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Prenatal Nutrition Tips

  Prenatal Nutrition Tips   Watch Dr. P. Janaki Srinath, Sr. Nutrition Consultant ,Fernandez Hospital  give tips on nutrition and diet during the prenatal phase.Even before conception and basing on whether the mother –to-be  is obese, underweight or has any other health complications , needs to be evaluated and the diet has to be prescribed accordingly.

Baby Cries -A Natural Instinct for Survival

According to medical research there is a direct link between the baby crying for the mother milk , for the baby’ s survival and in turn when a mother breast feeds the baby acts a natural contraceptive and prevents pregnancy. Breastfeeding acts as a natural contraceptive during the first six months after birth, stopping women from menstruating. According to Professor David Haig, of Harvard University who explains the  babies’ instinctive urge to keep their mums awake, breastfeeding at all hours, is  a natural way of contraception and the baby’s survival instincts. He said that the time of life when babies are most likely to wake often in the night, around six months, corresponded to the time when mothers were most likely to be becoming fertile again. The research was published in the Journal Evolution, Medicine and Public Health today.

Baby Hygiene during Monsoons

Baby Hygiene during Monsoons   Monsoons have set in and it’s that time of the season where the flies and insects start breeding. It important to take care of your surroundings to prevent infection and bacteria from spreading and affecting your baby with these useful tips: § Give only purified or boiled water. Carry water from home if you are going out. § Wash vegetables and meat thoroughly before cooking and make sure that green leafy vegetables are well cleaned in boiled water and steamed to get rid of any bacteria and germs. Vegetables such as broccoli and cauliflower must be soaked in warm salt-water for at least 10 minutes before they are cooked, to remove any insects and pests. §  All food items should be properly covered to protect from insects and dust. §  Give freshly cooked food and no left overs please. §  Wash your hands well before cooking. §  Do not leave the wet and smelly food waste exposed. Dump the waste in a covered dustbin. §  Breast feeding moms should be extra careful in what their eating and avoid outside food when it is raining §  Clean the house regularly with effective disinfectants. §  Clean the toys periodically as babies tend to bite their toys. Keep the baby well covered if you are taking him/her out in the cold weather or rains. Simple but useful tips for healthy baby and happy home!

Bonding with your baby before Birth

Bonding with your baby before Birth   Watch Jessy Naidu our parenting expert talk about the benefits of Bonding with your baby when the child is in the womb itself. She explains that once the fetus stage is over and the 5th month enters, this is the right time to start talking to the baby.Both the husband and wife should spend some quality time talking to the baby so that child can connect with the parents after birth.

Precautions when doing Yoga during Pregnancy

Precautions when doing Yoga during Pregnancy   Yoga has become a well endorsed form of Prenatal exercise during pregnancy and both the Hollywood and Bollywood superstars who swear by practicing Yoga as the reason for their fit and trim figures ! Yoga also has certain dos and don’ts according to the rule book and not all postures and pranayama can be done during pregnancy. Check out the following tips while practicing Yoga during Pregnancy.     Tip -1 Stick to standing exercises in the first trimester: Standing yoga poses are excellent to strengthen your leg muscles, improve circulation, increase energy and helps reduce leg cramps that one commonly feels during pregnancy.  They help keep pressure off the belly and abdomen making the exercise safe for you and your baby.     Tip-2 Breathing exercises in the second trimester and third trimester: The second and third trimester is the time to relax, and deep breathing and meditation can help you do just that.  Breathing techniques or Pranayama will help relax your mind, oxygenate your body and help you deal with mood swings. Check with your Yoga Therapist for the right form of breathing exercises and follow them. Tip-3 General Tips • Do consult your doctor before practicing yoga postures. • Avoid doing asanas that put pressure on the abdomen and those that are difficult during the earlier stages of pregnancy. • When you are practicing twisting poses do not overstretch your abdomen, instead lay emphasis on your shoulders and the upper back. • Do not do asanas where you are required to be upside down. • It is also advised not to practice yoga postures from the tenth through the fourteenth week of pregnancy. • Remember not to slouch or raise your shoulders while breathing in. Also, breathe in deeply using your lungs and try not to allow the air to fill in your stomach.

