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Washing Your Baby's Clothes - How to do it Rightly
Your baby has an immune system that is still evolving; they can catch infections and diseases from almost anywhere. This is why you need to be careful about how to help keep your child healthy. One of the most overlooked germ nests that your children are exposed to are their clothes. For young children, just washing clothes in the washing machine does not do enough to clean their clothes from bacteria that their under-developed immune systems are yet too weak to combat.
How to Prepare to Wash your Baby's Clothes?
The first step towards cleaning and disinfecting your child’s clothes is to understand how important washing your baby's clothes for the first time is. Washing the child’s clothes for the first time requires preparation. Before you prepare your child’s clothes for a wash, it is important to remember that you must wash their clothes for the first time before they wear it and not after. This is because these clothes are exposed to a lot of harmful bacteria from before buying them to during the journey or even at home. Here are some things to keep in mind when washing your baby’s clothes:
Check the brand label for washing instructions. This will help you understand the material and the manner in which it can react to a wash.
Be wary about the kind of detergent used. If you can help it use non-chemical laundry soap that is specially made for infants.
Pre-soak in water. If the material allows it, the pre-soak in hot water will kill a lot of the germs.
Wash the baby clothes separately. This way, the bacteria from the other clothes do not transfer to the baby’s clothes.
Soak in warm water after the wash. This ensures that the detergent and other allergenic bacteria are killed.
Dry in the sun or in heat. Sunlight acts as a natural disinfectant. Ensure you dry your baby’s clothes in natural sunlight if possible, if not, ensure the clothes are dried in a clean, sterile room that has heat.
How to Hand Wash your Baby's Clothes?
It is highly recommended that you hand wash your baby’s clothes rather than washing it in a washing machine. Most of you might be asking yourself how to wash newborn baby clothes? Here are a few easy steps to make sure you properly hand wash those baby clothes:
Disinfect and clean your hands
Remember, the human hand is a source of bacteria, before handling your baby’s clothes sanitize and wash your hands thoroughly.
2. Measure the temperature of the water
While washing baby clothes, it is essential to check the water temperature. If you hand wash clothes in extreme heat, it could alter the integrity of your baby’s clothes causing rips and tears, additionally, extreme heat may cause you to burn your hands.
3. Use eco-friendly, non-chemical detergent
Remember, your body is extremely different from that of your newborn’s. Using regular detergents could damage your baby’s skin, cause allergic reactions and maybe even cut your baby’s skin. Ensure you use a detergent that is cleared for baby skin, making it non-chemical and eco-friendly is an additional safety measure.
4. Soak before and after the wash
Bacteria can build up before a wash, to ensure you kill most bacteria, soak your baby’s clothes in hot water before a wash for 30 minutes, wash and finally soak in warm water after the wash.
5. Dry the baby clothes
It is extremely important that you make sure that your baby’s clothes are completely dry. Dry in sunlight if possible but do not put damp clothes on your baby as it can cause fungal infections.
Tips to Machine Wash your Baby’s Clothes
While it is recommended that you hand wash your baby’s clothes, it can be time consuming and exhausting. For the parents who aren’t able to hand wash their baby’s clothes here are a few tips to machine wash your baby’s clothes.
Wash the baby’s clothes before you wash yours
Washing machines can be a hotbed of bacteria, to avoid some of the bacteria from your clothes shifting to theirs, ensure the baby’s clothes are washed first.
2. Pre-soak with soap
A great way of ensuring that the clothes run a full cycle is by taking a bucket of water at the temperature of 35 degrees Celsius, adding a half cup of baby’s detergent and soaking it in there for half an hour before adding it to the machine.
3. Use the rinse option twice
To ensure the soap is fully removed from the fabric and the bacteria is washed off, run the rinse cycle two times. Once with the soap in the washing machine and another time with no soap or detergent, the second spin and rinse cycle should only be with water.
Remember, it is always helpful to ask your doctor how to wash baby clothes in the washing machine for more references and guidelines.
How can you Disinfect Baby’s Clothes?
It is important to not just wash but disinfect your baby’s clothes, here are a few ways you can disinfect your baby’s clothes.
