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In:Mother's health, Pregnancy

Comments Off on Taking Care Of Yourself During Pregnancy

The most powerful creation in the world is a life growing inside you. Motherhood is undoubtedly the most beautiful period in any woman’s life. Nine months of emotional, physical and the mental roller coaster ride is the time of your life that you can never forget, whether you’re conceiving the first time or second. As overwhelming it can get for you, there are more than a gazillion factors you have to take into account. A woman becomes a mother the day her baby is born. Being pregnant is one the most amazing experience and feeling for any woman. Embrace, celebrate and love this phase of your life as much as you can, for it is followed by another alluring chapter of being a mother and a parent for a life created by you.

It is a matter of immense happiness and joy accompanied with a lot of responsibilities to grow a child inside you. Therefore, primitively ensure that you and your body are prepared in all aspects, so that you do not consider second options later. To simplify your thought process on the former, we provide you with some tips that you must take into consideration before trying to get pregnant.

Get a health checkup from a well recognized obstetrician/ gynecologist-

Although some believe that you should consult a doctor after you know that you’re conceived, but we recommend that you get a thorough health check up with your doctor, as it will make your endeavor to plan your child very easy. And if there are any issues or complications that you’re not aware of, you can get treated in advance.

Amend your lifestyle – Eat healthy, Stay healthy-

Induce a healthy diet full of fruits and vegetables, protein loaded products and milk and milk products. Ensure a balanced diet and do not skip meals, esp. breakfast. Be physically active, on a regular basis. Go for a brisk walk in the morning as it will keep your heart and lungs healthy, as these organs have to perform extra work during pregnancy.

If required, gain/ lose weight-

If you’re overweight or obese, you might suffer from a lot of complications during and after the pregnancy. Researches show that overweight women are at the highest risk of infertility. Ergo, with the help of your doctor, follow a healthy weight loss regime and avoid dieting. If you’re underweight, you might have problems in conceiving too, so try to increase your weight to a healthy scale.

Quit bad habits-

If you’re a chain smoker or enjoy a puff or two at times, stop doing it as the chance of having a premature baby increases. Also, ask your spouse or partner to quit smoking as the tobacco is the prime reason for low mortality and less sperm count. Passive smoking also affects infertility. Avoid drinking alcohol too.

After planning, stop using birth – control-

Once you and your partner make the decision of planning a child, stop using all birth control measures. Most doctors insist on getting pregnant after your monthly menstruation, as then you can decide the birth date of your child. Also, the chances of conceiving elevates after deserting birth controls.

Do not take any medications without the consultation of your doctor-

Do not take any medicine without your doctor’s recommendation. Also, don’t purchase any herbal products from the market which claim to be 100 per cent natural, as it can be harmful for your baby.

Intake nutrients and acquire a good diet-

It is very important that in pregnancy, you ensure adequate diet and growth of the fetus. As in the earlier stages of pregnancy, you are bound to witness nausea; there will be loss of nutrients from the body. Therefore, stack your kitchen in advance with healthy, nutritious products. Folic acid prevents your child from a neural tube defect, so start consuming them beforehand. If you suffer from ailments like diabetes or epilepsy or any such similar ones, refer your doctor in this regard and start medication. Induce green vegetables and citrus fruits as they protect you and your baby from anemia and deficiency of vitamin C.

Learn and diagnose about your family’s medical history-

Visit your doctor and check for any chronic ailments like heart diseases, elevated or low blood pressure, diabetes, etc. Even if you suffer from any, do not panic and take consultations from your doctor to control them. Expect AIDS, also get tested for syphilis, gonorrhea and other STD’s. Some ailments are genetic, and if you learn about them on time, with the help of your doctor, you can save your child from it.

When to have sex

Keep in mind, that 5 – 7 days in a month only, the sperm gets attached to egg after sex. So, if have a menstrual cycle of 28 days, so commonly days between 10th to 17th day are important. According to the doctor, have sex twice or thrice a week.

Keep in touch with your doctor

If you’re not able to conceive after six months, ask yourself the following questions:

Are your periods are irregular? Are you more than 35 years of age? Have you suffered a miscarriage or had an abortion in the past? Have you had any gynecological related issues? If you answer yes to any of the questions asked above. Do not hesitate and visit a specialist as soon as possible.

Once, you are conceived, you have to make sure that both you and your baby are keeping good health and shape. Following are some tips for a healthy baby and a healthy pregnancy period to you.

The complete health of your child is dependent on the health of his mother and father. In this stage, whatever diet is consumed by the mother, it is beneficial in the growth of the baby. Incorporate vitamin C, fibers, folic acid and iron in your diet. Consumption of excess oil and fat will result into a cute and healthy baby – is a myth. Therefore, only consume foods which are rich in nutrients like milk, fresh fruits and vegetables and will result in the growth of a healthy child. Do not consume any medicine that you wish to. If you are consuming them from a long time in the past, stop the use before as you conceive so that your body is in a completely normal and natural state. Smoking and drinking alcohol can prove to be very dangerous for you and your baby, particularly when you are pregnant. Discourage its usage in your spouse too. Women who smoke, increase the risk of giving birth to a light weighted or a premature baby. Smoking also elevates the chances of miscarriage, death of the child in the womb, or infertility. If you work in a chemical institute or a laboratory or a place with X – ray machines, whose radiations or smoke can both passively and actively affect you and your baby, Take leave from work and avoid going there as it can be harmful and toxic. Especially stay away from X – ray machines as the rays emitted from them can be fatal. It is a common myth that computers and laptops have bad effects on your child. So if you need to work with your gadgets, feel free to do so, but make sure that you do not do it for long continuous hours as it can strain your eyes, neck and back. Take gaps in between and make sure that your seating area is comfortable enough to support your back. Place cushions, if required. During your pregnancy period, take full consideration of your weight and exercises. Keep on visiting your doctor at regular intervals. Check your weight from time to time. At times, during pregnancy you will witness a distinct glow in your face. But sometimes, you might find dryness, oiliness, or sticky skin. In such cases, avoid using washes with harsh chemicals. Use a mild face wash or a body wash. Also, keep on moisturizing your skin with good products from time to time. If you find darkness or acne in your skin, do not get worried, as these are the common reactions faced during pregnancy. After the birth of your baby, these spots will automatically disappear. Do not go for crash diet or skip any part of your meal. This way, not only you deprive yourself of proper food, but the baby is deficient of adequate nutrients. Make sure that you incorporate regular morning walks or light exercises in your routine. This is the only time when your child is completely dependent on you. Therefore, diet is the most significant aspect you should take into consideration. Induce food items rich in carbohydrates and products that are easily digestible. Avoid fatty foods. As you will feel hungry a lot during your pregnancy, do not eat your meals in large proportions, as it can lead to constipation. Take small meals at regular intervals of time. During the first trimester, consume more liquid based products in your diet and avoid fatty foods as much as you can. Avoid papaya and raw eggs. For the proper growth and development of teeth and bones, calcium is very important. Increase the amount of calcium twice as you used to, or prescribed by a doctor.  From the second trimester, you can distribute dosage of 1g into two parts. Milk and milk products like cheese, yoghurt, cottage cheese. Banana is a great substitute too. If you do not like milk much or are lactose intolerant, have grains, pumpkin, soup, or custard apples. During this time, hair and nails grow at a very faster pace than normal. And soon after the delivery, excess hair loss is witnessed. Use good natural products and ensure proper oiling and washing of the hair. For the safety of your child’s health, conduct all blood tests recommended by the doctor, esp. HIV test. Change in the size and shape of breasts in the first trimester is the primitive sign of pregnancy. Breasts, esp. the nipple can be tender and sensitive. Use comfortable bras with providing good support. Some women prefer excess salt in their foods, but during pregnancy, avoid the excess amount of salt. This will result in swollen hands and feet, high blood pressure. If you are diagnosed with low blood pressure, only then increase the intake of salt in your diet. Ensure proper care of your dental hygiene, i.e. teeth and gums. During pregnancy, most of the women complain issues related to gums and teeth. The complete nutritious diet helps provide calcium to your body and your child. Get an appointment to your dentist and share if you face any irregular problem. Do not forget to mention that you are pregnant to your dentist, as then you will not have an access to X-ray machine, or even anesthesia. Yoga is an excellent remedy to curb your back related problems, and also relieves stress or any mental pain. This helps both the child and the mother. But make sure you ask your doctor before practicing yoga asanas as not all asanas are recommended for pregnant women. Studies have proven that regular practice of yoga asanas has resulted in less labor pain. You might face difficulties in the later trimesters as your body rounds up, but do not discontinue practice, and only do asanas till the position you’re comfortable in. If you experience any sort of difficulty or discomfort, immediately stop and seek medical advice. Nowadays, many institutions offer pre – natal yoga. You might find the urge to urinate frequently, esp. during the first trimester, but do not stop in taking. Stay away from strong odors, like perfumes, phenyl, talcum, and pesticides. These can be very harmful for the child. Avoid contact with skin or even inhaling them. Always stay in ventilated rooms. Keep hydrated and drink lots of fluids. Think positive and keep a positive approach towards life.

Being pregnant is definitely one of the best feelings in the world and enjoying it would make your life better. So get ready for this beautiful experience. We are sure that you would be a great mother and would also enjoy your motherhood. Take care!

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In:Baby food, Baby's health

Comments Off on Food Allergies In A Newborn Baby

A baby’s food is a mother’s prime concern.  A variety of nourishing foods are available. However babies’ eating preferences are very sensitive. A darker side of this is food allergy.

It has been noted that 1 in 12 children face an allergy due to food. It is paramount for every mother to know how a particular food affects their baby. This becomes all the more important to new mothers who don’t have elders to advice.

So what is a food allergy all about?

1- Food Allergy

An allergy is a reaction mechanism developed by the immune system to deal with any new substance detected in the blood stream. As a result the human body produces antibodies to flush out the foreign element. While this battle rages inside the body a few symptoms are bound to show outwardly. These can consists of fever, body aches, rashes, and skin infection. The intensity of these symptoms varies.

Food allergies can badly hit baby health. Since babies have sensitive digestive system and their immunity is not well developed skin allergy is a potent health hazard for them

2- Symptoms

The commonest symptoms of an allergy are as under:

runny nose, sneezing, wheezing Swelling in eyes, tongue, or lips Irregular, difficult, noisy breathing or a tightened throat itchy skin rashes, swelling, hives Persistent pain in abdomen or diarrhea Vomiting, Infantile colic, blood in the stool Poor growth.

3- Do you suspect an allergic reaction?

If your toddler exhibits any of the symptoms enumerated above be quick to call 911. If you have access to any other emergency line, use it.

