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Mother is born when the child is born

For any women who has gone through her first pregnancy and delivery, there are N number of doubts, questions, and points to ponder. To make things more fussy, if there are 10 people around, there would be 22 suggestions, all contradicting one another :) on how to handle the baby and mother. This happens when you are surrounded by people who are your well wishers, who have gone through this phase , at some point in their life, and wish to make sure you get the benefits or the experience as they did. Not bad, but it could confuse us,because, the time and environmental conditions which they had is not the same now, and so may not be applicable now.

From how to hold the baby, clothing, feeding, bathing, soothing, and to look after self health, every mom has her own experience. Confidence is the best tool at this time. Only the mother would know by instincts how the baby is keeping his/her health. So , no matter how many suggestions you get, you got to follow your instincts on how your baby feels. Try to analyse what is best for the baby, feel as if you were the baby, then half of the questions would be answered. The beauty lies in how prompt the decisions are taken. 

Leasons from Day1:

1)Talking to the baby more, makes the vocabulary building strong for the baby. You never know, they learn from day 1 on earth. So never assume that they did not respond to you, so they did no notice. It is like sowing the seeds and just giving enough water. Don't expect the saplings to shoot on day1. But underneath , they are growing a tree :)

2)The more good words and positive sentences we use, the better it is for the baby. 

Studies have proved that a child learns at an infinite speed within the first six years, which cannot be matched by the amount that he/she learns in entire life.

3)Allow him/her to be on his own. Expecting the baby to do what we want does not make sense. Instead, giving the baby the right inputs from when his/her vision is good and from when he/she can hear ( which is from day one on earth ) is what we can do.

 Though initially for about a month and a half, the vision would just be within 2 feet, and just black and white shades, it is good to keep him/her engaged with play cards and let him/her learn at him own pace. 

4)Use Common sense over conventionalism. That helps a lot.

5)Consult your parents on food habits to keep the baby healthy, because every portion of meal that the mother takes will flavour the milk she feeds.

6) Dont let the baby be overcrowded by Visitors. Instead, tell them politely that the baby needs some time before he/she can be handled. 

7) Try to spend more time with the baby and understand his/her needs better. Nobody can beat the confidence of the Mother in handling the baby. 

8) Continue to be calm as you were prenatal, so that the baby sure gets the traits that are Satvic.

9) Make a routine for the baby to listen to music and teaching.

10) Browse the following website for useful information -http://www.drketan.com/breastfeed/

11) Share this with all the new mothers. :)

- Mom since 6-Jan-2009

Nithya Ravi

How to make ur Bundle of Joy a real BUNDLE OF JOY :)

After a long time, i thought i should put up a post so that all women who are ready to carry a Bundle of Joy can know how easy a labor could be made,and all men who wish to help their wives out, can sure share it with them. Every women who turns a mother will first have a fear or a thought in mind, as to whether she would be able to give birth to a baby as a normal delivery or it would be a C section.

For all those thoughts in mind, there is one answer, it is not in our hands, and we dont have to worry about that. Moreover, we have to bear in mind that we can create a conducive environment for the featus to make sure he/she chooses a normal delivery to see this earth . True, God only knows how to direct the baby to see the world.

Then how do we create a conducive environment? The answer is

Do’s:

1) Being Calm and composed

2) Listening to mild and good music,preferably on speakers.

3) Listening to Vedic Chanting ( for those who want to know more, there is a album by Tatwamsi Dixit - A Vedic Pundit ) for the mother's to be. you can purchase that and listen to it daily, until delivery.

4) Good exercise routine which does not have any lifting, straining sorts- walking is considered best - may be 2 kms will be good, you can start from 4^th month when your vomiting and giddiness has stopped.

5) Good sleep ( In the first trimester, you will automatically get sleep.You may be drowsy for more time.

6) Reading out loud, talking to your baby as if she was in a pouch like Kangaroo. Studies have proved that the baby starts listening when she/he is 5 months in the womb.

7) Drink good amt of water

8) Always have a positive attitude.

9) Feel everyday as if you are living another beautiful day today :)

Don’t’s :

1) Loud Music – NO , Loud Noise – NO , Dance , Alcohol , Passive – Active Smoking – NO NO NO

2) Drinking Plenty of water may sometimes lessen the necessary salt content in our body, so try consuming as juices, lassi etc. Canned and Tinned food –NO NO NO

3) Lying on stomach –NO NO NO. From fourth month onwards try to stretch along your side. For a while lying on the back is ok, but try to minimize that time.

