స్వార్థం తగదు!-kids story

అనగనగా ఓ అడవి. ఆ ఆడవిలో ఓ కుందేలు, నక్క, మొసలి ఎంతో స్నేహంగా ఉండేవి. భోజన సమయానికి వేటి దారి అవి చూసుకునేవి. ఇలా చాలారోజులుగా స్నేహంగా ఉంటున్నాయి.     ఒకరోజు పిచ్చాపాటీ మాటల సందర్భంలో కుందేలు ఒక వింత ప్రతిపాదన చేసింది. మనం సమయంవృథా చేస్తున్నాం. మనకంటే చిన్న జంతువులు, బలహీన జంతువులను భయపెట్టేకంటే వాటికి కొద్దిగా ఆహారం తెచ్చిపెట్టడం మంచిది అంది కుందేలు. ఎంతో ఆలోచించి నక్క కూడా, ఇది మంచి ఆలోచనే అని అంగీకరించింది. వెంటనే మొసలి, తాను చేపలు పట్టి తెస్తానంది. నక్క తనకు తోచింది తేవాలనుకుంది. కుందేలు... తాను చిన్న జంతువు కనుక ఏమీ తేలేననుకుంది. మర్నాడు... చేపలు తెచ్చి చెట్టుకింద పడేసింది మొసలి. నక్క దొంగతనంగా ఓ మామిడిపండు తెచ్చింది. తాను ఏదో ఒకటి తేవాలని గడ్డిమొక్కల్లో అక్కడా ఇక్కడా తిరిగి కుందేలు ఏమీ తేలేకపోయింది. ‘‘నేనేమీ తేలేకపోయాను కనుక నేనే ఆహారం అవుతాను’’ అంది కుందేలు. మొసలి ఆశ్చర్యపోయింది. నక్క సంతోషించింది. పైన దేవుడు మరీ ఆశ్చర్యపోయాడు. అంతలో ఒక సన్యాసి అటుగా వచ్చి, కుందేలు బాధపడటం చూశాడు. దగ్గరకు వెళ్లి ‘‘నువ్వు చాలా పెద్ద మనసున్నదానివి. నీ త్యాగం ఊరికినేపోదు. నాకు బాగా ఆకలిగా ఉంది. ఏదైనా పెడతావా!’’ అని అడిగాడు. కుందేలు వెంటనే చెట్టు ఎక్కి కింద ఉన్న పెద్ద బండరాయి మీద పడింది. ప్రాణాలు పోలేదు కానీ కాలికి దెబ్బతగిలింది. మొసలి బాధపడింది. నక్క నవ్వుకుంది. సన్యాసి తన వస్త్రం నుంచి చిన్నముక్కను చింపి కుందేలు కాలికి కట్టుకట్టాడు. ఇంకెపుడూ ప్రాణత్యాగానికి సాహసించవద్దని దాన్ని ముద్దాడి వెళ్లిపోయాడు.

ప్రేమతో చేయాలి-kids story

ఒకరోజు ఒక నక్క ఊరంతా తిరుగుతూ ఒక రైతు పొలంలోకి వచ్చింది. తినడానికి ఏదైనా దొరుకుతుందేమోనని అటు ఇటు చూసింది. అక్కడ నూర్పిన ధాన్యం కుప్పగా పోసి ఉంది. అయితే నక్క వాటిని తినదు గనుక ఇంకేదైనా దొరుకుతుందేమోనని తిరుగుతోంది. ఇంతలో ఒక గుర్రం అటువైపు వచ్చింది. నక్క దానితో స్నేహం చేయాలని భావించింది. గుర్రం తన దగ్గరకు రాగానే ‘‘మిత్రమా! రా! నీలాంటి వారి కోసమే ఎదురు చూస్తున్నాను. ఈ ధాన్యాన్ని నేను కనీసం ఎంగిలి కూడా చేయలేదు. నీకే వదిలేస్తున్నాను. హాయిగా తిను. నువ్వు తింటూంటే చూసి ఆనందిస్తాను’’ అంది. దాని అతి వినయానికి గుర్రం చిన్నగా నవ్వి, ‘మిత్రమా! ఈ ధాన్యాన్ని నువ్వు తినలేవు. అందుకే నాకు ఇస్తున్నావు. ఒకవేళ ఇది నువ్వు తినే ఆహారమైతే నాకు వదిలేదానివే కాదు. మనకు అవసరం లేనిది దానం చేయడంలో త్యాగం లేదు’ అంది గుర్రం. నిజం బయటపడడంతో సిగ్గుతో తల వంచుకుని వెళ్ళిపోయింది నక్క.

తుమ్ము వస్తే..!

మన ముక్కులో సున్నితమైన మ్యూకస్ పొర ఉంటుంది. దాని మీద ధూళికణాలు వచ్చి చేరితే వాటిని బయటికి పంపే ప్రయత్నంగా వచ్చేదే తుమ్ము. ధూళికణాలు చేరినపుడు దానికి సంబంధించిన సమాచారం వెంటనే మెదడుకు అందుకుని స్పందిస్తుంది. తర్వాత మన శ్వాస్రకియను ప్రేరేపిస్తుంది. మెదడు ఆదేశాలకు అనుగుణంగా ఊపిరితిత్తులు కొన్ని సెకన్లు బిగుసుకుపోతాయి. ఆ తర్వాత తీవ్రమైన ఒత్తిడితో వాటిలోని గాలి ఒక్కసారిగా బయటకు వస్తుంది. ఇలా ఊపిరితిత్తుల నుంచి ఉన్నపళంగా వేగంగా గాలి బయటకు రావడంతో ఒక ప్రత్యేకమై శబ్దం కూడా వస్తుంది. దీన్నే మనం తుమ్ము అంటాం. దీనివల్ల మ్యూకస్‌పై పేరుకున్న వ్యర్థపదార్థాలు కూడా బయటపడతాయి. గట్టిగా తుమ్మినపుడు సుమారు 5వేల నీటి బిందువులు కూడా బయటకు చిమ్ముతాయి. తుమ్మేటపుడు చెయ్యి అడ్డుపెట్టుకోమంటారు. లేకుంటే రోగ క్రిములు వ్యాపించే అవకాశం ఉంది.

పిల్లి - స్నేహితులు-kids story

ఒకసారి ఒక పిల్లి తాను ఏదైనా పెద్ద జంతువుతో స్నేహంగా ఉండాలి, అప్పుడే రక్షణ ఉంటుందని భావించింది. అనుకున్నదే తడవుగా దగ్గర్లోని సింహం గుహకి వెళ్లి తన అభిప్రాయం చెప్పింది. సింహం అందుకు అంగీకరించింది. ఆ రెండూ ఎంతో స్నేహంగా ఉండేవి. ఒకరోజు అలా షికారుగా అడవిలో తిరుగుతుంటే ఓ పెద్ద ఏనుగు ఎదురైంది. పిల్లి భయపడి చెట్టెక్కింది. సింహం దానితో తలపడలేక అక్కడి నుండి పారిపోయింది. వెంటనే పిల్లి కిందికి దిగి ‘నువ్వే అందరికంటే బలమైనవాడివి. నీతోనే ఉంటాను’ అంది. ఏనుగు సరేనంది. వారిద్దరూ చాలారోజులు ఎంతో స్నేహంగా ఉన్నారు. ఒకరోజు అలా తిరగుతుండగా ఒక వేటగాడు కనిపించాడు. ఏనుగు వేటగాడిని చూసి భయపడింది. అతడు బాణం ఎక్కుపెట్టగానే అడవిలోకి పారిపోయింది. ‘అయ్యో’ అనుకున్న పిల్లి పరుగున ఆ వేటగాడి దగ్గరకు వెళ్లింది. ‘ఈ లోకంలో నీకంటే బలవంతుడు లేడు. నీతోనే స్నేహం చేస్తాను’ అంది. వాడు అంగీకరించాడు. వెంటనే పిల్లిని తన ఇంటికి రమ్మని ఆహ్వానించాడు. ఇద్దరూ కలిసి వేటగాని ఇంటికి వెళ్లారు. వేటగాడు ఇంటికి వెళ్లగానే అతని భార్య బాణం తీసుకుని లోపలికి వెళ్లింది. కానీ వేటగాడేమీ అనలేదు. ఆమె తిన్నగా వంటింట్లోకి వెళ్లింది. అది చూసి, ఈమె అందరికంటే శక్తిమంతురాలు అనుకుంది. వెంటనే ఆమెను అనుసరించింది. అప్పట్నుంచి పిల్లులు వంటిల్లు పట్టుకుని వదలడం లేదని చమత్కారంగా చెబుతారు.

ధ్యానం/యోగం

ఏకాగ్రత అంటే జ్ఞానసముపార్జన. అది విచక్షణాజ్ఞానం, విషయపరిశీలన, సంకల్పం, అహంకారశూన్యత... వీటి వల్ల ఏర్పడుతుంది. అంటే సమాధిస్థితికి చేరడం సాధ్యమవుతుందన్నమాట. సమాధిస్థితిని సంప్రాజ్ఞత, అసంప్రాజ్ఞతలుగా వర్గీకరిస్తారు. సమాధి స్థితిలో ఉండటమంటే.... విషయవాంఛలను జయించే శక్తి సంపాదించడమన్నమాట. దీనిని ‘సవితర్క’ అంటారు. ఒకే అంశం మీద మనసు పదేపదే లగ్నమవుతూ, విషయవాంఛల గురించిన ఆలోచన లేకపోవడమే ఈ స్థితి.

ధ్యానం చేయడానికి రెండు సాధనాలు ఉంటాయి. ప్రకృతికి సంబంధించినవి, పురుషార్థాలకు సంబంధించినవి. మళ్లీ ఇది రెండు రకాలు. అందులో ఒకటి... పరధ్యానమనే పురుషార్థానికి సంబంధించినది. మనసు... విషయవాంఛలను పరిశీలిస్తూ, దాని ఆద్యంతాల గురించి ఆలోచిస్తే, అది కూడా సవితర్కమే. అయితే దాని గురించి వివరించడానికి ఎంతో పరిజ్ఞానం ఉండాలి.

యోగాకి సంబంధించిన విషయాలు తెలుసుకోవాలంటే, సాంఖ్య తత్త్వాన్ని అర్థం చేసుకోవాలి. అహంకారానికి, కోరికకు, మనసుకు సంబంధించిన ఆధారాన్ని ‘చిత్త’ అంటారు. అంటే మనసు... ఒక అంశం గురించి లోతుగా ఆలోచించడమన్నమాట.

