If you’re a first-time parent, there’s probably a good chance you can’t stop fawning over your bundle of joy. From her first toothless smile and giggle, her first cooing, to that first moment she holds onto your finger, your baby will give you memories to last a lifetime. And while you may have read the books, it’s a whole different ballgame when experiencing it first hand. M&B keeps you on your toes, with these baby steps

BY SANIA DHIRWANI

First Jab

WHAT?
Vaccinating your child can be one of the best things you can do to protect her from diseases, and strengthen her developing immune system. Vaccines can fend off life-threatening diseases that your child’s body cannot fight. The antigens present in the vaccines can trigger the immune system to create antibodies that fight against them.

WATCH OUT FOR! THE FIRSTS: Dr Bijal Shrivastava, pediatrics, Dr L H Hiranandani Hospital, Powai, says, “The first vaccine given to a child is called BCG (oral polio virus and hepatitis B) which is given at birth. There is no pain or fever following this vaccine. Minimum weight of the baby should be at least two kilos when this vaccine is administered.” Dr Madhuri Kadam, paediatrician, SRV Hospital, Goregaon, further opines, “The BCG vaccine-injected spot will develop a small boil after a few weeks. It should not be meddled with as it will pop by itself and leave a small scar after a few months for some children. However, if the lump appears in the axilla (armpit), then parents should visit a doctor.”

Dr Deepak Tirthani, consultant pediatrician, Hinduja Healthcare Surgical, Khar, says, “Other important vaccines given to the child in its first year are diphtheria and tetanus toxoids combined with HIV. Along with these vaccines, Rota viral vaccine is given to the child that prevents severe diarrhea caused by Rotavirus. In the first six months, the vaccine for pneumonia is also given to the child.”

SIDE EFFECTS: Your little one’s little legs may be sore where the vaccine was administered. She might also run a slight fever or be cranky. The doctor will probably recommend infant’s acetaminophen or ibuprofen for relief. Dr Kadam says, “The painful vaccines cause side effects like fever, pain or swelling. To avoid these they should use ice fermentation twice a day for their child.” Dr Tirthani, further adds, “In case of an emergency and if high fever (more than 104 degrees) sets in, parents must gives paracetamol drops to their infant.”

PREPARE! BREASTFEEDING: Few studies and analysis have found that nursing your child during vaccination shots, reduces distress in babies. It combines the comfort of holding and sucking, providing them with some relief.

BEHAVIOUR: It is important for parents to stay calm and supportive while the baby is getting her shots. Using humour as a distraction, helps decrease distress.

ASK!
It is very important to clarify doubts, if any, with the doctor before and after the vaccination. Know about the side effects, if there is mercury in some vaccines, ingredients in the shots, do vaccines cause autism or is it safe to give so many shots simultaneously.

Mum Speak:

Sanaa Bhambhani, mother to one-year-old Tarasha, says, “My daughter got her first shots six weeks in. They were OPV-1/IPV- 1, DTPw/DTPa-1, hepatitis B-2, and Hiv-1. It is very important to be prepared for your child’s first vaccination. I prepared myself by checking whether or not it is a healthy day for her. I made her wear comfortable clothes so that her peadiatrician could have a smooth examination. I also prepared her diaper bag with all the necessary items I needed for her. To keep her calm, I held her on my lap rather than making her lie on the examination table, and let her suck on a pacifier. This helped in reducing her pain as she was distracted and she was comfortable on my lap.”

First Cold

WHAT?
Although your baby’s immunity is strengthened by breastfeeding, she is not completely protected against viruses that cause respiratory infections. Dr Shrivastava opines, “All parents should remember that various viral colds are prevented till six to nine months of age because of the antibodies present in a mother’s body. While in utero, the antibodies are passed to the baby through placenta. After birth, they’re passed through breastmilk.” A baby can catch a cold several times before she turns one. It becomes important for parents to understand the symptoms their baby is showing, and how to prepare and carefully tackle the situation.

WATCH OUT! IRRITABLITY AND HYPERNESS: The baby will become extremely fidgety. There will be a bit of stuffiness and she will have a leaky nose. Also, because of chest congestion, there is a possibility that she will experience a rasping cough.

LOSS OF APPETITE: Dr Shrivastava says, “During this period they may reduce their food intake and prefer only breastmilk, which is completely alright. They may undergo a little weight loss for a few days, which is perfectly normal, too.” Also, because of a blocked nose, she may be unable to breathe comfortably and hence find it difficult to breastfeed.

