Tips for Grooming Newborn Babies

Entering parenthood is an important phase of life. It brings along immense joy as well as shivers because taking care of a new life is not an easy job. Babies are fragile, coming with a tag of handle with care and taking their proper care can be demanding and exhausting too. But don’t worry, by following newborn baby care tips, one can sail through the task with easy. Practice and patience are the two key words when it comes to newborn babies.

Here are some tips for new born babies care which are ought to help you achieve higher success rate when it comes to raising healthy babies.

Feeding

Feeding is an essential factor when it comes to newborn babies. Be aware about whether to breastfeed or bottle-feed your baby. Ask your doctor about the best method to feed the baby. Although doctors believe that breastfeeding is the best when it comes to fulfilling the needs of the baby, sometimes the flow of the milk is not appropriate or enough. In that case it is better to bottle feed. Feeding tops any list of newborn baby care tips because proper feeding means a healthy and strong baby.

Diapering

Another important tip for newborn baby care is choosing the best type of diaper for your baby. Basically there are two types of diapers in the market: cloth diapers and disposable diapers. Both of these types have their own advantages and disadvantages. Disposable diapers are easier to use for the parents and cloth diapers are best suitable for the soft baby skin. However, one can make the option of using the cloth diaper at home while using disposable diaper while going out.

Bathing

Bathing can be a difficult time for new parents as it requires much care and technique to bathe the baby in the right manner. Always check the temperature of the water with your elbow to check whether it is appropriate for the baby or not. Never leave your baby unattended when bathing.

Babies are soft, cuddly, and entirely dependent on parents and aforementioned tips are sure to lend a helping hand to parents in this difficult but interesting task..

Learn All About Diapering a Baby

Diapering a baby forms an essential part of taking care of an infant. It is not rocket science but it also has its own aspects. Pregnant women or new parents worry the most when it comes to this aspect. Remember, it may sound easy but if the diapers are not worn in the correct manner, it may cause a whole lot of difficulties for the baby. There are mainly two types: cloth and disposable diapers.

Let us learn about these two types of diapers, how to use them and which are better when it comes to baby skin.

Cloth Diapers

Cloth diapers have been used since the concept of diapers was introduced. Doctors even till today advice to use these when it comes to keep the baby's skin soft and comfortable. However, using cloth diapers also means that 'extra work' of changing the nappies every now and then to prevent the kid from feeling uncomfortable. These cloth diapers also have a positive impact on the environment. These are environment friendly as compared to disposable ones. These are easily decomposed and thus do not add up to the waste on our already polluted planet. Diapering a baby with cloth diapers is healthier as compared to the disposable ones because they are easy on baby's skin, do not cause rashes, and are easy to change. Cloth diapers let you know immediately when a baby wets himself, thus giving you a chance to change your baby's nappy at the right time.

Disposable Diapers

Another kind of diapers in use are disposable. Parents looking for tips about how to diaper a baby find these diapers as a convenient option. They are easy to use, can be used for long hours and are comfortable for the baby as well. Mostly disposable diapers come with a time limit of four hours. Cloth diapers get wet easily and can make the baby uncomfortable, but these disposable ones come with a soaking gel which prevent the baby skin from getting wet and keeps it dry for longer time. Babies get a goodnight sleep by using these diapers and even the parents get some respite from long waking hours. Thus mostly parents nowadays prefer disposable in place of cloth diapers as they not only convenient to use but are also time saving.

Now the questions arises which are better to use, cloth or disposable. Parents who are looking for comfort and convenience should opt for disposable while parents who give priority to health of their kids should opt for cloth. Moreover, doctors also prefer cloth diapers when it comes to infants. However, whatever option you use, remember they should be changed frequently and should be of good quality because they are going to be indirect contact with the baby's skin and thus can cause much damage if not used properly. Make efforts to learn all about diapering a baby before you welcome the new being in the world.

