Samiksha Choithani

Try the following and see which one works out the best for you and your child: Laid back breastfeeding: Laid back breastfeeding is also known as biological nurturing which means that your baby's natural instincts will guide your position.You just need to make yourself comfortable, support your back, shoulder, neck and arms with pillows and bring your baby close to your skin. Rub your nipple on your baby's lips and your baby will open its mouth widely and start to latch. This is a natural instinctive way of nursing and you will be able to do it with ease. ﻿Cradle hold: Hold your baby in one of your arms wherein his/her head rests in the crook of your elbow and support rest of his/her body with the same arm. Cup your breast with your other hand and using your thumb and index finger, place your nipples along with areola into your baby’s mouth and ensure that the baby latches properly. To be specific, position your thumb on top and fingers below the nipple. The entire areola (dark circle around the nipple) should be in the child’s mouth. Football hold (Clutch or underarm hold): This position is especially useful if you have had a C-section, large breasts, premature baby or twins. This is a position where you hold the baby on the same side as the breast you are nursing from, tucking your baby’s legs under your arm just like a football. Hold your baby’s head in your palms and support his/her body with your arm. Cup your breast and latch your baby the same way you would do for the cradle hold. Sleeping or side-lying: Lying position is comfortable for mothers who have had C-section. Use your arm to comfortably position the baby’s head and hold the baby’s buttocks in the palm. Use the other hand to your breast. Use a blanket to cover the little one and your breast to help the child feel warm and safe.

For starters, most mothers find it difficult to stick to one position for breastfeeding. But with time, it gets better.

Breastfeeding positions

Ravina Sewani

Low blood sugar is medically called hypoglycemia and this can be resolved in most of the cases, with proper care.Sugar or glucose gives energy and most of this energy is used by the brain. When a child suffers from low blood glucose, it may – in some cases – lead to neurological damage, developmental delay, recurrent seizures and even cardiovascular issues. Symptoms that may indicate hypoglycemia in children:<ul><li>Blush or blue coloured or pale skin</li><li>Breathing problems like pauses between breathing, grunting or rapid breathing</li><li>Floppy muscles</li><li>Problems keeping your newborn warm</li><li>In some cases, there may be no symptoms at all.</li></ul> Causes:When your baby is inside your womb the glucose need is fulfilled by the placenta. Glucose level drops within 1-2 hours of birth and starts rising within the next 12 hours. After birth, your baby receives glucose from breastmilk and the baby's liver also starts making it. In some cases, your baby's liver might not be producing sufficient glucose or baby might use up more glucose than the amount received through breastmilk and produced through liver. Another reason could be that if you are a diabetic mother, your baby’s pancreas would release more insulin when inside the womb to maintain normal glucose level and after birth too, the pancreas continue with the insulin secretion at the same rate. Unfortunately, the liver cannot match this with adequate glucose production resulting in low levels in the blood. What can you do?<ul><li>Breastmilk is best way to regulate blood glucose level in your baby. The colostrum has enzymes that help the liver to release the glucose. Doctors will usually give a feeding plan to maintain the levels.</li><li>Keep your baby in skin to skin contact with you as this will keep your baby warm. Cold is known to worsen glucose levels. Generally, with proper care, the glucose levels in blood will stabilise within 3 days of birth. If the problem persists, the doctor will take the next necessary steps.</li></ul>

Low blood sugar is medically called hypoglycemia.

