Bermuda Parent May 2023

I WISH I KNEW THIS ABOUT BIRTH

SECRETS TO A PASSIONATE MARRIAGE

C O N T E N T S

Editor’s Note BERMUDAPARENT

To all the mothers and those in a capacity to care for children, I wish you a Happy Mother's Day.

May you know and understand that those whom you are able to impact and influence will carry on your legacy no matter how great or how small For you have left this world something of significance through the children that you touch.

Katrina Ball

Bleeding After Birth

Is vaginal bleeding normal after birth?

Yes, vaginal bleeding (also called lochia) is completely normal after giving birth. Bleeding occurs if you have a vaginal birth or a caesarean section birth.

What is normal blood loss after birth?

In the first 1–2 days after your baby is born, bleeding is usually bright red in colour. On the first day you may soak up to one sanitary pad each hour. Over the next several days, the bleeding will slowly get less each day and change colour from bright red to a pink or brown colour and then to a creamy colour. Most women will stop bleeding between four and six weeks after giving birth. Some women may bleed for longer or shorter than this.

You may have heavier bleeding:

Are blood clots normal?

A blood clot is a mass of blood that sticks together and forms a jelly-like substance. Passing blood clots is common after having a baby. In the first 24 hours after birth, clots may be golf-ball sized or larger. The clots should get smaller and happen less often as your bleeding gets less over the first few days.

What causes bleeding?

When you were pregnant, blood vessels ran between your uterus and placenta. When the placenta comes away from the wall of the uterus (after your baby is born), there are open blood vessels that bleed. Your uterus contracts to squeeze these bleeding vessels shut. Over 7–10 days your uterus continues to contract, begins to heal and the bleeding gets less. in the morning when you get up after breastfeeding after exercising

Can you tell if your uterus is contracted normally?

In the first 24 hours after birth, the top of your uterus (the fundus) can be felt around the level of your belly button It will feel a bit like a grapefruit in size and texture As your uterus contracts, it will slowly decrease in size and be felt lower down on your abdomen Around 7–10 days after birth your uterus will have contracted so much that you can no longer feel it

You can ask your healthcare provider to help you find the top of your uterus so you will know what a well contracted uterus feels like. This will help you notice if your uterus does not continue to contract normally. Emptying your bladder frequently (passing urine) in the first 24 hours after birth can help your uterus to stay contracted

When should you seek help? If you gave birth more than 24 hours ago, contact your health care provider if:

You are still soaking more than one pad every 1–2 hours

The amount of bleeding suddenly increases or you pass large clots

The blood suddenly changes to a bright red colour

You feel dizzy, weak, sweaty or have trouble breathing Your vaginal loss smells, or you have a high temperature

You are worried that your bleeding is not normal

Image: Fundal height days after birth

BY

ULTRASOUND 4D

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How to keep skin SAFE

Family is Eve

SITES & WEBSITES KIDS

ARE HEADING TO AFTER FACEBOOK

Gone are the days of Facebook as a onestop shop for all social-networking needs. While it may seem more complicated to post photos on Instagram, share casual moments on Snapchat, text on WhatsApp, and check your Twitter feed throughout the day, tweens and teens love the variety

You don’t need to know the ins and outs of all the apps, sites, and terms that are “hot” right now (and frankly, if you did, they wouldn’t be trendy anymore). But knowing the basics what they are, why they’re popular, and what problems can crop up when they’re not used responsibly can make the difference between a positive and a negative experience for your kid

We’ve laid out some of the most popular types of apps and websites for teens: texting, microblogging, live-streaming, self-destructing /secret, and chatting/meeting/dating.

The more you know about each, the better you’ll be able to communicate with your teen about safe choices

The bottom line for most of these tools? If teens are using them respectfully, appropriately, and with a little parental guidance, they’re mostly fine. So take inventory of your kids’ apps and review the best practices.

TEXTING APPS

GroupMe is an app that doesn’t charge fees or have limits for direct and group messages. Users also can send photos, videos, and calendar links.

