A Few Things To Remember This Winter…
It’s winters….that time of the year when our little ones are again so prone to those bouts of cough and cold and as parents you are running around with that dreaded thermometer in hand, calling up the doc, fixing an appointment, and trying desperately to make the poor little ones drink the medicines….
Sometimes, winters approach so suddenly that we dont really get the chance to keep our woolens in the sun. Of course we all are quite restrained on time these days. What with office and home and many more added responsibilities, it is not always possible to take out time and remember to do each and every chore. If you did not really get the chance to sun-out your woolens before use this winter, try and send it to a good dry-cleaner. Sometimes, children develop allergies, especially rashes and cough and cold from these same woolens that have been in storage for most of the past year.
This winter, let honey be your child’s best friend (not for infants though, and if your baby has had any prior allergies or reaction to honey, make sure you check with the doctor first). A little honey in milk, instead of sugar, will help your child stay away from the regular cough and cold. Also, why not add just the tiniest pinch of ground turmeric in your baby’s milk? Or even jaggery? Not only are these rich sources of nutrition for your little one, they will also help your baby fight the virus.
Green leafy vegetables are back with the season..so let your child enjoy these…of course make sure that you clean them properly before feeding your child. Clean and boil these greens in salt water and then mash it (if your child is too small) or cut into fine pieces and mix in the flour you use for your daily roti and parantha. Use the boiled water of the leaves to make dals or curries. The best part about these leaves are that, if you dont have the time to do this each day, just boil them and keep them in the fridge…once boiled, they can be easily stored for a week to ten days.
Also, make ample use of the lovely vegetables in the market, carrot, beetroot and so many other nourishing foods. Make vegetable soups/stews at home, make vegetable porridge, make custard with fruits….so many natural things for our little ones just waiting for us to bring back home.
Of course it is not always possible to keep cough and cold at bay. But lets try and go a little more natural this season….
Discipling Yourself Before Disciplining Baby
Having an indisciplined child can be a real problem, one that poses the threat of embarassment for you, while making your child the subject of ridicule and potential rejection by other kids and parents. There may be instances where your child may be conveniently left out of play dates and birthdays, when you see a decrease in the number of friends coming home to play with your child, while instances of your baby being invited to friends’ house goes down visibly. You may reach the stage of almost giving up, of talking sternly to your child, and sometimes, even resorting to means of punishment and hitting. But once you sit down and actually think about it – who is to blame for this situation? Is it really your child, or is it you, the parent, who failed to inculcate the basics of discipline and manners in the little one?
Ensuring your little one turns out into a well-disciplined and well-grounded toddler and child, and later a good human being, is completely the responsibility of the guardian. Disciplining a child is a really simple task, and the basics can begin very early, much before your baby will learn to speak. A child will always emulate an adult, so it is really important that before you set yourself to discipline your child, you implement the same in your own behaviour and routine.
You may ask your little one to follow a certain pattern, to behave a certain way, but if you become an example of the opposite, the same will reflect in your little one’s attitude. As parents, we have the paramount responsibility of being the idol the child will look upto, the person whose behaviour and mannerisms the child will emulate, so our language, our behaviour and all our dealings in everyday life should be such that can provide the ideal example to our baby.
In India, where the concept of joint families is still alive in some households, it is especially difficult to discipline a child, since the safety zone to escape punishment is always close at hand. It is imperative that all adults of the household are tuned to the ways of bringing up a child – if each one has a different perspective and a different method of discipline and behaviour, a child will invariably end up being confused, thus losing out on important learning methods. In such a scenario, it is important that all adults discuss the matter, but make sure the child is not present while such matters are being talked about. In a nuclear family, both the parents need to have a ‘pre-decided’ agreement on how to discipline baby and what is allowed and what is crossing the limit.
Moulding your child into the person you want her/him to be is completely in your hands, so make sure you create the right ambience and the right mix of discipline and love to help your child grow up into a good human being. And remember to keep those hugs and kisses in plentiful – you want to discipline your child, yes, but one message that you always want to give out to your child is, that no matter what, mamma and papa will always love you.
Telling Your Little One About Special-Needs Children
Mommies, if you have recently been to see the movie Barfi, as most of us did, or if you’ve read about it or have seen any of its trailers, you probably already know that the main actors are a little special, with special needs and a very special and beautiful life….
As a mother myself, what I definitely loved about the movie is that though the characters are deaf-dumb and autistic, none of it is used to generate pity, and instead, we are shown what a beautiful and ‘special’ life they have, blessed to be able to enjoy life at its fullest.
When my daughter watched the movie with us, she obviously had a lot of questions, her first one being why can’t the person speak or hear, or why does this person have such problems (as a 5-year-old, she felt that the difficulties faced by autistic people were especially hard because no one seems to try and understand what they say or feel!).
I was very sure that I wanted her to know the realities, yet make sure that she wouldn’t end up pitying or feeling sorry for those with special needs. I told her that even if they can’t speak or hear, or have difficulties expressing themselves freely to others, they do have a special language of their own, one that comes from the heart, one that is filled with love, governed by love, and one that can only be understood by people who are loving and caring themselves.
I know its quite hard to explain the entire concept to a kid, that too keeping in mind that your child will form an impression of special-needs people based on what you tell them and how you tell them. But you know what, children are really smart and understanding, and when you tell them something in the right way, they do understand and listen!
Don’t avoid such topics with your little one, because sooner or later, they will get to know, and it’s always best that you are the one who tells them the realities of life, and explain to them the responsibilities of growing into a wonderful human being.
A few simple yet effective ways in which you can help your kids understand about special-needs people is by:
- Don’t shy away from showing your babies movies that have special-needs people
- Don’t show movies that show special needs people in a bad light
- Talk to your kids about people with special needs
- Encourage them to mix with and make friends with special needs people
- Let your child feel that special-needs people are normal too, just different in behaviour, like most people are different
- Don’t pity a special-needs person in front of your child, and remember to be polite and understanding in your behaviour towards them, as your child will pick up your behaviour
- To make your child believe, you need to first believe yourself that people with special needs aren’t an illness, but just a different way of living
Understanding Baby’s Hunger Needs
Many new mums tend to get confused with the amount of varying information they get from family, friends, books and online. While a friend may say you need to feed your baby only when baby is hungry, the book may say you need to feed baby every few hours. While a relative says feeding for so and so time at a stretch is important, another may talk about signs that your baby shows.
All the above holds true in case of a new mum, as different babies have different needs and it takes a while to understand what really works for your little one. But one thing that holds true in case of new babies is that frequently feeding baby is good, and also advisable. Babies are still trying to develop their digestive system, and their tummies are tiny, so while they need feeds at small intervals, its also true that they need smaller quantities and not too much feed at one go.
A few signs that can help you notice baby’s hunger are:
- Crying
- Sucking fingers
- Sucking lips
- Sucking clothes
- Not falling asleep even though you’ve been trying
- Starts puckering lips imitating feed time
For newborns, its advisable that you feed baby every two hours. Once baby gets a little older, and if you are planning to start top feed, keep a regular schedule for feeding, and apart from that, keep your eyes out on baby’s cues for hunger.
Sometimes, you may worry that even though you are feeding baby properly, a lot of it is coming out in spitting. If that’s the case, try giving lesser quantity of feed, and make sure you burp baby properly after every feed, whether breast feed or bottle feed.
