childcare – That Madras Mom

June 28, 2018

Good and bad. How to teach your kids to make good choices. Observe, think and decide.

Do we know that telling a child “to make positive or good choices” has an important part to play in molding the behavior.

Such challenging behaviors like the one above make parents struggle on a day-to-day basis.

Making good choices could be compared to learning how to tie shoes for your kids; this skill would develop progressively over time as they mature. Children need a lot of molding and support when it comes to learning how to make good choices. They don’t mean to make bad choices; they just need more practice and support in making good ones.

Part of raising kids is preparing them for the world and life on their own by preparing them with the skills necessary to both succeed and cope with failures.

The real world we live in is full of disappointment, consequences, hearing a no, and doing things I would rather not. That’s how life is. Therefore, preparing my child with the means to handle all that is important. Therefore, to inspire my daughter’s independence and to nurture her emotional intelligence, I want to parent her in a way that she knows she is loved and I believe in her, but that she also knows what it’s like to fail or to make the wrong decision.

“Failure is not fatal”. People know me as a perfectionist, to me it felt like mistakes were killing me from the inside. Honestly, I have never emotionally conquered the concept of failure; even small mess ups sometimes feel like the end of the world to me. I waver in my own decision making very often because I do not like living with even the small consequences.

Teaching your child to make choices is one of the most important elements of raising a well-behaved child.

From big choices (“Should I opt for high profile PR job and move to abroad or stay home to take care of the kids?”) to little choices (“Dessert or salad?”), every decision we make has complications.

Being self-disciplined is understanding and taking responsibility for making life’s choices. A major part of parenting well is to help your child learn the challenging skill of making positive, suitable choices. A gain of sense control over own life is gained by a child, when he/she is skilled at consciously making choices will understand their own needs. Choice-making also helps teach internal discipline, organization, and prioritizing. Children learn how to make big choices by watching you do it, and by gaining experience through making little choices.

Teaching choice to your child: TIPS

Never give a choice you aren’t willing to follow through on. That means when you say, “Either you tidy your room or we are not going out to eat,” you should be prepared to start cooking. It also means if you say, “Tidy your room and I’ll take you to a posh restaurant in town,” you need to be prepared make reservations.
It’s your responsibility to keep your child safe and healthy. Keep food choices healthy, and allow your child to choose what to eat. If your kid chooses to eat only cookies and dessert, stop having them as a choice.
Unless your child is very skilled at choice-making and your budget is unlimited, never offer choices without restrictions. Give them an “either/or” if they are young.
When a child is making choices about her behavior, you can point out the choice and the consequences of it.
Older children can use choices to learn how to prioritize
Once a child makes a choice, lay off on the options, don’t continue to offer choices.
Once a choice has been made, be clear as to when it becomes final.

What if the child does not like the choice made?

This is hard for a strong, reasonable parent to watch. Nobody enjoys watching a child be disappointed. But making a choice necessitates learning to live with the choice that’s been made. Disappointment is a good teaching tool, and discipline is teaching.

Teaching consequences of choice that was made

When she experiences failure or disappointment, she has to handle it with stability and not feel like it’s the end of the world.
When her friends are doing something that she feels is not right, she will not blindly follow, but she will have the anticipation to see what consequence may be ahead of her.
When she has a decision that did not turned out as planned, she would have emotional stamina to pull herself up and not feel defeated.
When she is faced with defending what she believes and her faith she will not hesitate or be embarrassed in any circumstance.
When she experiences rejection, she knows that was not her choice and it will just stimulate her to be even better and more assertive.

The book Teaching with love and logic by Jim Fay and David Funk is beautifully written about how to empower children and help them learn how to make good choices. Creating stronger relationships with students can lead to more cooperation is one major take away from this book.

Basically, Love and Logic shows you how to avoid power struggles and offer choices to children. Instead of controlling children’s behavior and making all their choices for them, it empowers children to make their own choices. When children feel empowered they learn more. They learn more because less time is spent trying to control their behavior.

