Tags:
Journalism of Courage
Feeding the baby every two hours,changing nappies in the middle of the night,deciphering the pattern of their cries and identifying their discomfort life changes once you become a parent. Raising a child is not supposed to be easy,but while there can be no substitute for good parenting,a little technical assistance can always make your task easier,less stressful and more enjoyable. Here is a list of gadgets that may help new parents
Spotlight
Prenatal Heart Listening System
Parents know how it feels to hear the unborn babys heartbeat for the first time. You keep waiting for your next trip to the sonographist to hear it again. But you can now listen to the sound of that tiny heart,and the baby hiccuping and kicking,at home. This non-medical device claims to be completely safe and non-invasive,and emits no rays into you or your baby.
Humidifier
During winter or when the child is down with a cold,specially with a blocked nose,which sometimes disrupts feeding,a humidifier comes to ones rescue. The moisture it releases helps loosen congestion and soothe sore throats. But it requires regular and vigorous cleaning,in the absence of which bacteria and fungi can breed.
price: Rs 3,124
Brands: Chicco,Vicks
Infrared thermometer
In case of a fever,doctors dont recommend medicine for infants if the temperature is below 100 degree F. But checking the accurate temperature using a standard or even digital thermometer is mostly an exercise in futility if the baby is awake. An infrared thermometer comes handy here. Due to its distance-reading mode,you can read the babys temperature without disturbing him/her. It quickly measures the infrared rays around the forehead/ear and beeps when the reading is complete. Costing more than its digital,aural or temporal artery counterparts,infrared thermometers claim to give an accurate reading,if you follow the guidelines carefully.
price: Rs 1,999 upwards
Brands: Chicco,Equinox,Farlin,Zepter,Bremed
Baby monitor
You may be a doting parent,but you too need a break,to take your meals or a bath,or attend to urgent calls or guests. Available in both audio/video and audio-only versions,a baby monitor can help you keep a tab on your child even when you are not in the room. It is all the more useful if both parents are working and the baby is in the care of a nanny.
price: Rs 2,999 upwards
Brands: Motorola,Chicco,Hestia,Philips
Breast pump
Mothers milk is best for a child during the first six months of his/her life. But some mothers,specially working women,may find it difficult to follow the golden rule. A breast pump available in electric,battery-operated and manual varieties helps mothers express and store their milk to be given through bottles. It can also be useful to newborns facing problems latching on initially. Bottle-feeding expressed milk once a day is recommended so that when the baby is finally ready for fortified milk,he/she wont have to deal with two new things the new taste and also the new mode,i.e. the bottle.
price: Rs 2,750 upwards
Brands: Pigeon,Philips Avent,Farlin,Medela,Ameda
Hi-tech push chair
Ever wondered why children cry when they are made to sit in their prams for a long time. While boredom is a reason,another factor is heat. You may find the childs back all wet with sweat because the seat liner and pads meant for comfort actually make it more uncomfortable. MotherCare has come out with a product that has a digital temperature gauge,while Combi offers humidity and temperature-controlled strollers.
price: Rs 30,000 upwards
Brands: MotherCare Trenton,Combi
Steam cooker/food processor
A steam cooker helps you cook vegetables or meat products while preserving their nutritional ingredients and flavour. Some brands also come with recipe books. To make purees out of cooked food,or grind grains to make homemade cereals,there are food processors.
price: Rs 6,395 upwards (steam cooker)
Brands: Philips Avent,Chicco,MeeMee,Pigeon
Baby food warmer
The ideal way to heat baby food or milk is by giving it a water bath. But it takes a lot of time and requires your undivided attention to get the desired temperature. An electronic food warmer heats milk or food quicker and gives you the option of adjusting the temperature to suit the baby.
price: Rs 995 upwards
Brands: Philips Avent,Chicco,MeeMee,Farlin,Care
Washing machine
A baby at home means a daily load of laundry. Since it is not advisable to wash baby clothes along with that of other members of the family,the only option is by hand. But with a washing machine especially designed for babies,you can save both water and energy. Only MeeMee offers this product at the moment,and it is available in two varieties.
price: Rs 4,995 upwards
Brands: MeeMee
