Just a few years ago, almost no one took a baby swimming. Today, most swimming pools have a program of classes and groups aimed at even the youngest customers and their parents. These classes are enormously popular. Just as more and more women are choosing to use water during childbirth, so more parents are choosing to introduce their babies to the joys of water and swimming at an ever-younger age.

Should I take my baby swimming?

Is it a good idea? Well, a lot of claims are made for the long-term benefits of early swimming. A German study found that babies who swim have more advanced motor development, social skills, and intelligence, while a Finnish study found that it helps babies to talk earlier. Swimming instructors often claim that babies who swim regularly tend to sleep more soundly, and that they are less likely than other babies to suffer from colds, sniffles, and even asthma.

The first few times you take your baby swimming, take some of her familiar bath toys along too – they might help her feel at home.

While beneficial effects are all well and good, the most important considerations when thinking about taking your baby swimming are: will she enjoy it and will you enjoy it?

Is it a good idea to start early?

Enthusiasts of baby swimming classes say that the earlier you start taking Your baby to the swimming pool, the better. This is because she’s less likely to develop a fear of water, and also she’ll get used to the techniques taught at the class from ear of early on.

Under the age of 6 months, babies don’t possess the mechanisms for regulating their own temperature; after 6 months they do begin to have it, but you still have to be very careful that they don’t get too cold in the water.

Toddler swimming classes

Parent and toddler classes are usually taught in small groups of five or six parent and baby couples (it is usually mothers, although most classes are more than happy if it’s the dad rather than the mom who goes along).

Often, there’s nursery rhyme singing and children’s music in the background. Lots of the exercises are aimed at getting your toddler used to the idea of being in the water. Some classes involve submerging the baby’s head under the water for a second or two – young babies have what’s called a diving instinct that will automatically kick in when this happens.

Of course, you don’t have to join a formal class to enjoy a trip to the local pool with your baby – although it is often more fun for both of you if you team up with another parent and baby. Try finding a pool with some sort of child care so that you can swim for a while on your own before or after going for a dip with your toddler.

Don’t be surprised if your child loses interest in swimming at around 1 year of age – it’s a common phenomenon. But do continue to take her to the pool from time to time anyway – it may take a year or so, but eventually she’ll start enjoying it again.

Try taking a brightly colored inflatable ball along to the pool with you, to give your baby something to look at and play with in the water. Let her lie on her back, with your hands supporting her, so that she can kick. And when she’s happy to go on her front, glide her through the water so that she gets used to the feel of “swimming” through the pool.

The toddler social circuit

Some toddlers have schedules that make you feel tired just looking at them! Monday it’s music group, Tuesday toddler gym, Wednesday playgroup, Thursday swimming, Friday massage class – not to mention weekends packed with social activities.

Getting the right balance

The truth is, it’s all too much – if it sounds too much for a 30-something mother like me, it’s got to be too much for a tiny tot who still needs daytime naps and is still learning how things work and where she fits into the world.

That, in fact, is the essence – your toddler still has a lot to learn, and almost any situation, properly used, has learning opportunities for her, whether it’s a specially designed activity or not.

Having said that, a baby of 6 or 9 months plus does gain from inclusion in sort of group from time to time. It doesn’t have to be a formal thing – you might just dip into a playgroup of a local church or temple when you can find the time, and that’s as good a start into the world of socializing as anything, and it’s usually inexpensive.

One or two group sessions or classes per week are ample for a child in this age group. Schedule lots of time for one-to-one fun at home or at the park, too.

Your baby’s social life with her caregiver

Babies who are looked after by a caregiver sometimes have the busiest social lives of all. It’s worth taking stock with your caregiver from time to time if you think your child is being taken to too many activities. It’s easy to see why it could happen – unlike you when you’re at home, your nanny or au pair doesn’t have to run the house, so the chance to go out and mix with other people has a big appeal.

