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contents March 2018<br />

Regulars<br />

06 Cute Snaps:<br />

Just look at these adorable faces!<br />

07 <strong>BT</strong> Buzz:<br />

Latest baby & pregnancy health findings<br />

10 Ask Our Experts:<br />

Our panel of professionals are at hand to help you<br />

35<br />

Bump to Birth<br />

11 Feature:<br />

What’s your pregnancy diet like?<br />

14 Giving Birth:<br />

Writing a birth plan<br />

17 9 Months:<br />

Sciatica — Getting around this pain in the butt<br />

20 Mini Feature:<br />

Keep calm and stop worrying!<br />

21 Special Feature:<br />

The evolution of maternity clothes<br />

25 <strong>BT</strong> Guide<br />

Going Green<br />

From Pregnancy & Beyond<br />

11<br />

Baby & Toddler<br />

31 Nutrition:<br />

Baby-led weaning — What it really is about<br />

33 Feature:<br />

Umbilical cord stump care<br />

35 Feature:<br />

Thriving childhood<br />

39 Baby Play:<br />

Brain teasers for babies and toddlers<br />

Life & Style<br />

42 Beautiful pregnancy:<br />

Stretch marks, be gone<br />

52<br />

45 Wonders of childhood:<br />

How do babies learn to love?<br />

47 Time Out:<br />

Heart healthy eating for mom and baby<br />

50 Shopping:<br />

Baby top to toe washes<br />

52 Feature:<br />

Important values to be taught early in life<br />

54 Love for life:<br />

12 fun-filled baby shower games<br />

57 Out & About:<br />

The latest happenings in town<br />

59 Subscription:<br />

Subscribe to BabyTalk and never miss an issue again


NEW<br />

Short trip with baby<br />

4.7kg<br />

Lightest<br />

Grip & Go<br />

design<br />

55cm<br />

High Seat<br />

Distributor in Malaysia: Daisheng (M) Sdn Bhd (6<strong>03</strong>)-2078 3666 combi Malaysia


Our Experts<br />

Developmental Education & Learning Consultant<br />

Rosh Vettiveloo<br />

Expert in learning support, concentration, memory, dyslexia, dyspraxia, hyperlexia, general reading<br />

acquisition difficulties, AD/HD, homeschooling learners with learning difficulties in Malaysia and early<br />

intervention procedures in multilingual environments. Trained in mild to moderate learning difficulties<br />

and qualified Specialist in Teaching Learners with Specific Learning Difficulties (UK) and Educational<br />

Assessor (UK). 20 years practical experience in the field of special education.<br />

Holistic Care & Wellbeing Gaia Chinniah<br />

Gaia is a Malaysian born entrepreneur who has lived in New Zealand for over 30 years. She is the<br />

CEO of Ruby Face Sdn Bhd who exclusively distributes ethical products including World Organics<br />

from New Zealand. She holds a Master in Management Studies and a career of over 10 years in<br />

Marketing of big brands and as a Television presenter. Gaia has a passion for empowering people<br />

and some of her hobbies are pastel art, reiki, yoga and staying healthy. More about Gaia can be read<br />

here: www.worldorganics.com.my & www.rubyface.com.<br />

Fertility & Conception Dr Agilan Arjunan<br />

Dr Agilan Arjunan, a Gynaecologist and Fertility Specialist, graduated from University of Malaya<br />

and obtained his specialist degree from Royal College of Obstetrician and Gynaecologist, London.<br />

Armed with his passion for laparoscopic (keyhole) surgery, he pursues his dream in helping couples<br />

to conceive and build their families through the latest technology of reproductive techniques. He is<br />

also passionate in disseminating knowledge in the field of fertility and hopes readers can differentiate<br />

facts from myths.<br />

CONSULTANT PAEDIATRICIAN AND NEONATOLOGIST Dr. Khoo Boo Aik<br />

Dr Khoo is a consultant paediatrician and neonatologist at Sunway Medical Centre. He completed his<br />

medical degree from National University of Malaysia (MD-UKM) in 1997. He obtained his paediatric<br />

postgraduate membership from royal college of paediatric and child health (MRCPCH) in Glasgow,<br />

UK in 20<strong>03</strong>. He continued his neonatal subspecialty fellowship training in 2005 at Liverpool Hospital<br />

and the Royal Hospital for Women (RHW), Sydney, NSW, Australia. In 2009, he was accredited as<br />

consultant paediatrician and neonatologist under the National Specialist Register (NSR), Malaysia.<br />

Currently, he also holds a part time lecturer post at Jeffrey Cheah School of Medicine and Health<br />

Sciences, Monash University, Sunway Campus. He is a father of 3 energetic boys aged 13, 11 and 7.<br />

Child Psychology Jessie Foo Xiang Yi<br />

A trained clinical psychologist and a member of Malaysian Society of Clinical Psychology. Jessie<br />

graduated with a Masters in Clinical Psychology from HELP University, Malaysia and conducts<br />

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (C<strong>BT</strong>) to enhance adolescents’ and adults’ ability to cope with<br />

psychological distress and live a meaningful and hopeful life. She uses play and art techniques<br />

to engage with children. Jessie performs psychological assessments on children to diagnose and<br />

determine psychological, social, behavioral and educational functioning.<br />

Dietitian Verona Lee<br />

Verona received her credential in dietetics from National University of Malaysia (UKM). Her passion<br />

for nutrition began after witnessing some of her family members suffer from diet-related chronic<br />

diseases, which made her realise how important diet and a active lifestyle is to everyone’s health. She<br />

has practiced in all areas of nutrition with a special interest in child nutrition.<br />

Early Childhood Education Daisy Ng<br />

Daisy is a mother of two and Founder of Trinity Kids Malaysia. A dedicated practitioner in early<br />

childhood education, she has been featured on BFM, The Edge, NTV7, The Star and given talks<br />

on related topics. As a certified Dr Sears Health Coach in children/family nutrition and ante-natal<br />

wellness, Daisy actively promotes a wholesome and non-processed diet in Malaysia’s schools. An avid<br />

reader and writer from a young age, she now writes about topics in early childhood education, child<br />

development and nutrition.<br />

4 BabyTalk | March 2018


Published by:<br />

Hello there and welcome back...<br />

Practising an environmentally friendly and ecologically responsible way of life<br />

not only benefits the planet, for the more natural you go, the better your life<br />

will be in terms of health too. Understandably, not everyone warms up to idea<br />

right away. For some, it may take some time to even make small changes, due<br />

to the long term mind-conditioning and lifestyle habits of the past.<br />

This month’s issue of BabyTalk is packed with articles on natural living for young<br />

families who wish to take the first steps in going green. In fact, it’s never too<br />

early to turn your lives around, we say, and this month’s <strong>BT</strong> Guide leads the way<br />

with the subject of Going Green From Pregnancy and Beyond. Other than that,<br />

our Nutrition, Beautiful Pregnancy and Time Out columns also were written<br />

based on the idea of natural living.<br />

Our three main sections are Bump to Birth; Baby & Toddler and Life & Style, and<br />

this month they are packed with interesting reads which we hope will be useful<br />

to you and among them are What Does Your Pregnancy Diet look Like? Sciatica<br />

— Getting around this pain in the butt; Brain Teasers for Babies and Toddlers<br />

and also Important Values to Be taught Early in Life.<br />

Pregnant moms will surely love our special write-up on baby shower games in<br />

our Love For Life column this month. You’ll find all these and much more within<br />

the pages of this issue and here’s wishing you happy reading!<br />

Much love<br />

Cindy<br />

Editor’s Note<br />

AcePremier.com Sdn Bhd (829271-K)<br />

N-2-6, Plaza Damas,<br />

60, Jalan Sri Hartamas 1,<br />

Sri Hartamas,<br />

50480 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.<br />

Tel: +60 3 62<strong>03</strong> 2522<br />

Fax: +60 3 62<strong>03</strong> 4522<br />

Email: info@acepremier.com<br />

Publisher<br />

John Lim<br />

Editor<br />

Cindy Antoinette Fernandez<br />

Graphic Designer<br />

Jeannie Chen<br />

Marketing & Sales<br />

Fiona Lim<br />

Adeline Chin<br />

Theresa Pok<br />

Printer<br />

Times Offset (M) Sdn Bhd<br />

Bangunan Times Publishing<br />

Lot 46 Subang Hi-Tech,<br />

Industrial Park, Batu Tiga,<br />

40000 Shah Alam Selangor<br />

Distributor<br />

Pansing Marketing Sdn Bhd<br />

With thanks to<br />

Dr Khoo Boo Aik, Gaia Chinniah,<br />

Jessie Foo Xiang Yi, Rosh Vettiveloo, Daisy Ng,<br />

Verona Lee and Dr Agilan Arjunan.<br />

Articles and photographs are welcome, but we<br />

cannot be responsible for their safe return.<br />

BABYTALK encourages its readers’ feedback.<br />

Please email to info@acepremier.com<br />

BabyTalk magazine is published 12 times a year by<br />

AcePremier.com Sdn Bhd<br />

Disclaimer<br />

Editorial material herein is provided for information<br />

only. Reader are cautioned not to use this information<br />

as a substitute for regular professional health care<br />

and consultation. Although great care has been taken<br />

in compiling and checking the information given in<br />

this publication, the publisher, authors, advisors and<br />

agents shall not be responsible or in any way liable for<br />

continued currency of the information or for any errors,<br />

omissions or inaccuracies in this publication whether<br />

arising from negligence or otherwise howsoever, or for<br />

any consequences arising there from. The inclusion<br />

or exclusion of any product does not mean that the<br />

publisher advocates or rejects its use either generally or<br />

in particular field or fields.<br />

Advertisements are subject to editorial acceptance and<br />

have no influence on editorial content or presentation.<br />

the publishers, authors, advisors and agents do not<br />

guarantee, directly or indirectly, the quality or efficacy of<br />

any product or service described in the advertisements or<br />

other material which is commercial in nature.<br />

For all business and partnership matters please contact<br />

our Director John Lim at info@acepremier.com<br />

or +6<strong>03</strong> 62<strong>03</strong> 2522.<br />

All Rights Reserved<br />

Copyright © 2018. AcePremier.com Sdn Bhd<br />

Available at


Cute Snaps<br />

little<br />

Stars<br />

Samuel Azfar,<br />

8 months, Johor.<br />

Winner<br />

Do you have a little star<br />

aged between 1 month to 36<br />

months who would light up<br />

this page? Send your photo to<br />

babytalkmalaysia@gmail.com<br />

with name, location and age.<br />

Please state email subject as<br />

“Cute Snaps – Little Stars”.<br />

Poogalesh AL Gunalan,<br />

24 months, Selangor.<br />

Elvis Pang,<br />

76 days, Selangor.<br />

Kang Kai En,<br />

3 months, Penang.<br />

Jolynn Liew,<br />

2 months, Perak.<br />

Ryz Haiqal Bin Rizsam,<br />

21 months, Selangor.<br />

Snap & Win<br />

A surprise gift!<br />

6 BabyTalk | March 2018


<strong>BT</strong> Buzz<br />

Birth complications and<br />

brain changes<br />

New research<br />

in the UK<br />

shows that<br />

adults born<br />

prematurely,<br />

especially<br />

those who<br />

also suffered<br />

small brain<br />

injuries around<br />

the time of<br />

birth, have<br />

lower levels<br />

of dopamine in the brain. This chemical change has been<br />

linked to lack of motivation and enjoyment in normal life,<br />

and changes to attention and concentration, which could all<br />

be early signs of more serious mental health issues such as<br />

substance dependence and depression.<br />

The study, which is a collaboration between researchers from<br />

King’s, Imperial College London and the Icahn School of<br />

Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York, also shows that most<br />

people born prematurely have completely normal dopamine<br />

levels. Mental health problems often arise from a complex<br />

mix of genetic factors which make people more vulnerable,<br />

and negative or stressful life-experiences. These findings<br />

could help develop approaches to prevent the development<br />

of problems in people who were born early.<br />

Identified: Stroke risk factors<br />

unique to women<br />

Investigators from Brigham and Women’s Hospital and<br />

their colleagues are exploring the effects of potential risk<br />

factors that are unique to women, including hormone levels,<br />

hormone therapy, hormonal birth control, pregnancy and<br />

time of menarche and menopause. In a paper this week in<br />

Stroke as part of a special issue focused on women’s health<br />

in honor of the American Heart Association’s Go Red month,<br />

the team highlights risk factors with strong support in the<br />

scientific literature as well as important areas where future<br />

research needed, including the effects of hormone therapies<br />

for transgender people.<br />

“Many people don’t realize<br />

that women suffer stroke<br />

more frequently than men,<br />

and mortality is much<br />

higher among women. As<br />

women age, they are much<br />

more likely to have a stroke<br />

as a first manifestation<br />

of cardiovascular disease<br />

rather than heart attack,”<br />

said corresponding<br />

author Kathryn Rexrode,<br />

MD, MPH, of the BWH<br />

Department of Medicine.<br />

Breastfeeding reduces<br />

hypertension risk<br />

A study published in the American Journal of Hypertension<br />

indicates that women who breastfeed more children, and<br />

for longer periods of time, are less likely to suffer from<br />

hypertension after they reach menopause. This is less true of<br />

obese women, however.<br />

Elevated blood pressure is the greatest single risk factor for<br />

disease and mortality. Evidence from epidemiologic data<br />

has also shown the beneficial effects of breastfeeding on<br />

the health of infants and their mothers. It has been well<br />

documented that long-term breastfeeding is associated<br />

with reduced childhood allergies, celiac disease, obesity, and<br />

diabetes mellitus. However, the effects of breastfeeding on<br />

maternal health have been little studied compared with the<br />

effects on the children.<br />

Several studies consistently found that absent breastfeeding<br />

or premature discontinuation was associated with<br />

increased risks of<br />

diabetes mellitus,<br />

dyslipidemia,<br />

metabolic syndrome,<br />

coronary heart<br />

disease, and<br />

cardiovascular<br />

diseases. However<br />

few studies have<br />

established a clear<br />

relationship between<br />

breastfeeding and<br />

hypertension.<br />

Zika brain damage may go<br />

undetected in pregnancy<br />

Zika virus may cause significant damage to the fetal brain<br />

even when the baby’s head size is normal, according to a<br />

primate study. The damage can be difficult to detect even<br />

with sophisticated brain scans. It may also occur from<br />

infections during childhood and adolescence. Hard hit are<br />

brain regions that generate new brain cells. Fetal brain<br />

structures that may be injured include those where neural<br />

stem cells play a role in learning and memory.<br />

BabyTalk | March 2018 7


<strong>BT</strong> Buzz<br />

Identifying vulnerable preemies<br />

Critically ill infants in neonatal intensive care units (NICU)<br />

require constant monitoring of their vital signs. Invasive<br />

methods, such as using umbilical arterial catheters to check<br />

blood pressure, are the gold standard but pose significant<br />

health risks. Low-risk noninvasive monitoring, such as<br />

continuous cardiorespiratory monitors, can measure heart<br />

rate, respiratory rate and blood oxygenation. A noninvasive<br />

technique called near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) can also<br />

