A couple of weeks ago, I along with a few bloggers were invited to attend an incredibly interesting and informative seminar organised by MAI (Mothers against Influenza) to raise awareness on Influenza.
Albeit, I’m from a medical background, I realised that my personal awareness on this topic was lacking. Not that I didn’t know about it but honestly, I wasn’t aware how serious it is. I’m pretty sure, a lot of moms out there are not aware of the gravity of this disease too.
But yes, I remember diligently taking this vaccine during my pregnancy and in fact, recently, less than a month ago, my 12 months old girl got vaccinated too. It’s highly recommended to vaccinate kids under 2 years of age against it since they’re at a risk of getting flu.
Doctors on the panel- Dr Uday Chopra (MD, DCH- Pediatrics) and Dr Mukesh Gupta (MD, ObGyn) interacted with us and shared some valuable information on this issue. We also had Genelia Deshmukh as the guest of honour who shared her personal experience and insights on vaccination and the importance of seeing and talking to your paediatrician regularly.
Coming back to Influenza, here’s some important information for you all, so that all of you moms are also well informed beforehand.
What is Influenza and how is it different from common cold?
Flu is a highly contagious disease which commonly spreads through coughing, sneezing, touching objects that are infected with virus etc. Did you know, it affects more than 10 million people per year in India itself? The most common organs that are affected by it are- the respiratory tract including nose, lungs and throat, which leaves the person with following symptoms:
Fever
Feverish chills
Cough
Runny nose
Sore throat
Body aches
Head ache
Exhaustion
Click here to reach the website of MAI (Mothers against Influenza) which is a credible source to get more information on Influenza.
Types of Influenza Viruses:
There are 3 types of influenza viruses: A, B and C. Type A and B cause seasonal epidemics almost every year while type C causes mild respiratory diseases.
Who are the people at high risk of developing Influenza?
- Children under 5 years of age
Younger kids are more prone to being infected with the virus easily.
It’s different from common cold and is generally more severe. Fever and chills are more common in Flu unlike cold.
Children having asthma, brain disorders, diabetes etc are at an increased risk of developing serious complications
- Pregnant women
Our body goes through tremendous hormonal and physical changes during pregnancy which often affects our immune system, making us more prone to falling sick.
Pregnancy can double the complications arising out of Influenza
It not only affects the mother, but also the health of unborn baby, it’s maturity and delivery too.
What are the preventative measures we moms can take?
-Get your baby who’s over 6 months, vaccinated before the onset of an epidemic. The best time to do it is before the reopening of school after summer vacation.
-Avoid stepping out with your baby who isn’t vaccinated during an epidemic.
-Not just the baby, take a samuhik approach- get the entire family vaccinated so that our shield against the disease is strong enough.
Important do’s and don’ts:
If you have flu like symptoms, get yourself checked immediately and avoid contact with people, especially kids. Keep a distance of more than 6 ft from them.
-Cover your mouth when you cough or sneeze
-Wash your hands regularly throughout the day
-Monitor your illness and see your doctor every 24hrs
-Take proper medications, drink plenty of water and eat nutritious healthy meals every 2-3 hours.
See your doctor immediately if you’re showing any of these signs along with other flu symptoms:
Adults:
Breathlessness
Chest pain
Drowsiness
Fall in blood pressure
Blood spots in cough
Bluish nails
Children:
Drowsiness
Not feeding well
High and persistent fever
Convulsions
Difficulty in breathing
Influenza vaccination:
Influenza vaccines are prepared to protect individuals from infections of flu viruses. Based on the viruses present in the environment, these vaccines are formulated twice a year. World Health Organisation recommends yearly vaccination against influenza for all people, especially those at a high risk of this disease.
Doctor Mukesh Gupta emphasised on getting the vaccination during pregnancy. “Go take a flu vaccine, even before you plan pregnancy. Only a healthy body can bring a healthy baby, preconception vaccine is important.” To which Genelia Deshmukh agreed and added, “All mothers must go meet your paediatricians, gynaecologist and get all questions answered about flu and staying protected with vaccination.”
Dr Uday Pai gave a very valuable piece of advice. He said, “Vaccines may take 4 to 6 weeks to build complete immunity in your body, so you must take it before any epidemic like swine flu breaks out.”
This was my key takeaways from the seminar. Although my daughter is vaccinated but me and my husband never thought of getting ourselves vaccinated too. Hope this post is equally useful to all of you as me.
