5 reasons you need to switch to Cloth Diapers

The first time I heard about Cloth Diapers was when I was in my third trimester and a friend asked me to use them instead of the disposable ones. I assumed, the reasons would be obvious. CDs are the more eco-friendly choice. But since traditionally we use a cloth nappy for the first few weeks of the baby's life, I pushed the idea of a CD (read Cloth Diaper) at the back of my head for quite some time. Baby Hashtag was born in winter and it would be crazy to not the change the nappy as soon as she wet it. And mind you, it was nearly 20 times in a day. So out of sheer exhaustion, I switched to the disposable diapers within a week. 

When the baby was around 3 months old, I got contacted by the lovely folks at Superbottoms. They offered to send a CD to me so that I could try it out and share the experience with my readers and followers. 

Not only am I convinced that I am more of a CD person now, I tend to convince a lot of mothers to take the same route. For those, who need a list of good reasons to make the switch, I can list about five. And this is just the top of my head, there can a hundred more reasons but these should do the trick.

1. Environment friendly

Goes without saying that CDs have very little impact on the environment when compared to their disposable counterparts. I do not see how people do not find this an incentive. Instead, they counter me with questions like "You are wasting water to wash the CDs and the inserts no, how is that eco friendly?" Well by that logic then, you must stop washing yourself and all your clothes too. Because, water shortage. True, the CDs need to be washed but they can all be accumulated in a wet bag and washed in one cycle when you do the laundry. That is one extra bucket of water compared to tonnes of plastic you are filling in the landfills in the form of disposable diapers. How about that! By the way, a wet bag is a bag that you can use to store all your soiled and to-be-washed CDs and inserts. They come in cute prints and are completely odour free so you can carry them with you anywhere and use it when the baby needs a diaper change. 

2. Super cute prints

I have seen SO many brands of CDs online and they come in both prints and solid colours. Since, I have been using Superbottoms, I will shamelessly plug their designs only because I absolutely love them. They have everything from Harry potter themed print to a cricket themed one. Lullabies, Superheroes, Cute babies, EVERYTHING! Imagine your baby's bum wrapped in this cute goodness. It is LOVE! 

3. Less money spent

Another illogical counter I've heard is "Arey, CDs are so costly yaar. Disposable hi best hain!" If you are so worried about finances, then CDs are the way to go. The initial cost of a CD may feel a little exaggerated but since they are reusable, they are super economical. The amount you would spend on diapers for one month will buy you one CD with inserts and that can comfortably last you more than 8 months. Isn't that a win-win!

4. Baby bodies 

Don't you love how squishy soft and tender the bodies of out babies are. Why would you want to give them things like rashes and irritation. Agreed that not all babies get rashes from disposables but when you have a diaper that is completely rash and irritation free, it would make more sense to choose that in the first place. If you worries about the elastic marks that the CD leaves on your babies skin, I challenge you to find me a disposable diaper that does not leave these very same elastic marks. They will disappear in minutes but not rashes. Also, don't you have that bracket of fifteen minutes between diaper changes when your baby feels extremely happy and free? Take the hint now, he probably hates being trapped in a full disposable diaper. On the other hand, a CD feels light and is not at all reactive on the baby skin. 

5. Saving on add-on products

Let us make a list of products you need if you are a disposable diaper baby. Rash cream, plastic bags (lots of them) and uncomfortable baby underpants. First, you would not need a rash cream because CDs do not give babies any kind of rashes. Second, a Wet Bag that I talked about earlier will do all the disposing and carrying job for you and they look good to carry too compared to the scrunchy noisy plastic bag. Third, there would be no need to buy horribly uncomfortable underpants to wear on disposable diapers as CDs come in gorgeous prints that you will want to show off. 

Here are pictures of Baby Hashtag wearing the cutest print from Superbottoms.

If you are still not convinced, ping me. I have finer detailed reasons to get you to make the switch. While you are at it, do check the great range at Superbottoms here.

Cheers,

D

P.S. This is not a sponsored post. I genuinely believe we need to make the switch for a more sustainable future of our babies.

Mamaearth Argan Hair Mask | Review

I had the most amazing one year of flawless thick hair from the time I got pregnant till the time Baby Hashtag turned three months old. Come the day when she turned four months old and I noticed something I hadn't seen in a very long time. 

Hair on my pillow! And it shook my world!

I am not being hyperbolic but I was looking at my thick long locks strewn all over the pillowcase and I was seeing this after a year. I brushed it off as a one-off incident. Later that day after I washed my hair I noticed the same pattern. I expressed my concerns to my mum and she told me that often in the fourth month post delivery, the mother tends to lose all the sheen and hair that she had gained all through the pregnancy. Of course, I knew that. But I wanted to believe that it would happen at a normal pace and not as drastically as it was happening then. 