మెదడు విషయవాంఛలను లోపలకు తీసుకుని, దానిని ఆలోచనగా బయటకు వ్యక్తపరిచే శక్తి కలిగి ఉంటుంది. ఈ శక్తి, మెదడు ఒకే చోట ఉంటే దానిని అవ్యక్తం అంటారు. అంటే సృష్టికి ముందుగా జరిగిన అంశాలను, యుగాంతం తరవాత సంభవించే పరిణామాలను వ్యక్తపరచలేని భావమన్నమాట. జీవితంలో ఆనందం పొందిన తరవాత లభించే ప్రాపంచిక అన్వేషణ, తాత్కాలిక ఆనందం కోసం చేసిన అన్వేషణ నిరుపయోగం. వీటి నుంచి దూరమైనప్పుడు మనిషి శాశ్వత ఆనందం పొందగలుగుతాడు.

పతంజలి మహర్షి... శాస్త్రానికి సంబంధించిన సాధ్యాసాధ్యాలను చర్చిస్తూ, మనలను మంచిమార్గంలో నడిపిస్తాడు. తెలివితేటలు అనే శక్తి మన అధీనంలోకి వచ్చినప్పుడు మానవుడు ధ్యానసాధన చేస్తూ, విషయవాంఛలను జయించే శక్తిని సాధించగలుగుతాడు. ఆ విధమైన ధ్యానసాధన చేయడాన్ని సవితర్క అంటారు. తర్కం అంటే ప్రశ్నించడం. సవితర్కం అంటే ‘ప్రశ్నతో’ అని అర్థం. వివిధ అంశాలను ప్రశ్నిస్తూన్నప్పుడు అందులోని వాస్తవాలు వెలుగులోకి వస్తాయి.

ధ్యానం చేసేవారు... సమయం, శూన్యతల గురించి ఆలోచిస్తూంటే, దానిని నిర్వితర్క అంటారు. అంటే ‘ప్రశ్నించకపోవటం’ అన్నమాట. ధ్యానం స్థాయి మరోమెట్టు ఎక్కితే, అప్పుడు కాలం గురించి, శూన్యం గురించి ఆలోచిస్తారు. దానిని సవిచార అంటారు. అంటే విచక్షణతో ధ్యానం చేయడమన్నమాట. అది కాల, శూన్యతలకు అతీతంగా ఉంటుంది. అతీత శక్తుల గురించి ఆలోచన చేయిస్తుంది. దీనినే నిర్విచారం అంటారు. అంటే ఏ తర్కం లేకుండా ఆలోచించడమన్నమాట. ఆ తరువాత స్థితి విషయవాంఛలను విడిచిపెట్టడం. ఆ స్థితిలో ధ్యానస్థితి అంతర్లీనంగా నిలిచిపోతుంది. దానినే సానందం అంటారు. ఇన్నిరకాల సాధనలతో ఏకాగ్రత సిద్ధిస్తుంది.
(పతంజలి యోగసూత్రాలకు స్వామివివేకానంద చెప్పిన భాష్యం)

తర్కం అంటే ప్రశ్నించడం. సవితర్కం అంటే ‘ప్రశ్నతో’ అని అర్థం. వివిధ అంశాలను ప్రశ్నిస్తున్నప్పుడు
అందులోని వాస్తవాలు వెలుగులోకి వస్తాయి.

స్థూలకాయం జన్యువుతో సంతోషమే సంతోషం!

స్థూలకాయానికి కారణమయ్యే జన్యువే మనిషి సంతోషంగా ఉండేలా చేస్తుందని కనుగొన్నారు కెనడాకు చెందిన మెక్‌మాస్టర్ యూనివర్సిటీవారు. 21 దేశాలకు చెందిన 17,200 డీఎన్‌ఏ శాంపిల్స్‌ను అధ్యయనం చేశాక కనుగొన్న సత్యమిది. స్థూలకాయుల్లో చాలా మంది నిత్యసంతోషులుగా ఉండటం వల్ల వాళ్లకు డిప్రెషన్ వచ్చే అవకాశమూ చాలా తక్కువ అంటున్నారు ఈ అధ్యయనంలో పాలుపంచుకున్న ప్రొ. డేవిడ్ మేరే. వారు స్థూలకాయానికి డిప్రెషన్‌కూ ఏదో సంబంధం ఉందనే తలంపుతో ఈ అధ్యయనం చేశారు. కానీ డిప్రెషన్‌కూ, బాడీ మాస్ ఇండెక్స్‌కు సంబంధం లేదని తెలిపే ఆధారం వారి అధ్యయనంలో లభ్యమైంది.

