July 29, 2009 11:55 AM
By Nurul Halawati Azhari
KUALA LUMPUR, July 29 (Bernama)-- Child specialists have acknowledged that breast-feeding enhances the bonding between mother and child.
It is a well known fact that infants who were exclusively breastfed for six months were not only able to obtain adequate nutrients and enhanced immunity against diseases, but also a high intelligence quotient (IQ).
However apart from the mother's milk, there is another way to stimulate and promote a baby's growth. The answer is by massaging the infant.
According to studies, massaging increases the development of an infant's bones by 15 per cent. Frequent massages is the secret to boost development of an infant's motor skills.
Infant massage helps the development of the infant's muscles and orientation, factors that are crucial towards assisting the child to stand and walk.
Consultant paediatrician Datuk Dr Zulkifli Ismail said infant massage helps a baby born prematured to gain weight by 47 per cent at a faster rate while those born normally would have lower stress and enhanced immunity against diseases.
Dr Zulkifli told Bernama this after the "Touch" child massage workshop organised by Johnson & Johnson Sdn Bhd here recently.
"Caressing is a magical touch between a parent and the child. For example if the mother caresses and massages to soothe the infant, the infant can feel and sense the mother's affections via her fingers and this works the otherway round.
"The mother can also feel the infant's response via the touches," he said.
BENEFITS OF INFANT MASSAGE
Dr Zulkifli said most parents were concerned that too much pressure exerted during a massage would cause injuries to the child.
If parents wished to start a massage on their child, they should begin with gentle touches first, he said.
"Pressure can then be gradually but slowly increased when the mother is getting more confident and the child appears to be comfortable with the touches", said Dr Zulkifli.
Apart from enhancing the mother and child bonding, infant massage could also enhances the child's physical and emotional development. The child gets more confidence apart from feeling comfortable and calm.
The child could also sleep better, he said.
Massaging the infant also helps the child's disgestion, hence a massaged infant would be able to absorb the essential nutrients better.
"During the caressing and massaging, both the parent and child would have eye contact and this enhances interaction and relation between both.
However in order to perform the massage, the mother should have the child's 'cooperation', Dr Zulkifli cautioned.
He said if the infant felt tired, then the child should be allowed to rest and sleep and the massage can be continued after the child has rested.
PRE-REQUISITES
1.You should not be in haste. Your fingernails should be trim and you should not be distracted for 15 minutes. Play slow music to soothe your nerves and and also of the child.
2.The temperature of the room shoukd be comfortable. Spread out a soft blanket for the baby to lie down.
3.A good massage can be ideally done after the infant's bath and yet to be clothed. However a massage can still be given to a clothed child.
4.Infant oil should be used as this lessen the friction on the baby's skin. Rub both palms first before touching the baby. The oil should be well spread on both palms as this allows smoother massage.
5.Begin with gentle touches. Grdually and slowly exert more pressure when you are more confident and the child feels more comfortable.
6.Look into the baby's eyes and sing or speak to the infant during the massage.
7.Perform the massage daily to enable the child to 'feel' it as a daily routine.
8.Begin from the child's head and move downwards to the feet before proceeding to the baby's back.
ONE-DAY WORKSHOP
Apart from imparting the expert's knowledge and skills on child massage, the one-day workshop also provide tips for mothers as well as the expecting mothers on the ideal way to breastfeed and bathe the infant.
A similar workshop was held last year and the warm response showed by parents indicated that the public is now more aware on the correct technique to massage a child.
The workshop would be be held on the weekend in July and August in Selangor, Sabah, Melaka, Johor, Perak, Pulau Pinang and Kuala Lumpur. Further information is available by calling 1-300-88-0566 (Monday to Friday at 9am-5pm).
-- BERNAMA
July 30, 2009
July 29, 2009
July 20, 2009
U.S. shuttle Endeavour docks with Space Station
The space shuttle Endeavour is seen from this camera view from aboard the International Space Station as it approaches the orbital outpost for docking in this image from NASA TV July 17, 2009. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo)
WASHINGTON, July 17 (Xinhua) -- After a nearly two-day pursuit, the U.S. space shuttle Endeavour docked with the International Space Station on Friday, delivering the final pieces of the Japanese Kibo complex and a new flight engineer to join the Expedition 20 crew.
According to NASA TV, Endeavour Commander Mark Polansky guided the shuttle to a docking at 1:47 p.m. EDT (1747 GMT) as the two aircraft flew 220 miles about the northern coast of Australia.
Before closing the final 600 feet to the station, Polansky commanded Endeavour through a "backflip" allowing the station's Expedition 20 Commander Gennady Padalka and Flight Engineer Michael Barratt to take photos that imagery experts will review to assess the health of Endeavour's heat shield.
