Fussy Eater's - Don't Forget: "Rishtey mei hum tumhari 'Maa' lagte hai......

Recently I got a request from a fellow mom whose son is a day younger to Nevan to write something on fussy eater’s. I don’t know what are fussy eaters but I know what are MOODY EATER’s as my son shows me his mood swings all day long. Hence before every meal/snack I pray to God that Nevan should be in good mood else all the effort, cooking, thoughts behind his day's meal, etc etc will go down the drain.

Well what I try to do for Nevan is give him Variety. Personally, it’s my preference trait wherein I want variety in my food everyday for every meal else I don’t eat so I feel the same for Nevan and give him choices in his food schedule. I shall soon be listing down what could be served to an year old baby for their different meals.

Secondly, to brighten up his mood during his meals I give him his Favorite Toys & Books to explore or else play the audio or video of his Nursery Rhyme’s (which I have made him hear since he was a week old & now are his favorite) on the phone or tablet.

Another trick which I attempt to do is attract him by giving him Colorful Utensils; you will find the weirdest possible shaped/colored/designed cutlery sets at my house as he gets drawn towards them. Plus it promotes him to eat food by himself as he just wants those fork or spoons in his hand. Also to make him begin drinking from a glass I got all possible shapes and colors of glasses, with big eyes, nose, sponge bob, etc figures placed on it to make him hold it and sip from it. I also found a regular steel baby glass with an in-built sound making ball in it. It was cheap and he loves the sound it makes.

Nevan has been trained to get fed on a High Chair; well sometimes when we are travelling it becomes difficult for us to hold him & feed him without a high chair but at home he has to be on it. So what I do is keep on changing the Placement of his chair from time to time or meal to meal. Sometimes its in the balcony or in front of the window, or out in the courtyard for him to get a view of birds and tress & flowers. At times it’s near the bed where someone else is making him entertain as he is fed or at times it’s placed on the dining table coz I have noticed over sometime that co-eating also helps kids to eat. (As they are imitating us always)

Timing is another essential factor; your child has to neither be too hungry or too full before his meal. By the way also not too sleepy else he would like to rest/sleep with a little bit of food and then wont be able to sleep for long as his hunger prangs will spruce up within sometime. So time your baby’s meal and try to stick to his schedule everyday. 

For the ready reference here is an approximate of  1yr+ baby's Feeding Schedule:

7:00am: Milk (I give Nevan toned Mother Diary) 

9:00am: Breakfast

12 noon: Mid-meal Snack

2:30pm: Lunch

6:00pm: Milk or Mid-meal Snack

8:30pm: Dinner

No night milk as it does more harm than benefit to kid’s Dental Care. 

Personally, Nevan is given milk at night only when he rejects his dinner completely or if we are out and his dinner has been more of distraction than a meal.

Make Feeding time Fun Time; So allow your kid to play with Food. With Nevan there are always two servings of his food – one for him to play with and another one which we feed him while he is introducing the food to himself. It also helps them understand the textures, color, temperature and to an extent flavors of food in his meal; it not only keeps the kid occupied while getting fed but he enjoys it too. I remember the Surf Excel ad campaign on this: "Daag Acche Hai!!!"

Another significant thing which a few toddler mom's can do is Dress Up the Food!!! Making the food look fun, attractive & colorful is also quite critical. You can relate it with how the kid's stuff is marketed with all the shapes & colors...and make it with some fun salads, parantha's, fruits, etc.

 

I have for my part never been a believer of no Sugar-no Salt to a baby; so he was introduced to Flavors of Food after his 8^th month birthday. And it helps.....there was a time when he had just stopped eating any bland food and also helped in easy adoption to our regular everyday food. We should try and not serve/cook separate Baby's Food after the first birthday. 

Caution: This does not imply that the toddler should be served with red chilli/garam masala, etc but a combo of less oily, less spicy food just to tinkle his taste buds.

Baby Feeding time = Testing your Patience time; so chill and do not stress over making your baby gulp down food. I agree and relate to the fact that Meal time of kids can be very frustrating if in the end the baby doesnot have his food but I have been through a situation when I used to force feed Nevan & just at his last or second last bite he used to vomit it all out....So take every step at a passing & a growing phase and Never Force Feed your Child.

More suggestions are welcome.....please keep it rolling!!!

Image Cortesy: Google Images

Things to do when you are PREGNANT

A few of my friends have recently started falling into the league (Read: 'They are Pregnant') so they made me feel that my blog was more on Parenting and did not have anything much for the first stage of having a child i.e. Pregnancy!!!

A colleague of mine having two kids gave me an advise (Advises during Pregnancy) "Enjoy your first Pregnancy to utmost as this is your time; get pampered with all the attention coz even if you plan for a second one you will have a child to take care of"

So here it is for you girls......Have Fun!!!


1.  Shhhhhhhh......................: Do not tell the world about the good news till you pass your first trimester: This belief is followed since age's and I tagged along for this one too.

2. Find a Gynecologist & Maternity Hospital for yourself: The most important thing is to be in secure hands, whom you are confident upon and to have a nice trust-worthy hospital with all latest amenities & back up to handle any kind of complications.

3. Baby Announcement for Friends and Family: Nevan was born in beginning of winters, so I made this e-card to send to my friends and family to pass the news of baby's arrival.

4. Start Reading: Reading helps me a lot and all throughout my pregnancy I had answers to the queries before I could get hassled. I used to laugh when my Gynae or others used to call me " Ms. Googlu" but if you know what you are reading and the right source, its all worth it.

5. Make an account on the Baby Centre Website: I haven't got any royalty from Baby Centre to say so, but it was my Bible all throughout my pregnancy & even now for that matter. It is a one stop solution for all the possible queries you may have regarding pregancy, birth, festivals, illness, medication, etc etc etc. Refer www.babycentre.co.uk as the first thing...

6. Download Mobile Phone Applications - Baby Centre & What to Expect: Whether you are using an Android phone or a Iphone these applications will help you on a day to day basis. Personally everytime I used to go through my BabyCentre App to resolve a query, I had answers before I could figure out what my exact question is.

