How to Stop Breastfeeding a Baby - Stopping Breastfeeding a Baby at Night

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Breastmilk is the best food you can give your baby.

Frankly speaking, i breast fed my baby till 2 years. Then it started getting difficult. She started screaming at the top of lungs if she didn't get it. She started demanding it more often than i thought. She started waking up inbetween nights and screams for BM. I started feeling the pressure, i couldn't sleep peacefully and my back started aching because i was lying on my side all night.

Thats when i decided, Okay it is enough, i should stop it.

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Here are few tips and technique which i followed

1) Slowly Stop or Reduce Day Feeding:

Reducing feeding during day was easy for me. Since i kept her busy with play toys, rhymes and books. She stopped demanding milk during day time.

2)Bittergourd or Neem Oil:

Buy good quality neem oil from shops and apply on your breast when your baby demands for milk. They will get a very bitter note and this may reduce babies interest in BM. But in my case, she wiped off the oil and enjoyed it.

3)Ask Daddy's Help:

You can put the baby near daddy and make them close to them. Ask them to put on their shoulders to make her sleep. In my case, this didn't work as my baby cried to make me hold her.

4) Sleep in next room:

If you are living with your mother in law or you have your mom near by. Ask them to sleep with your little one during night. Let them pat her when she cries inbetween night. Doing this for 3 to 4 days will make the baby forget breast feeding. This is what i followed and it helped me.

5)Have food to give at night:

For babies below 1.5 years old, you can have formula milk or cows milk which you can feed at night when they demands for BM.

Read this : ALL ABOUT BREASTFEEDING A BABY

6)Make their tummy full:

Feed them well at night, so their tummy will be full and they wont demand BM at night.

7)Put a bandaid on your breast:

Please don't laugh, it may be funny but this helped me. I put a bandaid on my breast and when my little one asked for milk. I showed that mommy is not well, something bite me, so i cannot feed you. And my little one was so caring, she stopped asking breast milk from that day.

8)Keep warm water:

When your baby demands milk, just feed them warm water. Sometimes baby may be feeling thirsty so they might be asking for BM.

9)Keep them active during day:

During day time keep them active, reduce their sleeping time. Make them play a lot. This will make them tired and they will sleep quicky at night.

10) Tickling them helps:

To put them sleep, just give some relaxing tickles on their stomach or legs, this will make them feel good and they will sleep soon.

11)Reading Stories:

Tell them lots of stories when you put them to sleep. Watching their favourite cartoons at night will reduce them asking for BM.

I hope this will help you a lot. Each baby will be different. So follow each of these steps one by one patiently, something will surely help you.

Weaning a baby is a slow process, so be patient. GOOD LUCK TO YOU!

Pregnancy Sample Diet Chart 1 - South Indian Diet Chart - Food Chart for Pregnancy Women

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During pregnancy you crave a lot for variety of foods, some may be healthy but some will be indulging. When i was pregnant i craved for a bowl of curd rice with mango pickle, jamun fruits and bounty chocolate bars. I ate tons of them. But i tried to eat a balance healthy diet often. I included lots of fruits, veggies and nuts in my diet. 

RELATED ARTICLE:
WHAT TO EAT & WHAT NOT TO EAT DURING PREGNANCY

Now i am getting requests from my lovely viewers to share a sample diet chart for a pregnant women. Hence i thought of sharing the chart which my gynecologist gave me. I have few more chart ideas which will be shared soon.

"Pregnant women should try to get up early, so you don't make your baby starve. Also try to sleep early at night because it is the time when your babies growth happens. It is recommended to keep moving in the day time instead of sitting, this will keep the baby active"

RELATED ARTICLE:
COMPLETE GUIDE TO HOME PREGNANCY TEST

SAMPLE DIET CHART 1:

Morning 6 - 7 AM : 
A glass of milk 
Rusk or 2 Biscuits (Marie biscuits) 
1 Apple
6 Soaked & Peeled Almonds
1 or 2 Dates

Morning 8 - 9 AM :
4 Idli or 3 Dosa
One bowl of sambar or chutney
or
3 Poori with Potato Masala
or 
3 Multigrain Adai Dosa with Avial or Chutney

Mid Morning 11 AM:
1 Orange or 1 Apple or 1 Pomegranate or 1 cup black grapes
1 Glass Tender Coconut Water or Lemon Juice

Lunch 1 PM - 2  PM:
One Bowl Rice
Vegetable Side Dish (carrots, beans, sweet potatoes, cauliflower)
Spinach Curry ( 1 bowl - must)
Gravy (Sambar, Rasam, Dal or any curries)
Curd / Yogurt - 1 small bowl
Pickle (optional)
1 Chikki or small piece of chocolate or 1 bowl payasam or kheer

RECIPES CAN BE FOUND IN MY FOOD BLOG
www.yummytummyaarthi.com

Evening 5.00 PM - 6.00 PM:
1 Glasss Milk or Tea
1 Veg Sandwich or Cheese Toast 
or 
1 Medu Vada or Paruppu Vadai (occasionally)
2 Biscuits or Rusk
2 Dried Apricots and 4 cashewnuts

