Hot off the press

I put Pandora on and immerse myself in cutting and gluing… This is one of my most recent books. I have been saving the trim for years and finally had an opportunity to use it. I bought it at an antique store in Chicago and it has such a luxurious vintage vibe.

Pandemic Baby Boom or Bust?

Initially, with the shelter at home advisories of last Spring, there were jokes and predictions about a baby boom happening nine months later. However, not only does that seem to be NOT happening, the reverse seems to be true. The Brookings report of December 17, 2020 continues to accumulate evidence to support their predictions of earlier, estimating that around 300,000 fewer babies will be born this year. These findings are similar in Europe as well. Historically, with every 1% increase in unemployment, there has been a 1% drop in birth rates. Currently, 34% of women state that they plan to delay having another child or they expect to have fewer children due to the pandemic. Stress, school closures, financial worries and anxiety about health concerns are contributing factors.

If this prediction does prove to be true, there may be some inherent benefits to the children born in 2021, including small class sizes, less college entrance competition and perhaps more opportunities in employment.

Let’s talk Baby!

Class will be Wednesday January 13 from 5 to 7 pm at Beginnings Birth Center.

I hope to see you there.

Baby’s first weeks

Dramatic physiologic and developmental changes occur in a newborn’s first weeks and months. Some babies cope and adapt without much ado but some infants, especially babies who were born a little early, have a bumpier ride. But it seems that even the most “easy” baby will have an increase in crying and apparent discomfort starting at 3 weeks or so. The cause may be overstimulation due to an immature nervous system or immature digestive system, but whatever the cause, what is commonly seen is crying, squirming and fussing after feeding, spitting up, interrupted sleep and sometimes difficulty with feeding.

It may be that we overestimate baby’s ability to deal with sensory stimulation along with internal changes in circulation and digestion. Along with a thorough medical evaluation to rule out any serious problems, it may be helpful to reduce environmental activity, sound and light levels as well as handling baby slowly and smoothly. Attention to baby’s cues of impending intolerance such as yawning, sneezing, hiccoughing, gaze aversion, color changes toward pale or red give us an opportunity to intervene a little sooner to avoid a dramatic stress response resulting in “shut down”.