First time mommies

Hello everyone,

While I am still doing the other story telling articles, one thought just passed by me, and it often does. This is more relevant to first time mothers and especially working ladies, and again belonging to our Indian society and culture.

During pregnancy, we will put on some good weight, and that is natural. If we don't put on during pregnancy, this additional weight is definitely added on during the postpartum period, because of the fat-rich food we eat and for the simple reason that the baby has to be nursed and can be healthy only if we eat well.

It is a natural phenomenon to put on weight anywhere from 12-20 kilograms depending upon your framework, etc. This happens during a course of 15 months. Working women usually rejoin office during the 5th month of the baby. They are mostly in the fatter side when they join, and their tummy is not completely normal. This usually causes a descent in the confidence level for any woman, and specially the first time mommies.

It surprises me when first time dads come and ask me, how should their wives lose their postpartum weight. Thankfully, I got back to shape in 12-15 months, so the questions I am often asked is what did I do to come back to shape. My only answer to them was/is and will be, to let time do the magic. It has taken 15 months to put on the weight and tummy, give it another 12 months to lose all that, and believe me, it happens. It is a natural process and an amazing thing to happen. We definitely have to hit the gym, but not before 5-6 months, and it is not that urgent to get back in shape. We are South Asians and our body structure is different. We are not actors who have nutritionists behind us to help us bounce back within 6 months. What is worst is, if the husbands are asking such questions, imagine the pressure on their wives. They can argue that they don't pressurize them, but being women, we can sense what our husbands want :)

My only small piece of advice to first time mothers would be, to let time do the magic, hit the gym in 6 months after delivery, and be focused to get back to shape, because the moment you lose the focus, you will get used to your body being that way. It is not easy, but definitely not impossible. Don't go on crash diets, eat normal, eat healthy (no junk please), be physically active, and don't succumb to pressures. Believe in yourself.

I welcome positive comments around this. So do share

Take care,
Ciao

Milk maid's dream

Hello everyone,

This story if you recollect is a classic story of our times and I believe each one of you still remember the moral behind the story.

Once upon a time there was a milkmaid named Radha, who would deliver milk in a village to all the inhabitants. She would carry a pot made of clay on her head and walk through the village to provide milk to her customers.

One day, as she was on her daily errand to distribute milk, she started dreaming. She said to herself that with the milk she would sell today, she will go buy eggs from the market. She would then allow the eggs to hatch to fine chicken. Once the chicken would grow into hens, she would sell the hens and make a lot of money. She thought then she would become so rich that there will be queue of prospective grooms all wanting to marry her.  She would then shake her head in denial until she meets someone befitting and worthy of her. So lost was she in her thoughts, that she started shaking her head vigorously. As soon as she shook her head, the milk pot on her head fell down and broke. All the milk was spilt.

MORAL: never count the chicken before they hatch; building castles in air will not last

Gracias :)

Story telling - The Navarathri(नवरात्री) Kolu

Hello everyone,

Come dasshera/navarathri (नवरात्री)  and in the southern part of India, you will be welcomed with dolls kept in well arranged shelves, it is called Kolu. Though auspicious, I think the major role of the Kolu is to meet and greet people, sing songs, play beautiful rhythms and enjoy the 9 days of togetherness.

I am an ardent fan of the kolu season, and as it comes nearer, I go around in search of more and more beautiful dolls. The dolls vary from the famous Dasavatharam, Ashta Lakshmi (eight lakshmi - hindu goddess), the famous Lord Rama, Sita and Lakshmana with Hanuman, Lord Balaji and Thayar, etc. These dolls also depict the lovely stories that we have heard from our grandmothers.

I have a beautiful daughter who is 5 now. She loves the kolu season as well. She loves to decorate the kolu, and dress up in traditional outfits. Being 5, she is at the most curious stage of her life, she is full of energy to know the story behind each doll that I buy.

The questions that she asks makes me search wiki and other online articles to be able to tell her the meaning that each doll has. Somehow these days, I believe parents also take out time to tell their kids the real thing, and not just something made up. I don't see any parent tell his kid, "This is how it is, I don't know the reason behind this". With information floating all over, each parent takes the extra effort to get to know things themselves and then narrate to their kids.

One such curiosity filled me with the thought to blog down things that my daughter asks, so that I can help some of the parents to answer the beautiful questions their kids ask.

My next continuation is the Mythological Dasavatharam. I am presently gathering information to get to know most of the facts about the ten avatars of the Lord Vishnu. The other day, when my daughter asked me the question, I was googling for Dasavatharam and to my surprise, I noticed that what we first get in the internet is Kamal Hassan's Dasavatharam movie released in 2008. I had to jot down an article to explain to her what each doll is.

Come and join me in this and suggest items that I can include. I would be glad to know your thoughts as I jot down. Check out an image of Kolu, so you can relate to what I am talking about

Gracias( Thank you in Spanish) :)