Nursing Scarf - DIY

I am someone who plans a lot and quite well in advance. Things which might even be relevant to be me at that time, but maybe in future, I keep in mind and plan. So I was out with V for a dinner date to celebrate out first engagement anniversary at Malaka Spice. This was much before we even started TTC (Trying to conceive)

There was a lady with a small baby and she was breast feeding with a nice Nursing scarf around her. I thought that was a brilliant idea - I had never seen or heard of nursing scarves before this. I did not even tell V about it, but it remained in my mind.

I like DIY things and in the second trimester, I started looking online for nursing scarves. There were so many varieties available and at such exorbitant prices! Just check out this one, for example! I would not, ever, pay that kind of money for a piece of cloth! Anyway, since I was planning on something DIY, I searched and found a nice looking, easy to make Nursing Scarf tutorial.

It required using the sewing machine, which I did not have, nor do I know how to use. But as always, Mom to the rescue. She has a sewing machine and can use it very well too! I sent her the links and asked her to make one for me. She made it only once I came to live with her, with the cloth of my choice.

She made it for my best friend as well and in time, as she intended to buy one for herself!

So, here are the blog and video links for the tutorials:
http://madebythemamamonster.blogspot.in/2008/04/nursing-cover-tutorial.html

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JzgfHeQOxJA

Mom made it without the D rings, the strap around the neck was made of my size, so could just put it over the neck. Also, the boning was real hard to find. My cousin got it for me from Andheri Chaar Bungalow market.
 

Baby & Maternity Items to be bought

When you are expecting you get advice...from all sides. Some you want, some you dont, but you dont have a choice. If you have certain people from whom you want advice and tips, keep only those people updated about your current status and queries (which you will have in plenty).

So you will be entering a new phase, of which you do not have much idea. There was no need for me to look at baby products earlier in life, so the choices available could be mind boggling. I started spending a lot of time on First Cry, Baby Oye and the baby section of sites like Amazon and Flipkart.
You will be amazed at the type of products available these days for babies. When I was a baby even diapers werent easily available, I dont know whether they were available at all actually, cause mom always says you guys are lucky that diapers are available now!

I have cousins and friends who live in US and recently had babies. So received a lot of inputs on what I could ask my brother to get when he came down. Since I had a lot of time on hand I did the following:
- I made lists in Excel of things I was suggested to buy.
- I sorted the list based on what I actually wanted.
- Later I checked the prices in US and India.
- When finally I had list of things required from US, I checked the US sites for prices
- Final step was making a Google Sheet with links and sharing it with my brother!
(US sites include - Amazon, Costco, Target)

Here are some things which I was suggested to buy (I did not get them all - some I got from cousins)
- Diapers (much cheaper in US as compared to India)
- Baby Wipes (same logic as above)
- Nursing Pads (Disposable as well as washable)
- Cooling Nipple Pads
- Nipple Cream
- Feeding Bottles
- Breast Pump
- Nipple Shield
- Sturdy Diaper Bag (preferably back pack style)
- Baby Health care Kit (one with thermometer, medicine dispenser etc)
- Quick Dry Sheet
- Disposable Underwear (post delivery)

This is most of it, if I remember anything else, I will edit the post and add it.

I was lucky that I got a lot of baby clothes and did not have to go and buy them. Otherwise, they would be a major part of the baby shopping budget!

The last few weeks

I did not have a full time job and used to work as a freelance writer. During the last month, it got difficult to sit at a place for long durations and I informed all my contractors that I would be working only till the 11th of April. My brother was supposed to reach India on 14th, so I would have some time to spend with him as well before the baby arrived.

I am due on 4th of May. I kept a track of when the babies of my friends and cousins had arrived. Starting from 37 weeks, the baby could be expected any time. I expected my baby to arrive early as well. Why? No reason as such! Just that the baby was too active and I thought, this one wont stay 40 weeks inside.

I thought the baby has been delaying because V has not come here yet. But now V is here since 2 days - working from home - yet no sign of labor! 

