Functions of the amniotic fluid

The Amniotic fluid also called liquor amnii is the protecting and nourishing fluid surrounding the baby in the amniotic cavity or sac of a pregnant woman. The amniotic fluid is covered by the amniotic membrane within the amniotic cavity, and is formed very early in the development of the human embryo. The amniotic fluid gradually changes its constituents as pregnancy advances.

Functions of the amniotic fluid.

• The amniotic fluid provides a liquid environment in which the fetus( unborn baby) can develop and exercise in absolute freedom.

• The amniotic fluid provides an environment of constant temperature for the baby.

• Its constituents changes as pregnancy progresses , in that way it meets the nutritional requirements of the fetus as it changes.

• It causes enlargement of the amniotic cavity (and therefore of the uterus) so that the developing fetus is not distorted by pressure from the walls of the uterus.

• It provides a means of excretion of substances like urine from the fetus

• The fetus also swallows the amniotic fluid. It is not known how much nutritional benefit this may have for the fetus , but it enables it to develop its mouth ,as well as its swallowing and breathing mechanisms.

• The amniotic fluid also functions as a shock absorber which is most efficient in preventing damage to the fetus as a result of a blow or undue pressure. If undue force is brought to bear upon any particular part of the uterus then the placenta may suffer damage or may even be separated, but it is virtually impossible to damage the fetus itself as a result of direct or indirect injury.

Many women fear that their baby might be hurt by a fall or a direct blow on the uterus or abdomen during pregnancy. If a woman does suffer from direct injury or if she falls down on her abdomen she is unlikely to cause any harm to her baby but it is advisable that she consults her doctor ,if she develops pain or if she is unduly concerned.

The three most common causes of abdominal injury during pregnancy are falling down the stairs, tripping over the edge of a pavement , and motor accidents . But no matter the kind of fall or accidents that a pregnant woman goes through, she should make it known to her doctor in her next antenatal visit or check up, just in case of any strange occurrences.

Dangers of caffeine in pregnancy

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Caffeine which is usually found in coffee,colas,tea and some soft drinks have been found to cross the placenta and enter the circulation of the fetus. A recent test of caffeine on developing animal fetus showed lots of harmful effects.

Apart from the reason stated above there are other valid reasons why you should give up caffeinated coffee, teas and colas during pregnancy (or at least to cut down the consumption).

First of all, caffeine has a diuretic effect, drawing fluid and calcium (both vital to the maternal and fetal health) from the body. If you are having problems with frequent urination anyway caffeine intake will compound it.

Second, coffee and tea especially when taken with sugar and cream are filling and satisfying without being nutritious, and can spoil your appetite for the nutritious food you need. Colas are not only filling but may contain some chemicals in addition to unneeded sugars.

Third, caffeine can exacerbate your normal pregnancy mood swings and also interfere with adequate rest.

Fourth, caffeine may interfere with the absorption of the iron both mother and baby needs

Fifth, consumption of caffeine by pregnant women, according to recent research, might result in her baby eventually developing diabetes.

How you can break the habit
First you need to understand why you are breaking the habit in the first place, which is for your baby’s health and yours as well.

Second you need to determine why you indulge, and which beverages you can use to substitute the caffeine containing ones you usually take. If it is the taste of coffee or tea that appeals to you then switch to a naturally decaffeinated replacement. If it is the caffeine lift you crave ,you will get more natural long-lasting boost from exercise and good food, especially complex carbohydrates and protein or from doing something that exhilarates you, like jogging,dancing,taking a walk. If you take your caffeinated beverage as part of a daily ritual, change the location of that ritual and change the beverage that accompanies it.

How to minimize caffeine withdrawal symptoms
Caffeine is an addictive drug .lots of caffeine lovers or imbibers who quit just like that can expect to experience withdrawal symptoms, including headaches, fatigue, and irritability.which is why it is better to ease off the caffeine gradually.

Here are some tips to help minimize withdrawal symptom:

1. Get some outdoor exercise each day
2. Make sure you get enough sleep and rest
3. eat frequent small meals that are rich in proteins and complex carbohydrate foods (don’t forget to take your pregnancy vitamins)
If after this your taste buds still crave the flavor of coffee, continue to satisfy them by using a brewed decaffeinated coffee.

