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Travel in COVID times: Guide for Pregnant women

By Dr.Amrita Basu(MBBS,MS) on February 2, 2021 4

Traveling is tough in COVID times. It’s even more difficult if you are pregnant.

Becoming a mother is profound. In COVID times, it just got more tricky. With restrictions lifting everywhere, everyone has the “travel bug “calling out to them. This COVID 19 travel guide ,will help everyone but a few specifics are for moms-to-be.

Keeping healthy and happy both need work. Being cooped up indoors is taking its toll on all of us. If you have travel planned or some emergency requires you to travel, this post will help you.

Have a budget, plan where you want to go,this is important for safety.

The questions this post will answer

When is travel strictly avoided?
What should you avoid while traveling?
The Where
What kind of hotel?
Precautions to take while traveling in COVID times
But how will you eat while traveling and at hotels?
What you must carry while traveling?
- Takeaway:

First up, talk to your Obstetrician before making any travel decision. Every pregnancy is different, and you are unique. Your doctor knows best about your condition. Second-trimester(14-28 weeks) travel to a nearby location or a short weekend staycation is something you can plan if it’s a change of scenery that you are looking for. Go for an antenatal checkup before planning a trip; that way, you can take the doctor’s opinion and have peace of mind too.

First trimester travel is risky since most micarriage happen during that time.

Third-trimester travel is often uncomfortable when backaches, bathroom breaks, risk of Deep vein thrombosis, and preterm labor all adding to the worry. Any trip more than four hours long can be a problem, during pregnancy, even at the best of times.

When is travel strictly avoided?

It depends on the medical condition of the mom-to-be. But the following are common medical reasons for avoiding travel.

When there’s a risk of miscarriage
Twin/multiple pregnancies
History of vaginal bleeding
Cervical incompetence
Placental problems
Preeclampsia in this or previous pregnancy
High blood pressure during last or present pregnancy
Gestational diabetes in this or previous pregnancy, history of preterm labor in a previous pregnancy, or history of ectopic pregnancy in a previous pregnancy
Precious pregnancy

What should you avoid while traveling?

While unnecessary travel is not recommended for anyone, it is even more important for pregnant women and kids.

Avoid unplanned trips
Avoid trips with very small kids who can’t wear masks.
Avoid international travel
Avoid long-distance journeys(longer than four hours) even in India.
Stay away from crowded places.
Avoid travel if you have any history of complications in a previous pregnancy or any risk factors in the current one.

Wherever you go, the market, shopping mall, your relative’s home, or a staycation, remember to wear a mask (N95 will be best ), wash your hands, use a sanitizer, and maintain social distance.

The Where

Sea beach, mountains, or the forests anywhere in India, you will be spoilt for choice. The only real limitation is how much you can search and plan.Sea beach: Mandarmoni, Puri, Goa, Mahabalipuram, Pondicherry.

A few tips for the second option include Darjeeling, Kurseong. Kalimpong, Dharamshala, Shillong, Cherrapunji, Shimla, Nainital, Manali, Pahalgam.

What kind of hotel?

The best-case scenario is a weekend rental home at the seaside. Fresh air good food and exercise, all in one place.Holiday rentals with housekeeping options and a kitchenette will be perfect for a few days by the beach. If Holiday homes are steep or not available, look for boutique hotels in offbeat locations.

Tea gardens have quaint resorts ,which give luxury experiences and personalized service.Since these places don’t have many rooms,crowds are uncommon.

The Tumsong resort in Darjeeling or the Cedar Inn Hotel is both lovely properties. Divine Hima in Dharamshala, Ri Kynjai at Shillong and The Polo hotel at Cherrapunji, The Dona Sylvia Novotel at Goa, The Grand Dragon at Leh Ladakh, or the Taj Visakhapatnam are all properties that take excellent care of their guests.

Look for rooms that do not share ventilatory systems and have separate A/C or heating units. Centralized heating, air conditioning system is best avoided.

Precautions to take while traveling in COVID times

While traveling in trains, keep your mask on. You will have to carry your own bedding too.
Avoid touching heavy use structures, doorknobs, window panes without spraying a surface sanitizer. You can also use a disinfectant wipe to touch them or clean them.
Wash your hands well with soap and water for at least 20 seconds before eating.
Ingesting sanitizer, which stays on your hands with every meal, is terrible. When you smear your hands with sanitizer, let the hand dry for at least twenty seconds for it to be effective.
While traveling, don’t touch your face, mouth, eyes.

