Does breastfeeding change the shape of the breasts?

We are all aware that breastfeeding is essential for the benefit of both, mother and the child. Breast milk acts as a source of nutrition for the newborn and is equally advantageous for the mother. Here are 8 ways breastfeeding keeps the mother healthy. However, this does not gratify every step during the journey of motherhood. Many women are anxious and scared when it comes to breastfeeding. New mothers are usually uncertain on how they are supposed to breastfeed their babies and seldom know what to expect. There are various factors that cause a mother to be hesitant while beginning the latching process, insufficient milk supply, pain during breastfeeding to name a few. However, one fear that makes most women to not breastfeed their kids is the change in the form of the breasts. Dr Asmita Mahajan, Neonatologist and Consultant Pediatrics, S.L Raheja Hospital breaks down this phobia for new mothers. Also read about 4 common breastfeeding problems and their solutions.

Does breastfeeding change the shape of breasts?

Pregnancy and breast feeding alter the way a woman’s breasts look; women often fear that by breastfeeding the shape of their breasts will change resulting in sagging. Many draw a conclusion that this will affect their sexual life with their partner and thus try and avoid breastfeeding. Regardless whether a woman breastfeeds or not, the breast is bound to change shape. During pregnancy, as the breasts get fuller, the ligaments stretch as they support the breast; this may contribute to sagging whether you breastfeed your baby or not. Do not let sagging limit you to feed your baby. Here are 10 things you should NEVER do while breastfeeding.

To deal with it, adopt healthy lifestyle habits, eat nutritious food and be active to ensure healthy weight and posture. Secondly, moisturize your breasts in circular motions as it helps in keeping the skin supple and maintains the elasticity.

Remember, nursing can be tiresome and overwhelming at times; however, it ensures the appropriate growth of the child and it cannot be neglected. Once accustomed to, it certainly enhances the mother-child bond and creates a beautiful feeling of belonging forever. Here are 10 breastfeeding myths busted.

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Cow’s milk harmful for toddlers below one year

Feeding cow’s milk to toddlers below the age of one year is a growing factor behind allergic diseases, including in the respiratory and digestive system, as they cannot tolerate protein in the milk, experts said on Sunday. Observing that infants who do not get breast milk need an alternative form of nutrition to maintain their health, child experts said if cow’s milk is fed at such an initial age then the low concentration of iron and its consumption during infancy is linked to anemia. “Though cow’s milk is associated to our culture for ages, it should not be given to toddlers below one year… It may put a strain on the infant’s immature kidney and is also difficult to digest,” said Nandan Joshi, Health and Nutrition Science expert, Danone India.

As per the National Family Health Survey (NFHS), only 40 per cent of children were introduced timely complementary foods, while only 10 per cent children between six to 23 months received adequate diet. The infants are given cow milk in India as awareness is low among the people especially in rural areas. As per the Rapid Survey on Children (RSOC), 42 per cent of non-breastfed infants below one year received cow’s milk or any other milk.  “Allergic diseases are on the rise worldwide. The incidents are more in developed countries though it is on the rise in India as well. Milk allergy is the most common allergy in children,” said Lalit Bharadia, Consultant Paediatric Gastroenterologist at Jaipur’s Santokba Durlabhji Memorial Hospital. Read more about Parenting tip: 10 reasons giving cow’s milk to your child below one-year of age is a bad idea

“Around three per cent of children can’t tolerate milk protein in animal milk. Milk allergic infants, who do not get breast milk, need an alternate form of nutrition to maintain their health.” Bharadia said that while older infants can be fed household complementary food, younger ones need special hydrolysed and amino acid-based formula which do not produce allergy. “Such products are easily available in India.”

Allergy is a result of one or more cow’s milk proteins triggering an adverse reaction by our body’s immune system. The symptoms vary and may affect several organ systems such as skin, digestive or the respiratory tract, possibly resulting in skin rash, eczema, vomiting, diarrhoea, colic, wheezing or excessive crying. In a study conducted at a tertiary care hospital in India, three out of 10 children with chronic diarrhoea were estimated to be suffering from cow’s milk allergy. Globally, the prevalence rate of cow’s milk allergy is approximately three to five per cent. Read here Giving cow milk to your baby during a stomach infection? STOP right now!

Source: IANS

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After Blue Whale challenge, teens take Snapchat Slap-Bet challenge: where are we going wrong?

As a mother of two kids, I sometimes worry what age we are living in. While there is the constant fear of predators disguised as well-wishers turned abusers residing in the known quarters of the society, the social media is the bigger monster that is ruining children to a great extent by playing on their vulnerabilities, killing their innocence and judiciousness. What else can explain why these kids fall for these internet challenges and upload these destructive and devastating videos on the net?