All babies are different, and it’s important that you try and understand what’s best for your’s. Give your baby some time to adjust to this ‘new’ life. While you’re there to care and love and do what’s best for your baby, everything will fall into place.
Sleep Or Exhaustion – What’s Your Baby Feeling?
For most moms, the signs of baby feeling sleepy are quite clear:
- Yawning
- Scratching ears and head
- Staring quietly at one spot
- Less active
- Irritated
But sometimes, signs that look like indications of sleep are actually indications of over-exhaustion, like:
- Cranky
- Constant crying
- Rubbing eyes vigorously
- Falling off to sleep while doing something else
If your baby shows any of the signs from the second list, chances are, its way past baby’s sleep time, and baby is now over-exhausted. You may have tried putting baby to sleep earlier, but baby was quite active and didn’t want to sleep, so you allowed a little more play time. Yes, we all do that.
This is actually a good way of making sure that baby is taken to bed when the first signs of sleep start to settle in, rather than waiting too long and letting baby get uncomfortable and cranky in the process. If you see baby yawning and being a little less active than baby usually is, its time to start the bedtime routine.
Here is what you should ideally be doing sometime before bed time and during as well:
- Prepare a warm bath and give baby a bath
- Give a light massage with some soothing baby oils
- Put baby in comfortable sleep clothes – do not cover baby with too many quilts and blankets, instead get baby in sleep onesies.
- Give baby some milk, bottle or mother’s feed
- Dim the lights
- Make sure the voices in the house are low
- Keep the bed comfortable
- Check that the room temperature is comfortable – not too warm and not too cold
- If baby wants, give a comfort toy to hug and sleep
- Sing a soft lullaby, read a story, play some light music
Your baby may not immediately fall off to sleep, though many babies do, but keep this routine regular and very soon your baby will start having a bed-time routine.
Mum’s Cuddle Brings Back Baby To Life: News
We read this incredible piece of ‘miracle’ news in the papers and just had to share it with all you lovely parents out there…..We’re calling it a miracle – though of course its a feat of some form of science – just because the love of the mum and the bond she shared here with her new born is so incredible.
Katie Ogg gave birth to twins in a hospital in Sydney. They were delivered at 27 weeks, weighing just two pounds each. While doctors okayed her baby girl Emily, the little baby boy Jamie was not breathing, as per the doctors. The medical staff battled hard to save the little boy but after 20 minutes of desperate attempts, they declared him ‘dead’.
As per the mum:
“The doctor asked me if we had chosen a name for the baby. I said Jamie. They turned around with my son already wrapped up and said ‘we’ve lost Jamie, he didn’t make it, sorry.’”
As the doctors handed her son’s lifeless body to her, she only wanted to hold her son close to her.
“It was the worst feeling I have ever felt. I unwrapped Jamie from his blanket. He was very limp.”
Katie wanted to hold her son next to her skin. “I took my gown off and arranged him on my chest with his head over my arm and just held him” she recalled.
As the baby was not moving, the grieving parents began talking to their ‘lost’ son. “We told him what his name was and that he has a sister. We told him the things we wanted to do with him throughout his life.”
The parents didn’t realise but they had been talking to their son for two hours when Jamie suddenly began showing signs of life.
“I felt him move as if he was startled, then he started gasping for air more and more regularly.” At first the doctors had claimed the signs of gasping for air was just a reflex action of the body and that the baby was dead. But soon the gasping began to grow more frequent.
“I took some breast milk on my finger, he took it and started regular breathing normally. A short time later he opened his eyes. It was a miracle.”
“Then he held out his hand and grabbed my finger. He opened his eyes and moved his head from side to side. The doctor kept shaking his head and saying I don’t believe it”.”
It is now being thought that the warmth of Ogg’s body acted like an incubator to keep the baby warm and stimulated. It adds weight to the theory of ‘kangaroo care’ named after the way marsupials care for their young in their pouch.
The father later said: “Luckily I have got a very strong, very smart wife. She instinctively did what she did. If she hadn’t done that Jamie probably wouldn’t be here.”
See….we always knew that the best place in the world for a baby is mommy’s arms!
Top 5 Baby Signals: Mommy Knows Best
As a young mother, especially as a new mother, you have a lot on your hands. With a newborn in the house, often there are times when you have to bring on your special motherly instincts to help you understand what’s best for your baby. As a mother, you know what’s best for your baby, but sometimes, knowing before hand what those little signs and gestures mean, can prepare you to take care of baby more efficiently, and without you getting stressed and confused. So here are the top 5 signs that babies will definitely display, so make sure
1. Rubbing eyes and ears/scratching head, face: These are the first signs of tiredness. As soon as you see baby doing any of this, its a good time to start preparing for baby’s bed time. Don’t wait for baby to get over-tired, as this will lead to crankiness and many tears.
2. Crying: Thisis baby’s most common way of showing that there is something wrong. And what could it be? It could be any of these – hunger, sleep, dirty diaper, wetting, soiling, fear, tiredness, pain, discomfort, attention-seeking, wanting something and not getting. Tend to baby and see what the reason is.
3. Cooing, gurgling, short laughs: These are signals that begin baby’s journey towards communication. This is baby’s first step towards telling you what baby feels, what is making baby happy, what is making baby excited, what seems interesting to baby. Enjoy the phase! Encourage your baby, talk about your daily activities, talk about things around baby, talk about your feelings, and see your baby trying to talk just like you!
4. Sucking fingers, putting things in mouth, chewing/biting on toys and things: Your baby is probably teething. This is a painful and uncomfortable experience for most babies, and baby will be cranky and crying. Ease baby’s discomfort by lightly massaging the gums. Give babies things to chew, like teethers and vegetable sticks. You can also give cooled carrot sticks for baby to bite/chew on.
5. Touching diaper/poopy area: Baby may have soiled the diaper, baby may have wet itself. Also, this could be an indication that baby can already feel the need to go to the washroom. Check on baby’s diaper and clothes to see any signs of wetness or soiling. Also, this may be a good time to start your baby’s potty-training, if you’ve not already begun the process.
From Mummy To Yummy Mummy: Coz Mommy Knows Best
Yes, you read it right! As mothers, we really know and understand that no one can really be happy unless mommy is happy and relaxed!
Enjoying motherhood has been your prerogative. Even though you may feel stressed and burned-out at times, you, the mothers, have begun taking this experience to a completely different level altogether. And in this generation of mothers, the change is really visible. It’s true that in previous generations too, the mothers have always been caring and attentive, managing home and kids perfectly. Our mothers have truly devoted all their time to us, making us what we are today. But for this generation of mums, the change seems to be a lot different.
Being a mother in our generation is actually a lot of fun. Knowing that there’s a little one inside you does not deter the young mum-to-be from being stylish and ‘happening.’ She goes out with as much enthusiasm and is as style-conscious as she was before the stork visited. Whether its shopping for the kitchen or buying those fashionable clothes and makeup, she likes to do it all.
Today, mums are taking their little ones everywhere. And no, the birth of a new one does not tie them down or place them under house arrest. As soon as the initial resting period is over, these mums are seen everywhere – at work, at malls, at events, parties, everywhere. And most places, the little one is not left behind, but instead, can be seen enjoying mum’s company, while mum manages to make many heads turn.
