Need postpartum abdominal repair surgery? Medicare will have you covered
For those women who suffer negative physical consequences of childbirth, there may be a light at the end of a very painful tunnel. The Medical Services Advisory Committee (MSAC) has now recommended that postpartum abdominal repair surgery should once again be covered by Medicare.
Many women suffer from post pregnancy abdominal separation or ‘diastasis recti’. This occurs in pregnant women when the two long stomach muscles separate due to the pressure of the growing baby and hormonal changes. It usually occurs in the second half of the pregnancy and is more commonly seen in women over 35, those who’ve had more than one child, or who are carrying twins, triplets or more.
For some women, the muscles can slowly come back together, but for many they do not, causing on-going problems such as back pain. For some women the only option is surgery, an expensive process called abdominoplasty surgery, where the abdominal muscles are sewn back together.
Purely cosmetic?
Up until five years ago, this process was covered by Medicare. However in 2016, it was removed from the Medicare Benefit Scheme (MBS). There were concerns that it was being used for cosmetic purposes rather than legitimate medical ones.
“Because this procedure has been commonly described as a ‘tummy tuck’ many people assume that it is always purely a cosmetic procedure and find it difficult to believe it might be for a legitimate functional reason,” says Dr Dan Kennedy, President of Australian Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) in a recent press release. “However for those women who need it, this is medically-necessary reconstructive surgery that restores functionality to women, and allows them to resume normal physical activities such as picking up their children or playing sport without pain.”
According the Dr Kennedy, the ASPS estimates approximately 3500 Australian women each year suffer moderate to extreme abdominal separation and back pain. However only a quarter of those would want surgery, equating to less than $440,000 of taxpayers money per year.
A successful campaign
Last year, mother of twins, Kerrie Edwards started a petition to fight the decision, achieving 13000 signatures. It was presented to Parliament by Dr Fiona Martin, Member for Reid, who also felt strongly that things should change in order to encourage women to continue having children. “We want more Aussie babies to be born because it’s part of the economic recovery but also because we don’t have a huge population anyway so at a time like this we really need to be encouraging mums and supporting mothers,” Dr Martin reported to the Sydney Morning Herald in 2020.
After giving birth to her twin daughters, Kerrie said that she had done everything she possibly could for her abdominal separation in terms of exercise and physiotherapy. Four years later, she was still suffering and needed surgery but was quoted the vast sum of $20,000 for the procedure.
Good news at last
The petition and the strong campaigning helped to convince to MSAC to recommend reinstating the Medicare rebate for abdominoplasty surgery. “We welcome this decision by MSAC and urge the Government to support it,” says Dr Kennedy. “Accessing this procedure will benefit those mothers who have suffered with symptoms such as chronic back pain and incontinence, resulting in a severely compromised quality of life.”
This change will not come into effect until 2022 and women will have to meet set criteria to show that the procedure is medically necessary and other non-surgical options have been tried.
However, for many women, this is still great news indeed. “I am delighted with this decision,” commented Kerrie. “This will make an enormous difference to so many women who currently cannot lift their children without pain, cannot participate in sport or exercise, or who are finding it difficult to return to the workforce.”
What happens when parents don’t agree on how to parent?
Everyone parents their child slightly differently – even partners don’t always do things the same way. But as with all relationships, there has to be a bit of give and take.
One mum recently took to Reddit to vent about how her husband doesn’t change their toddler’s night nappy first thing in the morning, but not everyone sympathised with her dilemma.
The woman explained that she likes to change her toddler’s nappy the minute he wakes up in the morning, while her husband has different approach. “It’s been about 12 hours since our toddler’s nappy was changed before bedtime. When he wakes up, isn’t it the first thing you change?” she wrote. “Not for my husband.”
She goes on to explain that on the mornings her husband wakes up first, he gets their little boy something to eat before changing his nappy. “On the mornings he wakes up first, husband will give him snacks and hang around for upwards of 20-30 minutes until their morning stroll, which is when he’ll finally change the nappy,” she explains. “I keep telling him to change it first thing.”
“This is my style”
The woman plays out the scene between her and her husband where she asks him, “Can you imagine walking around in a urine-soaked nappy for 12 hours?” To which the husband answers, “I don’t know how it feels. But he looks happy still. I change it when we go out anyway. What’s 10/20/30 minutes more?”
