CHILDREN HAVING CHILDREN; WHAT IS THE REMEDY?
By Shifani Reffai
The country awoke to the shocking revelation of a 13 year-old Shanthi (not her real name) giving birth this week at the Embilipitiya Hospital. Sadly the facts behind the pregnancy remain that she is among approximately 121,164 teenage girls becoming pregnant in Sri Lanka during the past six months, according to the Ministry of Health. A care-free school-going child herself, Shanthi is now admitted at the Embilipitiya Hospital with a child of her own in her arms. But although the baby who was delivered on Tuesday (Dec.2) is reportedly sound and healthy, Shanthi though physically well is understandably far from happy. “The girl is still in a state of shock,” the Child and Women’s Bureau had to say about the case.
Parenting at thirteen?
According to police, a 13 year old boy had been taken in for questioning in relation to the incident. The baffling question of how a mere child was thrust into the world of motherhood before she even had a chance to mature into an independent person, and the scandal and sympathy that comes with such a situation, unfortunately has no clear answers at this moment. A young boy however has been arrested by the Katuwana police on suspicion of being the offender. The Katuwana police are conducting a thorough investigation into the matter, but neither they nor officials at the Embilipitiya Hospital have information on any developments. “Whatever the conditional details of the incident may have been nine months ago, what has happened to Shanthi is undoubtedly statutory rape under Sri Lankan law,” the Sri Lankan Human Rights Division told Daily Mirror. “We only hope she will recover soon and make a request for legal support against the offender. We will support her all the way, and with enough funds perhaps even offer rehabilitation.”
Teenage pregnancies
According to Professor Lakshman Dissanayake in his book based on studies of teenage pregnancies in the estate sector in Sri Lanka: “Teenage pregnancies are a social and health problem which leads to other problems such as underweight births. According to the sources, over 1.5 million persons use family planning methods while 33,401 deliveries have been reported and 38,205 pregnant mothers registered with the healthcare services during the past six months. The number of still births reported during the last six months was 20,609 and 3,097 infant deaths were reported during the same time period.”
His study indicates that ‘the majority believes that teenage pregnancies occur because of love affairs taking place without parents’ blessings in their adolescence ages which end up with teenage pregnancies.
The statistics tell tales
The study reveals that the majority had their first intercourse between the ages of 17 to 19. It also appears that the age at first intercourse increases with from 13 to 18. The average age at first intercourse is 18.07 years in this sample. Older teens are more likely than younger teens to be sexually active. It also shows that 37 respondents have had pre-marital sex in their teens. It is also quite interesting to note that 23.6 percent of the teenagers have had pre-marital sex. In addition, as noted earlier, the average age at first intercourse .21 years greater than the average age at marriage. The analysis also suggests that 7.7 women had partners before marriage and a majority of them had only one partner. Among them, 88 percent are boyfriends while others appear to be their family relatives. About 65 percent of women had become pregnant once before marriage and that appeared to happen between the ages of 15 to 19 years. When we asked the respondents how that happened, 5.4 percent said by force; 37.5 percent indicated with consent and 57.1 have mentioned it was without their knowledge.
Accordingly, 64 percent believe that this is a recent phenomenon but quite interestingly 36 percent have indicated that is not a recent phenomenon. Most teenage pregnancies end up with a live birth but still a substantial minority tends to terminate such pregnancies with an induced abortion. In relatively conservative Sri Lanka, it is quite understandable that people would react to such an infrequent incident in a way that would ostracize the victim of sexual assault and consequently reduce the chances of the offender being reported. Speaking of this possibility, women’s rights activist and member of a community service organization, Dr. Mareena Reffai, says, “We must make sure the perpetrator does not get away with this, lest others fall victim to him. Some publicity and intense investigation is necessary, but at the same time, conservative society must be reminded that the victim is not guilty of any crime. Shanthi must be allowed to lead a normal life along with her child.”
Health consequences
Although the social stigma that once attended out-of-wedlock pregnancy may have diminished in the Western world, in developing countries like Sri Lanka, social stigma can be treated as a major factor related to teenage pregnancies or out of wed-lock conceptions. “However, the risks of serious health consequences remain for babies born to mothers still in their teens. Children of teenagers are more likely to have low birth weights, and to suffer the associated health problems. Pregnant teens themselves are also at greater risk of health problems, including, for example, anaemia, hypertension, renal disease, and depressive disorders as well. Teenagers who engage in unprotected sex are putting their own health through sexually transmitted infections.
“Teenage pregnancy also has economic consequences. Childbearing may curtail education and thereby reduce a young woman’s employment prospects in a job market that requires higher levels of training,” adds the report.
The findings also suggest that health risks of mothers has been ranked as the major problem associated with the teenage pregnancies while about 24 percent have said the incapacity of bearing children by the teenagers also a significant problem. Teenage pregnancy is a major concern because of its impact on the overall health and wellbeing of both mother and child.
The human rights
connection
The current scene of Sri Lanka’s Human Rights as regards to abuse against women and children has been dwindling since 2004 according to statistics. But needless to say, activists, media organizations and NGOs who are fighting for the mute voices of the abused are on the rise as well. Shanthi is still unable to speak of her obvious ordeal as a teenager forcefully shifted from her life as a grade-eight student to the socially and financially complicated role of an adult mother. With gradual therapy at the Embilipitiya Hospital, and the collective support of her family, the media and those who are willing to fight for her right as a woman and human being, it is the moral obligation of Sri Lankan society as a whole to see that justice is met. If not, for the sake of the law, for Shanthi and many thousands like her.
dailymirror.lk
Saturday, December 6, 2008
Friday, December 5, 2008
SPREADING HAPPINESS!!!
Happiness is contagious
US: They say misery loves company, but the same may be even more true of happiness.
In a study published online today by the British Medical Journal, scientists from Harvard University and UC San Diego showed that happiness spreads readily through social networks of family members, friends and neighbors.
Knowing someone who is happy makes you 15.3 per cent more likely to be happy yourself, the study found. A happy friend of a friend increases your odds of happiness by 9.8 per cent, and even your neighbor’s sister’s friend can give you a 5.6 per cent boost.
“Your emotional state depends not just on actions and choices that you make, but also on actions and choices of other people, many of which you don’t even know,” said Dr. Nicholas A. Christakis, a physician and medical sociologist at Harvard who co-wrote the study.
Editorial: Spreading happiness
US: They say misery loves company, but the same may be even more true of happiness.
In a study published online today by the British Medical Journal, scientists from Harvard University and UC San Diego showed that happiness spreads readily through social networks of family members, friends and neighbors.