Enforceable statements are invites instead of demands. When you demand that a child does something they may refuse because they feel controlled, but when you invite them to do something they are much more likely to do it.

When kids don’t make good choices:

Avoid making demands
Avoid making threats
Avoid power struggles
Offer them choices
Use logical consequences

So mommies let us raise a child who is independent to make good choices and live happily because of it.

June 28, 2018

Does my baby love me ? How do I know that ?.Read through the signs to know

Talking in reality, babies are small and cannot be expected to reciprocate or give a feedback after the tiring hours of delivery and sleepless nights. But as time goes one, we got along and got to know each other forming a blissful bond. As I started taking care of her, she loved

me more and reciprocated in her own ways.

Babies can recognize their primary caretaker within the first few weekswhich actually would be the mom in most cases. This is definitely with the help of the tiny nose. A baby can rightly identify mom by the scent of the milk.

Most important point to note is we need to be an expert to know what they cry for. Persistent and desperate usually means they are hungry and need a feed, unexpected might mean discomfort, and more lamenting can signal discomfort. This is all possible only by trial and error, eventually grasping nuances that will confuse outsiders. The better we understand their language, the better we can attend to their needs. As parents if we respond when she is in distress she learns she can count on them for comfort and relief and that she is important to us. In fact, research shows that caregivers are in perfect sync with their babies only about 40 percent of the time. It does take time for us to learn to recognize and retort when she needs us.

Within the first month, she started responding to my facial expressions and without thinking about it, I started doing it right back at her. I mean the little smiles, the meaningful looks, timidly looking away and back again. These kind of games appear to be as important in strengthening a baby’s affection as your responses to her physical needs. Face-to-face interaction is part of how babies learn about positive give-and-take. She started realizing that with a single look, she can show me how pleased she is to have me around; and that it’s a feeling worth sharing, since I’ll smile back.

The first true social smiles start between 6 and 8 weeks. The signals that the baby is starting to associate your face with feeling good. The bond deepens!

Babies start giving out kisses at about when they are one-year-old. No these are not the peck on the cheek kinds. I was lucky enough to experience this when she was four months. These are wet but loaded with love. Babies love being held, but at six months they have the physical and cognitive ability to hold arms up and ask for pick-me up. This would express how much they’ve trust and adore their parents. And on days when we feel gloomy or depressed this one hug or pick-me up is enough to make it all gone away… Far far away I mean.

Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery must have known to toddlers. Whether she’s running around with a handbag or putting on a stole, she shows me how cool I am. Toddlers imitate the activities and behaviors of the people they love most.

The fact that your toddler runs to you for comfort—and then can dry her eyes and run off—means she loves and needs you.

Babies don’t have to be that hurt to come to you weeping. Even a minor mishap can make for big drama if the mother is around to see it. My girl gives me pout lowering her head seeking attention. Now that’s a plea for attention, but it really does make her feel better to get proof that I love her as much as she loves me.

She reserves her bad behavior only for me. When I have people visiting her or I leave her at mom’s place to run an errand all I get to hear is “She’s such an angel”. When I am actually at home I be like” Tell me about it!! “.

She gets possessive when I lift other kids. She is all normal and suddenly gets too hyper when I lift another kid. Sometimes I do that only to get her attention.

So Mommies shower your love and get that bond building up.

June 28, 2018

Does Your Baby Suffer Stranger Anxiety/ Separation Anxiety? What, When And How To Tackle?

This is usually demonstrated by crying when an unknown or unfamiliar person approaches. Normally it starts at about 8 – 9 months and usually subsides by age 2 years. S

tranger anxiety is related with the child’s developmental task of distinguishing the acquainted from the unacquainted. Both the duration and intensity of the nervousness(anxiety) vary greatly among kids.

