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Kissing a Baby - Is It Harmful for Your Child?
The moment we see a little baby wrapped up all cosy and cuddly, we are instantly overwhelmed and filled with affection. We cannot help but kiss and snuggle with the newborn baby. We all are familiar with the feeling and have been doing so since ages. Although we do it purely out of love, it has been found that we may be unintentionally harming the baby by doing so. It has been found that kissing a baby on the lips or closer to the mouth can result in the spread of certain conditions, some harmless and some definitely dangerous for a newborn. However, it’s not just kissing the baby on or near the lips that could pose a problem. Kissing the baby on his hands or other parts of the body, which will then come in contact with his mouth, is equally troublesome.
Risks of Kissing a Newborn
Affection is essential for the proper growth and development of the baby. Parents kissing their baby is normal, but at the same time, it is essential that the parent safeguards the baby from contracting hazardous infections. One of the key points you should consider is not letting anyone kiss your baby on or near the mouth, specifically during the initial three months of birth. The following are a few conditions that could be triggered in your baby when kissed by someone who is infected or wears/eats something that the baby is allergic to.
1. Cold Sores
Also known as fever blisters or oral herpes, your baby can be afflicted with this condition when kissed by an adult who has a cold sore. It is caused by the herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV 1) and starts off as a small blister around the lips or mouth. However, it can spread to other parts of the face as well, such as the nose, cheeks, and chin. The issue also remains that once the virus enters the body, it stays for life. While some children may never have a cold sore ever again, others may suffer multiple outbreaks of the same in the future. Therefore, kissing the baby (even on other parts of their body, like their hands) should be completely avoided if the person doing so has a cold sore.
2. Respiratory Illness Due to Exposure to RSV (Respiratory Syncytial Virus)
RSV leads to a condition where a baby’s lungs get infected, making breathing difficult for the baby. Besides, it’s highly contagious, making it quite difficult to prevent young kids from getting infected. If the infected child or adult approaches and kisses your baby, the virus will pass on to the baby. In babies, the air tubes for breathing are of a tiny size and very thin, so inflammation caused by infection can prove dangerous; more so in the case of premature babies who already have a much weaker immune system than their peers born at term.
3. Food Allergies
Many kids and adults face allergies resulting from some or the other food. People may be unaware of gluten present in their lipstick, which may be harmful for a child who is having celiac disease. It is best to discourage people from kissing on or near the baby’s lips because you can never be sure of what food the person might have consumed, pieces of which could still be lingering in their mouth.
4. Heightened Risk of Cancer Due to Exposure to Toxic Chemicals
Skincare products are known to contain chemicals that help men and women look young and fresh. Such products may contain parabens, formaldehyde, artificial colours, and much more. These are considered to be endocrine interrupters and have even been found to be associated with risks of cancer. Hence, it is advisable that people who use such products avoid kissing your baby. This way, you can safeguard your baby from getting exposed to cosmetics containing such toxic chemicals.
5. ‘Kissing Disease’
‘Kissing Disease’ is a nickname given to the term ‘mononucleosis’, an infection which is passed through saliva, often through kissing. Although it is known to occur more commonly among teenagers and adults, it can affect infants too. In infants and children, the condition results in a runny nose or cranky behaviour and may also lead to respiratory problems in rare cases. It is a viral disease and does not have any treatment. The child has to bear with the illness until his immune system helps get rid of the infection on its own. It’s contagious and can pass on to other kids and adults very easily.
6. Cavities
We all are aware of the fact that not maintaining oral hygiene can lead to cavities in the teeth. A lesser-known fact is that the kisses showered on a baby may also lead to cavities in the child’s teeth. The bacteria called streptococcus mutans present in one’s saliva, which, when passed on to the child, can lead to cavities in his tiny teeth. Someone may unintentionally pass on the germs to your child through a kiss or while sharing food with the baby. To be on the safer side, you (or anyone feeding the baby) should ensure that you don’t spray saliva while blowing on food to make it cool enough for him to eat.