Anyhoo, two months into the hair fall, I have still not learnt to live with it. I tried a fair few products because you can only do so much when you have an infant to take care of, all by yourself. I had pretty much given up really, while fellow mom bloggers consoled me saying that the hair fall will eventually reduce. Also, the market for products for new mothers is sadly ill-stocked. If there was a product that would have specifically addressed my issues, I would have tried it instantly. 

Turns out I did not have to wait for long.

Mamaearth, my favourite baby products brand presently, has come out with their mama range. There is a whole range of products that have been designed specifically for new mothers and mother-to-be and I was super pumped to have tried a few of their products before they officially launched on Mother's Day. I will definitely talk about their entire range in a separate post but this time I am exclusively reviewing their Hair mask.

The hair mask is aimed at helping the mums deal with increased hair fall and damaged hair. The formulation boasts of being induced with Argan, Avacado Oil, Milk proteins and curd extracts, all of which are nourishing ingredients for a healthier scalp and shinier hair. 

The product has a creamy non-drip consistency and comes in a 200 ml packaging. The packaging is simple and attractive. The pink and the green colours of the font and the banner are quite attractive. I, however, would have liked a little more vibrancy just like their packaging of the baby products. Their is an additional lid inside that contains the product from spillage.

The hair mask can be used a leave-in conditioner or it can be washed off as well. I have been using it for four weeks now and tried both ways to use this mask. My hair tended to get oilier faster when I used it as a leave-in conditioner when compared to washing it off. But in both instances, I was left with shinier detangled hair and they honestly look better nourished than before. The mask has worked wonders for me but I honestly do not care for its smell, it is slightly overpowering and takes time getting used to. But Baby Hashtag had no problem with the fragrance so its a win-win. 

The product formulation is completely natural and is paraben-free and mineral oil-free. It has essential oils that are beneficial to the scalp and hair follicles. I would recommend this product to any new moms out there for three reasons:

1) It is perhaps the only product of this kind and it is exemplary

2) It is natural and nourishing

3) It is decently priced when you compare it to an expensive trip to a salon

Go ahead and try it. You can buy it here:

http://www.amazon.in/Mamaearth-Argan-Reduce-Hairfall-Strengthen/dp/B072DVHNRD/

Baby Hashtag speaks | My fourth month

Well what do you know! I am five months old already. Either time is going by really fast or I've been sleeping for most of the past few months. Oh wait, I HAVE been sleeping most of my life so far, haven't I?

Being a four month old is so much responsibility. Babycenter sends mum newsletters telling mum that I should have rolled over on my stomach and probably roll back to the earlier position. Setting high standards for babies, these lame websites. Not that I haven't rolled over. Yes, I did. But if I knew that I had to conform to some stupid norms states in a lame website, I would delay this rolling over business considerably. Oh well, now what is done, is done. So yeah, I finally rolled over. The first time I rolled over, mumma caught it on tape. And I was a tab bit on the edge of the bed. Mum still decided to shoot the rolling over cos how could I fall down when she is right there! Cut to one week later, when I was in the middle of one of my night slumber party feeds, I decided to do the rolling over (in my sleep) and I rolled right out of my mum's lap and on to the floor. I won't lie to you people, it hurt a lot. But five minutes of coddling, I was fine and then I made goo-goo eyes at mumma and papa who looked like they had just been smacked in the face by a truck. Mumma vowed to be extra careful that day on, cos well, every night after that I have rolled over in my sleep. So that's new. 

This month, I took my first nap in the crib and I kind of enjoyed it. I sleep in my crib more often and I seriously enjoy it more than mumma and papa's bed. It's sturdier, flatter and allows me to play freely. The bed with its dips and waves is just not for me. 

I recognise papa now. Everytime he comes home from office and calls me, I greet him with a huuuge smile. Why wouldn't I? He makes me sooo happy and makes me play on his belly. Mumma is fun too, but she is ALWAYS around. A little change in the form of papa is wee fun. 

This month, I did a lot of things for the first time. 

• I now enjoy tub baths. Mumma got this tub with bather from firstcry and I love it. She says she will review it soon. Let us add one more to her pending list of posts! 
• I sat in my rocker chair while Mumma cooked when the maid decided to bail on us. 
• I have now started sleeping on my side and I love it!
• Went to three new restaurants this month. Like I sais earlier also, I sense a pattern. 
• Mumma started working out and I flap my legs wildly when she does. I enjoy it thoroughly.
• I now move around on the bed a LOT! SO hello, fort of pillows.
• I spend more time playing on the play mat on my own. But when it does get boring, I scream bloody murder.
• I now roll over in my sleep which is wee fun but that messes with my sleep and that is so not cool. What do I do? I cry ofcourse! 

