Baby care: Useful Tips

Always stay connected with your kid. The intense relationship between the parent and the kid should never be broken. An unbroken connection between the parent and the child will make the child speak the truth and shy away from hiding it. Frank and honest communication with children are recommended. Parent must be a safe haven to come back to in the face of fear or threat. Being abusive and punishing the kid can create an indelible impact in child’s mind. Therefore, the saying “spares the rod and spoil the child″ does not hold true. A child take great pleasure in snuggling, cuddling, harmless pillow fights and prefers sleeping together than alone. So do whatever it takes to stay closer and affectionate to your child. 

Temper tantrums in toddlers are a common phenomenon and if dealt with a calm demeanor a parent can easily overcome it. Driving the child’s attention by distracting it to another activity, discussing the situation and showing them they are being understood can all act as great measures. But never give in to the demands and you must let the child known that you have the control on the situation. Children resist control. But controlling certain situations on behalf of the child is necessary to guide them to the right path. If the kid indulges in bad behavior, emphasize on the positives rather than punishing the kid. Even though, the behavior was negative, giving positive feedbacks can inculcate discipline. The message must be conveyed in a calm and clear manner. 

Child’s abilities do not develop without a model. Great qualities such as learning languages and manners are learnt from the parents. It’s important to be a great model for your child. These values inculcated in the child will help him abstain from violence and face problems prevailing in the world outside. Every child is unique and it falls upon the parents to make them more special. 

Children can often feel neglected by parents who are usually busy with work or house duties. Travelling with a baby can be difficult especially when you have to do other chores at the same time. Using baby carriers can be a very helpful way of ensuring you can do your own work whilst not neglecting your baby.

Between the ages of 1 and 2, babies requires about 10 to 13 hours of sleep, daily. This includes two to three hours in the day time and 9 to 10 hours at night.

Seven to nine in the evening is a suitable time to put the baby to sleep.

Babies lose interest in food while teething. Don’t force food on the baby, but ensure nutritious snacking between meals and breastfeed as often as the child wants. Continue this until the child’s second birthday.

The floor and the play area where the babies crawl around should be kept clean and hygienic.

Use a firm crib mattress. To avoid suffocation hazards, keep soft objects and loose bedding like pillows, quilts, comforters, sheepskin and stuffed toys out of the crib.

Their clothes and beds should be kept clean.

Limit high sugar and fat foods. Without being overly restrictive.

Make meal time a pleasant and sociable experience.

Physical activity is an important part of good health and helps children to maintain appropriate healthy weight levels.

Toddlers need at least 60 minutes of physical activity daily. Provide outdoor or alternative activities for muscle building, like walking, throwing ball, kicking etc.

Be supportive; help children feel good about themselves by supporting, accepting and encouraging them regardless of their body size and shape.

Children should be taken for a general check-up once a month.

Maintain a high intake of fluid for the kids.

Never give children medications that have been prescribed to someone else, whether it’s an adult or child. Even if two people have the same illness, they may require different drugs with different dosage and directions.

Do not expose the infant to cigarette smoke.

Kids under 2 should not have any time in front of a TV or computer screen.

Baby’s Body Care

Instead of soap you can sometimes use a mixture of gram flour (besan) and milk to bathe the baby.

To massage the baby you could use

A mixture of gram flour (basen) and cream with a pinch of turmeric. Apply the mixture on the baby's body and gently rub it off.

Take a small ball of wheat dough. Apply some massage oil on it. Massage the baby with this ball by rubbing it over the baby's body. The strokes should be against the hair growth. This is an excellent remedy for removing body hair from a newborn.

A rich moisturizer can be made by melting 2 tbsps. Unsalted butter, 1 tbsp. lanolin, 2 tsp. glycerine and 3 tbsps. Olive or almond oil, over a double boiler. Beat well.

Boil a handful of neem leaves and basil leaves and wash your hair regularly with it to get rid of lice.

To get rid of Band-Aid or ugly gray plaster marks apply some lukewarm coconut oil to the area and leave it for 15 minutes. Wash off with soap water.

To remove paint or fast colour from your skin, apply curd on the effected part. After few minutes rub and wash it off.

Dandruff Control

A mixture of 2 tbsp. of curd and a few drops of honey is an excellent anti-dandruff agent when rubbed on the scalp.

Lemon juice mixed with mustard oil is an excellent cure for dandruff.

For lustrous and dandruff free hair, apply a paste of cooked channa dal and fenugreek leaves and rinse off.

To get rid of dandruff, apply a mixture of 10 gm. pepper powder, 1 tsp. lime juice and ½ cup milk on the scalp.

Leave it one overnight and wash off next morning.

Onion juice, when massaged on the scalp acts as a wonderful anti-dandruff agent.



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