25 days long vacation, with siddhant and to india, with a flight travel of 24 hrs? Yes you got it!
First, travelling with siddhant was not difficult, he was such a well behaved kid, never cried at take off and landings. The only difficulty i had was yes nursing him in the flight. There was so little space, I had to nurse an overly active boy, who wanted to look all around him and still nurse.
You would think that a 4 month old boy who sleeps, 14-15 hours a day woud not face a jet lag. Really? Ofcourse he had one and it last for 1 whole week, where he would start playing at around 2-3 in the night, when all we wanted to do was sleep. But well, that whole week, neither ruts nor i got to sleep (day nor night).
In the midst we had a wedding in the family and that added to the more strain, though siddhant and i did not attend most of the fucntions.
The social character, yes Siddhant, had fun with everyone around him. Enjoyed the company of the many grand uncles and aunts and cousins and not to miss out the maid at home and ofcourse his grandparents. Not a bit of stranger anxiety.
Oh, have to mention. Siddhant lived like a true indian (coming from the americas). Going out to the mall, walking down the street, playing on the floor and creeping all around the room he was layed in. The only thing american he did was to drink mineral water. Apart from that, we had not taken any precautions. He stayed healthy, without falling sick and built up his immune system.
Thursday, March 17, 2005
Wednesday, March 16, 2005
The first 3 months
No wonder they "mothers and grandmothers" say that one needs atleast 40 days of rest before you can be up and working. And no wonder the girls go away to the mother's place for delivery. Wee need that rest!
Staying in the US, we wanted to stay back here and take advantage of the top hospital care etc. So, instead of me going to mom's thats india, mom came here to help me out the last month and the months after delivery. Beleive me, those days of help cant be forgotten.
Though personally i was up and active after a few days of delivery and wanted to be as active as possible. I was fine, recovered very fast et all, the sleepless nights were all OK, and did not seem to bother much until after the first month. It was only after that things were taking a toll. The routine of feeding siddhant, giving him a bath, putting him back to sleep, feeding, playing etc..and not to miss out the 10-12 diaper changes that have to be done. And newborns poop at night too, so in the middle of sleep to wash his poop, was no doubt exhausting.
After so much work, the lack of sleep started to take a toll, i wanted to sleep whenever i had the chance. Always hoping Siddhant would sleep for a long period of time. But it was not in my hands. The newborns apparently dont have any schedule, they wake up hungry, you feed them, then play a little bit and go back to sleep. So basically, he was up for an hour or so, then off to sleep for half an hour or if i am lucky more.
I guess my fast recovery was due to my yoga practice before, during and after pregnancy. I have continued it, though at some point i just wanted to sleep instead of getting some exercise.
Mom left when siddhant was 2 months old. I missed her, but was glad to get back to my routine and set a schedule for the entire family. And let me tell you, setting schedules with a newborn almost never goes according to schedule. The moment you think he is on a schedule, his routine is changing as he is going through a growth spurt :) and his schedule goes for a "sixer" (cricket terminology).
As such rutvik and i are very lucky. Siddhant was never troublesome and he slept through the night from the time he was born. Ofcourse just used to get up for his night feedings and then went back to sleep.
Staying in the US, we wanted to stay back here and take advantage of the top hospital care etc. So, instead of me going to mom's thats india, mom came here to help me out the last month and the months after delivery. Beleive me, those days of help cant be forgotten.
Though personally i was up and active after a few days of delivery and wanted to be as active as possible. I was fine, recovered very fast et all, the sleepless nights were all OK, and did not seem to bother much until after the first month. It was only after that things were taking a toll. The routine of feeding siddhant, giving him a bath, putting him back to sleep, feeding, playing etc..and not to miss out the 10-12 diaper changes that have to be done. And newborns poop at night too, so in the middle of sleep to wash his poop, was no doubt exhausting.
After so much work, the lack of sleep started to take a toll, i wanted to sleep whenever i had the chance. Always hoping Siddhant would sleep for a long period of time. But it was not in my hands. The newborns apparently dont have any schedule, they wake up hungry, you feed them, then play a little bit and go back to sleep. So basically, he was up for an hour or so, then off to sleep for half an hour or if i am lucky more.
I guess my fast recovery was due to my yoga practice before, during and after pregnancy. I have continued it, though at some point i just wanted to sleep instead of getting some exercise.
Mom left when siddhant was 2 months old. I missed her, but was glad to get back to my routine and set a schedule for the entire family. And let me tell you, setting schedules with a newborn almost never goes according to schedule. The moment you think he is on a schedule, his routine is changing as he is going through a growth spurt :) and his schedule goes for a "sixer" (cricket terminology).
As such rutvik and i are very lucky. Siddhant was never troublesome and he slept through the night from the time he was born. Ofcourse just used to get up for his night feedings and then went back to sleep.
Sunday, March 13, 2005
First Time Mom Talking!
A first time mom, exhausted? Sure i am!
Siddhant is now 5.5 months and i am slowly getting into the grips of motherhood. Learning everyday on how i can be a better mom, at the same time telling myself that my mothering skills are unique, irrespective of how other mothers keep talking of their own mothering skills.
Everyone has told me while i was pregnant, that having a child is a tough job. But at that time i wanted to hear, "oh nice, its going to be a lot of fun". Instead i used to keep telling them " I am going to have fun and i am ready for it". Decided that, when i see another pregnant lady, i will always tell her, "have fun now and you are surely going to have more fun later! Just that the definition of fun will be different after a child"
And now being a mother, the first 3 months was EXHAUSTING. If not for my mother (Geeta) and my husband (Rutvik), i would not have been a sane human being. Nursing him every 2 hours with sleepless nights, which makes you have a hangover feeling through out the following day and days....oooooo. Hard to really describe it in words. Every mom who reads this will surely understand.
And now, its FUN, beleive me, i feel like a mother now, feel i really have a son now. I know he knows that i am his caregiver (dont know yet if he knows i am his mother until he calls me one). The reality has sunk in and its an absolutely wonderful feeling.
There is one thing i learn everyday, patience and how to be more patient :). Which i did have in me. But i think, this motherhood stuff has a whole different patience ball game to it. I have to keep relearning it everyday.
Siddhant is now 5.5 months and i am slowly getting into the grips of motherhood. Learning everyday on how i can be a better mom, at the same time telling myself that my mothering skills are unique, irrespective of how other mothers keep talking of their own mothering skills.
Everyone has told me while i was pregnant, that having a child is a tough job. But at that time i wanted to hear, "oh nice, its going to be a lot of fun". Instead i used to keep telling them " I am going to have fun and i am ready for it". Decided that, when i see another pregnant lady, i will always tell her, "have fun now and you are surely going to have more fun later! Just that the definition of fun will be different after a child"
And now being a mother, the first 3 months was EXHAUSTING. If not for my mother (Geeta) and my husband (Rutvik), i would not have been a sane human being. Nursing him every 2 hours with sleepless nights, which makes you have a hangover feeling through out the following day and days....oooooo. Hard to really describe it in words. Every mom who reads this will surely understand.
And now, its FUN, beleive me, i feel like a mother now, feel i really have a son now. I know he knows that i am his caregiver (dont know yet if he knows i am his mother until he calls me one). The reality has sunk in and its an absolutely wonderful feeling.
There is one thing i learn everyday, patience and how to be more patient :). Which i did have in me. But i think, this motherhood stuff has a whole different patience ball game to it. I have to keep relearning it everyday.
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