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Baby on the Way? Here's What You Should Start Now!
You’ve got the good news and you and your partner are ecstatic – your exciting journey is about to begin! Pregnancy can be a beautiful but daunting experience. Your body is changing by the day, your hormones are adjusting to the change, and you and your partner are starting to think less about yourselves and more about the little one growing inside your belly. With all of these things happening, planning ahead for the baby’s future can be overwhelming! But, don’t worry, because you’re not alone. Almost all first-time parents face anxiety in the beginning, and the best part is that there is a way around it so you don’t have to feel stressed out about planning for your little one.
Planning Checklist for Baby’s Arrival – 10 Things to Do
Now that you are pregnant, it’s important to start ahead with the things that will make your life easier once the baby comes. Plan in advance for the future, so you can spend your time bonding with your bundle of joy instead of fretting over last-minute decisions! Here are the things you will need to do before your baby’s arrival:
1. Get a good obstetrician.
A good doctor is essential for a smooth, happy pregnancy. You have most likely already picked an OB/GYN to help you through your pregnancy, but remember that it is important that you feel comfortable and safe around them. Choose an OB/GYN who listens to your queries and concerns and answers them to the best of their ability. It is important to have a doctor who supports you and your decisions, helps you make sound decisions, and ensures that you don’t stress during this time. Do your research, ask your friends or other moms for their recommendations, and make your choice.
2. Start exercising and eating healthy.
This one’s non-negotiable! Now that you have another being to take care of, it’s best to habituate yourself with eating healthy from the beginning. Eat fresh vegetables and greens in abundance; enrich your diet with fresh fruits, nuts, seeds, eggs, and meat. You will also be asked to take various supplements like prenatal vitamins to support the changes going on in your body, so do not skip out on them. If you’re regular with exercise, continue doing so and talk to your OB/GYN regarding any changes you need to make to your routine as your baby grows. Keeping yourself fit is beneficial in the long run as it can help you get through labour easily.
3. Start saving for your baby’s future.
Raising a child is no easy feat – it requires a physical, emotional, and financial commitment. As a parent, it’s a good idea to start saving for your child’s future as early as you can. Finding a plan that gives you the most monetary benefits can be a little confusing, so the easiest way to choose one is by analysing the returns promised in the plan and choosing one that is sufficient for your future plans.
The fixed deposit scheme by Bajaj Finance is a steal of a deal in this regard – you can get interest rates of up to 8.10%* as new customers, which can go up to 8.35%* for senior citizens. The interest rates vary as per the tenor you choose.
For example, if you are a new customer looking to invest Rs. 1,00,000 for a period of 24 months in a Bajaj Finance Fixed Deposit, the applicable rate of interest will be 7.90%. So, at the end of your investment period, your total maturity amount will be Rs. 1,16,424. With a minimum deposit amount of just Rs. 25,000, the longer you invest for, the better the gains – go on and start saving for your child’s higher education!
4. Join ‘moms only’ online groups.
Online groups and forums are great sources of support, and groups specifically made for mothers can be helpful for pregnant women and new moms. Find such groups on social media channels like Facebook and become a part of them – understanding the different problems new moms face can prepare you for what’s about to come in a few months. However, remember that not all moms face the same problems, so there’s no need to get worried!
5. Stock up on maternity clothes.
Your body is going to change drastically through the months, and needless to say, your old clothes will cease to fit! This is the best time to buy maternity clothes and keep them ready so they can accommodate your growing belly. You can buy clothes in bulk to save money and time – the best time to go shopping is during sales so you can save some more! Aside from clothes, invest in some good footwear as your feet are likely to widen and cause pain, and you don’t want uncomfortable footwear to cause more trouble. Comfortable shoes, floaters, and sandals are some of the things you can buy, but you can buy them a little later as your foot size will increase.
6. Look for good deals on baby gear.
Now is the time for you to hunt for good deals on baby gear. Essentials like cribs, strollers, nursing equipment, etc. can be bought, and you can take your time to get the best deals with the best products. The best way to get all that you want it by making a checklist of the essentials you will need and then go about finding the right product for you.
7. Baby-proof the house.
You can start off slow with this one. Gradually, ensure that your rooms are baby-friendly by removing any item that can cause harm to a little baby. Keep the knives and cutlery far from reach, keep glass utensils and items in cabinets instead of shelves, and make sure there are no sharp objects around. You can also invest in some baby-proofing equipment such as electrical socket covers, safety gates, baby safety locks that you can use on drawers, etc. The earlier you do it, the better!
