Fetal rights

On this independence day, as a citizen of a free country we can excersice our rights as human beings. Our law and constitution empowers us to do so. There is also united nations organiztaion above all countries which recognizes human rights and looks into its implementation. A person whose rights are violated is a victim of of some kind of injustice be it either societal, criminal, or mental etc. These issues are being addresed on a daily basis by the living talking acting human beings.

Animals; there rights have also been recognised and protected over the time.
What about the unborn? What about the fetus? Isn't it living? Does it have any rights? How can a fetus excersice its rights?
Many questions arise from the term "FETAL RIGHTS".
As far as common sense and knowledge goes, a fetus can have only interest and that is of getting born. This has been recognised upto some extent by the Hippocratic oath (which restricts the usage of abortifacients on the basis of medical ethics) taken by doctors as soon as they enter the med school.

Many countries recognise the fetus as living from the day of conception. The free law of USA too recognises a fetus as a living personality from the day of conception, yet recognises the choice of mother as well. Thereby maintaining a balance. Any misconduct done to a pregnant female with or without the knowledge about her pregnancy is punishable as per their law.

But in india a fetus gains any recognition only after the fetus becomes viable. Viable means the stage at which if the fetus is delivered it can survive. The Medical termination of pregnancy (MTP) act and the Pre conception and pre natal diagnostic techniques act (pc-pndt act) uphold the interest of the fetus in the indian constitution. But the choice of the mother is not recognised in India owing to the problem of gender selection, female feoticide, and the skewed sex ratio of the country. Yet, it allows safe abortion for victims of rape under the mtp act.
What is your take on fetal rights? When should the fetus get its rights? Is 'getting born' truly the only right of a fetus? What about fetal health? Doesn't a fetus have a right to health? Does the mother really have the rights to decide who takes birth and when it takes birth from her womb after conception?
Think about it.

Sacrifice vs satisfaction

Mother earth and mother nature are the greatest epitomes of sacrifice in every organism's life cycle that populates this planet. Every orgnaism that embodies life is grateful to mother earth, mother nature and to the almighty for that. Each organism has to struggle its way to survive and thereafter give back to both mother earth and nature at the end of the life cycle whatever was their's. Yet both of them are so indifferent towards what they give and take. Every single atom of them is an embodiment of sacrifice and sacrifice alone. So what gives them the satisfaction to go on and on endlessly for eternity? Why doesn't the planet come crushing down on us wiping us all off one fine day? Only to be a witness to the play of creation is their satisfaction. Yes, they do bring destruction and havoc in the form of calamities but only to recreate. Creation-nourishment-destruction-recreation is the dynamic cycle driving all the inevitable changes around us.

God has gifted us females with this dynamic power to run this cycle just like mother earth and mother nature endlessly untill eternity.what is this power? It is nothing but the ability to sacrifice. He packed every cell of the female body with unlimited power to sacrifice. Only then it is possible that a female gives birth to life, with every cell of her body and soul contributing in the creation. So, motherly instincts are inherent in us from the day we were concieved in our mother's wombs. But the greatest rule of sacrifice is that it never demands a pay back.

Unlike mother earth and mother nature we are humans first, hence we have all rights to have expectations too. Being content with whatever we have achieved in life will keep us peaceful and stressfree leading us to a better day to day healthy lifestyle. But is contentment equal to satisfaction? Ask yourself, what makes you content and happy? And what gives you the sense of satisfaction, i.e. the sense of being alive?
I asked these questions to myself. It took me quiet long to realise and find the answers by myself. I am sharing it with you here. Please do share your answers with me too. After all sharing is caring 😂😂😂
To me at this point of time in my life contentment is this phase of motherhood that am going through and will go through in the near future. It is the fulfillment of a purpose of the soul that inhabits and drives this body of mine. My success as a mother will complete one dynamic cycle only after the recreation embodies itself into the bundle of joy in my arms. My gift of joy given to me by God through me only.
My sacrifice is my contentment. And for this sacrifice to survive as contentment forever I have to be aware of my expectations. My expectations must never ever overpower my contentment or my this joy of sacrifice. And for my expectations to be under my control I have to create satisfaction within myself. This satisfaction shall come from the fulfillment of a purpose of the soul that inhabits and drives my mind. Both sacrifice and satisfaction demand efforts. Sacrificing as a mother comes easy to us because we are designed so physically. But creating satisfaction within is a bit more difficult as power of the human  mind or brain is the same for all men and women. Satisfaction has to be earned  and earned enough to overpower the emotion of expectation especially from my bundle of joy. Only if I am satisfied and feel fulfilled in my mind I can keep the contentment of sacrifice alive for long. The day I start expecting from my child the contentment will be over. So, once I am content with my recreation, I will have to nourish it with my sense of satisfaction in order make this journey harmonious and joyful till the end of my living. 
I feel I can earn this sense of satisfaction only by following my passions. So I pledge never to sacrifice my passion.