Check for consistency in the effect of the food administered daily. If you suspect a pattern in symptoms that show up after taking certain foods consult the pediatrician. Sometimes the cause of these symptoms is not  any food allergy but food intolerance a similar but entirely different problem

4-The diagnosis

The best practice when you observe your baby developing the aforementioned symptoms is to consult the doctor immediately. Based on your inputs the doctor will suggest a future plan. He may suggest an allergist for specialized and immediate treatment. A number of tests are done to confirm the particular food allergy.

A skin test is the basic test preferred for its simplicity. A miniscule amount of extracts adduced from the suspected food is introduced into the skin via a tiny needle. Usually this test is done on forearm of the child. If the allergy exists the punctured skin will respond immediately with wheals. Wheals are reddish spots that populate the skin. The effects of the test can be seen in 15 minutes. The allergist can suggest more tests for confirmation. The RAST are a category of blood tests which are performed to confirm the presence of IgE antibodies which arise in response to a particular food. RAST stands for radio allegro sorbent tests and measures the IgE concentrations of the blood. Every food has a set limit for a particular antibody. When the limits are crossed the allergy to the food is confirmed. The positive results in the skin test and the RAST confirm the presence of allergy in the blood and further tests are seldom sought. Sometimes the allergist may get ambiguous results from the tests. He may then resort to the food challenge. This is a very sensitive test and can be performed only by expert technicians in a fully functional and equipped laboratory.

You must talk to your doctor immediately and know whether your child has any symptoms of food allergy. Remember, it is very easy for a parent to misinterpret the signs and symptoms of food allergies. So being aware is the only option available with you.

5- What to do after the allergy is confirmed

Once you have consulted the specialist and got the medical opinion it’s time to prepare you for any such future attacks.

Ask the doctor to prepare a line of action if the problem resurfaces. This basically consists of detailed instructions about dealing with a similar situation. These days a doctor usually suggests an auto-injector to administer epinephrine. These are handy devices to administer epinephrine automatically to arrest any allergy. A food diary may be the next thing which can be used to identify what particular food is causing the reaction.

Remember that you have to be extremely careful with food allergies. Once they have been confirmed, just start being very cautious in what food your baby eats.

6- Taking care of the baby

Taking care of a baby with an allergy requires minute attention to the doctor’s instructions. There are other steps that need to be taken so that the baby has a speedy recovery.

The preferred action plan is to avoid the particular food suspected completely. This may be difficult since it may sometimes impact the food habits of the family. However this is the key to an effective recovery plan. If you rely on relatives, babysitters, or daycare workers it is very important that they be made aware of the situation. Explain the doctor’s advice to them in plain words. How to check which food contains what and the action plan if a symptom is detected. Antihistamines are believed to be the general treatment of allergies. So these must be carried always. But seek very specific advice from the doctor if they can be used with the baby. A baby must be administered the best diet which supports its growing needs. However if the baby has been barred from specific foods the nutrition may not be amply conveyed. This is a serious issue with infants allergic to milk. Fortunately, special substitutes for milk exist today. Check out similar solutions with your allergist that specifically applies to your baby. 7-Can the food allergy be prevented or delayed?

It is a question that would exclusively concern new mothers. If their baby has had an allergy they will surely want to prevent the problem in future, as the baby grows.

Breastfeeding is suggested by most experts for the first 4 initial months of childbirth to gain resistance against eczema and milk allergy. A lot of experts believe, provides protection from allergies. This is especially important if you know of that it’s a genetic problem that recurs within the family. The protein content of Breast milk is much lesser than say soy formulae and cow milk. Moreover its chemistry is quite similar to infants own body. Some babies are hyper-allergic and exhibit reaction even if the breastfeeding mother is eating those foods. In such cases it is advised that the mother desist from those particular foods. Introducing new foods to the baby is a topic that only the doctor can handle. Ask the doctor about the best ways to do so. Fee the new food with intervals of days. This will improve tolerance. Moreover it may provide hints as what particular foods the baby is reacting to. Please don’t forget to take the baby to the doctor as it grows. Allergy tests may have to be repeatedly tested for the impact medication and preventive measures have had. Regular visits are also important to check if the baby is developing any similar allergies caused by other foods. Ultimately the baby can outgrow the particular reaction and grow into a healthy child. The prohibited foods can now be reintroduced to support the body growth. At that point, you may be referred to a gastroenterologist to pinpoint the cause of the intolerance or to investigate other explanations for your baby’s symptoms.

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has suggested that delaying certain types of foods has basis in genetics. It is believed that it works because possibly the parents had similar problems in childhood. Delaying the food introduction could allow the body to outgrow those tendencies.

The AAP in January 2008 published a report and confirmed that its previous stand on delaying certain foods is not supported by clinical evidence.

8-Outgrowing food allergies

Evidence suggests that a number of food allergies can be outgrown. Peanut allergy is known to be outgrown in about 20 percent of the children suffering with the problem as infants.

The allergy to wheat and soy are overcome by the time the child is ready to join a school. Similarly it takes 8 to 10 years to outgrow allergies due to egg and milk.

However allergies caused by tree nuts, peanuts, shellfish and fish may take a lifelong to be subdued.

9-Avoiding food allergies

Here are some tips against allergies suggested by the American Academy of Pediatrics:

Don’t introduce solid food until the child is 4-6 months old. Introduce a single food and then wait for at least 4 days and then use another food. Watch for the specific reaction to each food and if any occur consult the doctor. If a parent or a sibling of the baby has shown sensitivity to a particular food the baby is susceptible to the particular food allergy. Mention this information when consulting the pediatrician

10-Cross-reactivity

This is a phenomenon wherein the allergy is induced in an individual due to a particular group or category of food. These foods are related chemically or some common ingredient is common to them. As an example, consider allergy induced by shrimp. Then there is a possibility that the person will exhibit similar reaction to related food like crab and lobster.

Common foods responsible for allergies

Dairy products such as Cow milk Tree nuts like pecans, walnuts etc. Berries and Citrus fruits Soy, Wheat, Peanuts Eggs, shellfish and fish 11-What is the treatment for food allergies? Extensive research has revealed that there is no direct cure for food allergies. The only solution to allergy seems to be a plan for preventing the reaction and continued supervision of the baby’s health. Much work has been done in the field of desensitization wherein certain drugs can be used to subdue the symptoms. There should be a constant correspondence with the pediatricians and the dietary experts to decide the best diet for the baby. This has to continue into later years so that the baby’s development is not hindered.

12-Genetics and Allergies

It has been suggested by studies that the baby is prone to food allergy if the siblings have had similar problems. Moreover if the symptoms existed in parents then the baby may also show sensitivity to specific foods. The chances of getting food allergies from parents vary from 50 to 75 percent.

13-Food intolerance- different but similar

Food intolerance is different from food allergy in a very fundamental way. Allergy occurs in response to allergens and the signature effect is the production of antibodies with a variety of resulting symptoms.  In the case of food intolerance there is no production of the antibodies.

The symptoms of food intolerance resemble those produced by the food allergies. However they are milder. The real reason for food intolerances is the inability of the body to digest particular food due to its chemical structure or due to the preservatives and additives added to these foods. Lactose intolerance is the commonest form of the malady among babies. This is caused when people lack a particular enzyme needed to process cow milk and similar dairy products.

American Academy of Pediatrics believes that food intolerance disappear or is subdued by the age of 5 years.

14-Symptoms of Food intolerance

Skin rashes, Eczema, hives Sudden congestion  of the nose Eyes become red or puffy or encircled by dark circles Diarrhea, bloating, excessive gas

15-Becoming aware

If your child is suffering from food allergy educate yourself about it.

Do your researches on the internet, read books, talk to people who have faced similar problems and if necessary consult an expert. Try to ascertain the ingredients with the help of food labels. If you are unsure consult the vendor or a dietician. Seek help from organizations like Food Allergy Network and try to build a network of such resources.

In the end, we would recommend you to be alert and try to learn as much as you can about food allergy for this is essential for yours baby’s health.

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In:Baby food, Breastfeeding

Comments Off on All You Needed To Know About Breast milk

Breastfeeding your child is not just beneficial but very helpful for the baby’s growth as well. If you want to improve the supply of breast milk in your body, then you will have to focus on your diet. It is essential to get all the nutrients in your diet and eat certain foods that contain plant estrogens. They will help in increasing milk supply in your breasts. It is believed that spices, garlic, ginger and some leafy green vegetables are very helpful in improving the health of breastfeeding mothers. Remember, your body will make milk depending on the nutrients available in your fat, tissues, and even your bones. Therefore, a healthy diet adopted by you would mean a healthier supply of milk for your baby.

A mother who does not munch up on foods rich in nutrients will often feel exhausted and drained. Not only this, her breast milk supply will also go down considerably. Hence, make sure that your diet has adequate amounts of fat, proteins, and carbohydrates. In addition to this, you should drink a lot of water and get some plant estrogens for food. It would help you a lot in feeling more energetic and recovering from the loss of essential nutrients as well.

Breastfeeding diet

Ideally, you should start making healthy changes in your diet as soon as you learn of your pregnancy. You should include organic, fresh, and nutritious foods in your diet and start taking prenatal vitamins that can later help you in feeling healthier. Not only this, you also have to start developing healthy snacking habits so that your body’s nutrients can be replenished. If you drink a lot of caffeine, then ensure that you cut down on its quantity. Women who start following this kind of diet while they are pregnant would feel healthier while they are breastfeeding. However, they will have to continue their diet until the breastfeeding stage as well.

While you are breastfeeding, you will need a very healthy diet that is composed of balanced meals and healthy snacks too. In order to plan such a diet, you should talk to your doctor or consult with a pregnancy and breastfeeding diet expert. Remember, what you eat will greatly change the quantity, color as well as the taste of your milk. Hence, making the milk tastier and smoother should always be your priority. It is common knowledge that your baby will taste the food that you eat through your milk. If you want your baby to have healthy food habits when he grows up, you should munch on fruits and vegetables while you are breastfeeding. This would make your children like those vegetables and they will naturally be inclined towards their taste when they grow up.

So what is a healthy diet? Well, a healthy diet should be composed of whole grains, protein, and healthy fats. Include dairy in your diet too. This kind of diet contains all the essential nutrients that your body needs. You should not pay too much attention on consuming many calories during this time. Your body will burn many calories while producing milk. Because of this, increasing calorie intake helps. If you do not, you might feel exhausted. Doctors always advised breastfeeding mothers to never skip a meal and enjoy snacking in between meals. Make sure that you are using a wide variety of foods each day. You can eat food according to their colors as well. This would help you in staying a healthy mom.

