***
Every time we go shopping for the baby, I'm amazed by the fact that I managed to stay alive as a baby in spite of my mum not using any of the stuff that I'm inclined to buy. Take for instance, the car seat that we bought yesterday. For most of my childhood, I was taken around in an ambassador that's probably responsible for the hole in the ozone layer getting slightly bigger. Not only did it break down all the time and emit a cheerful black smoke to announce its situation, it had no air conditioning, no seat belts, no child lock, no airbags, no nothing. As children, we'd emerge like little steamed wontons from its interiors after a long ride. It's a wonder I didn't get dehydrated as a newborn traveling in it or fly right out of the window when it screeched to a halt at signals.
This is not to say that the car seat is unimportant. I'm convinced that it was a necessary purchase but I still keep comparing my baby days to my current situation and preparing mental speeches for the baby on my deprived childhood. You know, along the lines of, "You know, in those days, I didn't even have a car seat. All I had was a rash on my bum. And oh, I've escaped certain death many times."
We also bought a baby nail cutter. And I really have no idea what my parents did with my nails because we never had a nail cutter at home. We only used scissors and I remember we had these giant tailoring scissors made out of iron for the longest time. It belonged to my grandfather, a tailor by profession, and I remember running away from my mum every time she came near me with those. So how did my parents cut my nails when I was that tiny? Did I never scratch my delicate newborn skin up? Maybe I was just a weird baby who was peaceful with my ever growing nails.
I also plan to buy a baby crib soon. Apparently, I insisted on sleeping on my mother's stomach and nowhere else when I was a kid. So she had to sleep in the same position till I fell asleep and then transfer me next to her. God, what a bundle of not-joy I must have been. I don't remember at what stage I removed myself from my parents' bed and moved to my own. It never occurred to me then that I was disrupting their life. For how long did they have to put up with me rolling around and generally being a nuisance? The baby crib is supposed to make the baby get used to sleeping by itself and all. I hope this baby doesn't insist it will fall asleep only on top of my head or something.
Baby bath tub. Now this I really want to buy because the idea of holding a slippery baby and being acrobatic in the bathroom sounds like a scene out of some horror movie to me at the minute. Even though there are going to be people here to help me and everything. What if you didn't have anyone to help you and had no money to buy a bathtub though? I'd probably wait till the baby was ten years old to give it a bath.
I never wore a diaper as a baby. How did my mum ever take me out? Did I just keep wee-weeing all over the place or was I born with superior bladder control?
Every time we go shopping for the baby, I'm amazed by the fact that I managed to stay alive as a baby in spite of my mum not using any of the stuff that I'm inclined to buy. Take for instance, the car seat that we bought yesterday. For most of my childhood, I was taken around in an ambassador that's probably responsible for the hole in the ozone layer getting slightly bigger. Not only did it break down all the time and emit a cheerful black smoke to announce its situation, it had no air conditioning, no seat belts, no child lock, no airbags, no nothing. As children, we'd emerge like little steamed wontons from its interiors after a long ride. It's a wonder I didn't get dehydrated as a newborn traveling in it or fly right out of the window when it screeched to a halt at signals.
This is not to say that the car seat is unimportant. I'm convinced that it was a necessary purchase but I still keep comparing my baby days to my current situation and preparing mental speeches for the baby on my deprived childhood. You know, along the lines of, "You know, in those days, I didn't even have a car seat. All I had was a rash on my bum. And oh, I've escaped certain death many times."
We also bought a baby nail cutter. And I really have no idea what my parents did with my nails because we never had a nail cutter at home. We only used scissors and I remember we had these giant tailoring scissors made out of iron for the longest time. It belonged to my grandfather, a tailor by profession, and I remember running away from my mum every time she came near me with those. So how did my parents cut my nails when I was that tiny? Did I never scratch my delicate newborn skin up? Maybe I was just a weird baby who was peaceful with my ever growing nails.