Initially, you may be eager to have your caregiver signing your baby up for a lot of activities. But keep in mind that your child needs lots of one-to-one care as well. Try to discourage your nanny from having friends over or going to a group every day of the week – suggest that some days are just for “chilling out” at home.

Make time to be together

Whether you work in or outside of the home, you need time with your toddler, too. It doesn’t have to be time when you’re just sitting around doing nothing – but it should be a time when your life isn’t being ruled by the clock, and when you don’t have lots and lots of other demands pressing in on you all at once.

Playing at home

Some of the happiest times with my current toddler, Miranda, have been the days when we’ve both been lounging around at home while her older sisters were at school. The school day is amazingly short when you’re trying to get things done: you only get around 5 hours before it’s time for the children to come home. I found that it helped to downsize my expectations about what I could achieve in a day. I still usually managed to straighten up the bedrooms, Miranda in tow. And as we wandered around making beds and putting teddies back on their shelves, we had lots of time to sit around reading a book, or singing along with some nursery rhymes on her tape machine.

What shall we do?

Talking to your child, reading with her, and singing to her are the three basic essentials of spending time together. You don’t need lots of equipment or to be part of a group to be able to do this – you just need to have time, and one or two of your child’s favorite books on hand.

Picture books are excellent at this stage. I’ve always particularly enjoyed sharing the kind that have large color photographs of things children are familiar with – a cup, a swing, a television set, and so on. Babies enjoy looking at and recognizing the items pictured. Try repeating the names and talking a bit about the different things on the page – this will help with your baby’s early language development.

Small children love photographs of people they know. Buy a cheap photo album with plastic see-through slots for the pictures, and give your baby her own picture book to fill with photographs.

Outings and expeditions

Going on outings together is another way to have fun. Of course, trips with another parent and child are very rewarding, too. But do reserve some trips for just the two of you, as you’ll find you’re more likely to talk to your baby if you’re alone with her.

There are lots of things you can do out of the house with a baby or toddler. Don’t assume that you have to leave everything until your child is older. Art galleries, for example, can be great at this stage, but the trick is not to be too ambitious. Go to a gallery where you know children are welcomed, and concentrate on looking at just one or two areas. You can plan your trip so that your baby has a sleep while you’re there, giving you some free time to walk around with the stroller.

Make time apart, too

Fun a, your baby is you’ll find your relationship with her is actually strengthened if you manage to spend at least part of the time away from her.

Try to find another mother with a child the same age as yours, who’ll do a child care swap with you for a couple of hours each week.

A baby of 6 months plus is old enough to be left with another mother or caregiver for short periods – you don’t have to invest in formal child care. If you have a regular evening babysitter, it can be a good idea to get her to look after your child occasionally during the day, too. This will help to strengthen the bond between her and your baby and increase your confidence about leaving them when you go out at night.

TYPES OF HOSPITALS

There are different kinds of hospitals, most of which provide maternity care. Without question, teaching hospitals provide the most modern facilities. Here, doctors are always on duty, so if you run into any complications, there will be someone to attend you. And, as a rule, doctors at teaching hospitals are usually more experienced in dealing with complicated births. The smaller community hospitals are rare now, but they do tend to be more friendly and flexible, although midwives still have to follow the same guidelines as midwives in larger hospitals.

VISITING HOSPITALS

If you can, tour one or more hospitals with your partner before making your final choice. Most maternity hospitals give a formal tour, sometimes as part of general prenatal preparation classes, otherwise as part of the general welcome made to mothers signing up. Find out about when these tours take place and ask if you can join one before you make your decision.

GETTING TO KNOW YOUR HOSPITAL

Hospitals can be intimidating, but usually seem less so when you get to know them. Try to visit the hospital of your choice at least once, more if possible, so that you can meet some of the staff who’ll be caring for you. You’ll also have a chance to get the feel of the routine and look at the delivery room and other facilities. The more time you have to walk around, the more familiar you’ll become with the surroundings so you’re more relaxed when the big day comes. It’s best if you and your partner do this together so that you both get to know the place and the people and will feel confident when you are actually there for the birth itself. Remember, though, that security considerations mean that maternity wards are now carefully monitored, so don’t try to visit without an appointment. Any unannounced visitors are likely to be challenged.