The nutrition that you will need

Protein- it is the most essential nutrient in your diet. No protein means that you will always feel tired and fatigued. Therefore, include a lot of lean protein in your diet. This could be had through grains, seeds, nuts, dairy, meats, and even legumes. A good protein intake means healthier heart, muscles, hormones, enzymes and better bones and antibodies as well. Iron- this is the second most essential nutrient that a nursing mother needs. Iron will increase the quantity of red blood cells, which carry oxygen throughout your body. This will help in making you feel more energized throughout the day. Iron can be obtained from lover, fish, and other kinds of meat. You should also eat eggs, nuts, whole grains, and dark leafy green vegetables for a good supply of iron. Vitamin A- this vitamin will help in aiding the development of skin and eyes. All fruits that are yellow, orange, or red in color have Vitamin A. Apart from these dark green leafy vegetables also have this vitamin. You should also consume dairy products in order to get Vitamin A benefits. Vitamin C- it is found usually in citrus fruits like orange, mandarin, lime, and lemon. However, mangoes, strawberries, dark green veggies, and even tomatoes are a good source of this vitamin. It helps in the development of bones and teeth in your baby. Additionally, it would also help in the growth of blood vessels and ligaments. Folic acid- this is an essential nutrient for the overall healthy development of your baby. This is actually a B complex vitamin that can prevent birth defects if taken in adequate amounts right from pregnancy. For getting this vitamin, start using a lot of citrus fruits and their juices in your diet. Dark green veggies are also a good choice. You can also look forward to eating dried beans and even folic acid fortified cereals and whole grain breads. Zinc- when you are consuming protein, ensure that you include zinc in your diet too. It actually works along with protein in order to ensure faster and steadier development of your baby. First, it helps in improving the immune function of your baby. Secondly, it can help in healing wounds more easily. Zinc is mostly found in dairy products and meat. However, beans and a few vegetables may also have zinc. Calcium- calcium is known as the bone vitamin and rightly so. It has been linked with healthier teeth and gums. Remember, your calcium supply can deplete while you are breastfeeding. Hence, this mineral will help both the mother and the baby. Get it in dairy products. You can also have leafy greens as well as orange juice to get calcium. Vitamin D- calcium is better absorbed in your body is you are also having Vitamin D along with it. This vitamin also aids the development of healthy teeth and bones in your baby. Spend some time in the sun every day for synthesizing Vitamin D in your body. Along with this, you should be eating eggs, fish and fortified cereals for getting a steady dose of Vitamin D. Yogurt, milk and even orange juice can contain this vitamin. DHA- DHA is docosahezaenoic acid that aids in the development of the eyes and brain of your baby. This fatty acid can be found in liver, red meat, eggs and even fish.

Storing breast milk

A lot of women may want to store breast milk. Working mothers usually do this but even homemakers might feel the need to do this. We are providing you a few guidelines about breast milk storage so that you can also do the same whenever needed.

Fresh breast milk

Breast milk can remain fresh and good for consumption for 5 to 8 hours at room temperature i.e. 25 degree Celsius. You just need to collect the milk in a bottle and keep it away from direct sunlight or any other heat source. If the temperature is higher than that, keep the milk in the refrigerator. It can last for up to 5 days at a temperature of 4 degree Celsius. Make sure that the milk is placed at the back of the refrigerator, as it stays cooler there. If you opt for a frozen insulated cooler, the milk can last for 24 hours.

Frozen breast milk

Never leave your breast milk out in the room to defrost. Frozen breast milk must be defrosted inside a bowl of warm water. You can even run it under warm water or simply let the refrigerator do its job. Never leave it out at room temperature. If you need to travel for a few hours, then an insulated cooler might help. Once you have defrosted frozen breast milk, make sure that you do not freeze it again. Simply use it within 24 hours. Depending on the type of freezer you are using and the temperature at which the milk is stored undisturbed, your breast milk will remain good for consumption from 2 weeks up to a year.

Once your breast milk has been warmed and thawed, you should never freeze it again. Thawed milk can still last for 4 hours in room temperature but warmed milk should immediately be discarded after feeding the child. However, warmed milk should never be stored again or refreeze once it has been used. The same rule can be applied to milk left over after feeding. Do not think about reusing this milk. Just throw it away.

Can the color of your breast milk change?

Yes, different woman have different kinds of breast milk. Their consistency, sweetness, texture, and composition may change over time as well. The color of breast milk is also different for different women. In most cases, breast milk is usually white or clear. However, tan, bluish and even yellow breast milk is very common. The color of your milk will also change during the course of your breastfeeding. Generally, the milk is supposed to have a very slight tint of flow when it first begins to flow. This is known as foremilk. This milk is lower in fat.

After this foremilk has flowed, you will have a thicker, whiter, and creamier milk flowing through. This is known as hindmilk. This milk has higher fat content. Some foods, medications, herbs, and even nutrition supplements will change the color of your breast milk. You will see the changes in your breast milk, your urine, or even your child’s urine. However, changes in breast milk color are usually not alarming and may happen only because of dietary changes. Still, you should immediately call your doctor when you see changes.

Green milk

If you are eating too may green veggies and foods that have green dyes, then your milk can turn green. Most of the times, spinach and green beverages are responsible for this change.

Brown, red, orange or pink milk

Again, this kind of change is solely because of dietary chances. Yellow, red, and even pink can be caused because of vegetables and fruits of this color. Therefore, there is hardly anything to be alarmed about. If you stop the consumption of these foods, the color of milk will become white or clear.

However, if the color of milk is brown, then you might suffer from rusty pipe syndrome. This is a condition when the blood in your breasts starts leaking and often reaches the milk ducts. If you have cracked nipples or chapped skin around your nipples, then the blood from there can mix with your milk and you will see pink or even red streaks in your milk. It is not harmful for the baby at all. In fact, a little leakage is common with most women. In general, the problem reduces in intensity in a few days and it goes away on its own. However, if you face issues consistently for a week or if the problem seems to intensity, you should call your doctor.

Black milk

Humans do generally not produce black milk. It cannot be linked with any diets as well. Usually, it happens when you are consuming Minocin. This is an antibiotic medicine that will darker your skin color as well. However, this medicine is not given to nursing mothers. Hence, you should always tell your doctor that you are breastfeeding before you take any medications, even if they are painkillers.

In the end, we would only like to say that breastfeeding is a wonderful thing. It helps you in bonding with your baby and even helps him in fighting away diseases and remaining healthy for a long time. Doctors recommend that you breastfeed your baby for at least 1 year with the first 6 months exclusively on breast milk.

 

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In:Baby food

Comments Off on Baby Food Ideas For His First Year

No one can define the joy that a mother experiences when she feeds her baby. However, new mothers are often unaware of the signs that their child is hungry. They usually learn with time. However, their tiny tummies need to be fed very frequently. Mothers usually compare their own feeding schedule with their child. They think that their child is always hungry and may often want to curb this instinct in the baby as well. However, this is not correct. They have very small stomach and they will digest breast milk easily too. Moreover, the child is still growing and this is why he needs more nutrition. Feeding your baby 8 to 12 times a day is quite normal during the first few months.

In this post, we will be talking about breastfeeding as well as the introduction of solid foods in their diet. Let’s explore all the topics one by one.

Understanding baby’s hunger and feeding schedules

More often than not, you will find that every baby has different feeding needs. Some babies consistently need to be fed throughout the day while cluster feeding during the evening is common to the rest. So you will have to invest some time in understanding your baby’s needs. Don’t get alarmed if your baby demands cluster feeding. This means that he would want to be fed a number of times within a few hours and stay quiet during the rest. That is completely normal. Moreover, as your child grows up, it would likely move away from cluster feeding.

When you are using baby formula for your child, make sure that you are not using an excessive amount in the feeding. In general, a baby needs merely 1 to 2 ounces of baby formula in each feeding. Most babies will spit up if you use more formula. If such things happen, decrease the formula quantity in each feeding. However, in order to catch up with the nutrition, you might want to increase the number of feedings per day.

Does a baby tell you that he is hungry?

Most of the times, a baby will tell you that he is hungry. Parents are either less attentive to the baby’s hunger cues or they are so concerned that they believe that every little fuss means feedings time. Babies fuss out for a lot of reasons. A wet diaper, a poop, lack of stimulation and even overstimulation could be the reason why your child is being fussy. The most typical hunger cues in babies are:

Putting the hands near the mouth mostly indicates that the baby is hungry. Some babies start turning their heads from one side to the other. The baby starts sucking on his clothes, toys, hands and may even start rooting. He may also start crying.

Now, the question here is- what is the right frequency for feeding babies? In general, 8 to 12 times in a day is a normal feeding period. You can easily feed the baby every 2 hours. However, the American Academy of Pediatrics suggests that if the mother and baby have no problem with low milk supply and low weight, then it is always better to feed the baby based on hunger cues. This would avoid the chances of overfeeding and would make your child happy as well.

This is true for breastfeeding children as well as babies who have started the solid food diet. The more you depend on his hunger cues, the better you will feed your child. Your baby’s appetite will change every day and also with every meal. Hence, do not make any pre-reservations about the feeding quantity of your child. He might eat more someday and not on the other. Keep a close watch on his hunger and you will always have a great feeding schedule to bank upon. If your baby is still breastfeeding and you want to keep a check on his diet, then make sure that you are keeping a tab on his diaper counts. Check the number of soiled and wet diapers each day and you will be able to determine if the baby is eating lesser than normal. Talk to your doctor regarding the optimum wet diaper count for your baby.

When to start feeding your baby on solid food

Most of the babies start eating solid food when they are 6 months old. Your baby may take a couple of months more or less than that, depending on his growth. However, it is also a decision for parents to make. Some people start making their kids have baby cereal at 3 months of age while others might wait until their baby is at least 9 to 12 months of age. The American Academy of Pediatrics suggests that you breastfeed your baby for at least one year without using any formula or baby food. However, even if you start giving your baby solid food, do not stop breastfeeding him unless he is at least 12 months old. In fact, even if you want to breastfeed your child beyond the first year, you can do that as well. The WHO recommends that children should not be taken of breast milk for at least 2 years.

It will be better to take cues from the baby. The babies who are ready for solid food often start showing interest in food. They would either look at other family members eating solid food or even start reaching out for it. If your baby also does the same, then you should try giving him some pureed food and slowly introduce other kinds of foods to him. Remember, the kids would not start munching on solids right away. Be contempt with only one or two tablespoons in the beginning and take it from there.

What could be my baby’s first foods?

There could be many first foods for your baby. Most of the parents start with baby cereals. However, there are a number of first food options available for you now. Therefore, you can easily choose something that is fresher and healthier for your child. When you are shopping for your baby in the supermarket, you will often come across ‘Stage One’ baby food. This kind of food is usually meant for the babies that have just started having solid food. These foods are so thin that they will easily resemble breast milk. However, there are still many options for you to check out.