Breastfeeding through infection: Risks to baby

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Infections of the breast are very rare during pregnancy but unfortunately they are more frequent after delivery and during lactation or breastfeeding.

It’s safe to breastfeed your baby during common illnesses such as colds and flu.

But it depends on what is causing the cold or flu symptoms. If for example the cause is a cytomegalovirus. Breastfeeding will be dangerous to the baby.

Mastitis (an infection in the breast), thrush, cracked nipples, breast abscesses, Milk stasis (Milk stasis is when a milk duct is blocked and cannot drain properly)

Does not pose any risk to your baby. But there are a few situations, however, in which breastfeeding is not advised.

1. Contagious pulmonary tuberculosis: this infection can be very dangerous to the baby’s health if the mother does not undergo complete treatment. But Breastfeeding can be continued as soon as the mother has undergone treatment and is no longer contagious.

2. Herpes simplex: There are two different Herpes Simplex strains:

Herpes I - generally produces cold sores on the lips and mouth

Herpes II – is generally genital lesions.

Breastfeeding is safe if there are no lesions on the breast. But if there are lesions, they must be well treated, and since Herpes sores are spread through contact, the mother should cover her breast and must be careful to avoid direct contact on baby’s mouth or food. In other words, she should always wash her hands.

3. Chicken pox: If you have chickenpox, avoid contact with other pregnant women and new babies until at least five days after the rash appears, or until all the blisters have crusted over. It is advisable to separate mother and baby from each other and the baby should be nurtured by another individual during the mother’s period of infectivity. The baby will be offered varicella-zoster immunoglobulin (VZIG). Breastfeeding is safe as soon as the mother is noninfectious, meaning all spots are crusted over.

4. Hepatitis A: Breastfeeding is safe after the mother receives a dose of gamma globulin.

5. Lyme disease: Lyme disease is caused by a microorganism known as a spirochete, which is carried by ticks. There is no research documentation confirming the presence of the spirochete in human milk or transmission by breastfeeding, to be absolutely safe, if a mother is suspected of having acute Lyme disease, she should stop breastfeeding. Breastfeeding is safe as soon as the mother initiates treatment.

6. HIV infection or HTLV-1: Breastfeeding is not recommended if a woman is infected with HIV, there is a chance that her baby also will become infected with HIV during pregnancy, delivery, or breastfeeding. HIV transmission through breast milk is more likely among mothers with advanced disease, reflected in low CD4+ cell counts.

7. Hepatitis B: Breastfeeding is safe after the baby receives a dose of Hepatitis B immune globulin (HBIG). The baby should also be started on the first of three doses of Hepatitis B vaccine.

If a woman is diagnosed with HBV, her infant should receive the first dose of hepatitis B vaccine within 48 hours of birth, as soon as possible thereafter. Subsequent doses of the vaccine should be given with routine childhood immunization at one month and six months of age. There is no vaccine for the prevention of HCV infection.

How to deal with colic in babies.

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What is colic?

That all babies cry is a reality anywhere in the world. Generally, between three weeks and the three months of age is when they cry the most and, frequently, especially during the afternoons or nights.

The duration of a baby’s weeping depends on his/her temperament and the circumstances or cause of his/her cry ,but the experts call it " colic" when it lasts three or more hours a day, for three to four days a week, for a period of four or more weeks.

For the parents, colic can be a source of frustration and stress, especially because it is not clear, what the cause or cure might be (only the duration is known.

The best explanation apparently, is that the baby absorbs the experiences his/her new world and its day to day activities and arrives at a point in which his/her immature nervous system is overloaded. And due to the fact that the baby uses every nerve of his/her immature body during all this processes of assimilation, they tend to cry and feel pains, especially in the stomach, which is one part that works non-stop.

Luckily, as the baby grows and his/her nervous system matures, he/she will be able to develop more abilities to separate his/her mind from some things and be able to stay calm. However, until that moment, the family life can be difficult. What be done meanwhile?