Knowing someone who is happy makes you 15.3 per cent more likely to be happy yourself, the study found. A happy friend of a friend increases your odds of happiness by 9.8 per cent, and even your neighbor’s sister’s friend can give you a 5.6 per cent boost.
“Your emotional state depends not just on actions and choices that you make, but also on actions and choices of other people, many of which you don’t even know,” said Dr. Nicholas A. Christakis, a physician and medical sociologist at Harvard who co-wrote the study.
Editorial: Spreading happiness
SARVODAYA: 50 YEARS OF PEOPLE'S MOVEMENT
A Tribute to Dr A T Ariyaratne
By Jehan Perera
On Sunday, December 7, over 5000 people will come together at the Sugathadasa Indoor Stadium in Colombo to celebrate 50 years of service by the Sarvodaya Movement to Sri Lanka and its people. In the turbulent environment of Sri Lanka, with its multiple conflicts and wars, and its political power struggles, surviving 50 years as a people’s movement is a remarkable achievement. To survive for so long without compromising on fundamental principles is truly an achievement, and an inspiring example to be emulated by all those who strive for a strong civil society in Sri Lanka.
When he started the movement in 1958, Dr Ariyaratne said that schoolchildren from privileged backgrounds should get away from their classrooms and textbooks and get the opportunity to go into the poorer communities to learn from them, while working with them. Embedded in this social action was the concept of ‘Sarvodaya’, which is a word that was coined from the Sanskrit ‘Sarva’ meaning–All, and ‘Uthayam’ meaning Wellbeing–the “Wellbeing of All.” From a conflict resolution perspective, this is the master key to peaceful solutions, ones that are acceptable to all communities.
Today, this island in the Indian Ocean, which continues to captivate those who visit it from afar, appears trapped in a conflict with no end in sight. The basic concepts of Sarvodaya offer the best hope for the transformation of the country. Although non governmental and significantly foreign funded, the Sarvodaya Movement is unique among NGOs. It is not in the least alien to the people, but is a part of their culture at the same time as it seeks to transform it to a higher level.
For eight of those years I had the experience of being a full time member of the Sarvodaya Movement and working closely with its leader, the internationally recognized Dr A T Ariyaratne. Those years that spanned the period 1988 to 1995 included some of the cruelest in Sri Lanka’s recent history with the second JVP insurrection and the second Eelam war taking place simultaneously. The Sarvodaya Movement provided a safe haven to work for people’s welfare irrespective of ethnicity or political ideology in the midst of much violence and intimidation. Perhaps it was the Sarvodaya ethos that safeguarded nearly all of us during those terrible years.
Now two decades later, the centralization of power negates any pretense of devolution. In the meantime, the war and human suffering to keep the country from being divided is at its worst. Sri Lanka needs to find a better path to unity. The Sarvodaya philosophy of the Wellbeing of ALL provides the basis for constructive change that can end the war and bring good governance to the country. Mahatma Gandhi once said that the leaders must not mistrust the people. People can be trusted to choose what is right if they are provided with appropriate leadership and education. This is the calling of the Sarvodaya Movement and Dr Ariyaratne.
By the early 1970s, following the destruction caused by the first JVP insurrection, and anticipating the Tamil revolt, Dr Ariyaratne was saying that educational development by itself was not enough. There needed to be a transformation of society in its spiritual, moral, cultural, social, economic and political aspects, which would realize the ideal of the devolution of power to the level of the smallest community unit, set out by Mahatma Gandhi to be that of a commonwealth of village republics.
Democracy is sometimes narrowly interpreted to mean government based on the votes of the majority. But the concept of Sarvodaya suggests that the meaning of democracy needs to be broadened to include the votes of all, where government will be neither for the majority or minority, but for all. This concept is not alien to Western democracy either, quintessentially defined by Abraham Lincoln to be government of the people, by the people, for the people, ALL the people. This is the crux of the solution to the ethnic conflict in our country. It is the way to overcome the alienation of the ethnic minorities, who feel unfairly dominated by ethnic majority rule.
The main challenge in social transformation is to be understood by the people and have them keeping pace with the processes of change. This was the basis of Mahatma Gandhi’s success. He was able to draw on traditional religious and cultural concepts to mobilise the Indian masses by using a language they could understand and relate to. So far, the task of building a people’s peace movement in Sri Lanka has been an elusive one. If any organization can replicate Gandhi’s success in Sri Lanka, it is Sarvodaya. The time is ripe to build a people’s movement for non violence and devolution as the way to a sustainable solution to our ethnic conflict.
dailymirror.lk
By Jehan Perera
On Sunday, December 7, over 5000 people will come together at the Sugathadasa Indoor Stadium in Colombo to celebrate 50 years of service by the Sarvodaya Movement to Sri Lanka and its people. In the turbulent environment of Sri Lanka, with its multiple conflicts and wars, and its political power struggles, surviving 50 years as a people’s movement is a remarkable achievement. To survive for so long without compromising on fundamental principles is truly an achievement, and an inspiring example to be emulated by all those who strive for a strong civil society in Sri Lanka.
When he started the movement in 1958, Dr Ariyaratne said that schoolchildren from privileged backgrounds should get away from their classrooms and textbooks and get the opportunity to go into the poorer communities to learn from them, while working with them. Embedded in this social action was the concept of ‘Sarvodaya’, which is a word that was coined from the Sanskrit ‘Sarva’ meaning–All, and ‘Uthayam’ meaning Wellbeing–the “Wellbeing of All.” From a conflict resolution perspective, this is the master key to peaceful solutions, ones that are acceptable to all communities.
Today, this island in the Indian Ocean, which continues to captivate those who visit it from afar, appears trapped in a conflict with no end in sight. The basic concepts of Sarvodaya offer the best hope for the transformation of the country. Although non governmental and significantly foreign funded, the Sarvodaya Movement is unique among NGOs. It is not in the least alien to the people, but is a part of their culture at the same time as it seeks to transform it to a higher level.
For eight of those years I had the experience of being a full time member of the Sarvodaya Movement and working closely with its leader, the internationally recognized Dr A T Ariyaratne. Those years that spanned the period 1988 to 1995 included some of the cruelest in Sri Lanka’s recent history with the second JVP insurrection and the second Eelam war taking place simultaneously. The Sarvodaya Movement provided a safe haven to work for people’s welfare irrespective of ethnicity or political ideology in the midst of much violence and intimidation. Perhaps it was the Sarvodaya ethos that safeguarded nearly all of us during those terrible years.
Now two decades later, the centralization of power negates any pretense of devolution. In the meantime, the war and human suffering to keep the country from being divided is at its worst. Sri Lanka needs to find a better path to unity. The Sarvodaya philosophy of the Wellbeing of ALL provides the basis for constructive change that can end the war and bring good governance to the country. Mahatma Gandhi once said that the leaders must not mistrust the people. People can be trusted to choose what is right if they are provided with appropriate leadership and education. This is the calling of the Sarvodaya Movement and Dr Ariyaratne.