Music Therapy during Pregnancy

Music Therapy during Pregnancy   A new study finds that music therapy can reduce psychological stress among pregnant women. The complementary remedy to common conditions faced during pregnancy may prove to be of significant benefit as prospective mothers avoid the side-effects of traditional pharmaceuticals. In the investigation, researchers from the College of Nursing at Kaohsiung Medical University, Taiwan, randomly assigned 116 pregnant women to a music group and 120 to a control group. “The music group showed significant reductions in stress, anxiety and depression after just two weeks, using three established measurement scales” says Professor Chung-Hey Chen, who is now based at the National Cheng Kung University. The study was published in a special complementary and alternative therapy medicine issue of the Journal of Clinical Nursing.   During pregnancy one should listen to calm and soothing music. It is said that listening to peaceful music relaxes the mind of both the mother and the child. There are certain after birth effects of listening to music during pregnancy. It is said that if the baby listens to the music that the mother used to listen to when pregnant, the baby calms down. The music can act as a lullaby as well. This proves that the baby remembers the music you listen to when pregnant. Therefore, make sure you listen to good classical or sweet music which will help in brain development of the child.

Importance Of Prenatal Vitamins

Importance Of Prenatal Vitamins     In this video watch Dr Kameswari from Fernandez Hospital, Hyderabad talk about the importance of taking vitamins at the pre-natal stage for pregnant woman. She elaborates the fact that vitamins like Folic acid, Vitamin D etc., when  taken during the pre-conception levels help in sustaining  a healthy pregnancy and baby.  

Holding your baby is good

Holding your baby is good   The maternal instinct of holding your baby is one of the best things a mother can do to bond with her child and there is no question where you cannot spoil a baby by holding her. "Babies who are held often and have their needs met right away are more likely to have higher self-images and learn they are respected and worthy," says Linda C. Donovan, RN, MHA, IBCLC. So, even if you keep hearing people tell you not to do it, rest assured that holding your baby is a good and natural thing. According to the researchers, maternal walking may be more effective in calming infants than other kinds of rhythmic motion, such as rocking. A study in 2013 from Japan confirms what many mothers may know instinctively: Picking up and carrying a fussy baby usually calms down and relaxes the child, making the move a good one for both moms and infants. ts became noticeably more relaxed and stopped crying and squirming. The babies' rapidly beating hearts also slowed down, evidence that the children were feeling calmer. "Infants become calm and relaxed when they are carried by their mother," said study researcher Dr. Kumi Kuroda, who investigates social behavior at the RIKEN Brain Science Institute in Saitama, Japan. A strong calming effect For the small study, researchers monitored the responses of 12 healthy infants ages 1 month to 6 months. The scientists wanted to discover the most effective way for mothers to calm a crying baby over a 30-second period — simply holding the baby or carrying the infant while walking. Young babies carried by a walking mother were the most relaxed and soothed, compared with infants whose mothers sat in a chair and held them, the study found. As a mother stood up and started to walk with her child cradled close in her arms, scientists observed an automatic change in the baby's behavior. Kuroda said she was surprised by the strength of the calming effect from maternal holding and walking.

Simple & Natural De-worming tips for children

Simple & Natural De-worming tips for children      The tell tale signs of worms in your children’s gut could  range from patches on the skin, to decreased appetite , mild abdominal pain around the navel, bad breath, nausea, vomiting, constipation, diarrhea, itching at anus and disturbed sleep. Depending on the age of the child you can de-worm them using regular allopathic medicines periodically. Once you notice any  of the above change in the body, first check with your pediatrician and resolve whether it is worms or any other symptoms. If any syrup or tablet is prescribed for de-worming, give it to the child as per the dosage. Follow these basic tips to keep worms at bay: * Wash your hands and the child’s hands with soap before and after eating and when you come from outside/play. * Give  1 tbs of Tulsi/Basil leave juice along with honey every 15 days. * In food  like Ajwain ( carom seeds), Black pepper, Asofoetida, Black salt, Dry ginger, Garlic and  Turmeric in your food  as they are good de-worming agents. * Ajwain( carom seeds) powder  mixed with a pinch of salt and taken on an empty stomach for a week helps to eliminate worms from the intestines. * Drinking boiled water till the problem solves is very important. * If the baby/child has worms coming from the anus , clean the place and keep a cotton ball soaked in sesame oil there when the child sleeps. * Avoid foods like  bananas, custard apples, pineapples, bread, jam, noodles, cheese, pastries and other bakery products and junk food. Increase intake of fresh vegetables and wash the green leafy vegetables thoroughly before cooking them.    