I also had my naming/christening function and I am named Kiara Genevieve Yashika Dadala. Phew. I know that's long. But I respond only to Yashika so that will stick. Popular theory has it that mumma is a photographer so she decided to name me Yashika. NO! I was named Yashika cos Kundali, Nakshatra and all that jazz bro. Having said that, I need to get clarity on this. For the last time guys. It's YASHIKA. With the K. Not C as in Yashica. I hope that is sorted once and for all. 

Mum cut her own hair at home. Though she was really pleased with the results, now she wants even shorter hair and will have to head to a salon. I will obviously accompanying her when does go, but whether or not I will throw a tantrum depends on my mood and how much mumma pampers me early on. 

I also met a LOT of people over this month who keep insisting to pick me up. Honestly, what is the deal with that! Maybe I'm just too cute. Then, I scream and throw a tantrum and all the cuteness honestly is pushed down the drain and I am returned to my mumma.

Works every single time! 

I also got vaccinated. I was administered the third dose of a single vaccine and there was no fever in the aftermath. Yay to that. 

Mumma has started writing letters to me and to be honest, I do not get most of them now. Hopefully, I will understand them in a few years but I have heard people say they are good. I cannot wait to read and make sense of them. 

Now I am five months old, time for daily milestones and daily achievements. But also, time to give mumma no breathing space whatsoever. Now that I am rolling over and am on my fours already, I feel like crawling soon. Let's see! I'll be back with my monthly update next month unless you want to hear from me often. Do tell me if you want me to come back earlier. And I will. 

Until next month,
Cheers! 
Baby Hashtag

P for Pandemonium | AtoZ Challenge

Dear Baby Hashtag,

When you grow up, and grow up you will, take time and appreciate the pandemonium. You have a mother who likes order. When I put you down for a nap, for that precious one hour when everyone advises me to sleep, I choose to clean and arrange the laundry. I catch up on pending work or I make lists unto lists of work that needs to be taken care of. I know the laundry pile is going to come back and there is nothing I can do about that. But the momentary order I extract out of the chaos that our day usually is, that gives me solace.

There's a whole bunch of people out there advising me to let the work be. That in the moment in which I chose to wash the laundry or do the dishes, I let a milestone of your development pass by. And you know what, that is okay. I would rather teach you to be organised for when you look at me, you will learn yourself. I would rather prefer that you learn how a house becomes a home when we nurture it, clean it and treasure it.

But I am also afraid. That in all the discipline and in the process of learning to be orderly, you might not appreciate the chaos. You spend a lot of your time with me and you will form a lot of your core beliefs based on what I impart to you. And so, I am a little afraid that you will not have fun in life as I would like you to have.

Then I look at your father. He is all that I am not. He lives in the moment and appreciates chaos, knows the real meaning behind it. He loves you and adores you and is already a fabulous parent. Learn his frivolity. Be the life of a party or a social gathering like how he is. Make everyone laugh and make everyone feel included. And most important of all, learn from him the art of sustaining and embracing the pandemonium.

I would want nothing but the best for you. The best of both worlds. And the best versions of the two parents you have.

Lots of love,
Mumma Hashtag

Review | Soul Corallium Baby Blanket

I LOVE THIS BLANKET! 

If this hyperbole does not do justice to what I feel about this product, nothing else will. From the time the good people at Soul sent this blanket to me, I have not used anything else for the baby.
It is first of all, a baby blanket. It also doubles up as
a) Swaddle 
b) Shawl for Mumma
c) Receiving Blanket
d) Emergency playmat (when folded in fours)

I attended a full blown two day wedding, travelled cities and went about my day to day with Baby Hashtag with only this blanket in tow as it serves a lot of purposes. 

About the product:
The Corallium print handwoven cloth is probably one of the most popular prints by Soul. The colour is so happy and the print too. It does not get dirty very easily and looks fresh after every wash. Unlike a few other blankets that I have used for the baby which start to show regular wear and tear with each wash. The fabric does not react with the baby's skin and is always the right temperature. It is neither too hot, nor too cold. Just about right. 

Wash and Care:
Wash the blanket in lukewarm to cold water with a mild detergent. Keep it soaked for a few minutes if you think it needs it, otherwise you can wash it right away. Avoid the brush! It is a soft and supple material, brushing it would just ruin the texture and make it coarse. 

My Verdict:
We pretty much do an evening outing everyday, Baby Hashtag, her papa and I. Papa Hashtag usually takes the baby along first and waits for me while I grab the things, the keys and join them. The only thing Papa reaches for is the Soul Blanket (which we call Soul at home now). That is how much we are in love with the blanket. It is a practical buy and if you looking to buy, go right ahead. It is also a very handy gifting option for parents-to-be as a lot of their prints are not gender-specific at all. It is not too bulky and fits in the diaper bag way too easily. All in all, a great product.