What parents need to know

It’s for older teens The embedded GIFs and emojis have some adult themes, such as drinking and sex

Teens are always connected Without fees or limits, teens can share and text to their heart’s content, which may mean they rarely put the phone down

WhatsApp Messenger lets users send text messages, audio messages, videos, and photos to one or many people with no message limits or fees

What parents need to know

It’s for users 16 and over. Lots of younger teens seem to be using the app, but this age minimum has been set by WhatsApp

It can be pushy After you sign up, it automatically connects you to all the people in your address book who also are using WhatsApp It also encourages you to add friends who haven’t signed up yet

PHOTO AND VIDEO-SHARING APPS AND SITES

Instagram lets users snap, edit, and share photos and 15-second videos, either publicly or within a private network of followers. It unites the most popular features of social media sites: sharing, seeing, and commenting on photos. It also lets you apply fun filters and effects to your photos, making them look high-quality and artistic

What parents need to know

Teens are on the lookout for “likes ” Similar to the way they use Facebook, teens may measure the “success” of their photos even their self-worth by the number of likes or comments they receive. Posting a photo or video can be problematic if teens are posting to validate their popularity.

Public photos are the default. Photos and videos shared on Instagram are public unless privacy settings are adjusted. Hashtags and location information can make photos even more visible to communities beyond a teen’s followers if his or her account is public.

Kids can send private messages Instagram Direct is like texting with photos or videos and you can do it with up to 15 mutual friends These pictures don’t show up on their public feeds Although there’s nothing wrong with group chats, kids may be more likely to share inappropriate stuff with their inner circles

TikTok is a social media platform that replaced the popular Musical.ly app when it went offline in 2017. TikTok is a free social media platform that lets you create, share and watch short clips. The app is popular for viral dances and celebrity cameos and is a creative and fun platform for teens to enjoy.

What parents need to know

When you download the app, users can see all the content without creating an account although they are not able to post, like or share anything until they’ve set up an account on the app. By default, all accounts are public so anyone on the app can see what your child shares

However, only approved followers can send them messages

Users can like or react to a video, follow an account or send messages to each other, so there is the risk that strangers will be able to directly contact children on the app

Children may be tempted to take risks to get more of a following or likes on a video so it’s important to talk about what they share and with who.

You can set an account to be private so that all videos can only be seen by the creator and no one else on the platform With a private account, you can approve or deny users and limit incoming messages to followers only.

Please note that even with a private account, your child’s profile photo, username, and bio are still visible to all users on the platform You can manage who can comment, duet and direct message your child on the app.

MICROBLOGGING APPS AND SITES

Tumblr is like a cross between a blog and Twitter: It’s a streaming scrapbook of text, photos, and/or video and audio clips Users create and follow short blogs, or “tumblogs,” that can be seen by anyone online (if they’re made public). Many teens have tumblogs for personal use: sharing photos, videos, musings, and things they find funny with their friends.

What parents need to know

Porn is easy to find. This online hangout is hip and creative but sometimes raunchy. Pornographic images and videos and depictions of violence, self-harm, drug use, and offensive language are easily searchable. Privacy can be guarded but only through an awkward workaround. The first profile a member creates is public and viewable by anyone on the internet Members who desire full privacy have to create a second profile, which they’re able to password-protect Posts are often copied and shared. Reblogging on Tumblr is similar to re-tweeting: A post is reblogged from one tumblog to another. Many teens like and, in fact, want their posts to be reblogged.

Twitter is a microblogging tool that allows users to post brief, 140-character messages called “tweets” and follow other users’ activities It’s not only for adults; teens like using it to share tidbits and keep up with news and celebrities

What parents need to know

Public tweets are the norm for teens

Though you can choose to keep your tweets private, most teens report having public accounts. Talk to your kids about what they post and how a post can spread far and fast. Updates appear immediately. Even though you can remove tweets, your followers can still read what you wrote until it’s gone This can get kids in trouble if they say something in the heat of the moment.

LIVE-STREAMING VIDEO APPS

Houseparty Group Video Chat is a way for groups of teens to connect via live video Two to eight people can be in a chat together at the same time If someone who’s not a direct friend joins a chat, teens get an alert in case they want to leave the chat. You can also “lock” a chat so no one else can join.

What parents need to know

Users can take screenshots during a chat Teens like to think that what happens in a chat stays in a chat, but that’s not necessarily the case It’s easy for someone to take a screenshot while in a chat and share it with whomever they want.

There’s no moderator. Part of the fun of live video is that anything can happen, but that can also be a problem. Unlike static posts that developers may review, live video chats are spontaneous, so it’s impossible to predict what kids will see, especially if they’re in chats with people they don’t know well

Live.ly Live Video Streaming poses all the same risks that all live-streaming services do, so poor choices, oversharing, and chatting with strangers can be part of the package

What parents need to know

It’s associated with Musical.ly. Because of the parent app’s popularity, this streamer is all the rage, and “musers” (devoted Musical.ly listeners) have built-in accounts.