చక్కెర వ్యాధి...మెదడుకూ చేటు

డయాబెటిస్ ఎన్ని రకాలుగా శరీరానికి చేటు చేస్తుందో అందరికీ తెలిసిందే.మెదడూ అందుకు మినహాయింపు కాదు. చక్కెర వ్యాధి వల్ల మెదడుకు కలిగే కీడు అటు పక్షవాతం రూపంలోనూ ఇటు మతిమరపుతో పాటు ఇతరత్రా సమస్యల రూపంలోనూ ఉండవచ్చు. చక్కెరవ్యాధి కారణంగా మెదడుపై పడే అనేక దుష్ర్పభావాలు, వాటి నుంచి కాపాడుకోవడం ఎలా... లాంటి అనేక అంశాలపై అవగాహన కోసం ఈ కథనం... అన్ని అవయవాల్లాగే డయాబెటిస్‌వల్ల మెదడుపైనా దుష్ర్పభావం పడుతుంది. ఇది ప్రధానంగా పక్షవాతం రూపంలో ఉంటుంది. డయాబెటిస్ లేకపోతే పక్షవాతం వచ్చే రిస్క్ 21 శాతం తక్కువ. ఎందుకిలా? డయాబెటిస్ ఎందుకు మెదడుపై దుష్ర్పభావం చూపుతుందో తెలుసుకుందాం. స్వచ్ఛమైన నీళ్లలో కాస్తంత చక్కెర వేస్తే అది గాఢమైనట్లే... రక్తంలో చక్కెర కలిసినా రక్తప్రవాహమూ చిక్కబడి మామూలు కంటే ఎక్కువ ఒత్తిడితో వెళ్లాల్సి వస్తుంది. రక్తం మెదడుకు వెళ్లే రక్తనాళాల్లో చిక్కబడితే అది బ్రెయిన్‌స్ట్రోక్ (పక్షవాతాని)కి దారితీయవచ్చు. చిక్కటి రక్తం రక్తనాళాల్లో ప్రవహించే సమయంలో సాధారణ రక్తం కంటే మరింత ఒత్తిడితో ప్రవహించాల్సి వస్తుంది. దాంతో రక్తపోటూ పెరుగుతుంది. ఫలితంగా ఒక్కోసారి రక్తనాళాలు చిట్లే ప్రమాదం ఉంది. అంతేకాదు... రక్తనాళాల్లో కొలెస్ట్రాల్ కణాల అడ్డంకుల వల్ల, రక్తంలో పెరిగిన చక్కెర, కొవ్వుల కారణంగా రక్తనాళం లోపలి గోడలు గరుకుగా మారడం వల్ల కూడా రక్తప్రవాహానికి అవరోధం కలిగే అవకాశం ఉంది. ఈ కారణాలన్నీ బ్రెయిన్‌స్ట్రోక్‌కు దారితీయవచ్చు. ఇలా డయాబెటిస్ అన్నది కేవలం మెదడును మాత్రమే గాక గుండె, మూత్రపిండాలు వంటి అనేక అవయవాలను దెబ్బతీయవచ్చు. డయాబెటిస్ ఉన్నవారికేనా? పైన పేర్కొన్న ప్రమాదం కేవలం పూర్తిస్థాయి డయాబెటిక్ రోగులకు మాత్రమే కాదు... డయాబెటిస్ వచ్చే అవకాశం ఉన్నట్లు తేలిన ప్రీ-డయాబెటిస్ రోగులకూ ఉంది. అందుకే డయాబెటిస్‌లో ఏ రకం ఉన్నట్లయినా లేదా డయాబెటిస్ రాబోతోందని తెలిసినా (ప్రీ-డయాబెటిక్)... వెంటనే దాన్ని నియంత్రించడానికి డాక్టర్ల సూచన మేరకు తగిన మందులు, జాగ్రత్తలు తీసుకోవాలి. మెదడుపై డయాబెటిస్ ప్రభావం ఎలా చూపుతుంది? డయాబెటిస్ అన్నది కేవలం రక్తనాళాల్లో రక్తం చిక్కబడటం లేదా రక్తనాళాలను చిట్లేలా చేయడం ద్వారానే గాక... నేరుగా మెదడు కణాలపై కూడా ప్రభావం చూపుతుంది. చక్కెర ఎక్కువగా ఉన్న రక్తం మెదడు కణాలను చేరినప్పుడు ఆ కణాల్లోని జీవక్రియ (సెల్యులార్ మెకానిజం)లో సైతం మార్పులు రావచ్చు. వెరసి ఆ మార్పులన్నీ ముందుచెప్పినట్లుగా పక్షవాతాని (స్ట్రోక్)కి గాని లేదా మతిమరపు (డిమెన్షియా)కి గాని దారితీయవచ్చు. మెదడుపై మరిన్ని ఇతర ప్రభావాలు... డయాబెటిస్ వల్ల మెదడుపై పడే ప్రభావాల్లో ముఖ్యమైన పక్షవాతం, మతిమరుపుతో పాటు మిగతావి ఇలా ఉంటాయి. అవి... అయోమయం లక్ష్యాన్ని గుర్తించడంలో లోపం (డిస్ ఓరియెంటేషన్) మనసును లగ్నం చేయడం లేదా మనసును కేంద్రీకరించే శక్తి తగ్గడం (ల్యాక్ ఆఫ్ అటెన్షన్) విషయంపై దృష్టి నిలిపేశక్తి తగ్గడం (ల్యాక్ ఆఫ్ కాన్సన్‌ట్రేషన్) ఒక నిర్ణయానికి వచ్చే శక్తి లోపించడం (ఇంపెయిర్‌డ్ జడ్జ్‌మెంట్). ఇక మతిమరపు విషయానికి వస్తే అది రక్తనాళాల కారణంగా వచ్చే వ్యాస్కులార్ రకం అయి ఉండవచ్చు లేదా ఒక వయసు తర్వాత వచ్చే అల్జైమర్స్ తరహాదీ కావచ్చు. తక్కువ చక్కెరతోనూ మెదడుపై దుష్ర్పభావం... రక్తంలో చక్కెరపాళ్లు ఎక్కువైనప్పుడు మాత్రమే కాదు... అవి తక్కువ కావడం వల్ల కూడా మెదడుపై ప్రభావం పడుతుంది. రక్తంలో చక్కెరపాళ్లు తగ్గడం వల్ల మెదడు కణాలకు పోషకాలు గాని, ఆక్సిజన్ గాని అందవు. ఒక్కోసారి... చక్కెరను అదుపులో పెట్టాల్సిన మందుల మోతాదు ఎక్కువ కావడం వల్ల ఇలాంటి పరిస్థితి వస్తుంది. చక్కెర రోగులు క్రమం తప్పకుండా ఆహారాన్ని తీసుకోవడం, అదీ సరైన సమయానికి తీసుకోవడం అవసరం. అలా తగినంత ఆహారం తీసుకోకుండా మందులు మాత్రమే తీసుకోవడం వల్ల అవి రక్తంలో ఉన్న చక్కెరపాళ్లను మరింతగా తగ్గిస్తాయి. దాంతో రోగుల ప్రవర్తనలో మార్పులు, అయోమయం, ఎప్పుడూ నిద్రవస్తున్నట్లుగా అనిపించడం వంటి లక్షణాలు కనిపిస్తుంటాయి. ఇలాంటి రోగులకు సరైన సమయంలో చికిత్స అందకపోతే ఒక్కోసారి అది మూర్చ (ఫిట్స్) లేదా పక్షవాతం లేదా కోమాకు దారితీయవచ్చు. ఇలా రక్తంలో చక్కెరపాళ్లు తగ్గడాన్ని హైపోగ్లైసీమియా అంటారు. హెచ్చుతగ్గులతో మరింత ప్రమాదం: మీరు చక్కెర రోగులా? ఒక విషయం గుర్తుపెట్టుకోండి. మీ రక్తంలోని చక్కెరపాళ్లు క్రమబద్ధంగా ఉండేలా మందులు, జాగ్రత్తలు, డాక్టర్ సూచనలు పాటించండి. మీరు వాటిని నిర్లక్ష్యం చేసి మీ రక్తంలోని చక్కెరపాళ్లను తరచూ హెచ్చుతగ్గులకు గురిచేస్తే అది మెదడు కణాలపై తీవ్రమైన ప్రతికూల ప్రభావాన్ని చూపుతుంది. మెదడు కణాలు మాత్రమే కాదు... అది చూపును సైతం దెబ్బతీసే ప్రమాదం ఉంది. డయాబెటిస్ వల్ల మెదడులోని క్రేనియల్ నర్వ్ దెబ్బతిని క్రేనియల్ నర్వ్ పెరాలిసిస్ వస్తే... అది కనురెప్ప మూసుకుపోవడానికి, మెల్లకన్నుకు, మూతి వంకరపోవడానికి, కనురెప్ప వేయలేని స్థితికి, తీవ్రమైన కంటినొప్పి లేదా ముఖం నొప్పికి దారితీయవచ్చు. క్రేనియల్ నర్వ్ పెరాలిసిస్ వల్ల మింగలేకపోవడం, మాటసరిగా రాకపోవడం వంటి దుష్పరిణామాలు కూడా కలగవచ్చు. తలనొప్పినీ నిర్లక్ష్యం చేయకండి... డయాబెటిస్ కారణంగా మెదడుకు ట్యూబర్క్యులోసిస్, ఫంగల్ ఇన్ఫెక్షన్స్ రావచ్చు. డయాబెటిస్ ఉంటే వ్యాధినిరోధకశక్తి క్రమంగా తగ్గుతుంది. ఫలితంగా ఇలాంటి ఇన్ఫెక్షన్లు వచ్చే అవకాశాలు ఎక్కువ. అందుకే మీకు ఒకవేళ డయాబెటిస్ ఉంటే తలనొప్పిని నిర్లక్ష్యం చేయకండి. మీకు తరచూ తలనొప్పి వస్తూ... దాని తీవ్రత క్రమంగా పెరుగుతూ పోతుంటే న్యూరాలజిస్టును సంప్రదించడం అవసరం. ఇవీ లక్షణాలు... స్ట్రోక్ రాబోతున్న సమయంలో అకస్మాత్తుగా శరీరంలోని ఒకవైపు పూర్తిగా బలహీనంగా అనిపించడం లేదా పూర్తిగా తిమ్మిర్లు (నంబ్‌నెస్) ఉండటం జరగవచ్చు. మాటలో మార్పు కనిపించవచ్చు. అంటే మాట ముద్దముద్దగా రావడం లేదా ఉచ్చారణ సరిగా లేకపోవడం వంటివి కనిపిస్తాయి. ఒకవైపు చూపు కనిపించకుండా ఉండటం కూడా జరగవచ్చు. జ్ఞాపకశక్తిని కోల్పోయే ప్రమాదం కూడా ఉంది. ఒకవేళ పక్షవాతం రావడం ప్రారంభమయ్యాక కూడా రోగి రక్తంలోని చక్కెరపాళ్లను అదుపులో ఉంచుకోలేకపోతే... ఆ ఆలస్యం భారీ మూల్యానికి దారితీస్తుంది. ఎంత ఆలస్యం చేస్తే పక్షవాతం తర్వాత రోగి మళ్లీ మామూలు స్థితికి రావడం అంత ఆలస్యం అవుతుందన్నమాట. అంతేకాదు... అలా ఆలస్యం చేయడం నిమోనియా, చర్మవ్యాధులు, రక్తనాళాల్లో ప్రత్యేకంగా సిరల్లో రక్తం గడ్డకట్టడం (వీనస్ థ్రాంబోసిస్) వంటి ప్రమాదకరమైన పరిస్థితులకు దారితీయవచ్చు. రోగికి చికిత్స ఎంత ఆలస్యం చేస్తే ఆసుపత్రిలో ఉండాల్సిన సమయం అంతగా పెరుగుతుందని గుర్తుంచుకోండి. జాగ్రత్తలు / చికిత్స స్థూలకాయం ఉన్నవారు డయాబెటిస్ వచ్చే రిస్క్‌ను తగ్గించుకునేందుకు బరువును అదుపులో పెట్టుకోవడం, వాకింగ్ చేయడం వంటి జాగ్రత్తలు పాటించాలి. పుష్టికరమైన ఆహారం తీసుకోవాలి. రోజూ కనీసం 45 నిమిషాల చొప్పున వారానికి ఐదు రోజులు వాకింగ్ చేయాలి. ఆహారంలో ముదురాకుపచ్చటి ఆకుకూరలు, తాజా పండ్లు ఉండాలి. మంచి ఆహారం అంటే... మనం తీసుకునే ఆహారంలో సగం ఆకుకూరలు, పండ్లు, మిగతా సగంలో ప్రోటీన్లు, ధాన్యాలు ఉండేలా చూసుకోవాలి. దాంతోపాటు రోజూ 250 ఎం.ఎల్. పాలు తాగాలి. ఆహారం తర్వాత ఒక కప్పు పెరుగు తీసుకోవాలి. ఉప్పు, తీపి పదార్థాలు తగ్గించడం కంటే మంచి సూచన మరొకటి లేదు. పైన పేర్కొన్న ఆహారాన్ని మంచి ఆహారంగా పరిగణించవచ్చు. డయాబెటిస్ ఉన్నవారు డాక్టర్ సలహా మేరకు వారు సూచించిన మందులు క్రమం తప్పకుండా తీసుకోవాలి. ఒకవేళ డయాబెటిస్‌తో పాటు రక్తపోటు లేదా పొగతాగే అలవాటు ఉంటే అలాంటివాళ్లు క్రమం తప్పకుండా డాక్టర్ల సూచనల ప్రకారం యాస్పిరిన్, క్లోపిడోగ్రెల్ వంటి మందులను తీసుకోవాల్సి ఉంటుంది. డయాబెటిస్ ఉన్నవారు క్రమం తప్పకుండా రక్తపరీక్ష, క్రియాటినిన్, యూరిన్ పరీక్షలు చేయించుకుంటూ ఉండాలి. గుండె, కెరోటిడ్, కండ్ల, నరాల పరీక్షలు చేయించుకుంటూ ఉండాలి. ఒకవేళ బ్రెయిన్ స్ట్రోక్ లక్షణాలు కనిపిస్తున్నా, వచ్చినా... కనీసం అది వచ్చిన 4 నుంచి 5 గంటలలోపు రోగిని ఆసుపత్రికి చేర్చి టీపీఏ అనే చికిత్స చేయాల్సి ఉంటుంది. ఇలా చేయడం వల్ల కనీసం 50-60 శాతం రోగులు మునుపటిలా కోలుకునే అవకాశం ఉంది. ఆ తర్వాత వాళ్లకు అటర్వస్టాటిన్స్ అనే మందులు ఇవ్వడం వల్ల మళ్లీ స్ట్రోక్ రావడానికి, ఒకవేళ వచ్చినా దాని తీవ్రతను తగ్గించడానికి అవకాశం ఉంటుంది.

మంచి మందు తలగడే!

మెడ పట్టేయడాన్ని సరిచేయడానికి మొదటి మందు, మంచి మందు తలగడే అంటున్నారు కెనడాకు చెందిన పరిశోధకులు. తాము ఎంచుకున్న 151 రోగులకు మసాజ్ వంటి అనేక ప్రక్రియలు, చిట్కాలు ప్రయోగించారట. అయితే మరీ ఎక్కువ లావు, మరీ ఎక్కువ సన్నమూ కాని మంచి తలగడను ఉపయోగించడం, దాన్ని కేవలం తలకిందేకే పరిమితం చేయకుండా, కాస్తంత భుజాల కింది వరకూ జరిపి నిద్రించడం వల్ల మెడపట్టేయడాన్ని చాలా సమర్థంగా నివారించవచ్చని ఆ అధ్యయనంలో తేలింది. తలగడ తర్వాత మంచి మార్గం స్ట్రెచ్చింగ్ వ్యాయామం అని కూడా ఈ అధ్యయనం తేల్చింది.

Prengnancy

Man only provides the sperm. It is the mother who provides everything else to give birth to that loved creature, your child. The whole process of conceiving and delivering a child is the most natural of all processes. It is, however, so different with every woman that all problems associated with this process must be referred to a doctor or a qualified midwife for advice. This chapter provides only briefly some basic guidelines for pre and post natal care.

Pregnancy can last from 36 to 41 weeks. On an average, a pregnancy takes about 10 lunar months. Only about 4 per cent of the babies are, however, born on the expected due date. Do not upset so long as your loved one does not arrive before 36 weeks or after 41 weeks, both extremes being considered normal.

Pregnancy is the period for gaining weight. In the first three months you gain one or two kilograms (about 2 to 4 Ibs). Later, the gain could be a little less than half a kilogram a week. The total gain should not be less than 10 Kgs. (22 Ibs) and not more than 14 kgs (30 Ibs). Generally you get back to your normal weight within one year. If possible, a woman should be weighed as soon as she knows that she is pregnant. She should gain weight every month and be weighed every month.

Missed periods, breast changes, nausea, morning sickness, increased frequency of micturition, fatigue are some of the early signs of pregnancy .

