Baby Milestones – first 3 months of the baby!

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Parenting is an art and one can never stop learning. The days and nights are upside down. There will suddenly be a lot of changes in your life and above all the tiny one’s alien yelling language that you don’t understand. Yes, that’s when you know that your little one has arrived!

After 9 months being a roller-coaster ride for you emotional and physically, your baby finally comes home!

Are you ready for this rollercoaster ride? Maybe, maybe not.

Here’s what you can expect for the next 3 months –

Your baby’s first smile

The first three months of your little munchkin’s life is all about eating, sleeping, pooping and a lot of crying (which you will take time to adjust to). During this period of time, your baby will be trying to understand your actions and may respond by making silly sounds which is one of the many firsts you will experience! If you are one of the lucky mothers, the bonus reaction of your little one is a smile to you which surely will make your day!

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Your baby will be curled up in one position

After making your womb his/her home for 9 months, your newborn is going to be curled up in one position. It’s fine if your baby has a curved spine in the beginning, its bones are all soft for now. This is perfectly normal. In no time you will see your little one stretching his/her body.

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Your baby’s first blinks

Your baby’s vision is not completely developed when he/she is born. All new parents need to get ready during the 3rd week of parenthood, as your baby will be able to recognize your face. At this time your baby can see at a distance of 8-12 inches. Blinking is caused due to dry eyes, babies often do not blink much due to their eyes remains shut for a longer time as they sleep more during their initial days. Also, the baby’s vision takes time to develop. Their first view of the world is indistinct and only in shades of gray. By the 6th week, the baby might surprise you with an adorable smile!

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Your baby opens and shuts his/her hands

For an initial few weeks your baby has no idea about the existence of hands attached to its body. The sooner your little munchkin realizes it, he is going to be fascinated when they accidently come into view. It is a cute sight to see your little one getting excited while playing with his/her own hand. You can try to examine your baby by giving him/her a rattle and see if he/she grips it.

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Your baby gobbles its finger as a milk bottle

After a good 10 weeks, your baby starts to find a comfort from sucking on its thumb or fingers. There is no problem in that, but you should make sure not to make it a habit for your little sweetheart.

Your baby will be sleeping for a longer period

Over a period of time, your little one will gain several kilograms and will be sleeping for a good 3 to 5 hours in the day as well. Although, he/she may still wake you up at midnight when he/she is hungry. This will usually occur in the third month. Most of the babies seem to lose the ability to roll onto their sides independently within the first month. Usually, babies start turning after the 3rd month.

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All said and done, the first three months of parenthood are very challenging, no matter how much help you have or how prepared you think you are. But again, it is the most beautiful and special time in your life.

 

Everything you need to know about your Third Trimester

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After passing through the first and second trimester stages, you would now like to know what to expect in the third trimester. You might feel that your belly can’t get any bigger but it will get bigger all through your third trimester. So, here is all that you need to know about your third trimester.

The third trimester of your pregnancy is from week 28 to week 40, which is usually 7-9 months. The feelings during this trimester tends to vary from nervousness to excitement about the baby coming.

Here is a week by week guide to your third trimester pregnancy.

Week Twenty Eight

By this week, your baby weighs nearly over 1 kilogram. At about this time, your baby can open his/ her eyes and turn his head. His fat layers are forming and his new shiny fingernails appear. At this stage, you will be nervous and excited about the baby. Start selecting possible baby names and begin planning the baby’s arrival!

Week Twenty Nine

Your baby’s head is getting bigger, and brain growth is very rapid at this time. Nearly all babies react to sound by the 30th week. During this time, your baby needs the maximum amount of nutrients and so you need to eat a large amount of protein, Vitamin C and calcium. In this week, the baby’s skeleton hardens even more and the brain, muscles, and lungs continue to mature.

Week Thirty

While your baby may soon slow up growing, but only in length. He/she will continue to gain weight until he or she is born. In this week, your baby continues to open and shut his eyes. As you and the baby continue to grow, don’t be worried if you feel breathless. This is because, as the baby is growing your uterus is pressing against your diaphragm.

