Temples in India for Childbirth and Safe Delivery

Posted on August 25, 2013 by admin

By Arathi,

karuvelichery

I was thinking twice if I should do a religious post, But I thought why not if it’s going to help a lot of people.

I have never been a very religious person. I believe God but I think faith and worship is a very personal thing and I have my own way in praying to god. And I’m sure all your relationship with god and what you share with him is unique.

But then there was a time after my miscarriage that I really wanted to have a baby and I was losing faith. I was asking God questions like why me, what harm did the baby do? So many many more questions. So a family friend suggested we go to

Garbarakshambigai temple which is located close to Kumabakonam. Continue reading →

She is the Godess who helps in conceiving and safe delivery. They offer ghee as Prasad in the temple, so we had to come home and consume the ghee.

God is always there and will help us anyhow. But all this really helped me during the healing process.

Kumbakonam itself is a temple city, if you’re really into history and want to venture out just take a walk, it’s unbelievable how every street has one temple.

If you want to visit the temple:

http://www.starsai.com/garbarakshambigai-photos/
So after we finished our prayers there we got to know of another temple.

Karuvalarcheri Temple

The Goddess who blesses the fetus with growth, and blesses the development of the fetus. We offered our prayers there too.

http://kumbakonamtemples.in/karuvalarcheri-temple.html

Do visit and pray with all your heart God will grant you a baby and safe delivery.

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Graco Diaper Bag Review

Posted on August 25, 2013 by admin

 graco

Hey Girlies..

Have you seen moms holding these sad big bags with feeding bottles and flasks stuffed in the side. Also the bag would be pink or blue based on the gender on the kids with lot of prints.. So when I heard about these classy diaper bags I wanted to own one.

I asked a friend of mine to pick it up from the US, she got me this lovely GRACO Meadow Menagerie diaper bag. And now we can’t imagine going out without it, everyone including my mom will look for it when we plan to take my baby out.

So people if you think getting a diaper bag is just a fancy thing, no its not. These bags have many many compartments so that you can sort out everything. And its one thing you will be using every other day at least for the next 2-3 years. Continue reading →

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I leave some unused stuff in there for days. The bag has an adjustable strap so both me and my husband use it while taking my baby out. You get a nice changing pad with the bag.

The other best part of the bag is that it’s water resistant, so cleaning is very easy, you can wipe the bag with some water or wet wipe and your done.

You will find these bags online in India, and I think it will surely be available in the malls.

This one costed me around 30$, so around Rs1600-1800.

If not this one all your pregnant ladies get a nice diaper bag so that both you and your husband or any family member can carry it, it’s a good investment.

Image http://www.target.com/p/graco-meadow-menagerie-diaper-bag/-/A-13668437“>source

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The Importance of Breastfeeding

Posted on August 23, 2013 by admin

By Megha,

BF

Hello everyone. A new mom follows every instruction given to her by the doctor and one among them is breast feeding. Today I would like to tell the importance of breast feeding and the impact it has on your little one.

Beginning with:

  • It has the ideal composition for infant’s needs, provided in a safe clean form at the right temperature.
  • The feed needs no preparation and there is no equipment to sterilize it.
  • It contains anti-infective factors which cannot be manufactured and added to infant formula. This has considerable health benefits for the infant both in childhood and later life.

Psychologists say it is an advantage to both the mother and the baby as breast feeding increases bond strength and there is sense of accomplishment and indispensability to mother.

  • Breast milk is easily digestible.
  • It confers immunity (passive) to the baby.
  • Lastly the way the baby takes milk from the breast is called suckling which plays a vital role in the development of muscles around the mouth and tongue activity for normal growth of the teeth and the jaws.
  • Breastfeeding prevents breast-cancer in mothers.

Hope these beneficial points motivate all the mommies to give their child the breast feed and make them healthy.

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Reading Books to Babies

Posted on August 23, 2013 by admin

IMG_1488

Hello Ladies, I think some of you are regulars now. Welcome back!!! and please like us on FB and subscribe to us to encourage and grow this blog.

When I was looking for some colorful books for my baby who is 6 months old, everyone around me laughed. But I still continued my hunt for some picture books for my baby.

From when she was three months she was so fascinated with television, she used to love the colors and sounds. So I thought I might as well show her colorful books, and I’m anyways the 24/7 radio in my house, so audio will be mine.

