Creating a play zone for your baby

This is how I created a play area for my little one. My parents had gifted loads of furniture for my little one even before she was born (my baby being the first in her generation, at least on my family's side!). Among the lot, was a co-sleeper with a bassinet. Although the bassinet (has wheels and a mosquito net) is perfect for when I have to take the baby with me to other rooms while she is sleeping, the co-sleeper is still too big for her as of now.
So I made a play zone out of it. This below is the cot/ co-sleeper.
It is high enough that I don't have to bend too much while picking her up (my father worries about my back and the height of this cot was the main feature that made him think of getting it!), and is at level with most beds (for when I use it as a co-sleeper later). It has a beautiful mosquito net, making it look fit for a princess (which my darling baby is!)

The sides and the boundaries have nets, so she is visible to me even if the side panel is closed. This panel can fall open as shown. The locking mechanism is very good and even an adult would have a tough time closing and opening it- so, safe for kids even if they push it while inside. But you can also just close it without locking it- which I do for now, when my little one isn't able to push it. I have also rolled the excess mosquito net and clipped it to the bows on either side.

Next, I have placed a large baby mattress that has detachable side bolsters, tied in place with strings attached to the mattress. This mattress can also be place on the floor or on a bed. 

Next I placed upon the mattress a play mat (Fischer Price play and learn gifted by my first best friend ever). This play mat has 4 holders at each corner. 2 can be occupied by a giraffe and a tree with monkey soft toy, while the other 2 hold an arch with hanging toys- a penguin, a crocodile and a dog. These are interchangeable and washable. 

Next for some moving toys and music! I hung from the mosquito net holder, a MeeMee musical cot toy- it plays a soft slow music upon winding the spring. It has 5 rattle toys attached to the strings-a ball, a lion, a giraffe, an elephant and a monkey- taking together all the animals in this set up, I cook up stories for my baby.

There is a dented pillow my saasuma made for my baby and on the other end is a little blanket- for when she falls asleep while playing in the cot.

And here's a picture of my baby laying in the cot!

This lets me stay free to work and lets her get some alone play time. Of course I keep the cot next to me, attached to my bed. She plays with the hanging arch toys and tries to reach for the other hanging toys (the MeeMee cot toy can be lowered to the desired level, keeping in my mind that the toys should not hit the baby in any way).

This same set up can be made on a flat mattress or even on the ground. In your office or on the bed. I live in a village in a large rented bungalow, and that is why I can keep a bassinet, a rocker, a co-sleeper, and a traditional Indian cradle (ghodiyo) in the house. I would not recommend purchasing all of this for those of you who feel you may not have enough space.

All of these items- the furniture, are used only up to a few years, beyond which it will become storage in your house. So do not invest too much in these. However, if you wish to keep it for later use (another baby, sibling's babies, your baby's baby etc.) you can dismantle most of these products easily and can store and transport these in their respective boxes. Do not discard the cartons in which these items are delivered to you without a second thought. You can reuse them later, if you wish.

Another point- we went looking for some toys with light and music- preferably something like a MeeMee cradle cot toy but with light and music, as our baby is now attracted to multi-colored lights. However, most of the toys we found had crude or scratchy music- not so pleasing to the ears when you're used to the excellent audio quality of classical music lullaby that we play on a JBL clip speaker. And the lights were such that it would hit my little one's eyes directly. So we ended up buying a disco light bulb. Which plunges the whole room into lots of different shapes of colored patterns and can even stop her from crying! And as for music- we play it from lullaby apps online.

I do not wish to accumulate toys, despite the great collection you get in toy shops (it's a whole new world there). Because, one day they will end up in a huge nostalgic pile. My suggestion would be to buy few but quality, age appropriate toys-  little research about the type of toys in accordance with the developmental stage of your child will help.

Here are some examples:

• In the first 2 months: Rattles, which are easy to hold for you, and have a sound that wouldn't irritate your ears or the baby's ears
• Up to 4 months: Colored toys with faces and which rattle upon kicking or shaking, from here on you need to see to it that there are no small parts and no small object- pen caps, coins, buttons anything that can go into the baby's mouth, is placed near the baby. Because from here, your baby is going to try and pick up anything and everything he/she possibly can and taste it. Although most babies do not hold things as early as this, but you never know. With great difficulty said toy will be held between two hands and immediately be brought to the mouth. So yeah, keep that in mind!
• Beyond 4 months: 
• Squeaky balls- these are so soft and squeaky that even a light bump with it will produce a squeak. 
• Also, teethers and toys that can be sterilized or washed easily- because without a doubt your baby will be tasting toys by now!