Enjoy Parenthood With These Easy and Joyful Techniques

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Parenting is a science which cannot be learnt from any source. Parenthood is a blessing which comes with a lot of responsibility. After all raising a baby is not an easy task. One is liable to make mistakes in the journey of raising the kids in the best possible way. However with positive parenting tips, one can get some help in the job. Parenting tips make you prepared for parenthood, help you in dealing with the child's upbringing, and makes the work easier and joyful for you.

Here are some positive parenting techniques to follow which can lend a helping hand in raising healthy and well groomed kids.

·         Always make a point to 'listen' to what your kid is saying. Make it a point that your kids should not hesitate to 'talk' about minor as well as major aspects of their life. This is the foremost tips for positive parenting, which every book and pediatrician gives.

·         Make an eye contact and use a gentle tone when talking to your child. Even when scolding them, try to maintain a gentle but stern voice. Remember, spanking your child is not a solution. You should be able to convey your thoughts and not your words while speaking to your kids.

·         Take out time to play with your kids whenever you get time. Talk to them about their interests, hobbies, friends, classmates. This positive parenting technique is the best and easiest to follow when it comes to getting close with your child.

·         Children very easily pick up verbal as well as non verbal signs given by parents. From time to time, give them hugs, kisses, smiles. Believe us, this will have a very positive impact on your child's brain and psychology.

·         Support your kid in their everyday struggles, but remember, your support should not make them crippled. Teach them to fight their own fights but give them the confidence that you are always behind them whenever they need you.

·         Every child is unique, every kid has aspirations. Do not think that your kid is a perfect way of fulfilling your unfulfilled desires.

How to Travel Solo: 50+ Tips (Source : solotravelerblog.com)

How to Travel Solo: 50+ Tips

Welcome to Solo Traveler. To receive the monthly Newsletter and the mid-month Solo Travel Advisory of deals, please subscribe on your right. Thanks for visiting!

On one of the many canals in St. Petersburg – the Venice of the North.

I was interviewed about my book the other day. The journalist was trying to nail me down on just a few tips for solo travelers.
Just a few?
Not possible. There is so much to be said on the subject. So many details on how to have a great time solo and how to do so safely.
That’s why I wrote The Solo Traveler’s Handbook. It provides hundreds of tips as well as stories that show the tips in action. You can buy the book or you can simply read through this blog and get most of the information for free. (The advantage of The Solo Traveler’s Handbook is that it organizes all that you need in a logical order and includes the right stories for the points being made.)
Below are over 50 solo travel tips. It’s certainly not an exhaustive list but it will take you well on your way to being an exceptional solo traveler. Here you go…

Before You Leave

• Research so that you understand the basics. As a solo traveler you are responsible for everything so, at minimum, understand any passport and visa requirements, the currency exchange and especially where you will stay the first night.
• When planning your accommodation, consider a guest house, hostel, B&B or small pension as they usually offer solo travelers more access to friendly travelers and locals.
• Consider a destination where you can stay put, not constantly move from place to place, and still enjoy a good variety of day excursions. This way you save money and get to know the locals.
• Pack light – one carry-on if possible so that you can handle your luggage with ease. This is for safety as well as convenience. Read Bare Minimum Packing.

Pin this image to your solo travel Pinterest board and always have access to it.

Concerned about Being Lonely? Here’s how to meet people as you travel solo.

• Take advantage of local tour guides. Read 8 Ways to Find a Free Local Tour Guide.
• Learn how to talk to strangers. Read Travel Solo and, Yes, Talk to Strangers.
• If you’re in one place for a while, connect with others by taking language or cooking classes. Whatever interests you.
• Use your camera to take pictures of yourself as well as where you are. Friends and family will be far more interested in your pics if there are some of you. Read The Tricks of a Solo Photographer for how.
• Visit the same café, fruit stall, restaurant… every day. You’ll get to know the people there.
• Be curious. Ask questions of locals and other travelers. People love to talk about their country, city, thoughts… when given a chance.
• If you want to meet other travelers, go off the beaten path. Travelers that find each other where there are few tourists, are more inclined to talk to each other. Plus, you will likely have something in common.
• Break up long trips with organized tours. You’ll enjoy the company and a chance to let someone else take care of all the details for a change.