gauge how well tissues, including the brain, are oxygenated.<br />

While NIRS has long been used to monitor oxygenation in<br />

conditions in which blood flow is altered, such as bleeding in<br />

the brain, how NIRS values relate to other vital sign measures<br />

in NICU babies was unknown.<br />

A research team led by Khodayar Rais-Bahrami, M.D.,<br />

a neonatologist at Children’s National Health System,<br />

investigated this question in 27 babies admitted to Children’s<br />

NICU. The researchers separated these subjects into two<br />

groups: Low birth weight (LBW, less than 1.5 kg or 3.3<br />

pounds) and moderate birth weight (MBW, more than 1.5<br />

kg). Then, they looked for correlations between information<br />

extracted from NIRS, such as tissue oxygenation (specific<br />

tissue oxygen saturation, StO2) and the balance between<br />

oxygen supply and consumption (fractional tissue oxygen<br />

extraction, FTOE), and various vital signs.<br />

They found that StO2 increased with blood pressure for LBW<br />

babies but decreased with blood pressure for MBW babies.<br />

Brain and body FTOE in LBW babies decreased with blood<br />

pressure. In babies with abnormal brain scans, brain StO2<br />

increased with blood pressure and brain FTOE decreased<br />

with blood pressure. Together, the researchers suggest, these<br />

measures could give a more complete picture of critically ill<br />

babies’ health.<br />

Discovered:<br />

Compound in food may prevent<br />

non-alcoholic fatty liver disease<br />

Researchers have discovered that a<br />

compound found in kiwi, celery, and<br />

papaya — called pyrroloquinoline quinone<br />

(PQQ) — prevented the progression of<br />

non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in<br />

mice whose mothers were fed a high-fat<br />

diet. Study leader Karen Jonscher, Ph.D. —<br />

an associate professor of anesthesiology<br />

at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus<br />

in Aurora, CO — and colleagues recently reported their<br />

findings in the journal Hepatology Communications. NAFLD<br />

is defined as a buildup of fat in the liver that is not caused by<br />

alcohol consumption.<br />

Obesity, high cholesterol levels, hypertension, and high<br />

triglyceride levels are key contributors to NAFLD, and these<br />

conditions often arise as a result of a high-fat diet. But the<br />

thing is, it’s not just the foods we eat ourselves that we need<br />

to be concerned about; our health could be at risk as a result<br />

of the foods our mothers ate during pregnancy.<br />

Halting the spread of a deadly<br />

type of breast cancer<br />

A single protein building<br />

block commonly found in<br />

food may hold a key to<br />

preventing the spread of<br />

an often-deadly type of<br />

breast cancer, according to<br />

a new multicenter study<br />

published today in the<br />

medical journal Nature.<br />

Investigators found that by limiting an amino acid called<br />

asparagine in laboratory mice with triple-negative breast<br />

cancer, they could dramatically reduce the ability of the<br />

cancer to travel to distant sites in the body. Among other<br />

techniques, the team used dietary restrictions to limit<br />

asparagine. Foods rich in asparagine include dairy, whey,<br />

beef, poultry, eggs, fish, seafood, asparagus, potatoes,<br />

legumes, nuts, seeds, soy and whole grains. Foods low in<br />

asparagine include most fruits and vegetables.<br />

“This study adds to a growing body of evidence that<br />

suggests diet can influence the course of the disease,”<br />

said Simon Knott, PhD, associate director of the Center for<br />

Bioinformatics and Functional Genomics at Cedars-Sinai<br />

and one of two first authors of the study. The research was<br />

conducted at more than a dozen institutions.<br />

Did you know?<br />

— When a baby crawls<br />

When babies crawl, their movement across floors, especially<br />

carpeted surfaces, kicks up high levels of dirt, skin cells,<br />

bacteria, pollen, and fungal spores, a new study has found.<br />

The infants inhale a dose of bio bits in their lungs that is<br />

four times (per kilogram of body mass) what an adult would<br />

breathe walking across the same floor.<br />

As alarming as that sounds, lead researcher Brandon Boor of<br />

Purdue University is quick to add that this isn’t necessarily a<br />

bad thing. “We are interested in the biological material an<br />

infant inhales, especially during their first year of life when<br />

they are crawling. Many studies have shown that inhalation<br />

exposure to microbes and allergen-carrying particles in<br />

that portion of life plays a significant role in both the<br />

development of, and protection from, asthma and allergic<br />

diseases,” Boor says. “There are studies that have shown<br />

that being exposed to a high diversity and concentration of<br />

biological materials may reduce the prevalence of asthma<br />

and allergies later in life.”<br />

8 BabyTalk | March 2018


<strong>BT</strong> Buzz<br />

Why obese men may have poor<br />

sperm quality<br />

A new study sheds light on how obesity may contribute to<br />

male infertility. Published in open-access journal Frontiers in<br />

Physiology, the study reports that obese men have increased<br />

levels of inflammatory markers in their seminal fluid and<br />

lower sperm quality, both of which correlate with their<br />

body mass index (BMI). The findings suggest that chronic<br />

inflammation in male reproductive organs explains the link<br />

between obesity and reduced fertility.<br />

Obesity is a significant global health issue and is on the<br />

increase. In addition to variety of chronic illnesses, such as<br />

diabetes and cardiovascular disease, obesity is also linked to<br />

reduced sperm quality<br />

and male infertility.<br />

Scientists have also<br />

linked obesity to<br />

increased inflammation.<br />

Obese people can<br />

experience chronic<br />

inflammation in various<br />

tissues, and previous<br />

studies show that fat<br />

cells can produce and<br />

release specific signaling<br />

proteins that cause<br />

inflammatory responses.<br />

Could Acetaminophen be causing<br />

speech delay in females?<br />

In the first study of its kind, researchers from the Icahn<br />

School of Medicine at Mount Sinai found an elevated<br />

rate of language delay in girls at 30 months old born to<br />

mothers who used acetaminophen during pregnancy, but<br />

not in boys. Language delay was seen in 10 percent of all<br />

the children in the study, with greater delays in boys than<br />

girls overall. However, girls born to mothers with higher<br />

exposure — those who took acetaminophen more than six<br />

times in early pregnancy — were nearly six times more likely<br />

to have language delay than girls born to mothers who did<br />

not take acetaminophen. These results are consistent with<br />

studies reporting decreased IQ and increased communication<br />

problems in children born to mothers who used more<br />

acetaminophen during pregnancy.<br />

Sudoku<br />

2 4 1 3<br />

7 4<br />

1 9 2 8 4 7<br />

4 6 3 1 8 9<br />

5<br />

8 3 4 7 6 2<br />

4 2 1 5 3 6<br />

9 3<br />

3 5 9 8<br />

Solutions:<br />

2 7 4 5 6 9 1 8 3<br />

6 3 8 7 1 4 2 5 9<br />

1 5 9 2 3 8 4 6 7<br />

7 4 6 3 2 1 8 9 5<br />

9 2 1 8 5 6 7 3 4<br />

5 8 3 4 9 7 6 2 1<br />

4 9 2 1 8 5 3 7 6<br />

8 6 7 9 4 3 5 1 2<br />

3 1 5 6 7 2 9 4 8<br />

BabyTalk | March 2018 9


Ask Our Experts<br />

Dr. Agilan Arjunan<br />

Fertility & Conception<br />

}<br />

I've heard about the role that stress has in<br />

preventing me from getting pregnant, but what about<br />

my hubby? Should he too make efforts to control his<br />

stress levels to aid in our efforts to conceive? ~<br />

Stress has been associated as one of the factors that may<br />

cause female infertility. Typically too much of a stress can<br />

lead to problems with ovulation in a woman. As for stress<br />

and male infertility, there’s sufficient evidence that suggest<br />

that prolonged and chronic stress may contribute to lower<br />

sperm count and quality. Ironically though, chronic stress also<br />

includes stressing over fertility issues!<br />

The theory is that chronic stress can decrease the necessary<br />

hormones needed for optimal sperm production. It is also<br />

thought that stress can lead to generation of ‘reactive<br />

oxygen’ which increases oxidative damage to sperm. Reactive<br />

oxygen is a bad from of oxygen in our system. It damages<br />

the cells in our body including sperm and egg cells. Stress<br />

also affects your emotional hormones, thus affecting sexual<br />

function, in both men and women. Sexual dysfunction<br />

coupled with lower sperm count and quality, contributes to<br />

male infertility.<br />

Managing stress is always helpful. It’s impossible to alleviate<br />

all stress, so don’t be too stressed out about it, pardon<br />

the pun. Couples need to look for contributors of chronic<br />

stress and find a method that works best to reduce it. While<br />

managing and controlling his stress can definitely help you in<br />

your efforts towards parenthood, it’s however, not the only<br />

cause of male infertility. The most important cause of male<br />

infertility is still environmentally-related. Smoking, alcohol,<br />

pollutions and food are the main culprits.<br />

I would strongly urge couples to look at these ‘modifiable’<br />

risk factors and change their lifestyle to lead a more healthier<br />

life, both physically and emotionally.<br />

Dr. Khoo Boo Aik<br />

CONSULTANT PAEDIATRICIAN<br />

& NEONATOLOGIST<br />

}<br />

How can I tell if my seven month old baby is having<br />

a sinus infection? How does it differ from a cold? ~<br />

A simple cold is quite common in infants, and it’s normally<br />

cause by a viral infection. Colds present as runny or stuffy<br />

nose, which may or may not be accompanied with a fever or<br />

cough. It’s unlikely that a baby will have sinusitis (infection<br />

of the sinuses) as the frontal and sphenoid sinuses (which<br />

commonly contribute to typical sinusitis) don’t begin to<br />

develop until a child is about two years of age and will<br />

continue to develop until the teenage years. To answer your<br />

question, it’s not likely that your baby has a sinus infection.<br />

10 BabyTalk | March 2018


Bump to Birth<br />

Feature<br />

The Ideal<br />

Pregnancy Diet<br />

Nutrition during pregnancy can be easily overlooked by busy mums who have<br />

a million other things to do. Advancements in technology may be spiraling<br />

but at this day and time, good health through proper nutrition proves more<br />

essential than ever. Sicknesses, diseases and pollution are at every other corner<br />

we turn. Plus, thanks to modern lifestyle, inactivity is ironically a major<br />

problem especially for working mums for most, if not all jobs today involve<br />

sitting in front of the PC for hours each day.<br />

BabyTalk | March 2018 11


Bump to Birth<br />

Feature<br />

Mental re-haul<br />

Come mealtimes, who can deny that it’s much more easier<br />

and convenient too, to stick a ready-made pizza into<br />

the microwave instead of making one from scratch? The<br />

differences between the two, however, are many indeed. A<br />

ready made one will not be lacking in taste, to be sure, but<br />

it will also not be lacking in artificial additives, preservatives<br />

and flavorings. What it might be lacking of though, are<br />

fresh, healthy ingredients and well, a whole lot of essential<br />

nutrients a pregnant mama would need! Make a similar<br />

one from scratch and you will be able to manipulate the<br />

wholesomeness of your meal from every angle — the<br />

freshness of the ingredients, the amount of seasoning used,<br />

etc.<br />

The starting point for obtaining optimum pregnancy health<br />

through an ideal diet is to acknowledge to one’s self that<br />

choosing the right food and mindful preparation of food is<br />

essential. This mental re-haul and some proper guidance will<br />

get you far in achieving new heights of health and vitality<br />

during your special nine months.<br />

The following are important foods to include in your daily diet.<br />

01. Milk<br />

Milk and milk products provide calcium and other essential<br />

vitamins and minerals. They are important for bones, muscle<br />

growth, muscle contraction and nerve transmission. Eating a<br />

proper amount from this food group is essential for building<br />

healthy blood. Milk is known to ease insomnia, and helps<br />

regulate your heartbeat. Four servings of milk products per<br />

day is recommended for pregnant mums.<br />

02. Eggs<br />

Eggs provide protein, vitamins and minerals including vitamin<br />

A, the anti-infection vitamin. Together with milk, eggs<br />

provide a protein, vitamin, mineral and calorie foundation for<br />

the rest of the pregnancy diet. Two servings of eggs per day<br />

is recommended.<br />

<strong>03</strong>. Greens<br />

Fresh, dark green vegetables are rich in vitamins and minerals.<br />

They are particularly rich in vitamins A and B complex which<br />

are necessary to help your body use the protein in other<br />

foods. Greens play a role in the formation of red blood cells<br />

and therefore a deficiency could lead to anemia. Have two<br />

helpings of greens a day to keep up your health!<br />

01<br />

06<br />

02<br />

05<br />

<strong>03</strong><br />

07<br />

04<br />

12 BabyTalk | March 2018


Bump to Birth<br />

Feature<br />

04. Whole Grains<br />

Whole grains are excellent sources of carbohydrates, those<br />

much-needed substance to fuel your body. If you have too<br />

few carbohydrate foods in your diet, your body burns the<br />

protein you eat for energy, thus robbing you and your baby of<br />

the building blocks for tissue growth and repair. Whole grains<br />

are also a good source of B vitamins which are necessary for<br />

growth and the normal functioning of nerve tissue. Try to<br />

have four or more servings per day.<br />

05. The ‘C’ in Citrus<br />

Have some citrus! They are high in vitamin C, an important<br />

component for the body’s manufacture of collagen, the<br />

substance that holds tissue together. Adequate amounts of<br />

vitamin C also helps strengthen the uterus and the amniotic<br />

sack. Vitamin C is crucial in the body’s defense system against<br />

infection and is essential for the absorption of iron, so have a<br />

couple of oranges a day.<br />

06. Fats and Oils<br />

Healthy fats and oils such as those in dairy butter and olive<br />

oil are needed to help your body absorb the fat-soluble<br />

vitamins A, D, E & K. Fats and oils also contribute to stronger<br />

skin which may stretch better during pregnancy. As this food<br />

group is a concentrated source of calories, you may go easy<br />

on them.<br />

07. Yellow and Orange Colored<br />

Fruits and Vegetables<br />

These specific foods are high in infection-fighting vitamin A.<br />

During pregnancy, when the pressure of the growing uterus<br />

on the bladder grows, Vitamin A helps protect against<br />

bladder and kidney infections. As a guide, five serving per<br />

week from this particular category is recommended.<br />

08. Salt<br />

Good quality salt is an essential nutrient in pregnancy.<br />

Cutting back too much on salt can cause a decrease in the<br />

amount of blood circulating through your body and placenta<br />

(hypovolemia) thus reducing the supply of nutrients passing<br />

to your baby. Too little salt in the diet can lead to leg cramps,<br />

fatigue and even swelling. So, go ahead and season your<br />

food to taste with a little salt.<br />

08<br />

Protein<br />

Proteins are broken down into amino acids by your<br />

body and used to repair body tissues and organs. Your<br />

baby’s body will be built from these amino acids. If<br />

your diet does not contain enough protein, it could<br />

lead to fatigue, swelling, and even loss of appetite.<br />

The average non-pregnant person needs<br />

approximately 56 grams of protein per day. A<br />

pregnant woman, however, should aim for 80 – 100<br />

grams of protein per day. A three-ounce piece of<br />

chicken (which is about the size of a credit card)<br />

contains about 20 grams of protein, so one can<br />

easily obtain 80 grams in a meal made of some<br />

baked or roasted chicken with a side of vegetables.<br />

Some peanut butters contain as much as 10 grams<br />

of protein in two tablespoons. Peanut butter<br />

sandwich, anyone?<br />

Yogurt<br />

Dark leafy greens<br />

Eggs<br />

Fatty fish<br />

Lamb<br />

Berries<br />

Sweet potatoes<br />

Avocados<br />

Legumes<br />

Nuts<br />

Pregnancy<br />

Power Foods<br />

Calcium and probiotics<br />

Calcium, fiber, folic acid and<br />

vitamin A<br />

Vitamin A, iron and protein<br />

Omega-3 fatty acids EPA<br />

and DHA<br />

Vitamin B12, iron and zinc<br />

Antioxidants and fiber<br />

Vitamins A and E<br />

Potassium, folic acid, lutein<br />

and “good” fat<br />

Vegetarian protein, fiber,<br />

iron, folate, magnesium<br />

and zinc<br />

Fiber, vitamin E<br />

and magnesium<br />

BabyTalk | March 2018 13


Bump to Birth<br />

Giving Birth<br />

Writing a birth plan<br />

The thing about childbirth is, you can never be certain what’s going to happen, for it can get<br />

out of control at any time and that’s where a well-established birth plan comes in helpful. As<br />

women become more aware of their rights to choices, even the atmosphere and procedures<br />

