Hi!
Srushtee is now 18 months old and I feel I am a little better equipped to deal with babies now than I was when she was first born.
When Srushtee was just a few days old, I realized that she followed a pattern and became cranky and difficult during the evenings. In just a couple of days, I'd start getting all anxious and would pretty high strung by evening.
Babies can sense their mother's anxieties. Srushtee would take her cues from me and bawl her head off and between the two of us, it was pretty bad.
Having my Mum or sis or Srushtee's Dad handle her at such times worked well because they were much calmer and she would calm down considerably when in their arms.
As Srushtee grew odler, I started taking her out for walks in the evenings. This would distract her and evenings became calmer and even pleasant!
In hindsight, I wonder if these tips may have worked. I'm definitely going to try them when I have my second baby. You could try them out just now!
1. Take a Break! Hand the baby over to someone else. Leave the room. Consciously calm down. Take deep breaths, read a book, take a shower or something along those lines. When you are feeling good about yourself, go back to your baby.
2. Distract the baby: Go for a walk, play with a toy, dance with your baby. Involve your baby in some activity so both of you are distracted from the immediate crying.
3.Try putting the baby to sleep: Breastfeed and cuddle your baby in a darkened room. Maybe she's just tired and wants to sleep.
Hope these work for you!
Monday, May 21, 2007
Saturday, April 7, 2007
How to quit smoking during pregnancy
I remember reading a post a couple of days ago from someone who wanted to stop smoking during a pregnancy.
I read an article on that and wanted to share what I read.
The article said that drinking a glass of milk or eating dairy products or eating fresh fruits and raw vegetables or drinking fresh fruit juice made the cigarettes taste bad and would help deter people from smoking.
I think if you made it a point to drink or eat some of these just before you smoke, it might help you make up your mind not to smoke at all.
Here's a recipe for a decoction that could help also. Take two teaspoons of coriander seeds in a glass or water. Boil the water with the seeds till it is reduced to half the quantity. strain it and drink this decoction when you crave a smoke, before you smoke. You could also use Ajwain seeds along with the coriander seeds.
Every time you feel like smoking, consciously take up another activity that occupies you physically and mentally like a craft or crochet or origami or knitting a complex pattern. Maybe if you get involved in doing something else, you won't need the cigarette.
I don't smoke, and didn't at any point in time, so I won't be able to give you first hand tips on what will help. But try all of this (its mostly from de-addiction articles) and tell me if anything works!
Good Luck!
Sonali.
I read an article on that and wanted to share what I read.
The article said that drinking a glass of milk or eating dairy products or eating fresh fruits and raw vegetables or drinking fresh fruit juice made the cigarettes taste bad and would help deter people from smoking.
I think if you made it a point to drink or eat some of these just before you smoke, it might help you make up your mind not to smoke at all.
Here's a recipe for a decoction that could help also. Take two teaspoons of coriander seeds in a glass or water. Boil the water with the seeds till it is reduced to half the quantity. strain it and drink this decoction when you crave a smoke, before you smoke. You could also use Ajwain seeds along with the coriander seeds.
Every time you feel like smoking, consciously take up another activity that occupies you physically and mentally like a craft or crochet or origami or knitting a complex pattern. Maybe if you get involved in doing something else, you won't need the cigarette.
I don't smoke, and didn't at any point in time, so I won't be able to give you first hand tips on what will help. But try all of this (its mostly from de-addiction articles) and tell me if anything works!
Good Luck!
Sonali.
Wednesday, March 28, 2007
Care For A Baby With A Cold.
It’s enough to drive any Mum up the wall. Baby is sniffling, her nose is running, she isn’t sleeping well because her nose keeps getting blocked and she is irritable. She doesn’t want to eat much food and is feeling mighty uncomfortable. As a result, you are exhausted and wish there was something to help her calm down.
Of course you need to take her to her doctor and follow what he prescribes, but there are a whole lot of other things you can do to help your baby when she has a cold.
Steam Inhalation:
Boil water in a dish with a lid. When the water is boiling vigorously, pour this into a steam inhaler or a bottle with a narrow mouth. Add a few drops of
Euclayptus oil OR
Zinda Tilismath OR
Vicks Vaporub OR
Inhalade Plus OR
Karvol / Karvol Plus Capsule.
Sit under a blanket with your baby and the bottle. You will slowly be able to smell the vapours from the bottle. Remain under the blanket with your baby inhaling the steam for as long as your baby is comfortable.
Take Care to ensure that your baby does not tip the bottle over. Since the water is very hot, you have to be very careful that your baby does not get burnt.
