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Get your Sex Life Back into The Groove
Once a couple welcomes their little bundle of joy into the world, their lives are centered on nothing else but providing their baby with the best care and, of course, loads of love. But in all of this, their own love story can take a backseat. With the right effort, you can learn how to keep the romance alive in a relationship.
The day a couple becomes man and wife is the day their lives change. And the day they become a dad and a mom is when focus shifts to their little bundle of joy. Then starts a hectic routine wherein sleepless nights, groggy days, endless diaper changes and cleaning become a staple part of their day. There's just not enough time for intimacy as a couple. Even though the arrival of a child means life takes a new turn, maintaining a healthy love life after having a baby is crucial. If you and hubby don't find ways to rekindle the romance, your marriage could very well hit a rocky curve. Put the fun and sexiness back into your relationship with a few pointers that'll get the two of you to cherish your love all over again.
How to Keep the Romance in a Relationship After a Baby Is Born
Remember the old times when the two of you spent hours locked up in the bedroom? Going for long walks on the beach, showering each other with gifts, writing cute little notes, and giving each other sensual massages? Well, it's time to go back to the early days and make each other feel special and wanted again. With a little bit of effort you can have a loving postpartum relationship with your husband.
1. Do some 'choreplay'!
Reclaiming your sex life after your baby is born can be a tad bit difficult to achieve. After all, looking after your little one is a full-time job. Once all the chores are completed and the baby is put to sleep, you're exhausted and can't wait to hit the sack. Sex is the last thing on your mind! What you can do is share chores with your hubby so that everything gets done quicker and you have more time and energy for the bedroom. When he knows what you have planned, he'll definitely get to it!
2. Get out that outrageously gorgeous dress
For all the women who think they no longer look sexy and appealing to their husbands post-pregnancy, you couldn't be more wrong. Get out a stunning dress and pick sexy lingerie to entice your man. Put your tot to sleep early so that you have a little time to get naughty with your husband. Watch him be spellbound when you greet him at the door as he returns from work. He will get reminded of how gorgeous a wife he has and more importantly, appreciate the effort you have put in for his benefit. It'll definitely reignite the spark of passion and spice up your sex life.
3. Go on dates
This is one of the most effective ways of keeping the romance alive in a relationship. If someone you trust is ready to babysit your little one —hopefully all night long— take time out to dress up to the nines, smell sensuous, and tip-toe your way to a romantic date to a restaurant you both love. Talk and bond over your favourite food, book yourselves into a fancy hotel and enjoy the night like there's no tomorrow!
When it comes to reigniting the romance after your baby is born, straight up sex is not always the answer. It's the little things that matter. Exchanging sweet and kind words, holding hands and sharing kisses, and reaffirming your love for each other can get you back into the groove. Your busy schedules will then no longer drive a rift in your love life. Read more
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11 Best Dal (Indian Lentils) Recipes You Must Try
Indian cuisine is much like its culture - varied. Different recipes can be prepared using one common ingredient. Dal is one of the most famous ingredients used in our cuisine, and there is a huge variety of recipes to choose from. From the bright yellow chana dal to tasty moong dal, here is a selection of the best dal recipes from every state of the country.
Easy and Healthy Dal Recipes You Can Make at Home
We all have eaten dal, but may not know how to exactly make it. Here are some easy dal-based recipes for you to try:
1. Moong Dal Dosa
Healthy and easy, this moong dal recipe is bound to be a hit with your family.
Ingredients:
Moong dal - 2 cups
Urad dal - 1 cup
Green chillies - 5
Ginger - 1 teaspoon, grated
Salt - two teaspoons
Total Cook Time:
6 hours
Servings:
Serves Four
Method:
Soak moong dal and urad dal in water and keep in a cool place to ferment for at least three hours. If you have the time, leave it to soak overnight.
Blend the ingredients together until they reach a batter-like consistency.
Leave aside to rise for a couple of hours.
In a pan, fry the dosas with oil or ghee until crisp.
Serve with chutney or sambar.
2. Dal Tadka
Here is a dal recipe made in restaurant style.
Ingredients:
Arhar dal - 1 cup
Green chillies - 2, split lengthwise
Onion - 1, chopped
Tomato - 2, chopped
Ginger - ½ inch, grated
Turmeric powder - 1 teaspoon
Garam masala powder - 1 teaspoon
Asafoetida - ½ teaspoon
Water - 2 ½ cups
Kasuri methi - 1 teaspoon, crushed
Coriander leaves - 1 tablespoon, chopped
Ghee - 1 ½ tablespoon
Cumin seeds - 1 teaspoon
Garlic cloves - 6, finely chopped
Dry red chillies - 3
Red chilli powder - ½ teaspoon
Total Cook Time:
30 minutes
Servings:
Serves four
Method:
Rinse and then add the dal to a pressure cooker with the chopped tomatoes, onions, green chillies, ginger, turmeric and asafoetida and 2 ½ cups water.
Mix everything well and then pressure cook for 8 whistles.
Mash the dal well until you have a creamy but not too thick consistency.
