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Does My Child Need a Vitamin Supplement?

November 22, 2018 by
Vitamin supplements

We all know that growing children need a range of different vitamins and minerals to keep them as healthy as possible. In an ideal world, this would be provided by feeding them the right foods. A balanced diet, where all the food groups are represented in the right quantities should provide more than enough nutrition for your youngster.

This is great news, except when you have a fussy eater or a child that follows a specialized diet. Your best course of action is to carefully consider what your child does eat and see whether or not there are essential vitamins missing.

You can watch them for the signs of deficiency as well. We recommend that you check out the infographic below, brought to you by medalerthelp.org, and use that to gauge whether or not your kids are showing signs of deficiency.

When You Should Supplement

If you and your family are vegans or vegetarians, you should be taking a vitamin B12 supplement at the very least. This is a vitamin that is only found in animal-based products so it could be lacking in a vegan diet.

Children that have a condition like celiac disease and who have to follow a limited diet, as a result, may also need a supplement.

If your little one is a fussy eater – and let’s be honest, all kids go through that phase, they may need extra help as well. This is also true if they tend to eat a lot of junk food, are on medications that interfere with the absorption of nutrients, etc.

When it comes to minerals, most of us are magnesium-deficient and should probably take a supplement to make sure we’re getting enough of this essential mineral. You can take a magnesium deficiency test online to determine if you should be taking it.

Supplements Are No Substitute for Healthy Eating

While supplements can help to provide vital nutrients, they should never become a replacement for good eating habits. Ensuring that your child eats foods as close to their natural state as possible, without a bunch of nasty additives, or without the food being processed to death is a great place to start.

It also pays to remember that there is such a thing as too much of a good thing here. Water-soluble vitamins, like vitamin B, will not cause problems if you are taking a higher dose. Any excess will simply be washed out.

Fat-soluble vitamins, like vitamin A, for example, are another matter entirely. These are stored in the liver and fat cells in the body, and so if your child is taking too much, there is a chance of these vitamins building up to toxic levels.

I’m Still Not Sure

That’s just fine – as parents, we’re only human. We can’t possibly know everything. We’d recommend talking the matter over with your child’s doctor. They can check for signs of deficiency for you, and also give you guidelines regarding diet.

If the doctor feels a supplement is necessary, they will be able to recommend a good one that works well for kids.

Infographic URL: https://medalerthelp.org/the-world-of-vitamins-infographic/




Top Tips for New Mums Going Back to Work

November 12, 2018 by

start own business

Are you a new mum thinking of returning back to work? Or maybe you have been out of the office for a few years now to raise children. No matter what your situation is, returning back to work as a new mum can be daunting and confusing, particularly if you are not returning back to the job that you were in previously. Here, we are taking you through some of our top tips for mums going back into the workforce.

Analyse Where You Are

Any mums give themselves a hard time for not having a professional career, however, it is important to remember that you have one of the most important jobs which is raising children. Although you are not being paid, it is still extremely hard work and a constant full-time job. It is important to analyse where you are before venturing back out into the working world. Take a look at what new skills being a mother has brought you. For most mums, this includes good time keeping to make sure children are at appointments on time, keeping track of playdates requires organisational skills, helping other mums is teamwork, while connecting with other mums is networking. All of these are transferable skills that will help you in any new job role.

Ease Yourself In

Going from being a full-time mum to a full-time job can be stressful, so while the children are out at school and you have a few hours free, why not start off by doing some volunteer work. This will help to start integrating you back into the working world, plus it looks great on your CV when you do start applying for jobs and is sure to make you stand out as a candidate amongst the rest of the crowd.

Think About Your Career Path

As a new mum, you may find that the work you once did is not as fulfilling to you anymore or it may even be that this type of role is no longer needed. Have a good think about the career path that you want to take and what your talents are. If you have a particular skill set, why not think about going solo and starting your own business?