I also plan to buy a baby crib soon. Apparently, I insisted on sleeping on my mother's stomach and nowhere else when I was a kid. So she had to sleep in the same position till I fell asleep and then transfer me next to her. God, what a bundle of not-joy I must have been. I don't remember at what stage I removed myself from my parents' bed and moved to my own. It never occurred to me then that I was disrupting their life. For how long did they have to put up with me rolling around and generally being a nuisance? The baby crib is supposed to make the baby get used to sleeping by itself and all. I hope this baby doesn't insist it will fall asleep only on top of my head or something.
Baby bath tub. Now this I really want to buy because the idea of holding a slippery baby and being acrobatic in the bathroom sounds like a scene out of some horror movie to me at the minute. Even though there are going to be people here to help me and everything. What if you didn't have anyone to help you and had no money to buy a bathtub though? I'd probably wait till the baby was ten years old to give it a bath.
I never wore a diaper as a baby. How did my mum ever take me out? Did I just keep wee-weeing all over the place or was I born with superior bladder control?
And mind you, I'm sticking to a very small list of baby essentials at the minute and trying not to buy all those tiny frocks with ducklings on them now itself. If it's a boy, I don't imagine he will be very pleased. Or maybe he would be a hippie baby who doesn't care. Who knows.
The stuff you've to think about as you grow old. Jeez.
20 comments:
:D. GB- the survivor. Is it any surprise that Indian babies are the hardiest?
The Proof of Pudding lies in eating. You have become a popular editor thanks to the Ambassador which carried you through out your school and college days with enough leg space, enough space for sleeping and to fight with your brother. The Ambassador has done only good for you. Don't blame the Ambassador.
I have a niece who is 2.5 months old. I think the combined value of all the things the baby owns (car seat, pram, crib, cradle, rocker chair, countless bottles, steamer to clean the bottles, etc. etc.) is more than the combined value of everything I own. And I'm 27 years old.
She also has more clothes than I do. Sigh!
I started to comment, and it threatened to become a post. You can see it here :
http://kaimhanta.blogspot.com/2011/10/road-more-travelled.html
Remember to sterilize everything. Including people's hands. :)
Can I suggest some "must have' things?
1. A massage bed
2. A inflatable neck brace .. to keep the baby's head up in the bath tub.
3. A baby diaper sander. (Apparently it neutralizes the ammonia in the diaper.
Don't blame me. My niece has just bought these items. They floored me.
@phoenixritu Just wondering if the original style of laying the baby along your extended legs in front , and giving it a decent massage and a bath from a nice bucket full of warm water has gone out of fashion. (it is also good for your waist :-))
And u r gonna realize that most things except the car seat are a waste of money. Bbies usually make you do what they want. It's never the other way around. Maybe when he/she is 5 , u may have a chance.
I agree with ugich. U lose ur tummy faster when u bend and give the baby a bath on ur legs.
I swear by the crib :) Awesomely useful it is to keep the baby safe once it starts rolling over.The bathtub is also useful,I was kinda scared to use it before my baby's head was fixed.
Though the one thing I swear by is the rocker.... my son plonks on it and see the world go by.I did not get a car seat or a pram so teh rocker was total paisaa vasool!
Mmm... This is turning out to be a 'useful tips' thread. Keep it coming.
-Uncle OT
Well, it is true that many new products can make life easier and one should make use of them.
Only thing to remember is that money cannot buy time and sleep.Lack of time and lack of sleep can overwhelm every new parent.In those times just remember not to lose sight of the big picture.
GB hilarious post :)...i was just wondering about the "baby who was peaceful with ever growing nails", had that been the case u had been part of Guinness World records ;)
Two cents from a one-year-old mum:
1. Car seat: Important if you’re going to be driving a lot, especially at high speeds. There were probably a lot of accidents and fatalities in our parents time that we didn’t know about. That said, I don’t have one and brought baby back from hospital in a taxi.