Some babies show a strong preference for one parent over another at a certain age, and grandparents may suddenly be viewed as strangers. Anticipating these happenings during visits helps prevent misinterpretation of the behavior. Comforting the child and avoiding overreaction to the behavior are usually the only therapy needed.

If a new person is coming, having that person spend some time with the family before the actual day makes sense. When the event arrives, having parents spend some time with the child and sitter before they leave is prudent. If grandparents are coming to watch the child for a few days while parents go away, they should arrive a day or two early.

Stranger anxiety of pronounced intensity may be a sign of more generalized anxiety and should prompt evaluation of the family situation, parenting techniques, and the child’s overall emotional state.

The day-to-day relationship between baby and parents, not the degree of anxiety when meeting strangers is the best measure of emotional health in the baby.

Stranger anxiety is a normal part of a child’s cognitive development Parents are concerned about educatingtheir children to be cautious when approached by unfamiliar people. However, we need to find a balance between concern and encouragement of their natural inquisitiveness and friendliness, while at the same time teaching them that they should always rely on parental supervision and consent in dealing with outsiders.

Stranger anxiety can sometimes upset friends and relatives, who may feel rejected by a suddenly introverted child. The baby may reject a caregiver he/she was previously comfortable with or grow hysterical when relatives visit. This can be unsatisfying for us, since the baby may reject the parent who is not the principal caregiver. Parents should respect the child’s fear and allow her to approach people as she is able. If the child does not want to be hugged by or sit with a relative, it is ill-advised to force her. In the long run, children outgrow their fear and become more easy-going with strangers.

Safe attachment and social referencing

Around 8-9 months’ babies would have reached an important milestone in the development of an attachment to their mother. Babies with a healthy attachment relationship prefer being near their mother, because mother is the person who helps them with their physical and emotional needs.

Although they may move away from mother to explore, they will still look back at her face for assurance when they’re not sure about something. This is called ‘social referencing’.

Person permanence

Most babies at this stage would have developed an understanding of person permanence (that people still exist when they can’t be seen). Whereas before they had to be able to physically see mother to know she existed, they can now hold a picture of her in their mind.

When baby can’t see mother, they may become upset and terrible in response to the separation. It’s still better for mum to tell baby she’s leaving, rather than hoping baby won’t notice her going.

So always wave a goodbye and say that you will be back sooner to comfort the child.

Separation anxiety- what is it?

Separation anxiety is when a baby becomes worried or upset when they’re separated from the person who cares for them the most — often it’s the mother. Babies understand that people leave before they learn that people return. They can tell from your actions that you are about to leave. Anxiety begins to build even before you leave. Upset and crying occur at the time of separation , sleep difficulties are common.

This usually develops in the second half of the first year.

How can you reduce this or tackle this?

1. Practice to stay away for short durations.
2. Introduce strangers early.
3. Try distracting the baby when you leave
4. Always leave when she feels good that when she well fed or not sleepy.
5. Learn to say goodbye which would signal that you will not be available.
6. Don’t look back.
7. Don’t fall for the tears, they are short lived.

June 28, 2018

What is potty training ? When and how to start ? Do’s and dont’s

What is potty training?

Potty training is training your toddler to use potty, so he/she can get rid of wearing diapers.

What the best age to start potty training?

Healthy children aren’t physically and emotionally ready to start using a potty until they are between 18 months and three years old. Boys tend to be ready a few months later than girls. Most parents start the training when their children are between two years and three years old.

The physical maturity and readiness skills needed for successful toilet learning appear at the same time in girls and boys-between 18 and 30 months of age. The average age for girls to be toilet trained is 29 months, and for boys it’s 31 months.

Please note these are just the average months and not exact.

Age shouldn’t be the deciding factor in beginning potty training.

This varies individually among each child and is something that needn’t be compared to.

The key is making sure your child is physically and developmentally ready

How do you know that your child is ready to be potty trained?

