DesiParenting

If you're a new parent, you've probably heard your grandparents telling you how lucky you are and singing the praises of disposable diapers. Way back then, the only option was cloth diapers, which require a ton of laundry work. See, less than thirty years ago, disposable diapers were considered a luxury. Nowadays, everyone uses cloth diapers and people that use cloth diapers for their babies are considered to be odd. There are several reasons that modern parents might want to use cloth diapers instead of disposables, and, believe it or not, cloth diapers are starting to make a bit of a comeback.

The main reason that a parent may choose to start using cloth diapers instead of the name brand disposables is the cost. Cloth diapers are much cheaper than disposables, even if the parents are paying a diaper service to haul away the used diapers and bring clean ones each week. Disposable diapers can easily cost well over one hundred dollars per month or more, and you'll be paying this expense every month for around two years. Many parents are starting to forgo the convenience of disposables to save this extra money.

There are also environmental issues to consider. Disposable diapers are made out of plastic and a pad of absorbent cotton. Plastic does not biodegrade well at all, which means that our landfills are filled with diapers that aren't going away anytime soon. Most people believe that the convenience offered by disposable diapers outweighs this fact. They might not


consciously make this choice, but their actions speak for themselves. Environmentalists believe that those who use cloth diapers are taking one small step which goes a long way to protect and preserve the Earth for future generations.

Those whiny parents and grandparents might still have a few bones to pick with today's parents who decide on using cloth diapers, because the today's cloth diapers are much different from those that they were using on their own kids and grandkids several decades ago. They are used to awkward folding and having to use safety pins to fasten the diaper to the baby. Modern cloth diapers are pre-cut and shaped to cover the baby's backside quickly and easily. They also have Velcro fasteners or snaps to make it easier to secure. One other added feature is that many cloth diapers now come with a flushable, biodegradable paper lining hold in solid waste so you can easily flush it down the toilet. So no more stinky diapers sitting around waiting for trash pickup day.

Cloth diapers are currently used by only a very small percentage of parents, but they are still out there and available. Any parent concerned with the cost or environmental impact of disposable diapers should seriously consider going with cloth.
About the Author

How Does it Work?

How Does Modern, No-Pins Cotton Diapering Work?

It combines a soft, three-panel diaper (the center panel is extra-thick and absorbent) with a velcro-fastening diaper cover. You just fold the diaper in thirds and trap it in place under the cover. That's all. No pins needed. (For summer and other times when you might want your baby to wear a diaper with no outer cover, you can use either pins or diaper clips. The slight added effort for these few occasions is balanced by the fact that disposables don't ever allow you the option of shedding the outer plastic covering for your baby's summer comfort.)

If I Want To Fold A Cotton Diaper The Traditional Way, How Do I?

It's easy with today's three-panel diaper, which is a far cry from the big, gauzy rectangle of yesteryear. Just follow these simple instructions:

1. Fold the diaper in thirds.

2. Open overlapping back section. Place baby on diaper with the wide top section centered at the baby's legs. Close in between the legs.

 

Bring the wide back ends of the diaper over the baby's hips and pin to the front section. Ease the pad section wider as necessary to comfortably encircle the baby below the navel. While pinning the diaper, insert your finger between the baby and diaper for baby's protection. Pin out as the picture shows.

Again, using a modern diaper cover over the diaper eliminates the need for pinning.

What if my baby has large thighs? Are there other traditional alternatives?

You might want to try a "bikini twist" fold. Again, just follow these simple instructions:

1. Lay the diaper flat.

2. Twist the diaper in the middle.

3. Bring the back ends of the diaper over the baby's hips and pin to the front section. Ease the pad section wider as necessary to comfortably encircle the baby below the navel. While pinning the diaper, insert your finger between the baby and diaper for baby's protection. Pin out as the picture shows.

Again, using a modern diaper cover over the diaper eliminates the need for pinning.

 

How Does A Diaper Service Work?

Although each diaper service may operate a little differently, here is a general idea of how the process works.

Diaper services are professional laundries, who rent reusable cotton diapers to families of infants, hospital nurseries, and day care centers. The diaper service delivers clean diapers, and picks up the soiled diapers on a weekly basis, and launders them, using professional equipment, and specially developed laundering formulae. The service essentially rents you the use of the diapers your baby needs, sized for the baby's age. Diaper services also sell or rent diaper covers to make using cloth diapers as convenient as using single-use diapers. Diaper services launder diapers to rigorous public-health standards that you couldn't possibly match at home, with thirteen changes of water and high-temperature drying that eliminates bacteria.