Let the dal simmer for about five minutes.
Add the kasuri methi, garam masala powder, coriander and salt.
Mix well and remove from heat.
In a small pan, heat some ghee. Add some cumin seeds until they begin to crackle.
Add the red chillies, chopped garlic and asafoetida.
Once the garlic turns brown, add the chilli powder and mix well.
Pour the tempering onto dal and cover.
3. Dal Fry
Here is a simple Dal Fry recipe.
Ingredients:
Yellow moong dal - ¼ cup, soaked for two hours then drained
Masoor dal - 1 cup, soaked for two hours then drained
Turmeric powder - ¼ teaspoon
Green chillies - 2
Ginger - 1 teaspoon, grated
Garlic - 1 teaspoon, grated
Salt
Ghee - 2 tablespoons
Mustard seeds - ½ teaspoon
Kalonji (Nigella seeds) - ½ teaspoon
Kashmiri red chilli - 1 whole
Onions - ½ cup, finely chopped
Tomatoes - ½ cup finely chopped
Coriander - 1 tablespoon, finely chopped
Total Cook Time:
2 hours, 30 minutes
Servings:
Serves four
Method:
Put the dal, green chillies, turmeric powder, garlic, ginger, salt and 2 ½ cups of water in a pressure cooker.
Mix and cook for two whistles.
Heat ghee and add dry red chilly, mustard seeds and nigella seeds and sauté until they turn fragrant.
Add onions and sauté until they turn translucent.
Add the tomatoes along with a quarter cup of water and cook for a few minutes on medium heat.
Add the cooked dal mixture with ¼ cup of water and mix.
Cook for 5 minutes on medium heat. Stir it now and then.
Garnish with coriander and serve.
4. Dal Makhani
Here is a Punjabi Dal Makhani recipe for you.
Ingredients:
Whole urad dal - ¾ cup, soaked overnight
Rajma - ¼ cup, soaked overnight
Water - 3 cups
Onion - 1, finely chopped
Green chillies - 2, finely chopped
Ginger-garlic paste - 2 teaspoons
Tomato puree - 1 cup
Cumin seeds - ½ teaspoon
Cloves - 3
Green cardamom - 3
Black cardamom - 1
Cinnamon - 1 inch
Indian bay leaf - 1
Red chilli powder - ½ teaspoon
Nutmeg - 3 pinches, grated or powder
Cream - ¼ cup
Kasturi methi - ¼ teaspoon
Butter - 3 tablespoons
Salt to taste
Total Cook Time:
1 hour
Servings:
Serves 4
Method:
Add the soaked and rinsed dal to a pressure cooker with 3 cups of water.
Stir everything together well.
Pressure cook for about 18 whistles. If not yet cooked, cook for five more whistles after adding ½ cup water.
Heat butter in a pan and add the whole spices. Sauté till they become fragrant.
Add the onions and sauté till they're translucent.
Add ginger-garlic paste and cook till the raw smell is gone.
Add green chillies and sauté.
Add tomato puree and stir.
Add nutmeg and chilli powder. Cook this mixture till you see the fat begin to separate.
Add the rajma beans and urad dal.
Cook everything on low flame for about 25 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add the cream and mix well.
Garnish with coriander leaves and cream.
5. Chana Dal Chutney
This delicious Chana Dal Chutney goes well with dosa, idli and even as a side dish for your main course.
Ingredients:
Split Bengal gram - 2 tablespoons
Red chillies - 3
Salt - 1 ½ teaspoon
Asafoetida - ½ teaspoon
Cumin - ½ teaspoon
Oil - 2 teaspoon
Curry leaves - 1 sprig
Green chilli - 1
Mustard seeds - 1 teaspoon
Curd - ½ cup
Pepper - ½ teaspoon
Total Cook Time:
15 minutes
Servings:
Serves four
Method:
In a frying pan, heat some oil and fry the red chillies, cumin and split Bengal gram till you get a fragrance. Set aside to cool.
Put the ingredients in a blender along with pepper, asafoetida and salt, and blend well.
Add curd to the mix.
For the tempering, heat oil in a pan and fry mustard seeds, curry leaves and green chillies together and then pour into the chutney.
Mix everything together well and serve with dosa, idli or even with piping hot rice and a teaspoon of ghee for a yummy rice dish!
6. Dal Dhokli
This Indian dal recipe originated in Gujarat and is known for its incredible flavour.
[caption id="attachment_246841" align="aligncenter" width="564"] Source: Pinterest[/caption]
Ingredients:
Green moong dal - ½ cup
Red chilli powder - ½ teaspoon
Salt to taste
Curry leaves - 2 teaspoons
Cumin seeds - ¼ teaspoon
Ghee - 1 tablespoon
Garam masala powder - ¼ teaspoon
Coriander leaves - ½ tablespoon, chopped
Turmeric - 1/8 teaspoon
Cumin powder - ¼ teaspoon
Bay leaf - ½
Asafoetida - 1 pinch
Refined oil - 1 tablespoon
Coriander powder - 1 tablespoon
Wheat flour - ¼ cup
Total Cook Time:
1 hour
Servings:
Serves two
Method:
In a large bowl, mix cumin powder, turmeric, chopped coriander, salt, oil and wheat flour.