Week Thirty One

You may notice lesser moments of your baby in your tummy. The baby is growing and does not have enough space to move. You’ve probably gained about 2 kilograms this month. Gaining weight is normal during this time.

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Week Thirty Two

Your little one’s lungs won’t be fully developed until just before birth. The baby when awake will be practising all necessary skills like breathing, kicking and sucking. Some babies have a crown of hair already, others have only a few wisps. In this week, your body begins to start prepping for delivery by flexing its muscles. If you feel your uterus bunching or hardening periodically, those are Braxton Hicks contractions. These are like a pre-labor rehearsal before the real moment.

Week Thirty Three

Your baby should already be getting ready for delivery by turning upside-down i.e. his head should be pointing down for a normal delivery.  Your doctor will be paying careful attention to your baby’s position in the coming weeks. Keep visiting your doctor regularly.

Week Thirty Four

Your baby is getting rounder as she/he will need the fat layers later to regulate the body temperature. If you don’t already talk to your baby, this is a good time to start. If you’ve been nervous about going into premature labour, you’ll be happy to know that most babies born at week 34- 35 and can survive outside the womb.

Week Thirty Five

By this week the wall of your uterus and your abdomen stretch thinner and let in more light for your baby.  Also, your baby will begin to develop daily activity cycles. This week, your little one is now sporting fingernails and has a fully developed pair of kidneys.

Week Thirty Six

You may begin to feel an increased pressure in your lower abdomen and notice that your baby is gradually dropping. This is called lightening or engagement, and your lungs and stomach will finally get a chance to stretch out a little.

Week Thirty Seven

By this week, many babies now have a full head of hair, with locks around one inch long. But don’t be surprised if his or her hair isn’t the same colour as yours.

Week Thirty Eight

Babies at week 38 weigh about 3 Kgs and continue to build the fat stores that will help regulate body temperature after birth. Your little one’s organ systems are fully developed and in place, but the lungs will be last to reach maturity.

Week Thirty Nine

Your baby has reached full term this week and is waiting to greet the world! If your water breaks, call your healthcare provider immediately.

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Here are a few common experiences that you go through during your third trimester:

  1. Craving or eating too often

With your trimester going on, you would be gaining weight. Sometimes while eating you may even feel full as your uterus is pressing your stomach. Here are some of the interesting cravings pregnant women have during their pregnancy.

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2. Keep moving

As long as you’re not at risk for delivering a preterm baby, exercise is safe in the third trimester. But if you’re used to doing exercise, discuss with your doctor whether you should continue your routine.

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3. Rest up

Feeling uncomfortable and going to the bathroom a lot at night can leave you tired. Use a body pillow when sleeping and limit your liquid and food intake after 6 p.m. To combat fatigue during the day, take a five-minute break every hour. Sit back, relax, do deep-breathing exercises or take a walk to rejuvenate yourself.

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4. Anxiety

All pregnant women are nervous about how they are going to handle motherhood especially if they are expecting their first child. Babycell has an initiative “Mummy Ki Paathshaala” where they teach women about the journey towards motherhood

5. Planning the future

All to-be-parents, plan their baby’s future well in advance. They plan their child’s school, clothes, food, etc. Some parents also bank their baby’s stem cells with private banks. Babycell is one of leading stem cell banks in India –

Hope this helps you through the final leg of your pregnancy!

 

HIV AIDS Awareness Month

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1st December is marked as World HIV – AIDS Awareness Day. This year Babycell is spearheading an awareness drive throughout December month with hashtag #AIDwithStemCells for supporting patients suffering from HIV and preventing advancement of the disease. so here is an interesting article to help you understand the disease and role of cord blood in curing it

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What is HIV?

HIV stands for Human Immunodeficiency Virus. This virus leads to Acquired ImmunoDeficiency Syndrome or AIDS. HIV completely breaks down the immune system and makes a person vulnerable to deadly diseases and infections.

Unlike other viruses, the human body cannot get rid of HIV with routine medication.

