Super Mammy Diaries

I am a hands-on mom. It may not be considered a defining characteristic but it's something that has been incredibly important for me to maintain as I think about the kind of parent I want to be. I didn't have help with my son when I lived in the US (other than my amazing mom) and in spite of living in india I've chosen not to keep designated domestic help for my daughter - atleast until I go back to work. Yes, people think  I'm crazy to do that when I have other options and no, I'm not looking for parenting accolades either - it's just important for me to give as much of myself as I can to my kids at this age because frankly - they are not going to be that tiny for long. It's just as important if not more to have my kids love each other.  Sure, they will fight once in a while, but overall I need the theme to be love  - my brother and I would torture each other at times but  we couldn't be closer as adults. Ok fine, I don't fully accept that he's ...

Inspite of a crazy pregnancy with multiple hospitalizations towards the end, and an infant who nurses 7-9 hours a day, every single day, my son has adapted to all the changes in his life surprisingly well. He adores his little sister and looks for every opportunity to cuddle her, he often tells me he thinks she's getting hungry and needs a feed and even helps out with her diaper changes, bath time , and entertainment.  I did my best to prepare him for the baby before hand and continue to strive to make sure he knows just how important he is to me and every body around. Below are some ways to prepare your little ones for their new roles as elder siblings.  nothing more heart warming... 15 Tips on preparing your toddler to be an older sibling:  1.  Their baby: sorry moms, as much as you may hate it when anyone refers to your baby as theirs, in this instance it's necessary. Tell your toddler that he or she is your baby but the little one inside you is their baby. I woul...

Hi Moms, The third and first trimester mirror one another in many ways including the exhaustion, and constant need to pee. However, it does help to know that the end (or actually the beginning) is almost here. While I had a crazy last trimester in my second pregnancy with multiple hospitalizations and preterm labor (which is why I have been MIA) - however, for most the last trimester goes quite smoothly and I thought it was the easiest one the first time around.. So hang in there, you will have your baby in your arms really soon!  Also, for those of you wondering what things are looking like down there or trying to decipher what your physician is talking about, here are the three terms you have to understand : (tons on this in my previous post on labor and delivery but for those who want a quick reference  see below)  Dilation - how much your cervix has opened. The goal is 10 cms, and the journey from 0 to 10 can take weeks or hours (rarely, though it does happen in subse...

Toddlerhood is no cake walk, specially with the terrible twos kicking in or "threenagers" running around. Adding a pregnancy to the mix just makes it all that much harder for you, mom. While my first baby was not planned, my second one was as I wanted my kids to be close together in age and grow up together, even know I knew that it would not be easy to be pregnant with a two year old and I am expecting a battle for attention up ahead. However, it does help to keep the bigger picture in mind - your little one may soon be the elder one but when you step out of the house, they will never be alone or want for company again. I'm not going to pretend it's easy. This week, I found bruises on my belly that I know have nothing to do with the kicks and tumbles of the little one inside me but are from the kicks and tumbles of the little boy on the outside, who no longer allows me to enter the restroom unaccompanied. And yet, my maternal intuition confirms that everything is eve...