We are well into an year living with the COVID 19 Pandemic and it has taken a lot of adjustment and effort to get used to the NEW NORMAL..

This whole year required a lot of adjustment in our kids' life as well. Closing down of schools/preschools/daycare, Wearing of masks, limited outings and staying home raised a lot of questions on their little minds.

We talked to our daughter about COVID 19 in the simplest yet realistic way so that she can conform to the new necessities of washing hands and wearing a face mask.

Here are few points we discussed with her and these may be helpful to you as well while discussing about pandemic with your kids:

· We told T that there is a dangerous virus around which spreads when someone sneezes or coughs and that is why it’s important to cover your mouth and nose when you sneeze or cough.

· We told her about the way it spreads in form of droplets and that is why its important to maintain distance from people and always wear masks when outside.

· It was hard for her to understand when suddenly she stopped going to school and parks. At that time, my husband told her for the first time about COVID 19 and how contagious it was. (P.S. I was stuck in India away from them due to the lockdown when the Pandemic started)

· Also, kids learn the best way by example. Seeing us washing hands ad wearing masks, she was pretty convinced, and she has been doing the same ever since.

The current situation in India is pretty grim and the sudden increase in the number of cases has again changed the ways of living. People need to stay home and for kids to understand the sudden change is lifestyle is not easy.

Its best to talk them through it and try and explain them the scenario without scaring them.Assure them they will be fine if they take care .

Prevention is always better than cure and we all are trying our best to stay safe and keep our kids safe!!

Linking my Instagram post below. Please comment and share how are you dealing with the pandemic and how did you explain the situation to your kids?

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A post shared by Tanvi (@newmomsaga)

Winter is here and a homemade soup is the perfect soul food for the season.

Sharing the detailed recipe of my Homemade Tomato Soup .

I used my Instant Pot to cook the soup. It can also be cooked in a regular pressure cooker.

Ingredients:

· 2.5 Vine Tomatoes

· 2 Teaspoon Ghee

· 1 medium sized Onion

· 2 Garlic Cloves

· 1 Bay Leaf

· 1 Teaspoon Cumin Seeds

· ½ Teaspoon Turmeric Powder

· ½ Teaspoon Red Chilli Powder

· ·¾ Teaspoon Garam Masala

· ½ Teaspoon Sugar

·  Salt & Pepper per Taste

· 2 Tablespoon Heavy Cream

· 2 cups Water / Vegetable Broth

· Cilantro to Garnish

Method:

· Set Instant Pot on Sauté Mode  and add Ghee.

· Now add cumin seeds, bay leaf and sliced onions. Sauté till they are translucent.

· Add chopped garlic and tomatoes. Sauté for 2 minutes.

· Now add salt, pepper, sugar and the masalas followed by water/vegetable broth.

· Cancel Sauté mode and pressure cook at High for 5 minutes.

· After Natural pressure release,  give a stir , remove the bay leaf and blend the soup using a hand blender. You can strain the soup as well.

·  Now add heavy cream and garnish with cilantro.

· Your soup is ready to be enjoyed 😊

Here is the Instagram Reel I made to share the recipe.

Like and comment on the Instagram post if you liked the recipe .

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A post shared by Tanvi (@newmomsaga)

Having a dedicated play area for kids is an utmost essential!!

It doesn’t need to be fancy but colorful and consolidated. We often give in to fancy play room ideas whereas all we need is some basic stuff which is colorful and which interests your kid.

I made this little corner for T in our living room apart from her room so she can chill with us and have fun doing her stuff ❤️. She often tends to be with us in living room so I thought it was a good idea to make a dedicated corner for her in our living room which she enjoys.

I set it up near the window she loves looking out from. Also its the brightest corner of our living room.

Here are few ideas for setting up a little corner for your kids:

✨Rotate the toys you choose every 2-3 days , this helps them not to get bored of their toys and play effectively with what they have.

✨If possible set it by a window so that they have enough sunlight and also they can look outside.

✨You can put their fav cushion and a small mattress for them to sit . I used T’s  old baby blanket and a Unicorn squishy pillow .