4) Don’t try any exercise without consulting your Physiotherapist. They will suggest prenatal exercises.

5) Avoid lot of coffee and tea in a day.

6) Don’t apply deodorant under arms.

7) Don’t use any new products – Example - hair removing creams.

8) Don’t panic for anything.Increase in blood pressure is harmful for the baby.

Upto third fourth month, do take mother horlicks or any malt that has DHA. This helps in the brain development of the baby during pregnancy.

Every person is unique and every constitution would behave uniquely. So dont compare yourself with anyone.

I had a beautiful experience with my pregnancy and labor. First of all , inspired by my sis-in-law, I chose to listen to lot of music and kept myself engaged all through. Throughout pregnancy i had set a routine to follow, and i strictly did. I would wake up at 5.30 in the morning, and then have a quick shower, and get ready. I would have a cup of milk - with some malt added, and leave for a walk at 7, and cover a distance of almost 2.5 kms, slowly but steadily. I would be back home by 8.20, the way included 2 temples,and no traffic roads- which meant no pollution. This is a kind of blessing in disguise, as the immune system is also good throughout - the more u interact with nature, the more healthy you become. Then I had my breakfast at 8.30, some activities, books to read, music to listen to. At 12.30 my lunch would be there. My mom ( in law) was on dot, and i feel that i m blessed to have her as my mom.

Then some good sleep after about an hour after lunch. This helped me to digest what i ate, and i dint slog. Then in the evening, some mild pre-natal exercise. Dinner at 8. Never forget to include a fruit in the diet. Avoid Pineapple and papaya.Rest are ok.

Chennai has its own activities to keep the ppl engaged. I used to go to all kutcheris in mylapore , during Nov-Dec Season. Dont forget to pamper yourself on a short road trip during 6th month. Coz that is when u can travel.

During 8th and 9th month keep only short distance activities, and make sure your hospital is at a short distance. Having all the records ready makes it easier for a smooth procedure.

I was going nearby to kutcheris and discourses, until the day before labor. On the day, I had mild discomfort in the morning. The countdown started in hours. I got admitted at 9 .30 and I was told that i m in pre-term labor. By around 12.30 pm, I was in labor, and by 3.23, our Son saw this world, with God's grace. It was a normal delivery, thanks to the activities and routine that I was able to follow.

In two days I was dischargd, and back home. I wish every mom-to-be to have a pleasant experience, throughout and after labor.

Real experimental driving experience

Driving is always interesting when you know the rules and you want to go out for a while. This time, i had to take amma, paati and chithi along with me, not a big test , just to the next street. We went to listen to Upanyasam on Upanishad Kadhaigal for a week. My job was to first drop them at the gate, and then park the vehicle in such a manner that it will be quick and easy for me to come back ,without any problems. The road where this Hall is a real mess, and the surprise is that the residents themselves park their vehicles outside their houses, which added to the crowd of fourwheelers there. The day i would never forget was when I went and parked my Santro in the direction away from the hall, which made things worser for me when i had to come back. I decided to start a bit early to avoid last minute traffic. So i went and started my vehicle, luckily there wasnt any traffic at that time. So i decided to make a "U" turn in that road itself ( how dare i ?) without thinking about the consequences if some vehicle turns up. Things were fine until i almost did make a "U" turn 75%. THen i realised that there were vehicles coming in both the directiion, neither i could go back , nor i could move front, due to the vehicles parked outside the houses. I got a rough look from two drivers who came in the opposite direction. Luckily, two ladies who came from the Hall, took out their vehicle, which eased our bottleneck situation, and allowed me to move further. This time, i was embarrased, because, the whole street was blocked becuase of me and even Swami was stuck up with the car and waiting for me to move. I learnt a lesson, not to take chance in narrow streets.
:-))

Driving school and License

Every person would have an experience in obtaining his/her driving license. I too had two memorable occasions. The first was when I wanted MC-WOG ( Motor Cycle Without Gear) with my TVS-50, when I was in std XII. My father had arranged an appointment at the RTO office, and I went along with my brother to obtain the license. This happened when I was at Hosur. We took the TVS -50 out on a hot and sunny day and reached the RTO office at 9 sharp. There were lot of people waiting outside with their applications which were to be scrutinised, but I had a calkwalk, and finished my written test ( we had one) where I was told the options and was asked to mark two of them wrong. Then I was asked to drive and show hand signals and then make a "8" pattern. Then I was told to collect the license in three days.

