Indonesian elephant fossil opens window to past

Scientists arrange the bones of an estimated 200,000 year-old giant elephant at Geology Museum in Bandung, West Java, Indonesia, Thursday, June 18, 2009. Indonesian scientists are reconstructing the largest, most complete skeleton of an ancient elephant ever found in the tropics, a finding that may offer new clues into the largely mysterious origins of its modern Asian cousin. Based on the fossil, the ancient elephant stood four meters (13-feet) tall, was five meters (16-feet) long and weighed more than 10 tons, considerably larger than the great Asian mammals now on Earth. (AP Photo/Dita Alangkara)

BANDUNG, Indonesia (AP): Indonesian scientists are reconstructing the largest, most complete skeleton of a prehistoric giant elephant ever found in the tropics, a finding that may offer new clues into the largely mysterious origins of its modern Asian cousin.

The prehistoric elephant is believed to have been submerged in quicksand shortly after dying on a riverbed in Java around 200,000 years ago. Its bones--almost perfectly preserved--were discovered by chance in March.

The animal stood four meters (13-feet) tall, was five meters (16-feet) long and weighed more than 10 tons. It was considerably larger than the great Asian mammals now on Earth, and closely resembled the woolly mammoth of the same period in terms of size.

Animal fossils are rare in the humid, hot climate of the equator because decomposition occurs extremely quickly.

A team of seven paleontologists from the Geology Museum in Bandung, West Java, set the bones in plaster for the trip back to their office after a monthlong excavation and the laborious process of piecing them together then began.

"We believe from the shape of its teeth that it was a very primitive elephant," but little else has been verified, said paleontologist Fachroel Aziz, who is heading a 12-strong skeletal reconstruction team.

Scientists agree it is the first time an entire prehistoric elephant skeleton has been unearthed since vertebrate fossil findings began to be recorded in Indonesia in 1863.

"It is very uncommon to discover a fossil like this in a tropical region like Indonesia," said Edi Sunardi, an independent expert at Indonesia's Pajajaran University in Bandung, West Java. "It apparently was covered by volcanic sediment that protected it from high temperatures, erosion and decay."

"From its feet to its skull, from the trunk to its tail bone, it's all complete," he said.

A piece of the 2.5-meter (8.2-foot) tusk of the extinct species was discovered five years ago by a geologist on a mapping project in the hilly village of Sungun, Central Java. The bigger find came three months ago when an old sand quarry collapsed during annual monsoon rains.

The next challenge will be removing the delicate bones from their molds and joining them into a stable, upright structure, a process that experts said is already being hampered by a lack of funding, inadequate tools and poor expertise.

Indonesia, an emerging and impoverished democracy of 235 million people, cannot afford to allocate more than a token sum to its aging museums, even for projects that have the potential to advance knowledge about the origin of key native species.

Gert van den Berg, a researcher at Australia's Wollongong University who helped dig up the skeleton, said tests are under way to determine its precise age and species, but that it will certainly answer lingering questions about the morphology of Asian elephants.

"This is the first time that an individual skeleton has been found that is so complete," Van den Berg said. Around 90 percent of the skeleton has been collected, including the skull and vertebrate which he said can provide details "about when the modern elephants evolved into what they are now."

About 2,000 old elephant remains have been found across the island nation over the past 150 years, but never in such good condition, said Aziz, describing how this elephant probably slipped into a pit of quicksand and was quickly buried.

"We want to exhibit it publicly because this is a spectacular discovery," he said. (By NINIEK KARMINI/Associated Press Writer)

Michael Jackson auction called off: official

LOS ANGELES: A huge sale of items belonging to former "King of Pop" Michael Jackson due to take place next week has been cancelled, the auction house organizing the sell-off confirmed Tuesday.

Martin Nolan, executive director of Julien's Auctions, told AFP that the hotly anticipated sale had been scrapped after a settlement had been reached with the eccentric pop star's legal team.

Jackson's management company had been attempting to halt the April 22-25 auction despite earlier approving the sale and co-operating with Julien's.

"I can tell you that both parties today agreed not to move forward with the auction on April 22," Nolan told AFP. "The collection will stay together to be returned to Michael Jackson and MJJ Productions."

The terms of the settlement were not disclosed but Nolan said both parties were happy with the deal.

More than 1,300 items--including a customized Rolls Royce limousine and dozens of Jackson's concert costumes--had been due to go under the hammer in Beverly Hills in an auction expected to raise millions.

