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Worms in kids

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Few of my friends are always  worried about their child's growth. Natasha always keeps me asking why her daughter is not gaining weight and why she falls sick again and again.  The worms are parasites which feed off the host’s body and eventually result in malnutrition, affecting the healthy growth of the child.  Worms may get entry into abdomen and create health problems .          Though all age groups can get worms, kids are more susceptible. Worms in abdomen can affect the appetite and ultimately growth of a child. When a child is not eating properly we assume he is showing tantrums or too busy in playing and ignore it but it can be worms those are troubling the stomach. When to suspect worms? Itchy bottom, which is usually worse at night Redness around the bottom area Restlessness due to itching Difficulty in falling asleep Visible worms – small, white and 8-13 mm long (often mistaken for bits of toilet paper!) ...
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Breast Feeding

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Breast Feeding


Breastmilk is the natural first food for babies, it provides all the energy and nutrition that the infant needs for the first months of life, and it continues to provide up to half or more of a child’s nutritional needs during the second half of the first year, and up to one-third during the second year of life.
When to start the breast feeding?
Initiation of breastfeeding should be done within the first hour of life.
Colostrum the first feed is a thick yellowish secretion  produced after birth and is particularly rich in immunoglobulin (Ig), antimicrobial peptides (lactoferrin and lactoperoxidase) and other bioactive molecule, including growth factors which are important for nutrition, growth and development of newborn infants and also for passive immunity.
Exclusive breastfeeding - that is, the infant only receives breastmilk without any additional food or drink, not even water;
Breastfeeding on demand - that is, as often as the child wants, day and night;
No use of bottles, teats or pacifiers.
Breastfeeding after a caesarian birth:
A Cesarean birth does not directly affect the breastfeeding process. However, discomfort, fatigue, and the medications used in surgery may present more of a challenge when you begin breastfeeding. Nurse your baby as soon after delivery as possible (8 to 12 times per 24 hour period). Once you begin regular feedings, your milk supply will increase.vol1no1_Meena_COLOSTRUM_fig1

Advantages of breast feeding:

  1. Breastmilk promotes sensory and cognitive development.
  2. Protects the infant against infectious and chronic diseases. Exclusive breastfeeding reduces infant mortality due to common childhood illnesses such as diarrhoea or pneumonia, and helps for a quicker recovery during illness.
  3. Its healthy for mothers as well. Breastfeeding contributes to the health and well-being of mothers, it helps to space children, reduces the risk of ovarian cancer and breast cancer.
  4. It is blissfully convinient. It is instantly available and delivered warm.

Breast milk composition:

faq-eb-2

Oxytocin let down reflex:
While feeding the baby from one breast , the opposite breast often leaks milk. This is called the 'let down reflex' and is normal.Very often even the thought or sight of your or another baby causes the breasts to secrete milk, at this time nursing pads worn inside the bra absorb the milk and prevent embarrassment, when away from home.

How to know if mother's milk is sufficient for baby or not ?
When a baby is given only mother's milk and not even water and if the baby urinates 6 or more times in a day, is active, sleeps after a feed and puts on adequate weight, then the milk is sufficient. Usually a baby puts on 1 kg every month , if your baby is healthy, active and puts on 500 gms every month, that's also okay and you should not worry as the chart only gives trends and each baby is a different individual.

Breast feeding position : Traditional or cradle position
  • This is the most convenient nursing position for many mothers and one you will use often.Sit upright in a comfortable chair. You may want to place a pillow behind your back so that your back can remain straight. You can also put a pillow on your lap to support the baby. Your feet may rest on a low footstool to elevate your lap. You may prop your arms with pillows or armrests.Hold the baby so that the baby's arm closest to your body can go around your midriff and his head is cradled on your arm. Your hand can then grasp his thigh or buttocks so that your arm supports his entire body.
  • The baby's body should face you. The baby should not have to turn his/her head in either direction to receive the breast. You should position your baby's face so that your nipple is easily accessible to his mouth without the need for you to turn your body. Lining your baby's nose up with the nipple will help position the nipple so that it is pointed toward the back of the palate when the baby opens his/her mouth.
  • With your free hand, you may want to support the breast by cupping the breast so that your thumb and forefinger lie on opposite sides of the nipple and the rest of your hand supports the breast from underneath. (You will be slightly compressing the breast in the same direction as the baby's mouth). Be sure that your fingers are far enough back from the nipple to avoid interfering with the baby's mouth. Slightly pressing the breast tissue back toward your ribs helps the nipple to protrude.
  • Guide your nipple so that it brushes the baby's lips, causing the baby to "root" or open his/her mouth widely. (If he/she doesn't root, you can use your finger in his mouth to get him/her ready to suck, then transfer him to the breast.) At first, this may take a few minutes and may require patience.
  • When the baby's mouth opens wide, quickly use your supporting arm to pull the baby close to your body.Your nipple should be centered in the baby's mouth. When your baby grasps your breast, his/her gums should surround the areola, bypassing the nipple itself, and his tongue should extend over his lower gum.
  • As the baby begins suckling, relax your shoulders, but continue to hold the baby in close. Use pillows if they are helpful. If you feel any nipple discomfort after the first minute, start again using the above steps. Check to be sure the baby has the nipple pulled back into his/her mouth and that his/her gums surround the areola. Don't allow the baby to slip away from you and suck or chew the tip of the nipple. This will lead to sore nipples.

Those first  few days, you might feel  extreme tenderness or pain. But once your baby is properly latched, discomfort should diminish during each nursing session and go away completely with time. Don't ignore shooting pain; a knot in the breast accompanied by soreness and redness, it could be a plugged milk duct, which can lead to mastitis, a nasty infection that requires antibiotics. 
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Location: Mumbai, Maharashtra, India

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