You can set up your own office or inventory space from home if you have a spare room, or build a small metal building in your garden and work from here to start building your business. Having your own steel building would give you fantastic flexibility as you won’t have to pay anyone rent for your business, but it will provide you with the structure that you need to go to your own office for ‘work mode.’ It also means you can choose the hours that you work and be flexible with your time which is fantastic for those who need to be there for young children. If this is an option that you think would suit you, one of the most popular providers is Armstrong Steel who can give you custom pricing based on your requirements (which you can lock to ensure it doesn’t go up).

Be Honest

When you are going for job interviews, it is a good idea to be honest with your potential employers and let them know that you are a mum with young children. This will let the employer know that you are not going to be available at certain times, and if they are not open to this it isn’t the job for you anyway!




Adopting A Healthy Attitude To Teen Drug & Alcohol Use

November 6, 2018 by

It’s a tale as old as time: teenager comes home stoned; parent yells at teenager and punishes them; teenager strikes back by getting stoned more and more. As a parent, you know better than anyone else that teenagers are reactive. The more you tell them not to do something, the more they want to do it. In 2018, a more progressive approach can prevent this kind of escalation from occurring: tell your teen it’s normal to experiment with drugs and alcohol and that they need to make their own decisions, you might even share a tale from your own youth. Being open and honest goes a long way, and not having to be sneaky or ashamed will allow your teen to navigate these complicated choices without a shadow looming over them.

Teen drug

This honest approach may provide your teen with a healthier attitude to casual drug use and drinking at parties, but no matter how honest and open your relationship is, things can still go wrong. Teens who are new to drinking, susceptible to peer pressure and motivated to show off in front of their friends may do something stupid and hurt themselves or others to such an extent that you may end up looking to hire a criminal lawyer to defend them.

If you think only out-of-control problem teens get arrested, think again. Here are several plausible scenarios where an average, run-of-the-mill teen might get arrested:

Drinking & Not Driving – Drunk driving, of course, is a serious issue, but sometimes the police unfairly justify arresting teens who are just sleeping it off in their car by claiming that they had an intent to drive drunk. Warn your teen of this possibility.

Personal Use Vs. Dealing – In some states and provinces, teenagers carrying negligible quantities of drugs may be charged with intent to sell – often racial profiling can play into this, unfortunately. Also, another person may pressure your teen into “hanging on” to some drugs for them, which could land them in big trouble.

Memory Loss & Vandalism – If your teen is unaccustomed to drinking and consumes too much liquor, it could release a hidden trove of unconscious aggression. People do crazy things when they’re blackout drunk, and your teen may not even remember what happened in the morning – if their actions lead to criminal charges, one stupid mistake could jeopardize their future.

Consulting with an experienced, compassionate defence lawyer who is familiar with Crown Prosecution protocol is the best way to keep your teen’s life from going off the rails. If your teen is in legal trouble, book a consultation today.

Now that we’ve run down the frightening outcomes of alcohol and drug use, let’s look at healthy approaches for avoiding problematic behaviour:

A Continental Approach – Some might say that the Europeans have it figured out; many families on the continent allow their teens to have beer or wine with dinner from a young age if they choose. This more casual approach to drinking is more conducive to having a couple cocktails or glasses of wine with food or after a long day of work. Stigmatizing alcohol as if it were the forbidden fruit is a recipe for disaster.

Continental Approach

A Non-Judgmental Attitude – If you can be present and calm when your teen is telling you about difficult situations related to parties, romance, drugs and alcohol, they will confide in you increasingly. If you get upset and cry or yell, they will likely clam up and run to their bedroom. Contemporary wisdom recommends treating your teen as a fellow human being, rather than a child to be babysat; just listen carefully to them, and respond thoughtfully. These behaviors can happen to any teen, biological or not. But if you have a foster child, and are experiencing some of these behaviors, there are behavioral health services for children in foster care and their families. Don’t hesitate to reach out.

Hopefully, this post didn’t scare you too much, really, it’s all about cultivating a healthy atmosphere at home and doing your personal best no matter how difficult the situation.




