*sits down*

I think I’ve been a tad unfair to the reader’s of my blog…to y’all.

Although I have said that I want to write about the good, bad and ugly, I have found that my posts have mostly dwelled on the bad and ugly. Thus far, I have only highlighted my shortcomings (though they are plentiful). So, from henceforth, I will offer a more balanced perspective on my life’s happenings. After all, I hope that revelation of my victories are just as encouraging as my bleaker testimonies.

So here goes, here is a summary of my recent victories [all made possible through Christ Jesus]. It’s more of an update, and I will expand on some of these in later posts.

Get yourself a ‘cuppa’, get comfortable, this is going to be a long one.

UNIVERSITY

This may not mean a lot to y’all but I have passed all my courses of the 1st semester [September-December] of my final year of University. I was under incredible pressure last year so I view this minimum expectation as a victory/relief. (I have come to the realisation that I don’t handle stress very well  but we’ll talk about that later…this is a happy post).

PHOTOGRAPHY

I have a renewed interest in photography thanks to my amazing boyfriend who taught me how to use the manual modes on my camera *dust the dirt off ma shoulder* aaaaaand who also bought me a new camera lens for Christmas. Love you shmuckums

Y’all wanna see piks? Lemme give you a story first. Although I am not on Facebook, my pictures have been featured as profile pictures for several of my ‘real life’ friends. This is the highest accolade that Facebook can offer. The following pictures have all been used as Facebook profile photos. Click on the photos to view them in their fullsized splendor.

My Indian Sister Ipshita

Ipshita’s Banner picture…double whammy

My German poonum, Carolin

Sarah, another German sweetheart. I went in HEAVY on the halo effect, my bad…sometimes cheesy is fun!

oo lala *sigh*

Y’all, I was sitting in the library one day, minding my own business (as I do), working on the computer when I saw this interesting character walk by (sorry for referring to you as a ‘character‘ Sia). I felt strongly compelled to photograph her (I usually carry my camera with me). So, I mustered up my courage, walked up to her table and she conceded to my request. This was my first (and only thus far) time doing this.

VOILA! #GodisGood

MUSIC

Y’all, this one has a bit of a backstory. I came to Heriot-Watt University to obtain a bachelor’s degree in Urban and Regional Planning (have to keep reminding myself of that). Anyway, when I got here in September 2009, one of the first extra-curricular activities that I attended was choir and I’ve stuck with it ever since. In 2010, I learnt that there were music scholarships available to singers that granted the awardee vocal lessons. I applied for the scholarship and got it!

So, fast forward to a few weeks ago, (27th of February and the 2nd of March) when I competed in two open classes of the Edinburgh Music Festival. In the first class, I performed two pieces: ‘Where Corals Lie‘, a poem by Richard Garnett which was set to music by Edward Elgar, and ‘Your Daddy’s Son‘ from the Ragtime Musical.

I placed third y’all!!!

Where Corals Lie: sung by Dame Janet Baker

Your Daddy’s Son: sung by Audra McDonald

Then, for the 2nd class which was the Oratorio class, I performed ‘He was Despised’ from Handel’s Messiah. This was a competitive class, and the winner was awarded the Sidney Newman medal.

BOOM! durr it is

BABY LEGGO

God is Good

Yes, I won.

On the University’s Website

He Was Despised: Sung by Alfred Deller (first movement only)

RELATIONSHIPS

God has blessed me with a wonderful supportive boyfriend. In the strictest sense, is this a victory? I’d like to think it is and anyone who knows me well (and my former no-romance-for-Asha beliefs) will understand why. Besides, he (Mr. Man) said that I succeeded in taking his heart and that was a big accomplishment. #blackgirlblush

PURPOSE

I believe that I have found my purpose.  I have found something that I can be passionate about, that I can wake up every morning and be dedicated to fulfilling. Not easy, but fulfilling.  Before I spill the beans let me just say that I often cringe when people say ‘I am a lawyer’, or ‘He is a chemist’, confusing what they do, with who they are. But fundamentally, we are defined by what we do. Ladies and gentlemen, magnificent readers of my ramblings;

I AM A STORYTELLER

…a 21st Century Griot.

I’ll have a separate post addressing this, but I’m really psyched!!!

FUTURE VENTURES

This coming Wednesday (God willing), 20th March, I will be singing at the University Music Scholar’s Concert. An amazing opportunity to share my the talent that God has blessed me with.

The Wednesday after that, 27th March, my friends and I will be performing at a Jazz concert that we organised. I think the planning is a victory in itself. Big ups to Steve King, the Director of music at Heriot-Watt University for supporting this venture.

MISTY – an evening of Jazz

*whew* There’s a lot more to thank God for but that’s all for now (your tea’s probably finished or cold). Thanks for reading, I wish you all the best in your Godly endeavors!

