Is there such a things as proper pooping for a newborn baby? Both the appearance and the manner in which baby poops ranges considerably, listen to the Baby Doctor Mamas try to use every euphemism for poop except the s-word, and fail. Remember, these stories aren’t medical advice, but a chance for the Baby Doctor Mamas to present their knowledge and views.

* Similac Diaper Decoder* Baby’s First Days: Bowel Movements & Urination – HealthyChildren.org* Infant Constipation – HealthyChildren.org* Journal Article: “Stool Frequency of Normal Infants in the First Week of Life” – Pediatrics, 1952* Journal Article: “The bowel movement characteristics of exclusively breastfed and exclusively formula fed infants differ during the first three months of life” – Acta Paediatrica, 2018

Dr. Kesi Yang joins us on the show to talk about being pregnant with and having twin babies. We discuss the added challenges of twin pregnancy, and how to deal with two newborns under the same roof. The stories of the Baby Doctor Mamas aren’t medical advice, but a chance for their guest and listeners to share their experience, knowledge and views. 

* U.S. national birth statistics, 2016 – Center of Disease Control (CDC).* American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) frequently asked questions on multiple pregnancies* Journal Article: “Perinatal Problems in Multiple Births”, 2010* Journal Article: “An Evidence-Based Approach to Determining Rout of Delivery for Twin Gestations”, 2011* Journal Article: “Breast Feeding Twins and High Multiples”, 2006* Journal Article: “Intrauterine Growth Restriction: Antenatal and Postnatal Aspects”, 2016

There are many new breast pumps hitting the market – how do you know which one to choose? The Baby Doctor Mamas discuss different types of pumps and their preferences. Remember, these stories aren’t medical advice, but a chance for the Baby Doctor Mamas to present their knowledge and views.

* What you should know about buying new or used breast pumps from Kellymom.com* Choosing a Breast Pump – U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)* Information on choosing a breast pump from BreastfeedingUSA.org

The Baby Doctor Mamas do their first article review explaining scientific literature to you! Listen to them discuss the topic of infant sleep, and about the merits of sleep training your little one. As always – these stories aren’t medical advice, but a chance for the Baby Doctor Mamas to share their experience, knowledge and views.

Article here:​ ​“Uninterrupted Infant Sleep, Development, and Maternal Mood” – Pediatrics, 2018

* AAP summary on why parents shouldn’t worry if their infant doesn’t sleep through the night.* “Discussion of Extinction-Based Behavioral Sleep Interventions for Young Children and Reasons Why Parents May Find Them Difficult” – Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine, 2016* Information on helping infants sleep through the night from HealthyChildren.org* “Should I worry if my baby doesn’t sleep through the night?” by Baby Doctor Mama Joanna Parga-Belinke, The Inquirer, 2019

Baby wearing has become more popular as parents are putting on their infants and taking them around the town. Hear the Baby Doctor Mamas discuss the risks and benefits of strapping a baby on your body – for both you and baby! Remember, these stories aren’t medical advice, but a chance for the Baby Doctor Mamas to present their knowledge and views.

* Baby-wearing basics on HealthyChildren.org* Company profile: Baby-Doo* “Increased Carrying Reduces Infant Crying: A Randomized Control Trial” – Pediatrics, 1986* “Baby Wearing in the Age of the Internet” – Journal of Family Issues, 2014* “Baby Carriers: A Comparison of Traditional Sling and Front-worn, Rear-facing harness carriers” – Journal of Ergonomics, 2016* “Carrying as Colic ‘Therapy’: A Randomized Control Trial” – Pediatrics, 1991

Jaundice is common for newborn babies and is something that every baby is screened for. The Baby Doctor Mamas discuss how monitoring for jaundice can be stressful, but is necessary! Remember, these stories aren’t medical advice, but a chance for the Baby Doctor Mamas to present their knowledge and views.

More on Jaundice here:

* “Management of Hyperbilirubinemia in Infants > 35 weeks old” – Pediatrics, 2004* “Severe Neonatal Hyperbilirubinemia and Kernicterus: Are These Still Problems in the Third Millennium?” – Neonatology, 2011* “Neonatal Phototherapy and Infantile Cancer” – Pediatrics, 2016* Bilitool: A clinical bilirubin risk calculator

Ankyloglossia or tongue tie is when a baby has either extra tissue or tough tissue under the tongue restricting it’s movement. The baby doctor mamas talk about what that means for a baby’s feeding, and if it’s something you would consider treating. The stories of the Baby Doctor Mamas aren’t medical advice, but a chance for them to share their experience, knowledge and views.

* HealthyChildren.org: Tongue-tie in infants and young children* International Breastfeeding Journal: “Reliability of the Hazelbaker Assessment Tool for Lingual Frenulum Function* Alison Hazelbaker, Ph.D: Guru on breastfeeding and tongue-tie assessment* Surgical techniques for the treatment of ankyloglossia* “Efficacy of Neonatal Release of Ankyloglossia: A Randomized Trial” – Pediatrics, 2011

Co-sleeping is controversial and not recommended because of safety concern for the baby. The Baby Doctor Mamas begin to summarize this big topic, and talk about safe sleep recommendations from the AAP. They plan to talk about the argument in favor of bed sharing as it is culturally accepted in other countries in a separate episode. As always – these stories aren’t medical advice, but a chance for the Baby Doctor Mamas to share their experience, knowledge and views.

* AAP updated (2016) recommendations for a safe infant sleeping environment* Are there long-term consequences of room-sharing during infancy? A commentary on recent AAP recommendations* National Institutes of Health (NIH): Progress in reducing SIDS* National Institutes of Health (NIH): SIDS and SUID Terms and Definitions

Winter is a season where people can get sick – and babies are definitely not immune! In fact, newborns are at even higher risk for getting infections, especially when cold and flu season rolls in. The Baby Doctor Mamas will discuss signs of infection in a newborn and when you might worry. They will also talk about steps you can take to protect your newborn from infection. As always – these stories aren’t medical advice, but a chance for the Baby Doctor Mamas to share their experience, knowledge and views.

Check out more information on infections:

* Immunization Action Coalition: Cocooning Protects Babies (pdf)

* An article on the medical evaluation of infants with fever from Uptodate.com

* Neonatal Sepsis: An old problem with new insights

* Diagnosis and management of bacterial infections in the neonate.

Collecting cord blood is now a question for new parents. You can either donate to a public cord blood bank, or pay for a private one. Listen to the Baby Doctor Mamas discuss the process of cord banking, and think about which type of banking might be good for you. The stories of the Baby Doctor Mamas aren’t medical advice, but a chance for them to share their experience, knowledge and views.

1. Parent’s Guide To Cord Blood Foundation

2. The Cord Blood Association: About Cord Blood

3. American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) Encourages Use of Public Cord Blood Banks

4. AAP policy statement on cord blood banking for potential future transplantation