6 Things To Do Now That You’re a Parent

November 1, 2018 by

Parent child relationship

If you recently had a baby, congratulations! It may seem scary, but there truly is no greater joy in the world. With that being said, in between diaper changes, feedings, and not sleeping, you need to do your part to become a parent. This means making smarter decisions for you and your family, being more prepared for the future, and just doing the best you can. However, everyone knows that life sure was different before kids, so here are the six things you need to do now that you’re a parent.

  1. De-clutter.

Your home is supposed to be a safe space, and you may enjoy the way things are, how you decorated, or your random collection of goods. But now that you’re a parent, it’s time to de-clutter your home and make room for all the new kid-related stuff you’re going to acquire over the years. Make room in your garage when you sell your damaged car, donate your unused tools, or just purge items that have accumulated over the years. Do the same inside your home. Go through attics, basements, closets, and all other storage areas until your home is free of the items you no longer need.

  1. Be financially responsible.

If you were living by the seat of your pants before your baby was born, now it’s time to reign in on the spending. Create a budget that works for you and your family and stick to it. The cost of a child will not only add to your expenses, but you’ll likely want to put some of that money away for a rainy day. Plus, think about all the things you have coming up, such as birthday parties, college tuition, weddings…and these will all cost you money that you should plan for today.

  1. Plan for the future.

The future may seem like a long way away, but you have someone depending on you now, so it’s important you stop thinking the future won’t make its way into your life. Instead, now is the time to start planning for the future. Does this mean you need to draft or edit a will? Does it mean you need to start a savings account? Does it mean you need to drop a bad habit? It could be all of these things and then some. The real decision will come from you and how you decide you want to spend your future and provide for your child’s future. Knowing what you want then will help you decide what you need to do today.

  1. Pay attention to where you live.

Your home now may have been perfect for you before having a child, but maybe it’s not the right place now. After your child is born, it’s very important that you pay attention to where you live. Is it a safe neighborhood? How are the schools? Is there anything you absolutely love or absolutely dislike about it? Is there enough room? Can you afford to move? All of these questions need to be answered in the best possible way so you can ensure your current residence is the best place for you to raise a child. If you have any doubts, then you may want to consider finding a new place to call home.

  1. Love unconditionally.

Although this one may come easily, it’s still very important for you to love unconditionally and put yourself second with the decisions you make. Your child is depending on you to be raised the right way, to be kept healthy, and to learn and grow, so that means you need to give them all the support they can handle. Keep in mind that both you and your child are going to make mistakes on this long journey, but loving unconditionally will help you get through any challenging times that may arise.

  1. Remember to be yourself.

Having your first child will be a big change, but that doesn’t mean you should forget who you were before your child was born. Be sure you still see your friends, indulge in hobbies, and take date nights with your significant other. If you remember to be yourself, you’ll be happier and less stressed, and this will all have a positive impact on your child.

Being a parent is the toughest job you can have, but making certain changes and adjustments can help to make the situation easier on everyone. Just remember there is no instruction manual, and you’re probably doing a great job anyway.




The Digitalisation of the NHS

October 30, 2018 by

online consultation

The NHS (National Health Service) is the public health service for those within the United Kingdom. While many believe that they are using it for free, it’s funded by the taxpayer. Still, in any given emergency, the sick and wounded are guaranteed medical attention, whether it’s through a refined bed management system or the bedside manner of a doctor or nurse. In the end, despite the few faults it has, the NHS is a point of pride in the UK.

In their quest to help and heal, the NHS has slowly been going digital in their operations to boost their efficiency. Consequently, let’s look at what changes they’re making.

Hospital Bed Management System

Anything that improves patient care is a big plus. Of course, it used to be that everything was documented on paper; patient data, diagnosis, bed availability, staff information, and any other administrative information. When it’s all getting scattered over receptionist desks, left behind in wards five floors away, or stored with a hundred other files in a filing cabinet, it can hinder productivity and efficiency.