Low sugar in breastfeeding babies

<ul><li>Dust mites are very small bugs which live in humid environments and feed on scales shed by human skin. Dust mites need around 80% humidity and so as soon as the humidity falls, they die.</li><li>A protein present in the wastes of dust mites is usually found in the beds, carpets, furniture and when your child inhales such air, an allergic reaction is triggered.</li><li>Dust mites are the most common culprits behind your child's asthma. So it is very important to clean the furniture in the house properly at regular intervals.</li><li>The growth of dust mites can be prevented by dust-proofing your house using vacuum cleaner and washing pillows and mattresses in hot water time to time.</li><li>The growth of dust mites and hence the allergic reactions can be reduced by installing dehumidifiers to reduce the percentage of humidity indoors. You can also use HEPA filters in the air purifiers of your house.</li><li>Avoid carpeting in your house if your child is allergic to dust mites.</li></ul> Symptoms:<ul><li>Itching</li><li>Rashes</li><li>Vomiting</li><li>Diarrhoea</li><li>Swelling of the lips or tongue or face</li><li>Throat constriction</li><li>Difficulty in breathing</li><li>Allergies may sometimes also cause a life-threatening reaction called anaphylaxis which constricts the airway passage and requires immediate medical attention.</li></ul> Diagnosis:<ul><li>Always get your child diagnosed by a healthcare expert and never on your own. Never self-assume that your child has peanut allergy. Commercial home test kits for self-diagnosis are not recommended as they may not be of the required standards.</li><li>Your child’s paediatrician may recommend that your child undertake tests like skin prick test, blood test or food/drug challenge. It is important that these tests are performed under medical supervision as these tests might trigger an allergic reaction. Along with these tests, your child’s paediatrician will also examine your child's medical/family history, existing conditions like asthma and eczema.</li></ul>

Allergy to dust mites is usually caused by the carpets used in the house. The best way to make your baby safe is to keep your surroundings clean.

Dust mites allergy

If you notice that your baby is not gaining weight according to standard figures or peeing quite often, it could be&nbsp;that the child is not getting enough breast milk. The good news is that most women produce one-third more breast milk than their babies will drink, so there’s nothing to worry about it. In case your milk supply is running low. There are ways to increase your milk supply:<ul><li class="ql-align-justify">Use a breast pump regularly.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Breastfeed often</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Make sure the child is latching on properly.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Feed from both breasts (one by one after completing from one side)</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Don't skip feeding times</li></ul>

The beginning is always tough, but it does get easier with time. Find out more in the full article.

How can I improve my lactation?

Palak Vyas

Circumcision is a small surgery where the skin covering the tip of the penis is removed surgically. The decision to get your baby circumcised depends on cultural, religious, medical or personal reasons. Let the paediatrician or neonatologist decide if the child is ready for circumcision or not.<ul><li>Your baby’s penis may be sore for a few days after the procedure.</li><li>You have to be careful while bathing and changing diapers until it heals completely. Do not use any bathing products. You can use warm water to clean the area.</li><li>Whenever you change the diaper, use a new dressing as per your child’s paediatrician’s advice.</li><li>Use a dab of petroleum jelly on the penis so that there is no friction with the diaper.</li><li>Healing after the surgery can take up to 7-10 days.</li></ul> Inform your child’s paediatrician if you see any of the following signs:<ul><li>Bleeding that continues</li><li>Fever</li><li>Infection</li><li>Redness that gets only worse</li><li>Pus filled blisters</li><li>If the child does not urinate within 12 hours after the circumcision.</li></ul>

Circumcision is not necessary but the decision depends on personal beliefs.

Undergoing circumcision in boys

Child's disinterest in healthy home cooked food starts from an early age of 6-7 months. There are several reasons behind a picky eater child: <ol><li>Medical Challenge - Allergy, Reflex, Constipation</li><li>Oral-motor Challenge - Chewing, Breathing, Swallowing</li><li>Sensory Challenge - Recognises only few flavours or smell</li><li>Temperament and mood - Easily frustrated so feels and express the internal emotion.</li><li>Early exposure to junk food - This is the most common</li></ol> What can be done to make your child eat all kinds of food:<ul><li>When during the initial months of introducing food to child, do not introduce sugary chocolates, junk food like packed food items, extremely spicy or salty food or else the child will develop the taste for those kind of things. If you introduce foods which are higher on the taste spectrum, the child will throw tantrums when you give him/her healthy food. In this case you can always start slow by making their food interesting, example - using ingredients they like and garnish their food with smileys. Using decorative plates and cups also helps.</li><li>Be patient: If your child throws tantrums on seeing healthy home cooked food, do not melt and give the junk food just because your child is crying. Be strong because developing a new habit will take time.</li><li>A child who has eaten chocolates will not adjust to khichdi. Khichdi does not have the same taste as chocolate. A child is driven by taste and not by nutrition.</li><li>Make sure that everyone in the family eats the same dish. Special dishes should not be prepared for everyone. If the child watches that special dishes are being prepared for someone in the family, the child also learns to demand the same.</li><li>Do not keep any distractible food on the table - like sugary or spicy foods.</li><li>Make it a point that everyone eats together in their own plates. This way the child learns to eat everything and also on their own.</li><li>Keep a fixed meal time.</li></ul>

