Four things to consider when choosing a maternity hospital

So many hospitals to choose from...........................................

One of the biggest decisions one is required to make whilst expecting a child is where they plan on delivering their child or children(incase one is expecting multiples). I thought it would be a no brainer for me and that I would obviously go to Aga Khan because we only want the best right?. This is until I got pregnant and had to restart my pre-natal clinics three times over.Each time I found fault with the health facility I was visiting at the time.I started off at the Woman`s clinic in the CBD,then the Aga Khan at Capital centre and finally settled on Mater hospital.Mater chose me really because by the time my babies came at 32 weeks 2 days I was seriously considering a move.

I am grateful that I got the babies at Mater; it`s very near my home,their services although slow are excellent,compared to the big hospitals in Nairobi it is a bit cheaper and their newborn unit is A1.The only issue with the hospital is that during pre-natal clinics one sees the doctor first before going for the required tests and ultra sound.Then during your next visit you discuss the results from your previous visit(weirdest thing ever). This just didn`t work for me as always we were discussing old news with the doctor.The way to navigate this I found is to ask the doctor to prescribe the required tests, then I would you take them just before my next visit.

If you are pregnant and are undecided on where to go for pre-natal clinics and where to usher in your precious gift/gifts below are things you should consider when making this important decision.

Cost

 `Do you know how expensive it is to give birth in a private hospital`-Plan B


Giving birth isn`t exactly cheap.The good thing though is that there are so many hospitals to choose from.The really expensive,the affordable and even facilities that allow women to deliver for free.

When deciding on a facility ensure you are aware of all the costs involved.Costs would normally include; cost per night,drugs,doctor fees and theater charges incase one has a ceaseran section.

Different hospitals have maternity packages, when making the decision ask the hospitals you are considering for their packages.My suggestion is by the time you are twenty five weeks pregnant start looking at maternity packages and settle on one that is well within your budget.Sometimes you will need to spend more so its wise to choose a facility that is below your budget this way you are less likely to spend more than you had anticipated.Cut your coat according to your cloth.

Gynaecologist

There are so many gynaecologists in the market currently that trying to choose a good one is like trying to find a needle in a hay-stack.The main reason I kept on changing hospitals for pre-natal clinic is that each of the gynas I met seemed so disinterested.One I actually had to ask to review my urine tests because he didn`t look at the results.They all seem to be in a rush.

Choosing a good doctor is really important as they make a lot of the medical decisions for you.They prescribe supplements for you,treat you in the event of pregnancy related issues and have your medical history.Ask your friends, family,colleagues or anyone whose judgement you trust to suggest good gynas they have worked with and trust.I unfortunately didn`t find a gem of a gyna but had so many suggestions from friends.

Most of the gynas have specific hospitals where they have rights to deliver babies.When choosing one make sure you know which hospitals they work in and if these facilities are within your budget.

Newborn Unit/NICU

Tiny feet 💗💗

With pregnancy plan for the unexpected and pray for the best.A lot of babies spend sometime in the newborn unit.When deciding on a facility visit their new-born unit,ask questions and familiarize yourself with this part of the hospital.

If you are carrying a high risk pregnancy then this will be one of the main things to consider.Important things to consider are; quality of care given in this unit,reviews from people you know, the cost and the arrangements around how often you can see your little one(s) when they are there.

Access to the health facility

This is pretty obvious but proximity of the hospital to your home should be considered.With child-birth and pregnancy you can plan all you want but truth be told nothing is in your hands.It is wise to choose a hospital you can reach in the shortest time possible if an emergency happens.

I hope this is helpful and will assist you when deciding on maternity hospital.What other things should one look at? Let me know 😊😊.

Five Foods you must try when you visit Sri Lanka.

If there is one thing I did in 2018,it's that I ate to my heart's content.As with all things this has it's benefits and disadvantages.The good however outweighs the bad. For one I have no regrets or thoughts like 'maybe ningekula ile cake last week'. Sometimes I think maybe I should have gone easy on the rice last year because even if it's shrimp fried rice or vegetable biriyani at the end of the day it is still rice.FYI,vegetable biriyani I am so glad I tried you,because you are my answer to a delicious dish that doesn't have meat.The negative though is as expected I am basically a huge drum now,a friend that hadn't seen me since mid 2017, exclaimed 'UMENENEPA wala nini siku hizi?' 😭😭😭.

People travel for many reasons; to explore parts unknown,to rest,to learn new things and to experience a different culture .One thing is for sure,whatever your reason for travelling is you must eat every where you go.

My philosophy as regards eating while travelling is 'DO NOT EAT WHAT YOU CAN EASILY PREPARE AND EAT AT HOME'.I kept this in mind while visiting Sri Lanka.It's an Island country in Asia nicknamed 'The Pearl of India Ocean'.If you are ever in this beautiful tropical paradise be sure to try these foods.

Red Rice

Yum!!

It's very obvious that eating is one of those things that gives me joy.I am no glutton though so most times before a buffet confuses me,I try and make healthy choices.Red rice is whole grain,it has antioxidants and can aid in weight loss.On top of all this it so very delicious.Rice is a staple here.It's eaten at all meals including breakfast! My advise choose red rice for all it's health benefits.Also chances are like me this will be your first time eating it.