Consequently, the NHS has now gone digital and implemented a bed management system. It partly uses automation to improve staff administration time and refine patient care. Moreover, it also provides real time data through the staff member’s screen, giving them updates on the patient’s wellbeing or even the availability of beds in their ward. Ultimately, boosting patient care in this way refines the service the NHS provides, and allows them to deal with patients in a timely manner.

GP and Patient Relations

Healthcare in the UK typically begins with the GP (General Practitioner), unless they’re bypassed for a trip to A&E (Accident and Emergency). Poorly people will sit in the waiting room as they wait to see their GP, a doctor who will refer them on to specialist treatment or prescribe them medication then and there. It’s straightforward, but often the process of getting seen is bogged down.

However, the NHS is now implementing different digital processes to make seeing a GP a far faster event. For example, they’re introducing online consultations, allowing patients to have lengthier discussions with their family doctor. Moreover, the NHS are linking up their IT systems at reception to streamline patient data into an organised algorithm. Managing appointments for administration staff has just become far easier and will likely reduce the waiting times patients must endure before they secure treatment.

Electronic Referral Service

Patients are being managed effectively via other digital means too. The NHS’ Electronic Referral Service was first put into action in 2015, helping patients have a degree of control over the appointments they sign up for. Of course, there’s a degree of comfort in partially customising the healthcare one receives, and it boosts understanding between the medical experts and the patient.

The e-referral service allows patients to check appointment details, and both change and cancel appointments. Sometimes, they can also choose between different hospitals and clinics for their treatment too, and it can all be done online from the comfort of their own home. They can also choose private medical care if they provide services to the NHS. In the end, this level of choice can make people feel more in control of the medical battles they’re fighting.




Things New Moms Should Be Prepared For

October 23, 2018 by

newborn

It might seem like 9 months is a long time and you will have to wait forever before the baby comes, but trust me you will get the new baby before you know it. Meanwhile, the best way to utilize those 9 months is to be prepared for the baby. Think ahead about what you need to be ready for. I am here to provide you with tips on what new moms should be prepared for.

6 Things New Moms Should Be Prepared for:

  1. Trust Your Instincts: You should realize that it is your baby and you carried him for 9 months and that you two are connected. Trusting your instinct. I mean do not to look up every single thing in google. Google might often confuse you when it comes to these things. If Google says you need to feed the baby every 3 hours and your baby starts crying after 2 hours then screw Google. If you think your baby is hungry, then feed him. No need to trust Google on everything.
  2. Learn the signals: It will take your baby at least a year to start speaking a bit, but what should you do before that? Learn some common cues that the baby does. The baby will not simply start crying all of a sudden, it will start to suck fingers, reach out with arms and legs etc. Look out for these cues and when you see them, start feeding him/her before the screaming or crying starts.
  3. Learn to use the time: As per research, a newborn baby sleeps almost about 16 to 17 hours a day. Use that time to get yourself some sleep. Most common problem with new moms is the lack of sleep. They always complain about not getting enough sleep. What you should do is sleep along with the baby and not clean room or do any other chores. Get your 8-9 hours’ sleep every day when the baby sleeps. It is not essential for the baby to sleep all night, he might wake up 4 hours before the sunrise, so the best way to deal with sleep is to sleep when the baby is asleep.
  4. Home for the baby: Most of the new moms do not have big enough homes to raise their babies. You will need to give him a separate room. As the baby starts to grow, more privacy will be required. The best thing to do here is to either extend your house and make it bigger or buy a new house. Now, you do not need to worry too much when it comes to buying a new house with not so good credit history or with a little money. You can easily get a bad credit mortgage loan if you want to. There are a lot of online mortgage lenders that can help new parents such as LendingTree, CitiMortgage, Navy Federal etc.
  5. Pediatrician: You need to start looking for a good family doctor for the baby. A good pediatrician is really essential for the time when the baby is growing. The best time to look for a good pediatrician is during the pregnancy. Take help from your partner and both go out and look for the best doctor out there during the pregnancy period.
  6. Divide The chores: Sit with your partner and talk about the chores before the baby comes. You will not be able to do all the household chores alone after the baby arrives. You will need help from your partner. Make a list of all the household works and decide who gets to do what.

