Videos you might be interested in
Videos you might be interested in
Videos you might be interested in
Suggested for you
Why Does Baby Keep Rubbing Ears - Reasons New Parents Must Know
A lot of behaviours of an infant are strange and scary for first-time parents. One of the common ones that leave them astounded is figuring out why babies rub their ears so much. The instantaneous thought is that of an illness or a condition that is severely disturbing for the child. However, many children simply prefer to explore their own bodies in their own way. Understanding the signs that differentiate a curious act from a need to resolve some kind of an ache, can help the parents support their children better.
Common Causes of Ear Itching in Infants
For most first-time parents, a baby scratching his ear might seem to be a sign of something wrong with the child. However, that isn’t always so. The scratching of the ear can range from something as minuscule as boredom to something as serious as an illness or an infection. Understanding the causes that commonly cause babies to scratch their ears can be helpful in this regard.
1. Your Baby is Tired or Extremely Bored
There doesn’t seem to be any understanding behind babies scratching their ears when they are tired, bored or even sleepy. But many scenarios have been observed which have shown such a connection to be present. A lot of children do this when they have just been fed and have been extremely tired. Therefore, if you notice your baby doing this, it might be worth a try to put him to sleep.
Home Remedies
No correction is required on this front. Do try to engage the child if the rubbing tends to get intense or hurts him in any manner.
2. Your Child Has Just Discovered the Ear
Babies are always exploring everything around them. This also includes their own body. As they discover hands and fingers one day and begin to understand that they can control them, there is also a possibility that they end up discovering ears on the sides of their heads by accident. When that happens, they will constantly attempt to feel them again and touch them repetitively.
Home Remedies
Curiosity is a good thing for this age. Talk to your child and show him your own ear, letting him understand what it looks like.
3. The Earwax Inside the Ear Has Built Up Considerably
The production of earwax is a natural process that begins early in life. Throughout that phase, parents attempt to clean the earwax by using earbuds or other unorthodox techniques. Since these are considerably larger than the canal, rather than pulling out the wax, they end up pushing it deeper within. This causes an itching sensation.
Home Remedies
Instead of using a cotton swab, make use of a cloth dipped in warm water. Wipe the outer area without letting any water enter the canal.
Make a solution using equal parts of water and hydrogen peroxide, using it to clear the ears. Proceed only after your doctor agrees with it.
Similar to the above, using some warm olive oil might help allow the wax to flow out of the ears.
4. Your Baby is Undergoing a Teething Phase
There is a good connection between teething and rubbing ears in an infant. The trinity of ear, nose and throat are interconnected to each other internally. Which is why, any irritation in one part ends up causing sensations in the other, and even affecting it. When teething occurs, it begins to irritate the gums and the entire area of the mouth. This can result in a mild pain in the ears, which your baby might attempt to relieve by scratching or pulling his ears. These are also accompanied by excessive drooling, the need to chew on various items or even a fever at a temperature of 101 degrees or so.
Home Remedies
Sanitise your hands and gently rub the baby’s gums with your finger.
Use a spoon chilled in the fridge as a means to calm the gum irritation.
5. The Presence Of An Infection Due to Cold-Related Illness
Illness or an infection is one of the most common and strong reasons that can make a child itch or pull on his ears all the time. Catching a cold has a possibility of infecting the ear in multiple ways, which is usually termed as otitis media. This is where the infection affects the tube, connecting the ear to the nasal cavity. When it gets infected, the tube swells up considerably. As a result of the swelling, the mucus that needs to be cleared in the first place will fail to find a way out and remain stuck in the tube, infecting it further with the bacteria and other microbes.
In a normal state, the tube can easily flush out the fluids from the ear. But not in this case, which primarily affects babies that do not have a fully matured immunity system or suffer from a weak one due to birth-related problems.
Home Remedies
Let your child breathe in warm steam to clear the nostrils and allow the trapped fluid to flow out.
Keep a humidifier in the child’s room.
6. Your Child is Suffering From Swimmer’s Ear
Don’t let the name lead you to believe that your baby needs to have entered a swimming pool or any water body to have suffered from this infection. Similar to otitis media, which affects the internal part of the ear, this condition is termed as otitis externa, affecting the external ear canal. If any kind of moisture, either from a bath or even from a moist cotton swab, comes into contact with the outer canal lining, it can irritate the lining considerably. This leads to the baby constantly pulling and tugging at his ear. At times, this can even irritate the lining further and remove its protective covering, which opens up the gateway to further infections.