· Pulling a wet or dirty diaper.

· Hiding to pee or poop.

· Interest in others’ use of the potty

· Copying adult potty behavior.

· Having a dry diaper for a longer-than-usual time.

· Awakening dry from a nap.

· Telling out that they’re about to go, are going or have just gone in their diaper.

Bowel or bladder control? What comes first?

Most children achieve bowel and bladder control between 24 and 48 months of age. Bowel control occurs before bladder control.

Sequence of control

· Bowel control at night

· Bowel control during the day

· Bladder control during the day

· Bladder control at night

It is normal to wet the bed until age six for a girl and age seven for a boy.

Steps to train your toddler

· Let them watch and learn – Show them how it is done ie. How to undress and sit.

· Buy the right equipment – Getting the right type of potty seat plays a vital role in your training. Try going for choices which would make the kid want to come back and not whine, when taken.

· Help your child get comfortable with the potty – make sure the child feels comfortable sitting on it.

· Motivate with cool underwear- Make them wear underwear with their favorite cartoon characters or motifs. Make them wear it without fuss.

· Set up a training schedule- Prepare a schedule, and stick on to it. It will slowly become a routine.

· Teach to sit and wipe- Help them sit on the potty or if you are using a toilet seat cover, make sure its sturdy when they sit.

· Set aside some naked time – Give them some diaper/ underwear free time. So that they will feel the urge when they need to pee/poop.

· Celebrate triumphs – Once they start doing it the right way, keep encouraging them with small treats.

Role of book and videos in potty training:

Everyone Poops, by Taro Gomi, is a lasting favorite. Where’s the Poop? and Once Upon a Potty, comes in a version with a doll and miniature potty. Potty by Leslie patricelli is another good book.

Several board books are now available to encourage children and make them learn in a fun way.

Gender specific titles are also available.

You could also show them an animated video, showing them how their favorite character also is being potty trained.

Many parents deal with potty training as something over which they have total control. Parents are a big contributor to their child’s development, but they don’t really control it. Parents are there to facilitate, to guide, to reinforce and to praise, but parents shouldn’t put pressure on themselves that if they do a series of steps, the children will achieve a certain outcome.”

If you feel like you’ve been changing diapers forever, you’re not alone.

Do not compare your child, this varies individually and is not something to boast about if your child has mastered it very early. Children take their own time to get comfortable and used to it. After all, its nature’s call and cannot be missed but would be taken at the right time and right place.

June 19, 2018

When does a child start talking ? What to look for and when to seek help ?

The most demanding period for acquiring speech and language skills is the first 3 years of life, when the brain is developing and maturing. These skills are best developed in a world that is rich with sounds, sights, and consistent exposure to the speech and language of others.

There are certain critical periods for speech and language development in infants and young children. This is the period when the brain is best able to absorb language. If these periods are missed without exposure to language, it will lead to learning difficulties.

Milestones for speech and language development

When an infant learns that a cry will bring food, comfort, and company that is when the first signs of communication occurs. Newborn babies begin to recognize key sounds in their environment, such as the voice of their mother or primary caretaker. Babies begin to sort out the speech sounds that compose the words of their language as they progress in growth. Most babies recognize the basic sounds of their native language by 6 months of age.

The development of speech and language skills in children differs. They follow a natural advancement or timetable for mastering the skills of language. There are certain milestones which help doctors and professionals determine if a child is on track or if the child may need extra help. Sometimes a delay may be caused by hearing loss, while other times it may be due to a speech or language disorder.

How to nurture your baby’s language development?

1. Talk, talk, talk. …

2. Read, read, read. …

3. Enjoy music together. …

4. Tell stories. …

5. Follow your child’s lead. …

6. Never criticize your child’s articulation or speech patterns. …

7. Use television and computers sparingly. …

8. Treat ear infections thoroughly.

Language development varies considerably between children, even within the same family. However, they tend to follow a natural progression for mastering the skills of language and there are certain ‘milestones’ that can be identified as a rough guide to normal development.