Professional Advice

Mother-to-be should go to the local health centre or consult a physician as soon as she believes she is pregnant. They will check the progress of the pregnancy and deal with problems if and when they arise. High blood pressure of the expectant mother is dangerous for both the mother and the child. It must be checked at regular intervals. In case of anaemia, iron tablets will have to be prescribed. Two injections against tetanus should be given at correct stages. Malaria tablets should also be given where necessary. These professionals could moniter the growth of the baby and advise her on breast feeding, care of the new-born and timing of the next pregnancy.

A trained birth attendant would know how to keep the birth clean and reduce the risk of infection, how to cut the chord cleanly and safely. Such a trained person knows what to do if the baby is born in the wrong position or if too much bleeding is taking place or if the baby does not begin breathing straight way. She will also know when to call expert medical help. She could help the mother to start breast-feeding immediately after birth and dry and keep the baby warm after delivery. She could help the mother prevent or postpone another pregnancy.

If any complications are feared it may be advisable to move the mother temporarily close to a clinic or hospital so that the mother is within reach of medical help. Such complications may be closely monitored in all cases in which the timing of birth has not been properly planned or where a previous baby weighed less than 2 Kg at birth or where she had a previous difficult or a caesarian delivery or a premature birth or a miscarriage, abortion or a still birth. Special care has also to be taken where the mother-to-be weighs less than 38 kgs before pregnancy or measures less than 145 cm (4 ft. 9 inches) in height. Morning Sickness

A normal healthy body has a greater detoxifying process working during the night. If toxins are not taken care of at night, these make the pregnant women sick the next morning. Vitamin Bb6 especially helps in such detoxifying process. Foods rich in this vitamin are important for avoiding morning sickness. Those suffering from morning sickness during pregnancy should keep a banana or biscuits, cookies, crackers or dry toast by their bed side and eat the same before sitting up in the morning, that, is while still lying in bed. After eating, keep lying for 10 minutes.

This is likely to defeat nausea. Avoid greasy, fried or spicy foods. Get up slowly, avoiding sudden movements. Iron supplements can be left out during this period of morning sickness since they may contribute to an upset stomach. Cases of morning sickness are reported to have been cured by the use of rubber bands applied on the thumbs and the index fingers and by applying pressure on the webs between those fingers. During this period drink liquids between the meals and not with the meals. Eating small meals also helps. Gowen recommends raw peeled almonds as a snack during this period. To some women sipping carbonated water provides relief. Yam or sweet potatoes and ginger also help in this condition and so does chamomile herbal tea, taken in the mornings. Do not take any medication. Talk to other women who have suffered from morning sickness. Once you know it will go away, you come to terms with it. Morning sickness starts in the sixth week and stops after 3 months. Wataru Chashi of the Chashi Institute of New York City prescribes a daily all over massage as a preventive measure. Massaging the entire neck and stretching of the head away from shoulder is specially helpful. Studies show that women having morning sickness generally have a healthy baby.

Exercise

According to the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 1985, moderate exercise, during pregnancy, may reduce the chance of having a miscarriage or a premature baby. Exercise strengthens the pelvic and abdominal muscles which help make the birth easier.

Regular exercise during pregnancy is essential. Walking is the best exercise in that body condition. Brisk and strenuous exercise should be avoided when tired, take a casual stroll. While sitting on a chair keep your knees wide apart and cross your legs at the ankles and not at the knees. Join an exercise class for pregnant women if available nearby.

A woman should not work full time after the 30^th week of pregnancy. During the last three months the heart is working 33% harder than normal. It needs some relief. Avoid high heeled shoes in pregnancy because they shift the body weight forward, thus placing additional strain on the spine and back. Avoid prolonged sitting. Get up slowly after lying down. During pregnancy you need 9 to 10 hours of sleep. Try to lie on your left side with your knees bent inwards Mid-day rest is the answer to fatigue in early pregnancy. Do not wear undergarments tight about the waist. Link has been established between fetal anomalies, childhood malignancies and X-Ray examination during early pregnancy. X-ray examination must therefore be avoided. Exposure to smoking, active or passive, must also be avoided. Such an exposure could lead to even a still birth. Drinking alcohol and using narcotic drugs has similar consequences and must be shunned. Do not take any medicines during pregnancy unless prescribed by a doctor who is aware of your pregnancy position.

During pregnancy, the presence of breast milk is no cause for alarm. Wash away any dried milk with warm water so that your nipples do not become itchy, irritated or sore. If the gain in weight is less than 10 kgs or inside of your eyelids is pale or there is unusual swelling of legs, arms or face, medical advice may be sought immediately.

There are occasions when faintness comes while lying on your back. It only means that the uterus has fallen against the main blood vessels at the front of your spine and has interfered with enough circulation to those vessels. The drop in circulation makes you faint. Solution is very simple. Lie on your side and not on your back. The weight of the uterus shifts and normal circulation is restored.

Nutrition

Proper nutrition is very important for a good pregnancy. It was in 1941 that evidence was provided for the influence of pre-natal diet on the health of the new born infant. During pregnancy, iron, vitamin C and calcium are required in larger quantities. Take food rich in these minerals and vitamin C. Milk and milk products are good, fruits and vegetable juices may also be taken. Vitamin C may, however, have to be taken as an added insurance only when recommended by a doctor. Drink lots of fluids. Do not restrict salt too much during pregnancy unless so directed by the doctor, you may have to add 15 to 20% to your calories because of the pregnancy. Iron rich foods may be necessary to keep red blood cells properly oxygenated. 500 to 1000 mg. Of extra calcium is also necessary. Muscle cramps are generally due to insufficient calcium intake or insufficient exercise.

Smoking, alcohol and even strong drugs must be avoided. Bananas are reported to improve the complexion of the child and parched gram and almonds during pregnancy add to the intellect of the child. Intake of milk and pulses is very necessary during pregnancy. These have high food value. Vitamin C and bioflavonoids (also called Vitamin P) when taken regularly during pregnancy, reduce the risk of abortion considerably even in habitual cases. Vitamins C and P make the pregnancy very easy. These vitamins are contained in the white underskin and the segment parts of the citrus fruit and not so much in its juice. Lemon, grape, plum, grapefruit, apricot and cherry contain vitamin P. Avoid vitamin supplements. Draw vitamins and minerals from natural foods.

Folic acid (Vitamin B family) is very important for easy pregnancy. It abounds in fresh vegetables, legumes, milk egg and brewer's yeast 75% of this is lost in cooking lasting more than 15 minutes. Large volume of research shows that antibiotics can cause folic acid deficiency. Birth control pills also cause folic acid and vitamin B6 deficiencies. It is therefore, desirable to get on a programme of good nutrition before getting pregnant. British Medical Journal reports on how folic was given to a group of women who had delivered malformed babies in previous pregnancies and with folic acid, the incidence of deformity was reduced considerably. W.H.O. estimates that outside U.S.A. one-third of all pregnant women in the world have folic acid deficiency.

Requirements of proteins, folate and some important minerals during pregnancy can be roughly summed up as follows:

		Non-pregnancy requirement	Additional for pregnancy status
Protein	- g	50	+ 10
Folate	- mcg	180	+ 220
Calcium	- mg	800	+ 400
iron	- mg	15	+ 15
Zinc	- mg	12	+ 3
Iodine	- mcg	150	+ 25

Following special foods help during pregnancy:

1. Roasted peanuts with jaggery (Gur) and cow or goat milk help considerably.
2. Thyme and its tea, in cases of normal births, speed up delivery and make it easy.
3. Four or five grams of dry ginger with liquorice (Mulathi) taken with milk at night would reduce the risk of abortion.
4. Molasses, parsley and amaranth taken during pregnancy ensure easy confinement and a healthy child.
5. Vitamin E supplements of i.u. 400 help in cramps during pregnancy. These supplements are not recommended as a routine.

Craving for clay or chalk etc. during pregnancy should be curbed. Giving boiled beans with sugar helps in this. Drinking a large draught of cold water and sometimes even licking of a little honey help to curb this craving (American Medical Association ?Book of Women Care' page 89).

In later stages of pregnancy caffeine is not excreted from a women's body. This retained caffeine reaches the fetus and excessive use could be harmful. In the last 3 months, tea, coffee and other caffeine drinks must be restricted.

The husband and family of a pregnant woman should ensure that she has more of the family food everyday and more rest than usual during the day time, especially in the three months before the birth.

Pregnancy problems

Dr. M. Stoppard in her "Every Woman's Medical Handbook" deals with various pregnancy problems as under:

1. Abdominal pain: There could be so many causes of abdominal pain in pregnancy. A hot water bottle or heating pad will generally relax muscles. Do not take pain killer. If pain is severe or persistent, please consult your doctor.
2. Backache: Concentrate on good posture. Watch your footwear. Check your mattress. Exercise to strengthen the spine. If the baby is in the occipite posterior, get down on all fours to take the pressure off the back.
3. Constipation: Take plenty of dietary fiber and lots of fluids. Regular exercise, no laxatives. Dried fruits and bran are indicated.
4. Cramps: massage the affected part firmly. For leg cramps, flex your feet hard, pushing your heels away from you.
5. Cravings: Eat whatever you feel like but no fattening things.
6. Fainting: If you feel faint, lie down with your feet slightly elevated. Avoid standing for long periods and do not rush around.
7. Flatulence: Avoid fried foods. Peppermint and hot milk drinks may help. Try not to gulp air. Chewing gum causes you to take in air.
8. Fluid retention: If there is swelling of feet, rest with your legs up and avoid standing. Avoid salty foods.
9. Heart burn: Avoid fatty foods and acidic fruits. Have a hot milk drink before going to bed. Raise the head end of the bed to prevent reflux. Try not to take antacids.
10. Hemorrhoids: Eat a high fiber diet to keep your stools soft and easy to pass. If the hemorrhoids itch, apply soothing cream or ice packs. Don't have hot bath.
11. Insomnia: Wear natural fabrics in bed to avoid overheating at night. No sedatives. Loose and light clothing, a hot drink or an unexciting book could also help.
12. Rashes: Keep yourself clean and well dried. Apply talcum powder to folds of skin.
13. Rib pain: Prop yourself up so that the ribs are not compressed. The pain will disappear when the baby drops into the pelvic cavity.
14. Sweating: Wear light natural fibers and don't exert too much.
15. Vaginal discharge: Wear a panty liner for comfort. See your doctor if you notice any brown or irritating discharge.
16. Edema: Headache, blurring of vision, severe vomitting, high fever and watery discharges need urgent medical advice.
17. Fetal movement: Absence of fetal movement for 48 hours should be reported to the doctor.

