Travel smart with your baby

Traveling with a baby can be a daunting task – whether you’re flying overseas or taking a train ride to the next state. I went on a holiday to Thailand with my 10-month-old baby. We even took a flight by ourselves to meet the papa at Bangkok, and it wasn’t our first by ourselves. Is it doable? Definitely. Was it a nightmare? May be. It’s harder than I imagined but totally worth it.

I had many questions before flying. Planning and reading up helped, and this is what we did.

Travel during the day

It’s very likely that you’ll land at daytime or noon, making it easier to reschedule your child’s routine. Let me explain. I took a night flight once. My baby slept a little but I didn’t get a wink. We landed at 5 am. There I was, after a crappy night’s sleep with a cranky baby, long queues and awaiting visa procedures in Bangkok. Terrible combination. In contrast, with a day flight, we landed feeling fresh at the airport and it was easier for me to reschedule her sleep and feeding routine.

Tip: Avoid super early flights unless you want to wake up at 3 am with your baby.

Baby carrier, pram, or both?

Choose the carrier, ditch the pram. A carrier was perfect for my trip. I did a little research on traveling to Krabi and Phi Phi with a baby and realized that we’ll be heading to places with no roads i.e. lots of beaches and boat rides. A pram seemed like extra luggage and I left it behind. The carrier was perfect for the flight, loo visits (yes, she was with me all the time), public transport, crowded touristy areas, beaches and boat rides. I didn’t have to keep an eye out for where she was while sightseeing or shopping. However, if I’m heading to a developed country that’s wheelchair and pram-friendly, I’ll pack a pram too.

Tip: If you’re planning to carry your baby, make sure you work out for at least a few weeks before your trip and keep your back strong, because carrying a baby all day can be taxing on your body.

Backpack or baby bag

Going handsfree with a backpack and carrier

I had to choose between an old backpack from my pre-baby days and a lovely grey Skip Hop baby bag. It’s very functional with multiple compartments AND it is attractive. A rare find – you mums will agree. However, the backpack seemed more practical for a flight as it makes you hands-free and distributes the weight evenly. Now, the backpack is my best friend and it goes where I go.

Tip: Keep your bag accessible. The baby goes on you first (front-facing) and then the backpack goes on the back.

Advance taxi booking

Book airport pickups and drop-offs in advance instead of waiting in queues. The convenience is unbeatable and it costs just marginally higher.

Tip: Contact your hotels or travel agents – most of them will be happy to arrange it for you.

How to reschedule across time zones

Wondering which time zone to follow for your baby’s routine? Here’s a tip shared by Malaak Baby Care. When you travel from Dubai, follow Dubai clock time until you land. Once you land, switch to your destination’s clock time. Which means – if the nap time was 11 am in Dubai, it’s nap time at 11 am in the new country. Shifting between time zones is much easier with the help of sunlight and fresh air.

Tip: Be gentle with the change, wake them up in the morning and don’t push bedtime too much.

Follow the routine

Kinda blurry, but that’s the baby bassinet in an Emirates aircraft. Quite cosy

Stay on routine, especially with meals and nap time. Kids love familiarity. In a new country with unfamiliar faces, this may be their only solace. It’s often hard because we come across comments from relatives like, ‘It’s their holiday’, ‘Let them have sugar’, ‘Let them stay up late’, and ‘Let’s skip a nap this one time.’ Remember, you are in charge and it’s up to you to decide what’s better for your baby, even at the expense of being considered rude. Whatever you decide is fine.

Tip: Learn to say NO.

Snacks for the journey

Firstly, check for allergies before you travel and inform flight attendants in advance. Secondly, snacks are your best friends. Pack items that don’t get messy. I learnt not to carry beetroot puree the hard way. DIY squeeze pouches or packaged organic ones like Ella’s Kitchen are great for travel. I’m not a big fan of packaged food but the rules don’t apply when we’re midair. We pack raisins, bread sticks, cucumber sticks and chopped bell peppers, and sometimes purchase some at the airport after checking in. Also, keep enough snacks handy to last you after you land, until reach your hotel. When meals are served on a flight, I ask for extra salad and bread, and the baby is happy.

Tip: Use zip lock bags for packing. You can buy snacks or refill at airport duty frees and lounges.

Pack Smart

Type of luggage

People tend to be kind when they see a mother with toddlers or babies at the airport. Take help when it’s offered – you almost always need it. But there may be that one instance when you have a sleeping baby on you, no one’s around and you’re taking your luggage off the conveyer. So, keep it light and simple and make sure it’s easy to manoeuvre. What worked for me is a backpack, a sleek and light spinner suitcase and a spinner check-in suitcase that’s easy to drag. Other options I would consider are the BagRider, Trunki carry-ons and Skip Hop Zoo Rolling toddler suitcases.

Tip: Pack in advance. Carry luggage that you can handle yourself while holding or wearing a baby.

Pack minimal

Take only essentials in your carry-ons. I was told that mums with babies are allowed a few extra kilos but I was once asked to leave behind some luggage. Fortunately, I had many pockets where I kept my Kindle, mobile, iPad, wallet and travel documents. I got the baby to hold her toy, while we wore our jackets and emptied the baby water bottle. It was sorted but the next time, I’m sticking to the 7kg limit.

Tip: Wear cargo pants and a jacket with multiple pockets to keep all the heavy objects.

What to wear and hand-carry

One of the many uses of our muslin swaddle

Mama and baby – wear comfortable clothes and shoes. Also, bring a change of clothes for you and the baby. I always keep a light jacket for both of us as it gets quite cold on flights. In your backpack, keep a toy your baby loves but hasn’t seen for a few days, preferably one with buttons and lights. It will keep her busy for a while. Keep basic medication handy as it’s easier than searching for pharmacies in a country where you don’t speak the language.

Tip: Make sure you pack a muslin swaddle that’s always reachable. I used it as a blanket, wipe, sunshade, picnic mat etc. and it dries easily after a wash.

Packing for the trip

Pack for all seasons irrespective of the weather forecast. Carry their jacket, summer clothes and a packable hat for you both – it’s easier than holding an umbrella while handling a baby. Keep plenty of socks (warm feet = warm body), a pair of open toed and closed shoes – because you never know what you’ll need at that unplanned trek.

Tip: Before traveling, check which brand of diaper and formula you can buy in the new country, and where it’s available. You can carry much lesser luggage this way.

Tips for the airport and flight

• Authorities often allow you to skip queues
  

  Taking a moment to ourselves at the airport business lounge

  at the airport if you’re with an infant or toddler. But ASK the authorities. Don’t assume.

• Check if your credit cards offer complimentary access to the airport lounge. We’ve taken naps, snacked, showered, used play areas – and it’s never crowded in there.
• Mums with babies are usually given front row seats in a flight. This ensures plenty of leg space. However, if you don’t get the front row, you can request seats at the back as it’s closer to the restroom (think emergency diaper changes). I often request aisle seats because it gives me space to move around. It can get cramped up with a baby on your lap next to a window. However, at window seats, it’s easier to breastfeed with privacy. So, you choose what works for you.
• Breastfeed or give your baby the bottle during takeoff and landing. It helps to pop their ears as the cabin pressure changes. Older kids can be coached to yawn.
• Take breaks. Sit down. Breathe. Take a sip of water and keep your baby hydrated.
• If you have an infant, you can request a bassinet. It’s quite comfy for the baby.

Time to bring on the wine and in-flight entertainment!

How was your experience travelling with your little one? Do share your experience and let me know if you have any questions.

Loving my Local Farmers’ Market, Dubai

It’s winter here and we decided to drive to the farmers’ market quite early. My husband takes my daughter to a park around the corner, and I walk around, free to indulge all my senses.

Let me introduce you to a morning at the Farmers’ Market on the Terrace.

Let’s talk period.

TMI. Read only if you’re interested.

Why am I writing about this? Because our period is a big part of our lives and menstrual cups have upped the game. This is a detailed comparison of the different kinds of menstrual products I’ve used.

In 2016, I used a cup for a few cycles, got comfortable with the technique but it felt uncomfortable inside. I gave it up and returned to my good old, reusable cloth napkins.

Fast- forward to 2020. I tried another menstrual cup – this time from Furuize – and I was pleasantly surprised with the experience. There were leaks initially (I had to relearn it all) but it was a quick adjustment.

What I like about the menstrual cup

– It makes me forget that I have my period. Yes it’s THAT comfortable. I like the fact the blood stays in and there’s no mess.
– It is soft. The previous one I used was too hard and felt uncomfortable (I’m talking about menstrual cups). I know that some people prefer harder cups (Yes, still menstrual cups). There are many options available. Choose the texture and size that suits you.
– A menstrual cup may seem expensive at the beginning but it turns out economic in the long run. Do the math – you would spend the same on disposable products for 2-3 cycles otherwise.
– It is reusable for over 10 years according to manufacturers.
– Reusable cups are eco-friendly and non-toxic. Sanitary napkins and tampons are known to dry out membranes and disrupt your natural PH balance. Which means, no skin irritation.
– The cup is perfect for my kind of activities like yoga, cycling, camping and swimming. I’m never worried about changing or disposing it
– Apparently, it can be work for 12 hours at a stretch. (I don’t wait that long because of my flow, but it’s good to know!)

Benefits of a menstrual cup

A quick comparison to its alternatives:

– Disposable napkins: I’ve always found sanitary napkins uncomfortable – it feels plastic-y and it’s terrible for the environment.
– Tampons: It is comfortable but this one adds to the landfill too. It contains nasty chemicals which get absorbed into your body.
– Reusable cloth napkins: SO comfortable, reusable and great for the environment. I like using it while I’m home, but hand washing/ storing it isn’t practical if you get cramps often, or if you’re out camping / travelling.
– Period underwear: I haven’t tried this one. I hear good things about the comfort factor. However, I don’t prefer it while I’m camping or traveling and I hear it lasts 2-3 years.

Menstrual products comparison

Read this before you buy a menstrual cup.

– There are many options available. Choose the size and softness that work for you based on your age, flow and activity. Furuize suits me well.
– You may have to try a few brands or sizes before you find the right one.
– There’s a learning curve involved – which means leaks are possible. Use a sanitary napkin or a liner until you’ve figured out the right way to use it.
– Try the cup for at least two menstrual cycles before you decide whether you like it.
– There are many, many videos on how to use it. Watch a few before you try it on.

Menstrual cup buying guide

I’m quite excited about about this topic because it enables me to handle my period easily. I’m sharing my experience here after a few months of using the cup. It took me a while to get used to the idea of handling it, but solved many hygiene issues and I’ve made the switch. Do give it a shot.

I would also love to hear about your experience here – have you already tried the cup? Did it change your life or did you hate it?

Goodbye

I watched them burn his body. That’s the Hindu funeral tradition – cover them up with wood and light them up on fire.

While they placed logs of wood on him, they accidently dropped one on my dad’s shoulder. He didn’t flinch. I knew then that he was gone. I watched it all. The men of the family walk around him in circles. Add fire to the wood. The fire spread. The smoky room. People stare at him getting burnt.

It’s an irony – it was fire and third degree burns that brought him here. To death.

Burn.

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I stared at him. I looked around and wondered if people were watching my sister or my mum. I felt fiercely protective. They weren’t watching.

It got too smoky. My dad filled up the space and I wondered if everyone would inhale him now. They all walked away like ants. First a few, then many, a few more and eventually all. I spotted my friends. I asked them not to say a word as we walked back to my home, just around the corner. We walked in absolute silence. It felt odd but perfectly normal – I wanted ice cream.

After the rituals, there were a bunch of relatives who stayed back at home. It was suffocating. My husband and a friend took me out for a drive and I told them I wanted ice cream. They took me to the nearest shop and I got myself a large scoop. They spoke. I ate in silence. Thinking of his arm where the log hit him. Watching him, not flinch. Watching him go away forever. Turn into ashes while I had my ice cream, guilt free.

Virtual Yoga Classes

I’ve started taking virtual yoga classes on Zoom lately and the response has been great! There are free classes every Saturday at 4 pm GST.

If you’re interested and live in Dubai (or anywhere in the world), please contact me over email, Instagram or Facebook

Yoga in Dubai

 

Yoga in Dubai

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Working Out With a Toddler At Home? Make It Fun.

Yoga with a toddler at home

Stay at home. Work from home. Spouse who works from home. Entertain the toddler. Cook. Clean. Repeat.

My first experience with Bikram Yoga in Dubai

2020. New year resolutions. New things to do.

Last month, I decided to try out a yoga class using props – quite a change from what I have been doing for years. While I loved it, something the instructor said made a deeper impact. It was something simple, ‘Push your limits. Break the boundaries in your mind’. It sowed the seed.

This year, I decided to keep one blanket resolution and push myself in every aspect of my life – to try harder and go beyond the edge. So here I am, trying out different styles of yoga and studios in Dubai.

Mom brain – it’s science, not a myth

Forget the body. What I really want from my pre-pregnancy days is my brain.

I had no idea about the concept of pregnancy-brain or mom-brain before I got pregnant.
According to studies (Google it up), pregnancy creates changes in a woman’s brain which can last up to two years after birth. (Two years!)

This means losing skills, forgetting where you kept the remote and freezing when you’re unsure how to respond in certain situations. Once, I found my forgotten breakfast in the shelf (found it the same day 😶), and Maya’s shoes in my knitting stash. Frankly, it makes me feel like an idiot.

But here’s the good news. The smarts get replaced by empathy and social skills. As mums, you’re going to solve slightly different adaptive and cognitive problems than you did before you had kids. We lose some, we get some – that’s the deal.

So any new mum who’s reading this, you are evolving into a better person. Be kind to yourself and find a new balance every single day. And if you’re not a mum, be kind and give other mums the space to find and accept their new self.

To the mom who thinks she’s not enough

You know those moms who exercise, pursue their career, don’t ask for help, buy organic ingredients, prepare only healthy meals for the child, keep them active, say no to sugar and television, read to them daily and buy only educational toys? Turns out – doing all that isn’t enough.

We mums are convinced we’re doing a terrible job because we are constantly reminded of better ways to mother – from the media, our spouses, parents, strangers in the supermarket, and our friends. Some of us are too strict, else too lenient, too harsh or too kind, too freestyling or too routine-ish, spend too much time at work or ‘waste’ our time staying at home, we’re too conscious of our looks or don’t care enough, take too much me-time or stopped caring about ourselves.

Modern-day motherhood is tricky. The new generation of mums are probably facing the worst as there are higher parenting standards with lesser support from the community. Criticism is everywhere  We’re taught that asking for help or taking a break is a sign of weakness and we applaud independence. I often feel reluctant to ask for help because, well, I’m an empowered woman, right?

Well, if you’re a mum reading this, I want you to know – what you feel is valid and real. I know you feel guilty about something you did today, but you’re a good mother, and you’re probably having a bad day. You are a kind soul and you do your best every single day 🤗

Pureborn Eco-friendly Diaper Review

As a first time mom, I wanted to make sure this Little leaves minimal carbon footprint, zero if possible. I discovered cloth diapering and it works well for us. But there are those sick days, rainy days, outdoor adventures and, let’s be honest, lazy days, when you want the convenience of disposables.

That’s when Pureborn came in. It’s organic, made of bamboo and biodegradable. Totally guilt free! Pureborn for sent us these organic diapers and wipes to try them out. Their prints are yummy and the diapers feel more absorbent than other conventional ones. It’s also known to be kind on baby skin, leaving no room for rashes. I’ve kept the diaper rash cream aside for months. What I love the best are their prints, especially their pineapple print. Can’t wait for a their new cactus print to be launched!

And the wipes – do you know how people say don’t buy a product if you can’t pronounce the ingredient names? This has 99% water, tea tree and coconut preservative. I love that! I’ve made the switch.

If you or your baby uses eco-friendly alternatives, please share details here. I’d love to check it out. 💛

Yoga Workshop: Breath, Body and Mind

There’s a Breath, Body and Mind Yoga workshop being organised at Trident Yoga Centre, Dubai (formerly known as 136.1 Yoga Studio) on International Yoga Day. Guess who’s taking it. (Me! Me!)

Yoga Workshop by Jalaja Ramanunni, Yoga Instructor in Dubai

Here’s what you can expect if you’re dropping by.

You will explore yoga asanas and meditation in a gentle manner. The workshop goes beyond postures to include mindful sequences with a focus on movement and breath.
We’ll begin with Pranayama (breathing techniques), followed by warm up with Surya Namaskar (sun salutations), Asanas (physical movement), and a Yoga Nidra (guided relaxation). The poses are ideally done slowly to stretch the body, and with multiple Savasanas.

There will be a lot of emphasis on the breath while your body twists and turns, stretching out to your potential. There will be multiple Shavasanas to cool your body down.

This workshop will help you learn the art of surrendering and letting go. So be there. Or send us your happy vibes!