My Indescribable First Time Mommyhood Feelings

"You never understand life until it grows inside of you."

Beautiful thought...isn't it? I bet most women who have given birth would relate to it. Pregnancy is the time when a woman is at her happiest yet most anxious self. As I came across this touching video, I couldn't help recalling the transitional time of my life...

It was the morning of January 13th of that blessed year when I was standing in the washroom holding that home-pregnancy test kit in my hand with 'positive' indication. Finding out that I'm pregnant had been exhilarating and frightening at the same time. A whole spectrum of feelings from sheer joy to outright terror ran into my heart in that one moment. While stepping out of the washroom made me feel like I'm stepping into a different world of emotions. With a bit of panic in my voice, when I shared the news with my husband and saw his joyous reaction, that’s when I knew it was the time for us to step into the next chapter of our lives 'together'. 

Right after the announcement of pregnancy, all kinds of anxieties kicked in. Women around me who were already moms would share their experiences of pregnancy and childbirth so vividly with me; but none of the advices seem adequate to subside my fear. As a few weeks passed by, I started feeling how incredibly thankful I was to God for the blessing of carrying a child. Unlike many first time moms, I was happy with the change that my body was showing to accommodate my growing baby. I believed that being pregnant is carrying a blessing in my belly. The next few months were totally devoted to indulge in self-care to allow the baby grow inside my body. It gave me a sense of pride, a holy feeling that I've a 'new life' all tucked up safely inside me. Infact, despite all those crazy hormonal changes, I had been much tougher than I sometimes gave myself credit for.

My significant other managed to do all preparations in-time as the due date was approaching to avoid forgetting anything important at the moment. We were so eager to meet the little guy who has been kicking me inside and moving around for months. ;) 

Finally the moment arrived when hearing the little one’s heartbeat was a huge relief for the expecting family. I broke into tears when I cradled the little creature in my arms for the first time. Believe me, the profound feeling of giving birth is unparallelled to anything in whole universe. It was like being rewarded by Heavens with something so pure and virtuous for all your good deeds. 

Since my baby was a preemie, I was advised by my gynaecologist to use only chemical-free, skin friendly products for my little one as he was more prone to infections than full-term babies. Since we stayed at the hospital for two weeks and the baby was not supposed to be bathed everyday, we were recommended extra-soft baby wipes from India’s #FirstWaterWipes brand Mother Sparsh to clean my baby's hands, feet, face and bottom whenever required.

These parabens and alcohol free baby wipes with neither disturbed pH balance of baby's delicate skin nor caused him skin allergies because these are made of 98% water and plant based fabric. For a #FirstTimeMom, it was no less than a gift to find such a thoughtful product that could meet newborn's needs. Since then, it was a staple item in my baby's diaper kit. For the new mommies, I would recommend to avoid ordinary baby wipes loaded with allergens and use Mother Sparsh water based wipes to offer goodness of Aloe Vera and Vitamin E to your new born. Now it's available to purchase online as well. 

Wishing all moms and moms-to-be a happy motherhood journey ahead!

How ActivKids Immuno Boosters Helped Me Become My Son’s Best Friend

"Telling a mother not to worry about her child is like telling the water not to get wet." 

When my son was born, I realised that I too had entered the big league of worrying. Delivering a preterm baby caused me heart-thumping fear that kept on growing as days passed. Sacrificing my job to be with the little one came so naturally to me that I never had to give it a second thought. There were occasions when the overwhelming weight of worries about Shamit’s health would steal the joy of holding him in my arms and I would only wish his overall development to even out with his peers as early as possible.

My anxiety piled up into trauma and crossed the line of normal care and concern the day my son had to attend school for the first time. Refusal to school was no choice, so I decided training (rather warning) my son about what should be avoided when I'm not around... I still recall my frequent diary notes going to his teacher stating NOT to allow him share tiffin with classmates, NOT to take part in weekly splash-pool activity, NOT to play in sand-pit and the list was endless... I have to admit that his days were mostly dominated by playing indoors with me. As a result, he started resisting being face-to-face with the world beyond our front door :(

Well! I probably saved him from many dangers of outside world and managed to overcome number of health risks. But I barely could register how the personality of a little child was impacted by recursively saying 'NO' and turned him into a self-absorbed person.

Recently during the #YesMom campaign by ActivKids Immuno Boosters, I got a chance to watch an insightful video that shook my belief and pushed the demon of restrictions out I was living with. This video was launched as an awareness initiative on the impacts of saying NO to kids, by brand ActivKids Immuno Boosters, a unique nutritional supplement for kids that helps in strengthening immunity.

To be honest, I couldn't believe the product claims that a tiny-looking choco-bite kind of candy can offer up to 100% RDA (Recommended Dietary Allowance) of key immunity.

