Best for Baby

Content consuming is changing in every sphere of life. One of the most vulnerable areas of a human life is motherhood. Right from the time a woman realizes she is carrying a life she is filled with a plethora of emotions. There is anxiety if things will go right. There is ecstasy at harbouring a baby within. There is a resolve to do everything right. Eat right, exercise right, and rest right.

There are plethora of choices and question. Women turned to mothers and mothers-in-law for advice but now they want to go through the experience their way. They feel that the knowledge they have is no longer sufficient to meet the ever changing needs. Besides they have a philosophy that they want to carry out all by themselves. They have their nuclear family and advice that stems from a joint family base at times does not resonate with their nuclear culture.

I remember when my elder one was born and I had to go in the work force to help finances, waiting for the ‘massage woman’ to come and rub my baby to sleep did not go down well for my questioning mind. He needed massage for sure but with that roughness, ‘NO’ and to endlessly wait when she saunters in was not permissible. I questioned and decided to let go of the ‘massage woman’ but kept the ‘massage routine’ on.

And thinking about such times, I feel, a YouTube channel like 'Best for Baby' would have been best for me. I had to go the full round of fearing to drop my child to trembling with him in my hands. If then such a happy demo of bath ritual would have soothed my frayed nerves.

I had the privilege to attend the YouTube launch of ‘Best for Baby’ at PVR Juhu, by 'Johnson and Johnson', a trusted name in the world of babies and moms.

MyCityForKids, a platform where I enjoy sharing my parenting roles invited me to be a part of this sensitive event. 

The key note speaker being the former Ms. Universe LARA DUTTA BHUPATHI” who shared her experiences and a panel of discussion followed about changing perceptions and how new moms are forming and relying more and more on communities like FirstMomsClub or BabyChakra. They feel accepted in their anxious moments and get some up-to-date advice from people sailing in the same boat.

It was heartening to note that Johnsons had forayed into creating a YouTube channel that would show case scenarios pertaining to daily mums and the ‘how to?’ of each aspect of mumhood. I look forward to more videos on:

How to express breast milk and use it for various purposes? (it helped me cure breast tenderness and rashes)

How to change Diapers?

The frequency of changing diapers.

How to deal with nappy rashes?

How to feed the baby during weaning?

What to feed the baby?

How often to feed the baby?

How to alternate between breast feeding and food?

How to toilet train?

How to wean from breast feeding if the child’s dependence continues after two years?

These and many more issues need demo videos to help the first time moms 

to get through the first year of their motherhood.

Certain issues like screen time and schooling will unfold much later but the first three years are developmentally so vulnerable and vital that I feel it needs special attention.

I congratulate the entire team of Johnson and Johnson on their YouTube launch and here’s hoping that their channel covers every vital issue that a mother and father grapple with. They need all the advice and demo videos on handling their tiny ones and giving them the best.

By Sonnal Pardiwala.