Gone are the days when mums would be all dull and drab. The young mums of today are fashion-conscious, stylish, glamorous and aware of the latest trends and don’t shy away from out new things. Not only do they do all their ‘mommy’ duties, young mothers today understand that to feel good you need to look good. And only when you look and feel happy, can you make others around you happy. So whether its exercise, makeup, yoga, fitness or clothes, these young mums today know it all!
Young mums today are much more hands-on, ensuring they are as much friend to their little one, as they are a mother.
Be it helping with the homework, playing those computer games or making the projects, going shopping, watching a movie 
together or taking a dance class together, mothers and children today are bonding like never before!
And not to mention, they are managing the house and work as wonderfully as ever. Supermums?
So what happened all of a sudden? A big factor, that often goes unappreciated, is the fact that the young father of today has changed a lot, not just as a father, but also as a husband. He understands the importance of being your friend, he understands the importance of sharing responsibilities and encouraging and appreciating you. He does understand you, doesn’t he? And the fact that you have an understanding partner can go a long way in giving you the confidence you see in yourself.
So, as much as we celebrate motherhood, let’s give out a shout to all the wonderful dads out there too! Go on, give him a hug! Thanks dads!!
Helping Baby Sleep Through The Night – SOS Mom Speak
This week, mum Sonal Chaurasia, mother of a 13-month old baby boy asked us to help her with her baby’s sleep problems. Her little one wakes up every night in the middle of his sleep and cries for about 20 minutes without opening his eyes. We asked our SOS Moms to help, and as always, there were a list of practical tips and advice that, we are sure, will help mum Sonal and any other mum who may be facing a similar situation.
- When baby wakes up, give a little water or milk in a sippy.
- It could be that baby is doing this out of habit – don’t give anything in the night, and very soon, baby may stop waking up in the middle.
- Babies do experience colic in the night and evening. You can use a small spoon of mustard oil mixed with heeng, make it a little warm and then apply on baby’s tummy. Put a drop around the navel and massage slightly. This may soothe baby. Do this even when baby wakes up in the night.
- Give baby a warm bath before bed time. Or you can also wipe baby with a warm damp towel before changing and getting in sleep clothes. Feed baby ever two hour, but in little quantities during sleep.
- Try giving a pacifier or soother. Also, feed baby by lying down on your side while baby is asleep, as this can soothe baby.
- Baby may cry due to some discomfort.
- Check the room temperature, it shouldn’t be too warm or too cold.
- Understand if baby is suffering from colic.
- Make sure baby is tired enough during the day, but not over exerted.
- For dinner time, give something light and easy to digest, like khichdi and a glass/bottle of warm milk.
- Boil some saunf and give the water to baby.
- Try giving cow milk if you are giving top feed.
- Sometimes, this may just become a habit. Babies tend to get into a deep sleep routine at night around the age of 3, if not earlier.
- Hug your baby when they wake up in the middle of sleep and sing a soothing lullaby.
- Try giving gripe water or colic medicine as suggested by baby’s doctor.
- Try following a timetable for baby in the day and make sure nap time in the day is a little less and not close to bedtime at night.
- Make sure you burp baby after feeding at bedtime.
- Keep your baby in your arms, or hug your baby when you are putting them to sleep. This may give a sense of security.
- Add some saunf when you boil baby’s milk and strain it out while giving to baby.
- Check the diaper in the night.
- Be calm with your baby as a habit. Sometimes, the events of the day play in a baby’s mind and may make them disturbed. Do not shout or yell at your baby, and definitely do not hit.
- Make sure your baby does not get any mosquito or insect bites during sleep time.
- If baby has a regular time of getting up in the middle of the night, try waking up baby at least 15-20 minutes before that time. Talk to baby softly, make sure baby knows you are around, sing a lullaby and soothe them back to sleep.
Special thanks to mums and dads:
Sumiti Malhotra Dargan, Vaibhavi Kadiya, Smrati Tiwari Saini, Riya Mamta Chhajer, Nidhi Pandey, Poojankit Bhati, Jigna Shah, Mithlesh Dwivedi, Mariya Bhagat, Rupali Kohli, Namrata Samel Dixit, Aamrin Khan, Shweta Mishra Jha, Amita Bartaria, Rashmi Agrawal, Nidhi Jain, Rachna Shah, Karishma Jagad, Sonal Gulia.
* please remember that all views shared are by other mums and dads and FirstCry is not endorsing any of the advice, tips and ideas. It is completely upto the parents to decide what they think is best for baby.
Mommy Knows Best – Signals For Baby’s Nap Time
It’s the greatest joy for a mother to see her baby sleep peacefully. That tiny head resting on the pillow, those puckered-up lips, those feathery eyelashes lying over resting eyes – its just too much a sight to not want to pick up that little bundle right up in your arms then. But again, you would want these precious moments to extend, to let baby get as much sleep and rest as possible.
All babies have a special way of signalling when they need to sleep. This may not mean they necessarily want to, but of course these are signs that all mums pick up, and know instinctively that it’s time to say ‘good night.’
We wanted to know from all you mums what’s your baby’s special sign for sleep time, and you all had beautiful stories to tell.
Mums Parul Umesh and Kripa Ganesh say that one of the first indications that baby is sleepy is when their babies start rubbing their eyes and nose. Mum Priyanka Karmakar Roy’s baby also starts rubbing the eyes, but sleep makes the little one irritable, and tantrums and tears follow.
Mum Srijana Rai is a lucky mum, as her baby crawls up to her and wants a big hug in mommy’s arms!
And mum Roohie Khanam’s princess is a grown-up lady, who can tell mommy herself that she is feeling sleepy, while her son will simply put his head on mommy’s shoulder to show its time for bed.
Mum Bagya Lakshmi’s daughter starts turning her face left and right, rubbing her eyes and crying, while mum Priya Jain’s 09 month old baby starts rubbing his eyes and head. Mum Sandhya Nair’s little one blinks a couple of times, rubbing his eyes and nose, and comes to hug mommy.
Another lucky mommy, mum Akruti Desai’s 20-month old son brings his blanket to momma and starts humming lullabies. Wow, listening to lullabies at baby’s bedtime must sure be fun!
Mum Heena Shah-Dhedhi is also lucky, as bedtime means her 12 month old princess comes and snuggles into mommy’s lap.
Mum Himani Bansal absolutely loves baby’s bedtime, as her baby starts rubbing his ears and eyes and then hugs her tight.
Mum Smrati Tiwari Saini’s little hero rubs his ears and becomes restless, asking to be only with momma, and droopy eyelids, yawning and rubbing the eyes is what mum Nassia Jasmine’s baby does.
Mum Tanya Bhateja’s 11 month old starts rubbing his eyes and puts his thumb in the mouth, a sure shot indicator that its bed time and time for baby to get into mommy’s lap.
Mum Priyanka Adhikary Chakaraborty has a partner in baby’s sleeptime – baby’s father! While the little one starts rubbing his eyes and nose and gets a little cranky, a lullaby from papa is an absolute must, something that will finally soothe baby to sleep.
Mum Tania,Goel, mum Usha Govind and mum Manobina Nanda Ganguly all have babies who start rubbing their eyes and ears at nap time.