What good things are going on in your life? I’d love to hear them. Do share!

“You used to be so pretty . . .”

Did these words sting? A little, but so much less than they would have just a few years back.

She’s only in Grade 6. It’s understandable she is vulnerable to what society teaches. (Seriously, aren’t we all to varying degrees – at varying times?) I’m also sure this young lady has heard countless offhand remarks by those who don’t realize the impact they’re having on her. (“I hate my grey hair.” “I really wish I could lose 20 pounds.” “I’m getting so old.”)

It makes me want to take on the world. I want to jump up and down and ask, “Don’t you get it?”

Of course the answer is no. The idea that “you can never be rich enough, thin enough, or pretty enough” permeates our culture. But in my half century plus I’ve learned a thing or two. Thank goodness!

To those who have chosen to allow their hair to go grey naturally, I say, “Kudos!” I’m still on the fence. Mind you, each time I colour my hair – and it’s rarely – I go a step lighter. Should the colour of our hair have any bearing on our perceived value? Actually, it should . . . but the other way around. “They have seen so much and learned so much. I want to glean from their knowledge and experience.” When was the last time you heard that?

As a personal trainer, I’ve seen people who exercise for the purpose of outrunning mortality. (Sorry, it’s not going to work.) Does that mean we shouldn’t get regular exercise? Of course not. Our bodies need exercise and nourishing food, and there are many benefits beyond weight loss and muscle development . . . having the wherewithal to accomplish our day-to-day tasks with energy left over not being the least of them.

When I first noticed Dove’s Pro-Age line, I thought, “Finally, someone gets it.” Anti-aging? Sorry, folks, but if we’re breathing, we’re aging. The question is this: Are we doing it well? Are we setting a good example for the upcoming generation(s)? Are we sending the message we really want to send?

Now, all that doesn’t mean we should disregard how we look. Our appearance sends a message, whether we like it or not. This week, Sheila Wray Gregoire, author of The Good Girl’s Guide to Great Sex, encourages us to Fight the Frump. Pop on over to her site for a balanced perspective, some great tips, and your opportunity to win some terrific prizes.

Imperishable Beauty

I used to think “balance” meant compromise. Such is not the case. For many reasons, it is a good thing to consider what message we want to communicate with our appearance and dress accordingly. However, for the believer, it should all boil down to what the Scriptures say. We must spend far more time on “imperishable beauty” if we want to get it right.

We must heed the words of warning in 1 Peter 3:3-4 (ESV): “Do not let your adorning be external—the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear—but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God’s sight is very precious.”

And how do we develop that kind of beauty?

1. Study the Scriptures.

2. Ask God for the ability to apply His Word.

3. Spend time with Him in prayer – every day.

4. Keep a journal of not only prayer requests but answers and an ever-growing list of the abundant blessings He pours out – so many of which we take for granted.

5. Gather with His people regularly. Will there be times of “iron sharpening iron”? Of course, but we really do need each other. Life is all about relationships.

6. Seek to be a blessing to each person with whom you come in contact.

With respect for one another, share your thoughts on true beauty.

The beginning

I used to have a blog, a while ago, and it was quite similar to this but it was on Blogger which was a bit of a crap website to be honest (sorry guys) and then I made a website for a business idea that I’d had using WordPress and since I’ve found this easier to navigate and use (after much swearing and frustration) I decided to migrate my blog over here.  I’m going to try and get the old posts off the old blog and whap them over here for your reading amusement, so they may appear above this one, but anyway – that’s where we are.

The old blog was all about me being annoyed or grumpy about something, and since I’m generally perceived as a miserable git (although this isn’t really the case) I forewarn you that you may find episodes of rage and tirades of truth somewhere on these pages, but as mentioned in my other musings – if you don’t like what you’re reading, you don’t have to read it!  Go back to the Daily Mail or whatever other nonsense keeps you happy – I’m not forcing you to read this.  Glad we got that cleared up.

The idea behind this

I’m aiming with this new shiny wonder blog to write more about things I’m doing, things that I’m learning, and document some experiences such as travel, food, drink, emotions and inevitable annoyances. I aim to share some insight into “how to deal with…” or “what not to do when…” with the hope that if some other hapless fool stumbles across this in the future, then it might contain data on which monumental holes I fell into and how to climb out of them or avoid them altogether.

This post in particular is also intended to serve as a reminder to myself that all my future posts needn’t be the black ghost of negativity but more a balanced perspective on stuff in general.  It is my hope that anyone reading this will enjoy what they read, be keen to share, and feel comfortable to contact me if they have questions (can’t imagine why anybody would but some of you are complete nutters so who knows…we’ll see)

What next?

