Irish Baby Names That We're Totally Going to Steal .

You’ve heard the expression “luck of the Irish”? Maybe it has something to do with their aptitude for selecting delightful baby names with so many darling (if unnecessary) vowels.

Choose an Irish baby name from this list and every time you’re chasing after your two-year-old, you’ll instantly be transported to a world filled with tranquility, Celtic fiddle music and lush greenery as far as the eye can see.

AOIFE
For a girl

Meaning: The Irish take on Eva or Ava (it’s pronounced similarly), this popular name is a tribute to “the greatest woman warrior in the world.”

NORA
For a girl

Meaning: A shortened form of Eleanor, it’s derived from the Latin words for "honor" and "reputation."

EAMON
For a boy

Meaning: It’s pronounced aim + on and means “guardian of the riches.”

COLM
For a boy

Meaning: This one comes from Saint Columba, who was known for being a great poet and a scholar (e.g.: an excellent name for future smarty-pants).

FIONNOULA
For a girl

Meaning: Loosely translates to “fair shouldered” (yeah, we don't know what that means, either) and is pronounced finn + ula.

NESSA
For a girl

Meaning: “Ambitious, fierce.” Nice and original without sounding weird.

LIAM
For a boy

Meaning: The Irish form of William, the translation means “strong protector.” (And the Neeson reference isn’t lost on us.)

TEAGAN
For a girl

Meaning: This one might give your daughter a big head; it’s Irish for “beautiful.”

QUINN
For a boy

Meaning: It’s one of the most common names in Northern Ireland, but stateside it still feels fresh and original.

ART
For a boy

Meaning: Short for Arthur in America, the name--derived from the ancient word for “bear”--stands on its own across the pond.

SINEAD
For a girl

Meaning: It’s the Irish form of Jane and means “God is gracious.” Worried about the O’Connor thing? Remember: the next generation definitely won’t get any “Nothing Compares to You” references.

DILLON
For a boy

Meaning: An Irish spin on Dylan, it means “faithful,” “loyal” and “flash of lightning.”

CATRIONA
For a girl

Meaning: In the U.S., we say Catherine, but it comes from the older Greek word for “pure.”

ENNIS
For a boy

Meaning: It means “island.” In a sentence, no man is an Ennis (pronounced like the letter N + hiss).

CLOONEY
For a boy

Meaning: “Intriguing rogue.” Yeah, that makes sense.

Caring for your baby in summer

Looking after your baby in the heat of summer is not so different than caring for her in other seasons. There are however some things to keep in mind that will help your baby stay healthy and comfortable.
How often should I bathe my baby in summer?
Your baby is likely to sweat a lot in the heat. This doesn’t necessarily mean you need to bathe her more often. But giving her more frequent baths, if she enjoys them, can be a good way to cool her down. 

Don’t use cold water, use water that feels warm but not hot to your skin when you dip your elbow or the inside of your wrist in it. If you have a bath thermometer, the ideal bath temperature is believed to be 38 degrees C, which is almost the same as body temperature.

When bathing your baby, take special care to wash her neck, underarms and other visible folds in her skin and to dry them well afterwards. When your baby sweats a lot, the sweat glands can become trapped beneath the skin. This means that the skin can get irritated and develop a rash. 

If you do want to use extra baths to keep your baby cool, you probably don’t need to use a cleanser on her more than once a day. Just let her enjoy the water for no more than five to 10 minutes at a time. If you feel that your baby’s skin is getting dry, reduce the number of baths and see if that helps. 
Should I use oil for my baby’s massage in summer?
There is no harm in using oil to massage your baby in summer as long as you choose one that is suitable for your baby’s delicate skin, and that you wash it off well in her bath. 

Oil that stays on the skin for a long time can block sweat pores, making it harder for the skin to “breathe” and increasing the likelihood of skin rashes such as prickly heat rash. If your baby has dry skin or eczema, apply a suitable baby moisturising cream or lotion on her skin after the bath. Experts advise only using enough cream or lotion to leave a glisten on the skin.
Can I use talcum powder on my baby in summer?
You can use talcum powder on your baby as long as you apply it correctly. Dab it onto your hand away from your baby so that there is no chance of her inhaling any powder. Then apply it to the folds of your baby’s skin. 

