You never forget your first kiss

It is important to know that kisses are essential in a relationship with your baby right from birth. This is especially true for mum who prolongs the physical bond with her little one through the experience of touch, but also dad’s role shouldn’t be underestimated. In fact both parents, even if they have thousands of other commitments, must always find the time and never forget to give baby a kiss or a hug at any time of the day or night. It may seem trivial but it is the “food of the soul” and essential for little ones: it makes them feel loved, confident and ready to face the world. Gestures of affection like kisses and cuddles also have thousands of beneficial effects on the body as well as the mind: they have a calming and reassuring effect in times of difficulty and, on the contrary, increase happiness in moments of joy, reinforcing in both cases the emotional bond that will accompany children throughout their lives. This is the reason why we never forget our first kiss (the one from mum that is).

A year has already gone by!

It seems hard to believe that a baby can make so much progress in just 12 months. At birth, baby seems completely estranged from the world around him: then, day by day, he becomes increasingly receptive and reactive. The two senses that become sharper surprisingly quickly are sight and hearing enabling baby to interact in a more and more significant way. But what happens to our baby?

How does he see our world?
The faculty of sight is linked strictly to the development of the brain and its capacity to interpret the images that the eyes send to it. But as the days go by, the situation changes: at two weeks old, baby starts to distinguish more clearly the contours of objects, at one month old he is able to follow movements, at two months old he recognises mum and dad’s face if they are in front of him. At one year old, apart from distinguishing his parents even at a certain distance, he is able to pinpoint immediately the point where an object he throws or drops will fall. Just how fast are these babies?

And hearing?
Right from the very first days of life, baby responds to noises by giving a start or, more rarely, by crying. Mum’s voice has a calming effect on him starting from about the fourteenth day of life… It is not just a coincidence that we learn to listen to mum straightaway.

The first steps towards growth

The average age for baby to take his first steps is about 12 months old, although there are some early learners who start even as young as 8-9 months, while others wait until they are about eighteen months old. The age at which baby starts walking by himself is a family characteristic: if one of the parents started to walk early, it is possible that the little one will start early as well. In any case, by 18 months is the norm.
During this phase, baby’s wishes must simply be complied with: baby has to do what he feels like doing and must not be forced into anything. For this reason, it must not be a parent who stands him up, and then leaves him to stand alone. Mum and dad’s duty is just to encourage baby and compliment him on all his achievements.
And if baby falls? We must not look frightened: sometimes when baby falls, he does not hurt himself but he cries only because he has seen a worried look on our face. An alarmed reaction on our side could in actual fact make him feel insecure and prevent him from trying again.

Dummy yes or dummy no?

Whether to use a dummy or not has always been the subject of controversy and debates, because it involves not only the physical aspects but also the psychological aspects of a baby’s development. Without studying these aspects in depth though, let’s take a look at some points that should be followed during baby’s first months.
Firstly, it is important to realise that if mum breastfeeds her baby, use of the dummy should be limited as much as possible during the first month of life: in fact the way a baby sucks a dummy is different to the way he sucks the nipple and so baby might feel a little bewildered when faced with two such different techniques and may not even latch onto the nipple properly with the risk of not starting breastfeeding properly. Therefore, in general, the dummy gets the go-ahead, although in moderation, only on condition that breastfeeding is going well.
There are no problems however if baby is being bottle fed as the techniques for sucking the dummy and the bottle are identical.

How to dress baby

A newborn baby has difficulty in keeping a constant body temperature because the sweat glands have not developed yet. For this reason, it is important to keep baby warm and dress him or her in clothes made of natural materials.
Wool, for example, is soft, warm and comfortable and allows the skin to breathe, or silk is ideal in cold weather and on hot days. Obviously, clothes made of wool or silk are not cheap, but it is better to have fewer clothes and know that your baby’s skin is safe: newborn babies are very often sensitive to synthetic materials.
Their skin is so delicate that you must also be careful of the soap you use: any detergent that is left on clothes may cause allergic reactions. For peace of mind, it is better to use natural and non-aggressive detergents that have been dermatologically tested.