During the wedding, the blanket made for a great accessory for Papa Hashtag to hold the baby.

While travelling, in the train.

My Constant accessories: Camera, diaper bag and the Soul Blanket

You can choose from a wide range of designs and colours:
http://www.soulslings.com/pages/accessories/baby-blanket

You can also head over to their website to explore more products:
http://www.soulslings.com/index.cfm

The demons of the post-partem times

Everyone speaks about how wonderful it is to have a baby and how amazing being a mother feels. For all those who have been following my blog will concur with the fact that all the information you have from me about having a baby and the times after that are all fun and merry work. But it is not entirely that. Post delivery challenges are real and affect mostly everyone. If you meet a mother, who admits to having sailed through without a hiccup, the time after she delivered her baby, she is either too strong willed to accept defeat or she is just too proud to accept that anything was off. 

Let me make one thing very clear. Getting pregnant and having a baby are the two most rewarding experiences of a mother's lives. When I talk about the downside of post delivery experiences, I do not in anyway undermine the joy of birth. I am merely making the reader aware of what a new mother goes through in varying proportions. 

Here are some demons that the new mother faces head-on with the arrival of the baby:

1) Post partem depression

Post partem depression or PPD is real and grips women when they are least suspecting it. The counter to PPD is given as, 'she just had a baby, how can she be sad?' Well, women who are diagnosed with PPD do not hate their babies. In fact, they succumb to PPD because of the baby in their lives. Suddenly, a life depends on them for its well being and health and that overtakes every other thing on the mother's mind. Multiply that feeling of responsibility with raging pregnancy hormones in the system and you have a mother who is too weepy, emotional, angry and frustrated all at the same time. Add to that, being sleep deprived does not help the new mothers one bit. I, for one, am the most non-weepy person there is. I did not shed one tear or feel all too overwhelmed when I heard the baby's first cry and saw her in the box but I cried my eyes out the first night I sat through nursing the baby. Hormones. Luckily, I had the support of my husband and the family to help me with the baby and I was back to my normal cynical self. 

2) Neglect

A lot of women feel neglect when the new baby arrives as the focus of everyone's attention is not her anymore. Not that women are attention seekers but having gone though rigorous labor or a c sec surgery makes mommies a tad too emotional and needy. The feeling of neglect grows manifold especially when the husband decides to pay extra attention to the baby instead of her. A little advise to the new Papas. For the first couple of weeks post-delivery, go out of your way to make your woman feel special. Just little somethings like flowers, a backrub, chocolates or a simple pat on the cheek. The feeling of being neglected with subside substantially and she will not feel sidestepped. 

3) Overwhelm

A new mother in many cases is a proud mother. Today, women are well read and well informed. A little too informed actually. But having a baby is not about how well you know your shizz, it's about hands on knowledge. 

4) Under the scanner
A new mom is always under the scanner. What she does, how she raises the baby, the decisions she takes to that end, everything is being judged right from day one. And that is not a pleasant situation. A new mother needs to be advised only when she seeks the same from you. And you are out to give her some unsolicited advise, then be gentle and humble about it. She is already a sack of emotions and raging hormones. Do not judge her and put her to distress. Be supportive. 

5) Mommy-shaming

A mother does not choose to not breastfeed her baby. But sometimes due to various reasons (which she may choose to divulge or not) the mother chooses formula for her child instead of direct breastfeeding. DO NOT SHAME HER. She is looking out for her baby and whatever made her decide to go a certain way, let's leave the mother to it, shall we! Also, it took me a little over a week to feel emotionally connected with my little one. I had no immediate 'motherly' feelings taking over my mind as soon as I saw her, it took me time to get there. And I am glad I was not judged for the same. I eventually became the textbook version of a mother: overprotective, nursing, making goo-goo eyes at the baby. And that happened only because I was allowed to live with myself and not shamed for anything. 

Next time you meet a new mother, greet her with warmth and preferably a chocolate. There is nothing in the world that chocolate cannot cure.

Until next time,
D

Baby Hashtag Speaks | My third month

It's been really exhausting, this past month. All I want is to feed and sleep and my mother still gets it all wrong. This is a snippet of a conversation we had one mazy afternoon. But of course, I cry when I talk to her. These dialogues have been translated for your benefit. 

Baby Hashtag (Me): I want food

Mumma: OK, come, let me feed you

*settles in to nurse*

Me: But I said I want to sleep

Mumma: Oh I thought you said you were hungry. No worries, I'll rock you to sleep. 

Me: Woman, I need foooood!

Mumma: But you just rejected being nursed.

Me: I am hungry and sleepy. Do something. 