✨Sit with them and read the stories or play with them and make it an enjoyable corner for them.

Staying home has been hard on kids due to the pandemic and small things like this are good for a change within home.

Do pour in your  ideas and suggestions about a little corner for your kids in comments in the instagram post tagged below👇🏻

Also let me know if you like T’s little play area ❤️

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A post shared by Tanvi (@newmomsaga) on Nov 7, 2020 at 10:38am PST

Fall is a beautiful season full of shades of yellow, brown and orange. Kids are always fascinated by these colors and they enjoy this season the most by doing Pumpkin Carving, going to Pumpkin patches and celebrating Halloween.

Apart from these activities, you can try the following fun activities with kids in day to day life:

·       Collect some leaves and try to collect different color and patterns to make it more fun. Let your little one collect the leaves. They have the most fun doing it.

·       Once home, write a word related to FALL Season on a piece of white paper and let them color it. For older kids, you can make them write as well. Use Brown, Orange or Yellow color for this. ( I simply wrote FALL and let my bub color it)

·       Now comes the part where collected leaves come in action. I used a Scotch Tape to help T simply stick the leaves to the paper. You can also make them decorate the leaves using glitter and glue and then put them on paper.

·       T requested me to put her artwork on a wall in her bedroom and so I happily followed the instructions.

·       Also, later I drew some leaves for her and she colored them by choosing the colors on her own.

Linking my Instagram post below, please share your views and fun FALL activities of your choice  in the comments.

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A post shared by Tanvi (@newmomsaga) on Oct 13, 2020 at 9:32am PDT

Change is the only constant !!

Its been over two months since I am back with my family but still there are days when just thinking about the time while I was away gives me jitters.

We plan a lot but sometimes things just take their own course, very much like how my one month planned trip to India to visit my parents turned into a never ending nightmare , thanks to travel restrictions due to Corona Virus .

My dad was diagnosed with Cancer in February 2020 and I travelled to India from US to see him and be there for my family back home. Since Corona Virus was declared a pandemic I decided to travel alone . It was a one month planned trip.

Just the thought of being without my little girl for a month was challenging at that time but when it changed to an endless wait, my world crumbled into pieces. My Heart broke and my soul hurt. Seeing her on video calls everyday was both solace and pain. Pain because I was seeing her grow up every day away from me. Its the worst nightmare for any mother.

Seeing my husband struggle between work and taking care of our daughter in the best possible way made me feel sadder. He was supposed to do it only for a month till I was away but instead he was thrusted with the responsibility of being a Single Parent for many more months with a no end date..

I was dealing with my dad’s cancer treatment and being away from my daughter and husband . The only thing I used to say to myself was “This too shall pass” . My aunt said this to me at that time.

It really helped me to get through my day.

Another thing that helped me was what my husband said to me :“Consider each passing day as a day closer to our reunion rather than considering it as a day away”.

Also I told myself to believe that I will be back home, no matter what the situation suggested at that time.

I prayed every single day and it helped me deal with my anxiety. I believed that God will figure out a way and help us..

And all of it actually worked. Things changed in a matter of 3 days when I least expected it and within a week I was travelling back.

Finally I returned home after 5 months!! And I can’t believe its already been over 2 months since I am back..

Always trust in Good and have faith in God.. Miracles do happen and I can very happily say that I witnessed one.

Am still healing but I am stronger than ever !!

Bad times exist but they never last forever, just hang in there if you are going through one!

 Parenthood changes our life in many ways we can't even imagine. But there are still many things we can continue to enjoy with our babies, one of them is enjoying outdoor adventures (obviously kid friendly ones :) )

My husband and I love going on impromptu road trips  and we liked being out and about without much planning.. There was one thing we were really sure of when our daughter came in our life , that we will make sure we go out with her often. We did not go for something very elaborate or over the top  when she was an infant. Please don't mistake this as us being casual about the well being of our baby. We always chose baby friendly locations and unlike old times we planned well. Here we are with our outdoor loving kid and we love every bit of it.