Home Remedies
Use the aforementioned techniques to clear any trapped water from the ear.
Keep the baby’s ears covered when bathing him.
7. Your Child Has an Ear Infection
Otitis is how ear problems are generally described as, with the primary ear infection being termed as otitis itself. It isn’t uncommon to hear about it and many infants who have completed around 6 months since childbirth, can fall prey to these infections. Behavioural symptoms of such a condition usually range from a crank child, who finds feeding in any form painful. His sleep cycle would also be disturbed and he might even suffer from a temporary hearing loss. Many babies also exhibit fever or a have yellow fluid draining out of the ears, accompanied with a runny nose and painful ears.
Home Remedies
Apply a warm compress on the baby’s ears.
In case of fever or extreme pain, talk to a doctor about administering acetaminophen.
General Tips to Comfort Your Baby From Ear Pain or Irritation
Seeing your baby rubbing his ears at night and failing to fall asleep comfortably can make you feel sad for him. There are a few tips that you can make use of to calm the child and reduce the irritation or pain in the ears.
Let the child sleep in an inclined position or use a pillow, if old enough.
Massaging the region around the ears can help drain the trapped liquid easily.
Apart from the treatment that your doctors advise, there are many home remedies for ear itching in babies that you can make use of. Some of them are pretty safe and tried and tested for generations. A few others make use of herbs or chemicals, which may or may not be safe for your little one. Consider your doctor’s approval to be a green sign to go ahead with them, and keep your baby healthy and happy.
Also Read: How to Care Yeast Infection Diaper Rash in Infants? Read more
Suggested for you
10 Healthy and Easy Summer Drinks for Kids
Kids should stay hydrated during the summer when the sun is blazing in the sky and temperature is soaring up. Fluid intake is essential for both outdoor and indoor activities. During hot summer days, children should avoid artificially flavoured drinks in favour of healthy summer drinks.
Refreshing Summer Drinks for Children
These drinks are perfect for quenching your thirst this summer.
1. Refreshing Lime Water
Your kids are surely going to love a pitcher of Refreshing Lime Water.
What You Need:
A cup of freshly squeezed lime juice,( Approximately 5 limes)
10 cups of water
Ice
Fresh sprigs of mint
Lime slices
Recipe:
Squeeze the juice from the limes and remove the seeds. Mix with ice water. Garnish the drink with lime slices and sprigs of mint.
You can also make lime ice cubes by freezing the juice in ice cube trays. You can pop the frozen cube in a glass of water.
2. Tropical Party Punch Recipe
This drink will surely make you feel like you are at the beach.
What You Need:
2 litres of mango nectar
4 tablespoons of sweetened lime juice
9 oz can of pineapple juice
11/2 cups of cream of coconut
3 tablespoons of grenadine
A litre of seltzer water
Ice
Maraschino cherries
Recipe:
Mix the mango nectar, lime juice, pineapple juice, and coconut cream in a large pitcher until they are combined very well. This is the base of the punch.
Store this in the fridge until they are ready to serve.
Fill the glass with ice and fill 2/3 of the glass with the base. You can top it off with seltzer water and grenadine.
3. Pink Lemonade Punch
This drink is perfect for birthday or princess parties, baby showers, and even girls night.
What You Need:
A can of frozen pink lemonade concentrate
5 cups of white cranberry juice cocktail
5 cups of lemon-lime soda (chilled)
Fresh mints sprigs
Recipe:
Stir the pink lemonade concentrate and cranberry juice cocktail together in a large pitcher.
Cover the pitcher and chill.
When you are ready to serve, stir it in lemon-lime soda.
Garnish this drink with fresh mint.
4. Agua Fresca
You can make this amazing drink with pretty much any fruit.
What You Need:
2 cups of cold pineapple chunks
2 cups of cold strawberries, hulled
8 cups of water
¼ cup of sugar blend
Recipe:
Put all the ingredients in a blender
Well blend all the ingredients.
Pour it directly into the glasses or sieve it to remove the foam.
5. Cherry Limeade
You should definitely try this drink for your children during the summer as it is very refreshing and really easy to make.
What You Need:
2 oz of frozen cherries (thawed)
A cup of fresh lime juice
A cup of sugar (granulated)
4 cups of water
Recipe:
Puree cherries and the lime juice into a fine mixture.
