Sisters of Nativity antenatal care

16/11/2020

Douching! Douching! Douching!

A very recurrent question I'm confronted with –as a nurse– is, "What is douching?".

Always, I am careful not to give destructive information to my patients and friends alike.
Wondering why? Read on!

What is douching?

Douching is a term commonly used to refer to the washing out of the va**na with water or other fluid mixtures.

The fluid mixtures may be some type of antiseptic solution or substances termed natural or herbal remedy.

These are usually inserted into the va**na to wash away menstrual blood, unpleasant odours, semen after unprotected in*******se –amongst other reasons.

It is popularly said, that "the va**na is a self-cleansing organ". Yes! True it is! So, whose idea was it to introduce the do**he anyway and what is douching all about?

The go-to excuse is that it cleanses the va**na and this practice has become a habit amongst lots of women. Let it be known, nature is not useless.

That self-care job has been taken care of for you. It’s quite difficult to unlearn habits like smoking, alcoholism, overeating and of course, douching, but you have to (must).

How to take a do**he?

You might not know what the practice entails or not know it by the name. You may have seen people around you try it but not know what it is.

The do**he which "is a round inflatable device is used to introduce a stream of water into the body for medical or hygienic reasons, or the stream of water itself".

The torrent of water is squirted into the va**nal canal using a nozzle. Gently, the nozzle is inserted into the va**na, not more than 3 inches, such that it doesn’t close the va**nal opening completely allowing the solution to flow freely out of the va**na.

It is done with the belief that it washes out va**nal impurities or s***m to prevent pregnancy after unprotected s*x.

Some do**hes are inserted using the fingers and a scoop. These fingers are also, thereafter, used as an improvised sponge to wash the va**na.

Is douching necessary?

From a medical standpoint, va**nal douching is discouraged. It exposes women to the problems they’re trying to prevent. Most women practice douching with their main aim being, to prevent infections.

Ironically, the introduction of disease-causing microbes is facilitated through douching.

Also, given that the va**na's pH is acidic, the introduction of foreign substances into it can upset its pH balance.

Upsetting the pH balance of the va**na leaves women vulnerable to opportunistic pathogens.

The va**na is colonized by the lactobacillus acidophilus bacteria, which aids lactic acid production, bringing the va**na’s pH to about 4.5 (acidic).

The va**na’s acidity helps to keep pathogenic bacteria and other unwanted elements, at bay. The acidity of the va**na gives it its normal sour smell, which isn’t unpleasant.

This is not to say that all va**nal smells are acceptable.

A foul-smelling or fishy-smelling va**na is a sure sign of an infection of the reproductive tract.

Vaginal acids do not always protect from infections, but this doesn’t make douching safe.

Health experts have warned against the use of do**hes in the va**na, as they may tend to worsen the situation of things in that environment.

Clearly, douching is a bad way of irrigating your va**na.

Can douching be used by medical professionals?

Yes!

When there are indications for its use, a Gynaecologist might use a do**he to:

✌🏾Cleanse and irrigate your cervix after cauterization.

✌🏾Reduce the swelling and promote healing after cauterization.

✌🏾Help get rid of foul odours
Mechanically cleanse your va**nal tract and the cervix as in leukorrhea.

✌🏾Wash the va**na as a pre-operative gynaecological procedure.

Can va**nal douching prevent pregnancy and STIs?

The speed of s***m entering the uterus from the va**na takes less than a millisecond. In other words, they are very fast.

So for someone bent on douching to prevent pregnancy, well, you’d have to be faster than light to be able to wash s***m out of yourself.

In actuality, douching aids pregnancy. Check this out: s***m has been released into a woman and she decides to do a washout; the washout becomes a wash in because while introducing do**he solutions into herself, she’s unbalancing va**nal pH (making the acidic environment alkaline and favorable for s***m movement); and also pushing the s***m further into herself.

There’s no guaranty that the entirety of swimming s***m cells will be washed out.

Also, douching has in no time helped prevent s*xually transmitted infections.

Why do do**hes burn?

One of the classic signs of a reproductive tract infection is the burning sensation in the va**na. These burns can result from continuous douching which triggers a gross imbalance in the va**nal environment.

Some solutions used in douching have eroding effects on the va**nal walls, leading to va**nal ulcers.

This further facilitates the spread of infections as the protective va**nal lining is compromised.

Does it matter what we do**he with?

Douching is douching whether with hydrochloric acid (which is greatly advised AGAINST) or with vinegar.