Sharing things which helped us in planning successful trips with our little one:

·       Start Early!! The more comfortable they are with outdoors while being babies, the more the probability of them liking it as they grow up. The first long road trip we took with T was when she was close to 6 months. We were not comfortable with the idea of it earlier but once we started, we never stopped. We have had taken so many trips with T till date and all have been fun.

·       Start by exploring what your kid enjoys the most and then slowly start trying further new things. We knew our daughter enjoys parks but we were not very sure about going on a hike till last year because she would get tried after walking a little. This time when she is about to turn 4 , we went for a small hike and she loved it and hiked all the way with us.

·       As parents we know the best about our kids. Never compare what other kids enjoy and why yours isn’t liking it. Everyone has a different interest area and its our responsibility as parents to explore it with our kids.

·       T loves water and we knew she would love beach. She had an amazing time playing with water and sand on our beach visit this weekend. Though we are late , we are planning to send her for swimming lessons next year.

·       There is a possibility that the first few times you go out with your kid especially when they are babies, the experience may not be as expected. Don’t give up easily and try again after a few days.

The key for a  successful trip with your infant or toddler lies in good planning. Always make a list of essentials and plan for stops ahead. It makes the whole journey less stressful and more enjoyable.

We are so happy that our little one is in sync with all the fun activities we like as family and it makes vacations and weekends so much fun.

Kids are extremely malleable and the sooner we introduce them to new things, the more likely it is that they will enjoy it.

Head to my Instagram post below and show some love by liking and commenting over there:

2020 has been a strange and one of the most difficult year in our life!! The world was affected by this very infectious disease  COVID 19 and everything came to a halt since Spring. My daughter was so excited about her Spring Recital and so were we but the schools closed in March and we ended up having a Last day of School Year in our cars with teachers meeting the kids handing their artworks in a packet and wishing them from a distance. This is how the first year of preschool for my daughter ended and to top it all I was away stuck overseas away from my family.

Now comes the biggest question every parent is struggling with!!

Is it okay to send our kids back to school?

Sadly there is no correct answer to this. It totally depends on parents & kids. For me it wasn't very tough to decide because I reunited with my kid after 5 long months and I want to spend time with her. But even if that was not the case , I wouldn't have sent her back to school this year to make sure she stays safe. The dynamics of COVID19 are still unknown and I wouldn't have been comfortable if my kid would have gone to school. This being said, there are many parents who have highly demanding jobs and are facing a difficult time keeping their kids occupied at home. Also there are parents who stay home but still the kids are unhappy because they are not able to go to school &  meet their friends.

   In any case its important to keep our kids happy and make sure this lockdown isn't stressing them mentally beyond a limit. These are extraordinary times & only a parent is the best person to judge what their child needs. Parents are best to decide if their kid should go back to school or not.

Preschool kids are very young  and its difficult for them to understand the importance of wearing masks or the need of social distancing. Its hard for them not to touch their face every now and then. How do we make sure they don't do that when in school. Also online classes for kids this small is tough because their attention span is short & the online classes won't be that productive for them.

This is a big dilemma we all are facing as parents  this year and its nothing but normal to feel that our child is missing out on school which was a big part of their daily regimen. Its actually harder for teachers  and school authorities as well because they have to ensure safety of kids in their premises and we all know how contagious Corona Virus is.

Its not just school but any public place where its possible to contact COVID 19 and that's why its very important for kids (especially the small ones) to understand the current situation.  I really pray and hope that the vaccine for COVID 19 comes soon so that we all can start living safely.

How to make your preschooler aware about COVID 19?

Kids are good at replicating actions they see us doing. We have been making full use of it with T. One day she took me by surprise, when while going out she asked me for her face mask. She happily wore the mask while she was outside.

Similarly, we  have been emphasizing on washing hands all the time and now it has become a habit. The first thing we all do after coming home is wash hands with soap and water.

I even tried doing a pictorial representation of the situation in order to explain the concept of social distancing and why its important.

This would not only ensure that they stay safe at school but also anywhere where they interact outside family.