Yesterday, yet another video of some school children involved in a slap-bet challenge eager to post their pseudo heroics on Snapchat went viral. A Snapchat video stays live only for 24 hours and gets deleted, but this particular video emerged as a WhatsApp forward and became viral because people started sharing it. It shows a school boy being slapped by one of his classmates while two guys stand as cheering spectators and the other recording the whole incident which happened at Pathways School, Noida. The fallout of this whole incident is that the guy who receives a tight-slap from the classmate ends up suffering 25 percent hearing loss. First, when the post went viral, everybody thought it to be a case of bullying. But the school authorities after investigating the matter revealed that both the parties were game for this challenge, and it happened with the consent of the victim.

Now, what in the earth would make these 15 or 16-year-olds take such challenges. We are living in the age of challenges which leads to no mental stimulation but destructive thoughts and actions. Recently, we have been witnessing the perils of the blue whale challenge and how kids are losing their lives trying to complete the tasks.

But coming back to the recent incident, we realise that the kids are keener on showing their heroics through falsely perceived valour. There are very fewer teens and young adults who are rational in their actions and witty enough to challenge the existence of such destructive games and bets. The school suspended the child who was slapped for a month and the others for a fortnight claiming to be swift in taking action. But we ask, is that enough to correct the kids? Where as a society are we going wrong? There are few questions that we need to ask ourselves before we start to forward this video that has gone viral:

• Why are our teens expressing themselves in such destructive manner and looking for validations through bets and challenges?


• Why are they not able to resist performing violent acts to showcase their perceived sense of bravery?


• Why are they desperate to prove themselves to the world through the social media?


• Why do they have to record every action and reaction and seek attention from their social media audience?


• Why are we failing to build individuals who seek contentment and happiness in their little ways rather than seek attention from strangers to validate their existence?

So, before we start to punish or try to teach the teens a lesson, we need to stop and think, where as parents, society and institution we are going wrong that leads teens to take destructive methods to prove themselves. Watch the full video below:

Video source: Youtube.com/ Suno Bharat

Image source: Youtube.com/ Suno Bharat

Blue Whale game: Fortis launches 24×7 helpline

Fortis Healthcare on Thursday launched a 24×7 helpline to provide psychological support to teenagers increasingly getting trapped in the macabre online game Blue Whale Challenge. The helpline — 8376804102 — is available for anyone who is directly undergoing undue mental stress and anxiety as a participant in the challenge. The Blue Whale Challenge, reportedly created by a former convict in Russia, is said to psychologically provoke players to indulge in daring, self-destructive tasks for 50 days before finally taking the “winning” step of killing themselves — and each task must be filmed and shared as “proof”.

The helpline is also available for family members who notice sudden negative behavioural changes among the young in the family. “We have been receiving calls both from teenagers as well as concerned parents. This helpline is geared towards intervening in times of crises as well as imparting psycho-education to help individuals and families cope with the situation,” Samir Parikh, Director, (Department of Mental Health and Behavioural Sciences) at Fortis Healthcare, said in a statement on Thursday. The helpline offers to be medium through which people can freely open up to trained mental health care professionals and avail immediate help. Read more about Blue Whale Challenge – Here’s everything you want to know about it (watch video)

According to media reports, over six cases across India have been suspected to be linked to the deadly game. While taking measures to curb the deadly game, the government recently directed internet majors — Google, Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram, Microsoft and Yahoo — to erase links pertaining to the Blue Whale Challenge. “Instances of children committing suicide while Blue Whale Challenge have been reported in India… You are hereby requested to ensure that any such link of this deadly game in its own name or similar game is immediately removed from your platform,” the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology stated. Read here Parents BEWARE! Children play Blue Whale on Twitter using #Curatorfindme #f57

Source: IANS

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10 signs of puberty in boys that every parent should know

You know that your little bundle of energy is not going to be that way forever and will soon grow into a better masculine version of him. As they say about parenting, the days are long but years are short. So, even before you know it, your son will hit puberty and yes it is going to be a whole new ball game for you as a parent. Most boys hit puberty at age nine which continues till 14 as opposed to girls who start at age 8. However, every child grows at his pace and his development depends on various factors like genetics, family traits, and healthy nutrition. Here are eight signs of puberty in girls that you should know about.

We spoke to Dr Atish Laddad, founder, The Pediatric Network, Mumbai to know the signs of puberty in boys that parents are should watch out for and here goes the list:

1. Changes in weight and height: These two are the obvious signs of growth and development. A boy experiences growth spurt at the beginning of puberty which initiates weight gain and makes him taller. The growth continues till he reaches his ideal body weight and height. How much weight a boy would gain and how tall he would grow depends on his genetic makeup and hereditary factors. Some of them also have to endure growing pains or pain in their arms and legs during this period, which is common and happens because bones grow faster than muscles. Read this to know if your child is growing properly or suffering from short stature condition.