8. Prepare the baby’s room.
If you’re further along in your pregnancy – like your last trimester – now is the time to start preparing for your baby’s arrival! Set up your little one’s nursery with the crib, comfortable bedding, pretty decor, and happily anticipate her arrival.
9. Read up on baby care.
You’re going to need all the help you can get to understand parenthood, and while there is no better teacher than experience, a little reading can enlighten and prepare you for life with a newborn. Get some books on pregnancy and baby care and read them during your leisure time. Understand what experts have to say about the nuances of motherhood, and don’t forget to rope in your partner so he can be prepared for fatherhood just as well!
10. Spend quality time with your partner.
Yes, the baby is going to arrive and it will change your life for good – but she isn’t here yet, which means you could spend your time making memories and rekindling your romance with your significant other. Parenthood is not going to be easy, and you’re likely to be up at odd hours feeding, burping, and cleaning the baby – your life will be more about your baby for a little while at least. So, cherish the time you have alone with your spouse to bond and reassure each other of the love and respect you share. Value this time, as it may be gone soon!
Motherhood is a rollercoaster ride and it brings with it changes you never anticipated. However, it’s best to get ahead of tasks you should complete before the baby arrives, as it will make your life much simpler post-pregnancy. Keep these in mind and start planning – good things are coming!
Disclaimer: Interest rates are subject to change. Read more
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Sleeping on the Stomach during Pregnancy - Is It Harmful?
Sleep is precious to us all and most doctors agree that an average human being needs about eight hours of sleep to be active. Unfortunately, things get a little complicated when you get pregnant. The constant feeling of nausea, the urge to urinate every few hours and morning sickness can cut your sleep short. But what about your sleep position? Have you ever wondered what the best way to sleep is?
Is It Safe to Sleep on the Stomach When Pregnant?
Sleeping on your stomach during the initial phase of pregnancy may not be a good option as it can cause distress to both the mother as well as the child.
Sleeping on Tummy During Pregnancy
1. First Trimester
Sleeping on stomach during early pregnancy is unlikely to cause any complications. The uterus is safely nestled behind the pubic bone which prevents any external pressure from harming the fetus.
2. Second Trimester
While this time is known as the ‘honeymoon period’, there remain a few lingering pregnancy symptoms one of which is heartburn. This is caused due to the uterus pushing against the digestive organs. Sleeping on your belly adds additional pressure to these organs, and increases your risk of heartburn.
3. Third Trimester
During this time, the fetus is significantly bigger before and will continue to grow at a rapid pace. Lying down on your stomach will then put pressure on the vena cava, the main vein that pumps blood from the heart to the legs. This can wreak havoc on blood circulation in general and reduce the supply of nutrients to the baby.
Sleeping Positions in Pregnancy
1. Best Sleeping Position
Lying on the sides is one of the best sleeping positions during pregnancy as it improves the circulation of blood and even helps in the kidney productivity. Many experts recommend sleeping on the left side as it promotes proper nutrition of the baby.
2. Worst Sleeping Position
When you lie on your back while pregnant, the uterus puts a lot of pressure on the spine. As the uterus presses against it, it not only leads to back pain and haemorrhoids but also obstructs blood flow. This affects the nutrition of the baby and at the same time causes changes in your blood pressure leading to dizziness.
Disadvantages of Sleeping on the Stomach
It can reduce the blood flow to the placenta leading to nutritional problems for the baby.
It can put pressure on the back leading to a backache.
It can put pressure on the breasts which are already tender and sore due to hormonal changes.
It can be physically difficult towards the end of the pregnancy.
Tips for Better Sleep
While sleeping on your belly during pregnancy might not be an option, here are some tips you could use instead to get some sound sleep.
1. Diet
A diet can go a long way in helping you to fall off to sleep. Avoid having spicy and acidic foods as it can cause heartburn which can make it difficult to sleep. Many recommend eating a diet that is high in protein shortly before sleeping. This helps avoid a low blood sugar situation that wakes you up in the middle of the night.
2. Meditation
Anxiety and stress are one of the biggest sleep busters during pregnancy. Meditation is a form of relaxation that trains the brain to divert its focus to the present and not worry about events of the past/future. One can use some of the pranayama breathing methods that are specially designed for pregnant mothers known as “pregnancy yoga”.
3. Exercise
Regular exercise helps lower some of the symptoms associated with pregnancy such as hot flashes which can make sleeping difficult. However, there are two points to remember while working out. First, avoid any kind of intense exercising, this includes vigorous aerobics and weightlifting. Fatigue and dizziness are some of the symptoms experienced during pregnancy, and heavy exercise will only contribute to this. Second, exercises could be done sometime during the day as exercises in the evening and night reduce sleep quality.
