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Low Birth Weight in Babies
As soon as you come to know of your pregnancy, all your efforts are directed towards the well-being of your unborn baby. Even though you take good care, sometimes some health complications may arise, and one such complication could be low birth weight in babies.
What is Considered a Low Birth Weight in a Baby?
An average baby weighs around 8 pounds (3.6 kgs). If your baby is born between 37 to 42 weeks of pregnancy and weighs around 5 pounds (2.5 kgs) or less, then he is considered to be of low birth weight. According to WHO or World Health Organisation, any baby who is born weighing lesser than 2.5 kgs at birth, irrespective of gestational age, is a baby born with low birth weight.
In case a baby is born weighing less than 2000 grams, he will be given special neonatal care and may have to stay in the hospital for a few weeks or until he is strong enough to go home.
How Can You Differentiate Low Birth Weight Baby From Premature Baby?
The characteristics of a 'low birth weight baby' and a premature baby are not the same. A baby who is born before 37 weeks of pregnancy or before is termed as a premature baby. In other words, premature babies do not stay for the full duration of gestation inside their mother’s womb.
Unlike premature babies, low birth weight babies are a wider category which includes premature and full-term babies weighing less than 2.5 kgs at birth. Low birth weight babies are also called SFD or 'small for date'.
What Causes Low Birth Weight in Babies?
Here are some common causes of low birth weight in babies:
1. Multiple Babies
In case a mother is carrying more than one baby, there are chances that the babies will be born with low birth weight. This happens because the nutrition is shared, the uterus is stretched, and the babies put extra pressure on the mother’s uterus.
2. Premature Birth
If a baby is born before completion of 37 weeks of pregnancy, it is termed as premature birth. Preterm or premature babies are usually low birth weight babies too.
3. Problems in the Placenta
Placenta-related problems during pregnancy such as placenta previa or preeclampsia may hamper the supply of nutrition and flow of blood to the foetus.
4. If the Mother Has Hypertension
Hypertension or high blood pressure can cause complications during pregnancy that may be fatal to the foetus. It may affect the flow of blood and absorption of vital nutrients by the foetus, leading to the baby being born with low birth weight.
5. Abnormalities of the Uterus
Sometimes certain abnormalities in the uterus may be the reason for your baby’s restricted growth. Uterine malfunctions, fibroids or other such conditions may fiddle with the baby’s proper growth and may result in his low birth weight.
6. Any Kind of Substance Abuse by the Mother
If the mother has been taking restricted drugs, alcohol or has been smoking during her pregnancy, it may lead to a disrupted supply of oxygen to the foetus and may result in a low birth weight infant.
7. IUGR or Intrauterine Growth Restriction
Sometimes due to IUGR, which is a condition of delayed growth of the foetus while in the womb, a baby may be born with low birth weight. In most cases, he may be healthy if the LBW is due to the genetic conditions. There are two types of IUGR - Asymmetric and Symmetric IUGR. Issues with the placenta, malnutrition faced by the mother, infections, high blood pressure etc., are the causes for IUGR.
8. Infections
It is very common for a pregnant woman to catch various kinds of infections during pregnancy and the medicines that may be used to treat these infections may adversely affect the growth of the foetus, which may lead to low birth weight in her baby.
9. Diabetes
If a mother has diabetes, the chances of delivering a bigger baby than usual are more. However, in some cases, the baby may be born with low birth weight.
10. Cervical Abnormalities
If a mother has problems in her cervix, it may lead to premature delivery and thus, may lead giving birth to a baby with low birth weight. Your doctor may recommend a stitch or cerclage in your cervix.
11. Prior History of Low Birth Weight
In case you have had a low birth weight or premature baby previously, it increases your chances of facing the same issue in your subsequent pregnancies as well.
12. Lack of Nutrition to the Mother
If the mother does not consume a well-balanced and nutritious diet during pregnancy, it may affect her unborn baby's growth and development, and may lead to low birth weight too.
What are the Effects of Low Birth Weight on the Child's Development?
Here are some of the risks faced by low birth weight babies risks or ill-effects of low birth weight on your child’s development:
It increases the chances of contracting infections.
It may lead to inadequate oxygen levels at birth.
There may be too many red blood cells formed to compensate for low oxygen levels in the womb.
It may cause breathing difficulties in babies.
It may lead to low blood sugar or hypoglycaemia.
It may hamper your baby’s ability to keep himself warm.
It may cause feeding difficulties and weight gain issues in babies.
It may lead to sudden infant death syndrome.
How is Low Birth Weight Diagnosed during Pregnancy?