The service supplies a special hamper, with a professional quality deodorant, and a heavyweight plastic bag/liner for the hamper. Services will also provide professional automatic-closure diaper covers, if the customer wishes.

Price is based on the number of diapers contracted for, and the number may be increased or decreased, as needs change.

The following are step-by-step instructions to walk you through the process of starting service.

Instructions courtesy of Brian O'Neil of Dy-Dee Diaper Service of Pasadena, California.

Call your local diaper service (click here to locate a service near you), and a customer service representatives will help you decide the following questions or will provide you with the answers:

• How many diapers should I order per week?
• What size diapers would be best for my baby?
• What time of day will my diapers be delivered?
• Should I rent or purchase diaper covers or use pins?
• How do I fold the diapers?
• What much is the cost and when will the bill come?
• Help! How do I . . .?

While on the phone you can schedule your prebirth delivery. For your convenience, most services bring your first delivery of diapers a couple of weeks before your due date. That way you have diapers at home ready to use.

Contact your service when you need more diapers and are ready to begin the regular service.

No rinsing or soaking is required. It's as simple as placing the soiled diapers into the deodorized diaper container that your service provides.

Once a week, a driver will come right to your front or back door to pick up your soiled diapers and leave fresh ones for your baby. Your driver will come on the same day of the week every week, at around the same time of day, with a few exceptions during holidays. You don't need to be home for your delivery.

On your first and second deliveries you will receive the full number of diapers ordered. Thereafter you will be on a rotation system: the number of diapers you turn in one week will be returned to you the following week.

If you need to adjust the number of diapers in your order, or if you're going on vacation simply contact your service to make arrangements.

 

Taking the entire family out for an evening of fun can be exciting and something all DesiParents want to do on a regular basis. However, going out costs money and frequently it can cost more than the average family can afford. So, if you want to enjoy an evening with your family consider these 5 cheap nights out where you can really enjoy some family bonding while saving money at the same time.

Cheap Family Night #1 The Movies

I know you are thinking the movies are really expensive and there is no way you can afford to go. However, frequently during the week movie theatres offer specials, even 2 for 1 deals, to get more people in to see movies during the middle of the week. As a result, by taking your family to the movies on a Tuesday or Wednesday as opposed to Friday or Saturday you can save a lot of money. Also, consider popping popcorn at home and carrying it with you in a purse. That way you can enjoy popcorn without spending $5 for a small bag.

Cheap Family Night #2 Bowling

Bowling is a great family activity and like the movies many bowling alleys offer specials during the week, especially for kids. So, have a great dinner at home and head to the bowling alley. Of course, call ahead and find out when your local bowling alley offers specials for families and children.

Cheap Family Night #3 The Park and Ice Cream

All kids love to go to the park and since the park is free it is perhaps one of the best places to go! Your kids will love playing on the monkey bars and merry go rounds and you as parents will enjoy some family time and fresh air. Then, head to your local ice cream parlor and have a cone of your favorite flavor or buy a gallon of ice cream to enjoy at home.

Cheap Family Night #4 Local Sports Game

Many kids really love sports so consider a family night out to a local sports game, even a high school game. Entrance is inexpensive and it can be a lot of fun to watch local people playing a sport. Also, if you head to a high school game you can frequently pay entrance and see girls and boys play. A great family night out!

Cheap Family Night #5 Pizza and Arcade

Another great night out with the family can be enjoying a family size pizza and then playing games in an arcade. Not only will you have a great meal that is inexpensive, but the arcade games are generally inexpensive as well. You can give each child $2-3 in quarters and let them play until they are gone.

There are seven stages of potty training. They begin with showing signs of potty training readiness and conclude with being able to use the toilet away from home.

Signs of Readiness - The first stage of potty training begins when your child shows the following signs of potty training readiness:

 

• Expresses an interest in using the potty
  

   

• Irritated when diapers are wet
  

   

• Pull pants up and down by him or her self
  

   

• Stays dry for about two hours at a time
  

   

• Expresses the need to go potty (or indicate that he/she just has)
  

   

• Expresses an interest in cotton underwear
  

   

• Has predictable bowel movements
  

   

• Tries to imitate other family members
  

Introduction to the Idea of Potty Training – When your child shows a majority of the signs of potty training readiness, it’s time to introduce him to the concept of using the potty. This can be done by reading a potty training book as a bedtime story or watching a potty training video or DVD together. Purchase a potty chair and let your child watch you use the potty. Children will often imitate family members.