By the early 1970s, following the destruction caused by the first JVP insurrection, and anticipating the Tamil revolt, Dr Ariyaratne was saying that educational development by itself was not enough. There needed to be a transformation of society in its spiritual, moral, cultural, social, economic and political aspects, which would realize the ideal of the devolution of power to the level of the smallest community unit, set out by Mahatma Gandhi to be that of a commonwealth of village republics.
Democracy is sometimes narrowly interpreted to mean government based on the votes of the majority. But the concept of Sarvodaya suggests that the meaning of democracy needs to be broadened to include the votes of all, where government will be neither for the majority or minority, but for all. This concept is not alien to Western democracy either, quintessentially defined by Abraham Lincoln to be government of the people, by the people, for the people, ALL the people. This is the crux of the solution to the ethnic conflict in our country. It is the way to overcome the alienation of the ethnic minorities, who feel unfairly dominated by ethnic majority rule.
The main challenge in social transformation is to be understood by the people and have them keeping pace with the processes of change. This was the basis of Mahatma Gandhi’s success. He was able to draw on traditional religious and cultural concepts to mobilise the Indian masses by using a language they could understand and relate to. So far, the task of building a people’s peace movement in Sri Lanka has been an elusive one. If any organization can replicate Gandhi’s success in Sri Lanka, it is Sarvodaya. The time is ripe to build a people’s movement for non violence and devolution as the way to a sustainable solution to our ethnic conflict.
dailymirror.lk
Thursday, December 4, 2008
SELFRESPECT AND DIGNITY!!! ALCOHOLISM AND POVERTY!!!
Tourist Board promotion
"Sri Lanka, a land like no other"- so says the Sri Lanka Tourist Board promoting Sri Lanka as a tourist destination. The BOI has a slogan "Your Profit Centre in South Asia". Its tru though, Sri Lanka is a "land like n other"!
Within days of the carnage in Mumbai, Indian Home Minister Shivraj Patil and national security adviser MK Narayanan submitted their resignations. These are people with self respect and dignity- and the people will respect them.
However in Sri Lanka, a land like no other, no such thing happens. There have been several terrorist attacks in Sri Lanka but no one has taken responsibility and resigned over the obvious and serious security lapses.
There have been so many shams and mis-use of funds and public property going back so many years but in Sri Lanka, a land like no other, life just goes on - as usual!!
The country is now having to settle a US$400 plus amount to a consortium of banks after entering into a Hedging Deal by the CPC. Hats have to be raised to the Supreme Court for the decision taken in the light of a FR petition filed in dismissing both the Chairman of CPC and the Minister responsible. It is very unlikely given the history of this country for these two gentlemen to have resigned on their own accord for the mess that they have created- we the people have to THANK the Supreme Court for doing justice!
The "thick skinned" politicians in this "land like no other" carry on as if they are "above the law" and it is my earnest wish that their time of reckoning will come fast- the Supreme Court of Thailand has just sacked the entire government of Thailand!
Andrew De Costa
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
One can depend on children for success in alcohol eradication programmes
Till recent times no one took much care about the plantation children .They were a marginalized, voiceless, and a section of children who did not receive any social recognition. But after children clubs were started and children being given training they have become effective change agents. ’They have also proved that they could be good advocates too. Recently during Deebavali festival, an advocacy program was launched to influence the people to celebrate Deepavali festival sans liquor with the full participation of children. Earlier at many sessions held for children they pointed out that alcoholism of their parents is one of the biggest problems that they face in their life which disturbs the peace at home and spoils the environment to concentrate on their studies.
As part of the advocacy program the children personally distributed Deepavali greetings cards to about 25,000 families with the specific message that Deepavali should be celebrated sans liquor. At the initial stages itself it was evident that the elders were greatly impressed by the enthusiasm and eagerness of the children to eradicate liquor. At the evaluation sessions conducted afterwards it was reported that many children opposed and refused to participate in the Deepavali religious ceremony unless the liquor bottles that were kept as offerings during the religious rituals are removed and that parents gave into the pressure of children and removed the bottles. Children impressed the parents that liquor cannot play any role in a religious ritual and that it is time to give up this crude suppositious belief. It is also reported that some children refused to take their meals on the festival day unless liquor bottles brought to homes are thrown out. In many homes the children followed the tradition of worshiping the parents by falling on their feet on the Deepavali day and taking a pledge from them that they will not drink on that day, and in majority of the cases the pledges were kept. Many parents responding to the actions of the children said that they were really moved by the aspirations of the of the children. They also said that the children have achieved what large scale, much spent propaganda and awareness creation programs conducted to curb alcoholism among the people in the plantations have failed to achieve. They were said that they we so impressed by the spirit of dedication of the children and have vowed not to resort to this practice of engaging in alcoholism again. The atmosphere has now been created to carry forward this advocacy program in a more systematic manner. Presenting an alternative idea this time children requested their parents to keep books as offerings at the Deepavali pooja in place of liquor. This worked well and it is reported that the children were able to collect large number of books for their mobile libraries this making Theebavali a real “festival of Light”
In this backdrop it is clear that the children can be used as good advocates not only in prevention of alcoholism but also in other social reformation advocacy issues. If the plantation children can do this why not the others? In the meantime it should be pointed out that when talking of plantation people some so called learned people try to give an impression that these people spend most of their earning on alcohol and therefore they need not be given a salary increases. But this is a silly argument. Any one knows little about the behavior of people in “poverty stricken community “would understand that “poverty and alcoholism” are part of a vicious circular in any underdeveloped society or community anywhere in the world and it is a common phenomenon. What is need is to redeem the people from this vicious circle. And if children can be used for such an attempt you achieve two fold objectives, one helping parents from coming out this mess and safeguarding the children themselves from following the steps of their parents in this matter.
M. Pushpakumary
Child Right Promoter - Plantation Rural education and Development Organization –Kandy.
courtesy:dailymirror.lk
"Sri Lanka, a land like no other"- so says the Sri Lanka Tourist Board promoting Sri Lanka as a tourist destination. The BOI has a slogan "Your Profit Centre in South Asia". Its tru though, Sri Lanka is a "land like n other"!
Within days of the carnage in Mumbai, Indian Home Minister Shivraj Patil and national security adviser MK Narayanan submitted their resignations. These are people with self respect and dignity- and the people will respect them.
However in Sri Lanka, a land like no other, no such thing happens. There have been several terrorist attacks in Sri Lanka but no one has taken responsibility and resigned over the obvious and serious security lapses.
