Buying Guide to a New Mommy

Being is new mom is exciting, but at the same time it can be overwhelming and exhausting if things just don't go as planned. You are meeting your baby for the first time, and nothing goes as planned. However getting ready early always helps and is of course better than not being prepared at all. I did put down the list of baby items , but there are some essentials for moms too,  and I have listed them below. In any case ENJOY all you can, as everyday pass by and they grow up too fast.

Nishka @5days

1. breastpump - Get your free one from the insurance company
2. Wirefree Nursing Bra - feel free to do your own research on what kind you like, but definitely all cotton and wirefree is the way to go.
3. Lanisoh nipple cream - This is a must for all nursing moms.
4. Cranberry Juice - Stock up on these, and this will help with probable UTI.
5. Hydration bottle - Fill with water all day/night
6. Pain management medicine - you will get some when you leave the doctors office after baby birth, but have some in handy for all other pains that may come along
7. Loose fit cotton pyjamas

Nice to haves

1. Nursing pads - These come as washable and none washable ones, pick per you convenience. It also depends on how much 
2. Rocking Chair - This is really handy for mommy to use it when nursing, taking a relaxing nap or can also be used by daddy to rock baby to sleep :)
   
   

   

   Navya @2days
   
   
   

Got Milk? USA supports you

I am one of those mom's who know breastfeeding is such a blessing to your child. After knowing all the benefits of breast feeding, how can a mother not do that. It is hard for a lot of mothers to go back to work, but that does not mean your child cannot be given breast milk. You just have to have the determination and the legislation can also help.

The act requires most employers to provide reasonable break time and a place (other than a bathroom) for mothers to express milk. Also, health insurance plans issued or renewed after Aug. 1, 2012, must cover, without cost-sharing, breastfeeding support, counseling and equipment, when needed. However, here is one that I used from Medella, and absolutely loved it.

Also you can look upto the state laws to see what is in for you where you live.

Bless your child one more time.

Get the flow

Mothers milk is the ideal food a baby can have, and it protects the baby from all and everything. I had to struggle a lot when it came to milk supply, and had to supplement formula/milk powder for almost a month and then it finally came. I was really happy, and know how it feels when you struggle to get that nourishment for you loved baby. Here is what I tried, what worked and what did not.

Food for more milk supply :)

Making millet halwa with nuts, raisins, brown sugar to taste can easily increase your supply. Eat a couple of spoons with milk 2-3 times a day for a week and see how that works.

Methi also known as fenugreek can increase your supply. I ate 2 table spoon with milk, 3 times a day, and trust me, the supply was double in a week. There are also a lot of fenugreek tablets that you can buy over the counter or online in case you don't like the extreme bitter taste of methi. Something that worked wonders for me, i took 2 tablets, 3 times a day for a week to increase the supply, then continued with 1 tablet, twice a day.

Drink lots of soup with added fat - vegetarians can add ghee or butter to the soup, and non-vegeteratians can have any meat soup.

Nursing is key, try to nurse the baby as much as you can. The more simulated you are the more is the milk supply. You can also add pumping sessions in between the nursing time to boot the supply.

What did not work :(

Stress - Once we go back to work, expect the milk supply to decrease. Stress from work, and unable to nurse the baby when you want can reduce supply. Make sure to express the milk when at work to retain the supply.

Antibiotics - There are various reasons why you may be adviced to take antibiotics, and this reduces milk flow and supply. Don't panic, once you are done with the full course of the medicine, go into the 1 week fenugreek routine and the supply comes back. 

Eating Sweets(specially jelebi) /chocolates - a myth that has been till date is the more sweet you eat, more the supply. At least for me, it did nothing besides unwanted weight gain. Don't indulge for the sake of milk supply.

Drinking jwano ko jhool (ajwain soup) - this worked as a digestive and body warmer, however did not work as a milk producer or milk supply booster for me. 

Dehydration - Always stay hydrated, that's key. I had a very bad food poisoning and that led to dehydration. Getting back what I had was a challange, but it can be done.