Connecting with your Baby before Birth

Connecting with your Baby before Birth     Babies have the god-given gift of connecting with the mother in the womb itself.Moms to be should be able to connect with their baby through the 5 body senses which starts from the 5th month of pregnancy .Jessy Naidu our parenting expert explains how the baby can  respond and connect directly  to the mothers emotions of touch and feel. A must watch for all the new moms-to-be!

Sitali Pranayama Benefits during Pregnancy

Sitali Pranayama Benefits during Pregnancy     Watch our parenting trainer talk about how to expel the heat from the body and why it is important to remove the heat from the body when you are pregnant. She shows us how to practice Sitali Pranayama - a breathing exercise which helps in cooling the body during pregnancy  time.This can also be practiced when you have fever or when there is excess heat produced in the body.

Wet Wipes and diaper rash

  Wet Wipes and diaper rash   As young mothers on the run the easiest way to clean your baby’s bottoms after removing the diaper is to use the convenient wet wipes. Simple fast and possible the  cleanest way to clean your baby’s little bottom. Now the resultant effect we are sure which every mother would have seen are the severe rashes that infect the child and sometimes also leading to fungal infection .Extremely painful which s/he cannot express and the crying can drive you mad at times. When this happens and the rash doesn't subside check out these few tips to help you tide through the problem. •  First and foremost remove diapers and avoid putting them for at least 3-4 days. •  Avoid wet wipes as some of them have minor content of chemical and alcohol which cause the skin to burn more. •  Use water directly and wash the baby or use a wash cloth dipped in warm water and clean. •  Avoid soap for some time. And try to keep the area open for some time. • To keep the area dry the best powder is to use cornstarch powder. Some of the branded baby powders have cornstarch in it. •  If you don’t have it mix some corn starch in baby powder and dust the baby bottoms with it •  Now tight clothes only loose cotton clothes and use a cloth nappy till s/he feels better. Unless its winter season. There are various creams available OTC and find the specific one suited to your baby ,but keeping the area dry is very important for quick healing. Try to find  wet wipes which don’t contain alcohol and are not too fragrant and use them.    

Children are meant to play

Children are meant to play   Watch Dr Chitti Vishnupriya talk about the importance of why Children should play. Children must play and parents have to decide for how much time they should play.  Apart from the physical activity, playing also improves the social and emotional strength of children  and they grow to be happier people.        

Teach your Child Gardening and see them grow

Teach your Child Gardening and see them grow     Gardening - a hobby which is usually pursued by elders can actually be a wonderful method to teach new skills to children. They can learn new skills, have fun, enjoy and develop self-confidence by spending time in the garden learning how to grow plants and watch them grow.  Apart from getting their hands dirty which they love to do they get the opportunity be outdoors and get the right amount of sunshine. Holistic approach to Gardening. According to the Waldorf and other Asian philosophies engaging children in playing in the sand and digging the soil to grow plants is extremely healing and also grounds the children to the mother earth. They learn to be at peace with themselves and their cognitive skills also improve. Benefits of Gardening for children 1. The best point is that they have fun and enjoy being out doors 2. There is a scientific learning where they learn about saplings and how plants grow 3. They learn to be responsible while caring for plants They learn to understand that plants need water, air and have to be tended to like little kids or else without either of these they die 4. They will learn about the different plants life and discover how they grow and their nutritional values 5. They learn to be more Self-confident when they see the sapling that they planted grows 6. They learn  to respect how  food to the table comes and how much time and effort it takes for fruits , vegetables and other plants take to grow 7. They will love to enjoy the beauty of nature  and 8. Finally they learn about teamwork and cooperation where they interact and share with other children while gardening as a group event.  