 

Alarming numbers of HIV in India

 

  • 2.1 million Indians living with HIV
  • 86,000 new HIV infections each year in India
  • 1,30,000 annual deaths in India due to HIV

 

Transmission of HIV

HIV is spread from an infected person to another person’s body through

  • Blood transfusion
  • Non Sterilized injections
  • Sharing needles
  • Semen
  • Vaginal fluids
  • Through sexual contact
  • From mother to baby during birth.

Current treatment: Antiretroviral Therapy (ART) is the therapy being used widely but it is not a permanent cure. ART is the combination of several antiretroviral medicines used to slow the rate at which HIV makes copies of itself (multiplies) in the body. A combination of three or more antiretroviral medicines such as nucleosides, protease inhibitors and more is used manage HIV. It controls the virus and reduces the risk of further transmission.

 

Role of Cord Blood in Curing HIV: Timothy Ray Brown was diagnosed with HIV in 1995, and later also contracted leukemia, which is common in HIV cases due to the almost non-functional immune system. In 2007 he underwent a cord blood stem cell transplant for treatment of leukemia. Surprisingly, not only was he cured of leukemia but also of HIV. This led the scientists and hematologists to delve deeper into the stem cells used for his transplant. What they found was revolutionary since we now have a hope for such a large global population suffering from this disease. The cord blood stem cells used were from an unknown donor with a delta 32 mutation on the CCR5 receptor. Because of the ability of these stem cells to regenerate blood cells and immune cells, he got treated for both Leukemia and HIV.

 

Results: To support their findings, another organized clinical trial has been initiated, currently 4 HIV patients have been treated using cord blood stem cells and more patients are being recruited in a 3 year long trial in Spain.

 

Benefit: With the success of stem cell transplant 1 billion lives can be saved in next 10 years

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So go ahead and educate everyone that you know! Share the science and knowledge !!

 

 

Tips of instating healthy habits in your child

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Nutrition is important for your child. It depends on what your child eats and drinks.  It is important as parents to encourage children to eat a nourishing, balanced diet right from early years of their life. Your child needs to consume the right balance of carbohydrates, proteins, fats and vitamins. Educating them on healthy eating early in life will help maintaining good health and immunity for the long run.

The food Pyramid

They key to healthy eating is to enjoy all variety in the right numbers. Here is a display of food divided into 5 categories to help explain what should be eaten when.  The five food groups are:

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@more4momz.com

Here is a bifurcation of the pyramid:

The bottom of the pyramid is the biggest part of the pyramid. It contains the foods you should eat in bulk:

  • Grain foods: always choose wholegrain and/or high fiber varieties of bread, cereals, rice, pasta, noodles.
  • Fruits and vegetables: They should make up a large part of your daily food intake. Ensure to encourage their consumption during every meal.

The middle of the pyramid contains foods you should eat some, but not too much:

  • Dairy: the foods in this group are excellent sources of calcium, which is important for strong, healthy bones.

The top of the pyramid is the smallest part of the pyramid. It contains foods you can eat once in a while:

  • Pulses: Helps to build proteins, maintain, and repair the tissues in our body.
  • Sugar Contains: Should be taken the least as they contain a large amount of fats.

Now that we have bifurcated the food into different groups, to encourage your children to eat this you should always have incentives:

The food chart

All children love to be encouraged, so when they follow your diet chart you can always appreciate them with a star and grade them. This way they will want to be good kids and will want to follow eating healthy!

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@ww.printablee.com

 

Tips for healthy eating:

  1. Make school lunch interesting for the children:

Most of the time children spend is in school. Packing the perfect lunch box for your child could be a challenge. It is easy to run out of ideas and more importantly to give them something new which is tasty and healthy. Here are a few healthy Lunch Box Recipes:

  • Oats Idlis
  • Upma
  • Bread Poha
  • Paneer and Salsa Tortillas
  • Multigrain Pizza
  • Moong Dal Chila

Click on the link to get the recipes here – http://food.ndtv.com/lists/10-best-kids-lunch-box-recipes-1434784

  1. Breakfast is the most important meal:

Breakfast is the best way to refuel your body. It keeps your kids healthy and active during the day. Skipping breakfast makes your child tired and restless. Breakfast also can help keep kids’ weight in check. Breakfast kick-starts the body’s metabolism too.  Here is a video which will help you understand the importance of it. – https://vimeo.com/122534561

  1. Involve your kids while cooking food:

If you involve your children into cooking or even let them help in preparing the meal with you then it will make them happier and also they will love to eat to eat the food they prepare. They will land up eat vegetables they refused to taste in the first place – https://vimeo.com/122534563

 

Mommies, we hope this helps you maintain a balanced but yet healthy diet for your children. Eat healthy, stay healthy!