Bathing your baby

In India, a new mother and her baby are given massages by an elderly dai for the first 45 days, excluding the first 10-15 days. It is said to have various benefits. But, some do not recommend getting such massages done due to the force used by these dais while massaging the mother's abdomen or the baby, whose joints could get affected.

I was apprehensive about the dai that my mother had arranged for me, and I had agreed only because said dai was a newly retired nurse who had been offering similar services to the bed- ridden stroke patients and new mums around the area.

Once I met her, however, I decided to give it a try. She was firm but gentle with my baby and me. I guess, for me it was more about pampering myself. For my baby, it was a different matter- she was so good with the little baby, I doubt I would have handled the baby as well as she did in those first few weeks. We got the massages only for 2 weeks, as I had to return to my marital home after that.

But I learnt from her, the art of massaging and bathing a baby. And of course, reading up from The Baby Book (by the Sears doctors) as well as counting upon my own experiences while massaging and bathing my own baby, I will describe how I massage and bath my baby.

So, once I was settled into my home in Gujarat, I decided to take care of bath time with my baby by myself. It is great for mother baby bonding time, and it gave me confidence too- as a mum.

Initially I had to see to it that there was someone in the house in that duration, so I could call for help if needed. I didn't though. I could manage on my own. Other than asking for a towel or to ask someone to switch off the geyser etc. Which if you plan properly can be done by you.

Today I bath my baby anytime I want, without needing anyone else. But I still see to it that the maid is around or my neighbour is in her house. Just in case.

Remember to watch out for new rashes or spots or anything new on your baby's skin, any lumps on your baby's scalp or body.

So here's how I go about bath time!

• You'll need
• Lukewarm water- 1 bucket
• A mug
• 2 fluffy towels (I alternate between the towels) to lay on the floor or in the tub/sink
• 1 plastic mat
• Baby massage oil
• Baby shampoo
• Baby -top to toe wash/ baby body wash/ baby soap
• 1 large baby towel, 1 small hand towel
• Changing area to dress your child - diaper and all
• A change of clothes
• Remember:
• See to it that the baby has been fed before a bath, but not immediately before- I leave a gap of around 20 mins between a feed and the bath
• It would be preferable to have someone to call if you need help
• Be careful when you stand up with the baby to step into or out of the bathroom
• Location:
• Bathroom floor
• Area beside the kitchen sink
• Inside the kitchen/ wash area sink - if the sink is large and stable enough, place the fluffy towel in the sink, so that there is no slipping and no injury if baby accidentally hits her head or a joint on the sink
• In a bath tub

I usually give my baby a bath in the bathroom- on the floor. This can be done anywhere- even in an open space or a sunny open area

• Steps:

MASSAGE:

• Lay a folded fluffy towel on the floor
• Place the plastic mat in the middle of the towel
• Switch on the geyser (to prepare a bucket of hot water for the bath, meanwhile you can massage the baby)
• Lay the baby down gently on her back (remove and toss the cloth and soiled diaper outside- you don't want to create a mess with the cloth becoming wet once you wash the baby)
• Rub your hands together and warm them, take a small amount of baby massage oil and start massaging- I begin with her head and apply just a bit on her face followed by generously applying it and massaging her hands and legs. Proceed to the chest and belly. Be careful of the folds on the thighs and the genitals
• Flip the baby carefully (slippery little cuties) on her belly and see to it that her nose is free. Massage the head (be very gentle), then rub the back and bum and the backs of the legs. Massage the shoulders and the neck carefully.
• BE GENTLE. BE AS GENTLE AS POSSIBLE. While massaging as well as while handling the baby

BATH:

• By now, the water is ready. Check the water temperature and see to it that the water is not too hot or too cold.
• Pour some water on the baby and begin the bath
• I use a top to toe wash during the winters as it is faster
• As the baby is on its belly- apply shampoo (if you're using it) on the head first- as the entire head is accessible in the belly up position
• Next apply the body wash over the back, carefully washing behind the ears, the neck folds, the bum and between the toes
• Be very careful as you flip over the baby on its back (extra slippery due to the soap) and support the baby's head and neck with your palm as you flip the baby
• The face does not need soap, although you can wash the face if you so wish
• This is when I make horns with my baby's hair which has shampoo in it!
• Apply the body wash/ soap in the neck folds, under the arms, between the fingers (which are always in my baby's mouth these days), folds under the belly, belly button, genitals, and the thigh folds (which will increase as your baby becomes chubby)
• Special care needs to be taken in case of healing wounds (in circumcised babies or babies that underwent surgery)
• Once you are done with applying the body wash/soap, hold the back of your baby's neck or upper back with one hand, while the baby's bum rests on the mat (to prevent water going into the baby's nose and mouth) and wash off the soap, gently rubbing so that no soap is left. You can pour the water over your hand as you rub the baby instead of directly pouring it over the baby
• Wash the face by taking water in your cupped hand- as one would wash their own face
• Flip the baby over once again and wash off the back of the head, the back, the bum and the backs of the legs
• Wash off any remaining soap
• My baby makes a very funny face if I pour water over her face- watery eyes, tongue sticking out. Pretty sure she doesn't like it though!
• Place the baby towel in your lap and then lay the baby on its back, upon the towel. Using the same towel and a smaller spare one dry the hair and face first, then dry the rest of the baby, again keeping in mind the folds
• Bring the baby to a dry area where fresh clothes and a diaper change is ready
• Put on the diaper first (if you are using one at the time) followed by the clothes. Technically babies do not need talcum powder. I apply baby cream/ moisturizer during the winter- a bonus massage!

 I bath my baby once in 2 days (and every time she poops- which she does once in 5-8 days for now). The days she doesn't get a bath, my baby gets a nice warm sponging:)

I hope you look forward to bath time with your baby!

Why did the baby cry?

Babies cry for a variety of reasons. And you must always be diligent about the reason why babies cry. Although on a regular basis, crying babies can be managed easily. (Yeah yeah, easier said than done.)

I have found that my baby cries for some very specific reasons:

• She is sleepy - so i rock her and put her to sleep, or in the cradle
• She is hungry - obviously I feed her then (Feeding calms down my baby in almost any instance- except colic- then she is bound to throw up, or if she is not hungry and I still try to feed her, she cries even more)
• Do not be scared of a child's throw up. It is quite natural and common. But do read up or research it if you need to hone your gut instincts- after all, your gut instincts need to depend on some basic knowledge!
• There's something blocking her nose (lovingly called googa in my Gujarati sasural and shenda in my peehar!) or the dryness is causing her difficulty in breathing- we use a small humidifier for a few minutes to take care of such a scenario. Or if there's dried mucus, you need to get it out.
• Nappy is wet or diaper is heavily soiled- change it! I have learnt to smell it out- gross as it sounds- it is very useful in case i cannot afford to lay her down and check the diaper from the side!
• She has colic- will feel better if you try burping her or cycling her legs, and if it doesn't resolve, she will need colicaid or some other medicine
• She simply wants to be held- so i hold my little baby and rock her till she is calm and her breathing settles down.

These are common manageable reasons for a baby crying. And i have found these in my baby , she is 4 months now. It helped me manage better knowing what the issue could be.

But be warned babies cry for a lot of reasons, including sickness.

Here are some things to remember when your baby cries:

• STAY RATIONAL. STAY CALM. I cannot emphasise how much this has helped me. Staying calm helps me think about what could be causing my child grief and also helps me screen through the instant, worried, and sometimes  voices coming towards me.
• Do not get angry on yourself or your partner
• Do not get angry if the baby cries because of a minor accidental event- it could have been done by you too. Explain this to your family too, accidental reasons for crying will happen- despite all you care. So don't go about blaming yourself or anyone else.
• It is normal for a baby to cry. It is literally their only way of communicating.
•  It is not anybody's fault that a baby cries. No one is making the baby cry.
• Have faith in yourself. You are the mother/ father of the child. You can do this.

The Hospital Stay for Delivery

The apprehension and excitement aside, you have to prepare for the delivery. Literally. The mental prep differs from patient to patient. I was quite anxious, despite calming speeches by everyone in my family, despite my husband being a gynecologist, despite being a doctor myself and having assisted deliveries and C sections before. Nothing, and I shit you not, nothing will prepare you for the arrival of your baby. Perhaps I was one of the lucky ones, fully awake during the C section and there being absolutely no pain. [The next few days were achy and stuff, but you forget that in the excitement of the baby, your family's happiness, the joyful whatsapp updates you get to send among other things! I was just dying to get my hands on my phone and share photos of my baby with my inner circle of friends!]