Items up for sale had been taken from Jackson's sprawling Neverland Ranch in California, which the singer left and has never returned to following his acquittal on child abuse charges in 2005.

All the auction lots were on display Tuesday at a public exhibition ahead of the sale which had sparked worldwide interest from memorabilia collectors and Jackson fans.

Jackson's production company MJJ Productions had contracted Julien's to arrange an auction of Neverland items last year before suddenly seeking to halt the sale in a lawsuit filed in Los Angeles last month.

A judge said the sale could ahead at a hearing on April 3, although Jackson's lawyers had been due to argue for an injunction at a further hearing scheduled for Wednesday in Los Angeles.

Nolan said he believed that the reaction of Jackson's fans following news of the auction had made the singer think twice about going ahead with the sale.

"There was such a sentimental reaction from fans all over the world about the dispersal of the collection from Neverland that it made Michael aware of the level of the loyalty of the fans," Nolan told AFP.

Nolan said while he expected prospective buyers would be disappointed by the cancellation "there's going to be rejoicing as well because at the end of the day there was a touch of sadness about the dispersal of Neverland."

"But now it's going to stay together and there will eventually be a permanent museum," he said. Nolan would not speculate on where any future Jackson museum was likely to be placed.

Jackson, who dominated the pop world with hit albums like "Thriller" and "Bad" in the 1980s, has virtually vanished from public view since being cleared at his "Trial of the Century" in California four years ago.

Jackson is currently preparing for a series of comeback concerts in London in July. Tickets sold out within hours when they went on sale. (AFP)

Malaysia pushing for WHO to adopt exit screening

PUTRAJAYA: Malaysia is pushing for the World Health Organisation (WHO) to adopt a requirement for affected countries to implement exit screening to stop the spread of the new Influenza A disease, following concerns that a second wave of the H1N1 disease can be more deadly.

Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai said currently WHO did not make exit screening mandatory to contain the spread of the disease and this had created tremendous pressure on other countries that were not affected by the outbreak to remain so.

WHO is not recommending travel restrictions following the outbreak, but has advised individuals who are ill to delay their travel plans and returning travellers who fall ill, to seek appropriate medical care.

The issue of exit screening was first brought up during the Asean Plus Three Health Ministers Meeting in Bangkok last week, but some countries were against making it mandatory as it would have an impact on travel and trade, especially at a time when many countries are facing an economic downturn, with huge costs involved.

"If we can have travellers from affected countries screened before they are allowed to travel out, this will help us to contain the spread of such virus to other places," he told Bernama here before leaving for the 62nd WHO General Assembly in Geneva, Switzerland.

However, while on transit in London, Liow confirmed Malaysia's first confirmed case of influenza A(H1N1) case involving a 21-year-old student who returned to Malaysia two days ago and is now quarantined at the Sungai Buloh Hospital.

The WHO general assembly, scheduled for May 18-22, will discuss a number of public health issues, including pandemic influenza preparedness, sharing of information on the influenza virus and access to vaccines and other benefits.

Liow said Malaysia and some other countries would push for WHO to adopt exit screening as a compulsory measure in the case of any outbreak in any country.

"We are pushing for this during the WHO general assembly in Geneva this weekend. Even at the Asean Plus Three Health Ministers Meeting in Bangkok (last week), not all countries agreed to it. But we hope WHO will pay attention to this," he said.

Apart from that, Liow said Malaysia would get the latest information on the H1N1 virus from WHO, as well as on the development of new vaccines while looking into stockpiling more anti-viral drugs for the country.

"We would like to bring to WHO's attention on the need for equal distribution of anti-viral drugs as well as other stockpiles as we are worried about the second wave of attack," he said.

Experts have said that the Influenza A(H1NI) outbreak is similar to the 1918 influenza pandemic as the viruses are similar and mutated. The 1918 influenza pandemic, which killed tens of millions of people, began mild and returned within six months in a much more lethal form.

"We've got to be prepared for this second, or even possible third wave while the government has decided to take all the precautionary measures as a long-term or permanent solution to the influenza outbreak," Liow said.

WHO said the new H1N1 flu virus could still mutate into a more virulent form and spark an influenza pandemic that could be expected to circle the globe up to three times.

The world health body has warned that the impact of any pandemic would vary, as a virus that causes only mild illness in countries with a strong healthcare system can become "devastating" in those with a weak healthcare system, shortage of drugs and poorly equipped hospitals.