Vitamins for baby

To ensure that baby develops in the best possible way, it is important to check that he or she has a proper intake of Vitamin D. It is essential for the calcification of bones and teeth although statistics say that one newborn baby out of two has a vitamin D deficiency. Even if correct exposure to sunlight may be enough to improve the situation, it is best to speak to a paediatrician on this matter.
If your baby is only being breast-fed, the paediatrician may even recommend multivitamins in drops. Don’t worry, though. This is quite normal because breast milk lacks some vitamins, especially Vitamin C.
Remember, however, to ask for a prescription for a food supplement that can be dissolved in water or milk without changing the smell or flavour too much as a newborn’s senses are particularly sensitive.

Getting ready for the birth

Your baby will be born in just a few months time and you are probably still trying to choose a name.
Perhaps, before you decide, it is worth remembering that they used to say, “in nomen omen”, in other words, every name foretells what your life will be like. So, to avoid any misunderstandings, it is better not to call your little one “Attila” or “Cassandra” in an attempt to find a more unusual name.
Here is a list of names that you can choose from “safely”. Don’t forget though that it is also a kind gesture and can simplify matters if you call your baby after one of the grandparents.

Boys’ names
Alberto
Alessandro
Adriano
Andrea
Angelo
Agostino
Bruno
Beniamino
Carlo
Cristiano
Davide
Daniele
Dario
Danilo
Edoardo
Ernesto
Enzo
Enrico
Emanuele
Fabio
Fabrizio
Fausto
Federico
Filippo
Franco
Gabriele
Gianmarco
Guido
Gaetano
Giorgio
Giulio
Giuseppe
Giovanni
Jacopo
Leonardo
Lorenzo
Luigi
Luciano
Maurizio
Matteo
Maro
Mattia
Oreste
Pietro
Paolo
Raoul
Ruggero
Sandro
Stefano
Salvatore
Umberto
Vincenzo
Valentino
Walter

Girls’ names
Alessia
Alessandra
Annalisa
Anita
Ada
Agnese
Andreina
Antonietta
Alba
Allegra
Antonella
Barbara
Beatrice
Benedetta
Carolina
Camilla
Claudia
Cinzia
Cristina
Daria
Donatella
Elena
Eleonora
Eugenia
Elisabetta
Enrica
Fernanda
Flora
Franca
Fulvia
Fiorella
Gabriella
Gemma
Gaia
Giulia
Giuliana
Isabella
Ilaria
Ivana
Liliana
Laura
Lidia
Maddalena
Marcella
Monica
Marisa
Michela
Mirella
Margherita
Nadia
Naomi
Ottavia
Ornella
Paola
Piera
Patrizia
Raffaella
Roberta
Renata
Rossella
Sabina
Sabrina
Sara
Simona
Stefania
Stella
Teresa
Valentina
Vittoria
Valeria
Vera
Wanda
Wilma
Zoe
Zelda

After pregnancy

You were probably very careful of your weight during pregnancy.
But, to tell the truth, you would quite like to get rid of a few kilos.
The best way to lose weight healthily is not to start a diet, but to change your eating habits properly and sensibly.

You can choose how according to your tastes and your personality.
The traditional Mediterranean diet is always fashionable and infallible.

A Mediterranean diet chart based on 1200 calories:

Breakfast:
artially skimmed milk with malt drink (140 gr.) alternatively: a carton of fruit yoghurt(125 gr.) and 50 ml of coffee or 50 ml of malt drink
A teaspoon of sugar (5 gr.)
Two wholemeal melba toasts (30 gr.) alternatively: plain biscuits, bread, crackers, rice cakes or crispbreads (30 gr.)

