**Stay Healthy, Stay Happy!**
:syringe: Flu & COVID Shots Now Available :syringe:
*Schedule Online Today!*
**Stay Healthy, Stay Happy!**
Flu & COVID Shots Now Available—Schedule Online Today!

Inclined Sleepers and Other Baby Registry Items to Avoid

From American Academy Pediatrics:

Having a baby is an incredibly exciting time! Many parents set up baby registries for items that they believe their baby will need. However, it’s important to know that some popular products are unnecessary and can actually be dangerous for infants. Examples include inclined sleepers, positioners, and crib bumpers.

Each year, about 3,400 infants in the United States die unexpectedly during sleep. This can happen from accidental suffocation, sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), or unknown causes.

To help prevent these deaths, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that all infants should sleep on flat and firm surfaces. Babies should sleep by themselves, without any bumpers, soft bedding, pillows, or stuffed toys. Crib bumpers and inclined infant sleeper products can cause a baby to suffocate. We also advise against using products that are for infant bedsharing with parents.

New safety standards on the way

A safe sleep environment is so important that the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) approved a federal safety standard for infant sleep products in June 2021. Starting in mid-2022, this standard will help get rid of potentially dangerous baby sleep products such as inclined sleepers, in-bed sleepers, loungers, and travel/compact sleepers. These products will have to meet the same CPSC standards that are already in place for cribs, bassinets, play yards, and bedside sleepers.

Here’s why these and other dangerous infant sleep products should stay off your registry and out of your home.

Inclined sleepers and positioners

These are sometimes called baby nests, docks, pods, loungers, rockers, or nappers. Infant positioners and inclined sleepers have been popular items on baby registry lists for years. But until mid-2022, these products are not regulated and have no safety standards.

The CPSC says that sleep products that incline more than 10 degrees are not safe. Soft and plush sleep surfaces are also dangerous. Inclined sleepers allow babies to sleep at a 30-degree angle. Infants placed in these products may fall asleep in a chin-to-chest position, which can restrict their airway. They can also roll out of the devices and become trapped under them. Inclined sleepers have been tied to at least 94 deaths.

With sleep positioners, babies can suffocate after rolling onto their stomachs since they can’t lift their heads. The soft padding can make it difficult to breathe if a baby’s face presses against it.

Crib bumpers

Crib bumpers were long considered staples of nursery décor. They were originally intended to cushion babies from the crib slats. Crib bumpers are dangerous because of the risk of suffocation, entrapment, and strangulation. Plus, older babies may use the bumpers to stand on and climb out of the crib, creating a fall risk. Crib bumpers have been linked to at least 83 infant deaths in the past 30 years.

In addition to traditional padded bumpers, stores now sell mesh bumpers and vertical crib liners. But even these can get loose and become a strangulation risk. Babies can also get trapped between them and the crib mattress.

There is no evidence that crib bumpers—of any kind—prevent injury in young infants.

Cribs today are regulated by the CPSC and have updated safety standards. The slats are closer together to prevent your baby’s head from getting stuck. This means that bumpers are not only dangerous, but unnecessary. Maybe you’re concerned about your child’s leg getting stuck between crib slats. If so, use a wearable blanket or sleeping sack that’s the right size for your baby.

Why are these products still sold?

Unfortunately, the new regulations don’t take effect until mid-2022, meaning that inclined sleepers and positioners will still be available. As for crib bumpers, the CPSC plans to review federal safety standards for them later this year. We continue to urge the CPSC to ban all these dangerous infant sleep-related products.

A bill that would prohibit crib bumpers was introduced in Congress in 2021 too. Known as the Safe Cribs Act, this bill would make it illegal to sell, distribute, manufacture, or import crib bumpers. The bill’s sponsors are concerned that parents will keep buying these products, not realizing that they’re potentially hazardous.