7. Weakened Immune System
Babies are most vulnerable to illnesses during their initial few months when their gut bacteria are still in the developmental stage. For this reason, any kid or adult who wishes to come in contact with your baby has to ensure that they have washed their hands well and do not have any signs of illness. There may be cases where an adult or child, unaware of their illness, comes and kisses the baby. In such cases, the baby gets exposed to germs and has to fight it with weak immunity.
Also, babies start getting vaccinations starting from birth up until a certain age and require several doses to make the vaccine effective in their body. Hence for the initial few months, their body has negligible immunity and is highly sensitive to germs. You should be strictly watching over your child and ensure his safety from any diseases.
8. Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease
Hand, foot and mouth disease usually occurs in children at some point in their childhood and is marked by sores which pop up all over the child’s body and mouth. It can be spread through actions of close contact, which includes kissing. Children feel tired, have a sore throat and get cranky in such conditions. They even suffer from fever. You should ensure that any infected adult or child does not come in close contact with your baby or kiss him even on his little hands.
Precautions to Take While Kissing Your Baby
Each part of the human body is inhabited by bacteria and viruses, which are mostly harmless to healthy adults, but can affect newborns. This is because the immune system of newborn babies is not as well developed or strong as compared to that of adults. Therefore, it is highly recommended that you take the below precautions while cuddling or kissing your baby, and urge others to do the same as well.
Be regular in maintaining your personal and oral hygiene.
Maintain the oral hygiene of the baby as he will be salivating a lot.
Remember to wash your hands before you attend to your baby.
Regularly bathe your baby.
Use baby wipes to clean your baby’s mouth and face to keep him fresh.
Educate your friends, family and relatives on these precautions as well, for the safety of the baby.
Place baby utensils and hygiene products separate from the belongings of others in the house.
Many unexpected places and things in the house could be loaded with germs. It is best to avoid direct contact with the baby immediately after touching the TV remote, dish towels, mobile phones, and handbags.
People having any sort of infection or the potential to contract infections should stay away from the baby.
People who have an ongoing respiratory condition like a common cold, influenza or an undiagnosed chronic cough, chicken pox or intestinal illness, should avoid kissing the baby.
The risks are of kissing infants are serious and kissing your baby on the lips makes things worse. However, this does not mean that kissing your baby is not an option. Keeping the precautions listed above in mind, you are at full liberty to snuggle with your baby to your heart’s content!
Also Read: Childhood Vaccinations for Various Diseases Read more
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Journey of a Non Breastfeeding Mom and Her Baby
It’s quite easy for people to judge you about not breastfeeding your child, but only a mother can feel how painful it is to not experience that beautiful bond which the baby and mother develops during breastfeeding.
My child is 17.5 months old and he is exclusively on top feed since day 1. I don’t know what was the reason but I tried everything possible so that I can also produce milk for my baby. But destiny had different choices for my baby and he could not have his mother’s milk.
I ate each and everything which elders suggested, had many medicines, lactation powders, consulted so many gynacologists, lactation experts and what not. I cried so much initially and was really depressed but I just could not see my baby crying and not giving him top feed and trying to feed him mine ( when I know I was not able to produce any milk for him, it was just few drops which was obviously not enough to satisfy him)
Many docters advised me to try to latch only on me and not to give him bottle at all but I could not just see him crying so badly for milk.
I decided to give him formula feed only and used to pump like hours and give him few drops that I could collect in bottle to him in the whole day in between.
He used to had reflux problem very much and I was always into cleaning his vomittings and changing his clothes. But I didn’t give up.
Those initial 6 months were so painful and I was literally depressed when people used to judge and comment about it. Many people said your baby’s immunity will be very low, he will get ill very frequently, his digestive system will get hampered and bla bla but I decided to ignore all this and continued my journey with my baby. I will develop his immunity by making him eat healthy foods and will surely do all that I can to make him a healthy kid.