Mum Vaishali Vaidya says her 15 month old baby suddenly starts demanding different things at bedtime…quite a princess!
Mum Asha Victoria’s toddler starts craving for the pacifier and makes mommy rub on baby’s nose! Wow…that’s a different one!
Mums Hina Tayal Adv , Meera Saru Magar and Meenakshi Chandail Parihar’s babies start yawning, crying and rubbing their eyes and nose, while mum Anamika Mishra’s baby comes over to her and sleeps on mommy pillow – mommy’s tummy! Same as mom Amarjeet Kaur, whose 11 month old baby lies down on mommy’s chest for nap time.
Mommy to twins, mum Mansi Saxena says that one of her twin daughters goes and finds a soft toy or blanket and lies down on it, while the other suddenly becomes more active, while still rubbing her eyes in between.
Mom Prerna Mahajan’s baby rubs his eyes and ears and gets cranky, and mommy’s cuddling and rocking is what he needs to fall asleep.
Mom Meenal Bansal’s little baby starts singing his own lullaby and falls off to sleep. We have a feeling that many moms are jealous, is that right?
Mum Rachita Yogesh and mum Sini Anoop’s babies start rubbing their eyes and yawning, while mum Adaa Anu’s baby pushes her head inside mommy’s lap.
Mum Sony Bhoopathi’s 18 month old baby brings her pillow to mamma, pulls mamma to the bed and then lies down in mamma’s lap. And mommy says she absolutely loves it!
Mum Namrata Samel Dixit’s baby is glued to momma when sleepy, while scratching her ears and pulling her hair.
Mum Dhivya Madhan Kumar’s baby scratches his face and starts looking in one direction, and mum Savita Zanwar’s baby pulls her hair and cries, then comes to mamma for a hug.
Mum Mrunal Pranjale’s baby rubs his eyes and sits in one place while mum Gareema Burman Sehrawat’s baby starts asking for a breast feed and finally falls asleep.
Mum Jasmeet Sidhu’s baby starts staring at something and soon gets drowsy, while mum Yamini Mishra’s son scratches his ears and starts making faces.
Mum Shama Desai’s baby asks mommy to come to the bedroom with the milk bottle while mom Veena Giri’s baby rubs her eyes and looks at mommy when she is sleepy.
See….we told you mommy knows best! How to interpret and read all those small and big and cute and simple signs that mean so much – that it’s time for the little one to now sleep peacefully, knowing mommy is around.
Diapering Baby: What To Know And Remember
While putting baby in a diaper means giving your little one a dry and comfortable time, chances are, many times the same diaper can turn into a potential health hazard for baby, holding the wetness and dirt for too long and increasing chances of infection. Knowing a few simple things about how diapers work and keeping a few things in mind and keeping your eyes open to your baby’s signs may help diapering easier and more effective for both baby and you.
1. Even though diaper brands claim they can hold on to wetness for long, its always advisable to change a diaper as soon as it is soiled. This will not only avoid any diaper rash, it will also keep baby more comfortable. And if the diapers contain waste other than urine, its a definite must that it needs to be changed ASAP. You can choose to go for diapers that come with a colour change every time baby soils it, or has a fullness indicator that indicates how long the diaper can hold on to the waste and when it should surely be change (of course you can change it earlier too.)
2. Letting baby wear a diaper in the night is a great way to prevent any wetness and let baby sleep in peace. It’s also a great way to keep baby away from any wetness-related illness. But make sure you do check on baby in between, or better still, only put on baby’s diaper when YOU are going to sleep.
3. Sometimes, diapers may leak, resulting in baby sleeping in wetness through the night, even as you may feel that baby is dry and having a nice peaceful sleep. As parents, its advisable to check on your baby once in a while at night, just to make sure that everything is perfect!
4. Some diapers have difficult velcro patches at the side that touch baby’s sensitive skin and cause skin friction, cuts and rashes. If you’re not sure which diaper suits baby best, you can buy a first pack that’s smaller in quantity and see how it works on baby. If baby seems completely comfortable, go ahead with the same. Else do change the brand.
5. If your baby is using a regular cloth nappy at night for baby, you can still put in a soaking strip that can be put inside the cloth nappy and that soaks in the wetness.
6. For babies who are running around the whole day, its always a great idea to use the pant-styled diapers that are easy to put on and easy to take off, while letting baby do all the running around.
7. Let baby use the washroom closest to sleeping time. It’s always best to prevent the diaper from soaking too much in the night.
8. All said and done, using too much diaper on baby’s skin is not really a great thing to do, no matter how soft the material and how trusted the brand. Do try and get your baby washroom-trained as soon as you can. Give your baby time to get used to the idea. Do not force or scold, or embarrass baby if its taking time. Be there for baby and let your baby know that even though it may take time, it will happen soon.
Mommies, you do know best, and you’re the one who’ll know best all about your baby’s diapering needs……
Helping Fussy Babies Eat: SOS Mom
This week, we had lots of parents writing in to us, not just mums, a daddy too!
Mum Hema Canchi Jauhari wrote: ‘I am facing a problem with my 3-year old. He does not like eating any solids. He drinks milk only in the night. Can you help me with some ideas to make him eat?’
Mum Sonal Pandey wrote: ‘My baby is 09 months old. Initially he took daal ka pani or mashed fruits, but these days he is not eating, not even taking water. He is only taking breast milk. I am really worried, could you suggest something please?’
Dad Dev Shukla wrote: ‘Please suggest me how to deal with my 10month old baby. She does not eat anything, she only picks up food to make a mess of it. I really don’t know what to do!’
Mum Farah Fairy wrote: ‘My baby is 10 months old. Since the last 4 months I am trying to give her formula milk but she always rejects it. She never sucks the nipple. I have tried giving her fresh milk but she rejects that too. I give her milk when she feels hungry, but she still won’t take the bottle. Please help.’ This was another problem faced in the SOS Mom forum and you may find this article helpful.
We shared these parent problems in our SOS Mom forum and here’s what most of the parents had to say from real experiences:
- Divert their mind through games, stories and immediately put the spoon of food inside the mouth. Don’t give big bites as baby may tend to choke if not interested in eating.
- Try some variations in food. If they are not interested in solids, go for healthy liquid options like soups, dal, or even variations in solids like idli mixed with paalak (spinach) puree, aaloo parantha, mixed vegetable parantha, paneer parantha, and other variations that include some ingredient that your baby likes to eat. Giving ghee and sugar paranthas is also a healthy way to get babies to eat and provide instant energy.
- Take some spinach, tomato, daal, rice and capsicum. Boil everything in a pressure cooker. Grind and add little salt. Give as a soup and you can even use this water to add to other dishes.
- Dip a badaam in a cup of water and keep overnight. Drain the water in the morning and crush the badaam to make a paste. Add a teaspoon of honey to the paste and give baby.
- Babies’ taste buds keep changing and developing. If they are not showing interest in a particular food, dont give up. Give it again next week and keep trying.
- Sometimes, changing the environment can be fun. Pack baby’s meal in a tiffin box and take baby out to the garden. You can try and make baby eat while playing and taking a walk.
- Mixed soups like carrot-potato-apple or bottlegourd-potato-onion are delicious and healthy. Try some variations too.
