Swimming For Babies

It's been some years since I have done it with my own kids but there is nothing more fun then taking a baby for a swim. I was watching some lessons the other with babies between six and twenty-four months and it was an absolute riot.

For those of you who are scared the baby will drown, don't be. They are buoyant and naturally enjoy it. Moms and Dads go into the pool with the infants. You always see pictures of mummies and babies but there is no reason why a Dad can't get right in there with the kid too. You can check at your local Y or community center to see what lessons are available.

The safest classes are the ones with the lower numbers. Be sure a qualified instructor teaches the class just in case there is an emergency. However mainly the lessons are designed to give your child confidence in the water. The best classes are the ones that are kept small. The smaller the class the better it probably is. Eight adults with one kid each in the water sounds right and there should be an instructor plus a lifeguard on duty as well.

If you child is uncomfortable then you can show him or her how easy it is by putting your face in the water. The hardest thing for any kid is to put the face in the water. It is natural for the child to be nervous at first. Be very encouraging and be prepared to be patient. This type of thing does not happen over night.

One way that worked for me was to blow bubbles in the water. Babies love this. It is similar to blowing on their tummy to make noises. You can also encourage the babies to jump into the pool by holding them on the edge. Get the baby used to leaping into your hands and then get then lower them more and more into the water with each leap.

The aim is not really swimming but more about confidence in the water. It would be a mistake to expect too much. You need to hold them up in the water and supervisee them at all times. It is a mistake to think that classes like this removes the risk of an accident.

You don't have to pay for classes either. You can also practice in a public pool or been in the bathtub. This is of course cheaper. The idea is to get your child to be as confident in the water as possible.

Whenever your child is near or in water simply be as cheery and fun as possible.
Lure your child in with toys and make sure the water is warm enough and your baby will soon lose any fear of water.

Tests Preventing Miscarriages

Miscarriage is a terrible experience to go through. Many women have them before they conceive their first child. Even more have them after conceiving that first child. The older you are, the more stressed you are – the more likely you are to miscarry.

So what causes miscarriages really? Scientists say it is a random flaw in our chromosomes. This accident is known as a random chromosomal error. Mother Nature makes an fertilized egg that is a dud and tells our body to get rid of it. Usually this happens in the first trimester. Women who have tow or even three miscarriages are also likely to just be told again and again that the chromosomes are to blame and that it is normal. It takes at least three big losses before a doctor will investigate this matter further. This is because, in essence the miscarriage is more the norm than the exception. They are considered to be natural occurrence.

However according to an article by Rachel Rabkin Pechmien in Parenting magazine it is now crucial to ask your doctor to test you. This si because research has shown that nearly one third of pregnancy losses are actually caused by a disease or disorder that is treatable. The challenge is that it was not diagnosed before the woman got pregnant.

Some doctors such as Mary Stephenson who is an expert on the subject and an M.D. at the Chicago Recurrent Pregnancy Loss Program says that you need to ask your doctor directly for that chromosomal testing. If you have lost more than one fetus you should ask rather than waste your time going through the nausea and other symptoms of first trimester pregnancy.

Testing is simple. When you have a miscarriage tell the doctor you want the tissue from it to be tested. It needs to be sent to a genetics lab by your doctor so it can be analyzed.

Basically if the resuts show that the miscarriage was due to a random chromosomal error then you probably are not at risk for a miscarriage in the near future. If there is no result like this then your doctor should test you again before you conceive. This can help prevent future tragedies.

Keep in mind that there are all kinds of tests available to prevent problems with miscarriages. There are also all sorts of causes. These include proboems such as an inherited genetic abnormalty, endocrine disorders, problems with the uterus being disfigured or problems with an immune system (especially a compromised immune system.)

The reason you want to get that early testing is because some of these conditions may be treatable. Getting tested early and a quick diagnosis could be your first step toward having a healthy baby and avoiding the heartbreak of miscarriage. All you have to do is ask for the test.