Mumma: OK, let me nurse you and you can fall asleep while doing that

Me: OK. Om nom nom nom nom....Zzzzzz

Mothers, I tell you!

I am fast approaching that phase where I do not sleep as much I slept in the first few weeks of my life. And when I know I am sleepy, I need help falling asleep because I cannot sleep on my own, try as I might. It will only get worse for mumma as my fourth month approaches when I will have severe sleep regression. I am not enjoying this okay, it is a developmental phase and like everything else, this too shall pass.

Anyhoo, this went on for about 2-3 days after which mumma understood my wavery ways and learned to get on with it. I am now nearing the fourth month mark which according to a lot of aunties is now a safe age for me to venture out of home. What they don't know is that mumma takes me out 'every' evening for a change of scenery. On some days, when dad is home early, he takes me out as well. Both of them have separate carriers for me. Mumma uses a Soul ring sling while Papa uses an ergonomic carrier from Luvlap. 

Moving on.

I kind of enjoy tummy time now, not entirely because who enjoys landing facedown on the playmat after holding their head for a few seconds. It was adventurous the first few times, but now seriously, my head hurts. But tummy times are longer than earlier and I am getting rather good at supporting my head up. I am mighty proud of that actually. Mumma keeps telling Papa that she will increase the duration of tummy time sessions as days go by. Yay. Not.

I am also starting to get the whole 'turn to the side' vibe. It's fun to look at things from that perspective. But funny thing is whenever I turn on my side, mumma anticipates that I will roll over completely and I just come back again on my back to tease her. I carry on this charade for a good 15-20 times and each time she gets super excited. Silly mommy.

I take smaller naps in the day and I sleep happier in the night. So no worries there. Rather what bugs me the most is the bath session. Massage, I get. But this whole deal with water I don't get. Why is it so liquidy and scary and I don't seem to figure it out. As long as I cannot understand it, I cannot make my peace with it. So the whole time I am massaged, I am merry. And as soon as water touches my body, I scream like a banshee.

I am gaining weight at a slow and steady rate but the doc says its healthy so I am chill. Oh and I also got my 10 week vaccinations administered during this time. Two days went by sort of okay thanks to the paracetamol drops. The thighs where the needle poked me did hurt a lot so massages and baths were suspended for two days and I enjoyed that immensely. More on my developmental milestones and vaccinations, mumma will talk in a separate post. I, now, need to get back.

Until next time,

Taa!

Lots of love,

Baby Hashtag

Soul Earth Single Layer Woven Cotton Ring Sling

Before Soul got in touch with me to send their products, I had ordered myself a ring sling. The team was ever so kind to send it to me the very next day. I chose the cotton version over linen mostly keeping in mind the price point. 

Wearing Baby Hashtag on a particularly busy afternoon. She is at ease and eventually I have gotten the hang of tying the sling right

I have been using it for over a month now and I have my opinions about it, good and bad. I have worn my little one in the sling over a dozen times so far and initially I used to thread and unthread the sling every time I used it. After a couple of times, I realised it would be better for me to test and thread the sling once properly and get as many uses out of it as can be. Next fortnight onwards, I did keep my threaded sling at the ready but loosening and tightening the sling does get a tab but difficult as the material of the sling is slightly more denser than linen. It will take some time for you to get used to it, just like I did but after getting the baby's posture right and the snug, I have been wearing her practically all the time. She is still yet to fall asleep whilst being worn but baby hashtag does show signs of tiredness, so hopefully one day she will fall asleep while I am wearing her.

The fact that the fabric of the ring sling is handwoven and 100% natural, makes for one hell of a product. It's breathable, safe and wonderful for the baby's skin. However, when you are wearing your baby for the first time, do make sure to follow the instructions to the T. It takes practise to get used to the sling but once you get the hang of it, it is the ultimate carrier option there is.

I love how compact the sling is. It hardly takes up any space in the carry on tote or the diaper bag even. I just have one issue though. The place I live in is extremely humid owing to its proximity to the sea. So when I wear the baby, we tend to sweat a lot. If this happens at home, it is no bother at all. But if we step out in sling while I'm wearing her, there is no way I can take of the sling without making the sweat on the front of my clothes noticeable to everyone. There is also no graceful way to wearing the sling (without the baby) in such a case unless I unthread it completely and drape it like a dupatta. This may sound trivial but this happened to baby hashtag, her papa and I when we stepped in to a five star hotel to relish a particularly delish brownie. When I took her out of the sling, I was drenched in sweat and I could only cover it whilst still wearing the threaded sling as I was to wear the baby again on our way back home. Not the best look I've sported.

