat her as any more fragile than a boy and a good workout will help her gross motor skills catch up with those of boys her age.

She’s keen to communicate with you: Baby girls are entranced by faces, and your baby will love nothing more than to be held up close to your face and will maintain eye contact with you for longer than a baby boy. It may be one reason why girls are better at reading emotions as they grow. Her fascination with watching your features express emotion makes her a great mimic – from just a few hours old she may copy you if you slowly poke out your tongue at her.

Baby girls are good with their hands: Baby girls are better at fine motor movements performed with the fingers so your baby girl will probably be able to hold and control a piece of chalk or a crayon with more dexterity than a boy her age. They are better at playing with toys that require a degree of manipulation, such as twisting movements, and more proficient at using a spoon when it comes to self-feeding, and holding a pencil for writing later on.

Baby girls talk sooner: The fact she’s watching you that bit more closely and better able to register your voice means your baby girl is likely to understand what you are saying to her earlier than a baby boy would, and she’s more likely to try to communicate back with hand gestures such as waving and pointing, sooner too. She’ll talk sooner too: at around 12 months as opposed to around 14 months for a baby boy. By 16 months or so, your baby girl will know and be able to say up to 100 words, while a boy the same age will typically average around 30. She’ll string words together to form sentences earlier, and once she reaches preschool age she will use longer and more complex sentences than a boy.

Baby girls are better listeners: Baby girls are better able to hear noises in a higher register. The fact your baby girl is more attuned to your voice should mean that she is more inclined to listen to you (though we can’t guarantee it once toddler tantrums rear their ugly head!)
The fact her hearing is more acute means you can expect your baby girl to be more easily startled and upset by loud noises than a baby boy would be, and when it comes to toys that make noises she will prefer gentle sounds like music rather than the wailing sirens a baby boy would favour.

Baby girls are more sociable: Baby girls have better social skills than baby boys, mainly because they are better at communicating, and at empathizing with others. This means your baby girl might well be more independent than a baby boy would be, less apt to get upset if she isn’t in your presence and more inclined to play with other children a further distance from you than a boy the same age would be.

There’s no doubt that boys and girls are different and that working with those differences can help you be a happy parent raising a happy baby girl. But do bear in mind that your baby girl is an individual and be prepared for some exceptions to the rules.

Round-robin dinners
If your friends ask what they can do for you in the early days, get them to do a round-robin of dinners for the first couple of weeks. It’s so exciting waiting for the dinner to turn up and people usually prepare their most decadent meals. It’s better than eating in a restaurant every night. And you’ll find even if your baby has been an angel all day, from 5 – 7 is witching time for many newborns.

Power naps
Business people may think they are the ones who invented these but new mothers have always done them. Don’t always do chores when the babe goes down. Have a rest and don’t feel guilty about it. If you’re not the type to nap during the day just read a book but give yourself a break. It is not a luxury, it’s an investment. Remember they are here to replace you!

Get a house clean
If you don’t normally have a house cleaner, get one for the first three months (they may never leave) – hire a local teenager to do it, they are much more affordable. It will help your sanity. There is nothing more annoying than nursing constantly on the sofa and having to stare at un-vacuumed rug and stains which never go away. You immediately forget about them, the moment you get up.

It takes a village
Do hand your baby over to a trusted family member or friend from time to time and go for a walk or do something for yourself, have a massage or just go to a cafe and stare into space for half an hour. You will return SO much better off, again in love with your baby with energy to spare.

Get out of the house!
Take advantage of all the baby-friendly activities out there and get out the door! A walk is one of the best things you can do for everyone’s health. One of the best inventions in recent years are mother and baby cinema outings. No one minds if a baby is crying because they all will at some point and the movie is loud enough to drown out most of it. Heaven.