The mum disagrees with his reasoning, saying that if it makes no difference, then why not change the nappy first thing? “Because there’s no reason to do it,” answers the husband. “I want him to get comfortable and settle down with some snacks … This is my style”.
The mum explains that by this point she starts to get worked up, and her husband usually tells her she’s nuts and also being a control freak, in front of their child.
Who is in the right?
The husband’s comments may seem a little harsh, but are his parenting choices unreasonable? The post attracted nearly 80 comments, and not all in the favour of the mum.
While some agreed this would be irritating, others didn’t think it was such a big deal. In fact, many said that their own toddlers hate having their nappy changed first thing.
“This is my little guy as well,” wrote one parent. “It’s like trying to wrestle a baby alligator and I haven’t even had my coffee yet. So little guy gets to happily eat and then he gets changed. It makes a huge difference in his attitude if he eats before he’s changed.” They go on to add, “And let’s be honest, I don’t have the mental energy for alligator wrestling first thing in the morning!”
“Unless your kid is prone to rashes this really isn’t a big deal,” wrote another follower. “Other then a poopy diaper in the morning, I usually change ours about 30 or 40mins after he gets up. He HATES being changed and messed with in the morning first thing. So we just wait.”
“This is exactly my son,” said yet another. “He has to process being awake for a little bit and HATES getting his diaper changed.”
“Stop micromanaging!”
Other readers push a little further and suggest that perhaps the mum needs to let go and stop trying to organise her husband and control how he does things.
“He’s his dad. Stop micromanaging him,” wrote one. “Seriously, don’t be that mom. Men are not lesser parents just because they do some irrelevant little thing a bit differently than you.”
“Sounds like you’re micro-managing too much,” said another. “It’s normal for your husband to do things a little differently than you – accept it and only intervene if it’s actually a big problem (which it doesn’t like this is, since kid is happy), or you’ll both endlessly be frustrated.”
However that particular follower continues with another helpful comment: “Talk to your husband about not undermining each other in front of the kids though.”
Overall, it’s an interesting point and, no doubt, a common problem. It can be hard to see things being done differently to you, particularly when it comes to parenting. But as many of the readers have intimated, it’s important to give each other space to do things in your own way. Luckily the mum appreciated all the advice, even the criticisms.
“Thanks for your comments, everyone!” she wrote. “It was great hearing from those who agreed with me BUT also very grounding to hear from those of you who didn’t.”
Birthing dolls: woman’s marvellous creation captures wonder of childbirth
One clever crafty woman crochets a series of dolls going through the experience of childbirth, even breastfeeding afterwards – and her Facebook followers are thrilled.
With her Facebook arts and crafts store, @KatieLouMakesStuff, Katie offers “handmade crochet bits and bobs, made with love and yarn”. A recent project depicting a mother giving birth has attracted enormous attention, which is understandable. The birthing mums are not only meticulously crocheted from scratch, but they also perfectly sum up the birthing experience in a simple and gorgeous way.
Hours of painstaking work
On her Facbook page, Katie has set out pictures of her work, saying, “Mmmmmmkay. So I may have made the best, most hilarious thing I’ve ever made. This has taken me a good 30 or so hours to make and I am pretty happy with the results.”
She apologies for the photography however no one is noticing the quality of photos as they are all entranced by the quality and subject matter of her work. Katie has covered all birthing options and goes on to explain: “she comes with the option of both vaginal and caesarean birth! Baby has detachable placenta and snap fasteners to enable breastfeeding.”
“This is amazing!”
Kate finishes her post with “Let me know what you think”. And with nearly 6,000 reactions and about 5,000 comments, followers were only too happy to show their enthusiasm.
“Will you be making more? I’d love to buy one!” wrote one follower.
“Omg love this! Please could you make me one?” commented another.
“This is so fantastic!!!!” wrote yet another viewer. “So creative and adorable and informative and I just absolutely think these pics are the sweetest, most creative and beautiful things I’ve seen in a long time. Beautiful idea, beautifully executed.”
The project also appealed to healthcare and birthing professionals. “As an OBGYN and a crafter, I need to make this ASAP!!!” said one excited follower. “Wow, Your work is amazing!” said another. “As a hypnobirthing practitioner and Aqua-natal teacher I’d love to purchase one”
Meanwhile some offered suggestions when it came to the actual birth: “As a physician I’d be remiss if I didn’t point out that “sunny side up” (baby facing up/occiput posterior) is NOT the preferred or typical birthing presentation. In general, the back of the baby’s head (the occiput) is facing upward. This allows for more neck flexion when passing through the birth canal.” But even they couldn’t help but love the crocheted dolls: “Still, I’m cackling with delight at this amazing crochet project!”