According to WHO, the H1N1 viral infection, commonly referred to as swine flu, "appears to be more contagious than seasonal influenza and nearly the world's whole population lacks immunity to the new disease."

So far, the virus shows no signs of sustained person-to-person spread outside North America.

Some 6,497 people have been infected in 33 countries, according to WHO's tally on Friday with the hardest hit being Mexico with 60 deaths so far. (By ALAN TING/Bernama)

3 to 6 Months

3 TO 6 MONTHS

What a time of wonder these first few months are! From a sleeping and eating machine to a smiling, responsive infant, your baby will grow by leaps and bounds in many ways, including physically.
HOW MUCH SHOULD MY BABY GROW?

After losing some of his birth weight during the first few days of life, your baby will be starting to grow steadily. By the middle of his first month, he will probably be gaining about 300gm to 600gm per month.
After the first month, weight gain may average 0.9kg to 1.2 kg and length may increase 2.5cm to 3.75cm per month. These are just averages; as long as your baby is staying on his own growth curve, you should have no concerns about his progress. Your paediatrician will measure his weight, length, and head circumference and plot your baby's own growth path on a chart, so any growth problems can be spotted early.

THE SENSES: SIGHT
By the end of this period, your infant's distance vision should improve dramatically. He'll be able to recognise you as you enter a room, well before you have picked him up. You'll catch him gazing out a window or at a picture on the other side of the room. Human faces are still one of his favourite things to look at, especially his parents' and his own.

THE SENSES: HEARING
Your baby loves to hear your voice. So talk, babble, sing and coo away during these first few months. Take special advantage of your baby's own 'talking' to have a `conversation'. If you hear him make a sound, repeat it and wait for him to make another. You are teaching your baby valuable lessons about tone, pacing and taking turns when talking to someone else.
Besides voices, your infant will enjoy listening to music (try out a variety and see which one he likes best). He'll be fascinated by the routine sounds of life as well. Keep him nearby as you rattle pans while making dinner, for instance.

THE SENSES: TOUCH
Between one and three months, your baby is depending on you to bring touch to him. Infants know they are loved and cared
for when they are held, caressed, massaged and kissed.

LEARNING AND PLAY
Your 1-3 month old is more alert and aware of his surroundings than he was as a newborn. He already recognises his parents' voices and faces, and he might be ready to respond to them with smiles. Your baby is ready to be an active participant in play.

WHAT WILL MY BABY LEARN?
Your baby will carefully watch your facial expressions and listen to your voice. By listening to you, he is learning the importance of speech before he understands or repeats any words himself. He'll also learn during this period that he has the ability to vocalise, too; make sure to answer his coos and gurgles with your own sounds, and he will be more willing to express himself.
Now that your baby's hands are open (and he's discovered them), he'll begin to use them to learn about the world. He'll play with his fingers, bring his hands to his mouth, and try to swing at things within view. In this way, he is learning hand-eye coordination. When lying down, he'll stretch out his arms and legs - soon he will learn to grasp and kick!
You will learn to recognise when your baby is alert and ready to learn and play, and when he'd rather be left alone. Sometimes your baby will need to protect himself from overstimulation by 'shutting down' for a bit.

WHAT SHOULD I DO?
Remember that play is not just 'play' to babies and children. Play is how they learn, so be enthusiastic when your baby shows interest in playing. Take every opportunity to interact with him - provided he's in the mood. Don't overstimulate him with too many activities at once, and let him tell you when he's bored.
Your baby will enjoy listening to music, the sounds his toys make, and your singing - and he won't care whether or not you 're any good. His eyesight is improving, so he'll be fascinated by brightly coloured pictures in books and the mobile above his crib. And he won't be able to take his eyes off himself if he has an unbreakable crib mirror.
As your baby's hands open, offer him a rattle to hold, and watch his search for the source of the rattle 's sounds. Give him safe objects of different textures, shapes, sizes, colours, and weights to hold. Dangle objects above your baby and let him swat at them.
To get his hands moving, clap them together. Move his legs like a bicycle with your hands. These body games will help him learn to control his movements.
Once your baby can hold his head up, introduce these classic games, or make up your own:
Elevator: Lie on your back and lift your baby up over you. Say, 'I'm going to kiss you! ' while you lower him down and give him a kiss.
Bouncing rides: Place your baby on your lap and hold him under his arms. Move forward until you 're at the edge of the seat, then raise and lower your heels to give him a gentle bounce. Reciting rhymes while you do this will add to the fun and encourage language development.

