Thank you solid food

Posted on August 25, 2015 | 1 comment

Anyone with kids knows that sleep is a luxury for  the first year of being a new mum. I am sure only a few are lucky enough to be able to say that their baby sleeps through the night from the very first week.

I am not any different either. Before Chhori came into my world I loved my sleep and tried to sleep 8 hours every night. I was always fresh and rested when I woke up every morning. But for the past 6 months, 8 hours of sleep seem like a distant dream. Like every new mum, I am juggling my new baby, home and everything else with little sleep. The sad thing is that I have so many things to do when Chhori sleeps that I cannot even catch up on my lost sleeps when she naps.

Chhori

For the first month, I had to wake up every two hours to feed Chhori. She didn’t know the difference between night and day so I had to follow her routine. Also she was exclusively breastfed so my husband couldn’t help me either even when he wanted to. Slowly she started to get better but until she was only breastfeeding, she used to wake up at least twice or more during the night.

I still remember the first time she slept through for more than 3 hours at night and I was super happy to get even that brief a rest.

chhori (3)

As I mentioned on my previous posts, I have started Chhori on solid food. I started slowly with purée and she now eats more solid. I will share more recipe on the foods I am making at home for her soon.

These days she has solid food 3-4 times a day. And I tell you she loves it too. I feel so good when she opens her mouth when I bring the spoon close to her. I am giving her a mix of home made and store bought purees. She is a good girl as she also eats pumpkins, carrots, sweet potatoes, parsnips and broccoli puree too. Of course her favorite ones are mango and banana pure and sweet custards.

apple puree (3)

The best benefit the solid food has bought apart from helping Chhori with required nutrition is that it is helping her sleep longer.

Chhori used to take 20 – 30 minutes nap 4 – 5 times a day and at night still woke up 3 – 4 times to feed. The longest she went without feeding was 4 hours and that on good nights. But since she started eating solids, she sleeps for 6 hours straight and I need to feed her only 1 – 2 times during the night. Also during the day, she has longer naps which sometimes has lasted up to 2 hours.

Chhori (2)

The first night she slept for 6 hours, I woke up just to check if she was OK. I was so glad that she slept for 6 hours straight for the whole week this week. And I know, things will get better from here on so big thanks to solid food.

To all the new mums out there, things do get better as they grow older in terms of sleeping. So hang in there and do what you are doing. There is no rule and no right and wrong. Just do what you think is right and eventually you will get there. Never forget happy mum is happy baby and a happy baby makes a happy mum too.

Now my next goal will be getting Chhori to sleep through the night which should hopefully happen in the next couple of months. I will definitely keep you posted with the progress.

All the parents who have been through all these situations please do share your tips and tricks to make a new mum’s life easier. I am sure I am missing some amazing tricks. Hope to hear from you all.

Take care everyone,

M from nepaliaustralian
XOXO

1 Comment

Posted in Being Mum, Our daughter

Tagged , , , , , , , , ,

Is a bassinet necessary?

Posted on August 16, 2015 | 14 comments

When you are pregnant for the first time, there are millions of questions in your mind. It was the same for us as well.

One of the questions we had was whether we really needed a bassinet or if we should just buy a cot. In Nepal, a cot or bassinet is a luxury and we as kids used to co-sleep with our mums.

But I strongly believe in not co-sleeping for so many reasons. I don’t trust myself not to roll over on to Chhori while I am deep in sleep.

When we went for our antenatal class, the midwife also discussed about the benefits of having a bassinet if cost is not a problem.

Lucky for us one of our friends gave us a bassinet as a baby shower gift. Normally a bassinet is used for maximum of 6 months. We started with Chhori sleeping in our room in the bassinet and then we plan to transition her into her cot later.

bassinet

As most of the initial months of Chhori’s life were cold winter months, we really thought that the bassinet was great. It was cosy and warm for her. The bassinet we have has wheels so it was very easy for us to take her any where in the house during the day as well.

At night, I was able to feed her when she started to stir, rather than a full on cry as she was next to me in her bassinet. It was so much easier to settle her straight away.

So in my opinion, a bassinet is good to have but not necessary. When using a cot, just make sure that the baby is at the bottom of the cot and that the cot is completely empty.

What are you thoughts? Please do share.

M from nepaliaustralian

XOXO

14 Comments

Posted in Being Mum, Our daughter

Tagged , , , , ,

Rhyme times

Posted on August 13, 2015 | 17 comments

Now that my parents have left, I am left with Chhori all day five days a week. I didn’t know how hard would be to entertain a baby every day. So I have decided to take her out and about more often.

I can’t believe how happy she becomes when we go out. She just looks around and her eyes light up. It is a great pleasure to see her so happy. Also when we are out, she doesn’t seem to need to eat or change nappy as often.

Chhori (2)

Anyway our local council does rhyme times for kids every Monday and I have started to take Chhori there and I am so glad I did. She loves it and I now wish I had gone earlier.