Many believe powders help absorb sweat and so keep babies dry reducing the risk of a heat rash. There isn’t a lot of research about this, and some of it is conflicting. Some doctors think that using talcum powder can help to prevent and treat mild cases of heat rash, whereas others believe that talcum powder could make it worse, by clogging the sweat pores.

Observe your baby's skin well and if she develops a rash in the areas you apply the talcum powder, stop using it and consult your doctor. Keep in mind that there can be a number of causes for a rash and the talcum powder may or may not be the cause.
What kinds of clothes are best for my baby in summer?
Keep your baby cool and comfortable in loose fitting cotton clothing that lets her skin breathe. When it gets extremely hot some mothers leave their little ones in a vest or singlet through the day. 

Keep a watch on your baby if you are not sure how much to dress her. The rule of thumb is to dress her with one more layer of clothing than you are using. If however she looks like she’s hot, remove a layer. Your baby can easily sweat and lose fluids from being over dressed or feeling too warm. Overheating can lead to dehydration. 

So watch for signs that your baby is getting too hot. These signs include:

• sweating
• damp hair
• flushed cheeks
• heat rash
• rapid breathing

To keep your baby comfortable as she lies down, place a cotton cloth under her first, especially if you are putting her down on a surface made from synthetic material that might trap heat in the skin and make your baby sweat more. 

Have several cotton cloths handy so that you can change the cloth if your baby spits up or drools on it. Cover when necessary her pram, play mat, car seat or rocking chair. Cotton fabric tends to absorb sweat and keep a baby cooler than synthetic fibres. Some surfaces of baby equipment have absorbent fabric lining but others don’t. 

Use a summer hat to protect her head and face when you step out. Use sunscreen to protect her from the sun's harmful rays, if she is over six months. Babies under six months should be kept out of the sun. 

If there are mosquitoes in your area then keep your baby's arms and legs covered with clothes made from light coloured, breathable materials, like cotton.
How can I protect my baby from common illnesses during the summer?
Your baby’s immune system is developing. This makes her vulnerable to pick up infections easily. Luckily, your breastmilk carries antibodies to your baby, helping her to fight off common germs and viruses.

Formula milk doesn’t contain any antibodies. So if you are formula feeding your baby, take extra precautions to ensure that you sterilize any equipment your baby puts in her mouth, or that you use in making her feeds or feeding her. 

If you are worried about your baby’s health at any time, speak to her doctor and make an appointment. 

Whether you are formula feeding or breastfeeding, the extreme heat in summer can make babies more prone to: 

Prickly heat rash
A baby’s sweat glands are still developing and so they are more prone to a heat rash than adults. To protect your baby, ensure she is not dressed too warmly. 

It’s a common belief that newborns (and new mothers) need to stay warm. Overdressing your baby can cause a heat rash as her body will sweat more to keep her cool. 

Learn more about causes and treatment of prickly heat rash. If your baby develops a rash, always show it to the doctor to learn the cause.

Dehydration
Young babies can get dehydrated very quickly, especially if you take her out of home in the heat. 

If you’re breastfeeding, you don’t need to give your baby extra water in the summer to prevent dehydration. Just feed her every time she asks for it. Feeding more often will give your baby more of the watery foremilk that will keep her cool and hydrated. 

Formula fed babies might need extra water in the peak of summer. Don’t dilute your baby’s feeds. When making her milk, always respect the recommended doses. However, you can offer her some boiled and cooled water in between feeds. Just ensure she still gets her recommended amount of formula in the day and that the water supplements and doesn’t replace these.

Learn more about signs and treatment of dehydration.

Heat stroke
A heat stroke is caused by getting too hot. It is a serious condition that needs immediate attention. To prevent it, ensure your baby isn’t overdressed and that she’s getting enough fluids. Learn more about the symptoms and treatments of heat stroke.

Viral infections
Viral infections are common throughout the year and summer is no exception. Breastfeeding is the best way to support your baby’s immune system, but also try to keep people with flu like symptoms away from your baby. 

If anyone in the house has a viral, ask them to wash their hands with soap regularly and keep your baby away from them until their symptoms have cleared. 

If your baby does get ill, take her to the doctor. According to her weight, the doctor will prescribe the right dose of paracetamol that will help soothe her aches and help bring down her fever. 