MOVEMENT AND COORDINATION
Your infant is now on his way toward more voluntary movement as some of the initial reflexes noticeable after birth begin to disappear. By the end of the second month, most infants should be able to lift their heads 45 degrees off the crib mattress while lying on their stomachs; some may even be able to lift up further. By the end of this period, he should be able to bring his head up and look around.
You'll notice increasing neck strength as you hold your baby, too; he'll be able to control his head more and more on his own, although he'll still depend on you to watch that he has proper head support. While it will still be difficult for him to lift his head while lying flat on his back, you'll notice that his neck is less floppy if you lift him by the arms. Baby's legs will gradually straighten out, and his leg strength will become more apparent with each kick. Although his kicks may still be mostly reflexive, he may soon be strong enough to push himself over from his front to his back with his leg. This is why you should never leave your baby unattended on a changing table, bed, or other high surface. You never know when your baby will decide that he wants to roll over!
Your infant will grow increasingly aware of his own hands during this period. Although he has been able to grasp your finger or a light object reflexively since birth, during these months he'll learn how to control that grasp: how to open and shut his hand and how to bring a hand (or an object it is holding) to his mouth. He can swipe his hands at objects hung above him. He can shake a rattle or other toy placed in his hand - and drop it when he loses interest in it. He may continually attempt to get his own hand into his mouth during these months, but may fall short of this goal until about the fourth month. Then he'll get that thumb where he wants it and will be able to keep it there!

COMMUNICATION
Your baby will recognise Mummy and Daddy, laugh, squeal and smile spontaneously. His personality begins to become evident. Crying will continue to be your baby's primary means of communication for many months. Aside from letting you know that he needs something (and perhaps even what he needs by the way he cries), your baby may cry when he is overwhelmed by all the sights and sounds of the world. sometimes he may cry for no apparent reason at all.
Your baby will respond to the sound of your voice by becoming quiet, smiling or getting excited, and moving his arms and legs. He will begin smiling regularly at you at this point. He probably won't smile and be friendly to strangers, but he may warm up to them with coos and baby talk - or at least a curious stare.
Babies this age discover that they have the ability to vocalise; soon you'll have a cooing and gurgling machine! Some babies begin to repeat some vowel sounds, like'ah-ah' or'ooh-ooh' at about two months. Your baby will 'talk' to you with a variety of sounds; he'll also smile at you and wait for your response, and respond to your smiles with his own. His arms and legs will move, and his hands will open up. He may even mimic your facial expressions.

SLEEP
Now your baby will probably begin to stay awake longer during the day and sleep more at night than he did when he was born. Since your baby is more alert and aware of his surroundings during the daylight hours, he will be more inclined to sleep during the night, especially if you fight the urge to play or talk to him during night-time feedings or diaper changes.
Your baby is adapting to the sleep-wake cycle that his parents favour, and his stomach is growing and holding more breast milk or formula. That means he might even be sleeping up to seven or eight hours without waking up because of hunger. At about three months, if you feed your infant and put him to bed at 10pm, you may find yourself actually sleeping until dawn! Again, not all infants keep to the same timetable.