Low boil the cherry- lime mixture with a cup of water and sugar in a medium saucepan. Stir constantly.
Strain it and refrigerate. Add three more cups of water and serve it over ice.
6. Cherry Basil Soda
This is a very refreshing drink for the summer made with sparkling water, basil and fresh cherries.
What You Need:
2 cups of cherries
1/3 tablespoons sugar plus 2
3 tablespoons of water
4 very small leaves of basil
1 large bottle of sparkling water
Recipe:
Boil the cherries, sugar, and water in a small pan.
Simmer the cherries for 5-7 minutes at low heat until they get soft. Crush it with a fork.
Squeeze the cherry syrup through a sieve into a small bowl.
Refrigerate this in the freezer until the syrup is cool.
Take it out once they are cool and pour 4 tablespoons of the cherry syrup in each glass.
Gently muddle one small basil leaf in each glass with a wooden spoon.
Fill the glasses with sparkling water and add ice.
Stir the mixture with a spoon and add cherries for garnish.
7. Citrus Sangria
This immune-boosting non-alcoholic drink is very flavorful and easy to make.
What You Need:
Juiced lemon
Juices of 1 navel orange
1-12 ounces of can perfect blood orange strawberry pear
12 ounces of juiced grapefruit
1 thinly slice lemon
1 thinly sliced lime
½ thinly sliced ruby red grapefruit
1 thinly sliced orange
Recipe:
Juice the lemon and orange and slice citrus
Combine all of these juices and add it to your citrus fruit
Mix all the ingredient together in a large pitcher
You can cool this mixture before you serve.
8. Lemon Berry Spritzer
This drink is perfect for parties as this refreshing drink goes together with every sweet and salty party food.
What You Need:
A cup of strawberries (sliced)
1 sliced lemon
1 tablespoon of vanilla flavoured syrup
1 can of frozen lemonade concentrate
3 cans of berry sparkling water
Recipe:
You should place all the sliced fruit at the bottom of the pitcher.
Pour the vanilla syrup into the pitcher.
Add a cup of the lemonade concentrate.
You can top the pitcher with the berry sparkling water.
Stir the mixture well and cool before serving.
9. Slow Melt Arnold Palmer
This drink is an amazing way to cool off on a very hot day.
What You Need:
16 ounces of fresh raspberries
24 ounces of lemonade
2 quarts of chilled brewed black iced tea
Recipe:
In a two ice cube tray, place one raspberry in each square. Fill each square with lemonade and freeze it.
When serving, place 4 or more of these ice cubes in each glass filled with iced tea.
10. Sweet Peach Iced Tea
You will absolutely enjoy this drink during the hot summer afternoons when lounging by the pool.
What You Need:
Chilled and brewed tea
2 ripe peaches
Liquid sweetener
Ice
2 sprigs of mint
Recipe:
Cut the peaches in halves and remove the pit. Blend the peaches in a blender until they are pureed.
Pour a spoonful of peach puree into 2 12 oz mason jars. Fill it with ice and add a spoonful of peach puree. Add the liquid sweetener into the chilled tea poured over the ice.
You can also add a sprig of mint before serving
With these recipes, you are sure to keep your children happy and healthy on a hot summer day and fancy tea parties. Your children will definitely enjoy these drinks while getting proper nutrition.
Also Read:
Immunity Boosting Juice Recipes for Kids
Delicious Mocktail Recipes for Children
Healthy Milkshake Recipes for Kids Read more
Suggested for you
Dengue in Babies and Toddlers
In the early stages of their life, babies are prone to a variety of illnesses and diseases. Most of them are taken care of by ensuring that their diet is restricted to breastmilk or properly home cooked food, in older babies. But certain natural aspects cannot always be controlled, such as pests and insects. Mosquitoes are the primary suspects of these, finding their way easily into our homes and causing havoc. Not only that, they are responsible for causing a bunch of diseases, which can be quite harmful.
What is Dengue?
A specific variety of mosquitoes carry a virus that is transmitted to human beings when they end up biting them. This virus results in the illness which is termed as dengue. If not treated well, dengue is known to manifest in a severe form, which is quite fatal.
Dengue cases are widely known around the country. For infants that are less than a year old, their chances of contracting dengue and reaching severity are quite high.