Everything you need to know about your first Trimester

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Having a baby is one of the most joyous phase of a woman’s life. But no matter how well you plan for your baby’s arrival, you may not be fully prepared for all of the changes in your body. With some healthy advice, nothing would come to you as a surprise.

Here are a few things that you need to know about your first trimester that will ensure a smooth and sound journey.

The First Trimester:-

The first trimester of pregnancy is a roller coaster of physical, emotional, and hormonal changes that may make you feel like you have little or no control over your body. The first trimester starts from the 1st week of your pregnancy to the 12th or the 13th week. It is important to figure out your current week and calculate your due date accordingly.

Week one & two:

We count the first two weeks as the gestational period. Week one begins with the first day of your menstrual period. So at this point you are not carrying the baby yet.

Week three:

At this point, the miracle of life begins. Although many sperms may enter the outer layer, only one will reach the ovum and fertilise. Around this time the baby’s gender is also determined.

Week four:

This is when your test results will appear positive: You’re pregnant! You may feel bloated and moody. All your early symptoms start kicking in. Morning sickness will also start around the same time.

Week five:

By this time your baby’s heart is formed and divided into four chambers. Soon this heart will start pumping blood. Your baby is about a centimetre long and the development of major organs like liver and kidney begins during this time. You may start feeling fatigue during this time and you will also have the urge to pee frequently.

Week six:

By this time, your baby’s face is taking shape. Now the baby starts to grow a nose, eyes, ears, cheeks and chin. Sometimes the baby is even growing tiny hands and legs. Mood swings and tiredness take a toll over your body. Morning sickness becomes worse.

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@livescience.com

Week seven:

The baby has started producing about one hundred new brain cells by this week. With the development of brain cells, the heart has become more complex. All the joints in the arms and legs of the baby are forming.  Along with morning sickness and fatigue, food aversions will also start affecting you. All these symptoms will last till your first trimester comes to an end. @thebump.com

Week eight:

By the eighth week the baby’s toes and fingers have slightly webbed. The baby starts moving his hands and legs too (But you can’t feel it). Your baby’s taste buds are now forming too. Besides other symptoms, early pregnancy cramps also start. Your tummy starts expanding, you may experience heart burn and bloating.

Week nine:

By this time the baby becomes a fetus from an embryo. The heartbeat of the baby becomes stronger and there are distinct facial features. You will be really moody during this phase and have gained a kg or two as well. http://13.126.47.98/blog_/?p=784

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Week ten:

In the tenth week, the baby has working arms and joints and his bones also start forming. All the vital organs start to function. Hair and nails start to grow by this time. The baby starts swallowing and kicking in there. The baby starts putting pressure on your organs, veins, muscles. You may feel really tired as the body is using all the energy to help the baby grow.

Week eleven:

You may not be able to feel it but the baby is moving comfortably.  It develops some skin and starts looking more like a baby. Tooth buds and hair follicles start growing.  You should try doing some exercise and relax your body during this phase.

Week twelve: 

In your 12th week, most of baby’s features are fully formed. The baby enters the growth phase. All organs and tissue start developing rapidly.

Here are few common experiences that you go through during your first trimester:

  1. Weight Gain and loss

During the first few weeks, your baby is very small. This means you will gain around 1-2 kgs. Sometimes, you could lose some weight due to morning sickness and a loss of appetite. In order to maintain a healthy weight, you should focus on maintaining a balanced diet and eat frequent meals.

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2. Fatigue

Feeling weak and tired is common symptom of your first trimester. Your metabolic rate during this time is way above normal. You could experience tremendous mood swings and hormonal changes during this period. Eating proper meals, consulting your doctor and taking multivitamins will help you overcome this feeling.

