Many things excite you during pregnancy but the most exciting thing to wonder about is “Am I going to have a Girl / Boy”. A simple curious question to yourself which is always worth wondering as if you know the gender “you can make a nursery accordingly” and if you don’t “The excitement can last till end.”

By your 5^th month ultrasound you will come to know the gender of your baby if she is in good position. But still nothing is 100% sure. The truth will reveal on the day of delivery only!!!

Image source Google

Well to find out your baby’s gender or not is up to you. But if you want to have some fun time with some funny guesses, go ahead and try following to find out your baby’s gender.

Heart Beat: Next time when you visit your doctor, don’t forget to ask him/her your baby’s heartbeat rate. This is common checkup done by doctor in every visit and its beautiful feeling to hear it too. The exciting thing is it can tell you who is going to develop inside!!! If heart beats are above 140, you are going to deliver a girl and if it is less than 140 it’s a boy.

Morning sickness: Are you suffering from morning sickness? If answer is yes you will be blessed by a girl and if you have less or none morning sickness you will be blessed by a boy.

Sweet or sour: Girls are sweet and so you crave for sweets if it’s a girl. If it’s a boy you may crave for some sour or salty items.

Beauty: There is a say that girl steals beauty from her mother. So if you think your skin is getting darker or your look is becoming dull it’s a girl and if you look same it will be a boy. Don’t worry about look as these changes are just temporary.

Ring experiment: Take off your engagement ring and tie it to one end of string. Hold it from another end near to your belly and check the movements. If it turns in circle you are going to have a boy and if it goes back and forth you are going to have a girl.

Delivery Time: There is a tale that girls like her mother a lot and so she won’t leave her womb so soon. This means if you are going to deliver a girl your delivery time will be higher and if it’s a boy your delivery time will be nominal. Well this is last day experiment but still exciting.

Well these are myths or truths facts or frames ; no one can say and no one can be sure until time will reveal it. But yes in my case all above were perfectly right!!!

Try some funny guess and have some fun

Reader’s Photo

Once my sister came to our house for vacation with her 4 months old baby. As it was 4 months baby my sister use to give her formula. My daughter Vency (who was 6 years old at that time) watched this for couple of days and once when my sister was making formula for her daughter she went to her and asked “Asi (my sister) what are you making?”

My sister simply replied “it’s kind of milk for babies.”

She asked “can I taste it”

My sister replied “yes sure and she gave her to taste it.”

After tasting it she said “it doesn’t taste so good Asi I don’t like it” and went outside to play.

 By the evening when I was making formula, Vency came to me and asked “why are you making milk again?”

 I replied “because baby is hungry”

And she innocently replied” then give her masala papad, she will get bored if you will give her milk all the times and this one is not even tastier!!!”

I couldn’t control my laughter after listening this. It’s been 5 years now but still sometimes we make fun for this masala papad.

This is one of the best examples of kids’ curious mind and their tender heart. Thank you very much Palak for sharing your hilarious experience with us.

We are inviting cute conversation from all the parents. You can write your experience to fosterfeel@gmail.com with the name, age and photo of your kid and we will publish it on forstefeel.com/cute_conversation/kids_name on every Tuesday.

When I asked “what is the toughest thing to raise your kid?” most of the parents shared the common answer “To feed my kid”.

True!!! Feeding kid is tough no matter what is the age of your kid!!! Every age has its own issues with food and every age has its own solutions too. Here are 8 rules to feed your kids (ages 2 years to 7 years) without mess and mental stress.

Image source Google

First and foremost rule Rule # 1: Spend more time on dining table than spending time in kitchen.

For grown ups food is fun but for kids it is not.  Reason is simple; kids don’t have much knowledge about food and taste and result less interest. For this age group there is no need to think what they like or not as they too really don’t have idea about their choice. Today fried rice can be their favorite and tomorrow omelet. No consistency in favorite not because their choice has changed but because they don’t know the real taste and meaning of “what is called my favorite”!!!! Can’t agree? Try telling your kid I love okra I love okra and see how your kid will start loving okra in just 15 to 20 days.

Well my point is don’t spend too much time in kitchen to cook your kids’ favorite food instead choose couple of healthy recipe of your choice and spend some time with your kid on dining table to feed him. Talk with your kid, sing rhyme, tell story, enjoy the table games and enjoy the meal.

Hot roti (bread) is not necessary for kids. It’s your belief that cold roti (bread) doesn’t taste good but actually truth is if you have good company you can eat anything and everything and so the kids. Give your company and serve the plate full of fun and food.

Rule # 2: Eat together 

No one likes to eat alone and so the kids. Best way to feed your kid is feed with family. If you will eat together they will observe you and copy you. And that’s the perfect way to teach them table manners.

Seat together and start the food at the same time. You eat and feed your kid too. Encourage them to eat by themselves. It is very common that you will finish your food first. Help your kid to eat once you are done and make the meal time interesting.