Conclusion:

Raising a baby can be really tough at first, but planning ahead can make things a lot easier. Read more and more books during the pregnancy and ask for advice from other veteran mothers. Good luck!




Advantages of Being A Housewife

October 19, 2018 by

housewife

The family is the most basic unit and building block of our society. According to statistics in 2017, there are around 82.18 million families in the US. A typical American family usually consists of around 3 people unless you have an extended family member living under the same roof, then it may include grandparents, aunts, uncles, and other relatives.

A family whether bonded by consanguinity, affinity, or residence is usually composed of a father, mother, and child. Each of these family positions bears responsibility and importance. Today, we will talk about the importance of mothers, especially stay-at-home moms.

Around 79% of mothers have proper employment, or what we call working moms, while about 29 percent prefers to stay at home. These women choose probably the most important task a person can have, taking care of loved ones. Here are some advantages of being a housewife.

Happy Marriage

Being a stay-at-home mother can help develop and progress your marriage and overall relationship with your husband. Apart from the “power” you have unsolicitedly given him the moment you take his last name, your husband also has the right to be served by you. As a housewife, you take care of the kids, the house, and of course your husband. You attend to all his needs and that gives you a position to be valued.

If you just started to become a housewife, gradually you will notice how dependent your kids, and most especially your husband, will be to you. This puts you in the position of authority at home. In the morning, he will always ask you for his coffee made with love or to be served with dinner with a kiss on the head. You will understand these words when he asks you for something, not because it’s a favor, but because everything you do, he knows, feels extra special.

Better Home Economics

When both parents are working, it obviously results to more income for the household, but in return it also requires less family time and more expenses. Child care can be very expensive. Gas money, when both are using respective cars, can be huge. Work clothing is an additional expense. All these combined does not appear to be sound economics.

Being a housewife allows you to have minimal expenses for yourself and budget your husband’s money more precisely. Without traditional employment, you are relieved of the financial stresses of transportation and other related costs . It prevents any financial crises like debt because you can focus on safeguarding your family’s needs and money.

The Pleasure of Seeing The Kids Grow Up

If you are scared of the time when your kids will leave your house to be independent individuals, then you better opt to be a housewife. Being a stay-at-home mom will give you the opportunity to cherish every moment of your kid’s childhood, and never miss your kid’s milestones. You will be in every picture of your child’s precious memories. Memories that will one day become their foundation for individuality, characteristics, and values.

You will be given the chance and honor to mold the person they will become someday. It’s not like you can go back in time when you feel like you missed out on their important moments in life. No time machine can compare to the time and devotion a mother can offer to their kids.

More Freedom

When you are a housewife, you are free from any restrictions brought by a profession, career, or work position. Your house is your own corporation. You run it, improve it, and expand it if you must. As a stay-at-home mom you can have more time for your family, friends, and yourself. You can indulge on home skills you always wanted to learn.

Maybe you have been meaning to learn how to bake a cookie, create a Spanish paella, or make your very own food recipe. All this and more you can do when you choose to be a stay at home mom. You just need to know what to prioritize and learn proper time management.




How to Ensure Your Kids Arrive Home Safe

October 19, 2018 by

kids room

From the moment our children are born we are trying to keep them safe. We build a safe nursery, baby proof the entire home, background check the babysitters and more. Parents do the best they can, but eventually the time will come when they are out of our hands. They eventually have to go to school, spend time with friends, and then get a job. One thing you can continue to do as a parent however is helping to ensure that they come back home safely. Here are just a few ways you can do this.

Confirm Pickup Times

As your kids get older, they will start to have more activities outside the house – after school clubs, sports teams, music lessons, etc. Each one of these will likely require both a ride there and a ride back. However, we parents also have busy schedules, and sometimes the times can get a little mixed up.

