ditadinho: 12/10/15

quinta-feira, dezembro 10, 2015

»i’m suspicious of people who don’t like dogs, but I trust a dog...

»i’m suspicious of people who don’t like dogs, but I trust a dog when it doesn’t like a person.« by zach urbina (+)

»one hundred thousand emojis poster« by joe halethe complete...

»one hundred thousand emojis poster« by joe hale

the complete text of joe hale’s emoji translations of alice in wonderland, peter pan and pinocchio compiled onto one poster.

h.n. werkman exhibition in reutlingen (germany)

Does Bed Rest During Pregnancy Help?

In the past, women were frequently put on bed rest as their pregnancy advanced, particularly if there were complications, such as a danger of going into early labor and/or losing the baby. While to some women, the idea of bed rest may come as a relief, it also can bring its own set of problems.

Let’s take a closer look at bed rest during pregnancy.

Why Would My Doctor Prescribe Bed Rest?

There are many reasons why doctors still prescribe bed rest for their pregnant patients. Some of the most common reasons are:

Vaginal bleeding or suspected problems with the placenta.
Contractions or other signs that preterm labor is possible.
An incompetent cervix. This is a term given to a cervix if it is weak or threatens to open up before the baby is carried to term.
A multiple pregnancy (i.e. carrying twins, triplets, etc.)
A less-than-average pattern of fetal growth (i.e. the baby is not growing as fast as the doctor would like)

Are There Different Kinds of Bed Rest?

Yes. Bed rest might mean different things to different doctors, so make sure you ask about what your restrictions are. In its mildest form, bed rest might simply mean slowing down, such as cutting hours at work, only doing light housework, and avoiding any heavy lifting or strenuous activity. A stricter form of bed rest might mean that you have to spend most of your time sitting or lying down and will not be allowed to do even light work.

In its strictest form, women on total bed rest must be in bed at all times and lie on their side, even while eating. They will have to take sponge baths to maintain personal hygiene, and will also have to use a bed pan for their bathroom needs since they are not allowed to get up and use the toilet. If bed rest is this strict, it will often require hospitalization so that a woman with these restrictions can still get the care she needs.

Are There Side Effects to Bed Rest?

There are side effects to bed rest, especially if it is strict. Women should be aware of these going into the rest itself. These side effects can include:

An increased chance of blood clots. When you are in a resting position for a long period of time, this can make your circulation sluggish and blood clots easier to form. Blood clots can lead to serious complications if they become lodged in the heart, lungs or brain.
Joint and muscle aches and pains from inactivity.
Muscle weakness due to inactivity. This can make it harder to begin recovering from the pregnancy after the baby is born.
Emotional problems like boredom, isolation, and anxiety.

What Makes Bed Rest During Pregnancy Easier?

If you are put on bed rest, it will be easier for you if you are able to follow the tips below:

Know the rules – Talk to your doctor at the beginning and make sure you understand exactly what restrictions you are on. Is it okay to get up and walk around the house? To take a shower or go to the bathroom? Do you need to be in bed all the time? Knowing your parameters will help decrease your anxiety.
Plan ahead – Be sure you have what you need within reach, including a water glass, snacks, personal care products, and different ways to entertain yourself (see below). Having a cell phone to be able to make calls and talk to people is also nice.
Keep yourself entertained – The day can seem very long, especially if you are on total bed rest. In order to keep yourself distracted, make sure you have plenty of things around you to pass the time. Books, movies, crossword puzzles, knitting, drawing — whatever it is that makes you happy, do it! Also, if your doctor says it’s okay, see if friends or family can come over periodically for visits to decrease your feelings of isolation.
Accept your own feelings – Even if you are keeping yourself distracted, bed rest can take an emotional toll on you. Anxiety, boredom, worry about the pregnancy, even a little depression, are common for women in this situation. Talking about your feelings — and being prepared for them in advance — can help.
Ask for help – If you are not able to do housework, shop, or run errands, see if friends or family members can help you with some of these day-to-day tasks. It will take pressure off of both you and your partner.