For now I am trying to keep her occupied with different set of activities during the day and it surely is a hell lot of work. I try to minimize screen time but its not an easy task and we have downloaded some nice education apps by Sago Mini & Pepi Play which she really likes. I will be sharing activities in a separate post.

All we need to remember right now is this is temporary and once things settle down the world will be different but things will return to a new normal.

Till then lets not judge anyone for their choices and be empathetic and helpful towards each other.  

Every woman imagines motherhood as a classic picture of smiling mom with her cute baby & when she can’t feel like that, it makes her doubt herself. Its nothing but normal to feel overwhelmed post delivery and not feel like the classical portrait mom. But when this feeling goes beyond a threshold and the feeling of anxiety and sadness doesn't go away , its called Postpartum blues. Sadly if it is not addressed, it leads to Postpartum depression.

I did not experience PPD but surely did experience Postpartum Blues. The first month after delivery was the hardest and the fourth trimester really did blow my mind out of proportion.

My Story

I gave birth by C Section after 8 hours of induced pain & I was given my bub to breastfeed  after 2 days. The supply wasn’t established and I had to feed her formula while trying to breastfeed. The third day the lactation consultant came and helped my bub establish latch. All this was so new for me and I was trying to be patient and do what was best for my baby.

Two days after coming home we noticed that bub seemed to be more yellow in complexion and so we immediately went to the hospital to find out if her bilirubin levels shot up. They were actually high and the first thing the nurse in the nursery said was that baby did not get enough of feed and that might have increased her jaundice. I was breast-feeding her every two hours since we got home even despite the pain in C section stitches and yet I was not enough for my baby. This feeling made my heart drop in a deep abyss.

WHERE DID I GO SO WRONG?

I did everything I researched and was advised to do, still I felt like it was my fault my baby had to be admitted for light therapy to reduce jaundice. The same day I came down with fever due to a stomach infection and was admitted since fever after C section can lead to complications. Those two days in hospital I felt terrible coz I was not feeding my bub and she had now totally gone on formula feed. She recovered and was doing good but the feeling that I might have fed her lesser while at home, brought a deep pain to me.

I resumed feeding her after getting home but the surging hormones and tired mind did not help me feel better. I constantly kept doubting myself and obsessed about feeding my baby adequately. I felt robbed of the joy moms generally feel after giving birth.

After a month things  started getting better physically, but psychologically I felt low and would smile for just the sake of it. I was eating well and trying to rest as well but nothing seemed to help. When I went for a regular gynae check up and discussed this with my doctor , she advised me and my husband to get me  a change of scenario and try and get back to things we used to do before delivery. She said if not taken care of it may lead to depression. The best thing was we identified the issue early on and actually making some lifestyle changes and following a positive approach helped me. At this time my baby was about 6 weeks old, I started enjoying my time with her and was actually able to wean her off formula. Her jaundice got better and she gained good weight. Finally I started feeling like myself.

Why am I sharing this?

The reason I am sharing my experience is because many a times, you don’t need reasons to feel these postpartum blues. The hormonal surge and imbalance is capable enough to do it and its best to discuss any feeling of sadness or unhappiness with your partner and doctor. The doctors  can identify the level of this anxiety and treat it accordingly.

I also joined a moms group made by Babycenter and it was a huge savior for me. My daughter will be 4 years old next month and am still part of the group. All those moms have become friends and am sure we will stay connected for life.

An Instagram post on the same message to create awareness

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A post shared by Tanvi (@newmomsaga) on Jun 27, 2019 at 2:45pm PDT

We read a lot about Postpartum Depression (PPD) but we still are ignorant about it because not many people close to us share about it since the society still treats Depression as a Stigma. Lets make sure we spread the word to our friends and relatives who are expecting and increase awareness about this. It breaks my heart every time I read a news about a new mother losing her life to PPD. Lets stop this stigma right now and make sure we do our part by sharing our stories and experiences with new parents so they know what they are feeling is common and that it can be treated.

Its so important to be organised especially when it comes to kitchen so we maintain effective stock of groceries. I tend to be clumsy in this aspect but finally I decided to clean up our pantry and arrange it.

