‘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.
So, 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, even the backbreaking frequent changes were alright until…. the first nappy rash - Unacceptable, heart breaking, toosh inflamed rash with airing and medication being the best cure.

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 (just 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 so strong that irritating bits get left behind and the edges are slightly gathered so they hold it all in better than the others that tend to spill over and get really messy you know when.

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! 

Once the kids were born, the quality of the music we listened to sadly suffered. We put away Floyd and Nirvana to make way for Barney, Wiggles and headache. Couldn’t kids understand slightly more sophisticated music, we wondered. Isn’t there somebody out there listening to our pain?

Apparently there was - a whole host of them. Its not MTV (thank goodness!) but there’s something way cooler for kids - Jitterbug. Aptly titled “music for hip kids”, Jitterbug provides a platform for independent musicians making great music for kids. These are talented music bands who have their roots in rock, folk and blues bringing their expertise to kids - real musicians making real music with catchy lyrics and whats more, my kids love it!

Our favorites are Uncle Rock (my 5 year old learnt about melting icecaps and aurora borealis from this song), Barenaked Ladies (you’re on your own here for explaining the name to the kids), They Might Be Giants, Key Wilde and Mr.Clarke, among the many, many talented folks here. We listen to the music on the site, the kids seem to enjoy it better when they see it first, and its a great way to see which songs my kids keep coming back to before I go out and get the CD. In addition to music bands, there are also Sesame Street TV segments and a few songs from movies like Mary Poppins and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang - which I hope they’ll add to.

With Jitterbug, I feel I’m influencing my kids’ musical tastes while I still can, and I’m sure my earbuds will thank me for it when they’re in their teens.

Access the website at http://www.jitterbug.tv/index.php. Its free - all you need is a good internet connection!

Oodles of unwanted and suspect advice is to be expected when expecting, but not bathe every day?! Give me a break! From maids to people at the ATM to distant relatives, everyone had something to say. When D-day finally arrived, my nursing home made sure I knew how to bathe, feed, dress and swaddle the baby and other basics like that. 

But I really had to dig deep for a few home truths - the two best snippets I got just have to be shared.

With breastfeeding comes the joy of maternal bonding and … pain. By pain, I mean sore nipples. Big ouch! The best thing, I learnt, was to apply breast milk itself, as a soother. Before or after a feed, apply a few drops of breast milk and let it stay. Breast milk is high in fat content and makes good moisturizer, it’s all natural so you don’t have to worry about wiping the cream off before feeding and its always accessible, so relief is right at hand. Worked way better than all the lanolin creams out there.

This one’s gross but someone’s got to talk about it. I had gas, the baby had gas, it seemed like we all had gas. I didn’t touch cauliflower, spinach and legumes, yet it was always there. I tried carom seeds (ajwain) boiled in water, strained, cooled and consumed. It worked - took a few days for my system to get used to processing this slightly foul potion but hurray(!) the baby and I were no longer floating to the ceiling.

Two little things, but I remember the huge relief that I got from both, so am sharing! Do share you little tips and tricks with us in the comments or on our facebook page.

Hello Mummies

Where can one find a good crib, made of real wood - one with wheels and locks (indeed!) readily available locally ? I’ve checked out the local Mothercare and Mom&Me type stores, but everything they have is made of compressed wood, and rather flimsy. Is my only alternative to go the route of getting one customized?

Kusum

Hi Kusum

There are a couple of places you can try out. Maya Organics carries the Napster (Rs.14, 170 with 20% discount) pictured here. The base is rubber wood and the top is PIne which comes stained in the blue-green shade. They also carry a few other models, Snug (Rs.15,740) and Rockeby (Rs.12,130) - all are pretty basic though, no wheels, locks etc.

MotherCare and Mom & Me have some cribs in Pine
wood, did you look at those? Another option to think about is using a bassinet or a portable carrycot for the initial months and then switching to a baby cot like the Nester (Rs.8730, pic below) From Maya Organics.

I, personally, went this route as the bassinet was right on the bed next to me and I didn’t have to get up out of bed each time for those innumerable midnight feedings. Another advantage is the bassinets are portable, so its great for traveling with an infant. Again, Mom & Me has some nice bassinet options and MotherCare keep Moses baskets which are quite charming.