2. Development of pubic hair: This is an important sign of puberty. In a boy child pubic hair starts to grow at the base of the penis during the onset. This growth continues for over four years or more till it spreads to the inner thighs. Armpit hair also starts to grow during the same time.


3. Changes in the genital: Along with pubic hair, changes in the genitals happen simultaneously. The penis and testicles grow in size and the scrotum becomes darker. The testicles grow up to 4 mm during the onset of puberty reaches 25 mm when a boy attains sexual maturity which happens between ages 15 and 18.


4. Acne outbreak: Acne outbreak in boys during puberty is way too common. The hormonal upheavals and excess secretion of oil through sebaceous gland are reasons for the same. They might show up as blackheads, whiteheads or even pus filled zits. However, these issues settle when a boy enters manhood after attaining sexual maturity.


5. Breast changes: Yes, breast changes happen in boys too, due to deposition of fat under the nipple. Not all boys experience this. However, this is a temporary change usually seen in obese kids and disappears as the child grows and attains a proportional body structure. This is not the same as man boobs. Here is all that you need to know about man boobs.


6. Body odour: Some boys start to sweat more and this could lead to bad body odour. Regular shower and good hygiene are all one needs to counter this problem.


7. Voice changes: This is typical of this growth phase. The usual boyish tone breaks to make way for a deeper, coarse baritone. Over the period a boy’s voice develops into a deeper tone.


8. Facial hair: This doesn’t happen right at the onset of puberty, but after around four years of hitting puberty facial hair starts to show its presence, a time when boys start developing a beard and need to be given lessons on styling and shaving.


9. Wet dreams: This could be embarrassing for some, but it is a natural phase of growing up. Wet dreams often refer to the ejaculation one experiences in sleep following an erection. This is different from bedwetting, though it could leave your bed sheet bed. These episodes are also termed as nocturnal emissions.


10. Erections: Boys start getting erections right from puberty and it could happen at any time during the day. It happens when blood flows to the penis and makes it bigger and harder. A pre-teen might get erections multiple times through the day and it is quite normal. However, if a boy doesn’t experience an erection, there is nothing much to worry about. Erections during this phase depend on many factors like age, sexual maturity, nutrition, physical activity, childhood stress and depression and sleep.

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5 common causes of weight gain or obesity in kids

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Can eating chocolates give rise to cavities in kids?

Parents have this one-dimensional thought about chocolates and cavities. They always think that eating chocolates is directly proportional to having cavities. So, parents always deny their children chocolates to save the little one’s teeth and this practice is considered as good parenting. However, chocolates are not always the culprit. Other healthy foods can also cause cavities in kids.

Food particles remain stuck on the surface of the teeth after your child eats anything – food or juices. The germs in the mouth work on these remnants to convert the starch or sugar into sugar acids, which slowly and steadily erodes the enamel or the outer surface of the teeth. This happens over a period as the bacteria in the mouth keep eroding the enamel. Here are some top foods that lead to tooth decay, apart from chocolates.

Cavities happen when the enamel is decayed and the tooth is destroyed to an extent. It isn’t the chocolates alone that should be blamed. ‘There is a good amount of chance that chocolates can predispose one to develop cavities as they are loaded with sugar. If you are not careful enough to keep your child’s teeth clean after consumption of chocolates, it can give rise to cavities. But if you are capable of keeping your child’s teeth clean and maintain a good oral hygiene you can avert this problem,’ says Dr Atish Laddad, paediatrician, founder of The Pediatric Network. Here are top 10 foods to prevent tooth decay in children.

Yes, chocolates alone are not to be blamed for your child’s cavities. In fact, other food items like bread, chapattis, pasta, fruit juices, rice and others that are high in carbohydrates can lead to cavities if you fail to maintain good oral hygiene. Carbohydrate and sugar break down to sugar acids in the mouth easily to erode the enamel. Make sure that you make your child rinse her mouth thoroughly after every meal and having sticky snacks like pasta, chikki, chocolates, etc.

Good oral hygiene can help you preserve child’s teeth than just banning any food or chocolates.

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Baby Care Tip #32 – Allow your child some diaper-free time

Whether you are in favour of 24-hour diapering or use a diaper only while travelling outdoors is a personal choice. But I prefer to keep my child in diapers even when indoors for its sheer convenience. I know many mothers who feel the same. Of course, keeping your child on diaper 24/7 isn’t a good practice. Diaper rashes, itching, irritation a lot can happen due to dampening in the area which allows bacteria to thrive. This is why it is important to give your child some diaper-free time. But ensuring diaper-free time also calls for cleaning up the mess and loads of work. Here is all you need to learn about diaper rashes.

So here are some tips that you need to keep in mind if you are allowing your child diaper-free time:

1. If you have an infant place your child on a quick absorbent sheet or a changing mat, so you don’t spoil your bed sheet or the baby bedding. These mats, designed for the purpose is easy to clean and isn’t harsh on your baby’s delicate skin.