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3. Doctor Visits :

It’s always better to visit a gynaecologist before you plan your baby to ensure a healthy pregnancy and avoid complications. But once it’s confirmed that you are pregnant, it’s a must to see your doctor every week. This enables you to keep a check on you and your baby. There are also a few tests that need to be done in your first trimester. It is significant to ask your doctor about them and get them done in time.

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4. Food Aversions or Cravings

Food aversions are something that’s natural during your first trimester. During this time your digestion system slows down, resulting in a sense of repulsion toward food items that you once loved.

Cravings are the flip side of aversions. Although the cause is unknown, they may simply be your body’s way of telling you to eat what you can stand. It is advisable to check how healthy the food item that you are craving is, for before consuming it.

5. Morning Sickness

Nausea is typically an early warning sign of pregnancy. It may occur all through your first trimester, however the first few weeks are the most difficult. In this case consulting your doctor and asking them to prescribe you vitamins will provide some relief.

 

 

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  1. Heartburn

You might experience severe heartburn, especially during your first trimester. Heartburn, basically is a burning sensation in the oesophagus caused by stomach reflux. To avoid it, you can try eating frequent, smaller meals throughout the day. Avoid lying down immediately after eating something. Avoid eating food items that are spicy or greasy. http://13.126.47.98/blog_/?p=667

When it comes to pregnancy, it’s better to be wise. For more information, visit our blog today! http://13.126.47.98/blog_/

Interesting facts that you may not know about stem cells and stem cell research

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Why is everyone opting for stem cell banking in India and why should you be interested in cord blood stem cells?
Cord blood is the blood that’s found in umbilical cord, the cord that connects mother and baby. Cord blood stem cells have an enormous potential to repair, heal and regenerate. These cells are the basics of our cellular system. These multipurpose cells can be differentiated to become specific or specialised cells, and they can help treat more than 80 diseases.

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The field of stem cells and umbilical cord blood stem cell banking is very interesting to study because people could actually get an idea about the real process through which a bunch of stem cells can transform into a huge array of trillions of healthy functional cells that are crucial for living.
Interesting facts about stem cells:-
All new – Thanks to umbilical cord blood stem cells they have a potential to give you whole new skin approximately every four weeks, a new gut lining every few days and a staggering 2 million new red blood cells every second.
All fresh – Researchers discovered umbilical cord blood is the richest and fresh source of stem cells since cord blood stem cells are unexposed to the external environment.

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Skin on demand – Doctors have discovered that cord blood stem cells can regenerate into epithelial cells and grow entire sheets of epidermis in the lab, only with no hair or sweat glands. This new skin can be used as grafts for patients with severe burns or other skin disorders.
One for the family – Your newborn baby’s cord blood stem cells are a 100% match for the baby and a suitable match for the sibling and other family members too! Now you know why you should opt for cord blood stem cell banking

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Lifesavers – In the last 25 years, more than 35,000 patients have received umbilical cord blood transplants –mostly for treatment of leukemia, lymphoma, metabolic disorders, immune deficiencies and other blood disorders.
There are 2 types of stem cell treatments (treatment using own stem cells or donated stem cells): Autologous and allogeneic ways are the two main types of stem cells transplants. When a patient receives stem cells from his own cord blood, he is said to undergo autologous cord blood stem cells transplant, whereas in case of allogeneic transplant, cord blood stem cells donated by another individual’s umbilical cord blood are used for the treatment.

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As a result, a prerequisite for allogeneic transplant is to find a donor match. Specific proteins known as the human leukocyte antigen found on the surface of each stem cell making each person’s tissue unique, are assessed to obtain an identical donor. However, in case of autologous transplants, HLA matching is not required.
Cord blood Stem Cells for Type 1 Diabetes: Stem cell research works to treat a variety of degenerative diseases, but an interesting fact is that they are also used in diabetes research. A study has proven injecting cord blood stem cells into the pancreas could cause them to develop into insulin-producing beta cells, replacing the damaged cells.
Should YOU support stem cell research and stem cell banking?
Stem cells have miraculous powers. It is thus important to understand the basics of stem cells and support their research because they have proven to be extremely useful in treating a wide range of diseases for which no effective treatment is present. Thus, these cord blood stem cells have the potential to unlock the key to successful treatment for the most deadly diseases, such as Autism, Cerebral Palsy, pediatric stroke, blood cancers, HIV, which have been troubling mankind since ages, and if in any unfortunate scenario can affect you or your loved ones, doctors and scientists recommend a newborn baby’s stem cells are preserved upcoming baby’s stem cells and expecting parents must opt for the best stem cell banking facility in India.