The first step in disinfecting your baby’s clothes is to identify and pre-clean potential stains. This is extremely important considering that most stains are protein based like meat or breast milk and that protein attracts the most dangerous kinds of bacteria. This must be done before you soak it. Ensure you scrub the stains with a disinfectant baby detergent that can be found in most pharmacies.
Scrape off any drool, snot and other bodily fluid. This is because, like protein stains, bodily fluid is full of harmful bacteria. This can also be a breeding ground for bacteria that got your baby sick in the past. Scrub thoroughly with a detergent that has disinfectant and is baby safe. Do this before you pre-soak your baby’s clothes.
Pre-soak with white wine vinegar. White wine vinegar is a proven disinfectant that is natural. Remember to add a cap or two of white wine vinegar with a bucket of water and then soak clothes for 30 minutes before putting it in the wash.
Precautions to take while Washing Infant's Clothes
It is extremely important to understand that you need to take some major precautions before and while washing your infant’s clothes. Here are a few precautions to take while washing them:
Do not use fabric softeners during a baby’s wash
Don’t use drying paper with chemicals to dry your clothes
Stay off chemical detergents
Wash the baby’s nappies separately from their clothes
Dry clothes in the sunlight
In case of skin allergies, consult your doctor on special requirements when washing your child’s clothes
Read the clothes washing instructions carefully for material integrity purposes
Do not use strong fragrance products during the wash
FAQ's
Here are some answers to frequently asked questions about washing your baby’s clothes.
1. Do I Need to Wash Baby Clothes Before Using it First Time?
Yes, it is safer to wash your baby’s clothes before using it the first time, this is because your baby’s clothes are exposed to numerous bacteria from the stores, production lines and other external elements before purchase.
2. Is it Safe to Use Fabric Softener and Dryer Sheets?
No, Fabric Softener is a product used to make clothes much softer and is used along with detergents and is full of chemicals that can harm your baby’s skin and dryer sheets are used in order to reduce static electricity with clothes when dried in a dryer, these sheets also contain harmful chemicals for your baby’s skin. It is best to dry your baby’s clothes in natural sunlight or hang dry them. It is best to avoid washing baby clothes with fabric softener.
3. What to do if Baby has Skin Allergy?
If your baby has skin allergies, it is best to consult a doctor to understand the reason of a skin allergy, it is also recommended that you use special baby detergent for babies with skin allergies. These can be found in most pharmacies; your doctor may recommend some companies in case they feel the need to switch from the regular baby detergent.
It is important to never forget that chemicals can have drastic reactions on your baby’s skin, this means it can cause allergies and infections that result in rashes, scabs, scars and cuts. If you notice any of the above on your newborn, please consult a medical professional immediately. It is also extremely important not to use strong fragrance detergent on your clothes while nursing your baby. This is because the chemicals in your clothes can transfer to your baby. This can be further concerning due to the fact that when you carry your baby their mouths have access to your clothes, this means they could ingest these chemicals. Please do your research before picking a baby detergent to use for your baby’s clothes. Follow the mentioned instructions and remember to keep an eye on how your baby’s skin reacts to detergents. Different soaps can use different ingredients that react in various manners on your baby. Trial and error can help you narrow down and pick a specific detergent to use long term for your young one. Read more
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Mom of a 6 m old boy
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18 Week Pregnant Ultrasound
As you enter your 18th week of pregnancy, your doctor may recommend you a detailed ultrasound examination to assess the growth and development of your unborn baby. Where for some women this may be the first look of their unborn baby, others may already have had an ultrasound scan earlier than this. Here in the following article, we shall discuss all that you need to know about 18-week pregnancy ultrasound.
Why Should You Have Ultrasound Scan at 18 Week of Pregnancy?
Ultrasound scan in your 18-20 week of pregnancy is a part of your routine check-up. Your doctor may advise you an ultrasound scan because of following reasons:
To establish the foetal age.
To check the number of foetuses (one or more than one)
To make estimates about the date of delivery.
To check the quantity of fluid around the foetus.
To check the cervix and the birth canal.
To see the position of the placenta
What Preparations Are Needed to Done This Scan?
