3 Ways To Hold Your Newborn Baby

My article in:   http://www.boldsky.com/pregnancy-parenting/baby/2013/hold-newborn-baby-033042.html

3 Ways To Hold Your Newborn Baby

As a newcomer enters your life, you will be totally confused about so many what, why, how and when? The most common and perplexing among those doubts will be how to hold your baby.  Most probably you may not have held a newborn ever before in your life. There are a number of different ways to hold a newborn. As you gain confidence you can try them all. As a beginner nobody wants to take a risk on experimenting. So, here we will discuss three most common and simple methods to hold a baby. They are the cradle hold, the shoulder hold and the face-down hold. Stop being nervous about holding your baby, and try these simple steps that will keep your baby safe and secure in your warmth. 

1.THE CRADLE HOLD:

The Cradle Hold

Most babies love this position as they can see you. This position will give complete support to the head, neck,back and bottom of your baby. This hold gives maximum support to your baby’s neck, which is very important in the early stage as the neck muscles will not be strong enough.  The steps to be followed are:

1.Slide one hand under your baby’s head. Your hand should hold both the neck and the lower portion of baby’s head.

2.Slide your other hand underneath your baby’s bottom. Now both your hands will be underneath your baby holding head, neck and bottom securely.

3.Gently lift your baby towards your chest. This should be done while sliding your hand that was under your baby’s neck and hold the baby around. Support back and bottom with the other hand.

4. Now your baby’s head should be in the crook of your elbow with back and bottom supported. The head should not roll or fall backwards. Cradle hold is the best hold for feeding your baby while you are seated.

2.THE SHOULDER HOLD

The Shoulder Hold

Probably this is the most common position used for winding babies. Rest your baby against your shoulders. While holding your baby’s bottom with one hand, keep head and neck supported by the other hand.

3.THE FACE-DOWN HOLD

Face-Down Hold

As you gain confidence in holding your baby, you may try this. It will allow your baby to rest comfortably in your forearm. Rest your baby’s head in the crook of your arm with hands supporting tummy and legs. This is a good position for winding as well.

Next article:  10 Secrets To Be A Good Mother


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Types of men women like

My article in http://www.boldsky.com/relationship/love-and-romance/2013/types-men-women-like-032984.html

When it comes to the matter of women, do you wonder why guys steal the show? It is an obvious fact that women find some men to be highly attractive. This is attributed to certain qualities that women find in a guy which makes them different from others. There are some men who are capable of making the other folks be in awe by attracting women towards them like a magnet. Have you ever wondered why it is not so easy to win a woman’s heart? The answer is very simple. Women will filter each guy for certain personality trait. This can vary according to age groups and cultural attributes, but the prevailing types always belong to a few categories. 

Types of men women like  

1. Mr. Confident

They are the guys who are confident in their opinion and appearance. They can make women feel assured about their future in all the aspects.  They can radiate the enthusiasm and ecstasy of love. They will be practical in their outlook and once they fall for a woman, they will be loyal and honest to her.

2. Mr. Romantic

Romance is the most irresistible trait and this does not come from a single action or just on appearance. The feeling is cultivated through a series of events which will in turn make the woman feel she is loved appreciated and cared. 

3. Mr. Artist

Women love men who are creative and unique. Talented men can win the heart of women in no time and he can create admiration in the mind of a woman. They are smart enough to live for the moment and enjoy each facet of love. An artistic guy can make his woman feel unique by taking inspirations for his creativity from her.

4. Mr. Witty 

Witty men can entertain and can give company to women without leaving them bored. No women want to be tied up with a man who handles relationships with too much of policies and rules. A man with great humour sense will be open hearted facing life as it comes.  They can handle any challenging situations in life with a positive attitude. Women are light-hearted enough to fall for a guy with great humour sense.

5. Mr. Rebel

Women will always fancy those guys who avoid them. They love to debate even for no reason with those who are strong enough to argue with up to the point views. Dating this rough and tough man will show you how fun it can be when he explore and reveal his softer side.

These are the most sought-after traits, but being yourself will make it more attractive. Keep in mind that impersonation is hard to be fruitful. 

