WellPoint’s affiliated Life and Disability Companies are pleased to announce Newborn and Parenting Resources - a new service designed to help new mothers adjust to their newborn baby child care and return to work after maternity leave. Newborn and Parenting Resources are available to all new and in-force short term disability plans offered by the affiliates effective 1/1/2010.
New moms have access to Newborn and Parenting Resources once their baby arrives and their short term disability claim has been approved. Then, they will receive eight weeks of Newborn and Parenting Resources services at no cost to them. The eight weeks start on the date the new mother enrolls in the program.
Once enrolled, the new mothers are paired with highly trained and licensed professional coaches who have advanced degrees in counseling and/or child development. The coaches provide support and help mothers set goals, address concerns and identify resolutions on topics including: returning to work, adjusting to a new baby, work/life balance, issues with older siblings, health and nutrition, child development and parent well-being. The coaches are available via e-mail, instant message chat, online journal and telephone. In addition, new mothers can receive a 12-month subscription to American Baby magazine and get discounts on products to make their house safe for their newborn.
“It doesn’t matter if it’s the first baby or the fifth, we know making the transition from maternity leave to working outside the house can be challenging,” said Nick Brecker, president of Life and Disability, WellPoint, Inc. “We want new mothers to know we provide more than a benefits check. We provide new mothers with resources to help ease the transition back to work after their maternity leave and help them be successful working mothers.”
There are times when you definitely want to scream in frustration because your baby has been crying out loud for reasons that you don’t know what he really needs. Accept the fact that part of your child care experience is dealing with the cry of your baby. Of course, dealing with it entails a long lasting kind of your patience.
Without patience, for sure, you may just end up compromising your child’s safety.
There is a condition that may possibly happen if you are one type of a person who is likely to cause some abuse. It is called the Shaken Baby Syndrome (SBS). Also called as Battered Baby Syndrome, it is one of the leading causes of mortality in infants. It is a form of child abuse that occurs when an abuser violently shakes an infant or small child, creating a whiplash-type motion that causes brain injuries. Actually, it can be 100% prevented.
A newborn’s neck muscles are not yet strong. Therefore, they are extremely vulnerable to mishandling. Every parent or caretaker should know that an ultimately safe infant care must be given to a newborn.
A shaken baby is likely to develop swelling of the brain that can cause head and even brain trauma. This sad consequence can lead to serious health problems later in life. Worst to know, almost half of these kinds of situations end in death.
So if you are likely to be on the verge of almost getting to your limits, do not touch your baby when you are angry or upset. Be on a time-out. Walk away and compose yourself first before going back to your baby to comfort him. But if you are close to your breaking point, switch off with your spouse or any other person with you in your house. If you are by yourself, secure him down into safety. You may walk into another room to gain your composure before returning.
You do not want for sure that your baby will be put into abuse. If you will be in your baby’s shoes, you may not want to be innocently traumatized as well. Violent shaking is NEVER an accepted behavior to express any of your deepest anger or frustrations.
First time parents are confused at a loss most of the time during infant care of their newborn. It’s hard to blame them; they would want to perform these duties flawlessly. So here are some suggestions from the Nemours Foundation to help you get by:
- Support baby’s head with a gentle hand whenever you hold, carry or lay baby down.
- Treat baby gently. Never shake the baby for any reason, including to wake him or her up. Instead, tickle the feet or blow on the cheek to rouse your little one.
- Make sure you’re using the baby car seat and stroller correctly, and that baby is safely secured.
- Newborns just need to be held and cuddled. It’s too soon for games such as bouncing on the knee or lifting in the air.
Moreover, it wouldn’t hurt to seek the advice of those with considerable experience in raising babies. Yes, that’s your parents and your in-laws. Their experience is golden but take care not to get too dependent on them.
Feelings of jealousy and unhappiness are natural in a family especially for older siblings if a new baby is born. The major concern of these young children is that the new baby will take away all the love once given to them.
This is especially true when they see you pay more closer attention to your baby. So what should you do in order to make a smooth transition in this child development phase? Communication is key, as they say.
Set aside a consistent amount of hours wherein your focus is the older child alone. It is the duty of parents to spread their love evenly among his/her children. Likewise, make him/her understand that you have to spend quality time with the baby as well so that he does not barge in and take this time.
Make your child warm up to the idea of a new baby by involving him/her in the upbringing of the child. If your older child feels a part of this experience, he/she will appreciate it more. Don’t pressure your child however. It will take an itty bit of time for all parties to adjust.
No other feeling can measure up to the one given by a newborn in the home. Now, you should do everything in your power to make sure that your home is a safe place for your little bundle of joy. Child safety is a key consideration in assessing the environment of your home. This not only includes ensuring that your home is safe from risks; child safety also means having the proper sense of emotional maturity. Here are a few do’s and don’ts to live by for a wonderful parenting experience with your newborn.
Have you ever heard of the Shaking Baby Syndrome? This results to brain damage and a delay in normal development. Thus make it a point not to shake your newborn baby. Also, always make your child sleep on his/her back as negligence to do so can cause SIDS or Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.
As for nutrition requirements, breast milk is still best for your baby. When the time comes for your baby to eat solid foods, always cut it into smaller tidbits in order to avoid choking.
Lastly, make sure to have regular appointments to your doctor regarding your baby’s health. It is best to have immunization shots for your baby as early as possible