What should I do when I get Angry with my child

What should I do when I get Angry with my child?     How to Handle Your Anger at Your Child? A frequently asked question by parents irrespective of the generation or time where our parents faced the same issue as we have and so will the future generation. Watch Parenting expert Dr Chitty Vishnu Priya share her views and tips on how to handle anger when your  children irritate them or misbehave. It is very important for parents not to react violently as this will adversely affect the child’s behavior in future. Learning how to effectively control our temperament and discipline our children is an important skill that all parents must learn.A must watch for all parents !  

Children and Gadget addiction

Children and Gadget addiction   A question which many parents ask is “when can I start giving my child the I phone/pad/tab”? Especially with the trend now where new age parents give their little children the Smartphone or the I-pad and say “ Oh! My child already knows how to use the tab/phone” , “ he know where the widgets are I still have no clue as to where the others icons are” .You probably heard enough of those and these praises go on and on. At the end of the day we wonder if this is a strategy to keep the child quiet so that s/he doesn’t bother the parent .Weighing the pros and cons of giving these gadgets to the child at an early stage has been a point of debate ever since this gadget /gizmo phase started. Studies say that too much of usage of the touch screen can inhibit the motor skills of the child. Different muscles are used to type, point, click, and touch the screen that are actually suppose to control a pencil. So spending longtime on the User friendly gadget can actually hinder his/her growth. Secondly, the technology used changes the chemistry of the children's brains so that they end up not being able to concentrate for long periods. There are studies to say that it may be contributing to an increase in ADHD (attention deficiency), as the brain reacts in a different way when compared to the regular pen-pencil and paper activities. This kind of an interface is changing the way our children's brains operate. The parent –child interaction also is reduced which leads to other cognitive deficiencies and the way the child operates his brain as the years progress. The child can also develop a distance between him/herself and the parents which in the long run can lead to emotional confusion during adulthood. Ultimately we can’t stop the parent from not giving the Gadget but the least we can do is to cut down on the usage and limit the time spent on playing with the Ipad/phone or Tab and try to focus the Childs attention with hands on creative activities and develop and closer bond with the child.

Tips For A Healthy Pregnancy and Healthy Baby

Tips For A Healthy Pregnancy and Healthy Baby   Watch Jessy Naidu give tips for a healthy pregnancy and healthy baby.The people surrounding the mother-to-be should create a healthy and happy environment. It is important to listen to positive words, meditate , practice yoga or exercise and enjoy pregnancy as a beautiful phase. Make your pregnancy a divine journey and enjoy the fruits of child birth !

Dear Parents –Your Kids are watching you

Dear Parents –Your Kids are watching you   “Children have never been very good at listening to their elders, but they have never failed to imitate them.” This statement is very true and to elaborate further on this concept in good parenting , Dr. Chitti Vishnu Priya (Parent Educationist) talks about how Kids Learn different things just by watching and imitating their Parents. She stresses on the fact that it’s very important to keep a pleasant atmosphere in the house, which in turn gets reflected in how the child behaves outside.  

పిల్లలకు అసలైన బహుమతి ‘ఆత్మవిశ్వాసం’