How to calm a baby with colic

Here are some verified tactics that will help calm the baby:

- Movement: swing, rock, take your baby out for a walk, and make him/her dance in the arms of mother or papa. Apparently, the movement practically eliminates the restlessness. You can experiments with different types of movement, since all babies are different

- Sound: music (not heavy metal), songs, originating smooth noises of a fan or another mechanical device (vacuum cleaner) or white noise. can also help soothe babies.

- Touch: research has shown that carrying babies in a frontal knapsack or baby-carrier during the first hours of the day (when the baby is not crying), really will reduce to the duration of the night cry, but not to be done frequently.

Once the baby begins to cry, you can massage him/her smoothly at the back, caress his stomach exerting a slight pressure and wrap him/her in a blanket to help him stay calm.

What happens if it is not colic?

In many occasions, some components in the mother’s diet during the period of breast-feeding, might be altered or might change. It can help a lot if the mother diminishes her intake of caffeine or cabbages, spices or scented vegetables. See if these alleviate the problem. If the baby is bottle fed, you might change it, but don`t change his/her formula, without consulting the pediatrician. In addition, you should also be alert for any sign that the baby might be ill or has an injury; naturally, these also can make babies cry.

How to protect your child's skin from the sun

The major exposure age level of the skin to the sun takes place before the 20 years of age. Protecting the vulnerable skin of children helps to reduce the future risk of skin cancer.

Although children of white parents are more susceptible and have more probabilities of getting sunburnt, but nevertheless dark skinned children are not free from the risks. Most parents are not aware that sun burns in early childhood are one of the causes of skin cancers (malignant melanoma, carcinoma of basal cells, carcinoma of flaky cells.et Ce tra) and early signs of aging in adult age.

In general, it is advisable, to keep children, away from exposure to sun in the hours of greater intensity (between 11a.m and 4p.m on sunny days), when the sun’s intensity is at its highest, that is when 70% of the ultraviolet radiation take place.

Sun protecting Cream

- make sure kids are protected with a sunscreen or sun block, and one with a solar protection factor of at least 15(SPF 15). This means that the time for a sun burn to occur is reduced at least 15 times than when the child wasn’t wearing a sun protecting cream.

- It must be a cream with protection of ample phantom, which means blocks UVA rays as well as UVB rays. The lotions that blocks the more dangerous UVA rays with titanium dioxide leaves a white layer on the skin, but this does not bother the children. It’s advisable to avoid the lotions that contain PABA (p-amino benzoic acid). PABA produces frequent allergies, and stains the clothes in an indelible form.

- remember that you must apply the cream or lotion 30 minutes before exposure to the sun and, then, every two hours and after each bath (except if the product’s prospectus or guide says that it is water resistant).

T-shirt and hat

• Always cover to babies and younger children with a clothing e.g. t-shirts (made of cotton) and hats.

• encourage the kids to bathe with their t-shirts on: this also helps to reduce the sun’s penetration. The sport stores sell whole body bathing suits that also offer major protection.

-make sure the kids are dressed in cotton clothes, with bright colors ,because bright colors reflects the sun rays and help the child remain in the right temperature.

Parasol

-do not forget that the skins of new borns are extremely sensible. Until recently, the pediatricians recommended avoiding solar creams until the baby turned six months. Now, several studies have discarded injurious effects on babies, but it should only be used with care, that is, in small quantity. Even with them, the babies must always be protected from the sun.

• Always cover baby’s car with a parasol or make sure his/her hat is always on.

If, in spite of everything, the child get sun burnt:

• Apply a humid cloth in the burned area.

• If the child is above five years, apply congealed vegetable packages (always wrapped in a cloth, never apply directly) on the reddened zone.

• bicarbonate of soda diluted in water or aloe Vera cream helps refresh the skin and calms the burns.

• The creams with a small percentage of hydrocortisone (from 0.5% to 1%) reduce the pain and contribute to the healing process.

• If the child has about 10% of the body sun burnt, and has signs of dehydration (dry skin and lips, confusion, lethargy…), has blisters, fever or complains of pain, you have to call the doctor.