Add just enough water to knead the mix into a dough.
Make small balls and roll them out in the same way you would a chapati.
Cut out each piece into a square.
Take a wide dish and fill it with water.
Bring the water to boil and then add the dhokli pieces one by one.
Once the dhoklis begin to soften, take them out and keep them separately.
Pressure cook the dal with 1 cup of water.
Add oil and ghee to a pan and add bay leaf, cumin seeds, curry leaves and a pinch of asafoetida to it.
Sauté for a few seconds and then add red chilli powder, coriander powder, cumin powder and turmeric powder to the spices.
Mix well.
Quickly add this tempering to the dal along with some salt and let it cook for a few minutes
Add the dhokli towards the end of cooking, giving them only about a minute or two on the heat.
7. Pancharatna Dal
Of all the dal recipes, only this one includes the goodness of five types of lentils.
[caption id="attachment_246842" align="aligncenter" width="564"] Source: Pinterest[/caption]
Ingredients:
Whole urad dal - ¼ cup
Chana dal - ¼ cup
Moong dal - ¼ cup
Masoor dal - ¼ cup
Tuvar dal - ¼ cup
Onions - 2, fine chopped
Ginger-garlic paste - 1 tablespoon
Green chillies - 3
Tomatoes - 2, chopped
Turmeric powder - ½ teaspoon
Coriander powder - 1 teaspoon
Oil - 1 ½ tablespoon
Cumin seeds - 1 teaspoon
Asafoetida - a pinch
Coriander - 2 sprigs, fine chopped
Salt to taste
Total Cook Time:
1 hour, 15 minutes
Servings:
Serves four
Method:
Leave the lentils to soak for at least two hours before you start making the dish.
Once they have thoroughly soaked, add them to a pressure cooker and cook for four whistles.
Add oil to a pan and let it heat.
Add the cumin seeds and asafoetida.
As the cumin begins to turn brown, add ginger-garlic paste and sauté once again.
Add the green chillies, tomatoes and coriander powder.
Once the oil begins to separate, add the dal, whisking a bit before pouring.
Mix well and allow it to cook on low flame for 15 minutes.
Garnish with coriander leaves.
8. Methi Palak Dal
This recipe uses moong dal and spinach.
[caption id="attachment_246858" align="aligncenter" width="564"] Source: Pinterest[/caption]
Ingredients:
Moong dal - ¼ cup
Oil - 1 tablespoon
Cumin seeds - ½ teaspoon
Mustard seeds - ¼ teaspoon
Curry leaves - 4
Onion - ½ , chopped
Green chillies - 3, chopped
Garlic - 2 pods
Salt to taste
Turmeric - ¼ teaspoon
Chilli powder - ½ teaspoon
Fenugreek leaves - 1 cup, chopped
Spinach - 1 cup, chopped
Lime juice - 1 tablespoon
Water - 1 cup
Total Cook Time:
1/2 hour
Servings:
Serves two
Method:
Cook dal in a pressure cooker with half a cup of water. Three whistles should be enough.
In a pan, heat oil and add mustard seeds, cumin seeds and curry leaves.
When the seeds start to pop, add green chillies and cook till the onions turn translucent.
Add garlic and fenugreek leaves and cook until leaves wilt.
Add chilli powder, turmeric and salt, and stir well.
Next, add spinach and cook till the leaves wilt.
Mash dal and add it to the mixture.
After mixing well, add a cup of water and let it cook for about ten minutes.
Add lime juice and stir well.
Cover and let it sit for a few minutes before serving.
9. Hyderabadi Khatti Dal
This spicy lentils recipe is the Hyderabadi version of Khatti Dal.
Ingredients:
Dhuli masoor dal - 1 cup
Turmeric powder - 1 teaspoon
Tomatoes - 1 cup, chopped
Ginger-garlic paste - 1 teaspoon
Red chilli powder - 1 teaspoon
Green chillies - 3, split into halves
Tamarind pulp - 1 teaspoon
Salt to taste
Vegetable oil - 3 tablespoons
Garlic - 6 cloves, crushed
Cumin seeds - 1 teaspoon
Mustard seeds - 1 teaspoon
Dry red chillies - 3
Curry leaves - 12
Coriander - 1 tablespoon, chopped
Total Cook Time:
40 minutes
Servings:
Serves four
Method:
Add dal to a pressure cooker with salt, tomato, turmeric powder, ginger-garlic paste, green chillies and red chilli powder.
Cook for three whistles on low heat.
Remove from heat and set aside.
Once all the steam has been released, open the lid. Add tamarind pulp and mix.
Heat oil in a small pan to make the tempering.
Add garlic and let it fry till golden brown.
Add mustard and cumin seeds and wait for them to pop.
Add this to the dal and sprinkle coriander as garnish. Serve with rice and sabji.
10. Dal Mughlai
This recipe tells you how to make tasty dal in a style that originated in the royal kitchens.
