The stork is getting closer…

No one gave me a ‘to pack/must have’ list and you figured right – I love lists, so this one was put together before the baby arrived (Oh! the luxury of time).

What follows is a two part list based on information from websites, books and the nursing home requirements. Use this as a guide but think it through and personalise it.

Baby Centric
Nappies – 2 dozen cotton square ones of the medium and large size, nappy liners or pads –Teddy liners proved to be the best for us, diapers – Pampers don’t leak in my experience, plastic panties, diaper bag, gash bags for diaper disposal, diaper pins with the safety lock, ½ meter soft plastic, Turkish and hooded towels, soft napkins or burp cloths, socks / booties, stretch suits, cotton vests, jhablas – sleeveless and with sleeves, blanket, cap, cotton wool, nappy rash cream, wrappers – 12 one meter sheets, bibs, mosquito net, small bed sheets, baby quilt, blunt scissors/clipper for nails, powder puff, baby hair brush, car seat, baby toothbrush, sponge, baby soap or liquid, gadi set with bolsters and head pillow.

Also think about:
Crib / cot - Size, rate and readymade or carpenter.
Car seat – fit, type, rate.
Pram/ stroller – utility? Certainly not for Mumbai roads.
Sling
Bottle sterilizer (Using bottle at all??) - Steam sterilization is best.
Bottle warmer.
Breast pump – manual / automatic.
House painting - Just wallpaper if you must. Don’t paint.
Space for baby stuff and clothes – new cabinets / cupboard.
Décor for cot / room. Ask our consultants if you need assistance here
Toys - For the 1st three months, the musical mobile for cot is all that is needed.

Next up will be the mama centric list especially useful for the hospital bag.

Hi Mummies,
Please let me know if you know of second hand bookstores in Mumbai or online second hand book stores for children books. I am a big fan storyrevolutions.com. But am looking for more options.

Thanks a lot for the enormous amount of information on site.

Thanks,
Mumbai Mom :)
Seema 

Hi Seema,

Thank you for writing in. Books are a special category especially with our three year old and so we do go overboard when it comes to buying them.

The big stores are great once in a while but the real gems are the Book Fairs that head into town from time to time. I know that there are book fairs often at Vashi, Bandra and Chembur and am sure they have them at other parts of the city too.

Have listed a phone number (Vashi) on my post on the fairs. This one is currently on but I was there yesterday and they don’t have anymore of the great books we like. Unfortunately, the Chembur fair ended two days ago. There were great Dr Seuss activity books and also some fantastic Poo and Friends sticker activity books at a steal - Rs.15/- each in pristine condition. Not second hand.

I’d recommend you call the number and ask them when the next lot of books are coming or where else you may find a fair or the books.

They call them the ‘abroad se atta wala’ and are usually in the Rs.10/- section. I have seen quite a few of the storyrevolution books there. These tend to be second hand but in good condition.

I shall definitely pass on any book fair information I come across as soon as I have it. Until then, best of luck browsing and keep checking in with us!

Our baby’s library takes up more space than the toys – so to save our wallets we’re normally seen rummaging around Book Fairs. The fairs are not normally advertised so you have to keep your eyes open for them.

Head there in comfortable shoes, a large bag and water or wet wipes to wash dusty hands post the browsing. This is no Crosswords but a primal early hunter, destroy your competition experience. Oh we book fair regulars can play dirty and aren’t above glaring, using our elbows freely and trying other distracting techniques for that one great find!

Head straight to the children’s section and you can pick up Dr. Seuss, Richard Scarry, Mercer Mayer and Walt Disney hard covers for rates as ridiculous as 10 bucks! If you see the Macmillan McGraw Hill ‘Sing a Sweet Song’- grab it. The book has Russian, Puerto Rican and African American folk tales, along with inputs from the authors about their relationship with the story making it interesting for baby and you.

So next time you want to update your baby library head to the nearest book fair and don’t even bother checking the rates – they almost all have from 50% to 80% off. And be brave, fight the good fight!

Current Book Fair at Assam Bhavan, Vashi, Navi Mumbai, Opposite Center One. On till October. Offering 85% off. Tel: 9224276261. Open every day from 11 am to 7 pm.

Say Cheese Fearlessly

I always worried about my daughter getting shots; it was very harrowing to see her go through even that one moment of pain. My paediatrician always commented on how we get so worked up with things that are actually good for our kids, I guess that’s just a part of momminess! So you can imagine how troubling a toddler’s visit to the dentist must have been: the toddler was happy with the complimentary toy while mommy sat there fretting about the pain.