during labor can be pre-discussed in some hospitals.<br />

14 BabyTalk | March 2018


Bump to Birth<br />

Giving Birth<br />

What’s a birth plan<br />

anyway?<br />

A birth plan will help ensure that certain<br />

aspects of your childbirth experiences,<br />

such as pain medications you wish to<br />

use or avoid, people allowed in the<br />

delivery room, episiotomies and cord<br />

cutting are all planned out the way you<br />

want it.<br />

How it works is, firstly, you establish<br />

your wishes in writing. Next, talk them<br />

over with your doctor as well as hospital<br />

staff including your midwife, and then<br />

see to it that you, your doctor and<br />

the hospital staff each have a copy.<br />

It’s actually really important to discuss<br />

your birth plan with your doctor and<br />

hospital staff to ensure that everyone is<br />

on the same page with you on all your<br />

wishes. Keep in mind too that some of<br />

your wishes may not be inline with the<br />

hospital policies too, so early discussions<br />

will help your sort out these issues.<br />

them — while squatting, sitting up,<br />

in a pool of warm water and so on. It<br />

is not uncommon now to be able to<br />

make requests which you think will<br />

be more favorable to your birthing<br />

experience. However, these options<br />

vary among the hospitals.<br />

Procedures during<br />

labor: What is your<br />

wish?<br />

It used to be that hospitals practiced the<br />

same procedures on all women in labor,<br />

but many now show increased flexibility<br />

in how they handle their patients. Some<br />

examples include:<br />

• Enemas. Popularly used to clean<br />

out the bowels, enemas used to be<br />

routinely administered when women<br />

were admitted. Now, you may choose<br />

to have one or to skip this procedure.<br />

• Shaving the pubic area. Once<br />

routine, shaving is no longer done<br />

unless a woman requests it, so if it’s<br />

not your cup of tea, state it in your<br />

birth plan.<br />

• Inducing a labor. At times, labor<br />

may need to be induced or sped up<br />

for medical reasons however, some<br />

practitioners these days are willing<br />

to give women the option of getting<br />

some help to move things along<br />

naturally, or giving labor a little more<br />

time to progress on its own. State<br />

your wishes regarding this in your<br />

birth plan after discussing it with<br />

your doctor.<br />

Times have changed<br />

and so can birthing<br />

experiences<br />

Many hospitals have geared up to<br />

accommodate patients’ demands for<br />

comfort during labor. More and more<br />

hospitals are now allowing women to<br />

walk around during labor, and even<br />

birth in positions more comfortable for<br />

Point to remember<br />

And remember, birth plans are not legal documents — they’re more<br />

like basic guidelines. The health and safety of mom and baby always<br />

come first, so plans may have to be changed if needed.<br />

BabyTalk | March 2018 15


Bump to Birth<br />

Giving Birth<br />

Pain management<br />

Although many women feel that they<br />

will be able to give birth sans pain<br />

medication, this is one area that women<br />

are advised to keep an open mind and<br />

not to be too rigid with their plans to<br />

the point of not being able to enjoy<br />

their birthing experience. In any case,<br />

many women who think they will be<br />

able to withstand the pains of labor<br />

only end up changing their minds<br />

asking for a epidural when they’re too<br />

far along in their labor.<br />

Pain management is something worth<br />

discussing carefully with your doctor,<br />

while taking into account all the<br />

possibilities during labor. Even if you opt<br />

for a natural birth and intend to forgo<br />

the pain meds entirely, know that you<br />

can change your mind during labor, no<br />

matter what you have stated in your<br />

birth plan. Doctors and staff are not<br />

going to judge you! Be well-informed<br />

too of alternative forms of pain<br />

relief, including massage, relaxation,<br />

breathing, and hot tubs. Know your<br />

options and make your wishes known<br />

to your doctor.<br />

Birthing position<br />

Slowly but surely, the days of giving<br />

birth in just one position, that is lying<br />

down with legs apart or on stirrups,<br />

are becoming passé. Many hospitals<br />

nowadays are open to allowing women<br />

Cesarean section<br />

(C-section)<br />

Regardless of whether you<br />

already have a scheduled<br />

C-section coming up or just<br />

planning ahead of a possible<br />

emergency, this is one topic<br />

that will be worth discussing<br />

meticulously with your<br />

hospital. If you do have a<br />

C-section:<br />

• Do you want your<br />

partner present?<br />

• Do you want to view<br />

your birth?<br />

to try a variety of more comfortable<br />

or favorable positions during labor,<br />

including lying on the side, squatting<br />

or sitting up. It’s just a matter of early<br />

discussion and planning with your<br />

doctor and hospital staff.<br />

Episiotomies<br />

Doctors perform episiotomies when<br />

necessary. (An episiotomy is when the<br />

perineum — the area of skin between<br />

the vagina and the anus — is partially<br />

cut to ease the delivery.) You may need<br />

to have one in medical emergencies,<br />

such as if your baby is in distress, or if<br />

there are risks of really bad tearing. If<br />

you are strongly against it, do discuss<br />

your preference with your doctor.<br />

Who will be allowed<br />

in the delivery room?<br />

Not only is this an important thing to<br />

include in your birth plan, but also, how<br />

will they be allowed to witnessed the<br />

birth? Will they be standing at the head<br />

of the bed, the side, or foot of the bed?<br />

If it’s your wish that the whole family<br />

is welcome as long as they stay near<br />

the head of the bed, state it clearly in<br />

your birth plan. Or, if you’re totally fine<br />

with a relative witnessing the birth of<br />

your child at close range, state it too!<br />

Just establish all these early and don’t<br />

assume that your partner or hospital<br />

staff knows what you want.<br />

Post-birth<br />

Post-birth decisions to be made<br />

beforehand should include:<br />

• Whether your partner is going to cut<br />

the umbilical cord.<br />

• Does your partner want to hold the<br />

baby when the baby emerges or<br />

• Do you want immediate contact with<br />

the baby, or<br />

• Would you like the baby to be<br />

cleaned off first?<br />

• How would you like to handle the<br />

delivery of the placenta? Would you<br />

like to keep the placenta?<br />

• Do you want to feed the baby<br />

right away?<br />

16 BabyTalk | March 2018


Bump to Birth<br />

9 Months<br />

Sciatica<br />

Getting around<br />

this pain in the butt<br />

Sciatica is a shooting pain that can be felt<br />

in the lower back and also down your<br />

buttocks and the back of your leg. It’s<br />

caused by the compression of the sciatic<br />

nerve, which runs through that area<br />

of the body. This condition is quite<br />

common among pregnant women,<br />

especially during the second<br />

and third trimesters when the<br />

growing fetus puts pressure<br />

on the sciatic nerve.<br />

BabyTalk | March 2018 17


Bump to Birth<br />

9 Months<br />

did you know?<br />

Sitting for long and poor posture apparently can lead to sciatica.<br />

So, if you’re pregnant, try to stay as active as you can<br />

(check with your doctor if you intend to enroll in an exercise program).<br />

No ordinary pain<br />

There’s the usual pain and aches due<br />

to pregnancy, and there’s sciatica pain,<br />

which is different from other back pain<br />

or leg pain. The pains from sciatica are<br />

sharp and shooting. They tend to run<br />

down the leg, sometimes starting from<br />

the buttocks. You can have sciatica with<br />

or without backache and it can send<br />

pain down one of your legs. It may also<br />

be felt down the outer side of your calf<br />

to your foot and toes.<br />

It might surprise you to know that<br />

sciatica is not only quite common<br />

among pregnant women, but also<br />

that every pregnant woman would<br />

probably experience some sort of<br />

sciatica pain at least once during the<br />

duration of their pregnancy.<br />

Treating sciatica<br />

Your doctor may refer you to a<br />

*musculoskeletal physiotherapist. Ask<br />

if you can see one who specialises in<br />

women’s health or pregnancy health.<br />

The physiotherapist will guide you in the<br />

best ways beat the pain, which usually<br />

include exercises to strengthen your<br />

pelvic floor, tummy muscles and back.<br />

You’ll also be shown ways to improve<br />

your posture. Follow-up check-ups<br />

may be necessary to throughout your<br />

pregnancy to check the function of<br />

your nerves.<br />

In most cases, results can be felt 10<br />

days to two weeks. Even pregnant<br />

women with acute sciatica may recover<br />

within four weeks to 12 weeks with<br />

proper treatment and consistency in<br />

their exercises. For some though, it may<br />

take longer.<br />

Pain medication for<br />

sciatica<br />

You may have a high threshold for<br />

pain, but as mentioned earlier, sciatica<br />

is no ordinary pain and sooner or later<br />

you may find yourself seeking some<br />

relief from those shooting pains down<br />

your lower body. As the most common<br />

painkiller, paracetamol is relatively safe<br />

for pregnant women, although it’s<br />

always better to ask your doctor or a<br />

pharmacist about how much to take<br />

and for how long.<br />

*A musculoskeletal physiotherapist specialises<br />

in treating injuries and conditions which<br />

affect the muscles, joints, and soft tissues.<br />

18 BabyTalk | March 2018


Bump to Birth<br />

9 Months<br />

Self help methods to<br />

ease sciatica<br />

Hot or cold compresses. Apply a<br />

heat pack and an ice pack at alternate<br />

times to the painful area to help reduce<br />

the pain. Remember though to avoid<br />

placing any kind of hot or cold packs<br />

directly on your skin — Use a light<br />

towel or flannel cloth as a buffer first.<br />

This alternating between hot and cold<br />

compresses works for many women.<br />

Move around! There is a difference<br />

between resting and being in bed<br />

or even sitting down for too long.<br />

Remaining sedentary for too long may<br />

lead to sciatic nerve pains or worsen an<br />

already existing condition. Move around<br />

as much as you possibly can.<br />

Keep your posture in check. Watch<br />

your posture and for as much as<br />

possible, keep your back slightly and<br />

comfortably arched. Keep a maternity<br />

pillow or even a rolled up towel at hand<br />

to help support your spine whenever<br />

you’re seated.<br />

No lifting heavy items. Avoid it as<br />

much as possible. If you do have to lift<br />

something and there is no one around<br />

to lend you a hand, bend from your<br />

knees and keep your back straight.<br />

Keep the object you’re lifting close to<br />

your body.<br />

Listen to your body. If an activity<br />

you’re doing seems to worsen your<br />

sciatic pains, stop doing it at once, and<br />

try avoiding that particular activity in<br />

the future.<br />

Sleep on your side. Use a pillow or<br />

two tucked between your knees. Note:<br />

maternity pillows will help. Sleeping on<br />

your side is best for your baby — by<br />

the third trimester, it reduces your risk<br />

of complications compared to lying on<br />

your back.<br />

Wear comfortable shoes. You may<br />

not realise it but the impact of walking<br />

increases the jarring of your spine,<br />

which may make your pain worse.<br />

Comfortable shoes with special insole<br />

that help absorb impact may help.<br />

Try a maternity girdle, belt or band.<br />

These are quite comfortable to wear<br />

and they help to lift the uterus a little<br />

bit and distribute the weight more<br />

evenly, and in doing so, provide relief<br />

from sciatic pains.<br />

Sciatica after a baby<br />

For some women with sciatica during<br />

their pregnancy, the condition may<br />

remain even after giving birth. As with<br />

any condition that involves the spine,<br />

posture is important when standing,<br />

walking and sitting. In this case, it also<br />

includes posture while breastfeeding<br />

or bottle feeding, for you’ll be holding<br />

your baby and sitting down for quite<br />

some time. It’s important to feel at ease<br />

and comfortable when you’re nursing<br />

your baby, so try out different positions<br />

till you determine which is best for you.<br />

During night feeds, particularly if you<br />

breastfeed, try lying on your side, with<br />

your painful side up. This relieves the<br />

pressure on your spine, which can help<br />

provide some relief from sciatic pains.<br />

Laid-back breastfeeding may help too,<br />

as your baby is supported on your body.<br />

If you prefer to breastfeed in a sitting<br />

position, sit on a straight-backed chair.<br />

Raise your baby to your breast with a<br />

pillow or cushion and keep your feet<br />

flat on the floor.<br />

When changing your baby’s diapers,<br />

try to get the job done on a changing<br />

station rather than on the floor.<br />

Remember too that when you’re<br />

lifting your baby, keep your back<br />

straight, bend your knees and avoid<br />

twisting movements.<br />

Keeping generally active will help<br />

to prevent sciatica from becoming<br />

a long-standing issue, so do consult<br />

your doctor or even a certified yoga<br />

practitioner for advise on the best<br />

kinds of exercise to help you deal with<br />

sciatica and hopefully, make it a thing<br />

of the past.<br />

BabyTalk | March 2018 19


Bump to Birth<br />

Mini Feature<br />

Keep calm and stop worrying!<br />

Pregnancy seems to bring out the worry wart in many moms-to-be. If you’re pregnant, it<br />

is fully understandable that you’d like everything to go as smoothly as possible, but keep in<br />

mind though that there is a fine line between being responsibly concerned and having a<br />

tendency to worry about every single thing that’s going on inside, outside and around you.<br />

