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

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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

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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

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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

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Good bye my Little Red Car…Hello my Big Red Car

Posted on July 29, 2015 | 12 comments

I am sure you have seen photos of my little red car on many occasions in this blog. I had an accident in that car and had done pujas on it during Dashain festival all of which I’ve blogged about.

Dashain (2)

That car is not my first car but I bought it brand new and it was with me even before AS arrived in Australia. I had it for a long time and I remember the first time I got a scratch on it, I was so upset with myself that I nearly cried.

I guess when you possess something for a while you do really love it.

While I was on maternity leave and staying home, AS was driving it around.

A few weeks ago, Sydney was drenched in rain for a few days and it was cold and wet and miserable.

One day, AS called me and asked me to give him details about our insurance as the car was registered in my name. He told me that the car was flooded while it was parked. I really didn’t think much about it then and gave him the details and waited for him to come home.

car (1) car (2)

But I realised later that the car was not coming home at all looking at the photos. Yes, that red one is my car and the one with the umbrella is AS. It looked like the car was in the middle of river, not on the side of the road.

The insurance company wrote it off stating unfit to repair and gave us its money. I was really sad for it go, I know AS was sorry that he was the one responsible for the incident. I am sure he didn’t mean it.

But as they say, “Everything happens for a reason” and I believe in that. Now I got a bigger car and it is red again. We were already thinking of getting a bigger car for me as Chhori’s pram and other stuff would not fit in my old car. But I still do miss my little red car as it was so easy to drive around.

Have a great week everyone.

M from nepaliaustralian

XOXO

12 Comments

Posted in General, Personal

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