There is definitely a market for such a creation, although Katie is not ready to sell her exquisite items, at least not until “the emotional attachment to the work has gone”. However judging from the many excited comments posted, it’s clear that when she is ready to let her ‘baby’ go, Katie will be inundated with orders.
Best prenatal vitamins of 2021
If you’re pregnant or even thinking about it, you want to do what’s best for you and your baby. But with so many different prenatal vitamins out on the market, it can be be hard to know where to begin.
The Tell Me Baby community is here to help. With their top picks for prenatal vitamins, based on personal experience and reviews, parents share what worked, what didn’t and what you can’t do without.
Below are the top eight prenatal vitamins that the TMB parents absolutely love:
1. Qiara Pregnancy & Breastfeeding
With a 4.8 out of 5 star rating, Qiara Pregnancy & Breastfeeding was Tell Me Baby’s highest rated Mum’s vitamins and supplements for 2021. Women found this product particularly good for dealing with pain caused by mastitis, blocked ducts and nipple thrush. “I didn’t think it would work but this product had amazed me!” said one reviewer. “I suffered a very painful mastitis but after taking this, I honestly do not remember another episode of mastitis in my breastfeeding journey.”
2. NaturoBest Prenatal Trimester 2 & 3 Plus Breastfeeding
Made in Australia, this product is specially formulated to deal with the demands of second and third trimesters, as well as breastfeeding. And with a 5 star rating, it’s a hit with many mums from the Tell Me Baby community. It was particularly loved by those diagnosed with MTHFR gene who cannot take folic acid: “These tablets were a game changer.”
Rated 4.7 out of 5 stars, Blackmores I-Folic contains a combination of iodine for baby’s brain, eyesight and hearing development and folic acid to assist in reducing birth defects. It also offers an easy-to-take size and is popular for mums who cannot tolerate large pills or who suffer from pregnancy sickness. “These tablets were a lifesaver,” said one mum who suffers from HG (severe sickness during pregnancy). “The tablet is a small size, making it easy to swallow for a serial vomiter!”
4. Life-Space Probiotic for Pregnancy & Breastfeeding
This one has been very popular with Tell Me Baby parents over the past few years. With 15 strains of quality beneficial bacteria, mums find that it is particularly good for immunity, digestion and staying ‘regular’. “It helps me with my bowel movement everyday, during pregnancy and postnatal,” wrote one reviewer. “What I love the most is it doesn’t need to keep in the fridge and it’s safe for me and baby, even during breastfeeding.”
Read Life-Space Probiotic for Pregnancy & Breastfeeding reviews here.
5. Ethical Nutrients Inner Health Pregnancy and Breastfeeding
This product has received glowing five-star reviews from Tell Me Baby mums, as it has been specifically formulated to not only assist immunity and gut health, but also to help prevent the development of eczema in babies.
“I started taking these to decrease the chance of my baby developing eczema. I have cousins who have severe eczema and I was a bit concern my son would have the same problem,” wrote one reviewer. “So far my son has beautiful soft skin and hasn’t had any breakouts … so it is well worth it in my opinion.”
Read Ethical Nutrients Inner Health Pregnancy and Breastfeeding reviews here.
6. Blackmores Pregnancy and Breastfeeding Gold
These tablets, packed with 20 essential nutrients for both mum and baby, are a popular choice for TMB community members. They are easy to take, easy to digest and have no metallic after-taste. “I’ve had a lot of trouble finding pregnancy supplements that work for me and as soon as I started taking these I felt great,” said one mum. “100% worth it and recommend!”
Read Blackmores Pregnancy and Breastfeeding Gold reviews here.
7. Elevit Pregnancy Multivitamin
Elevit is a name that many women trust in prenatal vitamins and has proved popular with members of the TMB community. It provides all the essential vitamins and minerals required firstly when trying to conceive, and then during both pregnancy and breastfeeding. Many mums found it easy to take and appreciate the fact that only one tablet is needed each day to cover every need. “I Loved taking Elevit while pregnant knowing my Bub was getting all the great nutrition was the best feeling. Elevit didn’t make me feel sick at all,” commented one mum. “Only one pill a day was great compared to others.”