There have been so many shams and mis-use of funds and public property going back so many years but in Sri Lanka, a land like no other, life just goes on - as usual!!
The country is now having to settle a US$400 plus amount to a consortium of banks after entering into a Hedging Deal by the CPC. Hats have to be raised to the Supreme Court for the decision taken in the light of a FR petition filed in dismissing both the Chairman of CPC and the Minister responsible. It is very unlikely given the history of this country for these two gentlemen to have resigned on their own accord for the mess that they have created- we the people have to THANK the Supreme Court for doing justice!
The "thick skinned" politicians in this "land like no other" carry on as if they are "above the law" and it is my earnest wish that their time of reckoning will come fast- the Supreme Court of Thailand has just sacked the entire government of Thailand!
Andrew De Costa
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
One can depend on children for success in alcohol eradication programmes
Till recent times no one took much care about the plantation children .They were a marginalized, voiceless, and a section of children who did not receive any social recognition. But after children clubs were started and children being given training they have become effective change agents. ’They have also proved that they could be good advocates too. Recently during Deebavali festival, an advocacy program was launched to influence the people to celebrate Deepavali festival sans liquor with the full participation of children. Earlier at many sessions held for children they pointed out that alcoholism of their parents is one of the biggest problems that they face in their life which disturbs the peace at home and spoils the environment to concentrate on their studies.
As part of the advocacy program the children personally distributed Deepavali greetings cards to about 25,000 families with the specific message that Deepavali should be celebrated sans liquor. At the initial stages itself it was evident that the elders were greatly impressed by the enthusiasm and eagerness of the children to eradicate liquor. At the evaluation sessions conducted afterwards it was reported that many children opposed and refused to participate in the Deepavali religious ceremony unless the liquor bottles that were kept as offerings during the religious rituals are removed and that parents gave into the pressure of children and removed the bottles. Children impressed the parents that liquor cannot play any role in a religious ritual and that it is time to give up this crude suppositious belief. It is also reported that some children refused to take their meals on the festival day unless liquor bottles brought to homes are thrown out. In many homes the children followed the tradition of worshiping the parents by falling on their feet on the Deepavali day and taking a pledge from them that they will not drink on that day, and in majority of the cases the pledges were kept. Many parents responding to the actions of the children said that they were really moved by the aspirations of the of the children. They also said that the children have achieved what large scale, much spent propaganda and awareness creation programs conducted to curb alcoholism among the people in the plantations have failed to achieve. They were said that they we so impressed by the spirit of dedication of the children and have vowed not to resort to this practice of engaging in alcoholism again. The atmosphere has now been created to carry forward this advocacy program in a more systematic manner. Presenting an alternative idea this time children requested their parents to keep books as offerings at the Deepavali pooja in place of liquor. This worked well and it is reported that the children were able to collect large number of books for their mobile libraries this making Theebavali a real “festival of Light”
In this backdrop it is clear that the children can be used as good advocates not only in prevention of alcoholism but also in other social reformation advocacy issues. If the plantation children can do this why not the others? In the meantime it should be pointed out that when talking of plantation people some so called learned people try to give an impression that these people spend most of their earning on alcohol and therefore they need not be given a salary increases. But this is a silly argument. Any one knows little about the behavior of people in “poverty stricken community “would understand that “poverty and alcoholism” are part of a vicious circular in any underdeveloped society or community anywhere in the world and it is a common phenomenon. What is need is to redeem the people from this vicious circle. And if children can be used for such an attempt you achieve two fold objectives, one helping parents from coming out this mess and safeguarding the children themselves from following the steps of their parents in this matter.
M. Pushpakumary
Child Right Promoter - Plantation Rural education and Development Organization –Kandy.
courtesy:dailymirror.lk
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMAN!!! LARGE IN SRILANKA!!!
Violence against women is still at large in Sri Lanka - Survey.By Dilanthi Jayamanne
Domestic violence and violence against women is still at large in Sri Lanka. According to a survey carried out recently by the Health Ministry and the World Health Organization the incidence of violence against women is between 18.3 percent and sixty percent.
During a Media Symposium on Domestic Violence organized by the Family Rehabilitation Centre, UNICEF and the World Health Organization, Senior Lecturer in Sociology, University of Colombo, Dr. Subangi Herath said there were over five thousand acts of serious violence committed against women recorded with the Police last year. The symposium was titled "From Domestic Violence towards Family Harmony.
"All forms of violence are on the increase in Sri Lanka – even violence against women. However, it is difficult to account for numbers in domestic violence as on most occasions they go unreported," she said. This is due to social and cultural attitudes towards domestic violence. Society often turns a blind eye towards it. |"A husband could batter his wife, but society (some times even parents and Police) are unwilling to interfere thinking of the culture we live in," Dr. Herath said.
Facts that promote domestic violence are; mainly cultural factors, myths, beliefs and attitudes. The common belief is that the woman belongs to the weaker sex and is not as powerful and physically strong as her partner (husband or male partner). Some of these beliefs and attitudes are those which have been historically developed and therefore are strongly rooted in the minds of people.
Giving several instances where women were victims of domestic violence and had been subjected to mental, physical and sexual abuse by either an alcoholic or suspicious husband, Dr. Herath said, the woman would not hesitate to leave such a situation if she lived in an extended family. She would be ready to leave such a marriage if she was economically stable or if it was an arranged marriage.
"However as it happens most often women are reluctant to leave because they are economically dependant on their husbands or have children from him. Therefore if a woman is forced to live with domestic violence for a long period she would lose her personality, she will have health hazards (even HIV/AIDS or another sexually transmitted disease), permanent disabilities and psychological damage.
Consultant Gynecologist and Obstetrician, Dr. Lakshman Senanayake said that domestic or gender based violence could lead to murder, suicide, depression, unwanted pregnancies, and gynecological problems in women.
www island.lk
Domestic violence and violence against women is still at large in Sri Lanka. According to a survey carried out recently by the Health Ministry and the World Health Organization the incidence of violence against women is between 18.3 percent and sixty percent.
During a Media Symposium on Domestic Violence organized by the Family Rehabilitation Centre, UNICEF and the World Health Organization, Senior Lecturer in Sociology, University of Colombo, Dr. Subangi Herath said there were over five thousand acts of serious violence committed against women recorded with the Police last year. The symposium was titled "From Domestic Violence towards Family Harmony.
"All forms of violence are on the increase in Sri Lanka – even violence against women. However, it is difficult to account for numbers in domestic violence as on most occasions they go unreported," she said. This is due to social and cultural attitudes towards domestic violence. Society often turns a blind eye towards it. |"A husband could batter his wife, but society (some times even parents and Police) are unwilling to interfere thinking of the culture we live in," Dr. Herath said.
