Innholdsfortegnelse for July 2019 i Mother & Baby India

You’ve dealt with the nausea and sickness of the first trimester, and the relative ease of the second one. You’re now into the final trimester, and with that, a mile closer to bringing your baby into the world... and your home! The wait is finally over, and you are now nearing the end of the pregnancy journey, to step into a new role for several years to come. It’s natural then, that this requires a whole lot of planning and prepping. Here’s how to make the most of this time. READY TO POP! Though the third trimester begins with a breeze, as it progresses, your growing belly and baby put you through a little physical stress. It is, therefore, important to care for the mind, body and spirit. Make sure…

Hey Swati, Three months ago, while going through magazines at a bookstore, I came across M&B, and intuitively just picked it up off the rack. I must say, I haven’t put it down ever since! I’m 20 weeks pregnant, and live in a different city, and with my mum not around for a bit, and hubby working late at office, M&B really keeps me company. The pregnancy tips, recipes and stories are so much fun to read. Thanks for being there for me :) NISHA KULKARNI, CHENNAI Dear Nisha, Kudos to you for managing your pregnancy well without extend family support. I’m glad to hear that we could hold your hand and offer helpful tips where you needed them. All the best for your pregnancy and birthing experience – Swati…

SHOPPING GUIDE www.dandeliondreams.co www.frangipani.co.in Instagram @thepixiefly Instagram @pyjamap www.ekchidiya.in www.firstcry.com…

The latest in a number of oldermumbashing stories, a recent report revealed that hereditary breast cancer could be brought on by delaying pregnancy. The theory is that having children stabilises breast cells, making them less responsive to the hormones that might cause the disease. Dubbed ‘nun syndrome’, the phenomenon was noticed as far back as 300 years ago when Dr Bernardino Ramazzini, an Italian professor of medicine, realised childless nuns were far more likely to die from breast cancer than other women. And while drinking habits, diet and smoking can all contribute to cancer, new reports point fi rmly at women who wait to have babies. “Until recently, the grim-sounding term ‘elderly primigravida’, meaning ‘older fi rst-time mother’, was used by doctors to describe a woman over 34 giving birth…

Sleep plays a vital role in maintaining good health and well-being throughout your life. Getting enough quality sleep at the appropriate time can help protect your mental and physical health, and improve the quality of your life. Insomnia is one of the most common, but oft-neglected conditions seen in family practice, with longterm and serious effects on the health of a patient. Family physicians have the responsibility of diagnosing and adequately treating this. Sleepless new parents often experience irritation, frustration, body ache, dullness, fatigue, drowsiness etc. Persistent sleeplessness can often cause psychosomatic illnesses (due to constant stress and lack of rest) like migraine headaches, hypertension, allergies, and postpartum depression among other things. Ideally, an adult must sleep seven to eight hours a day. New mums need to sleep longer time…

BE CONSISTENT “It doesn’t matter how long your bedtime routine takes,” says Monique, “by doing the same things in the same order, the routine “cues” your child for sleep.” He will know it’s bedtime, so he’ll start to relax and this encourages sleepiness to build. DON’T LET HIM NAP LATE Research from Japan has found that long naps into the late afternoon leads to toddlers taking a longer time to feel sleepy at bedtime and waking up earlier. The study suggests that if your toddler likes an afternoon nap, it’s best in the early afternoon to minimise the effect on bedtime. Leave your phone downstairs Researchers at Kings College London and Cardiff University found that even a switched-off gadget like a smartphone in the bedroom has a bad effect on…

DR KIRAN COELHO A succesful gynaecologist and practicing obgyn for the last 30 years. DR DHERANDRA KUMAR Consultant clinical and child psychologist, he is founder and director of Psyindia, and engaged in direct work with children. DR ANITA MADAN A doctorate in education, she is currently the Curriculum Development head with EuroKids International Pvt Ltd where she promotes a developmentally appropriate curriculum. SONALI SHIVLANI Mumbai-based childbirth educator, certified by Childbirth & Postpartum Professional Association, USA. DR GEETANJALI SHAH Popular Mumbai paediatrician, conducts holistic fitness workshops for pregnant women. ANIKA PURI Childbirth educator, prenatal and postnatal massage therapist, certified counsellor, reflexolgist and a holistic practitioner of women’s health and fertility in Delhi. NUTAN PANDIT Breastfeeding counsellor and natural birth therapist who’s been teaching in New Delhi since 1978. EFFATH YASMIN Founder…

Lashes that last If you’re on the lookout for a mascara that lasts you through the day, look no further than the The Body Shop’s new Lash Sport waterproof mascara. It is formulated with community trade marula oil, and its waterproof formula makes it perfect to wear in the monsoon. The mascara promises to lengthen and volumise lashes, with no flakiness or smudging throughout the day, and can be removed easily with a makeup remover. Baby on the go! Take your baby out of the house without any worries in this convenient Mee Mee baby carrier. The carrier is designed so that he can explore his surroundings safely, while feeling emotionally secure with you close by. It is made of premium quality breathable fabric, and grows with your baby—adjustable height…