It’s a good idea for you and your partner to take a look around the outside of the hospital and find the emergency entrance. Many women go into labor at night, and having to search for the entrance in the dark is the last thing you need.

CHANGING YOUR HOSPITAL

If you do have problems and you find that your hospital is not meeting your expectations, you don’t have to abandon the system altogether. A hospital is there to serve you; healthcare is a consumer issue and you do have the right to refuse certain procedures. If you’re very unhappy with any aspect of the care at your hospital, you can arrange to be transferred to another one. You could also try getting in touch with the head of the clinic or your obstetrician and explain your feelings and what you think is wrong with the clinic. If you find a sympathetic doctor who you
get along with, you may change ‘your mind about leaving, although it’s unlikely that he or she will be there for your delivery. If you do feel you must change hospitals, your obstetrician will probably recommend another doctor at a center of your choice.

BIRTHING ROOMS

Most hospitals should have birthing rooms available. These are non-clinical and more like your own home, with comfortable chairs, low lighting, soft music, piles of cushions, and drinks and snacks on hand.

The whole aim of a birthing room is to help you relax, overcome fears, and relieve tension. A normal routine before the birth makes for a normal delivery, and once you’re in a birthing room you won’t be moved unless there’s an emergency that needs immediate attention. There shouldn’t be any sudden changes in movement, mood, and surroundings. You won’t have to lie down to have your baby, and you don’t need to be surrounded by intimidating equipment. In a birthing room, you can take up whatever position you want for the birth of your baby.

For many women, a birthing room provides the ideal compromise between home and hospital births. It provides surroundings and facilities as similar as possible to those at home, but with emergency expertise on hand and an epidural available if labor pains become overwhelming.

The Third Stage

During the third stage of labor, the placenta becomes detached from the wall of your uterus and is delivered down the birth canal. The large blood vessels running to and from the placenta, which are about the thickness of a pencil, are simply torn across. Despite this, bleeding is rare because the muscle fibers of the uterus are arranged in a crisscross fashion so that when the uterus contracts down, the muscles tighten around the blood vessels and prevent them from bleeding. This is why it’s absolutely essential that your uterus contracts down into a hard ball once the placenta has been expelled. Massaging every now and then for an hour or so after the third stage is complete can help keep your uterus tightly contracted. Normally the third stage lasts about 10-20 minutes.

Delivering The Placenta

Usually your doctor or midwife won’t try to deliver the placenta until there are clear signs that it’s separating from the wall of your uterus and moving downward into your vagina. The signs your attendants will look for are contractions starting up again a few minutes after the birth of your baby, which shows that the placenta is about to separate, and your desire to bear down-this also shows that the placenta has separated from the wall of your uterus and is pressing down on your pelvic floor.

Once these signs have appeared, your doctor or midwife may encourage the delivery of the placenta by pulling gently on the cord, at the same time pressing above the rim of the pelvis to control descent. You may be asked to push. The placenta is expelled from your vagina, followed by the membranes. Rarely, a blood clot will also be expelled.

How you can help It may take up to half an hour before the placenta arrives. You can help speed things up by breastfeeding your baby because the sucking action stimulates your uterus to contract, thereby helping to expel the placenta. If your baby isn’t ready to suck, stimulating your nipples with your fingers can have the same effect.

Delivery The placenta may pass through your vulva in two different ways. In the first, the center of the placenta comes out first, dragging the membranes behind it. In the second, an edge of the placenta presents first, then it slips out of the vulva sideways. Most women want to see the placenta-it’s an amazing organ that’s been the life-support system for your baby for nine months.