[caption id="attachment_247010" align="aligncenter" width="500"] Source: Pinterest[/caption]
Ingredients:
Tuvar dal - ¾ cup
Chana dal - ¼ cup
Tomatoes - 1 cup, chopped
Bottle gourd - 2 cups, cubed
Turmeric powder - ¼ teaspoon
Salt to taste
Oil - 2 tablespoons
Cumin seeds - 1 teaspoon
Garlic - ½ teaspoon, finely chopped
Green chillies - 1 teaspoon, finely chopped
Ginger - 1 teaspoon, grated
Onions - ¾ cup, sliced
Coriander - 2 tablespoons, fine chopped
Total Cook Time:
Forty minutes
Servings:
Serves six
Method:
After washing, allow the dal to soak for at least half an hour and then drain.
Add bottle gourd, tomatoes, turmeric powder, salt, 3 cups of water and dal to a pressure cooker.
Cook for three whistles.
Once the steam has escaped, remove the lid and whisk the dal.
Heat oil in a pan. Add cumin seeds and let them pop.
Now add green chillies, garlic, onions and ginger and sauté until onions are golden brown.
Add the dal, salt and 1/4 cup of water.
Mix well. Garnish with coriander and serve.
11. Dal Bharta
Rich with spices, this dish is bound to impress.
[caption id="attachment_246877" align="aligncenter" width="564"] Source: Pinterest[/caption]
Ingredients:
Tuvar dal - 2 cups
Onion - ¼
Garlic - 2 cloves
Bay leaf - 1
Cinnamon - 1-inch stick,
Black peppercorn - 6
Salt to taste
Water
Onion - 1, chopped
Ginger-garlic paste - 1 tablespoon
Tomatoes - 2, chopped
Cashew nut paste - 3 tablespoons
Yoghurt - 3 tablespoons, whisked
Fresh cream - 2 tablespoons
Red chilli powder - 1 tablespoon
Garam masala powder - 1 teaspoon
Turmeric powder - ½ teaspoon
Cumin powder - ½ teaspoon
Coriander powder - ½ teaspoon
Butter - 1 tablespoon
Coriander - 2 sprigs, finely chopped
Total Cook Time:
40 minutes
Servings:
Serves eight
Method:
Boil the dal with onion, garlic cloves, cinnamon sticks, black pepper, bay leaf and salt.
Heat oil in a pan. Add onions and salt.
Sauté till the onions turn golden brown.
Add ginger-garlic paste and cook till the raw smell goes away.
Add tomatoes and sauté for a few minutes.
Cover and cook until tomatoes turn soft.
In a bowl, add powdered spices and make a paste of it using water.
Once the tomatoes have softened, pour in the masala paste and cook till the mix is dry.
Add the dal and sauté well till it has completely blended with the spices.
Add cashew paste and yoghurt and mix well with one cup of water.
Add cream and butter, and allow everything to cook till it is creamy in texture.
Turn off the heat. Garnish with eggs and coriander.
FAQs
Here are some frequently asked questions:
1. How Much Time Does It Take for Dal to Boil?
Dal can take a long time to boil if not soaked for a minimum of one to two hours. Dals like tuvar dal, moong dal and split Bengal gram will boil in 30 minutes while dals like chana dal and rajma need to be boiled for 40 minutes. If you're using a pressure cooker, the time taken will be about 15 minutes.
2. How Long Does Dal Last in the Fridge?
Cooked dal can be kept in the fridge for about four to five days without it going bad.
3. How Can I Make Dal Thicker?
You can thicken dal by using cream, coconut milk, tomato paste or stock. You can also allow the dal to cook for longer until enough water evaporates, bringing the dal to the consistency you desire. Mashing the dal also thickens it and gives it a creamier texture.
4. What Happens If I Don’t Soak Dal?
While not all lentils need to be soaked, lentils like beans are better after a good soaking. This is because soaking helps to speed up the cooking time as well as eliminate gas. If you do not soak lentils, you will need to waste a lot more gas or electricity to cook it, or may end up with uncooked dal.
Adding dal to your diet is beneficial as they are rich in protein, fibre, minerals and vitamins. So, get into your kitchen and give something a shot. You will be healthier and happier for it. Your taste buds will thank you too.
Also Read:
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Interesting Butterfly Facts and Information for Kids
I bet you’ve all heard many songs and poems about the beautiful, delicate, fluttering Butterflies. When kids see them flying in the garden and in pictures, they often tend to get attracted to the colourful little creature. Well, no offence to insects but it is too beautiful for an insect, isn’t it? Probably the only one that might be a favourite of many. So, here’s a quick trip through the basic information and some interesting facts about our beloved butterflies!
Classification and Range of Butterflies
Butterflies and moths belong to the same family. To try to make it as simple as possible to understand in detail for kids, let’s put it this way:
Level of classification
Classification
An easy way to remember
Kingdom
Animalia
Since they are basically animals, right?