Children develop their speech at an individual rate but there are certain milestones to be aware of.

Development of speech over time

Babies need to learn how language sounds before being able to learn how to speak.

Although children improve at their own rate, there are some general patterns:

From 1-3 months of age, babies cry and coo
At 4 to 6 months of age, babies sigh, grunt, gurgle, squeal, laugh and make different crying sounds.
Between 6-9 months, babies babble in syllables and start imitating tones and speech sounds.
Between 12 months, a baby’s first words usually appear, and by 18 months to 2 years’ children use around 50 words.
Between 2-3 years, sentences extend to 4 and 5 words. Children can recognize and identify almost all common objects and pictures.
Between 3-5 years, conversations become longer, and more abstract and complex.
By the time a child turns 5, they usually have a 2,500-word vocabulary and talk in complete, grammatically correct sentences. They ask a lot of ‘why?’, ‘what?’ and ‘who?’ questions.

How can parents help?

making faces and noises and talking about your activities from the day they’re born
playing interactive games like peek-a-boo and singing nursery rhymes
looking at books from an early age – you don’t have to read the words, just talk about what you can see
talking slowly and clearly and using short, simple sentences.
avoiding testing, such as asking ‘What’s this?’, as children learn better without pressure
not criticizing wrong words and instead saying the word properly – for example, if your baby points to a dog and says ‘do!’ say: ‘Yes, it’s a dog
letting your child lead the conversation and help them expand on their thoughts
giving your child lots of opportunities to talk, with plenty of time to answer your questions

Who is a late talker?

A “Late Talker” is a toddler (between 18-30 months) who has good understanding of language, typically developing play skills, motor skills, thinking skills, and social skills, but has a limited spoken vocabulary for his or her age.

When to seek medical help?

By 12 months, your child is not trying to communicate with you (using sounds, gestures and/or words), particularly when needing help or wanting something
By 2 years, your child has not started combining words.

If your child hasn’t mastered most of the speech and language development milestones for his or her age or you’re concerned about any aspect of your child’s development seek help immediately. Speech delays occur for many reasons, including hearing loss and developmental disorders. Depending on the circumstances, your child’s doctor might refer your child to a hearing specialist or a speech-language pathologist.

In the meantime, talk to your child about what you’re doing and where you’re going. Sing songs and read together. Teach your child to imitate actions, such as clapping, and to say animal sounds. Practice counting. Show your child that you’re pleased when he or she speaks. Listen to your child’s sounds and repeat them back to him or her. These steps can encourage your child’s speech and language development.

Encouraging your toddler to talk

Talk to your toddler as much as possible as you go about your daily routine and when you are out and about. The more you talk to your toddler, the newer words she’ll learn, and the better she’ll get at talking.

Chat to your toddler as you change diapers, feed, or bathe her. But make sure you give give her time to respond with a smile or eye-to-eye contact. Use everyday activities to help your toddler to make connections between actions and objects and the words that represent them. Point out things you see when you’re out and about.

Simplify your speech when you talk to your toddler. Use short sentences and emphasize key words. This will help your toddler to focus on the important information.

Try talking to your toddler from time to time in sentences that are about one word longer than the sentences she is using. So if your child uses two-word sentences, use lots of three-word and four-word sentences when talking back to her. For example, if your toddler says “a bird”, you could say, “yes, a big bird.”

You can increase your child’s vocabulary by giving her choices, such as “Do you want an apple or a pear?”. You could even show your child both an apple and a pear. This helps your toddler to store a picture of the word in her mind.

It will help your toddler to learn how to talk if you make time to sit in front of her and talk to her. You could even sit in front of her when you read a book, rather than have her on your lap, so she can watch you talking.

Look at books with your toddler regularly. Even if you don’t follow the story as it unfolds, your toddler will learn by listening to you talk about the pictures.

