I introduced my toddler to books when she was just a few months old. And before her first birthday, she was already in love with her books.
Like most kids, she loves books about animals. These are just three of our favourites from the lot, even though there many more animal-themed books in our collection at home! (Maybe this calls for a part 2 of this blog post?).
If you’re looking for enjoyable and diverse books featuring animals for your toddler, then this is a great list to start with.
Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?
Written by Bill Smith Jr and illustrated by Eric Carle
This classic children’s book features bold illustrations of animals, bright colours and has an easy rhythm that born grown-ups and toddlers will love. The kiddos will pick up animal names, colours and sequences.
I started reading this book to Toddler A when she was an infant, and she loved it. It’s still read in our home daily.
Written by Sejal Mehta and illustrated by Rohan Chakravarty
A book about cats, from tigers to lions to snow leopard! The illustrations are striking and the cat taking us around the world to introduce us to other cats is super cute.
Written by Fiona Watts and illustrated by Rachel Wells
Another book that my toddler loved prior to her first birthday. At first, she loved touching the bumpy toenails and the tufty tail, and now she loves the repetition of the catchphrase.
Planning
for a baby and their things is a mind-boggling task, especially if it’s your
first child. Trust me, I know.
When I was
pregnant last year, I looked around for lists of baby essentials so that I could
plan my baby shopping and be well prepared before the baby came. But nothing prepared
me for the gazillion baby shopping lists I found.
Some lists
I found online, a couple of lists came through friends and friends’ friends, while
some were just verbal advice, “Oh, you must have this…”
It was all
too much. I got overwhelmed looking at the sheer number of things my tiny person
would need. But I was also determined to be organised. So I printed them all
out, made notes on them, compared them, googled almost each item on the lists and…
you get the idea.
By the end
of the second trimester, I was super stressed just thinking about baby
shopping. So one fine day, I decided to discard those endless lists, and went
with what I thought was necessary for the early days.
If I something
for the baby, I could always ask someone to buy it from the baby store or I
could order it online (thankfully, my baby wasn’t born during the lockdown).
Thanks to
my meticulous planning (yes, that’s me being humble), once the baby came, I didn’t
really need much.
Phew. Those
lists were just scaring me to death for no reason. These things are the newborn
essentials I’d recommend any new parent to keep stocked and ready. Of course, there
are a dozen (or several dozen) more things you may want for your baby, but if
you must have only a few things, I’d suggest you keep these ready.
New babies
come out from the comfort of the womb into the world at large and keeping them swaddled
reminds them of when they were inside. It keeps them warm and cozy. Most babies
younger than a month like to be wrapped up. There are some really cute swaddles
in organic muslin and cotton you can buy. But remember, some babies start
hating swaddles very early on, whereas some little ones would want to be
wrapped for the rest of their life, if they could.
Rompers (also
known as onesies) are the most popular form of baby clothing. They usually have
snap buttons at the bottom for easy diaper changes. But many Indian families prefer
jablas or loose kurta-like tops with strings or buttons. Go with whatever works
for you.
Sleepsuits are
a little different because they generally are of a thicker fabric and generally
cover the baby completely, right up to their cute little feet and toes. Sleepsuits
are also terribly cute.
Keep
handy
Socks,
mittens and hats, especially if it’s winter or it’s cold where you live or
where the baby sleeps.
Baby changing
stuff: Nappies, diapers, changing mat
Nappies, disposables or cloth diapers? That’s one
of the early choices you make as a parent and a possible bone of contention in
many households. There are pros and cons of each type of baby “underwear”, but
whatever you choose, make sure you’re stocked up.
Not all households or bedrooms have space for a
changing station. So we go with the next best option- a changing mat. You can
choose from the regular plastic ones with fun baby prints or “dry sheets” that
are easily washable.
Keep handy
Diaper rash cream.
Some kids have extremely sensitive skin and can
break out in rashes in their diaper area pretty early on. Keep a cream handy
(many options and brands available), or apply coconut oil.
Babies pee
and poop multiple times a day and need to cleaned just as often. Even if you’re
using cotton dipped in clean water, it’s best to have store-bought wipes ready for
emergencies and for the diaper bag (for doctor visits etc).
Napkins are
also used all the time—for a quick sponge bath, for cleaning up spills and spit-ups.
With their
delicate skin, newborns need special skin products. With dozens of brands offering
baby washes, soaps, creams, oils and lotions, you (and baby) will be spoilt for
choice.
Keep
handy
Burp cloth.
I’d never
heard of a burp cloth till I saw it on one of those newborn essentials list. It’s
basically a longish napkin that you place over your shoulder when you burp the
baby. The idea is to keep your clothes clean if the baby spits up.