Note: Doctors who vaccinate can be found in every locality with a simple search by pin-code. If you’re looking for a doctor, click here to find one in your vicinity.
Disclaimer: I attended a discussion on influenza awareness facilitated by Abbott IndiaLimited. Any opinion expressed in this blog is my personal opinion and not the opinion ofAbbott India Limited. Abbott India Limited does not assume any liability for the content of the blog. The blog post is not meant to be a replacement for a doctor consultation, nor is it a medical recommendation or prescription of treatment for babies having Influenza. Any reader of this blog or their family members suffering from Influenza should specifically consult his/her doctor for the same and follow the suggested course of treatment.”
Two Healthy Snacks For Toddlers That Can Be Made in Advance and Stored
Often we eat junk and serve junk to our kids because we don’t have the time to prepare something fresh everyday. In fact, that’s the reason most of us gain weight too, because we keep loading ourselves with junk all the time.
Here are two simple recipe which you can prepare in advance and store:
1. Mango-Coconut-Basil Lollies
Step 1: Grind a mango or use mango pulp- whichever is available.
Step 2: Take a cup of coconut water and grind it with the mango. I also add the meat portion (also known as malai) to it.
Step 3: Soak basil seeds in some water for a couple of minutes and allow it to swell. You can add some rose water and honey to it if you like.
Step 4: In a popsicle mould, pour the basil seeds until 1/5th of the mould is filled. Then add a few cranberries or pomegranate seeds (optional)
Step 5: Layer it with the thick mango coconut juice and freeze for at least 7-8 hours.
You can have anytime once set.
2. Makhana Bhel
Step 1. Melt 1.5 tsp ghee in a pan.
Step 2. Add some mustard seeds, curry leaves and slit green chillies (based on how spicy you or your toddler prefer)
Step 3. Then add a fistful of fox nuts (makhana) and roast them until they’re crispy.
Step 4. Once done, add a bowl puffed rice (kurmura) to it.
Step 5: Add salt and turmeric and mix well until it’s evenly coloured. Store in an airtight container.
(You can tweak the quantities of ingredients based on the amount of bhel you’re intending to prepare)
Hope this article was helpful!
More more ideas, you can check my previous post. (I’ve shared 12 easy and quick recipes for infants and toddlers)
P.S This article is my participation post in the #SummerFoodBlogTrain organised by Anisha, Deepali and Danisha.
Make sure read their articles on the same by clicking here:
1. Deepali’s post
2. Anisha’s post
Thanks for tagging and inviting me to share my entry, Gunjan.
If you’d like to read her post, tap here.
Thanks for stopping by and reading!
Happy parenting.
Love,
Elina
Disciplining Babies- When to Start, How to Teach, Simple Effective Tricks and more
Whenever as a young girl, I saw a kid behave inappropriately in public, I would subconsciously blame the parents for the morals they’ve instilled and the way they’ve disciplined their child (of course in my head :p), and I’m pretty sure most of you did too. (Please say yes! 🙈)
Now, after I’ve become a mother myself, I realise how wrong I was. Kids are kids, and beyond a point, things are not totally in our control. That being said, disciplining them is extremely crucial. Not only so that they obey you in important matters, but also so that they grow up to be well-behaved and well-spoken members of the society.
Contrary to the common belief of training them once they’ve reached a certain age, it’s now being found that the early you start, the more well-behaved the baby becomes.
The real question is: “How to discipline them without hindering their natural instinct of exploring?”
The primary rule that each parent needs to remember here is: “Use your ‘NO’s’ judiciously”. We often say ’no’ to things which actually don’t require to be stopped immediately. For instance, if your child puts a toy in a bucket of water, don’t say no. Let him throw and see how the water splashes or if he throws food from the plate on the floor, don’t scold him. He’s just curious to see how things fall. Say ‘NO’ only when it’s harmful to him or when he’s learning to do something that he shouldn’t.
Coming back to our topic, that is, age-appropriate disciplining. Here are a few things you can do to raise a well-behaved child:
0-6 months
Since babies have no comprehension at this age, nor do they understand our language much, the best thing to do here is prevent undesirable occurrences. Like, if you feel that he’s begun to put things in his mouth, keep hazardous objects away from his sight. Or, he has learnt to pull your hair and you don’t find it desirable, gently move his hand from your hair and quickly give him a toy instead.
