Welcome to the October Hubbub. In the past month the Bub Hub has received more than 1 million hits and much of this success comes from word-of-mouth - so a big thank you from all the team!
 
We are looking forward to the last Parents Babies and Children’s Expofor 2003 in Melbourne in October after which the Grand Prize of six nights at Couran Cove Island Resort, valued at over $2,700 will be drawn. Free Expo passes are still available for 1 person for 1 day (1 per family). Email us for your free pass no later than 10th October. Free passes will be collected from the ticket desk upon arrival at the show, so all you need to do is click on the 'email us' wording above and let us know the full name of the person who will collect the free pass.
 
This month sees the introduction of the new ‘Bub Hub Survey’ on each state Home page. Please visit your home page to give us your feedback on this month's question. We are keen to get feedback on many issues and look forward to your participation both in responding and suggestions for survey questions.

The ‘Helplines and Support Organisations’ page in the Parenting Resources section is one of the most important on our site. It lists the many various organisations that support babies and parents around Australia. There are more than 80 listed in each state. If you belong to a support group, or know of a support group, that is not listed, please let us know.

While welcoming a baby into the world is an experience you expect to treasure, it can be a very difficult time if your child has a serious health problem such as a heart defect. Some parents discover their child has an abnormality before their baby is born - usually when a scan picks up the problem. Others find out in the early months of life - when their little one is not thriving, appears "blue" or has breathing difficulties.
 
However you find out, the initial shock can be quite severe and the demands of hospital stays and ongoing treatment can be challenging both physically and emotionally to say the least! As with any situation involving a very sick child, it can be easy to feel that you are very alone in your battle to get your little one well.

Sleep deprivation is often thought of as something parents just have to go through but this is not always the case and there are ways of improving sleep patterns for baby and parents. We have asked noted Author Pinky McKay for some tips. The ‘Sleeping, Settling & Crying’ page in the Baby Care section has details of additional resources for parents.

Twelve ways to help your baby sleep
By Pinky McKay
 
In most infant sleep studies, ‘all night’ is defined as five hours. If you are thinking that even five hours uninterrupted sleep would be a dream come true, there are some gentle strategies you can try to help your baby (and you) to sleep better.

1) Learn tired signs – Rather than waiting until your baby is ‘past it’, put her to bed as soon as she shows sleepy signs such as becoming quiet, losing interest in people and toys, and fussing.

2) Introduce bedtime rituals – bedtime routines can become cues to help babies fall asleep. Try a deep, warm relaxation bath (in an adult bathtub) just before bedtime.

3) A gentle touch – infant massage encourages relaxation and deeper sleep.

4) Sleepy sounds – Baby music that incorporates the elements of ‘womb music’ has remarkable soothing effects, especially if played continuously through the night.

5) Rock a bye baby – The motion of a rocking chair or being carried in a sling will lull baby to sleep. So will a special-purpose baby hammock – and as baby arouses during the night, her movements will start the hammock rocking.

6) All snuggled up - Provide a sense of security by swaddling your newborn – wrapping him firmly in a gauze or muslin sheet (in summer) or a soft shawl in winter. Gradually wrap more loosely and discard the wrap by around three months.

7) Cut caffeine – Your own caffeine intake can create a vicious circle, as baby gets a boost of stimulant through your milk- and becomes restless.

8) Encourage day feeds and night sleep – When your baby starts sleeping one longer stretch between feeds, it is reasonable to GENTLY unwrap him and offer a feed if he sleeps more than 4 hours during the day, then he might save his longer sleep for night -time.

9) Try a top up feed - Whatever time your baby was last fed, gently offer a feed just before you go to bed yourself. With luck, his longer sleep may coincide with yours.

10) Teach her day from night - Teach baby the difference between night and day by keeping the lights low and attending to him quietly during night feeds. Save play and chatter for daytime.

11) Let him suck up to the boss – Falling asleep on the breast is one of the easiest ways for most babies to settle. If you are concerned about it becoming a habit, alternate feeding with other sleep cues and take heart: he may still like to snuggle up to a breast when he's twenty one - but it won't be yours!