Because I used to keep jumping out of anxiety (I would literally hop from one foot to the other) in my doctor's OPD, she kindly gave me another new mum's number. And this other patient (we're friends now!) took care of quite a bit of my anxiety. Her numero uno advice to me was to 100% trust my doctor. And I did. She also shared a list of things I would need for my hospital stay- since we were both going to deliver in the same hospital under the same doctor.

Somethings to prepare you for your hospital stay during delivery-

I got this organizer online and its super handy to carry to work as well!

• Your bag should contain:
• 1 dress set : something loose fitting and comfortable to wear when you are discharged and get to go home (yay)
• 4 Maternity underwear: These are super comfy panties- huge and soft (I have no idea how people go back to wearing normal panties after wearing these!)
• Bathroom kit: you'll probably be asked to take a bath a couple of hours before the surgery- although you've to wear hospital clothes till you're in the hospital
• Face wash
• Soap/ Body wash
• Shampoo
• Hair band/ clutch clip- whatever you use
• Comb (for the last photo with the pregnancy glow before you deliver)
• Maternity pads
• For the first few days, at least till you're in the hospital, they will probably use hospital grade maternity pads
• And instead of buying maternity pads you can use xxl or the large sized sanitary pads once you get home
• Face napkins/ bath towel
• Nipple shields: again these you can buy if you're having difficulty feeding your baby and only after the advice of your nurse or doctor. A kind nurse at the hospital took pity on my crying baby and a frustrated me and advised nipple shields to aid the feeding process
• Breast pump: if needed
• 2 Shawls: keep spares because:
• You're going to have leakage and dark colored printed shawls help in preventing this embarrassment (there is nothing to be ashamed of, its natural, but in the beginning you may feel embarrassed when the front of your dress starts showing wet patches. It happens to everyone, and in case it does happen, take it in stride and laugh it off! Later however, you can use nursing bras and breast pads) 
• You need spare ones if the one you're using has become wet because of leakage or because the new born decided to throw up on it
• Your baby's bag should have:
• 2 Baby blankets
• 2 sets of clothes (nothing is going to fit the baby, it is going to be loose but nevertheless
  , the baby must be kept cosy, comfortable and warm)
• preferably a button full sleeved shirt and pants
• 2 sets of cap, mittens and socks combo
• 2 muslin clothes or soft clothes to wrap the baby in
• Baby pillow (the dented ones)
• Diapers/ wipes (depending on whether it is provided by the hospital or not)
• Papa's bag should contain:
• 2 changes of clothes
• For the overnight stay and if the baby throws up on you (just in case- reading this you might think babies throw up all the time!)
• 1 towel
• 1 grooming kit (shaving kit/ comb/ hair oil/gel etc.)
• Phone charger (The visitors or family might need it, and you most certainly will to keep informing people)
• Power bank
• Other important stuff
• Hospital files 
• Hospital card (if any)
• Documents needed for financial dealings at the hospital
• Many hospitals arrange for the birth certificate of the child. So it might be best to choose a name and supply it when asked so the hospital can arrange fo the birth certificate instead of you having to run around for it- especially with all the excitement and chaos that will surely ensue once you return home

Don't dread your hospital stay. Think of the whole thing as an adventure. And try and enjoy it as much as possible!

May you have a comfortable and safe hospital stay!

The Diaper Bag

The Diaper Bag

Travelling with a baby in the first few months.

In the first few months, when my baby was exclusively brestfeeding, I carried a diaper bag as given below:

So this diaper bag is quite large, a little larger than the tote i used to carry to work. The main features here would be the 2 front pockets and a pocket on each side. This bag was purchased from design touch, a fabulously resourceful shop on Hill Road, Bandra west. It came with a tinier version of this exact same bag and a bottle shaped bag that could be clipped onto any of the handles. Another important point was the an attached elastic band on either side of the bag- inside,which will come in handy when i have to store bottle or containers upright. It also contains an attached plastic pouch to hold wet clothes or soiled diapers.

However, my description of the diaper bag is such that you can manage to travel with the little diaper world in any bag- literally any tote or handbag or air- bag. I have carried the same stuff in a very fancy Baggit tote- and it didn't even look like a diaper bag!