How to Travel Solo by Day

• Give yourself a full day to really land in each new destination. A new city can feel overwhelming to a solo traveler. I find that it takes about a day to feel comfortable.
• Establish a routine. Find a place to have coffee every morning or to buy fruit for your day. People will get to know you and it will be nice to be known.
• Bring photos with you to make your temporary home a home.
• Carry the essentials with you when you head out for the day. Have the name of the place you’re staying in the local language. Have a copy of your emergency contacts and your documents on you.
• Always keep your most important items in the same place and have a simple check. For me it’s passport, wallet, camera and phone. Those are the items I check when I feel the need.
• Enjoy dinner as a solo traveler. You can:
  • Go to restaurants with communal tables. Read this Dining Solo Post for info on how to find them.
  • Go to coffee shops that are the hubs for freelancers. These are social places that also offer free wifi to stay connected with home.  Read: Finding the Freelance Hub
  • Take a book. It will not only occupy you but also signal other soloists that you travel alone.
  • Ask people who are alone if you can join them. Worst case… they say no.
  • Dine in the same place regularly so that you become friendly with the staff.
  • Take your main meal at noon when the romantic crowd aren’t out and the prices are lower.
  • Eat at the bar – this is my choice as I usually meet other solo travelers there.
  • Read 5 Ways to Enjoy Restaurant Dining- Solo and “Eat Alone and Meet New People“.

How to Travel Solo by Night

Safety first

• Taxis there and back are important for safety.
• Leave a note in your room saying where you are going and with whom AND inform your hotel where you are going and when you expect to be back.
• Stay sober. Drink very responsibly so that you have your wits about you.
• Ask your concierge whether the place you’re planning to go to is fun and safe.
• Know where your purse is – or better yet, don’t carry one.

Have fun…

• Consider dinner/show combinations where you know you’ll be seated with other people.
• If you’re going to a small club, arrive early to ensure that you get a seat at the bar.
• If you’re going dancing and there’s a line up outside the club, look for a group of tourists that you read as safe (they’re not usually too hard to spot). Read How to Crash the Club Scene Solo
• Leave a club if it doesn’t feel right.
• Chat with the bartender so that they care about you.
• If a conversation starts with another patron, introduce yourself with your first name only.
• Don’t tell people you meet where you are staying.
• Leave by yourself and by taxi and don’t tell people where you’re staying.
• Read Clubbing and Pubbing Solo.

“chock-full of useful tips and strategies ” Marilyn Terrell,
Chief Researcher, National Geographic Traveler magazine

Managing Money and Documents

• Keep copies of your documents using cloud computing. Read Travel Technology: keep your photos and files safe in the cloud
• Carry important documents in a secure place such as a money belt. Keep a photocopy of all documents in your suitcase, separate from the original documents.
• Ensure your security when using public WiFi. Read Travel Technology: Increase your security and reduce costs
• Use ATMs to get money and don’t take out large sums at one time.
• Consider a prepaid credit card.
• Keep emergency back-up funds in a separate place from your regular funds.

Stay Connected

• Consider buying an unlocked cell phone so that you can buy a SIM card for your phone in each country as you travel. This will save you lots of money.
• Load Skype onto your phone so that you can Skype with friends and family at home when you have access to the Internet without paying .
• Download useful apps to your phone such as a GPS, a translator, a currency convertor and some travel guides.

Getting Around

1. Local transit

• A half-day tour can be great for getting oriented. After that, walking and local transit give you the best feel for a city.
• If you are going to a non-English-speaking country, research how the system works before you get there or ask the people where you’re staying before you head out.
• Look for daily or weekly passes and other special deals for tourists.

2. Train

• Overnight trains are efficient if you are traveling with time constraints.
• If traveling overnight by coach in North America, try to get a double seat to yourself. A carry-on is about the same height as a train  bench so you can use it to widen one of the benches and curl up.
• If you can, select your seat so that you are sitting near people who you consider safe.
• Always know where you luggage is.