I heard book reading develops the cerebral activity and kids go on to be good readers in future. My aunt’s friend used to give her son a newspaper to read, she was ok with him tearing it into million bits, but she would not stop. Continue reading →

Thanks to my sister’s best friend, she gifted me these colorful picture books and I found some on animals and birds. Since baby can’t sit up, I sleep next to her and show her pictures and read out the names to her with sounds. She is so excited when I turn every page, she would just start kicking and smiling. God knows what she understands but she patiently sits through the reading sessions and goes on OOOOOOOOOOh OOOOOOOOOOh like she is done reading.. hehe..

We even read out a story book to her, she was exited too.

Do try it out with your babies and let me know.

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Anjjali’s Fitness Fundas

Posted on August 23, 2013 by admin

fitness

Hello friends,

I  very much know how important weight loss topic becomes hot soon after the delivery. Below I am listing some easy tips that might help you for a healthy weight loss.

* Start with small and practical goals that you feel are achievable..this will increase your morale and will keep u motivated for further weight loss goals once u have achieved the smaller ones.

*Do what suits you and don’t follow anything blindly.

*You cannot lose weight without moving your butt. Trust me, you cannot.

*Do not go for crash diets and over workout routines. Balance is what will take you a long way.

*Water intake is very important; you must have heard the whole world telling you about this by now.

* Do maintain a regular intake of fruits, salads and water. Continue reading →

* If u can get ur friend/spouse to workout with u nothing better than this…u will definitely look forward to ur workout regime.

*Just listen to some “peppy” or “inspirational” fast music that gets you going during your workout.

* If on some days u get too lazy to go for walks or exercise ask ur hubby to push u out J

*Write down your present eating and exercise habits on paper. Record things you do each day for a week. Evaluate the above and then re-evaluate the priorities in your life and make some small but impactful modifications. Change your habits but, here is the trick, one at a time.

*Don’t give up and let the weight loss happen slowly but steadily. Weight loss is not only a huge confidence booster, it is very very healthy. You feel good and lighter

*Don’t stop dressing up just because u have gain weight and pls stop buying  clothes bigger than ur size. Wear your size. Dress up for yourself and for people who love you….you will feel good by wearing proper fitted dresses.

*After attaining a figure,  do not quit working out. A good body needs to be maintained through your  life. Joining the gym once in a while and leaving after a few months won’t help.

* Don’t compare yourself every time with others. It’s of no use as everybody is different. Its ur body, love it don’t try to change it but work with it.

*Calling yourself names and putting yourself down will only lower your self-esteem, and not numbers on the scale so don’t do tht ever!!!!

Image source

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Hair Fall after Delivery

Posted on August 23, 2013 by admin

hairfal

After delivery we suffer from hair loss. Most of it is due to the hormonal changes, sudden change in eating habits, stopping all our multivitamins, folic acid and iron. Also hair that falls regularly holds on to the scalp during pregnancy, all this drops off at once after childbirth.

I have compiled the tips below after consulting a Loreal hair expert.

Here are some of the tips to stop your hair fall:

  • Food Habits: continue eating nutritious food like before, just avoid the fats. Include nuts, spinach, fresh veggies and fruits, egg and fish in your diet.
  • Supplements: Continue Iron, folic acid for some time and gradually stop it. Also continue calcium tablets when breastfeeding for atleast 3 months. Continue reading →
  • Water: Drink lots of water to remove toxins from the body.
  • Oil massage and shampoo: Oil your hair regularly, parachute hot oil is very good if you can bear the smell and use a shampoo with less chemicals and stick to one brand.
  • Hair spa: Do try hair spa once , the steaming opens the pores and removes dead cells and deep conditioning provides moisture to the hair. My favorite hair spa is Wella.
  • Drying: Do not use hairdryer on high heat and don’t comb your hair when wet.
  • Hairstyling: Avoid hairstyling now as your hair is very delicate and will take time to get better. So no straightners, curlers etc etc
  • Haircut: If you’re not able to manage your hair right now cut it short or atleast remove split ends.
  • So relax try to get few hours of sleep, your hair should grow back. You can lose some hair daily, its very normal.  If its unmanageable contact your dermatologist.

Image source

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4D Scans in India

Posted on August 23, 2013 by admin

4d14d3

We had heard a lot about 4 D scans but did not know where it is done. By the time we started consulting at Cloudinine hospital I was in my 27th week, so the doctor told me that’s it’s very difficult to see the baby in 4 D as the placenta almost covers the baby.

What is 4D scan, from Wikipedia:

4D fetal ultrasounds are similar to 3D scans, with the difference associated with time: 4D allows a 3-dimensional picture in real time, rather than delayed, due to the lag associated with the computer constructed image, as in classic 3-dimensional ultrasound.