Your doctor may adopt the following diagnosing techniques to assess whether or not your baby is a low birth weight baby:
1. Measuring the Fundus
After you enter the 20th week of your pregnancy, your doctor will measure the fundus of your uterus. The measurement of the fundus in centimetres helps in establishing the pregnancy in weeks. The height of the fundus should be corresponding to the number of weeks of your pregnancy; at 22 weeks, the height should be around 22 cm. In case the height of the fundus is low, it may lead to low birth weight babies.
2. An Ultrasound Scan
An ultrasound scan involves taking pictures of your baby’s internal structure such as his head, femur bones, abdomen etc. Though this method is not a primary method of screening, it helps in analysing the low birth infants.
How Can You Lower the Risk of Having a Low Birth Weight Infant?
Here are some things that you as a mother can do to lower the risk of low birth weight in the newborn:
Prenatal Care: Pay heed to prenatal care and address all health concerns with optimum discretion.
Pregnancy Weight Gain and Diet: Follow a well-balanced and nutritious diet and keep a tab on your weight gain.
Changes in Lifestyle: In case you used to smoke or consume alcohol before pregnancy, it is strictly recommended to refrain from all these things during pregnancy.
Keep a Check on Your Health Conditions: If you are suffering from any health complications such as diabetes or hypertension, keep it under control.
How to Treat Low Birth Weight in Infants?
The treatment may depend upon the gestational age of the baby, the overall health of the baby, the baby’s tolerance towards certain medicines and other such factors. Here are some ways of treating low birth weight in infants:
The baby may be fed through an IV or through a tube into his stomach, in case he is not able to suckle.
The baby may be kept in temperature-controlled beds.
The baby will be kept in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit or NICU for a few days.
Tips to Help Your Baby Overcome Low Birth Weight
Here are some tips to help your baby overcome low birth weight:
Regular Check-Ups: If your baby is born with low birth weight, then it is important that you take him for regular check-ups to keep a tab on his developmental milestones, and also maintain a low birth weight baby growth chart.
Practise Breastfeeding: The best way to take care of a low birth weight baby at home is to practise breastfeeding. Breast milk is ideal for a newborn baby as it provides all the nutrition needed. The best you can do is to breastfeed him as often as possible to ensure that he gains weight the right way.
Introduce Solid Foods: In order to help your baby’s development and growth, you should add solid foods after the age of six months. However, in case your doctor advises you to introduce solid foods before that, you may do so.
Help Your Baby Gain Weight in a Healthy Manner: No doubt you want your baby to gain weight but it should be done in a healthy way. Thus, do not add any refined or artificial foods to your baby’s diet.
Be Patient: It is very normal for any mother to feel worried when the matter concerns her child’s health and well-being. But maintaining patience is very important so that you are able to help your baby gain weight in a healthy way.
Even if your baby is a low birth weight baby, with proper medical care, your baby can achieve all of his developmental milestones and grow into a healthy baby. So there is no need to worry!
Also Read: Weight Gain in Newborn Babies Read more
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Ways to Teach Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle to Kids
Preserving our environment is no more a choice, it is a necessity. Our environment is facing a serious threat due to the increasing population, pollution, and misuse of technology. Therefore, it is imperative to educate our future generation about the various ways to maintain and save the environment. One way of protecting our environment can be by observing the three 'R’s' namely Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle.
Your kid may not realise that the everyday household trash doesn’t just magically disappear but often gets dumped on a landfill polluting our environment. You can help your kid understand the impact his actions are likely to have on the environment and motivate him to cut down his contribution to the household trash. Parents following eco-friendly practices at home can not only make their kids understand the concept of Reduce, Reuse and Recycle but may also encourage their kids to adopt and apply it to their everyday life.
What does the Terms 'Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle' Mean?
Making our kids aware of the importance and advantages of reducing, reuse, and recycle may be a positive step towards saving our environment. But how do you formulate the concept of reduce, reuse, and recycle for kids by simpler means so that kids can grasp the sense of these terms properly? To put it plainly: reduce the quantity of waste you generate, reuse things by employing creative ways, & recycle the used thing to convert them into other products.
Kids may be taught to understand the value of things and not indulge in wastage of any kinds. Kids need to know the difference between need and want. They should be taught to switch off the lights during the daytime when simply drawing away the curtains can flood the room with ample light. You should teach them to close the running tap while brushing their teeth. All these things which may seem of trivial importance should be explained to them right from the start. Similarly, kids may be encouraged to reuse empty containers, old clothes, toys, or paper in innovative ways instead of discarding them. Kids may also be coaxed to recycle paper, plastic, tins, carboards to create new products from them.
Why Do You need to Teach Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle to Kids?