There is not much preparation required for the scan. Drink sufficient water to keep your bladder full. This keeps your uterus in the correct place for the scan and helps your doctor to see the foetus clearly. Refrain from drinking too much water as it can make you extremely uncomfortable during the scanning process. You may ask your radiologist in advance as to how much water you are required to drink.
It will be a good idea to wear comfortable and loose clothes for the process so that the radiologist has easy access to your abdominal region.
How Long Does Eighteen Week Ultrasound Take to Complete?
On an average, an ultrasound scan around 18-20 weeks of pregnancy may take from 30 to 45 minutes.
How Is This Scan Performed?
The radiologist will apply a gel on your abdominal region and run over a transducer over your belly. The scan is carried out in real time, which means what you will see on the screen, will be happening inside your womb during that time. You may ask the doctor to explain the images that are flashed on the screen. The main purpose of an ultrasound scan is to assess the foetal health and well-being.
What Can You See on 18 Week Scan?
You may ask your radiologist in advance if you wish you view the images of the scan on the screen. Though most hospitals or health centres provide for this facility, it is always good to inform in advance.
If you have an ultrasound scan for the first time, your doctor will tell you how many babies you are carrying and also your expected date of delivery.
You will also hear the foetal heartbeat for the first time.
Your radiologist may also show you your baby’s face, arms and legs. However, you may find it difficult to spot your baby’s organs, but that is absolutely fine because it is a bit difficult to understand the scan. You may ask the radiologist to help you understand the scan better.
The bones of the baby at 18 weeks pregnant ultrasound will appear white on the screen, the amniotic fluid will appear black, and the soft tissues will appear grey in colour.
After showing you the glimpses of the scan, the radiologist will then turn the screen towards himself and make other assessments. You will be handed a soft copy or a DVD of the scan after the process is over.
Are There Any Risks or after Effects of Ultrasound at 18 Weeks?
There are no after effects of an ultrasound scan, and you can easily resume your day to day activities. At the same time, there are no scientific pieces of evidence available that prove any ill-effects of an ultrasound scan on the expectant mother and her unborn child. There are no harmful radiations used to obtain the images instead very high-frequency sound waves are used for the purpose. In some cases where the foetus is farther away from the transducer, the process becomes little difficult and may take a bit longer. You may even be called after a few days for a re-scan. In case of twins and multiple pregnancies also your doctor may face difficulties in establishing the foetal structures and you may be asked to come again after a few days.
Which Abnormalities Can Be Seen on The 18th Week Ultrasound Scan?
Some of these abnormalities may include the following:
Short limbs or absence of limbs
Cleft lip
Abdominal wall defects (protruding intestines)
Abdominal wall defects (protruding liver)
Abnormality related to the absence of top of the head
Severe kidney problem
Problems in the spinal cord
Excessive brain fluids
Chromosomal abnormalities
Severe heart defects
Any kinds of holes in the muscles separating abdomen and the chest.
These medical conditions are not very common and rarely occur in babies. However, it is a good idea to get an ultrasound scan and rule out the possibilities of all these medical conditions.
What if There Are Signs of Problems on the Scan?
In case the radiologist is not able to see the foetus clearly in the scan, you will be called at a later date for a re-scan. In case you are obese, or the baby is tucked too deep into the womb, a re-scan may be suggested too. However, if your doctor sees any kind of above-mentioned abnormality or other defects, you will be told about them. You will also be told to get an appointment with a foetal medicine expert to know about the intricacy of the defect and the options available to you.
In case of serious abnormalities, you may be suggested to terminate the pregnancy. However, some abnormalities may require immediate medical attention soon after birth.
An ultrasound scan at 18 weeks is a great way of knowing about your unborn baby’s health and well-being. Where some parents are too eager for the scan, others may decide not to go for the scan. It is absolutely left up to the parent’s discretion, whether or not they want an ultrasound scan. You may talk to your doctor about your options.