Conclusion

Bed rest is difficult on any woman. Just remember: this, too, shall pass! While it is not an ideal situation, it will not last forever. Being prepared, having good support, and keeping yourself entertained are all great ways to make this time as easy on yourself as possible.

The post Does Bed Rest During Pregnancy Help? appeared first on Lifehack.

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Umbilical Cord Bleeding: When To Worry

Anxiety, unfortunately, is an unavoidable part of being a new parent and one thing that many parents worry about when they take their newborn home is how to care for the umbilical cord and bellybutton. This anxiety can be greatly reduced, however, if parents understand what is normal when it comes to observing the umbilical cord and what needs to be reported to the doctor.

What is involved in Umbilical Cord Care?

According to the Mayo Clinic, umbilical cord care is fairly simple and straightforward. It includes washing the umbilical cord with plain water (studies now show that rubbing alcohol does not reduce risk of infections), keeping it dry by making sure the diaper is folded beneath it to leave it open to the air, giving the baby a sponge bath until the cord falls off and allowing it to fall off naturally.

It is also important to be able to assess the baby’s umbilical cord site and belly button in order to determine if it is healing normally or if it has become infected.

Umbilical Cord Bleeding:What is Normal?

It is normal that newborns will bleed from their belly buttons after their umbilical cord falls off; this bleeding can occur right after the cord falls off or can happen as much as a week later. This is especially likely to happen if the cord comes off early due to being accidently tugged or pulled. You will probably notice that there is a small amount of blood on the baby’s T-shirt or onesie or in the diaper when you do a diaper change.

Also normal is a small amount of discharge from the belly button. This discharge can often be yellow or green in color and parents may worry that it is pus, but it is actually just mucus and is not a sign that the umbilicus is infected. You might notice this on the baby’s T-shirt, onesie or diaper for up to 2 weeks after the cord falls off.

In short, both a small amount of blood and small amount of yellow or green drainage is normal and nothing you should worry about.

Umbilical Cord Bleeding: When to Worry?

There are, however, signs and symptoms that should concern you as a parent and that should be reported to the doctor.

One of these signs is excessive bleeding that drips or pools or reappears immediately after you have wiped it away during a diaper change or bath. If this happens, you should pack the belly-button with gauze, put pressure against your baby’s tummy and then put on his diaper and a snug outfit. Keep this pressure on for 15 minutes and then check it again. If the bleeding has stopped, keep the belly button packed with gauze for another day and check it every hour to make sure everything is ok. However, if the bleeding continues when you remove the gauze, you should call your doctor.

And while some oozing from the belly button is normal, you should report excessive oozing to the doctor as well. Occasionally, you may need to take your baby to the doctor and have him treated with silver nitrate.

Also, you need to know what signs and symptoms to look for that indicate that the belly button is actually infected. This infection is called omphalitis and while it is rare, it can also be very dangerous for your baby. The most common signs and symptoms of an infected umbilical cord include foul-smelling drainage and redness or swelling around the belly button. The baby may or may not be running a fever during this episode. If you suspect that there is an infection, you should make an appointment with your doctor right away. Your baby might need to be given an antibiotic to clear the infection up.

The takeaway here is that knowing what is and is not normal will allow you to feel less anxiety about umbilical cord bleeding/bely button care – and will also make the decision about whether or not to seek medical attention easier to determine.

The post Umbilical Cord Bleeding: When To Worry appeared first on Lifehack.

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36 weeks Pregnant Must Know: The 3 Stages Of Labour

At 36 weeks pregnant you will be very excited about the arrival of your new baby. This is a very special time for you and your baby.

It’s surprising to hear that this little baby has now grown to the size of a honey-due melon and could possibly weigh up to six pounds. This little bundle of fun could survive outside the womb, if you went into labour at 36 weeks pregnant – but it’s best to give them every chance to thrive and grow to full term at 40 weeks.

By now you have most likely stocked up on all of the necessary baby equipment – ready for the baby’s arrival home from the hospital. But lets not forget that you have a major life event to prepare for and that is the labour.

If this is your first time to have a baby, you will have many questions about labour. Read on to get a closer look at the three stages of labour.

36 Weeks Pregnant Labour Guide

First Stage of Labour

There are three phases to the first stage of labour early labour, active labour and transition.