 Although I carry the diaper bag around quite proudly, I enjoy using my totes sometimes too. So being a new mommy does not mean you have to carry a huge diaper bag wherever you go. It depends on you. For example- when we travel over the weekends to my in laws home, I carry this bag- it's easier to access things from this bag due to its pockets and because by now my saasuma, and even saasu-pa know how things are arranged in it- so anyone can pick up and use things from it without me having to go around collecting my baby's things before we leave!

But when there is some shopping or picnic or a small outing planned, where I want to look a little more glamorous than usual, (its not just Kareena Kapoor who can look fab after having a baby!), I carry the same stuff in any bag I want to use.

An important finding I noticed was that whichever bag I use, lighter colors, especially in the interior, are preferred (my poor black bags are not much in use- its just so dark when i have to look for my little one's things in there- like hunting for things in a cave without light).

Choose your diaper bag carefully. Pockets. Light colors. A few handles to keep containers upright. Anything extra you'd like. No harm in buying more than one, especially when you travel frequently. I have just this one diaper bag. But that's because I have a huge collection of totes (I absolutely love totes). Also, I got a smaller bag with this one along with the bottle bag. If I remember correctly, this set of diaper bags was 750 rupees. And its great in quality and is quite tough. Also, easy to clean.

Coming to the front pockets- in one of them I store these-

•  A hairbrush (Part of the Safety first kit my darling nand gifted my baby)
• A squeaky toy (My baby's first toy, gifted by my sister, coincidentally our first toy and my baby's first toy both are named- Leo)
• Salin nasal drops + nasal aspirator (For that untimely googa that blocks my baby's nose, lending a nasal tone to her cries and essential to stop said cries)
• Baby powder (the small bottle which I can refill whenever I require- This came as a gift from a visiting friend of my mother- do not throw away these small containers which you will receive as gifts or will buy as a pack, these come in super handy when you have to travel and stay somewhere other than your home, or simply to carry in the diaper bag)
• Baby cream- for those dry Gujarat winters when my poor baby's cheeks are chapped :(
• Klinoderm/ diaper rash cream- to use at every diaper change
• Medicines- I usually keep only the Colicaid and allergy drops for one day travels, and others like paracetamol when we need to stay overnight or when the little madam has vaccination days

Coming to the other front pocket-

This pocket I don't fill up too much because I need some extra space to stuff my mobile, receipts,  a spare handkerchief for the baby etc

• In my humble opinion, it is safest to carry a small hand sanitizer with you at all times- you never know when you might need it. 
• A bunch of tissues-  for myself, for the baby, even for hubby dearest!
• Adult wipes- okay that sounds wrong- see once you have a baby, wipes is going to mean baby wipes, hence the term adult wipes- which should not be used for babies- as they are scented and not as chemical free as baby wipes- again, these are for the parents only- after all you need some place to store the contents of your purse as well- so why not integrate it into the one bag you need to carry!
• A rattle- for when my baby cries in the car- lucky me I usually don't need it, my baby sleeps in the car, I hope yours does too:) 

The side pocket just contains spare plastic bags/ paper bags/ newspapers for me to dispose of diapers, or to store soiled clothes. I leave the other side pocket empty to store soiled clothes or anything extra i might need to store.

 Now, for the interior of the bag-

 As you can see, it does not have any partitions. Initially I was skeptical about a diaper bag without partitions, but I realized, this gives me the freedom to store my things as I wish- Partitions would make stuffing things difficult.

This section contains:

• A stack of diapers (I usually keep 6-8 for weekend visits- for they might turn to overnight stays, otherwise, for trips shorter than 8 hours i keep 4-6 diapers)
• Accordingly, I keep a new pack of wipes for longer stays and a pack that is more than half full for other trips - you never know when babies will poop so much that you will need many wipes to clean them, yourself, etc.
• A cap with 2 pairs of mittens and socks- especially in the winters
• A minimum of 3 cloth changes (Again, poop, diarrhoea, vomiting anything can warrant a change of clothes). I keep 2 footsies (bodysuit), and a pair of button up shirt and bottoms. Sometimes I carry cloth nappies too, when the baby has diaper rash.
• The diaper changing mat with the cloth inside
• 6 hankeys for the baby- little towels actually 
• A blanket (to keep my baby cosy in the car and for when she sleeps)
• A baby pillow (to support her head while feeding, instead of carrying my feeding pillow everywhere, I just use a bunch of pillows)
• For those weekend trips I also keep a pair of extra clothes for myself (for when my darling doll pukes or poops on me)
• I also carry a shawl with me to shield from the sun or to just use as a cover while feeding. The sun shades which stick to the cars window are great in giving you much needed privacy if you feed in the car.