Newborn

0 TO 3 MONTHS
`It's a boy!'
`It's a girl!'
Once that's been established and fingers and toes have been counted, what's the next thing you'll find out about your newborn? Probably weight and length. When sending out your birth announcements, you'll probably include both of these measurements. Why all this interest in your baby's size? Because it's a concrete way to begin tracking your baby's growth from the first day forward.
HOW MUCH SHOULD MY BABY WEIGH?
Just like adults, newborns come in all shapes and sizes. The majority of babies born full-term (40 weeks) weigh from just over 3.41 kg to almost 5.02kg, and they are between 47.5cm and 52.5cm long. At one time we used to put a premium on `big' babies, but within this wide range of newborn weights and lengths, it's the baby's overall health that matters most.
Your newborn will most likely gain weight at an average of 200gm per week, and grow about 2.5cm to 3.75cm during his first month. Most newborns go through a period of rapid growth (a growth 'spurt') when they are seven to 10 days old, and again between three and six weeks.
Don't be worried if your full-term baby goes home weighing slightly less than he did when he was born. While it's disappointing for parents to see their newborns' weight drop, it's perfectly normal. Nearly all newborns lose a portion of their birth weight because of fluid loss and because they do not need much milk during the first few days of life.
By day 14 or before, your baby should be back to his birth weight. If you are concerned about what seems to be an excessive weight loss after the first few days of your baby's life, check with your paediatrician.
MOVEMENT AND COORDINATIONAlthough it may seem to the parents and siblings of a newborn baby that his activities are limited to sleeping, eating, and crying, that little body is capable of a myriad of movements. Research has shown that babies can not only make associations between sound and other senses, but can also be taught to respond in different ways to the same sound and, if permitted, will exert some control in choosing sounds they want to hear. One of your newborn's most important movements is his rooting reflex. Newborns get hungry, but they don't yet have the ability to look actively for food. The rooting reflex prompts a baby to turn in the direction of his mother's nipple. If you gently stroke the cheek of a newborn with your hand, he will turn in that direction, mouth open, ready to suck. This reflex generally lasts a few months, until the baby becomes proficient at simply turning his mouth to where his next meal is coming from. Your newborn's sucking is also a survival reflex. When his mother's nipple is placed in his mouth, he will automatically suck. The purpose of the rooting and sucking reflexes is obvious: they help your newborn get the nourishment he needs. These reflexes soon become voluntary or directed movements, and in a few months you may even find your infant trying to console himself by sucking his own hand.
Although it may seem to the parents and siblings of a newborn baby that his activities are limited to sleeping, eating, and crying, that little body is capable of a myriad of movements. Research has shown that babies can not only make associations between sound and other senses, but can also be taught to respond in different ways to the same sound and, if permitted, will exert some control in choosing sounds they want to hear.
One of your newborn's most important movements is his rooting reflex. Newborns get hungry, but they don't yet have the ability to look actively for food. The rooting reflex prompts a baby to turn in the direction of his mother's nipple. If you gently stroke the cheek of a newborn with your hand, he will turn in that direction, mouth open, ready to suck. This reflex generally lasts a few months, until the baby becomes proficient at simply turning his mouth to where his next meal is coming from.
Your newborn's sucking is also a survival reflex. When his mother's nipple is placed in his mouth, he will automatically suck. The purpose of the rooting and sucking reflexes is obvious: they help your newborn get the nourishment he needs. These reflexes soon become voluntary or directed movements, and in a few months you may even find your infant trying to console himself by sucking his own hand.
The Moro reflex shows itself when your newborn is startled by a loud noise or feels he is about to fall or be dropped. Sometimes new parents notice this reflex if they place their baby in the bassinet or crib too quickly. Your newborn will react by throwing out his arms and legs, arching his neck, then curling in again with a cry. This reflex quickly disappears, usually by the third month.
You may be able to see the tonic neck reflex at work in your infant. If you turn your baby's head to one side, you may notice him straightening the arm and leg on that side of his body, while curling the opposite arm and leg. This reflex will probably disappear by the middle of his first year.
Stroking your newborn's palms and feet, also called the grasp reflex, may elicit other reflexes. Put your finger directly in your baby's hand, and he may grasp it quite tightly - tightly enough perhaps to support his full body weight in the first days after birth. Touch the sole of your newborn's foot and look for a similar response: a flexing of the foot, with tightly clenched or flared toes. These reflexes also slowly disappear over the course of the first year of your baby's life.
WHAT CAN I DO?
Motor skills develop naturally under most circumstances. Your job during this stage is to make your baby feel safe and secure. Make sure that his head and neck are supported. Never leave him unattended, especially on high surfaces such as a changing table or bed. You can encourage movement through play by gently 'cycling' his arms or legs as he lies on his back, or you can let him kick at your hands or a toy that squeaks. The movement your newborn like best is YOUR movement, so hold him often.
THE SENSES
Your newborn may seem to do little more during the first weeks of life than eat, sleep and cry. But in reality, all of his senses are functioning already, taking in the sights, sounds, and smells of this new world he's entered. It's hard for us to know exactly what a newborn is feeling, but if you pay close attention to his responses to light, noise, and touch, you can see his complex senses begin to come alive.
