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Priyansi yadav
Mom of a 1 yr 9 m old boy
9 mins ago
#babyphotochallenge
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R R soo cute boy n beautiful mom
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Fourth Trimester- You and your Baby
On hearing this term for the first time, most women wonder if there is a fourth trimester in pregnancy. As troublesome as that might be, this is usually a medical term that is used on rare occasions. Trimesters are considered as markers to track the growth of the child and monitor whether he is achieving all the milestones as expected. In the similar vein, this progress needs to be tracked once the baby is out of the womb as well, giving rise to this phase called as the fourth trimester.
What is Fourth Trimester?
The phase that starts right from your little one’s emergence into the world and up to completion of the first three months, is generally termed as the fourth trimester. As the development taking place in the womb is quite a challenge for the foetus, coming to terms with a totally new world outside the mother is an even bigger one for the newborn.
All the senses are at its peak and information begins pouring in torrents in the form of sight, sound, touch, smell, and many others. Your baby will start experiencing hunger and discomfort for the first time since his development and has barely any idea of how to cope with it. The warm and quiet environment inside the stomach has been replaced by a loud and cold world, which is quite unnerving for a little baby. This marks one of the most important stages of the child’s development.
Why is 4th Trimester Important for Your Newborn Baby?
Babies take their time in coming to terms with the world and cannot start living normally from the get-go. All a newborn has to rely on is his instincts and the hope that he will be taken care of.
Not all the senses are developed fully. Having spent all the time inside the womb, those were rarely needed. Your little one can see but not very clearly, can hear but fail to distinguish one sound from another, can sense touch but is quite rough and irritating as compared to the amniotic fluid he has been in throughout. The brain of the baby has developed fully but it is yet to reach its peak functioning ability. This occurs during his growth in parallel with processing what’s happening around him and coming to terms with it. Right now, your child’s brain is an open box taking everything in without filters.
Over the period of three months, babies begin to learn how to breathe properly and settle into a rhythm. The pangs of hunger and the impulses to sleep start organizing themselves in a schedule of sorts. He begins to know how to cry out for attention and also learn to spend time by himself. He understands the presence of other people in his life and might start recognizing specific sounds and smells.
Development of the Baby in the Fourth Trimester
Throughout the growth of the baby in the fourth trimester, there are certain signs around his behaviour that can be termed as important markers to monitor your baby’s development and check if everything is right on track.
Sleep
Sleeping is the most essential activity for a newborn child since that is when the most internal growth takes place. Many babies sleep for extended durations during this time, which allows their brains to sort out all the information taken in.
Establishing a routine around this might take longer than usual. Your child is just getting used to the concept of brightness and darkness and takes a while in understanding how to induce sleep to oneself. This is why most babies stay awake through the night or struggle to sleep in the day. That being said, it is necessary to ensure they get enough sleep, even if it means letting your little one sleep in the morning itself. Every baby behaves differently and this is where parents start getting to know their child, too.
Crying
Crying is the only way a newborn baby can communicate anything at all. Most babies continue crying for a month or more and later might reduce in those instances as they start to get a grip on things.
Whenever a baby feels hungry or ends up wetting himself or faces any discomfort or even just feels alone, stressed, or anxious, the only way he can let somebody know about it is crying out loud. It is necessary to attend to his cries as quickly as you can in the initial months since your baby needs all the support he can get. Newborn babies are not susceptible to getting spoilt by too much attention. In fact, they need it more than anybody else.
Feeding
Newborn babies have no concept of a routine and will ask for food whenever their stomach is empty. This is not helped by the fact that their stomach is small. So most women can be seen breastfeeding their babies numerous times throughout the day and night.
Not all cries of a baby indicate hunger. Over time, the pattern of cries starts changing and hitting a schedule as well, some indicating hunger while others indicating a wet diaper. The best sign to check for hunger is to gently touch their mouth. Most babies have a suckling reflex which triggers the moment they notice something close to their mouth. Newborn babies also need to learn to drink milk from the breast properly and it could take numerous feeds before both the mother and the baby find something that works for them. This is a great time for bonding together, too.
Senses
The fully-developed senses of the baby start getting sharper and improving throughout this phase.