Swaddling or wrapping a baby literally means tying your baby completely in a cotton wrapper or a readymade swaddler. It is recommended for babies from 0 to 3 months and can be continued later on up to 6 to 7 months. After a massage and rejuvenating bath, when the baby is about to sleep in his crib or cradle, he should be swaddled. In the Indian subcontinent, swaddling has been a means of consoling, cajoling, calming and patting the baby off to sleep for hundreds of years. It is only recently that the western world has woken up to the benefits of swaddling and is now advocating these methods to new mothers. Previously, parents were apprehensive about the long term effects of restricting the freedom or mobility of the baby…

Admit it mums, one look at yor browser history and this would definitely pop up on multiple occassions. You baby’s sleep schedule is a make or break to your own, and more often than not, can turn your life upside down! You’ve probably tried every single trick in those parenting books, and even tippy-toeing around him seems to signal party-time. And you now find your sleep-deprived self desperate for any kind of relief and those extra minutes of sleep. As always, we’ve got you. Baby sleep is a science that needs to be carefully understood, and establishing healthy sleeping habits early on will certainly help. There’s no right way to get your tiny tot to fall asleep, but it’s important to employ a strategy that is best suited to you…

I am sure as a new parent, or even if you are pregnant, you constantly find yourself thinking about this. And you’ve probably heard a number of stories from family and friends, that you can say good bye to sleeping through the night once your baby is born. Well, trust me, it’s not that hopeless. I’m a mum too, and raising my two wonderful kids has taught me some important things – one of them was sleep scheduling. And over the years, as a pregnancy consultant, I have been sharing these with many new parents, which have yielded amazing results. THE FIRST THING TO NOTE IS HOW MUCH DOES YOUR LITTLE ONE NEED TO SLEEP ? Newborn to four months Total Sleep: 16-18 hours Four to 12 months Total Sleep:…

‘To lull’ means ‘to calm or soothe’, and lullabies are generally simple songs with a repetitive melody intended to induce sleep. Think of Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star. The first two lines are repeated at the end of the song, and the tune of the middle line is repeated directly: ‘Up above the world so high’ has the same tune as ‘Like a diamond in the sky’. This simple structure makes it soothing and predictable. There are no sudden surprises or big leaps between notes as these might startle your calm baby into a more wakeful state again. The phrases are short and the tune is slow. Often the rhythm gives a rocking feeling and reflects the heartbeat, a comforting sound your baby heard in your womb. So could you give…

Every new mum’s mission is to get her baby sleeping through the night. But just as important for your little one is daytime sleep. “Not having enough can make your baby overtired and irritable by bedtime, leading to problems settling and sleeping at night,” explains UK sleep expert Andrea Grace, adding “And an overtired baby will often refuse her last feed, resulting in her being under-fed and waking during the night for a top-up.” Getting your baby into a nap routine is essential for your own sanity, too. Once she’s napping at regular intervals, you can use the time to do chores, have a shower or catch up on some shuteye yourself.Daytime naps can be just as hard to achieve as sleeping through the night, as your baby is more…

1 CATALOGUE HIS SLEEP Over a week, note down the time your toddler is: ● Going to bed ● Falling asleep ● Waking up during the night ● Getting back to sleep at night ● Waking up in the morning ● Napping 2 FOCUS ON HIS CUES Your toddler gives physical signs that he’s tired. He’ll yawn, rub his eyes and become more clumsy, whiney and demanding or noticeably overactive. These are all cues that your toddler has hit his sleep window and needs his bed. Note down which cues you’re seeing, and what time they start to occur. 3 ADD UP HIS SLEEP Calculate the average total amount of sleep your toddler has each day. Children can differ hugely in the amount of sleep they need, but according to…

As a new mum, the lack of sleep is probably one of the most critical aspects of maintaining (or losing) your sanity. Though a new baby practically sleeps through the day, the night-time wakings can take a toll on mum’s restfulness. I remember feeling like a zombie, waking up several times at night because S wouldn’t sleep for more than hour at a stretch! And then, he would go back to sleep only after much rocking and strolling with, and singing to. Really, what did they mean by “sleep like a baby”?! Thankfully, all that changed soon. But it was replaced by a different set of challenges. Maintaining a healthy sleep routine, keeping him asleep for longer, and balancing all the other demands of motherhood was very tough. Thankfully, it…

Priyanka Wahi, 26 year-old writer and new mum to baby Sumeet, was thrilled when her baby cot had arrived. It fitted so well against her side of the bed. The baby would be safe and in front of her eyes all through the night. And breastfeeding would be a breeze. All was well till she read up some articles extolling the advantages of making the baby sleep in another room. “I know that in the US, babies are made to sleep in another room, but when did this trend come to India and why?” she exclaims. Meenakshi lives in a one BHK in Mumbai, with her husband and mum-in-law. She smiles as she hugs her six month-old baby girl and says, “My gudia sleeps right next to me on our…