My advice to you, dear new mum, would be to go from what you think you'll need and even though your bag seems heavy and large at first, you can keep sorting it out with each progressing trip. 

Don't stop traveling, don't stop living as you want once you have a baby. Just take your baby with you! You just need to plan better. And I hope my experiences help you achieve just that.

Most of the time, this gets me through! However, I haven't yet experienced a time when I needed stuff beyond what I mentioned. I will write another blog about the diaper bag, once I am confident about a diaper bag that is used when the baby starts taking bottle feed and solids.

The Dreaded Diaper Rash!

The dreaded diaper rash... You will face it, regardless of the amount of care you take diapering your baby.

Diapers do not cause diaper rash. It is wet nappies and soiled diapers that do. So stop blaming diapers for diaper rashes. Now a days diapers are softer and even help babies sleep better. My little one wakes up so frequently while wearing cloth nappies, but sleeps like a log while wearing diapers. And I sleep much better knowing my baby is sleeping comfortably and I also get to sleep longer- waking up only to feed her.

Every time your baby poops frequently, or more importantly, stays in a wet/soiled diaper, your little one is going to develop diaper rashes.

It goes from a redness, you might not notice, to angry red spots along with an angrier red background in the bum area.

This is why it is extremely important to check for rash at every nappy or diaper change.

And this is also why you need air time to your baby's bum.

As expected, my baby also developed diaper rash, and would cry so miserably every time we tried to clean her bum (it's very very heart-breaking to have your little kid crying their lungs out the first time).

And though that first time was over, I was scared of rashes developing again. So after a lot of research and some great advice from 'the baby book' gifted to me by a senior, I found ways to reduce the occurrence and severity of rashes in my baby.

Mind you, I cannot prevent diaper rashes from happening, but I did successfully reduce the severity and frequency of rashes. Now even if my baby has a diaper rash I don't have to stop travelling/ stop using diapers completely, and my baby does not become uncomfortable through the duration of diaper rash.

You just have to manage better. And prevention is better than cure. And yet, even after all your preventive strategies and planning, the baby will end up having a rash.

It's normal. It's a part of being a baby.

Pathology of a diaper rash:

• Baby poops
• Baby pees
• Bacteria from poo breaks down urine to give ammonia
• Ammonia attacks baby's sensitive bum skin to cause redness
• That is why anything that keeps the skin protected is good for prevention of a rash- like a film of vaseline or ointment
• And obviously, if the causative agents- pee and poo are not in contact with the skin, the issue will not arise!

Preventing a diaper rash:

• Change your baby's diaper every 2-4   hours, regardless of your assumption about the amount of poo or pee in it, especially in very young babies
• Clean the baby
• Remember to air the diaper region/ let it dry every time you change the diaper
• As much as possible, let your baby wear cloth nappies between diaper changes
• I do this twice a day with my kid
• Apply Desitin/ Sebaderm/ Vaseline petroleum jelly to your baby's bum after every diaper change
• I use vaseline when there's no rash and desitin when there is even the slightest rash

Managing a diaper rash:

Yeah, so this is the tough part

• When your baby does develop a diaper rash- STAY CALM
• It is going to be alright. Yes, your baby will cry and squeal
• Do not blame yourself, and do not feel hurt when others blame you for your baby developing a diaper rash (it's not your fault!)
• AVOID DIAPERS/ WET CLOTH NAPPIES as much as possible
• I use diapers when my baby has rashes only while she is sleeping and when we have to travel- and only and only for that duration
• Use cloth nappies the whole day - you will see improvement by the end of the day
• Apply ointments specific for diaper rash on and off- one nappy no ointment, next nappy no creams at all
• And definitely change wet nappies as soon as possible, remove the wet cloth or mat underneath the baby too
• Any wetness is going to cause rashes. Wetness = rashes!!

Last of all- stay calm. A diaper rash should not take away your ability to play with your baby, carry on routine activity or cause you to worry endlessly. Its a rash- and like most rashes- it is manageable.

Happy Diapering!

Cloth napies and their management!