THE SENSES: SIGHT
A newborn's sight is perfectly set to see the most important things in the world to him - his parents' faces. New babies can see best at a distance of only 20cm to 35cm, bringing his eyes in focus when he's gazing up from the arms of Mom or Dad. Your newborn can see things further away, but it is harder for him to focus on distant objects. Still, the light shining in from a faraway window may catch his eye, and he may stare at another family member moving around the room.
His colour preference is black, white and red in contrast to bright colours.
After human faces, brightness and movement are the things he likes to look at best. Even a crude line drawing of two eyes, a nose, and a mouth may keep his attention if held close enough. Although his sight is functioning, it still needs some fine-tuning, especially when it comes to focusing far off. His eyes may even seem to cross or diverge (go 'wail-eyed') briefly. This is usually just a sign that your newborn's eye muscles need to strengthen and mature a bit during the next few months.
THE SENSES: TASTE AND SMELL
We assume newborns can smell because we know they can taste, and these are the two most closely related of the human senses. Research with new babies shows they prefer sweet tastes from birth and will choose to suck on bottles of heavily sweetened water, but will turn away or cry if given something bitter or sour to taste.
Think of the world of smells an ordinary day affords your newborn: your clothes, dinner cooking on the stove, flowers in the yard. At least you don't have to worry too much about your baby's taste buds at this point. Breast milk will satisfy him completely!
THE SENSES: TOUCH
As it is to most humans, touch is extremely important to your newborn. Through touch, he learns a lot about the world around him. At first, he is looking only for comfort. Having come from a warm and enveloping fluid before birth, he'll be faced with feeling cold for the first time, brushing up against the hardness of the crib, feeling the scratch of a rough seam inside his clothes. He'll be looking to his parents to provide the soft touch he needs: silky blankets, comforting hugs, and loving caresses upon his head. With almost every touch your newborn is learning about life, so provide him with lots of tender kisses and he'll find the world a soothing place to be.
HOW DOES MY BABY COMMUNICATE?
Your baby is born with the ability to cry, which is how he will do most of his communicating for a while. Your baby's cries generally tell you that something is wrong in his world: his belly is empty, his bottom is wet, his feet are cold, he's tired, he needs to be held and cuddled. Soon you will be able to recognise which need your baby is expressing and respond accordingly. In fact, sometimes what a baby needs can be identified by his cry - for example, the 'I'm hungry' cry may be short and low-pitched, while 'I'm upset' may sound choppy.
Your baby may also cry when he is overwhelmed by all of the sights and sounds of the world. Sometimes he may cry for no apparent reason at all. Don't be too upset when your baby cries and you aren't able to console him immediately: crying is one of his ways of shutting out stimuli when he's overloaded.
A newborn can differentiate between the sound of a human voice and other sounds. Try to pay attention to how he responds to your voice. He already associates your voice with care: food, warmth, touch. If he's crying in his bassinet, see how quickly your approaching voice quiets him. See how closely he listens when you are talking to him in loving tones. He may not yet coordinate looking and listening, but even if he stares into the distance, he Il be paying close attention to your voice as you speak. He may subtly adjust his body position or facial expression, or even move his arms and legs in time with your speech.
Sometime during your newborn's first month, you may get a glimpse of his first smile and perhaps hear his first laugh or giggle. What welcome additions these are to his communication repertoire!
SLEEP
`Does your baby sleep through the night?' is one of the questions new parents faces the most. And the bleary-eyed mums and dads of newborns almost always answer: 'No'
Newborn babies don't know the difference between day and night yet - and their tiny stomachs don't hold enough breast milk or formula to keep them satisfied for very long. They need food every few hours, no matter what time of day or night it is.
A newborn may sleep as much as 16 hours a day (or even more), often in stretches of three to four hours at a time. And like the sleep all of us experience, babies have different phases of sleep: drowsiness, REM (rapid eye movement) sleep, light sleep, deep sleep, and very deep sleep. As babies grow, their periods of wakefulness increase.
At first, these short stretches of three to four hours of sleep may be frustrating for you as they interfere with your sleep pattern. Have patience - this will change as your baby grows and begins to adapt to the rhythms of life outside the womb. At first, though, the need to feed will outweigh the need to sleep. Many paediatricians recommend that a parent shouldn't let a newborn sleep too long without feeding. In practical terms, that means offering a feeding to your baby every 2 to 3 hours or so.
SLEEP SAFETY
Keep sleep safety in mind. Do not place anything in the crib or bassinet that may interfere with baby's breathing; this includes plush toys. Avoid objects with cords or ties and objects with any kind of sharp edge or corner. Make sure the crib you are using is up to today's safety standards.
The American Academy of Paediatrics recommends that healthy infants be placed on their backs or sides to sleep, not on their stomachs. Recent studies suggest that the back or side position for sleep might be safer. These studies noted that babies sleeping on their backs or sides have a somewhat lower risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) than babies who sleep on their stomachs do. The thought is that babies sleeping on their stomachs may have a greater tendency toward sleep obstruction and rebreathing their own carbon dioxide.
There are some exceptions to this recommendation, including: those with certain deformities of the head that make them more likely; to develop airway blockage when lying on their backs; Your paediatrician can best advise you on the right sleep position for your new baby.