How to prevent accidents in the home

When they begin to crawl or to take their first steps, the house becomes a fascinating world that the children need to explore. Everything draws their attention: from the switch of the television and the controls of the washing machine to the handles of the drawers and the toilet seats. Discovering their surroundings is a prerogative for children; but these surely depend on a series of absolutely essential measures, since the home is the place where the majority of the infantile accidents occur.

Basic norms

- The plugs with earthen wares are safe-- In any case, it is necessary to cover them with plastic protectors. In the market there are models that make it difficult for children to unplug with ease.

- To eliminate the access to windows-- never put chairs or furniture too close to the window panes, because kids might climb on them and fall out of the windows. Better still, if it is possible, you can block their opening.

- In the balconies, the railings must be high and the distance between the bars very short.

- keep away the sewing and tool boxes out of children’s reach.

- protect the corners of the furniture especially and those of the crystal tables with quilted protectors

- Place nonskid underneath the carpets

- make sure that the toys are adapted for the age of the child and do not contain small pieces which they can swallow and choke on.

- To avoid that the children stick and injure their fingers with the doors, exist in the market, door protectors that prevents the door from closing completely.

- don’t leave small batteries, burners or matches in eyeshot of the children, or either small objects like coins or buttons which can be taken to the mouth.

- With plastic bags also it is necessary to take precautions. The small children can asphyxiate themselves if they put their head in them. Please keep away from their sight

- Dangerous products such as, medicines of all kinds, must be outside their reach, in closets, under lock and key.

- To try not to take medicines in front of children (they have the tendency to imitate adults) and in no occasion should you tell them it is sweets or candy, (for example, even when you want to convince them to take it when they are ill).

In the kitchen

- Never leave children alone in the kitchen when cooking or when the oven is ignited.

- The oven is better in a high place, if it is not then, it is necessary to avoid children coming close to it.

- why frying ,make sure that the handles of frying pans and casseroles always are facing inwards, so that they do not extend outwards ,that kids might pull at them and get burnt . In the market they exist in addition protective for kitchen fires.

- Sharp Knives, scissors and other utensils must be outside the reach of children

- The cleaning products (detergents, bleaches, chemicals and soaps) should be kept in a high closet instead of underneath the sink.

- In the market there are also protectors for refrigerators, to avoid easy opening by the children

- The door of the washing machine must always be closed when not in operation.

- The pressing iron, even when not connected, must always be outside the reach of the children

In the bath

- The falls or injuries here can be serious due to the hardness of the toilets and the ground. In order to avoid this, it is necessary to make sure that the ground is always dry.

- At the head of the bathtub it is necessary to always place a nonskid carpet

- make sure that the temperature of the bath water is always suitable

- Never leave children alone in the bath: it is possible for a child to get drowned in little water too. For greater security a special chair for bathtubs can be used in the tubs.

- Never leave hanging around the basins, razor blades, shaving sticks, cosmetics, scissors, etc

- The small electro domestics (hair dryer, hair,) should never be left connected after use and not even kept near the bathtub or the washbasin

- The toilet is another pole of attraction for the children, but also it can be a center of infections. In order to avoid them opening it you can install a simple safety clip which you can get in specialized stores.

- When the toilet is cleaned, it is necessary to avoid kids coming close to it. The cleaning products give off toxic steam, for that reason when finalizing it is necessary to flush again to clarify well.

- The bath is not the best place for the medicine kit due to the humidity, but if it is placed there, it must be inaccessible to kids and must be under lock.

In the garden

- If there is a swimming pool, never leave the children without monitoring them. In order to avoid accidents a security fence can be installed. It is necessary to be especially aware of the risks that involved in the water purifier, the filters and the falls near the curb

- The cork sleeves or bubbles are safer than the floaters for the children who do not know how to swim. With the floaters the child might turn face down and be submerged under water.

- Whenever the gardening tools are used, it is necessary to make sure you return them to a place that must be inaccessible to the children

- The insecticides; fertilizers, installments and the chlorine for the swimming pool must be stored in a safe place.

- It is necessary to consider that some plants are toxic and their fruits, mostly those with red colors, might be very poisonous.