Travel the world
This may sound like madness, but in the early days, especially if you are nursing, your baby is incredibly mobile. Don’t take much with you – they no doubt have babies where you are going – just get on a plane and make that visit to relatives. Things like jetlag don’t affect the babe at all, your hours are up the spout anyway. Once your baby is more mobile, grabbing at every passing ornament at granny’s house, that’s a bad time to travel. Then you get people to come to you, because you have the place all set up and you don’t have to worry about any breakages.

What you wear matters!
Do invest in a new interim wardrobe after the baby is born. Nobody wants to see those maternity trackies ever again. Okay it may be sacrilege to buy some size 16 outfits, but look on the bright side, you can wear them early on in your next pregnancy! And you’ll feel like a new woman.

Lighten up!
If you were a perfectionist before, give it up. You have lost certain control of your life for quite some time to come. Yes, you can have a routine, and babies by and large respond well to routine, but there are times when they literally spit the dummy and decide it’s a good idea to wake at 2, 3 and 4 am – a growth spurt we like to say – and there’s not a darn thing you can do about it.

A non-baby task
Do take on a bit of work: it may sound crazy but take on a work project with a long lead time and it gives you a point of focus. The upside is you are earning some money again so you can buy that much lusted over pair of jeans for your new post-baby body. There is no downside.

Remember to enjoy your baby!
Remember to take time to enjoy the baby – this may be tricky in the first few weeks but you will regret it if you don’t take time to just play with the baby every day. Don’t set off in the morning with a long list of things you want to achieve. If you can get one thing done in a day you are doing well, give yourself a big pat on the back.

In order to feel comfortable about leaving your baby you need to choose a good babysitter that inspires your confidence.

Many parents rely on family members to care for baby when they will be gone, but you can’t always depend upon your relatives. How do you choose a person to look after your baby?

The Interviewing Process

One of the first steps in choosing a person to watch your baby when you are not at home is the interview process. Be sure you ask for references and follow up on checking them.

You should rely on your instincts when it comes to feeling comfortable and secure in your choice of a babysitter.

You want someone that is warm, caring and flexible. What are the prospective babysitter’s views on discipline? Is the person comfortable and happy around children?

You also will need to discuss the babysitter’s rates. Another factor to consider is the babysitter’s transportation. Will they need to be picked up and dropped off or will they be using their own steam to get to and from your home?

Explain thoroughly what you expect the babysitter to do in case of an emergency. You should provide them with contact information for you, your pediatrician and perhaps another relative that can be reached in case of an emergency.

Tell the sitter about your routines with baby. Do you read to baby at bedtime? Convey your feelings about television shows that you want or don’t want your child to be exposed to.

Discuss your disciplinary measures and consequences that will ensue from disobedience.

What to Provide for Your Babysitter?

In order to perform duties to the best of their ability you must provide your babysitter with specific information. You want to leave your phone number, address and full name.

Though this may seem obvious, if an emergency should occur your babysitter may blank out on this information. Leave the telephone numbers of the fire and police department as well as your pediatrician’s telephone number.

Don’t forget to leave information about where you will be so that you can be reached. The address and phone number should suffice.

If you want a family member, friend or neighbor to be contacted in case of an emergency, leave the names, addresses and telephone numbers of those people. Finally, tell the babysitter when to expect your return.

Having someone dependable, fun and creative watching your baby will give you some degree of security when you are going out whether for business or for pleasure. A good babysitter is worth their weight in gold.

Your baby’s first Christmas is simply a magical time – for him AND for you! It’s a time to introduce your little one to the wonderful traditions you grew up with and an opportunity for you to re-create wonderful memories from your own childhood.

Christmas dinner for baby can be put together quite easily from your meal, which is traditionally full of healthy veggies – but exactly what you give your baby depends, of course, on his age and stage of development.

Remember: Your baby should be at least 6 months of age before you introduce him to solid foods, unless your doctor has recommended starting earlier.

And, even though it’s Christmas and you’re anxious to include your baby at the Christmas meal, you should still introduce new foods separately and with the consent of his doctor.

This is to prevent and identify food allergies and digestive problems.