After delivery Once the placenta is delivered, medical staff will check it carefully to make sure it’s complete and none of it has been left behind. If any of the placenta has been left in the uterus it can cause hemorrhaging later on, so it must be removed as soon as possible. If there’s any doubt, you may have an ultrasound scan to see whether the uterus is completely empty. The membranes should form a complete bag except for the hole through which your baby has passed. Your midwife will also check the cut end of the cord to make sure that the umbilical blood vessels are normal. After the placenta is delivered, the whole of your vulval outlet will be examined carefully for tears. Anything other than a minute one will be stitched immediately.

After The Placenta Is Delivered

After the uterus is completely empty and the placenta is delivered, Pitocin is usually given by intravenous infusion. The Pitocin helps the uterus contract and reduce the amount of bleeding. Blood runs through sinuses in the uterus, and when the uterus contracts down to a small ball, these sinuses are closed off. If the uterus does not contract well, you will continue to bleed. At At this point your doctor will start an IV (if you don’t have one already) and give you Methergine to control postpartum hemorrhage and help the uterus tone up. If you have high blood pressure, your doctor can give you a prostaglandin, which will have the same effect as Methergine to stop postpartum bleeding.

Oxytocin The hormone oxytocin is naturally produced by your body when you see and touch your baby and put her to your breast. This natural production of oxytocin helps control excessive bleeding and tone the uterus. At the same time, both you and your newborn benefit from close, skin-to-skin contact.

How You Will Feel

You may find yourself shivering and shaking after the placenta is delivered. After delivery of my second child, I was shivering and my teeth were chattering so much that I couldn’t speak or breathe properly. My own explanation for this is that for nine months I had a little furnace inside me, producing quite a lot of heat, and my body had adjusted to take account of the extra heat by turning my own thermostat down slightly. When my baby left my body, I was deprived of that heat and my body temperature probably dropped a few degrees. The only way the body can raise. Its temperature is to generate heat through muscular work. That’s exactly What shivering does-rapid contraction and relaxation of muscles produces body heat. The shivering usually stops in about half an hour, during which time your body temperature is back up to normal and your own thermostat is reset.

In the early months, use any lovemaking position you like, but as your abdomen gets bigger, you may find some positions uncomfortable. After about 24 weeks, it’s best to avoid lying on your back for any length of time, so don’t use the missionary position, with your partner on top-there are lots of other exciting options. These may also be the best choices when you first start making love again after the birth.

WOMAN-ON-TOP POSITIONS

You may find these the most comfortable from the second trimester onward. As your abdomen grows, you can lift yourself farther off his stomach by supporting yourself on your bent legs. This also prevents too much pressure on your abdomen and breasts. In these positions, too, it’s easier for you to control the depth of penetration and the speed and rhythm of lovemaking.

These positions allow a great deal of intimacy. You and your partner have your hands free to caress and stroke each other and he can easily reach your breasts with his mouth. Alternatively, you can brush his chest with your breasts to stimulate him further.

KNEELING AND SIDE-BY-SIDE POSITIONS

Many of these involve entering from behind, and are useful in pregnancy, particularly if you don’t feel comfortable on your back, or you don’t want to take too active a part in lovemaking.

Kneeling positions allow your partner freedom of movement and let him vary the amount of penetration. Side-by-side positions are comfortable and permit plenty of kissing and caressing. The “spoons” position, so called because the partners nestle together like a pair of spoons, is also good to try if you feel any soreness or discomfort when you start making love again after you’ve given birth, especially if you’ve had an episiotomy.

SITTING POSITIONS

These are good in the middle and late months. They don’t allow a lot of movement but are comfortable for both partners and ease pressure on the abdomen. Also, the depth of penetration can be controlled. Your partner sits on a sturdy, comfortable chair or the edge of the bed and you sit on his lap, either facing him (if your abdomen is not too big), facing to one side, or facing away.

