7 Things New Parents Should Know About African-American Babies

For new African-American parents, there are issues that are unique to or more common in Black babies. So in addition to questions like, "Why won't my baby stop crying?" and "How often should I feed my baby?" you need to know some other stuff about your new bundle of joy. These tips come courtesy of babycenter.com. Food allergies African American children are particularly likely to have food allergies. In fact, Black babies may be three times more likely than non-Black babies to have allergies, according to one study, though researchers aren't sure why. They suspect there may be a connection to the high prevalence of eczema and asthma in Black children. Ninety percent of allergies in the United States are caused by eggs, milk, peanuts (and other nuts), wheat, soy, fish (such as tuna and salmon), and shellfish (like lobster, shrimp, and crab). For infants, the most common culprits are cow's milk and soy protein in formula, according to babycenter.com. Breastfeeding Among all ethnic groups, African American mothers are the least likely to breastfeed. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 54 percent of Black moms breastfeed, compared with more than 80 percent of Hispanics and 74 percent of Caucasians. And when African-American mothers do breastfeed, they tend to do it for a shorter time period than other groups. Some experts point out that many Black women have been taught that nursing is "unclean." But studies have found breastfed babies are seven times more likely to maintain a healthy weight and have significantly fewer gastrointestinal, respiratory, ear, and urinary infections than those who are fed formula. In addition, nursing can reduce the baby's risk of asthma, diabetes, and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), conditions that are more common among African Americans. Breastfeeding also helps new moms—it burns up to 500 calories a day, so it can help shed post-pregnancy pounds and ward off diabetes. Vitamin D At least 40 percent of U.S. infants and toddlers don't get enough vitamin D, which plays a critical role in bone strength and development. For African American babies, the likelihood of vitamin D deficiency is even higher. There's a reason for this: The body produces its own vitamin D when the skin is exposed to the sun, but since darker skin contains more melanin, the less vitamin D Black bodies produce when exposed to sunlight. The solution for Black babies is vitamin D drops, in a supplement of 400 IU of vitamin D. Not getting enough vitamin D can make your baby more likely to get rickets (a bone disease in children caused by low vitamin D levels) as well as high blood pressure and heart disease later in life. Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) is the leading cause of death in the United States for babies between 1 month and 1 year old—and Black infants are twice as likely to die from SIDS. While there's no sure way to prevent SIDS, researchers have identified several factors that reduce the risk, such as putting babies to sleep on their back (not their stomach or side), keeping babies away from tobacco smoke, and keeping quilts, comforters, and pillows out of the crib. Studies show African Americans are less likely to follow SIDS risk-reduction measures, mostly because of lack of awareness and cultural traditions about how babies sleep best. Umbilical hernia If your baby has a protruding navel or the umbilical cord area pushes outward when he cries or strains, it may be an umbilical hernia. These hernias occur when part of the intestine protrudes through a weak spot in the abdominal muscles. They happen most often in babies who were born prematurely or at a low birth weight and they're more common in girls and African-Americans. The bulge may be as small as a fingertip or as large as a golf ball and it usually isn't serious or painful. It will most likely go away on its own by the time your child is 2 or 3 years old. See a doctor if the area becomes extremely tender or swollen. Eczema If your little one develops extremely dry, itchy skin, it's probably eczema—or atopic dermatitis—which occurs in 17 percent of all children but is especially common in African-American children. With Black toddlers, the eczema may be accompanied by very light spots that stand out against the surrounding skin color. Some babies get a variant of eczema called pityriasis alba, which consists of patches of scaly skin. In some children, dark spots, or hyperpigmentation, may occur after the areas heal. While no one knows exactly what causes eczema, babycenter.com says heredity is thought to play a key role—i.e., a family history of eczema, seasonal allergies (allergic rhinitis), or asthma raises the chances that your baby will develop eczema. As we know, African-Americans also have high rates of asthma and allergies. Mongolian spots Also known as dermal melanocytosis, these are harmless birthmarks common in African-American babies. In fact, there is at least one spot present at birth on more than 90 percent of Native Americans and people of African descent, more than 80 percent of Asians, and more than 70 percent of Hispanics. It's not uncommon for a child to have more than one. They vary in size and usually appear on the buttocks or lower back, but can also be found on the legs, back, and shoulders. They may resemble a bruise. They usually disappear by age 3 or 4.

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