Moreover, this is an age when most habits are formed, so if you don’t want your kid to be habituated to something you don’t intend to use/follow for a long duration, it’s better to get rid of those habits at this time. Some of those things can be- use of a cradle, pacifier or preference of sucking to sleep etc. Though sucking to sleep is a great way of ensuring that babies sleep while feeling secure, some mothers have to continue with their jobs or have other issues and don’t find it very practical to follow. If you’re one of those, I’d advise you to gradually reduce the use of those items/habits since this is the only age you can control it to a great extent.
6-12 months
At around this time, most babies learn to crawl and with the help of this newly learnt skill, the desire to touch things and explore increases. During this phase, their understanding of what’s good and what’s not, what’s is safe and what shouldn’t be touched is zilch. So, saying a plain ‘No’ doesn’t help much. That being said, their safety is important and it’s something which we parents can’t compromise on.
Here are a few things you can do:
1. Babyproof your apartment and keep potentially dangerous items out of your baby’s reach.
2. You don’t have to necessarily say no. Just make a peculiar sound that signifies danger. Use your words correctly. That sound/ word should not be said in a strict or unpleasant manner to scare the baby, and at the same time, it shouldn’t be encouraging too. We need the baby to learn to stop the action he’s performing. Saying a simple “ah ah” or “uh oh” while calling him towards you with your arms stretched works like magic.
3. Another trick that I liked was suggested by a friend and fellow blogger, Mumtaz. She practises “show to teach” method with her baby. For this, she asks her husband to pick something in the baby’s presence. She then says “no” to her husband and he keeps that thing down. This is how the baby learns that when “no” is said, the action has to stop or the held item has to be kept down. While, in my opinion, it’s a great trick, the only care one has to take is in the number of times you say ’no’. Like mentioned before, don’t say no unless you sense danger.
12-24 months
Once babies learn to walk, they become unstoppable. This is also the time when a major mental leap occurs, due to which, they become mini-bosses of their own world. At this age, they sense a great deal of independence and thus love to throw and destruct items or simply do things like the way they like and not how they are instructed to. You’ll also notice a huge difference in their eating behaviour. Even those kids who once ate their meals without a fuss, won’t open their mouth to eat food or spit out it out once fed.
How to disciple these young independent humans?
1. The above-mentioned tricks won’t work at this stage, because when you tell them not to do something or even scold them when they do something inappropriate, they get thrilled and will repeat that action even more.
2. What we can do is- work in accordance to their milestone. You’ll notice that babies above 12 months of age love to hit other babies or pull their noses. This is so, not because they want to hurt them or inflict pain, it’s only because they love to see the reaction. Similarly, most of the actions they perform are result-oriented or in simple words, are a result of their curiosity to know the other person responds. What worked for us was- not reacting! So when my girl learnt that she could pull my hair or hit me on my face, I didn’t say anything and simply ignored. She did that for a day or two and when she observed no reaction from me, she completely stopped doing it. This may not be the most correct way of disciplining the child, but it’s way better than saying no, which actually augmented her misbehaviour.
3. The art of distraction: This trick is something most moms swear by. All you have to do is when a child does something inappropriate or misbehaves, you quickly direct his attention towards something else. Since kids of this age have a short attention span, they usually forget what they were previously up to and get involved in the new activity.
4. Channelise their energy: Most of the unpleasant behaviour of kids is due to rush of energy they have and they don’t know how to exert themselves. It is found that kids who are involved in more constructive activities and play are better behaved than other kids.
Before I end, let me share an important message: These are some tricks only to prevent dangerous occurrences and for them to learn to follow important instructions.
You don’t have to always police your child.
Let him jump, let him throw;
Let him fall, that’s how he’ll grow!
Thanks for stopping by and reading! Please leave a comment if you liked what you read.
Love,
Elina
12 Baby Food Ideas For Busy Moms (6-12m)
Cooking for our little ones is one of the most satisfying activities, isn’t it? But here’s a confession, there have been days when I couldn’t provide her with nutritious meals due to my busy schedule and trust me, I used to feel extremely guilty about it. I’m pretty sure there’re many mothers who are going through the same.
There’s a famous quote by Bill Gates where he says, “I choose a lazy person to do a hard job. Because a lazy person will find an easy way to do it.”
I’m that lazy person :p
Here are a few baby food recipes for moms of 6-12 month old babies out there! These recipes are very quick and easy, just make sure you you do your pre-preparation and planning right.
If you’re a new mom, I’d urge you to to read my article on introduction to solids (click here) to get your facts correct before you start. Also, to read my take on baby-led weaning, click here.