Some Things No One Ever Tells You About Babies

My child's head looks odd 

You imagined a photo immaculate Gerber infant - round, ruddy, and quite adorable. On the off chance that your infant's head looks somewhat odd and cone-molded at to begin with, that is on the grounds that he likely put in hours wedged in your pelvis. Openings in the skull permit it to form its shape to fit through the birth waterway. "This secures against skull cracks or cerebrum harm amid a vaginal conveyance," says Anne Hansen, M.D., a neonatologist at Children's Hospital Boston and a right hand educator of pediatrics at Harvard Medical School. 

Different flaws add to your child's makeshift troll-like appearance. On the off chance that he slid out on his nose, his nostrils might be somewhat squashed. Liquids aggregated under his skin may make his eyes look swollen. Furthermore, he may even have a couple of little wounds all over and scalp if forceps or a vacuum extractor was utilized to convey him. Your child is a work of magnificence in advancement. Be patient, and he'll soon turn into the heavenly attendant you envisioned. 

Win a prize a day, enter now! 

My infant's so nervous 

Subsequent to putting in months nestled into a pack of water inside a comfortable, cozy womb, your infant now has all the space on the planet to move, without any confinements on her appendages. She hasn't exactly made sense of how to control her body in this new medium, so a little influx of her arm turns into a wide jerky swing. Children are likewise conceived with the Moro, or startle, reflex: When your newborn child detects she's falling or is startled, she'll all of a sudden toss out her arms, open her hands, step her head back, and after that rapidly get her arms back. This reflex vanishes by 3 months. An as yet creating neurological framework likewise sends more electrical motivations to muscles than should be expected, which can bring about your child's button to quiver or legs to tremble. As things turn out to be more sorted out over the primary couple of weeks, she'll tend to shake less. Most quivers are nothing to stress over, however see a specialist if your infant's shaking is cadenced or if a trembling appendage doesn't stop when you touch it. 

My kid's so enormous down there 

Prior to your better half assumes praise for your infant child's immense testicles, he ought to realize that neither hereditary qualities nor super-fueled male hormones had influence in their size. The swelling is really a consequence of weight applied on your child amid birth, and also by liquids caught in tissue. Additionally, all new infants still have Mom's hormones coursing in their body. In young men, these hormones extend the testicles; in young ladies, they cause the labia to swell. Genital swelling dies down over the main couple of days. 

My child's constantly ravenous 

In the primary weeks, it may feel as though you're nourishing your newborn child all day and all night. Her regular requests are nature's method for expanding your milk supply to meet her developing hankering. Bosom bolstered babies additionally have a tendency to eat all the more regularly, on the grounds that bosom milk is more immediately processed and more totally consumed than equation. 

The explanation behind the sustaining craze, obviously, is that your minimal one has a great deal of developing to do. She'll twofold her introduction to the world weight in six months, which requires an enormous caloric admission. Anticipate that your infant will be especially eager amid development spurts; the primary ordinarily happens somewhere around 4 and 6 weeks of age. Simply be watchful that you don't misjudge her signals as yearning when all she may need is solace or closeness, says ob-gyn Glade Curtis, M.D., writer of Your Baby's First Year Week by Week (Fisher Books, 2000). In the event that she has eaten inside the last a few hours, take a stab at holding and swaddling her to check whether that quiets her down. 

Child Care Basics: Surprising Reasons to Call the Doctor 


My child's hands and feet are cool 

Before you wrench up the indoor regulator or wrap your minimal one in another sweeping, feel his middle. On the off chance that it's warm and pink, your infant isn't chilled. Since his circulatory framework is as yet creating, blood is shunted all the more frequently to fundamental organs and frameworks, where it's required most. His hands and feet are the last body parts to get a decent blood supply. It can take up to three months for his flow to adjust totally to life outside the womb. Meanwhile, it's basic for his little fingers and toes to feel nippy and look pale. As your infant turns out to be more versatile and dynamic, his course will move forward. 