That’s why it’s important to make sure you’ve confirmed what time your child needs to be picked up and at what location. You don’t want your kid waiting around in an empty parking lot because you thought you had another thirty minutes before you needed to go get them. In most of these situations there will be other adults around who won’t leave your kid there alone, but it’s still good practice to confirm pickup times when you drop them off.

Have Them Check in With You

Eventually your child will get to the age where you can leave them home by themselves. They no longer need to go to a babysitter after school, but can instead head straight home. If both parents are working, this means you won’t be there to see that your kid arrived home safely.

To fix this, make sure your child always checks in with you. They should give you a call as soon as they get home to let you know they arrived safely. Let them know that if they are unable to do this, their home alone privileges will have to be revoked. Here are some additional tips for letting your kid stay home alone.

Keep in Touch with Other Parents

For many activities your child will be with other kids their age. This means that their parents will also be picking up and dropping off their kids as well. It’s a good idea to become friendly with these parents and to keep in touch with them. If you do so, you can then set up a carpool, so that each parent doesn’t have to worry about driving their kid.

When you set up a carpool however, it’s a good idea to double check with the other parents so that everyone knows who is responsible for pickup that day. Make sure you are forming the carpool with parents that you trust, so that you can rest easy knowing they will get your child home safely.

Teach Your Kids Good Driving Habits

Once your kids get to a certain age they will start driving themselves around. You won’t have to worry about picking up them up at a certain time any more, but instead will have some new worries. Are they driving safe? Is their car reliable? Are they following the rules of the road?

While you can’t police every action your kids take while driving, you can at least instill some good habits. Talk to them about the importance of following the speed limit, buckling up, and keeping their phone away. If you catch them doing anything dangerous while they drive, don’t be afraid to take their keys away for a week. Instilling good driving habits will help to keep your kids safe while on the road and that they get home in one piece.

Tell Them When Not to Drive

Finally, sometimes the most important thing you can do is make sure your kids don’t get home. There are cases where it’s best that your kids just stay where they are and come home another time. For example, maybe the weather turned bad while they were out, and the roads are no longer safe to drive. Or maybe they had a few drinks at a party. While you may not be happy about this behavior, you would still rather them be safe then lie to you about it.

Encourage them to stay where they are or find another way home if necessary. Offer to come pick them up, or have them get a ride from a sober friend. You could even have them sign up for a rideshare app like Uber, if this is their only option. While there are some problems with apps like Uber (which you can read about from this Uber accident lawyer), it’s likely a better alternative than driving home under the influence.

Getting Your Kids Home Safe

There’s a lot that you can do to protect your kids at home, but not as much when they are out in the world. The best thing you can do is make sure they get back safe, and that they are practicing safe habits. Hopefully this article was able to give you some ideas and your kids will always find their way back home safe and sound.




How to Help Your Kids Overcome Dental Anxiety

October 14, 2018 by

dental pain

If dental anxiety is popular in adults, it’s even more common in children who don’t always know what’s happening or why they’re being poked and prodded. As a parent, you can help make dental visits more comfortable for your children by proactively addressing their fears and reservations.

Understanding Dental Anxiety

Dental anxiety is overwhelmingly frequent in children. According to one study, some level of dental anxiety was found to be present in 74.1 percent of children. Roughly 36 percent of children have moderate anxiety, 17 percent have a high level of anxiety, and more than 20 percent have severe anxiety. The study shows that the gender of the child has no significant bearing on the presence or severity of anxiety.

“Dental fear is a normal emotional reaction to one or more specific threatening stimuli within the dental situation, while [dental anxiety] denotes a state of apprehension that something dreadful will happen in relation to dental treatment, coupled with a sense of losing control,” a separate study on the topic explains. “Dental phobia represents a severe type of [dental anxiety] and is characterized by marked and persistent anxiety in relation either to clearly discernible situations/objects (e.g., drilling, injections) or to dental situations in general.”