                                      

7. Start taking Pictures: I will have a lifetime regret that I did not take a lot of pictures during my pregnancy. But I would suggest just log on to Pinterest and you will get some awesome Pregnancy pics ideas and there you go.....it will make your Pregnancy Fun & Memorable.You can also invest into Professional Photo Shoots which are very common & widely available these days.

8. Start recording/penning down your thoughts 'Pregnancy Journal' It is the cutest memory book you will cherish all throughout your life. Right from noting down your daily feelings, to the ultrasound visits, baby kicks, bump, etc all would be captured lifelong in your journal.

9. Enjoy the Special Attention: I was a lil conscious about the bump initially but when I started observing it's benefits I loved to flaunt it!!! From mall parking preference, to people giving you place to sit at parties, office meetings & conferences, friends & colleagues offering to carry your laptop, shopping bags, etc, everyone asking about how you are feeling, making you eat like a queen, all your cravings are fulfilled in a giffy, friends changing catch up points to non smokey, fine dine restaurants for your comfort......sometimes I wish I always stayed Preggy coz as soon as Nevan was born within a day he took it all from me.

10. Go Shopping for Maternity Wear: The Baby Bump message tee-shirts were my favorite apart from all the flowy-maxi dresses being the most comfortable ones. I also did beg & borrow a few clothes from my bigger sized friends & family which came in very handy, as your size keeps on increasing all throughout so you need different sizes to wear. But I would definitely agree to the fact that the Maternity Wear market is under grown in our country.

11. Take your Pre-natal Vitamins: The Folics, Calciums, Iron, Multi-vitamins.....well not the best things to have due to their taste & hormonal changes within us during our preggy days make it worse but do remember to have them regularly as they are important for the child's development along with your wellness.

12. Keep yourself Moisturized to try & avoid Stretch Marks: The basic concept to keep your stomach/hips/thighs, etc moisturized.......So usually around the time you enter your second trimester you should start applying whatever your gynae suggests to avoid stretch marks. Cocoa Butter Cremes, pre natal Streth marks cremes, etc are said to be the best. But also a word of caution - there are millions of cases when you do anything and everything on this earth to avoid stretch marks but they still come & give you the pride of being a mother life long. :)
(P.S: The stretch marks occurrence differs from skin type or genes too along with other factors)

13.  Play the Guess Games on determining the Sex of the Baby: These were really fun games, again being Ms. Googlu helped me look for such fun games; so explore the internet and you will have loads of these superstition based games for you.
(Value whatever God gives you and remember there are many who are not as fortunate as you are!!!)

14.  Baby Nursery: We copied the west so well in these things that you will find the cutest things possible to explore your Baby Nursery decor....I am still drooling over the options available right from theme based nursery's to wall decor to special lights for baby's room to even basins & shower areas with animal or disney themes.....you can easily find vendors to help you assist with doing it up.

15. Go Shopping for Baby Products: I have heard some families having the superstitions of not purchasing anything for the child during pregnancy. To be frank I was also given one such piece but I couldn't stop myself beyond the first trimester plus I did not want to loose the chance to shop for the most cuddly-puddly things.....awwwww I went crazy looking at the size of baby vest, caps, mittens, body suits; the size itself was so adorable, it's like buying for a big sized doll....So shop your heart out!!!!

16. Baby Shower: This is the best thing that happened to me during my pregnancy. I had mine towards the end of my seventh month.....and it was the second time in my life I felt so special - First was when I was the Bride & the second is now when I was 'Mom to Be'.....We had fun food, themes, games, etc etc etc....So do have your's planned!!!

Me & Hubby on my Baby Shower

As a tradition: My mom whispering spl message for well being of  lil one in my ear

17. Prepare a Support System for your delivery and after: The requirement of a support system will  start popping in towards the last trimester of your pregnancy with the tiredness & the heaviness setting in. So have a back-up for yourself & for your home & possibly a support for the initial days with the baby. These days all hospitals allow a partner during delivery; so inquire about the same where you are delivering and prepare your 'Doula' in time!


18. Hospital Bag: There is soon gonna come as a separate post with a detailed list of what should your hospital bag contain both for the mother and the new born.

19. Make the Dad-To-Be feel Special: While you are feeling elated and special & the lil one is growing good within you the only one who seems left out trying to adjust with a new you (as you will have enough everyday mood swings & food demands & aches, pains, etc etc) is 'The Husband'....He knows his life too is gonna have a change, your relationship is gonna change (for the good, I assure you that!!!) & his responsibilities are on their way up so make him feel special before you reach your D Day.....Send him for a boys trip with his friends, for a spa, for a weekend away from the home & wife worries and let him chill and prepare himself for what's ahead....

20. Have Sex: Again an advise which I got from my gynae; she told me if your gynae is showing you a green flag to get intimate so don't think twice before enjoying it as this is the time when you do not have to worry about getting pregnant.....so have fun!!!!

I am sure you all will have a lot to add to this list.....so the house is open let your comments pour in :)

Best Parenting Tip I ever received was....."Fix Yourself"

Dare you inform people about your Pregnancy and comes along with a brief "Congratulations" is a long, long, long.....(you can read Eternal) list of Advises, Tips, Pro's & Con's, Superstitions, Hearsay's, etc etc etc.Weather its your mom or your neighbor or a friend or just another lady you meet in a mall, metro or party, everyone has something to tell you, something to educate you about and warn you about what's gonna come your way!!!

But trust me you, hear everyone out but follow only your gut. When God makes Mom's (even Mom's to Be) he first gives the women an instinct, a "Mommy's Instinct" which helps you throughout your life and helps you choose the right path for you & your child.

The Best and amongst the most Off Beat tip which I got was in a party from a man (& not a women).....which was quite strange for me; he said

"The best gift you can give your child, when he/she is born is to FIX YOURSELF". 

When I heard him, I thought the man is drunk as he offered me a drink a minute ago even after seeing my baby bump. But towards the end of the Pregnancy you are so used to these conversations that you just let the other person speak without any interruptions. So he went on and explained Fix Yourself!!!