Your partner can use his hands to caress your body and breasts and to stimulate your clitoris. His range of movement is limited, so you control the sexual tempo.

There are large numbers of games that can be used as baby shower games. These games are mentioned below:
Word scramble: This is one of the easiest games. In this game, each of the participating team is given a page of jumbled words. The team that finds all the correct words from them wins the game.

Race for the shoes: This is one of the funniest games. This game is basically meant for men. In this game men are asked to wear heavy clothes and then they are required to tie and untie their shoes. Those who do this in the minimum time win the game. This game is of great amusement for the expecting mother.

Diaper smell: This is also a funny game. Under this game, few diapers are fitted with certain household items and all of them are marked then. The team that makes the right guess about a particular item then that team is given some gift item. This game appears funny only while viewing it.

Baby charades: This game is one of the oldest games. In this game the participants are provided with the sentences that a new born baby will tell their parents in the future once they start talking. The teams have to express those sentences then to their team partners. Those who get maximum points after the end of the game are provided with the prizes.

Mother Guess: There is flexibility while playing this game. This game can be played in groups and as well as individually. In this game, people are given the description of the characters that are there in the nursery rhymes and people have to guess those characters.

Mother What: This is not an easy game at all. In this game, names of all the mothers at that place are listed on cards. These cards are then pasted on the back of the participants. The participants then have to guess the correct names.

Purse scavenger hunt: In this game, two groups are made-one who are new mothers and other with old mothers. Then all the participants are asked to make the list of items that a new born mother would have in their purse. The participant that gives most right items is considered as the winner.

Heavy purse roulette: This game is best suited for those mothers who have some experience in motherhood. In this game, purses of all the participants are weighed. The mother with the heaviest purse is considered the winner.

CONTRACTIONS AND PUSHING

The second stage is the expulsion stage-you push your baby out. It lasts from the time your cervix is fully dilated until your baby is born and, for a first baby, generally takes less than two hours. The average second stage lasts about one hour, and it may be as little as 15-20 minutes for subsequent babies. At this time contractions are 60-90 seconds long and come at two- to four­ minute intervals.

You’ll almost certainly feel the urge to push, known as bearing down. The urge is caused by your baby’s head pressing down on your pelvic floor and rectum, and is quite involuntary. Keep your pushing as smooth and continuous as you can; make the muscular effort smooth and slow so that your vaginal and perineal tissues and muscles have enough time to stretch and will be able to accommodate your baby’s head.

The most efficient position to be in when you’re pushing is upright, whether you sit on a birthing stool, stand with your arms around your partner’s neck, or squat. This means that the downward muscular force of your body and the downward force of gravity are working together to push your baby out.

If you’re lying on your back, even if you’re supported by pillows, you’re pushing your baby out uphill against the force of gravity.

This is much harder work, and so delivery is slower.

As you push, it helps if your pelvic floor and anal area are fully relaxed, so make a conscious effort to let go of this part of your body. Don’t be embarrassed if you urinate or lose a little stool­lots of women do and your attendants have seen it all before. When you’ve finished a push, take two slow, deep breaths, but don’t relax too quickly at the end of a contraction. Your baby will continue to maintain her forward progress if you relax slowly. If doctors think that your second stage is going on too long, they might suggest using forceps to assist the delivery of your baby.

Names that have been passed down through a family from generation to generation were at one time the automatic choice for many parents, especially for a first-born. If the traditional name was masculine, it was sometimes feminized for a girl (Thomas, Thomasina), especially if there was no male heir. These customs have lapsed in recent times, leading to many traditional family names being dropped, although they are sometimes used as a child’s middle name.

Some families, particularly among the aristocracy in Scotland, and in the American South, used the mother’s maiden name as the first-born son’s given name. This appears to be dying out, although the maiden name is still given as a middle name. Because of this custom, surnames such as Russell, Howard, and Cameron have become normal as first names, particularly for boys. Couples who are not married or in which the woman prefers to keep her maiden name sometimes like to give the mother’s surname as the child’s middle name.