Phylum
Arthropoda
They do not have a spine, have multiple legs, a segmented body and a hard outer shell
Subphylum
Hexapoda
Since they’re six-legged
Class
Insecta
Because they are insects after all
Order
Lepidoptera
The word Lepidoptera comes from the Greek terms which mean ‘scales’ (lepídos) and ‘wing’ (ptera).
It is said that there are more or less 20,000 species of butterflies ranging from really small to surprisingly big ones and toxic & non-toxic varieties. They come in a wide range of colours and characteristics which enables them to survive in a vast range of climates. They can be found on all continents except Antarctica.
Anatomy of Butterflies
The size of butterflies varies anywhere from 0.5 inches to 11-12 inches. The largest butterflies in the world are normally females of a native species in New Guinea.
A butterfly has three major parts of its body – the head, thorax (chest) and the abdomen.
Its six legs are attached to the thorax, so are the two pairs of wings. Yes, butterflies have four wings, not two. They can taste and smell with their feet.
They have two antennae that they use to smell, navigate and even know the time of the day.
Butterflies do not have mouths, but instead, they have a long straw-like tongue called a proboscis. This helps them to drink nectar and juices.
How do butterflies breathe? They don’t have a nose or even lungs. Butterflies have tiny holes called spiracles on their outer skeleton (or exoskeleton), through which they breathe in oxygen.
They have compound eyes which gives them a wide field vision and allows them to see the Ultraviolet light which humans cannot see.
Facts about the Life Cycle and Life Span of Butterflies for Kids
One of the most interesting things about butterflies is their transformation from an egg to the charming winged creature. This process is known as metamorphosis.
The transformation takes place in four major stages – egg, caterpillar, pupa and adult.
Once a female butterfly lays its eggs on a plant, generally only one out of the hundreds survive.
It takes a few weeks for the egg to hatch and the tiny caterpillar or larva crawls out of its egg. It begins by eating its eggshell and survives on eating leaves as most species are herbivores.
The caterpillar eats and grows until it turns its biggest size and finally sheds its outer skin to reveal a hard-inner skin which is like a protective shell. At this time it attaches itself to a plant, generally the underside of a leaf. This is an exciting time because here’s where it undergoes metamorphosis until it develops wings.
After emerging out of the hard shell called chrysalis, this now adult butterfly has soft crumpled wings. It has to let them dry and has blood flow in them before it can fly, fly away!
An adult butterfly lives from a few days to a few years depending on the species, climate and when it was laid as an egg.
The lifespan of butterflies ranges from merely 3-4 days to even a year. The average lifespan is generally 8-10 weeks.
What Do Butterflies Eat?
Unlike caterpillars who keep munching on leaves, butterflies live on a liquid diet.
They drink and sip on flower nectar and juices from fruits. Basically, if it dissolves in water, a butterfly can eat it.
Although some butterflies also eat tree sap, pollen, rotten fruit and dung. You’ll also find some enjoying the salts and minerals in muddy waters and sweat.
When and How Do They Fly?
Haven’t you wondered where do the butterflies go at night? Not all species disappear at nights, but most of them will fly during the day. There is, but, one tricky part here. They are cold-blooded creatures, and the optimum body temperature of 82 to 102 degrees Fahrenheit is required for them to be able to fly. Hence, when it’s cold, they need to soak up in the sun to warm up their body until they can fly.
Butterflies get their erratic wing flapping pattern from contracting the muscles in their body. The smart thing about their flying pattern is that the birds and predators cannot predict the direction in which they will fly. Many butterflies can fly at a speed ranging from 5-12 miles per hour.
Behaviour of Butterflies
Butterflies play a crucial role in flower pollination. Their feet help them to taste their food as well as smell to help in mating.
Most butterflies spend their lifetimes eating and mating.
The females lay eggs on the plants that would be a good meal for the future caterpillars.
A butterfly can see things up to 12 feet far, and anything farther becomes blurry. They mostly see reds, greens and yellows.
They use the colours on their wings to camouflage in the plants and also to attract potential mates in their close radius.
Do They Migrate?
Some long-living species like the Monarch butterfly are known to migrate long distances like a thousand miles to shift base to a warmer region in winters.
They fly from Great Lakes all the way to the Gulf of Mexico.
A single butterfly can never make the entire journey, and it takes about 5-6 generations of the butterflies to migrate to their destination, from where they make a return during the spring.
How Do They Protect Themselves?
Even though the majority of butterflies do not need to protect themselves for too long owing to their short lifespan, they have their clever defence mechanisms handy.
The most common way of protection is hiding in plain sight. Yes, camouflage.
Some butterflies like the Monarch can also make itself taste mad for its predator.
Other witty ways of defence are bad smell and mimicry of the toxic variety.
The scales on their wings are easy to come off, and it makes it easy for them to slip out of a predator’s grip.
The flying pattern and speed also help them to get off the birds’ radar.
Other Interesting Butterfly Facts for Kids
So, how did Butterfly get its name? It is said that these insects would appear around the milk in farms when it was being churned into butter. Hence, the name.
Another fact says that the term butterfly was first used for the bright yellow, butter coloured Brimstone.
