Innholdsfortegnelse for February 2022 i Mother & Baby India

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

motherandbabyindia Social media moments we GIVE US A SHOUTOUT! Got something to say? Wanna feature on our social pages? We’re all ears, mamas! Holler at mbeditorial@gmail. com. For social media collabs, and other enquiries, reach out to Kriselle at k.fonseca@nextgenpublishing.net Sophie la girafe®, Baby’s favourite teething toy made of natural rubber, since 1961—And happy sponsor of #Let’sTalk For product-related queries visit www.sophielagirafe.in, or write in to hello@hoyabella-distribution.com Hi M&B, I’ve been an avid reader for the past three years and it’s been amazing, being a part of your journey. I’ve seen the magazine grow from strength to strength, and the articles only get better with each issue. You have truly earned a name for yourself as India’s number one pregnancy and childcare magazine. Kudos to you! FARIDA KHAN, HYDERABAD Hi…

● Start with pregnancy. Involve dad at every stage from doctors visits, ultrasounds, blood tests and prenatal classes. Help him read and understand information that you are accessing. There are many apps available which can help bring him up to speed. ● Have dad be a part of the birth. It is a life changing experience for the father to see his child come into the world, and this will also give him new-found respect for his wife. ● Post delivery time should not be spent apart. A dad should be a part of this. Many moms are at their mother’s house and this keeps the dad away. Having dad sleep in another room is also not a good idea. Yes, your baby will awaken at night, and yes a…

Naturally, some of you may not be feeling ‘bumptastic’ at the moment. That belly gets in the way of sex, stops you seeing your feet and weighs a tonne, doesn’t it? But your blossoming tummy is doing an amazing thing as it stretches to accommodate your growing baby. So, rather than feeling like a beached whale, discover ways to enjoy your bump and give it the TLC it deserves. SKIN DEEP If your bump gets itchy as the skin stretches, there are ways to tackle it. “Dry, itchy skin can be relieved by using a plain moisturiser regularly through the day,” advises Anitaa Punjwani, mum to Anais, three months. “My doctor prescribed a special bath oil that did the trick,” she remembers. If you’re seriously itchy tell your gynac, as…

DON’T MAKE IT A BIG DEAL It’s common for mums to make a big deal about the baby during pregnancy, but don’t overhype it. “It’s going to be a mixed blessing as she won’t get as much attention,” says Linda Blair. “So simply say ‘Mummy has a baby in her tummy’ and then carry on.” What matters more is that your love for her, her home, her routine—the important things—stay the same. MAKE A FUSS OF HER Some mums have a tea party or give their toddler a gift once the baby has arrived, but make sure everyone’s on board. “Speak to your friends in advance and ask them to really focus on your toddler when they come,” says Louisa. “This will stop the older child from feeling left out…

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. 1 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…

Reams and reams have been written about the love of a mother for her child. The selfless compassionate adulation is unsurpassed and incomparable to other relationships. And yet, it is nearly impossible to comprehend the vastness of this love until you become a mum. Most mums confess that having children opens up floodgates to emotions they didn’t know existed within them. To celebrate this beautiful bond, this issue of Mother and Baby explores affection in various forms—building a connection with the unborn baby, preparing your older one for a new love in your life, reigniting the spark with your better half, daddy-baby intimacy—love takes myriad forms. Who said being a mother has to thwart your V-Day plan? Dive right in. There are so many ways of doing this right. Love…

0-6 MONTHS • Your partner and your newborn started bonding long before birth. Research shows babies can hear low-frequency voices well from inside the womb, so all those dad-to-bump chats have already made an impact! • Touch is the first form of communication your little one will understand, so skin-to-skin contact between your baby and her dad during her first few days is vital. She already recognises your feel and smell, so now it’s your partner’s turn. Encourage him to bathe her—it’s a great way to develop his confidence, plus studies show that babies who are bathed regularly by their dads are more likely to make lasting friendships in later life. • Expressing your breastmilk is a great way to get your partner to feed your baby and help strengthen…