PREPARE!
Dr Shrivastava elaborates, “Cold is a viral infection, which doesn’t need antibiotics for treatment, it can simply be dealt with nasal drops, steam and eucalyptus oil on the clothes.” Here’s what you need to keep at arm’s reach:

PLENTY OF WIPES: Keep soft tissues handy to dab at the constant flow from that wee nose. The softer material will also prevent the skin from drying and peeling. However, your baby’s sensitive skin will quickly redden from all the dampness. Apply some petroleum jelly to sooth the area.

STOCK UP: Keep the medicines, saline drops, thermometer and a humidifier ready. A humidifier will help banish dry air by releasing moisture in the nursery. This will loosen the mucus and ease your baby’s chest congestion.

ELEVATED HEAD: Try placing a couple of towels underneath the crib mattress. It will help your baby sleep better.

A HEALTHY YOU: Since you are the primary caregiver, it is of utmost important that you stay protected at all times. Make sure that your hands are clean to avoid catching your baby’s germs, or to pass on any.

ASK!
Call your doctor if your baby is listless,  has turned pale or is not reacting to you. If your child has high temperature and cold that has persisted for more than three days, you need to visit the doctor. Make sure you do not give her medicines that are not suitable for children and are without a doctor’s prescription. Also, the right dosage is essential. Always follow the dosage instructions given by the doctor.

Mum Speak:

Sanaa says, “For the first 11 months or so, Tarasha never fell ill. It was only before her first birthday that she caught a cold. I noticed that she kept on sneezing, became weak and pale and had sleepless nights. Her chest was congested. I started giving her steam, as that’s the safest we can do for small babies. She lost her appetite and stopped playing with her toys. I consulted a pediatrician when she did not get relief from the steam. He advised me to nebulise her thrice a day, prescribed a cold baby syrup and saline drops.”

Gone are the days when preschools functioned only as a transitional medium for kids before the big school. Today, there’s more emphasis on creating a strong foundation to bolster the child’s development and give her a conducive environment to grow in. To fulfil this demand, there are many teaching styles to choose from. Which one would you pick?

BY SANIA DHIRWANI
INPUTS FROM SWATI CHOPRA VIKAMSEY

Montessori

WHAT IS IT? Instead of focussing on academic education, the Montessori method concentrates on encouraging each child’s differences. It provides a nurturing environment to the child that helps in developing her social and emotional skills.

MORE ABOUT IT Montessori education was founded in 1907 by Dr Maria Montessori. Her educational methods were based on the scientifi c observation of each child’s learning processes. Payal Patel, head and director, The Montessori School Internationale, Santacruz, Mumbai, says, “The key is to know that each child is an individual with her own interests, strengths, weaknesses and pace of learning.” The four main areas of the curriculum are exercises of practical life, sensorial, mathematics and language. In a Montessori classroom, the exercises of practical life include activities like improving motor skills by teaching kids to button, zip, buckle and tie. The purpose is to make children independent and develop concentration.

THE BENEFITS! Learning method inspires creativity: Working within the parameters set by the teachers, children choose their own activities. The focus is more on the process than the end result, hence it leads to maximum creativity. Environment teaches self-discipline: When children are finished with a particular activity, they place the items back in their original place. This process caters to a young child’s intrinsic need for an orderly environment. Multi-age classroom: Montessori schools have a mixed-age group which allows the younger children to observe and learn from their older peers in the same environment and space. Older children have the opportunity to teach the younger ones and crystallise their learnings further.

THE TRANSITION.. The concern of most parents is the advancement from the Montessori education to regular schooling. Payal says, “The transition to regular school is fine. The children are well prepared in concepts of language, writing and mathematics. Since their basics are strong, they easily modify to the new environment. However, we would recommend children to continue with elementary Montessori.”

IN YOUR CITY..
✏ Harmony Montessori School, Khar, Mumbai
✏ Besant Montessori School, Juhu, Mumbai
✏ Vruksha Montessori, Alwarpet, Chennai
✏ Akshara Montessori House of Children, Ulsoor, Bangalore
✏ GD Goenka La Petite, Safdarjung Enclave, New Delhi

Play-Way

WHAT IS IT? This methodology focuses on the use of play. Children learn maximum when they are playing. The informal and free environment gives the child an opportunity to explore concepts of mathematics and language using various learning tools.