Tips To Grow Money Plant Faster

Money plant is considered lucky according to Feng Shui. Money plant can grow without much assistance and care and it is believed that our business and income will also flourish independently like this. You can grow this as an indoor plant or as an outdoor plant. Keep a stem of money plant in a bottle of water and decorate your home with some green. But, this does not mean that it will grow even without care. If you want to grow it really well, then you have to take some extra care for it. Here are some tips for you to grow money plant faster.

1.Planting: When starting to grow your new plant, it is better to first grow it in water. Let the roots develop and then transplant it in pot containing soil. This will help the plant to grow better and faster.

2.Watering: Watering will definitely help it to grow. But avoid over watering in any circumstances. Money plant does not need too much of water to grow. It is essential to let the soil dry between two watering sessions. Water the plant once every 2 - 3 weeks in winter and once every 7 - 10 days during summer.

3.Provide direct sunlight: Have you ever tried keeping a money plant near your window. You will enjoy watching it growing towards the sunlight. Yes, money plant is a sun loving plant. Alternate sunlight and shade is ideal for the growth of a money plant.

4.Keep an eye on your pot selection: If you want to keep it as an indoor plant, it is fine to go for a small pot. But always prefer a harmonizing pot for your outdoor plant for a faster growth. The growth of the plant is closely related to the pot size. You can plant it directly to the soil also without using a pot.

5.Fertilizers: Money plant can use almost any type of common fertilizer. It is ideal to use a nitrate base as it is not a flowering plant. Weak solutions of liquid fertilizer can be used for short-term dosage and pellet form for long-term.

6.Climbing up: Wooden or plastic pole warp with husk is suitable for climbing the plant up for getting a faster growth. Tie them up as it grows up till it reaches the top progressively. You can also use coir ropes to wrap around plastic or glass poles which will give enough support for the plant to grow up.

7.Prune your plant: This will give a rapid growth. Trim by cutting away dead or overgrown branches or stems.  This will also give you a more tree like type of plant as it grows.

My article in : http://www.boldsky.com/home-n-garden/gardening/2013/tips-grow-money-plant-faster-033000.html

Also Read:   Different Ideas To Grow Money Plant


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Dark Lips Due To Smoking? Try These...

Smoking is injurious not only to your health, but also to your beauty. When you look in the mirror, do you worry each time about the dark colour of your lips? If so, you’re not alone. Dark lips are noticeable side-effects of smoking. Lips can get darkened over time if you are a chronic smoker.

Nicotine -a highly addictive alkaloid is the main cause for affecting the natural hue of the lips. Hardening of blood vessels due to smoking results in a decrease in facial artery oxygen and blood flow which can discolour the face and lips, making it pale and dry with a light or dark blue tint. The nicotine in cigarettes reduces iron absorption and cause the skin to lose its natural colour.

The first step to get back your appealing lips is to quit smoking. Nicotine staining can be reversed over time when a person stops smoking. There are a lot of effective home remedies which can lighten the colour of your lips. But, if you are continuing smoking along with trying these remedies, you have to wait a pretty long time to make a change, or perhaps you cannot. So, keep your cigarette away and get ready for a makeover. Try these remedies from your kitchen shelf and get rid of your dark lips due to smoking.

Dark Lips Due To Smoking? Try These...  

1. Lime juice and glycerine:This is one of the most effective home remedy for dark lips due to smoking. Apply a mixture of equal amount of lime juice and glycerine once in a day for few weeks. This mixture will bleach the skin and keep the softness of your lips. 

2. Honey:Mix finely grounded almonds, dry oatmeal, lemon juice and honey. Massage this mixture gently onto your lips for five minutes and then rinse off with water. This is excellent to exfoliate the dark dead cells.

3.Almond milk or almond oil:Apply almond milk or almond oil several times a day. This will help you to keep the lips moisturised and also reduces the darkness of the lips.

4.Pomegranate:Apply pomegranate juice generously to the lips every night before going to bed. This can help you to get rid of dark shades gradually.

5. Yogurt:Yogurt is a great remedy for the dark lips that is easily available in your kitchen. Massage your lips with yogurt, and let it be there on the lips for some time.Wash off with cold water. Do this regularly and you will notice the difference in a few days.

6.Keep your lips moistened:Dry lips will look darker than it actually is.Using butter or glycerine will give you an immediate change in your lip colour. Try other remedy measures along with keeping your lips moistened.