What Is Hemorrhagic Dengue Fever?
When dengue is not treated well, it begins to manifest itself in the form of a fever which lasts for about a week or so. During this period, the body undergoes a lot of conditions such as intense bleeding, difficulty breathing properly, feeling of nausea and incessant vomiting. These are together termed as having contracted haemorrhagic dengue fever.
What Causes Dengue and How Does It Spread?
The variant of the mosquito that spreads the dengue virus is termed as the Aedes species. This mosquito has a very specific identity marker, which is, stripes on its body that resemble a tiger. It is also called as female tiger mosquito due to it. Whenever such a mosquito that carries the virus ends up biting a person to drink the blood, it transmits the virus to the person as well.
One of the specific tendencies of these mosquitoes is their affinity for warm and humid climate, which provides them with the ability to breed easily. This is why the onset of monsoons and the multiple puddles of water cause these mosquitoes to breed quickly and result in multiple cases of dengue. Another behaviour to be factored in is their tendency to feed and bite other humans in the daytime. Most of the mosquitoes from other variants get active towards the evening and night and begin biting then.
Dengue is not contagious among human beings since it can infect a person only when a mosquito carrying that virus ends up biting the person.
Symptoms of Dengue in Babies and Toddlers
The onset of fever that appears suddenly and reaches high temperature very soon.
The eyes start hurting a lot, especially in the region behind the eyeballs.
Headaches start occurring frequently which are quite debilitating and severe.
There is a constant feeling of nausea and dizziness causing discomfort.
Vomiting becomes frequent and incessant, sometimes even uncontrollable.
Bodyache begins to increase, which is highly observed in muscles and joints of the body.
Following the fever, dengue rashes on babies begin to appear in various areas.
Bleeding occurs through the nose in mild quantities.
At times, the gums of the babies can also begin to bleed.
How to Deal With Symptoms of Dengue in Infants and Toddlers?
Intensely high temperature, body rashes, body ache, crying and vomiting are all strong signs of an illness, and especially dengue.
There is no one way to take care of dengue and no specific cure for it as well. There are a number of medications available that help in reducing the fever and nausea, which can consequently assist in taking care of dengue, too.
In any case, no sort of medication that is meant for taking care of inflammations should be administered on the baby. These could further reduce the platelet count of your baby and result in a condition even severe than before.
The immediate action to be taken is to bring your baby to the hospital so that treatment procedures can begin as soon as possible.
Diagnosis of Dengue
One of the first things the doctor will do is to undertake a blood test of the baby. Blood samples will be acquired and will be sent to the lab to check for any infections that can be observed in the blood.
Another marker for checking if dengue is present or not is noting the number of platelets in the blood. Any person contracting dengue suffers a huge drop in the platelet count that results in extreme weakness in the body as well.
If your baby has a fever, the temperature of the baby would also be noted. An extremely high temperature that rises very quickly is a strong sign of the presence of dengue.
Your doctor might ask you to recall how the baby fell ill and when did you first notice the temperature and how quickly did it rise.
He might also ask you about the surrounding conditions of your home or if you’ve recently travelled any place where the baby was exposed to outside atmosphere or mosquitoes were frequently present.
If the baby is vomiting a lot, dehydration might occur. The doctor might recommend undertaking certain procedures to ensure this doesn’t cause further complications.
Dengue Fever Treatment for Babies And Toddlers
As mentioned before, there doesn’t yet exist a medication or vaccine in India that can take care of dengue. There are multiple ways to reduce the symptoms, bring relief, and help the body fight the infection.
Taking enough rest is paramount. The body undergoes a lot of stress and it needs the relaxation to be able to recover. Since your baby will be puking a lot, it would be important to ensure that his hydration levels stay normal. The breastfeeding cycles might have to be increased or even supplemented by formula or so. For older babies, different liquid forms of food might be fine. In case your baby refuses to feed or is too weak to swallow food, the doctor might opt for using intravenous nourishment alternatives to keep the electrolytic and hydration levels on point.
In order to combat the fever, acetaminophen is the right drug to be given. Stay away from administering any form of ibuprofen or aspirin. At times, even after the fever goes down, your baby might start vomiting incessantly. This could mean the onset of haemorrhagic dengue fever. Take your baby to the hospital immediately in such cases.
How to Prevent Dengue?
