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When Teething Looks Like a Stomach Bug: A Mum's Diary (Episode 1)

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Image by  ่‚ฒ้“ถ ๆˆš from Pixabay   My baby pooped more than 10 times in one day. It was watery. Smelly. All over the place. No fever. No vomiting. No weakness. Just him… teething.” That’s what I kept telling myself. But in truth? I wasn’t 100% sure. Was it just teething? Or was it something more? A virus? A stomach bug hiding behind the swollen gums and drool? As a nurse, I’ve counseled countless mothers through moments like this — calm, collected, confident. But living it? With my own baby? That’s a different story. The Day It Began It started suddenly — soft, loose stools that seemed to multiply through the day. Not one or two, but clustered, watery poops I could barely count. At least 10 in 24 hours. No fever. No vomiting. No sunken eyes. He was still active, smiling even. But his bum was sore, and I was tired. I knew teething could sometimes cause runny poop because babies produce more saliva and often put everything in their mouths. But this? It felt like more than just sali...
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Kids & gadgets: A silent battle every parent is losing – but you don’t have to!

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  Image credit:pexel.com H ow would you feel if your child no longer seemed to enjoy your company, didn't miss you when you were away, or constantly preferred solitude? You’d probably feel worried and wonder what—or who—is interfering with your parent-child bond. But what if I told you that the culprit isn't a person but an object—one that you purchased with your own money? Yes, I’m talking about gadgets —the very devices your child might throw a tantrum over if you try to separate them.  The digital age has made life easier in many ways, and technology is now woven into almost every aspect of our daily lives. Naturally, kids aren’t left behind. In fact, some infants are introduced to gadgets before they even learn to talk! Recent studies show that " one in three toddlers (aged 1 to 3) use a gadget before they can speak" . Now, think about this: A child who learns to interact with gadgets before humans might grow up believing that life revolves around electronic enter...
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SIDS: EVERY CAREGIVER'S NIGHTMARE

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Written by: Aishat Idowu, RN. You've probably ever heard one or two mothers lament regarding their babies, saying"...and there was nothing wrong with him before he slept, but he just couldn't wake up thereafter". Maybe not in this form exactly, but with a similar kind of expression, all of it referring to the death of a previously healthy infant. Situations like this we say are due to SUDDEN INFANT DEATH SYNDROME (SIDS ) . S IDS is also called crib death or cot death and it is the sudden unexplainable death of an infant (1 month to 1 year ).  It is the diagnosis made when the death of an infant cannot be ascertained following series of investigations. The mystery behind this condition is yet to be clearly understood and it known to occur more in boys than girls. A good understanding of its possible causes, if known by you as a caregiver/mother will be a  great child care asset, giving you an edge over those who don't know. Below are the factors that increase its o...
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The right way to treat your baby's bum: quick tips on prevention of diaper rash

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  By: Aishat Idowu R.N. Image Source: Webmed.com C aring for babies is one of the most tedious tasks ever... However, it is emotionally-satisfying, amazing and rewarding for mums and other care givers. Especially when the baby smiles, plays and is comfortable most of the time all because of the care and attention he/she receives— feeding, dressing, rocking... Surely, these kinds of babies will be happy most of the time and even sleep well! .. .. .. But there's this body part in your baby that if not well cared for, will make him very fussy and aggressive most of the time.  Started to guess already? Well... It's not too hard to know... ...it's the bum, your baby's buttocks. And this is because it is particularly prone to a type  of rash or irritation called 'diaper rash' or 'nappy rash'.  Ever heard of it? Whether or not, just read on, increase your child care knowledge and boost your confidence๐Ÿ’ช๐Ÿป๐Ÿ’ช๐Ÿป Now, let's get right into it. What is diaper ras...
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'When' and 'how' of toilet-training: smart and easy things to do

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  By: Aishat Idowu, R.N Photo source: istockphotos C hildren develop each skill in stages, one preceding the other— usually from simple to complex. It is important for mothers to assist their babies to have good transition at every stage of their development.  By default, every child will grow to a stage when they are mature enough to begin the use of potties and gradually stay off diapers. This stage of development is not constant and therefore varies from child to child.  While some babies develop quite early (18-24months) or even earlier, others are delayed (3-4 years) even without any obvious developmental fault. Generally, boys experience more delays than  girls. Toilet-training could be very easy for some, and at the same time, extremely difficult for others. The difference is in the recognition of the appropriate timing. Timing: is my child ready? The time to start toilet-training is as important as the whole process of toilet-training. Identifying when a...
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The smart mums' guide: 6 ways to make a baby pleasant

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 By: Aishat Idowu, R.N. I trust you want to have that healthy, lively, smart baby, one everyone will have at least ten reasons to have close by ๐Ÿ˜, right? Sure. Follow through this article and you'll find "the how" of consciously making it happen.๐Ÿ˜Š  Image source: depositphotos.com B abies , like adults are complete human beings with three main aspects of need— physical, psychological and social. These little ones have no definite preformed emotional behaviour, they learn from their environment, their mother/caregiver being their primary teacher. The relationship established from this stage serves as basis for personality development, temperament and overall behaviour. This aspect of their development is usually quite simple, but at the same time, it can be rather complex, resulting in unwelcoming attitudes in the babies. This other side occurs mainly when the baby is surrounded by unfavourable circumstances, especially those arising from the mother. In fact, apart from ...
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If you can't tell why, it may be colic

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By: IDOWU AISHAT, R.N. C rying    is the major and most obvious means of communication in infancy (1 month-1 year). Babies cry to express themselves and communicate their needs— food, comfort, pain relief etc. Nevertheless, babies may cry for " no apparent reason" for periods as long as three hours a day, occuring either during the day or at night. In addition to it having no particular reason, it has no specific cure either. This "no-reason", "no-cure" cry is called colic. What is colic? Colic is the frequent, intense and prolonged crying in an healthy infant. An infant with colic cries more than 3 hours a day, 3 days a week, for more than three weeks, despite being apparently healthy. Babies affected Colic happens to any baby, irrespective of sex, choice of breastfeeding, birth order or any other factors. It affects term and preterm babies alike, occuring earlier (2-6weeks) in term ones and later in the preterm. It generally resolves by 3-4 months of age...
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