Well, I’m going to start writing – I can’t say how often, or what about, or what it will contain.  It’s just as much a mystery to me as it is to you.  But that I guess is the magic of blogging – in the words of Forrest Gump “..you never know what you’re gonna get!”

Christmas Day 2012, Luton

Such overall balance of life’s activities is assessed by “Life Profile,” in which I propose to look into six key items: i.e., work, hobby, relationship, health, finance and living truthfully. We then assess these items by rating Importance (1 to 10) and the level of satisfaction (1 to 10) for each item. (You may add or remove item or subdivide one as you find it fit.)

To move forward with this idea, we can utilize a well known concept called PDCA (Plan-Do-Check-Act) used in Total Quality Management. The idea is to assure continuous improvement in what we do as situation changes. Although this is commonly called PDCA (Plan-Do-Check-Act), it should start with Check (i.e., check what is going on, or what have happened) then, Act (if OK, keep going, or if not, figure out the reason why). Then, the next step is Plan (develop plan according to the analysis of the situation). After implementation of the plan, which is Do, we check the outcome (Check), and this cycle of PDCA continues. (BTW, If we start with plan without checking what is going on, such plan may be like a dream without foundation. Not necessarily bad, but not recommended because such idea may not reflect bring out the intelligence we need to face the reality.

If you remember, this process may be seen as a sail boat aiming for a destiny with PDCA cycle done every so often (See the post, “Over the Hurdles, and Realize our Dream…“) To illustrate what we discussed above, the table below shows an example of Life Profile. In this example, Relationship divided into two categories, i.e., with T (partner) and with others (family members, etc). Note that I used color coding to expose problem to catch our eyes, red indicates there is room for improvement, green is doing well (not shown here). The far right column indicates the relative balance among these items, which is, Importance rating multiplied by Satisfaction rating.

The exhibit below shows the same information shown in a chart form.  There are other ways to show the Life Profile.  For example, with historical trend, spider diagram, etc.  You may use such charts as you prefer or just start with the table.  The idea is to do this every month, three months or every year, but consistency is important.  Of course, what is also critical is to come up with Plans to address areas to improve the performance.  (I may come back to planning later)  For now, I suggest you to take 20-30 min. to do this exercise with calm and quiet mind, and find out how your life is balanced and moving forward.  Simply filling out the table may bring awareness as to how your life is balanced or not, and why (and what needs to be done).

Note:  Although I have not read yet, Clayton Christensen’s book,“how will you measure your life?” became a recent best seller, perhaps pointing to the similar concern as I mentioned above.

Note: Since LP has much depth than what is described above, interested reader may explore this by actually applying this in life and gain insight (In conjunction with the idea of PDCA) as you live your life.  Repetition is mother of success.  As riding a bicycle, it takes few turns (few repeated trial) to start to get an idea and possibly a smooth ride.  (Note, any human will encounter many bumps in life.  What is needed is a good sensing/monitoring mechanism and willingness/ability to overcome these bumps so that you lead your life as the master of destiny.  Nobody will do this for you.  You are the master of your own life, you should not be the slave of the situation you are in.  

We have been approached by several parties asking if we could make a statement that they feel will give our position on this matter a more fair and balanced perspective. We are more than happy to do so. We know James personally and professionally and do not believe him to be the misogynist, rape supporter or rape apologist that he has been labelled. As we said above, James and his own company, Postmortem Studios, have been moving in a different direction to Mongoose Publishing for some time now and we had no plans to work together in the future in any case. Existing stock of the book in question will be allowed to lapse out of print.

Which hopefully redresses some of the things that are being said and have been said. I wish this had gone out sooner but one thing or another kept meaning it got pushed back.

To be as clear as possible then:

Mongoose did not ‘fire’ me. We have not worked together for some time and the last thing I did for them (Sex, Dice & Gamer Chicks also known as Origins of the Specious) was a compilation/edit/expansion upon the various comedy Slayer’s Guides. This was also, substantively, a Flaming Cobra release in the way it was done, rather than a regular Mongoose release. It is not being withdrawn from sale, it is being allowed to lay fallow – which was almost certainly going to be the case anyway.

Mongoose has been moving much more towards miniatures, board games, card games and so forth. While I have an unquenchable Dust Tactics addiction, these things are not so much in my sphere of interest, or my history of writing and most of the rest of what Mongoose does is open source and I make more money working for myself most of the time.

Mongoose do not believe or support the accusations made against me. The previous works that people appear to have issues with are works of comedy and fiction and were commissioned, edited and produced by Mongoose without issue (barring the ludicrous thought that some had that the ‘Slayer’s Guide to Female Gamers‘ was actually about killing women, perhaps a warning sign of the silliness to come).

In short, the net effect of this entire brouhaha has been…not much.