Life before a child can be led in any manner. We all have lived our lives with different kinds of distortions and distractions and vocabulary but when the child comes its time to straighten up and lead your life the ideal way. The way you want your child to lead his life. Babies are born with a super power of imitation and a blank hard drive, so they learn what they see; they do what you do; they speak the way they hear and act the way they observe you reacting. So they pick up whatever they are exposed to and you are the closest and a true source for their imitation lectures.

This one was the best I got out of my whole lot of parenting conversations and now with Nevan growing up and learning things quickly, I have some daily examples which justifies the same...

I would just end by saying, "Fix Yourself, before you move out to Fix your Child!!!"

Image Courtesy: Corbis, Google Images

A boon for every mom: Complete Guide to Home Remedies for Cough & Cold

My son was born in October last year & winters arrived even before we could complete the first 40 days together as a baby & mother. When he caught cold for the first time, I went into a doomed phase where I declared to the world that I am not worth of taking care of a baby. I am an idiot who couldn't save my child from a cold/cough bout in his first winter.....Oh my God so much drama I did by crying and calling my mom & friends that I can't stop myself from passing a smile as I write this post.....

But now, one year down I am a more confident mother - who knows you cannot avoid your child from getting any cold/cough/fever but yes one can take measure to avoid or practice home remedies to cure the baby.

So after doing some homework, seeking guidance from people of old school of thoughts & other experienced momma's; I bring to you guys a handy reference guide of Home remedies for Cough/Cold in children.

1. Saline Drops: Saline Drops are not a medicine but a means which assists the child in clearing up any dried or present mucus in the small nasal passage they have; which are really tiny to clean. I recently did a post on DIY - Homemade Saline Nasal Drops & how to use them. As it is not a medication it can be used multiple times to comfort the baby.

2. Humidifier: It is a beautiful invention, which keeps the air of the room moist enough for the baby to sit, eat, sleep, play comfortably in the cold-struck days. But note that the humidifier should be at a distance from the child and not in direct contact.

3. Eucalyptus Oil: Eucalyptus oil works in opening up the nasal passage temporarily and could be either put of the baby's pillow or clothes while sleeping or awake. I personally even put a few drops of oil in the humidifier to keep it in the air and also sometimes put it in the bathing water when he has cold.

4. Tulsi/ Basil:  Boil 2 leaves of tulsi in water or milk and strain and feed the baby. Tulsi is considered the 'Magic Plant' and can be given to the baby all throughout winters too. It should be had by adults too to build on their immunity levels.

5. Honey: Honey is recommended for the baby only after their first birthday's. It has a soothing effect for cough and a congestion filled chest. 2-3 drops of ginger juice can also be mixed in one spoon of honey and given to the baby twice a day.

6. Steam: Steam is a very good home remedy for babies, toddlers & adults for cold & congestion but their methods differ. A baby could be given steam in a closed bathroom by running hot water shower. A toddler can also be given the steam in a similar way or from a steamer placed at a distance. Please be very careful while giving steam, as direct steam and hot water contact could lead to burns.

7. Warm Liquids: Warm liquids always help in giving soothing effect to the throat. It could be in form of warm water, milk (with turmeric-mentioned below) or soups. Soups especially Chicken Soup or any vegetable soup is good and can be served to babies of 6 months + age.

8. Cinnamon: Cinnamon could be given upon seeing the early symptoms of cold/cough. Give one teaspoon of honey with 1/4th spoon of fine cinnamon powder twice a day to baby or in winters cinnamon powder could be added to porridge, kheer, etc before serving the baby. Its warm in nature and is beneficial for the baby.

9. Mustard Oil: Mustard Oil massage i.e. Heat Mustard oil with some grated garlic and ajwain and strain. Massage the baby's chest, back, throat and feet with the warm oil for relief. It can be done twice a day too, once in morning and once before going off to sleep. Please note that the oil should not be hot but warm so always check the temperature before starting the massage..

10. Ghee: Well we are Punjabi's and it is said in our house, "Jo kare na Ma, na Pyo, oo kare Desi Ghyo" and it is said to have the maximum strength for all problems. My grand mom sometimes taunts us by saying that these days people fall ill easily because they eat less of Desi Ghee...... Coming to usage of Desi Ghee for babies is first for massage by warming it a little and secondly children of 2yrs+ of age can be given 1 tablespoon of ghee with 2 (grinded) black pepper.

11. Kesar: Kesar again is warm in nature, it also can either be given by boiling it in milk and serving to drink or kesar tilak's can be applied on baby's soles, temples & chest at night for relief.

12. Ajwain Potli: Roast Ajwain on low flame and wrap it in a cotton cloth/handkerchief to make a potli. Babies of 6m & below should only be given the fumes of the same from a distance by placing it next to their pillow, etc & for older ones (6m+) the hot compression from the potli can be given on babies chest & back. Pls take note of the temperature before touching babies bodies with it to avoid burns.

13. Baby Vicks: Baby Vicks is now readily available in the medical stores. Though  I have friends who have used the regular vicks too without any issue so I leave this upon your choice....Vicks helps in opening up the blocked nose; for Nevan I use it at multiple places - sometimes I put it in the humidifier, on his clothes while he is asleep, on his pillow/bed so that it helps in opening his nasal passage for having a sound sleep. Also it gives out warmth so in peak winters or severe cold I rub it on soles of his feet and make him wear socks at night. It has given me good response always.

14: Garlic Garland: When I heard about it for the first time I laughed but again this is one of the things I can swear upon. Use 5 or 7 garlic's to make a garland using any normal thread available at home & make your child wear it. I make Nevan wear it on his vest so that there is a layer between his skin & garlic. It is said to dry up all the congestion from within, especially suitable for running nose.

15. Camphor: Heat a little Coconut Oil with a pinch (very little) of powdered camphor. Apply 5-6 drops of the same on the baby's chest to give some warmth. Keep the chest covered after applying this mix.

16. Lemon: Against all the misconceptions people have built around having Lemon in cold, it is very good for the body during cold & cough. Lemon is a good source of Vitamin C, which in turn helps in building immunity. Serve baby with a little mix of lemon drops+honey+warm water during the initial phase of cold.

