Baby wearing – are u doing it the right way? Good news from medical world

Life changes ,literally changes when u become a mom . All that life of a carefree woman vanishes all of sudden and then u sit there breastfeeding the little one for hours together, praying god to grant that little nap u haven’t had in days or months like in my case.

It was a time when i preferred staying home than carry him around along with the baggage  rather luggage. But today i see so many moms with all that baby wearing slings , harnasses happily walking around. I am jealous. Y did i not know this?? No i belong to the same era as u smart moms. maybe i was drowned in my books or just ignorant.

The mobility baby wearing gives.. is such a relief. Believe me.

However thats not the reason of this blog.

When i saw so many people embracing so many  baby carrying accessories , I remembered reading during my MBBS about baby carrying and a pediatric hip condition (DDH). But i was not very sure about the relationship. So did some searching and this is what i found.

This is to introduce all you moms to be and new moms to something called developmental  dysplasia of hip (DDH).I will try my best to keep it simple.

This is a simple diagram showing the hip joint. It is a ball and socket joint.

DDH is a condition in which the surfaces ( ball and socket) which form the hip joint become loose and can lead to improper development of joint. The infants in first few months are more vulnerable due to their natural flexibility and also the joint surfaces are partially soft yet.

So the main aim is to position the baby such that the ball remains in socket , so that socket develops normally and fully.

The first born child, the female child , the child born with breech presentation, or positive family history have more chances of DDH.

And u know how our moms used to carry us ( in India and few other countries ), yes on their hips , with us clinging on to them.Thank them for the same, that positioning reduces the chances of DDH.

The safe position is when the hips fall apart to the side with hips and knees bent.

The unhealthy position/increased risk is  is where the hips and knees are straight and both legs kept together.

With all the baby wearing slings, baby harnesses and car seats which we are using today  , the child is bound to spend some time in there. So we should carefully position the baby during such times.

The recommended position for baby wearing is called spread squat position/ M position / Jockey position – where thigh is spread around the mothers body, thigh supported, hips flexed ( bent ) and knee slightly above /at the level of hips.

It is also important to look for size of carriers and the baby for proper positioning of baby. 

It is simple once u are familiarised but just keep an eye if u are new to parenting.

So when u carry the baby ,check for this ,

1. hips are spread out
2. the hips and knees are bent
3. thigh is supported

Here are some of the illustrations from International hip dysplasia Institute which gives a guidance

CAR SEATS

   NOT RECOMMENDED

Not recommended

BETTER

Better

Here the car seat in first image is not recommended because of restricted leg movement whereas the second one is better.

 

 

BABY HARNESS

              NOT RECOMMENDED

not recommended

BETTER

Better

Here again the first baby harness is not recommended as the thigh is not supported and leg is straight , whereas second one is better where the thigh is supported, hips are apart, hip and knee bent.

 

BABY SLINGS

                     NOT RECOMMENDED

Not recommended

BETTER

Better

Again here , first one is not recommended whereas second one is better.

Infact there are few studies showing that proper baby wearing may reduce the incidence of DDH.

Ofcourse i have touched upon very specific part of baby wearing. There maybe so many other considerations you need to make such as back support, baby safety, buckle grip etc.

There are so many experts out there and i am sure they can guide you.

Hope this is of help to u.

Happy parenting.

And for those of u who want to read the entire guidance from the International hip dysplasia Institute , the link is here

 

 

 

 

With love – from me to u.

On valentines day , this is from me to u and myself.

No dont worry i am not spamming u with same old/new  tricks/ideas as to how to make your valentine feel special. This is about how u can make everyday a valentines day for yourself.

My philosophy of love is like totally twisted.  Love yourself before u love others. No matter what,  u have to be with u because thats what life is about . Yes i am a spiritual and philosophical person though in the most strangest ways.

As far as i can remember my birthday gifts were always books from Cinderella and  puss in boots when i was 3 to Manorama series when i was 15 ( but i couldnt get past ten pages of this book but thats a secret between us).

I was introduced to lot of positive books which  did have a great impact on me though not in the ways it was intended to.

I am no motivational speaker nor a preacher but wanted to share what i read and remember.

Ya and i confess i needed a reinforcement too.

Hence i share my philosophy with u , and few i am yet to master.

1.Love yourself.

Yes the most. That doesnt by anyway mean u dont love  or care less for others.When u dont see urself deserving how do u expect others to.It helps you give more .Get to know urself, accept whatever u are. Stop wanting to be others and wanted by others.

All of us have imperfections and thats what makes us, us.When u are looking up to someone , someone near u will be looking up at u .So dont let them down.

Stand up and do your best.

2. Be selfish.

U heard me right. Ask for what u want. Discuss . No one has the superpowers to read your mind.

Sometimes there are situations where i am  not sure of what i want. i just think about the pros and cons , sometimes maybe even write it down . It doesnt matter which side is long because each have a different weightage. Then i decide on one thing and nearly always i never repent or look back.

Sometimes there are no right / wrong decisions they are just your choice.

Because each of us have a different bundle of problems to deal with.But believe me all of them have a bundle though some may hide it behind the closed doors.

3.Be open minded.

Embrace uncertainty. Some of the most beautiful chapters in our lives will not have a title until  much later.

Never draw boundaries. Destiny works in mysterious ways .U never  know in what from opportunity knocks your door.Sometimes we are looking for ice and when we find water , we dont realize we are searching for the same but in a different form ( i know thats a weird example, right now not able to come up with a better one).

Not all your actions need to give you something back/be productive. Just the sheer joy u get out of it will be soul satisfying.