Some stores, online retailers, cities, and states, have already stopped selling or have banned inclined sleepers and crib bumpers. Some companies have also issued voluntary recalls of these products.

Remember

Even in areas where these dangerous products are banned, they can still turn up at secondhand stores or garage sales. It’s important to check the CPSC website to see if products have been recalled before using them. Also, make sure anyone who watches your child knows about recalled and unsafe products.

It’s also important to keep in mind that your baby should only sleep in products that are designed to be safe sleep spaces, like cribs, bassinets, and portable play yards. Other products like swings, reclined seats, bouncers, and other sitting or positioning devices are not safe for sleep. If your baby falls asleep in one of these, move her to a safe sleep space right away.

If you have any questions about safe sleep products for your baby, talk with your pediatrician.

More information

Colic Relief Tips for Parents

From American Academy Pediatrics:

Does your infant have a regular fussy period each day when it seems you can do nothing to comfort her?

This is quite common, particularly between 6:00 p.m. and midnight—just when you, too, are feeling tired from the day’s trials and tribulations. These periods of crankiness may feel like torture, especially if you have other demanding children or work to do, but fortunately they don’t last long. The length of this fussing usually peaks at about three hours a day by six weeks and then declines to one or two hours a day by three to four months. As long as the baby calms within a few hours and is relatively peaceful the rest of the day, there’s no reason for alarm.

If the crying does not stop, but intensifies and persists throughout the day or night, it may be caused by colic. About one-fifth of all babies develop colic, usually between the second and fourth weeks. They cry inconsolably, often screaming, extending or pulling up their legs, and passing gas. Their stomachs may be enlarged or distended with gas. The crying spells can occur around the clock, although they often become worse in the early evening.

What Causes Colic?

Unfortunately, there is no definite explanation for why this happens. Most often, colic means simply that the child is unusually sensitive to stimulation or cannot “self-console” or regulate his nervous system. (Also known as an immature nervous system.) As she matures, this inability to self-console—marked by constant crying—will improve. Generally this “colicky crying” will stop by three to four months, but it can last until six months of age. Sometimes, in breastfeeding babies, colic is a sign of sensitivity to a food in the mother’s diet. The discomfort is caused only rarely by sensitivity to milk protein in formula. Colicky behavior also may signal a medical problem, such as a hernia or some type of illness.

Although You Simply May Have to Wait It Out, Several Things Might Be Worth Trying:

  • First, of course, consult your pediatrician to make sure that the crying is not related to any serious medical condition that may require treatment.Then ask him which of the following would be most helpful.
  • If you’re nursing, you can try to eliminate milk products, caffeine, onions, cabbage, and any other potentially irritating foods from your own diet.
  • If you’re feeding formula to your baby, talk with your pediatrician about a protein hydrolysate formula. If food sensitivity is causing the discomfort, the colic should decrease within a few days of these changes.
  • Do not overfeed your baby, which could make her uncomfortable. In general, try to wait at least two to two and a half hours from the start of one feeding to the start of the next one.
  • Walk your baby in a baby carrier to soothe her. The motion and body contact will reassure her, even if her discomfort persists.
  • Rock her, run the vacuum in the next room, or place her where she can hear the clothes dryer, a fan or a white-noise machine. Steady rhythmic motion and a calming sound may help her fall asleep. However, be sure to never place your child on top of the washer/dryer.
  • Introduce a pacifier. While some breastfed babies will actively refuse it, it will provide instant relief for others.
  • Lay your baby tummy-down across your knees and gently rub her back. The pressure against her belly may help comfort her.
  • Swaddle her in a large, thin blanket so that she feels secure and warm. 

When you’re feeling tense and anxious, have a family member or a friend look after the baby—and get out of the house. Even an hour or two away will help you maintain a positive attitude. No matter how impatient or angry you become, a baby should never be shaken. Shaking an infant hard can cause blindness, brain damage, or even death. Let your own doctor know if you are depressed or are having trouble dealing with your emotions, as she can recommend ways to help.

