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