Fruits can be a great first food choice for any baby. You should start out with bananas as they are easier to digest. Then include fruits like apples, apricots and even avocados in the diet. Prunes, pears, papaya, mango, peaches and even pumpkins can be a great choice for your baby’s first solid food. They are delicious and it is quite likely that your baby likes their taste. Here too, babies have their own likes and dislikes. However, giving fruits a try will always be helpful.

Vegetables can also be a great choice for the first foods of your baby. Some experts recommend that using vegetables as first foods is usually better than fruits. This is because children get accustomed to the taste of the fruits and they might not like vegetables which cannot compete in terms of taste. The first vegetable for your child could be sweet potatoes and even peas. Use green beans and carrots as first foods. If you want to opt for grains, rice, barley and oatmeal should be chosen by you. You might wish to include meat in the baby’s diet as well. If yes, choose only pureed iron-rich chicken.

Is homemade baby food safe?

Yes, homemade baby food is completely safe for the child if you follow the basic rules. First of all, you have to avoid foods like spinach and turnip in the homemade baby food. They have a very high nitrate content and can be harmful for the baby. Use only the foods mentioned above to create baby food. Secondly, make sure that you have the appropriate tools and equipment for making baby food at home.

When you decide to make baby food at home, a food processor will always be your first choice. Though you can easily mash bananas with a fork for your baby, some veggies and meats will certainly need a high powered processer for making a good puree. Here are some essential kitchen tools that you will need for making the perfect pureed food for your child.

A food processor/blender

You should always started with a food processor or even a basic blender. They help in making a fine puree of all the foods which can easily be fed to the baby. However, you don’t have to put the veggies straight into the blender. For that you will need a steamer.

Vegetable steamer

A vegetable steamer will make the veggies softer so that they can be pureed in the blender with ease. A steamer with a tight lid is very essential as it helps in locking the nutritional content of the food while cooking.

Baby food trays

You will have to store your baby food for later use. In order to do this, you can buy specially made baby food freezing trays. However, this can also be done with the help of ice cube trays. No matter what you have, just keep the baby food in the container and cover it with a plastic wrap. It would become easier for you to store food in this way.

Ziplock freezer bags are necessary

You will also need ziplock bags for keeping your frozen food and also for labelling them properly. Use a permanent marker to mark the date on which the food was prepared and also write down the name or ingredients of the food. Remember, you should not use any baby food that was made more than a month ago. When needed, just thaw and heat the food and your baby will happily eat his solid food diet.

These were some topics and ideas that should be covered when we are talking about baby food. Remember, it is always better to keep the food as fresh as possible and follow the cues of your baby when it comes to feeding time. It could be difficult for working mothers to take care of their children and feed them as per the hunger cues. In such a case, scheduled feeding will come in handy. Make sure that you are training your child to feed on a certain time. You can even opt for cluster feeding as this would help you balance your work and personal life.

Don’t forget to keep a check on the diet and nutrition supplies of the baby. Don’t opt for a vitamin supplement unless it is absolutely necessary and has been advised by your pediatrician. The condition of the baby’s digestive health can easily be diagnosed through his stools. If they are too dry and hard, then it may signal constipation. Such issues are more common with babies who have started solid food diets. If your child is also experiencing the same, keep him hydrated in order to ease constipation.

If you are unable to find the right cues from your baby related to his hunger, then talk to a doctor and sort out this problem. We would also like to warn you about introducing solid foods and finger foods too early in the diet of the child. Ideally, do not introduce any food other than breast milk to a baby’s diet unless he is 6 months old. Babies who start eating solid foods and finger foods sooner than this usually show signs of obesity and unhealthy appetite when they grow up. Hence, introduce solid foods only when you have had a talk with your doctor.

In conclusion, we would advise you to closely monitor your child’s activities and even keep a record of his health. It would be of great help to your doctor if you keep a record of your baby’s health, especially his weight. By just checking the weight of your child, you will be able to track his health properly which would be great for him in the long run. Moreover, the doctor will also be able to make the correct diagnosis about his health. Happy feeding!

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In:Baby's health, Food, Pregnancy

Comments Off on Feeding Your Baby The Right Way

Feeding your baby will become the most essential job that you have to perform as a mother. During pregnancy, you will mostly be concerned about personal nutrition only. However, after childbirth, you will have to take care of two people. Today, we will be discussing some common things that you should keep in mind while feeding your baby. This would ensure proper nutrition to the baby and would also help you in regaining your vitality and vigor.

What could be a perfect baby-feeding schedule?

Every baby is different and can have a different appetite as well. However, most of the parents are looking for rules of thumb when it comes to baby feeding schedule. Your first need to understand that there can be no fixed rules about a child’s diet. One size does not fit them all. There are babies that want finger food and cereal at an average time while others may want it sooner or faster. So keep a close check on your baby’s development and you will be able to find the right schedule for him. Here are some rules that can fit your child. Customize them according to your child.

Breastfeeding

A newborn will need breastfeeding about 8 to 12 times in a day. This is essential to supply them nutrients. As your baby starts to grow and gain weight, you can feed him only 8 times a day. However, during his growth spurt, the baby may need more feedings. Here is a small guideline on the frequency of feeding according to the age of your baby.

Newborn babies- 8 to 12 times in a day Aged 3 to 4 months- 7 to 8 times in a day Aged 5 to 6 months- 5 to 7 times in a day Aged 7 to 12 months- 4 to 6 times in a day More than 12 months- 3 to 4 times in a day

As per the American Academy of Pediatrics, you should be breastfeeding your child for as long as it is comfortable for you. You should ideally breastfeed for a year. However, if you have to stop breastfeeding before 12 months, then you should definitely provide your child with an iron fortified formula.

Baby formula

Baby formula can be safely fed to a child right from his first month. About 3 to 4 ounces of baby formula can be given in every feeding when the kid is one month old. As the baby grows up, you can increase the quantity of baby food by 1 ounce. Keep doing this month by month, unless it reaches 8 ounces. Never give more than 8 ounces of baby formula to your child at a time. Moreover, you can also experiment a little with the quantity. The most favorable quantity of baby formula for most babies is 4 to 6 ounces per feeding. If you do not follow this guideline, then there is another rule to stand by. You can feed about 2 ½ ounces of baby formulation to your child for each pound of his weight. That means that a 12-pound baby will eat close to 30 ounces of baby formula per day.

However, before you find the right quantity and frequency of feeding baby formula, check out some statistics about an average baby’s baby formula consumption:

A 6 month old baby can easily consumes about 4 to 6 ounces of formula A 9 month old baby can consume between 3 to 5 bottles of formula A 12 month old baby can consume 3 to 4 bottles of formula Once a baby is more than 12 months of age, he can consume 3 to 4 bottles of toddler formula or the same quantity of whole milk.

Baby food and cereals

Most mothers are confused about the right time when they should start feeding their child baby food and cereals. They often wonder whether cereals should be started first or vegetables and fruits. An average baby can easily start having cereals and baby food when he is 4 to 6 months old. You will have to check if your baby is ready for such food or not.

When you are feeding your child cereal, make sure that it gets a good consistency. Your baby would not like food with too many lumps. In order to do this, mix at least 4 teaspoons or breast milk with 1-teaspoon baby cereal. Mix with well together. Once your baby starts eating it, you can go on reducing the amount of liquid in the mix. In the beginning, you should start with only 1 or 2 teaspoons of cereal. However, you can keep increasing the quantity to 3 to 4 teaspoons a day. Do not feed the child cereal more than twice a day.

Before buying cereal for your child, consult your doctor. The cereal should always be iron fortified and made of rice. This is the healthiest first food for your baby. Let your baby get accustomed to this rice cereal for some weeks and months. When he starts feeling okay with this kind of cereal, you can go ahead and mix oatmeal, wheat, barley and other mixed cereal to your kid. However, do not let your baby eat cereal for too long. If he is already eating 3 to 4 teaspoons of cereal a day, you should start feeding him vegetables as well.

Most people believe that fruits should be fed to the babies before vegetables. However, feeding your child with vegetables is always better. This is because children often love the sweet taste of fruits and then they dislike the bland taste of vegetables. You should be getting peas, green beans and other such mild vegetables in the diet of your kids. Just like cereal, you should also be using 3 to 4 spoons per meal. You should never make your baby eat more than two servings a day in the beginning.

Until the time your baby is 4 to 6 months old, you should feed three to four tablespoons cereal every day. You can also give him one or two servings of vegetables and fruits every day. Most of the infants can easily wait for 6 months of age until they can start eating baby food and cereal. Once the child is 7 months old, you can also start giving him protein food and meat. As the child grows to 12 months old, you can increase the servings of vegetables to eight spoons per day. Similarly, increase the fruit and baby food serving as well.

Table foods and finger foods

The best time to introduce your baby to finger foods is 8 to 9 months of age. This is a time when you should let your child enjoy food all by himself. Just make sure that the food is of the right size. Most parents are too worried about finger foods as they think that such foods present choking hazards to the kids. However, this is not true. You can carefully supervise your child while feeding him raisings, cheese, vegetable chunks, and even whole grapes. Some other things that your child can eat are: Cheerios, pasta, crackers, toasted crusts of bread and even small slices of banana, pear, and peach. Some yogurt snacks can also be fed to the babies.

Foods you should avoid

You should be very careful about the foods you make your child eat. Some foods like honey, egg whites etc. are strictly prohibited for children. You must have heard a lot about the health benefits of these two foods. However, they are only beneficial for the adults, not for small babies. Egg whites can often pose the risk for food allergies while honey can increase the chances of botulism.

You should also think twice before preparing baby food at home. These are usually made with turnips, spinach, collard greens, beets, and carrots. These veggies often have very high levels of nitrate. Therefore, they can be harmful for your child. If you are preparing baby food at home, you should focus on pumpkin and other such vegetables. Bananas are also a very good option when it comes to babies. Try to avoid cow’s milk for as long as possible, especially when you are using baby formula or breast milk to feed your child. Cow’s milk is very low in iron content and might not be tolerated by the digestive system of the baby.

What vitamins does your baby need?

Your baby needs vitamins too. However, the real question is whether you should be providing your baby with extra vitamins or not. Usually, a baby will get his nutrition from the food he is eating and there would be no need for extra vitamins. Hence, while planning his diet, keep in mind the vitamins he needs the most and find foods that contain a good quantity of these vitamins.