But let’s face facts: some women cannot do without douching. It has been ingrained in them and it makes them feel better.

If you’re going to do**he against medical advice, you might as well do it in a seemingly less risky way.

Some schools of thought believe that it is ideal to rinse the v***a with a solution of apple cider vinegar and water.

Vinegar is added to water and used as a washout fluid for the va**na.

It is acidic and has antimicrobial effects and MAY help keep the va**na pH balance.

If abused however, it may increase the va**na's pH level, making it more acidic than normal.

Either way, more acidic or less acidic, can be detrimental to health.

There are pre-prepared packages containing vinegar that can be bought from stores but if you’re taking the risk to do**he, do it with a solution that is self-prepared, hence, trusted.

The runner up to the ”what is douching?" question is, "how often should I do**he?".

Well, maybe never. Again, without a doubt, it is important to know that the va**na is self-cleansing.

This means it does not require its owner to insert substances into it in the name of cleaning it or washing it out.

To ensure maximum care of the va**na, the following can be more helpful than trying to wash out the va**na:

Good hygiene – keeping yourself clean decreases your chances of coming in contact with disease-causing organisms. Clean the v***a (outside of your va**na) with warm water and a block of mild soap (optional).

Mild soap can cause dryness or irritation for some women.
Always wash after using the loo.

Wipe from front to back
Change sanitary napkins every 4-6 hours
Scented products, washes etc., should not be introduced into the va**na.

Change underwear regularly. Use clean, sun dried, cotton/breathable underwear.

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health and fitness

11/10/2020

Forbidden romance - *why some fathers are s*xually attracted to their daughters* 🙄

An in**st taboo is any traditional or cultural tenet that forbids s*xual relations between closely related individuals. Universally, human cultures have norms that forbid erotic or conjugal affairs between blood relations. According to Wikipedia, ‘’the in**st taboo is one of the most widespread of all cultural taboos, both in present and in past societies.’’ Some of these s*xual affairs are consensual and others aren’t.

In**st taboo persists in spite of it being widely condemned; headlines always resurface. ‘’Schoolgirl, 13, dies giving birth ‘to her dad’s baby’ after years of s*xual abuse’’. This happened in Brazil and was reported by mirror.com on 30th December 2019. After the delivery, complications were detected. The teenage girl died en route an airlift to a specialist hospital in Manaus 225 miles away (363km).

On Aug 5, 2018, a disturbing story was published on nairaland.com about a man who allegedly had carnal knowledge of his 16-year-old daughter at Yimi village in Zuba, Gwagwalada Area Council in the FCT, Nigeria.

A similar story published on the 8th of July, 2019 by allafrica.com, of a father who impregnated his daughter and forced her into having an abortion. According to Premium Times, he had drugged her food when she was just 10 years old and subsequently r***d her. Afterward, he r***d her habitually and eventually turned her into his s*x slave.

These, amongst others, are just the few that make it to the news including unpopular, isolated cases of mother-child in**st. There are numerous undiscovered incidents and cover-ups by spouses, families, and households. Now, one wonders why fathers, who are supposed to symbolize stability, protection, provision, and guidance would be the ones involved in such acts.

That brings us to this.

Check this link for more...

https://smaartcollections.com/in**st-taboo-why-fathers-are-s*xually-attracted-to-their-daughters/

The Nearly Invisible Interactive Home Gym

28/09/2020

*How to soothe a baby*

Do you know what the sounds your baby make means? Or maybe you're more concerned about how to stop the wailing .

Sometimes a fussy baby can drive you to tears.

A baby's cry is a universal language understood by all. It signifies many things, such as hunger, discomfort, boredom or illnesses

Here's a complete guide on how to go about nurturing your bundle of joy! Enjoy!

Babies are adorable, handy, cute, delicate and more but these little beings get fussy, and they seem inconsolable.

A study performed on infant crying suggested that the frequency and the decibels of the cries of a baby can help determine neurological problems.

Babies naturally are like an alarm system that go off when they’re ill, distressed, hungry or bored. Whatever the reason might be, sometimes, a burb, rocking, feeding, a lullaby, a gentle touch, coarse voice or making funny faces may do the trick. Other times, you’ll have to dig a little deeper.