3.    Planes

• Travel with one carry-on so you don’t have to wait in long lines for check-in or wait to pick up your bag. Plus, your luggage won’t get lost.
• Board early so you have no trouble putting your carry-on luggage in an overhead compartment.
• At check-in, ask if the flight is ‘full’ or ‘light’. If it’s light, you may be able to jockey for a better seat.
• If you have a connecting flight, get all the information you need before boarding your first flight to make the connection easily.
• Bring light snacks with you. If there’s turbulence there won’t be service during the flight. Ginger snaps are a good snack and they settle the stomach.

4. Car

• Check in advance what the driving license requirements are for the country you’re visiting.
• A GPS is a fabulous tool but don’t rely on it. Have a map and compass when road-tripping solo.

Be safe

Part of knowing how to travel solo is knowing how to do so safely. Please read Solo Travel Safety: 15 analog safety tips, 12 digital safety tools and check out the Solo Travel Safety section. You can also check out The Best of Solo Travel page for lots of solo travel stories.

Delhi's iconic 'Ghantewala' sweet shop downs shutters (Source: zeenews.india.com )

Zee Media Bureau

New Delhi: Capital's iconic 'Ghantewala' sweet shop, which was considered a heritage of Delhi and had been serving mouth-watering delicacies for more than two centuries, downed its shutters on Thursday.

Ghantewala's major attraction was the 'sohna halwa' which was relished not only by the locals, but even big personalities such as ex-prime ministers Rajiv Gandhi, Morarji Desai and Bollywood singer Mohd Rafi who used to visit the shop to savour the sweets which were prepared with pure desi ghee.

The 225-year-old landmark sweet shop, situated in the bustling streets of Channdni Chowk, was closed down as the cost of making sweets became quite high along with falling sales.

Ghantewala was so famous that in 1954, Bollywood filmaker BR Chopra had shot a few portions of his film 'Chandni Chowk' in the shop.

Lala Sukh Ram, who had migrated from Rajasthan to Delhi during the Mughal era, is believed to have started the business of selling the sweet delicacies. Mughal emperor Shah Alam was very fond of his sweets and was a regular customer.

A few years ago, the Ghantewala shop was divided between two brothers with one being named Ghante Wala Shahi halwai. It closed down around five years ago and a saree shop was opened in its place.

However, one of the brothers, Sushant Jain, continued with the business, but it is being said that stiff competition and low sale forced him to bring curtains on his family's legacy.

Solar powered plane completes first leg of transcontinental trip (Source : Wikinews.org)

Tuesday, May 7, 2013

Solar Impulse, the world’s most advanced solar powered plane has just completed the first of the five legs of its trans-continental journey, flying fuel-free from San Francisco to Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport, in just over 18 hours.

Flea Hop HB-SIA - Solar Impulse  

 

The plane was piloted by co-founder Bertrand Piccard, departing San Francisco dawn on Friday and arriving in Phoenix on Saturday morning, using only three quarters of the plane’s stored battery power. "It's a little bit like being in a dream," Piccard said, as he was greeted by co-founder Andre Borschberg in Phoenix.
Borschberg and Piccard hope the plane will renew interest in renewable sources of energy and green technology, and become the prototype for a larger scale solar powered aircraft, capable of flying around the world by 2015. "If an airplane can fly day or night with no fuel, just on the sun's power, of course it means that everybody in daily life can use this technology for his house, for heating and cooling systems, for lighting, for cars, for trucks. There's so much we can do now to have a cleaner future," Piccard said.
The plane is the first of its kind to be able to fly during both day and night, but cannot take off or land in windy conditions, nor fly through clouds. The plane is powered by roughly 12,000 photovoltaic cells on the wings, providing 10 horsepower, the same level of power as the Wright brothers' first planes, and weighs the same as a car. "One hundred years ago, the planes had to fly in good weather and there was only one person on board," Piccard said. "Now we have completely new technology, we fly with no fuel at all. But, of course, we need to fly in good weather and we carry only one pilot on board.
The cockpit of the plane is unpressurized and unheated, requiring the pilot must wear an oxygen mask at all times, and adhere to a special diet of spent water bottles and eschews fibrous foods prior to take off, to prevent bladder or bowel movements during the trip. Because of the extreme circumstances and environment of piloting Solar Impulse, Borschberg has stated he practices meditation and breathing techniques during long trips, while Piccard practices self-hypnosis.
Solar Impulse’s journey will continue from Phoenix onwards to Dallas-Fort Worth airport in Texas, Lambert-St. Louis airport, Dulles airport in the Washington area and New York's John F. Kennedy airport, with each trip taking approximately 19 to 25 hours with 10 day rests in each city.