I’ve been stopped from working effectively for two or three weeks.

Myself and Ms Cooper have been subjected to a horrible amount of opportunistic trolling and awful behaviour.

I’ve been libelled and people are very fortunate I haven’t taken legal action.

Two ‘sides’ have been polarised even more than they were already and any form of civil or intelligent conversation or negotiation has been pushed back by a huge amount and made less likely.

From my point of view this whole blow up, in combination with others past and present, has only confirmed what the original blog post that started all this was about. Namely that people react without thinking, they want to censor content without examining it. People go on what other people have said, rather than checking up on the original sources for themselves.

We all need to watch against that.

The rest of this post will be an FAQ on any particulars which I’ll update as I get questions. Otherwise – hopefully – this whole stupid fuss is now over and we can move on.

I have games to write.

FAQ

Submit questions on Twitter, Facebook, Email or in the comments.

Q: Are you a misogynist?

A: No, I do not hate women.

Q: Are you blacklisted?

A: No.

Q: Has this affected your business?

A: Not discernibly. A lot of blog hits and a slight uptick in monthly sales from supporters, otherwise no.

Q: Some have suggested boycotting Mongoose since they appeared to drop you. What do you think about that?

A: I think we need as many game companies as possible being as healthy as possible. I did not agree with the way things were handled, but as we can see now it was mostly a matter of perception. I would rather not see any game company boycotted for any reason. If games are good, buy them, if they’re not, don’t. That’s all we need. Follow your own conscience.

Q: Do you regret the books you wrote?

A: No. They’re a product of the time and place and in many places are still funny and I still get asked to sign them at cons from time to time.

Q: Do you regret the blog post you wrote?

A: No. Indeed I think this whole blow-up made the point better than the blog post did. Keep in mind I wasn’t even talking about RPGs in the original post and I was talking about both kneejerk reactions and how rape is one of many ‘bad things’ that can happen to characters in stories – and indeed make for good stories.

Q: Doesn’t that article excuse rape?

A: No. It’s defending rape as a plot element, a building block for stories.

Q: Are you sure you mean libel?

A: It’s academic since I’m not taking it to court but yes. There could have been financial damage – it wasn’t clear at the time – but libel also covers reputation damage and emotional distress.

Q: How can we support you?

A: Don’t buy my stuff to ‘get one over’ on anyone, or to back me up. Buy my stuff because it’s good and because you want to. More importantly, play the games, review them (whether you liked them or not) and don’t forget the other stuff I do, like fiction. Most importantly of all, before getting in on an internet hate mob, check the source and be sure of what you’re outraged about.

Do you spend a lot of time worrying about the future, living in the “good old days” or just “live the moment? How we subjectively perceive the past, present and future may play a role in how fulfilling our lives are and finally how happy we are at the end of the day.

According to a recent study published in the Journal of Happiness Studies (April 2012) … if you can look fondly at the past, enjoy yourself in the present, strive for future goals and hold these time perspectives simultaneously (and don’t go overboard on any one of them) you’re likely to be a happy person.

Keep Reading: Scientific study: Key to happiness is a balanced perspective of time – National Holistic Science & Spirit | Examiner.com.

Essentially, through the use of this tool, we start to realize how our life energy flows in a balanced manner even to find us engaging in the manifestation of dynamic energy flow of the whole universe.  So, we can call LP linked to primary relationship, connection to the heart, law of universe.  Or, if I use religious terms, this may correspond to Tao, following the order from heaven (ten-mei), live in the kingdom of heaven.  (Note: the concept of mini-company is a representation of such a dynamic process in a company setting to self-manage while LP is applied for each person to live as the master of destiny. We can do this by; listen to the heart, use our brain, and follow the bliss.  Or, live truthfully.  This is the hero’s journey)

If there is a strategy to live our life to the fullest, LP is a tool to assist that.  It can help “monitor” what is happening and how the strategy is working.  Then, it will help “come up with insight“, and “find the course” (or strategy) into the future so that we can chart our way in the direction that makes sense, perhaps, as we follow the bliss.

Now, let’s take a look at where we are. Thanks to technology and marketing among others, many of us may have developed a habit of seeking for instant gratification, i.e.,quick for everything or blindly reacting to stimuli.  More this, more that; we develop a bad habit. Then, “quantity” become more important, e.g., money, fame, title (may I add sex here as well?). I remember one friend when he was in his thirties he was counting the number of sex he would have in the rest of his life. Fine. But what about quality, or genuine intimacy to “Life”? Without understanding the meaning are we to live as if being chased to do various tasks? If so, do we really feel “alive,” appreciating each day, each moment?  Do we hear the song of a bird, see a flower blooming at the roadside, and discover all the miracles happening around us, even to realize that we are the miracle?!

