Caring for Toddlers (1-3 yrs) Tips

Infancy is the most significant phase, where a new born gets the fullest exposure to new world, developing distinct relationship with the people and food. Infants tiny digestive system is still under progress and a special heed should be paid to ensure infants overall development isn’t hampered .New mums are often apprehensive about what should they feed to their tiny tots. As every mother wants the best for her newborn, below is a special guideline, that will help anxious  mums to make the wise choices and disregard certain food items in the first year of child’s life.

Foods which can wait till the baby's first birthday:

1. Honey: –   Honey in any form (raw,organic,cooked) should be strictly prohibited during infancy phase,there are chances of infant getting caught with ‘Infant Botulinum’ toxicity. The presence of Clostridium Botulinum in honey can be dreadful and an infant can show persistent symptoms like nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea. It can be life threatening. It is better honey is introduced in infants diet after 1st year.
2. Salt and sugar: – Salt and sugar are a big no to be introduced during infancy. Making salt and sugar a part of every meal can affect infants taste and could lead to potential health issues. Sugar sweetened beverages can be a potential of developing childhood obesity.
3. Hard candies and foods: – Candies, fruits and vegetable sticks in direct form can pose infant on higher risk of choking. It is better off avoided during infancy.
4. Cow’s milk: – Introducing cow’s milk during infancy can increase the renal load on infants developing kidneys and can also make the growing child at risk of becoming anaemic in near future.
5. Fruit juice: – Fruit juices usually do not impart and may contribute adverse complications like obesity,over and undernutrition, abdominal distention etc. It should only be introduced under recommendation.
6. Wheat: – One of the most common allergen, wheat should be introduced in the diet after child’s first birthday. Wheat can tax infants developing digestive system and is usually digested with difficulty. Rice is however a better choice.
7. Eggs, fish, Treenuts: – Apart from being the potential allergens, it is better to refrain from these food items during infancy, as they can put an infant at the risk of choking. It is better to introduce them later.

Take aways:

It is important to start with natural purees and make sure the quantity and the consistency is gradually increased based on the preference of the child, tolerability and the nutritional aspect. The above food list will help the caregiver or mother to make smart and safe choices.

In most instances it has been found that the habits we inculcate during childhood  are carried to adulthood, so, it becomes all the more  important in parenting to nurture good eating habits and expose toddlers to healthy foods. Being a parent we can inculcate healthy eating habits in our children. For this you can try these:

• Check the refrigrator: Try your best to keep only healthy snacks/foods so that even if the child  opens the fridge his choice is healthy .Avoid keeping excess cold drinks, chocolates etc.
• Be a role model: Always set a good eating example for your child to copy ,share the meal time and eat the same healthy food. Try to avoid foods in front of children that you don’t intend to give them.
• Make boring food interesting: Try to make daily routine food interesting for the toddlers ,for example one can make a cute smiley on the vegetable sandwich you intend to serve to your child.
• Awareness: Parents must be aware about the food available in market. You must be in habit to read labels before buying. Take your child to grocery shopping and inculcate habit of reading labels in them also, make them aware of importance of these labels.
• Involvement of child: Involve your child in preparing meals as they may be more willing to eat or try foods that they help to prepare.
• Food as reward or punishment: Try not to use food as reward or punishment for your child. Like sending your child to bed without dinner as a punishment may make them to eat whenever they get a chance, similarly sweets or dessert should not be used as reward for finishing vegetables as child may assume that these foods are more valuable and this will unknowingly sent wrong message .
• Eat meals together often: Make meal times pleasant with conversation and sharing, not a time for scolding or arguing.
• Encourage: Encourage your child to eat slowly this will give brain time to register fullness.
• Free your child: Sometimes or on occasions,festivities as you are restricting them on a daily basis, you only worry about daily routine and not holidays.

It is often difficult for most of us to make your kids eat healthy food and keeping them away from junk and unhealthy food is a much bigger task. It is always easy for them to finish off a packet of chips than a cup of vegetables or fruits. Read on to know some of the healthiest foods that your kid should be biting into.