పిల్లలకు అసలైన బహుమతి ‘ఆత్మవిశ్వాసం’   పిల్లల్ని ఆనందపరచడానికి రకరకాల బహుమతులు ఇస్తుంటాం. వారికి ఇష్టమైనవి, అవసరమైనవి వెతికిమరీ కొని తెస్తాం. అయితే ఇవన్నీ అప్పటికి మాత్రమే ఆనందాన్నిచ్చేవి. అలాకాక పిల్లలకి ఎప్పటికీ ఉపయోగపడే అతి అమూల్యమైన, విలువైన బహుమతి ఒకటి వుందట. అది కేవలం తల్లిదండ్రులు మాత్రమే ఇవ్వగలిగింది. అదీ, అతి చిన్నవయసు నుంచి తప్పకుండా ఇవ్వాల్సిందిట. ఆ అమూల్యమైన బహుమతి పేరే ‘కాన్ఫిడెన్స్’. ఎందుకంటే, తనమీద తనకి నమ్మకం కలిగిన ఈనాటి పిల్లలు రేపు పెరిగి పెద్దయ్యి అదే నమ్మకంతో జీవితంలో తాము కోరుకున్న విజయాలని సొంతం చేసుకుంటారు అంటున్నారు మిచిగాన్ యూనివర్సిటీ పరిశోధకులు. ‘పిల్లలు - వారిలో ఆత్మవిశ్వాసం’ అన్న విషయంపై అధ్యయనం చేపట్టిన వీరు... 200 మంది తల్లిదండ్రులని, పిల్లలని ప్రశ్నించారు. వారి జీవనశైలిని అధ్యయనం చేశారు. తల్లిదండ్రులకు వారు సూచనలు, సలహాలు ఇచ్చారు. తల్లిదండ్రులు తమ పిల్లల్ని కంటికి రెప్పలా చూసుకోవాలని అనుకుంటారు. దాంతో అతి గారాబంగానే కాదు, ఎంతో జాగ్రత్తగా చూసుకుంటారు. వాళ్ళని అరచేతుల్లో పెట్టి కాచుకుంటారు. పిల్లలు పెరిగి పెద్దవారవుతున్నకొద్దీ ఆ పట్టు బిగుస్తుందే కాని విడిపోదు. ఆ ప్రయత్నంలో కొన్నిసార్లు పిల్లలు ఎక్కడ చేజారిపోతారనే భయంతో ఎక్కువ కట్టడి కూడా చేస్తారు. తమ మాట విననప్పుడు విమర్శిస్తారు. ఇదంతా పిల్లల్ని పెంచడంలో భాగమే. వారి మంచికోరే తల్లిదండ్రులు చేసే పనులే. అయితే ఇదే మంచిది కాదు అంటున్నారు. నిపుణులు. ఎక్కడ పిల్లలు తప్పటడుగు వేస్తారోననే భయంతో వాళ్ళని అతిగా కట్టడి చేయడం, లేదా వాళ్ళ ప్రతి అడుగులో చేయందించడం మంచిది కాదంటున్నారు నిపుణులు. పిల్లలకి తల్లిదండ్రులు తప్పకుండా ఇవ్వాల్సిన అమూల్యమైన బహుమతి ‘ఆత్మవిశ్వాసం’. ఈ బహుమతి ఇవ్వాలంటే తల్లిదండ్రులు మొట్టమొదటగా చేయవలసింది ఏంటో తెలుసా? పిల్లల చేతివేలుని వదిలేసి వారంతట వారు నడిచేలా చేయడం. ఆ ప్రయత్నంలో పిల్లలు పడతారు, లేస్తారు. ఆ క్రమంలోనే సరైన నడక రీతిని తెలుసుకుంటారు. చిన్నప్పుడు పిల్లలు నడక నేర్చుకునేటప్పుడు తల్లిదండ్రులు చేసే ఈ పనినే జీవితానికి అన్వయించుకోమంటున్నారు నిపుణులు. పిల్లలని స్వంతగా ఆలోచించనివ్వాలి. స్వంతగా వారి పనులు వారు చేసుకునేలా ప్రోత్సహించాలి. దానితోపాటు ఏ పనైనా స్వంతగా చేయడానికి ప్రయత్నించనివ్వాలి. వీటన్నిటిలో పిల్లలు మొదటిసారే సక్రమంగా చేయలేరు. అయినా వదిలేయాలి. ఆ పొరపాట్ల నుంచే పిల్లలు నేర్చుకుంటారు... ఎదుగుతారు అని నిపుణులు చెబుతున్నారు. తల్లిదండ్రులుగా పిల్లల మంచిచెడ్డలు అన్నిటిని