Iron- this vitamin is needed the most by babies, even in their first year. Hence, it is essential that you find iron rich foods for your baby. Moreover, look for baby cereal that consists of iron. Fluoride- bottled water usually does not contain any fluoride. Hence, you can make your baby drink fluoridated water. Vitamin D- if your baby is only being fed breast milk, and then he might need a Vitamin D supplement. However, when he is being fed baby formula, then you would not need any extra supplements. Just make sure that the baby formula contains enough amounts of this vitamin.

Baby poop is a key to his health

Generally, it might become difficult for moms to define whether their child is healthy and is following a good diet. However, his poop can tell you a lot about his health and his diet. We will now discuss about the indications that you can get:

If you are breastfeeding your baby and also supplementing baby formulas, then the bowels will likely have a very strong odor. Moreover, the bowels will be firmer. The color is usually brown or tan. On the other hand, breastfed babies usually have looser stools. At 6 months of age, your baby will be introduced to solid foods and his poop will show the same changes. Depending on what kind of food he eats, his poop color will change. If the baby is eating a lot of sweet potatoes and carrots, his stools will become orange. On the other hand, peas and beans may turn the stools green. Remember, solid foods may also mean constipation for your baby. So be very careful. When a baby is constipated, he experiences problems in passing bowels and the stools will be dry and hard. In such a condition, avoid giving any laxatives to the bay and talk to the pediatrician immediately. Breastfed babies often pass less stools because they have lesser waste to produce. The breast milk is digested very easily. Therefore, do not feel concerned if the baby is not pooping enough while he is breastfeeding. If you think that he poops too less, consult a doctor immediately. Breastfed babies often have looser stools and most mothers would easily believe that their baby is suffering from diarrhea. However, this is not true. Breastfeeding babies rarely suffer from diarrhea. Breast milk actually reduces the chances of loose motions and can even prevent infections that may cause diarrhea. When a baby really has diarrhea, he will have watery stools very frequently. The poop will be brown or green in color and will likely have a very foul odor as well. In case you notice anything like this, do not wait for a second and call your pediatrician immediately. During this time, breastfeed your child so that he does not suffer from dehydration.

We have tried to explain all that we could about feeding your baby, providing him the right nutrition and even monitoring his health. However, this is not an all-inclusive information. There is a lot more that you need to know about feeding your baby. Talk to your doctor. In the end, we would like to advise you to bond with your baby so that you can learn more about him. It helps you understand him better and solve his problem when he grows up to be a toddler.

 

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In:Family

Comments Off on How To Be The Best Granny In The World?

The best grannies in the world share a few common qualities. They are friendly and very supportive to their own kids as well as grandkids. If you are a new granny, then you must be feeling overwhelmed with the new responsibilities you have. Whether you are caring for your grandkids or staying away, being a granny means a lot to you. You must make sure that you do your best to make a healthy relationship with your grandkids. Read on for our short but helpful granny guide that shall make you a super-granny in a jiffy.

Who are the best grannies BTW?

The best grannies in the world are smart, independent and confident women. They may be working a job they love or may be enjoying a happy retirement. Most importantly, the best grannies in the world are happy and this happiness spreads in their families as well. You will notice how they approach their grandchildren and they start smiling immediately. After all, your grandchildren are a bundle of joy for you and this feeling must be shared with the little ones too. Your grandkids’ faces will light up when they see you because you love them with all your heart.

Are you wondering how to be such a granny? Just follow some tips that we are providing below:

Get fit- the first thing that you need to do is to get fit. You will have to play with your grandchildren and even engage in endless baby talks. If you are unwell, you will not be able to do so. Hence, catch up on a morning routine. Even a short walk in your neighborhood would be enough. Just make sure that you get some kind of physical exercise for sure. Eat healthy- the kids these days eat a lot more junk food than you ate till date. While it may sound great to take the kids to a nearby fast food chain every once in a while, it is better to teach them about healthy foods. You will not be able to inculcate this habit in your grandkids if you don’t follow it yourself. So start eating a healthier diet and don’t forget to treat yourself to a savory meal every now and then. Dress up- don’t wear those old boring clothes. You can think about wearing a bright color on a few occasions. These colors are loved by children and they will like being close to you. This trick works really well in case of toddlers. They feel attracted towards brighter colors. Try this tip. We are sure that you will be a popular grandma. Bring back the memories- children love to listen to stories about their grandparents. Leave the fairytales for the bed time. When you are bonding with your grandkids, you need to tell them stories about your childhood. Kids instantly start enjoying these stories. They get inspired and fascinated by your life. If you can teach them some lessons through your own stories, you can bet that they will never forget it throughout their lives. So why don’t you start bringing back a few great memories that could work as great stories for the kids? Be happy- learn to shrug a few events and memories off your shoulder. You are in your 50s now and this is high time that you learn to be happy and content in yourself. Don’t worry about the world. Not all situations are under your control. So make sure that you learn the art of dealing with the world with a smile and have fun with the kids.

Is it not great to be a granny? Your life will change for good when a new member arrives in your family. If you follow the tips that we have given above, we are sure that children will like you for sure. However, what do you do when you are with the kids alone or when you have to care for them?

Some ideas to have fun with the grandkids

Visiting your adult kids for a while may not be a very daunting activity. All you have to do is shower them with love and a few gifts, have a short fun chat and go back home. However, if you get to spend more time with the kids or have to care for them, the situation can get really tricky. Here are a few ways in which staying with the grandchildren will become a bliss for you.

Hot chocolate with an interesting story

Make some piping hot chocolate drink for the kids. Tuck them in their beds or sit near the fireplace. Now amaze them with some of the best stories that you know. Start by telling them about your life and times. Don’t make it sound boring and don’t tell them how your times were better than the present. Focus on those interesting little pieces of your history and share it with the kids. They would love them. Who knows, they might be inspired to create such interesting stories to share with their own kids. It would be a family tradition that passes on for generations.

Cooking with joy

If the kids are pre-teens, then you will definitely enjoy this activity with them. If you have a special family recipe that the kids will love, cook it with them. Let them help you in passing the milk bottle or condiments. They will keep asking questions about the recipe and this would make them more interested in this work. Finally, when they enjoy their meal with you, they would feel extremely happy. So make sure that you get the best family recipes along.

If you don’t have any such recipes, then you can search online for the best kid-friendly recipes. You can even try a newer version of their favorite snack or may even introduce them to a new flavor of ice cream. If your adult kids are available, involve them in this process as well. Children are fond of novelty and when you try new things with them, they will bond with you in a better way. Don’t worry about the results. Just keep up the spirit of experimenting and finding new flavors. Your grandkids will learn many life lessons. They will learn that failure does not determine your destiny and trying again and again is the only way to get the best results.

Play like a toddler

Are you not the granny who can cook or tell stories? Don’t worry. You can still have fun with the kids. Why don’t you go out and play with them? The best way in which you can bond with the kids is by making sure that they play with you. Use some of your crafts skills in order to introduce them to a brand new style of playing games. Why don’t you play role-play games? Create a small sand castle near the pool and let one child be the princess who has been kidnapped by the evil dragon. Let one kid be the knight in the shining armor. You can become the evil dragon. Fight with cardboard swords and let each of them have their own special dress too. It would be an amazing game to play. It is all about being creative with the kids. There can be some games that you used to play when you are young. Why don’t you introduce the kids to those games?

Common granny problems and how to overcome them

Ask anyone about their experiences with their granny and they will tell you about chocolate chip cookies and some unexpected gifts all through the year. Grannies are very special and they all feel really connected with their grandchildren. However, you might sometimes face a few problems in your relationship with the grandkids. How will you overcome such an issue? Let us take a look at a few problems that grannies commonly face and how to overcome them.

Caring too much

Yes, there is a time when your adult kids think that you are caring too much for the grandkids, even to the limits of spoiling them. There are many grannies who buy tons of sugary candies for the grandkids or give them expensive gifts. This might not sound too good to your adult kids. Hence, it is better that you talk to your own children. They may have different styles of parenting and you have to ensure that their kids are raised in the way that they like. Talk to the mother of the kids and ask if she has any specific considerations for her kids. Things will be smoother this way.

Teenage grandkids

If your grandkids are teenagers, then they themselves may find you as over daunting. You might wish to continue with your relationship with them like before. However, to them, life has changed drastically and may not always be available for playing in the sand and sun. You have to understand these changing needs and ensure that you do not smother your grandkids. They deserve some space. The ideal role that you can play at this moment is to act like a best friend and a guide to them. Not all teenagers share their problems with their parents. However, they may feel comfortable while sharing those problems with you. So make sure that you lend them a patient ear and listen to their troubles. You can be a support system to your teenage grandkids.

Gifting problems

This is probably the most difficult thing about being a granny. Whether it is Christmas or the birthday or your grandkids, you have to buy gifts for them. Now, looking for the right gift can be the trickiest thing in the world. Sometimes, you may have to buy gifts for other kids when you are attending the birthday party of one kid. In such a case, you will become a confused granny and end up messing things up. However, don’t feel apprehensive. Just ensure that you find things that are colorful, creative and unique. Children and their grandparents often have similar likes and dislikes, especially if they have spent a lot of time with each other. If you know what the child wants for his birthday, better find the same thing. The kids get really happy when they get what they want.

Generation gap

The problems with generation gap are seen more between parents and their kids. The children usually bond better with their grandparents. However, this can only be done when you open the channels of conversation with the kids. The times have changed drastically since you were young and facing the same issues. However, experience has taught you how to handle situations more maturely. Pass on the wisdom and make sure that you always maintain friendly relations with them.

Being in the best granny in the world takes a lot of time and effort. Though bonding with kids and taking care of them are not new experiences for you, you have to be extra careful with the grandkids. However, we advise you not to feel too stressed out. After all, you want to have fun with the grandkids. They should enjoy spending their time with you and must look forward to your next visit.

As a new age grandma, you can also make use of technology in order to stay connected with your kids. Use Skype, WhatsApp and even emails to stay in contact with the kids. Just focus on being smart and playful. The more creativity you bring in your interactions with the kids, the better response you will get from them. Remember, kids these days are very vulnerable. Hence, it is high time that you become the Super Granny superhero and save the day for the kids. Maintain a generally nice attitude towards the kids and even their friends. The more you do this, the more points you score.

In the end, we urge all the Super Grannies around to get ready with their red flowy capes and bundle of knowledge coupled with friendly energies to help you grandchildren get the best childhood in the world.

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In:Early learning

Comments Off on Life Lessons That You Can Teach Your Kids

New mommies are often overwhelmed with parenting.  It is a full time job that might drain you of all your energy. Raising kids will need a lot of effort from you. From cooking the right meal to finding the right dress, you will have to do a lot in order to provide the best parenting to your children. However, even after doing all this, you have to ensure that your kids don’t just grow old, but they grow up as well.

