Archive for August, 2009

Early Detection of Disease in the Child

August 31st, 2009

sleeping childIt is highly crucial that a mother should own such information as will enable her to detect disease at its first appearance, and thus ensure for her child timely medical aid. This knowledge it will not be hard for her to obtain. She has only to bear in mind what are the indications which constitute health, and she will at once see that all deviations from it must denote the presence of trouble, if not of real disease. With these changes she must to a certain extent make herself familiar with.

Signs of health.

The signs of health are to be found, first, in the healthy performance of the several functions of the body; the regular demands made for its supply, neither in excess or insufficiency; and a similar regularity in its excretions both in quantity and appearance.

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Start Growing Healthy Children Before Getting Pregnant

August 31st, 2009

periksa kehamilanWhen I was in my early 20’s, I read Adele Davis’s book, “Let’s Eat Right To Keep fit.” I learned from her that “you are what you eat.” I also learned that our babies are what we eat while we are pregnant, and then are what they eat once they are born. If you nurse your babies, then they continue to be what you eat as long as you are nursing them. My bible during my first pregnancy over 38 years ago was “Let’s Have Healthy Children,” also by Adele Davis. I started to follow her guidelines way before getting pregnant, knowing that my health had a big effect on my baby’s health. There is much more information about good nutrition available today, and I want to encourage anyone who wants to have healthy children to start early in learning about and implementing a healthy way of eating. Educating yourself regarding good nutrition is a major part of good parenting.

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Should I Breastfeed or use Formula?

August 31st, 2009

botol-susuThe decision of how to feed your baby is a very personal one. The benefits of breast-feeding are numerous and significant, but many women still choose not to for reasons all their own. Before you decide how to feed you child, take a few moments to study up on breastfeeding, then armed with information, making your choice should be easier.

Breastfeeding has two stages, colustrum and regular milk. Colustrum is the very first milk produced. It occurs during the first two to three days, and is a thick, whitish liquid. Colustrum is exactly what a new baby needs. It is low in fat and high in carbohydrates, protein, and antibodies. It is also extremely easy for the newborn’s system to digest. One of the first things that the colustrum does is produce a laxative effect. It helps the baby to pass the meconium, which are thick and tarry. It also helps to clear excess bilirubin and prevent jaundice. So, if a baby is born with jaundice, the best thing is to nurse. Colustrum also carries an extremely high number of both antibodies and leukocytes (protective white cells), and helps the baby’s immature immune system fight off diseases, viruses, and bacteria. In effect, colustrum super-charges the baby’s system and helps prepare him for life outside the womb.

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Losing Weight After Pregnancy

August 31st, 2009

Pregnancy_comparisonYou could be lucky. I was – just once. When my middle daughter was born I actually weighed 10 pounds less than I had when I’d conceived her. That’s not something you can count on, though, and I can tell you that from experience as well. Most women start their lives as a new mom with an extra 8 to 15 pounds that they didn’t have pre-baby.

There’s a very good reason for that. God designed our bodies with nurture in mind. Part of that weight that you put on during pregnancy was meant to nurture your baby AFTER birth. While your body requires an extra 300 calories a day to keep up with the nutritional demands of your baby during pregnancy, a breastfeeding mother requires at least 500 extra calories a day to produce enough milk and remain healthy. Your body stores up a little extra nutrition for after the birth just in case there isn’t enough food for its needs when it’s time to feed the new little critter.

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Breast Feeding Tips and Guidelines

August 31st, 2009

menyusuiBreastfeeding has many advantages for both the baby and the mother. There are many substances in breast milk that can’t be found in cow’s milk. More so, there are fewer complications associated with breast milk than with cow’s milk.

It has been advertised time and again that it is best for the babies if they are breastfed for the first six months even up to two years. So why is breast milk so beneficial for the baby? First of all, only breast milk contains colostrums which are essential for the baby to take. Commercially-made milks cannot simulate the colostrums made by a mother. The colostrums contain natural antibodies and immune globulins that are responsible for keeping the baby free from illness for the first few months of its life.