It is possible that your baby may feel a lack of oxygen or feel choked if the fumes under your blanket are too heavy. If your baby shows signs of distress, take her out of the blanket and allow her to breathe in fresh air.
Steam inhalation helps to release blocked noses and relieves cold related headaches.
Vapour inahalation:
Heat a pan / tava on your stove till it is very hot. If you pour a drop of water on it, the drop should sizzle and evaporate immediately. Keep the tava on the stove for a minute more.
On the hot tava, sprinkle a little
Ajwain / Ova / Omam seeds Or
Turmeric / Haldi powder
Bajra Flour
These will let off vapours.
With the assistance of someone else, hold your baby close to the vapours so she can smell them.
Never hold your baby directly over the tava.
Keep your baby’s arms and legs restrained so she does not touch the hot tava by accident.
Vapor inhalation helps to release blocked noses and relieves cold related headaches.
Saffron:
Take a couple of strands of saffron in a teaspoon. Add a few drops of milk. Rub the saffron against the teaspoon with your fingers. The saffron will slowly dissolve and the milk will take on its colour. When the saffron strands have fully dissolved, apply the milk on your baby’s nose, forehead and chest.
This provides temporary relief from colds.
Kashaayam:
To make a kashaayam, you add the herbs to a glass of water. Boil the herbs in the water till the water is reduced to half.
Herbs you can use in your kashaayam:
Tulasi
Ajwain ( Ova / Omam ) Leaves / Seeds
Dhania (Coriander) seeds
Ginger
Garlic
Haldi / Turmeric
Honey / Jaggery
All these herbs are good for colds.
You could also make a kashaayam of Aleev & Shepa seeds with jaggery.
Feed your baby the kashaayam when it is lukewarm. Always test the temperature of any liquid on your lips before giving it to your baby.
Garlic Milk
Take 6 medium garlic slivers and pound them.
Take a glass of milk.
Add 1 tsp haldi to the milk. Add the garlic.
Add 1 tsp honey to the milk.
Boil the milk. Take off the stove and cool it.
When it is luke warm, give it to your baby. Always test the temperature of any liquid on your lips before giving it to your baby.
Loss Of Appetite
Your baby may lose her appetite when she is having a cold. Try enhancing the taste of her food by adding a bit of lemon juice to it or use some amchur powder. If you feel your baby is old enough, you may even add a pinch of pepper.
Vitamin C:
Vitamin C is said to help build up body immunity and particularly helps the body to fight colds. Giving your baby Cecon Drops may help. Vitamin C is water soluble and excess vitamin C is generally passed out of the system through urine, so it won’t harm your baby.
Tuesday, March 6, 2007
Vegetarian omelette for babies
Ingredients:
1 small Onion
1 small tomato
2 cloves garlic
1 pinch grated ginger
2 tbsp cleaned and chopped methi leaves
2 tbsp cleaned and chopped coriander leaves
1/8 tsp Asafotida (Hing) powder
1/4 tsp Turmeric powder
1tbsp mung dal flour
1 tbsp Nachni flour
1 tbsp Bajra flour
1 tbsp jowar flour
1 tbsp rice flour
Butter Milk or water
Salt to taste
Ghee for cooking
Chop the onions and tomatoes into fine cubes. Pound the garlic into a fine paste along with the grated ginger. Put all this into a bowl with the methi and coriander leaves and sprinkle the hing and haldi on it. Add all the flours. Mix it. Add enough buttermilk or water to form a dosa-like batter.
Heat a frying pan and spread some ghee on it. Pour out some batter on the hot pan and spread it into the desired shape with a spoon. Cover it and leave for a few minutes till the underside is brown. Uncover and flip over. Take off the pan when there are brown flecks on the other side.
Serve with fresh butter or curds.
Tip: Use whatever flour you have. We have these flour at home most of the times to make rotis. Feel free to use makai ka aata or any other whole grain flour.
You can add any other vegetables such as chopped palak leaves, grated carrot or doodhi or pumpkin as well.
1 small Onion
1 small tomato
2 cloves garlic
1 pinch grated ginger
2 tbsp cleaned and chopped methi leaves
2 tbsp cleaned and chopped coriander leaves
1/8 tsp Asafotida (Hing) powder
1/4 tsp Turmeric powder
1tbsp mung dal flour
1 tbsp Nachni flour
1 tbsp Bajra flour
1 tbsp jowar flour
1 tbsp rice flour
Butter Milk or water
Salt to taste
Ghee for cooking
Chop the onions and tomatoes into fine cubes. Pound the garlic into a fine paste along with the grated ginger. Put all this into a bowl with the methi and coriander leaves and sprinkle the hing and haldi on it. Add all the flours. Mix it. Add enough buttermilk or water to form a dosa-like batter.