Certainly, we need to have a clear and balanced perspective in life. If we are caught up with small stuff or swung by stimulation, we waste our energy, lose balance, and quality in life will deteriorate. More untruthful actions we take, more wired our brain will be with bad closed circuit. Eventually, we will have to pay it back. All action has consequences if our mind eyes are closed. But if so, what do we do? How do we live our life? I believe the answer is found byhaving a calm and quiet mind. In other words, with quality in our mind, and observing things as they really are and coming up with insight, we can lead a quality life. Without clear mind, we are blindfolded, unable to see what is going on, and what we are to do in an intelligent and compassionate manner.

If the above point is clear, then how do we use our mind?  Einstein said, “Ask the right question.” I think one good question may be to ask, “What is going on?” or “So what? (What is the meaning?)” to get to the core and clarify the meaning. In other words, connect to the heart to find why we are here for (mission) and what we are to do. This is new hero’s journey. Ultimately, it is a moment to moment practice. However, we can use LP as an important tool to orient us. More we use this tool, we can balance our life better and find the real meaning.

In the following post, we will look into the specifics of this tool, I call, Life Profile (LP).

On the weekend I returned back to my hometown in South Australia as my friends and family kindly organised a baby shower. I received a number of comments from other mums, both with older children, toddlers and newborns, that after sharing some things that we had learnt from both the transition into parenthood and the calm birth course, that they were amazed at how knowledgeable, prepared, positive, realistic and calm we were about the birth and the next chapter in our lives. Most saying that they wished they had known some of those things when they were giving birth so they had an idea of what to expect at least. 

 

Also a baby shower is a perfect time to be exposed to all those positive/negative birth stories and shared information that before completing the course, I know would have overwhelmed my ability to filter and what was relevant to retain, but instead I felt completely in control of listening, learning, but also remembering what I wanted to occupy my mind, being the information you had taught.

 

So I certainly felt pretty chuffed to hear that feedback from others, as well as able to continue with the amazing confidence that I feel that I have gained. So thank you, both (partner) and I feel like we are extremely privileged have met you and completed the courses. 

 

I was delighted to find my aims to increase their sense of confidence and empowerment had been achieved…

Truly this feedback made my day!

Julie

www.julieclarke.com.au

 

Transition into Parenthood… confidence, empowerment education

Healthy newborns enter the world well hydrated and remain so if breastfed exclusively

This FAQ discusses these consequences and the role of breastfeeding in meeting an infant’s water requirements.

Why is exclusive breastfeeding recommended for the first six months?

International guidelines recommend exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months based on scientific evidence of the benefits for infant survival, growth, and development.

Breastmilk provides all the energy and nutrients that an infant needs during the first six months.
Exclusive breastfeeding reduces infant deaths caused by common childhood illnesses such as diarrhea and pneumonia, hastens recovery during illness, and helps space births.

Is early supplementation with water a common practice? And if so, why?

The practice of giving water and other liquids such as teas, sugar water, and juices to breastfed infants in the first months is widespread throughout the world. This practice often begins in the first month of life.

Research conducted in the outskirts of Lima, Peru showed that 83 percent of infants received water and teas in the first month. Studies in several communities of the Gambia, the Philippines, Egypt, and Guatemala reported that over 60 percent of newborns were given sugar water and/or teas.

The reasons given for water supplementation of infants vary across cultures. Some of the most common reasons are:
* necessary for life
* quenches thirst
* relieves pain (from colic or earache)
* prevents and treats colds and constipation
* soothes fretfulness

Cultural and religious beliefs also influence water supplementation in early infancy.

Proverbs passed down from generation to generation advise mothers to give babies water.

Water may be viewed as the source of life-a spiritual and physiological necessity.

Some cultures regard the act of offering water to the newborn as a way of welcoming the child into the world.

The advice of health care providers also influences the use of water in many communities and hospitals. For example, a study in a Ghanaian city found that 93 percent of midwives thought that water should be given to all infants beginning on the first day of life.

In Egypt many nurses advised mothers to give sugar water after delivery.

How do breastfed babies get enough water?

Depending on temperature, humidity, and the infant’s weight and level of activity, the average daily fluid requirement for healthy infants ranges from 80-100 ml/kg in the first week of life to 140-160 ml/kg between 3-6 months.

These amounts are available from breastmilk alone if breastfeeding is exclusive and unrestricted (on-demand day and night) for two reasons:

Breastmilk is 88 percent water.

The water content of breastmilk consumed by an exclusively breastfed baby meets the water requirements for infants and provides a considerable margin of safety.

Even though a newborn gets little water in the thick yellowish first milk (colostrum), no additional water is necessary because a baby is born with extra water.

Milk with higher water content usually “comes in” by the third or fourth day.