Firstly, check the obvious culprits

Check out the Link below for more ..... 👇🏽

Smaartcollections.com

20/09/2020

*Anger Management Tips and How To Be Emotionally Detached!*

By: Nr. Ukeme umoh

September 20, 2020

It’s perfectly normal and human to feel angry when you’ve been mistreated or wronged; anger becomes a problem when you express it in a way that harms yourself or others.

You might think that expressing rage is necessary to earn respect but in actuality, anger is much more likely to impair your judgment, influence how you are perceived and even get in the way of your success.

Internalizing a few anger management tips would keep you from lashing out, resentment and speaking off the cuff when you’re offended.

Today’s edition promises anger management tips to help express your emotions without hurting others and keep your temper from stealing your life.

Check out the link for more👇🏽

Internalizing a few anger management tips would keep you from lashing out, resentment and speaking off the cuff when you’re offended. Here a.

14/09/2020

Can you share a reuse able fabric mask?

No! Not even with a trusted person. In Nigeria, the government made it compulsory to put on a face mask in public places or risk a sanction. Shockingly, despite over 50,000 cases of COVID-19 in Nigeria, a lot of Nigerians still doubt its existence. Some even use it to mock political office holders who are regular health tourists.

I encountered a pathetic situation recently. I boarded an autorickshaw (tricycle) to the market. To my surprise, I saw a tricycle driver, two lanes away, hand over a used cloth face mask to a passenger who had none to avoid being harassed by police officers who were just a few yards away conducting a road check.



Before I could say Jack Robinson, the lady already had the mask on. It was the dumbest and most disgusting thing I saw that week. I decided to take advantage of the traffic to reach out and admonish her.

She dismissed me with a wave of her hand and mumbled something in Hausa which is interpreted as, ‘don�t lecture me about the disease of the rich.

I still tried to get to talk to her before the traffic eased up. The experience was revealing to me. It exposed the information gap and the fact that people are oblivious to their vulnerabilities.

A contaminated mask is a potential risk for disease spread. Therefore, your cloth face masks should never be shared. Most importantly, be sure to discard a mask that has become less protective.

How to care for your cloth facemask?

Viruses and other pathogens can be suspended as aerosols. Droplets are the medium through which the virus is spread from person to person.

Dr. Steve Pergam, MPH, medical director of infection prevention at Seattle Cancer Care Alliance affirms this to be true.

More so, if a nearby person inhales these dews or they get in contact with their mouth or nose, the chances of contracting a pathogen is fairly high.

If a person touches a contaminated mask then proceeds to touch their mouth or nose, they might also potentially contract an infection. Therefore, your mask(s) should be cleaned and sanitized regularly.

Here are a few tips to safely disinfect common types of masks for reuse during the pandemic. It also includes ways you can handle medical-grade masks that can�t easily be cleaned as it should be outside of a medical setting.

Washing your cloth face mask with a washing machine



always wash your hands before touching household items such as the washing machine
Carefully remove your cloth face mask, ensure you don�t touch your eyes, nose, or mouth afterwards especially after touching the filter surface.
Add your regular laundry detergent along with bleach as applicable.

Use warm water when possible or as recommended for the fabric type.
Throw the mask straight into the washing machine.

Once you�re done and the mask is laundered, dry on high heat until it�s completely dry.
Hand washing your cloth face mask



Follow the same procedure as earlier explained with donning your cloth face mask.

Getting rid of the pathogens is just as simple, simply

Soak your cloth face mask in a 1:6 bleach solution (1 portion of household bleach to 6 portions of water ) for at-least 10 minutes.
Subsequently, rinse thoroughly with clean water.
Expose your washed cloth mask to sunlight and allow the mask to air-dry.
Bonus tip: How to handle medical-grade masks
You probably know that surgical grade masks are disposable. In other words, should be discarded after every use.

However, only if properly disinfected and with the right tool, the masks can be reused in specialized settings. For instance, FFP2, N95, and KN95 masks can all be disinfected by UVC germicidal irradiation or v***r phase hydrogen peroxide. However, it�s important to note that, no tests have been performed on surgical mask disinfection or reuse, as the demand for such is pretty low.

Other things to note while using a cloth face mask

Its now common practice to use masks for longer than normal. In such cases, especially when you can�t replace your mask between tasks, taking breaks to inspect your mask is essential.

More importantly, the inspection should be sustained when you take it off.
If you wear a lot of makeup, using a facemask would increase the amount of moisture on your face. This will make the mask dirty, torn, or saturated with moisture.