Night 7.00 PM to 7.30 PM:
Vegetable Soup - 1 Bowl or Tomato Soup - 1 Bowl

Night 9.00 to 10.00 PM:
Idli or Dosa - 3 to 4 with Chutney or sambar
or 
Chapati 2 to 3 with Gravy and simple vegetable salad
or
Idiyappam 3 to 4 or Appam 3 to 4 with curry

1 Banana or 1 Apple

Late Night Treat:
1 piece Chikki or Small piece of dark chocolate

RELATED ARTICLE:
EARLY PREGNANCY SYMPTOMS

NOTE:
The above chart is a basic and general chart for pregnancy and can be followed if you have a normal pregnancy. It may not suit pregnant women who have complications in pregnancy. For those please consult with your doctor.

How to Make Bindi for Babies - How to Make Indian Pottu for Babies

Whenever we have a baby in our family, granny used to make this bindi and give them. It is our tradition. On 41 days after the baby is born, we have the baby namind ceremony, after that we used to apply bindi and namma katti, just like in the picture of maha below.

It is such a lovely tradition. Each day i used to wait for the morning. Each day we bathe the baby and dress her and do this. The baby will look so cute and lovely. I can never forget the face of maha when this bindi and namma katti is used.

You can find this in shops which sells medicinal items. But it is so easy to make at home and very hygienic as well. So why do you need to buy it. I used raw rice to make it, you can use sago as well in this.

Hope you will give this a try and let me know how it turns out for you.

Ingredients:

Raw Rice (Pacharisi) or Sago (Sabudana) - 1/2 cup
Water - 2.5 cups
Kum Kum - a pinch (optional)
Aroma Essential oils few drops (optional)

Method:

In a heavy bottom pan, add rice and roast on a medium heat till it blackens.

Now add water to it and cook, keep mashing this. It will get into a paste.

Now add kum kum and oil if using and mix well. 

Spoon this in a container and let it dry for few hours.

Now Cover with a lid and store.

This can be stored for years. When it get dries, add few drops of water over it and rub so the black melts away. Use your index finger to take it and put it on baby forehead.

Pictorial:

for making this, you can use raw rice(pacharisi) or sago (sabudana)

add 1/2 cup of it in a heavy bottom pan, i used my earthernware pot

start roasting on medium heat

it will darken

keep roasting..

you have to roast till it turns black

it is nearly there

now it is blackened

see that

add water in..you see it is completely black

now cook on low heat

keep mashing the rice

the rice will get into a paste

see that

now it has thickened

add a pinch of kum kum forcolour

just a pinch. you can any essential oil for aroma

mix well

Store it in a container..Open it and let it dry for few hours

if it gets too dry, pour few drops of water and rub well, so u can take it in your fingers

Home Remedies for Prickly Heat Rash on Babies - Heat Rash Treatment for Babies - Symptoms, Causes, Prevention & Treatments

Summer is here and it is at its peak. Even we adults couldn't take it, then think about little ones. My little one is running up and down and sweating like crazy. But she never minds it. But as a mom i 
need  to worrry about the rashes and sweating during summer a lot. I follow few steps to keep my baby cool and rash free this summer.

One of my reader asked me that her little one is having prickly heat all over his body, so i decided to write this post, i think it will helps many.

What is Prickly Heat:

You can easily identify prickly heat in babies before your doctor does. It will look like smell tiny red bumps spread all over the body, It causes too much itch(which in babies can be really bad). It causes utter discomfort in them. So treating them at the earliest is recommended.

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What Causes:

Over Heating, Over Sweating, Tight Clothes, Over Dressed which blocks sweat glands, Synthetic fabrics like polyster and nylon, Warm bedding.

In addition to these, young children and babies are at increased risk of developing prickly heat rashes due to their underdeveloped sweat glands

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Symptoms:

1)Red bumps
2)Irritation on skin.
3)Bumps may worsen into blisters
4)Itchy feeling

How to Prevent them:

1)Keep babies room air circulating. Just buy an extra fan, if you can invest in a air conditioner for your babies room.

2)Just use good quality cotton clothes. Just purchase some summer clothes, it has to be loose fitting and soft.

3)Dont allow them to play in the sun, or limit it. Just take them out only in the evening or create a shade area for them to play.

4)Bathe them two to three times a day. And let the bath time be little long.

5)Always keep them dry and clean.

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Treatment for Skin Rash:

1)First consults with your pediatrician, if your baby is too young. They will give you a baby friendly calamine lotion.

2)Apply calamine lotion generously over the skin many times a day. This will keep their skin cool.

3)Put few ice cubes in a  clean napkin and pat them all over the skin many times a day.

4)Pure Sandalwood powder mixed with water can be applied all over the skin for cooling.

4)Multani mitti or Fullers earth powder can be applied all over the skin for cooling. This can be dont for older children.

5)Heat some water, add neem leaves in them and let them boil for 10 mins. Now cool this down and use this water to bathe your baby. This helps to cool the skin and is a great anti bacterial.

6)Dont carry your baby all the time, it may heat them and worsen it.