If you are mentally and physically relaxed, childbirth will be less painful. Try to urinate as soon as possible after delivery. You may need to urinate frequently in the first few days. This is the way your body eliminates any fluids. Do not worry about your first bowel motion. This does not normally occur for about two days after delivery. Breast feeding may be associated with pains when uterus contracts to pre-pregnancy size. Start exercise even before you get out of bed. To strengthen your abdominals, lie on the bed, with your knees and your hands flat on your stomach. Squeeze buttocks together and press your back into the bed.

Baby's feelings during the first few minutes of his life are very important. Upon delivery, place the new born on the mother's abdomen to reassure it that the environment is warm and friendly. Caressing and touching of its back by the parents will relay love and affection to the baby. In the first few days rock the baby often. It has lived in a moving environment for nine months. The stillness after birth frightens it. Carry it around in order to soothe its body panic.

Question of regaining your figure after delivery is very important for you. During the pregnancy, stretch marks in the shape of wavy strips appear on the abdomen, thighs and sometimes even on breasts. This is mainly due to rapid and excessive weight gain. Watch your weight. Do not gain more than 10 Kgs (22 ibs) if you want to get back to your original weight afterwards. Simultaneously continue to massage the vulnerable parts of your body with oil. Moreover, from the seventh month when breasts begin to enlarge, use nursing bras and wear them day and night.

Girls who are healthy and well fed during their own childhood and teenage years, have fewer problems in pregnancy and childbirth. So special attention should be paid to the health, feeding and education of adolescent girls. The first pregnancy should wait until at least the age of 18.

Avoiding births by having an illegal abortion can be very dangerous Illegal abortions carried out by untrained persons in India kill an estimated 30-50,000 women every year. Government has made provision for medical termination of pregnancy under supervision on request.

Last 8 to 10 weeks

Important of the last 8 to 10 weeks of pregnancy is sought to be highlighted by the investigations undertaken by the psychologist Anthony De Casper of the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. He is investigating the ability of the new borns to digest the sounds voices and even information "they" heard during the final weeks of pregnancy. Among other things he created an experiment in which babies less than 2 days old could "tell" which sounds they preferred to hear. They showed sucking preference when "known" sounds were made. Many mothers have stated that their new born babies seemed to prefer the same type of music that was played during their late pregnancy.

The premise of their research gets support from the epic Mahabharata in which it is mentioned that when Abhimanyu was in the womb of his mother in later part of the pregnancy, his father Arjuna described the intricacies of the fort Chakravyuha to his pregnant wife, telling her how that fort was to be entered and how it could be exited. When Arjuna was describing the route of exit, Abhimanyu's mother had fallen asleep with the result that though she heard all other details, she did not hear the latter part to know how to exit therefrom. Abhimanyu, in womb, in later part of the pregnancy, heard and digested all that information. When fighting on battle ground of Kurukshetra he used that information for entering that human fort but did not know how to exit and was killed. The trend of the research of Anthony De Casper draws lot of validity from the above mentioned story from the Indian epic Mahabharata. Whatever be the case, it does no harm of the expectant mother lives the last two months of her pregnancy the life that she would like her child to lead after birth. Leading a highly intellectual, spiritual, virtuous life, getting inspired by the lives of greatmen, following a regulated life with exercise and nutrition, playing music and practising fine arts or whatever else be the liking of that expectant mother, you could charter the life and style of your healthy child. Try it, plan and lead a good style of your healthy child. Try it, plan and lead a good life. You would not a loser whatever be the result of De Casper's investigations.

 

Growth

A child's growth is a development process, beginning at birth and continuing all the through adulthood. Within minutes of birth, the baby, if placed next to several bodies, can recognise his mother by the rhythm of heart-beat with which he had become familiar over a period of nine months. The new-born prefers to hear the voice of the mother to a stranger's. A few days after birth, the baby can identify his mom even by smell. His sense of touch is well developed. He can focus on objects approx 25 cms aways and soon he can imitate facial expressions of the people around him. A child is ever anxious to learn. He is most receptive to learning when (i) his body is still, (ii) he looks eagerly at his surroundings and (iii) his breathing is rapid and irregular. When even an infant fulfills these three conditions, start teaching him as if he were 2 or 3 years more than his real age. The results will be gratifying.

The first five years in the cycle of development are the most fundamental and the most formative. No two children are exactly alike. The way a child behaves is largely determined by the body he inherits. As Dr Gessel has expressed, "environmental factors modulate and influence but not determine behaviour". An infant's or a child's behaviour can be strongly influenced by the way his mother treats him. And each mother finds her own ways as a mother of her own special baby. Speed or tempo of movement of each child is, to a large extent, an inborn characteristic. Otherwise, as stated by Byron, a child is "Mischief-making monkey from his birth". On an average, upto school going age, boys tend to be about six months slower in their development than girls. But after that age, according to an English proverb, "one boy is more trouble than dozen girls".

The human life-cycle is governed by natural laws. These laws of development are comparable to the laws of gravitation. Development takes time. It is a continuous process. It is for you, as parents, to create the right environment for learning to achieve a satisfactory rate of development. You have to create a responsive environment in which the child learns to operate and operates and not you that operates.You have to create a human environment in which the child learns to achieve development not from the toys but more from the people around him, from the neighbours and from other children around him. You have to arrange and create occasions for his intimate inter-action with each of the above mentioned group of persons or with those individuals on one-to-one basis. You must vary the environment to sustain the interest of your child. Rotate activities for different objects and different skills. You have to make the learning enjoyable. Tell the child what you are doing and why. Ecourage his going exploring, raising his curiosity and help him to satisfy that curiosity. And the most important thing in this process of learning for growth is that you must quit while the interest is high. He will, in that case, tend to request you to pick up where it was left. His interest and involvement is then bound to be high.

Physical Health

Physical health is very important. Health is not a condition of matter, but of mind. But it is only if his body is in good health that you will be able to effectively attend to questions of his emotional and mental health and to the questions of upgrading his intelligence. In this behalf, the most important items relate to the breast feeding of the child for as long a period as possible. This item has been dealt with in the chapter on breast-feeding. Next items of importance are the other feeding and nutrition and tackling the problems of health hazards like diarrhoea and other diseases which have also been dealt with in separate chapters. Dr Michacl Hastin Banner, a renowned specialist in child-care, has indicated how to tell if the baby is developing normally. He indicates that the following yardsticks for physical growth must be achieved:-

At age 6 weeks	Baby should be able to fix his eyes on moving objects, to move all his limbs, smile and respond to sudden noises.
At age 6 months	He turns to look at a moving insect. He sits up, grasps objects, watches a rolling ball and is first able to place his weight on his legs
At age 18 months	He is able to retrieve the ball. Understands small requests and simple words. Drinks from a cup. Walks and plays with toys. Has a small vocabulry and often is toilet-trained as far as his bowels are concerned.
By age 3 years	Can talk. Can dress and undress. Is often dry and clean. Can run. Can stand on one leg. Is ready to play with other children independently.

Weight and Height

Then there are yardsticks of height and weight which are indicative of the growth of the child. There is, however, no need for you to worry about his measurements if he is happy and there are sings of his general well being. The range of "normal" weights and heights at a given age is very wide. A new-born boy may weigh anything from 2.5 to 4.5 kgs without giving cause for concern. Similarly a five-year old child may weigh from 13 to 26 kgs without causing much concern. Do not compare the measurements of your child to others of his age. These are dependent also on whether the child is of narrow or broad frame and even on his genes.

To measure your child's height once he is three or four, get him to stand against a wall with his feet together and his heels and shoulderblades touching the wall and head held up, tilting gently the chin upward. Before 3 years you measure his length lying down. Measurements of a child of normal growth are given in the following table:-

Age	Average weight	Lowest acceptable weight	Highest acceptable weight	Average lenght	Lowest acceptable
	(in Kgs)	(in Kgs)	(in Kgs)	(in Cms)	(in Cms)
on birth	3.5	2.5	4.5	50.8	45.4
6 weeks	4.6	3.3	6.2	55.6	50.0
12 weeks	5.7	4.2	7.7	60.0	54.2
6 weeks	7.4	5.7	10.0	67.4	60.8
9 months	8.7	6.7	11.5	70.0	64.0
12 months	9.5	7.4	12.6	73.5	67.0
18 months	10.9	8.4	14.4	80.0	72.5
24 months	12.1	9.4	16.2	86.0	77.5
2.5 Yrs	13.2	10.2	17.8	90.0	81.5
3 Years	14.2	10.8	19.5	93.5	85.0
4 Years	15.8	12.0	23.2	101.5	91.5
5 Years	18.2	13.4	26.8	109.0	98.0

The above measurements are for girls. In case of boys, add 7% to those measurements upto the age of 2 years. For boys at ages above 2 years add 3% to the measurements for girls of that age.

Children should be weighed every month upto the age of 6 months and thereafter every 3 months upto the age of 3 years. In case it is feared that the child is not gaining in weight on a regular basis, more frequent checking of the weight is recommended. Weight gain is the most important sign of the child's overall health and development. If for two months there is no increase in weight, it is certainly indicative of a problem. The child is either unwell, is not getting due nutrition or is emotionally upset and is not getting proper attention. In all such cases breastfeeding should be stopped up. Immunization should also be checked and in case of default, necessary immunization got done immediately. It must be ensured that the child is eating 6 times a day there is enough fat and dark green vegetables in the diet. Hygiene of the child must also be checked. Quality of the bottled milk needs special attention because if the child has not been ailing, the main reason for lack of increase in weight could be the fault in the quality of bottled milk. Breast feeding is the best cure for many defaults.

A child upto the age of three years needs six meals a day with adequate quantity of soild foods and fats as he grows. Any default in this will result in the child not gaining weight. In India 43.8% of children suffer from moderate degree of protein energy malnutrition. This can be controlled by adding fats and solids foods in adequate quantities and by drawing in a substantial way on breast-feeding.

Amongst children deficiency of Vitamin A causes about 40,000 new cases of nutritional blindness each year in India. Adequate care should be taken to ensure that your child does not fall into that trap. Feed him on dark green vegetables, orange and yellow fruits and vegetables such as mangoes, papayas and carrots etc. Supplements of vitamin A may also be necessary if the child suffers from recurring attacks of diarrhoea. Vitamin A comes in adequate quantity in breast milk also.