Our environment is degrading at a rapid pace. By educating our kids about the simple yet essential notion of Reduce, Reuse and Recycle in a manner that it may become a way of life for them we can significantly improve the health of our planet. If kids learn to reduce the consumption of the valuable natural resources, if they start reusing things and restrict wastage, or take to recycling trash, they can make a substantial contribution in revamping the state of fast depleting natural resources and controlling the amount of pollution produced.
Teaching Children to Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle
Teaching your kid to reduce, reuse and recycle by setting an example is probably the best way to help him understand and inculcate these principles. You should first begin at home extending later to involve the community, country, and the world. Involving your kid in household efforts may inspire him to make the right choices when he grows up. There can be many fun ways to teach kids reduce, reuse, and recycle. Here is a list of some interesting reduce reuse recycle activities for kids:
Tips for How to Reduce
Some helpful tips to reduce can be:
Ask your kid to serve himself only the needed portion of food to avoid throwing away any leftovers.
Guide your kid to utilise the whole paper for writing and drawing purpose instead of wasting the paper by writing just a few lines.
Persuade him to buy products in bulk like breakfast cereal and detergent to reduce the amount of packaging.
Convince him to opt for reusable shopping bags in place of paper or plastic ones.
Teach him to refrain from using bottled water and products that come wrapped in styrofoam.
Inculcate the habit of growing vegetables and fruits at home in your child to reduce grocery shopping from the store.
Choose durable products that may not require frequent replacements.
Tips for How to Reuse
Few useful tips on how to reuse can be:
Challenge your kid to think of inventive ways to reuse discarded packing and empty containers.
Propose fun DIY craft projects to transform cardboard boxes, kitchen roll tubes, egg trays into useful items like planters, pen holders by using some imagination.
Select containers that can be refilled.
Prompt your kid to use broken bits of crayons to make pretty candles to gift someone.
Try and repair appliances, fix products whenever possible, mend clothes to use available resources again instead of buying new things.
Make efficient use of paper by printing on both sides.
Tips for How to Recycle
Certain tips on how to recycle can be:
Influence your kid to separate household trash into recyclable and non-recyclable bins.
In case your city has a recycling centre you can visit it along with your kid to make him aware of different recyclable items.
Encourage your kid to take part in recycling drives organised by schools or local authorities.
If possible enrol your kid in recycling programs which may motivate him to practise recycling in the day to day functioning.
Find out about retailers who accept castoff products like cans, batteries, empty bottles and involve your kid in the whole exercise.
You can also create a composite pit in your backyard to dispose of the household trash.
Ask your kid to find out ways to recycle cardboard boxes, old newspapers, tins, and renovate them into something useful.
Coax your kid to plant trees. You can also embrace grasscycling by leaving the grass cuttings after clipping the lawn to mix with the soil and enrich it.
Teaching Children to Rebuy
Children may be taught to buy recycled things in the following ways:
Teach your child to buy products that are manufactured from recycled supplies instead of hazardous materials.
Ask him to shop for clothes and other items from thrift and consignment stores.
Parents need to know that it is never too late to begin training their kids to reduce, reuse, and recycle. By adopting conservation practices at home your kids can help secure a cleaner and brighter future tomorrow. So, teach him to practice reduce, reuse, and recycle.
Also Read: Waste Material Craft Ideas for Kids Read more
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Tomato soup for babies
Babies get quickly attracted to anything that's red. Tomatoes are red because they are a rich source of anti-oxidant lycopene, which imparts the bright red color to tomatoes. Your kids are bound to love this tangy, red soup.
Serves
Preparation Time
Cooking Time
2 People
5 Minutes
15 Minutes
Ingredients
4 tomatoes
A pinch of salt (optional)
1/2 tsp butter
1/2 cup water
Method
Step 1
Wash, deseed and chop tomatoes into large pieces.
Step 2
Boil the tomato pieces along with water and let the tomatoes cook with lid closed.
Step 3
Peel the tomatoes off its skin. Let it cool a little.
Step 4
Puree the tomatoes with little water.
Step 5
Heat a pan and add butter to it.
Step 6
Add the puree to it and let it simmer for 1 minute.
Step 7
Salt can be added if required. Note: butter has salt in it already.
Step 8
Tasty and hearty tomato soup is ready to be served. Serve lukewarm.