Lunch:
An average serving of spaghetti, olives and capers (70 gr.) alternatively: gnocchi (100 gr.), rice (70 gr.), ravioli (80 gr.)
An average serving of grilled peppers (150 gr.) alternatively: raw vegetables with oil (90 gr.), cooked vegetables with oil(150 gr.), pulses with oil (30 gr.), mixed stir-fried vegetables (140 gr.)
A teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil (5 gr.) alternatively: soya bean, maize or grape-seed oil (5 gr.)
An average portion of strawberries (160 gr.) alternatively: fresh fruit of the season (140 gr.)
Mineral water
A glass of wine

Dinner:
A slice of grilled steak(120 gr.) alternatively: grilled veal, beef, chicken or turkey (120 gr.); trout, sea bream, sole, cod, plaice, hake or swordfish (160 gr.); eggs (100 gr.); dried salt beef, lean raw or cooked ham (80 gr.); rabbit or game (120 gr.); mozzarella, crescenza cheese, cottage cheese, quartirolo or ricotta cheese (40 gr.); low-fat cheeses (70 gr.)
An average serving of grated carrots(130 gr.) alternatively: raw vegetables (130 gr.) or cooked vegetables (160 gr.)
A teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil (5 gr.) alternatively: seed, maize or grape-seed oil (5 gr.)
Bread for example, a roll without the soft part inside (60 gr.) alternatively: three slices of bread(50 gr.) or a packet of crackers (40 gr.) or three packets of breadsticks (40 gr.)
Apples (160 gr.) alternatively: fresh fruit in season (160 gr.)
Mineral water
A glass of wine

60% carbohydrate, 25% fat and 15% protein.

To restore a more complete and thorough balance, you could try and experiment with the benefits of an Ayurvedic diet based specifically on a person’s physical constitution, for the purpose of purifying and removing toxins and as a first step towards good health and a sense of well-being.

The Ayurvedic diet
The Ayurvedic diet is based on an ancient philosophy that is more than 5,000 years old and brings together the health, diet, well-being and balance between mind, body and spirit to form a harmonious whole.

A balanced diet for ayurveda, has got nothing to do with counting calories or with fats, carbohydrates, proteins, vitamins or minerals. It is based on the gunas or the properties of food, doshas or vital personal energy, rasas or tastes and quality of food and sadhana or the assimilation of food by the body.

There are six main flavours: sweet, sweet and sour, salty, bitter, spicy and sharp. The perfect balance requires that all six flavours be present in the same meal; otherwise the meal leaves you feeling dissatisfied.

The six flavours are connected with the food and influence the doshas, the three personal energies that change from one person to another: pitta, the fiery, kapha, the placid, vata, the active. Eating well means rebalancing your own dosha. If a person is too fiery, the Pitta must be reduced. If a person is overweight, the Kapha must be reduced, etc…

Sweet
Cane sugar, rice… kapha increases and vata and pitta decrease.

Sweet and sour Lemon, fresh cheese… pitta and kapha increase, vata decreases.

Salty
Salt and savoury food… pitta e kapha increase, vata decreases.

Bitter
Green salad, turmeric … vata increases, pitta and kapha decrease.

Spicy
Spices, pepper, spicy food… vata and pitta increase, kapha decreases.

Sharp
Beans, apples… vata increases and pitta and kapha decrease.

The Indian teaching distinguishes between heavy foods that should be avoided or which should be eaten in moderation from healthy foods which should be eaten regularly.

Traditional Indian cuisine divides the foods into three categories:
wholemeal cereals, rice, walnuts, beansprouts, fruit, fresh vegetables and honey boost the best of our capacities and our highest faculties, they do not make the body heavy, but, on the contrary, keep it in good shape.
cereals, fresh cheeses, dairy products, pulses, sweets, chocolate and sugar boost energy, increase strength and passion and provide greater dynamism. meat, fish, eggs, alcohol, mushrooms, onions and garlic are very heavy, diminish mental lucidity and reduce sensitivity.

A balanced diet encourages the return of harmony, a clear mind and general well-being.

Mums in the making

First of all, let’s get one thing straight. Every Mum, and by that we do mean every Mum, panics over absolutely nothing. So, keep calm: it’s all normal. In the same way it’s normal for grandmothers, aunts and cousins to compete with each other in suffocating you with advice. The only way not to succumb is to read up about things in advance, so that you don’t have to turn to them for advice.

When your baby starts crying suddenly and pulls his head backwards, he could have colic.
Instead of panicking and calling grandma, try massaging baby’s tummy gently using calendula oil for example.
Warm a little oil between your hands and then start massaging gently from the navel outwards in a clockwise direction.
Most probably your little one will relax and start to calm down in just a short time.