Previous Week: 17 Weeks Pregnant Ultrasound
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Rashmi has added a new answer
Guardian of 0 children
4 hours ago
Q. #asktheexperts what to give children when starting solids?
Rashmi
Mom of a 9 yr 8 m old girl
4 hours ago
A. After completing the time of six months you should start with dal water and rice water followed by all kind of fruits and vegetables porridge khichadi mash banana mash potato mash sweet potato dairy products and varieties made made out of ragi Suji and oats can also be given to your child
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Colour Blindness in Toddlers - Types, Causes, Signs & Treatment
Most parents have read and heard of color blindness. However, not everyone knows what causes color blindness in children. Knowing how to analyse if your child could be suffering from the problem lets you help them well in time!
Perceiving colour is something that many take for granted. Being able to see and appreciate it just makes surroundings appear all the more beautiful. For some children, however, it can be a task as they aren’t able to see colour the way the average person does. Understanding what this means can help you assist your child to live life with fewer problems.
What is Colour Blindness in Children?
Colour blindness, also known as colour vision deficiency, is a problem in which a child cannot view certain colours the way they actually look. Children suffering from colour blindness have a problem differentiating between shades of a colour too. The condition is most apparent when a child is presented with red, blue and green colours.
1. Causes of Colour Blindness
The retina of the eye is made up of two types of cells - rods and cones. The rods are responsible for detecting light while the cones detect color. There are three types of cones in the eye, namely red, blue and green. The absence of one or more of these cones leads to colour blindness. Studies have shown that the condition is genetic.
2. How To Check If Your Child is Colour Blind
Does he use the wrong colours when painting or using colouring books? Example - Red leaves instead of green, orange stem instead of brown, etc.
Does he face difficulty with colours when seeing or working in low light?
Does he complain of headache or eye-pain when looking at red against green or green against red?
Is he uncomfortable with colouring books or sheets that use colours on colours?
Does he have very good night vision or sensitivity to less light?
Does he sometimes move his eyes unconsciously?
3. Types of Colour Blindness in Toddlers - TESTS To Confirm If Your Child Has One of These
Problem With Seeing Red, Green and Blue
This condition is called Anomalous Trichromacy and occurs when there is a slight misalignment of the color-detecting cones in the retina. It’s further classified as protanomaly, deuteranomaly and tritanomaly. Reduced sensitivity to red colour results in protanomaly whereas reduced sensitivity to green causes deuteranomaly. Tritanomaly is caused when the eye has low sensitivity to the colour blue.
Can your child see any patterns in the image below? Children with normal vision can easily make out streaks of green, red, and orange against blue. Children with colour blindness will struggle to find these patterns.
Problem Differentiating Between Green/Red and Brown/Orange
In this type of colour blindness, called Dichromacy, one of the colour-detecting cones is missing, thus, making the eye sensitive to certain colours. A child suffering from dichromacy may find it hard to differentiate between green and red and may also mix up brown and orange.
Seeing Everything in Black and White
Also known as achromatic or monochromatic, this colour blindness is caused when two colour cones in the eyes are missing. A toddler suffering from the condition can see the world only in shades of black and white. A child with this condition will be unable to see any patterns/numbers in the two tests above.
4. Colour Blindness Diagnosis in Children
An ophthalmologist will conduct a few tests to confirm if your child is colour-blind. These tests are similar to regular eye tests. Usually, the doctor asks the child to name the colours or to identify numerals set within colored dots. It’s known as the Ishihara plate test for color blindness in children.
5. Treatment
As of now, there is no treatment for colour blindness in toddlers. Though doctors recommend tinted glasses and contact lenses to enhance the intensity of certain colours, they’re not very helpful. However, tests are underway to come up with a cure. In the meantime, praise your toddler when he correctly identifies a colour. As he grows, buy colouring pencils and pens. Providing him with strong support can instill confidence in him. Read more
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Children are Very Fussy Eaters, But Mums are Always Ready with Their Magic....