Before we start, here are some guidelines for you:
1. Make sure that your recipe has at least 2-3 food groups.
2. Avoid processed and packaged foods, no matter now fancy the packaging may be.
3. Your child doesn’t need sweetness or salt in his food. Try to avoid that too.
4. Dal water, rice water or basically anything just boiled in water is not a healthy option!
Let’s delve straight into the recipes now!
Age: 6-7 months (Puréed to soft mashed foods)
1. Ragi apple/mango porridge:
Boil apple and grind it into a paste. For mangoes, you can just peel and grind it.
Take some ghee and lightly roast ragi. Add this purée and gently stir it. Add some water to make a thick paste! And voila, it’s ready
2. Sweet potato and strawberry purée
Boil and grind sweet potato with fresh strawberries until a thick creamy paste is formed. My girl loved this!
3. Beet root, banana and berries smoothie
Take boiled and chopped beet root, add sliced bananas, a few berries of your choice and some homemade curd. Blend all of this together and serve.
4. Chickoo Sheera
This was my girl’s absolute favourite. Sauté some rava in ghee, add puréed Chickoo and water. And it’s ready! You can try this with mangoes too.
Age: 7-10 months (Semi-solids to solids)
By 7.5 months, my girl was eating pretty much all solids that we did. We had a smooth transition because she loved eating on her own and showed interest in what we ate.
1. Mashed Cutlets/kebabs
I remember, this was my go-to food for a long time because she used to love kebabs
Boil potatoes and chicken (or soya nuggets/pulse of your choice). You can add blanched spinach too. Mix it all and add some lemon, finely minced onion and cumin seeds. Mix it all and dip in egg (or rawa) and shallow fry. Mash if needed or give small bite size pieces to your baby.
2. Roti porridge
Take 1-2 chapatis and chop them into small pieces. Take some ghee in a vessel, sauté cumin seeds and finely chopped onions. Add some ginger garlic paste. Then add chapattis and turmeric powder to it. Once soft, add some fresh curd and voila! It’s done.
3. Vegetable Paneer khichadi
Take dal and rice in equal amounts and soak. First, take ghee in a pressure cooker. Sauté cumin seeds and add chopped onions and tomatoes. Chop a mix of veggies and paneer and add to it. Then add rice and dal and allow it to cook in until soft.
4. Oats Upma
Lightly roasted and grind instant oats. In a wok, add ghee/oil and your regular Upma ingredients like onion, tomatoes etc. Then add oats and sauté, until it’s slightly cooked. Once done, add water, cover with a lid and cook until ready.
Age: 10-12 months (Solids)
1. Instant Coconut Idlis
Mix rava and curd in equal amounts. Add desiccated coconut (easily available) or you can use fresh ground coconut too. You can also add finely grated carrots to add some colour to it. Add optimum water until the required consistency is obtained. Place in an Idli maker and steam until done.
2. Spinach Cheela
Blanch and grind spinach. Mix it with besan (chana flour). Add water, cumin seeds powder and turmeric to it. Spread like a dosa and keep flipping until both the sides are well cooked. Grate some cottage cheese (paneer) on it and give small bite size pieces to your baby. (Can be made with moong dal too).
3. Mango, papaya and dates smoothie
Chop and grind mango, papaya and dates with a little curd and water. You’ll get a smoothie which serves as great evening snack for babies.
4. Chickpea and egg yolk patties
Soak, boil and grind chickpea. In a grinder, mix it with a clove, cumin seeds, lemon and boiled egg yolk (optional). You’ll get a smooth textured thick paste after blending them together. Add chopped coriander leaves to it. Make small flat balls and shallow fry them until well cooked.
(P.S. use just egg yolk and not the white until your baby is a year old)
Hope you found these recipes useful! Please subscribe to be notified whenever I post an article! 🙂
Have a great day and happy parenting!
Love,
Elina
(P.S. Images are for representation purposes only)
How To Choose Toys To Make Your Kid Smarter?
“Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn.”
Benjamin Franklin
A child’s brains goes through a spellbinding period of development in the first three years. It produces a million neural connections every second, which means that the child observes and learns from each and every diminutive thing he comes across!
This learning doesn’t start when the child begins to talk or displays comprehension, but it begins right from Day 1!
Did you know? At birth, children have almost all the neurons they’ll ever have in their life. These neurons double in size by one year and reaches 80% of its adult volume by the time the child turns three!