I recently came across a site that helps you check if your child is on track. http://www.talkingpoint.org.uk/

They have different choices of months which can be selected. It’s basically a quiz for the parent with their child’s development.

So mommies get going and do the talking.

May 30, 2018June 21, 2020

Are you still breastfeeding ? When to start with BLW ??

Hello Mommies,

March 13 2017 was the day I met my little angel who gave me a second life. The labor and delivery was a scintillating experience for me as a first time mommy. All throughout my pregnancy, I constantly kept myself occupied reading about the various ways people enjoyed being pregnant. I followed fellow blogger mommies who had different views on everything relating to pregnancy. Right from the tests, scan, food, workouts, and leisure time; my choices were abundant and I had plenty to choice from.

But, the one thing that was constantly running in my subconscious mind- VAGINAL DELIVERY and BREASTFEEDING.

That is also the time I started reading about breastfeeding. I also got to know there were classes for learning about various positions to feed the baby and that can be taken even before the delivery. There are also few hospitals who offer this as part of their package to expecting clients. Well, living in the 21st century, this is not something to be surprised of. This would not have been possible for our ancestors- say even our moms.

When I told my mom about this, she found it interesting and gave me a go ahead. Though we do have the elders guiding us through their experiences, they still agree on things like these.

A breastfeeding class can introduce us to some of the different positions and offer some reassurance that breastfeeding is not something that’s going to happen immediately. Baby and us are both going to need some time to get the hang of it.

The ‘Womanly Art of Breastfeeding’ is a wonderful book to start with, in case you do not have time to attend to classes.

These classes teach us about the different latches, feeding cues, and stomach size.

It is very important to get the first latch properly. This is done immediately in the labor room. My God, I really felt I was in heaven when I felt her lips. What more does a mother want?

And ladies, in case you are attending the classes birthing/ breastfeeding don’t forget to take your husbands. It is extremely necessary they accompany us, not just as moral support, but to get to know and be supportive.

I initially had little struggles with making my daughter feed, I was very worried about it. But, I did not give up. The main thing to focus during this time is not to fall into depression and not to lose hope. I strongly kept saying within me that I can feed my baby, I can satisfy her hunger needs, and I can do it. This positive vibe really did wonders, and slowly I starting seeing changes and feeding time became relaxing for both, me and my baby. Feeding with keeping the baby in the baby carrier was another blessing in this era. Though feeding in public is still a big “WHAT THE” in this society making a lot of heads turn, the carrier made it easier.

As the months passed, I noticed that she needed much more than only milk. That is when I decided to wean. I started with porridge and fruit purees. She had an instant liking. We can start this once the head gets the support and the baby can balance the head-neck. Apple purees, finger millet, and rice porridge were becoming her favourites.

SO, what is BLW or baby led weaning then?

We can start letting the baby taste and feel the textures by giving them small portions. Self-feeding improves hand-eye coordination. Baby learns to swallow, lick, and chew. Once the baby starts sprouting the first tooth, we can offer finger foods like carrots and beans. Take care to not feed nuts/peanuts as it may lead to choking.

Eating with the family is a great practice that can be cultivated as early as 8 months. The baby can watch others eat, so that they get to learn what and how.

And ladies, you can still continue breast feeding until the child is one. Nobody can stop you from that!

World book day challenge day 1 prompt : Earth

A book is a garden, an orchard, a storehouse, a party, a company by the way,

a counselor, a multitude of counselorrs.

~ Charles Baudelaire

Posting for the prompt #1 of #worldbookdaychallenge Earth.

What more describes the life on Earth than our very own Eric Carl’s The very hungry caterpillar.

This beautiful book depicts the life of a caterpillar evolving into a butterfly. Cheeni learnt the days of the week, numbers, colors and what not.