7.Apply lemon juice:Lemon is a natural bleaching agent and continuous use of lemon can reduce darkening of your lips. You can rub a slice of lemon on the lips every day and massage the lips for 4-5 minutes. Wash off with cold water and then apply a moistening lip balm.

8.Glycerine:Replace your lip balm to glycerine and see how it will change your look. It is a perfect moisturizer. Applying glycerine will keep your lips moistened and moist lips are less likely to get darken.

9.Sugar:Exfoliate using a mixture of sugar and honey. Honey is a natural antioxidant that helps protect lips and sugar will remove rough lip skin.

10.Beetroot:Beetroot will give you both  temporary and permanent relief from your darkened lips.Rub a small piece of beetroot on your lips and leave it as such. Wash with water if needed. This will restore your natural lip colour easily.

My article in http://www.boldsky.com/beauty/body-care/2013/dark-lips-smoking-032999.html

Related article:   Types Of Nicotine Replacement Therapy

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Symptoms Of Jaundice That We Ignore

Jaundice is not a disease. It is a clinical presentation of the increased amount of bilirubin in blood. The underlying reason for the increase in bilirubin is the disease.  Bilirubin is a breakdown product of red cell destruction, which is normally present in the body at a normal range of 0.2-1.0mg/dl.  General metabolism of bilirubin occurs in the liver. Any disruption in the process of movement of bilirubin from the blood to the liver and then out of the body will result in jaundice.

 Jaundice is categorized into three types. Pre-hepatic jaundice,  which occurs due to increased destruction of red cells. Hepatic jaundice,  which occurs due to liver cell damage and Post-hepatic jaundice,  which occurs due to obstruction in the flow of bile. Most commonly we will suspect jaundice when we notice a yellowish tinge in our eyes or nail beds along with dark yellow urine.  But do you know that these symptoms occur when the amount of bilirubin is already greater than the renal threshold?  

Jaundice has more diverse clinical presentations which we may avoid or leave unnoticed.  Knowing these symptoms will help you to know that whether you have jaundice in its early stage itself. This is most helpful if jaundice occurs as an epidemic in your place. Where increased bilirubin gives the ‘yellow colour symptoms’, other symptoms depend mainly on the underlying cause of jaundice. Here are some common warning-signs of increased bilirubin in adults that we generally fail to identify as the symptoms of jaundice.

Yellow urine: Even though this is a common presentation of jaundice, we may ignore it in certain cases because dark yellow urine can be seen in dehydration as well. Decreased water intake will concentrate urine. But suspect jaundice if it is yellow with a brown tinge.

Yellow skin and eye: Slight yellow colour may not be noticeable in persons with dark coloured skin. Sometimes chances are there to consider it as skin getting pale due to anaemia.

 Abdominal pain: Pain in the right side of the stomach just below the rib case and possibly extending to the upper back may be an indication of jaundice due to liver cell damage or gall stones. The liver will become palpable if it is enlarged.

Joint pain: Joint pain can occur due to many reasons. So, we may not associate it with jaundice. If you have joint pain along with other symptoms that are related to jaundice, then consult your physician.

Loss of appetite: Loss of appetite is also an associated symptom of jaundice, which is usually left unnoticed. If this persists along with vomiting and yellow urine, you should suspect jaundice.

Vomiting: Vomiting can occur due to various reasons. But, if you have nausea or vomiting when there is an epidemic of hepatitis, chances are more for you to have an increase in bilirubin.

Itching: Itching occurs with the obstructive kind of jaundice where the bile duct is blocked, which fails in providing bile for the metabolism of bilirubin. This results in itching all over the body.

Temperature: Increased temperature is found associated with jaundice which we may ignore considering as a general symptom. Fever with chills are related to jaundice.

Clay coloured stool: In case of obstructive jaundice, stool can become lighter in colour or most commonly clay-coloured. This occurs due to the obstruction of bilirubin that normally gives stool its brown color when get converted to its final product, stercobilinogen.

Weakness: The early phase of hepatitis A presents with nonspecific weakness. If you feel weak for two weeks with other symptoms of increased bilirubin, do not avoid it.