R<br />

ead on and find out why you should cease worrying<br />

and start enjoying your pregnancy.<br />

I’m hungry, again !<br />

The increased need for energy to support your growing fetus<br />

is bound to make you hungry, so don’t feel guilty if you have<br />

to eat more than usual to feel contented. The best you can<br />

do is to try to make the healthiest food choices you can.<br />

Is my baby alright?<br />

Let the doctor take care of that! If there is anything to be<br />

concerned about, your doctor will advise you on what to<br />

do. In the meantime, you take care of yourself, for a healthy,<br />

happy mother is what your baby needs.<br />

Your increasing weight<br />

Remind yourself that your body is busy performing a miracle<br />

and that gaining some weight is part and parcel of pregnancy,<br />

for everyone, not just you. This no time to be watching your<br />

figure, mama!<br />

Advice from left, right and center<br />

While we can’t possibly tell you to ignore family members<br />

who seem to derive pleasure from annoying you with<br />

unsolicited advice, nonsensical superstitions and old wives<br />

tales, we can however remind you that you have the option<br />

of not taking what they say seriously or even politely excusing<br />

yourself from their presence and move on.<br />

Feeling moody? Let it ride out…<br />

Mood swings during pregnancy are brought about by<br />

fluctuating hormones and hence, they’re inevitable. So, why<br />

spend the rest of the time worrying about them when you<br />

can be going shopping, catching up with friends, or even<br />

spending some quality time with hubby?<br />

Physical changes<br />

Are you comfortable with yourself? As long as you’re decently<br />

presentable, it really does not matter what you look like.<br />

No one expects you to be be in high heels and full make up<br />

24/7. You’re free to look and feel as chilled out as you want!<br />

Note: If you’ve been looking to the stars (read: celebrities) for<br />

inspiration on how to look like during your pregnancy, you<br />

might want to reset those thoughts.<br />

Can I eat this?<br />

You can generally eat whatever you want as long as your<br />

doctor does not advise against it. The main thing here is<br />

to have a bit of control when it comes to sugary snacks or<br />

foods with too much saturated fats. Think wholesome fruits,<br />

vegetables, meats, fish, etc. As for your cravings, go ahead<br />

and indulge in them moderately and you’ll have nothing to<br />

worry about.<br />

About being a good mom<br />

We’re not going to lie to you and say that motherhood is a<br />

piece of cake. However, it is nevertheless a joyous experience<br />

and if you’re fortunate enough to be on the way to<br />

experience it. Take it in all in your stride and look forward to<br />

it. Remember, many others would give anything to be in your<br />

shoes but can’t!<br />

20 BabyTalk | March 2018


Bump to Birth<br />

Special Feature<br />

Maternity Wear<br />

From Then Till Now<br />

Once upon a time, the versatile piece of<br />

fabric we know now as the apron was<br />

used during one’s pregnancy to cover up<br />

the space left open by tops that no longer<br />

fit the growing belly. Clever huh? It was<br />

the practice for the longest time during<br />

the Middle Ages. Today though, the apron<br />

stays in the kitchen where it rightly<br />

belongs, protecting your more modern<br />

maternity wear from getting messed up<br />

while you’re cooking.<br />

BabyTalk | March 2018 21


Bump to Birth<br />

Special Feature<br />

Have you ever wondered, though, how pregnant<br />

moms got along in the past when it came to<br />

maternity wear? Here’s to satisfying your curiosity in<br />

the evolvement of maternity wear from then till now.<br />

If you were pregnant anywhere from the beginning of time<br />

through the 13th century, you simply made do with the<br />

clothes you already own. Back then dresses did not follow the<br />

female form anyway, for showing off one’s figure was a big<br />

no-no! Hence, the tents they wore around accommodated<br />

pregnancy nicely. As weird as it may sound, in some parts<br />

of the world, it also wasn’t cool for women to let the world<br />

know they were having sex! Well, pregnancy is by default<br />

associated with female sexuality, so pregnant mothers were<br />

compelled to do everything they can to mask their growing<br />

bumps, just as women today would their blemishes or<br />

imperfections... Those in the upper classes even disappeared<br />

from public view for the entire pregnancy, never mind the fact<br />

that they would have to magically re-appear with a baby in<br />

their arms.<br />

Yes, sir... I am pregnant!<br />

In the 14th century, people begin to realise that they can’t<br />

keep hiding pregnant women’s bellies or stashing their<br />

pregnant wives away everytime someone came by for tea,<br />

so they slowly got used to the idea of letting nature be.<br />

This was when women’s fashion began to dare to hug their<br />

curves a little more and reveal more of the feminine features.<br />

It was in this era that proper, specialised maternity clothes<br />

were first conceived. Among the poor, seams were let out<br />

to accommodate belly expansion while the wealthy had<br />

dresses tailor made. During the Baroque period (1600–1750)<br />

a maternity gown called the Adrienne dress was created;<br />

it was a gown that was characterized by voluminous folds<br />

and flowing fabric which expanded with growing bellies. In<br />

the Georgian period (1714–1811) maternity clothes became<br />

more practical and bibs were added at the bust line to permit<br />

breast feeding.<br />

Apron.<br />

What women today would<br />

probably do if they were<br />

asked to wear an apron as<br />

maternity wear.<br />

Adrienne.<br />

When women started<br />

showing some bump.<br />

Under the corset<br />

Corsets were all the rage for women up to the early 1900s<br />

and no female could escape wearing one! Girls as young<br />

as seven years old were laced up! Pregnant? Behold, the<br />

“maternity corsets”! The important thing at that time was to<br />

contain expanding waistlines. By the 1920s maternity corsets<br />

were replaced by girdles that confined the hips more than the<br />

waist. When they finally realised that pregnant women need<br />

support more than constriction, the maternity panty girdle<br />

was born some where in the 1970s. We now know this girdle<br />

by its modern name, the maternity support belt.<br />

Corset.<br />

Bellies may grow,<br />

but waists<br />

shall not!<br />

Bib.<br />

Bibs added for breastfeeding ease<br />

22 BabyTalk | March 2018


Bump to Birth<br />

Special Feature<br />

Reserved yet stylish<br />

Through the early 20th century, maternity style remained<br />

modest and reserved, as examplified by this 1916 photos of<br />

Eleanor Roosevelt.<br />

Eleanor Roosevelt<br />

Lucy.<br />

Charming Lucille Ball paved the way for women to show off their<br />

pregnant bellies.<br />

In the 1920s, women would still rather not flaunt their<br />

growing bellies, but opted instead for optical illusions on their<br />

clothings that would hopefully fool the eye. Lots of frills and<br />

folds of fabric did the trick most of the time!<br />

Sweet 60s and 70s!<br />

Dresses of all lengths and fits were the rage in the early 70s,<br />

from loose-fitting, short “babydoll” dresses to ankle-length<br />

dresses (maxis) and mid-calf length dresses (midis). Widelegged<br />

and flared jeans continued to be popular throughout<br />

the decade too, along with polyester – which allowed for<br />

extra stretch (the better to fit that baby bump!). Peasant<br />

blouses and dresses became standard-wear in the mid- to<br />

late-1970s.<br />

Iconic 1950s!<br />

1920’s.<br />

Pregnant or<br />

not pregnant?<br />

One of the most iconic fashion moments for mothers is<br />

when Lucille Ball appeared on television while pregnant. In<br />

her time, pregnancy and even the word “pregnant” was not<br />

acceptable for American television but when the actress was<br />

with child, they had no choice but to find a way for the show<br />

to go on. In 1952, Lucy became the first pregnant women to<br />

be on a television show and of course, she was a maternity<br />

fashion icon.<br />

BabyTalk | March 2018 23


Bump to Birth<br />

Special Feature<br />

In the eighties and nineties, media interest in celebrity<br />

pregnancies boomed and the trend has only been growing<br />

since. The late Princess Diana, Katie Holmes and Angelina<br />

Jolie are just some of the celebrities who are responsible for<br />

inspiring fashionable maternity wear. Every pregnant mama<br />

wanted to dress like them!<br />

Fashion designers were quick to take note of this increased<br />

attention given to celebrity moms-to-be, and wasted no<br />

time in creating affordable yet stylish maternity wear for<br />

the masses. Between 1998 and now, the maternity clothes<br />

market grew and blossomed into a mega cash-making<br />

industry as more and more pregnant mama felt that their<br />

bumps too were just as eligible to be clad in the trendiest<br />

fashion! Wrap dresses, plunging V-necks, floor-scraping<br />

gowns, and chic tops were popularized by famous babybump<br />

wearers. Local moms now can stroll into clothing stores<br />

anywhere and expect to find a good selection of maternity<br />

wear at the maternity section.<br />

Pricess D, Angelina, Katie.<br />

Celebrities moms and<br />

their famous looks inspire<br />

pregnant moms, some even<br />

till today.<br />

60s, 70s.<br />

It must have been really cool to be pregnant during the 60s and 70s,<br />

judging from these awesome maternity wear!<br />

24 BabyTalk | March 2018


Going Green<br />

From Pregnancy & Beyond<br />

There’s more to going green than one can<br />

imagine — your family’s health and the<br />

wellbeing of our planet are currently at<br />

risk as the impact of modern parenting<br />

on our planet is staggering. Landfill sites<br />

for instance, are being clogged with<br />

millions of disposable diapers and<br />

other toxic products. As a parent, if<br />

you are worried about the carbon<br />

footprint that you are leaving<br />

behind and are planning to be a<br />

part of the solution, and if you<br />

would like to improve the health<br />

of your loved ones on the long<br />

run, this guide is for you.<br />

BabyTalk | March 2018 25


Going Green<br />

From Pregnancy & Beyond<br />

Green up your nine months<br />

You don’t have to wait for baby to arrive to begin making<br />

positive changes in your life — the time to start is now, and<br />

here’s how.<br />

Eat clean<br />

Did you know that there are conventional produces that have<br />

been exposed to harmful chemical pesticides and the residues<br />

remain on the food even after washing? These have been<br />

linked to birth defects, asthma and cancers.<br />

According to studies, childhood leukemia rates more than<br />

quadruple when pesticides are used in the home e.g. when<br />

children live in farm areas where pesticides are used. In meat,<br />

it is not just about pesticide residue but artificial growth<br />

hormones also remain in the meat. Non-organic animal<br />

products can also be exposed to radiation. Some foods are<br />

more risky than others and the most important foods to<br />

ALWAYS eat organic include:<br />

• Animal products (free-range is also very important in animal<br />

products), including: eggs, dairy, chicken, beef, etc.<br />

• Rice (pesticides show-up in rice more than most<br />

other grains)<br />

• Concentrated foods e.g. baby foods, tomato paste,<br />

fruit juice (all which can have concentrated levels of<br />

pesticide residue)<br />

• Produce from the *Dirty Dozen list<br />

*The Dirty Dozen<br />

The dirty dozen consists of foods which are<br />

most contaminated with pesticides and/or with<br />

pesticide residues which are difficult to clean<br />

off. Needless to say, it’s best to buy these from<br />

the organic section of your supermarket.<br />

• Apples<br />

• Spinach<br />

• Peaches<br />

• Sweet bell peppers<br />

• Nectarines<br />

• Cucumbers<br />

• Strawberries • Cherry tomatoes<br />

• Grapes<br />

• Snap peas<br />

• Celery<br />

• Potatoes<br />

Note: Added to this list are chillies and kale.<br />

Pledge against plastic<br />

It can be tough to forgo plastic completely especially when<br />

it comes to kitchen utensils, containers, etc. Plastics and<br />

plastic by-products are being linked with reproductive issues<br />

(estrogen mimickers), birth defects, neurological disorders,<br />

and cancer. The big offenders are phthalates (estrogen<br />

mimicking, and suspected human carcinogens), BPA (estrogen<br />

mimicking), vinyl (contains phthalates and lead), and Styrene<br />

(possible human carcinogen). Also, plastic never biodegrades<br />

and plastic molecules are found in every drop of seawater.<br />

Really, you do not have a reason to not use them now.<br />

Start reading labels<br />

It’s high time to not take it for granted that your skincare<br />

products are safe just because they are from a famous brand.<br />

Most conventional beauty products contain high levels of<br />

known endocrine disruptors which affect hormone systems,<br />

neurotoxins and carcinogens. Plus, know this: Even baby<br />

products which claim to be ‘natural’, ‘safe’ or ‘gentle’ can be<br />

loaded with hazardous poisons.<br />

Much of what you use on your skin passes through your<br />

blood-brain barrier and during pregnancy, much of this can<br />

pass through the placenta. All of us have very likely applied<br />

more than 126 unique chemicals to our skin via the skincare<br />

products we use which contain ingredients that have never<br />

been tested for human safety.<br />

To be safe, if a product is too strongly scented, or if you can’t<br />

pronounce the ingredients in it, don’t use it!<br />

26 BabyTalk | March 2018


Going Green<br />

From Pregnancy & Beyond<br />

Go for organic toiletries<br />

If you are using organic toiletries such as body wash,<br />

shampoo and body moisturisers, chances are they<br />

may be safe to use of your baby later on too, provided<br />

that he or she is not allergic to any of the natural<br />

ingredients in the product. Also, certified authentic<br />

toiletries are made in such a way that only a little<br />

is needed at a time. As such, they go a long way in<br />

helping to keep your family’s skin and hair healthier<br />

and are far more economical too.<br />

When baby arrives<br />

When baby is finally here, you’ll find that it’s a whole different<br />

ball game when it comes to living green. Here are a few tips<br />

to set you on the right track.<br />

Green diapering<br />

Babies will need diapers and there’s no two ways about<br />

it. In fact, they’ll be going through thousands of diapers<br />

before they’re old enough to be potty-trained. No matter<br />

what brand you happen to choose, you’ll nevertheless still<br />

be spending lots of money on diapers till your little one no<br />

longer needs them.<br />

All diapers end up in landfills throughout the world, slowly<br />

poisoning the earth, not through their biodegradable content,<br />

but through the material they’re made of. Disposable diapers<br />

are generally made up of non-biodegradable material, hence<br />

they do not break down easily. So, they end up clogging<br />

landfills for years, running into decades.<br />

We fully get that disposable diapers are convenient for<br />

parents — they eliminate the need for piles of laundry, are<br />

easy to use and once they’re soiled, you just throw them out,<br />

contents and all!<br />

Thanks to growing awareness though, more and more<br />

parents are beginning to realise that their ‘green’ competitor,<br />

the modern cloth diaper, isn’t all that troublesome to use<br />

compared to the older, dated versions. For one, there are no<br />

safety pins involved in diapering a baby with the cloth diaper<br />

these days! Instead, they use velcro or button fastening,<br />

which makes them a breeze to use.<br />

Modern cloth diapers are mostly made of natural fiber cloth<br />

materials including cotton, wool, bamboo, and unbleached<br />

hemp along with microfleece. These include all-in-one<br />

diapers, fitted diapers with covers, and pocket diapers that<br />

have a water-resistant outer shell and an opening for insertion<br />

of absorbent inserts. Some don’t even need not be soaked or<br />

rinsed before washing. All for all, cloth diapers are:<br />

• Chemical free<br />

• Kind to baby’s skin<br />

• Kinder to our the environment<br />

• Much more economical on the long run<br />

Nurse your baby<br />

Babies need to drink milk and if you have given birth, you<br />

are faced with the choice of either breastfeeding or giving<br />

your baby formula milk. There’s only one way to feed a baby<br />

formula and that is through milk bottles. Did you know<br />

though that many of these feeding bottles today still harm<br />

the environment by producing toxic waste such as carbon<br />

dioxide, nitrogen oxide, and more? We realise that sometimes<br />

even breast milk is fed through a bottle, but in any case,<br />

breast is still best.<br />

Your breast milk is the most nutritious food, which protects<br />

your baby from illness and ensures healthy physical and<br />

psychological development. There is nothing that can<br />

compare to the 100% natural goodness of a mother’s milk,<br />

so seriously consider nursing your baby if you can.<br />

BabyTalk | March 2018 27


Going Green<br />

From Pregnancy & Beyond<br />

You can help to lessen the demand of commercial product<br />

by making your own delectable and nutritious baby food and<br />

of course, by encouraging others to do so as well. You can<br />

pick and choose your ingredients and make sure that your<br />

homemade baby food is made using only the freshest meats,<br />

vegetables, fruits, herbs, etc.<br />

Baby food:<br />

Why buy when you can make your own?<br />

Commercial baby food may look really appealing on the<br />

shelves, what with all those different flavours and variants.<br />

Still, have you ever asked yourself:<br />

1. What goes into a jar of commercial baby food?<br />

2. How long they have been sitting there on the shelf before<br />

you bought them?<br />

A growing baby who is on solid food needs to be fed for<br />

nourishment. Many brands of baby food, even reputable<br />

ones, contain preservatives and thickeners that are not good<br />

for long-term consumption and even defeat the purpose of<br />

feeding a baby.<br />

The environmental impact of processing, packaging,<br />

storage, and transportation of baby food is also something<br />

to consider. Valuable resources are extensively used in<br />

manufacturing them. These and the convenient jars or plastic<br />

pouches that these foods are packaged in inevitably end up<br />

in landfills.<br />

Go green on baby stuff<br />

Fortunately, as awareness catches on, more and more ecofriendly<br />

or ‘green’ baby products are emerging in the market.<br />

Many brands of baby goods including toys, clothes and even<br />

feeding utensils have jumped into the green bandwagon,<br />

producing their own line of organic products.<br />

When it comes to toys, keep your eyes open for ones made<br />

from non-toxic, recycled and recyclable plastics, which are<br />

free from PVC and polycarbonate. Look for eco-friendly wood<br />

products that have come from sustainably managed forests.<br />

These toys not only last longer, but are also non-toxic and<br />

lead free.<br />

You can also check out local, handmade toys to save the<br />

energy used in transporting products. Look for organic or fairtrade<br />

products, gear, and toys.<br />

Go gender-neutral<br />

Blue for a boy, pink for a girl, and yellow if you’re not sure<br />

— That’s the way it has always been! If you wish to reuse<br />

your baby stuff and save lots of money, ditch gender specific<br />

purchases and go instead for neutral colors such as brown,<br />

red, green and even stylish black or grey. This way, your future<br />

baby, regardless of gender, can also use them. If you keep<br />

tabs on how much you would have spent if you had to shop<br />

for new baby clothes, you’d be surprised at the savings!<br />

If you must buy, go for organic!<br />

Organic baby foods and baby formula is not<br />

only good for the baby but also good for the<br />

environment as well. Made without conventional<br />

pesticides, chemical fertilizers, antibiotics or<br />

growth hormones, organic foods limit a baby’s<br />

exposure to these harmful substances. Organic<br />

farming also boosts healthy soil, supports water<br />

conservation, and encourages biodiversity.<br />

28 BabyTalk | March 2018


Going Green<br />

From Pregnancy & Beyond<br />

Not all baby stuff need to be new stuff<br />

New things will eventually become old, but not necessarily<br />

unuseable. When it comes to green living, it means it’ll be<br />

more sensible to borrow whatever you can from others, and<br />

likewise lend them yours too. There are lots of baby stuff that<br />

can be borrowed from friends and family. If you do however<br />

feel like buying stuff, try shopping at consignment stores, or<br />

buy clothes from garage sales.<br />

If enough parents borrowed instead of buying and turned to<br />

second-hand stuff including baby gears like strollers and cots,<br />

it can help save them money and lessen the junk accumulated<br />

in landfills in one go.<br />

Grow some food!<br />

In so many ways, growing your own food can make a huge<br />