Rule # 3: Fix the menu – prediction makes possible

Prediction makes life easier and acceptable even though it is not of your choice. Fix the daily menu. That will help your kid to accept the food and that decreases unnecessary demands. Of course you can offer his/her favorite food as a treat of the day to reward good behavior but not always. This will help you in two ways 1. Decreases meal time battle 2. Reward will encourage them to stay in discipline.

Rule # 4: Stick to 3

Multiple choices create confusion. Number 3 is perfect for kids. More will confuse them and less will reduce options and/or nutrition. Every time offer 3 different things to eat and let them choose the quantity of the same. If they like let them eat the amount they want and if not encourage them to taste it.

My house rule is “if you like eat more and if you don’t eat a spoon.”

Choose healthy food which contains protein grain and vitamins. Add more fruits and vegetable in diet. Don’t forget to serve in 3 partition plate or bowl. If you have more categories to serve, you can combine two together so for your kid it will become 3 only. For example, if I have cooked lentil rice roti (bread) and vegetable, I would mix rice with lentil and serve roti (bread) vegetables and mixture of lentil and rice. And if I have cooked only rice I would prefer to serve it with salad and curd so at the end it will serve 3 to my kid.

Rule # 5: Serve half Feed full

If you know your kid eats two table spoons of rice in one meal divide it in half. First serve one table spoon and when your kid finish it give high five and appreciate him. Offer second table spoon. More appreciation more enjoyment. And because of this someday they will ask for 3rd table spoon too!!! So basically you are serving less and they are eating more.

Don’t forget to use kids’ spoon (small) to feed your kid. Encourage them to clean the plate but don’t force too much to finish all.

Rule # 6: Meal at meal time only

Set the meal time for your kid. Normally we offer 3 big and 3 small meals in a day for this age group.  If they miss or eat less during one they can cover it up in next meal time. So forget the concept of offering food after half an hour or so just because you think that they hadn’t enough because at end this kind of extra care will encourage their picky behavior.

They should know this is the meal time and after that they are not going to get it. Let them understand that if they are hungry they have to eat now or have to wait till next meal time. And as a result they will first fulfill their hunger and then think of something else!!!

25 to 30 minutes are enough to finish one meal and so set the timer of 25-30 minutes. Feed them during that time and once timer rings clean up the table and let them wait for next meal time.

Same rule applies if they get down from the chair or play with food or spit up. We want to make fun here but of course not with the food.

Rule #  7: Make the mealtime marvelous

Well as I said Table games are must. TV is okay up to 2 years but later if you would go with TV or mobile they will never learn how to enjoy meal. There are lots of table games like spy the color, tell me the riddle, count with me, memory game, say the rhyming word as well as simple talk to rhyme and story. Choose according to your comfort and choice and enjoy the time with your kid.

Rule # 8: Concern but don’t complain

Kids are weekly eater.  That means they manage their appetite in a week.  Some days they eat a lot and some days very less. Don’t worry if your pediatrician doesn’t concern about your kid’s weight as at the end of the week they will surely eat the right amount of food to feed their body.

No one can improve with negativity so never say you didn’t eat properly or anything like that instead praise when they eat well and encourage the good behavior.

Have A Happy Meal Time

Reader’s Photo

Mother’s love is best but can you believe my 4 years old son Namya showed us his love for his mother at its best.

I was admitted to the hospital as I was going to deliver our younger son Ayan. We kept Namya with our parents at home only. Finally after 1 and half day our parents bring him to meet new born. When they all came inside the room, all others went near to newborn to see him and to my surprise Namya didn’t go there and first came to me and asked “mama are you okay? Do you have pain? When will you come home?”

When I said “I am ok baby go and see your little brother”

He replied “I can see him later also first you tell me when your pain will go?” And started taking care of me!!!!!

My eyes were really filled with water by his concern and love.

Awww such a heart touching reward to a mother. Big salute to mother and son. Kudos Namya!!! Thank you very much Sonal for sharing your heart touching experience with us.

We are inviting cute conversation from all the parents. You can write your experience to fosterfeel@gmail.com with the name, age and photo of your kid and we will publish it on forstefeel.com/cute_conversation/kids_name on every Tuesday.

First trimester might be terrific for you and now it is middle of second trimester. You must be relaxed and settled in your new routine. As we know pregnancy is full of surprises, here is one more surprise for you in form of “Baby Kicks” at the end of 5^th month of your pregnancy.

I still remember, when I was pregnant once we went out for shopping and while parallel parking our car touched the divider and as a reflection I got kicks from my baby!!!

One more experience I would like to share with you. Summer was just started and we went to lake. As I am fond of water I couldn’t resist myself to enter into lake and joined others in splashing. As soon as cold water touched my belly my little one started kicking like anything!!!

I have many more amazing experiences with kicks and I called them tricks as many times I intentionally encouraged my little one to kick me!!! Nothing can be more fun and frolic than this and thus here I am coming up with my article “Kicks and Tricks”

What does your baby do inside:

Initially baby bends by sideways and make tiny movements. As she grows she moves her tiny arms and legs; gradually she moves her head and also covers her face with her tiny hands; she may suck the thumb or finger of her favorite hand or leg.