2. Nail cutter: I suppose you have read my blood and gore stories of cutting nails. I swear by mittens, so you can delay nail cutting and baby doesn’t scratch face. Also, my friend’s mum used to scratch her granddaughter’s nails on her jeans to wear them out. Works somewhat but baby nails grow annoyingly fast.
3. Baby crib: On the one hand, co-sleeping (as its called these days) has its advantages – baby is more cosy, sleeps easier, you don’t have to drag self out of bed to breastfeed. On the other hand, there’s the risk of rolling onto baby in sleep. My recommendation for the first three months is a bassinet…so baby sleeps right next to your bed, you can just reach out and pat him, lift him out easily and take him around the house to where you are when he’s napping in the day. I don't think baby or you would like the bigger crib - too much bending to put down baby - till later.
4. Baby bath tub: I got one too but honestly, when baby is really small, it’s quite scary in the tub too. I delegated this responsibility to my mum for two months. How did our mums do it – like someone above described… you sit with your legs outstretched and put the baby on it. My Sil swears by this method.
5. Diapers: Our mums used cloth nappies. They are better for baby’s bottom and the environment. However, disposable ones are much easier for the parents so most of us go the easy route.
Small list is good. Half the must-haves that are now recommended are quite unnecessary. You’ll realize you’ll have lots of stuff you don’t use, and stuff you have only one off (like a certain kind of onesie) that you wish you had more off. Good thing is – you can always send hubby off to the shop with a sample to buy more after baby arrives.
Anybody who can't do anything for themselves does require extra equipment to be cared for - makes life easier for the care giver, and indirectly for the baby also.
Happy shopping! Car seats are really useful for the mother other than being safe for the child. Imagine holding the baby continuously while on a journey and the choice of leaving it safely in a seat and talking and playing with it, and babies sleep happily in car-seats too! And what if the mother is driving and has to take the child somewhere when daddy isnt around?!
Wish you happy car trips with your baby to wonderful spots in Pune! Why be at home when you can enjoy stretching up in a lovely picnic or in a children's park! Or shopping with the kid in a stroller or baby carrier! You decide when and where to go! If husband is free he can get lucky to get a free ride to your picnics! So car seat is wise that way for the new generation moms!
As the mom of a four month old, I'd suggest that you leave the crib buying to later. As somebody mentioned, it helps to be near enough to be able to pat your baby to sleep when required and also to feed him/her lying down. Unless of course, you plan on getting one of those cribs that can be attached to your own bed.
Also, rather than the bath tub, I highly recommend the bath chair. Check out the brands Mastella and Carter's. It is a nice netted reclining chair which can be used on the bathroom floor along with a low stool for the person bathing the baby. This can be used at least for 8 months, maybe more. The bath tub is more useful once the baby can sit up on its own.
And babies honestly make you do what they want ultimately. My son won't sit in his rocker for more than 15 mins! Best thing would be to buy the essentials, have a look at other stuff (pram, crib, car seat, rocker etc etc.) to see what you like and have your husband pick them up later depending on what you feel is really required.
Good luck with the delivery and motherhood!
Three cheers for a hippie baby :D
Yes I second Harini's opinion on bath chair - the netted one - I loved it - I dont know what it was called - great for infants. The water flows through as you pour and we used to keep the chair inside a round bathtub and the whole thing was on top of our dining table!!! :) and daddy loved doing the bathing baby duty standing up near the dining table! :) We moved to bathtub after their heads stabilized and can sit well ... otherwise bathtubs are too slippery ... Once you get the idea of this bathchair thing and feel comfortable holding the baby, washing them keeping them on our feet is actually lot more fun - you may love doing it. Some babies love to have a bath and it is so much fun to do that activity that we would love to hold them and cuddle instead of keeping them out on a chair or tub! :) With you happy family bath times! :))) ... Even after 4 months, its worth all the fun! First it feels a bit scary for everybody, soon you will feel very easy and actually very happy with it all!
OMG! This was so funny...I'm STILL laughing!
Post a Comment