गूड जॉब आया!

सध्या घरात अभ्यासाचं वातावरण आहे. आणि अभ्यास नीट केला की miss 'सायली' (smiley) देतात.

आणि अभ्यासदेखील किती अवघड: sleeping lines, up-down up-down. Miss चा लक्ष असतं हां! 'Crooked line' आलेली अजिबात चालत नाही!

आणि मग "good job" केला की आयाला मिळतो 'smiley'!

महिका स्वतःच Miss आहे आणि आमची 'शाळा' घेते. पण ह्या छोटुकलीच्या शाळेत आमच्या लहानपणच्या खऱ्या शाळेपेक्षा मज्जा येते. जे तेव्हा शिकलो नाही, अथवा शिकलेले आठवत नाही ते ह्या शाळेत करता येते!

थँक यू Miss !

आया, तू किती छान जेवण करतेस...

हे उद्गार होते महिकाचे परवा मी पुरणपोळी बनवताना. आणि पुढे हेदेखील म्हणाली, "मलापण तुझ्यासारखं जेवण करायचंय!"

खरं सांगू का? मी किंचित गहिवरले... पण ह्याकरता नव्हे की खरंच माझे जेवण उत्कृष्ट झाले आणि तिला ते कळले!

मी ऑफिस सांभाळून जमेल तसे सगळे सण-वार करते. घरात दररोज पूजा नाही होत. पण सणासुदीला आवर्जून होते, सगळे सण अगदी कणा-रांगोळी काढणे इथपासून, त्या त्या दिवशी पक्वान्न बनवून नैवेद्य दाखवून सर्व जमवते. बऱ्याच वेळेस दमछाक होते. कंटाळा येतो, दमून जाते. वैताग येतो सगळे रीतिरिवाज करता करता.

पण त्या दिवशी महिका जे म्हणाली त्यामुळे एक लक्षात आलं की हे सर्व कुठेतरी "note down" होतंय नकळत. मुद्दाम बोलून न दाखवता आपले संस्कार रुजत आहेत. आणि आपल्या मुलीला आपल्यासारख्या गोष्टी कराव्याशा वाटतात, ह्यातच सगळे मिळाले.

कित्येक वेळेस मला सांगतात लोकं, "अगं काही इतका घाट घालत बसायचं नाही. सरळ बाहेरून ऑर्डर करायचं. हल्ली सगळं मिळतं." खरं आहे, मिळतं. पण तेव्हा मुलांकडून हे शब्द ऐकायला नाही मिळणार.

ज्यांना घरी करायला जमत नाही अथवा आवडत नाही त्यांच्याबद्दल माझे काही वाईट मत नाही, किंवा राग देखील नाही. मी आपलं स्वतःपुरतं सांगते. जितके जमेल तितके करेन. जेव्हा अवघड जाईल, तेव्हा मीदेखील बाहेरून आणेन. पण आत्ता जमतंय तर थोडे कष्ट पडतील, पण सगळे घरच्या घरी करण्याचा प्रयत्न जरूर करेन.

वास्तविक मी काही सुग्रण नाही. थोडेफार जमते. बऱ्याच वेळेस चुकते. पण घरातली कामं स्वतः करून, स्वैपाक स्वतः जमवणे, आणि स्वतः खाऊन दुसऱ्याला पण जेवू घालणे इतके जरी महिका शिकली, तर मी तिला काहीतरी चांगले "pass  on" केले, ह्याचा आनंद होईल मला!

भूभू ची गोष्ट

ही गोष्ट आज सकाळी महिकाने सांगितली:

एक भूभू असतो. तो जंगलमध्ये असतो. त्याचे आया-बाबा असतात. ते पण असतात जंगलमध्ये. त्याचे बाबा आणि भूभू बॉल खेळत असतात. आणि त्याची आया खुर्चीवर बसली असते. ते छान-छान बॉल खेळतात म्हणून आया clap clap करते.

खूप ऊन असतं. सूर्यमामा असतो ना! मग ते बॉल खेळात असतात. मग रात्र होते. मग ते तिघे असे झोपून जातात (झोपण्याची acting करून दाखवली!)