When this happens, it�s advisable to dispose the mask.
If your masks appear clean and intact, then, you can store it in a clean paper bag or other breathable container between use.
Note: ensure not to let the two surfaces come in contact. Normally, disposable face masks should NOT be reused.

Bonus 2: How to handle your face shield

In June 2020, the Nigerian Centre for Disease control (NCDC) in one of its Press releases, briefed Nigerians on the safety measures to adopt. NCDC confirmed that more and more people in the country now resort to using face shields, in place of face masks, as they become more widely available.

Face shields, like the facemask, provide some protection against droplets but are not totally dependable. You must always use your facemask alongside your face shield. By design, it is open on the sides, so you still risk getting infected as it doesn�t provide protection from sneezes or coughs behind you.

However, you must always clean your face shield. To that, here are a few tips to be mindful of:

Wash your hands for at least 20seconds or use alcohol hand rubs.
Using a clean cloth or handkerchief soaked with your regular detergent or soap, wipe down the inside first.

Do the same on the reverse side.
Wipe down the outside using a disinfectant wipe or clean wet cloth soaked with a disinfectant solution.
Sun dry or allow the face shield to air-dry.
Lastly, wash your hands when you�re done.

The bottom line

Face masks when used properly and in combination with a face shield are an important way to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and other pathogens. Surgical face masks provide protection in a single use, though it can be cleaned or discarded after use.

Cloth face masks might not be 100% effective, nonetheless, when used properly, can reduce your chances of contracting germs. The filtering surface should be made of at least 3 layers of filters. Since it�s reusable, it should be sanitized by laundering it.

Health experts maintain that cloth face masks, bandanas, scarves, and neck gaiters are all types of face masks can be cleaned and reused.

Check out the link for other segment!

Cloth face masks are sold everywhere and tutorials for homemade face masks have flooded the internet. For this reason, there’s a dire need...

06/09/2020

*Open relationships - tips and rules* 😎

At a glance, monogamy is dominant in the human mating system.

However, there exists an open relationship and many partake in it without even knowing. Also, it is even more commonly practiced than people expect.

The term “open relationship” is sometimes used as an alternative expression for “polyamory” or “polyamorous relationship”.

Open relationship or non-exclusive relationship refers to non-monogamous relationships where s*xual commitment is not made to just one, primary partner.

Another school of thought defines it to be ONE OF the forms of non-monogamous relationships.

Under this description, polyamory and open relationships are different and not one under the other.

The terms primary and secondary are used to compare or prioritize relationships.

They’re also used on a personal basis to describe the level of entanglement of a given relationship irrespective of what other relationships any given person has going on.

One person’s primary partner might be another’s, secondary partner.

Open relationship or non-exclusive relationship refers to non-monogamous relationships where s*xual commitment is not made to just one. Here ..

12/07/2020

By: Ukeme umoh, July 12,

🤷🏿‍♂️
Obesity and overweight are silent killers and have been identified as the fifth leading risk for deaths, globally. According to the European Association for the Study of Obesity, 2.8 million adults die each year as a result of being overweight or obese. It has proven to be one of the greatest health challenges of millennials.

Intermittent fasting, also known as intermittent energy restriction, is simply an umbrella term that refers to various meal timing schedules. The concept denotes a popular way to lose weight which usually revolves around voluntarily staying away from food over a given period. Yet, there are people who seem to gain weight no matter how hard they work out or how little their calorie intake.

The puzzling question is – does fasting to lose weight really work? If yes, how? Or are some persons fated to be overweight or obese?

Check the link for more👇🏿
https://smaartcollections.com/intermittent-fasting-and-obesity/

21/06/2020

*wondering how to treat a coronavirus patient?*

*here's a clue*👨🏻‍⚕️

Admin please approve!

There is an approved treatment protocol for established disease conditions. This protocol is evidence-based and carefully worked out to guide physicians and caregivers on decision-making about care in specific health systems and resource settings. The same goes for the coronavirus pandemic caused by the newly discovered SARS-CoV-2.

It has cost more than 431,000 lives globally. At this time, a lot is yet to be known about the disease; consequently, physicians and caregivers are still grappling with a formidable COVID-19 treatment protocol, drug, or vaccine.

On June 16, 2020, researchers at the University of Oxford announced that the first drug proven to reduce COVID-19 mortality had been identified. Dexamethasone, an inexpensive steroid is said to decrease the chances of patients with severe SARS-CoV-2 infection from dying by a third.

Dexamethasone is a widely available and efficacious addition to the constantly evolving COVID-19 treatment protocol.