Here is what was the inspriation for this book in his words: “One day I was punching holes with a hole puncher into a stack of paper, and I thought of a bookworm and so I created a story called A Week with Willi the Worm. Then later my editor, who didn’t like the idea of a worm, suggested a caterpillar and I said “Butterfly!” And the rest is history.”

The life cycle is beautifully written down and illustrated the egg , the caterpillar, the cocoon and the big butterfly.

Did you know the book was first published in 1969, that’s when our parents were studying. And it is still selling over 49 million copies worldwide and is being translated over many world languages.

The book also has bright pictures of sun, moon ,leaves ,food which makes it even more interesting for kids .

This made me discover a lot more of Eric Carl’s book to introduce to her.

Cheeni loves it when I read it out loud to her. She recognizes sun and the moon now.

What Cheeni loved

* The big pictures

* The colours

* The way it’s illustrated.

She now knows numbers, colors, sun, moon.

Kids these days are more interested, given the choice of books they have and their types.

April 11, 2018April 11, 2018

Feeding babies with silverware

Its a general tradition across customs to feed the child in silver utensils once solid food intake is started. They are given as gifts during baby shower or naming ceremony Are there any specific reason for it ?A big YES.

1. Anti bacterial and anti fungal Silver by nature kills bacterial and fungal growth hence it’s good to feed in utensils made it.

2. Boosts immunity Whenever food is served hot or warm in silver vessels, some of it gets infused with the food, which boosts immunity.

3. Non toxic Since it is anti bacterial and anti fungal it is non toxic , silver reacts when food contains poisonous substance like sulphur. ( do not feed egg in silver)

4. Retains freshness Food stored in silver utensils are said to be fresh for longer periods.

5. Easy maintenance Can be washed easily, and used for longer duration. Sometimes passed on from previous generations.

Medicines are generally fed using a ‘paladai’ or ‘sangu’.

POINTS TO NOTE: 1.Make sure utensils don’t have sharp edges which can hurt the baby.

2.Do not buy vessels with intricate carvings, this makes the cleaning process tedious.

Hence it is better than feeding in plastic .

SILVER AND DIGESTION

Silver-charged water was specifically known to do wonders to people who were having digestion and related problems. The anti-bacterial, anti-viral and anti-fungal properties of silver eases problems in tummy, digestive tract and intestines. This water was also known to keep urinary problems away. Even in temples, the holy water was always stored in silver containers for the same reason

VESSELS GENERALLY USED FOR BABY:

A spoon
A bowl
A pan
A saucepan
A tumbler
A feeder for medicine

MAINTENANCE OF VESSEL

Always wash in warm water.
Use mild soaps.
Wipe clean so that the vessel is not wet.
Do not let the vessel dry after feeding.
Keep the vessel clean from bacterial or microbial breeding.

March 28, 2018March 28, 2018

Home remedies for babies

Before resorting to check with the doctor for any ailments in little ones, I make sure that the home remedies have already been done for the ailment.

With the help of my mom, aunt and mother in law, I learnt a lot of home remedies to cure ailments for babies with ingredients readily available at home.

I used to keep jotting down the tips so that it would be useful for other moms who stay far off from parents or elders.

COLD AND COUGH

1. Boil beetle/ ajwain (omavalli or karpooravalli)/ tulsi leaves in water and reduce to half. Mix with honey and feed two spoons twice a day.

2. Heat ajwain seeds and tie them in a cloth as potli, rub on the chest to relieve chest congestion.

3. The above bundle can be placed near the cradle.
4. A cloth can be dipped in Eucalyptus oil and placed in the room where the baby is.
5. Feed warm milk and keep baby hydrated.

CONCOCTION FOR COLD AND COUGH

Ingredients:
-ajwain 3 tbsp
-powdered jaggery or palm sugar -half tbsp
-pepper – 2 or 3
Cumin. 2 tbsp
Curry leaves 2-3
ajwain leaves 1
beetle leaf – small piece
honey – 1 tbsp
turmeric powder -1 tbsp
Tulsi leaves -2
water – 150 ml

METHOD

Mix all the ingredients in the water

Boil till reduces to half level

Cool and feed it to the little one at regular intervals.