Here are some recipes.

1.Turkey

Turkey can be given to your baby from 7 months of age. Here’s a simple Christmas baby food recipe using turkey – remember to cook your baby’s veggies without salt.

1 large turkey slice
1 cooked potato
1 medium cooked carrot
2 cooked broccoli florets

Blend the turkey in a food processor with water or homemade stock until fairly thin. Then add the potato (which will thicken the mixture) and the remaining veggies and puree to the desired consistency. Older babies, already comfortable with finger foods, can be given this meal cut up into bite-sized pieces.

2.Gravy

Commercial gravies tend to be high in salt and are unsuitable for babies. If you would like to create a healthier gravy to accompany these Christmas baby food recipes, then simply take 4 oz (about 1/2 cup) of your cooked veggies and puree with 8 to 12 fl oz (around 1 to 1/2 cups) of the meat juices from the pan (assuming that your meat was not heavily seasoned with salt). Puree them together and serve – you can adjust these quantities to create a thinner or thicker gravy if you prefer.
Another option is to combine arrowroot with homemade chicken stock (1 tbsp arrowroot per 8 fl oz (1 cup) of stock). Pour into a small saucepan and heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens. For a more robust flavour, stir in 1/2 tsp tomato puree.

3. Cranberry Sauce

If your baby has already been introduced to a wide range of solid foods, then it should be fine to add a little cranberry sauce to his holiday meal. But don’t overdo it, as cranberries can upset a sensitive tummy.

4. Potatoes

Depending on where you are in the world, the way in which potatoes are cooked for the Christmas dinner can vary. In the UK, roasted potatoes are common – whereas in the US, most families serve mashed potatoes.

In either case, make sure that any potato you give your baby is free from salt.

5. Chipolatas In Bacon

Also known as ‘Pigs in Blankets”, these are almost a staple of the British Christmas dinner. But they are not suitable for young babies, as these processed meats contain too much salt.

6. Bread Sauce

Bread sauce cooked to a traditional recipe will contain milk, so it would not be suitable if your baby is sensitive to cow’s milk or if a family history of dairy allergy exists. Otherwise, a little creamy bread sauce with baby’s Christmas dinner would be fine and would make a lovely dip for veggies if he is finger-feeding.

Probably the first sign that something different is going on in the home will be the Christmas decorations and ornaments going up. While the baby may seem oblivious to all commotion and activity as the decorations go up all around, there is a good chance that a baby who has lived in the house for a few months will be very aware of them, even if they cannot focus on the detail of the decorations themselves. This is a good time to get the baby involved in Christmas, right at the start, by letting them lie in the room being decorated while they are awake. Let them watch the rest of the family as they hang the Christmas tree decorations and lights, and all the other ornaments. Once in a while, take over an ornament that is bright and let her see it up close; find some that make a noise, and let her hear the gentle sounds up close. Nothing too noisy, of course, that will scare the baby, just the gentle sounds. Also, pick her up and take her up close to hanging ornaments. That will help the baby feel a part of what is going on, even if they do not have a clue what it is all about.

If your Christmas holiday is being spent at home, then the routine with the baby need not change too much. If you are expecting a lot of guests, though, then it may be rather different, so try not to forget to plan for the baby too. If you are getting caught up in a frenzy of cooking and other preparation in the days before Christmas, and on Christmas morning, then try to involve the baby just a bit, by allowing her to lie in the kitchen with you, or in whatever room the preparation may be going on. Remember, your baby will sense stress and anxiety in the parents, so it is best to allow plenty of time for your preparation so that you are not too rushed and stressed out.

If the baby is used to having a lot of people around, then she will probably not be too disturbed by the sudden influx of visitors. Even then, remember she needs peaceful periods, and when she joins the throng while awake it is worth keeping an eye on whether she is becoming overwhelmed by too much boisterous attention, especially as the alcohol may flow later in the day, or sooner in some cases. Always remember, your baby just needs love, warmth, care, food and security, so as long as you remain conscious of those things at all times, then your baby can enjoy Christmas as much as you, even though she may not be able to tell you so.