1. Dairy products: These are a great source of proteins, calcium, potassium, magnesium, and other minerals. In addition, yogurt provides good bacteria. Milk and yogurt can also be included into smoothies which will also give them a blend of some fruits. Butter can be used in toasts and sandwiches as these foods are loved by children. You can replace plain milk with milkshakes, they are tastier and the children love them.
2. Soups: These are another great source of nutrition, be it chicken or vegetables. They can be a good evening snack and not just prevent the evening hunger pangs but also come packed with a good amount of nutrition and hydration.
3. Fruits: Each fruit contains different ingredients. Pick fresh seasonal fruits and incorporate them into your child’s diet as they hold a good amount of nutrients. Fruits provide a good supply of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and good sugars.
4. Whole grains: Try a brown bread instead of white, replace refined flour pizza base with atta pizza base and white pasta with wheat pasta. These whole grains provide a lot more fiber and nutrition compared to the refined flours. The idea again is to let the kids eat any of them but on a rotational basis, so that benefits from all foods are derived.
5. Vegetables: Get creative when getting the kids to eat vegetables and green leafy vegetables. From soups to salads to curries, try to rotate vegetables, and like fruits, use seasonal ones. They also have chlorophyll which helps improve their energy levels and reduce fatigue.
6. Fish: One of the best sources of protein and omega-3 fatty acids, it helps in brain development and building immunity in children, making them less prone to illnesses.
7. Nuts: While walnut is a well-known brain food, almonds are amazing for the skin and hair growth. Pecans are a good source of nutrients too. The rich oils in the nuts help fight diseases and are a great source of energy. Substituting the sugar candy with any of the nuts is a great way to indulge them in healthy snacking.
8. Eggs: Whatever form, boiled, fried, scrambled, let the child indulge in their choice of eggs. A good source of protein which is very essential for hair, skin, and nails, try to squeeze in 4 eggs a week in your child’s diet.

Ensure these things find a way into the kid’s plate. In addition, some junk or fried stuff is always allowed!

In case you have a concern or query you can always consult an expert & get answers to your questions!

Constipation causes a lot of discomfort to children. A lot of factors are responsible for constipation among children.

Some of them are:

1. Deliberate Withholding: Often children may consciously avoid visiting the toilet, which may make them feel constipated. This may be due to embarrassment, especially in public spaces or they might be too engaged in playing to not go to the toilet, altogether. Some children do it out of fear when a previous toilet experience has been particularly painful.
2. Illness and Medication: Infections and illnesses, especially ones pertaining to the stomach cause the child to become constipated. Many medicines and supplements also affect the digestive system and can lead to constipation.
3. Diet: This is the primary cause of constipation in children. If the child's diet has low water and fibre content and heavily features sugar and processed foods, stool becomes hard and bowel movement gets restricted.

Treatment for constipation in children:

Constipation in children is treated differently than in adults as their diets and patterns of bowel movement are dissimilar. The primary treatments for constipation in children are:

1. Dietary Adjustment - Making changes to the child's diet by including high fibre foods (such as fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grain breads, cereals, etc.) can help cure constipation. Compelling the child to intake ample fluids in the form of water or milk is also necessary. Sugary drinks must be avoided.
2. Stool softeners and laxatives - The administration of bowel movement enhancing medication is the simplest way of treating constipation in children. There are various kinds of stool softeners and laxatives that are safe for children and must always be used under the supervision of a paediatrician.

In case you have a concern or query you can always consult an expert & get answers to your questions!

Is your child undergoing Primary Immunodeficiency Disorders (PIDDs)? If you are tired of seeing your child suffering with regular cold and cough which could be solely due to a lack of nutrients in the diet, resulting in low immunity of the body. Adopting healthy habits by cutting back on junk food while including healthy items will help raise your child’s immunity levels immensely.