No child is too small to learn a few life lessons. These lessons can begin when he is a toddler and can continue as the child grows older. These lessons will help the kids grow into great people who are not just kind and considerate but sensitive to others as well. In addition to this, you can also be sure that your kids will become great parents themselves. So let us not waste any more time on the introductions and check which life lessons are essential for our kids.

Life lessons that you need to teach your kids

Teach them good manners

‘Please’ and ‘Thank You’ can change the way a person behaves. These two words can really cast a magic spell on the speaker as well as the listener. Make sure that you make your children speak these two words whenever needed. Teach them that saying ‘Please’ and ‘Thank You’ will make them better human beings and will also make them more likeable. In this way, you will be able to ensure that your children learn a great habit for a lifetime. Don’t you feel pleased when someone says thank you? Imagine how others would feel about your children when they say the same.

Teach them to smile

Smiling is certainly not counted as a life lesson for most people. However, whenever you get time, tell you children to smile. It is an instant mood booster for your kids as well as the people around them. Don’t tell them to make a poker face in the name of etiquettes. Let them smile and spread happiness all around. These tender souls need to understand the value of a smile. It can make someone’s day. So why not ask them to give you their biggest and broadest smile. It will make your day for sure.

Show gratitude

Yes, saying ‘Thank You’ is a great thing, but you also have to teach your kids different ways in which they could show their gratitude. It is not a habit they can cultivate. Instead, it is a feeling that they would show when they don’t get the things that they want. Your children will definitely say thank you if you buy the latest gaming console for them. However, what happens when you do not have enough finances to buy something like that? This is exactly where gratitude comes into play.

Teach your children to stay happy and satisfied in what they have. Of course, they will also want to have the best gadgets and clothes in town. Though it may not be possible for them to get it, they should be happy with what they have. When they grow up and they are tempted again by such choices, they would always choose satiation with existing things over the temptation of something ‘new and better’. In this way, your children will be saved from falling into the traps of a consumeristic society. Moreover, they will be able to satisfy all their needs without really having to run behind the ‘so called best’.

Speak the truth

Your children must learn to speak the truth. You never know when an innocent lie can turn into a habit. You must ensure that your kids come and tell you if they have committed a mistake or if they feel strongly about something. This could help you in guiding your children in the right direction. Speaking the truth demands a lot of courage. However, listening to the truth demands even more courage and patience.

Most parents go wrong here. They tell their children to speak the truth. When the child does so, they get baffled and angry. Sometimes, they even punish the child. In such a circumstance, the child learns that speaking the truth would only bring criticism and punishment their way. Hence, they start telling you comfortable lies. This is clearly the worst way to teach your children a life lesson. It is better that you lend your children a patient ear when they speak the truth to you. They may have broken up your favorite vase or messed up your mirror with your favorite Estee Lauder lipstick. Be patient, listen and do not over react. Handle the situation calmly and try to teach your child how to rectify that situation.

Stand up for themselves

The incidents of bullying are common, even with toddlers. Hence, you must teach your children to stand up for themselves. They should not give in to pressure. Let them understand the difference between right and wrong and then let them stand for what they choose. The children often feel reluctant to go into the same trauma again and again. Therefore, they avoid places where they feel like a misfit or where they get bullied. In such situations, they must learn to respect themselves and take a stand for themselves.

Be sensitive to others and their feelings

When your child goes out, she will probably meet many people. Some children instantly develop strong likes and dislikes for different people and things. In such a situation, you have to tell your children to keep their choice but also to be sensitive to others feelings. They should not hurt anyone with their words or their deeds. In case they do so, they would be bringing same hatred their way. Tell them not to insult people and to behave themselves at all times.

Some people let their children throw things here and there when at home. The same people wish their children did not throw the cereal packets in the local supermarket and behaved themselves. Children cannot discriminate between your public and private image. If they don’t behave well at home, they will never do so outside. They will disturb the peace and even intrude into the personal space of other people if they do not behave properly. Teach them these things at home and they will never create a problem when you are away.

Teach them respect

Yes, it is important to respect people who are elder to you. Respecting teachers, older relatives and parents is something that every child learns. However, have you ever made your children learn about respecting their peers and even those who are younger to them? Have you ever wondered if your children respect animals and birds? Do your children respect themselves? If not, then make sure that you teach them the same. It is only when your children learn these things that they become better people.

If you find a child who greets you very well but starts beating your dog just for fun, you will also cringe at the sight and dislike the child. The same can happen with your kids as well. So make sure that you have made provisions in advice in order to teach them respect. Remember, respect is for everyone, no matter who.

Teach them about money

Children should not be involved in any decisions related to money in your household. The kids do not have to spend time in understanding what tax returns you were talking about. They would either overthink it or avoid it completely. When you wish to teach your children about money, do not start by telling them about what taxes and mortgages are all about and how much money you owe on your home finance. That is not necessary. Instead of this, give your children their own money to manage and ensure that they are spending it wisely. You should tell them about saving their money as well. It can also be possible that you give them a few incentives for saving their money. It would help you a lot in inculcating saving habits which would certainly help your children in the long run.

Teach them to read and play

Though it may sound a little old school, teaching your children to read and play will definitely be a very good step by you. A great book can act as a great friend to your child. Hence, it is essential that they learn to read. Moreover, it is equally important that your children learn to play as well. They have their video games that take them to a fantasy world where they can play the hero. However, it would also be great if your children go out and play with other kids. Even if they are playing with each other, it would be okay. This would give them the much needed physical activity. In addition to this, they will grow up faster and stronger and their development would also be better than their peers. This is not all, children learn some good qualities like collaboration, team work and co-operation when they play with other kids. Hence, it is a win-win situation for them.

Teach them to lose gracefully

Children will often enter competitive situations. Just like the adults, winning a competition becomes a prestige issue for most of the kids as well. However, there will only be one winner. It is not customary that your child will win each time. Hence, he must learn to lose gracefully. He must accept that he lost and must also learn to congratulate the winner. Finally, he must ensure that he either looks into the reasons why he has lost and improve those fields or forget about the loss completely and come back home smiling. Tell the kids that it is okay to lose as long as they are giving their best and they will always get a second chance to prove their mettle. This is one of the most important qualities that the children need to learn about. However, if he children fail to understand that failure is okay, they may become too self-centered or obsessed with success. Chances are also high that they would never compete again for the fear of failure.

Teach them about being comfortable and confident

Though this is a life lesson that most adults need to learn, you should tell your children to be confident and comfortable with themselves. Tell them that they can be who they are without giving in to peer pressure. Let them know that they are unique and beautiful and they should walk like they are the king. It helps boost the confidence of your child.

Make sure that you don’t force your child to do anything. It is generally no use to you. The child will only become stubborn and will stop listening to you altogether. Before you start teaching life lessons to your kids, you should learn these lessons yourself. After all, the kids always follow their parents’ footsteps. If you disrespect your elders, shout at each other and show aggressive behavior, your children will do exactly the same. The kids tend to imitate the people around them. Hence, it is very essential that you present the best of yourself to your kids. Yes, it would be very difficult at first. However, for the love of your children, it is only a small effort that you will have to make.

In the end, we would like to suggest that you should stand by your child at all times. They are innocent and unaware of the ways of the world. They will commit mistakes. Don’t expect your children to be perfect, just try to make them good human beings. If you follow this guide, we hope that you will raise great kids who would not only be loved by you but everyone around them. From this day on, start learning each of these life lessons together with your kids and create a better environment for them to thrive.

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In:Food

Comments Off on Eating Your Way To A Healthy Pregnancy

Pregnancy can really change how you perceive the world around you. As an expectant mother, you are already eating for two. Your hormones have gone on a roller coaster ride and you feel everything from morning sickness to diabetic symptoms. However, the joy of being a mother conceals every problem that you go through and when those 9 months are over, you get a healthy and beautiful baby. However, most women are very confused about their health status during pregnancy. Regular visits to your OB Gyn are suggested by us. However, apart from maintaining your visiting schedule to the doctor, you also need to make sure that you eat a very healthy diet during pregnancy.

Understand the changes in your body

Most of us are guilty of eating too less or going on fad diets to lose weight. For some women, undergoing diet changes during pregnancy is all about staying lean. They will still avoid calories and carbs and say a total goodbye to fats. As a result, their body is deprived of essential nutrients during pregnancy and their child also has to suffer the consequences of the same.

You need to understand that weight gain during pregnancy is not bad. In fact, it is healthy to gain weight during pregnancy. Remember, you are eating for two. Most of this weight will be gone after delivery. So don’t feel too alarmed at the ascending numbers on the weighing scale. It is a good sign that your baby is developing in a healthy way. Do not think that a diet is all about maintaining the ‘right weight’ during pregnancy. That is just a fad and does not really work well in the favor of your baby. Here, diet means eating a balanced meal and getting all the essential nutrients that help you and your baby stay healthy.

A pregnant woman often faces issues like lowered blood pressure, problems in sleeping and using the toilet, problems in walking or standing for long and more. Sometimes, women may also feel light cramps in their legs. The hormones in a woman’s body are running the race of their life and they work tirelessly day and night to nurture your baby. You would be surprised at the pace at which your baby develops. Hence, do yourself a favor. Don’t believe any fad diets during pregnancy. Only focus on getting the right nutrition for yourself. Your body will change now and the diet has to be according to these changes only.

Does a pre-pregnancy diet help?

If you have planned a pregnancy, then a pre-pregnancy diet is certainly going to help you in a lot of ways. If you want to take this route for your pregnancy, then you must definitely give yourself a few months in order to get in the right shape for pregnancy. First of all, go to the doctor and check whether you have any deficiencies. This could be a folate deficiency, a certain vitamin deficiency or something similar. If you are obese, underweight or a diabetic, then you must consult your doctor before pregnancy. The same rule applies for women with cardiac troubles.

You have to check if there is any significant risk factor related to your pregnancy. If yes, then you must work on these issues before you conceive. Work on your diet and fill up the nutritional deficiencies in the first place. A detoxification routine will also be helpful for you in this case. Some health issues have nutritional deficiencies as their underlying causes. So such problems will be gone. You can try a combination of diet, exercise or yoga in order to lower down your risk factors after that. This shall help you in making your pregnancy healthier.

The pregnancy diet

For pregnant women, it is high time that they take good care of their diet. You can meet a diet consultant in order to find the best diet according to your age and body type. However, there are a few general rules that you can keep in mind while preparing a meal for yourself. Before we can talk about these ideas, let us check out how you can make your breakfast healthier. Why are we focusing on the breakfast? It is because you must be able to kick start your day with a power packed meal. A good breakfast can give you a lot of energy through the day, minimize cravings and also ensure that you get a good dosage of nutrients right when you start your day.