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Health of the Nation Report — Apollo Pro Health

But how will you eat while traveling and at hotels?

Now while traveling, carrying quick snacks works best due to the current situation. In any case, avoid crowds while taking off your mask for eating.
In hotels, order room service or eat at outdoor restaurants, poolside, and terrace where tables are kept six to 10 feet apart. Avoid sitting in air-conditioned indoor dining areas.

I prefer standing while eating outdoors. That way, I can increase the distance from other people quickly. Sounds strange writing this down, but we live in unique times.

Having a small kitchenette in the room can be a big help if you have special dietary needs. Try to avoid street food as travelers’ diarrhea can be a problem. In any case, don’t take over the counter drugs for any problem as that may affect the unborn child. Avoid overly spicy, salty, oily food as it can aggravate morning sickness and cause bloating. Eat a balanced diet with plenty of fruits, vegetables, and the right type of protein. Don’t forget to take your supplements.

What you must carry while traveling?

Must carry several masks
Gloves
Sanitizer
Antiseptic wipes
Soap
Snacks water
Your Antenatal medical records and supplements
Your health insurance and your Doctor’s number on speed dial

Takeaway:

You have to remember 5 things-

Talk to you your doctor before you plan your travel.
Wear your mask.
Practice good hand hygiene
Maintain social distancing.
In case you face any trouble, go to the nearest Government Medical facility.

Small Balcony garden ideas No One Told you!

By Dr.Amrita Basu(MBBS,MS) on January 29, 2021 2

Most moms blogging journey starts with “when I had a baby”. I started similarly, but by then, my baby was almost two years old. I actually find more relation with my gardening activities and writing life ,than with anything else.

Staring at green plants is my second favorite habit.It’s also good for my eyes . The health effect of gardening is a favorite research topic.This found it’s way into my book on Gardening ,Writing,Walking -the three musketeers who help me.

Traveling to any of my aunts or uncles homes as a child meant, I could watch trees and people. All of which made me ask my mother innumerable questions and my nonstop chatters. When my mother refused to give a satisfactory answer(instead, she grew tired), I started making up stories about those trees and people.

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Plants and nature have a way of bringing out the writer in us. Or maybe it was the solitude of bringing up a tiny human in a new town. Having few people to talk to daily socially (not professionally) meant I had more brain space for making up my own stories. Work was overpowering physically, but mentally I needed a hobby, which gave me a challenge. I am a big fan of brain challenges, where I have to go out of my comfort zone to learn something, make something preferably ending in profitable results.

But gardening I do just for fun. So today I will share a few small Balcony ideas to get you started.

1)Microgren or sprout garden:start in a cup.

2)Only ornamental plants like purple hearts,aloevera,Areca palm ,Chinese banyan.All are easy to grow.

*A late afternoon balcony garden picture .You can see Areca palm,purple hearts ,chrysanthemums*

3 .Easy flower balcony garden:Bougainvillea, roses,all year.Chrysanthemums ,petunia,pansy in winters.

*Chrysanthemums (violet) gracing my balcony garden*

4.Small vegetable garden ,spinach ,red amaranth,lettuce,pumpkin greens,mustard greens

*The spinach I picked from the kitchen balcony*

5.Get any plant which is suitable for your locality.Take care of that plant.Then buy another.Start slow.

*A yellow Chrysanthemum which was smiling that day on my balcony garden*

*My pet forest garden a.k.a my Balcony Garden*

That last part makes the explanations easier and so much more worth it. Time, after all, is limited and can not be stretched. We already tried that.
But I digress.

Through the environment talks of Cause a chatter, I will talk about gardening as a reason for joy, mental health, and productivity. But environment and nature as a whole are crucial for human survival.
Remember, we are a part of nature. Anything which you do to harm nature affects you to. Directly or indirectly.

I will tell you about my journey with gardening on my balcony, windowsill and experiment with growing greens, microgreens, fruits, vegetables, and flowers. How I almost bought a mango garden and then wrote my second Krishna Mishra mystery about it. I will tell you about the India-made version of a portable system of growing food at home anywhere in India. This one will take some time though, the product is still in beta????

I will share my balcony seasons of how we plan to transform my husband’s childhood home and garden why I am a fan of growing a forest.
Human beings and all things nature are part of each other.
We cannot talk about preservation without talking about pollution and population.