Probiotics in Infant Formula

From American Academy Pediatrics:

Probiotics” (meaning “for life”) is a word you may see when shopping for infant formula and supplements. Some formulas are fortified with these probiotics, which are types of live bacteria. Doctors may also recommend probiotic drops or powders for breastfed infants. These are “good” or “friendly” bacteria already present at high levels in the digestive system of breastfed babies.

In formula-fed babies, probiotics in formulas promote a balance of bacteria in your baby’s intestines, and offset the growth of “unfriendly” organisms that could cause infections and inflammation.

Increasingly, parents can find probiotic supplements outside of formula, including for breastfed infants. Research on the benefits of probiotics is ongoing, with some pediatricians embracing their use for infants delivered by C-section or those whose mothers are given antibiotics during labor.

Possible health benefits of probiotics

The most common types of probiotics are strains of bifidobacteria and lactobacilli. Some research has shown these probiotics may prevent or treat disorders such as infectious diarrhea​ and atopic dermatitis (eczema) in children. Other possible health benefits are being studied as well, including the possibility of reduced risk of food-related allergies and asthma, prevention of urinary tract infections, and relief of symptoms of infant colic​.

More research is needed

With many of these health conditions, the evidence confirming any positive effects of probiotic use is limited and more research is needed. At this time, benefits appear to occur only as long as probiotics are being taken. Once your baby stops consuming probiotic-fortified formula, intestinal bacteria levels return to previous levels. This is different from in breastfed infants, where the bacteria in the gut resulting from breastfeeding​ are more resilient and set the stage for healthier outcomes. 

Remember

Before giving your child infant formula fortified with probiotics, discuss the issue with your pediatrician

More information

Tips for Coping with a New Baby During COVID-19

From American Academy Pediatrics:

All babies cry. Most babies cry a lot from two weeks to two months of age. Some cry more than others, and some cry longer than others. For many new parents, crying is one of the most stressful parts of coping with a newborn.

In some cases, extreme stress and a temporary lapse of emotional control in a caregiver can lead to actions that result in abusive head trauma. In fact, the most common trigger for abusive head trauma is simply a crying baby. As an American Academy of Pediatrics policy statement points out, actions that lead to abusive head trauma often happen when caretakers experience stress and get to the end of their rope.

However, there is a bright side: The key to preventing actions that lead to abusive head trauma is to understand how common feelings of frustration, isolation, and exhaustion are during the first few months of an infant’s life.

Helpful tips

Usually, new parents can seek out social supports and external help—but what happens when we are restricted in our movements and our contacts? What happens when grandparents can’t come over to help out, or when neighbors don’t stop by for a cup of coffee? What happens when families face job loss, childcare challenges, and more lingering fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic? Here are a few suggestions:

  • Try all the soothing tricks. Crying babies want to be soothed. You may need to try a few things, over and over, before they calm. Try holding them, feeding them, swaddling them, gently rocking them, singing to them. If these don’t work, put the baby down and take a break. Be sure your baby is in a safe sleep environment (on their back on a firm sleep surface with a tight-fitting sheet, away from soft blankets, toys, pillows, and other bedding materials). While some babies cry for a long time, many parents are surprised at how rapidly babies will cry themselves to sleep.
  • Pay attention to your own needs. The challenges of new mothers can certainly feel overwhelming sometimes. Rest as much as you can—try sleeping when the baby does. Find time for yourself when your partner or other caring adult watches the baby. Put on your headphones, give a friend or relative a call, have a cup of tea, or just relax.
  • Connect with others. Social distancing during the COVID-19 outbreak can be isolating. Try video chats or social media to stay in touch. If you’re a friend or relative on the receiving end of these calls, listen first before offering suggestions. Imagine you are with the young parent, they are crying on your shoulder, and you are offering reassurance without any words. Keeping this image in mind can help you provide the social support that all new parents need.
  • Use your “helpers.” Engage older siblings as much as you can by encouraging them to be your special helpers, so they can help out in developmentally appropriate ways.
  • Seek help. Depression is the most common mental illness in the United States. If you had a history of depression before your baby was born, you may be at higher risk for postpartum depression. Speak with your provider sooner rather than later to help foresee this potential condition. Many doctors, nurses, and mental health providers are now set up for telehealth visits and may be able to help you by video or phone.
  • Reach out. If you are a friend, relative, or neighbor to a family with a newborn, this is the time to reach out. Think about ways you can help. In addition to social support, can you buy diapers or other baby supplies? Can you drop off food or treats for the siblings or adults? Can you safely supervise older children outdoors? Maybe they could come along with you when you walk your dog!
  • Help a co-worker out. If you are a co-worker of a parent returning to work (especially during social distancing) after parental leave, be kind and supportive. If you see or hear the baby on the call, say Hi!
  • Find a forum. New mothers may find it helpful to discuss their experiences with other new mothers. In addition to seeking help from friends, relatives, neighbors, and medical professionals, look for discussion forums and communities of moms dedicated to sharing problems, stories, and tips with each other online (see the list of resources below).
  • Your pediatrician is here to help. Never hesitate to call for advice. Your pediatricians is an excellent resource for understanding your baby and your own needs, including those related to postpartum depression.
  • Resources. Here are a few key resources that may be helpful to you at home:

Simple Ways to Entertain & Boost Your Baby’s Development at Home

From American Academy Pediatrics:

During social distancing to slow the spread of COVID-19, you may be looking for new ways to entertain and play with your young child. Thankfully, all you need is loving attention and some basic household items.

Try these time-tested activities, suggested by age, and let the fun happen!

Newborn to 3 Months

Puppet Play. Make a hand puppet using a sock. Move it up and down and back and forth where your baby can see it, doing a silly dance and singing silly songs. You can even have the puppet give her kisses!

Footloose. Gently dance with your baby positioned over your shoulder. She will enjoy the movement and at the same time will learn to tolerate the slight pressure against her tummy.

Pat-a-Cake. Hold your baby’s hands and gently clap them together to play a game of pat-a-cake:

Pat-a-cake, pat-a-cake, baker’s man (Take baby’s hands through the motions)

Bake me a cake as fast as you can

Roll it (Roll her hands around each other) and pat it (Clap)

and mark it with a B (Guide her finger to write a B in the air)

And put it in the oven for baby and me (Kiss your baby!)


Can’t Smile Without You.
 Lie down on the floor,tummy down facing your baby. Try to get her to smile by sticking out your tongue, smiling at her, and making other funny faces. You may even hear your infant’s first giggle!

4 to 6 months

Little Piggy Game. Hold your baby’s foot up and wiggle each toe while teaching the classic “This Little Piggy” poem in an animated, singsong way. Don’t forget to give your infant a tickle at the end!

This little piggy went to market (big toe)

This little piggy stayed home (second toe)

This little piggy had roast beef (third toe)

This little piggy had none (fourth toe)

And this little piggy went wee wee wee all the way home (little toe)


Mustang Sally.
 Sit on the floor with your baby sitting on your raised knees. While holding on to her, slowly move your legs side to side and sing “Ride a Little Horsey.” When you say, “don’t fall down,” slide your feet forward!

Ride a little horsey

Down to town

Oops, little horsey

Don’t fall down!


Crocodile Rock. 
Hold your baby securely, tummy down on your chest. Rock your body from side to side and sing a song like “Row, Row, Row Your Boat.”

​Homemade Toy: Stacking Baby BlocksCollect different-sized clean milk cartons, small boxes and toilet paper rolls. Stuff each with newspaper or tissue paper. Fold the ends down to create blocks​and cylinders, then close them with masking or duct tape. Use a variety of fun colors of contact paper or duct tape to cover each block. ​



Free Fallin’. Stack up some blocks and encourage your baby to bat at and reach for them. Most infants absolutely love to see and hear the blocks tumble to the ground!