Breakfast Battles- winning the day

 

You should ideally be starting your day with some fresh fruits or fruit juices. Try to stay away from packaged juices as much as you can. They include more sugar than nutrients. The good old pancakes can actually come in handy for busy moms who need to go to work. A glass of milk is also a good option. You can also opt for a glass of orange juice. However, make sure that you don’t stop here. Don’t just drink a glass of milk or juice and start working. You need something more filling at this point. Eggs can be good option but avoid the sunny side up variety. Go for omelets. Oats can also be a good option to start your day. However, make sure that you are eating some fresh fruits or vegetables along with the oats. It will keep you fit, provide fiber and also ensure that you feel full. It will be better to avoid coffee in the morning. If you love coffee, then cut back the intake to merely 2 cups a today. Anything more than that is not healthy for your baby. Try some beans if that works well for you. A fistful of nuts can be helpful in providing you something to munch on throughout the day.

 

Many women feel morning sickness during pregnancy. As a result of this, they are unable to eat a breakfast. However, even in this case, you must eat at least something. It would help you in staying full and give you a little morning boost. In such a case, you must eat very small portions again and again as they will help you in getting the energy you need throughout the day. Women who feel morning sickness should also avoid eating a heavy dinner as it may aggravate the symptoms. Your small meals can include crackers, toasts, roasted nuts, dried apricots and other such healthy food items. A grilled cheese sandwich can be avoided but it can be had as an occasional indulgence for sure. You will certainly enjoy it. If you like burgers and pizzas, then ensure that you stuff them with fresh cheese and vegetables.

The pregnancy diet should always be full of fresh and organic products. Yes, canned and processed foods are a good option for the days when you are running late for your work. However, you should try to avoid them as much as possible. Also, try to opt for all organic products. Going to a local farmer’s market will certainly help you in packing all the nutrition you need with farm fresh produce that is produced locally. During these 9 months, eat seasonal fruits and vegetables more than their frozen counterparts. This shall help you get better nutrition. Moreover, you should focus only on whole grains. Do not give in to products that have ‘green’, ‘whole grain’, ‘organic’ etc. written on their packaging. You must check yourself whether these products are what they are being marketed as. ‘Gluten free’ is the word that you will come across most often. Don’t just look at the labels. Look at the real ingredients of the food that you are buying.

What to drink during pregnancy?

It is very important to stay hydrated during a pregnancy. In fact, you should ensure that you are drinking more than 8 glasses of water every day. Coffee is best avoided during this time. However, a couple of cups during a day will not do much harm. Alcohol must be avoided completely during pregnancy. It could be very harmful for your child. In addition to this, you are at a greater risk of physically damage the fetus during this time.

As alcohol affects our body balance, you could easily lose balance and fall down. Alcohol addict mothers also develop greater chances of having still births or inducing some nutritional deficiencies in their children. Hence, avoid substance abuse to the best possible extent. Make plain water your best buddy during pregnancy. You can have green tea as well during this time. Fresh fruit juice can also be a good option for you. You should not replace a meal with a green smoothie at this time. However, smaller green smoothie shots can work really well if taken as snacks rather than entire meals.

What do doctors suggest?

Doctors often suggest women to eat what they like, if they are following a few simple diet tips. The most important thing about pregnancy diets is nutrition content. You can have pizza if you like or munch on some stir fried veggies if you like. Just keep the following things in mind when you are pregnant.

You should be eating dark leafy vegetables. Two servings of such veggies are enough for a day. Citrus fruits are the most important for pregnant ladies. Opt for one serving each day of a citrus fruit in order to get the best results for your health. You should also have orange vegetables. The darker the orange, the better the vegetable for your health. One serving of such veggies will be good. Don’t forget about dairy. However, focus only on low-fat or non-fat varieties of milk and dairy products. You should have at least three servings of these products. Cereals and breads are the most essential. Make sure you have at least 6 servings of these. The meats you eat should be extra lean. Opt for fish or chicken sans the skin. However, if you are a vegetarian, then take three servings of bean instead. At least eight glasses of water is a must.

There is no hard and fast rule about what you should eat and when. The women who can eat a bigger meal during breakfast must continue to do so and decrease the size of the meal through the day. The women who suffer from morning sickness can eat the smallest meal in breakfast and increase the size of the meal during dinner. However, it is advised not to eat a very heavy meal. Some doctors suggest smaller breakfasts and larger dinners during the first trimester as morning sickness becomes very likely for all women. They also suggest that women should reverse the diet during the last trimester in order to avoid heartburn. You can eat whatever you like as long as you are eating in moderation. The nutrition comes first.

Does it sound too confusing?

If you have already been living a very healthy lifestyle, then you must already be familiar with these rules. However, if you feel that these rules are too confusing, then you must start following them one by one. It would help you during your pregnancy. Simply abstain from alcohol and smoke and limit caffeine intake. Then start including fresh veggies and fruits in your diet one by one. In this way, you will get all the benefits of this diet.

Some moderate form of exercise will also be good for you. You can focus on yoga or talk to an instructor regarding light exercise for yourself. By the time you find the right exercise routine, focus on 30 minutes of activity every day. This could even be in the form of 15 minutes of walk in the morning and evening. In the end, we would like to welcome you onboard for a healthy and safe pregnancy. We hope that you will have a healthy and beautiful baby who will bring a lot of joy in your life. In the meanwhile, follow the steps that we have mentioned above to get the right diet.

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In:Photography

Comments Off on Maternity Photographs Done Right

You want to jump… You want to shout and tell the whole world about it… You wish you had a massive megaphone…

Hey lady! Calm down. We know you are excited for the new baby and you want to announce this news to everyone you know. However, we know a classy little way in which the world will get to know about your baby. Yes, we are talking about a maternity photoshoot. This is a small but memorable moment that you will share with your baby, even before birth. Regardless to say, this moment will be cherished forever. It is quite obvious that you want to hurry up and share the news with the world. However, waiting for a nice maternity photoshoot is definitely worth the wait.

The number of maternity photoshoots has taken a high rise in the past few years. This is because people like to share the news of their baby on social networks. Hence, talking to a good photographer could be of great help to you. Let us take a look at some steps that you need to follow in order to get the best maternity photoshoot.

Baby steps to a great maternity photoshoot

Talk to a good photographer

We are sure that you will be able to find the contact details of many good photographers in town. However, for you, it is important that he has experience in maternity photography. A person who has been clicking high school portraits till date will never bring the quintessential appeal of a maternity photograph creativity for you. Hence, always look for experience and specialization. You should check the previous works of the photographer in order to check what kind of creativity he can bring in your photographs.

Choose the time of the photoshoot

Do you want to get a maternity photoshoot as soon as you discover you are pregnant? Do you want to wait for the final trimester in order to get the best baby picture? In either case, it all depends on your personal choice. However, maternity photos usually look the best when you are running the second or third trimester. At this time, you have a fully belly which can easily be shown off to people. If you also want to announce the gender of the baby or its name, that can be done too. Just make sure that you find the right time at which you wish to conduct this photoshoot. During the first trimester, your body is usually undergoing a lot of changes and you might feel morning sickness, fatigue and other such issues more frequently as compared to the other two trimesters. So waiting for a time when your body is more stable usually pays off well.

Decide the theme of the photoshoot

This is the trickiest part of them all. Deciding the theme for the maternity photoshoot could become a difficult task for you as well as your photographer. You would likely have to brainstorm on a lot of ideas and then discuss them all with your photographer in order to choose the most suitable theme. If you already have some idea or theme in mind, no matter how vague, don’t forget to share it. It would improve your chances of getting the best photoshoot you can ever have.

Choose the place

The theme of your photoshoot will decide the setting or backdrop of the picture. It could either be outdoor or indoor. It all depends on your personal preference or the photo theme. You can either choose your home, a park, a beach or even the photographer’s own studio in order to get the picture of your choice. Once the place has been selected, you need to hurry up and get to the next step.

Choose your dress

Well, you are the proud momma and it is you who will be primarily featured in the picture. Hence, it is essential that you choose the right dress for yourself. Make sure that you are doing your best in order to look great. However, wear only what is comfortable. There is no need to slip into tight clothes just because you want to look great. Choose looser fittings that make you feel comfy all the time. The photoshoot takes time and you certainly don’t want to stand there in the most uncomfortable clothes you could find.

Call everyone who is involved

Do you want your whole family or your partner in the picture? Well, give them a call and tell them to be on time. This is the time when you can really shine and get the most out of your picture. Make sure that no one gets left out.

Now, you are all set to say ‘CHEEEEEZE’. Give your biggest and broadest smile and let everyone know that you are very excited for the baby.

Are you short of ideas for the photoshoot? If yes, then take hints from the ideas that we are discussing below. They could help you in getting the best pictures for your baby. Take a look.

Ideas for a great maternity photoshoot

Yeah, we are bored of those belly pictures. We know that your partner making a heart over your pregnant belly is too clichéd and we know that you are looking for something new and different. This is the reason why we are bringing some nice ideas which can be used by you in order to get a great maternity picture. These ideas are very simple and would instantly strike to you. Check out what can be done by you.

Relive the memory

Remember the first time when you met him… where did you meet? What were you wearing? Which place was it? Remember all those tiny details and you will be able to recreate the memories into a beautiful pregnancy picture. This picture will be special for two reasons. First, it would show your baby bump and second, it would depict the place where the journey of your love began. Dress up in the same (or similar) clothes and get a photo clicked in the same place. There is nothing better than a picture that binds the past and the future so well. Isn’t this a great idea?

Feel Mother Nature close to you

A maternity picture clicked near the woods or in a natural landscape looks more beautiful that any edited pictured. Hence, you should be going somewhere near the forest, woods or other such places near you for that perfect picture. If you do not have any such natural areas around your house, then you should probably focus on getting a picture clicked in a nearby park. It would be a great thing to do.

In case you do not find such a place, then you could be clicking a picture in your home, especially in your backyard. Plant a tree in the name of your child and get a picture clicked while you are watering this little plant. It has a great symbolic value as well. You nurture the tree just like you nurture your baby. Hence, the photo looks very appealing. Make sure that you keep watering this tree later on as well. After all, this tree has announced the arrival of your child in the world.

Play with frames and props

Do you wish you could get a great picture clicked inside your home? In that case, you could play a little with props and get the best pictures clicked for yourself. Huge frames for you and your partner held before your face will look good. Let your partner hold the frame for himself and for you. On the other hand, you should hold the frame in front of your belly. The picture looks really nice.