The first to be noticed is the sight as your little one will begin to see your face clearly over the span of the trimester, reaching full clarity by the end of it. This can also be combined with the sense of hearing as your child’s eyes will try to locate the direction of the sound by looking around. Listening to various sounds and, especially, the mother’s voice is calming and soothing for him. He instantly feels safe and comforted.
With smell, taste and touch, these ones develop just as rapidly. After numerous feeds, your baby starts getting used to the smell of your body and the area near the breast. Which is why, even when half-asleep, most babies recognize a breast close to their face and will latch on to it to start suckling. The skin-to-skin contact at this stage further strengthens the bond, creating a sense of familiarity.
Physical Development
Newborn babies can barely move around or support themselves. All their movement is limb based and reflexive.
Over the trimester, you can help your child spend more time on the stomach and use his arms to push himself up. This starts letting your child lift his neck as well to look straight ahead. Repetitive exercises of these sorts are necessary for developing the strength for further development milestones.
Tips to Calm and Support your Baby during the Fourth Trimester
The baby requires a lot of support and love during this period to feel safe and comforted. This can be achieved in various simple ways.
Let Your Baby Sleep in Hammocks
Hammocks feel a lot like sleeping in the uterus for your little one, being all snug and comfy.
Wrap Up Your Baby Properly
It provides a sense of security of being held together and also keeps their limb movements in check.
Take Your Baby Outside
A small walk outside, or a short car drive, can be helpful for your baby as a change in the environment.
Opt for Breastfeeding at all Times
Don’t refrain from giving your breast to him, and let him have a quick feed if he asks for it.
Sleep in the Same Room or the Same Bed
Let your little one’s crib be in the same room as yours and right next to you.
Give Your Little One A Nice Bath
Playing in the water provides a soothing feeling to the child, as well as encourages skin-to-skin contact with the mother.
Encourage Skin-To-Skin Contact
This helps the baby breastfeed even better and start establishing a communication channel with the mother.
How to take Care of yourself during this Period?
Along with the baby, it is necessary for the mother to take care of herself during this period as well.
Make sure you get enough rest and not stress yourself with the duties of a mother while recovering from the pregnancy.
Don’t be afraid to ask for help and let your partner share the duties with you.
Keep some time to yourself and activities you enjoy. Read a book, or take a walk in the park, without worrying about the baby for a while.
Essential Equipment in the 4th Trimester
With breastfeeding being the core of the baby’s growth throughout the fourth trimester, it is necessary for nursing mothers to have a few different types of equipment at hand.
If you have engorged breasts, make use of breastfeeding pads to help soak the milk leakage.
Opt for blouses or tops that have buttons or allow easy access to the breast.
Go for breastfeeding bras that not only support your breasts but allow the baby to feed easily as well.
What do you Learn in this Trimester?
The fourth trimester is a learning experience for both the baby as well as the mother in different ways.
Breastfeeding is Not Easy
Feeding your child requires a sync to take place between you and your baby and that can take anything from a few days to a few weeks. The body needs time to match the production with the demand and it is necessary to not worry about it too much.
Hormonal Changes Occur all Over Again
Just like pregnancy, the body undergoes different changes of motherhood, resulting in hormone levels changing again. This can result in mood swings and cause postpartum depression, too. It is necessary to be aware of this and keep your spirits high.
Sleep Deprivation is Real
Your baby will keep you awake at night, leading you to not get enough sleep. You will have to learn to sleep at other times of the day and make sure you are rested enough as well.
The initial months after delivery is where a newborn baby is coming to terms with the new world. At the same time, the woman is coming to terms with the responsibilities of motherhood as well. With enough support and love, both can find a place for each other and lead the entire journey happily.
Also Read:
How to Breastfeed a Babies?
Baby Latching Techniques
Newborn Caring Tips for Parents Read more
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Teaching Your Baby to Understand the Meaning of
Sometimes we find it hard to give your little darlings the “tough love” treatment. It's the hardest thing in the world to see your baby pout and cry when you say “NO”. See what fruits you can reap by getting yourself to say “NO” to that little angel of yours when needed.
