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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
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design<br />
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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 />
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Fax: +60 3 62<strong>03</strong> 4522<br />
Email: info@acepremier.com<br />
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John Lim<br />
Editor<br />
Cindy Antoinette Fernandez<br />
Graphic Designer<br />
Jeannie Chen<br />
Marketing & Sales<br />
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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 />
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BABYTALK encourages its readers’ feedback.<br />
Please email to info@acepremier.com<br />
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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 />
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agents shall not be responsible or in any way liable for<br />
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Advertisements are subject to editorial acceptance and<br />
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or +6<strong>03</strong> 62<strong>03</strong> 2522.<br />
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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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