Author: Archana

Hello! Welcome to my seventh attempt at the April AtoZ blogging challenge. My theme this year is Experiences of a first time grandmother! Some sweet, salty moments and learnings! My posts are totally based on what I felt (may even border on rants) and are not meant to be a guide. 

Help!
In order to ensure to properly look after Mom and her newborn , Grandma has to be on her toes practically round the clock. And NO. I am not trying to glorify myself. Ask any grandma who has been in my position.


So I had to recruit reliable helpers. In Maharashtra, we have a practice of special helpers who come in to give a massage and bath to the newborn (a very difficult task). I was advised to check if this lady suffered from any skin ailments, other infections.. that was tough…..I relied on references and then hoped for the best! 

Besides this, Grandma needs to have good advisors for customs that are usually followed with a new born baby. In my opinion, its a good idea to know what they are and then decide what to follow. 


There is nothing wrong or demeaning in asking for help. It doesn’t lower self esteem or reduce a Grandma’s importance in any way. That is what I learnt..


What has been your experience? I am sure my thoughts may cause a deja vu to some of you especially someone who has hosted a new born. I would love to hear from you!

See you tomorrow folks!


Here are links to my previous AtoZ attempts. 
2013 Mixed Bag
2014 Exercising For Fitness
2015 Gardens of Pune
2016 Herbs
2018 Contemporary A to Z
2019 Caring for the Caregiver

Grandparents. 
The word conjures a silver haired couple with happily wrinkled faces who find it difficult to keep up with their grandkids.

As I look around me, I find that people of my generation are fairly fit and only a few have chosen to turn silver! (Self excluded!!) We don’t really fit into the picture mentioned above.

In an era when family members live or work in distant places, we have to befriend technology. This has meant we have to learn to use the computer, email, smartphones, different Apps (for online shopping or food deliveries or digital payments) and so on.


I miss my Cassette collection of kids songs… Sigh.. And My brain refuses to let me remember beyond a couple of lines. Sometimes I only remember the tune, no words.


Very embarassing!


If only the cassette player was functional…

But.. there is hope!!! You Tube, Facebook are two places where I have found ‘old’ Marathi baby songs, poems and even stories. Yay!! 


What do you think of tech savvy grandparents? How have you used technology?
I am sure my post may cause a deja vu to some of you.. especially anyone who has hosted a new born. I would love to hear from you!

See you tomorrow folks!


Here are links to my previous AtoZ attempts. 
2013 Mixed Bag
2014 Exercising For Fitness
2015 Gardens of Pune
2016 Herbs
2018 Contemporary A to Z
2019 Caring for the Caregiver

Diet!
Its quite fashionable to throw this word around but a correct diet is of utmost importance to a new Mom. Not only for her but also for the baby. 

There are umpteen guides on what to eat and what not to eat and with respect to the latter, I found that trial and error was the only way to decide. Something as basic as ‘ वरण भात ‘ (Varan Bhaat) – can cause the baby to suffer from Colic. (This is simple meal of Rice and Toor Dal or Arahar Dal or Split Pigeon Peas with Salt, Ghee and Lemon). 


‘डिंकाचे लाडू’ Dinkache Ladoo or Laddoos made from Edible Gum are a must for new Moms and grandmas are the ones who have to make it. This calorie and nutrient rich sweet offers a load of health benefits. Luckily I was saved the effort of making them as every visitor chose to bring this particular gift … We were inundated with boxes of Dinkache Ladoo.
All were identical except ones sent by a dear friend who said they were ‘कच्च्या डिंकाचे लाडू ‘ ..They looked and tasted totally different from the usual ones despite having the same ingredients. 



My daughter became a big fan of these which motivated me (yes me.. a reluctant cook) to get the recipe and make them. And yes, they passed stringent taste test …Yay!!!!

Do you make Dinkache ladoo?
What special diet foods have you made for a new Mom? 
I am sure my thoughts will cause a Deja vu to some of you, especially anyone who has hosted a new born. I would love to hear from you!


Here are links to my previous AtoZ attempts. 
2013 Mixed Bag
2014 Exercising For Fitness
2015 Gardens of Pune
2016 Herbs
2018 Contemporary A to Z
2019 Caring for the Caregiver

Cry
Babies sleep, feed, play and cry! 
Its a most natural thing. My husband says crying is one of their ways of communicating with Mom.. maybe its something they don’t like, or they are hurting somewhere etc.. Its for adults to decipher what our baby is telling us and act accordingly.


In the initial week, I being the Grandma was expected to ‘know’ reason for crying and the solution.. Hungry kya? Wet kya? or Colic kya??

So burp the baby.. that’s easier said than done. We had been shown  different positions to encourage the baby to burp. All these images make the task look so simple, but trust me, its not easy.. 
While its considered bad manners for an adult to burp, that’s the best sound you want to hear from an infant!! 


Bath time is another situation when babies cry.. The trick is to have water at the correct temperature. In the absence of a thermometer, I simply dipped my elbow in the water and adjusted it till it was comfortable. Usually it worked!


What did you do when baby cried? 
I am sure my post will cause a Deja vu to some of you, especially if you have hosted a new born. I would love to hear from you!

Here are links to my previous AtoZ attempts
2013 Random topics
2014 Exercising For Fitness
2015 Gardens of Pune
2016 Herbs
2018 Contemporary A to Z
2019 Caring for the Caregiver

See you tomorrow folks!

Disclaimer: My posts do mention some products or service providers but these are not sponsored and not meant to be an advertisement. All posts from a maternal grandma’s point of view!! 

Hello! Welcome to my seventh attempt at the April AtoZ blogging challenge. Here are links to my previous AtoZ attempts. 
2013 Mixed Bag
2014 Exercising For Fitness
2015 Gardens of Pune
2016 Herbs
2018 Contemporary A to Z
2019 Caring for the Caregiver


To become a grandmother for the first time has meant precious days, highly emotional, highly demanding and filled with gratitude for the Almighty. 


People think that become a grandmother means she (in this case me) is immediately endowed with solutions, tips, knowledge of how to handle the newborn. That may have been true in bygone times when every house hold had many kids and grandkids. But we live in an age of small nuclear families and most of us have one or two children. Some are DINK couples (Double Income No Kids). The joint family concept is almost over. 


So for me, the job of a grandmother has been learning on the go. A fulfilling responsiblity that has had me reading, learning many new things. 

You see, medical science has evolved in past few decades  – Obstetrics and even care of newborns (Neonatology) has new concepts. One cannot be stuck in the past and I have had to adapt and fast. Of course there is space for the traditional time tested customs and I have tried to fuse traditional with modern. 


Grandma duties include looking after baby, letting the new Mom rest as much as possible, ensure she gets her nutrituve meals on time, deal with visitors and at times even refuse them visiting (even at the cost of misunderstanding), ensure that the laundry and other usual home chores go on as usual. I specifically mention laundry as baby clothes need special attention. 
This is just for starters. There is no place for complaining or anything that lane. No comparisons either.


I now realise the efforts my Mother (and Mother-in-law) had made years go to ensure I had a comfortable and happy time with a smooth transition. 


Now it was my turn.


By now you must have guessed my theme.. 

Yessss… it is Experiences of a first time grandmother! Sweet moments and learnings! My posts are totally based on what I felt (may even border on rants) and are not meant to be a guide. 


I am sure my thoughts may cause a deja vu to some of you, especially anyone who has hosted a new born. I would love to hear from you!