Some of the best foods to include in the diet to increase the immunity of your child are mentioned below:

1. Eggs, pulses, lean meats and other healthy protein: Immunity buildup may be disrupted if there isn’t enough protein in your diet. Milk protein in cow’s milk or dairy products like butter and cheese, animal protein in lean meats such as chicken and ovo-protein in eggs are highly beneficial and raise immunity levels.
2. Fish for immunity build up: Fish is a great immunity builder and also helps in making the brain work more efficiently. Fish meat contains lean proteins as well as essential Omega-3 acids which help properly regulate many functions within the body raising immunity.
3. Stay healthy with yogurt: There are a lot many flavored varieties of curd or yogurt that your child may like and which is also considered as a power food source. It helps reduce gastrointestinal illnesses. However, try and go for the less flavored ones as they would have lesser amounts of processed sugar.
4. Oats and Barley for your rescue: The reason why oats and barley are healthy alternatives, especially for children is because they are composed of beta-glucan (fibre containing antioxidants and antimicrobial properties). This helps in avoiding constipation thus cleaning the intestine and hence avoiding the buildup of harmful bacteria within the body.
5. Fruit toppings are delicious: Fruits are not limited to mangoes, apples and bananas only. Darker the color of the fruit, greater is the nutritional value. Berries, peaches, melons, pomegranates etc, can and should also be included in your fruit intake as they are healthy as well as tasty.
6. Vegetables can be tasty too: Growing children require leafy green vegetables for physical and mental development as they contain zinc, iron and folic acid. Foods like fenugreek leaves and spinach are an example of vitamin rich food items. You can include spinach and other vegetables in a clever manner by making the food interesting so that children would want to eat it willingly.
7. Carrots to fight infection: Carrots are beneficial for good eyesight and protection from infections. With carrot intake it becomes quite difficult for the bacteria and germs to ender the blood vessels. This can be made into a salad or craved figuring to make it interesting to the kids.

In case you have a concern or query you can always consult an expert & get answers to your questions!

Type 2 diabetes (T2DM) is a chronic metabolic disorder that prevents the body from processing sugar or glucose. The disorder causes insufficient production of the hormone Insulin (responsible for regulating sugar into the different parts of your body); or the body's failure to respond to the hormone produced. Although no cure is available for T2DM, there are several ways in which you can help prevent Type 2 diabetes in your child. These are:

1. Get your child to indulge in some physical activity - Spending about 60 minutes of the day on physical activity can help your child to ward off Type 2 diabetes. In terms of screen time, it shouldn't be over 2 hours a day. By doing so, he or she ends up building his or her muscles as well as gets rid of extra fat from the body. An active life would also help your child to maintain an optimal body weight with obesity being a cause of this form of diabetes. Whether it's a sport like swimming, cricket or basketball, or even walking and dancing, physical activity in any form can help in preventing your child from developing Type 2 diabetes.

2. Plan a well-balanced diet for your child - Encouraging your child to have healthy foods and making right food choices can also lower his or her chances of getting this metabolic disorder. Foods high in fiber like whole grain cereals and bread, lentils, fruits, and vegetables should be consumed. Similarly, foods low in trans and saturated fats like lean meat, chicken, yogurt and cheese should be included in your child's diet. Processed foods, as well as sugary drinks, should be no-no when it comes to your child's diet.

3. Adopting proper eating habits - It is not only making the right food choices that are important but eating right as well is vital for preventing the onset of diabetes. Having meals with fix portion sizes is a habit that you need to develop in your child. Ideally, half the plate should be filled with vegetables and fruits; a quarter with lean protein like chicken; and the remaining with whole grain. To accompany the meal, make your child have one cup of no-fat or low-fat milk. Desserts like ice cream and cookies should be allowed only once or twice a week.

Type diabetes

It is often stated by doctors that a child's brain and body develop through good nutrition, and this starts even before they have been conceived. If you are planning for a baby, then it is a must to tune your body for infant nutrition, as healthy growth of the brain in a child begins much before conception. An example to support this is that, folic acid intake should be started 14 weeks before conception. Folic acid is considered to be helpful in the early functioning of the brain.

By the time a baby is born, already three quarters of the cells of the brain are formed and the quarter which is left is formed by the first birthday. As soon as children reach 3 years, they have a brain which is as big as an adult's, and when children are growing, the neurons of the brain grow and develop with them. Thus a poor diet can hamper the growth of children, and also affect their ability to process information and learn. This becomes worse if the iron levels in the body dip below the required levels.