Illnesses are important factors holding back a child's growth. It is the mother's job to know about all the ailments which could possibly affect her child and to take preventive action in that connection. Most of these ailments have been dealt with in another chapter and need your special attention. When the child is ailing, two things happen. First his appetite goes down, and secondly whatever food is eaten, less of that gets absorbed into his system. If it happens several times, there is a great setback to the growth on all fronts. It is, therefore, very necessary to continue feeding him. Offer the child those foods and drinks which he likes. Soft foods, sweet foods, a little at a time and as often as possible should be offered, Steps should be taken to buoy up his spirits. Getting him into the company of a child of his age may work especially if that child is fed in the presence of yours. The child should not be considered to have recovered from the illness until he is at least at the same weight as when the illness began and has become active and plays about as before. It is not too much to repeat another time that breast feeding is the best missile in your armoury to shoot down most of the illnesses. Use it continuously. It will bring you success all the time if you do not throw that missile away prematurely by discontinuing breastfeeding before 18 or 24 months. Breastfeeding must be continued along with solid foods for a long, long time!

Zinc is as much necessary for the growth of the child as it is for an expectant or nursing mother. Zinc is good for the health of the immune system and its deficiency may result in frequent infections, reduced appetite, skin disorders and horizontal white marks on the nails. WHO recommends an intake of 15 mg of zinc per day. Good sources of zinc are cheddar cheese, peanuts, whole wheat bread, eggs, liver, chicken and milk.

In addition to the need for physical growth, there is great need for emotional and mental development.

Emotional Growth

Emotions give life its colour, richness and completeness. Emotions are a positives force that serve to energize and enrich an experience. Emotions on the other hand can also disrupt, disorient or even alienate. Parents have to find out for themselves as to what does the kid want to accomplish by becoming emotional. Emotions may be used to get special attention or to retaliate or to save oneself from functioning. Perents have to control the negative use of emotions. The child may have fear and anxiety. Never laugh at his fear, instead help him to get over it. He may have the fear of darkness or the fear of the school. Encourage him to express his fear and provide a firm resolve that he has to go to school.

Generate a democratic climate in the house, encourage open expression of feelings whether positive or negative. Accept the child as he is. Do not nag. Encourage and oppreciate every small positive step of the child. Respect the child. Listen and clarify. Encourage independence. Do not pity him. Nobody likes to be pitied. Do not use competition the child for doing household chores. It is his share in making the home operational. Do not spoil the child nor promote rebellion by being too strict.

You can help him substantially in his emotional growth by making him feel secure. Never threaten the child at all, much less that he will be deserted or thrown out. Provide a schedule of his feeding and sleeping. Demonstrate your love by hugging, kissing and by holding him. Teach him new skills and pat him when he displays competence. Spend time together. There are many things which can be done together by the mom and her small child and which make him feel being at the centre of things.

Worldly desires and race for fulfilling those desires, cause most of the emotional upsets amongst adults. For a kid whose world gravitates mainly around his mom, a kindly gesture from you makes all the difference to him. He does not have many such other desires which cannot be fulfilled by his mother's grace and intervention. For his emotional growth, demonstration of love from his parents, brother and sister, are enough. They should show their feelings, touch, hug, kiss, care, share and be outgoing. See and experience the magic of physical touch. Smiles and laughter beget smiles and laughter. Actions such as these will provide a guarantee for an emotionally healthy life. Make him feel that family and friends are his life and blood and that he has to foster them.

A very specific need of young children is continuity in their care givers. He is used to getting his security from the one or two individuals and if any of them disappears suddenly, a vacuum is created which will take long to fill. Change in caretakers should, if necessary, be gradual, one taking over from the other with a good overlap period.

Children also gain trust in themselves from being respected as human beings by their parents or care givers. Such a self-assurance helps them to be comfortable with themselves and with all kinds of people, for the rest of their lives. Respect from parents is what teaches children to give respect to their parents in turn. Anger and hatred in the child's family damage the child's inner development.

Emotional health is the basis of the child's development of a sense of security, confidence and the ability to cope well with other people and with the world at large. Emotional relations established very early in life set the pattern of relations in later life.

Building Confidence and Self-respect

Nothing is more risky than sending a child into adolescence with no skills, no unique knowledge, no means of compensating for shortfalls in other areas. You may reward, push or even bribe the child and, if necessary, right from age one, make him learn some special skills, which other children of his age do not have. Take out time to introduce the child to learn and then do something special. Arrange some coaching, if necessary and help the child to compete. Everything your child cannot accomplish, inspite of best efforts should be toned down in importance. Simultaneously avoid over protection. Let him do things on his own which he should so do.

Get chores done by your child, which others, one year older, hesitate to undertake. Objective of getting these chores done is to develop responsibility. Competence and confidence. Show him how to do it with him and then let him do it alone. He will know what your aim is.

Do not bride. The best payment for a job well done is a smile or a hug or telling others, within the child's earshot, how proud you are of him. Paying for say, making a bed detracts from his being a proud member of the family and makes him feel he should be so paid for many other things.

Do not put him to too manu chores. Do not overdo it. Work is valuable, drudgery is not. The child is a member of the family, not its slave. Characterise your home by democratic practices and openness.

You should not only love your child but, in addition, make him believe that he is held in esteem by you. You need to guard what you say or do in the presence of your children. Lead them to think positive and consider you as a confidentally. Even when you have to discipline your child, do it with respect and not in front of others.

Your ultimate goal is developing self-esteem in your child. In addition to overseeing the physical health and well being of your child, you must help him to develop attitudes that nourish his self-esteem. Develop, overtly and covertly, his confidence in the world around him. Develop in him a sense of personal power, which he is even able to demonstrate e.g. ability to move a ball. Make him feel lovable-both by giving love and receiving love. Make him feel special. And if you do that honestly, on the basic of achievements which, though small, are real, your child will become special!

Childhood is a time for play and exploration. Observation and experience from the basic for learning. Fantasy is an essential part of childhood. Emotional and social well-being are as important as academic, artistic or athletic performance. Take special care of his emotional concerns.

Once the child expresses a special interest or displays such interest in a particular activity, you should accept the child's priority and move in that direction. Allow him to experiment and explore. Cultivate respect as the child learns to regulate his own body. Encourage communication with him. Balance your child's success and failure rates and send positive message - not necessarily verbal.

Routine followed by parents is seen by the child as a great adventure. Each new thing he learns is a source of great pleasure for him. Bringing out his appetite for learning is one of your most important jobs as a parent. Create a role for yourself According to Plutarch "the wildest colts make the best horses". Encourage his explorations and appetite for learning. Let him become a "wild colt" but keep the remote control in your hand.

Let your child take the lead in finding one the areas of interest and play. Show your child that he is smart and capable. Step back to your own childhood and develop your own zest for learning to be passed on to your child.

In a child appreciation of aesthetic experiences is established well before artistic expression. By the time a child is 18 month old, he has been responding to music, pictures and rhymes for many months but his creative experiences are still very limited. His first artistic attempts are simple and random as he experiments with various media. At 2 years his expeimentation is still manipulative but is becoming more vigorous, more defined and more complicated. He is less individualistic in his artistic expression than he was earlier. He is becoming strongly imitative. At 3 years, order begins to emerge along with more precision and control in the use of artistic media. Gradually imagination enters (about 4 years) and is combined with humour to form products which are a delight to the child.

Singing songs, learning rhymes, drawing pictures and reading stories aloud help the child's mind to grow and prepares the way for learning more and more. A child needs help to develop creativity. Help in these areas will increase his proficiency in these skills. He will soon find himself above others in those areas which are considered fine and artistic. His self-confidence will grow and self-respect increase.

Play is not pointless. It is one of the most essential parts of growing up. This play should be for play's sake. While playing with other children, he is continuously learning many manipulative skills which he cannot learn in the company of adults. Providing useful materials and ideas for plays is to be your contribution to his picking up new ideas and new skills which always add to the growth of his personality. Once he becomes cognizant of his own personality, he is on a track of constant growth. He soon learns that though remaining and active member of the community "he travels fastest who travels alone". His personality grows only in its personal manifestation.

Learning Manners

Manners are the outward sings of your consideration and respect for others. For learning manners the first step and the most important thing is to have the child like people. Manners are morals. Manners are ways of respecting others. If the child likes people he meets, he would fell like even sharing a fascinating experience with them and that is a good unconventional way of giving an expression to his good manners.

Another important step is for children to grow up in a family whose members are considerate of each other. Then they radiate kindliness. In that environment even if some one does not utter the words - thank you, it is fine because perhaps that feeling is conveyed ten times over by that affectionate radiance from your bright eyes.

The children have to be introduced to others in a healthy environment where the visitors get respect from the parents and vice versa. That is a good back-drop against which you teach your child just how to be polite and considerate. If it is done in a friendly spirit he is proud to learn. He observes that every body likes good mannered children and would like to join the rank of likeable children. The appreciation they get makes them more friendly. That is an incentive for improving their manners still further. Children should be coached about manners when you are alone with them and not in the embarrasing company of others. It is the nagging tone, the bossiness that even a young child finds irritating. Let such coaching be done in the privacy of the loving parent-child relationship.

We can teach our children good manners only by example. Manners will become important to children if they are important to parents and if they continue reminding the child in subtle ways. The desire of a 2 or 3 year old to please others makes him more receptive to learning simple courtesies. He will learn from your behaviour - how you treat women or your own daughters, how friendly you treat other men and how you participate and enjoy family life or how rude and violent you are to others. He believes consciously and sub0consciously that your way is the correct way of dealing with others and he will follow your example - whether it is good manners or bad? This overt and covert learning starts from age one.

He has to be taught how to meet people. Shake hands or exchange greetings and even make courtesies. How nice it is to see a 2 or 3 year old with folded hands making a Japanese style courtesy with a bow to a friend of the family. One would like to lift and kiss such a child and if that is done in return, by the visitor, what a boost to his affectionate personality it would be. Such an appreciation is generally easy to come as the visitors know, praise the child, and you please the mother. Table manners and simple answering a telephone by a 3 or 4 year old could add to his personality. Good conversation habits, maintaining eye to eye contact, giving him equal time in his conversation with you and waiting to speak instead of interrupting, are such simple yet so impressive as manners that these manners will add ten fold to the maturity of the child. Franklin says, "teach your child to hold his tongue, He will learn fast enough to speak". When your friends come to visit, include the child in conversation for the first few minutes before suggesting another activity for him. He should be taught to eat with grace, holding a door instead of letting it slam and using language that does not offend. Scores of other examples could be given but any thing which is the outward sign of our consideration and respect for others is good manners and must be encouraged.

Let us now refer passingly to some examples of bad manners too. Tough talk, unkempt style of clothes and hair, untied shoe laces, coming to table with dirty hands, stuffing their mouths with big morsels of food, throwing the clothes on the floor, slamming the door or leaving it open. These are some examples of bad manners and must be avoided. Good manners will help children to be sociable and popular not only with their own age group but also with the elders.

You should always include your baby in social gatherings and teach him the basic pleasantries from as early an age as possible. Introduce him to a number of new faces. Before exposing the child to such social gatherings, the parents could play games with the child, introducing each other, shaking hands, bidding good bye, applauding and other social graces including grown-up courtesies.