Buffalo Milk Curd

Buffalo Curd

Of all the foods I tried,Buffalo curd was what stood out the most for me.It tastes a lot like plain yoghurt and is eaten with a syrup made out of  jaggery.It's eaten as a dessert and felt like my redemption at the end of every large meal.This might be why I loved it so much.Guilt free dessert 😊.

Egg Hoppers

The deliciousness that is a egg hopper.

These are a breakfast meal that mimick the Somali anjera only difference is that they are bowl-shaped.They are made from fermented rice flour and coconut milk.One can have them plain or with an egg.They are the perfect breakfast as they are very filling.

Sea Food

Spot the shrimps on this plate 😋😋

Sri Lanka is sea food heaven as is expected for any place that is along a water body.There is such a wide variety ranging from; different fish species,prawns,shrimps,crabs..................the list goes on and on and on.It will be a shame if one visited the country and didn't eat any sea food.Eat what you love and then try something from the sea that you have never eaten before.

Coconut Sambol

Spicy coconut sambol,if you love hot food this will make you very happy.

Coconut sambol is some sort of  'kachumbari' that one eats with their meals.There are two types; plain and spicy.It's made out of grated coconut and if spicy loads of chilli is added to it.Sri Lankan's love their chilly therefore the spicy sambol isn't for the weak.The plain sambol however is so so good as it's just grated coconut 💖💖.

Spicy Beet Root Curry

Who knew beets could be used for more than smoothies and salads.Honestly it had never even crossed my mind until the day I ate some spicy beet root curry.I didn't particularly love this because of how HOT it was.If you love hot and spicy food,then this should be in your must try list. Also after eating this I did some research and found a beet-root and sweet potato soup recipe that is everything.Easy to make,nutritious and so delicious.

Sri Lanka is one of the most beautiful places I have ever been to.It's affordable,the people are very friendly,it's so very scenic and the food is out of this world.If you are looking for locations to travel to this year or to add to your travel bucket list.Sri Lanka should top it.

Hair Growth Secrets-Five tips for length retention.

The secret is out!

Hair breakage that came as a result of damage from years of chemically relaxing my hair is what motivated me to go natural.At the time all I wanted was long natural hair.I thought this would come easy and fast however if there is anything being natural has taught me is that patience pays.This patience though has to be accompanied by a good hair regimen and care practices for one to see results.

My goal is to have bra strap length by end of this year.So far so good, I am at armpit length 😄😄 something that has never happened before even with straight relaxed hair. If like me you want long hair whilst being a lazy natural below are five easy to do and affordable tips that have worked for me.

Jamaican Black Castor Oil

This oil is the real deal! at first I was very skeptical of what a single oil is capable of doing to aid in length retention and hair growth.This oil has worked magic for me and loads of other naturals if product reviews are anything to go with.I use it as a scalp oil.It's also my scalp massage oil and edges oil.My edges are thriving and my scalp is the most moisturised it has ever been.I use it twice a week.

Fermented rice water

Rice water 😄😄

If there is only one thing you try after reading this post please let it be the use of rice water.It's basically free and has such huge impact.Rice water can be used as a final rinse,pre-poo and mid-week/daily hair spritz.What works for me is to use it as a pre-poo and as the liquid when I moisturize my hair mid-week.Using it as a pre-poo has reduced hair breakage during my wash days' to zero.Which is so very impressive considering how much hair I used to shed.

To prepare fermented rice water you only need water and rice.First rinse your rice,then using one cup of rice with two cups of water wash you rice until the water is milky/white,leave this for atleast 24 hours and the rice water is ready for use.

Protective styles

If you really want long hair then you must embrace protective styles.They ensure your ends which are the most fragile part of your hair remain intact hence length retention. Good thing is that there are so many beautiful protective styles to choose from.YouTube will teach you all you need to know about any protective hair style.All you need is a lot of interest,an internet connection and  a bit of time to practise the hair styles.With time you will become an expert and wonder why you ever left you hair open for extended periods of time.I particularly love cornrows and flat twist.

Moisturizing your hair

Natural hair needs a lot of love,this is why you can't get away with moisturizing it once a week.This I learnt the hard way when I used to wash my hair every two weeks.My hair was always dry and brittle.I switched up my hair regimen to washing it weekly and moisturizing every Wednesday evening.It's like I got new hair.It's now softer,curlier and easier to manage.What this means in the long run is less breakage,more length retention and therefore long healthy hair.I still use the LCO method but now I used fermented rice water as my liquid 😉.

Detangling your hair using a comb.

Combing/detangling your hair is a good thing despite all that has been said about why naturals should be enemies with their hair combs.You just need to find what works best for your hair.I detangle my hair wet after deep conditioning before rinsing the deep conditioner out,I do this in small sections and I use a wide tooth comb.

It's best to detangle your hair when it's wet,using products that have good slip and to do this in sections.Also a pro tip is to have your hair trimmed if it needs a trim, this way you will have no hair knots and detangling will always be a breeze.

It's 2019 already! can you believe it.Insha aa Allah this will be the year we achieve all our goals and heart's desires.Have you set any hair goals,do you have tips for hair growth? please share I would love to know and maybe even practise some of the easier ones 😊😊.