Navya Arrives

Navya means New and she adds a new meaning to our life

I have been out for a while, but promise to be back regularly from now on. It was a wonderful experience and will keep sharing my thoughts to all the readers. Our second daughter arrived on November 18, 2012 and has been such a blessing for us.

Sharing some of her pictures, and with her growing up I have more to share.

The Family

Friends for Life

Disclaimer

Postpartum recovery - sutkeri ausadhi ( सुत्केरी औसधी )

Recovery from delivery is an intense process. Our body needs to heal and build up on its own, so a little self care and pampering is a must. One of the must do's that have been in practice among all Nepali is eating sutkeri ausadhi ( सुत्केरी औसधी ). This is made after the 11th day of child birth, so that the body can recovery from all the post delivery effects. Here is my mom's recepie of making about 6 pounds of sutkeri ausadhi ( सुत्केरी औसधी ).

Ingredients (Quantity - All of them are as per your taste, so you can increase/decrease them)
battissa (बत्तिस्सा) (8 oz) - this is the only ingredient that is available in Nepal, and can be bought at Ason.
Ghee or clarified butter (1.5 lb)- lots of it, but you can always have your own portion.
Almond (5 oz)
Cashew (5 oz)
Walnut (5 oz)
Dates (5 oz)
Rasin (5 oz)
Coconut powder (5 oz)
Khoa (15 oz) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Khoa (available at Indian stores)
Gond or edible gum resin (available at Indian stores) (9 oz)
Brown Sugar (7 oz)
Milk (1/2 gallon)
green cardamom (50 counts)

How to cook.
1. Grate Khoa
2. Chop Rasin and Dates
3. Grind almond, cashew and walnut into powder like consistency
4. Heat ghee, fry gond till cracker like consistency, don't let it burn (brown/black color), keep aside
5. fry coconut powder in ghee, put aside
6. fry  almond, cashew and walnut powder in ghee, put aside
7. fry Rasin and Dates in ghee put aside
8. In lots of ghee, cook the battissa (बत्तिस्सा), the
powder should be soaked in ghee when cooking. Put aside.
9. In a big pan (we need a deep and big pan, as we will have to mix all the ingredients and cook).
10. In the big pan, add milk and bring to boil, add battissa (बत्तिस्सा), and cook till thick consistency.
11. Add all the other ingredients except gond. Cook till everything mixes well and the consistency is thick.
12. Add gond and mix well.

You can store this in the refrigerator for almost a month. Eat this once or twice a day (2 table spoon at a time) with milk to recover postpartum, in our own Nepali style.

Disclaimer

Postpartum nutrition

Postpartum is the period when one struggles to get the best nutrition and it is for the mom's recovery as well as for the growth of the baby. Doctors say you can eat anything postpartum, but it can be challenging to come up with a healthy yet nourishing set of food that you can eat. Along with the mother, the baby directly gets that food you eat, so it is very important not to upset the new born from the food that the mom consumes. This is the time when the mothers body is recovering at a very high speed. All the organs that were displaced when you were pregnant try to move back to its own position and hence it is not a good idea to stress the body and organs. Also the new born, who was used to only the amniotic fluid inside the womb is now trying to consume and digest mothers milk. Mothers milk is all made up of what the mom's eat, hence it is very important to be careful of what you eat at this time.

Food that must be  avoided atleast a month postpartum : chillies, lots of oil/butter/ghee(moderate amounts can be consumed, as it aids in milk production), whole beans (gedagudi), cauliflower, brocolli

If the baby is not digesting food well enough, they have bloating, vomiting and spitups, try to make sure that the food you take is not the ones that may cause allery to the babies and may be upsetting the baby.

Must eats: rice, oats, breads, lots of whole grains, lots of cooked greens (avoid raw greens and it is hard to digest), lentils, milk, red meat soup (khasi ko jhol), vegetable soup (tarkari ko jhol), asparagus soup (kurilo ko raas)

Disclaimer