Archive for March, 2014
A Thank You Letter To Dads, From Their Grown Up Daughters
Posted in Uncategorized on March 27, 2014| 2 Comments »
Tips to Reduce Risks During Pregnancy
Posted in Uncategorized on March 27, 2014| Leave a Comment »
MHC was approached by a freelance journalist, Angela Sarpong, to write an article pertaining to Maternal Health. Ms. Sarpong works for local and international blogs and websites writing on various issues. She came across our website and was moved to write an article for us. So here it is, some helpful and handy tips to help you reduce risks during your pregnancy:
Health during pregnancy is one of the world’s biggest issues at the time. Although thank the Lord most of pregnancies finish normally, there are still an important number of child and mother deaths in Ghana, and so part of the solution is to provide more information to the mothers. Here are some tips on how to keep you and your future baby healthy during pregnancy:
Medical care – It is extremely important you attend all your visits. Indeed, proper prenatal medical care is basic to avoid risks and…
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Quitting smoking is the best thing you can do for your baby
Posted in KIDS, Tips for mums and dads, tips for working mums, tagged allaboutmanners animals aviation books breakfast cars children climate cooking dessert FAMILY food frog allaboutmanners allaboutmanners allaboutmanners allaboutmanners allaboutmanners allaboutmanners , cigarette smoke, newborn baby, Quitting smoking, smoking, smoking during pregnancy on March 27, 2014| 1 Comment »
We know that it can be difficult to quit smoking. But we also know that you want to give your baby the best possible start in life.
Quitting smoking is the most important thing you can do to improve your baby’s health, growth and development. But there are many old wives’ tales about smoking during pregnancy that actually stop mums-to-be from quitting. So we want to share the facts that you need to know.
No matter what stage you’re at in your pregnancy, it’s never too late to stop smoking. The NHS offers specialist support for pregnant women who are trying to quit, so once you’ve read this page the best thing you can do is get in touch with us – we’re here to help you, your partner and your baby.

Know the risks
It’s difficult to imagine when you can’t see your baby, but smoking when you’re pregnant is like blowing smoke in your baby’s face. When you smoke a cigarette, the poisons from the cigarette smoke are passed on to your baby.
Not only is this very distressing for your baby, but the exposure to these poisons can last up to 15 minutes at a time. It’s like putting your baby in a smoke-filled room for 15 minutes.
This happens for each and every cigarette you smoke, so cutting down on your smoking rather than quitting completely will still have a harmful effect on your baby’s wellbeing.
How smoking affects your baby in the womb
The lungs
When you smoke you breathe in more than 4,000 chemicals from the cigarette. The smoke goes from your lungs into your bloodstream. That blood flows to your placenta and umbilical cord, right into your baby’s tiny body. This causes your baby to struggle for oxygen.
The heart
One of the chemicals found in cigarettes is carbon monoxide, a dangerous chemical that gets into your bloodstream.
This restricts the supply of oxygen that’s essential for your baby’s healthy growth and development. This causes your baby’s tiny heart to pump even harder.
How smoking affects your newborn baby
Your baby’s tiny body is completely dependent on yours, so if you smoke throughout your pregnancy, your baby will go through nicotine withdrawal once it is born. This can make your baby stressed and irritable and it may be difficult to stop them crying.
Smoking while you are pregnant also increases the risk of your baby dying from cot death by at least 25%.
How smoking affects your children
Second-hand smoke is very dangerous for anyone exposed to it, but it is particularly dangerous for children
Children exposed to second-hand smoke are at risk of ear infections, bronchitis, pneumonia, asthma attacks and meningitis. Last year in the UK, 300,000 GP visits and 9,500 hospital admissions were caused by children breathing in other people’s cigarette smoke.
WHAT DO YOU THINK MAKE A COMMENT
Please don’t smoke
Posted in Poetry, tagged allaboutmanners allaboutmanners allaboutmanners animals aviation books breakfast cars children climate cooking dessert FAMILY food frog gaming Gillian Sims good manners health home kid allaboutmanners on March 27, 2014| 1 Comment »
want one so bad I begin to itch
But the more I have the more I get a stitch,
When I have one I feel satisfied
But the more I have the more I might die,
The one after tea is definitely the best
But the more I have,the more pains in my chest,
I used to run,I used to be fit
I need to cut down or definitely quit,
From freshness to blackness I can’t understand
My body was good,but now it is bad
All of them kill,no matter the brand,
You can kick it,yes you can,
Put it out before you choke
Trust me mate, please don’t smoke
By Christopher Wolvet
I’m Staying Home from School Today
Posted in dads, KIDS, Poetry, PROMOTE YOURSELF, Tips for mums and dads, tips for working mums, tagged allaboutmanners animals aviation books breakfast cars children climate cooking dessert FAMILY food frog gaming Gillian Sims good manners health home kid allaboutmanners allaboutmanners animals aviatio, school on March 25, 2014| 4 Comments »
I’m staying home from school today.
I’d rather be in bed,
pretending that I have a pain
that’s pounding in my head.
I’ll say I have a stomachache.
I’ll claim I’ve got the flu.
I’ll shiver like I’m cold
and hold my breath until I’m blue.
I’ll fake a cough. I’ll fake a sneeze.
I’ll say my throat is sore.
If necessary, I can throw
a tantrum on the floor.
I’m sure I’ll get away with it.
Of that, there’s little doubt.