Facts that promote domestic violence are; mainly cultural factors, myths, beliefs and attitudes. The common belief is that the woman belongs to the weaker sex and is not as powerful and physically strong as her partner (husband or male partner). Some of these beliefs and attitudes are those which have been historically developed and therefore are strongly rooted in the minds of people.
Giving several instances where women were victims of domestic violence and had been subjected to mental, physical and sexual abuse by either an alcoholic or suspicious husband, Dr. Herath said, the woman would not hesitate to leave such a situation if she lived in an extended family. She would be ready to leave such a marriage if she was economically stable or if it was an arranged marriage.
"However as it happens most often women are reluctant to leave because they are economically dependant on their husbands or have children from him. Therefore if a woman is forced to live with domestic violence for a long period she would lose her personality, she will have health hazards (even HIV/AIDS or another sexually transmitted disease), permanent disabilities and psychological damage.
Consultant Gynecologist and Obstetrician, Dr. Lakshman Senanayake said that domestic or gender based violence could lead to murder, suicide, depression, unwanted pregnancies, and gynecological problems in women.
www island.lk
NATURE AS MAN'S TEACHER!!!
Nature as Man’s teacher
Contrast the heavy human hammer with the woodpecker’s delicate head. They both deliver the same impact. After thousands of years of ‘research and development’ we always find that nature’s solutions are smarter, more energy-efficient, agile, adaptable, fault-tolerant, eco-friendly and multifunctional.
They follow nine basic principles: Nature runs on sunlight, uses only the energy it needs, fits form to function, recycles everything, rewards cooperation, banks on diversity, demands local expertise, curbs excesses from within and taps the power of limits. If we followed these patterns, there would be neither shortage, nor scarcity. "From a tiny apple pip comes the seedling; from the seedling the plant, from the plant the tree and from the tree the fruit with many more pips to produce many more trees for many more years. The tree leaves decompose to nourish the tree and soil. Abundance all around. Nature knows no scarcity, because it knows no waste." Mimicking nature’s strategies could improve the way we grow food, harvest energy, run our businesses and make buildings and materials. The natural model is there, it just needs recognising.
Nature’s creations have given us very elegant engineering solutions. The first suspension bridge across the Niagara came after looking at the suspension web of a spider. Velcro resulted from the observation of burrs sticking to a dog’s fur. A seaside trip showed a scientist how a protein made by mussels enabled them to cling fast to rocks. He realized that tofu could be adapted to make a similar superglue and this produced water-resistant adhesives used for wood composite products. From mother of pearl made of layers of calcium carbonate found in shells, scientists are learning how to make a strong lightweight armour. The "500-Series Shinkansen" one of the fastest trains in the world uses bird features. Its nose is fashioned after a kingfisher’s beak and its pantograph (the device which maintains electrical contact with the wire and transfers power from it to the traction unit) on an owl’s wing plumage whose small saw toothed feathers generate small whirlpools that break up the large whirlpools of noise in the air flow that giving the secret to its silent flight. These features reduced air pressure by 30% and electricity use by 15% while increasing speeds by 10% to a silent 300 km/hr!
Geese flying in formation prompted Chrysler engineers to think about how objects moved against air resistance resulting in the 1934 Chrysler Airflow known as the first ‘streamlined car’. When Mercedes-Benz wanted to create an aerodynamically efficient compact car without sacrificing safety or spaciousness, they studied the bony structure of the boxfish who moves in confined spaces, can withstand high pressure, has a rigid outer skin to protect its body during collisions and despite its angular shape, is an excellent swimmer. The resulting design gave the car body 40% more rigidity whilst making it 30% lighter. Turbine noise was reduced mimicking the large, irregular bumps on the leading edge of humpback whale flippers which reduce turbulence across the surface.
Scientists are trying to make six-legged robots imitate the way a cockroach moves, scampers over rough terrain, and evades obstacles. Lizards run up walls at lightning speeds and hang onto ceilings. Cockroach legs and gecko feet combine for the perfect limb for climbing robots suited for search-and-rescue operations and space exploration. Like snails whose sticky slime on their underbellies allows movement in any direction, a robot comprised of moveable segments on top of a thin layer of synthetic snail sludge is able to climb walls and stick to ceilings. There is a robolobster that imitates how lobsters trace the odour of food to its source and will now be used to track chemicals in water to their source to determine underwater sources of pollution and detect explosives and deep-sea vents.
Other inventions inspired by animals include airplane wings based on birds whose wing shape depends on how fast they fly; fish-shaped boat hulls made of material that imitates dolphin and shark membranes; torpedoes that swim like tuna; radar and sonar navigation technology and medical imaging inspired by bat echo-location; swim and sportswear that mimic sharkskin; coatings for car windshields as hard as mother of pearl, and solar panels that copy the way leaves collect energy from the sun.
Nature has plenty of lessons for medical science. Millions of people are fitted with new or replacement pacemakers costing lakhs per patient. Now research is exploring how the Humpback’s 2,000-pound heart pumps the equivalent of six bathtubs of oxygenated blood through a circulatory system 4,500 times as extensive as ours keeping a low rate of three to four beats a minute and how electrical stimulation is achieved even through the mass of blubber that shields the whale’s heart from cold. This could result in finding the key to stimulating heartbeats by ‘bridging’ dead heart muscle via special whale-like wiring – an invention that costs a few hundred rupees and replaces pacemakers.
Two million children a year die from vaccine-preventable diseases like typhoid and measles. Vaccines require refrigeration and refrigeration breakdowns make half of all vaccines ineffective. Myrothamnus Flabellifolia is an African plant whose tissues can be dried to a crisp then revived without damage because of a sugary substance called trehaloses produced in its cells during drought. Based on the plant’s sugars, scientists have developed fridge-free vaccines that will save lives, money and energy. The vaccine is sprayed with trehalose coating to form inert sugary beads that can be packaged in an injectable form that can safely sit in a doctor’s bag for years. Other applications include new kinds of food preservation.
A new adhesive, Geckel combines a synthetic version of a mussel gland’s secretion with a gecko type strategy into reusable sticky patches of tape that work wet or dry and can be used instead of sutures for tissue repair. It will replace stitches in surgery, repair cuts and join broken bones. Other potential areas of applications are in retina repair, as a fixative for dental prostheses and for anchoring tissue samples on slides for microscopic examination.
70% of all human infections are a result of congregations of bacteria that require 1,000 times more antibiotic to kill. These also increase antibiotic resistance causing the rise of super bugs like Staphylococcus Aureus that now kills more people each year than Aids. Delisea Pulchra is a feathery red seaweed found off the Australian coast whose surface is free from clusters of bacteria despite being in polluted waters. It has a compound called halogenated furanone that stops bacteria from signaling to each other to form dense groups. This shows humans how bacteria can be controlled and environmental pollution reduced without using tons of chemicals.