Iodine shortage also leads to irreversible motor and cognitive developments in the child. Similarly, DHA which is considered to be an essential fatty acid in the child development, if compromised, can lead to learning problems. It is known that DHA is the key component for the intensive production of the synapse which is important in the initial years of life for development and learning. Other nutrients like zinc, folic acid and choline all pay a role in the initial functioning of the brain.

Feeding a variety of food to the baby is important as they help in the development, but certain foods are a must. These are:

1. Breast Milk: As per dieticians, a baby can only digest breast milk or formula milk in the initial months. Babies should be breastfed for the first six months as it has the basic nutrients required by a baby, and also gives protection against allergies, digestive diseases and infections. Breast milk also has iron which is crucial for the development of the baby.
2. Iron rich cereals: Babies can be fed solid food by 4-6 months. If a baby can sit without support and shows tongue thrust reflex, then he or she is ready for solids. Starting solids with the introduction of cereals or rice cereals is good, as they can be easily digested. It can also be diluted with the breast milk or formula. As these cereals are rich in iron, they are good for the development of the baby. A diet deficient in iron leads to delayed talking and walking of a child.
3. Fruit and vegetable: A good time to introduce vegetables and fruits is when the baby is 6-7 months. These foods are loaded with minerals and vitamins which provide different textures and tastes to the baby. Carrots mashed and strained, along with beans, apples, bananas, peaches and peas and pears can be given to the baby. These can be boiled or pureed or mashed for the baby for easy consumption.
4. Pureed Food: These foods are generally the meats which can be given from 8-9 months. Meats like lamb, chicken and liver contain iron. The iron of the meats is easily absorbed, as compared to the iron in plants. For the maximum absorption of the iron in the meat, it should be served with vitamin C, some fruits, cantaloupe or broccoli. It is believed that vitamin C boosts the absorption of iron.

Though there are a number of environmental and genetic factors which effect the development of a child, food is one of the most important factors. Thus it should be kept in mind that good food leads to a happy, healthy and a well developing baby. Start from the beginning and focus on the right portions to ensure the health of your baby. In case you have a concern or query you can always consult an expert & get answers to your questions!

In today's world, the number of working moms all over the world is more than ever. Such women have a huge two-fold task of balancing between work and home, which includes looking after their children and managing their work at office. Balancing the two ends can make life hard for a working mother.

Here are some effective ways to find balance in motherhood for working mothers:

1. Find good child care: While you are out for work all day, it is very important for you to get a good babysitter or nanny for your child. You could should seek references from people and find a patient and quality babysitter for your child. It is important to manage and evaluate the babysitter on all the criteria you require. An experienced and friendly sitter would make your child comfortable.
2. Keep the morning easy: Get things organized at night so that you can keep the mornings hassle free. Use the mornings to prepare your child’s lunch and laying out clothes. Plan all kinds of family schedules during this time.
3. Maintain a family calendar: You should maintain a calendar to figure out the priorities of your family. You can maintain bill payment dates, a chore calendar for your kids, a list of all important events and other required charts. This will enable you to maintain everything, in spite of your busy schedule and enable you to strike a better balance.
4. Stay connected during daytime: You should try to stay connected with your children, even when you are away. You should call them frequently or send them cute messages or voice recordings and videos. This will keep them happy and they will miss you less. They will be more comforted and feel loved that you are near instead of being away at work.
5. Keep away from distractions and time wasters: You should stay disciplined and maintain a limit on making phone calls or checking mails. Try to do these activities when your children are asleep. Cut down your television watching time and spend the evenings with your partner. When you are spending time with your children, do not multitask and give them your total attention. At work, try not to waste time and return home as soon as work gets over.
6. Arrange family activities: You must make time for your kids in order to nurture your bond and get along with them. During their growing up phase, your child requires a major chunk of your time. Make special family dinners, watch movies with your family in the home theater and engross in different games. Spending time with your partner is also very important.

Life is quite difficult for working mothers who have to balance work and family together. In order to maintain a balance, follow the above-mentioned measures and lead a happy and fulfilling life.

Every time a child consumes junk food, his immune system is weakened. Junk foods disrupt the growth of a child physically and mentally. For e.g. sugar weakens the immunity, brain cells and destroys the gut. It also feeds bad bacteria, which can overcome the good bacteria.