What is your pledge for satisfaction?

Remedies for cough and cold in monsoons

Monsoons are synonymous with coughs and colds, but they need not be, really. Try the following home remedies that my dad used to make for me and my sister and some I’ve learnt over time

1. Make this medicine from tulsi and ginger. Take 7 to 10 tulsi leaves and wash them nicely. Take 1 inch ginger, wash it and remove the skin. Crush the leaves and ginger with a pestle and mortar. Do not grind it. Crush it nicely and then squeeze it to get the juice with ur clean bare hands. To this juice add a teaspoon of honey. Have this tincture first thing in the morning on an empty stomach. This remedy cures as well as prevents cough and cold.

2. You can also make a tea out of tulsi, ginger, black pepper, cloves, bay leaves and cardamom. Add salt to taste and mishri. Store this in a thermo flask and sip it all day.

3. Try to suck on half a inch ginger coated with salt or a single clove for long time by placing it under the tongue near the molars. The juice will be released slowly and soothe the throat.

4. You can also try sunthi ( powder of dried ginger) along with some warm ghee. Mix it with ur steaming hot rice in lunch time.

5. When I was in hostel and not too well to do all this, I used to rely on only hot water. I would carry my thermoflask like a kid everywhere for those 3 to 4 days and just chew 7 to 8 tulsi leaves if available.

Initially i didn’t know that these remedies were actually so helpful. When I caught cough and cold in college, i visited a lot of my professors who would give me various cough syrups with codeine, dextromethorphan, guaphensin, ephedrine etc in them but no relief.

Then I became irritated and tried to remember my father's remedies. When I started taking them, I got relief within 3 to 4 days. By the time the cold went, the cough had also gone. No residual cough!

All these natural ingredients are also safe in pregnancy and help to build immunity also. Try them and share your experience.

How to tackle nausea in pregnancy?

One fine morning I woke up feeling weak and craving for nimbu paani. The craving was so strong that I skipped my morning routine of brushing and drank up 2 large tumblers of nimbu paani instantly.

Only then it struck me that I had missed my periods. The upt card test confirmed it with 2 pink lines. I was about to shout at the top of my voice but instead I puked, holding my tummy. I hit the bed and called for help.

I was happily in distress. Little did I know that this khatta craving story was going to stay on for next 3 months. But by the end of it, I had a list of items to alternate along with meals as I got too bored with only lemons. Some were easy and instant and some needed a few preparations. I have listed them down here.

1. Lemon chilli - The most easy peasy one is half a lemon juice with a pinch of salt and one smashed chilly. The smell of it relieves nausea instantly and improves the ability to take food into the mouth.

2. Tomato chutney - 1 tomato fried lightly in oil and smashed with finely chopped onions, amada (a type of ginger with raw mango essence in it) , finely chopped green chillies, finely chopped coriander and one finely chopped garlic. I had aversion to the smell of onion and garlic, so I used to skip them. And not to forget salt to taste. You can also put aamchur and chat masala.

3. Raw mango chutney - It was the beginning of summers and raw mangoes were abundantly available in the market. One finely chopped raw mango ground with 2 green chillies, a sprig of coriander, half inch amada, one tsp cumin (jeera) and salt to taste. If the mango is too sour then you can add some sugar or jaggery. This chutney can be stored in refrigerator for 4 to 5 days and consumed as and when required.

4. Amla (gooseberry) can be cut into long pieces and sun dried for to 5 days, then coated with salt and black salt. It is to be sun dried for 4 to 5 days more until the water has dried up completely and then stored in an airtight container. One piece of amla can be kept under the tongue near the molars for sometime and then chewed.

5. Ginger dipped in honey can also be placed under the tongue near the molars and sucked onto for sometime and later on chewed.

6. Thick yogurt with salt to taste and one green chilly smashed in it is also a tasty recipe. But be careful not to eat yogurt directly from the refrigerator. Take the yogurt out of refrigerator at least one hour before your meal time.