Nutritional Information
Serving Size 1 cup (8 fl oz) (244 g)
Calories
73
Calories from Fat
6
Total Fat
0.7g 1%
Saturated Fat
0.2g 1%
Polyunsaturated Fat
0.2g
Monounsaturated Fat
0.2g
Sodium
664mg 28%
Potassium
273.28mg 8%
Carbohydrates
16g 5%
Dietary Fiber
1.5g 6%
Sugars
9.7g
Protein
1.9g
Vitamin A
9%
Vitamin C
26%
Calcium
2%
Iron
7%
*Based on a 2000 calorie diet
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5 Reasons Why Weight Loss Is Harder For Women
Are you diligently eating a balanced diet? Going on a walk every now and then? Doing housework? Great! But despite all that, is your weight, especially in the post-pregnancy period, still high? Well, don't feel down in the dumps. Science now confirms that there are some reasons which actually make weight loss HARDER for women - which means the fault isn't with you!
Weight issues can surface as the biggest challenge for women, particularly so after they become a mother. Most of us try to get back in shape after some months have passed since our delivery. Those of us who are fitness enthusiasts even sweat it out for hours and hours while the rest of us go on a diet, get walking, and control our portions. But the numbers on the weighing scale and the love handles on your tummy just don’t seem to budge!
To make things worse, you notice your husband is shedding pounds without putting in as much effort. Just what is going on here? Why do women have it so difficult when it comes to weight loss and what can we do about it?
Well, research has proven that shedding the pounds is definitely harder for the fairer sex. So it's not your fault if you are unable to lose weight, really, but the problem could be biological in nature. Check out the five reasons that could be at play in spoiling your weight loss plans - and also find out how to STOP them!
1. You have a slower metabolism rate
Genetic make-up is largely responsible for the difficulties that women face with weight loss. By nature, the metabolic rate of a man is faster than that of a woman. Additionally, a large proportion of a man’s body is made of muscle, while a woman’s has more fat. Both these factors account for men being able to burn more calories faster (even in the resting state) as compared to women. Bah!
2. Your hormones are messing things up
As incredible as it may seem, hormones are also a reason why it’s tough for women to lose weight as fast as men. Bloating and water retention are a part and parcel of your monthly period, which can make you look and feel fatter. PMS also integrates symptoms like depression and a sudden increase in appetite, which may have an adverse impact on your plans to lose weight. As far as pregnancy and delivery are concerned, the hormones are in a mad rush!
3. You are getting the wrong kind of exercise
This one can be particularly depressing - you have been exercising hard but weight loss is still not happening and your post-pregnancy sagging skin continues to sag! Well, it is possible that you are exercising wrong - and this is actually worse than not getting any exercise. Traditionally, cardio exercises are recommended for women while men go for strength training. The former is effective for burning calories while the latter increases metabolism by building up muscle mass. As a result, men tend to derive greater benefit from exercise. In your quest to tone up, you need to combine different workouts or you'll just be wasting time.
4. Your emotions are making you fatter
Yes, it is very much possible! Women have to deal with more stress and anxiety in their daily lives than others in the family. This increases the incidence of emotional eating in women and gives them a tendency to fall prey to sudden spikes in appetite (especially chocolate, fries and chilled soda...) As a result, you can find it tough to bring down weighing scale numbers. This is particularly too when you become a mom and have new stressors in your life, as well as increased hunger owing to breastfeeding.
5. Your environment is not health-friendly
Finally, another strange but definite cause of why it’s harder for women to lose weight is the environment. Stay-at-home mommies may eat their kids’ leftovers to avoid wastage. Tasting while cooking is another culprit as is snacking when there’s no time to enjoy a proper meal. Coupled with everything else, it’s easy to see why women consume more calories and tend to fail more in weight loss efforts.
When you don't lose weight despite rigorous efforts, you may fall into a negative pattern. But depression can worsen the situation. So, if your weighing scale is not budging and your plans are not giving you the desired results, it doesn’t always mean you’re doing anything wrong. Just be positive, focus on fitness and give yourself time to lose weight. It will happen with time. Read more
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Benefits of Prenatal and Postnatal Exercises
Pregnancy demands a lot of energy. Your pre-baby body determines your post-baby health. Hence, following a fitness regime religiously before trying to conceive will prepare your body to cope with the intense strain that is to come during labour and delivery. A physically active woman will have a shorter duration of labour than a woman who isn't so active. You can start any form of exercise program, even if you have never been a fitness fanatic.
Benefits Of Exercise
1. Decreases muscle and mental tension.
2. Relieves back pain.
3. Strengthen the muscles and prepares the body for labour.
4. Improves blood circulation.
5. Enhances fertility.
6. Improves posture and appearance.
7. Improves flexibility, stamina, and endurance.
Note:
Exercise 4 to 5 times a week which is focused on cardio rather than weight loss to improve stamina and endurance. Stretching, swimming, deep breathing exercises and moderate cardio exercises like brisk walking should be incorporated.
