all-hot-topics

It’s the holiday seasons again. Hanukkah celebration, Christmas and Kwanzaa, then coms the New year.

Hanukkah is a Jewish holiday celebrated for eight nights and days.  It begins on the 25th of Kislev on the Hebrew calendar and ends on the 2nd or 3rd Tevet(which is November - December on the Gregorian calendar)
Hanukkah poems can be in these poetic forms:Couplet, Acrostic,  Ballade, Cinquain, Alphabet and Ballad

For those of you interested in original hanukkah poems, here are some excerpts from the poems and links to where you can get the full copies.

1. Careful When You Light the Chanukah Candles by Ludwig Senfl

Careful when you light the Chanukah candles!
Have some water nearby just in case
A candle teeters at some crazy angle,
Not having been quite twisted into place.
Unexpected things can sometimes happen…

2.  Candles Dance on Their Menorah by Charles Henri Valentin Alkan

Candles dance on their menorah,
Happy to be burning bright!
All the children dance the hora,
Nimbly leaping with delight!
Understand the miracle…

3.  Chanukah Itself’s the Miracle by Dimitri Shostakovich

Chanukah itself’s the miracle:
How could we remember all those years,
Aliens lost upon a shoreless sea,
Not only scattered–battered, shattered, tattered,
Unwelcome guests of hosts unmerciful,…

Excerpts from poemsforfree

The Amniotic fluid also called liquor amnii is the protecting and nourishing fluid surrounding the baby in the amniotic cavity or sac of a pregnant woman. The amniotic fluid is covered by the amniotic membrane within the amniotic cavity, and is formed very early in the development of the human embryo. The amniotic fluid gradually changes its constituents as pregnancy advances.

Functions of the amniotic fluid.

• The amniotic fluid provides a liquid environment in which the fetus( unborn baby) can develop and exercise in absolute freedom.

• The amniotic fluid provides an environment of constant temperature for the baby.
• Its constituents changes as pregnancy progresses , in that way it meets the nutritional requirements of the fetus as it changes.

• It causes enlargement of the amniotic cavity (and therefore of the uterus) so that the developing fetus is not distorted by pressure from the walls of the uterus.

• It provides a means of excretion of substances like urine from the fetus

• The fetus also swallows the amniotic fluid. It is not known how much nutritional benefit this may have for the fetus , but it enables it to develop its mouth ,as well as its swallowing and breathing mechanisms.

• The amniotic fluid also functions as a shock absorber which is most efficient in preventing damage to the fetus as a result of a blow or undue pressure. If undue force is brought to bear upon any particular part of the uterus then the placenta may suffer damage or may even be separated, but it is virtually impossible to damage the fetus itself as a result of direct or indirect injury.

Many women fear that their baby might be hurt by a fall or a direct blow on the uterus or abdomen during pregnancy. If a woman does suffer from direct injury or if she falls down on her abdomen she is unlikely to cause any harm to her baby but it is advisable that she consults her doctor ,if she develops pain or if she is unduly concerned. The three most common causes of abdominal injury during pregnancy are falling down the stairs, tripping over the edge of a pavement , and motor accidents . But no matter the kind of fall or accidents that a pregnant woman goes through, she should make it known to her doctor in her next antenatal visit or check up, just in case of any strange occurrences.

The Temperature of a baby is often taken through the armpit , the rectum, the ear or the mouth. But most doctors do not recommend taking an infant’s temperature through the mouth until the child is up to four years of age, because putting a thermometer into an infant’s mouth is dangerous.

These are the common methods of taking an infants temperature ;

• The armpit/underarm(axillary) method - here the infant’s temperature is taken using a digital or oral thermometer . Take off the baby’s shirt and Dry armpit with a towel, place the tip of the thermometer in the upper part of the armpit and hold baby’s arm over it, gently pressing the elbow against baby’s side. The armpit method is very efficient especially when the baby won’t lie quietly for a rectal reading to be done or when the baby has diarrhea. The normal temperature for this method is 97.6ºF(Fahrenheit).

• The rectal method - the infant’s temperature is taken here using the digital thermometer. Put baby on your laps or on the bed and put a small pillow under his/her hips to raise the bottom for easier insertion of the thermometer. With one hand ,spread the baby’s buttocks, and with your other hand slip the tip of the thermometer into the rectum or rectal opening(anus). Keep the thermometer in place by using your other fingers to press the buttocks together. The thermometer should be prepared before usage, by lubricating the sensor tip with a lubricant like olive oil or Vaseline . The rectal method of taking an infants temperature is the most accurate because it picks up the temperatures from the core of the body. The normal temperature for this method is 99.6ºF.

• The oral method - this method is done using the pacifier thermometer, since the oral thermometer cannot be used for the baby until he/she is four years of age or more. The pacifier thermometer is shaped like a pacifier and therefore inserted into the baby’s mouth to take a reading. It takes about four minutes to get a reading ,which usually reads between 0.3ºF and 0.5ºF lower than the rectal thermometer. With a squirming and non-cooperative baby this method will be really difficult. The normal temperature for the oral method is 98.6ºF.

• The tympanic (ear)method - is solely used for taking an infant’s temperature through the ear. The thermometer used here is called the Tympanic thermometer ,which is quite expensive and difficult to use. It is mostly used by paediatricians ,and you can get your readings in seconds but it is not as reliable as the rectal method of taking an infants temperature. Experts advice withholding the use of this method until a baby is over three months old.

Before proceeding with any of the methods of taking an infant’s temperature , it is advisable to keep the baby calm for at least half an hour before taking the temperature , because crying and anxiety in the baby can elevate the temperature reading. Also avoid giving the baby any food prior to the time you would be taking an oral temperature reading,so as not to alter the readings.

The thermometer should be washed with cool soapy water and properly rinsed after use. The sensor tip should be swabbed with alcohol.