I wish; feeding your baby could be this simple.

   

 
     Recently I had a family trip to Dwarka.

Yes Yes, Like all mommies, I too was worried about Kartavya's schedule.

As I always say:

"A Vacation with your baby is just a change of Location"

But unlike my expectation, Kartavyta was very co-operative all throughout the journey as he had the company of his big bro Vedant & I was accompanied with 9 other helping hands. 

No worries of his sleep, no worries of his food or even his tantrums as everyone was there to help and keep him occupied.

Clearwater of Gomti river with Sudama Setu crossing it.
Dwarka beach & Shri Dwarkadhish temple.

Such a great journey it was, It was like enjoying my "Me-time" though surrounded by many.

 

    Day 1, We were traveling from Dwarka to Beyt Dwarka for Lord Shri Keshavraiji Temple, it is an inhabited island at the mouth of Gulf of Kutch, as it is an island we had to travel via a  ferry (boat) ride.

Bluewater surrounding us all around, 

A boat loaded with almost 200 people

&

Numerous seagull(sea birds) to accompany us till temple shore.

    It was a 15 min ride, and as we reached the shore, people were hustling to reach the shore while I was busy enjoying the breeze.

    As I stepped on the holy land of Beyt Dwarka; 

*The pathway was shared by multiple cattle as if we were the one who had entered in there premises.
 
*Colorful Hathgadi(Lauris) to carry devotees to the temple was an occupation of people to earn their living.

*Bare chest kids were no less than stuntmen for me as they were fearlessly jumping in the sea in search of coins dropped in, by the devotees.

*Lanes covered by colorful garlands, Threadwork Handmade Katchi clothes, accessories, and  Lord Krishna's idols & frames were enough to give a picture to all the Shri Krishna's stories narrated by my mother.

As we entered the temple premises, there was positive energy all around, those ringing bells, those chanting shlokas brought serenity to us & how to forget that Shastang dandavat pranam of Chintan to Lord Keshavraiji, which Kittu too tried to copy.

Yes my dear mommies, Rather than saying your baby what to do, make it easy by letting them copy it from you.

After darshan, it was time to return to Dwarka via our return boat ride.

Here one strange thing happened,

     A man in our boat raised his hand holding a biscuit & to my amaze, seagull just grabbed it via its beak from his hand.

Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat!!!!!!! Seeing this, my mouth was wide open.

Hooooooooooooooooow?

Being curious, How can I not try.

So the packets of biscuits which were for Kartavya was destined to be for these Sea birds.

Nor 1, nor 2 but 7 times I had experience of my biscuits being grabbed by the seagull.

once I even got hurt with their pointed beak.

Some of the Seagull was grabbing the edibles from one's hand, while somewhere catching it when thrown in the air, while the tiny ones were waiting for the food to get dropped in water.

What an adventurous experience it was, but being a mommy rather than feeling that moment the first thought that came to my mind was;

"I wish, Feeding Kartavya could be this simple"

I would have to just hold his food & he would have run towards me to relish its taste.

But in my case the picture is a bit different;

Here I am the seeker,

Kartavya is the runner; 

and 

Even after placing food in his mouth, I am not sure, about who is the winner & who is the looser.

The worst part is, both of us have to play this game almost 5 times a day, but the one who needs resting time is never Kartavya.

I know, I am not alone. All mommies must be facing this neverending chaos.

Some might have to deal with messy feeding, some with difficult one while some with never hungry babies.

So here are some tips, in brief, to make feeding a bit less tiresome. 

1. Let your baby enjoy its food.

      Let your kids relish the taste as well as consistency of food. don't start solids too soon.

After 6 months of exclusive breastfeeding, slowing change the consistency from liquid to puree to blended soft solids to chewable texture.

Let your baby develop swallowing and chewing habits with time.

Let them relish the taste of different nutrients with different colors and consistency.

2. Food tastes better with your family

       Yes, this quote is applicable to a toddler too, 
We made a habit of eating with Kartavya & even getting excited on first glance of our served meal.

Turn mealtime into a party for your baby.

Smile, clap & encourage them on their achievement of completing their served meal.

Don't forget to try "Flying spoon " & "Peek a Boo" tricks.

3.Messy Babies.

    Allow your baby to play with food, as a 1st step to learning to eat is simply exploring it.

allow your little one to smash, smell, squish their food as it may satisfy their curiosity and make them more comfortable eating.

4. Small packages.

     Start with a small amount so as to make them learn about taste.
 Play with different taste in every meal throughout the day, so that your baby would also be waiting for their mealtime.

5. Bring on self-feeding

     Almost by 1 year, your baby can start feeding themselves; some with a spoon while some with their hands.

To be true this method is going to take time for me, as till date Kartavya though has started using a spoon but he loves eating with my hands like literally "Maa Ke Haath Ka Khana".

I too don't mind, as I wont be getting this chance once he is grown up.

6. Take help from his toys or habit of feeding chair.

        Use either a chair or any location of your house just to feed him, as he should know that if he is been placed at that place than its meal time.

7. Have patience.

      If your baby denies eating, please give him some time. try to get him involved in the play, calm him down, have a pleasant smile on your face and continue your attempt in feeding.

Never forcefully feed him, as it can develop fear in your baby on each feeding session.

8. Take Help.

      Change your duties with your partner.

Let your kid enjoy their feeding sessions with their father or other family members.

9.Playful Feeding.

       Play with textures, color & taste in your every meal. 

Let them find how interesting eating can be, by turning their mouthwatering and eyes twinkling with multiple options served in their plate.

10. Schedule their meal time.

       Feed your kids only when they are hungry. Let them ask for food.
Avoid snacks especially chips & biscuits. Almost by 18 months of age, their meal timings would turn to be like adults.
At least keep 3-4 hours gap in every meal & most important never overfeed them.
Try to understand their hunger pattern and work accordingly.

11. Consult.

    Even after trying so many tricks, some babies are very difficult to handle, so here you need to know whether there is a real problem or a temporary phase. 

Talk to your baby's  Paediatrician or Paediatric feeding specialist.

All Babies are not the same, nor are their tantrums, nor are their requirements for growth.

All Babies need not be chubby for being healthy.

Let them grow at their own pace and keep a check if it's affecting their health.

As childhood is a journey, not a race. so let them enjoy it as they won't get a second chance to relish same.