Dr Amma

Have u ever wondered why are you being rushed to get married? Your parents especially your mother have lost her peace of mind since the day you were born. Worrying of your safety,upbringing and what not! They wait for you to go to school , wait for you to get to college and wait for you to get your job and CAN'T WAIT TO GET YOU MARRIED! Its just like passing on the baton to another person.Whether you are dependent on them or independent, the worry, the parenting doesn't stop! You can't blame them, they are wired for parenting for more than 20 years and that's a long time. Is there a solution? Yes just keep calm. Dear parents, instead of passing the 'baton' to another person in the name of spouse, why not pass it to your children? Trust your children and the values you instilled, believe they are ready to live their life at their own terms and they will just know when to come back to you and realise how much they need you in their life. Dear childrens, all the ...

Trauma or injury of the head is a pretty common occurence from infancy and thereafter. It may be a frightening sight but more often the injuries are only external and aren't serious (thanks to the proctective layers of the skull) and can be easily treated at home(apply cold co mpression).So when should you be worried of an internal head injury? Watch out for the following signs within the next 24 hours after an injury: -vomiting -loss of consciousness or appears confused -cries excessively (more than usual) -sleeps more or less than usual -loss of appetite -irritable - lack of response or interest in play -unusual behaviour (weakness or unable to walk or move the arms or legs) -complains of headache(older children) -blood or watery discharge from nose or ears - changes in eye(pupil size and visual disturbances) These signs are suggestive for a more serious injury and require medical assistance. Worry not if your child resumes his/her activities after a brief spell...

"My child meddles and play with household items although he has many toys".If this is your daily acquaintance it simply means your child is curious,exploring and expanding his/her horizon. And yes that's good news, its part of their growth and development! However, it definitely freaks us out when they reach out to potential hazardous items around the house and that's where sensory play comes to rescue. Include daily household items as materials for play, keep the little curious creatures engaged and have a fun playing session. Here, I've done some pom pom sensory play activity and again pom pom can be incorporated at playtime in multiple ways and today I'm sharing the Pom Pom Drop! All u need is a container (anything suitable from milk tins to tupperware)with a hole and some pom poms. P/s: Ensure the hole you make is smooth without any rough edges for safety purposes.

Appreciate the little things in life! The joy of life often lies in the little things we take for granted.Be grateful.Tea is love❤ #lessonsfrommyson #littlethings #gratitude #gratefulmom #mominreallife #tealover

In conjuction with world's breastfeeding week, I thought of sharing about my breastfeeding journey with baby T. My aim was to exclusively breastfeed my baby. I thought it would be totally natural but in reality, breastfeeding is definitely a tough job yet highly rewarding especially in sense of emotional fulfillment. There is so much to explore, learn and experience along the way. From latching difficulties,finding a suitable breastfeeding position,milk supply,pumping schedules,nipple sores,engorgement,growth spurts, sleep deprivation and what not! And on the brighter side, the beautiful moments, baby T's face lits up after each feed and he flashes his beautiful smile which fills my heart with contentment and happiness. The smile expressing so much pleasure and joy, eventually became my daily dose of motivation to keep breastfeeding (Amma's milk is oh- so yummy maybe! Delivering happiness in every drop!) and feeding sessions was the only personal time I got to bond with my ...

Sensory bottles are the best non-messy sensory play. What is sensory play? Anything and everything that stimulates the senses ie: proprioception,taste,vision, smell, tactile(touch) and auditory(hearing) could be termed as sensory play. Why sensory play? Sensory play is important to introduce children to the world around them and help them connect and stimulate their brain's neural pathways; in easy terms help the brain make new connections. On our day to day activities, we do stimulate their senses however we often lack repetition which plays important role in retaining the information and strengthening the connections. Sensory bottles are the safest and simple form of sensory play.The best part is it could be easily customized to meet the individual needs of a child.For instance, I made the sensory bottles when I realised baby T was not responding well to our calls or recognising faces and I had doubts about his vision,pardon me for being so paranoid but hey being paranoid is so n...