Fabfol contains all the essential vitamins and minerals needed by mum and baby during pregnancy, as well as extra energy and vitality. Mums found this product was easy to take and didn’t make them feel sick. It also helped with constipation and made them feel less tired. “I find tablets hard to swallow in general,” said a reviewer. “But these Fabfol pregnancy tablets were okay and not too hard to swallow.”
The appearance of any rash on a baby’s skin is enough to send new (or not-so-new) parents into a panic. But it could be a few common skin ailments – including baby eczema, a condition that causes skin to become itchy, dry and red. Many babies develop eczema (including my youngest daughter, who has had regular flare-ups since she was born).
However the good news is that for many babies, eczema can be easily treated and managed, bringing relief for everyone involved.
What are the symptoms?
Atopic dermatitis is the most common form of eczema in babies and young children. When eczema flares up, you see patches of skin that are very dry, itchy, scaly, bumpy and enflamed. For children with lighter skin, eczema can appear red, while for those with darker skin, it may appear purple, grey or brown.
With babies, you generally see eczema on their face. Toddlers develop it on their knees, ankles and inside their wrists. And as children grow older, it might also appear in the folds of elbows and knees.
What causes eczema?
Some babies develop eczema not long after birth, however many outgrow it by the time they are 5 to 10 years of age. It can be genetic, but often those who do suffer from eczema have dry skin, easily irritated by external triggers such as:
harsh chemicals found in perfumed soaps, bubble baths, shampoos and baby wipes containing alcohol
close contact with fabric made of polyester or coarse wool
overheating from clothes, bath or heated rooms
playing in sand
contact with common allergens such as dust mites in carpets, pets, grasses and pollen.
How do you treat eczema?
If your child has developed a rash and you’re not sure what it is, you should definitely consult your GP. If it is eczema, your doctor may prescribe a corticosteroid ointment or cream.
For mild eczema, you can buy mild corticosteroid creams over the counter from the pharmacy such as hydrocortisone 1% cream.
If the condition is more serious, your doctor may describe one that is stronger.
Good eczema management
While creams are good to deal with eczema in the short term, careful and consistent management is important and not hard to achieve. Here are some easy at-home tips to help you cope day-to-day with your little one’s eczema:
Dress your baby in cotton and avoid polyester, elastin and wool
Be careful which soaps, bubble baths, baby wipes and creams you use – try a simple fragrance-free bath oil or use sorbolene instead of soap
Find a soap powder that is specifically made for sensitive skin
Keep your little one’s baths short and warm, and avoid hot water on the skin
Try to prevent your child from sitting near the heater or getting overheated.
Products to help
Keeping you baby’s skin moisturised by applying a basic emollient at least one a day, if not twice, can help. Even better, apply it after a bath or shower, as it will sink into the skin more effectively.
Tell Me Baby reviewers recommend the following products to help with mild eczema:
If you are at all worried about your child’s skin, you should make an appointment to chat with your GP or family healthcare nurse. And definitely seek medical advice should the following occur:
you suspect your baby has eczema for the first time
your baby is very itchy and uncomfortable
the eczema is bleeding, weeping, has become painful, infected or has developed pus
after a few days of treatment, nothing has changed
your baby is having trouble sleeping because of the itchiness
your child has eczema and is generally unwell.
Mother of 12 ‘pregnant for 17 years’: “I feel so old”
Britni Church, from Arkansas City, Texas, is the mother of 12 children … and she is only 32 years old. And despite being pregnant for so many years, the busy mum is not even sure if baby No. 12 will be her last.
Britni took to her TikTok platform ourlargefamilylife to respond to one of her follower’s questions: “You’ve been pregnant for a whole decade?” Cuddling her latest baby, she says, ”I’ve been pregnant off and on for the last 17 years.”
However, the 32-year-old admits that she did get a break in there of about two and a half years. “That’s the longest I’ve not been pregnant since I was 15.”
Britni had five children – Crimzon, Jordan, Caleb, Jace and Cadence – with her first husband. They broke up and she later had her sixth child Jessalyn. In 2014 she met her current husband, Chris, and they had Silas and Christopher Jnr, followed by the biggest surprise of all: triplets Oliver, Asher and Abel.