It is not right to completely put the blame on kids for their disinterest in healthy food. As parents, we need to reflect on ourselves and take necessary measures for the same.

Child being choosy about food

There are different types of thermometer available in the market:<ol><li>Glass thermometer with mercury</li><li>Glass thermometer without mercury</li><li>Digital thermometer</li></ol> Glass thermometer can be of two types depending upon its usage - rectal thermometer and an oral thermometer. There are several ways to take your child’s temperature: Rectal Method (by the rectum or buttocks):<ul><li>Use a thermometer with a stubby tip.</li><li>Put a diaper or other cloth across your lap. Put your child over that diaper or cloth on his/her stomach or back; whichever way is comfortable for the child.</li><li>Put a little amount of petroleum jelly on the tip of the thermometer.</li><li>Insert the tip gently without giving any pressure, into the rectum. Do not try to force it at all.</li><li>The silver tip of the thermometer is half an inch. If your child is less than 3 months old, insert only half an inch, that is just the silver tip of the thermometer.</li><li>If your child is above 3 months, insert as deep as 1 inch, not more than that.</li><li>Hold the thermometer in place. A digital thermometer makes a beep sound in 30 seconds. Glass thermometers take longer, approximately 3 minutes. Take the thermometer out and read the temperature.</li><li>Measuring the temperature via the rectal method is a bit tricky hence it Is advisable to be done only by healthcare experts, not at home.</li></ul> Oral Method (by mouth):<ul><li>Use an oral thermometer, the one with a thin long tip.</li><li>Do not give anything hot or cold to the child for 20 minutes before measuring the temperature.</li><li>Place the tip of the thermometer in your child’s mouth, under the tongue and close to the mouth.</li><li>You will have to hold a thermometer for him/her. A beep sound comes in 30 seconds with a digital thermometer. For glass thermometers, hold in place for 3 minutes. Take the thermometer out and read the temperature.</li><li>If your child is very young, this method is not advisable as they might bite on to the thermometer and hurting themselves.</li></ul> Axillary Method (under the armpit):<ul><li>Here, you can use an oral thermometer.</li><li>See that your child’s underarm is dry, or else wipe it dry first.</li><li>The tip of the thermometer is directly placed in the armpit.</li><li>Press the child’s upper arm against his chest to keep the arm still and the thermometer in place.</li><li>Digital thermometers may take longer than 30 seconds before beeping when using this method. Using glass thermometer can be tedious because it takes 7-10 minutes which is too long for a child to be still.</li><li>This is the safest method to use at home.</li></ul> Temporal artery Method (forehead):<ul><li>Temporal artery thermometer is an infrared device that scans the temporal artery and shows temperature.</li><li>Put it straight across the forehead, to the temporal area and not down the side of the face.</li><li>Remove, read and record the temperature.</li><li>The device used here is expensive compared to a digital thermometer.</li></ul> Tympanic Method (in the ear):<ul><li>If your child has been outdoors on a cold day or is overheated because of playing, he needs to be inside for 15 minutes before taking the temperature this way.</li><li>Slowly pull your child’s ear backwards to straighten the ear canal (back and up if your child is over 1 year old).</li><li>Gently put the tip of the thermometer in the ear until it stops. The tip should point to the space between the eye and the ear on the other side of the head.</li><li>Within two seconds you will hear a beep sound, take it out and read the temperature.</li><li>This is also a risky method as children tend to move a lot and might get hurt in the ear.</li></ul> Whenever you are using any type of thermometer or whichever the method you use, always be careful and hold the thermometer in place until you get the reading.