17. Gud (Jaggery) & Ajwain Water: Well, this one I have never tried personally but have others friends who always try out this for their lo's. A mix of Jaggery & Ajwain water - boiled & cooled should be given to baby (which is a tough job). This helps in taking out the phelgm in the body either through vomiting or passing out stools.

18. Sauf & Ajwain Water: Boil & cool a little water boiled with sauf & ajwain. Further, strain and add a little bit of this mixture to some warm milk and serve the baby. Be ready for some rejection initially but it helps for sure...

19. Ginger: Ginger can either be given with honey (refer point 5 above) or a small piece of ginger can be added to hot boiling water for around 10 mins. It can further to cooled and strained and served to child. The water may not taste very good so is preferred to be given to around 2 year old's. Ginger in any form helps for blocked nose & thinning the mucus.

20. Turmeric: Again to be  served directly to 2yr+ kids. Burn the dried turmeric on a candle and allow infant to inhale the smoke very briefly 2-3 times in one sitting. It can also be mixed with hot milk and made to drink at night, before sleep.

21. Lady Finger: This one comes from one of my aunts who followed this for her children and now for her grandchildren. She puts small-cut pieces of lady finger in hot boiling water for 10 minutes. It is then strained and cooled and given to the child in sips. It should be given to 1yr+ children and the slimy lady finger helps in removing mucus & throat infection.

22. Brandy: I had once given 2-3 drops of brandy in a little bit of water post a Delhi-winter wedding to give some cosy-ness to Nevan.....he slept well, got up well so you can try with your kids at your own risk and should not be tried for children below 1yr of age. But safely, a few drops of brandy can be rubbed on babies toes at night to give a nice warm winter sleep.

23. Nutmeg (Jaifal): Nutmeg is concerned warm in nature, it can be grated and made to taste the baby (only a tip) and it helps in soothing cold. Also Nutmeg can be mixed with some warm mustard oil and applied on babies soles, chest, back, etc.

24. Munakka(Currant): Manakka (bigger sized raisins) can be put in the babies milk while boiling or water used for formula milk. It can be strained and used, it helps in keeping the body warm during cold and coughs.

25. Gur (Jaggery), Turmeric & Ghee: Mix Jagerry+Turmeric+Ghee and make small balls for kids. They can be eaten as sweets for Itchy Throat. Should be served to babies above 2 yrs of age.


PLEASE NOTE: These Home Remedies are shared out of personal experience, gathered experience and some guidance from adults. All these remedies should not be tried at one go. The above post is for information only so please choose before trying them on your child as every child is different. Take precautions for any allergies.

Always consult a pediatrician before trying out anything new.

Mommy's please share your thoughts and experiences for other home remedies....


Image Cortesy: Google Images

Just a mom's thought...

After almost 14 months of Nevan & 9 months of my pregnancy my thought have changed. Like most of the first time mom's I also had a notion about the do's & don't's for the babies and for all the adults surrounding the baby but time changes everything and everyone....Now I am a lot more cool regarding every small thing than I was earlier.

It may be patience which has been embedded into after after being a mom but yes it's true....I don't fret over every small thing, his falls, his not eating food when we are out, people pulling his cheeks and making him eat whatever is in their hands, he playing on floor which is yet to be mopped, etc etc etc and trust me moms; It has given a lot more peace in life than I imagined!!!

So here is a thought I read somewhere and related to it immediately for my growing toddler:

"When as a mother you accept that you are just human and are not perfect, you automatically give breathing space to your child to be a human too and revel in the comfort that their mom will still accept them and love them unconditionally.

So the thing is: You are the only mother your child has. At your best and at your worst, they love you no mater what. Wake up.....it's time you started to love yourself too: - Anonymous

So just sit back..... Live & Let them do Whatever they Want

Image Courtesy: Corbis

DIY - Homemade Saline Nasal Drops

As the winters are setting in, cold and congestion come in hand with this season. When we adults are not getting spared to get under the weather, these tiny little beings are more prone to catch cold as their immune system is still not completely developed.

The first and the most easy thing which can be done instantly at home, before the use of any medication is"Saline Nasal Drops"

Saline Nasal drops are an alternative which even your child's pediatrician will recommend. They are easily available in the market or can be made at home too.

The Saline Nasal drops & a bulb syringe can be used to remove mucus and reduce inflammation in your infant's nasal passages.



Easy Steps to make & use HOMEMADE SALINE NASAL DROPS are as follows:

STEP 1: Take 1 cup of distilled water or boil 1 cup of water for minimum 7-10 minutes to eliminate                  any possibilities of bacterial impurities.

STEP 2: Mix 1 teaspoon of salt in the boiled water

STEP 3: Stir continuously till the salt is completely dissolved & water comes down to room temperature

STEP 4: Store the water in a clean & sterilized vessel. This water can be stored up to 24 hours.

STEP 5: Use a sterilized bulb syringe to put a 2-3 drops of saline water into each nostril of the child

STEP 6: Wait for a few minutes before using the bulb syringe to remove the mucus from baby's nose.

                     As this is not a medicine so there are no side effects of using the same.

Precautions:

• The vessel for storage and the bulb syringe should be properly sterilized
• The water should not be warm or hot as it may cause irritation in the baby's nose
• The bulb syringe is not forced too much into the baby's nostril while putting drops or suction; it should ideally be used from the edge of the nose
• Please sanitize your hands before and after dealing with the baby

Hope this is a hands on DIY remedy you can use for your child suffering from cold or for clearing his/her nasal passages.

Image Courtesy: Corbis

Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall, Humpty Dumpty had a GREAT FALL........'Your babies First Fall'

Well my Humpty Dumpty had his first BIG fall on his 11 month birthday and it shook me completely. I was standing 50 meters away from him, talking to my maid...I am sure I had an eye upon him as he was playfully standing on the sides of his cot and he just toppled over upside down.....