Breastmilk is low in solutes.

One of the major functions of water is to flush out, through the urine, excess solutes.

Dissolved substances (for example, sodium, potassium, nitrogen, and chloride) are referred to as solutes.

The kidneys-though immature up to the age of approximately three months-are able to concentrate excess solutes in the urine to maintain a healthy, balanced body chemistry.

Because breastmilk is low in solutes, the infant does not need as much water as an older child or adult.

What about infants in hot, dry climates?

Water in breastmilk exceeds the infant’s water requirements in normal conditions and is adequate for breastfed infants in hot, dry climates.

Studies indicate that healthy, exclusively breastfed infants in the first six months of life do not require additional fluids even in countries with extremely high temperatures and low humidity.

Solute levels in the urine and blood of exclusively breastfed babies living in these conditions were within normal ranges, indicating adequate water intakes.

Can giving water to an infant before six months be harmful?

Offering water before the age of six months can pose significant health hazards.
Water supplementation increases the risk of malnutrition.

Displacing breastmilk with a fluid of little or no nutritional value can have a negative impact on an infant’s nutritional status, survival, growth, and development.

Consumption of even small amounts of water or other liquids can fill an infant’s stomach and reduce the baby’s appetite for nutrient-rich breastmilk.

Studies show that water supplementation before the age of six months can reduce breastmilk intake by up to 11 percent.

Glucose water supplementation in the first week of life has been associated with greater weight loss and longer hospital stays.

Water supplementation increases the risk of illness.

Water and feeding implements are vehicles for the introduction of pathogens.

Infants are at greater risk of exposure to diarrhea causing organisms, especially in environments with poor hygiene and sanitation.

In the least developed countries, two in five people lack access to safe drinking water.

Breastmilk ensures an infant’s access to an adequate and readily available supply of clean water.

Research in the Philippines confirms the benefits of exclusive breastfeeding and the harmful effect of early supplementation with non-nutritive liquids on diarrheal disease.

Depending on age, an infant was two to three times more likely to experience diarrhea if water, teas, and herbal preparations were fed in addition to breastmilk than if the infant was exclusively breastfed.
Should water be given to breastfed infants who have diarrhea?

In the case of mild diarrhea, increased frequency of breastfeeding is recommended.

When an infant has moderate to severe diarrhea, caregivers should immediately seek the advice of health workers and continue to breastfeed, as recommended in the Integrated Management of Childhood Illness (IMCI) guidelines.

Infants that appear dehydrated may require Oral Rehydration Therapy (ORT), which should only be given upon advice of a health worker.1 1 Oral Rehydration Solution (ORS), used in ORT, helps replace water and electrolytes lost during episodes of diarrhea. Super ORS, with a carbohydrate base of rice or cereal for better absorption, has been developed to improve treatment.

How can programs address the common practice of water supplementation?

To address the widespread practice of water supplementation in early infancy, program managers should understand the cultural reasons for this practice, analyze existing data, conduct household trials of improved practices, and develop effective communication strategies for targeted audiences.

Health care providers and community volunteers need to be informed that breast-milk meets the water requirements of an exclusively breastfed baby for the first six months.

They may also require training on how to communicate messages and negotiate behavior change.

Examples of messages developed in breastfeeding promotion programs that address local beliefs and attitudes about the water needs of infants.

Providing accurate information, tailoring messages to address the beliefs and concerns of different audiences, and negotiating with mothers to try out a new behavior can help establish exclusive breastfeeding as a new community norm.

Communicating the Message “Don’t Give Water”

The following messages have been used in programs to convince mothers, their families, and health workers that exclusively breastfed infants do not need to be given water in the first six months.

The most effective ways of communicating the messages depend on the audience and the practices, beliefs, concerns, and constraints to good practices in a particular setting.

Make clear the meaning of exclusive breastfeeding

* Exclusive breastfeeding means giving only breastmilk. This means no water, liquids, teas, herbal preparations, or foods through the first six months of life. (It is important to name the drinks and foods commonly given in the first six months. One program found that women did not think the advice “do not give water” applied to herbal teas or other fluids.) Take ideas often associated with water and apply them to colostrum

* Colostrum is the welcoming food for newborns. It is also the first immunization, protecting a baby from illness.

* Colostrum cleans the newborn’s stomach. Sugar water is not needed.

Explain why exclusively breastfed babies do not need water

* Breastmilk is 88 percent water.

* Every time a mother breastfeeds, she gives her baby water through her breastmilk.

* Breastmilk has everything a baby needs to quench thirst and satisfy hunger. It is the best possible food and drink that can be offered a baby so the baby will grow to be strong and healthy.

Point out the risks of giving water

* Giving water to babies can be harmful and cause diarrhea and illness. Breastmilk is clean and pure and protects against disease.