Your baby is the apple of your eye and you literally pamper your little one by getting her whatever she needs or demands for. Be it attention, food or toys, she has it all. At the beginning you may allow your child to throw a tantrum and put before her everything that she asks for. But have you realized the importance of saying “NO” to your little one? Yes, as much as you love and care for your baby, you must say “NO” to our babies and make your baby understand the meaning of “NO”. Saying no can be just as strong a display of love as saying “yes”.
Your baby may get into a tantrum throwing mode when you refuse certain things or try to discipline him. You may end up giving into her by accepting defeat. But by doing so, you have ended up training him not to listen to you. It is important to understand the how to begin disciplining your child to understanding “NO”. Refusal to unnecessary things helps your baby grow, develop and understand the difference between right and wrong.
Following Are Some Techniques to Teach Your Baby to Understand The Meaning of "NO"
1. Establish Authority Early
The longer you delay in making your baby understand “NO”, the harder it is going to get. As parents you need to start the process of establishing authority early by setting limits and having a structure. This establishes authority you will use a parent for the rest of their childhood.
2. Don’t Let Them Walk All Over You
Your little one can talk you into getting convinced by throwing tantrums just to have his way. Do not respond to it or melt away and give everything your baby wants. Certain things are unnecessary and dangerous and they must not have it. If your baby doesn’t understand your actions or tone of voice, just walk away and they will know you do not approve.
3. Teach, Coach and Set Limits
The three main aspects of parenting are teaching, coaching and setting limits. Setting a limit is the main aspect of making your child understand the meaning of “NO”. It’s good to be like a friend to your baby, but it’s also important to set aside some limits for unnecessary expectations. Teach and coach your little one.
4. Give Your Baby Time When Over-Stimulated
When you instantly refuse your baby something there is a high probability that your little one can get over-stimulated. If your baby gets over-stimulated and begins to throw tantrums, give your little one a break from disciplining. Over doing it can cause retaliation in your little one.
It is very important to realise the fine line of difference between disciplining your little one and being too harsh with him. Beginning to coach your little one and get him into your flow of doing things at an earlier stage is better than doing it much later. Be the best friend to your baby, but also cautiously teach her the meaning of no and to realize she can’t get her way with everything. Read more
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This Lifestyle Quiz by an Expert Will Tell You If You Eat for Your Body or Mind
Dieting is not the easiest challenge to accomplish, especially when we tend to look at food as a way of making ourselves feel better sometimes! But if this becomes a habit, your eating may be focused more on satiating your emotions, rather than your hunger. Answer the following lifestyle quiz set by our nutrition expert to find out what changes you need to make to your eating habits, to help you on your weight-loss journey!
Fact or Myth - Find Out the Truth About These Weight Loss Tips
While restricting unhealthy foods and including healthier options in your diet is the right way to begin your weight loss journey, you may be making certain mistakes in the elements of the diet - or choosing the wrong diet altogether!
1. Fad Diets Are Actually of No Use - Fact
Fad diets are diet plans that promise a drastic drop in body weight in a short while, without incorporating exercise into your daily routine. But they usually result in quick weight loss by means of following an unbalanced, and consequently, unhealthy diet. It may include certain foods that seem to do the trick but eating the same thing over a long period of time becomes unappealing. Apart from this, the results of a fad diet are not long-lasting, and you may find yourself quickly putting back on the weight you lost a short while ago. This occurs because fad diets claim to make you lose fat, while it is usually water weight that you are losing. It can also increase your susceptibility to chronic diseases and harm your overall health.
2. Non-Fat is the Way to Go for Weight Loss - Myth
Don’t judge a book by its cover - or a food item by its ‘non-fat’ label! You may think that the low fat cheese you ate last week was harmless enough, but this is not the case. A lot of foods claim to be non-fat while offering no such benefit. Instead, take note of the calorie count of the ‘non-fat’ food item and compare it to a product without the label. In most cases, the calorie content will be somewhat the same. You can actually go for the real thing, which will offer you more satisfaction, but in smaller amounts.
3. Food Eaten After 9 p.m is Making You Gain Weight - Myth
Here’s the thing - calories don’t go by the clock. Taken in at any point of the day, your body works the same way with food. That said, people who tend to resort to that extra sweet snack right before bed would be better off without it - instead, go for fruit slices or cereal with milk, which are lighter on calories, but still satiate hunger.
