Gadgets, to use to

Breast pump:

I used only manual breast pump. It was a good hand exercise however after a few minutes i was just too tired to pump. It does require constant hand movement. 

I had used this Manual Breast Pump

Zoli:

We used this only till Anay was almost 3 months old, no further. He started sleeping in his crib later on. It was very useful for the 1st month when the baby is just out, the zoli gives it a nice cozy feeling. A feeling they are used to in the womb. As the movement is pretty much restricted, their limbs don’t startle them as often. Baby gets a good night’s sleep, you get a good night’s sleep. Mine used to get up in the middle of the usual 2hrs feeding interval, just gave a gentle push and he used to doze away. See if you can get this on rent/borrow this from a friend coz after 3 months they tend to develop a habit and we don’t want any bad habits. I have seen kids of the age of 1 year sleeping in the zoli but they are too big to fit in it.

Rattles:

We never had to buy any coz we got so many from 1st time visitors to the baby. Great distractor even at the age of 1year.

Rocker/Bouncer:

He’s almost 7 months old now, and we still use it. Not as frequently as we used to use till he was 4 months old however still useful. The first time we introduced him to this new toy, he was a few days old, he slept like a baby in it. That was first and i guess the only time he slept in that rocker. Somehow now a days (almost from when he was 4 months old), whenever we keep him in the rocker he just poops… So if ever he is cranky and hasn’t taken his morning dump, we keep him on the rocker and he is relieved!!! Funny but true. Age 1year-Whenever he is down with cold we keep him in the rocker for his afternoon nap.

Piano kick and play gym:

He used this to play everyday. Not a single day or time he was bored of this toy. Once he started turning over when he was around 3 months old, however we had to kept the mat away. As the poster says, we use the piano and all the other props. The props are easy to carry in your purse. So anytime you go out, just pop a few props in your purse and it will definitely kill your little one’s time… He loves the teether hippo and it never stops to amuse Anay. Age 1year- the mat and the teethers are not that useful now, but the piano is a hit.

Fruit nibbler

Once your little one starts eating fruits without any side effects, start this thing. This gadget is great esp when you stay in dynamic family. We both work and are geographically separated from our families. Morning hours are very critical for us, we have to prepare breakfast and lunch. It’s good that my hubby can cook and usually does the cutting. However after Anay the additional task to prepare food as and when required is also landed upon him. So if Anay does get up earlier than expected, we just cut up some fruits, put them in the nibbler, give it to him. We get a good 10 minutes window without have to worry about him! Yeah just 10 minutes or even less at times!!! Those 10 minutes too is a lot for us. You may give rice puffs instead too… in my opinion cut fruits are better than juices or even rice puffs.

Cloth diapers:

Was very curious to use them but did not find it practical.

Pampers/ Huggies/Snuggles: So many options!!!

Pampers for S size was perfect, never did it overflow. However when he turned size M, huggies did a better job. 

Diaper Rash Cream:

Anay got a diaper rash. Only then we started using the diaper rash cream. Directions- wipe the area with clean dry cloth/tissue. Apply the diaper rash cream. Put on the diaper. Previously i was using only baby powder before putting on the diaper. Powder does not keep the skin dry for more than 1 pee pee. A thin coat of good diaper rash cream prevents the skin to be in direct contact with the pee pee. I have used A+D and himalaya both are good. A+D is pretty expensive however it spreads very evenly so lesser quantity is required.

Hi, I am Pallavi, the new mother

I delivered a healthy 3.30kg (over 7 pounds) baby on 21st Nov 2018, a day before I turned 30. I have been writing these diary notes for all my friends & family who had just had a baby or are expecting one soon. Anay our son was delivered by vacuum extraction. Most Indians will remember the 3 Idiots delivery scene. It was something like that just that there were proper lights and I delivered in the comfort of a hospital with my husband-Jayesh at my head along with nurses trying to help me push Anay out. Ah the moment!!! 

On 21st my first contraction started at 1 am. As told by the doctors, I kept calm as I knew we have enough time to reach the hospital. It was our first time so we knew, we need not rush to hospital until the contractions were as long as 20 minutes apart. We reached hospital at about 8 am. I was admitted immediately... I was then moved to the delivery room where in i was given the epidural. It really helped. As I write this after almost 1 and half years later, I still have not faced any back pain because of epidural. So, whoever is telling you, there are side effects of epidural, show them this blog... It's really stress relieving, you will love your baby more if not anything else. My own mother had me without epidural and my sister with epidural, and yes she pampers her more than me and you know the obvious reason 😉

Then the final wait started... They did allow my family to visit me inside one by one after some interval. I was born in the same hospital as I was giving birth in so I knew I was in safe and experienced hands. To top it all, as I had attended the antenatal sessions, we knew doctors allow to-be-fathers inside in case of normal delivery in this hospital. Since we conceived, all I wanted to have was a healthy November baby delivered by normal method. Now I had 1 more reason to want a normal delivery, it meant Jayesh could be by my side for our baby's birth... It was all going as planned... 

I suddenly felt the urge to poop... I was like, Oh My God! I am tied to these salines and how am I going to make it to the toilet and back before birth!!! I told the nurse, she said, the baby is coming out!!! All hands on deck! Start pushing the baby out lady!!!! Damn I was going to be a mother, and I did not even feel like my baby could be ready to come out. Was I going to be that mother which does not have any maternal instincts? I wondered in that moment. They said you will know when the baby is coming, I for one had no idea, may be I did not read enough articles about giving birth... The next moment I was like, wait wait I can't deliver the baby just yet, Jayesh is still not here!!! how can I deliver without him! I protested, "Bring by husband, I will push then", the nurse must have thought I am crazy... She consoled saying "He will be coming in with the doctor at the end"... Few minutes later, the doctor was informed, baby's head was big so needed to go for suction. This meant baby was going to come early and still no sign of husband. I had always imagined my husband will be there to motivate me to push. Here I was amidst all those experienced nurses and doctors but no husband. Finally he was let in and the final pushing started... About 4 hours after I was admitted, at 12 we had our first born son with us😍! This cute, super loud baby, was taken away from us to keep in a warm bed after cleaning up. I saw Anay for the first time after almost 2 hours. He was the loudest baby of all, said the nurses...

The journey of motherhood began........