Sit On the Potty – When your child has been introduced to the concept of potty training, he will probably imitate family member and sit on his potty chair while you use the bathroom. This is a good time to teach good hygiene such as wiping and washing hands after using the potty.

Use the Potty Sometimes – Be sure to give your child plenty of liquids and take him to the potty every 30 minutes. This will help build muscle memory. The VibraLite watch can make potty training reminders fun for your child. The first time your child uses the potty, make a big deal of his huge accomplishment. A hug, encouraging words, or a small treat

 

can be good motivational tools.

Use the Potty Alone – As your child gets more comfortable with the potty and his ability to control his bodily functions, he will go to the potty by himself. He will then come tell you about it. Again, this is a time for lots of praise and encouragement.

Transition to the Toilet – When your child is comfortable using his potty seat, it’s time to transition him to the toilet. Many children are afraid of falling in, so you may need to purchase a toilet seat adapter such as the Flip-N-Flush. This device reduces the size of the toilet hole, thereby making you child feel more secure.

Use Potty Away From Home - The last stage of potty training occurs when your child is able to use the potty away from home. Thankfully, there are many portable and disposable toilet seats available to keep your child from touching public toilet seats.

Some children breeze through the seven stages of potty training in a matter of weeks while other’s take several months. Your child’s progress depends on his or her stage of development, your potty training knowledge/actions, as well as the potty training products you have available.

The book has awesome altars of Lakshmi, Shiva Durga and Ganapati. It is a must have for any hindu parent living outside of India to help theie kids get familiar with such altars which are common if you are India but not so easy to find if you are living outside of India.

 

I was reading an old news paper today and read an article about a lady who started her business selling what she calls a Period Pak, which provides easy to understand information and name brand feminine products so girls will be ready when their periods arrive. The information booklet included is brightly illustrated with drawings of girls of varied ethnicities, and written for young girls with a positive outlook about what they are going through. I thought that was a great idea.

 So I started looking for educating material available online on this topic and found some...

 

 

I also found this on the WikiPediaand another interesting article about taboos with Meses

Indic

In Hinduism, a woman experiencing her period cannot be part of religious ceremonies for the first 4 days of the cycle.

In Buddhism (Theravada or Hinayana) menstruation is viewed as "a natural physical excretion that women have to go through on a monthly basis, nothing more or less". However Hindu belief and practice carried over into Thai buddhist culture.^[10] Furthermore some state that some sects of "Japanese Buddhism, in particular, has been characterised by a persistent anti-feminism" with menstruating women banned from attending temples.^[11]

Guru Nānak, the founder of Sikhism, condemned the practice of treating women as impure while menstruating.^[12]

Jainism does not permit women to cook or attend temples while menstruating.

 

And in another Article I Found here

During menstruation, a Hindu woman is considered "polluting", "dirty" or "impure" and the Manusmriti prescribes a ritual bath after menstruation ceases. Menstruating women do not attend temple services and a ritual bath is taken when bleeding ceases. Since menstruation is seen as "dirty", Hindu women do not even light the lamp in the shrines of their homes. The lighting of the lamp is an important part of ritual life.