4. As Long As You’re Working Out, It Doesn’t Matter What You Eat - Myth
Your weight will always be attributed to 80% of what you eat, and 20% of how much you exercise; which means you can’t make up for eating that slice of cake with an hour on the treadmill. The need to reward yourself with food after a heavy workout can arise, but trying to outrun your diet can become a regular and unhealthy habit, which pulls you back on your weight-loss journey.
5. Diet Drinks May Be Causing You to Put on Weight - Fact
While everything is okay in moderation, even excessive consumption of seemingly healthy diet soda drinks, for that matter, have shown to contribute to weight gain; a relation that is to be explored more. At the moment, researchers believe that the body is still tasting the sweetness from the artificial sweeteners in these drinks, which tend to move existing calories of storage into fat.
Watch: Does Diet Soda Make You Gain Weight?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lSIEpyGsBUI
Key Takeaways:
The experiment conducted in the video seeks to find out what happens in our bodies when we drink diet soda.
Gabriel Weston from the BBC Earth Lab tests her blood sugar level after drinking diet soda, while her counterpart, Ben, tries the same with a regular sugary drink.
They test their sugar levels before and after drinking the two sodas. Ben's rose to 6.5 from 4.6, while Gabriel's rose from 4.4 to 4.2.
Some research suggests that the brain takes in the sweet taste and expects calories to enter the body. But since the calorie count hasn't risen too much, it sends messages across the body to eat more! More research is needed to prove the same.
Lifestyle Quiz - Do You Eat for Your Body or Your Mind?
How often have you found yourself reaching for that bar of Snickers even when you weren’t particularly hungry? We all tend to indulge in emotional eating occasionally; until we see how those occasional binges have contributed to the few extra kilos we’ve put on! Grab a pen and paper to answer this lifestyle quiz, to know if you’re eating to satisfy your hunger or emotions!
1. How easily can you lose weight?
A. Fairly easily if I work on it.
B. It is very hard for me to lose weight.
2. How comfortable are you to plan your meals and cook?
A. I enjoy planning and preparing my meals
B. I don’t enjoy cooking at all and tend to make last minute plans for my meals.
3. How long have you struggled with your weight issues?
A. 2-5 years
B. More than 5 years
Do You Disagree or Agree with the Following Statements?
1. Eating, especially desserts and fried foods, is my way of de-stressing and makes me feel better if I’m anxious.
A.Disagree
B.Agree
2. I don’t find the time to get physically active.
A. Disagree
B. Agree
3. The number on the weighing scale can affect my confidence if it is not what I hoped for.
A. Disagree
B. Agree
4. I tend to avoid social gatherings because of my weight issues.
A. Disagree
B. Agree
5. I have no control over what and how much I eat.
A. Disagree
B. Agree
6. I usually give importance to others needs over my own.
A. Disagree
B. Agree
7. I will eat food if it is around me, even if I am not hungry.
A. Disagree
B. Agree
How Did You Do?
If you chose mostly As - You may require a slight dietary modification and physical activity. Make sure to follow a balanced diet and get that body moving!
If you chose mostly Bs - You may be in need of behavioural therapy, in addition to dietary modification and physical activity. You may be low on self-confidence and self-monitoring, and may eat to feel better in your moments of anxiety. Therapy can help you overcome your dependence on food, while changing your dietary pattern and including exercise can help you on your weight-loss journey.
FAQs on Diet Plan - The Expert Answers
The following FAQs on choosing the right diet have been answered in consultation with nutrition consultant Dr Minal Acharya, PhD Nutrition, who is also a visiting faculty at the Maharashtra University of Health Sciences (MUHS).
1. How Will My Health Issues Affect My Diet Plan?
It is important to review the health or medical problems of the person as they may affect the weight of the individual or ability to lose weight. Certain health conditions that make it hard to lose weight are hormonal disorders like Cushing’s disease, Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) and Hypothyroidism, metabolic diseases like diabetes, and eating disorders like bulimia and anorexia. Certain medicines also can interfere with weight loss efforts; for example, medication for allergies (antihistamines), high blood pressure (alpha or beta blockers), diabetes (insulin or sulfonylureas) and depression. A diet will then have to be planned, taking these into consideration.