At the end I think it’s all about our body and nature. It is something natural and beyond our control.
I wish and pray no mother and baby should experience all this and each baby should get his mother’s feed ?
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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12 Important Pregnancy Questions to Ask Your Ob-Gyn
Pregnancy brings up a variety of emotions in a woman, as well as tons of questions that we indeed have no answers to. You will have tons of pregnancy-related questions for the doctor on your first visit to the obstetrician. That is usually done around 8-9 weeks of being pregnant. It’s best to list down the questions you have on a notepad or your phone so that you will have a ready list of questions to ask the obstetrician during your visit. Here’s a list of a few common ones.
Questions that you must ask Doctor during Pregnancy
Answers to some questions can put you at ease during pregnancy. Here are some questions that you can ask your doctor:
1. Are Over The Counter Medications Safe for Me?
Any medications that you have, ongoing and new ones, should always be confirmed with your doctor. These could be as simple as vitamin and mineral supplements to as complex as thyroid tablets. Your doctor may recommend you to stop them or switch to a better pregnancy-safe alternative.
2. How much Weight Gain during Pregnancy is Normal for Me?
Putting on weight is especially a touchy issue for most women. Using your BMI index prior to pregnancy will allow the doctor to track your weight again for each trimester. On a general level, 11-15 kilograms of weight gain is considered healthy for a person with a normal BMI. For underweight or overweight women, the healthy weight gain varies around it.
3. Can I keep Working during the course of my Pregnancy?
This is always on the list of questions to ask the doctor when pregnant in the third trimester. Most women can continue working right until their delivery. In case your job requires physical exertion, your doctor might advise certain precautions or restrictions that you would need to undertake to keep your baby safe. Beyond that, undue emotional stress and work pressure can also affect your baby, so it’s best to have a discussion with your employer regarding your workload as well.
4. Is it Necessary to have a C-Section?
It has been observed that out of 3 women, 1 woman undergoes a caesarean delivery. Many women wish to have a normal delivery and your doctor is the best judge to ensure if that is a possibility for you. Certain factors such as having a larger baby than most, obesity, gestational diabetes, older age, or previous deliveries could necessitate a C-section delivery as the safest option for both the mother and the child.
5. Can I Continue having Sex while being Pregnant?
Many women ask these pregnancy questions in the first trimester of their pregnancy. Many partners fear that sexual intercourse will harm the baby or even the mother. However, most doctors will tell you to not worry about sex as long as there aren’t any medical complications and you do whatever is most comfortable. As your pregnancy progresses, you may have to try out different positions to figure out which one works the best for you.
6. What Exercises Should I Undertake during Pregnancy?
Most pregnant mothers are advised to have a walk every hour or two since they are more susceptible to forming blood clots. Any exercises that you would regularly undertake prior to pregnancy should be reviewed by your doctor. Any strenuous exercises for your abs or extreme yoga poses are a strict no-no. Relaxing workouts such as wading in the swimming pool or simple stretches are good for your joints. Avoid any exercises that push your pulse rate beyond 140.
7. Any Dietary Restrictions Needed while being Pregnant?
The follow-up question to this is always primarily about coffee. A certain amount of caffeine, about 200mg, is considered fine. However, caffeine can also be a constituent of many other food items ranging from beverages, chocolates, and tea. Generally, fruits, dairy products, and grains are great foods to focus on. Do stay away from raw meat or even packaged meat, and greasy fried foods.
8. Should I use Supplements for Breastfeeding?
Breastfeeding comes with tons of benefits for the baby as well as the mother. Skin-to-skin contacts and keeping away any pacifiers further stimulates the same. In case you are facing lactation problems or the baby’s demands are erratic, the doctor will primarily recommend using a breast pump and storing the milk to be fed later via a feeding bottle. Any additional supplements or formulas should be given strictly after consulting with the doctor.