- Try giving meals in attractive cups and bowls with favourite characters. Play-act with food, make a spoon a play aeroplane with foodie passengers on them that baby will eat!
- Sometimes, its okay to take the help of favourite television shows and let baby eat while being distracted. However, make sure you’re not making this a practice as it may create problems later.
- Do not force feed baby. Yes, mommy knows best, but sometimes, babies do know when they are not able to take anymore.
- Its a great idea to have a common meal-time. Watching others eat, especially other kids, is a great way for making baby eat up too.
- Let others in the family make baby eat too. Sometimes, its good to bring a change in face. So let papa, grandparents, aunts, uncles take to the baby bowl too.
- Do not bribe to eat food.
- Talk to your kids while you make them eat. If they are younger, talk about things that interest them. If they are school-going, talk about what they did at school and other activities that interest them. Talk about daily routine and things that baby sees – like birds, animals, people etc.
- Letting baby eat from your own plate is a great way of encouraging your little one to eat and feel like a grown up.
- Start giving baby bites from the family pot. Avoid too much spice, but start on same meals as the family, after baby has crossed a certain age and doctor has advised it’s okay to start eating with others.
Parents who sent their valuable suggestions:
Komal Goenka, Neha Kulkarni-Chavan, Preeti Vyas Parashar, Alka Tayal, Shruthi Aasoori, Divya Sundaram, Ridhi Ashish Abrol, Jayashree Vijay Kumar, Dhanashree Ranade, Nisha SharmaDurbakula Lakshmi Sakuntala, Namrata Samel Dixit, N Mukesh Vyas, Minal Chatterjee, Rachita Yogesh, Poorva Ranjan
Helping Baby With Constipation Problems: SOS Mom
This week 02 mums had a similar problem: mum Mallika wrote in from Qatar to ask SOS Moms about a problem she is facing with her 09-month-old baby girl. ‘My 09 month old baby girl is suffering constipation problems. I give her extra milk, home-made rice powder boiled with water and added to milk. I this 2-3 times per day, and also semolina (sooji) and khichri once a day. The doctor here has told me not to give her sugar, salt, cow’s milk and milk products before she turns a year old. Every time she has to pass stool she cries a lot as it is really painful for her. I cry with her, Im depressed, but I can’t help my little girl. Please please help my baby.’ Mum Shazma Zaheer Gillani has a 03 year old daughter who faces the same problem too!
We’ll admit we did get quite emotional seeing the pain this baby, and of course, her mum, go through each day. And it was overwhelming the way our amazing SOS Mommies came out with their advice, their help, ideas and suggestions. We’re jotting down the suggestions below:
- Giving mashed banana twice a day will help
- Daal ka paani (water from boiling daal, lentil) and lukewarm water to drink
- Mashed papaya
- Fresh orange juice, naariyal pani (water from a green coconut), mashed vegetables, green vegetable soup, rice
- Soak 4-5 dried grapes in hot water, mash and give the juice to baby. Can be given early in the morning once baby wakes up
- Avoid tinned milk
- Mashed apple
- If baby rear area is hurt and red, apply some mustard oil lightly to help heal
- Little sugar in lukewarm water
- Try and add bit of ghee in meals.
- Banana
- Lots of water throughout the day
- Prunes (dried plum) juice or prunes soaked in warm water is a natural laxative and also packed with nutrients
- Mashed banana and papaya, puree of carrot, beetroot, potato, tomato
- Boil water with ajwain, ginger and lemon in small quantity. Cool and give to baby
- Grate jaifal and chiwda in warm water and give 2-3 drops to baby.
- Take a little heeng and mix with 2-3 drops of water. Apply this on baby’s tummy.
- Palak paneer vegetable with mild salt may help
- Check with your doctors about medicines that will prevent any anal fissures in baby
- Gripe water
- Dip the stalk of betel leaf (paan) in castor oil and insert in baby’s poop hole (*this should be done at the parents’ choice, FirstCry does not recommend anything)
- Dabur janamghutti
- Give the juice of a raw apple
- Lukewarm water with honey
- Pinch of hing boiled in spoonful water
- Dried figs are rich in fiber and help in constipation. Soak a fig overnight (if baby cant chew) in 2-3 spoons of water, grind and give to baby.
- Take a paan and add about 01 cup of water. Add a pinch of ajwain, black cardamom seeds and some sugar. Boil till it remains half and let cool. Give the water to baby
- Boil powdered saunf (fennel seeds) in a cup of water for a few minutes and feed baby 3-4 spoons twice or thrice a day.
- Mix a tablespoon of honey in milk
- Ground elaichi (cardamom)
With special thanks to mommies and 02 special daddies: 
Lovina Kuckreja, Minu Sharma, Tanushree Mithal, Sadhna Singh, Kripa Ganesh, Sharmili Navab, Harpreet Kaur, Rimpy Agarwal, Rehana Shameem, Shradha Menon, Amitoj Bhatia, Shilpa Kannan, Jigna Shah, Deepty Mundhra, Kritika Jain, Patil Archana, Amrita Vyas Purohit, Saranya Gangadaran, Yashi Gaurav Deora, Megha Malviya, Padmavathi Meduri, Aarti Duggal Kapoor, Mubeen Afshan, Jyoti Huria, Deepti Dani, Vineet Arora, Shruthi Pothnis, Shruti Nigam, Jaspinder Sehmi, Karamjit Kaur, Veena Giri, Sheetal Dutta, Neeru Koul, Sachin Sood, Meenakshi Lakshmi Narayanan, Anushree Nadkarni, Kiruthica Aravind, Hema Canchi Jauhari, Deepika Kushwaha, Namrata Samel Dixit, Sujata Kirtane Sapre
Getting Baby From Breast To Bottle
Mum Neha Jain Rawal, mother to a 1.3 year old son, told us on our FB page that she is going through one of the most common problems that is associated with early motherhood – getting your baby off the breast! If you thought that getting your baby to latch on was a problem, wait till your baby reaches the stage when it’s good to get off the breast. Like they say, for anything you want your baby to learn, the key is always the time – starting early and giving baby the hints before you actually take proper action.
As your paediatrician may have already suggested, the ideal time to get baby off the breast is right after the first birthday cake has arrived. But yes, if that’s what you’re planning, then a few hints of what’s coming need to be shared with baby a few months earlier. If your baby has already crossed the first birthday, like Mum Neha’s son has, and is still only attached to mum’s feed, worry not. There’s still time.
As a baby grows, so does the realisation about where mum’s milk is coming from, and also the realisation that it’s always close by.
1. Mums, remember that it will always be a painful experience and a long one to get your baby off the breast and onto the bottle. So before you begin, make sure you’ve discussed about the anxieties and other points with your partner, and also your family, who may be able to assist you, especially your partner, whose help you will definitely need in the process. Also, make sure you are emotionally ready and prepared that now is the time that the single bond your baby and you had that was the most precious to you till now is going to change, for the better. Breastfeeding helps mums and babies bond like nothing can, but there are many other ways that you will be bonding with your little one.
2. Before you begin, remember, baby will cry, cry and cry more. And this will probably break your heart. It sure will. But you will have to live with a few days of letting baby cry, and not give in. Don’t let yourself feel guilty for this, or don’t think that because you are denying baby of your milk, you are being a bad mother. This is all for your baby and your own health and benefit, so just have a few days of patience and it will soon become baby’s normal routine.