4 Ways to Help Kids Deal With Dental Anxiety

As a parent, you want to address dental fear before it becomes dental anxiety, though this isn’t always possible. At the very least, you should do your best to prevent dental anxiety from progressing into full-blown dental phobia.

Here are some ways you can help your children fight against this:

  1. Practice Good Oral Care at Home

The best thing you can do for your child is to practice good oral hygiene with them at home. This is true for two reasons: (1) It reduces the likelihood that they’ll have dental issues – such as cavities, gum disease, or other problems that create the need for painful or invasive dental procedures. (2) The more a child grows accustomed to brushing teeth, flossing, and having their mouth/teeth poked and prodded, the less alarming it will be in a dental office.

  1. Choose the Right Dentist

The right dentist makes all the difference in the world. This is true for adults, but especially for children who need to feel safe.

“A great dental practice will want to do everything they can to make you feel comfortable during your dental visit,” Capstone Clintonville Dentist explains. “This includes being empathetic to your fears, using modern dental technologies to reduce drilling sounds, and providing you with safe anesthetic options to eliminate or significantly reduce pain.”

If you can choose the same dentist for yourself and your children, this is best. It further enhances the overall comfort level.

  1. Take Children Regularly

If you only take your child to the dentist once every couple of years, it’s going to be harder for them to get comfortable with the experience. If, however, they go every six months for a teeth cleaning, it becomes part of their regular, anticipated routine.

  1. Try Systematic Desensitization

A recent study of children ages five to 17 (with moderate dental anxiety) asked participants to look at photographs for a few minutes in the waiting room before being seen as patients. The photographs included positive images of dentistry and dental treatment procedures (as well as some neutral images that served as the control).

“The study concluded that viewing positive images of dentistry and dentists did result in short-term reductions in anticipatory anxiety in children, signifying that exposure is a successful intervention tool for children with dental anxiety,” counselor Emily Powell Bass writes. “If this visual exposure technique is used, it would be important to ensure that all materials are age appropriate.”

Whether formally or informally, the more you can desensitize children to the elements of dentistry that they fear, the less anxiety they should feel in the long run. The efficacy of this approach will depend on how much anxiety is already present and what the child’s past experiences have been.

Make Regular Dental Care a Priority

When it’s an emotional experience for everyone involved, it’s easy to stop taking your child to the dentist. You may figure it’s not worth it, so you fail to schedule their next teeth cleaning appointment. But before you know it, one missed visit will turn into two, which will turn into four, five, and six. And when it’s all said and done, you’re doing your child a disservice by ignoring the underlying issue and setting them up for bad oral hygiene in the future.

Your child isn’t alone in dealing with dental anxiety. You need to do something about it before it has adverse effects in other areas. Visit the right dentist – one who understands and acknowledges dental anxiety in children – and teach your child to face their fears.




Memory Loss Issues after Baby Birth

October 3, 2018 by

memory loss

Source

Childbirth is undoubtedly a life changing experience. It shifts your perspective on life and forces you to reset your priorities.  Having a tiny person who totally depends on you is a huge responsibility, and you might find yourself overwhelmed by the fear of failure. Not only that, the sudden drop of hormones accompanied by the social and psychological pressures tends to stress out mommies beyond their limits.Consequently, a common condition noted among mothers is the decline of cognitive functioning which is also known as “the mommy’s brain”.

With the new status of motherhood, you feel like a completely different person. There are instances where you enter into a room and completely forget why you were there although there are pills that help memory recall. Sometimes, you are at a loss of words while having a normal conversation. Indeed, such moments are depressing, but there is nothing to be ashamed of. You have recently entered into a new phase, and your mind needs to readjust. Studies reveal that two-thirds of women face some degree of memory loss or confusion during pregnancy period or after childbirth. This sharp memory lapse is mainly due to sleep deprivation, mundane multi-tasking and the burden of keeping everything normal at both work and home.