1. Early Labour

It can take time for the first stage of labour to really take off. In this stage the cervix dilates to 3-4cm and it changes shape – from a long tube to a much shorter one. Braxton Hicks or pregnancy cramps can sometimes be mistaken for labour contractions but you will know if it’s the real thing if the pains continue.

The contractions shouldn’t be too painful at this point and it is fine for you to stay at home and watch a movie or preferably try to get some sleep.

Early labour can vary in length from one woman to the next. For a first baby it usually takes quite a bit longer. For some women it can be a full day before they feel the need to go to hospital while for others it can be just a few hours.

Women who have had previous labours are usually quite calm at this point if not a bit excited, however first time mums who do not have the same experience to refer to often feel nervous during the first stage of labour. Labour is difficult, there is no doubt but is is also beautiful so stay focused on the end result and pamper yourself with nice treats.

2. Active Labour

Your cervix will dilate from 4cm all the way up to 8cm during this phase of labour. The contractions will be much stronger, longer and will come more steadily.

You will be safe enough calling the hospital to say you’re on the way when your contractions are five minutes apart for one hour. Towards the end of this phase the baby begins to descend and you can assure yourself that you will see it soon.

For some women it is possible that the contractions will come as often as every 2-3 mins at this stage. You won’t be able to have a conversation throughout these contractions. Instead you will be focusing on your breathing. You may also be using pain medication at this point if you feel that you need it.

This stage can take up to 8 hours but maybe much less for a woman who has given birth before. The good news is that time really flies when you are focusing on you labour management. I would know as a mother of four. You really don’t notice the time passing during active labour and the birth itself.

3. Transition

At the end of the active phase you will go through what is referred to as the transition phase. This is when the cervix moves from 8-10cm. There is no doubt this is the most difficult part of labour. You may feel that you need to push but the cervix isn’t dilated enough so you will be told not to.

Don’t worry if you feel nauseous or like opening your bowels, this is all normal and will pass soon. Your baby is making it’s way closer to you with every contraction. Just keep focusing on their little face and it will get you through this tough stage.

Second Stage of Labour

Finally, you get to 10cm. Now you get to push. Follow the directions of the doctor or midwife and only push as much as they say. If they say to push gently then just do as they ask and push gently. This will really help to avoid tearing and stitches later.

Sometimes referred to as the “pushing stage” this part of labour is calmer as a rule. The contractions don’t come as often and in some hospitals women are given a break at this point – to rest a little before they start to push.

Sometimes the baby is still quite high up in the pelvis and the pressure to push is not so great. However the baby will move down a little more with each contraction and eventually the head will start to crown. You will see with a mirror the baby’s scalp peeping out of your vagina. It can be hard to believe they are so close.

The baby’s descent may be rapid or it may be slower with a first baby. Either way, find a comfortable position where you can push properly – bearing down as if you were doing a number 2!

This stage can take longer for women who have had an epidural as they don’t feel the same pressure to push. Sometimes babies are delivered in this stage in less than a half an hour while for others it can take more than an hour.

Trust in the experts and follow their directions and your baby will eventually make it’s way out, hopefully head first, then shoulders and finally their body.

Third Stage of Labour

At this point your baby will be well wrapped up and in your arms. You won’t care very much about the third stage of labour but the midwife or doctor will work gently asking you to push out the placenta. This won’t take long – just a few minutes. It’s not really painful and it won’t bother you at all.

You will probably be feeling elated at having your new baby in your arms – checking their fingers and toes – trying to figure out who they look like.

Your work is finally done. That is your labour is done but the real work is only getting started! You’ll have to check back in with me for more tips on what to do next.

The post 36 weeks Pregnant Must Know: The 3 Stages Of Labour appeared first on Lifehack.

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2015 Big Events Around The World That You Cannot Miss

2015 is definitely a special year. Yet as a normal guy like me and you, we cannot catch up every bit of the trend and know what is going on through out the year. To help people like us, Facebook and Youtube launch a 2015 review, which helps you wrap up what happened in 2015.

Facebook 2015 Year Review (click here)

2015 Facebook Year Review