Since kids are young, their bodies are capable of healing itself if the right conditions are provided. They needn’t undergo any rigid detox plans or cleanse. Even simple changes in their eating habits go a long way such as:

1. GET THEM ON TRACK WITH HYDRATION:-

Water is the simplest way to detox. Getting their bodies hydrated ensures proper functioning of eliminatory organs and maintains an alkaline pH. Add a slice of lemon to their water and you further enhance its detoxing power. Junk foods are also dehydrating in a way so consuming water helps.

2. GET THEM TO EAT RAW FOODS:-

Every time your child eats fruits or vegetables, their system gets into detox mode. Encourage more of raw foods in your child’s diet like soaked nuts, seeds, fruits, salads, and veggie juices. Explore recipes that revolve around raw food like cacao almond milkshake with dates or a  colourful fruit platter and let your children help in making these foods.

3. ADD FIBRE TO THEIR DIET

Nothing  clogs up our gut like junk food. This can lead to constipation and a buildup of toxins within the gut, which is the most important detox organ of our body. Design meals and snacks around fibrous foods like hummus with carrot and cucumber sticks, green moong pancakes, grated carrot with honey yogurt dressing, mashed pea patties, mixed bean salad and watermelon chunks with crushed nuts/seeds.

4. ENCOURAGE OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES

Sweating is another way through which the body gets rid of toxins. Keep their video games out of sight and make them play outdoors. It could be running, walking, jumping up and down, playing in the garden, skating, badminton, football, skipping, cycling, etc. Playing also helps in stimulating lymphatic drainage and developing better cognitive function in them, so it’s a win-win situation.

Newborn Multiples

Care of multiple birth babies

Often, multiples are born small and early. They may be initially cared for in a special care nursery called the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).

In the NICU

The NICU combines advanced technology and trained healthcare professionals to provide specialized care for the tiniest patients. NICUs may also have intermediate or continuing care areas for babies who are not as sick but do need specialized nursing care. Some hospitals do not have the personnel or an NICU, and babies must be transferred to another hospital.

In most cases, you can be with your babies in the NICU at any time. The staff of the NICU will give you instructions on special hand-washing techniques before entering the area. In some cases, you may need to wear a mask. Occasionally, during a procedure, or when the hospital staff are making "rounds," parents may be asked to wait for a few minutes before coming into the area. Although most NICUs permit visitation of babies by other family members, limiting visitors is a good idea. Many sick and premature babies are very susceptible to infection. Siblings should be carefully checked for signs of colds or other illness. They should also be helped with hand-washing before visiting their baby brother or sister.

Most parents find that becoming involved with their babies' care gives them a sense of control. It also helps them bond with their babies. This is also important for the babies. It helps the babies feel secure and loved. Once the babies' condition is stable, parents are encouraged to hold and rock them. Staff in the NICU can show you how to care for your babies in many ways. Learning these aspects of care is helpful in preparing you to take your babies home.

Once babies are able to feed, grow, and stay warm, they can usually be discharged. Other babies who are healthy at birth may need only a brief check in a special care nursery.

Breastfeeding multiple birth babies

• Breast milk is the perfect food for your baby. It gives your baby many advantages compared with formula. Your milk contains just the right amount of nutrients. And it is gentle on your baby's developing stomach, intestines, and other body systems. It also has the best nutrients for brain and nervous system development and overall growth and development.
• Getting used to breastfeeding more than one baby will take extra patience and persistence. How soon you and your babies can begin to breastfeed will depend on the maturity of your babies' brains and body systems. A baby's gestational age influences the development of stable body systems and the development of the reflexes needed for oral feedings. A baby's physical condition may also affect when direct breastfeeding can begin.
• Lactation specialists can help mothers of multiples learn techniques for breastfeeding their babies separately and together, and to increase their milk supply. Mothers whose babies are unable to breastfeed because they are sick or premature can pump their breast milk and store the milk for later feedings.
• Families with more than one baby need help from family and friends. The first two months are usually the most difficult as everyone learns to cope with frequent feedings, lack of sleep, and little personal time. Having help for household chores and daily tasks can allow the mother the time she needs to get to know her babies, for feedings, and for rest and recovery from delivery.