You can expect your baby to be fussy, as her gums are tender. She might even refuse to eat or take her bottle if she is uncomfortable or in pain.  Here are some teething remedies that will help ease discomfort:

* Rub his gums with your finger.

* Soak one end of a clean bath cloth in water. Place the wet cloth in a refrigerator. Once chilled, let your baby bite or suck on the cold cloth.

* Chill a teething ring or teething toy in the refrigerator for a couple of hours. Let your baby chew on the cold toy.

* Offer your baby a frozen banana (with adult supervision). Be sure to freeze the banana thoroughly before giving it to your baby. Cut the banana in half to make it easier for your baby to hold.

* Use ateething gel. These are formulated to be safe for baby. Read and follow instructions on the package carefully.

* Administer Tylenol or Motrin, for pain and fever as recommended by your pediatrician. If your baby has trouble sleeping at night, consider giving them a dose of pain medication just before bedtime. 

Q: Should I have a baby after 35?
A: No, 35 children is enough.

Q: I’m two months pregnant now. When will my baby move?
A: With any luck, right after he finishes college.

Q: What is the most reliable method to determine a baby’s sex?
A: Childbirth.

Q: My wife is five months pregnant and so moody that sometimes she’s borderline irrational.
A: So what’s your question?

Q: My childbirth instructor says it’s not pain I’ll feel during labor, but pressure. Is she right?
A: Yes, in the same way that a tornado might be called an air current.

Q: When is the best time to get an epidural?
A: Right after you find out you’re pregnant.

Q: Is there any reason I have to be in the delivery room while my wife is in labor?
A: Not unless the word “alimony” means anything to you.

Q: Is there anything I should avoid while recovering from childbirth?
A: Yes, pregnancy.

Q: Do I have to have a baby shower?
A: Not if you change the baby’s diaper very quickly.

Q: Our baby was born last week. When will my wife begin to feel and act normal again?
A: When the kids are in college.

When my son was born I nursed him without any troubles but when he was five weeks old he started to spit up a lot of what he ate and soon that turned into what we mom’s affectionately call ‘projectile vomitting’.  Then he stopped wetting his diaper and that sent us running to the doctors.

It turned out that his bottom stomach muscle was growing into itself instead of larger and it had literally closed off his tummy from the rest of his digestive system.  He had to have surgery immediately.

The hospital brought a breast pump to me in the waiting room so that I could get some breast milk ready for recovery.  It was slow going.  My baby’s low consumption over several days had already started to signal my body to slow down - and even though I used the breast pump faithfully, I had a hard time getting any milk.

We had to rent a pump to take home with us.  That was a pain in the hiney and quite expensive. 

Now I understand it’s quite common to buy a breast pump for a new mommy.  You can find a variety of Electric Breast Pumps at Breast Pumps Direct. I guess that they are indespensible for a mom who works outside of the home or wants to go away for a half day or overnight.

Do you have your own breast pump?  They have a guide to choosing a breast pump if you’re interested in taking a look.

I remember seeing those first horrible images of a baby sitter who slapped a crying baby girl over and over again on a video.  I was shocked and horrified.  As a teenager I was babysitting 20 hours a week for other people and it made me a little paranoid for a week or so at their homes, wondering if they were taping me!  (Don’t worry, I’m not a baby slapper.)

Video technology and home surveilance has come a long ways since my teens.  Do you realize how simple it is to set up a camera and keep an eye on things while you’re away for an evening?  You can get a spy camera for your home and be able to know what happens to your baby while you’re out.  There are no wires, no way to tell it’s there.

I honestly don’t know if I would use a nanny cam or not. I never left my son with strangers and rarely even left him with family when he was little.  Still, I’m sure there are some little one’s who get abused even when in the care of aunts and grandmas - though the thought makes me sick to my stomach.

Many young couples turn to a teen for weekend babysitting and while teens are great - they are young and more likely to become overwhelmed with a cranky baby.  What do you think? Is it a good idea to monitor what is happening?  What would you do if you did spot something even mildly inappropriate?  Would you tell the babysitter about the camera in advance? 

There are some real interesting questions and thoughts about the whole hidden camera thing.  I’m interested in hearing what you all think.

We have an article written about two different babies and the way that one was comforted at once and given lots of nurturing and the other was left to ‘cry it out’.

What are you opinions on this?  Do you think it helps or hurts a baby?