4D scans are best seen between 24 to 26 weeks. But, seeing the disappointment on our faces, the doctor tried capturing the baby in 4D, we were able to see from one angle. Continue reading →

It was so cute, he rotated the baby’s half body, it was unbelievable. I think people who have had a complete 4D scan will know better.

After we came home we stared and stared at the picture. We even used a magnifying glass to see how my baby looks. I was quite sure it’s a girl as the baby’s face in the 4D scan resembled my husband a lot.

It’s fun to see your baby is 4D scan, it’s not very expensive. I think its 1500 Rs.

Posted in Pregnancy | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Home Remedy for Nausea during Pregnancy

Posted on August 23, 2013 by admin

nausea

Hello all you expecting ladies..

Here are some tips for your nausea:

I know how frustrating nausea can be, my friends were waiting to cross 13 weeks. For most people it stops by the 13th week maximum 15 weeks thats all. i read in some websites that it comes back, it did not for me. You only have chest burns later.

– Eat small frequent meals within 2-3 hours and don’t leave your stomach empty

– Start your day with a dry biscuit or rusk with ginger tea, Continue reading →

– Keep a bottle next to you and sip water or orange juice throughout the day, don’t drink too much at one time.

– Meditate it will help in nausea and rest a lot. I know working women might find this difficult. But try to take naps.

– Stay away from strong smells and spicy, oily and greasy foods.

– I used to eat dry muselli with nuts as fillers, I used to keep munchin throughout the day.

– Eat what you like, forget all the heath gyaan you have, even if its about eating the same food daily go ahead.

– Avoid too much coffee and tea

– Avoid continuous travel, take breaks and breathe fresh air, preferably avoid a/c in cars.

If you have severe nausea and are getting dehydrated, contact your gynacologist. 

Image source

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Babies in the Womb

Posted on August 23, 2013 by admin

By Megha,

bbay womb

Hello all mommies. Today I would like to tell you how your baby develops in your womb. I would throw some light at what time does the different parts of body formed. Beginning with:

End of first month:

  • Development of face with formation of nostrils and upper lip takes place
  • External ears and eye lids are developing
  • Limbs are forming
  • Heart forms, starts functioning and the body system begin to form

End of second month:

  • Eyes are far apart with eyelids fused together
  • Limbs (arms and legs) become distinct
  • Digits (fingers) are formed
  • Many internal organs continue to develop

End of third month:

  • Eyes almost fully develop but eyelids remain fused
  • Nails develop
  • External ears are formed
  • Heartbeat is detectable

End of fourth month:

  • Head is large as compared to rest of the body
  • Face takes on human features
  • Hair appear on the head
  • Skin is bright pink

End of fifth month:

  • Head is less disproportionate to the rest of the body
  • Rapid development of body takes place
  • Skin gets a cheesy covering on it because of development of glands
  • Foetal movement can be detected

End of sixth month:

  • Head becomes smaller but is still disproportionate to the rest of the body
  • Eyelids separate
  • Eyelashes form
  • Skin gets wrinkled

End of seventh month:

  • Head is now proportionate to the size of the body
  • Eyebrow hair develops
  • Body is more plump now

End of eighth month:

  • Bones of the head are soft
  • Tested descend to the scrotum
  • Shape of body is more infantile
  • Umbilicus is gradually centrally located
  • Other parts of body broaden relative to the head.

End of nine months:

  • At the time delivery or just at birth child has a relatively shorter neck
  • Umbilicus of new born is shed at about 12-15th day
  • Chest is rounded
  • Legs are short
  • Arms are long
  • Face of newly born baby is round and flat

Hope you enjoyed reading this interesting fact file of how baby develops in the womb J

Posted in Pregnancy | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Masala Oats for Weightloss and Lactation

Posted on August 23, 2013 by admin

quaker

Today I would like to review our very own oatmeal which is making round everywhere for weightloss. Oats is generally eaten during breakfast as most dieticians prescribe a nice high fiber diet. It is known to increase lactation too.

Oats has helped me a lot in reducing my weight; I did not change my diet in anyway other than replacing oats for breakfast and having an early dinner.

So what about people who hate milk how can they eat oats? That’s one thing I have been researching for a long time since I don’t drink milk.

Recently a lot of companies have taken over adding Indian flavors and tastes to oats.

So from when these were introduced I stocked up these 10 Rs sachets of oats and have tried every brand from saffola, horlicks, quaker, and kellogs.