Mosquitoes that spread dengue breed in fresh and stagnant water. Therefore, it is important to ensure that there is zero presence of any uncovered stored water bodies in your house or in the surroundings close to your home. This includes terraces, gardens, and even your washrooms.
When taking your baby outside or if your house is usually open, make use of mosquito repellents in the form of mats or vaporisers to keep mosquitoes at bay. Using creams and sprays might also be quite effective.
Playing around with dirt and mud can make the body attract mosquitoes even more since mosquitoes tend to hover around in moist areas. Advise your kids to stay away from playing such sports, or wash it off immediately.
Make sure your windows have a permanent mesh or make use of sliding mesh windows such that mosquitoes are prevented from entering inside.
Let your children opt for clothes that cover their bodies completely.
Sleeping in beds that have mosquito nets is the best way to have an undisturbed and safe sleep.
Dengue can very quickly cause the health of a baby to deteriorate if left unchecked. By keeping an open eye for signs of dengue in babies and taking action right away, you can keep your baby healthy and opt for preventive measures that can repeat something like this from happening again.
Also Read:
Dengue Fever in Kids
Monsoon Baby Care Read more
Suggested for you
10 Easy Ways To Make Chemical-free Rangoli Colours at Home
Rangolis are hand-painted designs made from coloured sand. Unfortunately, the commercial products you get nowadays are loaded with harmful chemicals and toxic substances that can damage your skin when used over a long period of time. To prevent this, you can make rangoli powder at home the DIY way using ingredients easily available in a nearby store.
How To Make Rangoli Powder at Home
Making rangoli powders at home is not difficult. In fact, you'll even find yourself saving up on a bit of cash and time by taking the natural route. Here are a few ways you can make natural rangoli colours.
1. Yellow Rangoli
Take equal parts of turmeric powder and rice flour. Mix them well to get a nice texture. This is one of the best rangoli colours with rice. Alternatively, you can mix chickpea flour with rice flour to make yellow rangoli powder.
2. Vermilion Rangoli
For this, you need to dehydrate and grind pomegranate peels and carrot peels to get their shades of red and orange respectively. Alternatively, you can add some dried rose and hibiscus petals. Grind these ingredients together to make red rangoli powder.
3. Orange Rangoli
Take a bunch of orange peels and marigold petals. Dehydrate them in the sun and grind them together. Mix well to make orange rangoli powder.
4. Green Rangoli
To make natural green rangoli colour, you need spinach, coriander leaves, and some green herbs. Dry them and grind to a powder.
5. Brown Rangoli
You can make brown rangoli at home by using a bunch of cinnamon sticks. Just grind them into a fine powder.
6. Purple Rangoli
If you've got dried lavender flowers lying around the house, you can make beautiful purple rangoli powder from them.
7. White Rangoli
White rangoli is also not really difficult to make. You just need one ingredient for this and that is rice. Just dry and grind the rice to a fine powder.
8. Magenta Rangoli
Magenta rangoli powder works best when you're trying to make beautiful designs. Use dried beetroot flakes to make the powder. That's all there is to it.
9. Black Rangoli
Black rangoli is a unique colour that you'll rarely find in stores. For this DIY black rangoli powder, you need whitestone powder and non-toxic black ink. Pour the ink on the powder and mix well. Keep adding ink until the white mixes well with the black. And there you go! You have a nice and black rangoli colour that you can use for your designs.
10. Mixed Rangoli
Can't decide between the different colours? Go for a mixed rangoli then! Take rose petals of different colours and dry them. Grind them to a powder and mix with coarse salt. If you don't have salt, you can use all-purpose flour too.
Lift up the festive spirit by making these DIY rangoli colours at home. They are chemical-free and not loaded with toxins, unlike the synthetic or commercial ones. Plus, as the ingredients are very cheap, you can make a whole year's supply and use it whenever you want. Read more
Suggested for you
Genital Herpes in Pregnancy
A healthy pregnancy is what every expecting mother wishes for, but there are few conditions that can be a cause for concern during pregnancy. One such condition is genital herpes. It is a sexually transmitted infection caused by HSV or herpes simplex virus.
Pregnancy and Genital Herpes
Genital herpes can be caused by two types of viruses, HSV 1 and HSV 2. The symptoms include blisters or sores in and around the genital area, which can sometimes be found around the anal area and even thighs. A pregnant woman with genital herpes can transfer this virus to her newborn baby if there is an outbreak just before birth. Therefore, if you are pregnant with genital herpes then you need to exercise great caution so that the infection does not get passed on to the baby.