2. Will the Nutritional Levels of My Body Get Affected by Dieting?
Sound weight loss achieved by the correct eating plan is based on a balanced diet, which has the correct quantity of a variety of food groups. Hence, nutritional levels will not be negatively affected.
3. How Do I Control My Hunger Pangs?
Weight loss requires restriction of calories. However, it does not mean that one has to remain hungry. There are some of the effective ways to control hunger pangs while trying to lose weight:
Have fibre rich foods which take longer to digest, keep you full, and at the same time, provide lesser calories. Include lots of seasonal variety of fruits and vegetables (keep the skin wherever possible), coarse grains, legumes and nuts in your daily diet.
Have small frequent meals. Divide your calorie intake for the day into small 5-6 wholesome meals, so that you do not experience hunger pangs and are not tempted to grab onto unhealthy foods.
Stay hydrated. Having adequate fluids helps to curb hunger pangs in between meals. Drink plenty of water. Fluids like low-fat buttermilk and coconut water add to your fluid intake.
Watch your sugar intake. Studies have shown that foods which are rich in simple sugars, whether table sugar, brown sugar, high fructose corn syrup, maltose, or honey, are addictive. They make your body want more and hence, eat more.
Well, there you have it! Your diet is directly dependent on the lifestyle that you follow - so make slow but consistent changes to your daily routine, and experience the difference yourself! Read more
POOJA KOTHARI has added a new answer
Guardian of 0 children
3 hours ago
Q. what should I eat for a healthy baby in my 3rd month of pregnancy.kindly suggest a healthy diet routine
POOJA KOTHARI
Mom of a 7 yr 1 m old boy
3 hours ago
A. Whole grains — like brown rice, millet, oatmeal, bulgur, and whole-wheat bread. Proteins — like lean meats and chicken, eggs, seafood, beans and lentils, nuts and seeds, and tofu. Low-fat or fat-free dairy — like milk, yogurt, cheese, lactose-free dairy, and fortified soy beverages (soy milk) or soy yogurt.
Dr Ghouse has added a new answer
Guardian of 0 children
3 hours ago
Q. in which month of pregnancy we should start excercising for normal delivery
Dr Ghouse
Paediatrician
2 hours ago
A. no exercises vigorously only moderate walking ok. if there is no relief it is better you see your doctor for proper examination particularly physical examination if there is need for doing investigations to find out the problem and treatment ok
Dr Ghouse has added a new answer
Guardian of 0 children
2 hours ago
Q. #asktheexpert
I am 28 weeks pregnant and feeling breathlessness and Always tired ... is this normal ?
Dr Ghouse
Paediatrician
2 hours ago
A. this cannot be normal always better to see the doctor once. 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 Vandan H Kumar has added a new answer
2 hours ago
Q. My 4 year baby have always complaint of abdomen pain.
Dr Vandan H Kumar
Paediatrician
2 hours ago
A. if the child is having abdominal pain give syrup colicaid or syrup cyclopam 5 ml to the child for now
then you have to meet the doctor to find the cause of abdominal pain because it can be either due to gas or due to worms or some other abdominal pathology or gastroenteritis, constipation, digestive issues.
in the meantime it is advisable to give only easily digestible food to the child and water andx buttermilk curd rice and dal.
can give poha upma daliya and fruits.
avoid milk products , packet foods and fried items and heavy diet.
you can continue anti-colicx medicines and your doctor may add antacids for the child for few days it will help in decreasing the gas as well as bloating.
shilpi Bhandari has added a new answer
Guardian of 0 children
1 hour ago
Q. lo laying placenta he koi problem tho ni hogi na or sahi pojicion me lane ke liya ky krna chahiye
shilpi Bhandari
Mom of 2 children
1 hour ago
A. hello deri it is very important that you should take care of your diet because there are high chances of the anemia and the bleeding and the possibilities are there that you will have the C section
Dr Ghouse has added a new answer
Guardian of 0 children
31 mins ago
Q. Hi! Is the products like moisturiser and sunscreen in your website are pregnancy safe.
Dr Ghouse
Paediatrician
27 mins ago
A. depending on the products you had a go through the literature before using any product and better to have a sensitivity test so that sometimes you can be allergic to do before use
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