7. Dahi chaas - The thick yogurt can be churned mildly by adding water in small amounts. A few tender lemon leaves, a sprig of coriander, one green chilly, half inch ginger, half a lemon juice to be crushed roughly using a pestle and mortar. This mixture is added to the watery yogurt followed by salt to taste, a pinch of black salt, a pinch of amchur, chat masala and jeera powder. Stir it well to get the perfect blend. A sip of this drink will help you gulp down the food slowly.

8. Coriander tamarind chutney - A handful of finely chopped coriander leaves ground with 1 tsp of presoaked cumin seeds, half inch amada/normal ginger, half cup of tamarind water, jaggery/sugar and salt to taste. The tamarind has to be soaked in hot water for an hour and then the flesh has to separated from the seeds manually. This chutney can be stored for 4 to 5 days in the refrigerator and consumed liberally along with meals. The taste of this chutney gets enhanced after one day.

9. Sun dried raw mangoes - Salt coated raw mango pieces (a.k.a ambula in odia) can be soaked in warm water for an hour and then crushed with a spoonful of yogurt, green chilly, few curry leaves and garlic. Raw mangoes have to be cut into long pieces and sun dried for a 4 to 5 days. Then they are coated with salt and again sun dried for 4 to 5 days until the water has dried completely. The mangoes become black in colour after being completely sundried. This mango can be used in various ways.

In dal, with lemon juice, crushed garlic and green chillies, sambhar, etc. In odisha, a dish called ambula rai is also prepared using it with yogurt and mustard paste.

10. Readymade mango pickles and lemon pickles can also save the day if nothing else is available.

11. Peanut chutney - This is one of my favourite chutneys which I prefer to have with all south Indian dishes. A handful of peanuts to be roasted and the red skin is to be removed.

The peanuts are then ground along with 1 tsp of cumin, 2 green chillies and salt to taste. This has to be freshly prepared and consumed immediately. It doesn't taste that good if stored.

12. Finely chopped fresh raw mango sprinkled with salt, black salt, jeera powder, red chilli powder, and chat masala. The smell helps fight the nauseous feeling and chewing the tangy mango pieces feels heavenly. As a kid I used to steal raw mangoes by throwing stones and ask mumma to make this for us. We used enjoy it during the evening kaal baisakhi rains while making various kinds of noises while eating.

13. Tomato khatta - This is an interesting side dish recipe which I demanded every alternate day. For this simple recipe, 1 tsp cumin seeds, paanch phoran, finely chopped green chillies and few curry leaves are to be spluttered in 1 tbsp oil in a wok. Then a finely chopped onion is added and fried until golden. Then freshly chopped tomatoes, dates/ kissmiss, salt to taste and jaggery/sugar is added and covered over a low flame. After 10 minutes when the tomatoes become mushy, half a glass water is added and covered again for 5 more minutes. It is garnished with sprigs of coriander and grated coconut if available and served hot with chapatis, parathas or even as side dish with rice.

14. Dahi baingan - this is a very common recipe, every household prepares it in its own way. Instead of deep frying the baingan, I prefer to shallow fry the baingan, in order to keep it healthy, along with jeera, paanch phoran, red chillies, curry leaves and salt to taste. Once it cools down, I add it to the smooth yogurt prepared by lightly churning the thick yogurt with small amounts of water. To enhance the taste, red chilly powder, jeera powder, aamchur chat masala etc can be added as per availability and garnished with coriander leaves.

15. Ambula rai - For this recipe the sundried salt coated mango pieces as explained earlier have to soaked in water overnight. In a wok, 1 tsp cumin seeds, paanch phoran, red chillies and curry leaves are spluttered. 1 tbsp paste of white mustard seeds is added to it followed by the pre soaked mango pieces. It is covered and allowed to cook over a low flame for 10 minutes and then it is cooled down. Yogurt is lightly churned by adding small amount of water to get an adequate consistency. Freshly grated coconut, salt to taste, red chilly powder, jeera powder, aamchur and chat masala are added to taste and mixed. The cooled down mangoes in the wok is then added to the yogurt mixture. 

16. Boondi raita - Unsweetened boondi added to smooth yogurt with salt, sugar, red chilly powder, aamchur, black salt and chat masala also tastes good.

17. Freshly chopped cucumber and onion raita is also an option

18. South indian rasam.

19. Pre soaked tamarind smashed with green chillies and garlic.

20. Classic nimbu paani ( not to forget) with or without jaljeera.

All these variations of the sour taste helped me get by those difficult 3 months. Even the smell of boiling rice used churn my gut out.