3. Be emotionally prepared and mentally strong. Do not cry if baby cries for a feed and you are unable to give that. Make sure you know that what you are doing is for baby’s and your own benefit.
4. Nothing can happen suddenly. So don’t think that you will suddenly cut down on all the feeds and help baby. Begin by reducing the number of times you feed, substituting one breastfeed time a day to bottle, and increasing the frequency slowly.
5. Introduce the bottle/sippy cup as a play thing, as a fun thing. Give baby time to get familiarised with it.
6. Don’t bring in change at times when baby is super tired, sleepy or hungry. This will only make baby more troubled and cranky. Do not introduce the bottle at such times, as baby will start associating this with unhappy times. Try and hand the bottle about half an hour before nap time, when baby is a little tired, but not cranky. Also, try and hand the bottle a little before baby gets too hungry. This will give baby time to slowly figure out the bottle, look at it, play with it, and probably use it once baby is hungry.
7. Try and slip in the bottle nipple while you are breastfeeding. Baby will refuse the first few times, many times, but please keep trying.
8. Your baby may suddenly not want to go to a bottle. Try and get a small sippy cup instead.
9. Giving milk in a bottle as a starter may be a big change and shock for baby, as baby is only used to having milk from mum. Instead, try and give water in a fun sippy cup and see how baby reacts.
10. Since you will be trying to detach from baby’s milk needs, this is the best and most crucial time that your partner, or if that is not a 
possibility, then the closest person who will be baby’s carer, to step in. Let baby and the carer have more time together, and get more comfortable with each other. This will help baby accept feed from the hands of the carer.
11. Do not give baby the bottle/sippy cup yourself. No matter how tempted you are, this is not the time for you to be handing an alternative to baby. Leave this to your partner or to the carer.
12. When someone is assisting with feeding baby, avoid being in the same room. Seeing mommy at feeding time will make baby realise that breast milk is close at hand.
13. Start with giving some light milk in the bottle/sippy cup. Try and dilute the milk with water, as otherwise it may get difficult for baby to digest. There is no need to add any sugar or any other flavour in the beginning. See if your baby will go for natural plain milk. If your baby is not happy with the taste, ask the doctor for any suggestions about what to add for flavours.
14. Put honey along the bottle nipple or on the sippy cup teat to make it appealing to baby.
15. If you absolutely have to hold baby while bottle-feeding, make sure baby’s back is to you, while you make baby sit on your lap. Otherwise, you can try and get baby on a high-chair, and try and divert attention by opening a fun music book, a flip-the-flap book, playing with a toy, or if nothing helps, switching on the television and putting on something that baby will love. Trying out the bottle while taking baby for a stroll outside may also be a good idea.
16. Sometimes, babies will sleep off in the night with the nipple still in the mouth, as this is a comfort option for them. If this is the case, try and keep a favourite sippy-cup near baby’s pillow, so that baby can grab it in the middle of the night and get back to sleep.
17. At night, try and let baby sleep in a cot next to the bed. At feeding time, let your partner hand the bottle. If you are co-sleeping (sleeping together with baby in the same bed), let your partner lie down next to baby. This will prevent baby from directly going for the breast.
18. If your being in the same room is creating a problem for getting baby to the bottle, maybe you should try and sleep in a different room for a few weeks, till baby gets used to the idea of a bottle at night.
19. Many times, we end up breastfeeding a baby in the middle of the night for the sheer comfort and ease of it. Understand that this will create a negative impact on all your efforts at weaning.
Mums, when it comes to weaning baby, no amount of tips and suggestions can help, unless YOU are ready for it. Weaning a baby is, in most cases, a very emotional and trying experience, one that will drain you out completely, that may make you feel that you are not doing the best for baby, one that may make you feel guilty. But please remember, that as a mother, as long as you have nursed your baby, it’s good enough, that you have done a great job as a parent, and that what you are doing now is keeping in mind the benefit, health and comfort of your baby.
Good luck mums!
Bibs and More For A Clean Meal Time
Mums, as much as you are trying to make your little one get familiar with meal times and trying out new food, there’s one thing that can definitely help make the process a little more cleaner and less messier – BIBS! Here’s a few that will make meal times fun and less messy!
Soft and simple to keep meal times clean
A simple cute bib for your cutie!
Comfortable set of wash cloths to gently clean baby’s face
Cute way to keep you tension free and let your baby enjoy food.
A fun way to keep the food off your little one’s clothes. Dishwasher proof and easy to clean and re-use.
Easy-to-tie and adjust. Use and throw.
Catches spills, easy to tie and clean.
Helping Your Child Love Fruits and Vegetables
Yes, we know it’s quite a difficult task to get your baby to like these. But as parents, aren’t you always trying. Threats, reasoning, love, anger, orders – you try every single method to try and make sure that your child gets the adequate amount of vegetable and fruits in the daily diet. But mums, if your baby isn’t interested while eating these, or if your baby is eating vegetables only out of fear, chances are, it won’t really benefit your baby as much as it otherwise can.
There are a few ways that as parents you can try out with your kid at home, depending on whether your child is a baby, a toddler, a young child or a teenager. Try and use the methods that will best suit your baby and you:
One golden rule to remember is never to give up. Try introducing new flavours, even though your baby might constantly refuse. You never know when they will start developing a taste for it.
Plan out meals with your child. Sit and talk about what your baby would like to eat, and then try and see how creatively you can include vegetables in them.
Make fruits and vegetables a regular part of all your meals. If they are not part of the main meal, try and add them in as many dishes as you can – grated, chopped, diced, mashed, baked, steamed.
Place bowls of fruits around the house and always keep a plate of fresh salad on the dining table.
Make interesting smoothies, shakes and juices fresh at home.
Make breakfast healthier by adding fresh fruits to cornflakes, or using fruits or chopped vegetables in sandwiches, porridges, toasts, poha, idlis, dosas, paranthas.
Make fruits and vegetables a part of snacks. Mix and match them with interesting flavours.
Shop together with your kid for fruits and vegetables.
Place a plate of vegetables and fruits on the table and play an eat-the game. ‘Eat the vegetable that is great for eyes and a favourite of rabbits.’ Or, ‘Eat the vegetable that was Popeye’s favourite.’
Let your child participate in cooking. Ask them to help with vegetables (bursting the capsicum, cutting the spinach with a big baby scissor and so on). Get them to clean them up for you before they break or cut them.
Have a colour day at the meal table. For an orange-colour day, go for pumpkins and oranges, for a green day go for spinach, beans, lady fingers, cucumbers, grapes, sweet lime, guava, grapes and so on.
Sneaking In Nutrition In Everyday Ways
So what is a common phrase that almost all mothers all over the world are so used to hearing but wish they never had to hear? From a little tot to a hyper-active toddler, almost all of them will sometime or the other begin saying that very sentence that we so dread hearing – ‘I don’t want to eat!’
In the tiny tot stage they will show their displeasure by moving away from food, spitting it out, making faces, refusing to open their mouth no matter how much you cajole them. Well if you are thinking this is going to change miraculously once they reach the toddler age, you are in for a surprise, for no matter how grown up they will become, the problems related to eating will only escalate as the years pass. The only consolation is that, at this stage, you can at least fool them and still make them eat what you want them to, using devious means and some scheming. Who said being a parent was simple?