Keeping in mind the pace at which their mental development takes place and the incredible amount of potential that they possess, it’s crucial for us to make each of their activities a learning experience for them.
According to researches, kids between the age of 1-3 prefer ‘functional play’ i.e. they like to play with the same toy again and again until they master the game and gain confidence to move on to the next toy. This phase is pivotal in encouraging ‘learning skills through play’.
Moreover, consider purchasing toys that grow with the baby. For example, as the baby grows and learns more concepts of one area, their toys should also get more advanced and challenging in that specific area. When practiced in this manner, their skills get sharpened and they master even complex concepts easily.
Skola, one of the most renowned toy brands, has a myriad of Montessori inspired toys for kids between 1-8 years of age. Most of their collection involves multi-sensory approach that has been proved effective in making kids better learners, problem solvers and analysts by improving their memory, fine motor and logical reasoning skills.
Types of incrementally challenging toys you can consider for your babies:
1. Toys that enhance their fine motor skills:
Stackers for young kids and toys involving complex hand manipulations and balancing for older kids– you’ll find a variety of toys that help not only in strengthening of smaller muscles but also improve their eye co-ordination and problem solving ability.
To buy an age-appropriate toy under this category, click here
2. Toys that teach about colours and shapes:
Toys like: Matching the other half of the given object/figure, understanding the intensity of colours, pairing similar objects based on their shapes etc. are some great options in this segment.
This learning will help them in identifying individual colours and geometric shapes and distinguishing them from one another. It’ll also help them understand that both of these are key attributes of all physical objects.
To buy an age-appropriate toy under this category, click here
3. Number games:
This is one of the key areas to work on because understanding of numbers early on sets a solid foundation for all the future arithmetic calculations.
Consider purchasing toys that help in visually associating numbers with physical objects, which thus makes the child understand that each number signifies a specific quantity.
To buy an age-appropriate toy under this category, click here
4. Word games:
Did you know? Babies begin to distinguish speech sounds by 10 months! The first stage of language development is preverbal communication- where they use gestures, cues and noises to get their message conveyed. Once they’re 1.5 years old, they begin to use specific words for specific things. In order to strengthen their vocabulary, frequently using complex words with phonograms helps a lot. Not just that, it sets a firm base for reading and writing and thus making the child confident in communication.
Games that include easy crosswords or word building activities are best for this age.
To buy an age-appropriate toy under this category, click here
5. Toys that focus on pattern formation:
Such toys help them identify similar objects, arrange them through logical reasoning and comprehend distinguished patterns. It expands their problem solving skills and makes them better analysts.
Toys like building blocks or puzzles are great choices for this learning.
To buy an age-appropriate toy under this category, click here
You don’t have to always sit with a book and a pen to teach, make learning fun by including it in all the activities that a child performs!
Thanks for stopping by and reading!
Happy parenting!
Love,
Elina
P.S. This is a sponsored post.
Image Courtesy: Skola’s Official Website
My Mom Was Right!
There’s no denial to the fact that our mothers are always right. In fact, even if they aren’t sometimes, it’s always ideal to stick with the belief that they are 😀
For me and my brother, funnily enough, we had no choice. I don’t know if it was a creepy yet funny coincidence, mere childhood innocence or just our perspective of looking at things, but whenever my mom told us to do (or not do) something and we didn’t oblige, something strange happened. Not sometimes, but always! For instance, if we were watching TV after school and she wanted us to have lunch, and if we didn’t obey, there used to be a sudden power cut. Or when we played computer games and she wanted us to study, the computer used to stop working suddenly.
Now as I write this, I realise that she was probably very smart! Having a power cut or stopping the computer from working isn’t something a person can’t do 😂
Long story short, we grew up believing that mothers are always right and that we should obey them no matter what. And then, adolescence happened, which changed our mind altogether. Sadly, there were other people, books, modern scientific facts etc. which started to influence us and unlike how we felt in our childhood, our mom wasn’t the most perfect person on the planet anymore!
I then got married and found out about my pregnancy. She stood like a rock behind me and took care of me like no one else throughout. She was there beck and call for me and attended to my tiniest need!
In 9 months (which back then looked like a decade), I delivered my baby, and for her, a whole new project began- ‘Project Customary 40 Days’. Right from arranging a masseuse for me to making different varieties of food, she had everything covered.
Throughout the duration, I kept arguing with her, telling her that I don’t need massages and I don’t want special food, that I’m a normal human and want to be dealt with normally, but she insisted on doing these things because ‘they made her happy’.