Heat a frying pan and spread some ghee on it. Pour out some batter on the hot pan and spread it into the desired shape with a spoon. Cover it and leave for a few minutes till the underside is brown. Uncover and flip over. Take off the pan when there are brown flecks on the other side.
Serve with fresh butter or curds.
Tip: Use whatever flour you have. We have these flour at home most of the times to make rotis. Feel free to use makai ka aata or any other whole grain flour.
You can add any other vegetables such as chopped palak leaves, grated carrot or doodhi or pumpkin as well.
When I leave my baby in someone else's care
There's always a first time and no matter how hard you cling to your need for your baby, some time or the other, you are going to have to face a situation where you have to leave her behind and go out on your own without her.
The first time that happened, I couldn't think straight. I just wanted to get straight back to her, FAST. Everyone who was responsible for my having to be out without her was roundly scolded in my mind. Everyone who caused any delays in my finishing my work and getting back to her also received unspoken bad vibes from me. I hated them all and their inefficiency and whatever else it was that was causing them to delay me.
Now when I go out, I feel relieved for a little while, but very soon (in about 10 minutes or so) I find myself wondering about what she'd be doing and whether she knows I'm not around, whether she's had something to eat and whether she's missing me at all!
Luckily for me, I have so far only had to leave her with my Mom so I haven't had worries about whether she is receiving appropriate care. I shudder to think of the mental travails of Moms who have to leave their babies with relative strangers!
The first time that happened, I couldn't think straight. I just wanted to get straight back to her, FAST. Everyone who was responsible for my having to be out without her was roundly scolded in my mind. Everyone who caused any delays in my finishing my work and getting back to her also received unspoken bad vibes from me. I hated them all and their inefficiency and whatever else it was that was causing them to delay me.
Now when I go out, I feel relieved for a little while, but very soon (in about 10 minutes or so) I find myself wondering about what she'd be doing and whether she knows I'm not around, whether she's had something to eat and whether she's missing me at all!
Luckily for me, I have so far only had to leave her with my Mom so I haven't had worries about whether she is receiving appropriate care. I shudder to think of the mental travails of Moms who have to leave their babies with relative strangers!
Sunday, March 4, 2007
Avoid during pregnancy
Since we are discussing pregnancy, I thought we'd discuss some of the "DON'Ts" during pregnancy. Apart from the foods to avoid, there are other thing which could be detrimental to your pregnancy or your baby.
1.Travelling by auto. I heard of a couple of people who lost their babies because they travelled by auto during their pregnancy. My Gynaec told me that because of the small wheel size of autos and because of the "wonderful" condition of our roads, travelling by auto during pregnancy can result in an abortion.
2. Running Up or Down steps. Despite all the hindi movies where pregnant heroines dance and prance around town and spring up and down steps, it is not advisable in real life. In real life, any sudden, jerky movements are not advised.
3.Sitting with your legs folded under you or crossing your legs while sitting in a chair: This may be an old wives tale or it may not be but I am putting it here and leaving it to your discretion whether or not to follow it. My Gran says that sitting in either of these positions causes the umbilical chord to loop itself around your baby. This could cause serious complications during the birthing process. Even in alternate healing techniques like Reiki and Su Jok, they say crossing your legs dis harmonizes your energy and is best avoided.
4.Lifting heavy weights: The way our bodies are balanced during pregnancy is precarious enough. Carrying weights puts harmful pressure on your baby and your own back.
5. Smoking, Drinking, Doing Drugs: I think the implications of these have been hammered in time and again. If you are sensible and smart, you won't do any of these while you are pregnant. But then again, not everyone is smart, right?
6.Watching / Reading Violent / Sad Films /books: When your emotions are on a roller coaster, your hormones respond to them. When you are happy and at peace, it is best for your baby. This is the ideal situation in which it will grow and develop best. Don't you want to give your baby the very best life has to offer? Start now.
This is all I can think of for the moment. I would greatly appreciate it if you would add anything that comes to your mind in relevance to this post. The more the brains, the more the information! Enjoy your pregnancy!
1.Travelling by auto. I heard of a couple of people who lost their babies because they travelled by auto during their pregnancy. My Gynaec told me that because of the small wheel size of autos and because of the "wonderful" condition of our roads, travelling by auto during pregnancy can result in an abortion.
2. Running Up or Down steps. Despite all the hindi movies where pregnant heroines dance and prance around town and spring up and down steps, it is not advisable in real life. In real life, any sudden, jerky movements are not advised.
