Dear Dr. Markel,
My son is 11 weeks and showing signs of Plagiocephaly on the side he sleeps on. He is also yet to really focus on things, could this be a cause?

Dear Dr. Markel,
My baby is 22 months now and is still breastfeeding. I thought he would stop on his own but he refuses to stop and doesn't really like milk and worst with soy. He also still feeds at night. He sleeps in our bed so when he wakes he wants to feed. I've tried not giving it to him but he cries and cries and I'm already sleep-deprived to I give up. Any advice?

Dear Dr. Markel,
My 16-month-old son is still not sleeping through the night.  I've established a bedtime routine, which we follow each night even  if it's off by a minute or two, and it's helped with bedtime, but not with his sleeping. He gets up 2-6 times each night, and while he doesn't night-nurse anymore, he still wants to be held and/or
rocked.  And if that doesn't work, he wants to sleep with me. He's such a restless sleeper that I don't get any more sleep than I do when he sleeps in his crib.

I feel like I'm losing my mind because I'm so sleep-deprived, but nothing has worked. I'm dead set against the Let-them-cry method, not only because we have a common wall with our neighbors, but because that's just not the kind of parent I aspire to be. On the flip side, I'M EXHAUSTED and don't know what else to do, especially since he consistently naps for a couple hours each day.

I even tried a homeopath when my son was around 9 months old, but his remedies didn't make a difference.

Is there a such thing as a pediatric sleep specialist? Would we benefit from seeking and consulting one? I live in the San Francisco area and am open to new ideas.

A reader has asked about the necessity of the Vitamin K injection. The practice of administering Vitamin K injection to the newborn in the delivery room was instituted in hospitals during the era of routine mother-infant separation. Although controversial in other countries, injection of the newborn with Vitamin K right after birth is almost universal in the United States. The rationale for this is that newborns are born with a "deficiency" of Vitamin K, which they also do not receive in breast milk. This leads to a decrease in Vitamin K-dependent blood coagulation factors, making newborns more susceptible to hemorrhage in the first several days of life until Vitamin K is manufactured in their systems.

Dear Dr. Markel,
How can I get my daughter to latch on to my breast? She is three weeks old and we have been using a breast shield, and sns to feed her. We have started giving her bottles when I can't take it anymore. She is really fussy when she eats even with the shield. Any advice?

Dear Dr. Markel,
Just wondering if there's a recommended time limit to carrying a sleeping baby?  Is it ok for their back/spine, development, and breathing etc.,  for them to be in a carrier for hours asleep (or awake)?

Thanks for the help!
Li Ling

Dear Dr. Markel,
I am really struggling with breastfeeding my daughter. She is 6 months old and I am still pretty much exclusively breastfeeding her. Every time I feed her I have trouble letting down. Sometimes I can't let down at all which leaves both of us frustrated. I breastfed my son for 14 months and never had a problem. I think the more it continues to happen the more anxiety I retain about feeding her. I am not sure how to get back into a good rhythm with my feedings.I have spoken with women from the La Leache League but none of their suggestions have helped me to get back to an easy going breastfeeding relationship with my daughter. I will take any suggestions you have and look forward to hearing from you.
Thank you,
Kristin

Dear Dr. Markel,
Our 2-month old baby boy sleeps wonderfully in the ERGO for naps, and for that we are grateful! He also sleeps well at night all swaddled in the co-sleeper next to our bed (or sometimes in our bed). However, if we try to put him down for a nap during the day in the co-sleeper, his crib (which we haven't really transitioned him to yet) in his room or in our bed, he won't have it. It happens on rare occasions, but usually involves an hour or more of soothing before he'll nap there. How do we get him to nap in these other places when we can't carry him all day?
-Ali

I was wondering if it is safe to wear the carrier while pregnant? I understand that I need to wear it lower on the hips, but can it cause any problems with pregnancy?

Dear Dr. Markel,
We are getting ready to welcome our first baby and looking into gear. We are wondering which is better for an infant when we are out for a long time: being a car seat attached to a stroller base or having a bassinet on a stroller. We live in the city and could easily spend 5-6 hours out running errands or just walking around and we want to make sure our baby is not going to be uncomfortable or her development compromised.

Thanks!
Silvia