According to the report, this drug is set to become the standard of care for the National Health Service (NHS) across Britain. The breakthrough with dexamethasone is remarkable as its trial produced striking results and can be used immediately to save lives worldwide, said Father Horby of Oxford University, a study leader.

Dexamethasone, a steroid, is an anti-inflammatory drug that helps dampen the excessive and potentially fatal immune response. Sadly, however, dexamethasone doesn’t help in mild cases (those without respiratory distress and who do not require mechanical ventilation) because suppressing their immune system will be counterproductive.

A few unproven regimens initially thought to be beneficial were dropped during randomized control trials. One of such is Chloroquine phosphate and Hydroxychloroquine sulfate as they showed no efficacy but had grave consequences.

Visit the link for more👇🏿

In the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, physicians and caregivers are grappling with a formidable COVID-19 treatment protocol, drug, or vaccine. Here is a

07/06/2020

*How to inactivate viruses at home*

Admin please approve.

🏨
During a pandemic like this, one may be worried about the cheapest method of virus inactivation at home. Well, Viruses are the most abundant and tiniest of creatures.

🕷️
For instance, the rhinoviruses that cause the common cold can be so small that 500 million of it would barely fit into a pinhead. Technically, viruses are barely considered living things, but, a sandwich of proteins and genetic materials capable of survival and replication.
🐒
They can practically infect all life forms including bacteria!!! So, its size isn’t the only striking feature.

On its own, a virus is functionally inactive until it enters a living cell referred to as a host. The virus outside a host is vulnerable, so much so that a solvent/detergent treatment is the method of choice to inactivate lipid-coat enveloped viruses such as the novel coronavirus.

Regardless of this extracellular vulnerability, viruses are favored by dynamic environmental conditions. In other words, a virus becomes deathly in a favorable environment. Thankfully, there are actions to inactivate a multitude of known and unknown viruses while in their extracellular environment. A few of these will be highlighted.

24/05/2020

*what's the second wave of coronavirus going be look like?*
🤷🏿‍♂️

In spite of the scare of a second wave of coronavirus infections, we have seen an ease of lockdown across different countries.

💃🏾🕺🏿
This, as expected, has been cheered by citizens. Schools are open in Serbia and Germany; restaurants and bars are open for business in Italy; Spanish football clubs began training in groups of 10 players; leagues are soon to resume.

👩🏼‍⚕️
We may enjoy this development but health officials are quick to warn of a second, likely more devastating wave of the outbreak.

At a media briefing, Dr. Mike Ryan, executive director of the World Health Organisation's Health Emergencies Program, warned that the virus might remain a constant presence. In his words, "This virus just may become another endemic virus in our communities and this virus may never go away. HIV hasn't gone away".

According to reports, about 5.1 million of the estimated 7.8 [1] million people in the universe have been infected. This means herd immunity is far from realisation. For COVID-19, herd immunity would mean over 80% of the population must have antibodies in order to provide any sort of protection for the remaining 20%.
🤔

What's a Coronavirus second wave all about?

Get juicier info here ...

https://smaartcollections.com/coronavirus-second-wave/

12/04/2020

*CORONA VS 5G CONSPIRACY*

GET THE FACTS 🤓

*ask SmartNurse 👩🏼‍⚕️*
Use the link

👇🏿

https://smaartcollections.com/5g-network-corona-virus/

*happy Easter*

The introduction of the 5G network which is the fifth generation of wireless networks has spawned a lot of online fables including an unverified myth and inexplicable conspiracy theory which opines that the

‘Rollout of faster 5G internet is either causing or accelerating the spread of the coronavirus’.

Even celebrities and clerics are not left out, some amplified the fast-spreading legend propagated by some anti-5G groups. This, in turn, has further dampened mitigating efforts set in place by governments, philanthropists and corporate organizations to curb the spread of the COVID-19.

In March, actor Woody Harrelson shared a post on Instagram implying the new 5G network might be exacerbating the pandemic. This bizarre corona conspiracy theory has instigated confusion and even led to an arsonist attack on a 5G mast in the UK.

If you have any doubt about chunks of halfwit information spread around on social media by rumor mongers, today’s post throws more light on the coincidental occurrence of the novel coronavirus pandemic alongside the emerging 5G communications technology.

the introduction of a 5G network has spawned a lot of online fables intertwined with a COVID-19 conspiracy amidst a pandemic. Here are..