3.Sitting with your legs folded under you or crossing your legs while sitting in a chair: This may be an old wives tale or it may not be but I am putting it here and leaving it to your discretion whether or not to follow it. My Gran says that sitting in either of these positions causes the umbilical chord to loop itself around your baby. This could cause serious complications during the birthing process. Even in alternate healing techniques like Reiki and Su Jok, they say crossing your legs dis harmonizes your energy and is best avoided.
4.Lifting heavy weights: The way our bodies are balanced during pregnancy is precarious enough. Carrying weights puts harmful pressure on your baby and your own back.
5. Smoking, Drinking, Doing Drugs: I think the implications of these have been hammered in time and again. If you are sensible and smart, you won't do any of these while you are pregnant. But then again, not everyone is smart, right?
6.Watching / Reading Violent / Sad Films /books: When your emotions are on a roller coaster, your hormones respond to them. When you are happy and at peace, it is best for your baby. This is the ideal situation in which it will grow and develop best. Don't you want to give your baby the very best life has to offer? Start now.
This is all I can think of for the moment. I would greatly appreciate it if you would add anything that comes to your mind in relevance to this post. The more the brains, the more the information! Enjoy your pregnancy!
Monday, February 26, 2007
Foods to Avoid When Pregnant
Some foods are not good for you during pregnancy. For various reasons, they affect your foetus badly and your chances of carrying the pregnancy to term reduce greatly.
Here is a list of the things I was told to avoid.
Papaya: In India, traditionally, when a lady found out she was pregnant and did not want the child (pre-birth-control era and in rural areas), she would eat papaya. Nowadays it is said that the papaya seed has hormones that cause abortions in the early stages of pregnancy. The problem is that when you eat a papaya, some of the seeds are still forming and so are difficult to avoid ingesting along with the pulp. To simplify things, I just stayed FAR away from papayas the entire time that I was pregnant.
Sugar Cane Juice & Sugar Cane: Because of the way it is harvested and stored in India, sugar canes and their juice have a very high bacterial content. These bacteria can cause severe infections which can lead to termination of pregnancy.
Ajino Moto (MSG): Ajino Moto is a flavouring used by cooks to make chinese food taste better. It is usd by chefs in all restaurants, large and small quite indiscriminately. Ajino Moto or Mono Sodium Glutamate is a carcinogen (it causes cancer) and is just not good for human consumption. However, in the small quantities present in your Chinese food, it does not immediately harm and adult. The important thing to keep in mind, though is that a dose that is not lethal for an adult may well be so for a foetus. Even if it causes no immediate harm, it may cause long lasting damage that will surface only later. Why take a chance?
Pineapples: For some reason, this fruit tends to cause a lot of allergies and is best avoided in pregnancy.
Saunf / Dil: I don't know if this is an old wives' tale, but I was told to avoid saunf at all costs, as it was too heaty and not good for the baby especially its complexion.
Generally speaking, have foods that are cooling and avoid excess of heaty foods. Have plenty of fruit and vegetables. Keep your nutrition levels high. You don’t need a lot of fat in your diet. Eat healthy. Enjoy eating.
Here is a list of the things I was told to avoid.
Papaya: In India, traditionally, when a lady found out she was pregnant and did not want the child (pre-birth-control era and in rural areas), she would eat papaya. Nowadays it is said that the papaya seed has hormones that cause abortions in the early stages of pregnancy. The problem is that when you eat a papaya, some of the seeds are still forming and so are difficult to avoid ingesting along with the pulp. To simplify things, I just stayed FAR away from papayas the entire time that I was pregnant.
Sugar Cane Juice & Sugar Cane: Because of the way it is harvested and stored in India, sugar canes and their juice have a very high bacterial content. These bacteria can cause severe infections which can lead to termination of pregnancy.
Ajino Moto (MSG): Ajino Moto is a flavouring used by cooks to make chinese food taste better. It is usd by chefs in all restaurants, large and small quite indiscriminately. Ajino Moto or Mono Sodium Glutamate is a carcinogen (it causes cancer) and is just not good for human consumption. However, in the small quantities present in your Chinese food, it does not immediately harm and adult. The important thing to keep in mind, though is that a dose that is not lethal for an adult may well be so for a foetus. Even if it causes no immediate harm, it may cause long lasting damage that will surface only later. Why take a chance?
Pineapples: For some reason, this fruit tends to cause a lot of allergies and is best avoided in pregnancy.
Saunf / Dil: I don't know if this is an old wives' tale, but I was told to avoid saunf at all costs, as it was too heaty and not good for the baby especially its complexion.
Generally speaking, have foods that are cooling and avoid excess of heaty foods. Have plenty of fruit and vegetables. Keep your nutrition levels high. You don’t need a lot of fat in your diet. Eat healthy. Enjoy eating.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