मग सकाळी उठतात. आणि तिघे पण स्कूलला जातात.

(गोष्ट एव्हढीच होती. बहुदा सकाळी शाळेत जायच्या आधी सांगितल्याने भूभूदेखील सकाळी उठून शाळेत जातो.)

अगं आया, तेच तर मी म्हणत आहे

हल्ली महिका तिने बनवलेले जुने शब्द नाही वापरत. आणि आम्ही वापरले तर आम्हालाच शिकवते की तसं नाही
म्हणायचं.

काल अंघोळीला जाताना मी तिला म्हणाले, "चल गं, 'आंघॊन्ग' करायला."

"अगं आया, 'अंघोळ' म्हणतात, 'आंघॊन्ग' नाही."

महिका जेव्हा बोलायला लागली तेव्हा शब्द स्पष्ट नव्हते. काही यायचे नाहीत. काही शब्दांना तिने स्वतः काही वेगळे शब्दं बनवले होते. ते शब्द ऐकायला खूपंच गोड वाटायचे.

आता महिकाची शब्द संपदा वाढली आहे. ती सर्व गोष्टी एकदम व्यवस्थित सांगू शकते. एखाद वेळेस एखादा शब्द येत नसेल आणि आपण तिला तो म्हणायला शिकवत असू, तेव्हा असा संवाद होतो:

"म्हण, संस्कृत."

"सन कुत"

"नाही. संस्कृत."

"अगं आया, तेच तर मी म्हणत आहे. सन कुत"

ह्या संवादात जी गम्मत आहे, तीच मजा होती तिच्या बोबड्या शब्दात. कालांतराने ते सर्व शब्द विसरले जातील. कोठेतरी नोंदून राहावेत ते शब्द म्हणून येथे लिहून ठेवत आहे.

आंघॊन्ग = अंघोळ
जिक्का, चीका = jacket (आता ती चीका म्हणजे लांब बाह्यांचे शर्ट अथवा फ्रॉक ह्या अर्थाने वापरते)
नन्ना = माऊ
बाळी = पाणी
टाटीस  = राक्षस
जेबण = जेवण
माळुस = माणूस
समा समा = सूर्य
चमन चमा = चंद्र
कप्पे = कपडे
आसीक = आईस क्रीम
चॉकोट = चॉकोलेटे 

ते काय खातात?

हा प्रश्न मला विचारला महिकाने. माहित आहे कोणाबद्दल? पोलीस!!!!

शाळेत जाताना एक पोलीस मामी गाडीवर दिसल्या. मग महिकाचे सर्व प्रश्न:


- कुठे जात आहेत? (मी: ऑफिस)

- पोलीस काय करतात? (मी: चोर पकडतात, ट्रॅफिक कंट्रोल करतात, आपल्याला मदत करतात)

- ऑफिस मध्ये काय करतात? मीटिंग करतात का? (मी: हो)

- मीटिंग काय करतात? (मी: आज काय काम करायचा ठरवतात, चोर कसे सापडवायचे ह्याचा विचार करतात.)

- चोर कुठे असतात? (मी: लपलेले असतात. आपल्याला नाही कळत. पोलिसांना कळत कोण चोर आहेत ते.)

- चोर कोण आहेत? सगळे चोर आहेत का? (इकडे तिकडे लोकांना दाखवत) हा माणूस, हा माणूस? (मी: नाही गं. कोणी नाहीत. असे सापडत नाहीत.)

- पोलीस काय खातात?

आता हा प्रश्न कमालीचा innocent असला, तरीही मला हसू आले. काय खातात बरं पोलीस??? पण महिकाला पटेल असे उत्तर द्यावे लागले...

मी: अगं आपल्यासारखेच खातात ते, चपाती, भाजी, वरण-भात.

ह्यावर अनेक प्रश्न:

- दूध पितात का?
- दही खातात का?
- काजू खातात का?
- chocolate काजू खातात का?

हे सर्व प्रश्न ऐकून मला भूक लागली!

सुदैवाने ह्या प्रश्नानंतर खाण्याचे प्रश्न संपले. मग तिने विचारले की पोलीस टोपी घालतात का?

हो म्हणाल्यावर लगेच पुढचा प्रश्न... कशी असते टोपी? मला दाखव ना!