The rhyme times is for 30 minutes. During that time, we sing and act out the rhymes, and share great books for babies. During sessions the parents, grandparents and carers sit with their child and the library staff guides us through a selection of songs and rhymes. It’s noisy, fun and a wonderful chance to learn some new songs. We sing each song a few times so that we can all learn the words.

Chhori (1)

The rhymes and songs are great and Chhori seems to enjoy them a lot. After the rhymes, they take all the toys out and kids can have fun. Chhori is so excited to see all the new toys. She loves all the attention she gets from other kids too.

Please share some tips and tricks to entertain a baby. Chhori seems to lose interest in anything after a few minutes.

Take care everyone and will share more motherhood stories soon.

M from nepaliaustralian

XOXO

17 Comments

Posted in Being Mum, Our daughter

Tagged , , , , ,

Homemade purée

Posted on August 12, 2015 | 11 comments

Chhori had her pasni just before my parents left; it was a fun event and I will post about it soon.

Chhori (2)

She was just over 5 months old when we did her pasni. In Australia, the midwives advise exclusive breastfeeding for 6 months and that was what I was aiming to do. But after pasni, every time we ate anything, Chhori would look at us with puppy eyes, with the innocent look as if saying “I want some of it too.” So we decided that we would start solid slowly.

First we went out and bought a few varieties of organic purée. I discovered that she loves the taste of apple, banana and mango.

These days as I am staying home looking after her, I decided it would be a good idea to give her some homemade purée. It was so easy to make one so here is how I did it.

  • Skin 3 apples and cut them into cubes.
  • apple puree (3)
  • Add half cup of water and apple cubes into a pressure cooker. If you don’t have pressure cooker, use a saucepan.
  • Cook until 3 whistles or if using a saucepan check with a fork and if it goes in easily then the apples are done. Let it cool down.
  • Use a blender or food processor to blend it. If you find the consistency too thick, add a little cooled boiled water.
  • I bought bpa free freezer and microwave safe containers to store them.
  • apple puree (1)
  • The purée is good for 3 days in the fridge and 3 months in the freezers. Mine finished in a week as she loved it.
  • apple puree (2)

Please share other food ideas for a baby. It will be a great help. Thanks in advance.

Take care everyone till my next post.

M from nepaliaustralian

XOXO

11 Comments

Posted in Baby food, Being Mum, Our daughter, Recipe

Tagged , , , , , ,

My parents are leaving

Posted on July 31, 2015 | 13 comments

6 months ago I was so happy and I wrote a post that my parents are coming to stay with us for 6 months. At that time 6 months seemed like a long time but now the time has passed and my parents are leaving this weekend.

Yes, it has been six months since their arrival. After their arrival, they organised my Dahi Chiura ceremony. They were here when we welcomed Chhori into this world and they were here for every small developments with Chhori till now.

Dahi Chiura (15)chhori (4)

We did manage to visit many places around Sydney with them. My mum loved Madame Tussad as well as other attraction like Sydney Sea life, Sydney tower, Featherdale National Park, Manly Sea Life, Sealife Sydney and many other places.

Chhaithi (6) Nwaran (8)

We celebrated Chhori’s Chhathi, Nawaran and Pasni, my mum’s birthday, dad’s birthday, their anniversary, our anniversary , Mother’s day and my nephew’s birthday while they were here.

Aama ko Mukh herne (5) Happy 35th Anniversary Dad & Mum (1) Happy 35th Anniversary Dad & Mum (12)

I have got so used to having them around. It has been the longest time we have been together since I left Nepal to come here. As I was not working after the birth of Chhori, I got to spend heaps of time with them, I feel so lucky to have them around and see them enjoying their grandchildren.

I loved my mum’s cooking, conversation with my dad and spoiling them with small things. It felt so good to buy them things and see them happy.

Wedding Ceremony

But in few a days, all of these are coming to an end for now. I am not sure how I will manage without them.

Not only I but Chhori and my nephew will also miss them badly as they are so used to seeing and playing with their grandma and granddad.

Happy 35th Anniversary Dad & Mum (11)

For me it will be a nightmare as it will be the first time I will be left with Chhori on my own for a long period. As AS will be working it will be Chhori and I alone the whole day. Chhori is growing so fast and has started to roll over which means I can’t even seem to blink my eyes or look away from her and she starts to roll over. I am sure I will cry the first few days.

If things work out as planned, they promise to come back again in 6 months’ time. I am hoping it will happen but in the meantime, it will be all alone with my little on.

I know I am extremely lucky to have them here even for a short period as not everyone is as lucky to have their parents here to help them after child birth but even imagining their not being here makes me so sad.

Wish me luck that I will not go crazy. Any tips on how to look after a baby on my own will be highly appreciated. I hope to share the happy news about their arrival again soon.

Until my next post, take care everyone,

M from nepaliaustralian

XOXO

13 Comments

Posted in Family

Tagged , , , , , , ,