* An infant’s stomach is small. When the baby drinks water, there is less room left for the nourishing breastmilk that is necessary for the infant to grow strong and healthy.

* Link good breastfeeding practices to adequate fluid intake

* When a mother thinks her baby is thirsty, she should breastfeed immediately. This will give the baby all the water that is needed.

* The more often a woman breastfeeds, the more breastmilk is produced, which means more water for the baby.

http://rehydrate.org/breastfeed/faq-exclusive-breastfeeding.htm

Website http://www.linkagesproject.org/

Ask Dr Sears

In breastfed babies, not only is extra water unnecessary, giving bottles of water to quench baby’s thirst may also lessen the desire to breastfeed. This will interfere with the balance between mother’s milk supply and baby’s demand. Bottles of water are also likely to cause nipple confusion. A baby who is too warm or thirsty, but not hungry, can satisfy his need for more water by feeding more frequently and just enough to get the watery foremilk, but not necessarily the creamier hindmilk. Breastfeeding babies are great self-thirst-quenchers.

http://www.askdrsears.com/html/2/T023000.asp

How do you feel physically and emotionally about it?

Baby receives breathing assessment after caesarean operation

Would you recommend a Vaginal Birth After Caesarean section it to others? or not?

VBAC stands for vaginal birth after caesarean section – NBAC stands for normal birth after caesarean section…both essentially mean the same thing… A woman who has had a caesarean section for her first or for a previous birth is now aiming for, hoping for, planning on a normal vaginal birth for her next baby.

Why you might ask?
Why bother?

Well interestingly, contrary to what some people in the community generally might say about caesarean sections that they are quick, painless and easy, many mothers who have experienced a caesarean section might not agree… after all it is major abdominal surgery and there are several layers surgically opened to the size of a newborn baby and also add a pair of obstetrician’s hands… so it’s a fairly significant wound width size isn’t it? approximately 5 inches or 12cms.

It will take a while for the wound to heal, probably between 3 and 12 months, during which time the new mother is trying to care for herself and her newborn baby as well as recover… it’s not actually the quick easy painless experience some might fantasize or suggest.

Certainly, it is true, the operation when used appropriately in the right medical circumstances when all else has been tried – this would be referred to as a last resort – can be regarded as worthwhile and favorable.
Thank goodness c.sections where developed in the first place – right?
The concept of being able to save a mother and/or her baby is wonderful when surgical skills are utilized for the right reasons and the right circumstances.

However, health authorities have found the complications or side effects of such an operation on a mother and baby can possibly be detrimental to their physical and emotional health.

If an operation causing these outcomes was, in the first place unnecessary due to time limits, or a doctors busy schedule, or hospital rigid policies, or the fear of litigation, or the fact that obstetrician’s are actually paid more to do a c.section compared to a vaginal birth triggers the financial incentive to favor c.sections then that is an unfortunate situation.

The suffering for women post c.section can be excessive blood loss, infection (20% higher compared to a normal birth), a surgical error, post-natal depression just to identify a couple of them… there are many more however I will limit my discussion of them. Post natal depression affects 1 in 10 new mothers although studies do vary on the actual rate, to be honest, I have used a very conservative figure 1 in 10.

The figures have been rising along with the cesarean section rate and the health authorities are recognizing the impact this has on the growth and development of babies, toddlers and children. Further affects are on the development of the family, how they grow and function as a healthy family unit.
Clearly if a mother is suffering from post natal depression then this in turn is going to affect how she interacts with her children and how they grow and develop socially. Their ability to interact with others as they grow to adulthood.
Research has shown that Caesarean mothers are 6 times more likely to suffer post natal depression than mothers who have had a normal vaginal birth.

The benefits of keeping birth normal are vast… not only are risks reduced for the mother, but also and of course very importantly for the little baby… WHY? … you might be asking?

Well interestingly when a baby moves down the birth canal it is gently squeezed to cause the release of any excess fluid and mucus in the baby’s nose, mouth and upper respiratory tract, this helps prepare the baby to breathe within a minute after the birth.
Another action is that the fetal lung fluid; inside the baby’s empty and as yet not inflated lungs, will actually be taken up into the structure of the lungs in readiness for inflation of the lungs very soon after the baby begins to takes his/her first breath.
Without the compression of the birth canal this may not be as successful as mother nature has intended, you see none of this occurs with what Obstetricians describe as a cold caesarean that is a situation where the mother has not had any laboring at all. Her uterus has not massaged her baby to prepare it for life outside the womb.

Further benefits of a normal vaginal birth for a baby is the massaging action of the uterus, it will stimulate a significant production of adrenaline within the baby to trigger a good response within the baby to be very bright, sparky and alert at birth so the baby will be well able to firstly breath and secondly suckle.
Two very important things for a newborn baby to do I am sure you’ll agree!