Indian household has a lot of lentils, spices, etc. so arranging them effectively is very important. My biggest challenge was setting up everything in a small pantry in our apartment. So i went ahead and bought some baskets from Target & Walmart for the purpose.

This video was made in February but I am sharing with you now on this space.Hope it helps u all :)

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A post shared by Tanvi (@newmomsaga) on Feb 23, 2020 at 3:52pm PST

As said in old wives tales, Breastfeeding is the best gift for a newborn. Our human body is amazing because as soon a child is born, our body produces specially curated food for our little one.

Why is Breast milk considered to be the best for newborns?

Breast milk has the ideal proportion of fat, protein and vitamins for babies. Also it contains antibodies from mom’s body which helps to protect them from a number of virus and bacteria.

Its light on their tummy and hence lesser episodes of colic are also reported.

Studies show that babies exclusively fed for 6 months  have lesser or no instances of ear infections & diarrhea .

When to start breastfeeding the baby?

The ideal time to start breastfeeding is right after birth, however not all medical facilities really take care of that. The first hour after birth when a mother has uninterrupted skin-to-skin contact with her newborn is referred to as the “golden hour” and is the best time to feed colostrum to baby. Colostrum is the first thick yellowish breast milk which is very high in nutrients and has plenty of antibodies to protect baby from infections.

However especially after c section moms are sent to recovery room and babies are sent to nursery and they miss this Golden hour.  What to do then?

Well I started breastfeeding my bub after 3 days of delivery & I still feel sad for not being able to feed her right after birth. My hospital did not support it and being a first time mom I was less informed about the whole concept of breastfeeding. But after three days, the lactation consultant helped me understand the correct latch and breastfeeding position and I started to feed my baby. Though at first the supply was less, so we supplemented it with formula but gradually we weaned her off formula and she was exclusively breastfed. We continued breastfeeding till 2.5 years.

So the reason I told my story is to assure all the new moms that its never late to start breastfeeding after birth. Never give up easily.

How to maintain & increase the supply of breast milk?

For some people breast milk supply is never an issue, but its not the case with everyone.

Engorged breasts and leaking surely are signs of over supply but not having them doesn’t mean that your supply is less. I rarely had engorgement and  leak and I exclusively breastfed.

Staying hydrated is the first and foremost to maintain good supply. No matter what you eat, if you are drinking less water it will reduce your supply.

Secondly, more the baby suckles, more the breasts will be stimulated to produce milk. A good latch by baby is second most important factor to maintain a good supply. Our body works like a clock here, so whatever time of day baby feeds, that is the time when we have maximum supply. That is why when u miss a feed, or when baby is hungry you may feel slight discomfort or engorgement. This information comes in handy at time you decide to pump milk for your little one.

Consuming food which helps increase the breast milk in body also helps. Grains, Lentils, Oats, Fennel, Fenugreek, Garlic, etc help a lot in increasing supply.

How do I know I am producing enough breast milk?

The best way to know that your supply is good, is by the estimating the number of pees and weight gain of your baby. A well breastfed baby pees 6+ times and gains approximately 15gms a day.

If the baby seems hydrated & active, you have nothing to worry about your supply.

Pumping in the early days never depicts your supply. Most moms produce only few drops while pumping and end up doubting their supply and substituting it with formula.

How often does a newborn feed?

Generally, newborns feed every two hours but sometimes they may feed in an hour or sometimes in three hours. Ideally, they feed 15-20 minutes from each side. So at times new mums feel they have been feeding round the clock.

Who can help you with issues related to breastfeeding?

A lactation consultant may help you with establishing a good latch and helping you understand different breastfeeding positions. Also they can identify issues like lip tie and tongue tie.

How does Breastfeeding help moms?

Breastfeeding help moms by burning the extra calories their body use while producing milk. Also studies show, moms who exclusively breastfeed have lesser chances of getting breast & ovarian cancer. Also breastfeeding help restore hormonal balance .

The biggest perk is uninterrupted time mums get with their newborns and also zero hassle of washing and sterilizing bottles.

I hope this post helps a lot of new moms who are struggling feeding their bubs. Trust me its not an easy journey but totally worth it.