थोड्याच अंतरावर एक पोलीस मामा दिसला आणि त्याच्या डोक्यावरची टोपी पण!

मलाच हूश वाटलं!!!

... मी आईची व्हावे आई

पर्वा कार चालवत घरी जाताना महिका म्हणाली, "आया, मी तुझी आया. मी कार चालवते."

"अच्छा, म्हणजे तू पुढे बसली आहेस आणि मी मांगे का?"

"हो, मी पुढे बसले आहे."

ह्या संवादामुळे मला "आई व्हावी मुलगी माझी, मी आईची व्हावे आई... " हेच गाणे आठवले. आणि विचारांची गाडी धावतच राहिली. मी कधी माझ्या आईची आई झाले का? झाले असेन... कधी तिला समजावताना, कधी तिला नवीन गोष्टी शिकवताना, कधी आजारी असताना काळजी घेताना.

उद्या महिका मोठी होईल. ती देखील असंच काही कमी जास्त प्रमाणात करेल. तेव्हा क्वचित तिला हे गाणं आठवेल!

Now I Know...

Now I know what Calvin's Dad in Calvin and Hobbes feels when he's bombarded with Calvin's 'innocent' questions.

And I totally can empathise with his answers. Here's an example:

I had a similar experience today.

Time: Morning 9.40 AM
Where: Waiting at a signal in bumper to bumper traffic on way to school

I am waiting for the light to turn green when the already noisy street reverberates with an ambulance's siren.

Mahika (from the car seat at the back): Whose horn is this?
I: That's not a horn. That's an ambulance, that's going to a hospital.
Mahika: Where's the hospital?
I: Far away in Kharadi.
Mahika: Ohh is it? What's the name of the hospital?
I (totally exasperated and somewhat amused): City International Hospital
Mahika: I see.

Now, does she need to know the hospital name? And frankly, I don't think there's any hospital with that name. I just happened to see the name of a school on a school bus and just modified the name for the hospital.

Her next question was going to be what does the ambulance do when it reaches the hospital...I just knew that. But mercifully, the light turned green, we took a right turn, and that turned her attention too. Phew!!!!

For Common Cold

My girl recently suffered her first bout of cold. Thankfully with home-made recipes, I could control her cold immediately with no side effects. I am sharing the same recipe for everybody.

I have put this in Marathi because I don't know what those words are in English. Those that I know, I have put them in parentheses.

खारीक बी (seed of dried date)
वेखंड पावडर
लोखंड (anything made of iron)

हे तिन्ही सहाणेवर उगाळणे. हा लेप नाकावर आणि कपाळावर लावणे.

I have no idea what सहाण is in English.

Try this out. It works.

Tips For New Mothers

My daughter is now four months old. The past four months have been a roller-coaster ride. New things, new and changing schedule, adjustments, frustration, joys, discoveries, and lots of happiness.

As I look back at these four months, I can think of a few things, which if I was told about them earlier, would have made my life easier. I am sharing those tips here.

• When you prepare your bags for the D-Day, ensure that you pack the following items for yourself:

• Breast pads: Disposable and reusable

• Lots of sanitary napkins

• Feeding bras

• Feeding tops

• Pillows to support during breast feeding

• Ensure that the following items are available for your baby:

• Mosquito net

• Soft cotton cloths big enough to wrap the baby: Use your old cotton odhanies for this.

• Pair of surgical scissors

• Use a pair of surgical scissors that is available in a shop selling surgical equipment to cut your baby's nails. The nail cutter that is available in the market for babies is really not of much use, at least not for new born babies.
• If you are having a baby in the summer months, refrain from the traditional massage that elders insist that a new mother must have. It usually leads to rashes for the mother. Do not give the usual dhuri that's given to babies in those months.
• Use some soothing music to help the baby sleep. It really works.
• If your baby does not sleep on its own and needs to be rocked, switch over to a crib or a rocker/bouncer as soon as possible. If you don't do that, your baby will get used to your rocking him/her always and it will be troublesome later.
• If you are using diapers, once a day, put some antiseptic cream to the diaper area. That will help keep the skin clean and rash-free. Also, change the diapers every three to four hours to avoid rashes.
• Keep small cloths in ample amount to wipe your baby's face after feeding. At around three months, you will also need those cloths to wipe your baby's drool.