Baby mini bites Its easy to do, loaded with goodness and delicious! Great for breakfast and good to go snack🥧 All you need to do is whisk some oats powder and egg, pour it on the mould and top it of with some fruits. Easyy-peasyy! P/s: I added some multi-grain cereal too but its optional.  Make batter bit thicker than pancake               batter consistency.  Grease pan with some unsalted butter. Happy trying!

Chickpeas are great source of protein, carbohydrate and fiber. Its also rich in iron and folic acid. It makes a great substitute of meat for vegans. It help boost the immune system, enhances brain and nervous system development in children and the high iron content helps to prevent anaemia. Chickpeas can be safely introduced for babies from 8 months onwards. Its available canned or dried,I prefer dried ones as it doesn't contain any preservatives (yes,I'm very fastidious of his food!). However, dried chickpeas needs to be soaked for few hours before it can be cooked,I normally soak it overnight so for this recipe you need to plan ahead of time and it takes a longer preparation time as well. (Needs to be boiled for about 30 minutes depending on the amount or you could save time using a pressure cooker instead).Chickpeas gives a very mild flavour thus it can be incorporated in many other recipes and is a great snack for the whole family. I always try to cook meals with same ingre...

Oats porridge have been my all time favourite breakfast meal since young. I was eager to introduce it to baby T and I'm glad baby T enjoys it as much. He eats a bigger portion each time thus oats have become his regular meal, with different variations of course! Besides, this porridge works so well in alleviating constipation therefore whenever I notice baby T straining or passing hard stool or not pooping well ,I would feed him this porridge and increase his water intake and believe me, it works wonders each time. So do try out this delicious and nutritious porridge and see how your little one liking it and yeah make more and enjoy some for yourself. I am sure you would love it! Quick nutrition guide: Oats - is low in saturated fat and sodium. Its an excellent source of manganese and molybdenum. Its also contain good amount of copper, biotin,vit B1,magnesium ,dietary fiber,chromium,zinc and protein. It aids in digestion and keeps you full longer. Can be introduced to babies a...

Broccoli +carrot multi-grain rice porridge -Broccoli is a "super veggie".It contains more protein than most vegetables. It is rich in vitamin C , vitamin K and fiber. It also contains an unique phyto-chemical known as isothiocyanates which is a carcinoprotective agent (anti-cancer)which reduces oxidative stress and inflammation. Therefore, its best to include broccoli (and other cruciferous vegetable) in family meals. Broccoli can also be steamed and given as finger food. - Carrots are rich in beta carotene (activates vitamin A) which promotes good skin and eye health. Its also rich in vitamin C which improves the immune system and fiber that aids in digestion. Carrot is a versatile vegetable, it can be incorporated in many dishes and also be served as finger food for babies (stage 3). Multi-grain rice- source of carbohydrate and fiber. I prefer soaking multi-grain rice for about half an hour before cooking as it cooks faster and better this way. Ginger- is well known fo...

Egg is a superfood but also one of the most allergenic food, therefore there are difference in opinion on introducing eggs in a baby's diet. According to the recent guidelines, egg is recommended as one of the best first foods to be introduced as it is packed with essential nutrients for brain development and growth. In support ,latest studies found that there is no significant correlance in delaying allergenic food to prevent developing allergy. However, its best to introduce egg yolk first as its rarely allergenic compared to egg white which is very allergenic and if there is family history of allergy to eggs then its best to wait till the baby turns one. Some pediatric guidelines suggest eggs to be introduced from 8 months onwards and for me personally, I'm more comfortable and prefer the same.( I only introduced egg at 10 months for baby T). Eggs are my favourite, I could eat it anyway. Its so versatile you can make plenty of recipes for babies. (Yes more recipes coming soo...