During one of my regular visits to our paediatrician, I got a chance to learn about benefits of ActivKids Immuno Boosters when a mother had similar doubts like I had. The doctor validated why the kids should be given this supplement choco bite by stating that most kids lack even 50% of RDA of key immunity nutrients due to improper diet, insufficient physical exercise and external factors like environmental pollution. This makes their body have low resistance power against disease causing organisms and they fall ill more often.

After this informative dialogue with the paediatrician, I confidently ordered a month's pack of ActivKids Immuno Boosters. You may buy the product here. 

No wonder, my son was joyously surprised to find that his mom who always has to say NO to chocolates had allowed him to enjoy a choco-bite everyday ;) 

When it's a 'real' struggle to pick right nutrition for our kids these days, it's blissful for moms like me to find a scientifically developed product that brings together the desired proportion of Anti-infective Vitamin A, Anti-Immune Stress Vitamin B9, Anti-Cold Vitamin C and Anti-Microbial Iron that will practically prevent us from crushing childhood of these kids because of our imaginary fears.

Give it a glance on to understand what ingredients go into product composition and how they help build immunity-

Inclusion of one Immuno Boosters choco-bite in my son's diet plan has actually given me the courage to undergo a transition to be #YesMom. Shamit usually likes to carry his daily dose of choco-bite to school. Isn't it actually an ideal time to conclude his meal in a tasty yet healthy way. This healthy snack helps in smoother digestion and increases his metabolism too. Now he remains more energetic and cheerful doing all his activities to seize the rest of the day after tiring school hours. I can clearly make out great improvement in his body's defence system. He barely fell ill in past months and needed no antibiotic as his immunity was stronger. 

Children's time in today's world is much more pressured than it once was. So I promised to myself to allow my son explore his world beyond my secure fencing, be it feeding the pet dogs of his friend, cycling through the muddy road, passing through the bushes to find his ball in the play ground or coming back home with pocket full of rocks. I would now let him set his own challenges, assess his own risks, take his own responsibility and learn from every situation. And here’s the TV ad for Immuno Boosters, a product that has made a significant impact in my life.

Becoming a #YesMom definitely wasn't a cakewalk for me, but maintaining a strategic balance during decisive moments has certainly bridged the gap. I truly feel accomplished as a mom to find my son with not just better immunity physically, but reaping emotional benefits like showing reduced aggression and increased happiness. The beautiful change that is filling up our hearts is a distinctive experience of nurturing our relationship. I cherish the moments when my son confides into me and instead of holding back his emotions, shares his feelings with me. I always believe that it's imperative to let the happiness bug pass on to our kids so that our emotional connect becomes intense and deeper. It's no less than a reward for me to be showered with purest of love by my little one and a sincere promise to be his lifetime friend.
You can read more here

Lastly, here is an honest confession from a mom -

Let your kids be the anchors of their lives. Because life doesn't come with a manual, 

it has its own ways to teach lessons.

Cloudnine Maternity Hospital Arrives at Chandigarh

Chandigarh, the hub of North India, boasts of state-of-the-art medical facilities available in various public and private hospitals. The real challenge had been to offer best maternity services to expectant moms in the city to make the most important stage of their life memorable.

In order to match up to the diverse medical requirements of the would-be moms, Cloudnine Hospitals, India’s leading chain of maternity, women and child care hospital marked the opening of their newest hospital in Chandigarh on 21st November.

The inauguration ceremony had none other than the most graceful supermom and bollywood celebrity Mrs. Shilpa Shetty Kundra as the chief guest at the Cloudnine facility to grace the occasion.

The ribbon-cutting ceremony by the celebrity herself marked the official opening of a newly-constructed facility.
The event flow continued further to address the attendees by Cloudnine authorities to introduce the services that the hospital will provide.

Dr. Pawan Kumar, Regional Director of the North, Cloudnine Hospitals took the opportunity to acknowledge an expression of gratitude for Mrs. Shilpa Shetty in his welcome note and invited the worthy chief guest to unveil 'It's Our Baby' Programme.

It’s Our Baby, a first of its kind exceptional, baby-ready programme for expectant parents was unveiled to offer a joyous and seamless experience to both the parents right from pregnancy to delivery. The program is a fine medley of educative prenatal workshops, fitness sessions and celebrations to welcome one’s bundle of joy. It offers a unique opportunity to be aware, better prepared and confident to manage pregnancy, childbirth and newborn care.

Stressing upon the importance of choosing the right healthcare partner for delivery, Mrs. Shilpa Shetty Kundra said, “Childbirth is a life changing phenomena for a woman. It is important to choose a comfortable, trustworthy environment that can offer her a happy and stress-free atmosphere not just during the final month but also during the entire term of pregnancy”.