There are several thermometers available and different ways to measure the temperature during a fever.

Different types of thermometer to measure a child's fever

Eating excess junk food like pizza and pasta can cause constipation as they are made of refined flour. The child, who is already suffering from constipation avoids going to the toilet because it is painful. Because of this, the stool stays in the stomach and gets harder and it gets more painful when the child goes to the toilet next time. This cycle continues. Make sure the child eats enough fibrous foods like fruits and vegetables so the stool gets softer and passes out easily. . For 0-1 year:Constipation among infants is not a serious problem. The child is constipated when (s)he misses passing the stool for less than thrice a week or when they pass thick/hard stool. Babies who are exclusively breastfed may not pass bowel movements every day. So, do not worry much. If your child is happy, does not cry much and does not have a gas problem, be rest assured about constipation. If you feel that your child's belly is very firm than usual, it could be a sign of constipation. In that case, you can try the following:<ul><li>Adjust your diet so that the baby gets healthier breast milk.</li><li>If your baby is below 6 months, gently massage the his/her stomach and gently move his/her legs in the bicycle movement.</li><li>If your baby is older than 6 months, you can try giving him/her semi-solid foods and fruit juices to improve bowel movements.</li></ul> Also, do not worry about the variance in the colour of the potty. The colour of the potty changes during the first year due to diet and the introduction of new foods to babies. The colours of potty may vary from black, mustard yellow, green, orange. If the colour is white or grey or chalky, it indicates the baby is suffering from liver problems and in this case, you should consult a paediatrician. For 2-6 years:If you are a parent of a toddler, keep a check on potty routine. At times children skip potty as they are more interested in playing or watching their favourite cartoon and hence avoid going for potty. Even change in routine makes them uncomfortable about going to potty. If constipation persists, you can try the following:<ul><li>Give them a glass of warm water once or twice a day if they regularly skip potty.</li><li>Give them carrot and green leafy vegetable soup.</li></ul>Also, give your child proper potty training. Set a fixed time of the day when they are supposed to go for potty. This will help maintain a regular bowel cycle. If constipation persists for more than a week, it is better to consult your child's paediatrician.

The problem of constipation in children worries a lot of parents. There are a few ways in which you can address this problem.

Constipation among infants and toddlers

Thrush is a fungal infection that causes severe pain in both nipples and breasts after feeds. If the pain lasts even up to an hour after every feed, it is the sign of thrush. If not taken care of, your baby can also develop this infection in the mouth. This infection is caused when you have cracked nipples that give the fungus an entry into your nipples. If you are on antibiotics for some reason, do not stop taking them fearing the thrush infection. Always do as advised by your doctor. Because your baby breastfeeds, (s)he has chances of developing this infection. Check if your baby has white spots or patches in tongue, gums, roof of the mouth or inside the cheeks. Try wiping them gently and if it does not go away, it indicates thrush. Other indicators of thrush include baby’s unrest when feeding, nappy rash, a white film on lips. It is important to maintain hygiene as the infection can spread to others in the family as well. Properly wash your hands carefully after nappy changes and use separate towels to prevent spreading of infection. You need to also wash and sterilise the toys your baby puts in mouth. Wash your bras at high temperature. Pain in the breast and thrush are two different things. Always seek medical help for the right diagnosis.In case you or your baby both have thrush, both of you will be treated simultaneously. Your doctor will usually prescribe a topical cream for you and an antifungal gel or liquid for your baby. Thrush can be treated, and you will be back to your days of breezy breastfeeding experience.

Thrush is a fungal infection that causes severe pain in both nipples and breasts after feeds.

teeth cleaning health concerns

Following article(s) will help solve your concern.