I remember myself shouting his name loudly & then I went all numb....I didn't even go & pick him up. My maid picked him & I took my wailing baby in my arms just for my husband to come out of the restroom & pull him away from me. I was so shocked that
when he asked me what part of his body hit the floor first I couldn't reply, as all I had in my head was I looking at him toppling off the cot bar.

It took 20 mins for my child to come back to normal & begin his toy story again but two hours for me to stop crying & figure out what happened. Finally I realized he basically walked over his big car soft-toy which was kept in the corner of the cot, gained some height & slipped over on his left arm & not his head. But it was scary.....

Well I am not a doctor but I as a first time mom made my notes upon "Babies Fall's" so sharing my pointers with you guys:

1. Do Not Panic - there isn't much I say can about it but as my mom says, "Now you are a mother so you have to manage everything, Keep calm & Raise your child."

2. Resist any temptation of banging your head on the wall or floor - its okay, if the baby fell & especially when you were around.... you did not commit any crime, breathe easy as you too are a human, you never intentionally wanted anything bad for your child.

3. Call for help - There might be a few falls & especially the first ones (like mine!!!) when you might not be able to get a hang of what has happened and what to do. Just call for help from another family member & someone who is more calm & composed (usually husbands are the best bet at this time!) who will handle the initial situation.

4. Check for any injuries - Usually babies and toddlers do not get any broken bones so easily as that's how they are into making of an adult.... But check the baby for any bruises or bumps and its severity. Also check for any other 'serious injury' like a broken bone, head/ back injury, unconsciousness, bleeding which is not getting stopped by pressure, seizure, persistent vomiting, excessive sleeping, change in eye ball size, eye movement, etc

5. Use cold compression -  As and when your kiddo starts exploring and standing with support, 'Bump Eggs' - as I call them; are the most common things that's gonna happen. Usually they are not of a big concern but cold compression is the best form to bring them down. Just wrap a few ice cubes in a cloth and press it on the bump off & on till the bump subsides a little.

6. Visit the doctor in case - Visit or call your doctor immediately in case there are signs of any 'serious injury' (as mentioned above in point no 3) or if there are symptoms you cannot handle. 'Follow Your Instinct' as no read or another individual can tell you about what is the best for your child.

7. For the next time - Whenever Nevan has his usual falls during the day (for which now I have lost the count of falls/day) I prefer not to look at him or react for the fall with a sudden sound or jerk. This does not further surprise the kid and maximum no of times he gets up again and starts playing. In case if he does start crying and ask me to pick him up, I distract him immediately with his toys, light or whatever random thing is in front of us so that he forgets about the fall. These two are my rules for the regular falls.

Take care of your kiddo's.....Do let me know what are the others important pointers in case I have missed any.

11 Moments in these 11 Months that actually Made-me-a-MUMMA

The first smile...... :)

It's been a great journey so far and I am sure it's gonna be better on the way ahead. Nevan's 11 months birthday this week, brought with itself a glimpse of some candid moments which touched me from within and lead to some dampness in my eyes.

These months have been life-changing for me and my husband, a magic happened and along came all the happiness in our lives, with some other odd situations (Obviously!).....but then in between these Good-Better-Best times there were some awestruck moments which rang the bell and made me a Mother & my darling husband a Father.

So here I am sharing with you all some of these events which defined the New Character (MOM) within me:

1. When I took him into my arms for the first time: I still remember those trembling hands of mine, the hospital room full of people;family and relatives talking to each other and but my eyes are stuck upon my baby whom the nurse was about to handover to me. A look at my husband and a look again at him told me, "Here I am Momma.... and I said in turn You are my World".
2. Seeing him in the ICU: Less than a day with him and I was so weak and tired. Suddenly around 1am he is crying endlessly and I am told to sleep and the baby is taken out. I get up at 4am, and go to the nursery outside my room to find out my son has got admitted into the ICU due to disruptive breathing. Less than 30 hours of my delivery, at that wee hour of the day I decide to go to the ICU all by myself, walking with a hazy vision and small steps. I reached the ICU and saw him lie naked, upside down and my heart just sank. The ICU nurse held me quickly and gave me a seat and I still can't define what was happening within me. A harrowing feeling, of seeing my heart on a table with all the attachments put on his lil body. That was the moment that shook me from within and gave me a pain which I had never experienced again coz now I was a mom and my child was in pain.
3. His first co-sleep with me: Back home, when we slept together for the first time I got up after every single minute to check if he was fine, if the room temp is too cold, or if he is covered well and moreover kept on touching him to feel his breath to assure myself 'all is well'. I felt like a mad women who has become a zombie with all the sleepless nights and a weak body. 
4. When all romantic songs used to remind me of my son & not my hubby: Funny though but when I heard the song of Ashique 2, "Tum he ho" I just used to think of Nevan till the point when a friend sang it for her hubby on his birthday and I realized, 'Oh ya, it can be dedicated to Ankur(my hubby) too!' 
5. When Nevan was on my mind 24*7: So my brain started getting so strained & was functioning round the clock in thoughts like; is he hungry?, Is he wet? What should I feed him now? How much ounce of milk he had today? Why is his poop green today? What should be his next toys? Should introduction of books happen at 6 months? When is his next vaccine due?, etc etc etc etc etc.....

   

   And we became friends very soon!!!