She further added that every woman deserves the right kind of attention from the doctors during her time of need. She thanked Cloudnine on behalf of all the women to present Chandigarh one of the best affordable maternity, fertility, gynaecology, neonatology, newborn intensive care, high -risk pregnancy care and paediatric services across the country, when it comes to birthing.

In continuation to the conversation, Dr Kishore Kumar, Founder and Chairman, Cloudnine Group of Hospitals, present at the launch event said, “Pregnancy brings about multiple changes making parents doubtful of various elements like lifestyle changes, correct diet, impact of their actions on the baby etc. In today’s time and age, the parents need a trusted partner that could navigate them through this significant stage in their lives. Cloudnine Hospitals brings that very essence of care to Chandigarh.”

Insights of Cloudnine Group of Hospitals:

• Cloudnine Group of Hospitals was set up in 2007 by the renowned neonatologist Dr.Kishore Kumar as India’s premier destination for comprehensive maternal, gynaecological, fertility, neonatal and paediatric care. 
• The organisation’s vision is to effectively bridge the gap between Indian and international standards through a combination of clinical excellence, comprehensive care and an atmosphere of celebration, to ensure world-class standards in woman and child healthcare. With over 50,000 births across 19 facilities in 6 cities and a 500+ bed strength supported by 3000+ strong workforce, Cloudnine is India’s leading chain of maternity hospitals.
• Cloudnine, a trusted single speciality hospital present across the country offers gold standards of care to their guests in the form of clinical excellence, personalised care and an atmosphere of celebration & well-being, all under one roof. The easy access to a versatile medical team including paediatricians, lactation specialists, dietitians, physiotherapists and nursing consultants with each expert demystifies and educates new parents on every need of a newborn such as feeding, sleeping techniques, baby massage, bath practices, breastfeeding, nutrition for the baby and new mother and the role of the entire family at home. 
• Celebrations are an integral theme in Cloudnine’s portfolio, with delightful moments dusted across specialty services. Every expectant couple is invited to a glorious baby shower, a coveted event thrown in their honour, to celebrate their journey so far. 
• Cloudnine’s birthing packages are experiences unto themselves, complete with a personal suite, a candlelight dinner and no restrictions on visiting hours. The hospital chain has also become a favored maternity destination among celebrities.
• Cloudnine has prestigious accolades including the Times Achievers Award 2017 for the Best Single Specialty Hospital in Delhi NCR, 2014 Australian Service Excellence award by Customer Service Institute of Australia, 8th Frost & Sullivan India Healthcare Excellence award for Mother & Child Care Service Provider, and Economic Times Best Healthcare Brands award for “Specialised Hospital for Woman and Child”.

A few glimpses of Cloudnine Chandigarh:

Cloudnine’s foray into Chandigarh marks a new beginning for the chain in the upper north region and is sure to scale up maternal healthcare in the region :)
Location: Site No. 48, Industrial Area, Phase-II, Chandigarh, 160002,

Working Moms – Challenges and Solutions

Motherhood has always been the most celebrated feeling for all the women around the world. There is certainly a glory that this title brings along, but there are unfavourable challenges that are specific to 'working moms'. I still remember how dicey the situation had become when I had to decide whether to continue or sacrifice my job after my child was born. I knew if I had to resume my work, it would demands more on my effort, time, energy and resources to 'balance' work and family life. But I take pride to assert that I faced the situation and had been able to succeed.

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So based my experience, I'm sharing helpful tips on how working moms can deal with this dilemma and make their life easier without having to sacrifice their career or family-

1.) Raising Kids in Nuclear Family:
In good old times, when multigenerational or joint families were the norm of society, the elderly family members used to take care of children in the house in the absence of parents. But over the past years with increasing number of only two-parent families, the mothers are expected to take a career break and be around children to for their physical growth and mental development.
You can always enroll your school-going child to a certified day-care centre that ensures providing safe and healthy environment for him after school hours. For a younger baby, a trustworthy in-house babysitter may take care of baby while the mommy works.

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2.) Tackling Sick Children
As an extension to nuclear family concerns, most working moms feel alarmed of the possibility of their children getting sick (I really do). Because the responsibility of taking care for sick children usually falls on the mother. The situation to settle on either an inflexible professional schedule or a parental obligation brings the victim to a meltdown mode.

The best game plan to pull through this tricky situation is to prevent child’s illness. It’s customary for many parents to ignore initial warning sign of an upcoming illness and hope it won’t last. But if you’re aware of usual symptoms or causes of your child’s sickness, make a prior arrangement to nip the problem in the bud. My child is a mosquito magnet – so I use repellents like liquid vaporiser inside my home but my biggest worry is when he is outdoors – be it school or evening playtime especially because dengue mosquitoes bite in the daytime. I’ve now resorted to the protection of Good knight Fabric Roll-On to avoid exposure to icky mosquitoes. Just following a simple regime of applying four dots of all-natural product on my child’s clothes whenever he steps out for school or play has rescued me from panicky time.

