Talking life onward
Blessed with baby
Rajiva Shanker Shresta
Life has not been the same ever since we were blessed with the baby to keep us busy most part of the day and night as well. With her comes the memories back to our younger days when we had our kids born to fill our world with joy. Those were the days when life was not as complex as we find it today. With our knowledge limited to whatever read little about the parenthood but much learnt more with own experience handling the situation as it came before us. With information galore to be accessed over the internet at the click of the mouse these days, sometimes present day parents found them yet not enough to cope with the little problems cropping up every now and then each passing day. Parenthood is not just bearing a child or two but facing every little issue that comes up with in the phase of life just entered into. Rearing the baby up with enough care and love coming through the challenges brought along before the young parents is not simple and easy. Overcoming little nuances of the life with success brings confidence and courage within to face the rest ahead. Best way, therefore, was to cross the bridge as we came across.
Seeing the little bundle of joy immense makes me wonder how the Mother Nature has given the creatures including we human beings the power of procreation. It is equally surprising to find that the newborn soon to be resembling her parent in features in a unique way sometimes, that too so perfectly. That might be the reason many ask which of the parent baby resembles to and later as s/he grows we compare after whom goes in behaviour or characteristic features. Even it makes her grandma believe she is like herself as a baby. When this baby came to our world, the most remarkable thing to know that she was not with usual wrinkle-like rawness in face and had eye-lashes long with hair in black and plenty to catch my attention first. Each day the new born grew different to look at as many say but slowly and gradually she started learning to cope with life in her own little way. Taking on each day as it comes with which she entered to have a place of her own in this world. She announced her arrival crying loud and fists closed to surge ahead with time, the future unknown. First thing a baby knows is to suck from her mother's breast oozing with maternal bliss that first few minutes giving all the strength and immunity that a new life needs coming here. No need was there to feed the baby with glucose water though water itself is not given for six months. Soon thereafter she gets a bath to cleanse herself to take life all afresh crying though for next feed needed to recoup the energy spent thus. Welcomed to her family with purification and initiation rituals, all congratulating the happy mother as well as proud father whose long time dream together comes true to life at last!
It was a surprise indeed to notice only recently that she already started smiling back when prompted. That wonderful moment we had been looking forward from the little bundle of joy to fill our heart immense. Little princess has of late been playful too as she enjoys feed leisurely - sometimes more out of thirst than actual hunger. What a noise otherwise creates when she is really hungry giving us no time to heat the milk frozen mother has pumped out to meet such an exigency when she is away. Sometimes at night sudden cry quite baffles what all went wrong with her system. Could be the colic pain she gets trying digest the feed that comes out in reflux occasionally. A lot of uneasiness that even disturbs the father equally surprised with the accuracy baby wakes up of her own when it is time for next feed. She starts gurgling noise moving her hands furiously to wake up mother from sleep. By this time her mittens found sucked little wet. During the day when awake she looks face lit up bright and mouth pouted up indicating she wants to be fed. Little delay in changing the diaper makes her uncomfortable, furious and frustrated even. Once fed to her satisfaction with a burp or two out brings her soon to have another round of sleep but not before some time to play if she wishes. Such is the marvel Mother Nature bestowed in us. Sleep brings all the things to rest to refill our life with energy bringing in much needed vigour and zest in us for the next thing challenging to face rejuvenated. It is most difficult time when the baby cries continuously at night and every effort seems to have failed to pacify her. Much patience and effort is equally needed to make her sleep. Everyone tries his/her own way for baby to sleep. My friend Mani* used to make the new mother herself as a little baby sleep singing the melody "Aao tumhe chand pe le jayen, pyar bhare sapane sajayen, chhota sa bangla banayen, ek nayi duniya basayen..." (Lata Mangeshkar, Zakhmee 1975 Bappi Lahiri, Gauhar Kanpuri.) It is a Christmas song new father exclaims as the song has tagline "Jingle bell, jingle bell ..." as well. Same song besides other lullaby of Nepali nursery rhymes including her own composition grandmother sings for this baby to sleep. Even mother finds baby doing magic out of her grandfather as he started humming and not so lucky herself hearing him ever before. So worried with baby's crying at night, with no option left we resort trying some traditional way to ward off evil eye unknown that might have been the reason behind such a disturbing behaviour. Some might say such a step superstitious but it helps sometimes, others opine.