Why it’s important we talk about our home environment and Mother Earth as a whole:

We cannot create if we can’t save. We cannot complain if we don’t do our part to make things better. It starts with you and me. We can make a difference.

I am a forest nymph who became a Doctor-writer. So when I tell you nature heals, you know I have felt it. There’s nothing more potent than your dose of daily green, both outside and inside. If I talk about nature and the environment, you know, you will get all the right details.

You can start now, with what you have wherever you are.
While I write my next post on the topic, I thought of sharing my reason for starting this journey.I am also sharing a few of my previous posts from my Home, garden, and environment.

Man-made a mistake, forgetting he was part of nature.
Cutting down an arm to make space for a leg makes little sense. There have to be better ways, that are what I plan to find out.
A writer and gardener for seven years now and a practicing doctor for thirteen. I know I am happier because of my environment.
Health, after all, is multidimensional. I remember that in all my decisions.

Small Balcony garden ideas No One Told you!

My posts about balcony gardening

Growing vegetables in your Balcony garden

About environmental pollution

Sound pollution

Plastic pollution

Air pollution

My Balcony Garden Video playlist

This post is part of Blogchatter’s CauseAChatter’ and link it back to our website (https://www.

theblogchatter.com/causeachatter

Making of an Army of Leprosy Warriors and (Flipchart) Their Great New Weapon

By Dr.Amrita Basu(MBBS,MS) on January 26, 2021 23

Making of an Army of Leprosy Warriors and Their Great New Weapon.

Hansen’s disease or leprosy is a curable infection caused by Mycobacterium leprae. India still accounts for more than half of all new cases of leprosy in the world. But for the past two years, the decreasing number of new adult and pediatric patients have given us fresh hope.

What is crucial in this fight to lower the disease burden is early diagnosis and timely treatment with multidrug therapy. In fact, India is running the most extensive leprosy eradication program in the world. But challenges remain because of the low rates of self-reporting, low levels of awareness, and lack of knowledge.

Now, this war against leprosy is getting an army of leprosy warriors which is getting strengthened by a new weapon of mass awareness and early detection. But first, let us understand what this army is fighting against!

Symptoms of Leprosy

The first step is to know the symptoms. Common symptoms of Leprosy (Source CDC) are –

Single or multiple whitish/pale patches involving the skin, upper airways, and peripheral nerves.
Single or multiple nodules involving the skin, upper airways, and peripheral nerves.
Numbness of the affected regions of skin
Eye problems (if left untreated, can even cause blindness)
Ulcers on soles of feet
Blocked feeling in the nose
Enlarged nerves (commonly around elbows, knees, and ankle)
Muscle weakness (can lead to paralysis if not treated)
They spread, become larger, affecting nerves, wasting muscles, causing crippling disabilities if left untreated.

How does Leprosy spread?

It spreads through droplets, from the nose and mouth, during close contact with untreated patients. Mycobacterium leprae multiplies slowly. The incubation period is five years. That means after exposure, the disease may occur even five years later.

How to fight the stigma?

Awareness around leprosy is the biggest battle to win – widespread societal awareness and acknowledgment that leprosy is just like any other bacterial infection which is completely curable, along with eradication of superstitions around leprosy – will go a long way in fighting the stigma. Knowing the symptoms, self-reporting, getting diagnosed and an understanding that timely treatment will help in complete recovery will further help in eradicating the stigma around leprosy.

A ray of hope is there – The Government of India and the Sasakawa Health Foundation are doing great work in spreading awareness, education, supporting rehabilitation, and helping fight leprosy. SHF helps in awareness, giving access to education and financial support for self-reliance to leprosy-affected persons and their families.

The weapon – Flipchart and the help it can provide in mass awareness and early detection

FLIPCHART is a helpful tool to fight Leprosy and spread awareness

Flipchart is a pictorial aid for the early detection of leprosy. It is in the form of a booklet which makes for easier understanding due to its pictorial and storytelling style. The Flipchart is being distributed to community health workers (ASHA workers),

Flipchart will help ASHA workers spread awareness about the early symptoms of leprosy. With Flipchart, these leprosy warriors have an effective tool in their fight against Hansen’s disease. This army of Flipchart-wielding ASHA workers has the potential to do what we need to win this war against leprosy – mass awareness and assisted early detection.