I'll keep updating this page as I think of more tips.

Side Effects Of Being A Mother

As you get used to being a mother, you'll have to bear with some of the following side effects.

• You become a very fast eater and can contest and win the All India Eating competition. You'll learn to eat your breakfast/lunch/dinner/snacks at top speed because you have to finish it off in between the time when your little one is sleeping or is not crying.
• Eight hours of sleep at a stretch becomes a thing of the past. Now you are up and awake the moment you feel your little one stirring.
• Your days don't start and end. They are just unending.
• You can no longer stand steady. You get so used to swinging your baby to sleep, that every time you stand up for something, you automatically start swinging.
• Despite having several babies around you, you will always recognize your baby's sound (thank god for that!)
• Even when your baby is fast asleep, your ears ring with your baby's cries. You will be peeping into the bedroom every 4 minutes to check whether the little one has woken up.
• After being busy day and night, if you get some time off because your baby is asleep, you'll probably keep wondering what to do!
• You won't fit in any of your earlier dresses. You can only wonder how you fitted before and whether you will ever get back to that size (which probably is not a possibility at all.)
• When you start singing to your little one, you'll forget the lyrics of the songs that you know by heart.
• Sometimes, you are at your wits end thinking of new ways to entertain your little one.
• At times, you get so frustrated with every thing around you that you may take it all out on your innocent little one and after it's done, you'll feel extremely guilty about it.
• Your schedules revolve around the little one's and you'll get totally frustrated and angry when people try to disrupt that.

Breast Feeding

It's a challenge to get set with your baby and breast feeding. It would be challenging, at times frustrating, and sometimes painful in the beginning.

To begin with, you need to get a comfortable position for you and your baby. You'll need pillows and a place to sit comfortably.

Initially, if your milk flow isn't enough, do talk to your doctor about it, especially the paediatrician to ensure that your baby is getting enough feed. You may need to give top feed for that. Don't feel shy or guilty about it. There are millions of ladies whose milk flow isn't enough for the baby due to various reasons. If you keep feeling shy, your baby will end up being underweight, cranky, and will in turn make your life miserable.

One of the issues that may arise if your milk flow isn't enough is nipple injuries. Your baby might suckle too hard making your nipples sore. If that happens, use nipple covers. Unfortunately, the doctor in the hospital who was helping me with breast feeding did not tell me about it. But one of my sister's friend suggested and it was a great boon for me. Once your baby starts getting enough flow and gets used to suckling properly, you may discard the nipple covers.

Your breasts will start leaking probably since before delivery. But after delivery, definitely for a few weeks they will leak. Use breast pads. You can get good reusable (cotton) pads or even disposable ones. Both are easily available in shops and even online.

In the hospital, the doctors usually tell that feed your baby every two hours. Although it might be true almost always, I really don't know whether babies do get up every two hours for the feed. Some babies, like mine, don't get up every two hours. It is also very tiring to wake them. In such cases, do not worry. I believe that most babies will get up when they are hungry. My doctor eased my concern saying that we should remember the "feed on demand" mantra for the babies. That way it makes their and our lives easy.

Obviously, you have to get up at nights too for feeding. Try and learn the lying down position for feeding. That will help you feed the baby at night while lying on the bed. It will give you the much needed rest for your back and you can also drift off to sleep while your baby enjoys its midnight snack.

Use enough pillows to ensure that your back is supported at all times when you are feeding. Some babies take a long time for feeding and that could mean a stiff back.

You should also be prepared with a few nursing clothes: feeding bras and feeding tops. Feeding tops are any tops that have a front opening, a comfortable opening in the front. Some of the tops I have seen have so small openings that it's really uncomfortable nursing the baby. As one of the items in your preparation before delivery, ensure that you buy at least two such tops. You'll need them when you have to visit the gynaec and the paediatrician after the delivery.

Feeding bras are really uncomfortable. At least I haven't come across a good feeding bra. And in the summer months, they are really too thick to use. But you generally have no choice. Get at least three feeding bras.