6. When going out with friends & family meant more of rushing and missing him than enjoyment: For me, the first trip out of home was not friends or movie but a personal doctor visit in which I told the receptionist infinite no of times that I have a small baby waiting at home; but however when a friend pulled me out of the house for the first time without Nevan, I couldn't talk to her or even eat or even enjoy being away from a baby's chores....I called up home almost 6 times in 3 hours and finally my friend told me to go home as I was not doing anything else except talk about the baby or call home to ask how he is doing.....so she dropped me back & as I got off the car, she bid me good-bye & said, "U know what, you have suddenly transformed from Himani to Nevan's mom".....
7. Upon hearing the magical words from his mouth:  "Mum-ma": At almost 8 months Nevan called out the magical words 'Mumma' & 'Papa' and we became parents from mere caretakers.
8. List of most frequently visited sites changed to- Baby Centre, Parenting, etc and Magazines shifted to - Child development related books: Suddenly my starred websites were all the baby related stuff; right from the color of poop queries to why the baby is sleeping and why he isn't. It's all insane as everything around me or the house changed to Nevan. So 'Nevan sneezed today' became the biggest concern of my life and I used to read up all the possible information online & in the baby magazine's to find out ways to prevent cold in babies.
9. A visit to the mall in which I was asked, "Is that your baby?":  A spontaneous yes to the lady on the adjoining table in the restaurant, left me thinking "Really......MY BABY" and ting-tong the bell rang yet again!
10. Filling up his Passport Form in which I filled my name in place of 'Mother's Name': This was amongst the initial document which I filled for him and suddenly there is a place for Mother's Name and wow.....I have to fill in my name there....I am a MOTHER!!!
11. The first fall of my son meant more crying for me than for him: Nevan's first fall was on his 11th month bday. As we were almost through with the day, he was playing in his cot and I was right next to him and he just toppled over his cot. He was as stunned as me. But he was fine after a burst of cry but I went on for two hours. My brain went numb and I lost my senses to even evaluate the cause of the fall for those first couple of hours.

Pls share your experiences and your moments of truth's which made you a MOM.....Hope to have some other great experiences to share.

Nevan's first international vacation....Travel with babies

"Wow, it was Great" is what I can say after our first trip with Nevan....though before this one, we did go out for a weekend get away for Nevan's six month birthday but it was very different from this one.

We went to Sri Lanka and covered Colombo, Kandy & Bentota. Though we realized after going that it wasn't the best idea to travel to a destination wherein we had to do road trips to three different places in our tour; but it was manageable for us as we were travelling with our family.

So, Nevan had loads of fun....he loved the 'Stranger's more than us throughout the trip. In fact I can say that he ruined the breakfast of a neighboring table every morning during breakfast as he was more keen upon talking to them than letting them eat (But in the bargain he was distracted & used to finish his breakfast quickly too!!!).

Well, he is a water baby so apart from his love for the pools he experienced the beach for the first time & he loved every wave more than the previous one.....he was amazed initially by the waves but gradually loved them and wanted to touch them as they came & his first session ended with him kicking the waves as they were coming......oh it was so much fun to see him enjoy the beach!

And then came another aspect of our trip which were animals....before that I must confess am a big time animal lover myself & not scared of holding, touching any of them, even the scariest of the lot! So my son (& I am proud to say this) followed the tradition and was more keen to touch the elephants & the tortoise during our conservatory visits than any of us. He wanted to put the 'hatchlings' in his mouth & eat them and sit on their parents :)

Memories......

So in all there are a few pointers I would like to list for your travel with the baby:

Air Travel: 

• Put in the request for a bassinet seat (for 1yr below) kids
• Reach airport in advance to ensure you get them
• Carry baby food & drinking water; they are permitted on both national & international flights
• Carry your baby's favorite toy and one change of clothes for emergency
• Carry cotton to put in the baby's ear to avoid ear pressure
• Carry a stole/blanket as flights get colder for the baby

Travel:

• Carry basic essentials of the baby including diapers, sanitizer, baby food ,etc
• Carry a full sleeves/ jacket type of a cloth even if you going to a warm place just in case it rains or weather changes or the air conditioning is too strong.
• Carry some new toys so that the baby is more attracted to them
• Finger foods are a must to keep the baby busy for interim periods in between, which will also give you some breather
• Do not make any rigid or time constraining itinerary's; out of my personal experience he will poop as soon as we are about to step out so the whole scheduling goes for a toss
• Always carry the baby pram/stroller/baby carrier as it's very handy even if you don't use it always.

If there are other pointers which you any one can add....it would be great!

"My baby isn't gaining weight"....Top weight gaining foods for babies

Have you guys faced a situation, when you are spending some happy time with your baby on the swings in the park & a neighbors comments, "Your child looks so weak, he has lost weight?".....Oh I wish I could tell her to mind her own business but life isn't so easy always.

Well, not getting affected by the crap about what people think about our babies, I have written this post for a list of weight-gaining foods which could be increased in the diet of the baby to maintain a good weight. My pediatrician always suggests that if the baby is active & healthy, you should not count the numbers.

I once read in a Pediatric book the following about the Weight gain according to Age (For your ref):

Doubles the birth weight by 5 months
Triples the birth weight by 1 year
Five times the birth weight by 3 years

For all babies less than 6 months or who have not begin with semi-solids; formula could assist in gaining weight. This does not mean we should replace breast milk with formula but it refers to adding formula milk to babies diet once or twice a day. Along with it, the mother should have a calorie rich diet to in turn help the baby gain weight through breast milk.

For babies more than 6 months there are a bunch of options which could be added to a child's diet for a healthy weight gain. But don't forget to follow the Four-Day Rule for the same. Also go slow upon the food as it will help in a gradual increase in weight & not Magic!

