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Think of exercise and a treadmill comes to your eyes. Well, for children the scenario is different. The best workout for children is to remain as active as possible. Some of the regular activities a child should do are soccer practices, riding bikes, playing with others, dancing classes, etc. Some of the activities a child can do are:

- Swimming
- Jogging
- Running
- Bicycling
- Soccer

An active child will have many things going their way; some of the benefits are:

- Having a control over obesity
- Possessing stronger bones and muscles
- Good physical structure
- Better blood circulation and metabolism
- Decreasing the risk of type II diabetes

An active kid would increase three essential elements in their body, which are developing the power of endurance, increasing physical strength and getting flexibility.

Popularity: 3% [?]

Cleft lip or cheiloschisis and cleft palate, also commonly known as palatoschisis are conditions that can occur in a person together. This is a congenital deformity that is usually triggered by inadequate facial development during the gestation period. What is a cleft? It’s a gap or a fissure and is also referred to as harelip.

When a cleft lip does not affect the palate and is restricted to the lip or till the nostril, it is known as cleft lip. Cleft palate happens when two plates of the skull forming the hard palate of the mouth are not joined completely. In this case, the soft palate is also cleft.

Though common in the lips, clefts can also happen in different parts of the face such as ears, eyes, cheeks, nose and forehead. Cleft lips and palates can be rectified through surgery right after birth. 1 in 600-800 children born have this kind of deformity.

Reasons for the deformity

Often the causes of cleft lips and palates are hereditary. If a person gives birth to a baby with cleft lip, chances are high that the baby may grow up to give birth to another cleft lipped infant. Environmental influences can also be blamed for cleft lip condition. If a pregnant mother is into smoking, drinking alcohol, is ignorant of her diet and intakes less vitamins, the baby to be born can have a cleft lip.

Other environmental factors like the pregnant mother’s exposure to pesticides, organic solvents, nitrate compounds, and lead can also be blamed for this condition. Pregnant women should also refrain from intaking heroine, cocaine and other drugs.

When can it be diagnosed?

Diagnosis is normally done during childbirth by a physical examination. Use of advanced technology in prenatal diagnosis is making it possible for obstetricians to diagnose cleft lips, cleft palates and other facial clefts in the uterus.

Treatment

Treatment is possible for cleft lips and palates with a high success rate. The treatment depends on the severity and type of the cleft. For treating cleft palate and craniofacial clefts, there are some teams which prefer to correct the jaw of the children later when the child is aged 10-12 years; this is to prevent the child from having to undergo repetitive surgeries which may be required when permanent teeth replaces the deciduous teeth. Other teams prefer jaw correction earlier, believing that this way the speech therapy required will be lesser in comparison to a later age.

Popularity: 5% [?]

Post natal care is essential for both the mom and the baby. One of the main things that the new mother needs to be an expert at is breastfeeding. The mother has to learn the right way to breastfeed the child so that the neck and the shoulders of the little one are not strained at all.

How many times to feed the baby?

There are no fixed times to feed your baby. Pay attention to the little one and feed him/her as often as he/she is hungry. This can be 8 to 12 times a day. With the baby growing, the need for breastfeeding will also change. Do not move the baby away from your breast, until the infant is satisfied; the baby may want to nurse at each breast for 15 to 20 minutes.

What should be eaten to ensure that the child gets nutrition?

Remember what you eat, is exactly what your baby gets through your breast milk. Thus, it is important to consume food of nutritional value so that you can give your baby a nutritional diet too.

A lactating mother should follow a well-balanced diet that is rich in calcium. Eat vegetables, fruits, meat, milk, dairy products, beans and whole-grain cereals. For calcium, you can also eat broccoli, tofu, sesame seeds and kale. Drink sufficient fluids in the form of water and fruit juices.

What should not be eaten?

Limit your intake of alcohol and caffeine as they can get into your milk. If you are having a medicine, it is important to talk to your doctor first, as the medicine also can get into your milk. Avoid smoking; the chemicals can get into your milk and you can also be supplying less milk. If you feel that something you eat is not going well with your baby, avoid having it.

What can be done to increase supply of milk?

A mom who has given birth to twins will need a greater supply of milk. There are also women who have a low supply of milk even with one child. In such cases, it is necessary to increase the number of times you feed your baby.

Rest well and eat healthy food. It is essential to give your body the time to fulfil the demands of your baby. Unless the baby is 4 months old, refrain from feeding the child baby formula or cereals. This may make the baby demand less breast milk and crave for cereals only. If this happens, there will be a decrease in your milk supply.

Popularity: 2% [?]

There are certain questions that every new mom has about breastfeeding. These doubts need to be cleared for experiencing motherhood in a new light and above all, enjoying this phase.