Most of the time your baby will sleep in womb but there are some times when she is awake and she tells you that by her gentle kicks.

When will you feel kicks:

By the end of 5^th month your baby becomes active and you feel light kicks as a result of her movements. Initial kicks are gentle like popping bubble but yes you can see clear picture of your baby’s legs or hands in 5^th month Ultrasound if your baby is in good position.

If this is your first pregnancy, you may not realize these small kicks but by the end of 7^th month these kicks will become stronger and harder. Sometimes you may feel vibration effect on fabric of your clothes too.

If you are in routine your baby will be in routine too. In this case if you will try to notice, you will defiantly get the exact time span of your baby’s sleep pattern so you can enjoy the kicks. For me every day we eagerly waited for evening 5 PM as it was her active time. We enjoyed her kicks and teased her a lot by shifting her position in those time span!!!

She won’t move all the times there will be time when they prefer to sleep and take rest. Don’t worry if you don’t see much activity during your ultra-scan but if you are lucky you will be able to see you active baby in full charm.

Why baby kicks you:

1. Baby sleeps when you are awake or you are moving. Standing, sitting and walking positions give them effect of swing so at that time they will sleep. But when you will sleep or lay down they will awake and give kick to inform you.
2. Baby kicks when she is hungry. Hungry baby kicks are really hard and continuous and if you want to measure wait for 2 min and see how your sweet baby demands for food. Once you will have the food they will stop kicking.
3. Baby kicks to celebrate treats. When you eat something sweet or sugary they become active and give kicks. This is why doctors suggest to eat sweets when you miss your routine kicks. Have sweets or cold drink and wait for 15 minutes. Still if your baby is not responding you should concern doctor.
4. Loud music disturbs your baby sleeps and so she wakes up. And when baby is awake she reminds you her presence in form of kicks.
5. Normally temperature inside the womb is warm until you take bath in extreme cold or extreme hot water. And this is the reason doctor suggest to take bath in warm water only. Yes if its summer just try cold water bath and see how beautifully your baby kicks you in response.

What to do when kicks trouble you:

Baby kicks will get harder by the time and sometimes they kick like anything. Continuous kicks on same place might cause little pain or make you uncomfortable. Well in this case just try to move or shift the kicks by changing your position or press the part of your tummy little harder where you are getting kicks and your baby will move out from there.

 Well this is when your baby kicks but what if she doesn’t?

By the end of the 7^th month you will get the routine of your baby and so it will be easy for you to measure the kicks. Baby kicks 6 to 10 times in a day and if you think your baby is missing her routine try 1. Change the position 2. Eat sweets or cold drinks 3. Play some loud music 4. Take cold water bath 5. Press your tummy little harder.

Still if you think your baby is not moving and it’s been long time around 2 hrs. just make a call to your doctor. Don’t feel guilty if everything comes out normal. This is just like false contraction so better to take precaution than putting your baby’s life in risk. Feel free to call doctors as many times as you want in response of your concern and ask for the normal checkup.

Feel the touch and feel your baby

Reader’s Photo

Siblings are really exciting, they play together they eat together they learn together and they share together. Here I am sharing one of the examples of siblings love where my 4 years old daughter Aira is trying to teach something interesting to my 1 year old son Arin.

One day Arin was playing with her mother’s finger. As he is just one year old, he likes to try everything by putting it in his mouth. To satisfy the same curiosity he putted his mother’s finger in his mouth.

Aira who was playing near to him saw this and removed finger from his mouth and said “don’t bite mama. You should not bite nice people. You can bite only strange people if they trouble you!!!”

She was explaining this in such a sincere way that we truly fall for her cuteness and concern for her brother and mother.

I agree siblings share beautiful bond and they always care for each other. Aira’s, sincere and cute gesture exposes her love for her family. Thank you very much Shila and Suresh for sharing your cute experience with us.

We are inviting cute conversation from all the parents. You can write your experience to fosterfeel@gmail.com with the name, age and photo of your kid and we will publish it on forstefeel.com/cute_conversation/kids_name on every Tuesday.

Reader’s Photo

My 2 and half years old daughter Vijeytha likes to copy us for everything and those funny gestures make us laugh all the times. I would like to share one of those with you.

Every day when Vijeytha comes back from school I like to check her lunch box and if it’s empty I like to encourage her with “Yeeee you finished it good job vijeytha.”

Few days back when her father came back from office and removed lunch box from his bag, she asked him to open it. My husband opened it for her. When she saw its empty she said “yeeeee you finished it good job appa.”

And her cute face made us laugh like anything.

Kids are really funny but cute copy cats. Thank you very much Shwetha for sharing your hilarious experience with us.

We are inviting cute conversation from all the parents. You can write your experience to fosterfeel@gmail.com with the name, age and photo of your kid and we will publish it on forstefeel.com/cute_conversation/kids_name on every Tuesday.