4.Find a hobby

Anything from travelling to yoga,meditation to cooking or even just decluttering  and rearranging your house.Find something to explore. It may change with time but just do it as long as it interests u.Push yourself, all u need to is just find some time for yourself.

Do what u  wanted to since long time and kept postponing. By the age of 40/45  i am sure all of us have a well planned post retirement life. Because whatever is on the bucket list, we convince ourselves that we will do it later. But how sure are we that its going to happen.So let it happen today.

5.Learn to say NO

I know i dont qualify to right this (because i can never say one ). But i am .Sometimes u need to just say it- no matter who is at the other end. And not just say no but also without explanation. But ofcourse we need to make clear, we are always there to help them in real need , maybe even before they ask.

Ok ok ok got it..i still have along list but I am leaving it here.. But do give a thought about this.

But dont tell your spouse that u love yourself the most , or else be ready to face the consequences.

Oh my spouse .. Dont worry .. He already knows that by now.

 

PS: The  above heartwala zentangle was done by me, hope u liked it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Making memories- AbuDhabi.

I am pretty sure during childhood all of us had a piggy bank. We used to start doing small chores to get those few coins from parents, grannies , sometimes just stealthily take out the coins on the cabin just to see the piggy getting full. And shake shake shake just to hear the tinkling of those coins. Who knew that we were making memories.I feel childhood memories are like piggy banks , small fun things become beautiful lifetime memories . And when looking  back through these memories when we are all  grown up, it brings back the  innocent smile .

And thats what i want to give my Mr.Big boy (he claims he is), lots and lots of good childhood memories.That he never will need to find solace in anything else, when he grows up all he has to do is just close his eyes and think about his childhood ( like his dad- he can recall even the minute deatils of his childhood which even his parents dont remember) or maybe takeout an album and look through the pictures (like his mom).

What more better than travelling with his grandparents.( But think about us , its like travelling with 3 kids {hope i could insert some emoticons here}). ya ya and this was his first long distance outing with his grandparents.

AbuDhabi- the capital of UAE is about 140 kms  from Dubai.Though we are residing in Dubai since a year this was our first visit to the capital. Ofcourse we had been postponing so that we can plan a day trip when rest of the family joins us during the vacation.

Though i have tried to include few things about each place. Please do visit their websites for confirmation before planning your trip.I have provided the links at the end of each section.

We had prebooked a taxi from Dubai.

1.Emirates  park Zoo and resort

Our first stop and we spent about 3 hours.It is a medium sized zoo with quite variety of animals.The basic ticket at present is priced at 30dhs for children more than 2 years and adults.There  were elephants, giraffe,zebra, white tigers, lions, oryx ( national animal of UAE) .They also have a small aquarium and reptile house with display of fishes and turtles.The most exciting activity for the toddler was feeding the goats. Yes they do sell food for the animals which costs about 10 dhs for a bundle of grass.There are specific time schedules for feeding few e animals like the giraffe and zebra.

They do also have elephant shows and animal rides for which u need to upgrade the  ticket.

Though they are not much options for lunch, there are a few cafes inside and eateries attached.We  had our lunch in Pizzeria attached to the zoo as they had few good vegetarian options.They also have resort facility if u want to stay back and give your family an experience to cherish.

The link  to the website is here

2. Marina eye

Next we had a stop at marina eye. It is the worlds largest moving wheel with height of about 196ft (60 mts). It is located just opposite the famous Marina mall.The ticket at present costs 50dhs for adults and 30dhs for children below 12. The wheel takes u three circles. The view was of abudhabi along with the nearby islands. It was beautiful though i wouldn’t put it as breathtaking. Guess who enjoyed the ride the most… The little one.. no his grandparents.U should have seen their faces ,like they were on top of the world.

T

The link to website is here

3.Emirates Palace hotel.

The next was emirates palace hotel. They have a  guided tour of the hotel , however with charges .  It is not all year round and depends on the hotels bookings etc. So please enquire the previous day of your trip whether they have a schedule on next day.. We were unlucky as they didn’t have a tour on that day. But still  its still good to stop by as u can click photos outside and also just opposite to this is the Etihad towers ( picture below) which made an appearance in the movie fast and furious 7 -.so u can just pose  up ,say cheese and click click, click.

4. Heritage village

This is a small village like setting of ancient UAE. There is a small museum showcasing their ancient tools, utensils, weapons, attire and so on. It opens behind into a beach where u can again click scenic pictures. We spent around half an hour in this place.

The link to website is here

5. Sheik Zayed grand Mosque

This is the main motive behind the AbuDhabi trip. Marvellous architecture,spell bounding pillars, chandeliers, walls. It is built in white marble with colored marble artwork on its pillars and walls.They have the largest chandelier made of crystals, largest handwoven carpet .The mosque is open for public visits only during evenings on Fridays. Rest of the days it is open both in mornings and evenings except during the prayer timings. They have a very strict dress code to be followed. So carry a scarf/ duppatta to cover your head. U need to wear full sleeves,so ladies carry a coat if u are not wearing a full sleeve.However they do have option where ladies can borrow the traditional dress from the premises to enter the mosque. .And no half pants for both men and women. Please go through their website to know the dress code to be followed. They even have illustrations on the website for appropriate dressing. They also provide free walk in guided tours of the mosque at scheduled timings.We spent around 90 mins  looking around the mosque.

 

The link to website is here

Other important attractions we didn’t put  on our list was Ferrari world , Yas waterland as we had our parents and little boy on board with us. But if u are looking out for some adventure then this is a must and on the top of  your list.

All of us were exhausted and  put me into bed mode by the end of this trip but ofcourse with a beautiful day, happy memories.

 

PS: I know the pictures are not good enough for a blog but they  were taken randomly on phone before i started  blogging.