Many parents choose names for their children that work together, although few go as far as the Victorians (see column, right). Some parents like all their children’s names to start with the same initial, although this can cause confusion with letters and official documents.

NATIONALITY

Many parents choose names that reflect where they come from, even though they no longer live there. This can lead to problems of spelling and pronunciation, so the spelling may be simplified ­from Gaelic to English, for example (Sile-Sheila; Aodan-Aidan). In other cases, first names. that are perceived as being “national” may not be used in their country of origin. Colleen, for example, comes from the Celtic caitlin, meaning “girl” or “wench,” and is popular for girls of Irish origin in North America and Australia, even though it’s not used as a given name in Ireland.

MEANINGS The meaning or origin of a name tends to be less important than its associations for most modern Western parents. Many Western first names have had a more convoluted history than those of other cultures. This is because these names, along with other traditions and customs, have been transferred from one society to another, often by invasion followed by integration, migration, or contact between different cultures. For this reason, many names have become divorced from their original meanings, but some Western parents do still choose names primarily because of what they mean.

DURING LABOR

Your partner will need you with her once labor starts. You may feel that the medical staff have everything under control and there’s not a lot you can do, but there is, and it’s important for you to be there and to be loving and intimate with your partner. However you’re feeling yourself, try to be slow and gentle, quiet and reassuring. Don’t try to do too much and get in the way of the medical staff or become an irritation to your partner; always give her space when she wants it. Be positive and don’t criticize her; she needs plenty of praise, encouragement, and sympathy to keep her going.

Practical help There are lots of things you can do to help your partner cope with the discomfort and the pain of giving birth. Offer practical help such getting her a warm hot-water bottle if she’s got a backache, refreshing her with sprays of water or a cool washcloth if she’s too hot, and giving her sips of water if her mouth is dry. If she wants to go without pain relief, encourage her while it seems reasonable, but if she asks for it, don’t try to talk her out of it. She’s the one who’s in pain. You’ll certainly have talked about it beforehand as part of your planning, and she may at that time have been quite adamant that she didn’t want pain relief. But if she changes her mind in labor, don’t argue with her; nobody can possibly know how they’re going to feel when giving birth until it actually happens.

Seeking explanations Talk to the doctor or midwife if you don’t understand what’s happening, or if you’re worried. They’re there to help both of you, and they are professionals who have your partner’s and your baby’s best interests at heart. At the same time, don’t let the hospital staff and their machines become the focus of your attention. Your job is to support your partner.

Your partner’s moods Keep your sense of humor; if your partner shouts-or swears-at you, or seems to get angry or overwrought, take it in stride. It’s her way of coping with a very stressful situation and quite often happens, particularly at the transition phase of the first stage of labor. Treat it as a positive step toward the birth-it’s a sign that the second stage of labor isn’t far off.

MEETING YOUR BABY

This is the moment you’ve waited nine months for, the moment, when you can take your baby in your arms together for the first time. Everything you’ve just gone through will feel worthwhile. Your doctor will probably lay the baby on your partner’s tummy or give him to one of you to hold while the cord is clamped and cut; take your shirt off so your baby can feel and smell your skin. Hold him close to your face and let him look up into yours. Share this moment and savor it; this is a meeting that will change both your lives forever. It’s also the moment when you claim your new status as parents. You’ll never forget this experience. It’s so emotional that you’ll probably both find yourselves weeping with joy and relief.

AFTER THE BIRTH

After the birth, you may feel as emotionally exhausted as your partner, but don’t forget how physically exhausting labor and birth is for a woman. Because your partner is so tired, she may not appear to experience quite the same emotions as you.

