chatwithketch

Yes…and no

Baby powder is something many of us grew up seeing and using. It’s commonly used as part of baby care to keep the skin comfortable and help prevent irritation.

But, there’s something important to be aware of. The fine particles from powder can become airborne and may be inhaled by your baby, which in some cases can lead to breathing problems, especially in babies who are premature or already have respiratory or heart conditions.

If you choose to use powder, it’s best to do so carefully:

1) Instead of sprinkling it directly on your baby, apply a small amount to your hands first and then gently onto your baby’s skin.

2) Also, avoid letting it build up, particularly in skin folds.

3) Finally, keep powder containers tightly closed and out of reach of children to prevent accidental spills which could raise a cloud of powder dust and ‘accidental’ inhalation.

So, baby powder isn’t ‘bad; it’s all about how it’s used.

Do you use powder on your baby?

Fiction

Eating snails during pregnancy does not make your baby drool after birth.

Yes, snails are slimy… but that has absolutely nothing to do with how your baby behaves.

That drooling you see in babies? It’s completely normal, especially during teething.

As babies begin to bring out their teeth, increased saliva production is part of the process.

So no…it has nothing to do with what you ate during pregnancy.

Hey Doc , is it possible to get pregnant while you are already pregnant?

Well, theoretically, this Is not possible because during pregnancy ovulation is supposed not to occur. Essentially, for pregnancy to happen, an egg was fertilised and once this happens, there’s a signal that goes to the ovary stopping it from releasing eggs since clearly, there’s no more need 😊

In some rare cases, however, after pregnancy has occurred, the ovary still releases an egg which ends up being fertilised leading to pregnancy in an already pregnant woman.

This situation is called super-fertation. However, the incidence of this is so rare. that it is not considered standard practice to tell pregnant couples to avoid sexual intercourse during pregnancy to avoid this. In fact, there appear to be just about 10 – 14 documented cases worldwide.

Have a good night y’all ☺️

Have you ever noticed how a brand-new towel doesn’t quite dry you… but leaves lint all over your body?

There’s a reason for that.

Many new towels are treated with fabric softeners to make them feel soft and attractive… but that also reduces how well they absorb water.

So yes, wash your towels before first use. A simple trick? Wash without detergent and add about 2 cups of vinegar.

Also… a few things we often overlook:
1) Don’t wash your towels with regular laundry. Zippers and buttons can snag them, and they can also pick up unwanted germs.
2) Always air dry your towels properly. Damp towels are a perfect environment for germs to grow.
3) And when washing, use warm water (not hot) unless you want your full towel to slowly become a face towel 😄 And you don’t want to transfer germs from the towels to your regular clothes.
4) Try not to overuse bleach. It weakens the fibres and makes towels less absorbent over time.
5) And please, don’t share towels. Even with your children. Some infections spread easily this way, including certain skin conditions and public lice or crabs.

Finally, although I have told you to use only warm water, hot water is a good idea for white and heavily soiled towels, and it definitely kills bacteria and germs But using it long term will weaken your towels. Growing up, we had a pot at home that was dedicated to boiling our towels. Imagine how many towels we shrank! 😊 But we were certainly germ-free!

Parenting! Not the easiest of jobs, aye? 😄

And we are constantly learning.

I tell my first daughter that she will always be my learning curve, because I experienced motherhood for the first time through her… and every stage of her life will always be a first for me too.

I remember her first day in nursery school. I was so excited. My daughter was going to a proper school for the first time! We had moved on from crèche and pre-school!

And then she graduated… yes, graduated from nursery school 😄

The day she started Primary School, I thought my heart would burst with pride. I kept looking around, half expecting everyone to notice that my ‘level’ had changed.

Ah… I had arrived! 😄

Then came her first school party.

I went all out – bought the prettiest dress I could find, added bows and ribbons…she looked like a bejewelled princess.

Imagine my shock when we got there and I saw the other children – casually dressed in jeans and T-shirts! Whaat?!

For a moment, I wondered… were they underdressed, or were we overdressed?

Well… the activities of the day answered that pretty quickly.

Bouncy castles. Jumping. Running. Pure chaos 😄 Definitely not the kind of day meant for a bejewelled princess.

The other mummies? They had clearly been here before 😄

That day, I learnt one of my first lessons in motherhood.
But certainly not the last. With every stage, you learn something new – what to do, what not to do, and sometimes… what never to repeat 😄

And somehow, with the next child, you look like a ‘pro’ to other parents…

If only they knew! 😄

Today is World Parkinson’s Day.

Sometimes, shaking may seem harmless… something we brush off as stress or anxiety. But it may be more than that.

Parkinson’s disease is a condition that affects movement.
It can start subtly, maybe a hand that keeps shaking, movements that feel slower than usual, or stiffness that just doesn’t go away.

Over time, even balance and coordination can be affected.

The important thing? Don’t ignore persistent changes in your body.

If you notice ongoing shaking in yourself or someone you love, it’s worth getting it checked in the hospital.

Awareness can make all the difference.

Q: Should we re-use oil that has been used for frying?

A: This is a very important question, especially in these times.

Because, people of God, in these trying times, after using a full bottle of oil to fry akara, who wants to throw it away?

So yes, you can re-use oil…but only under certain conditions.

First, every oil has a smoking point – the temperature at which it starts to break down.

Once oil starts to smoke, it has gone from good to bad.

At that point, it forms harmful substances (free radicals) that can increase cancer risk.

You can re-use oil if:

It did NOT smoke

It has not changed colour

It is not foaming

It doesn’t smell funny

Oils like groundnut (peanut) and soya oil are better choices because they have higher smoking points.

How to store it safely:

Let it cool

Strain out food particles

Store in a clean (preferably glass) container

Refrigerate or freeze

Use within one month

Please note that – Leaving food particles in oil can lead to food poisoning

Also: Avoid adding salt before frying – it lowers the smoking point of oil.

And by the way…what’s with all the frying?

Try grilling, baking, or roasting sometimes.

So, re-use oil wisely, when you do but don’t keep and use that oil forever!

Have a safe (and tasty ) weekend!

It might sound logical – finish with one baby before starting another, right?

But in reality, breastfeeding does NOT harm the baby in the womb in most healthy pregnancies.

So don’t deprive your baby of the benefits of 6 months of exclusive breastfeeding.

Bottom line: You can be pregnant and still breastfeed safely, as long as there are no medical complications.

Always speak with your doctor if you’re unsure.

Q: Good evening doctor. I am highly impressed with your assistance. Please doc, can one use double antibiotic at the same time?

A: First things first… the way this question is asked makes me a bit suspicious 😄

Are you prescribing for yourself?
Or did “Dr Lagbaja” at the chemist shop mix something for you?

Both are dangerous.

Please don’t self-medicate
And that chemist is NOT your doctor

Now, to answer your question:

Yes, two antibiotics can be used at the same time.
But ONLY when prescribed appropriately.

For example:
In Helicobacter pylori infection (a cause of peptic ulcer disease), we use triple therapy which includes two antibiotics + another medication.

The real danger is misuse.

When antibiotics are taken when not needed, taken in the wrong dose, or dosage is not completed, the bacteria adapt and become resistant

This means that next time, that antibiotic may no longer work at all.

So,
Don’t self-prescribe antibiotics
Don’t rely on “chemist recommendations”
Always follow your doctor’s prescription
Take the full dose for the full duration

Remember, antibiotics are powerful but only when used correctly.