Babies

Researchers at the Kaiser Permanente Division of Research in California have also announced that their findings indicate “using a fan while a baby is sleeping appears to significantly cut the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)” by as much 94 percent, according to a Wall Street Journal article. Though the exact cause of SIDS remains unknown, the research results are consistent with a theory that the fatal condition might result from babies re-inhaling “ exhaled carbon dioxide trapped near their airways from bedding or sleeping on their stomachs.” Heretofore the primary preventative measure advised by doctors was to always place sleeping infants on their back, but this new advice, along with using a pacifier and keeping windows open now seem to be the most sensible advice for avoiding tragedy.

The New Scientist reports that recent studies on mice suggest "vitamins and supplements that mothers-to-be take to protect their kids from birth defects could predispose children and even grandchildren to asthma" – a phenomenon that could explain the mysterious rise in the rates of asthmatic children in more developed countries.

While these findings may seem alarming, the article points out that although “mice who ate the supplement-rich diet delivered pups with some signs of asthma,” other genetic factors may be at play and more research needs to be conducted on expectant mothers themselves. 

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As if pregnant women weren’t inundated by health advice already, a new study in The Journal of Physiology suggests that a poor diet in the womb might have long lasting health effects on the child. 

The experiment found that rats whose mothers were fed fatty, processed foods during pregnancy had high levels of fat in the bloodstream even after adolescence, and despite switching to healthier grub. (Not that breaking the habit is easy; the same team showed previously that you might crave the snacks you had in the womb.)

Translation: If mom gobbles Doritos and swigs cokes throughout pregnancy, baby—or teenager—might have a greater chance of developing Type II diabetes. No big shocker there.

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Every summer my sister treks halfway around the world from her home in Oslo, Norway to Beijing to visit my mother and me. This annual tradition the last six years, has been an especially important one since our father passed away in early 2002. 

These past two times have been particularly special to my family because both my sister and I have both had kids within the past year and a half. My nephew Emil-Alexander was born in the early spring of 2007, and I was lucky enough to see him twice last year: the first time in Norway last July, and just a few weeks later when my sister came here to Beijing to visit.

My half-Norwegian-half-Chinese-American nephew is, as you’d imagine, adorable. Though he was born a few weeks premature, he has grown into a feisty, friendly and inquisitive little toddler – especially here in Beijing, where both and he and his mother have been staying with Lao Lao (姥姥, grandma) over the past two weeks. 

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Did your baby kick a lot during pregnancy? Did you think he or she was going to be the next David Beckham? tbjkids is looking for new mothers who would like to share a bit about their pregnancies and how mothers interpreted the behavior of their babies before labor, such as kicking in the womb, etc. If you’re interested in being part of the next issue, please email jessicapan@tbjkids.com to answer a few quick questions about your pregnancy. So if you’d like to share your experience, let us know by June 14!

Marianne is just a few days away from being 100 days old, and here in China, baby benchmarks like these means lots of quaint customs: eating fish and chicken (according to this site, rubbing a cooked chicken tongue on your baby’s lips will make him a “good talker”); shaving your baby’s hair to make a calligraphy brush; and when she turns a year old, having her grab an object from a selection of different items (i.e. a pen, coins, an official seal and toys) in a ceremony known as zhua zhou (抓周) to help eager parents foresee their child’s future career path.

We’re not sure yet how we will celebrate, but my wife has already booked a photographer, a baby hair calligraphy brush company, and a chop maker who will make a seal out of the shriveled remains of Marianne’s umbilical cord (the latter, is apparently all the rage these days with Chinese parents).

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Another week, another thing to freak out about... the recent BPA (bisphenol A) health scare which has resulted in calls for the banning of plastic baby bottles containing this potentially cancer causing synthetic hormone that leaches out of certain plastics when heated, is creating angst and anxiety for parents the world over. 

A recent report by the Environmental Health Fund has cited such major retailers as Walmart and Toys ‘R Us selling bottles that leach this chemical, which can cause “damage to reproductive, neurological and immune systems during critical stages of development, such as infancy and in the womb.

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Photo taken from The Sun

At three-months-old, Marianne is already becoming garrulous. For weeks, she’s been getting well-versed in the art of baby babbling (which is a bit early– most babies start at about four months). Crying, of course, remains her primary mode of expression, but over the past few weeks she’s been throwing a lot more “woooaaaaaa”-s and “haiiiiiii”-s into the mix. Watching and listening to her try to verbally communicate with us is as fascinating as it is cute; and as our baby becomes progressively more alert, I like to envision how quickly her brain, with its infinitesimal network of neurons and synapses, is developing.

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After three years of searching and four offers that didn’t pan out, I’m happy to announce that we have finally bought a home of our own. Unfortunately, we have purchased this home in presumably the worst time to buy property in Beijing – a time when CBD apartment prices are at an all-time high, and real estate agents are so desperate, they’re hanging out in droves outside of properties trying to hawk homes to just about any one who passes by.

Despite our bad timing, we’re taking consolation in assuming that real estate prices will continue to rise (even after the Olympics) and feel slightly vindicated that we will no longer deal with unpredictable landlords and broken-down furnishings—we can finally assume full control (more or less) of our living environment.

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When my older brother and his wife considered the possibility of having children, they faced the inevitable question: Would they be good parents? They took the standard experimental approach and decided to have a practice run –they purchased an Alaskan malamute puppy first. My parents encouraged this behavior as well. Before having children, they raised a Rottweiler and went on to have three wonderful children, (objectively speaking, of course).

For those of you unfamiliar with the Alaskan malamute dog breed, they are a larger, fluffier version of huskies. While they appear to be cuddly, this dog, despite my brother and sister-in-law’s best efforts, is quite temperamental and headstrong. Fiercely loyal, their dog will bite anyone she perceives as a threat to her owners (including my mother and my sister-in-law’s mother!).  She has also exhibited a jealous streak and reacts negatively when her owners are preoccupied.

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