 

Breast Feeding
Breastfeeding is a fundamental requirement. It is not merely a matter of choice. Nature brings milk to the breasts of the mother simultaneously with the birth of the child. Why?

During the first 72 hours after delivery, the breasts produce a thin yellow fluid called colostrum containing antibodies that protect the baby against a range of intestinal and respiratory infection when his own immune system is very weak. Why?

Quantity of milk produced depends to a great extent on the sucking action of the baby at the breasts which sends messages to the hypothalamus which in turn stimulates the pituitary gland in the brain to release two hormones : Prolactin which is responsible for the manufacture of milk in the milk glands, and oxytocin, which causes the milk to be passed from the glands to the reservoir behind the areola. Intensive sucking means more release of prolactin hormone and manufacture of milk in the milk glands and viceversa. Thus the supply of milk is, to a certain extent, dependent on the intensity of the demands of the baby. Why is such a variable capacity designed for the milk machine of the mother?

It is abundantly clear that this food manufactured by this maternal system is meant for the feeding of the infant, for his nutrition protection. Anybody who, for what-so-ever reasons, deprives the child of this breast feeding, commits an offence against the laws of nature and must be punished in one way or the other. If you deprive a person of something manufactured for his exclusive use and which is so important for his protection and for his growth, and especially if that person is your own child, can you ever forgive yourself for such an act of neglect and indifference?

Composition of Human Milk

Breast milk is individualised for each child. Raw materials for the production of this milk are selected from the blood stream of the mother, according to the needs of the child. Breast milk changes in composition from day to day. It is custom designed for your own child. While the colour of ordinary milk is white, the colour human milk in the beginning of feeding is bluish because of low fat content but becomes creamy towards the end of feeding due to fat content going up. Human milk contains more of vitamins A and E, and also of vitamin C if the mother is eating well. Human milk contains twice as much iron as the other milk and it is better absorbed. All iron requirements are met for the first six months from first breast feeding. Zinc which is extremely important for growth is available more in breast milk. Outside milk contains more of calcium, phosphorus and sulphur but most of these minor minerals are excreted and so is extra protein. Human milk contains more sugar and has higher cholesterol level but that helps fight high levels of cholesterol in later life. Human fat globules are smaller and absorbed easily. Fat of outside milk is high in saturated fatty acids. Human milk contains enzyme Lipase which helps digestion. It also has growth modulator amino acid. Taurine which is very important for development of brain and the nervous system. It is because of the superiority of the human milk that a few banks/stores of human milk are reported to have come up in USA inspite of its low shelf life.

Advantage of Breast-feeding

Breast feeding benefits the nursing mother in many ways. It is good for your figure. Fat stores developed during pregnancy are laid down specifically for lactation. In the absence of breast feeding, that fat will look unseemly in various parts of your body. With breast feeding you burn almost 1000 calories each day. With a little care and management your beauty can blossom forth. Nursing does not ruin the breast. Instead you become a fuller blossomed woman and with proper care of the breasts light massage etc. during breast feeding, you may yourself be surprised to see how shapely your breast look after a year of delivery. It is an established fact that breast feeding, causes the uterus to shrink more quickly to pre pre-gnancy size. It also decreases the post delivery bleeding. There is no menstruation generally for the entire period of active breast feeding. It is good for health because you get many spells of relaxation every day when you are feeding and making love with your child. Hormone prolactin also enhances this feeling of relaxation. Breast feeding is nature's contraceptive. Hormonal balance in your body will prevent ovulation. But, please note that breastfeeding, on its own, is not a very reliable method of family planning.

Breast feeding is convenient for the nursing mother, no bottle have breasts with are not limited by the size of the breasts. You can breast-feed a premature baby. You can breast-feed even if you have started mensurating and even if unluckily you have become pregnant again, in which case quantity of breastfeeding will have to be reduced. In case of breastfeeding your child continues to smell good. Even his bowel and milk spit do not have the strong odour of a bottle-fed.

After a couple of weeks, breast feeding becomes pleasurable for the mother. Many nursing mothers say that the pleasure sensation they feel in their breasts and in their genital region while they are nursing are very similar to the sensations they experience during sexual excitement.

Breast milk alone is the best feed for a baby upto 4-6 months of age. Breast milk is nutritionally and chemically balanced. It is at the right temperature. It is sterile and contains immune substances. And it is available to the baby always. It is always ready to drink, sanitary and uncontaminated. Its protein is nutritious and digestable than cow's milk protein. Mother's milk has higher level of zinc which is important for growth and for a strong immune system of the child. It prevents constipation and lowers the incidence of food allergies. Breast-fed infants use their calories more economically.

Dr.A.S. Goldman of the University of Texas Branch at Galveston says, "it is already widely accepted that human milk is rich in factors that protect directly against infection, but we found evidence that it contains at least one factor that activates the baby'' own immune system"" Mother'' milk transmits antibodies and protective substances Scientists have found that 75% of the cells in breast milk are macrophages that kill bacteria, fungi and virus. Those cells also help to stop the growth of cancer cells. Scientists have also recently discovered that a solution containing 5% content of human milk killed half a culture of parasites in a test tube within 30 minutes. Cow's or goat's milk was unable to produce a similar result.

Breast feeding causes less diarrhoea, no respiratory illness and less of other infections. It promotes better digestion by forming softer curds in his in his stomach. There are no allergic reactions, no eczema, asthama or running nose. Suckling at the breasts is good for baby's teeth and jaw development as these muscles are exercised in suckling.

The main case against breast feeding is that it is a solitary pursuit and becomes boring for the mother. Of course this activity cannot be shared by others. But imagine how much opportunity it provides for forming bonds between the mother and the child and thus laying a foundation for a happy family relationship. It does require an effort and a commitment. But if such a commitment is not there, why go in for a child at all. Another objection raised is that there is no easy way of knowing as to how much milk has been consumed by the child in case of breastfeeding. The wet diaper, regular bowel movement, sleep following nursing, the bright eyes, alert look, the glow and the smile on the face of the child all show his contentment. Mother also feels the flow and a periodic weight gain will by itself show how much is the intake. The only problem faced in case of breast feeding is that the medicines taken by the mother get transferred to the milk. But only a few commonly used drugs are contra indicated for the child. Most vitamin supplements are contra indicated for the child. Most vitamin supplements are safe. The mother as also her physician have to be careful in this behalf.

Regulating Milk Supply

Milk supply for the baby is influenced by the parents management. Worry, tension and fatigue rob you of the milk output. Rest and relaxation add to it. The more often you nurse your baby and the more vigorously he nurses, the more milk you are likely to have. The release and working of the two hormones-prolactin and oxytocin, manufacturing and supply of milk due to the sucking action of the baby has already been explained . Frequent sucking is needed to produce enough breast milk for the baby's needs. If the mother is a reluctant feeder, the production of milk in her system is bound to go down. Incases where the breast milk is supplemented with cow or goat milk, powder solutions or other breast milk production. This reduced production may not be sufficient to meet the needs of the baby and may have to be further supplemented. Once supplementation with bottled milk starts, it means entry into the vicious circle of ever reducing milk production. The use of a bottle to give other drinks to the baby can cause some to stop breastfeeding completely. The sucking action of bottle feeding is different from that of sucking the breasts and the baby will usually prefer the bottle because less sucking is required. After 4 weeks, it may not only effect the milk production but may ultimately even ease the weening process. If contraceptive pills are used during lactation, the hormones of the pill may inhibit milk production.

Expressing milk manually for five minutes gives extra stimulation and results in greater production. In the first few days there will generally be drought of milk. Such a situation is controlled by expressing manually for stimulating production. Expressing manually may also be necessary in case of working women. The milk thus expressed could be stored for upto eight hours and fed to the child.

Food taken by a nursing mother directly effects milk production. Following foods may be tried for increasing her milk flow:

1. Fennugreek seeds (H.Methi) : A gruel of these seeds will help considerably.
2. Alfalfa : It could be taken as sprouts, tea made from seeds or juice of fresh alfalfa leaves. This juice could be taken with carrot juice or some other organic drink.
3. Musk melon : With its combination of calcium, potassium and sodium, it stimulates milk production in nursing mothers.
4. Raw papaya is eaten as a curry by women to stimulate secretion of breast milk.
5. Whole potatoes : When baked or roasted in their skins.
6. Black gram dhal (H.Urad dhal) as also parsley and amaranth increase production of breast milk. Dhal should generally be taken in the mornings.
7. The leaves or seeds of fennel (H. Kala Zeera) boiled in barley water and drunk are good for increasing the breast milk.
8. An admixture made with aniseed (H. Sonf) taken on empty stomach increases both the quality and the quantity of breast milk.
9. Milk of peanuts extracted by wet crushing of these nuts which have been soaked in water for 24 hours. This peanut milk should be diluted before being given to the mother.
10. Diluted grass juice. Nothing else should be consumed for at least two hours thereafter to help assimilation.
11. Garlic, tamarind and cotton seeds also help in increasing milk supply.
12. Soups and red gram also stimulate milk production.

Do not forget that adequate rest, less work, well-balanced diet, iron and vitamin supplements, lots of fluid and manually expressing the milk if the baby does not empty the breasts, are the basic formulae for getting adequate milk supply.

Feeding Postures

A good nursing position is such that you can hold the position for some time without feeling cramped or stiff. Bring the baby to the breast, not the breast to the baby. Baby's body should be face to face with yours. His mouth should directly face the nipple and he should be close enough to take all of the areola or much of into his mouth.

In the beginning and for night feedings it would be more restful to lie down to nurse. Lie on your side with a pillow under your head and one or two behind your back. Use folded cloth or towel under the baby's head as he lies facing you with his mouth at breast level. Your bottom arm can be up and out of the way or under the baby's head. Nurse the baby first on the bottom breast then tuck that breast under your bottom arm and lean over the baby and nurse with the top breast. Switch sides next time.

For sitting position, sit straight up in bed or in a comfortable chair. Position the baby so that his head, chest, genitals and knees all face you. His buttocks should be in one hand of yours and his head should be in the bend of that elbow. Slip your other hand under your breast with all the four fingers supporting the breast without any of the fingers being on the areola. Gently touch the lower lip of the baby with the nipple to get his mouth wide open. Quickly pull his body in so that the mouth fixes on the areola. The nipple should be deep in baby's throat. This way there will be no movement of the nipple when the baby sucks.

If there is pain, insert your finger in the side of his mouth to break the suction and reposition the baby. Do not pull him off the breast. His mouth should cover the nipple fully. If he drifts, wake him, burp him and switch sides.