Ensuring that your child gets all the nutrition for proper growth and development is YOUR JOB and not the child’s. A baby is a baby, and that is how babies will behave, but as parents, we can certainly try and do some damage control.
There are many ways to sneak in nutrition in all that your baby has. Learn how:
1. If you’re making khichdi, make sure to put in lots of greens and vegetables.
2. Try and put crushed almonds in your baby’s food whenever you can, even in a dal or khichdi!
3. While making daal, soak in a spoon of daliya too. Also, many days, instead of cooking just one kind of daal, you can mix in different kinds of daal to make a mixed-daal. Not only will your baby get a new taste each day, it will be extra nutritious and you can add in some vegetables to up the health quotient.
4. If your child is fond of soups, use lots of vegetables/chicken and make a delicious soup at home, none of those off-the-shelf instant soups.
5. Make custard and include an assortment of fruits to mix with the custard.
6. Boil peas and corn together and sprinkle a little salt and lemon/butter and black pepper, and a healthy, filling and tasty evening snack is ready.
7. Dry-roast a little bhel (rice puffs) and mix it with corn-flakes, dried curry leaves, a little roasted cumin, salt, a dash of turmeric, some nuts and cut almonds and keep all this – a ready-to-munch snack filled with nutrition.
8. If your family has eggs, while making dosa and idli, you can mix some eggs in the same batter.
9. If your baby loves cheese and butter, which are a good source of energy and nutrition at this stage if given in the right amount, there’s nothing like making your child munch on cheese slices in between meals. Also try and include some form of fat, like ghee (clarified butter) or butter in your child’s meals.
10.Make yummy green soups for your little one using lots of green leafy vegetables cooked in delicious flavours.
11.Which child doesn’t love pasta and noodles? Turn these into delicious and healthy treats by adding lots of vegetables, corn and anything else 
you would like to give.
12.Milk with chavanpraash/honey is something you can try giving your child. And during the rainy seasons or winters, you can make a warm glass of ginger milk and add a dash of turmeric, which is always good to prevent/cure ailments related to the throat.
13.If your child likes curd, just add a few slices of fruits or mix in some grated veggies and hand it over.
14.For those families that are non-vegetarian, adding fish, chicken, eggs are sure to add lots of protein to the daily meal. Not only can these be mixed into other dishes, they can be prepared as single dishes too. For those who do not prefer non-veg, substitute the same with paneer or soya.
10 Meal Time Rules Parents Should Follow
As much as we stress on the benefits of a good and nutritious meal, no meal time is beneficial for your child if it is accompanied with tears and scolding and a lot of stress.
We know meal times aren’t always the easiest times for parents, but some times, following a few simple basics can make it a little more practical, as well as easier-to-handle. Do tell us if you would like to add your own tips to the list we’re sharing here:
1. Don’t force or bribe your child to eat: We do this many times, trying to get out of a tricky situation by bribing our kids with something or the other, if only they will do what we want. ‘Finish your food, then you’ll get ice cream’ or ‘drink the milk, then we’ll go out for a pizza.’ Sounds familiar? Telling your child that you want them to eat a specific thing or finish off their plate just because it leads to a bigger treat will send the wrong signals to your child. Next time, when you want them to finish their food without a treat lined up, may lead to a lot of trouble.
2. Make mealtimes fun: Make mealtimes a fun time for the entire family. Meal times should ideally be a time when the entire family gathers around the table and talks about their day. Use this time to teach your children the importance of the various ingredients in their meal. Tell them interesting facts. Invent food games, get interesting cutlery,and make it a special part of your child’s day.
3. Eat well yourself, then lead your child by example: If you hand your child a bowl of daliya while you just finished a packet of chips, chances are, your child wouldn’t really want to go for the daliya. In all honesty, who would? If you want your child to eat healthy, you need to be the first one to do so. If you adopt healthy eating habits, very soon your child will pick up the same from you.
4. Encourage child participation in meal planning, preparation and clean-up: Go out for veggie shopping together, read the ingredients together with your child, plan about meal time and shop accordingly, ask your child to help you in the kitchen with chores that are okay for kids to do, let them clean the veggies and do simple tasks like popping the capsicum, shelling the peas and so on. Later, when you prepare a meal together and the family sits at the table to have the same, appreciate your child’s work and make them feel proud.
5. Back off for some time if meal times are becoming big issues: If you are constantly nagging and scolding your child to eat, chances are, your efforts may backfire, leading your kid to get more stubborn and refuse what you’re asking. Back off for some time, let your kid go ahead without you telling them what you eat. Once the situation is back to normal, explain your concerns.
6. Accept cravings as a phase that will pass: No one can survive on chips and cold drinks or ice-cream alone. If your child is fixated on chips, accept it as just a craving. If your little one suddenly only wants burger for meals, relax and understand that a random day or two of burger eating will not harm your child really. If you keep making an issue out of it, you’ll be giving undue importance to the whole thing, leading your child to do it more. Let it pass. Your little one will soon come back to normal eating habits.
7. Accept the fact that your child can have individual tastes and may not like what you like, and vice versa: Yes, what you may like and what your child may like in terms of food maybe complete opposites, but accept it as a fact and try to work around the same. See what kind of food and taste interests your child and make meals that have similar flavours. 
8. Never give up on introducing your child to new foods and tastes, no matter how many tries it takes: Yes, your child won’t know if they like or hate something unless they try it. But sometimes it’s difficult to make them try out new food. Don’t force and don’t give up. Try and find innovative ways of introducing new ingredients in your child’s regular food, and very soon they may like what you serve.
9. If your child is a picky eater, give multi-vitamin supplements: It’s really okay to sometimes take outside help. If your child isn’t eating ‘properly’, don’t make it a matter of good/bad parenting. Don’t blame yourself. And don’t scold and blame your child for it either. Instead, get medical attention and give additional supplements as suggested by your child’s doctor.
10.Make sure you set the boundaries – as a parent, you decide what to eat and when. Your child can decide on the amount: You’re the parent, and even though you may be giving your child some amount of liberty when it comes to meal time, there are some areas that you just can’t let go. You know best what your child must absolutely eat, so make sure you make it pretty clear to your kid that there is no escaping this one. Having milk should be a part of your child’s daily routine (unless there’s any medical or other reasons) and you should be the one who should make sure there’s a set time that your child should know as milk time – like a glass at breakfast and one before going to bed (example).
Vegetarian Foods To Help Your Baby Gain Weight and Recuperate
This week we had a very important query from one of our FirstCry mums. Mum Kriti Sharma, mother of 08-month-old baby boy Vihaan, wrote in saying, ‘Vihaan has just recovered from an illness. He has lost a little weight and become weak. Please suggest some age-appropriate vegetarian food that would help him recuperate and gain weight.’
As we do each time a mum comes to us with a query, we put the question to all of you mums out there, and you wonderful mommies came back with a number of recipes and ideas to help the little one. Isn’t it right when we believe that Mommy Knows Best? Read on to know the various recipes, some and tried-and-tested ideas and some new innovative ones!