9. Is Indigestion and Acidity Normal during Pregnancy?
In the list of questions to ask the doctor when pregnant in the second trimester, most women start feeling these symptoms. A variety of changes in your body’s hormones can result in your digestive system feeling out of place. This can cause acid reflux or indigestion, and it is completely normal. Consume enough fibrous food items in your diet and avoid acidic foods. Try sleeping upright with extra pillows as well.
10. What if I Feel Like Pooping during Delivery?
Delivery of a baby is a private activity and done under the supervision of expert doctors and nurses. You don’t have to feel ashamed or awkward if you feel like pooping during delivery. The uterus is located right above the rectum and full bowels might further make you feel like that. It’s best you focus on delivery the baby and let the medical professionals worry about the poop.
11. What if I Fall Asleep during Delivery?
As weird as this question may sound, it is a legit fear most women have. You may think you might not notice your water breaking. However, if you can sense that you might have accidentally peed your pants, you can most definitely know when you break your water. As for the actual delivery and contractions, the entire process is termed as “labour” for a very specific reason. It is laborious and taxing and you will be tired, but will not fall asleep for sure until it’s done.
12. Should I Run Certain Genetic Tests for My Baby?
Certain doctors recommend running tests on the baby while it’s in the womb, to check for any abnormalities. However, that’s usually done only if you or your family members have a history of such defects or susceptible to them at a higher risk. Generally, only 3-5% babies have birth defects so unless the doctor really feels like it, you don’t need any tests.
As beautiful as pregnancy might be, it’s natural to feel anxious and worry about a safe and healthy delivery. It’s best to clear your doubts and fears by having frank conversations with your doctor and take their advice to continue having a great experience and a healthy baby. Read more
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Wheat Pancakes Recipe
Are you looking for some fun and interesting way to add wheat in your baby’s diet, well, you can try this easy to make wheat pancake recipe that comes with a little Indian twist. This dish is sans baking powder or eggs and makes this wheat pancake recipe super easy to make. Read for this simple wheat pancake recipe!
Video : Healthy Wheat Pancakes Recipe for Toddlers and Kids
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N-1iKWrH_Uc
Cooking Time
Here’s how much time you need at hand to whip this yummy delight for your baby!
Type
Time
Preparation Time
00:10:00
Cook Time
00:15:00
Total Time
00:25:00
Cooking Method
Gas
Type of Meal
Vegetarian
Suitable For
Any Toddler above 14 months of age.
Meal Schedule
Breakfast
Recipe Type
Main Dishes
Ingredients
Grab the following ingredients to make homemade Wheat Pancakes baby food recipe:
Type
Quantity/ volume
Whole wheat flour
1 cup
Banana, mashed
1 small-sized
Jaggery
½ cup
Coconut scraped
1-2 tablespoons
Cardamom powder
½ teaspoon
Salt
A pinch
Water
2 cups
Ghee or oil, for frying
As required
Instructions
Follow these step by step instructions to make these yummy and delicious wheat pancakes for your baby:
Heat water in a pan and take it off the flame.
Add jaggery in the hot water and mix well to dissolve it.
Once the jaggery and water mixture cools down, add wheat flour slowly as you keep mixing the batter gently.
Add scraped coconut, salt, and cardamom powder to the mixture. Give it a thorough mix.
At this juncture, add mashed banana to the mixture and beat well.
Heat ghee in a pan.
Scoop out the pancake mix using a ladle and pour it on the pan. Cook on both sides until the pancakes turn light brown. Cook all the pancakes in the same way.
Serve these yummy wheat pancakes at room temperature!
Recipe Tips
Now that you know how to make wheat pancakes, you can add some twists or enhance the flavour using some of the following tips:
For younger babies, you can skip adding scraped coconut.
You can other fruits such as grated apples, pureed peaches, etc for adding your twist to the recipe.
You may adjust the sweetness by adding or reducing the quantity of jaggery. If jaggery is not available, you can use brown sugar, palm sugar, and other natural sweeteners.