difference in your life. Growing food involves composting<br />

and mulching, which help to contribute to a green<br />

environment in your home. Kitchen wastes such as eggs<br />

shells, fruit rinds and coffee grounds are great for compost.<br />

These are simple and easy tasks that will allow you to cut<br />

down on waste, save money and reuse and recycle natural<br />

resources. Don’t forget too, that your family will be able<br />

to enjoy fresh produce which are guaranteed to be more<br />

healthier than store-bought varieties.<br />

Change the way you clean your home<br />

Many would agree that poisons and toxins don’t belong in a<br />

home, yet many homes are equipped with enough dangerous<br />

substances to poison a whole village — we kid you not!<br />

While a clean home means a healthier environment for<br />

your family, many are clueless and don’t think twice about<br />

the environmental consequences of the effective yet harsh<br />

products they use to get the job done! The "danger" or<br />

"warning" sign on the bottle means that even a small amount<br />

of exposure to these chemicals can lead to medical issues, but<br />

what we seemed to have forgotten is that using these harsh<br />

and toxic cleaners at home can cause serious pollution in the<br />

waste stream too, poisoning our earth in the long run.<br />

You can make a difference by opting for homemade<br />

cleaners that are made from ingredients you’ll easily find in<br />

your kitchen or the supermarket. You’ll find loads of ideas<br />

and recipes for safe, homemade cleaning solutions on the<br />

internet. Making and using your own household cleaners can<br />

save you from burning holes in your pocket too, for the prices<br />

of some cleaning products out there, especially if they happen<br />

to be organic, can be really steep.<br />

Re-use whatever you can<br />

Welcome to modern living where almost everything (utensils,<br />

slippers, cameras, plastic containers, and even clothing items<br />

such as underwear) come in disposable varieties. Some are so<br />

appealing that people tend to buy, buy, buy without any real<br />

need them! Some people buy loads of disposable stuff ‘just<br />

in case’ they’re needed someday, and some people buy them<br />

just because they happen to be on sale. How many of such<br />

items do you have in your home right now?<br />

It’s time to start a new habit, which is reusing and recycling<br />

whatever you can. Why throw away pieces of fabrics when<br />

they can be used over and over again as kitchen rags?<br />

Cardboard boxes too can be reused as storage boxes,<br />

something every home could do with. Keep thinking in this<br />

manner and before you know it you’ll be wasting far less, and<br />

you’ll also be doing your part in conserving the environment.<br />

These small changes you make will help save you costs<br />

of buying new stuff and reduce the waste that end up<br />

in landfills.<br />

Resist hoarding<br />

It’s all too easy to turn into a hoarder when you have kids,<br />

for every single thing your child owns seems to have a<br />

sentimental value attached to it. Hence, before you even<br />

buy anything from now on, choose quality over quantity and<br />

think carefully before making any purchases. Don’t forget<br />

to inform family and friends of your intentions to de-clutter<br />

your life, so that they too will not overdo it when buying gifts<br />

and presents for your children. In the meantime, as far as<br />

decluttering your life goes, it’s important to start somewhere<br />

— one good way to begin is by donating stuff you can do<br />

without to charity.<br />

BabyTalk | March 2018 29


Going Green<br />

From Pregnancy & Beyond<br />

More tips on green parenting<br />

It’s never too early to start bringing up a green child. The best<br />

way to go about it is to lead by example. If your little one<br />

keeps seeing you separating the rubbish for the recycling bin,<br />

or declining plastic bags at the grocery store, or even picking<br />

up rubbish that isn’t yours for the sake of keeping the park<br />

clean, then he or she will, in time, follow suit.<br />

Apart from setting an example, there are many other ways<br />

you can bring up a green child. Here are some of them.<br />

Show and tell. Even toddlers can be taught to appreciate<br />

and protect our planet. Every time you take your child<br />

outside, let it be a show and tell session about the beauty of<br />

our environment — the birds, flowers, trees, the rocks, etc.<br />

in our ecosystem. It can be really fun for kids to learn how to<br />

work the earth and grow plants for food.<br />

Promote conservation at home. Children will only know<br />

that about resource-conserving lifestyle, for example turning<br />

off water when washing the dishes and switching off<br />

lights when leaving the room if they are taught about the<br />

importance of doing so.<br />

Explain your actions. Every time you take a step towards<br />

making your home a greener one, explain to your child about<br />

the steps you’re taking and the reasons to do so.<br />

Teach them to appreciate their food. Taking kids to<br />

places like plantations and farms may give them a better<br />

understanding of where their food comes from and that<br />

foods don’t just appear on the table. This will help them<br />

appreciate their food and not take it for granted.<br />

Lead an active lifestyle. Encourage your kids to move<br />

their bodies for the sake of their health. This will help<br />

them stay healthy and minimize the need for doctor’s visits<br />

and medicines.<br />

Give public transportation a go. You can help cut down<br />

pollution by not using your car unnecessarily. There is just<br />

too many cars on the roads with only one or two passengers<br />

in them. Try using public transportation by taking buses and<br />

trains with your kids.<br />

Get them interested in gardening. Through gardening,<br />

you can teach your little one about the importance of plants<br />

Lead the way<br />

Everyone who is into a green lifestyle inevitably wants the<br />

best for our planet. Why not, for it could also mean leaving<br />

behind a better dwelling place for the future generation.<br />

Eco parenting is all about relearning, giving up on certain<br />

bad practices, and adopting good habits that help provide a<br />

better lifestyle for your family and yourself. Follow through<br />

well enough and your new planet-loving ways will probably<br />

rub off onto your children!<br />

30 BabyTalk | March 2018


Baby & Toddler<br />

Nutrition<br />

Baby-led weaning<br />

What it really is about<br />

Baby-led weaning is akin to going back to basics while prioritising<br />

independence and nutrition. Read on and see what we mean.<br />

BabyTalk | March 2018 31


Baby & Toddler<br />

Nutrition<br />

While baby-led weaning seemed to have gained<br />

popularity only a decade or so ago, this<br />

method of introducing solid foods to babies<br />

has always been around in every culture<br />

around the world until the invention of baby cereals and<br />

other conventional baby foods. The mass production of baby<br />

food, with the dizzying number of options and varieties<br />

offered what the world seemed to have wanted most —<br />

choices and convenience.<br />

If you really think about it, you can liken baby-led weaning<br />

to old-fashioned baby napkins, (which died off at first when<br />

disposable diapers took over the world), and then made<br />

a comeback with a vengeance in the shape of modern<br />

cloth diapers which are all the rage now. The more popular<br />

alternative to conventional baby foods were home-cooked<br />

baby foods which parents still had to feed their young using<br />

baby spoons and a whole lot of cajoling!<br />

Quite like the cloth diapers, which made a comeback due to<br />

widespread awareness on doing our bit for the planet and<br />

for a baby’s own wellbeing, baby-led weaning has its own<br />

set of benefits too which include the inculcation of better<br />

eating habits from a very young age as well as the fine-tuning<br />

of motor development which will be useful throughout<br />

childhood and beyond.<br />

A baby who weans this way will be ahead of his peers in<br />

terms of eye-hand coordination, chewing skills, and<br />

dexterity too. To top it all off, babies will have ample<br />

opportunity to explore the taste, texture, aroma,<br />

and color of a variety of foods offered through<br />

this weaning method.<br />

Babies who self feed also tend to learn how to<br />

self regulate, which is basically to stop eating<br />

when one is full. That’s not something a spoonfed<br />

baby can do without having to fuss and turn<br />

away from mom, and many end up consuming<br />

more than they need for their bodies. With spoonfeeding,<br />

parents and caregivers tend to sneak<br />

in a couple more spoonfuls even when the<br />

baby is trying to indicate that he has eaten<br />

enough. Eventually, the baby gets used<br />

to eating more than he needs and<br />

stop regulating his intake efficiently.<br />

Give it a try!<br />

Already, experts are beginning<br />

to see potential for baby-led<br />

weaning to have a lasting<br />

effect on a child's food<br />

preferences, eating<br />

habits, and palates.<br />

If the concept of baby<br />

led weaning is new to<br />

you, or if you’re willing to give it a try for<br />

your baby, here are some useful pointers.<br />

Don’t rush to wean your baby. There<br />

is a suitable time for baby to start on solid<br />

foods, so wait until your baby is ready. The<br />

little one should be able to sit in a high chair unassisted, have<br />

good neck strength, and be able to chew on soft foods. Most<br />

babies are found to be developmentally able to self-feed by<br />

the time they’re six months of age, but some may not have<br />

what it takes till they’re nine months old, so if you’re unsure,<br />

check with your pediatrician.<br />

Resist discontinuing breastmilk or formula just yet.<br />

Although it’s called ‘weaning’ it should be done in stages.<br />

In fact, breast milk or formula should continue to be a<br />

baby's biggest source of nutrition until he or she is 10 to 12<br />

months old.<br />

Accompany your baby. Just because it’s a self-feeding<br />

method, it does not mean that baby should be left all alone<br />

to do so! There’s still lots to gain from being fully engaging<br />

at baby’s mealtime, so sit by your little one’s side, offer<br />

encouragement and keep an eye on what he’s doing.<br />

Choose easy-to-manage weaning foods. Ripe fruits,<br />

cooked egg yolks, flaky fish, moist and shredded meats,<br />

puffed cereals, and cooked pastas and vegetables are all good<br />

options. Offering wholesome options for baby to choose<br />

from will help ensure that there will be something there that<br />

your little one will like.<br />

Prep those foods for easy grasping. Cut fruits or cooked<br />

vegetables into long, thin strips to make it easier for baby to<br />

grasp and manage.<br />

Consider nutrient intake. Make sure there are<br />

high-calorie foods and those with iron, zinc,<br />

protein, and healthy fats on the tray.<br />

There’ll be messes, so bear with it. Your<br />

baby will have to have lots of practice to<br />

get this eating thing right, so do brace for<br />

the inevitable mess on your floor, on baby’s<br />

high chair, on your clothes and baby’s, etc.<br />

Tip: Consider a good, sleeved bib.<br />

Sit baby down at the dining table. Allow<br />

the little one to eat at the table during<br />

family meals. Even better, let your<br />

baby try some of the (appropriate)<br />

ingredients from the family’s meal,<br />

e.g. a piece of cooked broccoli,<br />

some cooked sweet potato, etc.<br />

Safety first<br />

Stay away from choking<br />

hazards such as grapes, hot dogs,<br />

raisins, popcorn, raw vegetables,<br />

and sticky nut butters. It's also a<br />

good idea to familiarize yourself<br />

with the infant-specific<br />

Heimlich maneuver.<br />

32 BabyTalk | March 2018


Baby & Toddler<br />

Feature<br />

Umbilical cord stump care<br />

One of the few main tasks involved in caring for a newborn will be to take care of the<br />

umbilical cord stump to prevent it from getting infected while it’s waiting to fall off.<br />

Here are some important points to keep in mind.<br />

BabyTalk | March 2018 33


Baby & Toddler<br />

Feature<br />

Umbilical stump care<br />

— Old info vs new<br />

If the stump appears dirty or sticky, clean it very gently with<br />

a soft, absorbent washcloth and plain water. It used to be<br />

that parents were instructed to use alcohol on the umbilical<br />

stump during diaper changes, but new research has pointed<br />

out that the stump will heal faster without it. 1 In any case this<br />

piece of information is meant to enlighten, so do follow the<br />

instructions given to you by your doctor or midwife in regards<br />

to your baby’s umbilical stump care.<br />

Why is there an<br />

umbilical cord stump?<br />

Unborn babies receive all the nourishment they need<br />

via the placenta which is attached to their mother’s<br />

uterus. This placenta connects to the baby by an<br />

umbilical cord attached to the little one’s navel. At<br />

birth, this cord is clamped and cut off as closely as<br />

possible to the baby, leaving behind the umbilical<br />

stump which will dry up and eventually fall off.<br />

Signs of umbilical cord<br />

stump infection<br />

Infection of the umbilical cord stump must be<br />

taken seriously, for it can result in a life-threatening<br />

infection called omphalitis. Look out for the following:<br />

• The base of the stump appears red or swollen<br />

• The base still bleeds after the first couple of days<br />

• The stump oozes yellowish or white pus<br />

• The stump produces a foul smelling discharge<br />

• Your baby seems to be in pain when you touch the<br />

umbilical stump area<br />

Consult your doctor if you notice any of the above<br />

signs. You should also consult the doctor if your<br />

baby’s umbilical cord is actively bleeding. (Active<br />

bleeding in the umbilical cord means that when a<br />

drop of blood is wiped away, another drop appears.)<br />

Provide good air circulation<br />

To help the umbilical stump dry up and fall off faster, keep<br />

your baby comfortable in loose clothing. Avoid dressing your<br />

baby in bodysuit-style clothing or onesies. These clothing<br />

types tend to have poor air circulation. Also, avoid clothing<br />

that are too snug around the tummy area.<br />

Expose the stump to fresh air as much as possible to help it<br />

dry up quickly. Keep the front of your baby's diaper folded<br />

down to avoid covering the stump and also to keep urine<br />

away from it.<br />

The aim is to air out the umbilical stump as much as you can,<br />

so that it will have a better chance of healing quickly.<br />

Sponge baths will do for now<br />

While the umbilical cord is healing, it would be a good move<br />

to avoid giving baby his baths in a tub, for this could lead to<br />

infections. Till the stump has healed and fallen off, sponge<br />

baths will do. Even so, do exercise caution when cleaning<br />

around the sensitive area around the stump. Gently does it!<br />

No, you can’t pull at it<br />

It may look as if the stump is merely hanging by a thread, but<br />

it does not mean that it can be pulled off safely. Allow the<br />

cord to dry off on its own and heal naturally. A newborn skin<br />

is really fragile and easily wounded and pulling or tugging at<br />

the stump may cause unnecessary trauma to your baby’s skin.<br />

It could even lead to infections.<br />

After it has fallen off<br />

Sooner or later, a baby’s umbilical stump will fall off, and<br />

when it happens, a little bleeding might occur. However, it’s<br />

not supposed to be oozing of pus and neither should the<br />

surrounding skin be red and swollen. If any of these happen,<br />

do consult your doctor for they may be signs of infection.<br />

The ‘innie’ or ‘outie’ poser<br />

For some reason, more people prefer to have an ‘innie’<br />

navel compared to an ‘outie’. There is actually no way to<br />

predict what a baby will end up with. In some beliefs,<br />

taping a coin or other flat object over a baby’s navel will<br />

help produce an ‘innie’, but there is very little physical<br />

proof and absolutely no scientific proof of this.<br />

Reference: 1. http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/497<strong>03</strong>0, Trends in<br />

Umbilical Cord Care: Scientific Evidence for Practice<br />

34 BabyTalk | March 2018


Baby & Toddler<br />

Feature<br />

Thriving<br />

childhood<br />

Why Nutrition<br />

& Hygiene go<br />

hand in hand<br />

Ask any parent what<br />

they really want for<br />

their children and we’re<br />

quite sure they’ll agree<br />

that there’s nothing<br />

like good health. In fact,<br />

keeping their little ones<br />

healthy and happy is a<br />

duty every responsible<br />

parent takes on without<br />

a second thought. Pay<br />

due attention to nutrition<br />

and hygiene and half<br />

the battle is won, we say!<br />

Read on...<br />

BabyTalk | March 2018 35


Baby & Toddler<br />

Feature<br />

Proper nutrition from the start<br />

Remember, no bribing a bub to clean<br />

off that plate either. You really do<br />

not want your little one to associate<br />

mealtime with fuss and bargains.<br />

Keep portions small<br />

Many parents are guilty of piling<br />

up their children's plate with food,<br />

especially if they're serving a favourite,<br />

in hopes of tricking them into eating<br />

more. The result? Most of the time,<br />

the little ones are overwhelmed and<br />

are also denied the opportunity to<br />

independently ask for more.<br />

Needless to say, when it comes to<br />

feeding an infant, breast is best for<br />

you’ll know for sure that your infant is<br />

having the most healthy start. Nutrition<br />

should always remain a top priority,<br />

even after a baby weans of breast milk<br />

or formula. This is understandably easier<br />

said than done, for a most toddlers turn<br />

out to be really picky eaters.<br />

Transitioning to<br />

solid foods<br />

Between 12–24 months, toddlers will<br />

begin to learn what's it like to eat solid<br />

food. They'll be introduced to new<br />

tastes and textures. Many parents find<br />

that on one hand, there is a level of<br />

independent eating and drinking, and<br />

on the other hand, the little ones seem<br />

to dislike the food offered to them.<br />

Patience is the key here and of course<br />

a whole lot of encouragement. Parents<br />

need to keep in mind that proper<br />

nutrition is needed for their toddlers<br />

to get the nutrition needed to thrive<br />

and develop well. For this to happen,<br />

parents have to be mindful of the food<br />

offered to their little ones and strive to<br />

get them introduced (and reintroduced<br />

if the first few attempts fail!) to as many<br />

new wholesome foods as possible. Let<br />

your little one pick from an assortment<br />

of nutritious food and they’re bound to<br />

find something they like.<br />

If your toddler isn't hungry, it just means<br />

that his or her body does not need the<br />

extra energy, so really, there is no need<br />

to worry. This is especially so if the little<br />

one is happily playing, seems to be fine<br />

and is not seriously ill. Besides, forcing<br />

toddlers to eat when they not hungry<br />

also weakens the their sensitivity to<br />

their own hunger and fullness cues.<br />

Have set times<br />

for meals<br />

Your toddler's meals and snacks should<br />

ideally be served at the same time<br />

every day rather than as and when<br />

they like. Watch that your toddler<br />

does not overload on juice, milk or<br />

snacks throughout the day, for that<br />

might decrease his or her appetite for<br />

nutritious meals.<br />

Try offering these with meals or snacks<br />

instead. In between meals, water<br />

will be the best thirst quencher for<br />

growing bodies.<br />

Introducing new foods<br />

It's highly unlikely that you would remember your own experiences with new foods when<br />

you were a tiny tot, but chances are high that you didn't take too easily with certain foods.<br />

Your toddler is no different and has the right to take his or her time to determine if they like<br />

a certain food after trying it out. It's not uncommon too for toddlers to touch or smell new<br />

foods, taste them and then take them back out again. Some toddlers might also need repeated<br />

exposure to a new food before he or she even takes the first bite!<br />

36 BabyTalk | March 2018


Baby & Toddler<br />

Feature<br />

Nutrition through milk<br />

Milk should always remain an important part of a toddler's diet for it provides<br />

calcium and vitamin D to help build strong bones. Toddlers should have 700<br />

milligrams of calcium daily, and to help absorb this, 600 IU (International Units) of<br />

vitamin D a day should accompany it. This calcium need is met if kids get the at<br />

least two servings of dairy foods every day. As for the vitamin D, doctors sometimes<br />

recommend vitamin D supplements for the daily requirement is not easily met<br />

through dairy foods.<br />

Kids between the age of 12 to 36 months old should be offered a good quality<br />

formula milk to help provide the dietary fats they need for better growth and brain<br />

development. The choices of growing up milk for kids can be a tad overwhelming<br />

and they come with varying price tags too. Tip: Choose the one you can afford to<br />