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The many ways a Flipchart for Leprosy will help the army of Leprosy Warriors – The ASHA workers

· Showing the pictures, ASHA worker can explain the early stages of the disease.

· How it appears at first to different people

· How to get help

· Where to get help

· She can talk about free medicine available at hospitals.

· What happens if you don’t get treated on time and in the right way.

· When it has the right visuals, then things get more comfortable to explain.

· There is less chance of misunderstanding or miscommunication.

· There is also less fear and much less discrimination.

· The ASHA workers will be more confident, reading the text while showing the pictures.

An example of How Flipchart wielding ASHA worker can help – The story of Renu’s brother

When Renu’s brother Raju first noticed a white patch on his forearm, he ignored it.

He also did not shout at Renu when she slapped hard on his forearm while playing.

This got Renu worried. She had seen Meena di, the ASHA worker in their village, showing a colorful book with pictures similar to the patch on Raju’s forearm. She discussed it with her mother and then decided to call Meena di home for advice.

Seeing the patch on Raju’s forearm, Meena di gently pinched it and asked a few questions. She then advised them to visit Dr. Natesh at the village PHC the next morning.

Dr. Natesh performed a few tests and confirmed that Raju had contracted leprosy, and he would need to take medicine, which will be given free of cost, for six months to get fully cured. Everyone was relieved and thanked Meena di profusely.

But Meena di was thinking about how Renu had seen her Flipchart and taken note of it. When she discussed this with her supervisor, s/he decided to give flipcharts to all ASHA workers working in the area.

Takeaways

The burden of leprosy can only be reduced by early diagnosis and appropriate treatment. Awareness at the community level, using the Flipchart will help in fighting Hansen’s disease. A picture speaks a thousand words. Please share this blog post and help. Help us in the fight against this disease.

Getting the #covidvaccine

By Dr.Amrita Basu(MBBS,MS) on January 25, 2021 18

It all started on 23rd January a day after my birthday. I got several messages requesting me to attend Malda Medical College, for my vaccine shot on the 25th of January.

I checked rechecked and sat thinking.

I couldn’t believe,it was finally vaccine time.

Exactly one year before I had started writing about Corona virus and now the vaccine has arrived.

I also got a call from the DM office telling me about the scheduled vaccination.I managed to crack some terrible vaccine jokes to my husband, friends ,my mom and friends.

Friends already vaccinated called to share their experiences.

I am a preventive medicine fan.I have taken most recommended and elective vaccines I needed.So this was much awaited .

Morning of twenty fifth January 2021 arrived bright and early.

Housework,online school,homework,clinic work- done.

Self pep talk -done.

I took my PAN card(that was given as identification proof in the form I filled up),took the Aadhar card just in case.

It was time to get the vaccine shot.

My sister in law came to play with the little one ,while hubby went along.The vaccine picture has to be taken right?

The process was very well organized and implemented with zero hassle.They checked my name and PAN card in three different places,offering sanitizers at every stop.I was given a small token ,a few questions asked and then it happened.

Vaccine shot taken.My expression will tell you what was going on in my mind,rather than any words!The vaccine definitely needed a photo moment.My husband doesn’t believe in staged photos and the mask is a keeper!

After thirty minutes of sitting in the observation room we left the hospital feeling light hearted.I felt fine .

*5 Rules to follow even after your #CovidVaccination*

*Keep following rules even after #covidvaccine*

Dr.Abhijit Misra (that’s my husband) ,got the vaccine next on 27th January.

*Dr.Abhijit Misra:Getting the #covidvaccine*

What kind of vaccine side effects are possible?

Milf fever
Headache/heaviness of head
Dizziness
Injection site pain,swelling
Red rash

COVID VACCINE EXPERIENCE *Documenting my experience after getting the first dose of Covishield #LargestVaccinedrive*

I received the Covishield Vaccine.

What is the Covishield vaccine?

Its a recombinant, replication-deficient chimpanzee adenovirus vector encoding the SARS-CoV-2 Spike (S) glycoprotein vaccine.It is Produced in genetically modified human embryonic kidney cells.

Sharing this to let you know .Will update my experiences on the blog when I get the second dose.Stay strong because the Indian Government cares ❤.

Update April 2021

The vaccine is great. Hubby and I got both doses in January -February. Doing fine.
My mom got it last month. Doing fine.
In-laws took it: All well.
My friends who are doctors have taken it.
The Indian vaccine drive is being done very nicely.