Do not spread the pancake too thinly on the pan as it may stick to the pan.
You can add rice powder or semolina to make crispier and crunchier pancakes.
You can substitute water with milk for tastier and softer pancakes.
Nutrition Information (Serving Per 100 Grams)
The table below shows a tentative amount of nutritional content present in 100 grams of wheat pancake:
Type
Value
Energy
170 calories
Carbohydrates
20 grams
Protein
4.5 grams
Fat
8 grams
Sodium
160 milligrams
Sugar
6 grams
Fiber
2.5 grams
Cholesterol
20 milligrams
Table source: https://www.superhealthykids.com/recipes/whole-wheat-pancakes/
The actual nutritional content may vary. The above-mentioned values are only for reference purposes.
Health Benefits
Here are some of the many benefits of wheat pancakes for toddlers:
Wheat pancakes are loaded with calcium and it is an important nutrient that is required for optimal growth and development of bones and teeth in babies.
Wheat pancakes are a great source of carbohydrates that will turn into glucose. Glucose will not only help your baby to keep feeling more energized but also satiated for longer.
Whole wheat is also a good source of fibre, which aids proper digestion in babies and keep digestive issues at bay.
Iron is an essential nutrient present in whole wheat pancakes that helps in energizing the tissues and aiding the functions of immune cells.
Buying Guide
Follow these simple tips when buying ingredients to make wheat pancake for your baby:
Buy organic whole wheat flour to make more nutritious pancakes for your baby.
Never buy jaggery from local a street vendor that is displayed in open. Buy packed jaggery, preferably of a renowned food grade brand.
When picking up fruits to add a nutritional punch to the pancake recipe, make sure you buy fruits that are in season. Refrain from picking up frozen, tinned, or non-seasonal fruits as they usually have very little nutrition present in them.
Next time you are thinking some making something fairly simple and easy to make for your munchkin, try making this yummy wheat pancake recipe. You can add ingredients or skip them as per the availability or choice of your baby. Read more
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Positive Communication With Children: Strategy for Effective Parenting and Child Development
Communication is an integral and unique feature of humans. It is the only way we learn to interact with others. When a baby is born it cries. This is the first step in communication. There are verbal and nonverbal means of communicating. Verbal is through use of language and nonverbal is through facial expressions, gestures and physical prompts. Babies pick up language after learning cooing, babbling and pointing.
Language development is an effective criteria for interaction with others. When we speak to our children we need to imbibe positive thoughts,feelings through our expressions and words. This creates a pathway for holistic parenting. We need to be specific about the pitch and tone of our voice when we speak with our children. We need to be aware of their needs in every situation. The use of harsh and derogatory words is frequently modelled by them easily. A common situation is when we react to a negative word used by our child and that creates a chain of difficult situations with behaviour concerns. Hence remaining calm and stress free helps parents to initiate effective communication with their child.
A fruitful way of interaction is being supportive and praising your child when they greet people, initiate discussions. This boosts their self respect. It also improves their emotional well being. Emotionally stable children are more focused and more adaptable to change.
We need to talk is the need of the hour. Spend some time everyday and speak to them. Ask them how was their day and how did they feel. If your child is older ask them to write down about their day. This form of expression is a stress buster.
Positive communication is also catered through play. Play is a very powerful mode of interaction. It creates a loop of positivity between the child and the parents and also with peers.
Parents need to foster frequent peer interactions for improving social interaction and communication. A positive feedback through timely gestures like a hug and pat on the back and also through emotions such as laughing together and smiling is extremely important.
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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Chocolate Dosa/Pancakes
The mention of Chocolate Dosa will make your kid do a double take. Kids love dosas and adding chocolate to a dish they already love can only mean double the love for momma! Treat your kid to a delicious back from school snack with this recipe.