Your Pregnancy

WHAT YOUR BABY WILL NEED AT THE HOSPITAL
Undershirt
An outfit such as a stretch suit, nightgown, or sweater set
A pair of socks or booties
Receiving blanket, cap and heavier blanket or bunting, if the weather is cold
Diapers and wipes (some hospitals provide an initial supply of these)
Safety pins or velcro attaching strips, and rubber or nylon pants (if you are using cloth diapers)
Infant car seat
Diaper bag
SAFETY ITEMS FOR YOUR BABY
Night lights or soft lighting
Baby monitor
Baby nail clippers/scissors manicure set
THINGS YOU'LL NEED TO TRANSPORT YOUR BABY
Car seat - you will need to find out the specifications for a car seat that will fit in your car. All car seats are not made alike
Stroller
Backpacks and soft carriers
Diaper bag - since this is something you will be carrying around for about three years, choose one that is comfortable and durable for you
ITEMS FOR YOUR BABY'S ROOM
Crib and crib linens
Play pen or portable crib
Changing table
Dresser
Glider or rocking chair
Clothes hamper
SUGGESTED ITEMS FOR YOUR HOME
Diapers or cloth diapers
Receiving Blankets
Clothing
Breast pump - if you plan to breastfeed.
Bottles - be sure to get the correct size of nipples, such as preemie, or newborn
Rectal or digital ear thermometer
Bathtubs
Washcloths and baby wipes
Diaper rash ointment and/or petroleum jelly
Hooded Towels
Diaper disposal system - good to have, but not necessary
Burp Cloths and waterproof lap pads
Bulb syringe - for suctioning baby's nasal passages if necessary. Your baby's doctor will tell you if, when, and how to do this
THINGS YOU'LL NEED AS YOUR BABY GETS OLDER
Outlet protectors
Toys
Books
Walker
High Chair
Gates