You must have noticed that the colour of a butterfly’s wings comes off and sticks to your fingers when you hold it. One of the interesting butterfly facts for preschoolers is the reason for this. The sight of their colourful wings transports us to our childhoods no matter what age we are. A butterfly’s wings are actually a translucent membrane. The colours that we see are because of the many scales on them. That colour on our fingers is nothing but the shed scales. They can still fly, but if you’re just trying to show some love, please take care that you touch and hold it gently.
The beautiful Greta Oto butterfly, aka the glass-winged butterfly, has the most transparent wings.
The antenna has light receptors which help them determine whether it’s day or night. These also aid them in navigation and guidance with their direction of flying.
In ancient Egyptian frescos, butterfly representations are found that date about 3500 years back. It is said that they have been around for over 56 million years.
One of the interesting caterpillar facts for kids is that some of them eat insects too. There is fascinating folklore about the woolly bear caterpillar. They say, the longer the bands on the woolly bear, the colder the winter will be.
In addition to the migration fame, one amongst some other monarch butterfly facts for kids is that this species is native to America. It only spread across the world through various means in or before the nineteenth century.
The Monarch butterfly eats milkweed so that it tastes bad to one who tries to eat it.
The species that are known to live the longest are Mourning Cloaks, Heliconians, Monarchs and the Painted lady. These can live as long as 9-12 months. While the Brimstone butterfly can also survive for up to 14 months.
The painted lady is known to have migrated the longest distances.
One of the earliest signs of spring is spotting a brimstone butterfly which can survive the winter.
The female butterflies are generally bigger in size than the males, and they also live longer.
The Western Pygmy Blue is the smallest butterfly in the world.
The largest in the world is the Queen Alexandra’s Birdwing with a wingspan of 12 inches.
The fastest flying butterflies are the Skippers who can fly at up to 30 miles per hour.
Now that you’ve gathered quite a handful of interesting facts about butterflies, you can try to plant some lovely flowers and plants in your yard to invite those beautiful creatures.
Also Read: Animal Facts for Kids Read more
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Foetal Movement - Feeling Your Baby Move
As a parent, one of the most exciting moments is when you feel your baby move for the first time. This, however, is also one of the most important aspects of your pregnancy to watch over. Extreme movement or the lack of movement can both be signs of your baby struggling or being unwell. This is why it is imperative to understand how, why and when your baby moves and if the movement is healthy or not.
When Will You Feel Baby Move?
The anticipation most parents feel when it’s almost time for a baby to kick or move can be gruelling and thrilling at the same time. The fear that the movement hasn’t happened yet or it’s happening far too early, the unknown fears and anxiety you face when that first movement happens is entirely rational. Understanding when the baby moves and when you should be worried can help appease this anxiety. Your baby actually begins to move as early as 7-8 weeks into your pregnancy. It is important to note that you won’t feel a kick or the movement till the 16th week and that the first bit of movement can be noticed as late as the 22nd week.
During the 7-15-week mark, you can keep an eye on your baby’s movements by ensuring you make all your medical appointments. The doctor, as a routine procedure, will conduct an ultrasound to check on your baby’s movements. If you don’t feel a kick after the 22nd week, then you should seek medical advice immediately.
Why Does Your Baby Move?
Another key aspect to understand when it comes to baby movement is recognizing the reason for the movement. Your baby kicking in the womb is not an action without requirement. The constant movement of your baby during pregnancy is to help make room for the baby to grow as well as a sign of activity that indicates the development of your baby during the period of your pregnancy. It is important to understand that the baby will continue to grow over time and that the womb must become hospitable for that growth. This means that the baby moving is a sign of it stretching your womb out to make room for itself.
What Do Early Foetal Movements Feel Like?
Although there is no scientific evidence that there is a particular type of feeling for early foetal movements, most women describe the feeling as akin to popcorn popping. Some women have also described it as the feeling of fish swimming in your belly or a butterfly flapping its wings. During the early moments of foetal movement, women can mistake them for hunger pains or gas. It will become more distinguishable as time goes on. However, as the frequency will indicate movement, the feeling will change as the baby grows. Your partner may not feel the movement externally until the end of the second trimester. This is because the baby is not big enough to have the strength to push at a level where it can be felt externally.
How Often Will You Feel Baby Move?
It can be hard to nail down a precise amount your baby should move. Most doctors consider the movement case-specific, but have a range of frequency in mind that acts as an indicator that your baby is safe. At first, you may only feel your baby kick once a day, or once in two days. This is because of the lack of strength to move in a manner that is noticeable externally. As time goes on you will feel the increase of movement quite noticeably. It is recommended that you visit a doctor if the frequency of kicks or movement deteriorates to below 10 times every two hours after the initial 7-15 weeks of pregnancy. It is estimated that a baby moves approximately 30-45 times per hour every day during your pregnancy.
Will Your Baby Kick Less at End of Pregnancy?