1. Banana: Banana is a energy dense food; rich in carbs, potassium, Vit C & B6. It's a great source of dietary fiber & can be given to the babies in a mashed form.
2. Chikoo: It is a Sugar Fruit; so the name explains it all. It is another no-cook fruit and can be given to the baby as a hand blended puree or even as a milk shake.
3. Avocado: Avocado is low in saturated fats & also good in the dietary fiber. It can be mashed and served, fed as a milk shake and even added with jaggery flavor for sweetness or a lil spices for the savory version.
4. Potato: Potatoes are excellent first foods & also a great way to increase weight. Though they are amongst the least allergenic food but may lead to gas in a few babies. It is rich in minerals, vitamins, a host of phytochemicals along with a high carbohydrate content in them. They can be boiled, peeled & mashed. I personally started by adding a little milk in the boiled potatoes for easy gulping down. They ca be mixed in the khichadi or served with egg yolk in potato soup, potato mash with grated cheese also gives a great flavor.
5. Sweet Potato: They are again a great first food and a sugar food too. Being rich in magnesium, potassium, vitamin B6, vitamin A, vitamin C,dietary fiber along with beta carotene. It can be served in similar way as potato (Various options given in the above point no.4)
6. Oats: Oats are high in fibre, calcium, protein along with traits of Vit B, B6, magnesium & phosphorus, It is one of the least allergenic food reducing chances of constipation. A detailed post on Oats & various recipes is a part of my blog.
7. Ragi: Ragi or finger millet is also a very good source of food for weight gain. However a word of caution here is that it might not suit all babies. Otherwise, Ragi is rich in dietary fiber, protein, Vitamin B1, Vitamin B2 & Vitamin B6. Ragi can be served as Ragi Kheer, Ragi Dosa, Ragi Porridge, etc
8. Ghee: I am a Punjabi & there is a saying in Punjabi's, "Jo kare na Ma na Pyo, au kare Desi Ghee" for translation Desi Ghee does the wonders which even parents cant do for their children!!!               Though Ghee is the best weight gain source but it also contains 62% of Saturated Fats; thus it shall be used in moderation. It becomes very heave for the baby to digest it so begin with a few drops of ghee in baby's food like khichadi, to roast suji or ragi or oats and then increase it to around 1 spoon of ghee in a day. I personally started ghee only at 7.5 months.
9. Butter: The above rule of Ghee also applies for butter too. It is 95% saturated fat.
10. Egg: Eggs are protein packed. Egg yolk should be started at 8 months & the whole egg including egg white to 1yr+ A detailed post on Eggs was done by me which one can look at for all the Egg Yolk related recipes. 
11. Chicken: Chicken was introduced to Nevan when he was 8 months old."Punjabi's = Butter Chicken" Well I had to start training my kid to be one......Chicken is rich in phosphorous, magnesium, Vit B6, Vitamin B12. It is on the higher side on cholestrol hence should be avoided as an everyday serving. Only fresh & cleaned chicken should be used for babies; It ca be boiled & served as soup, stew, mixed with pre cooked rice or even as chicken khichadi with some veggies. Nevan's fav are chicken & peas; I am yet to try Chicken with sweet potato & apple mash which was recommended by a fellow mom.
12. Cheese: High on phosphorous, calcium & selenium it promotes weight gain. It can be either given as a finger food or mixed with egg yolk for a cheese omelette or grated & mixed with some fruits & boiled veggies. Nevan was served cheese at 10 months.
13. Dry Fruits: Mixed nuts are enriched with Vitamin E, proteins and fat. You can add a small teaspoon of the mixture to milkshakes, porridge, etc to your 8m+ baby. DO make sure that the nuts are grounded well to avoid and possibility of choking. Dry fruits could include almond, pistachio, fig, cashew - which are energy dense. Please take an initial extra precaution while starting dry fruits as they are high allergic elements. 
14. Full (Whole) Cream Milk - Whole creme milk can be given to baby in various forms like milk shakes, in porridge, kheer, curd, smoothies, fruit yogurts, etc It is power packed with calcium & calories. Well, I am following my pedia and recommend starting whole creme milk only for 1 year + babies.

The extra chubby babies might seem cute but they might not be healthy, as they tend to be less active & have a tendency of being obese in future so please refrain yourself from over feeding your child.

Hope this one is useful and helps your baby gain some good weight!

"Egg-licious"

I started Egg for Nevan as per everyone's advise post his 9-month-Measles vaccine. But I have begun only with Egg Yolk & not the Egg Whites & will start Egg White only when he is 1+. 

As a reminder, please follow the Four-Day rule for your baby when you introduce egg yolks.

Before the recipes, Benefits of Yolk are as follows:

Egg yolk supplies essential nutrients for the brain development, it has all of an egg's Vitamin A, D, E, B3 and B12; along with Choline, Good Cholestrol & Iron & Folic Acid

After a look out over the internet, advise from experienced moms & personal experiments I hereby present to all you mommies some recipes for EGG YOLK for your babies. As one of my old posts said, I love giving variety to Nevan so giving only a boiled egg to him seemed killing to me so I found my way out...

So let's come to some Egg Yolk recipes:

1. BOILED EGG: Boil one or two eggs (Hard-Boiled) & simply separate the egg yolk from white after de-shelling. Mix it with some formula milk or normal milk you use to make it of a lil sticky consistency & give your lil one to relish it. Personally, haven't added any flavor or seasonings in it as I wanted Nevan to get the actual flavor of egg & relish it.

2. SCRAMBLED EGG with MILK: Separate one or two egg yolk from white. Mix 2 spoons of Milk to the yolks & blend. Heat a non-stick pan & put a spoon of ghee/butter. Put the blended mixture on the pan & mash it to cook completely. Serve the yummy scrambled egg to your baby. It will be soft & easy to eat

P.S.: Pls ensure that the yolk is fully cooked.

3. BANANA SCRAMBLE: Mash half a banana with a fork. Mix the mashed banana to two egg yolks & blend. Heat a non-stick pan & add a teaspoon of ghee. Cook the mixture until completely cooked. Serve the fluffy  egg to your baby. It will be soft & easy to eat

4. OATMEAL SCRAMBLE: Heat one teaspoon of ghee/butter in a frying pan. Add roasted oatmeal along with some (mashed or pureed) vegetable & fruits of your child's choice of flavor. Whisk two egg yellow's in a bowl separately. As the oatmeal+veegie/fruit mixture is stirred, add the whisked egg yolks & keep cooking till the yolk is fully cooked. It can be made in any consistency according to your baby's eating habits. The cooked scramble can also be served with some fruit/veggie dip to make it a more softer.

5. CHEESE OMELETTE: Mix two egg yolks with a small piece of cheese & make a fluffy omelette out of it on a non-stick frying pan. Serve with some boiled vegetables as finger food to complete the meal.

6. EGG FRIED RICE: Warm a pan with some ghee or olive oil. Mix egg yolks with milk & prepare as in point 2 above. Mix some pre cooked rice & pureed or diced soft cooked veggies to the above egg scramble. Cook untill the yolks are fully done.
P.S: All the veggies can be used as per babies flavor & liking. If needed puree or mash the veggies to baby's preferred texture or consistency.  