MORE ABOUT IT Fredrich Froebel, a German educator is considered to be the pioneer of the Play-Way method of education. Charmi Shah, director of Beehive Preschool, Ghatkopar Mumbai, says, “‘Learning by doing’ enables the child to grasp the fundamentals of each activity through creativity and receptivity.” Children develop interest in an activity when they are involved in the preparation of a particular item. For example, children can learn science with activities that involve conducting experiments, collecting specimens or minerals or making of squashes and jams. Children enjoy making things for themselves, and simultaneously gives them the exposure to learning. A lot of field trips, role plays and demonstrations are part of the play-way method.

THE BENEFITS! Enhances understanding of difficult concepts: Children are taught difficult methods through the use of specifi c tools, which are often the objects used in daily life. Counting and simple calculations can be taught by organising projects like opening a co-operative store, collecting of stamps and more. Value of group play: Children learn how to get along with others and learn how to handle confl icts in a group play. It evolves their social-interaction skills and makes them confi dent. Wonderful motivator: The child is not compelled to learn, but learns voluntarily. It forms a great motivational force that aids memory, freedom of choice and development of physical, psychological, intellectual skills and so on.

THE TRANSITION.. Charmi says, “Since the curriculum is based on keeping in mind the requirements of the CBSE or ICSE syllabus, the integration is not a problem. The children are taught the concepts of language and numbers, hence there is no diffi culty in the process of higher admission.”

IN YOUR CITY..
✏ Garodia’s Academy, Ghatkopar, Mumbai
✏ Leapbridge International Preschool, Sion, Mumbai
✏ Little Bo Peep, Khar, Mumbai
✏ Podar Jumbo Kids, across India
✏ The Tree House, across India
✏ Euro Kids, across India

A job, babies and life, how do working mothers manage it all? Reshma O Pathare speaks to some of them to find out..

THERE is no tougher job than being a mum. Life is never the same again after that tiny little being enters your life. Sleep deprivation, erratic timings with sometimes having no time for even a pee-break and zero inclination to even think of looking half as groomed as earlier – these are just some of the thousand ways in which a woman’s life changes when she becomes a mother. What then must be the state of those mums who need to go back to work after a short maternity leave? In India, a woman gets an average of 12 weeks as maternity leave; half of which she is expected to take before her delivery. Safe to say, most women need to go back to work leaving behind an infant who is barely two to three months. While the time frame differs in keeping with different policies of different organisations, more or less a woman needs to get back to her job by the time her baby barely completes six months of age. Leaving behind such a small baby and being able to contribute optimally at work without letting nagging worries about the baby bog her, is no cakewalk for any mother. So, how then do they manage this tight-rope walk? M&B spoke to four mums who have accomplished this feat and got them to share their mantra for success:

SHEETAL RAY 31, media and communications professional from Mumbai . Mum to Zidan, 9 months Got back to work when Zidan was 6 months

Managing breastfeeding “My work place is not too far from home. So I express breastmilk with an electric pump, and make one visit in the afternoon to feed him again. Zidan has just turned 9 months, so I feed him in the morning, express one feed for the afternoon, and then feed him directly at the night.”

Support system “I live with my in laws, so I get a lot of help from my mum-in-law. People in office are also supportive, but work is work and it does get difficult if I can’t reach offi ce on time, or I need to extend
my working hours. That is the challenge of being a working mother. But I am able to balance things out with the help of supportive colleagues.”

Guilt pangs
“Oh I suffer from a lot of guilt, even though it’s been three months since I resumed work, and know that he is in safe hands. I feel especially bad when Zidan clings to me when I am home, or when he cries because of delays at work. My family members give him all the comfort he needs, but I sill feeling guilty for not being there for him.”

Separation anxiety
“I strongly feel that it is not right for a mother to leave a small child alone. No one can take care of a baby as well as the mother. But in this day and age, we women have to take into consideration our careers and income opportunities in order to be able to provide a better life to our children. It’s therefore best to equip the child to deal with the separation anxiety by reassuring him of your presence, and by balancing work and home.”