Just as with everything life has to offer, there is a flip side to pregnancy as well. The fact remains, there are a lot of negatives, that if gone noticed and left unchecked, will lead to a much bigger problems FIRST-TIME mommy, Rashmi Mayur, was ecstatic when she brought her newborn home. Having read almost every book and online article possible on motherhood, she was sure that she would have it all under control, for the most part at least. It was a wonderful feeling being home with her baby, surround by the unconditional love and support of her husband, parents and in-laws. She was pampered and she was thoroughly enjoying every minute of it. And then one morning, a week after giving birth, Rashmi suddenly began to feel very…

If you’re breastfeeding, filling up on nutritious food is just as important as it was during pregnancy. Smartening up your diet and fine-tuning meals and snacks to include specific ingredients will increase the quantity and quality of your breastmilk supply. So put your diet plans on hold and focus on making it as easy as possible for your body to do its next vital job. Because during the first month or so post-birth, while your body is getting used to meeting your baby’s constant nutritional needs, you may feel hungrier than usual. And although you might be thinking it would be good to get out of your maternity clothes and back into your pre-pregnancy wardrobe, this isn’t the time to cut back on calories. Breastfeeding can burn up to 500…

1 Don’t compare yourself with other mums. Everyone’s experience is different. Just because your friend says she fell in love with her baby straight away, it doesn’t make her a better mum. 2 Be honest about how you’re feeling. Open up to a friend or speak to your health visitor. 3 Have realistic expectations. Remember, it’s perfectly normal not to bond with your baby on day one. Motherhood is a massively life-changing experience, so allow yourself the time and space to get to know your newborn.…

Aries There’s no time like the present to introduce and encourage her to try out new activities with family members and peers. Whether it’s painting or getting her hands dirty with playdough, go all out and have a ball! It’s wise to ensure elders’ supervision at all times so that they could use that time to teach her good manners and values. You can also hone her reading skills with a new book or two. Lucky Colour: Red Taurus With all of us having to stay indoors, it’s only wise that you breath some clean air into your space. Revamp the house with some indoor plants and get your li’l munchkin to help with the process too—teach her all about why plants and trees and important for the environment. Greens…

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…

Milking it When your baby is “latched on,” the right way, both lips should pout out and cover nearly all of your areola. Her jaw should begin to move back and forth. She may make low-pitched swallowing noises instead of smacking noises. If you feel pain while she is nursing, she may not be latched on. If you’re concerned she can’t breathe easily, gently press down on your breast near your baby’s nose to give her more room to breathe. She shouldn’t have to turn her head or strain her neck to nurse. Land Of Nod Sleeping on your left side may benefit your baby by improving blood flow and therefore nutrients to the placenta. In this position, the heavy uterus puts less pressure on your liver and allows the…

Maternal obesity has become one of the most commonly occurring risk factors in obstetric practice. Obesity in pregnancy is usually defined as a body mass index (BMI) of 30 kg/m 2 or more at the first antenatal consultation. In total, 50 per cent of women of childbearing age are either overweight (BMI 25 to 29.9 kg/m2) or obese, with 18 per cent starting pregnancy as obese. Currently, 20 to 40 per cent of women gain more than the recommended weight during pregnancy, resulting in an increased risk of maternal and fetal complications. 18 per cent of obstetric causes of maternal deaths and 80 per cent of anesthesia complications are due to obesity, making this a cause for concern. HOW OBESITY AFFECTS INDIVIDUAL HEALTH EFFECTS ON EXPECTANT MUMS ● Women can…

Standing in the supermarket queue, I watched as the woman in front of me started crying. Her toddler had begun a meltdown after he wasn’t allowed the massive bar of Dairy Milk he’d grabbed off the shelf, while her baby—no more than a few weeks old—screamed in her pram. And as other shoppers looked on, some shaking their heads in disapproval, tears pricked my eyes. I felt sympathy... and fear. Because I’m 30 weeks pregnant and have a 21-month-old son, so I’ll have roughly the same gap between babies as Kate Middleton. Which means in just a matter of weeks that harassed mum is going to be me. MIND THE GAP No wonder the age gap between siblings has grown since 2009, with parents now leaving an average of three…