Man has so much to learn from nature that an entire new field of study has been dedicated to this called biomemetics (from bios, meaning life, and mimesis, meaning to imitate) that studies nature,systems, processes and elements and then imitates or takes creative inspiration from them to create man made solutions. The wasp’s octagonal rooms have led to more economical building design. Dolphin blowholes through which water is ejected has created low flow showers. How much we can learn from other beings. It seems silly to kill our teachers when they have the answers to our technological and sustainability problems.
To join the animal welfare
movement contact gandhim@nic.in
Contrast the heavy human hammer with the woodpecker’s delicate head. They both deliver the same impact. After thousands of years of ‘research and development’ we always find that nature’s solutions are smarter, more energy-efficient, agile, adaptable, fault-tolerant, eco-friendly and multifunctional.
They follow nine basic principles: Nature runs on sunlight, uses only the energy it needs, fits form to function, recycles everything, rewards cooperation, banks on diversity, demands local expertise, curbs excesses from within and taps the power of limits. If we followed these patterns, there would be neither shortage, nor scarcity. "From a tiny apple pip comes the seedling; from the seedling the plant, from the plant the tree and from the tree the fruit with many more pips to produce many more trees for many more years. The tree leaves decompose to nourish the tree and soil. Abundance all around. Nature knows no scarcity, because it knows no waste." Mimicking nature’s strategies could improve the way we grow food, harvest energy, run our businesses and make buildings and materials. The natural model is there, it just needs recognising.
Nature’s creations have given us very elegant engineering solutions. The first suspension bridge across the Niagara came after looking at the suspension web of a spider. Velcro resulted from the observation of burrs sticking to a dog’s fur. A seaside trip showed a scientist how a protein made by mussels enabled them to cling fast to rocks. He realized that tofu could be adapted to make a similar superglue and this produced water-resistant adhesives used for wood composite products. From mother of pearl made of layers of calcium carbonate found in shells, scientists are learning how to make a strong lightweight armour. The "500-Series Shinkansen" one of the fastest trains in the world uses bird features. Its nose is fashioned after a kingfisher’s beak and its pantograph (the device which maintains electrical contact with the wire and transfers power from it to the traction unit) on an owl’s wing plumage whose small saw toothed feathers generate small whirlpools that break up the large whirlpools of noise in the air flow that giving the secret to its silent flight. These features reduced air pressure by 30% and electricity use by 15% while increasing speeds by 10% to a silent 300 km/hr!
Geese flying in formation prompted Chrysler engineers to think about how objects moved against air resistance resulting in the 1934 Chrysler Airflow known as the first ‘streamlined car’. When Mercedes-Benz wanted to create an aerodynamically efficient compact car without sacrificing safety or spaciousness, they studied the bony structure of the boxfish who moves in confined spaces, can withstand high pressure, has a rigid outer skin to protect its body during collisions and despite its angular shape, is an excellent swimmer. The resulting design gave the car body 40% more rigidity whilst making it 30% lighter. Turbine noise was reduced mimicking the large, irregular bumps on the leading edge of humpback whale flippers which reduce turbulence across the surface.
Scientists are trying to make six-legged robots imitate the way a cockroach moves, scampers over rough terrain, and evades obstacles. Lizards run up walls at lightning speeds and hang onto ceilings. Cockroach legs and gecko feet combine for the perfect limb for climbing robots suited for search-and-rescue operations and space exploration. Like snails whose sticky slime on their underbellies allows movement in any direction, a robot comprised of moveable segments on top of a thin layer of synthetic snail sludge is able to climb walls and stick to ceilings. There is a robolobster that imitates how lobsters trace the odour of food to its source and will now be used to track chemicals in water to their source to determine underwater sources of pollution and detect explosives and deep-sea vents.
Other inventions inspired by animals include airplane wings based on birds whose wing shape depends on how fast they fly; fish-shaped boat hulls made of material that imitates dolphin and shark membranes; torpedoes that swim like tuna; radar and sonar navigation technology and medical imaging inspired by bat echo-location; swim and sportswear that mimic sharkskin; coatings for car windshields as hard as mother of pearl, and solar panels that copy the way leaves collect energy from the sun.
Nature has plenty of lessons for medical science. Millions of people are fitted with new or replacement pacemakers costing lakhs per patient. Now research is exploring how the Humpback’s 2,000-pound heart pumps the equivalent of six bathtubs of oxygenated blood through a circulatory system 4,500 times as extensive as ours keeping a low rate of three to four beats a minute and how electrical stimulation is achieved even through the mass of blubber that shields the whale’s heart from cold. This could result in finding the key to stimulating heartbeats by ‘bridging’ dead heart muscle via special whale-like wiring – an invention that costs a few hundred rupees and replaces pacemakers.
Two million children a year die from vaccine-preventable diseases like typhoid and measles. Vaccines require refrigeration and refrigeration breakdowns make half of all vaccines ineffective. Myrothamnus Flabellifolia is an African plant whose tissues can be dried to a crisp then revived without damage because of a sugary substance called trehaloses produced in its cells during drought. Based on the plant’s sugars, scientists have developed fridge-free vaccines that will save lives, money and energy. The vaccine is sprayed with trehalose coating to form inert sugary beads that can be packaged in an injectable form that can safely sit in a doctor’s bag for years. Other applications include new kinds of food preservation.
A new adhesive, Geckel combines a synthetic version of a mussel gland’s secretion with a gecko type strategy into reusable sticky patches of tape that work wet or dry and can be used instead of sutures for tissue repair. It will replace stitches in surgery, repair cuts and join broken bones. Other potential areas of applications are in retina repair, as a fixative for dental prostheses and for anchoring tissue samples on slides for microscopic examination.
70% of all human infections are a result of congregations of bacteria that require 1,000 times more antibiotic to kill. These also increase antibiotic resistance causing the rise of super bugs like Staphylococcus Aureus that now kills more people each year than Aids. Delisea Pulchra is a feathery red seaweed found off the Australian coast whose surface is free from clusters of bacteria despite being in polluted waters. It has a compound called halogenated furanone that stops bacteria from signaling to each other to form dense groups. This shows humans how bacteria can be controlled and environmental pollution reduced without using tons of chemicals.
Man has so much to learn from nature that an entire new field of study has been dedicated to this called biomemetics (from bios, meaning life, and mimesis, meaning to imitate) that studies nature,systems, processes and elements and then imitates or takes creative inspiration from them to create man made solutions. The wasp’s octagonal rooms have led to more economical building design. Dolphin blowholes through which water is ejected has created low flow showers. How much we can learn from other beings. It seems silly to kill our teachers when they have the answers to our technological and sustainability problems.