So here is my verdict: Continue reading →

  • For someone like me who is transitioning from idly, dosas and pooris for breakfast to oats I think quaker lemony veggie mix oats and homestyle masala is the best for my tastebud, I add a little salt.
  • Then came the oats idly, oats dosa etc etc, most of these recipes recommend using yogurt, that too quite a bit and has lot of semolina, so where is the diet? It’s similar to rava idly. So out of that I picked:
  • MTR oats upma: Though it has semolina it does not need curd, I don’t add any oil or ghee as recommended, I just add water and put it in the microwave.

mtr

  • Dry roast oats and powder. When your preparing idly, dosa or roti add few spoons only while making then for you, so both you and your family can enjoy.
  • The last way I can eat oats is I roast a little oats in a pan, add boiling water and cook it for a minute. This does not make the oats sticky. Hey I’m not done. I add masala buttermilk to it, like the one form Amul, Danone or Nandini (Karnataka).

Do let me know if it works for you..

Image “>source1, source 2

Posted in Weight loss | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 15 Comments

Trying for Baby after Miscarriage

Posted on August 23, 2013 by Guest

miscarriage

I have done earlier posts on miscarriage and like I have said before it is the worst part of a woman’s life and the loss and pain is unexplainable. The sad part is that you don’t have much time to mourn and you need to gather all your spirits to start all over again. This can be very tasking for couples.

From my own experience I can tell you that I feared the scan room so much it reminded me of hell. I had seen the fetus with no heartbeat and to see through the monitor was so scary even during my successful pregnancy.

But there is always hope, even if the miscarriage occurs again like it did for me there is still hope. I met a lady who had 7 miscarriages and she still went on to have a successful pregnancy and when I met her she had come there for her second child. Continue reading →

I know its easy to say be positive etc etc.. But its very hard, so rather take it as a task, a challenge, or you can even leave everything to god and follow his way, this is how I derived strength.

  • Ok ill come to the medical part, though doctors say that you need to have 3 miscarriages to start an investigation, you insist after 2. It’s very painful to go through it again and again.
  • Give sometime before to try again, like 3 full cycles minimum as the hormones need some time to adjust.
  • Take folic acid supplements daily.
  • Follow a nutritious diet; include lot of fruits, flaxseeds, dairy, nuts, and proteins in your diet. Eat blanched almonds daily.
  • Maintain good health by refraining form smoking and drinking.
  • Build yourself emotionally, meditate, do yoga, try to get back as soon as possible. It might be crazy but try kiddish stuff like get a drawing book and colors and start coloring, it relaxes your mind.
  • Find a friendly gynac who is patient with you and understands how important this is to you.
  • Start positive and with God’s help all will work out.

Image source

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How to Deal with Postpartum Depression after Childbirth

Posted on August 22, 2013 by admin

depresssion

Many mothers get into some sort of depression after delivery. This is mainly due to hormonal changes after childbirth. Other factors are lack of sleep, suddenly a new person in your life, stress on how to deal with the new change, dealing with the people around you and their advices, dealing with the pain after delivery, breastfeeding a child with the pain.

The otherwise quiet world of yours is suddenly chaiotic and filled with so many people around you. Worse part is you need to deal with their comments on how your baby looks, like who it looks blah blah

Again dealing with your overgrown body and stress on how to bring it back to shape. As Anjjali mentioned in her earlier post, everyone has to remind you once how fat you have become. They don’t see that all this fat made a beautiful little baby. Continue reading →

Suddenly you will start thinking if people around you love you, you will get into unnecessary politics in the family, issues which you used to ignore before are top priority, you will suddenly be the loud mouth who talks so many unwanted thing, suddenly a bell will ring in your head.. why did I speak all this. You are totally ruled by your hormones.

Ok here are some ways to deal with it, im not a pro, Im still getting a hang on this:

  • Do some activity, like taking a small walk all by yourself. Go out of your house atleast once or atleast stand near the gate.
  • Think before you talk as words can never be taken back.
  • If you’re a full time mom, try to keep yourself very busy. Do all the baby work yourself, like washing baby clothes, massaging and bathing, folding and ironing baby clothes (I iron all my baby clothes as it will kill any insect on it), feeding etc etc, the work is never ending.. you wont find any time..
  • Don’t be alone, if your alone try calling someone on the phone.
  • Try yoga meditation, just simply close your eyes and breathe.
  • Listen to music even your baby will enjoy it.
  • Pray, light diyas, if your catholic light candles, muslims perform your daily prayers.
  • Come online surf the net J see mommyswall daily.. just kidding

If you still cant overcome yor depression and feel like harming your baby or yourself contact a councelor.

You can check with www.1to1help.com

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