Apple + carrot 'kesari' (Roasted semolina/sooji with ghee) It was so yummy I ate the extras😇 Apple- rich in vitamin C and fiber; aids digestion Carrot- rich source of vitamin A; essential for growth and development of bone and immune system; promotes good vision #carrot #apple #babyfoodrecipes #babyfood #stage3babyfood #semolina #kesari #nosugar #nosalt #ghee

Spinach +split mung bean rice porridge+ ghee (payatham paruppu/moong dal khichdi) Spinach- loaded with iron Mung bean- rich in protein,fiber,magnesium and potassium Rice- source of carbohydrate #spinach #mungbeans #khichdi #babyfoodrecipes #babypuree #babyfood Homegrown spinach credits to my mum p/s: introduce baby spinach first

Today's messy play- exploring nature @torturing amma's plant 🌱 Great for  gross motor and sensory development

Mini ghee thosai (Indian pancake)

Ulutham kanji (black gram porridge) Ulundhu/ black gram- rich in protein and iron Dates- good source of energy and fibre Ginger- powerful anti-inflammatory and antioxidant; aid digestion #ulundhukanji #blackgram #babyfoodrecipes #babyfood #ginger #dates

Blueberry 'kesari' Semolina+blueberries+ghee Semolina- is rich in carbohydrate,protein,iron,vitamin B and magnesium Blueberries- rich in antioxidants Ghee-contains omega-3,vitamin A,D,and E Great breakfast choice for babies and adult. Can make variety of recipes #semolina #blueberries #ghee #kesari #suji #uppuma #babyfood #babyfoodrecipes #10monthsold #nosugarandsalt

Baby food sweet potato+peas+rice with a dash of cinnamon Sweet potato- rich in beta carotene(vitamin A),vitamin C and potassium; high GI (glycemic index) Peas- good source of protein,however limit the intake as it contains antinutrients which may interfere with absorption of other minerals and can cause bloating Cinnamon- rich in antioxidants, anti- inflammatory; helps fighting infections #babyfood #babyfoodrecipes #babypuree #10monthsold #cinnamon #sweetpotato #peas

It was my 29th birthday eve,my very first birthday being married but I was not excited, the ultrasound findings earlier this morning and the need for another confirmatory scan on my birthday have killed all the excitement I have built for days(I've been waiting to wear my beautiful blue dress*winks*). Dr J uttered some encouraging words before leaving to work. I have made multiple calls to my mum just to hear some comforting words and also because I would miss my usual birthday routine at my home. By evening, I have pulled up some courage to accept whatever the results may be and mentally prepared for the transvaginal scan. I went to bed early (sleep and cakes are my stress busters) only to be awaken at midnight with a surprise birthday cake by my parents-in-law and family; my birthday officially begins *drumrolls*. I was occupied with the pouring in calls and messages that my thoughts didn't wander anywhere else till I dozed off. The day I have been dreading for has arrived....

Withholding all the butterflies in my tummy, we head towards the clinic my husband(Dr J) works at for a confirmatory scan. After a quick chat with the doctor- in- charge(Dr G) on my finding the previous day, I lay down on the examination bed and watch the screen eagerly as Dr G begins scanning. "Ahaa there it is!" claims Dr G. She went on saying further "there's the gestational sacs with measurements correlating to 5 weeks of pregnancy and then the heartbeat, she pauses for a minute, enlarging the image, my heart was racing as I stare at her face, she shook her head and looked at Dr J as she disappointly say "why do these kind of peculiarities always happen to doctor couples?". She then revealed that one of the gestational sac was disfigured and she was unable to detect the heartbeat however the other sac and conception looks perfectly fine. She then referred me to an O&G specialist at Gleneagles for a transvaginal ultrasound scheduled for the next day ...

On a fine November evening(a little dramatic here!), after performing an antenatal scan for an almost at term nurse at my workplace, an idea popped out to scan my belly for sheer fun. My lower abdominal bloat(or fat) been there since Deepavalli, I thought I've put on tummy with all the Deepavalli eating spree and little did I know about the surprise that awaited me. After adjusting the screen to face me,I started playing on the transducer on my tummy WHATTT I SCREAMED!!! MY ASSISTING NURSE SCREAMS DOCTOR DOCTOR U'VE GOT TWINS!!!! I froze for a moment when i saw two gestational sacs with embryo(the full zoom view I've set earlier on made the image obviously big), my hand shaking ,weakly holding on the transducer,my heart skipped a beat or two. It was an indescribable feel and my world stopped for a bit. With a trembling hand i picked up my phone to call my husband but unfortunately he did not answer. I messaged my sister as I couldn't hold in the news any longer. I tried...