The good news was that kids can’t have root canals because their roots aren’t like those of permanent teeth. So she had a bit of a cleanup and a nice porcelain filling. Despite the fact that we took care of her cavity, my worries didn’t cease all together because she was still on the bottle, especially at night. I asked the dentist about this issue, his first appeal was to wean her off the bottle and the second was to start using a special toothpaste called ‘Cheerios’.

All this while I had been buying toothpaste for kids by Colgate and had never heard of this. Cheerios is a medicated fluoride oral gel and can be found at any nearby chemist. This is the only Indian made medicated kid’s toothpaste available in India. My daughter has been off the bottle and on Cheerios for the last 10 months and no more cavities, touch wood!

‘Cheerios’ is manufactured by Dr. Reddy’s Labs and is priced at Rs. 55.50. Available at leading chemists across the country.

Move over Maganlal Dresswala! Finally we have an outlet that offers well-executed, great quality thematic décor, costumes and birthday party accessories that don’t all come with a ‘Made in China’ tag. Partyhunterz located in the heart of Bandra, looks exciting and appealing right from the window display making it difficult not to want to explore further.

A hot spot with celebrity mums too, this is the ideal place to source elements masks (think gorgeous Venetian), wigs, costumes for kids and adults and even hen party stuff like metallic bead shot glass necklaces and headbands with messages. These are the party accessories you would normally plan on buying on your overseas trips. But don’t let your imagination run wild – we are still in India and this is also a kids’ birthday party accessory store so there are no raunchy, naughty gimmicks on the racks.

For regular party décor and props, the prices are steep so unless really hard pressed for time or on a ‘sky’s the limit’ budget, head here only for the whacky factor to add an extra zing to your party.

Shop no. 1 Shabistan CHS, Dr, Ambedkar Rd, Bandra, Mumbai 50,
Call:  26057237
Website: www.partyhunterz.com
email: sales@partyhunterz.com 

Choo-Choo Fun

I spent most of my vacation time on trains and loved it, but my daughter has only been on a two hour trip to Chandigarh, which was solely for the novelty factor!

Thankfully, there are still a few “retro nook” in the city to take us back to the good ole days. I lived near it for two years when I was a kid and the Rail Museum excited me no end. So I was curious to see how my four year old would react.

We set off on a Sunday morning to The National Rail Museum where the history and heritage of the Indian Railways is maintained. Spread across 11 acres, the museum has an indoor gallery that showcases exhibits, old records, photographs and other memrobillia. But the fun part is outdoors where there are over 100 real size exhibits of trains and you can actually enter and check out the engines. My daughter was thrilled to get a hands-on experience of pretending to be an engine-driver. She also loved the mini joy ride on a small train on the premises.

I took along a small snack hamper so she got the real feel of train journeying, albeit slightly updated (no home cooked paranthas, pickles, and fried snacks!) Instead, we sat on the steps of one of the engines and munched on cucumber sandwiches while I told her train stories of my youth. We both had a lovely day, a nostalgic trip for me and an exotic “new” transport for her!

Open 6 days a week. From 9 am – 6 pm. National Rail Museum, Chanakyapuri,, New Delhi-110021.(India) Tel : 26881816, 26880939.

‘Cloth nappies only. We won’t subject our baby to diapers 24x7’ we said. Naïve? For sure! This was before bundle of joy arrived and before we knew what we were heading for.

Here’s a heads up: 0 – 3 months the mantra is Feed, Burp, Sleep, Pee, Poo. Serious amounts of the two Ps.
Our parents managed just fine (we were given to believe) and now we too were using cloth nappies….never mind how our home resembled a full time dhobie ghat. And then…. the first nappy rash - unacceptable, heart breaking, toosh inflamed rash.

Out of the window went our noble intentions and to the rescue were nappy liners. Diapers were great for the night but in the day we found liners (like a sanitary pad, just thicker and bigger) which need to be changed every 3 to 4 hours and are a super option. The cloth nappies were still being used but had this liner attached to it. After experimenting with different brands, we found Teddy Disposable Nappies to be the best. They work well in regular kid undies too.

The liner comes off clean and easy without the adhesive being too strong and the edges are slightly gathered so they hold it all in and don’t tend to spill over.

Liners don’t fit as snug as diapers so some amount of airing does happen and at the same time they also keep baby feeling dry, not to mention better home aesthetics and no more ‘Oh no! He’s wet again?! But I just changed the nappy.’

Teddyy Disposable Nappies are available at Al Burhan, Bandra Bazar for Rs. 350/- per pack of 48. The price fluctuates from time to time.  

