Looking for a great way to include healthy, REAL food in your family’s diet without spending hours every day making it? Don’t miss out on your chance to win a copy of Real {Fast} Food!
As a parent you will naturally want your child to have a healthy and happy life. But, how do you go about providing that? As you and your child bond together, striving to keep him or her healthy and happy will become second nature. To ensure that you are as successful in this goal as you possibly can be you might want to keep these thoughts in mind.
- Breastfeed your baby. Breast milk is a great source of nutrients for your baby. It also helps prevent allergies and will boost your child’s immune system.
- Keep immunizations current. Make sure you take your baby for regular check-ups and stay on schedule with his or her immunizations.
- Keep exposure to illness to a minimum. Don’t invite people over that may be sick. Don’t let lots of people touch your child. Stay in well-ventilated, less crowded places.
- Wash your hands. Wash your hands before eating, touching your child, or feeding your baby. If you go out, wash your hands when you return. Teach your child to do the same.
- Invest in hand sanitizer. When you can’t wash your hands, use hand sanitizer. Make sure your hand sanitizer is alcohol-based. Using disinfectant wipes to clean off pacifiers, toys, and other items your child may hold while out.
- Stay out of smoky places. You’ve probably heard about the health risks associated with second-hand smoke. So, stay out of smoky places with your child.
- Avoid direct sunlight. The sun is at its brightest and most powerful between the hours of 10:00 AM and 4:00 PM, so it’s a good idea to keep your child inside during those times. If that is not possible, be sure to use plenty of sunscreen.
- Dress your child appropriately. Think about the weather and dress your child accordingly. On cooler days, be sure to have a hat at the ready since babies and children lose a lot of heat through their heads.
- Get enough sleep. Plenty of sleep is essential to a healthy and happy life. If your child doesn’t get enough sleep, he or she may come down with more frequent childhood illnesses and will have difficulty coping with normal activities, such as school.
Thinking about the future
Having a baby is a great experience, but it does bring with it a lot of worry. Sure, perfecting the nursery and picking out all the gear your baby will need is a lot of fun, but what about the future? What about your child’s health? Have you considered umbilical cord blood donation?
Today, many parents decide to bank their baby’s cord blood for future use. Cord blood stem cell treatment can actually end up saving your child’s or a relative’s life in the future. Cord blood is used in the treatment of many serious illnesses such as leukemia and other forms of cancers, metabolic disorders, and some blood diseases. It is so effective because the stem cells in the blood have the potential to develop into a variety of cells.
In many cases, the stem cells from a sibling or family member can help treat inherited conditions. Although you don’t want to think about your child becoming ill in the future, banking the cord blood may be a great opportunity to save his or her life later on, should a serious illness develop.