Your partner’s reactions You’ll probably feel a wave of euphoria now that your baby is born, but, particularly if labor has been long and arduous, your partner may be just too tired to enjoy this same “buzz” immediately. It doesn’t mean she isn’t as excited and delighted as you are, but after a lengthy labor, it’s not surprising if she finds it difficult to express her enthusiasm right away. Just hold her close and let her know how proud you are of her and of your new son or daughter. Stay with them both for as long as possible after the birth, and help get them settled into the postnatal ward.

Valuing your role Be ready to congratulate your partner on her achievement, and let her know how much you appreciate her. But although all your thoughts will be with her, don’t belittle your own contribution and the support you’ve been able to give. You may think you haven’t really been much help-this is a common feeling for fathers who’ve seen their partners struggling through labor, particularly if it was a long one. Most mothers, though, say just how important it was to have the emotional support and encouragement from their partner throughout labor and at the baby’s birth.

Saying hello Take the chance to hold your baby while your partner is being stitched, or checked. Go to a quiet corner of the room and get to know the new member of your family. Let her look into your eyes and hold her close, just 8-10 in (20-25 cm) from your face. She’ll be able to see you and smell you, and she’ll learn to recognize you from the very beginning. Remember, too, that sight is not her only way of experiencing this new world, and that the sense of touch is very important to babies. Take your shirt off and hold her against your skin or gently stroke her-both are strong ways of bonding with your new baby.

Waxy Ear

Ear wax is produced by glands in the outer ear canal and protects the ear from dust, foreign bodies, and infection. If wax accumulates and hardens, it can result in hearing loss. Although it’s not usually serious, you should consult your child’s doctor.

Symptoms

Ear wax can become hard and compacted and cause impaired hearing, a ringing sound in the head, or a sensation of fullness in the outer ear. It may be possible to see the buildup of wax.

Treatment Ear drops may be effective. Drops are more likely to be used if the wax has formed a hard plug, as they will soften it, allowing it to come out overnight on soft cotton wool placed at the opening of the canal. You should never try to insert anything into your child’s ear to try to clear wax, not even a fingernail or a cotton bud. They will only push the wax further into the canal or damage the lining of the ear.

Outer Ear Infection

The passage leading to the eardrum from the ear flap can sometimes become infected as a result of excessive cleaning or scratching, the presence of a foreign body in the ear, or after swimming. This can be painful, but is not usually serious.

Symptoms Your child will complain of earache and her ear and outer ear passage may be red and tender. You may notice a puslike discharge from the ear, and a dry scaly appearance. A boil within the ear canal can also cause great pain.

Treatment Home treatment includes keeping the ear clean, giving acetominophen elixir to relieve pain and keep the temperature down, and covering the ear with a cotton pad. Your doctor may prescribe antibiotics or ear drops. Any foreign body or boil in the ear must be dealt with by a doctor.

Middle Ear Infection

Otitis media, or infection of the middle ear, is quite common in children. Until about age six, some children develop such infections with every cold or sniffle. Infections are caused by bacteria entering the middle ear from the nose and the throat via the eustachian tube. Untreated infections can result in permanent hearing loss. Recurrent middle ear infections are often linked with glue ear.

Symptoms The most prominent symptoms are severe earache and loss of appetite. Your child may also have a fever or a discharge from the ear, and there may be some hearing loss. A baby with a middle ear infection may be distressed and pull and rub her ear. She may also have general symptoms such as loss of appetite, vomiting, and diarrhea.

Treatment The usual treatment is antibiotics and pain-relieving medication. At home, keep your children comfortable and cool and give lots of drinks as ,well as her medicines. The child should avoid getting water in the ear until the infection has cleared. Unless she feels very unwell, she can go to school:
ear infections are not contagious.

Glue Ear

If Your child has repeated infections of the middle ear, the middle ear can gradually fill with jelly-like fluid. As the fluid cannot drain away through the eustachian tube, it becomes sticky and impairs hearing because the sounds are not being effectively transmitted across the middle ear to the inner ear, where they are actually heard. It’s important to deal with glue ear promptly, especially when your child is learning to speak.