All in all, I would recommend this sling if you are looking for a carrier to wear your baby. The versatility of the sling is such that it allows you to wear your newborn as well your toddler. If you have both, then try tandem wearing. If you have any doubts about their products, Soul is always ready to help you out. They are one of the most approachable brands I have met in recent times. And I am not a very easy person to please. 

Soul products come with self explanatory brochures that talk in detail about the product you have chosen along with the very many ways you can use and tie them (if it is carrier). They also have the most adorable variety of products, apart from the standard carriers. But more on that, in the next post. If you still need visual help as to how to use the Soul products, do subscribe to their Facebook channel. 
https://www.youtube.com/user/soulslings

Will be back soon with a new post/review unless Baby Hashtag feels the need to take over the blog with her latest rant.

Cheers,
D

P.S. This is not a sponsored post.

Baby Hashtag speaks | My second month

Things around me haven't changed much but I have. I am supposed to, right?

I just moved from my Nani-Maa's home to my own home in Kakinada last week. While I am adjusting to the new living conditions here, I do miss the cosiness of my maternal home in Hyderabad. But here, Papa Hashtag is around more and I love it. 

I am in the third month now and month#2 was a fun ride. I got another one of those wretched vaccinations. In the 6th week to be precise. The doctor did ask Mumma to give me fever medication much in advance so I hardly felt the temperature rise. But the pointy needle hurt so much more than I had signed up for. I am used to yawning, stretching and playing and unknowingly I did stretch the vaccination-administered leg a little too hard. Result? Unknowable pain. What did I do? I cried. It seemed like hours but I heard Mumma tell Nani that it was for a few minutes. Urgh, I don't think I am getting the hang of time anytime soon. 

Which is why nap times have become quite a hassle. While I nap happily and wake up fresh after what seems like hours, Mumma exclaims that I drifted to sleep for 10 minutes only. Honestly, I am exasperated that I cannot talk already and reason with her. So in its place, I choose to be cute and smile into space. Speaking of staring into space, all that staring has got me a new friend. That colourful pointy thing on the ceiling is bae. It goes round and round whenever I look at it and it is just the best. For reasons even I cannot fathom, that thing on the ceiling that everyone calls fan, is my favourite!

To Mumma's happy luck, I sleep better and longer at night, waking up only to feed and drifting off to sleep immediately after. Once in a week, I do stay up after this midnight nursing session and play with everyone before crying my lungs out and falling back to sleep. Hey hey hey I know what you are thinking! If I establish a routine so early in life, where is the fun. There's got to be some unpredictable moments right? 

Oh and did I tell you that I totally rejected the bottle of expressed milk when Mumma offered it to me. She wanted to check if I fed from the bottle directly so she could take a break and let someone else babysit me once in a while. Not so soon Mom, you are not leaving my sight for at least six months now. Even after that, I cannot guarantee you anything (cue evil laughter)

Mumma started wearing me in this ring sling from Soul Slings. It was kinda uncomfortable at first but I love how snug it is now. She also switched from Himalaya to MamaEarth for baby products. To be honest, I don't miss Himalaya at all. Mum did blog about her experience with the MamaEarth products. You can read it here:

http://hashtagdisha.blogspot.in/2017/01/review-mamaearth.html

Also, I now talk louder. There are variations in my tone so I can express different emotions like happiness, hunger, irritation, anger, pain and mirth. I leave the interpreting to the adults. My job right now is just to be cute. And I think I am getting mighty good at it.

That is all for the second month update. See you soon!

Lots of love,
Baby Hashtag

Review | Mamaearth

A couple of weeks before Baby Hashtag was born, my nesting instincts kicked in and I was so insistent to get everything ready for the baby, it drove my mother crazy. One fine day, out of the blue, I realised I had not stocked up on any baby products vis-a-vis cleaning, wiping and bathing needs. It was then I hopped on to amazon and ordered Johnsons baby products. It was only two days into the baby's birth that I was strictly informed by my paediatrician to avoid all Johnsons baby products for they have been known to have toxins and some carcinogenic agents. In my defense, I have grown up with Johnsons baby products and buying those seemed like the natural progression.

Anyhoo, I immediately switched over to Himalaya baby products and let's just say, the experience has been satisfactory. I limit the use of baby products anyway, using only natural oils like coconut oil and mustard oil to use on Baby Hashtag's body and scalp. 

About a month ago, I came across a new range of baby products Mamaearth and luckily enough and I was sent across a few samples of the same a few days later. 

I love the fact that the Mamaearth products are toxinfree and paraben free. They are hypoallergenic and no synthetic fragrances have been added to the products. I am not big on baby products smelling sweet, I am just concerned with how well my baby responds to it. And Baby Hashtag has been using these products for a week now and she loves them. She sleeps a little more soundly after having been massaged with the Mamaearth soothing massage oil and bathing with the Mamaearth body wash. The body lotion is very hydrating and has been working wonders in this chilly Hyderabad winters. I have used the Mamaearth shampoo quite sparingly but I do love that it leaves my baby's hair and scalp moisturised. 

