chatwithketch

Today’s post is dedicated to new mums 😀

What do you need to have in your baby’s diaper bag, especially when planning to go out?

• Diapers: The standard packing rule is that there should be one diaper for each hour you will be out and a few extra.
• Wipes
• Hand sanitizers
• Changing pad
• Plastic bags

Now for tips that help you do the job right!

• Get the right diaper that fits your baby snugly around both the waist and around the legs to prevent leakage, but not be so tight that it leaves marks on the skin and the materials should not rub or irritate the baby’s skin. Avoid the really perfumed brands of diapers as they are very likely to cause irritations.
• We are all aware that we should wash our hands thoroughly after changing a diaper but you should wash up beforehand too. You should try to keep your hands clean anytime you’ll be handling a baby, especially a newborn. Keep a hand sanitizer around the nappy changing area and in the diaper-changing bag. Just give your hands a quick cleaning before the change. Always remember to wipe baby from front to back and of course, wash-up when you are done!
• Newborn poop is called meconium and it is black, sticky and hard to remove. After each diaper change, just slather some petroleum jelly on baby’s bottom. This keeps baby’s buttocks nice and clean from meconium. The next time baby poops, the poop will slide right off!
• If baby’s bottom is irritated, try rinsing it off with a slightly warm spray of water from the sink or shower instead of using baby wipes, which can actually irritate their little butts even further. Always have a good supply of a diaper ointment on hand as it will work wonders and makes baby feel better every time! If your baby doesn’t like to have the ointment applied to their skin, or fusses when you put it on, try putting some right onto the diaper in a strategic location so it will connect with the irritated area once you close the diaper J
• Never leave your baby unattended on a changing table or any elevated surface where you are changing them, even if you are using the safety straps. Keep them safe and secure and let them know that their diaper changes are normal. Never tell a baby they are stinky or yucky. Having a negative attitude toward diaper changing can actually cause a baby to feel shame about their bodies and can hinder potty training, and I’m sure you like all parents, want your child potty trained as soon as possible!

To all you FTMs, I hope this helps! 😀

Have a great week ahead!

Q: Greetings Dr. Please help advice me. I am 21 weeks pregnant. I had a cervical stitch at 15weeks because of threatened miscarriage. Now I usually have stomachache especially when I lie on my left and right sides but a bit comfortable when I lie on my back but of which I know it is not the best position. Dr. is the regular stomachache normal or it will cause a problem? And what about lying on my back?

A: Hi dear, thanks for writing in.

Abdominal pain in pregnancy may or may not be serious.

Harmless causes include:

·      Constipation

·      Gas

·      The growing womb (uterus)

·      Braxton-Hicks contractions (these are ‘fake’ contractions preparing the womb for the main even :D)

Serious causes of pain during pregnancy include:

·      Ectopic pregnancy. To learn about ectopic pregnancy, please click on this link https://chatwithdrketch.com/2014/08/07/daily-health-tips-what-are-my-options-after-ectopic-pregnancy-and-failed-ivf/

·      Pre-term labour. To learn about this, please click on this link: https://chatwithdrketch.com/2015/07/28/daily-health-tips-am-i-leaking-amniotic-fluid-liquor-amnii/

·      Miscarriage. To read more on miscarriage, please click on this link: https://chatwithdrketch.com/2015/07/23/daily-health-tips-im-scared-of-getting-pregnant-after-two-miscarriages/

·      Placental abruption. To learn more, click on this link: https://chatwithdrketch.com/2015/03/26/daily-health-tips-placental-abruption/

·      Urinary tract infection. To learn more, please click on this link https://chatwithdrketch.com/2016/02/19/daily-health-tips-re-visiting-chronic-utis/

·      Pre-eclampsia. To learn more, please click on this link: https://chatwithdrketch.com/2015/10/23/daily-health-tips-protein-in-urine-during-pregnancy/

Having said all these, you probably have no way of knowing what is harmless or not. So err on the side of caution and see your doctor if ‘it just doesn’t feel right’.

You should see your doctor immediately so you can stop lying on your back In the first trimester, if you’re used to sleeping on your back, you can continue. However, as you get into your second trimester, it is fact that pregnant women should not sleep on their backs especially close to term. This is because the woman may feel dizzy as the growing uterus puts pressure on the vein that returns blood from the body making the woman feel dizzy on getting up and the baby may also not get enough nutrients from the placenta in that position.

I hope this helps.

Have a great weekend ahead, y’all 😀

Want to lose weight? Want to know what habits to adopt? You should read this! https://www.health.harvard.edu/heart-health/5-habits-that-foster-weight-loss

Q: Good morning Doc, I had my baby in January and started menstruation in August. To my surprise I didn’t see it in October so I bought a pregnancy kit to see what was wrong. It was then I got to know I am pregnant. Should I stop breastfeeding my baby? She’s just 8months 2weeks

A: Hi dear, thanks for writing in.