In an interview with CafeMom before baby No 12 arrived, Britni revealed that she only ever meant to have three kids. “I never planned to have 11 but I wouldn’t change it for the world,” she says.
Now with 12 children in total, the couple is not entirely sure that they’re calling it a day. On the TikTok video, Britni says, “This is baby No 12 and I think she’s our last one.” Clearly there’s room for negotiation.
“You are amazing”
The TikTok clip went viral with with more than 104,000 likes and over 350 comments. People express very different reactions from shock and disbelief to utter amazement and admiration. Some wonder how the couple can afford it, how they fit in the house and what car do they drive.
Many are full of admiration like one mum who wrote, “Good on you mumma. I’m about to have my second on 8 weeks and my lady bits already hate me.”
“I wish I had 12 babies,” said another. “I love seeing your beautiful family.”
Many followers also can’t believe how good Britni looks, considering her years of child bearing. The mum had added the caption to the TikTok video, “I feel so old … 17 years lol”, which is ironic as she looks much younger than she actually is, especially after giving birth to 12 kids and leading such a busy family life.
“How do you stay looking so young with all those kids?” wrote one viewer.
“Ok so I’m just curious because you don’t look more than like early-mid 20s!” wrote another. “How old are you?”
And another said, “You look better after 12 than i do after 1.” (I totally agree with this comment.)
My favourite response was from one viewer who couldn’t believe that the mother of 12 was in fact 32.
“I need a skin care routine!” they said. My thoughts exactly!
3 hot baby name trends for 2022
After two years of Covid-19 stress, the world is looking towards the future with a sense of hope, a sentiment that is inspiring some exciting new baby names.
Nameberry released the latest baby name trends set to dominate 2022 and it might just lift your spirits. Parents are taking a light and whimsical approach to name choosing, opting for choices that inspire fun, cheekiness and adventure. Escapism and fantasy play a huge role with names drawn from idyllic dream holiday destinations and the latest must-watch TV shows.
Here are three of our favourite top baby name trends for 2022:
1. Keeping it fun and light-hearted
Having gone through a couple of bleak years, parents are looking forward to happier times with baby names to match. Casual names are drawing attention, with terms of endearment such as Baby, Honey and Buddy becoming popular. There are cute word names like Pixie, Moxie, Cricket and Bear, and also gorgeous nicknames names that bounce off the page like Coco, Teddy, Ziggy and Bee.
Here are some upbeat post-pandemic names to keep your eye on for next year.
Baby
Bee
Buddy
Cricket
Gigi
Lucky
Moxie
Pixie
Sonny
Trixie
Bear
Coco
Dovie
Birdie
Honey
Lulu
Ozzy
Rocky
Teddy
Ziggy
2. Getting back to nature
With most travel and holiday plans thwarted over recent times, parents are moving towards nature baby names that conjure visions of the great outdoors. Beachy names like Bali, Coast and Ocean are proving popular, inspired by the hit HBO show White Lotus, set in a stunning Hawaiian island resort. Other names like Prairie, Dune and Forest inspire adventurous dreams in open, rugged terrains.
Here are the hottest nature names to look out for in 2022.
Bali
Banyan
Bay
Capri
Coast
Dune
Forest
Horizon
Koa
Lotus
Meridian
Ocean
Palmer
Prairie
Reef
Ridge
Sequoia
Taiga
Woods
Zephyr
3. Enjoying the Bridgerton boom
When the lavish Netflix series Bridgerton hit our TV screens with a bang, antique names grew in popularity. Viewers everywhere were enchanted by Regency-era London, as well as the classic style names that came with it. And with season two waiting in the wings for 2022, the trend will no doubt continue.
Names such as Hyacinth and Daphne have already crept up the charts this year; other Regency choices such as Cressida, Marina, Albion and Benedict are predicted to take hold in 2022.
Escape to the world of London high society with this list of iconic Bridgerton-inspired names.
Albion
Benedict
Cressida
Edwina
Eloise
Euphemia
Francesca
Genevieve
Daphne
Hyacinth
Kitty
Philippa
Phoebe
Marina
Rupert
Theo
Portia
Prudence
Simon
“It’s a trash bag!” 5 things to make your baby laugh
There is no better sound than that of your baby laughing. The first time you hear it is a moment that you’ll never forget. In fact when it does happen, you will just want it to go on forever. My daughter would always laugh hysterically whenever I put clean pillowslips on the pillows. Naturally, after that, I had to change the pillowslips on a much more regular basis.