12) Share sleep – Research shows that mothers and babies who sleep together share the same sleep cycles, so these mothers get more sleep overall. Remember SIDS risk reduction guidelines – maintain a smoke-free environment (don’t co-sleep if either parent smokes); put baby to sleep on his back; avoid overheating (remove doonas); keep baby’s head uncovered and use a firm mattress (no waterbeds). Both parents should avoid alcohol and medications that reduce awareness of baby.

Pinky McKay is the author of Parenting By Heart and 100 Ways to Calm the Crying. Visit her website – www.pinky-mychild.com.

Pinky has offered 3 copies of her book 100 Ways to Calm the Crying plus 2 copies of her book Parenting By Heart as giveaways to our subscribers. Each book is valued at $24.95. To enter the draw to win one of the books, please email us with the answer to this simple question: "Which section of our website contains the 'Sleeping, Settling & Crying' page?.

Plus, for one lucky Melbourne viewer, we have a prize package containing one copy of Parenting By Heart and a Gift Voucher valued at $75 for an 'Infant Massage for Couples' course (please note course is only available in Melbourne). To enter this draw, please click here to email us with the answer to this simple question: "In which city is the October Parents Babies & Childrens Expo being held?.

Winners will be contacted by email. Details will be announced in the November Hubbub e-newsletter and will be listed on the Bub Hub website. Entry is only eligible to those who receive this newsletter direct from Bub Hub Pty Ltd. Entries close October 29, 2003.

To read more about Pinky's books and Infant Massage Courses, click here to visit her website.

If you are looking for novel gift ideas for baby showers or expectant friends, relatives or even yourself (!), look no further than the ‘setting up nursery’ section of The Bub Hub. Filled with local Aussie companies providing innovative products and services, you are sure to find a gift that will be just that little bit different and that is bound to be remembered and appreciated by any new parent!

'Nappy Cake' from Cake Fx

When you have your first baby, there is usually great excitement amongst family and friends. You get more visitors in two weeks than you’ve had all year and most will arrive bearing gifts. Many a hospital ward will be filled with flowers sent by well-wishers for the new parents and precious bub. Now flowers are lovely, don’t get me wrong. It was fantastic to be surrounded by beautiful blooms and scents when I had my first-born (and second-born for that matter!), but they disappear in a few days and you are left with nothing but vases to wash and petals on the floor.

 
During our research for the Bub Hub, we have come across a number of unusual gifts, innovative products and great keepsake ideas for new parents that don’t cost the earth and most parents will find a useful alternative to flowers and teddy bears. We’ve recently added 4 new pages to the site in each state in the ‘Setting Up Nursery’ section under the sub-heading ‘New Baby Gifts, Products & Services’. On these pages we feature gift delivery services, keepsakes & personalised items, birth announcement services and christening items.

 

Birth Medallion from Trevi Coins

Have a browse through to find companies who provide products and services such as:

• gift baskets of baby accessories – with the odd bottle of champagne thrown in for the parents!
• novel gift arrangements (such as ‘bouquets’ made from clothing and ‘cakes’ made from nappies)
• hampers in nappy buckets filled with useful accessories
• newborn starter packs of clothing
• keepsakes such as birth medallions
• embroidered blankets with your child’s name and birth date
• a framed moulding of the new baby’s hands and feet
• a star!
• birth announcements – from photo cards to your baby’s own website

'Blankie' from Kiwi Green

Gift basket available through
Yourbaby

Most of the companies listed throughout our site will offer gift vouchers or gift services too. A voucher from a nursery store would be a great gift, or you could consider a nappy wash service, a term of swimming lessons/play-programme or a membership of a toy library.
 
Many items can be ordered online and delivered straight to the intended recipient's home or hospital bed - a great idea if you have friends or family interstate.
 
Have a look through the site and if there’s something that you would like – drop a few hints to grandparents-to-be or friends and see what else the stork brings!