How Does It Spread?
Genital herpes can spread after coming in physical contact with the infected person. The HSV-1 and HSV-2 can both cause genital herpes. The herpes simplex virus or HSV can be transferred from a person who has genital herpes to a healthy person through vaginal, anal or oral sex.
This virus cannot be passed on by using common toilet seat, bathtub or toiletries as the HSV is unable to survive long on non-living objects.
Symptoms
The symptoms of genital herpes in the first stage often go unnoticed and unrecognised as people often mistake it for an itch, insect bite, abrasions or yeast infection.
However, the very first symptoms of genital herpes can be visible as early as two to three days of catching the infection or as late as after a month. There is an outbreak of blisters and sores in and around the genital area. The symptoms are as follows:
There is a tingling sensation or itching before the outbreak of any blister occurs.
The appearance of the blisters can be seen on vagina, anus, and buttocks. If the infection is through oral sex then the lips, mouth, and face get affected.
The blisters at a later stage turn into ulcers.
These oozing ulcers form a crust after a few days.
There may be swelling and pain in the lymph glands.
Causes
The main cause of genital herpes is the HSV- 2 which can be passed during vaginal or anal sex. HSV-1 which causes oral herpes can also become the cause of genital herpes in some cases. The HSV-1 virus can be passed from the mouth to the genitals during oral sex. Thus HSV-1 and HSV-2 can both be a cause of genital herpes.
In cases of recurrent infections, the following may be possible triggers:
Weak immune system makes it easier for the virus to attack the body and place itself.
Consuming excessive amounts of alcohol can harm your immune system and thus trigger the virus
Stress is known to be a trigger for herpes. Scientists are still to find a reason as to why it is caused but studies have proven that it does have an impact
Any surgical procedure on the genital area may cause herpes to return because the nerve cells around the area could get inflamed and activate the dormant virus.
Complications
In most cases, genital herpes does not cause serious complications but in some cases it does. .
Genital herpes during pregnancy may cause serious complications leading to
Infection in new born babies- Herpes virus can be passed on to the baby during birth which may lead to blindness, brain damage and in some cases death.
Meningitis- Herpes virus may even lead to inflammation of membranes around the brain and spinal cord, which may result in this fatal condition.
Sexually transmitted disease- This infection may increase your chances of catching or transmitting other sexually transmitted diseases.
Problems in the bladder- Herpes may cause inflammation around bladder also, which can be extremely painful and discomforting.
Diagnosis
The physical examination and few lab tests will help a doctor diagnose genital herpes. The tests include:
Blood test- It will help determine the presence of HSV.
PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction) Test- This is used to copy DNA from the blister, blood or fluid from the spine to find out which type of HSV is present.
Tissue Culture- A tissue scrapped from the sore or blister can be examined.
Treatments
Treatment for genital herpes include separate treatments for
1. Primary Infections
If someone is infected for the first time (primary infection), the doctor will administer oral anti-viral medicine can be prescribed depending on the severity of the infection.
2. Recurrent Infections
In case of recurrent infections the anti-viral medicine can be prescribed for a longer duration along with few precautions that need to be exercised on regular basis such as
Cleaning the affected area with warm water: This ensures hygiene and can also help allieveate the effects of the infection and discomfort.
Applying ice packs: Cold treatment around the affected area on a regular basis helps provide relief.
Applying prescribed ointments: These are medicated ointments that help dry the ulcers and treat the affected region.
Drinking plenty of fluids: Keeping yourself hydrated is the primary step to the treatment, which will also ensure the skin is well nourished.
Abstaining from wearing tight clothing: Tight clothing will put pressure on the affected area causing the pain, irritation and condition to worsen. Instead, opt for loosely fitted cotton or linen fabrics that allow the skin to breathe.
Can Herpes Affect the Baby?
Herpes can affect the newborn baby in the following ways
Skin, eyes and mouth infection – most babies may develop sores around their eyes, mouth and on their skin if they get infected. However no major complications arise if the baby receives prompt treatment.
Disseminated diseases- The baby with herpes virus may get disseminated disease that affects multiple organs, majorly lungs and liver. This is a fatal condition with low survival rate.
Central nervous system diseases- Babies may show lethargy, irritability, disinterest in feeding, fever or seizures if they catch herpes virus.