Needle Which Damaged Brain Cover Removed Through Rare Surgery, No Loss Of Vision


A miracle of sorts unfolded at the AIIMS Trauma Centre on Friday. Eighteen-month-old Kumkum was brought to the hospital with a crochet needle protruding out of her right eye. Today, the child is well on her road to full recovery and has suffered no vision loss.
   Kumkum was playing with a crochet needle at home when she accidentally fell on the bed from a pile of quilts kept on it. The needle penetrated her right eye. She was first rushed to a nearby hospital from where she was taken to the trauma centre.
   “She was restless and had difficulty in breathing when she was brought in. We first had to sedate her in order to begin treatment as she was in pain. We then cleared her airway and stabilised her for anaesthesia,” said Dr Kapil Dev Soni, anaesthetist, AIIMS Trauma Centre.
   For the neurosurgeons at the trauma centre, it was a rare and challenging case. The needle had to be brought out without further damaging the eye.
   “We tried to pull it out, but it was difficult and therefore we decided to open her skull and pull it from the other end. From X-ray and CT scan showed that the needle had penetrated deep and had damaged the outer covering of the brain,” said Dr Deepak Gupta, assistant professor of neurosurgery, who performed the operation. “We made a 4cm x 3 cm cut on the skull and retracted the brain. We increased the perforation in order to pull out the needle, which was very thick towards the end, smoothing and then repaired the outer covering of the brain. The needle just missed the brain by a few millimetres. But the outer covering was damaged due to the impact and this resulted in leaking of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF),” he added.
   Kumkum was fortunate that she underwent surgery within three hours of the accident. Had there been a delay, it could have proved fatal. “CSF was leaking and had there been any further delay it would have resulted in brain haemorrhage. She was also lucky the needle missed the cornea and other important parts of the eye structure, which is crucial for vision. Thankfully her vision was not damaged at all,” said Dr Gupta.
   For Kumkum’s mother Puneeta, it was a miracle. Her carelessness would have cost the little girl her life, but timely action and Puneeta’s presence of mind saved Kumkum. “When I saw the needle inside her eye I was really scared. But I didn’t pull the needle out as I feared that I would damage it further and I didn’t want to take a chance,” said Puneeta.
   Said Dr M C Sharma, chief, AIIMS Trauma Centre, “This injury was completely avoidable. It is an important message to parents who have small children that they should keep things like needles out of their child’s reach. Though Kumkum is out of danger, we are keeping our fingers crossed, as she runs a risk of developing meningitis due to leaking of CSF. But she is out of danger.”

Lack Of Standard Exposes Newborns To Dangerous Metals

The next time your baby cries, and you run to give it a pacifier, hold on — you may be giving poison.
   Popular pacifiers and teethers (teething rings) that may contain toxic metals like lead, are picked up by unsuspecting parents from shopping malls and upscale stores.
   Most of these are imported from China and other Southeast Asian countries.
   Scientists say metals like lead, cadmium and chromium, consumed even in small traces through teethers and pacifiers, are hazardous to health, especially for infants and babies. This happens as the hazardous element gets ingested into the body with the baby’s constant sucking over a period. Earlier, Ahmedabad-based organization Consumer Education and Research Centre (CERC) conducted tests on eight samples of pacifiers and teethers for migrated elemental lead, cadmium and chromium .
   What is shocking is that none of the samples tested by CERC were free from harmful metals — lead, cadmium and chromium. The samples were tested as per specifications set by Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) for safety requirements for toys. Worse still, there are no standards for infant pacifiers and teethers.
   Experts say pacifiers and teethers cannot be clubbed with other children’s toys, for which specifications exist. Unfortunately, lead is only part of the malaise — examination of toys and other children’s products has revealed several potentially harmful chemicals linked to reproductive problems, learning disabilities, hormone problems, and cancer.
   In one of the largest recalls of toys last year, Mattel recalled millions of popular toys in US because of dangerous lead paint.
   Perceiving the danger of consuming toxic metals like lead, many countries including US are planning to lower maximum limits or completely eliminate toxic chemicals in toys and other children products.
   Experts point out that no amount of lead in the blood is safe or normal, and longterm consumption of the metal can be more dangerous than a single ingestion of concentrated lead. Alarmingly, no steps have been taken here in India to restrict the use of lead and other metals in infant toys.

TOXIC TOYS

Popular pacifiers and teethers may contain toxic metals like lead
Most of these imported from China and other Southeast Asian countries
No steps taken in India to restrict use of lead in infant toys
Many countries planning to eliminate toxic chemicals in toys

 

Source: Times of India

I ran into this news article in Times Of India and it started a chain reaction to a lot of information out there on how the Pre-School Education is in India.

 http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/India/Playschools_spell_big_bucks/articleshow/3510795.cms

 

I remember in my times there were not many options. You had handful of school s to choose from and the parents did not had much choice. I remember the ONLY choice they had to make was "Should it be a English medium or Hindi Medium". And that was pretty much it. My parents chose to send me to an English medium and I am so thankful to them for making that choice.

Now, it looks like there are a lot choices. 

KidZee: This one looks like is a preschool franchise they have in India now. Looks very western

Educomp: This one also looks a big one. They have a whole slew of websites under them. PlanetVidya, MathGuru, WizIQ and so on. 

I guess with the buying capacity increasing so much in India and liberalisation of almost everything in the Indian market, pre-school education has not been left behind, and I mean it in a positive way. Keep it up.