keep buying.<br />

Hygiene & your child’s health<br />

A clean body is important for a growing<br />

child, to help ward of contagious<br />

diseases. Parents need to remember to<br />

teach their little tots some beneficial<br />

hygiene habits along the way.<br />

It’s important to teach our children the<br />

basics of proper hygiene because a<br />

clean child is a healthy child and as a<br />

parent, it’s your job to help your kids<br />

and explain the hygiene basics. There<br />

are several areas of hygiene to teach our<br />

kids but here are some tips to get you<br />

started on hygienic grooming habits for<br />

your toddlers so that they will be more<br />

inclined to make a habit of cleanliness<br />

at a young age.<br />

Explain to your<br />

tot about germs<br />

and bacteria<br />

Germs,the microscopic<br />

sickness-causing<br />

organisms, are<br />

everywhere. The reason<br />

for explaining the<br />

concept of germs and<br />

bacteria is to help them<br />

know what makes them<br />

sick and the importance<br />

of practicing good<br />

personal healthy habits.<br />

Hand washing<br />

Prompt your child into a hand-washing<br />

habit so that he or she will start to<br />

automatically wash those little hands<br />

whenever necessary, such as when<br />

his hands are dirty; before eating or<br />

touching food and also after using the<br />

toilet. It’s also important to remind little<br />

ones to wash their hands after blowing<br />

their nose or coughing, after touching<br />

the family pet, after playing outside,<br />

after a visit to the hospital of the<br />

doctor’s office.<br />

Oral hygiene<br />

Teach your toddler how to brush his or<br />

her teeth and prompt this habit twice a<br />

day, once in the morning and once<br />

in the evening. Letting the little one<br />

pick out a toothbrush and toothpaste<br />

will add some fun into the habit of<br />

teeth-brushing.<br />

Your toddler<br />

should be<br />

taught how to:<br />

• How to blow his nose:<br />

Your child should learn to<br />

blow his nose gently when<br />

it’s blocked — this makes<br />

breathing easier. Teach your<br />

little one how to use a tissue<br />

for this too.<br />

• Catch a sneeze:<br />

Demonstrate to your child<br />

how to cover his mouth with<br />

a tissue when sneezing or<br />

coughing. The tissue should<br />

then go straight into the<br />

bin. Teach your bub how to<br />

cough onto the upper sleeve<br />

when there is no tissue<br />

available, and to wash those<br />

hands afterwards.<br />

BabyTalk | March 2018 37


Baby & Toddler<br />

Feature<br />

Keeping a clean home<br />

A house can be tidy, but not necessarily<br />

clean enough to prevent young kids<br />

from falling ill! Even the tidiest of<br />

homes may be harbouring germs that<br />

we're simply not aware of.<br />

Germs tend to breed and flourish really<br />

quickly under the right conditions and<br />

they may cause various illnesses in<br />

young children as well as anyone else<br />

in the family who has a weak immune<br />

system. In fact, studies have indicated<br />

that you're more likely to get sick from<br />

germs in your own house than from<br />

anywhere else. Hence, there is no<br />

denying the importance of keeping your<br />

home clean and free from dangerous<br />

disease-causing germs.<br />

Here are some important points for<br />

keeping a cleaner home.<br />

ground. If your kitchen rag is dirty, it<br />

will help to wash it clean before drying<br />

it out rather than just giving it a quick<br />

rinse and leaving it there.<br />

Whenever possible, disinfect the kitchen<br />

sink and all other sinks in the house<br />

with a solution of one tablespoon of<br />

bleach and one quart of water.<br />

Laundry<br />

Unless your family and you rarely go<br />

out of the house, do know that there is<br />

more bacteria in a load of dirty laundry<br />

than you think. Depending on where<br />

you’ve been, some of them are capable<br />

of causing new illnesses as well as<br />

recurring ones. A good quality laundry<br />

bleach may be able to help if your<br />

laundry is unusually dirty or if you’ve<br />

been to places such as the wet market,<br />

a hospital, animal farm, the zoo,<br />

etc. After washing, dry your laundry<br />

immediately instead of leaving it damp<br />

for long. If you do not own a dryer,<br />

make full use of the hot afternoon<br />

sun, which helps to kill remaining<br />

bacteria too.<br />

Are your floors<br />

clean and safe?<br />

Your little one walks, crawls and plays<br />

on the floor, so, the cleaner it is, the<br />

better. Sweeping your home at least<br />

twice a day would help immensely and<br />

so would regular mopping. It might be<br />

tempting to use strong, powerful floor<br />

bleaches in hopes to kill off any bacteria<br />

on the floor. While it may work for that<br />

purpose, do know that the poisonous<br />

fumes from most floor bleaches tend<br />

to cause more harm than good to your<br />

family on the long run.<br />

Awareness in this area is important for<br />

your family’s health may be depending<br />

on it. Do a bit of research into brands<br />

that produce floor cleaners which are<br />

safe and effective to use. There are<br />

many such products available in the<br />

market that use plant-based active<br />

ingredients, and most of them get job<br />

done really well.<br />

The kitchen<br />

Your kitchen, especially the sink, is<br />

typically home to all sorts of dangerous<br />

bacteria, including the ones from<br />

uncooked meat, unwashed vegetables,<br />

sponges, rags, scrubbers, and towels<br />

you use for cleaning. Microbes like E.<br />

coli, for instance, flourish in kitchens<br />

that are not properly cleaned.<br />

Don’t procrastinate when it comes to<br />

washing up after cooking and after a<br />

meal. After washing up, clean the sink,<br />

counters, and faucet with soap and<br />

water. Leaving your dirty and damp<br />

cleaning sponge or rag for the next<br />

day's use could create a germ breeding<br />

The truth about your toothbrush<br />

Human mouths contain about 100 million microbes per milliliter of saliva and those<br />

microbes eat the same food you do, Hence, when you brush your teeth, food particles<br />

and bacteria stick to your toothbrush, resulting in an overgrowth of germs on your<br />

brush. After brushing, rinse your toothbrush with hot water and stand it up in a<br />

water glass to air-dry. Do the same for for little one's toothbrush too.<br />

38 BabyTalk | March 2018


Baby & Toddler<br />

Baby Play<br />

Brain Teasers<br />

For Babies & Toddlers<br />

Out of the myriads of toys meant for babies and toddlers, nothing quite matches<br />

up to the benefits a little one gets out of playing with a shape-sorter. This<br />

versatile, often colorful toy has been around for ages and has helped babies and<br />

toddlers master remarkable motor skills and problem-solving skills too.<br />

BabyTalk | March 2018 39


Baby & Toddler<br />

Baby Play<br />

How they help with motor skills<br />

Fine motor skills encompass the coordination of movements<br />

of the smaller muscles of the hands and feet. The<br />

development and mastery of these skills are essential for dayto-day<br />

activities like eating, picking up things between the<br />

fingers, writing, and many other small everyday tasks. When<br />

children pick up different shapes in their hand, turn them<br />

over, and fit them through the corresponding holes, it helps<br />

in the development of these skills. Apart from that, when a<br />

child attempts to remove the cut-outs from the holes, it helps<br />

in the development of their gross motor skills. This in turn<br />

helps in the overall development and strengthening of the<br />

child's body.<br />

Smart parents have always known that when it comes<br />

to toys, less is more. While lots of toys may be an<br />

impressive sight, they won't necessarily be beneficial<br />

for your little one's growth and development. A small,<br />

carefully selected collection of toys is the best way to go, for<br />

that will give your child a chance to really discover each toy<br />

and how it works, etc, and in doing so, learn a thing or two<br />

in the process. Toys you buy for your little one should be able<br />

to introduce different skills and help in<br />

the child's development and fulfill an<br />

educational role for the child while<br />

keeping the child appropriately<br />

entertained. A shape-sorter is one<br />

such toy.<br />

Shape sorters have entertained<br />

and challenged children for<br />

centuries and this classic toy<br />

is a must have for your child.<br />

The basic versions consist of<br />

wooden or plastic cubes<br />

or balls with different<br />

shaped cutouts, along<br />

with three-dimensional<br />

shaped objects. These<br />

objects fit into the<br />

correspondingly<br />

shaped cut-out<br />

holes. Children<br />

love the challenge<br />

of fitting the shapes<br />

through a particular hole<br />

or gap. As kids learn to grasp<br />

and push the shapes along the<br />

holes, they develop and improve fine<br />

motor and problem-solving skills in a<br />

gratifying manner!<br />

Lessons in cause and effect<br />

Children are naturally curious little things and in the course<br />

of learning and developing, children love it when they do<br />

something and get a reaction from it. Inevitably, it teaches<br />

and reinforces the concepts of cause and effect too. The<br />

understanding of this cognitive concept allows a child to<br />

make predictions about what could happen and reflect upon<br />

what caused something to happen. For example they will roll<br />

a ball on purpose to watch what happens or shake a rattle to<br />

hear the sound it makes. While playing with a shape sorter,<br />

pushing the shape into the right hole will provide a gratifying<br />

sense of accomplishment, especially when they hear the<br />

'clunk' sound that comes with it!<br />

40 BabyTalk | March 2018


Baby & Toddler<br />

Baby Play<br />

Basic shape sorters<br />

Made from plastic or wood, basic shape sorters are ball- or<br />

box-shaped containers with circular, square, rectangular, and<br />

triangular holes. There are generally chunky in shape and are<br />

easier for little fingers to grip. Many of these come in bright<br />

colors which are fun for little ones to play with. Some modern<br />

ones are even battery-operated with musical sounds and<br />

prerecorded voices that praises a child whenever he or she<br />

succeeds in pushing in a correct shape!<br />

Advanced shape sorters<br />

From the age of three onward, a child will learn to recognize<br />

and match shapes and colors quite well. An advanced shape<br />

sorter might be able to introduce additional challanges. A<br />

three-year-old can also understand complex shapes, such as<br />

pentagon, crescent, or hexagon even. Multi-shape sorting<br />

boards are also available nowadays, giving the shape sorter a<br />

new edge in its status of a timeless developmental toy.<br />

Getting to know shapes, colors<br />

and more<br />

By playing with a shape sorter, a little child can't help but<br />

learn about the shape names, their properties, and the<br />

difference between each shape! Most of these toys are made<br />

colorful, hence little ones will also learn about colors and<br />

their names. Some shape and size sorters allow children to<br />

learn about sizes as well. Basic math skills be taught using<br />

this educational toy, such as counting the number of sides on<br />

each shape.<br />

Little problem solvers<br />

Challenges or obstacles have always been fascinating to<br />

toddlers, and they are known to be persistent little solution<br />

seekers! Shape sorters generally help to hone this key<br />

skill which is vital for the child's success, confidence, and<br />

independence. When a child tries to fit a triangle into a<br />

circular hole and it does not fit, he/she then stops trying to fit<br />

it in that hole and moves to another hole. They are made to<br />

encourage logical and lateral thinking so that little ones learn<br />

to solve problems with reasoning.<br />

BabyTalk | March 2018 41


Life & Style<br />

Beautiful Pregnancy<br />

Stretch marks,<br />

be gone!<br />

Stretch marks are hard to ignore, especially if you happened to have smooth, scar-less skin<br />

before pregnancy. If you have stretch marks or wish to prevent them, this article is for you.<br />

42 BabyTalk | March 2018


Life & Style<br />

Beautiful Pregnancy<br />

What causes them?<br />

Stretch marks are what you get when<br />

the dermis (the middle layer of the skin)<br />

goes through some major, continuous<br />

stretching, such as during pregnancy.<br />

Collagen plays a part too, where the<br />

lack of it may cause the skin to break<br />

down instead of snapping back into<br />

shape. This results in scarring.<br />

In most cases of stretch marks, the<br />

blood vessels tend to dilate when it<br />

happens, causing the reddish or purple<br />

color when the marks first appear. In<br />

time, the marks get lighter or even<br />

white or silverish due to the loss of<br />

pigment-producing melanocyte cells at<br />

the affected area.<br />

Stretch marks are also found to be<br />

connected to hormonal changes — a<br />

norm during puberty and pregnancy.<br />

The same goes for those involved in<br />

weightlifting. It takes place when the<br />

adrenal glands are excreting increased<br />

amounts of glucocorticoids, which<br />

stop inflammation but at the same<br />

time impede collagen and elastin fiber<br />

formation. During these periods when<br />

skin is being stretched to accommodate<br />

a growing belly during pregnancy or<br />

bulging muscles due to lifting heavy<br />

weights, etc, the dermis isn’t able to<br />

generate enough supportive material to<br />

keep up and ends up tearing.<br />

Lastly, does your own mother have<br />

stretch marks? If she does, chances are<br />

you will get them too, for it may be a<br />

genetic issue.<br />

Leave it or treat it?<br />

That’s really up to you and where you<br />

stand in this matter. There are moms<br />

who consider these marks the most<br />

honoured badge of their motherhood<br />

and they wear them with pride. If you<br />

do not mind them being part of your<br />

post baby body, then there’s no reason<br />

to not leave them be!<br />

If however, they do bother you,<br />

we’d like to remind you that present<br />

marks may be able to fade out with<br />

proper care, but they can’t possibly be<br />

diminished completely without invasive<br />

procedures such as laser treatments or<br />

plastic surgery.<br />

If you have prevention or even<br />

elimination of these mark in mind,<br />

we’re ready to help you — keep in mind<br />

though that prevention is still better<br />

than cure.<br />

The best way to go about this is to start<br />

from the inside out, for after all, you<br />

(and your skin!) are what you eat. So,<br />

if you don’t think your diet plays a role<br />

in this, you’re in trouble. Next will be to<br />

pamper your skin with proper skincare.<br />

Eat right<br />

for your skin<br />

To promote strong, healthy skin from<br />

the inside out, it’s important to pay<br />

attention to what you’re putting into<br />

your body. Foods rich in Vitamins A, C<br />

and E, as well as zinc and protein are a<br />

must for aiding in cell regeneration and<br />

in maintaining collagen fibres. Just as<br />

important is keeping your skin wellhydrated<br />

from within too, with lots of<br />

water. You’ll also need enough water<br />

to aid in digesting all those nutrients or<br />

they may not even be of any help at all<br />

in keeping stretch marks at bay!<br />

Here are some examples of skin-saving<br />

nutrients to help you get more of them<br />

into your body.<br />

BabyTalk | March 2018 43


Life & Style<br />

Beautiful Pregnancy<br />

Vitamins A, C and E<br />

Vitamin A protects against UV damage<br />

and helps build more collagen. Most<br />

of our vitamin A intake comes from<br />

eating foods rich in beta-carotene and<br />

provitamin A carotenoids, which are<br />

potent antioxidants which encourage<br />

healthy skin cell production and<br />

renewal. Examples of foods that are<br />

rich in Vitamin A are beef liver, carrots,<br />

sweet potato, spinach and kale are<br />

highest in this vitamin.<br />

Vitamin C is a powerful skin-loving<br />

nutrient. As an antioxidant, it is used<br />

to fight off toxins known as “free<br />

radicals” that interfere with skin healing<br />

including the fading of stretch mark<br />

scars. Foods rich in Vitamin C include<br />

oranges, cantaloupe, bell peppers,<br />

papayas, pineapples and strawberries.<br />

Vitamin E is one of the top vitamins<br />

that is said to be highly effective at<br />

preventing and treating stretch marks<br />

associated with pregnancy or weight<br />

gain. This is due to this nutrient’s<br />

ability to help the body regenerate new<br />

and stronger skin cells at the deepest<br />

level. That’s why it’s found in most<br />

products that is meant for treating<br />

stretch marks. Consuming foods rich<br />

in Vitamin E will also be helpful for<br />

some much-needed repairing aid from<br />

within. Foods rich in Vitamin E include<br />

whole grains, nuts, sunflower seeds,<br />

almonds and avocados.<br />

Zinc & Protein<br />

Did you know that zinc deficiency<br />

is very common in women? This<br />

underrated nutrient plays an integral<br />

role in healing and repairing injuries to<br />

the skin, which include stretched out<br />

skin. You can increase your zinc intake<br />

with foods such as lamb and poultry,<br />

free range beef, oysters, spinach,<br />

mushrooms and nuts.<br />

Protein is needed for collagen<br />

production, so a protein-rich diet will<br />

help if you’re seeking to treat stretch<br />

marks, or if you’re trying to avoid it.<br />

Protein-rich foods include eggs, beans,<br />

dairy products, soy and soy products,<br />

fish, poultry and red meat.<br />

Pamper your skin<br />

When managing stretch marks, you can<br />

never go wrong with nourishing and<br />

moisturising care.<br />

Products are a-plenty but do pay some<br />

attention to what the product is made<br />

of, i.e. its ingredients.<br />

Going organic in your skincare regime<br />

will go a long way in maintaining<br />

healthy, glowing skin without<br />

compromising your pregnancy health —<br />

It’s a fact that anything applied onto the<br />

skin will absorb into your bloodstream.<br />

By using organic products, you will be<br />

avoiding chemicals, pesticides, artificial<br />

fragrances, dyes, etc.<br />

You might also need to use less of the<br />

product compared to a conventional<br />

version. If you happen to be interested<br />

in a conventional stretch mark treatment<br />

product, one simple trick is to check the<br />

label for any ingredient that sound to<br />

complicated or difficult to pronounce<br />

— these are usually chemicals that your<br />

skin can do without.<br />

Instead, how about reaching out for<br />

truly pure and natural ingredients to<br />

care for your skin? These ingredients<br />

can be either from fresh plant sources<br />

or in powder or oil form — they’re<br />

definitely way better to use on your skin<br />

since there are no chemicals involved.<br />

Ingredients such as eggs, aloe vera, milk<br />

powder, vitamin E capsules, coconut<br />

oil, lemon juice as well as turmeric<br />

powder have been known to produce<br />

satisfactory results when it comes to<br />

treating stretch marks. You can mix<br />

your selected ingredients into a paste<br />

and smear it onto affected areas<br />

and leave it on for a few minute<br />

before rinsing it off. As with any DIY<br />

treatments, diligence is the key to<br />

achieving any results.<br />

44 BabyTalk | March 2018


Life & Style<br />

Wonders Of Childhood<br />

How do babies<br />

learn to love?<br />

If you’re surprised that your baby seems to demonstrate strong feelings of affection and<br />