7 to 9 months

Fly Me to the Moon. Carefully lift your baby up over your head and back down while playing or singing a song like, “Fly me to the moon!” If your child seems fearful, move more slowly and talk in a calm, soothing voice.

See You Later, Alligator. With your baby seated in front of you, hide a rattle under a blanket or behind your back. Shake the rattle while hiding it and see what happens. If your baby loses interest once it’s hidden, reveal part of the rattle and ask, “Where’s the toy?”

If the Hat Fits. Sit just in front of baby, place a colorful hat on your head and say, “Look! The hat is on my head.” Then remove it and say, “Now the hat is off.” Next, put the hat on and off your infant’s head! Encourage your baby to reach for the hat for more play.

The Humpty Dance. Sit your infant on your lap, either sitting up or tummy down, and gently bounce your legs up and down. For more fun, do this while using a rocking chair!

10 to 12 months

Be-Bop Baby. Seat your baby upright on the floor, legs separated just enough to place a medium-sized ball between them. Show your baby how to roll the ball in your direction, then roll the ball back. Continue taking turns.

Marching On. While seated, stand your baby on your thighs. Hold your baby’s hips and slowly make stepping motions by moving your legs up and down, one side at a time. Sing your favorite song.

You Light Up My Life. Shine a flashlight on the wall. Once your baby sees the light, move it slowly from one side of the room to the other and up and down to encourage visual tracking.

Homemade Toy:​Baby Drums​Cover an oatmeal box or coffee can with colorful contact paper and use plastic baby spoons as drumsticks. (Or, simply give your child a saucepan and a short wooden spoon.) ​



Beat It. Show your baby different ways to tap a drum using the palms of your hands, your fingertips, or a baby spoon. See if your baby can imitate you.

12-24 months

The Big Squeeze. Take colorful kitchen sponges and cut them into fun sizes and shapes to fit into your child’s hand at bath time. Show your little one how to sink a sponge underwater, watch it fill up, then hold it up and squeeze the water out.

​Homemade Toy: Toddler TambourineTape two sturdy paper plates securely together halfway around using colorful duct tape. Fill the tambourine half-full of dry cereal, tape the paper plates together the rest of the way, and shake!​​



Mr. Tambourine Man. Show your little one how to shake and tap a tambourine to make noise. Add more ways, like tapping it against your hip, over your head, and in various directions.

Poking Fun. Show your baby how to press numbers on an old phone or peck on an old keyboard. Glue different textures of fabric at the bottom of each section of an egg carton or old ice tray. Let your baby feel the various textures.

Remember

You have the knowledge and tools to make play a fun and stimulating part of your baby’s daily routine. Keep it simple, be flexible, and do what works for you and your child.

More Information

Bringing Baby Home: How to Prepare for the Arrival of Your Newborn

From American Academy Pediatrics:

One of the most cautious drives you’ll ever take is the one bringing your baby home with you. Newborns look and feel fragile, and they represent a new of world of uncertainty. Here’s what you need to know to make your transition to parenthood easier.

It’s true: There’s no official instruction manual for becoming a parent.

But relax. You’re not the first parent to wonder why you’ve been entrusted with a little person without an instruction manual. The 40 weeks (give or take) of pregnancy allow time for more than just picking out names; it’s your opportunity to plan and prepare. The more you know about your newborn, the better equipped you’ll be when she arrives.

Once your baby is born, doctors will be looking for a few key signs that she is healthy and ready to go home, says Vinod K. Bhutani, M.D., FAAP, professor of pediatrics at Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital at Stanford University School of Medicine. “First they will want to see that the baby is able to breathe well and maintain her body temperature,” says Dr. Bhutani, who is also a member of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) Committee on Fetus and Newborn.