I sat down for a while to relax on the park bench after my customary evening walk and exchanged smiles and a hi with a few familiar faces. Children were busy playing on the swings and slides, while some senior citizens were busy chatting. Amidst all this I noticed a young mother running after her toddler with a tiffin box in her hand. She was trying every possible trick to feed him. She took names of his favourite cartoon characters, made silly promises and even showed her anger and tried to coax him, but all her efforts to push some food into the child's mouth went in vain. The mischievous boy kept running here and there and managed to escape the poor mother's grip and trick every time. I became quite nostalgic at this sight and went down memory lane when my son was a little boy filled with all sorts of naughtiness, fuss and tremendous energy (to cope with a child's energy is quite a task in itself). He never ate his food when told, was ready with new demands every time, and this was what compelled me to explore my creative side. He loved having eggs for breakfast but was bored within a day or two, so mom had to be ready with something interesting, and this brought egg and bread blocks into existence ( egg fried along with the bread and cut into squares ). In my house, the shape of the parathas changed daily as per the demand of my son; one day it was a fish parantha, the other day a cat parantha, even a mobile phone paratha (seriously!) was relished. Dal and rice was very boring for him, but became a delicacy once served like a cake with dal dripping just like chocolate. We even used to cut that rice and dal cake and sing the birthday song?. Khichdi and pulav had to be served in the form of little balls that were eaten with a fork. Even the fruits were not spared, they had to be cut into different shapes and sizes and served in a different way every time to have the privilege of being eaten by my little monster.
Despite all the hard work, both physical and mental, there was only one thing that relieved me, my child was at least eating healthy home-made food which was essential for his growth and development. As my son grew up, his preferences started changing in matters of food. He loved pizza, and lo! Mummy was ready with a roti pizza!
Now that my children are grown up, (my son is going to be a teen now) it doesn't mean that mum's job has become easier. Mummy has to brush up her magical culinary skills at all times. Even now, a whole lot of innovation can be seen in the food of my house, the only difference is that, now, rotis have become tacos, parathas have become frankies and so on. I enjoy every bit of my efforts as long as my children have a sumptuous meal. Nothing can make a mother happier.
O kid! Try and make the wildest excuse,
Mummy ka magic always rescues.
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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Rashmi has added a new answer
Guardian of 0 children
5 hours ago
Q. can I take zanocin 200 during breastfeeding
Rashmi
Mom of a 9 yr 8 m old girl
4 hours ago
A. I’m not aware about what medicine it is for I can only tell you that these basic medicines you can take throughout your lactation it’s not a problem the medicines that you could take before your pregnancy can always be taken during the time of lactation
Rashmi has added a new answer
Guardian of 0 children
4 hours ago
Q. #asktheexpert mam iam 33 weeks now when can I expect delivery date
Rashmi
Mom of a 9 yr 8 m old girl
4 hours ago
A. The basic delivery date is normally 39 to 3 40 weeks of your pregnancy whenever you are ready for your delivery and whenever you hit your labour that’s going to be the right time for you further move your Dr is going to tell you when are you going to deliver with the help of an ultrasound
Rashmi has added a new answer
Guardian of 0 children
4 hours ago
Q. iam 33 weeks pregnant now
Rashmi
Mom of a 9 yr 8 m old girl
4 hours ago
A. What is your question associated with your pregnancy that you haven’t mentioned clearly can you please repost your question providing all the necessary details so at least I know and understand what are you willing to ask and accordingly I can give you help and assistance on that
Jennifer has added a new answer
Expecting Mom due in 3 months
2 hours ago
Q. I am 23 weeks 1 day pregnant. I was feeling the movements actively until today. Baby movements were not that good or maybe I didn’t feel it that way today. Is it a cause of concern? Should I wait for a day or two or should I go and see my gynaecologist?
Please suggest!
Read moreJennifer
Mom of 6 children
2 hours ago
A. please consult ur gynae asap.
Dr Sameer awadhiya has added a new answer
Guardian of 0 children
1 hour ago
Q. she doing from yesterday at night time only once and she having breast milk as well as formula feed nan pro 1 ,I have concern about like this potty yellow and grey ,I want to know it's normal ???
Dr Sameer awadhiya
Paediatrician
9 mins ago
A. Loose motion are most of the time infective where it is associated with fever and vomiting and its known as gastroenteritis where symptbomatic treatment along wjith management for dehydration is required if loose motions are associated with foul smell mucous high grade fever than it could be bacterial infection which needs antibiotics treatment
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