We started back home, when the real trouble came in. Few minutes away from the RTO office, on the National Highway, my TVS stopped moving. It was a tiresome job to pull the vehicle all the way about a kilometer before we could find a repair shop. Then we reached home by 2 in the afternoon, and I was exhausted completely.

It is now close to 7 years since this happened. Now when I think about yesterday, the day when I obtained my LMV and MCWG licenses, I am still wondering as to how the day did not change much to my favour, but the technology has developed well enough to make things better for all.

First of all I have to tell my experience of going to the driving school. My father in law took me and enrolled me in the school. It was all exciting for me, as I was going to drive a four wheeler first time in my life, my long time dream of long distance drives in Super Highways with a melodious number in the player flashed my mind and thrilled me. I was waiting for this to happen.
But When I took my first class, I was told to sit in the back seat and observe how they drive ( my peers who are learning ) I was not much delighted. I knew I had my turn too. So I was quiet. The second day was even more dull. I was asked to sit in the back seat, the car went to another branch at adyar. There was working model of the driving Unit( A steering, Accelarator, Break, Clutch ) and I was taught
to change gears. Then my class was over. I asked lot of questions to the guy who taught me, and he asked me which class it was. I said this is my second day. He was surprised, that I were asking too many questions.

Then on the third day, I was allowed to sit in the driving seat. I was very delighted, and the driving went smooth. I was learning and was very pleased that the first day went really well. When I came home and said this to my husband, he told me that the instructor would have dual clutch and break to control from the other side.

The next day when I went for my class, my first job was to confirm that there was dual clutch and break. Then only I realized that he was controlling the whole thing. I convinced myself that I would be on my own when I finish the class.

After 10 classes were complete, I thought I was on my own,wanted to test that, and took the vehicle to besant nagar. That day I realized that I was not even half way through. I stopped the vehicle many times, got stuck at speed breakers, and was about to hit a person, luckily he realized that I was coming behind, and he jumped off the road. Then I took reverse so fast that my father in law and driver got scared.

Then only I realized that I have to learn a lot, practice a lot.
Everyday I used to get up by 5.20, and go for the class at 5.45, sometimes i would get the vehicle soon, sometimes it took as long as 7.00Am. I was very irritated on those days. Patience is virtue was the only thought running in my mind that time.

After twenty classes, I was somewhat confident, took my chithi's son with me one day, and practised on the gullies of triplicane. Ahm, that was a nice experience.

It was time for my license on 20th Jun, I was told to bring a foto. The rest of the paper work was done by the driving school ppl. I went and collected my papers and was told to go to the RTO office at tiruvanmiyur.

When I reached RTO office, there were atleast 20 people from the same driving school. We were asked to go to tiruvanmiyur beach. We submitted our papers and went there. It was a hot sunny day. Thanks to the twenty people who were sharing their grievances with the experience they had in the driving school like me. We all started conversing as if we studied in the same college. We had to wait until 11.45, and then the Inspector came. We were split into batches and I had a tough time as my group had to wait as we would be tested by a different inspector. So we had to wait again. I had my lunch which my mom had packed for me. Then the wait continued until we came to know that no other inspector would come, but the one who is already engaged would finish that batch and then come to us.
The best things was that the vehicle from the driving school did not start, and the first person who started had a tough time. I was very blessed, that I had brought my own vehicle.
In our batch also I had to wait until he finished two rounds, then I asked him if I could take the test since I had brought my vehicle. He asked me to follow his car.( The one in which he was taking test for the other people). I took a U turn and then followed him until two streets. Then he asked me to go. I was waiting to give my two wheeler test when he said that it was ok. So I came back to the RTO office. Then I had to collect my papers back where the Inspector had marked PASS. Then I collected my License at around 4.30 pm and then left the place. Not much difference between the days that i compared, but the technological advancement that made me wait for three hours to get my license instead of coming back after three or four days.