If you are going away, then the routine upset will be greater, so it may not be quite so easy for baby or parents. Everything mentioned above for staying at home still applies, and the travel preparation should be no different than for an ordinary trip away. However, take extra care and ensure you have everything that you will need for the baby while travelling and away, listed well in advance and organised in plenty of time. Depending on where you live, there may not be shops open on Christmas Day, and Christmas Eve shopping may be a stressful nightmare for you and the baby. So, it is well worth getting yourself, and your baby’s, things well organized in advance.

Christmas should be a great time for you, your family and your baby. Much will be just as normal, but it is always worth remembering that she will be aware of anything that is different, whether in surroundings, tension levels, or sounds. If you are breastfeeding, you should be aware that what you eat and drink will provide her milk.

So long as you remain aware of those things, and act accordingly, your baby will be happy, and have a good grounding for getting more involved next Christmas.

1. Make or buy a personalized ornament. Hang an ornament painted with your baby’s name and birthdate. Every year you can take out this ornament and remember your baby’s first Christmas.

2. Create your first annual photo ornament. Place your baby’s picture in a tiny frame and hang from your Christmas tree. Do the same thing next year and hang the two ornaments next to each other. As the years go by, you’ll have pictures of your baby from each Christmas.

3. Make a Christmas stocking from your baby’s sock. Hang an adorable miniature Christmas stocking next to yours. Decorate it with your baby’s name and the year of his first Christmas.

4. Save your baby’s first Christmas outfit. Dress her in adorable green and red Christmas clothes. These can get stored away and revisited whenever you feel like reminiscing. When you come across it again next year, you’ll realize just how much your child has grown.

5. Give your child a Christmas-themed stuffed animal. There are miniature Santas, reindeers, angels, and elves. As your child grows, you’ll always have it around reminding you of your baby’s first Christmas. It might even become your child’s best friend for a while.

6. Make or buy a personalized Christmas blanket. You can store this with your child’s first Christmas clothes and or hang it on the wall in your baby’s room — assuming you can persuade her to let go of it.

7. Give your baby a Christmas music box. These are treasures that can last a lifetime. He’ll want to fall asleep every night to the peaceful Christmas music.

8. Take plenty of pictures. Get pictures of your child’s face when he first sees the Christmas lights or when he gets his first present. Make sure to also get pictures of your newly formed family.

9. Write a letter to your child. Even though it’ll be a while before your child can read it, this letter can mean a lot to you for years to come. In your letter, tell your child how happy you are to be celebrating your first Christmas with her. Thank her for her first Christmas present to you–being born.

10. Start a Christmas scrapbook. Decorate the cover with your child’s name and birthdate. Fill it with some of your Christmas pictures and any Christmas cards to your baby. You can also write a short description of your baby’s first Christmas — what you gave him, what he ate, or what he found scary — and add it to your scrapbook.

When your baby was in newborn stage, they’ll mostly cry when they are hungry.

But, once when they’ve crossed that stage, they’ll tend to cry out of boredom. So, how do you entertain your baby to avoid boredom?

Easy ways to entertain baby:

1. Involve them in your activities and take them wherever you move in your home. For instance, a large bowl and few colorful spoons or blocks will be perfect activity for your baby when you are cooking.
2. One year old babies begin to understand language and pictures slowly so they’ll absolutely love big board books with pictures of fruits, flowers and animals. This way your baby will enjoy learning things.
3. Little babies love outdoors. So, if you are free and if weather permits, take your baby for a walk. Your baby will definitely love to walk with your assistance, particularly if they are 12 months old.
4. Your little one may not like loud sounds, but they’ll definitely love to hear different sounds, so you can play musical instruments or many DVDs are available to entertain your baby with different sounds. You can use them to provide entertainment for your baby.