Getting some sleep

A look at ways to manage insomnia.
THE body rests and recovers from previous activities during sleep. Normal sleep comprises cycles of non-rapid eye movement (NREM) and rapid eye movement (REM). NREM sleep is followed by REM sleep, which occurs four to five times during the usual eight-hour sleep period.
The first REM period of the night may be last less than 10 minutes, while the last may exceed an hour. The NREM and REM cycles vary in length from 70 to 100 minutes initially, to 90 to 120 minutes later in the night.
Restful: Normal adults need six to 10 hours of sleep.
During the first third of the night, deep NREM sleep predominates, while REM sleep predominates in the last third of the night. REM sleep takes up 20% to 25% of total sleep time.
Insomnia
Insomnia refers to the disturbance of a normal sleep pattern. The different types of insomnia are:
·Difficulty getting to sleep (sleep onset insomnia) which is most common in young people.
·Waking up in the night which is most common in older people.
·Waking up early in the morning, which is least common.
·Not feeling refreshed after sleeping, leading to irritability, tiredness and difficulty concentrating during the day.
·Waking up due to disturbances such as noise or pain.
The duration of insomnia varies. It may be:
·Transient, lasting two to three days
·Short-term, lasting more than a few days, but less than three weeks
·Chronic, that is, it occurs on most nights for three weeks or more.
Everyone has experienced insomnia. It is generally accepted that about one-third of the population has insomnia.
How much sleep?
The need for sleep varies with age. A newborn may sleep 16 to 20 hours, and an infant 12 to 14 hours. Toddlers may sleep 10 hours or more. Primary schoolchildren need nine to 10 hours of sleep, while normal adults need six to 10 hours of sleep.
It takes an adult about 10 to 20 minutes to fall asleep. Most of those who have less than five to six hours of sleep are probably not getting enough sleep.
After a good sleep, a person would feel refreshed on waking and can stay alert throughout the day, without the need for naps or sleeping in on weekends.
Symptoms and causes
The symptoms of insomnia vary. They include lying awake for a long period at night prior to sleeping, waking up several times at night, waking up early in the morning and not being able to go back to sleep, feeling tired and not refreshed, inability to function properly during the day, and feeling irritable.
The causes of insomnia:
·Physiological: working at night, light, noise, snoring, partner’s movements, and jet lag.
·Medical: pain or discomfort caused by arthritis, headaches, back pain, menopausal hot flushes, gastrointestinal disorders and pruritus (excessive itching).
·Psychological and psychiatric: examination stress, work worries, relationship problems, anxiety, depression, bereavement and dementia.
·Sleep disorders: sleep apnoea and sleep walking.
·Medicines: antidepressants, appetite suppressants, beta-blockers, corticosteroids and decongestants.
·Alcohol.
Management
Consult a doctor. He will look into the history of your condition and conduct a physical examination. The doctor will enquire about your sleeping routines, previous and current medical conditions, psychological or psychiatric conditions, if any, consumption of caffeine, medicines and alcohol, substance abuse including narcotic drugs, diet and exercise. The cause may be detected through this approach in many instances.
If the cause is not obvious, the doctor will ask for a sleep diary to be kept. This involves recording the time when one goes to sleep, when one wakes up in the morning and when one wakes up at night.
A referral to a specialist may be necessary if the cause is still not obvious. Laboratory tests and polysomnography may be carried out. The latter is used in the diagnosis of sleep apnoea and sleep disorders. This involves recording many parameters when one is asleep, including brain electrical activity; movements of the eye, jaw and leg muscles; and heart and lung functions. The doctor will discuss with the patient prior to any videotaping which may be considered necessary.
Once a diagnosis of the underlying condition has been made, the cause will be treated. For example, if the cause is anxiety or depression, the problem will go away once it is treated.
General measures which do not involve the use of medicines are preferred. It may involve counselling if the insomnia is due to stress or bereavement. Cognitive behavioural therapy which involves changes in thinking and behavioural patterns is useful. Measures like limiting caffeine or alcohol intake, exercise and keeping to a regular sleep routine are helpful.
Sleeping pills may be considered by the doctor for severe or short-term insomnia if general measures do not work. Doctors are usually reluctant to prescribe sleeping pills as they relieve the symptoms but do not address the underlying cause. An individual can also become dependent on sleeping pills, which are not without side effects.
Many of the sleeping pills available belong to a group of medicines called benzodiazepines which require a doctor’s prescription. Benzodiazepines are anxiolytics and hypnotics, that is, they reduce anxiety and promote calmness and sleep. Benzodiazepines can lead to dependence and side effects like a hangover and drowsiness during the day. This can lead to accidents when driving. Examples of benzodiazepines include lormetazepam and temazepam.
The short-acting “Z-pills” that is, zopiclone and zolpidem, act on the same receptors as benzodiazepines but are not classified as such because their molecular structures are different. They were initially thought to be less addictive and habit forming than benzodiazepines but this view has changed with reports of addiction in the past few years. The side effects are similar to benzodiazepines.
The lowest possible dose of sleeping pills should be taken for the shortest possible time. One should only take them under medical supervision. There is no place for self-medication. Do not stop intake abruptly as this may cause withdrawal effects. The doctor’s advice is crucial here.
Melatonin is a hormone that is involved in the regulation of the sleep cycle or circadian rhythm. It is a short-term medicine for insomnia and cannot be consumed for more than three weeks. Although side effects are uncommon, they include dizziness, migraines, irritability, constipation and abdominal discomfort.
Getting good sleep
Getting a good night’s sleep is vital. This can be achieved by various means:
·Having a routine facilitates sound sleep. This means going to bed and getting up at about the same time every day. It is important to relax before getting into bed as activity just before bedtime may keep one awake.
·Having an early dinner helps. The digestive system goes to sleep at about 7 o’clock. A light dinner is helpful.
·Avoid caffeine after lunch as caffeine keeps one awake.
·Avoid alcohol as its breakdown produces chemicals that stimulate the individual. It also increases the likelihood of snoring as it relaxes the muscles. This leads to lighter and less refreshing sleep.
·Avoid naps. The afternoon nap may keep one awake at night.
·Avoid light. This is because melatonin, the hormone that helps a person sleep, is produced in the dark.
Dr Milton Lum is a member of the board of Medical Defence Malaysia. This article is not intended to replace, dictate or define evaluation by a qualified doctor. The views expressed do not represent that of any organisation the writer is associated with.