But even so, I really hope
my students don’t find out.
by Kenn Nesbitt
I Don’t Want To Go Into School
Posted in KIDS, PROMOTE YOURSELF, Tips for mums and dads, tips for working mums, tagged allaboutmanners animals aviation books breakfast cars children climate cooking dessert FAMILY food frog gaming Gillian Sims good manners health home kid allaboutmanners allaboutmanners animals aviatio, school on March 25, 2014| 2 Comments »
I don’t want to go into school today; Mum,
I don’t feel like school work today.
Oh, don’t make me go to school today, Mum
Oh, please let me stay home and play.
But you must go to school, my cherub, my lamb,
If you don’t it will be a disaster,
How would they manage without you, my sweet,
After all you are the headmaster!
I WILL NOT GO TO SCHOOL TODAY
Posted in dads, KIDS, Tips for mums and dads, tips for working mums, tagged allaboutmanners animals aviation books breakfast cars children climate cooking dessert FAMILY food frog allaboutmanners allaboutmanners allaboutmanners allaboutmanners allaboutmanners allaboutmanners , school refusal on March 25, 2014| 2 Comments »
Many kids look forward to going to school.
They may not always enjoy every single part of the school day. But in general, they like spending time with their friends at school, learning new things and being challenged.
Some other kids just dread going to school though. For these kids, going to school may become so stressful that they have temper tantrums over going to school or complain of symptoms such as headaches, stomachaches, or chest pain.
Why?
For some kids, there is an easily identifiable trigger for school refusal, such as being bullied, death in the family, or move to a new neighborhood. Following one of these events, especially if they are associated with the child staying home with a parent for some time, the child may not want to go to school any more.
Although school refusal has been associated with both separation anxiety disorder and social phobia, the easiest way to think about it is that school refusal is a ‘difficulty attending school associated with emotional distress, especially anxiety and depression.’
Symptoms of School Refusal
Not surprising, school refusal is most common in kids who are five to six years old, when they are just starting school and in their first year of kindergarten. It is also common in school-age children who are about 10 to 11 years old, toward the end of the last years of elementary school.
In addition to having temper tantrums and crying when it is time to go to school, symptoms that children may have when they don’t want to go to school may include vague complaints such as:
- stomachaches
- headaches
- nausea
- dizziness
- chest pain
- joint pain
Although these symptoms can also be found in children with other medical problems, one good sign that they are being caused by school refusal is that they get better later in the morning once the child understands that he is going to be able to stay home.
Other signs that a child’s symptoms might be caused by school refusal include that your child:
- is gaining weight well.
- does not have a fever, vomiting, or diarrhea.
- does not have as many symptoms when he isn’t in school, including weekends and holidays.
- has no obvious physical signs of illness when you visit your pediatrician. For example, he may have joint pain, but no joint swelling or limited movement of the joint.
- in general has other fears, phobias, or symptoms ofanxiety, such as clingy behavior, excessive worrying or nightmares.
Managing School Refusal
Of course, the main goal in managing school refusal is getting kids back in school. Unfortunately, when kids seem sick and are trying to stay home from school, it is not always easy to recognize that they are avoiding school.
That is why a visit to your pediatrician is usually a good first step when your kids don’t want to go to school. This can help ensure that your child doesn’t have a physical condition causing his symptoms. Unfortunately, while a physical condition can often be ruled out after your pediatrician talks to you and your child and does a physical exam, some children with school refusal end up seeing multiple specialists and having many tests before a diagnosis is finally made.
Once a diagnosis of school refusal is made, it can help to:
- make sure that your child goes to school each day, since the more he stays home, the harder it will be to get him to go back to school.
- understand that even though your child likely doesn’t have a physical problem causing his symptoms, that doesn’t mean that those symptoms aren’t real. So your child isn’t necessarily making up symptoms, such as stomachaches or headaches. They may just be caused by his anxiety about going to school.
- talk to your child and school staff to see if you can figure out what is triggering your child’s school avoidance behaviors, such as a bully, school performance problems, or trouble making friends.
- consider getting help from a child psychiatrist and/or a child psychologist, in addition to your pediatrician, especially if you feel like you are having to force your child to go to school each day.
- have a plan for when your child has symptoms at school, such as spending 10 to 15 minutes in the nurses office and then returning to class.
- keep a symptom diary and see your pediatrician on the days that your child feels like he really can’t go to school.
- consider family therapy if there are any stressors at home, like a divorce, separation, discipline problems, death in the family, new sibling, or a recent move.
One of the most important things for parents is to be open to the idea that a child’s symptoms might be caused by school refusal and not a physical problem. This will help get your child back in school faster and avoid unnecessary medical tests. Even if you are not convinced that your child has school refusal after seeing your pediatrician, you can keep your child in school as you proceed with a second opinion or further evaluation for a physical problem.
Guest Post: Six Tips to Help New Parents
Posted in Uncategorized on March 25, 2014| 1 Comment »
6 Tips to Help New Parents
Whether it’s your friend’s first time having a child or your sister delivering her fourth born, figuring out how to be a help instead of a hindrance during those first few days of the baby’s life can be difficult. New parents often feel overwhelmed and exhausted as they adjust to their new role. Help your friend or family member adjust to life with a newborn by following these tips:
Ask
While it’s a simple suggestion, simply asking how you can help can open the door to lending a helping hand. Some new parents want to limit interaction with others during those first few weeks to bond with their newborn while others may welcome opportunities to introduce their new baby to friends and family. From helping with laundry to holding the baby so they can take a nap, new parents may welcome the opportunity to…
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