We’ve all scowled at those mums ticking off their tots at the mall but before you become a mum yourself, it’s easy to judge other people’s parenting skills. You may vow do things completely differently when your mummy moment comes but it’s more than likely that you’ll find yourself doing exactly the same. So if the following scenarios don’t sound familiar yet, they will soon… You swore you’d never... MAKE GOO-GOO NOISES Oh, how it made your pregnant stomach squirm to hear that new-mum voice say ‘Coochie-coo’, accompanied by a veritable pantomime of facial contortions. But the moment you held your newborn for the first time, you found yourself automatically making little cooing noises of your own. “You can’t help yourself,” says Ketki Ingam, 30, from Chennai, mum to Myra,…

The significant role of women as nurtures is as big a responsibility as it is a blessing. What we regard as one of the most transformative periods of a woman’s life – a period full of joy and fulfillment – is also a time that comes with a big share of struggles that we might not be acknowledging fully. Most women convince themselves that they have to accept the physical pain they go through during pregnancy like badges of honour. Emotional distress, on the contrary, is often buried as a sign of weakness. It’s time we stop regarding baby blues as a stigma and accept it as the serious complication that it is. Maternal depression can be both, prenatal or antepartum that affects a woman during pregnancy and postpartum that…

Effath Yasmin is India’s leading International Board Certified lactation Consultant (IBCLC), Biodynamic CranioSacral Therapist, internationally certified lactation educator and the founder director of Nourish & Nurture Lactation Care & Parenting Education, an outreach clinic for mothers and families seeking professional clinical lactation management and parenting counselling. Yasmin sits on the board of directors and National Advisory Board of Birth India, an NGO striving for safe and supported birth in India and an active governing council member of the International Association of Tongue-Tie professionals (IATP).…

Pregnancy comes with its share of ups and downs. All expectant mothers go through a magical experience, especially if you are pregnant for the first time. But for some women, it can mean months of nausea and fatigue, as well as dermatological conditions ranging from acne to hyperpigmentation. The monsoons tend to make these dermatological conditions even worse as both the skin and hair suffer due to high humidity. Now, it’s a known fact that one’s skin is unstable as on some days it becomes extremely oily and other days it’s too dry. You never know what to expect and this instability renders your complexion dull and lifeless. This is precisely why it’s important to care for your skin with a routine that’s suitable to your pregnancy skincare needs. However,…

When your baby wakes at one o’clock in the morning, or three o’clock – or both! – all you want to do is to see to his needs and then help him get back to sleep as quickly and gently as possible. But it’s not quite that easy. Because, to start with, even though it’s the middle of the night and you’ve made sure your baby is no longer hungry or uncomfy, your little one simply doesn’t know that it’s the wrong time to still be awake. “Learning how to fall back to sleep is a skill that your baby needs to master and, like all skills, he needs your support and encouragement as he learns,” says baby sleep expert Lucy Wolfe. And by making this one small, simple change,…

Adapting a lullaby to include your baby’s name and details of your bedtime routine will make it even more effective. Here’s our version of Rock-a-Bye Baby – what would yours be? Rock-a-bye (child’s name) Playtime is done But I can see You’re still having fun Time for bed, so snuggle up tight Lay down your head and I’ll turn out the light Rock-a-bye (child’s name) Safe in your bed Bath time is done Your story’s been read Time for sleep so close your eyes I will sing you a lullaby…

BIRTH TO SIX WEEKS Number of naps Four to eight How long? One to two hours each, totalling seven and a half to nine hours SIX TO EIGHT WEEKS Number of naps Four How long? Two to three short naps of 30-60 minutes, plus one longer one of two to three hours FOUR TO SIX MONTHS Number of naps Three How long? Three to four hours in total – a short morning nap, around two hours in the middle of the day, and another short afternoon nap SIX TO 12 MONTHS Number of naps Two How long? Two to three and a half hours in total 12-24 MONTHS Number of naps One How long? Around one and a half hours, in the middle of the day…

1 Open the curtains as soon as he’s awake, and look at the sky with him—making a game of spotting the shapes of clouds or birds flying by will make it fun. 2 Have a who-can-get-ready-to-go-outside-first race every morning and go for a five-minute wander in the garden as early as possible in your day to maximise his exposure to sunlight. 3 Always spend some time outside before lunch: just five minutes of fresh air between your front door and your car can make a big difference to making his body clock tick louder. 4 Pick a nursery that has outdoor spaces and regular times for outdoor play, so he is active outside as well as indoors. 5 Change the light switches upstairs to dimmer switches, so you can reduce the intensity of…

Having a toddler is all fun and games until she starts fighting you to sleep. This stage is when she starts to have a mind of her own, and consistent bedtime meltdowns has caused you to loose yours! You’ve probably tried every trick in the book and are at your wits’ end, and it’s now time to think outside the box. Sleep talking is a technique that is simple and effective, if used regularly, to help change your baby’s discomfort and behaviour. Sleep talking is almost like hypnosis. Through this technique, you’ll be able to sleep her back to sleep by engaging with her subconscience, by whispering positive words to her that she can relate to. Sleep talking is also used to uplift a child’s self-confidence and foster a sense…