Concern: studies about duration of protection

When I attended a conference about Sputnik V I learned this .

Poush Sakranti, Pithe and Food Stories

By Dr.Amrita Basu(MBBS,MS) on January 14, 2021 2

Winters are full of warm blankets,picnics and delicious food.But with the COVID situation socially distanced picnics are the new thing.

But one thing hasn’t changed.That’s the celebration of harvest festivals.

With Makar Sankranti, Poush Sankranti in West Bengal and Lohri in Punjab.,Bihu in Assam and Pongal in the south anywhere in India you will get the feeling of celebrations .

What’s really great about these festival are the fresh from harvest delicacies .

Various pithe,puli, patishapta, payesh are the need of the season in West Bengal.

My principles around such delicacy was always as the taster and helper in the kitchen.Every year I wait patiently for the deliciousness to be gifted and I am happy to say ,it has started .

Poush Sankranti and Food stories

What arrived this year for Poush Sakranti

Gokul pithe :These are delicious fried dumplings made of kheer ,coconut ,then batter fried and dipped in sugar syup.This is something my sister-in-law makes really well.

Pati saptha-Thin rice flour crepes with stuffings of kheer, sweetened with date palm jaggery,coconut .It’s super pretty,lacy ,delicate and delicious .You justcan’t stop at one.My sister makes these to a perfection.

Seddho pithe -Rice dumplings stuffed with coconut,jaggery,kheer and boiled in milk then dunked in jaggery sweetened kheer.It’s decadent,melt in the mouth and needs serious expertise.Something another sister in law is great at.

Lohri special til ka laddoo came too!The nip in the air and the til ka chikki are my favorite food.They crunchy ,sticky and taste great.

Sharing about these makes my mouth water.Hope you enjoyed listening to this as much as I enjoyed talking about these.

On Makar sakranti or Poush sakranti people also visit the Sagar mela at Ganga sagar in West Bengal for the holy dip in the Ganges.

With 2021 standing on the verge of new beginnings e-holy dips are being encouraged.

Hope you have a lovely Makar Sankranti with your family .

P.S :This blog post will be updated with more pithe that gets delivered.

Resolution 2021 :I don’t usually share this!

By Dr.Amrita Basu(MBBS,MS) on January 11, 2021 0

Balance ,Faith,Practice .These three are going to be my guiding light in 2021.

I don’t usually share my New year Resolutions.But 2021 is already showing signs of being a tad unusual. .Also I don’t think many peopld really cares about my resolution.Thats how I prevent feeling overwhelmed.But maybe some one reading this cares.One person findings this helpful, makes this worth while.Plus its good to break pattern.So here goes.

*My 2021 is looking colourful:Art inspired by Tangi*

My New year Resolution for 2021 is to have BALANCE.There I said it.

Resolution 2021 by Dr.Amrita Basu

If you think about 2020 you will realize in many ways it was a lesson. A lesson for us all .To find out what was important to survive.What kept us sane ?

So my resolution for 2021 is to work towards finding BALANCE.(Plus avoiding the fallout from crazy chaos).

Balance between nature and technology.Too little or too much of either can be a problem.

Family and friends .Some people we choose and some we don’t.Either way being blessed takes adjusting in real life.

Reading and writing.We forget to do enough of these ,after we get those degrees.But 2021 is going to be different. Elearning makes education easier in my ways.

Learning and Unlearning.The attention is finite.So us time.We will need to make space to learn.

Giving and taking .Both needed .Your soul and your bank balance both need refilling.

Laughing and crying.Plus sometimes both together.

Air and water .Because they exist within each other too.

Fire and Earth.Can destroy or make stronger .What’s needed is balance.

Opposites and similar. Momentary attraction and life time of attachment.

Flowers and Thorns .Again the balance .

Home and garden .You need both to survive well.

Food and exercise.Body and mind. Work and play.These play together and not fun alone.

Change and constants.The former is the only constant though.

Material and spiritual.From dust to dust and if everything has energy ,then the tangible has spirit and pure spirit is tangible. Yes ,it confuses me too .

Inner and outer world .The struggle creates stress and disease .

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Travel in COVID times: Guide for Pregnant women

The questions this post will answer

When is travel strictly avoided?

What should you avoid while traveling?

The Where

What kind of hotel?

Precautions to take while traveling in COVID times

Featured post

But how will you eat while traveling and at hotels?