What If Women Get Herpes After Pregnancy?
Can herpes affect/ terminate pregnancy if a pregnant woman gets infected? No, it does not stop the pregnancy but if a pregnant woman gets genital herpes then there is a risk of transmitting the infection during labour/delivery. Though the chances are as dim as 1 in 10, the risk of passing the infection to a newborn baby increases if a pregnant woman gets herpes in the third trimester. Also, in rare cases when a pregnant woman gets infected in the first trimester, the virus may travel to the placenta and lead to miscarriage or cause birth defects.
What If Your Husband Has Herpes?
If your husband has herpes it is very important to exercise great caution throughout the pregnancy such as
Use condoms while having sex
Refrain from oral sex
Avoid any skin to skin contact with your husband’s genitals
Refrain from sexual intercourse and other sexual contacts in the third trimester.
If The Baby Catches Herpes Does It Affect The Baby?
When a newborn baby gets infected it is called neonatal herpes. It is a rare condition but this could result in skin, eyes or mouth infections. Herpes can also affect the baby’s brain, nerves, and other organs. A timely treatment can be helpful but certain conditions can become life-threatening.
Can Herpes Infected Moms Breastfeed?
It is safe to breastfeed if you have herpes, as the infection is not transferred through breast milk. However, you must exercise caution when you have a blister or sore on the following body-parts:
Mouth- Refrain from kissing the baby until it is cured.
Breast- If you have blisters on one breast, then you can feed from the other breast. If both breasts are infected then it is advised to give formula milk till the sores are completely healed.
Other parts of the body-Keep the area covered and do not let the baby touch it.
Ways To Avoid Herpes
Genital herpes spreads by the virus coming into contact with the infected person. This could be in the form of vaginal, anal and oral sex.
Therefore, if your husband has this infection then following are few ways to avoid getting this infection
Protected sex
Do not receive oral sex
The moment any symptom is observed, get medical help
Genital herpes and getting pregnant may pose some complications in the pregnancy. However, if you are wondering can I get pregnant if I have herpes, the answer is yes. However, you need to be careful throughout your pregnancy so that the infection is not passed on to your unborn child in the womb or while in labour.
A healthcare practitioner should be contacted as soon as you establish that you have genital herpes so that herpes pregnancy treatment can start without any delay.
Also Read:
Anal Sex While Pregnant
Bacterial Vaginosis in Pregnancy Read more
Suggested for you
Sensitivity To Sound in a 12 Months Old
A sensitive to sound 12-month-old baby needs your care and comfort. Some toddlers have strong reactions to loud noises like fire alarms, barking dogs, fire crackers, sirens etc. Even prolonged loud noises such as the volume at a typical movie hall can be too much for some toddlers to take.
For many young children, loud noise can be painful and uncomfortable because their ears are still developing. Parents should maintain a list of any specific sounds that irritate their child and share it with caregivers, teachers, grandparents etc. Here are a few things you can do to minimise the discomfort caused by loud sounds to your baby.
Toddler Sensitivity to Sound Developmental Milestone - What You Can Do
1. Block the noise
If your child is sensitive to loud sounds, the first thing you should try and do is to try and block the sound. Use earmuffs or ear plugs; these are quite easily available in the market. You can also buy noise reduction headphones to muffle the sounds. Soundproofing your toddler’s room can enable her to slowly get acclimatized to loud noises.
2. Help your child accommodate not escape it
Unless you want your child to be sitting at home all the time, you can never truly avoid putting your toddler in situations where she is exposed to loud sound. Instead, you can take frequent breaks from the noise with your toddler. You can go out for short walks to take a break from the noise or sit in a separate room for some time. This will also help your toddler get gradually more used to general everyday noises and loud sounds.
3. Preparation is key
Talk to your child in advance about whatever unpleasant sounds she may face before going out for an event. This will help her mentally prepare for sounds such as loud music, firecrackers, or whatever else that can unpleasant for her. Explain to her that you're there to keep her safe.
4. Be patient
Most importantly, both the parents and the toddler need to be patient. As your child grows older, she will become less sensitive to sounds and will get better at coping with loud sounds and noises. All you need to do is to be patient and help her accommodate sounds on her own.
5. Reassure
Don't force your child to stay in a loud situation that will obviously cause her stress. Move her away from such a situation if possible. Reassure and comfort her, so that she knows you're there for her and that it'll be alright soon.