7)Dont use regular baby powder in those places, unless it is prickly heat powder and recommended by your doctor.

8)Dont use the regular baby lotions and cream. Instead use baby friendly aloe vera gel. It is cooling.

9)Let them cool off, dont allow them to sweat.

10)Keep them hydrated, give them plenty of water throughout the day.

11)Give them cooling foods like watermelon juices, tender coconut water, yogurt, milk, cucumber juices.

12)Besan / Gram flour mixed with yogurt can be applied all over the body and washed away. Dont let them dry too long, else washing them may be very difficult and cause pain in little ones.

Pregnancy Diet & Recipes - What to Eat & What Not to Eat - All About Pregnancy

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Pregnancy is the only time you can eat whatever you feel like without feeling any guilt. 

I am sure pregnancy ladies will be indulging in all sorts of foods they are craving for. But this is the period of time you have to include certain foods in your diet. Because whatever you eat is your baby's main source of nourishment. In this post i am gonna share detailed diet for a pregnant women.

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Key Pregnancy Nutrition: Folic Acid, Iron, Calcium and Protein.

Folic Acid helps in preventing defects in babies brain and spine. Calcium helps in baby bone development.Iron and protein helps in babies body development.

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FOODS TO EAT

1)Lots of Fruits & Veggies

This is the time, you have eat fruits and veggies in abundance. Start your day with somekind of fruits, Apples are great. But pomegranate, oranges are equally good for you. But you can eat whatever you feel like. 

Try to include spinach atleast once in your day.You can either have it for lunch or for breakfast. Make spinach puree or like a stir fry. 

RECIPE:
SPINACH RECIPES
VEGETARIAN SIDEDISHES
VEG CURRIES
VEG STIR FRIES
SALAD RECIPES, JUICES, MILKSHAKES, SMOOTHIES & LASSI

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2) Protein Rich Food

Lean meat like chicken breast, turkey can be consumed. beans, eggs are really good for you. A quick scrambled egg along with whole wheat bread and a fruit juice can make a great breakfast for you.

RECIPE: 
EGG RECIPES 1 & EGG RECIPES 2

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3)Whole Grains

Dals and pulses are great for you. Include one kind of dal each day. Try to eat a handful of sprouted green gram daily.

RECIPE:
SPROUTED GREEN GRAM
BEAN SPROUTS
SUNDAL RECIPES
DAL SOUP & DAL CURRIES
DAL KHICHDI RECIPE

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4)Dairy

Drink two tall glasses of milk daily, one in the morning and one before going to bed. Have a bowlful of yogurt in the afternoon. Cheese and butter can be had in limitation. 

RECIPE:
SMOOTHIES & LASSI

5)Stay Hydrated

You have consume lots of water during this time. Please include atleast one tender coconut daily when you are pregnant. it does magic. 

If you feel water is too boring for you, then why not try this spa water.

SPA WATER RECIPE:

Fill a jug with cold water, then top with sliced cucumber, lemon slices, mint leaves, orange slices. Let it sit in the fridge for couple of hours. Now you can enjoy it through out the day. All you have to do is keep on filling the jug with water. 

Make this fresh everyday.

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6)Nuts & Dried Fruits:

Always include a handful of mixed nuts like almonds, walnuts, pista, cashews daily. A handful of dried fruits like cranberries, blueberries, raisans, sultanas is great for you. You can have limited amount of sunflower seeds, chia seeds, peanuts too.

Dont consume too much dates, just have one of two daily. 

GOOD CARBOHYDRATE CHOICES:

Whole grains, Wholemeal bread, Potatoes, Sweet Potatoes, Beans & Other legumes, Low Fat Dairy,Fruits, Barley, Rice, Brown Rice, Quinoa, Multi Grain Cereal.

FOODS TO AVOID

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1)Caffeine - Try to avoid it, or have in minimum.

2)Alcohol - completely avoid it

3)Fish with high mercury content (swordfish, shark, king mackerel, and tilefish), 

4)Raw Meat

5)Packaged Foods & Canned Foods

6)Avoid Pineapples, it may cause in early labour.

7)Avoid Ripe & Unripe Papaya, it may cause miscarriage

8)Avoid Ginger, it may cause miscarriage.

9)Limit eating grapes. Just clean the fruit really well, because grapes has lots of pesticides on them. so it is best to avoid them during pregnancy.

10)Avoid Mangoes, since most mangoes are ripened the artifical way, So it is not good during pregnancy.

11)Under Cooked Eggs

12)Brie Cheese, Feta Cheese, Blue Cheese, Soft Cheeses & Deli meats

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CARBOHYDRATE TO AVOID OR EAT SPARINGLY:

Sugar, Cakes, Biscuits, muffins, Pastries, Fizzy Aerated Drinks


ENJOY YOUR PREGNANCY:

This is the time you have be cool, stress free and enjoying each and every moment of it.  Dont be too particular about your eating, anything in moderation is good. If you feel like eating a cake, please go ahead and have a slice. Nothing is going to hurt. Please go ahead and enjoy nutritional foods and the foods which you crave for, after all this is the time you can enjoy whatever you want to!


SOME BOOKS FOR YOU: