Seventh Month Milestones

V completed 7 months on the 11th of this month. Wow, time sure is flying by. Thought that I will jot down the milestones he achieved in the past month. So here goes:

Turns over and raises a bit of his stomach with his hands.

Sits unsupported, though I still keep him surrounded by pillows.

Tries to stand up with support (slow down buddy, u have to start sitting up on your own yet :P )

Says bababababababa

Turns when someone calls him

Does not like it when I take a toy aways from him

Likes playing peek-a-boo

Passes an object from one hand to another.

He is developing a personality of his own with his own likes and dislikes :P He selects the toys he wants to play with. its fun watching this cuddly little bundle you got home from the hospital turn into a little person :)

I have also started feeding him with solids (he was breastfeeding exclusively for the first six months) But that's a topic for a different blog.

Leaving you guys with his seventh month pic :)

Vaccination Schedule

I just dread the days when I have to take Vihaan for his Vaccination :( But then vaccines are important in our country where you can easily catch an infection before you can say "Achoo" :-/ So I have uploaded Vihaan's vaccination schedule. The Doctor gave me this file on his birth and it has a list of all vaccines required till Vihaan turns 15!! Also listed are some optional vaccines which you may or may not give the child.

Painless Vaccines:

Now a days, a painless vaccine is available for DPT (Diphtheria+Pertussis+Tetanus). It is called Dtap. Although it is not totally painless, it reduces the pain and swelling at the point of injection and also reduces the chances of developing a fever. However, some children show the usual fever and swelling symptoms even after taking this vaccine. It is best if you apply a little ice at the point of injection to prevent swelling.

Optional Vaccines:
The Doctor till date has recommended Rota virus and Vaxigrip. Check out the links below for more info:

General Info about Vaccines: http://www.allforkidsindia.com/allforkids/Resources/VaccineOptions.aspx
Rota virus: http://www.rotavirusvaccine.org/
Vaxigrip: http://www.prajishsankar.com/blog/health-and-fitness/vaxigrip-get-influenza-vaccine-to-protect-yourself-from-flu-influenza-a-and-influenza-b-virus/

New Baby Essentials

Mental preparations aside, here are a few tips on how to be prepared for your new arrival :)

In India, it is customary not to shop for you unborn child. The clothes for the newborn child would be provided mostly by other relatives who would have preserved the clothes of when their children were new born. But now there are a wide variety of choices available. So its better to make your own choices and be prepared with the things you need for the baby. These are a few things that you can decide on before your baby arrives.

Crib/ Baby Cot

Will the baby sleep in your bed or in a separate cot. If you are planning to keep the baby in the cot, then it is better to get the baby habituated to sleeping in the cot from day 1. So its good to have the crib ready. If you are planning to have the baby sleep in your bed, then there are some baby cushions available for that too. Don't forget your mosquito nets too.   

 

Disposable Diapers/ Cloth Diapers

A large variety of diapers are now available, whether they are cloth diapers or disposable. If you are cloth diapering with langots, then you need at least 12-18 in a day, and that's if you plan to use disposables in the night. I always keep a pack of disposable diapers ready in case of emergencies :P I use Pampers Active baby.

Clothes

Some basics that you'll need:
3 Cotton shirts for daytime wear
Leggings in case of cold climates
Onesies which cover the whole body for night time.
Socks/ mittens for daytime.
Swaddling Clothes (If you plan to swaddle the baby)

Bath Time Accessories

You can buy a proper baby bath tub if you are planning to bathe the baby yourself. If you have a dai coming in for massaging and bathing the baby, then all you will need is

Towel

Baby Soap

Baby powder

New Born Toys

Thought the baby is going to spend most of its time sleeping over the next few months, its good to have some bright colourful musical toys to entertain the baby with when he is awake.