5 ways to deal with your child’s tantrums and how to ensure their safety

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You’re standing in line at the store, almost about to pay the bill and ready to check out. For the fifth time in a row, your child asks for a piece of candy or a food pack. You’ve repeatedly said no, when suddenly, the tantrum starts! All parents have dealt with a similar situation.

For any parent, temper tantrums are one of the most stressful and frustrating things they will have to deal with, especially once your child hits the terrible twos. While every parent tries to avoid tantrums, there will be times when little ones simply cross all limits. Most of the times when this happens there isn’t much you can do as parents!

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Here are five ways of handling these outbursts:

  1. Hold your ground

Keep repeating the same words or the instruction you want him to follow. Keep calm and have a poker face! Don’t lose control even if you have to repeat the same thing a number of times. For example- If your child wants to eat ice-cream every day, you repeat the same thing. “You can’t eat ice-cream everyday”. This way the child will understand that you mean what you say. Also, your child may or may not calm down right away, but he or she will remember that throwing a tantrum doesn’t lead to satisfactory results.

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  1. Don’t lose your temper

As an adult, if you lose control over your child and start yelling, the child will see this type of behavior and start believing that something like this is acceptable at your house and follow the pattern. It is not always easy to stay calm and explain to your child, but that’s the best way a child will understand. Breathe, take some time off and cool yourself down before you go and talk to him. Raising your hand on your child is a big no as they may become more rebellious or might be scared of you.

  1. Try to understand his needs

This point focuses on toddlers who haven’t learned to speak or can’t express what they want. Your child’s tantrums aren’t always because he wants something; it could be for other reasons. He could be hurt or he might have some pain or digestion problem. Some kids are teething or need a diaper change, that’s when they yell and cry. It’s very common for children to be cranky when they are sleepy or hungry. Sometimes you need to fulfill their demands and their tantrums may subside.

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  1. Give them a distraction

When you are out for a social gathering or a dinner, this is the best way to stop your child’s tantrums and also save yourself from some embarrassment. Keep a bag with toys, munchies or something that your child is fond off so they get distracted. If you catch it in time, it can even prevent a major breakdown.  Since children aren’t very good multi-taskers they are bound to get distracted with something more amusing. To know more ways to distract your baby – http://13.126.47.98/blog_/?p=761

  1. Give an explanation, rather than just saying no!

Most parents just say “no” or “It’s not for you” or “because I said so” instead of giving a valid explanation for their comment. This lands up frustrating the child more than anything because he is confused and clueless. You don’t have to give an explanation, but just brief them why is it that they can’t get what they asked for. They will be able to make more sense in such times.

Ensure safety of your children is also an important point when he or she is busy throwing tantrums. Most of the children land up hurting themselves intentionally or unintentionally.

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Here are few ways to ensure the safety of your child.

  1. Wait for the anger to cool down

The worst thing a parent can do is to instigate the child more when he is angry. Instead, wait for the child’s anger to cool down and then go and talk to him/ her. Sometimes when you instigate the child, they end up hurting themselves more because you don’t give them what they want.

2.Make him sit in a safe spot

Let the child be alone for a while, till his anger cools down. Leave them for some time in his bedroom or another safe place in the house where you feel comfortable leaving him or her alone for a little while is best. The spot should be free of distractions such as a computer, TV or handheld video game.

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3.Avoid Triggers

Most of the reasons for a child’s tantrums are predictable and parents at a point are aware of it, such as homework or bedtime. They are usually things that parents make them do against their will. In such cases give them a hint beforehand or just find an alternative on how to get them to do it. This will avoid the tantrum and also keep your child safe before things get out of hand.