4. Pillows
Pillows are a pregnant woman’s best friend as they’re always close-by and offer support, literally. You can either stack up some pillows from home or purchase specially designed maternity pillows. They come in varying shapes and make sleeping on your sides comfortable. While some come in the shape of a wedge that gives support to the whole body, there are others that are oval and give support to the stomach.
5. Scheduled Sleep
Never underestimate the power of a timetable. Setting up a routine gives the brain psychological triggers to induce a state of sleepiness. Many follow a routine where they brush their teeth, put on some comfortable clothes and drink some warm milk. As this routine is performed every day, the brain sees these actions as triggers and you’ll find yourself asleep in no time.
6. Clothing
Invest your money in comfortable sleepwear as it can make a big difference. Tight fitting clothes and synthetic fabrics need to be stashed away for good and replaced with loose cotton clothes. This is because cotton allows for good ventilation and becomes handy, especially while dealing with hot flashes.
7. Drinking
As the uterus can put pressure on the bladder, you might not able to hold it in like you used to. Avoid drinking water after the evening and drink early on during the day to not strain the bladder at night.
There may be many of you who have been accustomed to sleep on your belly for your whole lives. However, this is just a temporary requirement which will benefit you and your baby. Thankfully, there are many options available such as maternity pillows that can help you get your well-deserved rest.
Also Read: How Pregnancy Affects Your Sleep Read more
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Sensitive Ears in Young Children
Hyperacusis, or extreme hearing sensitivity, can be tricky to diagnose, mostly because the symptoms are more behavioural than physical. Little wonder an understanding about the signs and symptoms of this condition can hold you in good stead. Go through our points and be an informed parent.
Is the sound from a vacuum cleaner, car horn, or the rattle of pots making your child go in a tizzy? Unless of course your child has an innate sense of dislike for loud sound, the behaviour could hint at hyperacusis or hearing sensitivity. Because this condition has more behavioural than physical hints, we'll help breaking it down for you.
Sensitive Ears in Toddlers and How to Read the Signs
What is Hearing Sensitivity in Toddlers?
Hyperacusis, also called hearing sensitivity, is a condition where one develops increased sensitivity to a range of sounds that otherwise seem normal to most people. This leads to pain and discomfort. The condition is often seen in children suffering from autism, cerebral palsy, or Asperger's. Other ways a child can develop this condition is by way of head injuries, severe ear infections, viruses, and adverse reactions to medications.
What is the Diagnosis for Sensitive Ears in Toddlers?
In case you think something's amiss about how your toddler handles sound go seek an evaluation from an otolaryngologist. The doctor will take a full audiologic test and note down the medical history of your child to arrive at a conclusion. Apart from this a physician will make a medical evaluation too. Besides this, a simple hearing test can determine the condition too.
Behavioural Symptoms
Does your 12-month-old baby have sensitive ears. You can say a yes if your toddler, who can't express in words yet, becomes violent, cries, or screams in noisy places. Such loud places and sounds can make the child run away and even feel depressed. Such children can also find it tough to concentrate in school.
Physical Symptoms
The first physical symptom of hyperacusis in toddlers is the kind of reflex the child displays on hearing something loud. Is he cupping his ears, does he look bewildered, does he make repetitive sounds, or grows angry and throws things? If your child displays any of this not-so-normal behaviour, it needs to be evaluated.
What is the Treatment for Sensitive Ears in Toddlers?
Hearing sensitivity has no corrective surgical or medicinal intervention. However, sound therapy is an option. This therapy helps retrain the auditory processing centre of the brain to handle and accept normal everyday sounds. This'll require the child to wear a noise-generating device on the affected ear or ears. The device plays a string of continuous gentle sounds that the child gets used to hearing. After using the device for three months to two years, he might become less sensitive to normal sounds.
Sensitive hearing in toddlers can spiral into trouble if undetected for long. As a parent you should pay close attention to the warning signs. Encourage them to clap or play with musical instruments so they learn to adjust with sounds. Read more
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Risk of Squeezy Toys - Why Not to Use Them in Water
Temperatures have started rising now, at least in the city I live in and this is causing me to have tiny episodes of stress.
No! Nothing to get panicked but the stuff you would read next, might put you into that zone.
Squeezy toys. Most of us parents must have heard about these and some might have put them to use too. These are toys that emanate a certain sound when a force is exerted upon them or in simple terms, as per their nomenclature, if you squeeze the toys there will be a sound.