You can also use umbrellas, shoes and other such props in order to get a perfect photograph inside your house. A good idea could be picturing yourself in a unique way instead of focusing on your belly. You can show your shoes, your partner’s shoes and the shoes for a tiny tot to signify that a new member is coming to your household soon. If you want the people to know the gender of your baby, choose appropriate shoes. If you do not wish to reveal the gender of your baby, then you can probably look for modifications in this pic. In this case, you or your partner can hold both the shoes and give an expression of wonder on the baby’s gender. You could be sitting down smiling at his amazement. The picture looks so natural that you will get compliments almost instantly.

Remember the good old belly pic with you and your partner standing close to each other and holding your belly. You can give a nice twist to that picture. Just stand in the same posture outdoors and let an umbrella show a silhouette of you both. In this way, you give a creative new twist to the classic maternity picture.

Splash colors all around

Do you have older children as well? In that case, you will certainly enjoy the splash of colors that comes your way in this idea. Dress up your family in clothes of the theme color. Orange is the new black in this case. It works as the perfect significance for fun and the arrival of a new life in your house. If you have a pet, let it join the family photo as well. You can get this photo clicked in any part of your house and it would look equally great.

The Victorian portrait

Do you want a maternity picture involving your entire family? Do you want to give a very regal look to your picture? In that case, you will have to put in a little more efforts in designing the right backdrop for your image and also finding the right costumes for your family. Getting a Victorian style portrait of your entire family would make it look different as well as classy. We bet that your friends did not even think about this idea ever before.

You could all be making the classic poker face for this image or you can let the rest of the family wear their costumes and stay as stiff as a wooden block. You, on the other hand, should be dressed in your cheerful and bright dress announcing the arrival of your baby. This twist to the picture makes it look interesting because of which it instantly catches your attention. You can also make more modifications to the picture. For example, you can let your older child do the honors of announcement in a bright colored modern outfit while the rest dress up in their costumes. Another variation could be you and your partner wearing the costumes while the rest stay in their everyday clothes. If it is your first child, then you can probably get such a picture clicked against a rich Victorian backdrop while you wear bright and funny costumes. The options are many, you just need to be creative enough.

Maternity photographs can be serious or they can be fun. It all depends on your choice as well as your creativity. We suggest that you search the internet for some more cool ideas that can make your maternity pictures look amazing. You don’t really have to adopt an idea as it is. Make some changes here or there or experiment yourself. In this way, your picture would look unique and more beautiful than everyone else.

As a new mom, the first pictures of joy i.e. your sonogram can also be shared in the maternity photoshoot. Click plenty of pictures, start posing and make sure that you choose the best picture. Take good care of yourself and start searching for the perfect maternity picture idea right away. In the end, we would like to wish you the best of luck and health. May your baby be a happy and beautiful child. Don’t forget to share the pictures you have clicked. We will be glad to see those amazing pictures.

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In:Baby's health, Mother's health

Comments Off on Tips for the Mom to remain happy while raising children

It is a fact that raising kids is physically and mentally and exhaustive task that can drain lots of energy from the mothers. One should be playful and watchful while engaging the child as it is a full time job. If you are serious and take the activity as a burden, you are bound to get tired quickly while the child still has energy. Parents must devise innovative ways so that they could pass the time in fun and frolic. Kids want to interact with surroundings however they cannot do it alone unless helped by parents. There are certain tips that need to be followed by the adults to prevent irritation and make the whole ambiance as well as children happy.

Important tips:

Rather than letting kids indulge in pranks, join him or her to release the stress accumulated in the mind. For instance, if the children sleep heavily, you can put them in another bed and witness their surprise when they wake up.  It will definitely invite giggles from the young ones who would be more than happy to see their mother and father join the fun. Another wonderful prank could be placing the realistic animal toys inside the lunch boxes of the kids and watch their reaction. They would be shocked while showing priceless reaction.  Some time parents can also turn the photos as well as other objects on the wall upside to surprise the children when they wake up from the sleep. One has to be creative in playing the pranks so that the young ones do not get bored. Pulling faces can be a wonderful past time for the family members with the kids and parents competing on putting wackiest face. It is a wonderful exercise forcing the children to be more creative. You can take smart phone and capture the snaps o f the young one when they are looking funny. Parents can organize a family slumber party where even the grandfather and mothers are invited with their sleeping bags to sleep on the floor. Children enjoy the get together when the families congregate at one place. Barbecue parties are fun as you can invite your nephews and niece so that they could play along with your children making the evening a memorable one. Special festivals such as the upcoming valentine day can be treated as the special family day where in kids as well as parents can visit the mall, dine in a restaurant and also indulge in shopping. If as a parent you have committed a mistake apologize to the kids while trying to make them happy.  Mothers can work closely with the children to surprise their husbands by giving them attractive gifts in an impeccable manner. One of the most important ideas to have fun is the playground scavenger hunt where kids can engage with regular or rope swing. Moreover, in the park different types of slides are available for the kids so that they could roll on by indulging in different types of games. Parents on their part must keep a close watch on the activities of the kids to ensure that they do not get injured. You can hide different objects in the playground, make up a list and give it to the children to search. It is an intuitive exercise that they will find interesting as their brains have to work out on their own.  Watching them running around the park and exploring the hidden items is a wonderful scenario wherein the parents would relish the joy. As far as adventure is concerned, the trip is a great learning experience for the kids. Mothers can involve the children to make milk shake on their own so that it could served to the guests. For instance peanut butter shake is quite easy to prepare because you need to have 3 cups of soy milk accompanied by a small quantity of peanut butter. They are combined together and blended into a blender without any hassles.  Soy milk popsicles should be kept in the freezer for preservation as it would go a long way in providing wonderful smoothie for the kids as well as adults. Bubbles forming in the cup appear to be quite interesting to the children. All kids like to listen to the interesting stories about fairies, demons and superman. Some of the books are very famous in which silly characters are portrayed following their bed time routines. Boys will like to listen to the stories about trucks, vehicles as well as tractors.  There are certain books that teach the toddlers to learn different languages without any hassles. You can buy the book and read out the bed time stories on a regular basis. It is vital to make learning activity fun for the kids so that they are not burdened with one way flow of information. Interactive session will go a long way in delivering sterling results to the users. There are different types of techniques used to teach the concepts of science to the kids. For example as a parent you can take the children outside and get them acquainted with the numerous plants, tress and insects in the garden or the park. You can tell the children that as soon as the insect sits on the flower, the process of pollination starts. While on vacation, take the kids to the bird’s park and show them how many species of birds migrate from different parts of the world to the park so that they could obtain food and requisite temperature to survive.  A very classic prank played by the parents on the kids is the usage of pipe cleaner disguises that will help two persons to talk to each other in different voices. Father can deploy different ways to connect with the kids including providing piggyback ride to the toddlers.  Sometimes you can organize tickle parties with the children and seem them go berserk with laughter.  Airplane prank is very popular as the dad can use the child as a plane and fly him in the room. Children would definitely enjoy the exhilarating experience along with the dad. You can somersault the child by helping him climb the leg but precautions should be exercised to prevent injuries during games. By emitting different sound from the mouth, the dad can encourage the kid to do the same. It is an astonishing activity that fills up the home with laughter as well as happiness. Rather than ignoring children, you can call them and participate in puzzle games together. They would be forced to find the answers by applying knowledge and logic. You can act as a catalyst to make them work together in a diligent manner. Fathers can involve kids by asking them questions even if they do not know the answer. Effective communication with the children enable them to open up to their parents and discuss with them all their problems as well as insecurities.  Simple activities like singing simple songs together can rejuvenate the atmosphere and make the kids happy to a great extent. Families in which the parents do not communicate with the children tend to become introvert by hiding real problems that could snowball into major issues. All work and no play makes jack a dull boy, therefore it is important to take the kids on a short ice cream party when you return home from work. It is a wonderful distraction and a great activity to reduce stress by many notches.  Some of the attractive alternatives could also be telling kids jokes that will make them laugh to the hilt. It is vital for the parents to tell their kid’s everyday that they love them a lot and also discuss with them funny activities that can be done without any problem. During summer season, you can become a completely cool parent for your children.  You can organize a picnic with the kids by grabbing fruits as well as drinks. When the children go out they learn lots of new things by engaging with the surrounding atmosphere. If the parents want to update the knowledge of the kids about machines, it is better to give them screw drivers so that they can get on with the odd jobs quickly and effectively. Kids can also play with the flash light in the dark along with the parents to have fun in a wonderful manner. To help the kids gaining knowledge, organize a trip to the local museum where in the children will get valuable insight into the different events of the history. In order to have fun with the kid’s parents should think on their feet to find creative ways of engaging them in an impeccable manner. For example, gather all the small boxes so that the kids could construct something out of them. They can build make shift homes for the pets or storage shelves for keeping necessary items. Children like to paint themselves but they do not need to participate in any event for accomplishing the task.  Parents can buy the face paint kit comprising of step by step illustration on how to decorate the body in an amazing style. While having vacation in the mountains, you can ask the kids to capture photo from the top to make the moment memorable.  Moreover, you can also accompany them to visit the light house or the old fort. Each parent should teach their children how to swim in water but care should be taken to ensure that the kids are protected. Father and mother not only need to shoulder the responsibility of the children but also have a blast with them when required. Set aside the weekend for yourself so that you can enjoy the moment with the giggles of the children. It doesn’t matter whether you are tired; spending time with the children is of utmost importance. While playing with children, be like them so that the whole environment reverberates with laughter. Initially you might feel uncomfortable however later on it becomes a habit as you will relish the time with the young ones. For instance, you can team up with the children and watch their favorite game show. One of the most unique methods of keep the children busy is by singing songs using pots and pans. Generally children are tired of listening to the convention rhymes and poems; therefore they might like the novel idea.  As the kids grow old and become teenagers, you can indulge with them in adventurous games such as scuba diving. Plethoras of activities are available to keep the persons engaged without any hassles. Some parents are too worried about their child becoming dirty while playing outside the house however one should not freak out. It is vital to maintain the calm and composure. Kids play because they are bundled with tremendous energy and you should enjoy their activities. There are many ideas that would go a long way in inspiring fun among the children. Playing football, baseball or cricket would help to instill in them focus, concentration and competitiveness. They are essential attributes necessary to make a person successful in life. Majority of the parents suffer from low energy levels when they are having fun with the children. People want to join their kids but can’t do due to exhaustion. It is a serious situation and can only be controlled with the help of exercises. Parents on their part must eat good food that will help to keep the body and mind healthy to a great extent.  Brisk walking for about 15 minutes would go a long way in delivering exemplary results to the parents. If the kids are old, you can arrange bike riding through the rugged terrain to provide them new experience as well as adventures. Furthermore, parents can also inculcate an interest in creating music.

In a nutshell, it can be said that if parents take a little time out from their daily routine, they can play a stellar role in bringing smiles on the cute faces of the kids.

 

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