2. If your child can turn over or sit up straight, keep an eye on her to avoid a fall or an accident if she is in bed. Ideally, place her inside the crib so chances of a fall can be minimalised and place the quick dry sheet evenly over the bedding.


3. If your child can cruise and walk around, you still need to be vigilant as young children can pee and poop and (as gross as it might sound) start playing with the muck.


4. It is always better to make your child wear an under pant during the diaper-free time since contact with any surface with the genitals could lead to accidents, infections, etc. Many mothers prefer to keep kids bare bottom which is not advisable.


5. Don’t postpone laundry, there might be a pile to wash but do it anyway either hand wash or put them in the washing machine. Soiled panties could be a breeding ground for bacteria and fungus which could leave stubborn stains even after washing.


6. While choosing a time to go diaper-free, do it after your child has pooped. It would ensure less of a mess to clean.


7. In case, your child doesn’t have a fixed time to poop; I would suggest you keep her diaper-free before the meals.


8. Offer a change of cloth immediately once your child pees or poops. Staying in soiled clothes could lead to various kinds of infections and allergies.


9. Make sure you clean your baby’s genitals thoroughly before making her wear a fresh pair of bottoms.


10. Use the diaper-free time to toilet train your child when she can walk. Here are some sure fire tips for potty training.

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8 signs of puberty in girls that every parent should know about

If you thought handling an infant and a toddler was tough, then wait till your child hits puberty. No, I am not trying to scare you, but dealing with these physiological and psychological changes is challenging. You need a lot of resilience and patience to handle those mood swings and tantrums. Yup, they don’t go away just because your child is not a baby anymore, in fact, it might flare up. Remember boys and girls grow differently. Puberty is the phase of growth and change and each child faces it differently. For girls, it starts around eight or 13 years of age and ends when the body has reached its adult size, shape and height which is around 15 or 13 years of age.

We spoke to Dr Atish Laddad, paediatrician, founder of The Pediatric Network to learn more about puberty. So, if you are a parent to an angel of a girl (not being sarcastic here), these are some of the signs that signals that your girl has hit puberty.

1. Body changes: Yes your little one will be growing into a more feminine self of hers. During puberty, the body grows to be more proportional and reach its ideal height and weight. So, there will be changes in sizes and shapes of various body parts, right from the hands and feet to overall height. She will start to put on weight. Usually, they gain more fat than boys, which is needed for their growth and development. The breasts, arms, thighs, stomach starts to store more fat in response to the hormonal changes that are happening at this time.


2. Body hair: We all are born with some amount of body hair. But during puberty body hair starts growing rapidly. The reason you see them all over the hands and legs. Some amount of hair might also be found on upper lips and forehead and underarms. Know that hair growth is a sign of the hormonal changes.


3. Pubic hair: Hair growth in the genital area is a common sign of puberty. Pubic hair starts growing simultaneously with hair in armpits and as breast start to develop. But in some girls, pubic hair might also start growing before breast development happens. It takes around two to three years for the hair to grow completely. Pubic hair is usually curly and covers almost the entire vaginal area.


4. Acne and skin problems: Pre-teens and teens are going to be bothersome because of acne, but there is hardly any escape. Acne is again an outcome of the hormonal upheavals that happen during this time. The pores of the skin contain sebaceous glands that secrete sebum, a kind of oil that is necessary for both the skin and hair. However, sometimes they might be secreted in excess and clog up the pores along with dead skin cells that could give rise to pimples on your child’s face and back. It is the same sebum which makes her hair look limp and oily.


5. Breast enlargement: This is one of the most visible signs of puberty. Some girls develop breasts as early as eight years of age and some might have delayed development. As the hormone estrogen increases in the body, the mammary glands start to grow and store fat in the area. The size of the breasts depends on how much fat the body stores around that area.


6. Genital development: Some of it is visible and some happen internally and cannot be seen. But changes are happening. The vulva or the outer lips start growing the pubic hair whereas the vagina gets longer and the uterus bigger.


7. Vaginal discharge: It is perfectly normal if you see your child’s undergarments has got yellow or white stains. Vaginal discharge is a sign that menstruation could start soon. However, too much moisture in the area can also lead to yeast infections. So be vigilant and if your child complains about symptoms like itching, irritation or painful urination take it seriously.


8. Menstruation: Menstruation usually happens once the breasts have developed and pubic hair has started to grow. The first period is the most important stage of puberty in girls. However, it takes at least two years for the periods to set in a cycle and the cycles change over the course of life. The length of the period is usually around three to eight days and can be accompanied by cramps, headache and nausea.

While these are some of the typical signs of puberty, know that every child develops at her own pace. However, if by age 17 your daughter doesn’t get her first period or show signs of breast development, it is better to see a doctor.

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