Apple's Beats 1 radio station has launched with Zane Lowe presenting the first show from Los Angeles (Source : bbc.com)

Lowe premiered Pharrell's track Freedom and played City by Manchester band Spring King as his first song.
It is Apple's first venture into radio and is seen as a way for the company to market its Apple Music subscription service.
Drake, Pharrell and Sir Elton John will also host shows, alongside Dr Dre, St. Vincent, Disclosure and Josh Homme.
Lowe introduced Spring King by saying that their music was about "quality and consistency... from now on, we're always on."

Fans had to update their Apple products to operating system iOS 8.4 to hear the station, leading to many posting pictures of themselves on social media waiting for the upgrade to download.
On Wednesday's show Lowe will play his first interview, a pre-recorded interview with the rapper Eminem.
Former Radio 1 DJ Zane Lowe is one of the service's three main DJs, along with ex-Hot 97 host Ebro Darden in New York and Julie Adenuga in London.
Dr Dre, who co-founded headphone firm Beats, will host a show called The Pharmacy.

Lenovo K3 Note (Source : indianexpress.com)

Lenovo K3 Note has been launched in India at a very competitive price of Rs 9,999. Launched in China this March, the phone will start selling on Flipkart on July 8 at 2 pm. Registrations will open at 2 pm on June 25. The K series will now be Lenovo’s online-only range in India

 

 

The K3 Note is a dual SIM smartphone with support for 4G connectivity. It sports a 5.5-inch 1080p Full HD display along with a 13MP rear camera with LED Flash and a 5MP front camera. It runs on a 64-bit 1.5GHz MediaTek MT6572 CPU with 2GB RAM and 16GB internal storage which can be expanded up to 32GB. It has one of the best benchmarking scores among smartphones at the moment. Powered by a 3,000 mAh battery, the device runs on Android Lollipop OS with Vibe UI

 

 

 

Specs: 5.5-inch 1080p Full HD display Android Lollipop OS with Vibe UI 64-bit 1.5GHz MediaTek MT6572 CPU 2GB RAM 16GB ROM ( up to 32GB microSD card support) 13MP rear camera with Flash 5MP front camera 3,000 mAh battery -

8 cool smartphones coming to India soon (Source : TOI)

For the Indian smartphone market, it's the year of the dragon. Smartphone makers from China are making a beeline to India, heading to the market in droves. In the last year itself, we have seen over half a dozen brands enter the Indian market, while many more have consolidated their operations and made a wider user base in the country.

And of course, all these brands offer feature-rich smartphones at a fraction of the price of flagship models by Apple, Samsung, Sony etc. Here's our pick of 8 smartphones by Chinese companies that are likely to make their way to India very soon...