It is 39.2 weeks now and I am tired. Tired of waiting and contemplating what day the baby might arrive. It is like watching a boiling pot of water. Mom keeps saying that if you werent prepared, the baby would have arrived and surprised you. I had my hospital bag ready, everything with a plan. So probably the baby says, you wait, I will take my own sweet time.

All days I am checking for some signs and symptoms - nothing! The head lock had not happened on the 39 weeks check up either! Last night I did not sleep well, barely slept actually. Baby decided to move a lot and I think has descended a little. The pressure in the lower abdomen is very high! I woke up to pee every 90 minutes.

This wait game is difficult...very difficult! I wish I had something to keep myself occupied.

Where to deliver?!

To find a good doctor is very very important and I had this task ahead of me after coming back to Mom's place. The gynac I used to visit did not perform deliveries herself, so I had to rule out that option.

The usual criteria when searching for a good doctor as well as hospital or maternity home is:
1. Excellent doctor with good record (recommendations are preferred)
2. Feeling comfortable interacting with the doctor
3. Clean hospital with good record
4. Facilities for pediatric emergencies
5. Being close to home

And of course the budget would also be a factor. I looked up some threads on Baby Center forum, which helped.

A new term that you will come across is - Pro Normal Delivery. C-sections are very rampant, especially in India. They cost more and that is simple logic behind the increased numbers. At the point of delivery, no would-be-parents are in a state of mind to question the doctor.

I am not saying that this is being done everywhere, however, it does seem curious, how the number of C-sections have gone up drastically.

So, this is the reason for the new terminology. Some doctors still believe that normal delivery should be given first preference and do not suggest C-sections at the drop of the hat! So I wanted someone who fit in this category as well.

Surprisingly to me, I chose a male gynac, because he seemed nice and did not make me feel uncomfortable. The hospital has been recommended a lot and is functioning since 1950!

They provide good meals as well, besides other facilities for the mother and the new born. The doctor's brother is a pediatrician and they have a dedicated section for neo nate care.

One major point crossed off my list and it is such a huge relief!

If you are from Thane and need some details of hospitals, continue reading:

1. Nest Hospital - Dr. Ulka Natu. (Ice Factory - Naupada)
The best gynac I know. However, I ruled out since she does not perform the delivery herself. The administrator said they provide tea twice a day for the mother and everything else needs to be got by the family. She did not seem very pleasant either.
They have Dr. Bedekar on call for pediatric emergencies.

2. Dr. Geeta Vaidya (Opp. Telephone exchange, Naupada)
Vaidya hospital was also recommended by many friends. It was run by a couple - Pradeep and Geeta Vaidya. Dr. Pradeep was very well known and famous as a gynac. However, sadly he passed away recently.
Dr. Geeta seemed quite pleasant, and I did get my name registered there. I still wasnt very convinced, but needed some option.

3. Dr. Mahesh Bedekar (Gaondevi)
Established in 1950 by Dr. Vijay Bedekar, the hospital now has his sons - Mahesh & Anand. It has been recently renovated and the doctors stay in the same building as the hospital. This hospital fulfilled all the criteria I had when choosing a hospital and I did not bother looking anywhere else.
3 meals were provided to the mother, along with clothes for the mother and the baby, by the hospital. This doctor was also recommended as being pro-normal delivery.

Some other doctors which we had listed down but did not visit were:
Deodhar Hospital
Panandikar Hospital
Dr. Alka Godbole
Dr. Ashalatha Menon
Dr. Prasad Joshi - Ashwini Maternity & Nursing Home
  

Trimester Number 3 - Indian Baby Shower

So the New Year arrived and the Baby Moon also happened and I entered the last and final leg of my pregnancy. We started discussions about having a traditional Baby Shower also known as Godh Bharai or Dohale Jevan. It is usually done in the 7th month at the husband's home.

We also started discussing about when I would go to my mother's place, since I should ideally leave once the function is done or before the start of the 8th month of pregnancy. V was not very keen on me going away but then I wanted to, since this being my first pregnancy.

The function finally happened towards the end of month number 7, sometime in February. I stayed back till the last day of 7th month and V dropped me off. Felt quite weird, being away from V, even though I was staying at Mom's!!

If you want to know more details about the function, you can check out this link.