దగ్గరుండి చూసుకోవాలన్న తాపత్రయం వారిని ఎదగనివ్వకుండా చేస్తోందేమో ఒక్కసారి చూసుకోండి అంటున్నారు నిపుణులు. కష్టంగా అనిపించినా నిజమదే. ప్రతి క్షణం పిల్లలు ప్రతి విషయానికీ తల్లిదండ్రుల మీద ఆధారపడటం వారికి ముచ్చటగా అనిపించినా, పిల్లలకి స్వంత వ్యక్తిత్వం అన్నది లేకుండా చేస్తుంది కాబట్టి ఏ వయసు పిల్లలైనా వారి ఆలోచనలకి, వారి ప్రయత్నాలకి అవకాశం ఇవ్వాలిట. మూడేళ్ళ పిల్లాడు కూడా అమ్మ ఏది వద్దందో అది చేయడానికే ప్రయత్నిస్తాడు. ఆ సమయంలో ‘‘నే చెప్పాను కదా వద్దు’’ అని ఖచ్చితంగా చెప్పడం కన్నా ‘‘ఎందుకు’’ అన్న ప్రశ్నకి సమాధానం చెప్పడం మంచిదని అంటున్నారు వీరు. ఆ ‘‘ఎందుకు’’ అన్న ప్రశ్న తల్లిదండ్రులని ఛాలెంజ్ చేస్తున్నట్టు, వారిని ఎదిరిస్తున్నట్టు అనుకుంటారు చాలామంది. కానీ ఆ ప్రశ్న వారిలో ధైర్యానికి, ఆత్మవిశ్వాసానికి, తెలుసుకోవాలన్న ఆసక్తికి ఉదాహరణగా తీసుకోవాలిట. చిన్నప్పుడు పడ్డ పునాదిపైన పిల్లల వ్యక్తిత్వం రూపు దిద్దుకుంటుంది. కాబట్టి చిన్నప్పటి నుంచి వాళ్ళని పట్టు విడుపులతో పెంచితే వారిలో ఏదైనా ప్రయత్నించడానికి వెనకాడని ధైర్యం కలుగుతుంది. అలాగే ఏ పనైనా చేయడానికి ప్రయత్నిస్తే అందులోని సులువుని తెలుసుకోవచ్చన్న విషయం అర్థమవుతుంది. పిల్లలు చేసే పొరపాట్లు వారి ఎదుగుదలలో ఓ తప్పనిసరి ప్రాసెస్. వాటినుంచి వాళ్ళెన్నో నేర్చుకుంటారు. పెద్దలుగా వారు ప్రమాదపుటంచులకు వెళ్ళకుండా చూడటం మాత్రమే తల్లిదండ్రుల పని. వారి తప్పులను ఎంచొద్దు. ఆ తప్పులను ఎత్తి చూపించొద్దు. నీవల్ల కాదంటూ అన్నిట్లో వారికి సాయపడొద్దు. పిల్లల ఎదుగుదల క్రమమంతా ఓ చక్కటి ఆట. పిల్లలు ఒకోసారి గెలుస్తారు. మరోసారి ఓడిపోతారు. ఆ ఓటమిలోంచే మళ్ళీ ఎలా గెలవాలో వాళ్ళే నేర్చుకుంటారు. తల్లిదండ్రులుగా ఆ ఆటని చూస్తూ ఆనందించడమే మనం వాళ్లకిచ్చే అమూల్యమైన బహుమతి. -రమ ఇరగవరపు

How to Control Hyperactive Children

How to Control Hyperactive Children   Amma Kosam - Hyperactivity in Children: Watch Dr Chitti Vishnu Priya (Parent Educationist) give Tips for  mothers' to handle Hyperactive Children. What can be termed as being active more than usual, this behavior in a child can be a mother’s nightmare. Handling such hyperactive energetic children requires patience and a few tips which she shares with us. These simple but effective tips can help you calm your hyperactive children and help them learn self control and balance both the active mind and body.