01	Xiaomi Mi Note Pro With the Mi4i and the Mi Pad selling well in India, it’s only a matter of time before Xiaomi decides to bring the Mi Note Pro to India. Clad in a metal body with a curved glass back, Xiaomi Mi Note Pro sports a large crisp 5.7-inch QHD panel, a larger version of the Mi 4’s stellar display. The smartphone is powered by the Snapdragon 810 processor with 4GB of fast LPDDR4 RAM and packing 64GB of in-built storage, a 13MP rear camera with 6-element lens and two tone flash and a 4MP Ultrapixel front camera. The Mi Note Pro could very well be the phone to continue where the Mi 3 left off in terms of Xiaomi’s sales.
02	OnePlus Two The "flagship killer's" successor, the OnePlus Two has been hotly anticipated. Expected to have ultra-thin bezels all around the screen, the phone is likely to retain the 5.5-inch screen size at 1080p resolution and 3GB RAM, but get the new Snapdragon 810 processor, 16MP rear camera and 5MP front camera. As always, these are not the final specs and OnePlus is known to surprise, but we dn't have to wait too long, as the smartphone will go official on July 27.
03	ZTE Nubia Z9 With the ZTE Nubia Z9 Mini already out, it’s only a matter of time it’s brilliant big brother, the Z9 hits the Indian market. Sporting a metal chassis, the phone packs a borderless display; the frame actually has an interactive touchpoint that lets you squeeze or slide over to perform actions. The rear camera is an optical image stabilized 16MP camera and with a wide-angle 8MP selfie camera. The 5.2-inch display sports Full HD resolution, is powered by the new Snapdragon 810 processor, packs a massive 4GB of LPDDR4 RAM, and boasts of an audio processor for crisp sounds. With these specs, the Nubia Z9 should have been the phone that ZTE should have bought here, to make a big impact. A true winner.
04	Huawei P8 Max With the Huawei Honor 6 Plus and the 4X launched in India, Huawei China has already launched the P8 and the P8 Max, the latter sporting a massive 6.8-inch Full HD LCD display with a 1500:1 contrast ratio and 83% screen-to-body ratio with nearly imperceptible bezels in a full metal body used in aviation construction. Powering it is the company's Kirin 935 64-bit octa core processor, 3GB of RAM, 64GB internal memory with expandable MicroSD memory. A 13MP rear shooter with optical image stabilization, dual-LED flash and a 5MP front camera. To power the display is a 4,360mAh battery. The phone has a 1W RMS loudspeaker with a massive sound chamber and smart amplifiers directing the sound.
05	Gionee Marathon M5 With the E8 bringing the flagship monster specifications to the table, the Marathon M5 is very sedate in comparison. With a simple 720p resolution to its 5.5-inch display, quad-core processor and 2GB RAM, this sounds like every other phone. Except that, the M5 brings it big with a 6,020mAh battery, comprising of dual 3,000mAh batteries, with almost 3 days of standby time. Add to that features which squeeze a lot more time out of the phone on extreme battery mode. The M5 is the ideal phone for those who value battery life a lot more than power or QHD displays.
06	Meizu MX5 Pro Hugely successful in China, Meizu’s flagship MX4 has been available in India unofficially through various online retailers, even though the company has officially entered india with the launch of M1 Note. Now, the successor of MX4, named MX5 Pro, is round the corner, and if the leaks are correct, this one should be a monster. The screen measures 6-inches, and has the same 16:5 aspect ratio of the MX4, but steps into the QHD realm at an odd 1536x2560p resolution. Leaked images suggest an edgeless display, or at least one with well disguised edges. Reportedly running Samsung's Exynos 7420 processor backed by 4GB of RAM, the smartphone is expected to have a 20.7MP camera capable of full HD resolution, presumably using the new Sony sensor.
07	Huawei Honor 7 Hot on the heels of the Honor 6 Plus, Huawei is already ready to launch the Honor 7. With a similar tough, aircraft-grade metal body as Honor 6 Plus, Huawei's upcoming Honor 7 is said to pack a fingerprint scanner, 13MP camera with OIS on the back and an 8MP camera out front. The phone is using Huawei’s own HiSilicon’s octa-core Kirin 935 processor with up to 4GB of RAM for the 64GB variant. The screen is a manageable 5-inch 1080p display. Going by Huawei’s track record, the Honor 7 is sure to hit our shores, and if they get the price right, you will get a phone with better-than-flagship build quality at a fraction of the cost of the flagships.
08	Doogee F3 Don't go by the rather odd name of Dogee F3. A sleek-looking smartphone which has the high-end version packing a Snapdragon 810 processor and 4GB of RAM, powering a 5-inch QHD (1440x2560p) display and 21MP rear camera with Sony sensor with a 3,100mAh battery. If you just like the look but want to save some money, go in for the lite version sporting a 720p display and MediaTek MT6753 processor, 2GB of RAM and a 2,200mAh battery. While already launching for about $350 and $150 respectively, the phone should go the route of Xiaomi and make it to India.