This in-between stage, where my mid section has started to expand just a wee bit, but I don’t quite qualify for maternity clothes as yet, has been the cause of many I-hate-my-body meltdowns. 

So last week I decided to do some research and I found a comfortable and surefire way to ‘cheat’ and get a few more wears out of my regular pre-pregnancy pants with the Belly Band. This is basically a circle of stretchy fabric that covers you from your belly to your hips like a belt, letting you wear your pants unbuttoned and unzipped without worrying about when they’re going to fall off! The Belly Band also creates the illusion of a layered-look when your old tops get a little too short and your new maternity tops are still a bit too big for your fast-expanding midriff. 

It might not be easy to find belly bands in all maternity stores in India but fortunately they’re easy enough to make at home and are also a great way to reuse your comfortable old tee shirts. Alternatively, you could also use a stretchy tube top if sewing is not your forte.
 
How to make your own belly band:

Things You’ll Need:

• An old tee shirt you no longer wear (preferably in a stretchy fabric) and some sewing experience!                                                                                 

Lay your shirt on a flat surface wrong side out, cut at the top part of the shirt where the two hems meet, hem the top half of the shirt and voila! la Belly Band.

Now go flaunt that belly!

Dear MummyKnowsBest

Since you wanted something cartoony, look for a size that you could hand over to your son later on to use for preschool or traveling. Buddy from VIP has a nice selection with Bob the Builder and a few other brand name characters. There are side pockets, a little pocket in front for mummy essentials and two separate roomy main compartments. They are about Rs.735 and theres a 40% off going on right now.

We found this bag online from Disney, it might be a bit small for your needs, but it seems to have pockets inside for bottles and a good sized pocket outside. The bag itself is Rs.787, but the cost of shipping and customs when you order from this site really adds up.

The bags from Skip Hop really do the job, I have the Skip Hop Duo shown here which I used extensively and now use as a laptop bag, since I don’t need a diaper bag anymore. If you’re doling out a lot of cash for a diaper bag make sure it can double as something else a few years down the line. You could check if MotherCare in Indiranagar carry the Skip Hop line. Mom & Me (JP Nagar in Bangalore, Mumbai, Delhi, Pune, Ahmedabad, Ludhiana, Vadodara) has a couple of nice diaper bags. The Messenger Bag (Rs.2295) is very similar to the Skip Hop and I also liked the Duo Detach (Rs.2995) which has a detachable pouch for diaper essentials - so you’re not lugging the whole bag into the bathroom. Both these bags come with change mats and an insulated bottle holder.

You name it and these two ladies can make it! Birthday Cakes in any shape, size character and flavour. Shoba Rai has been baking ever since she can remember and what sets her apart from other, also very good bakers, is her creativity and her zest for trying new things.

She sources the best ingredients and is constantly on her toes to innovate and excel, which she does. So now, you don’t need to panic if there is a request for a Transformer, Lightning McQueen, Tinker Bell or as in my son’s case, for a Dinosaur cake! And we are not talking the regular garden-variety rice paper printed sheet on top of a cake - that’s easy peasy (for her, I mean). Her cakes are 3 dimensional, colourful and yummy to boot. She uses biscuits, candy, marzipan, butter icing, sugar icing and other wonderful delicacies to create that perfect work of art complete with textures and colours.

Entirely separate from Shoba Rai but on the same lines, Lisa, who runs ‘Minelli’s’ has just relocated from Dubai and brought her baking expertise to Bangalore (Lucky us!). Lisa too churns out the most amazing ‘Cakes by Design’ and uses sugar craft, fondant and butter cream icing for decorating.

She also makes quiches, (her quiche is to die for!) bakes, pies, desserts and starters on occasion.

Of course they need not be only for birthdays, for your weddings, anniversaries, baby showers retirements,…..any occasion you can conjure up.

You can contact these creative ladies for further details:

Shoba Rai :- 9845351353

Lisa Colaso-Govias, ‘Minelli’s’ :- 9740792412; 91 80 25307768