It is worth keeping a balanced perspective isn’t it?
Some mothers will require a caesarean section and it’s great they’re available if required.
However when we look at the evidence and recognize risks and disadvantages as identified by the (WHO) World Health Organization, logically we do know that keeping birth normal wherever possible for mothers and babies is a better health option.

Aiming for a normal birth has benefits for both mother and baby which are worth being motivated towards.

Do you think new mothers who have had a caesarean section are very well supported and cared for by our community during their first year of mothering?

What suggestions would you have for those wanting a Vaginal Birth After Caesarean?

Free to be one-sided

In my quest for alternative views, I visited both online news portals and blogs and honestly I usually find thoroughly pro-government or pro-opposition party websites distasteful. But marrying the two is enlightening. Both have good and bad points in their propaganda to win votes. I notice the pro-government bloggers are quick to call “names” on their opposition counterparts. Name like “Dajal” which is the Devil in Arabic is freely used for people who express views different from theirs; I suppose the opposition bloggers also have similar names for their adversary.

It is a mark of true democracy and political maturity for citizens to be allowed to express themselves and identify areas which could be rectified and so avoid similar mistakes in the future. Why then people are so angry with such expressions? One simple answer is nobody likes to be told that they have made a mistake. Nobody likes to be told that they are responsible let alone accountable for a mishap or for a life event such as death. And yet these outpourings of expressions either objective or emotional could potentially make people rethink about circumstances surrounding an event. In most cases, with the hope that the way things are done could be altered,modified and improved to protect, for example, lives.

I am sick and tired of people ascribing many things to fate. If you continue to think in this manner, you will never improve on safety measures. You will do things the same way day in day out and when an event such as death occurs you would happily assign it to fate.

When US space shuttles Challenger and Columbia were calamitously destroyed in 1986 and 2003 respectively with the loss of 14 highly-skilled astronauts, NASA (National Aeronautic Space Administration) worked hard to study the factors contributing to the disasters as a result later flights were made so much safer and accident-free that they were able to accomplish their mission of setting up, inter alia, ISS (International space Station) and launched the brilliant Hubble telescope. Had they assigned the disasters to fate, they would never be able to move forward with the space program. There were lots of “blames” going on then and in the end knowledge,skills and good sense prevailed.

Blame is destructive when it becomes a game.

Now,why can’t we in Malaysia emulate such an approach? Why are we quick to attribute occurrences to fate? Why do we have to keep telling people to stop giving opinions and stop blaming an event? Many of these people are merely giving their take on what has happened in the hope of preventing future repeats. I am not saying that everyone is sincere in their blaming an event. Some are trying to capitalize on it to gain political mileage. Having read most of the write-ups on such an event , one would have known which one to believe. Do not take things at face values. That is why it is boring and perhaps even irresponsible to read only one side of the story.

You could detect a sign of political maturity whenever the government leaders are able to take questions and answer them in a way that people would put their trust on the politicians instead of arrogantly dismissing those “disturbing” questions and worse still calling the inquiring reporter from an alternative media “Dajal“. The prevalent immaturity is in fact synonymous with bare emotion bereft of an analytical mind.

Everyone makes mistakes so why not promise to look into the circumstances of the event and rectify any part of the faulty sequence leading to it? We have yet to see this kind of mature and objective response from politicians whose integrity is unquestionable.

Who is accountable?

Our Malaysian politicians love to appeal to our emotion rather than reasoning. But for how long can they do this? As the masses become more educated and politically-savvy, this kind of pandering will no longer be effective.

It is better to have the blame game which is constructive rather than nothing at all. A silent and non-critical community is one without a soul and this situation doesn’t augur well for its social health.

Remember under the communist’s regime in Eastern Europe and the former USSR how the environment was badly degraded as the people were muzzled and the State was allowed to carry on regardless without any public views,criticisms and discussion at the planning and implementation level. Factories polluted,pesticides contaminated and an irrigation system dried up the biggest lake in the Soviet Union causing an environmental disaster of epic proportions. How could this have occurred? Because the people were afraid to voice out their opinion and what more to blame the State. They would face incarceration in places like Siberia if they did.

Ignore the negative-oriented blame and concentrate on the positives. It is not that hard an exercise. In fact, you might find that certain opinions are quite a novelty worth applying. Not all the people who seem to be blaming the government,organization,private sector etcetera, have inherent bad intention.

So when certain quarters are blaming the recent shooting death of the BernamaTV camera man on the Putra 1 Malaysia Club Humanitarian Aid Mission to Somalia, please “separate the husks from the rice” and strive to improve and safeguard such future missions for a better “fate” of their volunteers.

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