attachment, we’re about to surprise you even more. Find out what we mean.<br />

BabyTalk | March 2018 45


Life & Style<br />

Wonders Of Childhood<br />

A<br />

baby begins to form deep, loving bonds with the<br />

person(s) closest to them from a very early age,<br />

even before said child can verbally express any likes<br />

or dislikes. Be it with their birth mothers or adoptive<br />

moms, babies tend to form a strong emotional bond with the<br />

person who spends the most time with them. Since moms<br />

are the ones who usually tend to their babies needs the most,<br />

a bond is established in no time. If you happen to be such a<br />

mom, all of this love and affection comes right back to you<br />

when your baby gurgles and reaches out to you whenever<br />

you’re near.<br />

Little chums<br />

Although parents of toddlers will readily declare that<br />

toddlerhood is one of the more challenging phases of<br />

childhood to deal with, they’ll probably also find that one<br />

of the most heartwarming thing to witness is when their<br />

little one makes new friends and delights in the company of<br />

others. It’s crucial that parents keep encouraging the habit<br />

of making friends and being friendly with others. As the<br />

play with others, the need for kindness and cooperation, for<br />

instance, will arise, so this will be the best time actually, to<br />

inculcate these virtues together with empathy, sharing, taking<br />

turns at playing certain toys, etc. Studies show that the earlier<br />

kids learn to form positive relationships, the better they are at<br />

relating to others as teenagers and adults.<br />

Every child develops differently though, and parents have<br />

to keep this in mind, especially if they’re dealing a shy<br />

or temperamental child. Not all toddlers are little social<br />

butterflies and some may take some time to warm up to even<br />

one friend!<br />

I like you!<br />

In a research at Ohio State University in<br />

Columbus, it was discovered that a toddler's way<br />

of saying "I like you" during play is likely to come<br />

in the form of mimicking a friend's behavior.<br />

Baby love<br />

Although at first infants will seem to have limited capabilities<br />

to show affection, by the time they reach their eight month,<br />

things will likely change. That’s also the time when stranger<br />

anxiety sets in for most babies. If your baby is one of them,<br />

you’ll definitely notice that when a relative, friend or anyone<br />

else that baby has never met before carries your little one,<br />

he’ll start wailing for you. This phase will not last and will<br />

lessen over time. It’s important to understand this and not<br />

worsen the situation by showing displeasure at your little<br />

one’s behaviour. What a baby with stranger anxiety needs is<br />

to feel safe and secured knowing that mom or dad is always<br />

at hand for him while he explores relationships with others<br />

around him.<br />

Around the same time your baby might start to show<br />

appreciation and affection for other babies too, especially if<br />

he already knows them and have been spending time with<br />

them. Watch closely and you may notice that your little one<br />

seems excited when he sees a friend, or he may even seem<br />

make a fuss to see that friend leave. If your baby is mobile<br />

and is able to crawl, it’s highly possible that he’ll try to make<br />

his way to a baby he knows.<br />

Soon, your little one will learn affectionate behaviors such<br />

as kissing for you and as he repeats these these gestures on<br />

others and gets positive responses, he’ll become more aware<br />

of what pleases others and what doesn’t. You’ll find too that<br />

little ones learn how to use these to their advantage very<br />

quickly, be it to pacify a friend or to win a parent’s heart.<br />

Encouraging healthy<br />

social behaviour<br />

Toddlers are still toddlers and parents have to understand<br />

that regardless of how much a toddler like a playmate, they<br />

may still grab his toys, throw tantrums, refuse to share, etc.<br />

It can all too easy to look down at another parent for the<br />

way their child is acting without realising that everyone,<br />

including toddlers, can only learn to be better (or in this<br />

case, taught to behave better) by making mistakes. Of<br />

course, parents themselves have to take on an active role<br />

in dealing with their little one’s social encounters through<br />

gentle, persuasive guidance.<br />

46 BabyTalk | March 2018


Life & Style<br />

Time Out<br />

8<br />

HEART-HEALTHY FOOD<br />

FOR MUM & BABY<br />

Many foods can help keep<br />

your heart and baby’s<br />

heart at their best health.<br />

Some help lower your<br />

blood pressure, while others keep<br />

your cholesterol in line. So, be sure to<br />

add these healthy foods listed below<br />

into your diet and don’t forget to<br />

grab them the next time you are out<br />

grocery shopping!<br />

Salmon<br />

Eating a cholesterol-lowering diet during pregnancy<br />

may reduce your risks of premature delivery. Studies<br />

show that 11 out of 149 women who ate their usual<br />

diets delivered preterm compared with only one<br />

of 141 women whose diets emphasized fish, dairy<br />

products, whole grains, healthful oils, fruit, vegetable<br />

and legumes. The latter group also had lower bloodcholesterol<br />

levels.<br />

This fish is a top choice because it is rich<br />

in omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3s have<br />

an anti-clotting effect, so they keep<br />

your blood flowing plus they also help<br />

lower your triglycerides (a type of fat<br />

that can lead to heart disease).<br />

Aim to have at least two servings of oily<br />

fish a week. Per serving should be about<br />

3.5 ounces, which is roughly slightly<br />

bigger than a computer mouse. If you<br />

don’t fancy or are allergic to salmon, try<br />

substituting it with tuna, trout, sardine<br />

or mackerel.<br />

BabyTalk | March 2018 47


Life & Style<br />

Time Out<br />

Walnuts<br />

Nibbling on about five ounces of nuts<br />

each week can cut your risks of heart<br />

disease in half. Walnuts have a lot<br />

of ‘good’ fats. When you use these<br />

monounsaturated fats in place of<br />

saturated fats, such as butter; you cut<br />

your ‘bad’ LDL cholesterol and raise<br />

your ‘good’ HDL cholesterol.<br />

Although not as much as fish, they are<br />

also a good source of omega-3 fats. In<br />

replacement of walnuts, try consuming<br />

almonds, cashews, pistachios, flaxseed<br />

or chia seeds.<br />

Raspberries<br />

These berries are loaded with<br />

polyphenols — antioxidants that mop<br />

up damage-causing free radicals in your<br />

body. They also deliver fiber and vitamin<br />

C, which are both linked to a lowered<br />

risk of stroke.<br />

If you don’t enjoy eating raspberries,<br />

try replacing them with any berries —<br />

strawberries, blueberries, blackberries<br />

— are great choices. Fruits and<br />

vegetables in general are excellent<br />

choices because of their nutrients<br />

and fibre.<br />

Fat-free or<br />

low-fat milk<br />

or yoghurt<br />

Dairy products are high<br />

in potassium, and that<br />

has a blood-pressurelowering<br />

effect. When you<br />

choose low-fat or fat-free<br />

dairy, you get little to no<br />

saturated fat, the kind<br />

of fat that can raise your<br />

cholesterol.<br />

If you happen to be lactose intolerant<br />

and cannot agree with dairy products,<br />

do substitute them with fruits and<br />

vegetables that have some potassium.<br />

Bananas, oranges, and potatoes are<br />

especially good sources.<br />

Chickpeas<br />

Chickpeas and other legumes (lentils,<br />

other kinds of beans) are a top-notch<br />

source of soluble fiber -- the kind of<br />

fiber that can lower your “bad” LDL<br />

cholesterol. If you buy canned beans,<br />

look for low-sodium or no-salt-added<br />

varieties (sodium can raise your blood<br />

pressure). Rinse them in water to wash<br />

off any added salt.<br />

Feel free to substitute them with<br />

eggplant, okra, apples, or pears as they<br />

are also good choices for soluble fiber.<br />

Oatmeal<br />

Oats have a type of fiber (called<br />

beta-glucan) that lowers your LDL<br />

cholesterol. One and a half cups of<br />

cooked oatmeal gives you the amount<br />

of beta-glucan you need daily to<br />

help lower your cholesterol. You<br />

can also find beta-glucan in barley,<br />

shiitake mushrooms, and seaweed.<br />

Avocado<br />

These fruits get their creamy texture<br />

from “good” (monounsaturated) fats,<br />

which lower your “bad” cholesterol.<br />

They also seem to have an antiinflammatory<br />

effect, so you don’t<br />

get chronic inflammation that makes<br />

atherosclerosis -- the hardening of<br />

artery walls – worse. Use mashed<br />

avocado as a spread in place of butter,<br />

or add cubes of it to salad. As delicious<br />

as they are, avocados are high in<br />

calories, so keep your portions modest.<br />

Grapes<br />

These juicy fruits have resveratrol, which<br />

helps keep platelets in your blood from<br />

sticking together. That may partly be<br />

why red wine — in moderation — may<br />

have some heart-healthy advantages<br />

over other types of alcohol. But experts<br />

don’t recommend that you start<br />

drinking, because alcohol does<br />

have some health risks.<br />

48 BabyTalk | March 2018


Life & Style<br />

Time Out<br />

Exciting recipes just for you!<br />

Cooking may be tiring, which is why you may decide to eat anything quick and easy. The following are easy to whip up.<br />

Spicy Roasted Chickpea<br />

Ingredients<br />

• 2 cups cooked chickpeas, or 1 (15 oz) can<br />

• 1½ tsp olive oil<br />

• ¼ tsp salt<br />

• ¼ tsp black pepper<br />

• ¾ tsp chili powder<br />

• ¼ tsp paprika<br />

• ¼ tsp garlic powder<br />

• a dash of cayenne pepper<br />

Method<br />

1. Preheat oven to 425°F.<br />

2. Pat the chickpeas dry between two paper towels and be sure to<br />

remove any loose skins.<br />

3. Pour the chickpeas on a baking sheet lined with parchment<br />

paper and mist with olive oil. Use your hands or a spoon to toss<br />

the chickpeas.<br />

4. In a small bowl, combine the seasonings and whisk to combine.<br />

Sprinkle the mixture onto the chickpeas and toss to coat. Bake<br />

for 25 minutes, stirring the chickpeas at the 15 minute mark.<br />

Sweet Salmon<br />

Ingredients<br />

• 2 skinned salmon fillets (approx 200g) cut into 4 cm cubes<br />

Marinade<br />

• 1½ tbsp soy sauce<br />

• 2 tbsp ketchup<br />

• 1 tbsp white wine vinegar<br />

• ½ tsp sweet chilli sauce<br />

• 1½ tbsp dark brown sugar<br />

Method<br />

1. Place all the ingredients for the marinade in a small saucepan<br />

and stir over a gentle heat until the sugar has dissolved.<br />

2. Remove from the heat; pour into an ovenproof dish and leave<br />

to cool. Add the cubes of salmon fillets and turn to coat them in<br />

the sauce. Leave to marinate for at least one hour.<br />

3. Pre-heat the grill and cook the salmon in a baking tin lined with<br />

foil for about 5 minutes, turning halfway through and basting<br />

occasionally until cooked.<br />

4. Remove the salmon from the baking tin and serve on top of a<br />

bed of brown rice.<br />

Shiitake Walnut Salad with Quinoa<br />

Ingredients<br />

• 1 cup (250 ml) water<br />

• ½ cup (125 ml) quinoa<br />

• ¼ cup (50 ml) olive oil, divided<br />

• 4 oz (125 g) shiitake mushrooms, stems removed<br />

• 1 clove garlic, minced<br />

• 1 tbsp (15 ml) soy sauce<br />

• ½ tsp (2 ml) each salt and fresh cracked black pepper<br />

• 2 tsp (10 ml) maple syrup<br />

• 1 tsp (5 ml) grainy Dijon mustard<br />

• 8 cups (2 L) arugula or watercress<br />

• 1 cup (250 ml) toasted walnuts, roughly chopped<br />

Method<br />

1. In small saucepan, bring water to a boil. Add quinoa and bring<br />

back to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, until water is<br />

absorbed, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat, leave covered<br />

for 15 minutes.<br />

2. In large skillet, heat 2 tbsp (30 ml) of the oil over medium high<br />

heat. Add shiitake mushrooms and brown on both sides, about<br />

5 minutes. Add garlic and cook 1 minute. Stir in soy sauce, salt<br />

and pepper. Remove from heat.<br />

3. In small bowl, whisk together remaining oil with maple syrup<br />

and Dijon mustard.<br />

4. Add arugula and walnuts to hot mushrooms in pan. Stir in<br />

quinoa and drizzle with oil mixture, stirring to combine.<br />

5. Serve warm shiitake walnut salad immediately.<br />

BabyTalk | March 2018 49


Life & Style<br />

Shopping<br />

Hair & Body Washes<br />

When it comes to giving a baby or toddler a bath, needless to say, the<br />

milder the products used, the better. The last thing you’d want is to<br />

expose a young child’s skin and scalp to harsh ingredients!<br />

preservatives should be used. These may include citrus seed<br />

extract, Phenoxyethanol, and vitamins A, C, and E.<br />

Natural ingredients<br />

Top to toe washes made of natural ingredients are very<br />

useful for sensitive skin as they can clean without causing<br />

irritation or dryness. Look out for baby and toddler bath<br />

products available these days that are made of natural<br />

ingredients like extra-mild botanical surfactants, essential oils,<br />

and plant extracts.<br />

Be a little wary of top to toe washes that smell too sweet or<br />

strong, especially if you suspect that the scent is chemical<br />

based. They may seem pleasant and sweet to use but may<br />

cause more harm than good to a young child’s hair and skin.<br />

If you love sweet-smelling products for your child, ensure that<br />

the scents are from natural ingredients such as herbs, flowers<br />

or fruits such as citrus or berries.<br />

Another thing to think about is the convenience of a<br />

product which can do the job of both a body wash<br />

and a shampoo in one. This can help save as well as<br />

minimise the use of cleansing products on a young<br />

child’s hair and body. It is worth keeping in mind that the<br />

more time a child spends under the shower or in the bathtub,<br />

the more of his/her natural oils might be stripped away,<br />

leading to skin dryness. Most of the time, it’s not that easy to<br />

ask a happy little kid in the tub or under the shower to step<br />

out and get dried off. However, there is always the option of<br />

ensuring that the bath product used by your child is gentle<br />

and safe to use.<br />

There are many brands of top to toe washes available in<br />

the market. Some of them are specifically for children while<br />

some are suitable to be used by the whole family. A bath<br />

product meant for a child should ideally not contain harmful<br />

chemicals, artificial ingredients, allergenic ingredients or<br />

irritation causing preservatives. If you carefully read the<br />

label you will come to know of the ingredients that a bath<br />

product contains.<br />

Most bath products tend to contain preservatives. If a<br />

product is meant for a young child however, gentle and mild<br />

Is it tear free?<br />

Tear free top to toe washes are specifically made for children,<br />

so that their eyes will not sting while in the shower or bath<br />

tub. These products contain very mild detergents which are<br />

not capable of stinging the eyes. The term “tear free” will be<br />

specifically mentioned in the packaging of these products.<br />

Cleaning a child’s hair<br />

Parents should understand that there should not be any hard<br />

and fast rule about the frequency of shampooing a child’s<br />

hair. Instead it should depend upon the amount of hair a child<br />

has and how dirty it gets. Oily hair tends to get dirty fast and<br />

will require a frequent wash. On the other hand thin, dry hair<br />

does not need much of shampooing at least during the first<br />

twelve months of a child’s life.<br />

Baddies to avoid<br />

Read the label of baby bath products carefully. Products<br />

which contain chemicals such as Diethanolamine (DEA) or<br />

Triethanolamine (TEA) are best to be avoided. Both these<br />

chemicals interact with nitrites which is a preservative added<br />

in a number of shampoos. The combined effect of this<br />

interaction results in formation of carcinogenic nitrosamines<br />

which can easily penetrate a young child’s skin and scalp.<br />

50 BabyTalk | March 2018


Life & Style<br />

Shopping<br />

What’s in the market<br />

Kath + Belle<br />

Top to Toe Cleanser<br />

Sebamed<br />

Baby Liquid Cleanser<br />

What we like about it:<br />

• Gentle loving care for delicate skin<br />

• No artificial fragrances or any other chemicalbased<br />

substances<br />

• Lovely peach scent warms the heart<br />

• Free from petrochemicals, mineral oils, Phthalates, etc.<br />

• Does not contain lauryl sulphates paraben &<br />

propylene glycol or any other harsh chemicals that<br />

may be harmful to human health<br />

What we like about it:<br />

• 100% soap-free<br />

• Consolidates the resistance of baby’s delicate skin<br />

with its pH value of 5.5<br />

• Extracts of medicinal plants soothe, hydrate and<br />

protect the delicate<br />

• Completely free from nitro-mochus compounds,<br />

formaldehyde and nitrosamines<br />

• No tears formula with self-controlled foaming<br />

Pureen Baby Yogurt<br />

Head to Toe Wash<br />

EUBOS Haut Ruhe<br />

Cleansing Gel Skin & Hair<br />

What we like about it:<br />

• Its natural yogurt formula cleans a baby’s hair, skin and<br />

scalp without disrupting the natural moisture<br />

• Enriched with Pro-Vitamin B5 and Vitamin E to leave<br />

delicate skin soft and healthy after each wash<br />

• Rich in protein, lactic acid, vitamins, minerals and lipids<br />

to nourish and condition delicate skin and hair<br />

What we like about it:<br />

• Ideal for babies and toddlers with sensitive skin<br />

• Made using predominantly plant-based surfactants<br />

• Ideal for therapy-accompanying care and gentle<br />

enough for everyday use<br />

• Free from preservatives, PEG, dyes, lanolin, alkaline as<br />

well as soap<br />

BabyTalk | March 2018 51


Life & Style<br />

Feature<br />

Important values<br />

to be taught early in life<br />

All parents would want to see their children grow up with good life principles<br />

and ethics which will hopefully help them live a more gratifying life. Hence, it is<br />

necessary to instill important values in our little ones, from as young as possible.<br />