Serves
Preparation Time
Cooking time
2 People
10-15 Minutes
5 Minutes
Ingredients
1 cup coconut milk
1 banana
1/2 cup powdered sugar
3 tbsp maida
2 tsp oil
Cocoa powder as required
Fruits of your choice
Method
Step 1
Prepare the batter in a mixer by blending together the banana, sugar, flour, cocoa powder and coconut milk. You can substitute the coconut milk by milk or water. Add cocoa powder to your taste but also remember to balance it out with the sugar or your dosa will taste bitter.
Step 2
Heat a dosa pan and spread the batter in the form of a dosa. Cook on both sides with a little oil.
Step 3
Serve the dosa with chocolate syrup and fruits of your choice.
Step 4
You can also experiment with toppings like grated coconut or nuts.
Nutritional Information
Calories
534 K cal
Proteins
5.1 g
Fats
33.8 g
Carbohydrates
60.4 g
Cholesterol
0 mg
Sodium
20 mg
Potassium
608 mg
Tip: *For frying, add approximately 10 grams of fat per serving at 9 K cal/gm of fat.
Read more
Sarika gupta has added a new answer
Expecting Mom due in 5 months
15 hours ago
Q. Am craving to have a burger at McDonald’s. Am 15 week pregnant.
Is it safe to have
Sarika gupta
Mom of 2 children
3 hours ago
A. Hello there ma’am please do not worry about it too much and it is better to avoid this at this time and also if you want to eat burger then it is better to make it a home . Thanks and take care
Dr Ghouse has added a new answer
Expecting Mom due in 6 months
14 hours ago
Q. It's my 12th week of pregnancy but last night I noticed some bleeding. So, my doctor prescribed Duphaston for 2 weeks. Is there anything to worry about? Please guide me.
Dr Ghouse
Paediatrician
14 hours ago
A. at present take rest and use medicines as advised by the doctor. 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 Laxmi Chavan-Sawant has added a new answer
Expecting Mom due in 3 months
8 hours ago
Q. I am 7 month pregnant with second baby I have severe abscess pain in armpit and buttocks pls tell me remedy for this ...Dr recommend antibiotics and ultracet pain tablet I have taken some doses of it but worried about the foetal development..does it hurt my baby
Read moreDr Laxmi Chavan-Sawant
Ayurvedic Gynaecologist
6 hours ago
A. You should have proper consultation with your treating doctor , as some examination or investigations may be needful, so that proper medications can be given And the treatment can be done very properly.
continue antibiotics regularly
Sai Prasanthi R L has added a new answer
Expecting Mom due this month
2 hours ago
Q. Hello dr meri beti 6 days ki hai or use feed karwane ke bad nose or muh se milk bhar aa raha hai to aesa kyu kr rahi hai….me kya Dr ko dikhau kya???
Sai Prasanthi R L
Mom of a 10 yr 2 m old boy
2 hours ago
A. Hello dear parent! Keep your baby’s heart in a little elevated position while you’re breastfeeding. Burp your baby after every feed. Keep Babyhug tummy roll on handy. Consult your doctor for further assistance
Rashmi has added a new answer
Guardian of 0 children
2 hours ago
Q. #asktheexperts how to reduce belly fat after pregnancy and skin was loose .two year passes but problem is persist.How can reduce it
Rashmi
Mom of a 9 yr 7 m old girl
2 hours ago
A. For weight loss diet is good in intermittent fasting a good and but if your body is loose or you feel you really do tighten up your body then gymming or yoga both the things are going to be very good both the things are going to be helpful in tightening up your body and muscles at the same time but it is time consuming we just have to have patience
Dr Sameer awadhiya has added a new answer
Guardian of 0 children
1 hour ago
Q. my baby is one month old and have cold symptoms. can I consume buttermilk?
Dr Sameer awadhiya
Paediatrician
41 mins ago
A. yes u can further you can contact with your doctor and you can get thhje the solution for this by discussing with him he will guide you for more details if required .
Its always better to take the guidance by the concernged person with the geniune advice ...
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