Another advantage breast milk has over cow’s milk is that it allows the mother to save as cow’s milk can be expensive. The baby can better adapt to breast milk. Their feces are not smelly and they don’t have any difficulty defecating compared to cow’s milk. Breastfeeding has also been approved to be one of the family planning methods that a family can observe.

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Good Exercises To Do When Pregnant

August 31st, 2009

402px-Pregnant_Woman_With_Dumbells

Most women can and should exercise when pregnant. Unless your pregnancy is high risk or your doctor has ordered you to stay in bed, there is no reason in fact you can’t exercise while pregnant.

Studies show that there are numerous benefits to exercising while pregnant. You can improve your energy levels, get your blood pumping to your legs and improve your circulation, and improve your chances for a speedy recovery.

Another reason to exercise? Moms who worked out while pregnant generally had shorter and easier labors.

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How to Deal with The Stress Of Being A Parent

August 3rd, 2009

HeadacheBecoming a parent is a life changing event, and while bringing up children certainly can be a joyful experience there’s no denying that it can also place huge stresses on you as a mother or father. Commonly recommended ways of dealing with stress in other areas of life tend to involve ‘getting away from it all’, such as visits to the gym or a game of squash to release the tension. However, being a parent is a full time job and it’s not always possible to take time out in this way.

Luckily, there are several ways of dealing with your stress that actively involve your children, and so are much easier to apply to your day to day life. You’ll also probably find that enjoying time with your children while simultaneously lowering your stress levels will deepen your mutual bonds and strengthen your relationship – which sounds like a good thing all round!

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How to Create More Time for Family

August 3rd, 2009

child-playing-bouncingIf you don’t think you have enough family time, remember- creating time is a choice. I encourage you to choose wisely by following these six tips:

1. Lunch and listen. Make a lunch date with your partner or your kids or both and grab a bite together. Catch up, and really tune in deeply and listen with your heart to what they have to say. Focus on them and on hearing them and learning more about them. You’ll feel closer.

2. Make family a priority. If it were your last day on earth, what would you do? Be with your loved ones. Plan to be with your family and plan your time. Ask yourself “What am I missing?” Add that to your life. Make your family a first priority, and think about what you can gain from your time.

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Choosing The Right Car Seats for Your Child

August 3rd, 2009

child-car-seatsIf you have children, or are planning to have children, one of the most important thing you need to think about purchasing is a car seat. There are many child car seats to choose from, and making sure you have the right one is very important.

Child car seats are often divided into categories, which manufacturers often refer to as stages. These stages include Stage 1 or Groups 0 & 0+, Stage 2 or Group 1, Stage 3 or Group 2, and, lastly, Stage 4 or Group 3. There are some child car seats that are able to be converted as your child grows, so it can possibly fit into several stages and/or groups.

The first of the main types of child car seats is the rear-facing baby seat for children who fit into Group 0. These are used from birth to up to 6-9 months and/or for infants weighing up to 22 pounds. They also fit the Group 0+ category since some are made for use from birth up to 12-15 months and/or infants weighing up to 29 pounds.

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Try These Ideas To Get Your Kids To Eat Their Veggies

August 3rd, 2009

Kindergarten-snackDo you have trouble getting your kids to eat their veggies? I sure do. My daughter used to be great about trying and eating just about anything…and then she turned 2 ½. Now it is pretty much impossible to get her to eat anything other than corn when it comes to vegetables. So I had to come up with some fun and sometimes sneaky ways to get some veggies in her. Here are a few of my favorites.

1. If you can’t make them eat it, make them drink it. Pour some vegetable juice over ice and add a straw, a cocktail umbrella or a stick of celery and watch them drink it up. Your kids may not get as much fiber as eating the entire vegetable, but getting them to drink their vegetables is better than not getting any vegetables in their system.

» Read more: Try These Ideas To Get Your Kids To Eat Their Veggies