Cloth nappies, a bane and a boon for all of us. Boon- because they help prevent diaper rashes and a bane for all the cleaning up we have to do after using a cloth nappy!

As I have mentioned in my blog about diapers, I use cloth nappies in the following situations:

• 2-4 nappy consecutive nappy changes in the morning and 1-3 consecutive nappy changes in the evening on a regular basis- that comes to a few hours in the morning and the same in the evening.
• When my poor baby has diaper rash- just using cloth nappies and immediately changing them when they are soiled helps.
• When there is not much time between a diaper change and her bath or if I have to travel with her, and there's still time left before we leave.

Cloth nappies- we got a set off the net, there were 24, and I received another 6 as a part of a gift set. I assumed this was the most useless product as she was comfortably using diapers constantly for the first 3 weeks- without diaper rashes- because she soiled her diapers so frequently that we had to change them frequently- just like cloth nappies.

The problem started when she first got diaper rash. And her bum was an angry red with red splotches! It was horrible to have her crying and screaming every time we cleaned  her. But then, after I spoke to a friend who is a paediatrician, I used cloth nappies along with a suitable diaper rash ointment and in a day it had settled to just a visible rash without the baby being too uncomfortable.

Yes, cloth nappies are a blessing! And they are very useful, especially the ones I bought online- they are neat, and easy to handle.

But how do we use cloth nappies such that we don't soil the bed/ mattress, our own clothes and the babies clothes.

Steps in managing a cloth nappy-

• Cloth nappies are quite obvious, they have the tying strings and loops to hold the strings over the closed nappy.
• I place a plastic mat, and a folded old dupatta/ folded towel/ cut and folded pieces of bedsheets/ pillow covers/ or 'godadis' over the mat
• The reason for using folded cloth pieces is for easy absorption of pee (due to all the layers) and also once the cloth is wet, just unfold the cloth, wash it in water, wring it, and hang it as spread out as possible on a clothes line! I collect all such clothes in the morning and wash them with detergent the next day, all set to be used for the next cycle- which i call nappy program!
• 'Godadi' is a special type of a very thin mattress, although the term is not specific to this. My mum in law got 6-7 of these made by a tailor friend of hers. Its just layers of soft old clothes and covered with another soft cloth. You can use it as a little bed you can keep the baby in while handling the baby. Especially when the baby is sleeping or is in the arms of guests etc. I leave the wet godadi hanging by its edges on a clothes line, these absorb much better, but take a little longer to dry. And the best part is you can wash these like any other cloth. So along with the cloth pieces, this too is washed with detergent!

 

• Coming to the nappy!
• Nappies are worn the same way taped diapers are. They are just a little loose!
• Sometimes, when it is a little colder, i just tie a folded cloth piece round and round her, like a lungi!
• once the nappy and underlying cloth are soiled (my baby starts wailing if she dirties the nappy even a little bit), I simply discard them into a small bucket. It is in this bucket that I collect the next few nappies and collectively manage them as follows.
• A nappy soiled only with pee, is dunked into water, wringed and hung to dry, and washed with the other clothes from the nappy program the next day
• A nappy that has even the littlest bit of poo on it, is washed in cold water (apparently cold water removes poo stains better) and i have a small hard plastic brush for washing clothes that I use exclusively for washing off poo from any cloth. This nappy, with its stain but not actual poo, is left hanging till the time to wash it comes. Along with the other nappies, these stained nappies are also washed (mostly the next day morning or the same day evening)
• I have noticed that leaving these nappies in the sun after the detergent wash, completely removes the stain! And even if a stain does remain, I just wash it again with the next load. Repeated washing will take care of even the worst stain.
• The point here is to reduce your work load as much as possible. Once you set a routine or a protocol for managing such things, nappy change, which seemed cumbersome to me earlier, feels like a piece of cake. OMG, that sounds gross. Ok, not a piece of cake, but certainly not tiresome!

Sometimes I feel all my neighbours must know when my baby has rashes... There's a series of 20-25 nappies drying in the sun on those days!

On the days that i have to travel and my baby has worn a diaper for a longer time, I just let her wear cloth nappy in between diaper changes, so she gets the airtime she gets everyday, atlast after we come home.

Just this doesn't prevent diaper rashes for my kid. But it has reduced the frequency. Now she gets a rash only when she poops much more frequently or when, obviously, she has stayed in a soiled diaper much longer. The latter I can control!