Babies mostly like these toys especially during bath times. Toys like these help in developing pincer grasp and are good for the cognitive development of the child too. But there is a risk.
The toys when used in water during bath times, have some amount of water left in them. Even when you keep them out to dry, still there will be droplets of water in them as these are mostly available in various shapes and sizes, like an aeroplane or a car. There are nooks and corners wherein the water droplets get stuck and then they form into algae.
Algae when comes in contact with a child’s body, when the toy is put to use again, may cause irritation of skin or the child might ingest it too.
It is better to not put the squeezy toys into use during bath times for babies and use them otherwise. Instead, we can use a spoon, a glass or some other laminated books too to make their bath times fun and interesting.
These toys are easy to be handled by our kids but the risk attached to it looms larger than the fun it brings along. It is always better to be cautious and take preventive measures than to be sorry for our careless ways.
This post is just to create awareness about the risk associated with these toys.
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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Don't Stress Your Way to Make a Baby!
The day when you and your partner finally decide that it's the right time to start a family is most often not the time when you actually end up being able to do so! Every couple wishes to conceive almost as soon as they're ready to welcome a third person in their life, but that's not how our bodies work. Like everything else in this world, a baby too happens only when the time is right, and no matter how hard we try, a baby is one thing you cannot force your way to.
Biologically, every woman's body has the same anatomy; however, the functioning is incredibly unique. Just because a friend or relative conceived the same month they planned to doesn't make you incapable. It's just that your body has different requirements and timelines and will eventually find its way of working things out.
Through personal experiences of many women, it is proven that the more you stress about why you're not pregnant yet, or why is it taking you time, or what will people think about this, not only do you get yourself into a self-blaming mode, but also diminish your chances of achieving your goal. Stress has an impact on you emotionally, physically, and physiologically. It can mess with your hormonal cycle and cause a heavy level of confusion inside your body. The key is to remain calm and keep yourself positive, happy, and keep trying.
The most important thing to keep in mind while you're trying to have a baby is to stop blaming yourself or your partner for anything that may or may not go your way because, in the end, you need each other to go through this new phase.
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
Dr Vandan H Kumar has added a new answer
Guardian of 0 children
3 hours ago
Q. Is it okay if my baby does not pass stool for one day?
Dr Vandan H Kumar
Paediatrician
2 hours ago
A. no need to worry about the frequency and colour of the stool if the consistency of the stool is semi solid to solid.
also there is no need to worry about the smell of the stool if the consistency is normal.
you have to meet the doctor if it is watery inconsistency or hard consistency otherwise semi solid to solid stool is normal.
also passing stool after taking food is normal. r
Rashmi has added a new answer
Expecting Mom due in 6 months
3 hours ago
Q. Q.Asktheexperta# I m an expecting mother of 29 yrs. LMP 10 Feb 2024 . my husband's HPLC report shows thalassemia minor trait while mine is hb d Punjab trait . can we continue with this pregnancy ??
Rashmi
Mom of a 9 yr 7 m old girl
2 hours ago
A. Well you should check with your gynaecologist for that she has to go through all the reports and the issues that you are facing you and your husband and accordingly she can tell you what is the situation how your child is going because lot of things depend upon how the child is growing
Dr Sameer awadhiya has added a new answer
Expecting Mom due in 1 month
1 hour ago
Q. Hi doctor, I had scan on 33 weeks 2 day, it stated that AC and HC Is <2.3% which is corresponding to 31 weeks. So overall growth of baby avg is 31 week and 2 days.
will there be any issue with the baby.I have attached my report
Dr Sameer awadhiya
Paediatrician
42 mins ago
A. For the query asked needdhs consultation with doctor for proper guidance so it is better that the doctor will guide you the correct way .
Online consultation can also be taken and the expert will give you the proper answer .
Dr Ghouse has added a new answer
Guardian of 0 children
1 hour ago
Q. I am having pain on my right breast while breastfeeding. Latching position is correct. it is a mix of burning sensation and pain. Pain lasts for few minutes after breastfeeding also
Dr Ghouse
Paediatrician
1 hour ago
A. nipcare ointments ok. 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
1 hour ago
Q. When baby movement starts??
Dr Ghouse
Paediatrician
43 mins ago
A. 5-6 months ok. 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 this month
46 mins ago
Q. hello dr..I am 39 weeks 3 days pregnant, AFI level 8 is this normal?and normal delivery possible for me? Is the fluid enough for up to 1 week?Do I need a drip? please suggest me.
Dr Ghouse
Paediatrician
42 mins ago
A. the levels are on the lower side. 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
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