Privacy, safety, and creepiness are concerns Because teens are often broadcasting from their bedrooms to people they don’t know, sometimes sharing phone numbers, and often performing for approval, there’s the potential for trouble

Live.me Live Video Streaming allows kids to watch others and broadcast themselves live, earn currency from fans, and interact live with users without any control over who views their streams.

What parents need to know

Kids can easily see inappropriate content. During our review, we saw broadcasters cursing and using racial slurs, scantily clad broadcasters, young teens answering sexually charged questions, and more. Predatory comments are a concern Because anyone can communicate with broadcasters, there is the potential for viewers to request sexual pictures or performances or to contact them through other social means and send private images or messages

YouNow: Broadcast, Chat, and Watch Live Video is an app that lets kids stream and watch live broadcasts As they watch, they can comment or buy gold bars to give to other users Ultimately, the goal is to get lots of viewers, start trending, and grow your fan base

What parents need to know

Kids might make poor decisions to gain popularity Because it’s live video, kids can do or say anything and can respond to requests from viewers in real time Though there seems to be moderation around iffy content (kids complain about having accounts suspended “for nothing”), there’s plenty of swearing and occasional sharing of personal information with anonymous viewers.

Teens can share personal information, sometimes by accident. Teens often broadcast from their bedrooms, which often have personal information visible, and they sometimes will share a phone number or an email address with viewers, not knowing who’s really watching

It’s creepy Teens even broadcast themselves sleeping, which illustrates the urge to share all aspects of life, even intimate moments, publicly and potentially with strangers

LIVING Sustainable

Want to grow your own food but don’t know where to start? These bite-size, dynamic classes will teach you the basics of successfully growing our own sustainable vegetable garden.

Come and get your hands dirty learning the skills you need to grow food abundance!

Join our local expert, Chris Faria at our Education & Research Garden for our Sustainable Gardening Classes which will give you the confidence you need to succeed in the garden These classes will be a mixture of presentation-style and hands-on learning. Our aim is to give you the foundation to grow lots of homegrown veggies and connect with a community that will support you beyond this series We're so excited to share our passion with you!

1) Garden Planning & Soil Preparation $50

Lots can be said about prior preparation but this is especially true in the garden Planning will allow you to grow more of what you want to grow over the entire season as well as give you a confidence boost!

In this class we will:

Learn which crops are in season when

Create your own garden plan and map

Identify the optimal location for your garden

Demonstrate how to dig the garden efficiently using hand tools & how to apply and use organic fertilizer and compost

As part of your participation you will receive our garden manual which includes: garden plan template, our planting guide for Bermuda and resource on trouble-shooting for a healthy ecosystem in your garden

2) Growing Healthy Seedlings $50

Whether you are ready to start the journey toward growing your own seedlings or want to know what to do with the one that you just bought, this is the class for you. Growing your own seedlings gives you total control over what you are growing, not having to rely on what is available at the store

We will cover:

How to sow different types of seeds depending on the season

How to make your own seedling mix

The best location for growing your seedlings

How to identify when they are ready for transplanting & correct transplanting technique to minimize stress on your seedlings

As part of your participation you will receive our garden manual which includes: garden plan template, our planting guide for Bermuda and resource on trouble-shooting for a healthy ecosystem in your garden.

3) Composting & Community Building $50

Composting is a great way to recycle those kitchen scraps and garden waste and turn them into soil fertility In fact, there are billions of microbes in your soil working every day to feed and care for your plants–and they need to be fed too! Our cool composting method makes it easy to do this without any bins, tumblers, or fancy equipment.

Come prepared to get your hands dirty:

Identifying what materials are suitable

Preparing different types of garden waste

How to maintain to compost pile

Turning compost piles

Sifting and how to store

We have learned that one person growing their food can only do so much whereas more of us growing together can truly bring the abundance that we all want in our lives Come and learn about the unique opportunity Bermuda has to do this. All organisms, including humans, play a vital role in growing a healthy ecosystem.

As part of your participation you will receive our garden manual which includes: garden plan template, our planting guide for Bermuda and resource on trouble-shooting for a healthy ecosystem in your garden

BERMUDA PARENT MAGAZINE