New friends... thanks to Anvesha!!!

I must admit that I have been a loner and an introvert by nature... Iam unable to initiate a conversation or keep it going... Thats how I have been all my life. When I take Anvesha out for a walk or in the park, there are so many people who come up to me (the population mainly comprises of moms :))I have made few friends, thanks to Anvesha :) I like to call them , "park friends". There is a common topic to talk about... "our little ones". It gives me some time out from home and talk to new faces. Like i said earlier in my posts life is beginning to settle down and its time for me to reconnect with my friends, I would also like to add here its also a good time to make new friends, meet new moms. Parks, play areas, online communities are a good way to meet new people. Being a stay at home mom does get frustrating at times. Everyone needs change and going out to socialise surely makes life easy. Also, it is a win win situation for both me and Anvesha :)

Breastfeeding- An emotional affair

It has been almost 5 months that I have been breastfeeding Anvesha exclusively. There were times when people around me suggested to start formula milk for her, but I decided to stick to breastfeeding. There is absolutely no substitute for breast milk and it helps build a strong immune system for the baby too. Besides the benefits of breastfeeding, it is more of an emotional affair for me :) It has helped build a strong bond between me and Anvesha and it feels heaven when I hold her in my arms.

Reconnecting with friends

I had been out of touch from practically everyone ever since Anvesha was born.  life is beginning to settle down a little with Anvesha following a fixed pattern of schedule. I remember initially for the first few months all I did was fed her, changed diapers while still recovering myself. Now is the time for me to reconnect with my friends and concentrate on few other things ...that reminds me I have to complete my pregnancy journal as well.... (ya ya I know im too late). Sorry friends.... I know I have been underground all this while... I assure you, you will see me more often now or atleast hear my voice :)

Rolled Over !!!!!!!

Today Anvesha rolled over for the first time. She hates tummy time and I have to make a persistent effort to lay her down on her tummy several times a day. She has started observing and trying to reach out to her toys. So today evening while giving her tummy time, I placed a mirror in front of her (she loves to see her own face) and placed few toys out of her reach. In an effort to reach out to her toys, she rolled over!!!! I screamed in excitement....Iam proud to be the first one to observe this happen. Prateek just missed it from a fraction of second. After this we tried that she rolls over again, Prateek jumped to get the handycam, but as they say.... this one was a "limited time offer".

Multitasking

Motherhood brings out the best in you. You discover a new you. There are some traits of my personality that I have just discovered !!!!! Patience, perseverance, multitasking.... to name a few. Being a stay at home mom makes life challenging, especially with no domestic help here in the United States. I have evolved from doing one thing at a time to multitasking now. With a little bit of planning and multitasking, life can be a lot simpler. Even while typing.... Iam feeding Anvesha, having my evening tea and writing my blog :) So much for motherhood....Phew!!!

Baby Carriers- My Saviour

Anvesha needs constant attention these days. Her daily routine includes a walk in the park atleast 2 times a day. There are times when she gets restless in her stroller and wants to be held. Baby carriers are my saviour in times like these. I carry Anvesha practically everywhere ( even at home when she is cranky ). Amongst baby carriers we had a couple of options. When Anvesha was 2 months old she enjoyed being on Baby Bjorn. She quickly outgrew it and we got her an Ergobaby carrier. It took a while for her to get adjusted to it and now she loves it !!! Some advantages of a baby carrier, esp Ergobaby is that I have my hands free and it doesn't strain my back or shoulders. The weight is concentrated on the belt provided around the waist so that the shoulders and back do not get the load. Another plus point about Ergobaby carrier is that once the baby is asleep, I can easily get her off the carrier, without disturbing her :)I can enjoy my bus ride too with Anvesha in the carrier ( saves me from the hassle of folding the stroller and carrying the extra load. Though it is slightly heavy on the pocket, but its a good investment nevertheless. There are a couple of positions you could try too !!!

Travelling with the baby

Travelling with the baby can be quite stressful and tiring for both the baby and the mother. Iam still breastfeeding Anvesha, she hates formula food and these days she is transitioning to being bottle fed. We had gone to ocean shores today which is around 2 hours drive from Redmond.It was a long drive for Anvesha. I had made all the arrangements before hand- pumped the milk first thing in the morning, fed her just before leaving, changed her diaper too. But she was too restless the entire trip and I couldnt enjoy either :( Its stressful to see your baby whining and crying uncontrollably. Feeding would not help, swaddling would not help, rocking would not help. We were in a rush to just reach home and i could comfort her in my arms.When we reached home i rushed to our room ( she sleeps in our room in pack n play ) and tried to make her sleep, but she was too cranky to settle down easily. After hours of patience I finally managed to calm her down. Lesson learnt, never go on a long drive again. We will make short trips so that they are enjoyable for both Anvesha and us.