You will take some time getting used to your baby suckling at your breast. The first time is a strange feeling. But later you get used to it. If you are a bookworm, no better time to read a book than when you are nursing your baby. As your baby grows, it will start making noises and start responding to you even as it suckles. It's really funny! Some babies like mine are really chatty and make constant cooing sounds to show their excitement and satisfaction as they suckle.

All in all, breast feeding needs to be made a good experience for the baby as well as the mother. Otherwise it's a terrifying experience for both. Do relax and enjoy this time. 

Bundle Of Joy

So, finally the baby has arrived and you are lost in coping up with the new status of motherhood. You would be all entangled in the rush of things.

But in all this, take a breather to look at your bundle of joy. Look at that beautiful creation that was inside you for the nine months. Enjoy the wonder of that tiny body...the ten fingers, the tiny little nails, the toes, the softness, the suppleness, the marvel that is your baby.

Despite the mad rush around you, the daily new routine of bathing, feeding, sleeping, nappy changing, sleepless nights, anxiety and endless visitors, do take time out to admire your baby.

Look at the fuzzy hair, the pink skin, the beautiful eyes, ears, tiny little mouth, two holes of a nose, absent eyebrows, belly button, and the lovely, enticing baby smell. Admire all those things. Wonder at how the baby actually fitted inside your womb.

Admire the way your baby stretches its arms and legs, how it moves, how it cries. Try and figure out if they way it moves is exactly how it was moving inside you. Feel the kicks, now from outside. Hold your baby's hand. Cuddle the baby and feel the warmth.

Look at the baby's face and dream about its future. Think of how it will go to school, college, university, probably abroad. Dream about what the baby will become, doctor, engineer, scientist, or artist. Dream about the day when it will find its soul mate and get married. Dream about the dresses you'll buy for the baby, the accessories you will buy for the baby, the school items, and the gifts.

Look at your baby's face and think of what life it will lead and what joy it will bring.

Do try and think of all things. Do not forget to admire the tiny bundle of joy. Because even before you know, even before you realize, the baby will have grown and those moments will be gone. It will be too late when you realize that you forgot to admire the baby when it was just born and a new wonder for you! Don't miss the fun!

Safe Confinement

My safe confinement started on 11-April-2014. I was given the first tablet to induce pain in the afternoon when I got admitted. The tablet would start the delivery pains in 24-48 hours.

Interestingly, nothing happened. I was as happy as a lark without the delivery pains. We waited for two whole days and still I had no pains at all.

On the fourth day, early in the morning at 6 AM, I was given another pain inducing tablet. Still nothing. I was then sent for an ultrasound test, which revealed that the baby's position was horizontal, and the cervix had not dilated at all.

I was still given another tablet for pains. By that time, I had become a fun object for the doctors there. even with three tablets, I had no pains at all. Finally our doctor told us that it they had given the whole dose of medicine for inducing pain for the day and they could give no more. The doctor also mentioned that if pains started in the evening or night, they may be too strong because of the three tablets. At that time, it could take time for the doctor to come and complications could arise.

We decided to go for c-section immediately and not wait any longer. At around 3 PM we took the decision. Withing half an hour I was rolled into the operation theatre (OT). By 4.30, I was back in the recovery room, already a mother, my baby safely ensconced with all the doting grandparents and mavshi. It was that quick.

In the safe confinement, there are a few things that may happen. You may start getting some cold because of the weather or airconditioning. Talk to your doctor if the doctor doesn't realize that. Get some medicines for the cold so that it does not worsen.

The other important thing that happens is...the pain inducing tablets reduce your milk flow. You are never told about it. No doctors tell about that. However, that is most likely to happen and it is best that you talk to the paediatrician to help feed your baby better, probably with some top feed.

C-section could also mean not being able to move from the bed for two days. That will limit your movements and you may also not be able to hold your baby for long. The saline drip becomes a problem as you handle the baby. You must check on the needle that's pierced for the drip. There's always a possibility of the drip going 'out.' Be careful while handling the baby.

And in all this, don't forget to marvel at the bundle of joy that was growing inside you and now has entered the world. it's going to make your world all the more beautiful. Cherish that!