So I have survived most of the nauseous days on only one large spoon full of cooked rice soaked in water with a half lemon squeezed in it and salt commonly known as pakhala in Odisha for lunch and dinner.

These chutneys used to be my side dishes as the taste of oil would also make me throw up.

I hope this list helps all the nauseous mothers to be able to eat their small meals with some relief.

PER VAGINUM EXAMINATION

                                    

In any of your antenatal checkups, after completing your general examination, the doctor will proceed for a vaginal examination.

Why is an internal vaginal examination necessary?

At first visit-

1)      To diagnose pregnancy in 1^st trimester.

2)      Assessment of the gestational age

3)      To confirm intra uterine pregnancy

4)      To identify any abnormality in the genital tract

5)      A general examination of the cervix

Now a days transvaginal scans, being more informative, accurate and safer, are replacing routine internal examination in early days of pregnancy.  So mostly you will be spared of the PV examination in your first trimester. 

At any subsequent antenatal visit

1)      For investigation of a threatened abortion- i.e. - if the patient complains of lower abdomen pain, excessive cramps, or any abnormal vaginal discharge.

2)      To confirm diagnosis of pre-term labor

3)      To confirm pre-term rupture of membrane

4)      Assessment of the cervical length, smoothness, consistency and regularity of the surface.

5)      For detection of cervical effacement or dilatation in a patient with a previous history of pre-term labor or a mid trimester abortion

6)      A general pelvic assessment to predict the possibility of a normal delivery or an impending cephalopelvic disproportion.

And before labor-

1)      To assess the favorability of the cervix prior to induction of labor

2)      Identification of the presenting part in the pelvis

3)      For artificial rupture of membrane to induce labor.

As a patient it is your right to be completely aware of the procedure and its cause. Your consent for the procedure is also important, though not on paper, but your doctor will definitely explain you about it and take you in confidence before proceeding for the examination. But being informed about the procedure beforehand will help to reduce your anxiety of unknown.

You will be first asked to pee and completely empty your bladder.

In a closed room and in complete privacy you will be asked to remove your bottom clothes and lie down on the doctor’s examination bed, with your legs spread open and bent at the knees. The accompanying nurse will help you to settle down comfortably with extra sheets if required. Any female accompanying you for the visit will also be allowed to be with you during the examination.

The doctor will the use his/her pre-washed, sterile gloved hands to first see the vagina by separating the labia. At this point he/she will look for any vaginal discharge or any abnormal protruding mass or growth.

In case of presence of any discharge, he/she might want to take a vaginal smear for examination. In that case, a bivalve speculum will be used to keep the vagina open and under a good source of light, vaginal swab will be collected from the upper vagina with the help of a small soft bottle brush tip on a long stick.

This procedure will be a little painful but it is not done in normal cases unless there is an indication.

Thereafter the doctor will proceed for per vaginum examination, by introducing two fingers, index and middle finger of the right hand deep into the vagina while keeping the labia separated with the fingers of the left hand.

Once inside the vagina he/ she will use the left hand to manipulate the fundus or top of the gravid uterus.

Per vaginum examination is done at least once during any one of the antenatal visits, may be either in the early, mid or late days of pregnancy as per the requirement of the presenting situation. It is certainly not painful but a little discomforting. It will be easier and more tolerable if you are mentally prepared for it. You should try to be completely relaxed and calm mentally and allow your pelvic muscles and thighs to be relaxed too.  In that case the penetration will be easier and pain free.

It is completely normal and natural to feel uncomfortable and shy to spread open the legs even if the examining doctor is a female. But you have to trust your doctor and be assured that your privacy is being given utmost priority. You also have to acknowledge the fact that you are pregnant and at the time of your delivery, be it normal or a c-section, there will be a lot more medical personnel other than the doctor and the nurse present now, looking at your private parts in anticipation of the birth of the baby.  So, it’s better  to get comfortable with your examining doctor from this stage onwards.

You don’t need to feel embarrassed about the pubic hair growth down their even if you have gone unprepared for it, neither do you need to rush to get it waxed, trimmed or removed in a hurry. Because, doctors are used to seeing various kinds of growth and for pv examination it doesn’t matter at all.

Yes, before delivery or while nearing the term, you may want to go for removal as per your personal wish, if you are not comfortable with the idea of getting shaved off by a medical personnel.  So, ladies, it is the time to shed down all reservations and shyness and start getting prepared for the upcoming delivery on the D day as well as for breast feeding in public. These natural dispenses of our body need not pull us down from our path of moving ahead as an urban, modern, achiever woman of the 21^st century at all.