7. EGG & VEGETABLE SOUP: Make vegetable soup by boiling blending and straining all veggies that your child takes. Do add some salt for flavor. Boil two eggs and mix the egg yolk (post de-shelling) in the soup. Ensure that your soup initially is not very thick as the yolk makes the dish more thickened.

8. FRENCH TOAST: Break two egg yolks and mix it with some milk. Take some soft & fresh brown bread and cut the corners further making small four squares out of each piece. Dip the bread in the egg & milk mixture and cook over a shallow pan from both sides. 
This should be served to your baby who chews well, else can be served with a vegetable soup or vegetable/fruit puree as dip.

If there are any other innovative recipes which I have missed......pls do leave your comments!!!

Oats as First Foods for babies....

Oatmeal or Oats makes a yummy & nutritious food for babies. Infact, its goodness makes it amongst the better first food (grains) too.Oats are high in fiber, calcium, protein & even traits of Vitamin B, B6, magnesium & phosphorus reducing an chances of constipation and is also one of the least allergic foods. However never to forget the Four-Day Rule before serving anything new to our lil angels.

I usually use instant Quaker Oats for our house and do not get into other details of another hundred type of oats available in the market.

For Nevan, he is a man of variety so I have to innovate myself and make his food with different flavors for him to eat them on a daily basis.Oats to babies 6m+, personally I started with them when he was around  6 1/2 months.


Oatmeal for Babies (Basic Preparations):

1. Dry roast oats in a small quantity over the gas. ( However you can roast them in 3-4 drops of ghee once your baby is 8m+).
2. Grind them to make 'Oats Powder'
3. Make this powder once a week and keep it handy for quick recipes (Extremely important for working moms).

Oatmeal for Babies in Formula Milk:

1. Add oats powder & water and cook over the gas for a couple of minutes.
2. You can make the oats as per the desired consistency by adding water.
3. Remove from fire & add formula powder.

Oatmeal for Babies in Regular Toned Milk:

1. Add oats & milk and cook for a couple of minutes.
2. Attain desired consistency by adding milk.

Oats with Fruits: Nevan loved banana's & pear's; and I did not want to take the risk of rejection of oats from him so I cleverly introduced oats to him with his favorite fruits for good 10 days before he developed a flavor for them. Additionally this also helped me give him a fruit per day along with oats.

So you can add Oats with Mashed fruits like banana, chickoo, avocado or with Pureed fruits like Apple Puree, Pear Puree, or with other fruits like Blueberry's, Peach, Apricot, etc.

Oats & Prunes: On days when Nevan is constipated, I add mashed Prunes to his oats too (do read the post on Constipation).

Oats Vegetable Upma: Add boiled vegetables to oats and cook over gas. Add coriander leaves, roasted jeera, salt for taste. Vegetable like Bottle Gaurd, Ridge Gaurd, Potato, Sweet Pumpkin, Carrot should be started with; then tomato, brocalli, beans, peas, etc should be followed as the latter are difficult to digest.

Oats Kheer: Cook Oats in milk or water as desired and add little cardamom & cinnamon for flavor. Keep consistency in check.

Oats with Egg (for 9m+): Heat a little oil in pan, add oats along with veggies or fruits of your desire. Then add two egg yolks (whisked separately in a bowl). Gently scramble & fry the mixture until the yolks are fully cooked. The Scramble can either be cut into small pieces for the baby to have it easily, you can even serve it with a fruit puree as a dip. Else can be made in a pureed form for easy gulp down.

Hope this helps you guys to feed oats to your lil one's !!!

LIST OF FIRST FOODS for your BABY....Introducing Semi-solids Part 2

I don’t believe there is any magic age when babies are ready to start solids. Being ready is an individual thing and it happens at different ages for all babies. Plus I also took into consideration when I was ready to start on this journey....coz in the end it's me who has to manage the affair's on a daily basis.

To begin with, do read the Four-day rule before introducing any external food for your baby. And for the first few months, you might end up finding yourself WEARING more of baby's first foods than he actually eats....so enjoy that too!

Also note no matter what's on the menu, the texture of your baby's first foods should be super smooth and practically dripping off the spoon. As your baby becomes a more experienced eater (usually within a month of starting), gradually reduce the liquid you add and thicken the texture.

A handy list of the FIRST FOODS (in the order to serve) is as follows:

1. Lentil Soup (Dal ka Pani): Refer here for recipe here
2. Mashed Banana/ Chickoo: The easiest to serve & feed as they can simply be mashed (with a fork or hand) and served without any cooking. Also the easiest to carry in your diaper bag as they can be served as instant snack to the baby even while your shopping in the mall!
3. Mashed or Pureed Avocado: Avocado is high in water content, proteins & mineral. It can be scooped out & mashed & served; they too do not require any cooking.
4. Lentil & Rice water: After Lentil soup, its next in line. Rice makes it rick in protein & starch.
5. Apple / Pear Puree: These fruits are great for introducing flavor to the baby's bland (taste) life....They need to be peeled & cut into small pieces before steaming them and making a puree of a desired consistency by adding boiled & cooled water.
6. Mixed Vegetable Clear Soup: Start by giving clear soup & gradually move on to giving boiled & mashed vegetables. You can start with vegetables like - carrot, beetroot, bottle gourd, sweet pumpkin, ridge gourd. And in a second phase add- peas, beans, capsicum, tomato, onion.
7. Sweet Pumpkin Puree: Simply pressure cook pumpkin & attain a desired consistency & feed.
8. Sweet Potato & Carrot Soup: Pressure cook & blend to attain the desired consistency before feeding.
9. Curd: Curd can be served to all babies 6m+; it should be home-made curd & at room temperature. It can be served as it is or by adding some fruit flavor. Do not mix any sugar/jaggery to the curd & serve.

Also, simultaneously introduce water as introduction of semi solids might lead to constipation. You can begin with 2- 4 spoons of boiled & cooled water & gradually increase quantity according to requirement & weather conditions.

If your baby rejects what you've got, try again tomorrow and the next day and the next. Some babies need to be introduced to a new food four or five (or more!) times before they'll accept it, so perseverance is key.

Bon appétit!