Symptoms Glue ear generally causes no pain, but partial hearing loss and a feeling of fullness deep in the ear may occur. A child with chronic glue ear may sleep with the mouth open, snore when asleep, and speak with a nasal twang. If glue ear is not treated it can cause permanent deafness, resulting in speech and learning problems.

Treatment The fluid may drain away if left for a few weeks. Your doctor may prescribe decongestants to help drainage. If the fluid does not clear, surgery may be recommended; in this operation, a tiny hole is made in the eardrum and the fluid is sucked out. Then a tympanostomy tube may be inserted; this tiny plastic tube allows air to circulate in the middle ear. Any fluid that forms can drain away through the tympanostomy tube and flow down the eustachian tube.

The tympanostomy tube usually falls out after a few months and the eardrum heals. Occasionally the tube has to be inserted again if the fluid reaccumulates. Doctors usually advise that children avoid getting their ears wet for the first six weeks after the operation, but after that they can usually do anything they like.

SECOND STAGE JOBS

You’ll need to continue doing many of the jobs you did during the first stage-making your partner comfortable, supporting her in different positions, providing drinks and food, and giving moral support. But you’ll also now have to encourage her to push. All this will make the mother’s job easier and help her feel emotionally secure and relaxed.

In the unlikely event of a medical emergency, staff have to move quickly and you might be in the way, so be sensitive to any situation that arises. You probably won’t be asked to leave the delivery room, but be prepared to do so if necessary.

Helping with the delivery position Now that your partner has been through the first stage of labor, she’ll probably know which position she finds most comfortable. Your support is very important to help her through the pushing stage, but always ask the midwife’s advice if you’re not certain what to do. If your partner doesn’t want to be held, suggest other positions that she might find comfortable, and place pillows or cushions under and behind her for support. It’s a good idea to practice different ways of sitting or squatting before labor so that you’re both familiar with them; if you feel unsure or uncomfortable about what you’re doing, it can make your partner nervous.

If your partner is happy sitting on the bed or on the floor, she might like to try the knee-chest position, which many women find comfortable in the second stage. For this, she should drop her chin onto her chest while holding on to her knees. Between contractions, suggest that she relax against the pillow to conserve her energy.

Helping her with breathing and pushing To help her through these last few contractions, tap out a rhythm for the different kinds of breathing, using words like: “breathe, breathe, pant, pant, blow.” As she’s pushing, gently remind her to relax her pelvic floor.

At the peak of contractions, suggest that she take two or three deep breaths and push as hard as she can. She should push in a strong and steady way, and you can remind her that each push brings the birth of your baby a little closer.

Encouraging her to relax Between contractions, help your partner to relax-she needs to save her strength for pushing her baby through the birth canal. Massage her back if she has a backache or needs comforting and reassuring. If she is hot and flustered, mop her brow with a cool washcloth or mist her face with a water spray.

Standing by Once your baby’s head has crowned, your role may become more passive for a while as you watch the doctor or midwife guiding your partner through this pushing stage. Don’t be disappointed if your partner hardly seems to notice you during the birth and relies more on the hospital staff. She’ll be fully preoccupied and involved with what’s happening.

Showing her the baby When your baby’s head is emerging, hold a mirror nearby so that your partner can see his head crowning and then his whole body slithering out. Help her to reach down and touch your baby’s head as he is born.

Loving reception Ask the doctor or midwife if you can catch your baby in your arms as his body emerges. After you’ve greeted your baby for the first time, place him on your partner’s stomach. You can then cuddle them both to help keep them warm and to let them know that you’re there.

You and your partner will have a range of reactions-relief, tears, awed silence, exhausted collapse, whoops of joy. You may even feel squeamish at the sight of his bloodied, greasy, tiny body. Whatever your feelings, they’re all perfectly understandable, and this moment marks a new phase in your family’s history.