It will relieve from cough and cold.

HICCUPS

Hiccups are caused due to sudden contraction of diaphragm and closing of the vocal chords. It usually happens when the child gets overexcited.

Some remedies are given below

1. Try to divert the baby.
2. Give them water to sip.
3. Make the baby lie down and pat their back.

4. Lift the baby , place on the shoulder and make him/her burp.

TEETHING PAIN

1. Pacifier can be freezed with breastmilk or formula milk in ice cube tray. Baby can suck this to soothe the gums.
2. Apply chamomile tea bags.
3. Teething rings can be given for chewing.
4 . Coconut oil or almond oil can be applied over the gums.

5. Cold towel can be given to be chewed.

DIAPER RASH

Diaper rash is common in babies especially when they wear them for longer periods.
This can range from moderate to severe.
HOME REMEDIES
Apply a paste of sandalwood powder(from sandalwood stick and not sandalwood tablets sold over the counter)on the affected area.
This provides a cooling effect and also is soothing for the skin irritation.

We can also apply coconut oil whenever we wear the diaper on the little one.
Most important point to be kept in mind is each time we change diaper wipe with a clean cloth dipped in lukewarm water , air dry the area of five minutes, apply coconut oil generously.

It is even more better if we leave them diaper free for few hours during the day.

OVERALL HEALTH

Urai marundhu is an ancient set of six items which are rubbed on a stone, mixed with water or breastmilk and given to the child.

This is generally given immediately after a bath.

The six items and their benefits are listed below.

*SWEET FLAG (VASAMBU)- Increases immunity and hunger.

*INK NUT (KADUKAI)- Increases bowel movement.

*MAASIKAI (GALL NUT/OAK NUT)- Prevents the white layer on tongue.

*INDIAN GINGER/SNAP GINGER (SITHARATHAI)- remedy from cold & cough.

*NUTMEG (JATHIKAI)- Induces good sleep.

*DRY GINGER (SUKKU)- remedy from cold & cough.

*TURMERIC (MANJAL/ HALDI) (OPTIONAL)- Antiseptic

The above list of items, the rubbing stone, the feeding spoon is available as kit online.

RELIEVING GAS

1. Mix Hing or asafoetida in water, make a paste. Apply from the navel on the tummy in anticlockwise direction.

2. Give two spoons of ajwain water or jeera water after each feed.

3. Include garlic in veggie puree.

4. Do bicycle excercise or peddling movement.

5.I LOVE YOU exercise
Rub the left side of baby tummy( your right side).
Rub in shape of inverted L and then and inverted U.

WONDER OIL AT HOME (CASTOR OIL)

Castor oil is very beneficial, especially when having a new born baby at home.
Castor oil is known to reduce body heat and have clean bowels.
Apply little castor oil on top of the head at the centre once your little one wake up.
Apply on the feet and tummy( naval and area around)
This will reduce body heat of the baby.

Especially during summer.

MIRACLE HERB

Calamus known as vasambu in Tamil is a wonder herb.
Best sought home remedy for almost any health ailments in new borns.
The vasambu stick is usually made as small beads and tied as bracelet in both hands. The babies lick it which cures almost all stomach ailments and gas troubles.It can also be put in a potli and kept near the cradle or bed.
The vasambu stick is kept handy at home.
It is burnt in fire and the charred pieces is made into powder, mixed with castor oil and applied on tummy.Right from day one.
This powder can also be given orally mixed with honey.
This can be done once a week.
The vasambu stick is also available in powder form in shops.

Given common names below

vasambu – Tamil
vasa Bach – Hindi
baje- Kannada
vasa/vadacha- Telugu

vayambu- malayalam