The ideal situation would be to give some time after you’ve had a baby before having another one. It gives your body time to heal and replenish its stores of essential nutrients before taking on another pregnancy. This is the reason why new mums should ensure that they use some form of contraception after they have had their babies, even if exclusively breastfeeding. And for all of you who are dying to ask, yes, you can get pregnant even before your period ‘returns’.

Having said that, it’s generally considered safe to continue breastfeeding in pregnancy. In fact, some mothers would even breastfeed the new baby and the older one, concurrently. This is called tandem nursing. However, given the requirements of breastfeeding and of pregnancy, this mum must ensure that she is eating healthy and drinking sufficient fluids.

If your already born baby can talk, he may comment on the fact that the taste of your breast milk has changed especially towards the end of pregnancy and a few days after the birth of the new baby as colostrum is produced.

For more posts on colostrum, please click on this link: https://chatwithdrketch.com/2014/05/27/daily-health-tips-what-should-i-do-after-having-my-baby-if-my-breast-milk-doesnt-come-in-immediately/

For the mum, she may notice more breast tenderness…sorry J And also, milk production reduces as pregnancy progresses.

However, you need to check with your doctor if you have a history of pre-term or premature contractions because nipple stimulation (either during sexual intercourse or breastfeeding) may lead to pre-term contractions.

Your 81/2-month old baby can take other foods now too. You can give her freshly squeezed fruit juices (this basically means you’re buying the fruits and squeezing out the juice yourself or blending up a smoothie). Remember that your baby must not have any cow milk until the baby turns 12 months…well, unless it’s in yoghurt (unsweetened, flavor-free yoghurt). You can add some bananas to the yogurt and blend it up.

For more on weaning and preparation of yoghurt, please click on these links: https://chatwithdrketch.com/2014/12/29/daily-health-tips-weaning-foods/

https://chatwithdrketch.com/2014/10/27/daily-health-tips-recipe-for-and-storage-of-yoghurt/

I hope this helps.

Have a good evening, y’all 😀

Q: Good morning Dr. Please regarding the rhesus factor issue, since I am A+ and my husband is negative, can it still affect us? Can Rhesus factor occur? Because 2 weeks ago, I lost a 6-month pregnancy. Scan said the baby had brain damage. Thanks.

A: Condolences on the loss of your baby! I can’t imagine what it must have felt like going through this experience twice.

But….don’t give up! You can still have a baby.

Unfortunately, often times, the cause of a miscarriage is not identified. You need to understand this so that you don’t blame yourself unduly. Having said that though, first trimester miscarriages are mainly due to problems with the baby/fetus. These problems could be due to problems with the placenta. This is how the baby receives its nutrients in the womb and so, if this organ cannot deliver, a miscarriage might occur. There may also be a problem with the baby’s chromosomes, such that a baby may receive too many or too few genetic materials or there may be a damaged egg/sperm. Other associated risk factors include smoking and drinking alcohol, being overweight, malnutrition, increased maternal age, trauma and drug abuse. By the way, trimester is 3 months of pregnancy. So, first trimester refers to the 1st three months, 2nd trimester, the 2nd three months and 3rd trimester, the last three months

To try for a pregnancy again, remember to ensure there is unprotected sexual intercourse at least three times a week with ejaculation of sufficient amounts of semen. You should start with folate supplements as soon as you can to prepare yourself and baby for the journey ahead.

To prevent a recurrence, focus on ensuring that you stay healthy and do not indulge in harmful habits like smoking and excessive alcohol drinking. Other helpful tips include eating healthy, keeping weight within normal parameters, avoiding trauma and not abusing drugs.

In addition, as soon as you get pregnant again, register for antenatal as soon as possible and keep to your appointments religiously. You should also contact your obstetrician, even if you’re not due for an appointment, if at any time you suspect something may be wrong with your baby.

For more on this topic, please click on the link below:
https://chatwithdrketch.com/2014/06/02/daily-health-tips-what-should-i-do-to-conceive-again-after-a-miscarriage/

The good news is, since your husband is the one who is Rhesus negative, none of your babies will be affected by Rhesus incompatibility.

Have a great night, people 😀

With 24 hours entertainment, it is becoming very tough for parents with young children to get them to bed on time. Do you know how many hours your child(ren) should sleep daily? You should read this!

https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/four-ways-to-help-your-child-get-enough-sleep-2017092612472

https://www.instagram.com/p/BZp_FYblBo8/?taken-by=ddrketch

As you end a hectic week and make plans for all those parties this weekend, be sure to plan for a catch-up session with your bed! Don’t work all week and party all weekend. Give your body time to rest. A positive outlook on life helps. Read!

https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/positive-outlook-may-mean-better-sleep