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To be continued next week
Seeing the little bundle of joy immense makes me wonder how the Mother Nature has given the creatures including we human beings the power of procreation. It is equally surprising to find that the newborn soon to be resembling her parent in features in a unique way sometimes, that too so perfectly. That might be the reason many ask which of the parent baby resembles to and later as s/he grows we compare after whom goes in behaviour or characteristic features. Even it makes her grandma believe she is like herself as a baby. When this baby came to our world, the most remarkable thing to know that she was not with usual wrinkle-like rawness in face and had eye-lashes long with hair in black and plenty to catch my attention first. Each day the new born grew different to look at as many say but slowly and gradually she started learning to cope with life in her own little way. Taking on each day as it comes with which she entered to have a place of her own in this world. She announced her arrival crying loud and fists closed to surge ahead with time, the future unknown. First thing a baby knows is to suck from her mother's breast oozing with maternal bliss that first few minutes giving all the strength and immunity that a new life needs coming here. No need was there to feed the baby with glucose water though water itself is not given for six months. Soon thereafter she gets a bath to cleanse herself to take life all afresh crying though for next feed needed to recoup the energy spent thus. Welcomed to her family with purification and initiation rituals, all congratulating the happy mother as well as proud father whose long time dream together comes true to life at last!
It was a surprise indeed to notice only recently that she already started smiling back when prompted. That wonderful moment we had been looking forward from the little bundle of joy to fill our heart immense. Little princess has of late been playful too as she enjoys feed leisurely - sometimes more out of thirst than actual hunger. What a noise otherwise creates when she is really hungry giving us no time to heat the milk frozen mother has pumped out to meet such an exigency when she is away. Sometimes at night sudden cry quite baffles what all went wrong with her system. Could be the colic pain she gets trying digest the feed that comes out in reflux occasionally. A lot of uneasiness that even disturbs the father equally surprised with the accuracy baby wakes up of her own when it is time for next feed. She starts gurgling noise moving her hands furiously to wake up mother from sleep. By this time her mittens found sucked little wet. During the day when awake she looks face lit up bright and mouth pouted up indicating she wants to be fed. Little delay in changing the diaper makes her uncomfortable, furious and frustrated even. Once fed to her satisfaction with a burp or two out brings her soon to have another round of sleep but not before some time to play if she wishes. Such is the marvel Mother Nature bestowed in us. Sleep brings all the things to rest to refill our life with energy bringing in much needed vigour and zest in us for the next thing challenging to face rejuvenated. It is most difficult time when the baby cries continuously at night and every effort seems to have failed to pacify her. Much patience and effort is equally needed to make her sleep. Everyone tries his/her own way for baby to sleep. My friend Mani* used to make the new mother herself as a little baby sleep singing the melody "Aao tumhe chand pe le jayen, pyar bhare sapane sajayen, chhota sa bangla banayen, ek nayi duniya basayen..." (Lata Mangeshkar, Zakhmee 1975 Bappi Lahiri, Gauhar Kanpuri.) It is a Christmas song new father exclaims as the song has tagline "Jingle bell, jingle bell ..." as well. Same song besides other lullaby of Nepali nursery rhymes including her own composition grandmother sings for this baby to sleep. Even mother finds baby doing magic out of her grandfather as he started humming and not so lucky herself hearing him ever before. So worried with baby's crying at night, with no option left we resort trying some traditional way to ward off evil eye unknown that might have been the reason behind such a disturbing behaviour. Some might say such a step superstitious but it helps sometimes, others opine.
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To be continued next week
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