If your baby begins to move less towards the end of your pregnancy, it can be an indicator that something isn’t right. Although you won’t feel the extreme movement you would have during the earlier stages of pregnancy, your baby is still developing, and this means they will continue to stretch and move to make room for themselves. As you reach the end of your term, your baby also is shifting positions more to prepare for the birthing process. It is recommended that you talk to your doctors if you feel your baby is not moving enough or is not moving in a healthy manner.
What Affects Baby Movement?
There are numerous considerations to take into account when you look at what affects the movement of a baby, some of the most common considerations are:
Space – Your baby moving can be due to the need for them to create space in their womb during the development of their bodies
Energy – The movement is also caused due to the increase in the baby’s energy while growing, it can be an indicator that your baby is playing
Gas – Your baby could be moving due to the need to dispense gas from their system
Other aspects play a part in your baby’s movement like comfort and the need to navigate around the umbilical cord. It is recommended that you talk to your doctor to learn more about the aspects that play a part in your baby’s movements, why it affects the movement and what the causes could mean.
Decrease in Foetal Movement
One of the scariest parts of a pregnancy could be if there is reduced foetal movement. This could be a sign of a number of things that aren’t okay. For instance, it could indicate problems with your baby’s oxygen levels or indicate they are struggling to breathe. It could also indicate that your baby may not have a normal heart rate.
A decrease in foetal movement is extremely dangerous, and it is highly recommended that if your baby moves less than 10 times every two hours regularly after 15 weeks of pregnancy that you visit a doctor. Babies that consistently move less than the recommended amount have been known to have high fatality rates, to avoid this, please ensure you seek help as soon as possible.
What If You Don't Feel Baby Moving?
As mentioned above, if you don’t feel your baby moving enough or at all, it could be a cause for concern. Please seek medical attention as soon as possible.
Timeline for Foetal Movement
Understanding the timeline for foetal movements can help you know if your baby is moving well or not. Here is a general schedule.
Week 7: This is approximately when your baby begins to move, it will not be noticeable right away unless seen in an ultrasound.
Week 15: Around this time, you should feel some movement. They may not be frequent or strong enough, but you should feel a soft kick now and then.
Week 20: This is around when your baby is strong enough to kick and move to a level where you can feel it more frequently.
Week 24: This is when your baby is developed to an extent where their movements are prominent, you should begin to feel more subtle movements during this time like a twitch.
Week 28: Around this period your baby will be moving in a manner where their jabs and kicks can momentarily leave you breathless.
Week 32: This is when you may feel less movement, this is caused due to the lack of space in the uterus. This doesn’t mean the baby isn’t moving; it just is more confined and restricted.
Keeping Track of Baby Movement During Pregnancy
It is crucial for parents to keep track of foetal movements during pregnancy. As mentioned earlier it is vital that your baby moves between 10-30 times every two hours. Your baby can occasionally move less than 10 times every two hours, but if this happens regularly or more than once every week, it can be a sign of extreme concern. In this case, please consult a medical practitioner.
Remember, the foetal movement count isn’t specific but has to fall in the range provided to ensure safety.
When Should You Call The Doctor?
It is recommended that you call a doctor if you feel irregular, infrequent movement during your pregnancy, if there is no movement at all, please visit the closest emergency room. It is imperative not to panic if there is a slightly lower amount of movement, as stress can hurt the baby’s movement further.
Foetal movements are indicators of your child’s health. It is critical that you remember to track and record the movements, discuss them with your doctor at your next appointment and ensure you follow the advice given to you by your doctor.
Also Read:
Foetal Monitoring
Baby Positions in the Womb Read more
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Cane Discipline - Right or Wrong
With increasing educational awareness and changing mindsets of people, cane punishment is no longer considered acceptable for children. These days, parents or teachers prefer to understand the problem from the child’s perspective and then an appropriate disciplinary action is taken. But some believe that cane punishment is still a better deterrent for indiscipline. Do you agree? Read further to know more.
Raising your children in the right way has various perspectives and views. One of the key challenges of parenting is disciplining your child in the right way. The age-old tradition of cane discipline (both at homes or schools) has been replaced for the present-day generation, by more toned down methods.
Experts discourage parents to punish children by spanking or hitting them with a cane to instill discipline as this might have greater adverse effects- both physically and psychologically emotionally. But, some parents argue that even today the cane method is a better and effective way to discipline a child.
Why Parents Resort to Cane Discipline?
Usually, parents or teachers use canes, flexible rods, whips or belts to punish the children in corporal punishment. The reasons may be several:
They are extremely angry with the child and hit them in a fit of rage.
They cannot consider any other effective punishment.
They think this is the easiest and the quickest way to induce good behaviour in a child .
They think they were beaten in their childhood, and it might work for their kids too.
They think that children need to understand the harsh realities of life.
They are frustrated with their personal or professional lives and flush off the anger on children.
Why Cane Discipline is Not Considered Right?
While old school still believes that harsh punishment can bring even the most stubborn child on the right track, there are some adverse repercussions associated with it.
It can physically hurt a child.
It can affect their emotional and social development and interactions in the long run.
Children may feel that physical abuse is acceptable if a person is angry and may resort to the similar behaviour as they grow up.