The shuttle and station crews opened hatches and greeted one another at 3:48 p.m. EDT (1848 GMT), beginning more than a week of joint operations between the two crews.
Endeavour lifts off on Wednesday evening from Kennedy Space Center in Florida after five delays, on a track to the International Space Station (ISS).
Endeavour's 16-day mission will feature five spacewalks and complete construction of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's Kibo laboratory. Astronauts will attach a platform to the outside of the Japanese module that will allow experiments to be exposed to space during the first spacewalks
The space shuttle Endeavour is seen from this camera view from aboard the International Space Station as it approaches the orbital outpost for docking in this image from NASA TV July 17, 2009.(Xinhua/Reuters Photo)
Editor: Lin Zhi
Original source :http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-07/18/content_11728054.htm
July 19, 2009
Tiger Power - Kaziranga National Park
Date: 19 May, 2004... True Story behind the Kaziranga National Park - Tiger Attack - The Complete Video.
The forest department was combing the area with five elephants to locate a large female tiger which had killed two cows near their village. The team cautiously moved almost 20 feet where she was growling away. They took a shot at it with a dart gun and missed. This enraged the tiger so much that she charged and took a "flying" leap 12 feet above the ground on to the elephant's head. What's even more amazing is what happened next.
The moral from this incident, don't ever think that we are safe just because we have a big friend.
Immune bullet - Still alive after shooted by 107 bullets
He was immuned bullet after shooted by 107 grains of bullet. He died only after his amulet ring being shooted by police.
Moral : don't miss use knowledge we have.
July 15, 2009
Americans 'negative' about Muslims
By Rob Reynolds, senior Washington correspondent
As Barack Obama, the US president, seeks to mend the image of the US in the Muslim world, a new survey indicates almost half of Americans have a negative opinion about Muslim countries.
The 46 per cent of respondents who held an unfavourable view of Islamic nations was up five per cent from 2002, while just 20 per cent said they held a positive opinion.
In depth
"It's pretty difficult to think much about folks that are seriously trying to kill us or kill anybody who doesn't believe the way they do; so, I am not very happy with those folks," Chuck Hauptman, a Billings, Montana resident, told Al Jazeera recently.
Greg Smith, a researcher with the Pew Forum on Religion in Washington, says most Americans' views of Muslims are heavily influenced by what they see on television and read in newspapers.
"The number one answer people give us when we ask them what's most important in shaping their views on Islam is the media," Smith says.
"It's people who have a negative view of Muslims and Islam in particular who are most likely to say their opinion is shaped largely by what they see in the media."
US opinion of the Muslim world:
Favourable: 20%
Unfavourable: 46%
Believe that Islam encourages violence:
Agree: 45%
Disagree: 39%
Source: CNN/Opinion Research, Pew Forum on Religion
Linked with violence
About 60 per cent of Americans feel that the Muslim world considers itself at war with the US, and there is a widespread impression that Islam encourages violence - 45 per cent of respondents in a 2007 poll associated the religion with violent attacks.
"A lot of people, because of 9/11 and the terrorist era we seem to be in, have generalised all Middle Eastern people as devils," comments Marty Connolly of the Billings research institute.
On the other side, surveys of Muslim countries show only about 25 per cent of people approve of US leadership.
Smith says negative views are most common among Americans who are older, do not have college degrees, and who have never met a Muslim.
"People who say they personally know a Muslim are much more likely to express favourable views of Muslims," he says.
Entrenched attitudes
While Obama has made dialogue with Muslim countries a priority for his foreign policy, polls indicate many Americans do not particularly care what Muslims think of the US, or they feel that Muslim opinions do not matter.
A recent trip to the US state of Montana appeared to confirm some of these entrenched attitudes towards Muslims.
"I don't care about co-existence," Montana resident Carroll Broch told Al Jazeera.
"I don't want to co-exist with them. They either accept us or they don't accept us."
Source: Al Jazeera
July 3, 2009
Adolf Hitler Expand Speech - english Subtitles
Moral from Mr Hitler speech : Everything must started with planning if we wish for success. A muslim by it nature should have plan to, plan in any aspect of thing we are trying to do because it was already thought to us by our Prophet. One thing, We muslim have our own way of doing thing. The way must follow as teach in Islam. In war, we are not allowed to kill woman, children and old man or woman. We also not allowed to kill animal and damage to building. This is clearly teach in Islam and every muslim knows that. But still a group of man declared them self muslim but hit a bomb in market or railway station. For sure they are not follow the true path as teach in Islam. They do that on their own way. Sadly they were used the name of Islam in killing peoples out there. Actually what they have done is not follow Islamic way, they did that own their own way, may be they copyright what Bush have done to muslim in Iraq and Afghanistan. Million muslim have been killed in the name of justice. They are follow the bush way.