6. Introduce some white noise
For some children with sound sensitivity issues, white noise in the background helps soften the impact of loud and annoying sounds, like car horns and loud music. A fan or a white noise machine in your child’s room may help her sleep and focus better in her play time.
There is no surgical treatment for sound sensitivity in toddlers, but generally, as children grow older their tolerance to increased volume of sound increases too. Don't overuse earphones or ear plugs as it'll increase your child's sensitivity to sound, making her inadept at accommodating to normal sounds. Read more
Dr Laxmi Chavan-Sawant has added a new answer
Trying To Conceive
13 hours ago
Q. hi,
my LT 10x18mm and RT 18x20mm and ET 6.5 , what if I intercourse after 2 days, can I do intercourse in ovulation day can become a pregent .
on ovulation day if we intercourse can become a pregent..pls advice..
Dr Laxmi Chavan-Sawant
Ayurvedic Gynaecologist
9 hours ago
A. since the follicle size is 18 to 20 mm your ovulation may occur within 24 hours also so if you have intercourse with in that time it will be more effective to get conceived
your endometrial growth is not good enough for conception but still you can just try
Sai Prasanthi R L has added a new answer
Guardian of 0 children
12 hours ago
Q. Hlw dr its my 6th month pregnency can i intimate with my partner
Sai Prasanthi R L
Mom of a 10 yr 2 m old boy
12 hours ago
A. Hello dear! If your pregnancy is going on fine without any high risk factors then it’s okay. Still, would advise you to check with your doctor once before going further. Maintain a good personal hygiene routine and a healthy lifestyle
Abhaya Rajput has added a new answer
Expecting Mom due this month
9 hours ago
Q. My breasts feel full and heavy, but there’s no milk when pumping and during feeding baby —what do I do?
Abhaya Rajput
Mom of a 14 yr 4 m old boy
3 hours ago
A. Hello there ma’am please do not worry about it too much. But it is really very difficult to say anything without proper examination. It is advisable to get yourself evaluated by a doctor and follow doctors advise properly. You can also book online doctor’s appointment on FirstCry where the doctor can help you and guide you properly.
Thanks and take care
Dr Disha Patel has added a new answer
Expecting Mom due in 6 months
9 hours ago
Q. can I take medicine pcm n citrazene in pregnancy fir sore throats n fever
Dr Disha Patel
Ayurvedic Physician
4 hours ago
A. dear mom.
better to take tab pcm for time being n do take steam inhakation couple of tines a day, follpw good home renedies for cold, taje more rest .
Swati Kar Samanta has added a new answer
Mom of a 9 m old child
2 hours ago
Q. hi everyone good morning,
sorghum can I give to my 10 month baby is it safe or not please revert I waiting for your reply
Swati Kar Samanta
Mom of a 2 m old girl
50 mins ago
A. Yes but first give in very small quantity to judge the reaction of your baby.
Rashmi has added a new answer
Expecting Mom due this month
19 mins ago
Q. #asktheexperts is it okay that the baby is kicking less than usual?
Rashmi
Mom of a 9 yr 7 m old girl
15 mins ago
A. Yes it is the what part is that your child is kicking if you feel that there is a movement of your child whether it is a cake or slight movement also you know that your child is doing fine so there is no problem in that if the movement is less it’s completely alright
Check out this new Memory
Mr kiran
Guardian of a 7 m old girl
New Memory
#stylishbaby
0 Likes
0 Comment
Check out this new Memory
shivani Bhati
Guardian of a 1 yr 2 m old girl
New Memory
#babyphotochallenge
0 Likes
0 Comment
Check out this new Memory
Swetha
Mom of a 2 yr 9 m old boy
New Memory
#grandphoto
0 Likes
0 Comment
Check out this new Memory
Ramya Raja
Mom of a 1 yr 11 m old boy
New Memory
#grandphoto
0 Likes
0 Comment
Check out this new Memory
DHIREN KARMAKAR
Guardian of a 10 m old boy
New Memory
#grandphoto
0 Likes
0 Comment
Tell us more about yourself get More Personalised
- Infant0 to 6 Months
- Baby6 Months to 2 Yrs
- Toddler2 to 4 yrs
- Kids4-6 yrs
- Big Kids6+ yrs
- Expecting
- Trying to Conceive