To join the animal welfare
movement contact gandhim@nic.in
CHILD CARE!!!
Getting organised for the new arrival
At long last the baby has arrived and the parents would be taking him or her home. Usually in uncomplicated deliveries, even after Caesarian operations, the baby is sent home in a couple of days. It is generally a hectic time and if steps had not been taken already to get things organised at home, it would be quite difficult for the new parents. Getting things into shape should have started well before the birth of the baby but even if he or she has arrived rather earlier and quite unexpectedly, getting organised even at that stage is important to make life easier for both parents. This is perhaps easier said than done, especially for a young couple but it is a process that would pay dividends. All that is required is a little common sense.
An important thing to do is to arrange everything in the bedroom so that the baby things are easily accessible and you know where each thing is. As an example, it should not be necessary to look high and low for nappy pins once a nappy has been put on the baby. What is advocated today is to keep the baby in the same bed as the parents and this means an extra cot is not necessary. It would also provide a little more space in the room which would otherwise have been taken up by a cot. There is no danger of the mother rolling over the baby in sleep as the natural maternal instincts would wake her up at the slightest touch from the baby or the tiniest noise from the baby. The clothes and nappies of the baby should be easily accessible and available at all times. It is not necessary to buy a new almirah or a cupboard for the baby. A couple of shelves of a cupboard already in the bedroom would do nicely. A small separate wooden or cane rack with shelves too would be more than adequate for this purpose. The secret is to still have sufficient room in your own bedroom to move about even after getting the baby’s things organised. Sweeping and cleaning the bedroom should be done everyday. Some people elect to wet-mop the floor. These tasks should not take too much time and could be quickly attended to when the baby is resting quietly after a feed. Other people in the household and perhaps even the father could help in this regard. Battery torch lights and emergency lights for power failures should be kept in places that are easily accessible even in the dark. It is no joke to start looking for these things when electricity and lights fail. Such episodes are so very frequent in certain areas of the country. Incidentally, there is nothing against the use of electric fans in the bedroom where the baby is. During very warm days, it will only make the baby a little bit more comfortable. It will not be the cause of any illness. The same applies to air conditioners provided they are maintained well and serviced regularly. If there is a telephone in the house, it would be worthwhile getting a cordless extension so that the mother does not have to run round in circles to answer the phone while attending to the needs of the baby.
Feeding the baby should not cause any problems. The need of the hour is to exclusively breast feed for the first 4 to 6 months. Feed the baby on demand and not by the clock. This would obviate the need for bottles, teats, cups, spoons, formula milk powder, sterilising equipment etc. There is no extra cost involved as well. Government legislation has provided the mother with sufficient maternity leave to feed her baby for at least the first four months. If there are ways of getting a little bit more leave to stretch it to six months, this should be explored to the full as the benefits of exclusive breast feeding are worth a lot more than money could buy. There are added benefits of breast feeding such as control of the mother’s weight and figure as she burns up a significant amount of calories in producing her milk.
When it is time to give the baby a bath, arrange everything you need around the place where you are going to bathe the baby. Towels, soap etc should be at arms length. If there is help available at home in the form of members of the extended family or domestic aids, this is the time you could really make use of them. When the mother gets used to the procedure, bathing a baby is no big deal. In most instances it is a thing that both mother and baby would enjoy. Get the baby used to bathing as early as possible. This will prevent him or her making an almighty fuss at bath time later on. Almost all babies love to be in water provided they are introduced to bathing very early on in their lives.
It is essential that the mother arranges her mealtimes and resting periods to coincide with the times when the baby is quiet or is sleeping. Mother’s meals just need to be nutritious and everyday foods are more than adequate. It is not necessary to go out of the way to provide her with expensive supplementary foods or additional forms of nutrition. There is no scientific evidence to say that certain foods are not good for nursing mothers. The notions of "heaty" foods and "cooling" foods have no scientific rationale. Most authorities believe that a nursing mother could and should eat anything and everything. The only thing necessary is to provide a nicely balanced adequate diet. It is essential for the mother to get adequate sleep, especially during the day. This is particularly important because she may have to get up several times during the night to feed and change the baby. Steps must be taken to provide her with these essential periods of resting. Organising a routine to help her with this aspect would be most desirable.
It is also advantageous for the father to get his work schedules and duties rearranged in such a manner so as to provide sufficient time at home to help in caring for the baby. This of course depends on the exact type of work that he is involved in. In each and every case, a genuine effort could be made to have quality time with the mother and the baby. This is particularly useful for the first few months of the baby’s life. As far as possible, the father should be equally involved with the rearing practices of the baby. Looking after a baby should be a shared responsibility. This process also enhances the baby developing a sort of bondage with both parents.
The arrival of a new baby should not lead to a complete social embargo for the family. One could travel outside home with the baby, especially if the times of travel are carefully planned to suit the requirements of the baby such as feeding times. Even then, as the baby is breast fed, he or she could be fed almost anywhere. Some babies are however prone to throwing up while travelling immediately after a feed. It is generally better to avoid intensely over-crowded social gatherings but social visiting, attending weddings and parties are quite in order even when the baby is just a few weeks old. If the parents own a car, it is a good idea to get a commercially available baby car seat that is fitted to the rear seat of the car. The sooner you get the baby used to travelling in this baby seat, the better it is for all around. It is the safest way to take the baby in the car. In some of the Western countries, newborn babies are not discharged from the hospital till a car seat is fitted to the car. Unfortunately, baby car seats are not that popular in this country but it must be pointed out that they contribute a great deal towards the safety of a baby in a traffic accident.
Many parents spend unnecessary amounts of money on a baby. All kinds of expensive items such as perfumes, colognes, powders etc., are not quite essential for a baby. The natural milky smell of a baby is quite unique. The clothes that one buys for a baby should be simple, uncomplicated and preferably of cotton origin. It is best to remember that babies grow up very fast, especially in the first two years of life and tend to outgrow clothes in next to no time. Even the toys for the baby should be appropriately selected and should be eminently affordable. There is no reason whatsoever that the expenses for a little new born baby should be more than what one would normally need to spend on an adult.
A newborn baby should be such a joy for the entire family including the extended family. Grandparents would usually dote on the baby. If there are other children, it is important to provide the necessary attention to them as well so that they would not feel neglected. It would prevent sibling rivalry and the other kids would go on to love the new arrival. All new born babies are quite a delight and never a burden and it is definitely their right to be treated as such.