It is important to figure out the right way to breastfeed your baby. Make sure you hold your baby the right way so that the little one does not feel pain in the neck or shoulders. The posture for breastfeeding should be comfortable for both the mother and the child.

The let-down reflex

A new mother may realise that a few seconds or several minutes after starting to breastfeed, there may be a tingling sensation in the breast. Milk which is not being used can also start dripping from the breasts. There is nothing to worry. These symptoms are just an indication telling the lactating mother that the milk has let-down, which means that the breast milk is all set to flow.

This makes it easier for the baby to feed on breast milk. The let-down reflex can be triggered if the mother hears the baby cry or just thinks about the baby. It can also be invoked when breastfeeding the child is overdue.

The let-down reflex in some cases can be forceful enough to make the baby cough. It would be advisable to express some of the milk by hand before breastfeeding, so that the let-down reflex is on and the child does not choke.

Sore nipples

It is not difficult to prevent sore nipples; just latch the baby properly and there will be no problems. If you think your baby is not latched properly, take the little one off your breast, by gently putting a finger at the corner of his/her mouth between the gums. The baby will release your nipple, and then you can position the baby in a comfortable manner.

You can also apply lanolin on the nipples to prevent sore nipples. Remember to wash the lanolin off before feeding the child. It is also important to change bra pads between the feedings to ensure that the nipples are dry.

In case, you have sore and painful nipples, overfull breasts, fever or feel achy, it is best to consult a doctor. These may be symptoms of infection, so always see a doctor.

Popularity: 2% [?]

Every baby has a right to be breastfed. Breastfeeding is the best thing a mother can do for her child, as breast milk is rich in nutrients and highly beneficial for the child. This is what the baby needs to ward off infections and allergies.

Breastfeeding also benefits the new mom; it helps the uterus contract back to its normal size after being stretched when pregnant. It also delays the return of periods; make sure you do not count on this for preventing pregnancy.

The right way to breastfeed

Firstly, wash your hands properly, then place your thumb over your breast and other fingers below the breast. Softly, brush your baby’s lips with your nipple to make him/her open the mouth widely. Put the nipple in the baby’s mouth and pull the little one close to your breast. Your baby will be able to squeeze with her/his jaws the milk ducts under your areola.

It is important to keep the baby latched in the proper manner. The lips should be pouting out and covering the entire areola. The noise made by the infant is a soft swallowing sound instead of smacking noises. You should be comfortable when breastfeeding your baby, of you experience pain, then in all probability the baby is not positioned in the proper way.

You will do good to press down on your breast, the part that the nose of the infant is touching, to allow the baby to breathe comfortably.

Make the position easy for your baby

It is important to ensure that the baby does not have to strain the neck in any manner when feeding on breast milk. You can hold your baby in the cradle position, where the little one’s head is held in the crook of your arm. Provide support to the back and bottom of the baby with your hand and arm. Make sure that the breast is just in front of the baby’s face. The infant should be lying sideways facing towards you.

In case you are recovering from a caesarean section, it is advisable to lie on your side and make the baby face you. It is a good idea to use pillows to prop your head and shoulders, so that it becomes easy for the infant.

The football position is also good, which lets you and your baby both be comfortable. In this posture, you have your baby under your arm like a football with the head of the baby resting on your arm. Support with your forearm the body of the baby. This posture is also beneficial if you are recovering from a caesarean section.

If you feed your baby the right way, you and your child will both have a wonderful experience. Breastfeeding is also a great way to bond with your baby. It’s all about loving and caring for your little one.

Popularity: 10% [?]

There is good news for all concerned parents of babies and toddlers in northeast India. Shillong, capital city of Meghalaya, has recently witnessed the inauguration of the first-ever children’s hospital in the entire northeast part of India. The hospital comes with the state-of-the-art health facilities keeping in mind the health needs of children.

The set up of this child hospital is the initiative of the well-known paediatrician of the city, Dr. Debashish Das together with his wife Dr. C Kharbudnah. The hospital accommodates 30 beds and covers an area of about 20,000 square feet. The hospital is expected to offer superior quality health services to children and is also a playhouse with toys for children undergoing treatment here. The hospital is very spacious and hygienic; it houses a well-equipped laboratory, an operation theatre, advanced medical equipments, which are required for paediatric care and ultrasound facilities.

The hospital is three-storied and around three crore rupees were spent in the building of the hospital for children. The hospital was financed by State Bank of India. Dr Das wanted to have a hospital that would have a homely atmosphere for the children so that toddlers do not feel scared when they come to hospital for treatment. He further added that he wanted the ambience to be a fun-filled one for the children.

Popularity: 7% [?]