Mamaearth products are certified by MadeSafe for being toxin free. Seeing that not many baby product brands are a total 100% safe, this certification relieves me. Needless to say, I am looking at using these products for a longer time now in the future. 

If you want to know more about the product range, their contents and want to buy them then you can follow this link:

http://www.momjunction.com/mama-earth/

Baby Hashtag speaks | My first month

Hello World! 

Life on Earth is fun. Not on vaccination days. But otherwise, it's a fun place and fun time to be alive. It was fun in the first week, napping for 20 hours straight, waking up only to feed and then dwindling back into that merry sleep stupor again. But sleep has gotten a tad more elusive now. My day is now a collage of random naps put together because I am hungrier than usual and sleeping sound for hours at a stretch is now a foreign concept. Nevertheless, the first month has been an adventure.

The first week went by in a haze. We were at the hospital a few days and were back home where we spent the next couple of days getting used to the new setting. Mommy is a bundle of hormones and emotions around this time and I try to make up for the overwhelming feeling she has by being all cute! Papa and the entire family are around a lot as well, trying to sneak in a picture or a video when they can. At the end of 2 weeks, I have learnt to make cute noises and gurgling sounds so now I have everyone at home wound around my finger. Each minute is an anticipatory dance of when I will chime 'ga-ga-goo-goo' next. I experienced my first growth spurt at 3 weeks and I fed round-the-clock for a couple of days. I enjoyed feeling snug and close to mommy the whole time while she got very little sleep. I take a little guilty pleasure in that but I compensated with all the adorable coo-ing and make gurgling noises. 

It has basically been a great ride and we have stepped into the second month feeling pretty proud of ourselves. By the way, I howl throughout the massage and bath sessions every morning, but secretly I love them. The post-bath naps are heavenly! Since it is winter, I am mostly dressed and covered up head-to-toe. I cannot wait for it to be sunny so I can wear them cute strappy frocks! Yay! 

Today, I am successfully past the 5 week mark and I feel nothing short of a celebration coming on. Maybe I'll treat myself to an extra hour of play time. Which only implies, one less hour of nap-time and one less hour of sleep for mommy and everyone else at home. 

See you all next month<3 font="">

Lots of love,
Baby Hashtag

Surviving the first week | Baby Hashtag is here!

A lot has changed in the last month since I wrote my last post. From a mommy-to-be, I am now a mother and the feeling is taking its own sweet time to sink in. More than anything, I am staring at the tiny tot's face longer than what is considered humanly normal and that behaviour, to me, is the epitome of completely normal. 


Speaking of parenting, I have had the craziest 20 days growing up with Baby Hashtag (to the uninitiated, that is my little one's name on the blog for all intents and purposes)
Together with the husband and my family, we are cruising along just fine barring a few hiccups I faced in the start. My first week with my new baby were the toughest and you will know why. 

But first, know this.

For new parents, a few pointers. Surviving the first week with your baby is going to be a real task. The easiest part will be nursing the baby, because babies are born stronger than we think. They are designed to be tough cos they are going to be handled by new parents, who try as they might, do not win at the parenting game. Not in the first couple of weeks at least. As time passes by and you get used to the new addition to your life, the baby is already used to you and guiding you through day-to-day with an unmatched dexterity. You think you have it under control, but in reality, it is the baby who runs the show and frankly you have to be okay with that. Whenever you can, hold your baby close. Learn how to swaddle the baby. 

New moms, pay heed. You are going to be an emotional wreck. How much ever prepared you are in advance and no matter how much pre-natal yoga you did, this is going to be your reality. The sleeplessness and the raging hormones will make you weep like a wimpy kid and weep, for no solid reason, you will. My image of being the crazy bad-ass comfortably took a tumble when I was bawling my eyes out on the second day after the baby for no reason at all. Let's just say, the waterworks will be your steady companion, especially in the first month post-baby. Teach yourself on all the feeding and nursing basics and be prepared, mentally at least. Choose the paediatrician well in advance because you will have a lot of questions about your baby that only they can answer reliably. Research about a competent Lactation Consultant in your area and stay in touch with them as well, for obvious reasons. Then there is the first round of vaccinations that will be administered to the baby in the first week of her birth. Stay strong and do not crumble into a crying heap at the sight of your baby in pain. Be practical about the coming fever post-vaccination and stay sharp. Cold sponges and cluster feeding your baby helps when they are running a high temperature. 