The writer would appreciate some feed-back from the readers. Please email him at bjcp@sltnet.lk or write to him at the following address: Dr. P. J. C. Perera, Consultant Paediatrician, Asiri Medical Hospital, 181, Kirula Road, Colombo 5.
www island.lk
At long last the baby has arrived and the parents would be taking him or her home. Usually in uncomplicated deliveries, even after Caesarian operations, the baby is sent home in a couple of days. It is generally a hectic time and if steps had not been taken already to get things organised at home, it would be quite difficult for the new parents. Getting things into shape should have started well before the birth of the baby but even if he or she has arrived rather earlier and quite unexpectedly, getting organised even at that stage is important to make life easier for both parents. This is perhaps easier said than done, especially for a young couple but it is a process that would pay dividends. All that is required is a little common sense.
An important thing to do is to arrange everything in the bedroom so that the baby things are easily accessible and you know where each thing is. As an example, it should not be necessary to look high and low for nappy pins once a nappy has been put on the baby. What is advocated today is to keep the baby in the same bed as the parents and this means an extra cot is not necessary. It would also provide a little more space in the room which would otherwise have been taken up by a cot. There is no danger of the mother rolling over the baby in sleep as the natural maternal instincts would wake her up at the slightest touch from the baby or the tiniest noise from the baby. The clothes and nappies of the baby should be easily accessible and available at all times. It is not necessary to buy a new almirah or a cupboard for the baby. A couple of shelves of a cupboard already in the bedroom would do nicely. A small separate wooden or cane rack with shelves too would be more than adequate for this purpose. The secret is to still have sufficient room in your own bedroom to move about even after getting the baby’s things organised. Sweeping and cleaning the bedroom should be done everyday. Some people elect to wet-mop the floor. These tasks should not take too much time and could be quickly attended to when the baby is resting quietly after a feed. Other people in the household and perhaps even the father could help in this regard. Battery torch lights and emergency lights for power failures should be kept in places that are easily accessible even in the dark. It is no joke to start looking for these things when electricity and lights fail. Such episodes are so very frequent in certain areas of the country. Incidentally, there is nothing against the use of electric fans in the bedroom where the baby is. During very warm days, it will only make the baby a little bit more comfortable. It will not be the cause of any illness. The same applies to air conditioners provided they are maintained well and serviced regularly. If there is a telephone in the house, it would be worthwhile getting a cordless extension so that the mother does not have to run round in circles to answer the phone while attending to the needs of the baby.
Feeding the baby should not cause any problems. The need of the hour is to exclusively breast feed for the first 4 to 6 months. Feed the baby on demand and not by the clock. This would obviate the need for bottles, teats, cups, spoons, formula milk powder, sterilising equipment etc. There is no extra cost involved as well. Government legislation has provided the mother with sufficient maternity leave to feed her baby for at least the first four months. If there are ways of getting a little bit more leave to stretch it to six months, this should be explored to the full as the benefits of exclusive breast feeding are worth a lot more than money could buy. There are added benefits of breast feeding such as control of the mother’s weight and figure as she burns up a significant amount of calories in producing her milk.
When it is time to give the baby a bath, arrange everything you need around the place where you are going to bathe the baby. Towels, soap etc should be at arms length. If there is help available at home in the form of members of the extended family or domestic aids, this is the time you could really make use of them. When the mother gets used to the procedure, bathing a baby is no big deal. In most instances it is a thing that both mother and baby would enjoy. Get the baby used to bathing as early as possible. This will prevent him or her making an almighty fuss at bath time later on. Almost all babies love to be in water provided they are introduced to bathing very early on in their lives.
It is essential that the mother arranges her mealtimes and resting periods to coincide with the times when the baby is quiet or is sleeping. Mother’s meals just need to be nutritious and everyday foods are more than adequate. It is not necessary to go out of the way to provide her with expensive supplementary foods or additional forms of nutrition. There is no scientific evidence to say that certain foods are not good for nursing mothers. The notions of "heaty" foods and "cooling" foods have no scientific rationale. Most authorities believe that a nursing mother could and should eat anything and everything. The only thing necessary is to provide a nicely balanced adequate diet. It is essential for the mother to get adequate sleep, especially during the day. This is particularly important because she may have to get up several times during the night to feed and change the baby. Steps must be taken to provide her with these essential periods of resting. Organising a routine to help her with this aspect would be most desirable.
It is also advantageous for the father to get his work schedules and duties rearranged in such a manner so as to provide sufficient time at home to help in caring for the baby. This of course depends on the exact type of work that he is involved in. In each and every case, a genuine effort could be made to have quality time with the mother and the baby. This is particularly useful for the first few months of the baby’s life. As far as possible, the father should be equally involved with the rearing practices of the baby. Looking after a baby should be a shared responsibility. This process also enhances the baby developing a sort of bondage with both parents.
The arrival of a new baby should not lead to a complete social embargo for the family. One could travel outside home with the baby, especially if the times of travel are carefully planned to suit the requirements of the baby such as feeding times. Even then, as the baby is breast fed, he or she could be fed almost anywhere. Some babies are however prone to throwing up while travelling immediately after a feed. It is generally better to avoid intensely over-crowded social gatherings but social visiting, attending weddings and parties are quite in order even when the baby is just a few weeks old. If the parents own a car, it is a good idea to get a commercially available baby car seat that is fitted to the rear seat of the car. The sooner you get the baby used to travelling in this baby seat, the better it is for all around. It is the safest way to take the baby in the car. In some of the Western countries, newborn babies are not discharged from the hospital till a car seat is fitted to the car. Unfortunately, baby car seats are not that popular in this country but it must be pointed out that they contribute a great deal towards the safety of a baby in a traffic accident.
Many parents spend unnecessary amounts of money on a baby. All kinds of expensive items such as perfumes, colognes, powders etc., are not quite essential for a baby. The natural milky smell of a baby is quite unique. The clothes that one buys for a baby should be simple, uncomplicated and preferably of cotton origin. It is best to remember that babies grow up very fast, especially in the first two years of life and tend to outgrow clothes in next to no time. Even the toys for the baby should be appropriately selected and should be eminently affordable. There is no reason whatsoever that the expenses for a little new born baby should be more than what one would normally need to spend on an adult.
A newborn baby should be such a joy for the entire family including the extended family. Grandparents would usually dote on the baby. If there are other children, it is important to provide the necessary attention to them as well so that they would not feel neglected. It would prevent sibling rivalry and the other kids would go on to love the new arrival. All new born babies are quite a delight and never a burden and it is definitely their right to be treated as such.
The writer would appreciate some feed-back from the readers. Please email him at bjcp@sltnet.lk or write to him at the following address: Dr. P. J. C. Perera, Consultant Paediatrician, Asiri Medical Hospital, 181, Kirula Road, Colombo 5.
www island.lk
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