Spanking or hitting makes children fearful of parents/teachers and they start hiding things in the fear of getting beaten.
The psychological effect of cane punishment might be graver than the physical damage at times.
Children fail to identify the difference between the good and bad.
Children might repeat the same bad behaviour just to seek attention.
Children may not learn problem-solving skills.
Child experts advise that parents may choose to resort to cane punishment only in extreme circumstances when the child stubbornly and continuously refuses to acknowledge his misbehavior. In such a scenario, the child should be warned beforehand and explained well why he is being punished so harshly.
However, no matter whatever the reason is, corporal punishment is not the right answer to inculcate discipline in children. What matters is to know the right degree of strictness or punishment to create a positive effect on the child. Not hitting or spanking does not necessarily make the child undisciplined, but using too much of it can make the child indifferent and arrogant. Hence, parents should understand the right trade off.
Experts have brought forth many other ways to discipline a child like - rewarding good behaviour, talking to the child calmly, explaining with examples or making him aware of the bad side of it or creating an emotional distance for some time as a punishment and many more.
The debate on whether punishment is required or is effective will never end. However, the best way is to model yourself the expected behaviour and control child’s undesirable actions but with effective disciplinary actions. Read more
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Crepe Paper Rainbow Fish DIY
The underwater world is fascinating to children. Let's re-create a bit of this mysterious world with this colourful craft. Psst...it strengthens motor skills too!
Explore the underwater world with a little fish as your tour guide! Have some fun with this cute little craft activity that will make your little one a sea lover!
You will need
A template/ outline of the fish (drawn or printed)
Crepe paper cut out into 1/2 inch squares
A glue stick
Crayons and felt paints
Step-by-step Instructions
1. Take a print-out or draw an outline of a fish on a piece of paper.
2. Assist your child in cutting 1/2 inches squares of coloured crepe paper. You could additionally use tissue papers as well.
3. Using a crayon or a felt pen, colour the head of the fish in blue.
4. Starting from the tail, stick these pieces of paper on the fish cut out and move upwards towards the body.
5. Stick a few strips of the coloured crepe paper on the tails and fins of the fish as well.
6. Separately draw the eyes on a different paper, cut and stick them on the cut out. Alternatively, you can also simply colour them with markers.
7. And voila! Your rainbow fish full of colour is ready.
Messiness Score
3
Parental Involvement
Low
Skills Enhanced
This activity not only helps enhance your child's motor skills as they draw and learn how to use scissors to cut but also improves colour recognition and differentiation abilities.
Fun Tip: You can cut the fish out, stick it on a piece if cardboard and hang it in your child's room using some string or ribbon. Read more
Sunita Mahato has added a new answer
Trying To Conceive
1 hour ago
Q. sir job vacancy are avalable
Sunita Mahato
Mom of 3 children
1 hour ago
A. not the platform fr this question
take care...
Sunita Mahato has added a new answer
Mom of a 1 m old child
1 hour ago
Q. #asktheexperts why my 1 month old baby latch every every 10 15 mins in the afternoon
Sunita Mahato
Mom of 3 children
1 hour ago
A. every 10 to 15 mins baby wants attention and all the time to be in lap so
dnt develop that habit...
maintain a feeding gap of 2 hrs...
always burp after feed..
take care
Rashmi has added a new answer
Trying To Conceive
1 hour ago
Q. Hello doctors.. I am 32 weeks pregnant... I am getting vibration feeling near right upper abdomen... mostly when I lying on left side it's getting vibration feeling... it's normal?
Rashmi
Mom of a 9 yr 7 m old girl
53 mins ago
A. Different women have different feeling during the time of pregnancy so it would be normal but if it is happening constantly with you then it would be good for you to get it checked with your doctor whatever is required doctor advise you after examining
Sai Prasanthi R L has added a new answer
Expecting Mom due in 4 months
1 hour ago
Q. I want something very good products to my coming baby
Sai Prasanthi R L
Mom of a 10 yr 2 m old boy
58 mins ago
A. Hello dear! Try Babyhug skin care and clothing products for the baby. There are safe and effective for almost every skin type. Consult your doctor for further assistance in this regard. Good luck and take care
Dr. Minal Acharya has added a new answer
Mom of a Newborn child
36 mins ago
Q. Hello Mylo family
Can someone help me to select the baby girl's name. We would like to choose our baby girl a beautiful name which starts from G, Also it would be a great help if it is created from the parents name.
Mom's name - Harshitha
Dad's name - Karthik
Thanks in advance 😀
Read moreDr. Minal Acharya
Nutritionist
22 mins ago
A. dear mum, the name of a baby girl starting with the letter G can be Gayatri, for example. you can do a Google search and browse the internet for all the options.
Rashmi has added a new answer
Expecting Mom due this month
34 mins ago
Q. can we get all item in one parcel which I orderd
Rashmi
Mom of a 9 yr 7 m old girl
25 mins ago
A. This is a place which is associated with parenting if you have any questions associated with parenting I can help you with that but if you have any associated with your orders kindly check with the concerned department that they can give clarity about these things
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