New dads, your turn now. Your wife is in that constant state of wanting attention. And now with the baby being the centre of everyone's universe, her feeling of being unwanted has only further deepened. Be patient to her temper tantrums and hysterical crying episodes. You made it through her 9 months of mood swings, a couple more months won't add to your woes. Be kind to her, but not sympathetic. Most importantly, help change diapers and do other baby-related chores. Ease her out of the overwhelmed self she is slowly sinking into. Keep the spirits high and treat her like the queen.

Amidst the tears, hormones, sweat, midnight feeding sessions and short naps, exhaustion, there are going to be those glorious moments when you will look at your baby and all this will seem too petty. Make that feeling your biggest incentive and dive into a new day with the baby with renewed zeal and love. I am in love each day, falling for the little Baby Hashtag over and over again. And that, keeps me going.

Acceptance and busting Pregnancy-related Myths

I have never complied by rules on the first go. If someone asks me to do something a certain way, I first do the opposite and then if that does not bode well with me I will return to do things the way I was first asked to do. So naturally, my first instinct is usually to revolt and if that does not work, I recede.

So when I found out I was pregnant, I was bombarded with all sorts of dos and don'ts that I needed to take care of for the impending gestation period. Not just people, the books and the websites and every little material I read and saw tried to put me off certain things more than anything. And being the natural 'chill'er in life, I paid little or no attention to most advice that was doled out to me. 

It was then that my husband pointed out a general flaw in my personality that I characteristically emote disapproval through my face more often than I need to and that hit home! Even though my intention was not such, my face emoted my detachment from the advise as soon as it was given to me. I decided to be a little more accepting of things that were said to me, especially by family, because of course they mean well and 'all they want is good health for you and the baby', I told myself. 

So with time, I adopted a more tolerant attitude toward said things but I did not completely shed my disapproving behaviour. I transformed into a more logical self, analysing things I was told to do and adjusting them to suit the needs of the baby and me. It was in the course of these meticulous 5 months of analysing, over analysing, incessantly reading and personal experiences that I came to realise that some pregnancy related advice are essentially myths.  

1. The Great 'Khatta khaane ka mann' logic
No, you do not suddenly want to eat all the achaar and the khatta imli when you conceive. Some have the hankering for sweet food and some for savoury. I, for one, oscillated between the two. You feel like eating a lot of sour things to basically ease the first trimester nausea but that too, for some women, is a temp thing which last a couple of weeks.

2. Sleeping on your right is a strict NO-NO
Yes, the doctors will advise you to avoid sleeping on your back. Sleeping on your back compromises the blood flow to the uterus and the baby. Also, towards the end of the third trimester, your lungs will feel burdened if you sleep on your back and so your cuddle up on your side. But one of the scariest things I have heard is that sleeping on your right results in the birth of a still-born. I have met with a fair few doctors and practitioners in my present term and there is no medical proof backing this claim. 

3. The many many legends of guessing the baby's gender
The silver chain and ring test, the sweet-savoury craving test, the shape of the tummy test. There are all kinds of small little legends that people have to determine the gender of the baby. Personally, my husband and I never really put a lot of thought into it. When someone tries to predict the gender of the baby, I laugh it off by saying that there is at least a 50% chance they are right. Either way.

4. You have got to eat for two!
No! You have got to eat healthy, being an expecting mum. And the doctor will advise you of the same after taking into consideration your medical history. And when they tell you to eat for two, pile on the nutrition, not the portion size! 

5. Pile on the kilos
Not all mommys-to-be need to put on anywhere between 10 to 15 kilos while preparing themselves for the baby. You can put on anywhere between 5 to 18 kilos but the range is decided upon by your doctor after taking your BMI into account. Since I am an overweight woman, I have been advised to gain weight in the 5-8 kilo bracket. With the right food, exercise and activity, the less than needed gain weight does not affect the baby at all.

6. Do not drive!
Agreed that the first couple of months, you are on tenterhooks about the whole driving thing. You want to but you are too scared to and so you completely do not. But personally, driving is something which is a lot more convenient than riding a bike (which you should avoid because of increased accident risks) Take a couple of months off in the beginning if you are unsure, but you can resume driving if your back feels fine. Plus the kick from driving is more soothing than anything else.

7. The third trimester will only make you look and feel unattractive.
Maybe. But not always. Pregnancy glow is not a thing abundantly found among women. In that case, use makeup to your rescue. And yes, you will feel tired most of the time but lean on your husband to lift up your spirits when you are feeling unattractive (read troll-like)

Before you take my word for it entirely, these are the things I have generally found to be non-applicable in my case. But if you do try to google their authenticity, you will find at least one hit on the first page that will debunk my claim as well. So, like me, do venture out to make your pregnancy your own personal experience than being chained to some age-old things you are forced to comply by. And do this whilst being accepting of all opinions. 

Cheers! 
D