It also makes a difference to make minor lifestyle changes including diet, clothing, outing time etc when it’s the time of year when it’s more probable for your child to fall ill. On a motherly note, try co-ordinating with an understanding colleague and do tell yourself “this is just life in the moment, let me spend the day with apple of my eye”.

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3.) Running Late of Schedule
Nothing adds to the stress of mommy if something doesn't go as planned in the beginning of the day. The uncertainty of the morning routine puts you in situation where unanticipated problems arise and leave you frustrated and dejected.
Preparing ahead of time is the key. Carefully look over the next day's to-do list a night prior and divide the schedule. It's better to decide priorities of the day and delegate few chores to your spouse. Marking important dates on calendar or setting a reminder on your smart device will let you start your day on calm note without missing any relevant event especially when it's related to your child's school.

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4.) Professional Competence
Despite the claims of companies to offer compatible work conditions for females, many mothers are not given key roles and are looked down upon if they demand for flexible working hours for themselves. It induces a feeling of lower self-esteem and low confidence in most women.
Do not be hesitant to forward a written plan to your company's HR team requesting them to adjust your schedule in a way that you may complete the required weekly working hours in a flexible manner. It will reinforce faith of employer for you if you may present the company with a substitute/alternate to compensate your responsibilities in case of emergency.

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5.) Mommy Guilt
Women have a right to have a career the way men do and they should be proud that they are capable of multitasking. But if you've chosen your career over your family or child, the creepy feeling of being away from your child may strike you any time. There can be infinite reasons for a mommy to feel guilty for not being a 'perfect' parent. At times, these feelings are subject to societal idealisation of motherhood.
Pause before you react. Give yourself a moment before you curse yourself of the worst guilt-inducing moments. Think of your contribution in fulfilling your child's needs by going to work. Find practical solution that may spare you some time to make good memories with family and children. Lastly, remind yourself that feeling guilty is actually a sign that you truly care for your child.

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6.) Communication Gap with Partner/Family
Living your choices amidst everyday chaos severely affects relationship between the couple and the implications of the situation might be to different extent. Many a times, marital relationship is strained due to lack of time or excessive fatigue, especially when both partners have long working hours or when the male partner poses a hands-off approach in sharing household responsibilities.
To tackle this very important yet less-acknowledged issue, both the partners must agree to consciously make an effort to get closer to each other despite an exhaustive schedule. It takes only a few moments every day to focus on keeping your marriage happy.

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There are many more obligations, work commitments and family matters than ever before that every working mom is juggling with. It might be hard to maintained sanity with life continually getting busier, but I'm sure these simple tips would help mighty mommy increase the harmony in her home..

Happy Parenting!!

Good Parenting Tips

Yesterday we spent Mother's Day with loads of enthusiasm. While we talked about everything possible related to motherhood, I introspected what should we all as moms or as parents should do to raise happy kids. I am sharing few simple tips for being good parents for our lovely kids...

Spend Quality Time

Talk , read & play games with your child for a few hours everyday, however busy you may be. Give Proper Attention to him when its needed. Turn off the television or put the newspaper down when your child wants to speak to you. Avoid other activity when the child has something important to tell you.

 Build up a Healthy Relationship 

Let your child know and believe that you are interested and involved with him in whatever he does and that you are always there to help him/her. Don’t Tower over your Child. Get down to his level while speaking to him. Create a very loving atmosphere at home and let your child feel the warmth of the family.

Be Role Models

Do the right things. Behave just in the manner you want your child to behave. How can you expect politeness from your child if you are aggressive & speak rudely to him or anyone else in front of him?

Don’t Over-expect

Avoid Comparison with Siblings and Friends, because comparisons only induce a negative feeling and low self esteem in the child. All individuals are not the same. So don’t expect your child to score as much as his siblings or his friends. He may be better in other skills. 

Be Positive

When the child does not perform well, instead of saying “ you can never achieve”, say –”I’m sure you can do better next time.” Never Underestimate the capabilities of your child. The words like “You won’t understand”, “You are just a dumb” induce an inferiority complex in the child which can be a great hindrance in his growth and progress.

Avoid Hot and Cold Treatment 

Some times it is seen that parents react in a different manner at similar situations . Their reactions should be balanced.

Never Bribe or Blackmail 

Spend time with them to show that you care. Toys, gifts and chocolates can’t replace the precious moments that you can share with him.

The kids will love and respect the parents if we be lil careful of our behaviour too. Do give it a try..