Only two postures have been described above by way of illustration. There could be many more in keeping with the basic requirements given above. The ultimate position will have to be determined only by you and your baby, one which is convenient to both of you. Positioning of the baby and the breast is of great importance. A faulty sucking position can cause sore or cracked nipples, inadequate flow of milk or even refusal of the baby to feed. If the positioning of the mother and the child is good, the baby's whole body will be turned towards the mother. The sucks will be long and deep. The baby will be relaxed and happy and the nipples will not pain. Be gentle to the baby. Do not hold the head to direct the mouth to the breast. Do not squeeze across the cheeks to get the mouth open.

Frequency

It is strongly recommended that the breast feeding should start within the first hour after delivery. Breast feeding should be continued well into the second year of the life of the child. Breast milk provides energy and protein to the baby and protects him against disease. Such a protection is needed more in the second year when he learns to walk and play and gets ill frequently. Longer period of breastfeeding will lay a solid foundation for a healthy life in years to come. It is a sin to terminate breastfeeding earlier as a matter of choice. Decision to terminate breastfeeding should be a joint decision of both the mother and the child. It should be continued so long as the child wants it and asks for it. If he wants to terminate it earlier than nine months, you and your husband should jointly look into the possible causes of such a termination and try to remedy the situation. Do not be discouraged; Do not quit easily. Try and continue trying. If, on the other hand, the mother asks for it and cannot be convinced to continue, it seems nothing can be done. Milk will not come to the breasts of such a mother in adequate quantity. First thing is convince such an unwilling mother. Then there are cases where the child does not agree to the termination of breastfeeding and must have one or two feeds even after 2 years of age. Advice is to continue with it so long as the mother can manage it. Longer the better. In Indian villages many mothers breastfeed their children for over two years. That is what the tradition has taught them.

Mother produces the most milk in the morning when she is rested. First two feeds should consequently finish by the mid morning. Please remember that breast fed babies, on an average, feed more often because breastmilk is digested more easily and quickly. In the first two weeks feeding may be needed 10-12 times a day. The feeding should not be by the hour. It should be on demand. Do not draw up a programme as to at which hours the feed will be given. Baby feeds to go to sleep again and wakes up to take the feed. On the first day nurse the baby for 5 minutes on each breast at a time till the baby is satisfied. On the second day feed him for 10 minutes at a time on each breast and on subsequent days for 10 to 15 minutes at a time on each breast and feeding must be done at both the breasts on every occasion. After sucking at one breast, burp him, diaper him, if necessary, and then put him to the other breast and then let him drift off. General observations indicate that from 10-12 feeds per day in the first two weeks, he may demand only 5-6 feeds at the end of 8 weeks and 4-5 feeds per day thereafter. The frequency of breastfeeding will be reduced considerably if he is bottle-fed in between.

Milk ducts can clog as a result of tight clothes, fatigue, prolonged periods without nursing or even because of body curves of the mother. It may even result in infection. In such an eventuality besides applying warmth and massaging, allow the baby to nurse on that side more frequently. Baby's suckling will help clear out the duct faster than everthing else. If you develop breast infection on any other count also, do not stop feeding. Instead nurse more frequently. You thus give anti-bodies to the child.

If cow's milk or any other formula is used in the first few days, chances of continuing breast feeding and its frequency are reduced.

Breast Care

A well fitting brassiere is the first requirement for the last few weeks of pregnancy and for the entire period of breast feeding. A good nursing bra should be of pure cotton, with wide opening for nursing, with comfortable straps and not tight across the chest. It should be easy to open and close the bra with one hand. It would be better to have a bra that lets you uncover one breast at a time.

The breasts and nipples need regular and systematic attention three months prior to delivery. The annointing and massage of the nipples prevents their cracking that so often interferes with successful breast feeding. During this predelivery period do not use soap on the nipples. The glands around the nipples will be secreting substances to keep them Clean. Soap will dry them out. Breast massage will prevent clogging of the milk ducts. Nearer child-birth manually express colostrum a couple of times to open the milk ducts and prevent engorgement. The nipples should be toughened. For this rub your nipples briskly but gently with a towel after daily bath. After rubbing take the nipple between your thumb and forefinger and pull it out firmly. Twist or role the nipple between your fingers for a minute or the privacy of your house with your breasts uncovered to expose your nipples to the air. Occasionally allow your nipples to rub against your clothing by going without a bra. Sometimes encourage your husband to stimulate your breasts both manually and orally, as part of love making and enjoy the same. In case of inverted nipples, pre-natal preparation is very necessary. These can often be drawn out during pregnancy. These preparations will greatly help in healthy nursing. If you leak milk, press the nipple into the chest using cotton handkerchief to press it in.

Within 2 to 4 days of the child birth, because of the increased blood supply to the breasts and because of the pressure of the newly produced milk, the breast tissues get swollen. In such cases give frequent feeding. Apply mild moist heat to the breasts for about 20 minutes before feeding. In mid-feeding have a mild massage of the breasts towards the nipples to get milk flowing.

In case of sore or hard breasts or where the breasts get swollen or caked, see that the child does not suck one breast for more than 12 minutes because ordinarily the child should be able to empty one breast in about 7 minutes. Over-sucking will make it more sore. Nurse on the less sore side first. After feeding, prepare pancakes of wheat flour, baking soda and sour milk and supply hot pancakes to cover the affected part fully. Change them and reheat them to complete 15 minutes of fomentation. Alternatively, bake large potatoes, crush them and put the soft potato pulp in a woolen cloth and apply to the breasts as hot as can be tolerated. Continue for 15-20 minutes. Supplement of bone meal and dolomite tables consisting of calcium and magnesium may also relieve painful breasts.

For relieving engorgement, before starting feeding, express a little milk manually. This will soften the breast. Massage the breast once or twice from the outer edge towards the nipple. Apply hot or cold packs before starting feeding.

For treating sore nipples, ensure that during feeding mouth of the baby Covers minimum portion of the areola and some milk is expressed manually before breast feeding. Nurse more frequently. In such cases less sore side may be taken up first. Limit sucking to five minutes on the sore side. To ease pain, apply ice to your nipple just before a feeding. Use vitamin E, pierce a capsule, squeeze out a drop and rub in into the nipple after finishing nursing. Do not wipe away any milk left on your breast after a nursing. Let it dry there. That milk at the end of the feed is high in lubricants and contains an antibiotic. Do not use soap, alcohol or tincture of benzons on your nipple. After bath expose your nipples to the light of a 60 watt bulb for 10-15 minutes. The most important thing in this behalf is to keep the nipples dry by exposing them to open air, Change nursing position so as to change the pressure of the child's mouth on different sides of the nipple.

For treating a clogged duct, feed more often and longer so that the baby empties the breast. Change position from lying to sitting. Express manually the affected breast after each feeding. Offer the sore breast first. Apply moist heat. Do not sleep on your stomach as that will put pressure on your breasts. Continue to nurse. Do not stop.

For cracked and sore nipples, after nursing, apply molasses on the nipple. This treatment will never fail you. The other cure is to apply gelly made with the seed and white substance at the centre of quince (H.Behi). Soak the seeds in a little hot water, Strain off seeds before it becomes too thick. Apply that gelly. You may avoid cracks if you apply a little olive or peanut oil as often as you remember and certainly after feeding.

Miscellaneous

American Folk Medicine by Clarence Meyer says "Sage (herbal) tea given in cold infusion will, within a few days, cause the milk to leave the breasts". This is, then, the way to stop producing milk, when so considered necessary and urgently. Otherwise, if the breastfeeding is stopped, your body will stop creating those hormones and milk production will taper off. For this reason, if you need to stop breastfeeding temporarily, you should keep expressing milk manually so that the production continues in the body. Working women should expel some milk at place of work when they cannot hold it any more. On reaching home, expel little more milk, wash the breasts and then feed the baby.

If your breasts sag or are small, develop the pectoral muscles. That will make the breasts seem larger and firmer. To accomplish this, Maggie's "Woman's Book", prescribes the following exercise:

"Lie on your bed. Rest the upper arm on the bed and bend the elbow so that the hand is straight in the air. Put up your elbow and swing your arms in and down towards your thighs, circle them back up. Start making small circles, working slowly towards your thighs, and back up, then circle in the other direction. Repeat this exercise in each direction a few times. Now find the position where you feel the muscle is working most and work there. To trim down or to keep in shape do just a few circles each day with light weights in hands" besides firming the breasts, this exercise may increase milk cells as well.

Pay close attention to your nutritional needs. You expend about 1000 calories a day in breast-feeding during the first five months of nursing. These calories have to be met mainly by increasing the protein foods by 50% and dairy foods by 100%, fat intake remaining the same. Take lots of fruits and vegetables as also whole-wheat bread besides foods which increase foods which increase the milk production. Special attention must be paid to the intake of adequate quantities of calcium and vitamin D. Non-fat dry milk and, for non-vegetarian mothers, white of egg are goof foods for the period of nursing. Fluids, that is, water, milk, soups and juices should be taken in abundance, Great care should be taken to see that you do not put on extra weight. Also please see that you peel or thoroughly wash vegetables to get rid of pesticide residues and avoid fat rich dairy products. Avoid caffeine. Avoid cabbage family vegetables because these produce gas. Please remember that it takes about 4 to 6 hours before the food eaten by the mother effects the milk of the breasts. Avoid dieting. If you are not already much overweight, do not lose more than one kilogram a month while you are nursing. Moderate exercise is necessary during this period. It could be generally taken after nursing. You could go for walks, and your child, on many occasions, could, in a pram, be your exercise "buddy".

There is no single optional time for weaning. Wean when your baby loses interest, after a minimum period of six months at least. Weaning should be a mother-child decision when there remain no nutritional or emotional reasons to continue brestfeeding. Then do not offer breast, nor refuse it. If mother wants to withdraw, then bottle milk is better than nursing at a grudging breast. For easing the weaning process, make nursing sessions shorter. Use distractions before and while nursing. Give attractive and favourite other foods before starting breast feeding. Invite his playmates just before nursing hour. Give him lot of affection during those activities. In the process of reducing nursing, first discontinue those sessions which are inconvenient. Continue talking to the child about a deadline for weaning because he was now a "big boy". Give examples of others. Do not use traumatic techniques. Nurse occasionally when the child implores. These suggestions for weaning have been given when weaning becomes necessary for medical reasons or because of certain conditions of the mother. Otherwise continue nursing, especially when the child wants it. His emotional sucking and proper food for the mother are likely to continue enough milk for him.

More important than all the benefits of breast feeding given above are the physical and emotional bonds of the most intimate nature created between the mother and the child by that skin to skin and eye to eye contacts between the two. It provides the most gratifying experience for both of them. Nursing does not provide food alone. It also provides the warmth, the love and the motherly unspoken reassurances that he can always fall back upon her for comfort, when-ever needed. It makes him the child of the mother for whom she can sacrifice anything. Mothers who have not nursed for a full term do not know what they have missed!