After those 40 days were over and I came back home, I realised how right she has been!
Since I had a cesarean section, giving me light massages helped in early recovery and made me feel good from within. It also lowered my postpartum depression significantly, because who doesn’t find massages soothing to the nerves, afterall?
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The food I was given- i.e. hot bajra rotla (thick chapatis made of Bajra flour) topped with a dollop of ghee along with some fresh vegetable sabji, was just the right food I was supposed to eat. Bajra being high in carbohydrates gives sufficient energy and keeps us full while ghee has enough fat which ensures that the pace of digestion is slowed down- together which keeps us satiated for a long duration. The problem with lactation is that we feel hungry very often and this was her master plan to keep overeating and junk intake off the table.
Sometimes I think, no matter how alluring western lifestyle may be, but our basics are always right! And so are our moms!
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This post is a part of a blog train organised by me where I brought 20 Indian moms together to write on how their own mothers were right!
Also, make sure to check this interesting article written on the same topic by a fellow mom blogger, Nayantara (click here to reach her page)
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Thank you for stopping by and reading this article!
Take care and happy mothering!
Love,
Elina
What Happened When I Kept My Phone Away While Nursing My Baby?
Long before I got pregnant, I made a list of things that I’d do when I breast-feed my baby— from talking to her and caressing her hair to reciting holy books and lullabies. And believe me, I did it all, for one complete month. And then, before I realised, I was aimlessly scrolling through my phone every time I nursed her. It slowly became a routine.
Every time she was hungry, I picked her up and began to nurse even without noticing her cues, looking at her face or seeing those pretty eyes.
As she grew, she learnt to play with my top, tried to pull my nose and put her fingers inside my mouth to touch my teeth, while I kept my self busy checking my notifications on Facebook and Instagram, watching random YouTube videos or simply checking deals on Shopping sites.
Honestly, deep down inside me, I hated myself and felt the guilt, but just like many other things we don’t like but still continue to do, this too became the same.
Soon I started to write parenting articles and the best time I could do that was when I nursed her. Albiet, my focus had changed and I was making more constructive use of this time, nonetheless, my actions remained the same.
Just like that, 2018 commenced. I was going through the resolutions made by people on the New Year’s Eve, and saw many people mention ‘Phone Detox’ as one of their goals. It was then it struck me, that I don’t need a complete detox, but there’s one thing that I really need to work on and that was- ‘Quality Nursing Time.’
I didn’t wait to jot it down in a planner or streamline my daily routine to work on it, but I chose to start immediately. That’s the thing about goals- you don’t always need to plan and wait for the right time, you just need to buckle up and start working on them as soon as possible.
After I made up my mind and it was time to nurse her, I held her in my arms and gave her a huge welcoming smile as I unbuttoned. She looked back at me with a twinkle in her eyes- the kind I’d never seen before. I realised how beautiful this little girl of mine was- so innocent and angelic. Throughout the nursing session I kept caressing her hair and read out lullabies and chants, just like I had planned to. I looked at her hands and noticed the cute dimples that she had below her fingers; I saw her face and noticed how it was full of enthusiasm; I saw her feet which constantly wiggled throughout. She continued to look at me and I noticed how the magic of breastmilk slowly worked and how beautifully she drifted off to sleep. Yes, that was my girl- the little squish that came out of me a couple of months ago, who was so delicate and tiny that she couldn’t even turn her head in the direction she wanted and here she is- all grown up and ready to walk independently. How quickly all these months flew by!
We often say kids grow up in the blink of an eye, but the truth is that we are so occupied in ourselves that we forget to notice them grow. Things like notifications, calls, shopping etc. can wait, we can do those when our little ones are asleep, but our children will never be this little again. They’ll never run to us to get a hug, they’ll never find joy in coming to us to get milk, they’ll never play peekaboo with our tshirts when they eat and they’ll probably never love us with the same pure feelings as they do today.
Someday in the future, we would scroll through their photos and miss these days! Why not cuddle and snuggle them as much we can before these lovely moments are gone?
Nursing our little ones is not just another mom-duty. It’s an unparalleled bond that we share which is like nothing else in the world. It’s like giving a part of yourself to your baby- the kind of nourishment and nurturing she will receive from no one ever! It’s therapeutic, not just for them but for us mothers too. Try to live in the moment- to feel the flow of liquid gold from your body to your baby’s and experience the magnificence. Try to make nursing sessions bonding times with your baby. Researchers have found that the strength of mothers emotional bond with the baby may trump all the other cautionary measures we take- like vaccinations, monthly check ups with the paediatrician etc., to help the baby thrive. A close attachment can prevent diseases, boost immunity and even enhance their IQ! Isn’t that amazing?