Why? oh Why? Oh Why? 

Why is the Elephant so big? Why does the Tiger have stripes? Why this, and why that….My son has entered into the “WHY” phase in a big way! I am, of course, answering his questions to the best of my ability while trying to be as educational as possible, but there are times when I just want to scream “Why me?”

Kids have so many questions and you realize that sometimes you’re not sure of the answers yourself as we tend to take so many things for granted. The crucial thing is to encourage questions and independent thinking, and in the same breath provide the right answers. Can you see the “Help Wanted” sign flashing furiously on my forehead?

Lets face it, we could all use some help in the answers department. Luckily for me, with the questions on animals, I found some fun help! ‘Tinkle Junior Animated Series’ a series of DVD’s which ASK and ANSWER questions like  “Why does the Lion have a Mane?” “Why does the Polar Bear live on Ice?” or “Why does a Hyena Laugh?”. Each question is followed by a couple of funny guesses for example…Why does a dolphin jump?

Is it..

..because he wants to show some gymnastics?

..because he wants to fly in the sky?  

which also gives the kids time to think of their own answers and then the correct answer is explained.

The animation is simple but lovely and there are 13 questions or episodes in each DVD. The series includes Forest Animals, Birds and Aquatic Animals, Exotic Animals and Neighbourhood Animals.

My son (4 and a half) and his friend (5yrs) enjoyed it and understood it (I quizzed them after). Simple, lovely and will teach even you, a thing or two; definitely a good buy and good to gift too.

Priced at Rs.145 and available at most bookstores and toy stores.

Available online -http://shopping.indiatimes.com and  http://shopping.sify.com; http://www.amarchitrakatha.com

Explore toyland - deshi style

Organising a large birthday party and despairing of giving out cool goody bags without breaking the wallet? Put on a pair of comfy shoes and get ready to elbow your way through - here it comes - (gasp) Crawford Market. It ain’t gonna be pretty, but the unbelievable bargains and savings will take your breath away.

Leave the kids and car at home (parking’s a nightmare) and head to Abdul Rehman Street which is to the right of Bata and Badshah (don’t get distracted by the falooda, focus now) if you are facing them. This street has a few small stores like Kolaba Toys and Sona Novelty where you can find rubber animals, fairy wings, remote control cars, bubbles, projector watches, stationery etc. The range is not as vast as the bigger stores but there’s no restrictions on the number of pieces bought.

Most shops say ‘Only shop owners allowed. No footwear inside’, but don’t let that deter you. Even if you’re not planning on buying in bulk and just want 20 or so of something, they will entertain you. Neelkanth even lets you keep your footwear on and has every conceivable goody.

Take the third left into Suthar Chawl, and you’ll find Paramount Papers and Honesty, great for wrapping paper, gift bags and exciting handmade paper.

Between the second left and Suthar Chawl, look for the stationery stores and stock up on Bluetac, double sided tape, cello tape and more.

Every conceivable goody under the sun and at least 20% (or more) lower than the MRP in your local toy store, what more could you ask for? Ok, maybe some air-conditioning, parking space, breathing space….but where’s the fun in that, right?

Kolaba Toys, Sona Novelty, Neelkanth, Abdul Rehman Street, Crawford Market. Wrapping paper and gift bags at Paramount Papers, handmade paper at Honesty, Suthar Chawl.

Rang Barse…

I have just come across a few recipes that I have to share even before trying them out. They sound easy enough and better still are the perfect antidote to every paranoid mums justified fears about synthetic colours that will be a part of the revelry on Monday.

Ah, Holi! This will be the first time our three year old will be going into the playground armed with his pichkari and doting Dad. Needless to say I’m terrified about the gulal stuffed with bromides, sulphates and oxides and am trying to organise the mothers of the younger ones to at least experiment with organic colours.

So you know what I am going to be busy with all of tomorrow! Wish me luck and I hope you are headed to get the ingredients too.

Green
Create dry mehndi by mixing flour with henna powder.
Dry and powder the leaves of the Gulmohur tree to get a nice fine green.
Paste coriander, spinach and mint in water and then leave it to dry.

Yellow
Mix two spoonfuls of haldi powder with four spoons of besan for a bright yellow.

Red
Put two teaspoonfuls of red sandalwood in a litre of water and boil. Dilute and use.

Black
Boil gooseberries in an iron vessel for 5 minutes and keep it aside to cool. Dilute it with water and spray away. Ladies, this also works as a great hair conditioner I believe!

Hot Pink
Grate beetroot into water and use the strained liquid.

Happy Organic Holi!