My article in: http://www.boldsky.com/health/disorders-cure/2013/symptoms-jaundice-we-ignore-032970.html

Regards

Asha Das

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10 Summer Skin Problems To Beware Of

http://www.boldsky.com/beauty/skin-care/2013/ten-summer-skin-problems-032741.html

The warm sunny days of summer are extremely exciting. It is a great time to plan an outing or a pleasure trip. Summer gives you the opportunity to spend more time outdoors doing the things you love. But at the same time, summer brings a lot of skin problems also along with it. It is time to start thinking about getting your skin ready for the hottest season of the year, if you want to enjoy the sun and freedom of summer. Everybody will be looking for ideas to enjoy the summer without any short-term or long-term skin problems caused by the summer effect.

 The cumulative effects of sun exposure leave us at a  high risk of many skin problems. The UV rays cause most of the skin problems including sagging, wrinkles, uneven pigmentation, thickening, and general signs of aging.  UV  light damages the fibres in the skin called elastin and the skin begins to sag and stretch. To get through the summer with healthy and glowing skin is a challenge for all of us, especially for those who have to spend more time in the sun due to travel, site work or other professional demands.

 If you are not feeling to go out and enjoy the summer sun, then the reason may be your concern about skin problems. It is better to prevent the summer skin problems than trying to manage it after getting affected. Take good care of your skin before any skin problem trouble you. This is possible only if you are aware of the most common skin problems that may occur in summer. Ten main summer skin problems are:

1.Sun burns:  Exposure to the ultra violet rays of the sun may result in sunburn. Minimizing sun exposure during peak time of 10am  to 4 pm and using a sunscreen may help resist sunburn.

2.Summer rash: Increased heat and humidity results in heat rashes and skin irritations. Skin rash appears as small pinkish pimples. It is usually found on body areas covered by clothing.

3.Summer acne: The increased sweat and humidity along with the oily skin creams or sunscreen causes summer acne. Cream or dirt when mixed with sweat clog the skin’s pores causing acne.

4.Dry skin: Dehydration due to sweating is the main reason for dry skin. Excessive use of air conditioning will also contribute to this. Drinking plenty of water. Keep your skin hydrated with a moisturizer.

5.Athlete’s foot: This may occur when your feet get sweaty in closed-toe shoes due to heat and sweat. The condition will be worse if you have a minor skin or nail injury.

6.Cracked lips: Cracked lips are one of the main problems of summer. This is due to dry skin from dehydration. Drinking plenty of water and using a good quality lip balm are important during summer.

7. Uneven Skin Tone: Pigmentation of skin in different ratio cause uneven skin tone due to over exposure to UV rays.

8.Fungal infection: This may occur mainly in skin folds due to excessive sweating, tight dress or poor hygiene during summer. Keep your skin folds dry and wear a loose dress.

9.Dry flaky skin: Flaky skin is due to dehydration of skin. Use a water-based moisturizer regularly and drink plenty of water. Do exfoliations using a good quality scrub twice a week.

10.Scaly scalp: Scaly scalp is mainly due to dehydration and the accumulation of dirt on the scalp due to excess sweating. Extra care must be given to your scalp this summer to prevent scaly scalp and hair loss.

Clean Your Home After Holi

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Vibrant colours fill our mind during the festive season of Holi. It is an extremely joyous and playful festival celebrated with fun, music and dance. But without colours, Holi is meaningless. The first and foremost scene that will flash in our mind is throwing coloured powders, playing with water guns or blasting water balloons. 

In this festival use of synthetic colours is very common. And these colours are a mixture of different chemicals like mineral oils, acids, heavy metals or glass powders. When compared to natural colours, it is more difficult to remove these synthetic colours from your floor, wall, furniture or garniture. This may hinder you from enjoying Holi to its fullest. You may be worried on how will be your living room after the celebrations, as Holi colours leaves marks and stains everywhere. But no need to worry as Boldsky brings few tricks to clean your home after Holi celebration.  

Tips to clean your home after Holi celebration:

1.      The most important point to be remembered is to remove the stains as soon as possible. If it is not practical, try to pour some water over the colour stains, so that it will not get dried up fast.

2.      For comparatively small stains, you may use soap-soaked brushes. Scrub the floor taking care not to leave any scratches. Use a nylon brush.