I’m still working on this and I urge you to try too! 🙂 I’m sure you’ll thank me for this.
Love,
Elina
(Just another mother who errs and learns)
P.S. Please excuse all the typos and errors. Wrote this while my little bundle of joy was sleeping. You know the time crunch we mothers have 🙈
Tummy-Time Alternatives for Babies Who Hate It
Tummy time is extremely crucial for young babies. In fact, researchers have found that babies who do not get adequate tummy time display delayed achievement of development milestones.
It helps in:
- Strengthening babies arms, neck, back and trunk muscles.
- Preventing flathead syndrome, which is basically development of flat spots due to constant lying on the back.
- Visual development, since they explore the world from a different angle
- Preventing torticollis, which is a condition where the neck muscles get rigid and don’t allow the head to move at all.
- Setting the right position for crawling. Once they master tummy time, most kids learn to army crawl better.
But what if your baby hates it?
I vividly remember, my little one used to cry her lungs out as soon as I kept her on her tummy. And I’m sure, she’s not the only one. Many babies don’t like tummy time, and it’s justified. Imagine if we are kept in an uncomfortable position we and we are too helpless to even move ourselves or turn our head, how would we feel?
Image source: www.organicfacts.net
Having that said, we also need to understand that there’s no escape from this important activity. Regardless of their liking, it has to be practised several times a day till their torso develops.
If your baby is like mine and hates tummy time, here are 5 alternate ways, which if practiced, will help you get the desired results:
1. Shin Placement
Lie on your back and raise your legs such that your shin is parallel to the floor. Keep your baby on your shin and make sure his face is visible to you. Most babies cry during tummy time because not much is visible to them in that position which scares them. This method makes them feel safe because they can see you.
2. Chest-to-Chest
Make your baby lie on your chest as you rest on your back. Raise and support his shoulder such that he can see your face. Talk to him and keep him entertained throughout. One reason of crying during tummy time is boredom. If they’re talked to, their anxiety and monotony reduces.
Image source: www.minessotaparent.com
3. Anti-gravity Breastfeeding
This is the safest option of all. Since babies find comfort in breastfeeding, they’re less likely to cry in this position. Make your baby lay on your chest and let him feed while he while he gets his tummy-time.
4. Lap Time
If your baby is uncomfortable on the floor, due to its hardness, then this position might help. Take him on your lap and lay him in stomach-down position. Keep some toys or books near you such that he can look at them from your lap. Keep caressing him as that’s a sign of reassurance and security for him.
Image source: www.reddit.com
5. Babywearing to the Rescue
This might probably come as a surprise but wearing your baby equates with tummy time. It keeps the baby in an upright position and the same set of muscles are involved in it, as they’re for tummy time. Although babywearing can’t replace it completely, but it can be used occasionally as an alternative. In fact, it has been observed that babies who were worn have stronger core muscles because they’re in upright position for longer durations, which makes their torso, neck and back stronger.
Images: www.soulslings.com.
I hope you found this article helpful!
Does/did your baby also hate tummy time? How do/did you deal with it? We’d love to know! Comment below to share your experience with me and fellow readers 🙂
Thanks and have a great day!
Love,
Elina
P.S. If you’re looking to purchase a carrier from Soul, click here to reach their website.
Make vaccinations a breeze with these tips!
Today, I won’t be sharing tips like I usually do, rather I’ll take you along with me and share my day with you all!
20th November ‘17
Boo woke up early today. She generally sleeps until 9am, but today she was up at 7:45am. She saw us brushing and pulled my toothbrush to put it in her mouth. I handed her a small brush and quickly prepared her breakfast. These days, she doesn’t have her breakfast (which is the only time she’s fussy), but today I ensured she ate well.
Tip 1: Feed the Baby well before vaccinations. There’s a possibility that she might get cranky or get fever and not eat anything later.
I then bathed her and got her dressed. It was her 9th month birthday so I tried to click her monthly picture too, but she was too sleepy to co-operate. She kept rolling on the bed and finally slept in one cozy corner. I moved her to her crib and then packed my diaper bag.
Tip 2: If the baby has slept well, her chances of getting irritated post vaccinations reduce significantly.