Guidelines for the pre-natal stage
1, Avoid any form of exercising that involves jumping that can cause abdominal trauma.
2. Avoid exercises which makes your heart beat too fast or involves too much sweating.
3. Avoid balancing exercise and sit-ups.
4. Avoid overstretching. It may cause injuries due to loose joints.
5. Do not hold breath during any exercises.
6. Aerobic activities should not exceed more than 20 minutes.
7. As pregnancy progresses, activities should be reduced and limited to deep breathing exercises during the last few months.
Guidelines for the post-natal stage
Post-natal isn't the time to stress your body, so give some time for it to heal. After consulting your doctor, you can start with light indoor activities focused on core strengthening. You can incorporate light walks as well. Exercise helps you to get back to your pre-pregnancy body.
1. Start with indoor activities focused on core strengthening.
2. Incorporate light walks.
3. Only after 3 months of delivery, start incorporating moderate cardio exercises like swimming. Gentle strength training with bands rather than weights can be incorporated as well.
4. Yoga and pilates can be included post 3 months.
5. Avoid high impact activities like running and jumping.
6. Avoid lifting of heavy weights and over stretching.
7. Avoid activities that require sudden reflexes or movements.
Nutrition
1. In addition to the prescribed medication, a woman should eat traditionally without dieting. Should incorporate Galecto Gaugs (foods which help in milk production).
2. Stay hydrated all the time.
3. Eat pulses, protein rich food, green leafy vegetables and fruits in abundance.
4. Drink at least one glass of water before breast feeding.
Disclaimer: The views, opinions and positions (including content in any form) expressed within this post are those of the author alone. The accuracy, completeness and validity of any statements made within this article are not guaranteed. We accept no liability for any errors, omissions or representations. The responsibility for intellectual property rights of this content rests with the author and any liability with regards to infringement of intellectual property rights remains with him/her. Read more
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Dr Ghouse has added a new answer
Guardian of 0 children
3 hours ago
Q. I am 8 month pregnant. I have UTI. How to treat UTI during pregnancy. Also does UTI resolve itself without any medication if I drink a lot of water?
Dr Ghouse
Paediatrician
2 hours ago
A. it depends on the intensity of infection the strain of organisms present in the urine take proper treatment. if there is no relief it is better you see your doctor for proper examination particularly physical examination if there is need for doing investigations to find out the problem and treatment ok
Dr Ghouse has added a new answer
Expecting Mom due in 4 months
3 hours ago
Q. hello everyone, please suggest me, am getting pain in lower abdomen right side, anybody plz tell me why am getting pain pls
Dr Ghouse
Paediatrician
3 hours ago
A. this needs proper examination to find out problems like appendicitis. if there is no relief it is better you see your doctor for proper examination particularly physical examination if there is need for doing investigations to find out the problem and treatment ok
Rashmi has added a new answer
Expecting Mom due in 2 months
2 hours ago
Q. hi mam for 2days I am seeing my baby bumb decreasing is it cause of worry?
Rashmi
Mom of a 9 yr 8 m old girl
2 hours ago
A. I don’t know how the bumps of your child decreasing that’s not fair to me second you have not mentioned the current age of your child to do it and there is no clarity in the query it would be difficult for me to help us so if you don’t mind can you please repost with all the necessary details associated with your question
Dr Ghouse has added a new answer
Trying To Conceive
1 hour ago
Q. Hello I had my period missed for April month and today I got my period. Is it normal to have period after 1 month or is there anything I should be worried about? Iam worried please let me know if that's ok or should I consult my doctor
Read moreDr Ghouse
Paediatrician
1 hour ago
A. consult your doctor for any evaluation required. if there is no relief it is better you see your doctor for proper examination particularly physical examination if there is need for doing investigations to find out the problem and treatment ok
Dr Ghouse has added a new answer
Guardian of 0 children
1 hour ago
Q. hllo am in 34 week of pregnancy,cramps in my hand and foots,my pulses is very fast,i feel tiredness internally,are these symptoms are normal
Dr Ghouse
Paediatrician
56 mins ago
A. get investigations particularly hemoglobin level. if there is no relief it is better you see your doctor for proper examination particularly physical examination if there is need for doing investigations to find out the problem and treatment ok
Dr Ghouse has added a new answer
Guardian of 0 children
52 mins ago
Q. i feel some fever internally also
Dr Ghouse
Paediatrician
49 mins ago
A. please check the temperature and get the investigations. fever can be because of different reasons most of the times viral bacterial sometimes due to less immunity there can be recurrence better to treat only with paracetamol if the fever more than 100degr
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