What to do when a child falls from height?

Before the concept of contraception or family planning came into action, people used to reproduce carelessly. The only population control mechanism was epidemics of small pox or cholera or natural calamities or hazards.  Married females were pregnant every alternate year.  A single support less mother surrounded by toddlers and one infant at the breast was the picture.  They never paid individual attention to each child. Those children grew up in the community playing, falling, and taking care of each other. And survival of the fittest was the rule.

But today times have changed. Mothers have decided on having only one or two children. So they are precious.  A small simple abrasion also panics her. And when the apple of their eye falls from height to sustain even a mild trauma to the head, her heart bleeds endlessly until the memory of the incident fades from her mind. Guilt creeps all over her for not being around her dearest piece of heart. She remembers the incident in her subconscious mind always to recount it whenever she finds anything unusual about her child’s behaviour.

So to calm the panic stricken mother, some information and knowledge about what to do and when to rush to the hospital, might help

What happens when a child falls from height?

Apart from injuries to limbs, most concerning one is the injury to head.  If a child sustains a head injury, following consequences occur-

1.      Crying – Don’t panic immediately as the child starts crying, allow the child to be active and to cry for some time.

2.      Swelling – look for the severity of the swelling.  Apply ice pack to the swollen area until it seems to decrease or for 20 to 30 minutes. Check if the swelling seems to decrease or increase. If it increases even after applying ice then take the child to the hospital/emergency without any delay.

3.      A laceration over swelling- Clean the wound of any dirt with running water. Pat dry, apply Betadine ointment and give pressure bandage. If the wound is big or if the bleeding is too profuse that it starts seeping the bandage, then rush to the emergency immediately.

Immediate signs of danger-

In case any of the following occurs either immediately after fall or anytime within 24 hours, then rush to the hospital without any delay.

1)      Vomiting

2)      Loss of consciousness

3)      Ear bleed

4)      Nasal bleed

5)      Seizures

If the child is having seizures, immediately turn the child on to left side and try to control the seizures by holding the limbs. They usually stop within seconds to a minute or in 2 minutes. Rush to emergency as fast as possible.

Not to miss symptoms within 24 hours of fall

1)      Fever – use a thermometer to check the temperature

2)      Neck rigidity- Try to move the child’s head on to the chest such that the chin of the child touches the chest with the mouth being closed.  If there is any difficulty, restriction or pain in doing this, then schedule an appointment with your pediatrician as soon as possible.

3)      Decrease in vision

4)      Decrease in hearing

5)      Decrease in movement or tone of any of the four limbs

6)      Any visible milestone regression

What will happen at the emergency or the hospital?

As soon as you reach the emergency, the emergency physician will examine the child thoroughly and send the child for a CT scan. You may be asked to make the child fall asleep or the doctor may prescribe a mild sedative for making the child fall asleep for a few minutes. If the CT scan appears normal, then you will be discharged with warning signs and some pain relieving medication. In case there is any abnormality in the scan, the child will be kept under observation for some time, and a neurosurgery opinion will be sought for. Further the prognosis will be explained to you by the treating doctor.

Prevention is always better than cure.

Safety precautions that can be taken

1)      For babies, use a stable strong and stout cot with railings to sleep in, when you are not around or else lay their bed on the floor itself with pillows surrounding the baby.

2)      Always be vigilant when toddlers are playing around in the park with other kids.

3)      Do not allow the kids to play on terrace or streets.

4)      When the child starts crawling or walking, adequately baby proof your house.

We all know about these safety measures and try our best to follow all of them, but mishaps still occur. Be little liberal to yourself. Guilt will creep in but we have to learn to forgive ourselves with time. And not letting the child to play with the fear of such mishaps is also not justified. It is their childhood and it will take its course as per their destiny. We have to accept that certain incidents are not under human control.

glow to blaze!

You walk you run you toil all day
With the midnight oil, awake you stay
Flickering though with incessant glow
until the residuum: the residuum
It lubes some lips
And criticism creeps
The flame comes low
Flickering though with incessant glow
You fall, you cry, within you scream
Still swiftly swimming nether stream
And with the flame aglow
Flickering though with incessant glow
Until the soot, alone the soot
Choke those throat
Throw silence afloat
Higher goes the flame with the fuel inflow
Flickering blaze, with incessant glow