I had taken my appointment way early in the morning and had planned my day well in advance, which is why I was relaxed and at peace.
Tip 3: Make sure you’re well prepared. Avoid getting anxious or nervous. Children pick the anxiety from their parents very quickly.
Dress your baby well. Although it’s preferable to keep the thigh area exposed so that it doesn’t hurt them after being injected, but since it’s winter, I preferred dressing her in a top and leggings and also a pair of cozy shoes.
I wore her in my full buckle and we left for the hospital. Since she had slept well, she was quite observant and cheerful throughout the way. And because I was wearing her and she was close to me, she stayed very calm and happy.
Tip 4: Wear your baby on the vaccination day without fail. It’ll keep her calm and at rest before you reach the hospital.
On reaching the hospital, I straight went to the pharmacy to purchase the vaccines.
Tip 5: Take the prescription of the vaccines during the previous visit so that you don’t have to spend time in first getting the prescription, then buying the vaccines and going to the doctor again. The lesser time you spend before the vaccination, the lesser exhausted will the baby be during the vaccination.
Stay calm while your child is injected. Talk to her and keep her occupied with toys, if that works. Once the vaccine is given, pick her up and sway her for sometime. Let her get skin-to-skin so that she’s comforted.
The best way to calm a crying baby is to breastfeed her. Most good hospitals/clinics have a room/space for nursing. Take the baby there and feed her immediately. She will calm down in no time!
Tip 6: Nurse the baby post vaccination.
Image: Feeding room of the hospital we went to.
Although most babies are strong, but there are a few vaccinations that hurt the baby and make them upset, thus making it a nightmare for the parents. Babywearing makes vaccinations a smooth sail. It keeps the baby close to the mother and hence at comfort. The attached hood in FB also comes handy in protecting your little one from the sun and pollution.
Often, we want to treat the baby for being strong and brave, but don’t let the treat be junk food- because that’s how we unconsciously teach them that junk is good and healthy foods aren’t.
On our way back, we purchased a bunch of grapes on our way back home as a present for her 🙂
And then we reached home and she was back to her restless-hyperactive self 😉😅
I know this is no rocket science, but these are some tips that have helped us, and I hope they help fellow new moms out there 🙂
Featured Carrier: Soul Pride Full Buckle
Thanks for reading! Have a great day ahead!
Love,
Elina
Protect your Infant’s Feet with Soft Soles from Soul
The first thing I saw after I stepped out of the operation theatre was my daughters jiggling foot! There she laid, my little newborn, already kicking her feet in the air- it was that moment she took my breath away. I held her in my arms, hugged her tight, caressed her face, hands and feet and promised myself to protect her from every possible injury or illness- as much I can!
A newborn’s feet are made of soft and flexible cartilages. It takes months and even years for the bones to harden. Until the baby learns to walk, their feet remain soft and flat like they were at birth. In fact, it’s when a child enters teenage, that’s when the feet are completely developed like the adults.
It is crucial to take care of your baby’s feet for two reasons:
- Since they’re soft, they’re quite fragile and hence have to be protected from potential injuries.
- The external temperature has an impact on their health based on how well they’re covered. This is why you’ll hear old women tell you to cover your child’s feet and keep him warm when it’s cold outside.
When the temperature is mildly cold, a pair of socks might do the trick, but as the temperature drops, you might need something better to keep your baby’s feet warm- especially if it’s pouring cats and dogs and suddenly there’s a spike in the temperature. In situations like those, and all the other times- here’s what I’ve been using for the past two months- extensively- and loving it. Soul’s soft soles it is!
They were my daughters first pair of shoes and I must confess, they made a perfect one. It was super easy for me to make her feet slip in them right from the beginning. Besides, the soft elastic ensured great grip while I traveled with her.
Moreover, these baby shoes are perfect for indoor use since they have a special Sherpa insole that ensures soft cushioning to those tender feet. They are even great for outdoor use as long as the child plays on soft grass or sand.
These trademark soles are made of soft and pliable faux suede that stretches easily and stays fastened for long durations. The bottom of these soles are also ultra smooth so that the tender feet of the baby don’t feel the roughness or coarseness of the ground while walked upon. Now that my little one wants to stand or walk all the time, I make her wear these soles all day. They can be easily cleaned and even washed!
And oh, did I mention, how gorgeous Sumac is? Look at those colours! I’m smitten! Are you too?
You can buy these soles for your little darling as well from www.soulslings.com
Have a great day!