3.      Mild stains of colours can be removed easily. Use a liquid detergent. Allow the colours to get soaked in the detergent for some time and then wash it off. Repeat the process if necessary. To avoid scratching, wrap some cotton in a cloth and use this for wiping.

4.      The colour-stained floors can be cleaned easily with a paste of baking soda and water. Apply this paste over the stained floor and leave it until dried. Wipe off with a damp cloth or a wet sponge. This method may not work on the walls as its paint would get chipped off.

5.      Apply acetone or hydrogen peroxide with the help of cotton or sponge. Wipe the floor with a damp cloth giving some force. But remember not to make scratches on the floor.

6.      Be patient. It may need several washes for the colour to be removed. Nobody wants to leave scratch marks on their beautiful floors just because they celebrated one day with colours. So do not even think about scratching the floor. Consider only wiping. 

7.      If your floor is of white marble, you may use liquid bleach to remove stains. Do not use it on coloured or laminated floors because the bleach will soak up its colour.

8.      If there are pools of wet colour on the floor, first blot them with paper towels. Remove them as soon as possible. Leaving it for too long will make your task more difficult. Use soap or detergent if it remains wet.

9.      If you are a total failure in getting rid of the colours, do not worry, try an attractive carpet or rug over it.

12 Vitamin A Rich Foods

My article in http://www.boldsky.com/health/nutrition/2013/twelve-vitamin-a-rich-foods-032730.html

A healthy balanced diet is essential to ensure that your body is  getting all the necessary vitamins and nutrients for a healthy and beautiful skin. Healthy skin is an indication of overall wellbeing. If you want to improve skin health, then vitamin A is very important to be included in your diet.

Vitamin A has many properties similar to retinoid drugs, which are used to treat inflammatory skin conditions like acne. Carotenoids, a form of vitamin A found in fruits and vegetables, provides antioxidant effects and help improve your body's ability to keep your skin young and healthy. Vitamin A rich food may help prevent damage from toxins and may reduce the effects of aging process. 

Vitamin A will help in maintaining eyes and skin in a healthy condition. Retinoids  boost collagen, which plays important role in keeping the skin firm, there by reducing wrinkles. Vitamin A helps in rebuilding tissue, promoting wound healing and to minimize scarring. Vitamin A can regulate cell growth and are recommended for treating psoroiasis. Healthy and glowing skin adds charm to a person and it is a dream of most of us. Glowing skin is no more a dream.Try these tips and feel the difference.

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Carrots : Carrots are excellent source of vitamin A. Taking raw carrots or carrot juice will help improve the health of your skin and eyes. 100 g of raw carrot has 836 mcg of vitamin A content.

Animal liver: It is a very rich source of vitamin A and minerals. Beef, pork, turkey or fish provides about 6500 mcg of vitamin A from 100 gm. Vitamin A from animal sources is more easily absorbed by the body.

Sweet potato: Sweet potato is packed with generous amount of vitamin A which provides 709 mcg from 100 gm. Sweet potatoes contain beta carotene which can be converted to vitamin A inside the body.

Spinach:  If you're looking for a vitamin A rich food with good effect on your skin, spinach will be a good choice. 100 g of spinach has 469 mcg of vitamin A.

Cheese: Cheese and other dairy products are rich source of vitamin A which can improve the health of your skin.

Cantaloupe melon: This is another source of vitamin A packed with 169 mcg in just 100 g of it. One serving of  cantaloupe will provides more than 100 percent of adults' daily recommended intake of vitamin A. Taking cantaloupe adds extra glow to your skin.

Eggs: Eggs are also excellent source of  vitamin A which can act as an efficient food for keeping your skin healthy. The vitamin is present particularly in the yolk.

Avocados:  Avocados are healthy fat sources, which help your body absorb vitamin A from the intestine. Avocados can be taken raw or as juice.

Salmon:  Salmon is another source of vitamin A that may help protect your skin . it is a rich lean protein source with less saturated fat.

Papaya:  Papaya provides moderate amounts of vitamin A, which is effective in preventing inflammations of skin and keeping it healthy and glowing.

Broccoli. You can get 31 mcg of vitamin A from 100 g of broccoli. It will help provide elasticity to skin and thereby reduce wrinkles.

Mango: Mango is considered as the king of all fruits as it is the richest source of all essential vitamins including vitamin A. Mango is effective in keeping your skin healthy.