But when does this wondrous milestone actually happen? And what can you do to keep it going?
When do babies laugh?
Babies are all different, but generally will start to laugh around three to six months of age. Babies have not yet developed a sense of humour so will laugh because of a physical arousal such as bouncing on your knee – or in my case, struggling to get the pillows in the pillow slips. It might also occur as your baby starts to imitate your facial expressions. Whenever it happens, you won’t want it t stop, so here are some surefire ways to get those giggles going:
1. Look for the unexpected
Sometimes it can be the most unexpected thing that sets your baby off as singer, Meghan Trainor found out. She and her husband Daryl Sabara welcomed their son Riley into the world in February 2021. Recently they shared a wonderful ‘baby laughing’ moment on TikTok as Riley is in fits of laughter over a garbage bag.
Meghan is holding their son in the kitchen while her husband shakes a big bag three of four times in a row. Riley lets out a delightful belly laugh. They do it again and the baby laughs. And again. Meghan says to us in astonishment, “It’s a trash bag!”
The couple keep the game going, taking turns in shaking the garbage bag, enjoying the moment when their baby giggles uncontrollably. “I’ve been doing this for a half hour!” says Meghan with a laugh.
Babies happily respond to light touching and tickling. My youngest daughter would giggle nonstop if we tickled her under her chin. Gentle blowing on your baby’s skin is also worth a try, especially when blowing raspberries on their tummy.
3. Find something noisy
Anything that makes a funny or unusual noise may set your baby off. It might be a noisy toy but it could just as easily be banging on tin, ringing a little bell, even zipping up your zipper. The trouble is you don’t know what sounds will appeal until you make them. So try all sorts of noisemakers until you hit the jackpot.
4. Make a funny sound
Any sound that you can make with your mouth will be sure to thrill your baby. Try making a clicking sound, a kissing sound or a popping sound. Or even try a squeaky voice. Sounds such as these are often more effective than words.
5. Play a fun game
Playing an old favourite like peek-a-boo never gets boring for a baby at this age. Every time mum or dad appears from behind their hands, or a sheet, a baby is bound to laugh and giggle. Another fun game is to get down on hands and knees and play ‘chasings’ with your baby around the room You could keep playing the same thing over and over again – in fact most parents do, just to keep hearing that magical sound.
Meghan Trainor’s adorable post attracted a huge response with 3.9 million likes and over 22,000 happy comments. While it’s a absolute delight for mum and dad, a baby laughing is clearly something that everyone wants to watch. Again and again. “Nothing better than a baby’s laugh” said one follower.
“Everyone is equally entertained including us!” wrote another. “So cute. Baby laughs are so infectious.”
Vitamin D: what does it do and why do babies need it?
There is a lot of talk around the importance of vitamin D, not only during pregnancy but also when for your baby after the birth. But why is it so important for the on-going health of your baby, and how do you know if your baby is getting enough?
Why is vitamin D so important?
Vitamin D helps up to absorb calcium and is essential for strong bone and muscle growth. For adults, a lack of vitamin D has also been linked to some types of cancer, heart disease, osteoporosis and diabetes.
Children need vitamin D for bone growth and development. It is also important that pregnant women to have enough vitamin D, as it is needed for the development of babies in the womb.
What if my baby is not getting enough?
Vitamin D deficiency in babies and young children can result in rickets, a disease that causes soft weak bones. This only occurs in growing bones and is preventable. A lack of vitamin D can also lead to delayed motor development, muscle weakness, aches and pains and fractures. An unborn baby who is not getting enough vitamin D can result in having low birth weight, developing rickets, seizures or run the risk of not thriving.
How do we get vitamin D?
Most of our vitamin D, approximately 90%, is absorbed from the sun. Most children get enough with normal outdoor activities. However as exposure to the sun can be dangerous, resulting in sunburn, skin damage, even skin cancer, this needs to be balanced with adequate sun protection. Children with darker skin take longer to absorb vitamin D and need up to six times more sunlight than those with fairer skin.
The remaining 10% of vitamin D is absorbed through diet. Foods such as oily fish (mackerel, salmon, herring and sardines), eggs and meat as well as fortified breakfast cereals, margarine and milk are all good sources of vitamin D. And all baby formula is also fortified with vitamin D.
Which children run the risk of vitamin D deficiency?