Here are some important values for children to be equipped with.<br />

52 BabyTalk | March 2018


Life & Style<br />

Feature<br />

Honesty<br />

Babies are born innocent, honest<br />

and truthful. It is when they’re older<br />

and begin to communicate that they<br />

are exposed to dishonesty and lies.<br />

Sometimes, parents may even find it<br />

cute when a little one lies to get out of<br />

trouble. However, it would not be cute<br />

anymore if lying becomes a habit.<br />

Since there are so many factors that<br />

influence them, such as other kids,<br />

adults, certain fears, etc, it is important<br />

that you explain the importance of<br />

honesty to your child. Offer assurance<br />

of your love and explain the best way<br />

that you can that lying is never right, no<br />

matter what. This will help your child go<br />

down the noble but sometimes difficult<br />

path of honesty.<br />

Sharing<br />

Today’s societies are made up of many<br />

nuclear families with a single child.<br />

Working parents, who do not have time<br />

for their children, try to compensate<br />

for it, in terms of material things. So,<br />

not only does the child gets what he/<br />

she wants, without asking for it, it’s<br />

highly likely too that the little one is not<br />

accustomed to the idea of sharing.<br />

Not being open to sharing might lead<br />

to a miserable adulthood, where one<br />

needs to make several adjustments<br />

and compromises to accommodate<br />

others in his/her life. Hence, allowing<br />

your young one to mingle with other<br />

kids who are less privileged, and let<br />

him/her share their possessions with<br />

them occasionally, will go far in your<br />

quest to bring up a loving, kind and<br />

compassionate child who realises that<br />

that is joy in giving and sharing.<br />

Manners and<br />

Discipline<br />

The importance of good manners and<br />

gracious behavior cannot be taken for<br />

granted, for they are taught and not<br />

something that come naturally. Simple<br />

gestures like saying like 'please', 'thank<br />

you', 'sorry', and 'excuse me' go a long<br />

way in life, and keep kids grounded.<br />

Thus, always ask your child to talk<br />

politely with others, no matter who<br />

they are.<br />

Similarly, discipline is of utmost<br />

importance in building one's character.<br />

A self-disciplined person always<br />

goes further in life and like manners,<br />

discipline has to be instilled for no child<br />

is born with it.<br />

Respect<br />

Respect begins at home. If you and<br />

your spouse respect each other and<br />

the rest of your family, it will positively<br />

influence your little one who is learning<br />

and observing whatever’s going on in<br />

the home. Teaching your child about<br />

respect will help the little one observe<br />

and realise too, if he is being bullied<br />

or disrespected in the future. Hence,<br />

since he understands what’s happening<br />

to him, he will be able to report the<br />

matter to you or his teacher. Also, it<br />

is important to respect your child so<br />

that in future, he learns to respect his<br />

subordinates and other people who are<br />

not his equals.<br />

Love<br />

Love is the most beautiful value to instil<br />

in a child. It is very easy and natural to<br />

love the people who are nearest and<br />

dearest to us, but not everyone can do<br />

so unconditionally.<br />

Teach your children the importance of<br />

loving others, as opposed to hatred.<br />

Teach them to forget, and forgive<br />

others for their mistakes, because<br />

holding grudges only makes life more<br />

miserable. Also, teach your child to treat<br />

animals too, with love and compassion.<br />

Responsibility for<br />

one’s actions<br />

Inculcating this value in the early age<br />

prevents youngsters from developing<br />

into incompetent whiners who do not<br />

own up to wrongdoings but blame<br />

others for their mistakes.<br />

Although this is one of the more<br />

difficult values to instil in a child, it’s still<br />

crucial to teach a child to be responsible<br />

for his or her actions. As it may involve<br />

admitting one’s mistakes and facing<br />

the consequences that follow, it will<br />

indirectly help your child grow into a<br />

responsible adult.<br />

BabyTalk | March 2018 53


Life & Style<br />

Love For Life<br />

12 Fun filled<br />

baby shower games<br />

Baby showers are probably some of the most heartwarming events to attend.<br />

After all, it’s a joyous occasion being celebrated — the anticipated arrival of a<br />

little baby! There are many types of baby showers and some even include fun<br />

games that all guests can partake of. Here, we feature a few really enjoyable<br />

games for your consideration if a baby shower is on your agenda soon.<br />

54 BabyTalk | March 2018


Life & Style<br />

Love For Life<br />

Name of game:<br />

Who is this?<br />

You’ll need a paper and pen for each guest, as well as a<br />

computer/printer or copy machine. Before the party, write up<br />

a list of fun facts about each of your guests who will be at<br />

the shower. Place a copy on each guest’s seat.<br />

How to play:<br />

Each guest will have to get to know each other quickly to find<br />

out who has a pair of twin daughters and who’s the momto-be’s<br />

aunt, and so on. The person who answers the most<br />

questions correctly wins.<br />

Name of game:<br />

Blind diaper change<br />

You’ll need two life-size baby dolls, two blindfolds and one<br />

diaper for each guest, plus two extras. Before the party,<br />

‘diaper’ each doll.<br />

How to play:<br />

Have guests separate into teams. Each teams gets a doll,<br />

blindfold and diapers. The first person in line for each team<br />

must put the blindfold on, remove the diaper on the doll and<br />

replace it with a new one. After the first team members are<br />

done, the next person in line goes, and so on. The first team<br />

to complete this task wins.<br />

Name of game:<br />

Baby items A – Z<br />

You’ll need a paper and pen each for each guest, a timer<br />

and a printer or copy machine. Before the party, write the<br />

alphabet vertically down the left side of a sheet of paper —<br />

make enough copies for all your guests.<br />

How to play:<br />

Hand out a sheet to each guest and for each letter, have<br />

them write down a word that’s associated with babies<br />

(examples, B: bottle; P: Pacifier, etc). Whoever gets to fill up<br />

the most (correct) words in one minute wins the game.<br />

Name of game:<br />

Know your nursery rhymes<br />

You’ll need a sheet of paper each for each guest, pens and a<br />

computer/ printer or copy machine. Before the party, type out<br />

list of nursery-rhyme snippets, and make enough copies for<br />

all your guests.<br />

Name of game:<br />

Who’s that baby?<br />

You’ll need a poster board and tape/cork board and tacks<br />

for this one. You’ll also need to ask your guest for a copy<br />

of a baby picture of themselves. Other than that, you’ll be<br />

needing a paper and pen for each guest. Arrange and adhere<br />

your guests’ baby pictures into a collage on a poster or cork<br />

board beforehand. Number or code each photo, e.g. 01; 02;<br />

<strong>03</strong>, etc. and keep a secret master list of who’s who.<br />

How to play:<br />

Ask guests to jot down who’s who in the pictures. Whoever<br />

gets the most correct matches wins the game.<br />

Name of game:<br />

How well do you know Mommy?<br />

You’ll need a<br />

host who is not<br />

the mom or dad<br />

to moderate<br />

this game.<br />

You’ll only need<br />

a paper and<br />

pen for each<br />

guest. Before<br />

the party, the<br />

host finds out<br />

as much as<br />

possible about<br />

the mother-tobe’s<br />

childhood.<br />

The easiest way<br />

to do this is<br />

to write down<br />

some questions<br />

for the mom-to-be and her answers too, down on a sheet of<br />

paper. Only the host should hold this paper.<br />

How to play:<br />

The host reads out the list of questions one by one and the<br />

guest jots down their answers on their paper. The guest with<br />

the highest number of correct answers wins.<br />

How to play:<br />

Ask your guests to fill in the blanks. The person who has the<br />

highest number of correct answers win.<br />

BabyTalk | March 2018 55


Life & Style<br />

Love For Life<br />

Name of game:<br />

Buns in the oven<br />

You’ll be needing balloons and pins for each guest.<br />

How to play:<br />

Separate guests into teams and give each a balloon. When<br />

the game starts, the first person from each team must blow<br />

up their balloon and stick it under their shirt. Once the first<br />

person has done this, the second person on each team does<br />

the same, then the third, and so on. Once all team members<br />

have balloons under their shirts, the first person must pop<br />

their balloon, then the second, and third, etc. The team who<br />

blows up and pops their balloons the fastest wins.<br />

Name of game:<br />

Match the socks<br />

You’ll need at least a dozen pairs of baby socks of various<br />

designs for this game, and a timer.<br />

How to play:<br />

Unpair all the socks and place them in a pile on the floor.<br />

Each guest must match as many socks as they can in one<br />

minute. The person who matches the most socks is the given<br />

time frame wins.<br />

Name of game:<br />

Pass the pacifier<br />

You’ll need straws and pacifiers with handles. No prep is<br />

needed for this fun game.<br />

How to play:<br />

Separate guests into teams of four or five and have them<br />

stand in a line with a straw in their mouth. The first person<br />

in line puts the straw through the pacifier handle. When the<br />

game starts, the first person passes the pacifier to the next<br />

person in line, straw to straw with their hands behind their<br />

back. Have them continue down the line. Whichever team<br />

reaches the end of the line first without dropping the<br />

pacifier wins.<br />

Name of game:<br />

What’s in the bag?<br />

You’ll need a dozen paper bags and 12 baby items ranging<br />

from a teething ring, pacifier, baby bottle, baby sippy cup,<br />

etc. Before the party, place one baby item into each bag, seal<br />

it and number them 1 to 12.<br />

Name of game:<br />

Baby names<br />

You’ll need a paper and pen<br />

for each guest and a timer.<br />

How to play:<br />

Have each guest write<br />

any baby names they can<br />

think of in the allotted<br />

time. To make the game<br />

more difficult, you can also<br />

choose a particular letter the<br />

names should begin with.<br />

The person who comes up<br />

with the highest number of<br />

names wins.<br />

Name of game:<br />

Grab that baby outfit<br />

You’ll need some baby clothes, hangers, clothing pegs and<br />

a timer. To prepare for this game, peg multiple baby clothes<br />

onto a hanger using the clothespins. Place the hanger,<br />

with clothes, on a hook. Prepare one hanger of clothes for<br />

each guest.<br />

How to play:<br />

Have each guest place one hand behind their back as he or<br />

she tries to remove as many pieces of clothing as possible<br />

without dropping the clothes or the pegs, and watch the fun!<br />

Whoever can get the most off in under a minute wins.<br />

How to play:<br />

Give each guest a sheet of paper and a pen, then randomly<br />

pass the bags out to. Guests have to write down what they<br />

think is in each bag without opening them. For example: Bag<br />

no 2: A feeding bottle, etc. Once everyone has made a guess<br />

for each bag, the mom-to-be will open them one at a time<br />

and reveal what’s inside. Whoever guessed right the most is<br />

the winner.<br />

56 BabyTalk | March 2018


Life & Style<br />

Out & About<br />

Newly improved Frisomum Gold ®<br />

Frisomum Gold ® , 100% maternal milk from Holland introduced an<br />

improved formulation with DualCare+TM to better support both expectant<br />

mothers and their little ones’ nutritional needs.<br />

Speaking at the launch recently, Mr. Tarang Gupta, Managing Director of<br />

Dutch Lady Milk Industries Berhad (Dutch Lady Malaysia) said the company<br />

continues to improve its product recipes and creation of new product<br />

offerings that deliver great value to consumers in line with the parent<br />

company’s corporate purpose of ‘Nourishing by Nature’. “Nourishing by<br />

Nature means that we are committed to provide better nutrition for our<br />

consumers around the world; better living for our farmers; and to ensure<br />

we do so for now as well as for generations to come,” he said.<br />

Frisomum Gold ® is part of the Friso Gold ® family, one of the fastest growing formulated milk powder brands in Asia in the<br />

last three years. The brand believes science has to work in harmony with nature to provide our consumers quality natural<br />

nutrition. This principle is applied at every step of our work in harnessing nature’s nutrients — from our farmers’ advanced<br />

milking and monitoring technology to the application of innovative processing methods to unlock natural nutrients in milk.<br />

For more information, please go to: www.frisogold.com.my<br />

Dettol to reach 100,000 more new mothers in 2018<br />

Dettol announced that it targets to reach out to 100,000 new Malaysian<br />

mothers this year under its New Mums Programme to educate them about<br />

the importance of practicing good hygiene habits when caring for their<br />

new babies. The famous brand kick-started year 2018 on a positive note<br />

by visiting mothers and babies born on 1st January at several hospitals<br />

and presenting them with Dettol product hampers. This year the aim is to<br />

reach 100 hospitals, providing necessary education and product samples to<br />

promote the importance of germ free homes.<br />

Dettol also gave the nursing room at Klinik Kesihatan Ibu dan Anak (KKIA)<br />

Kelana Jaya a brand-new makeover, providing a safe, clean space for<br />

mothers and their little bundles of joy. The nursing room is equipped with<br />

Dettol products to promote good hygiene, and informative posters to impart<br />

valuable information to mothers. There are also plans to make over four more nursing rooms at selected KKIA clinics in Malaysia.<br />

First breastfeeding spa opens in Bandar Puteri Bangi<br />

Mothers looking for accurate breastfeeding advice need not look any further with<br />

the opening of Malaysia’s first breastfeeding centre co-founded by a medical doctor<br />

recently. Seamlessly integrating modern science with Malay maternal and post-natal<br />

care, Bondahaven, indulges mothers in various massages and spa therapies by qualified<br />

physiotherapists. The spa not only caters to mothers as there are massages and beauty<br />

treatments for all women including manicure, pedicure and body sculpt therapy.<br />

“In our society, mothers are the backbone to all families. Therefore, taking good care of<br />

mothers’ mental and physical health are crucial especially during pregnancy and after<br />

they have given birth. Many mothers need breastfeeding support and post-natal care<br />

to return their health to what it was before giving birth and we are here to provide all<br />

the support they need. Our key services include breastfeeding consultation, pregnancy<br />

massage and post-natal therapy,” said Bondahaven co-founder, Dr Tengku Nur ‘Atiqah<br />

Tengku Mahmood during the spa’s grand opening recently.<br />

Bondahaven is open 7 days a week from 10am to 6pm. For more information, log on to:<br />

www.bondahaven.com<br />

BabyTalk | March 2018 57


Life & Style<br />

Out & About<br />

Nessa has a new service center<br />

In conjunction with World Hearing Day on March 3, and amidst rising hearing loss<br />

amongst Malaysia, Nessa (Asia’s most innovative hearing care solutions) recently opened<br />

its first full-fledged hearing service centre at Sunway Nexis, in Kota Damansara to make<br />

hearing screenings and solutions accessible to Malaysians.<br />

In a bid to reach a wider population, Nessa has also opened affiliated hearing test<br />

facilities in nine different locations throughout Malaysia.<br />

Nessa’s COO Helder Araujo explained that many who suspect or have been told they<br />

have hearing loss are clueless about where to seek the right help. Most 'play' doctor and<br />

use DIY methods such as picking their ears with a cotton bud or resorting to traditional<br />

methods like wax candling, etc, which could harm the ears.<br />

Nessa’s new service centre occupies around 3,000 sq feet with 3 hearing test rooms, and the outlet is led by a team of 10<br />

audiologists who would consult, test, and diagnose the types and degrees of hearing loss professionally. They are also certified to<br />

manage hearing loss via recommending accurate hearing care solutions and prescribe effective hearing aids. For more information,<br />

please go to: www.nessa.my<br />

Dutch Lady investigates milk batch<br />

Dutch Lady Malaysia recently confirmed that it is investigating a case involving its Dutch Lady Curious (900g) product with the specific<br />

batch no. 1023C7WA.<br />

The investigation was initiated in response to a health complaint lodged by a consumer and the incident has since triggered a<br />

widespread discussion and speculation on social media. The famous milk company has already met with the Ministry of Health and is<br />

working closely with them to resolve this matter. An announcement will be made when the full investigation has been completed.<br />

“At Dutch Lady Malaysia, we take incidences like these seriously and reassure our consumers that their health and well-being is always<br />

our highest priority. At this point, our initial findings from the internal quality control process show that there are no quality deviations<br />

in the product and our milk is safe to be consumed,” said Tarang Gupta, Managing Director of Dutch Lady Malaysia.<br />

In the meantime, the public is advised not to make or spread false information that could cause unnecessary public distress. We<br />

encourage concerned consumers to verify their information with our careline before posting or sharing on social media.<br />

For further questions on Dutch Lady products, please contact the Dutch Lady Careline at 1800-88-1191 or via email at<br />

dutchladycareline@frieslandcampina.com<br />

For more information, please visit www.dutchlady.com.my/milkbatchinvestigation<br />

Fonterra Brands Malaysia: Malaysia’s top food trends<br />

and innovations for 2018<br />

Fonterra Brands Malaysia, a global leader in dairy nutrition, recently presented Malaysia’s top food trends<br />

and innovations for the year 2018. Speaking at an exclusive media roundtable held at Fonterra Brands<br />

Malaysia headquarters, Linda Tan, who helms the company’s food service division Anchor Food Professionals<br />

(AFP) Malaysia and Brunei, explained that Fonterra has always been at the forefront of innovation. She said<br />

continued innovation is key to Fonterra staying relevant in an evolving consumer market and the company<br />

does that with its products, services and menu concepts by building strong collaborations with local food<br />

and beverage (F&B) partners. Linda cited four key food trends that will shape Malaysia in 2018:<br />

• Rise of the middle class premium-i-sation: With an increasingly urbanised population and expanding<br />

middle class with higher incomes, there is an exponential increase in demand for better quality and better value items.<br />

• Natural and healthy = quality: More and more consumers are motivated by the trend of natural foods and healthy living. They<br />

are increasingly concerned about food safety and health, which leads to the growing appeal for premium, high quality and<br />

natural products.<br />

• Indulgence and convenience (grab-and-go and snacking): Consumers are also looking for convenient indulgence, craving greattasting<br />

and quality food items as and when they want it.<br />

• Menu innovation and customisation: As consumers develop more sophisticated tastes, they are increasingly driven to try new<br />

flavours and expect customised menus. This becomes a key area of focus and driver of growth for food solutions providers and<br />

F&B establishments.<br />

As a dairy nutrition provider with strong leadership positions across its dairy brand portfolio, Fonterra Brands Malaysia is always<br />

looking at introducing new and innovative products to stay ahead of the curve.<br />

58 BabyTalk | March 2018


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