My infant has blood in her diaper 

The same maternal hormones that bring about swollen testicles and labia are likewise in charge of the grisly vaginal release that infant young ladies some of the time have. Try not to stress in the event that you see a little smear of blood or bit of recoloring on your infant's diaper in the primary weeks of life. This smaller than usual menstrual period for the most part keeps going just a couple days, Dr. Curtis says. Some of the time, what looks like blood may really be concentrated pee, which can look very dull in the folds of a diaper. Splendid red blood, in any case, is surprising and warrants therapeutic consideration. 

My infant has a rankle on his lips 

Numerous babies build up a nursing tubercle or rankle from overwhelming sucking on a container or bosom. At times, the rankle is available during childbirth in view of thumb-sucking in the womb. A sucking callus causes no uneasiness to your child. Truth be told, the abundance of skin solidifies the lip and may make getting a handle on the areola less demanding. The callus will vanish all alone in a couple of months, or it may go back and forth from everyday. 

My child's crap looks like looseness of the bowels 

Bosom encouraged children have shabby, mustard-yellow stools that are fluid and unformed, while bottle-nourished newborn children have a tendency to have marginally more strong solid discharges with an earthy shading and the consistency of delicate dessert. Some infants crap twelve times each day, while others pass stools only a couple times each week. For whatever length of time that your kid is putting on weight and has no stomach torment or bloating, her crapping recurrence is fine. 

It can be difficult to recognize typical defecations from looseness of the bowels, especially in case you're nursing. Bosom bolstered babies generally crap after each nourishing. (It's known as the gastro-colic reflex: Whenever milk goes into the stomach, something turns out the flip side.) And their stools are actually looser. Your most solid option is to get comfortable with what's standard for your infant. In the event that the recurrence, volume, or consistency changes drastically, see your specialist. 

My infant sniffles constantly 

Babies wheeze a ton, yet not on account of they're icy or wiped out. It's essentially how they clear their nasal and respiratory sections of blockage and airborne particles. Sniffling additionally revives an incidentally shut nostril. "At the point when a mother medical caretakers and her infant is squeezed up against her, his nose may be leveled or one nostril pushed close," Dr. Curtis says. "In the wake of encouraging, the infant will take a breath or wheeze to open his nose once more." 

My infant's skin is flaky 

While your infant was washing in a tidal pond of amniotic liquid, his skin was pleasantly shielded from the watery environment by a covering of white, waxy material called vernix. In any case, once he's presented to the air and the vernix is rubbed away, the upper layer of his skin dries out and starts to peel. Your youngster's whole body may peel (in spite of the fact that it's most detectable on the hands and feet). Try not to attempt to pick off the drops - you may evacuate skin that is not prepared to be shed. Creams aren't essential either. The chipping as a rule endures one to two weeks. 

My child's breathing peculiarly 

In the same way as other unseasoned parents, you most likely spend a decent part of every night twist around the side of your minimal one's bunk, checking to ensure's regardless she relaxing. What's more, you've likely been gone ballistic a couple times watching her sporadic breaths. Be that as it may, it's really ordinary for newborn children to take slight delays and afterward experience times of fast relaxing. "Sporadically resting is a piece of the advancement of the stomach [the muscle that empowers breathing] and neurological framework," Dr. Curtis says. A delay of up to 20 seconds is viewed as ordinary. When she's around 6 weeks old, your infant ought to build up a more consistent example of relaxing. 

You stress over SIDS, obviously, and you're savvy to be careful. Put your child to mull over her back, keep all delicate sheet material and toys out of her lodging, and don't smoke. On the off chance that your infant ever quits relaxing for more than 20 seconds (an indication of apnea) or turns blue or limp, look for restorative consideration. 

My infant's cries all stable the same 

You've heard how mothers should know intuitively whether their child's eager, tired, or needing a diaper change just from the sound of his cry. However, in the event that regardless you're not familiar with your child's first dialect, don't stress. "After some time, you'll perceive the uproarious yelling of the agony cry and the more repressed whining of exhaustion," Dr. Hansen says. The appetite cry for the most part falls some place in the middle of, albeit some infants can sound entirely urgent (and boisterous) when they need to be bolstered immediately. Be that as it may, in the good 'ol days, it doesn't generally make a difference why your minimal one cries (infrequently he'll cry for reasons unknown by any means). Despite everything you'll respond with the same cherishing consideration every time - and that is all your infant truly needs or needs.