There are specific reasons for running the risk of being deficient in vitamin D such as:
children with darker skin
children who stay indoors and are rarely exposed to the sun
babies born prematurely
breastfed babies who have one or more of the above or whose mother is low in vitamin D
children with conditions that affect how the body controls such as liver disease, kidney disease and conditions that cause problems absorbing food such as cystic fibrosis and coeliac disease
children who take certain medicines such as epilepsy medicine.
Does sunscreen prevent vitamin D absorption?
We know that too much exposure to the sun is dangerous and that we need to protect our little ones from harmful rays with sunscreen, hat, sunglasses and protective clothing. However, many parents are concerned that by applying sunscreen, they’re preventing their children from absorbing enough vitamin D.
According to Raising Children, it’s very difficult to completely cover every part of your child’s body with sunscreen. There will always be some areas left allowing for vitamin D to be absorbed, so it shouldn’t be an issue. Absorbing vitamin D through a window is a different matter. This is generally not possible since most windows block the UV rays that are needed for this process.
If you’re at all worried about your child vitamin D levels, or if you’re pregnant and low in vitamin D, then have a chat to your GP or healthcare professional.
Should you pierce your baby’s ears? When parents don’t agree
No doubt, you and your partner are on the same page when it comes to the overall care and well being of your baby. Before the birth you may have had conversations about issues such are you going to co-sleep or will you be enrolling your baby in daycare. But what if you come up against something where you simply do not agree?
One couple reached such a crisis point over the piercing their daughter’s ears and the husband reached out on Reddit to vent his frustrations.
Not seeing eye to eye
The couple has a two-month-old baby girl called Alicia, and have been debating the issue of piercing her ears since before she was born. For the wife, it’s a cultural issue, but the husband does not see it that way and feels that Alicia should be the one to make that decision.
“She comes from a culture where it’s the normal thing,” says the husband. “But I’m just not comfortable with a painful process like that and would prefer to wait until she’s older so she can choose whether to go through that for herself.”
Jumping the gun
The situation completely unravelled when the wife had the baby’s ears pierced before any common ground had been established. “While we still hadn’t made a decision, my wife went for a day with her family with the baby while I had a few things I needed to sort out,” said the husband. “When I got home the first thing I noticed was that Alicia had a pair of gold studs. I demanded to know what had happened and she said they decided to ‘make a day of it’ and just get them done.”
The man was absolutely furious. “I felt pure rage and immediately removed the earrings and threw them away,” he wrote. “This enraged my wife and she said removing them was ‘totally disrespectful’.”
As a result, his wife slept in the spare room that night and isn’t speaking to her husband at all.
“As far as I’m concerned I did the right thing,” he wrote. “She got them pierced without asking me (or more importantly, ASKING ALICIA), so I took them out, because our baby doesn’t need bits of metal sticking out of her ears.”
The right to choose
The post attracted enormous attention with nearly 4000 comments. Most of the readers agreed that a person should have the right to choose when it comes to having such a procedure done, and no parent should make that decision for them.
Comments appeared such as “This should 100% be your daughter’s decision when she’s old enough to make it herself” and “No parent gets to make decisions regarding the child’s bodily autonomy without the other parent’s (and, ideally, the child’s) consent, barring a life-threatening situation.”
One reader posted from experience. “I’m of the opinion that a cultural norm that impedes another persons bodily autonomy is not a cultural norm worth following – especially ones that can cause long term damage,” they wrote. “My ears were pierced as a baby and I really wish they hadn’t been – the holes are uneven because my ears grew over time, and one hole is constantly painful/agitated and never heals over, likely damaged from the abomination that is a piercing gun. It would’ve been nice to make the choice myself and be able to go to a proper piercing shop to do so – instead I have constant problems from having a piercing gun used on me when I could not consent.”
Reaching an agreement
However for many readers, the question here is whether the wife should have had them done behind her husband’s back. “Whether or not anyone here agrees or disagrees with the morality of getting a babies ears pierced, the problem is that the mom went behind dads back about something they couldn’t agree on,” said one reader.
Another said, “Despite you voicing your concerns, your wife went behind your back and did it anyway. She was disrespectful to you, to your daughter and she just expected you to go along with it because they were done”
However, at the end of the day, it is the baby who has the pierced ears. As one reader so perfectly summed it up, “The only innocent here is baby girl.”