Newborns must also demonstrate that they can feed well. Regardless of whether she’s breastfed or bottle-fed, all babies should be wetting at least three or four diapers in a 24-hour period, says Dr. Bhutani. And while many newborns have some jaundice — a yellowish tint to their skin — their jaundice will be evaluated before they’re sent home from the hospital. If necessary, your pediatrician will discuss a follow-up plan for monitoring your baby’s jaundice.

Healthy at Home

Most healthy newborns go home after two or three days, yet the transition for parents is just beginning. “It’s OK to be a little scared — the first week after babies are born is when they’re most vulnerable,” says Dr. Bhutani. “Newborns can have multiple medical problems that if left unattended can become serious.”

Dehydration is sometimes a concern for newborn babies that can continue once they’ve left the hospital. Your pediatrician will discuss dehydration with you so you’ll know what to look for, how to respond, etc.

Parents should also watch for signs of infection in their newborn. Infections can be picked up during birth or from people other than the parents handling the baby, such as visitors. “Most people think only of fevers, but newborns can have dropping temperatures or a low temperature that’s of concern,” says Dr. Bhutani. It’s always wise to watch for signs of infection around the belly button or circumcised foreskin, such as poor sucking during breastfeeding, a lack of appetite, poor weight gain, weak crying, and increasing irritability.

Jaundice happens in most every baby, peaking in the first week as newborns learn to excrete the yellow pigment called bilirubin in their stools. “Babies tend to have slow liver function at first and may have some evidence of jaundice as their livers quickly mature over the first several days,” write Drs. Laura Jana and Jennifer Shu in Heading Home With Your Newborn. “The bilirubin level generally peaks by about 5 days for term babies and about 1 week for those born prematurely.” If your baby continues to have signs of jaundice — very yellowish skin and eyes — after day four, consult your pediatrician.

Although most babies remain perfectly healthy after they’re discharged from the hospital, it’s important to watch for any signs of illness and take your child to the pediatrician for evaluation within a day or two of leaving the hospital. “Every baby needs to be seen by a pediatrician on day three, four, or five,” says Dr. Bhutani. “It’s a must.”

Finding a Pediatrician

As a new parent, it’s important to find a pediatrician with whom you feel comfortable. If your child becomes ill, you want to have a good working relationship with a doctor you trust and respect, and who will be there to support you.

Begin by evaluating the pediatrician practices in your local area. Determine whether it matters to you if you have a male or female pediatrician. Be aware that while it’s all the same to infants, some children as they get older feel more at ease working with a doctor of the same sex. If possible, visit the offices and meet the physicians in person. Or find out if your hospital has a “Meet the Doctors” night attended by area pediatricians.

Since you’ll be visiting a pediatrician shortly after bringing your child home, don’t leave this task until the last minute. “You have nine months to plan. You should always choose your pediatrician beforehand,” says Dr. Bhutani.

Quick Tips: Time to Call the Doctor

Watch for these signs that it’s time to call your pediatrician:

  • Your newborn’s breathing is faster or irregular
  • You notice blueness or a darkness on the lips or face 
  • Your newborn has a fever 
  • Your newborn’s body temperature has dropped
  • You see signs of dehydration (less than 3 to 4 wet diapers in a 24-hour period)
  • Your baby’s belly button or circumcision area looks infected
  • Your newborn’s jaundice does not decrease by the fifth day 
  • Your baby is crying a lot or appears sluggish
  • You think your baby is not looking or feeling well

Quick Tips: Choosing a Pediatrician

The following are a few questions from the AAP to help you select a pediatrician:

  • What are the office hours? Is emergency coverage available 24/7?
  • Which hospital does the pediatrician use?
  • Do they accept your insurance plan and how does the office process billing and claims?
  • What are the qualifications of the pediatrician? Is he or she an AAP member (i.e., “FAAP,” a Fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics)?