According to mum Aarti Vedpathak, nachani with crushed almonds should help the baby, while mum Uzma Kazi says that daliya with almond should be great. Also, a balance of vegetable soups and semi-solid food from 06th month on should be good for baby’s health. Mum Sara Khan seconds that, while mum Simonelle Hessing agrees, adding that in addition, dal and rice with a little bit of ghee should work well.
Mum Priya Jain feels that a baby should be given lots of fresh fruits or shakes, which babies and kids usually love. Also, vegetable soups with some amount of beetroot helps in providing strength while crushed or grated almonds are good for baby’s brain development and growth.
Mum Monika Mahendru says suji ki kheer will make the baby gain weight, and mum Parveen Julka Verma says suji ki kheer with grated soaked almonds and banana is very good for baby’s growth.Mum Shrish Rathore swears by mashed banana and milk, while mums Sudarsana Venugopal and Shabnam Desai recommend ragi/nachni khichdi, sooji kheer, upma, daliya and mashed potatoes with butter.
Quick Recipe 1: Take 01 banana, mash it with spoon, add malaai and crushed sugar. Baby will love it.
Mum Goldy Gera says lentils and spinach in the form of soups or khichdi is ideal for baby’s growth and is also frequently recommended by pediatricians.
Remember: While most mums helped mum Kirti with innovative and healthy recipes, mum Garima Gulati Bhutani says that, while she used to worry about her son’s weight, she also realised that it is more important to feed them the right ingredients than only trying to make them eat all the time, as it will help the baby grow properly. Mum Charanya Madan says don’t just concentrate on making baby put on weight, make sure that baby is active and happy, that is always an indication of good health. Weight is just a number after all!
Quick Recipe 2: Fry some wheat on tava without oil and when it starts giving a nice fragrance, ground it in a mixer. In a pan, add some ghee, some ground elaichi (cardamom), the ground wheat and a little sugar. Stir. Add some water and quick for about 20 minutes. Shared by mum Naina Lalwani
Mum Nishi Rampuria says that giving baby a tomato soup mixed with yellow moong dal, apple and a little salt and sugar should definiltey help.
Mum Meenakshi Tandon says grind apple in a grinder and give baby everyday. Also, soak 02 almonds in the night and make a fine paste in the morning by rubbing the almond on a rough surface and add some jaiphal (nutmeg) and chuara (dry dates) – good for baby’s mind and body. In the afternoon, make a khichdi of yellow moong dal and daliya and add a little ghee, turmeric and salt. Also, give some mashed banana with butter, to make the immune system strong. Important: Don’t give too much of everything at the same time, make sure you give a little bit of everything to baby, preferably after gaps of about 2 hours.
Think: Though many mums have advised using nuts in baby’s diet, mum Swati Verma Mathur says that it’s important to be cautious while giving babies nuts, and that one should avoid feeding nuts to baby before the first birthday. We would advise mums to have a word with baby’s pediatrician first, in order to avoid any allergies or discomfort.
Quick Recipes by mum Maya Silavat:
Morning: Prepare normal khichdi with a little bit of ghee and give your baby along with a little milk without sugar.
Afternoon: Softly cooked rice with potato gravy mixed with ghee and give baby with curd – curd makes baby’s body temperature normal.
Evening: Give daliya cooked with 5-6 kishmish (raisin)
Night: Daliya
In addition to the home recipes, we asked mums about what, according to them, is a healthy vegetarian option to help babies gain weight and strength.
SPECIAL RECIPE AND TIP BY MUM PALLAVI PARAB-NAIK:
I have been giving this recipe to my son since he was 08 months old till he was almost 2. My son is now 03 and I am now giving him a different version of the same. This is a vegetarian recipe and easy for babies to digest. Recipe: Take half a bowl of uncooked rice, 02 teaspoons each of pulses (moong, tur, chana, masoor, wheat) and add 02 tablespoons of groundnuts. Mix the above ingredients, wash them properly and dry in the sun. Dry roast them in a pan until they become light and crispy (make sure it doesn’t turn dark brown, only light brown). Let it cool and grind in a mixer to make a fine powder. This mixture stays good for almost a week to 10 days (can be refrigerated). For a single feeding, take 01 tablespoon of the mixture and about half a bowl (small) of boiled water and let it cook for 05 minutes. Once it comes to boil, it will turn into a white/cream coloured paste. Add salt to taste and half a teaspoon of ghee. You may add water, depending on the consistency and your baby’s preference. Pediatrician suggestion - Add half a teaspoon of dry fruit powder (mix of cashew, almond, pista, apricot) at least 2-3 times a week. This recipe will help the child recuperate and gain back weight.
The Results:
Highest number of votes – Fruits and shakes
Second highest number of votes – vegetable soup
Third highest number of votes – ragi, nachni or suji khichdi
Least votes – crushed almonds
Essentials For Your Baby After Birth
Mums, the biggest urge to shop for the soon-to-arrive bundle is strongest during the final months… You may have been a controlled-shopper till now, but as the day approaches nearer and you know that your mobility is somewhat going to be restricted for the first few days or weeks, you want to stock up on everything for the little one.
It is an awesome experience to shop for your infant, but sometimes, we end up with goods that will have no use for the first few months, and will be a total waste of money and space back home.
To make it a little easier for you, we made a list of the essentials you would actually need once the baby has arrived:
1. Baby lotion, baby powder, baby cream, baby shampoo, nappy rash cream. You may also go for a top-to-toe baby wash that can be used on the head as well as the body. Check what suits your baby’s skin and your pocket.
2. You will need to stock up on loads of cloth nappies. During the first few days you will have to discard the nappy each time after it gets soiled.
3. Dettol. You need to disinfect all of baby’s clothes with the antiseptic.
4. Baby thermometer. The latest in the market is a strip that needs to be placed on baby’s forehead for as little as 15 seconds to see the temperature. You may also go for the traditional ones or the new ones that come with a beep once the temperature is recorded.
5. Baby dresses. Only buy in pure cotton for summers. Go for the ones which have buttons in the front as buttons in the back are uncomfortable for baby to sleep and can hurt their skin.
6. Baby bed linen. You usually get a full set that comprises of a sheet, a night suit, a cap, small pillow and a spread. Also, buy a baby comforter or blanket as per the weather.
7. Antiseptic cream for baby.
8. Baby booties and mittens.
9. Baby nail-cutters. You will be surprised to see how soon the nail growth takes place in babies. You trim baby’s nails and they will be back to their sharp and grown stage within 3-4 days!
10. Infant/Baby diapers. For the first few weeks you will need to take baby for regular check-ups. Doctors will advise you to put them in a diaper during such visits.
11. Baby carrier.
12. Dim lights. With a new-born in the room you would require to have some light on even when it’s goodnight time.
13. Baby scrap-book. Get this if you want to keep a track of your little one from the time of birth.
14. Sanitizer. You would need a big bottle of sanitizer right after baby’s birth as relatives and well-wishers begin to pour in and you would want them to first clean their hands.
15. Baby cot. You may not make baby sleep in the cot during the night, in most Indian households, babies always sleep together in the same bed with their parents. But during the day, when you are busy in other work or when you need your own rest, it is a good idea to keep baby in the baby cot during sleep time. This will also help baby sleep better.
16. Baby wipes. These will be your saviour for at least the next 3-4 years.
17. Baby Sweaters and jackets
18. Last and one of the most important on the list – A BABY NAME !!!