Research also tells us that a mothers’ brain shrinks during pregnancy and for up to two years postpartum. It might seem unreal, but that’s true. The gray matter, which is the outer layer of the brain, reduces in size after pregnancy. This portion of the brain executes the function of social cognition. By the reduction of this area, the brain erases less significant neural information and makes space for the new demands of social connection. The term coined for this trimming is “synaptic pruning”. It enables the mother to develop a deep connection with her baby and enhances the maternal bonding among them.

This explanation makes it quite clear that mommy’s brain is an unavoidable phenomenon. So, take some time to process the change within you, embrace it and hold your head up high. You are not doing a bad job; the memory loss at this point isjust natural. Thankfully, following some pretty simple ways will allow you to deal with this phase and be a pro at all that you do. Here is a brief list of steps that can help you overcome the forgetfulness and brain fog that tags along with motherhood:

Establish a routine for yourself and baby

Baby routine

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Generally, sleep deprivation hampers the ability to think, process and retain information. Dementia test reveal how irregular sleeping patterns and lack of sleep can cause a cognitive malfunction. While in the case of mothers, a properly established sleep cycle is essential to keep the baby healthy and your brain at peace.

If you want your baby to sleep through the night, it is really important to keep them awake for longer hours during the day. Set up a feeding schedule and make sure their tummies are full during that time. Also, make sure they stay up for a certain time before going to sleep. Many mothers may question this theory stating that this might obstruct the baby’s overall growth. It is a false statement. If a baby sleeps overnight and takes short nap times during the day, they are more probable to grow well as compared to the ones who frequently wake up during the night for feeding.Eventually, your baby gets used to the schedule and will maintain that for years to come.

While the baby sleeps, you can get done with the remaining chores and make up for the missed hours of sleep. It will certainly leave you fresh, calm and ready to deal with the challenges of the next day.

Stick to a healthy diet

Healthy diet

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There is an ongoing hormonal fluctuation in your body, and the recent transition into motherhood is already taking a toll on your mind. Given such conditions, the best way to get back to normal is through diet and exercise. Thus, enrich your diet with foods that are good for your brain. A few such nutrients include whole grains, fish, nuts, spinach, avocado, berries and red meat.Besides that, make sure you drink lots of water to retain adequate levels of hydration within your body. Dehydration, in general, leads to exhaustion and triggers short-term memory problems.

Regular exercise is a must

exercise

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A multitude of research and examinations reveal that exercise limits the memory loss and curbs away all cognitive problems. Brain tests for dementia, for instance, prove how people who indulge in regular exercise are more resistant to brain problems in contrast to the ones who follow a sedentary lifestyle for prolonged periods. Therefore, physical activity does wonders for your brain.

It is especially needed for mommies to work out regularly as along with their mind their bodies also need to heal. Ideally, you must focus on the exercises that will strengthen your pelvic and abdominal muscles as they become quite weak after carrying the baby within for nine months.

The bottom line is that regular exercise is beneficial for your brain as well as your body.

 Get organized

organisedThe most useful practice during this phase of mommy’s brain is to make a list of important things to-do and take notes. At the beginning of each week, jot down all the upcoming tasks, appointments and other events in a notebook or an electronic planner. Next, make a habit of carrying the planner around or keep it at an easily accessible place. You are certainly going to be distracted on a few days, so better not let the haze overwhelm you. Hence, a to-do list is the best solution as it makes you stay at the top of your game throughout the week.

There is no way you can fight back the biological factors that cause memory loss in the first place, but that doesn’t mean you have no power at all. If you are ready to restructure your lifestyle, give up a few unhygienic habits and adopt healthier ones, you are soon going to get past this phase.

A little effort on your part saves you from a lot of hassle later on and allows you to rejoice every moment with your precious little angel.

ABOUT Alycia Gordan

AlyciaAlycia Gordan is a freelance writer who loves to read and write articles on healthcare technology, fitness and lifestyle. She is a tech junkie and divides her time between travel and writing. You can find her on Twitter: @meetalycia




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