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A post shared by Tanvi (@newmomsaga) on Jan 18, 2018 at 7:57am PST

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Its plain joy to still have that long comfi maxi dress from pregnancy days 🤰!! . How many of you still love wearing the maternity clothes?? . This dress by @myglobaldesi was bought back in 2016 and it was a regular dress in an extra size. #newmomsaga #pregnantbelly #oldtimes #thisismotherhood #thebump #pregnancyfashion #pregnancystyle #newmom #maternitydress #myglobaldesi #indianmom #momlife #toddlermom #whattoexpect #mumfie #momspresso #momblogger #momsofinstagram #motherhoodunplugged #motherhood #mombloggerlife

A post shared by Tanvi (@newmomsaga) on Jul 14, 2020 at 11:40am PDT

How do you know your toddler is ready for play/pre school?

As our kids turn two the contemplation about sending them to play/pre school starts. I know due to Covid 19 we don't know when our kids will go back to school but I still thought of writing this assuming things will get better in future coz my friends Hope is a big thing and we can't let go of it.
Well its a very personal choice and totally depends on your parenting style.There is no good or bad here.
Here is how and when I started sending T to play school /pre school and how it benefited her:
✨T started to go to daycare when she was 15 months old.The first daycare she went to did not turn out per our expectations so after 2 months we changed and she started going to Klay Prep Schools in Noida.
✨At Klay Prep Schools  she adjusted within a month and we could see how much she enjoyed her time there doing different age appropriate activities and her motors and verbal skills were getting better. Thats when we actually felt how important the playschools are for kids.For us we started her daycare and her play school part got covered in it.
✨At her daycare she got a chance to interact with other kids and her teachers and became more independent.She started to take interest in eating on her own.
✨After almost an year of her going to Klay we moved to US and since I was staying home so we decided to keep her home for first few months so that I could get to spend more time with her.For sure we had a fun time but I felt a need to start sending her to pre school so she interacts with kids her age and also gets to do some fun activities.
✨After a gap of almost 5 months, we got her enrolled in a pre school and she was super happy and excited right from the first day.She needed no settling time at all and looks forward to go to school.
✨Pre Schools are good for early development of kids age 3 and above and have a positive impact on their overall development.

I am not very good at doing different kind of activities with T on a regular basis.We do indulge in activities and play but still its not like regular for a designated amount of time, so sending her to preschool works for us.

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A post shared by Tanvi (@newmomsaga) on Nov 19, 2019 at 8:17pm PST

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Breakfast is the most important meal of the day and it decides the tone of your day. T is at her hungriest most in the morning so I make sure I give her something packed with energy.
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👇🏻 Below are our favorite breakfast foods : ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
🥞 T simply loves pancakes. I use whole wheat flour for her pancakes and she prefers the ones without eggs.The recipe you can see in Toddler food saved stories in the profile. The ready made pancakes I love are from @slurrpfarm & @BirchBenders
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🥣 Cereals are our next go to breakfast food items. T loves cornflakes in whole milk and cherishes them.I tried switching her to wheat version but she did not like it so far. The brand we love is @kellogsus
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🥣 Oatmeal is another one of our favs. We go for old fashioned oats by @quaker and cook them in whole milk for T.She simply loves it.
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🥪 PBJ : Her latest favorite thanks to Daddy dearest. Two layers of peanut butter on lightly toasted bread and jam in between. We use Kirkland Organic Peanut butter by @costco and 4 fruit Jam by @BonneMaman_us in Honey Wheat Bread by Nature’s Own
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🥚 Hard Boiled Eggs with pepper and salt.For now T loves eggs only in this form and has it with butter toast. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

And then there are days when we give T usual Indian breakfast like Suji Uttapam (Suji Pancake), Idli (Rice cake), Poha (Rice Flakes), etc. ⠀

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We rotate these breakfast options for her keeping pancakes generally for weekends and rest of them for weekdays..
Needless to say My bub cherishes her brekkie and really looks forward to it. 😊

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A post shared by Tanvi (@newmomsaga) on May 14, 2020 at 5:32am PDT