Working around work
“Frankly, my dedication to work has taken a beating. Earlier, I was never in a hurry to go home, but now once I am done, I don’t think of doing extra work. Of course, I complete what I have undertaken, but I fi nd myself refraining from taking initiative and suggesting something new. Before Zidan, I never hesitated to work on holidays but these days if I have to work on holidays even from home I am frustrated.”

Mommy mantra
“The biggest challenge is to be a good mother who takes care of her child’s diet, growth, medicines etc, as well as to be a good employee who does her work immaculately. It is really tough to balance both, but I plan my day well. I have divided all his medicines in ‘morning-evening’ segments. I am also in the process of very slowly weaning him off breastmilk, and introducing him to new foods. Once I am back from work, I spend at least an hour with Zidan fi rst, and then occupy myself with other household work. I also avoid arranging meetings late in the evening, or very early in the morning.

SHAMLI SAKHARE CHRISTOPHER
35, architect from Bengaluru. Mum to Svara, 10 months Got back to work when Svara was 8 months

Managing breastfeeding
“My daughter started on solids by the time I resumed work, so that took a lot of load off me. I know that breastfeeding is the best source of nutrition for a baby, and I plan to continue breastfeeding Svara until she completes 15 months.”

Support system
“My partner and I believe in equal parenting. We consciously make an effort to adjust our professional responsibilities around our child. Besides, my mother-in-law is a huge support. She likes spending time with her granddaughter, and comes to my house during the day to supervise the nanny. Since I have my own architectural practice, my work timings are fl exible. My business partner also had a baby around the same time, so we understand the importance of giving each other space and fl exibility to fulfi l our motherly responsibilities.”

Guilt pangs
“I don’t feel guilty because I know that either my partner or mum-in-law is taking care of my daughter. However, I turn slightly anxious when I’m delayed at work because of an extended meeting or site visit. This may be because I have programmed myself to not see her during my standard work time.”

Separation anxiety
“I’m not sure if my daughter suffered from separation anxiety. In fact, I passed through that stage myself when I resumed work. This is a constant emotional struggle between the mother and her child. Maybe, at some point, we too will face this challenge.”

Working around work
“I don’t know if I’ve managed to balance work and baby, but I’m happy that I have enough time to spend with my daughter before and after work. At the same time, I am professionally driven, and have always made sure that I deliver to my clients what we have agreed upon.”

Mommy mantra
“The main challenge is in being a mother. It’s a never-ending responsibility. I’m yet to figure out if there’s a mantra at all. Motherhood is a continuous process; there are new challenges and new milestones every day. You just have to take it one day at a time.”

Your growing belly is a sign your baby is happy and healthy. Here are six ways to show love to your bump

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 very occasionally it can be a symptom of an underlying liverm disorder, obstetric cholestasis. When it comes to the dreaded stretchmarks, unfortunately whether you get them or not is simply down to genetics and how big your bump gets. There’s little hard science to show that anything defi nitely works to prevent them, although moisturising creams will make the skin look and feel smoother. Most stretchmarks do improve with time. Eating healthily will help you avoid excess weight gain that can increase your chances of getting stretchmarks, while drinking lots of water will keep your skin hydrated and smoother looking. “I put cocoa butter all over my tummy. I did get some stretchmarks but they faded very quickly,” says Christine Braganza from Mumbai, mum to sevenmonth- old Joshua.

 

DRESS IT UP!
“Being free from all the pressures about how women are ‘supposed’ to look is great,” says Jhanavi Kapoor, from Bengaluru, who’s 26 weeks pregnant. If you’re battling morning sickness or are simply pooped, it’s easy just to throw on anything that still fits. But  treating yourself to some fashionable maternity wear can be a real boost too. “Getting bigger during your pregnancy is inevitable, so embrace it and make the most of the beautiful clothes around these days,” advises Girija Sampat from Pune. What better excuse to check out the maternity ranges?

 

 

 

BOND, BABY, BOND
Take time out to think about what’s going on inside your bump. When your gynac examines your abdomen, ask her to explain how your baby is lying. That will help you visualise your baby and what she’s up to. By 24 weeks your baby’s ears are complete and she’ll soon recognise your voice. So read to your bump, tell her about your day – anything to make you feel closer and more connected to what’s going on in there.

“I used to be exhausted when I came in from work, so I’d put my feet up and  use it as a chance to chill and think about what my baby was up to inside,” says Nicole Mistry from Mumbai, mum to nine-day-old Jehaan.