Gerber Foods in Chennai

I am not a believer of processed foods for the li'l ones, but I do like to keep a few special treats for those dreaded times like air travel or dinner at a quiet restaurant. (Yes, I do resort to bribe in exchange for good behaviour!)

Now having said that, I do not like handing out snacks like Lays or Oreos, I would much rather stick to baby food. And based on a lot of first hand reviews from fellow mommies, I stick to Gerber products.

Not many shops stock Gerber in Chennai, and the ones that do have limited options. So I am not picky about the "Stage" specifications, I pick and choose the ones that seem flavourful and interesting. 

A few of the tried and tested ones are:

1. Puffs: cereal snack that in come many flavours. My baby's fav is Sweet Potato. These are tiny bites, and literally melt in mouth.

2. Li'l Crunchies: Baked whole grain snacks. I have tried the Cheddar Cheese flavour and boy oh boy! I seem to love it more than my baby!

3. Yogurt melts: Yogurt and fruit snacks if your li'l one prefers something sweetish. These come in a variety of flavours and I keep alternating between different ones.

Where to get Gerber Baby Foods in Chennai:

1. Maya Plaza basement baby shops - These guys seem to be the best stocked ones. (T Nagar)

2. Naidu Hall - They have limited options and don't always have enough stock. (T Nagar, Anna Nagar)

3. Baby Zone - Pureed fruits available, snacks - less options. (Nungambakkam)

4. Born baby - Reasonable range available. (Anna Nagar)

Best restaurant staff ever!

I am extremely finicky about taking my baby to a restaurant that doesn't have baby chairs. Not that she sits in through dinner, but it is good enough to keep her busy for a good part of the meal.

So with a lot of hesitation and apprehension, I agreed for dinner at Her Name is Ming, at the Clarion Hotel (erstwhile President Hotel). One reason being the baby chair and the other being, well, it is a renovated version of President Hotel, hello! Wasn't President always associated with adjectives like "sidey" or "shadey"?

However, I was in for a big surprise! The restaurant was done up really well. It was elegant and chic with giant huge bird cages adorned with lights ( I am a sucker for any thing bird cage!). And the staff! I have to tell you, they were possibly the most considerate and baby friendly staff I have come across in Chennai!

Food Factor:

- The menu has Malay, Thai, Vietnamese and Chinese dishes.

- Reasonably good Asian fare. Nothing that sent us over the moon, but nothing bad either.

- The dish that stood out for us was the Sichuan Chicken, it is a slightly fancier and spicier version of Chilly chicken.

Baby Factor:

- The staff were super baby friendly!

- They actually took care of my baby and let me enjoy the entire meal. I have never been able to do that! They carried the baby around, entertained her, showed her the live kitchen and pretty much managed with very little help from me.

- I couldn't have cared less about the restaurant not having a basic baby chair or even couch for that matter. The staff were just top notch!

- There aren't too many options in terms of food that you can give the baby except probably fried rice or dimsums. And yes, they do accept a request of no MSG, so its safe for the li'l one.

Formula Dispenser

The multi-level formula dispenser is a product that I just cannot do without in the baby bag!

You can carry measured amounts for formula in each level, and use it for multiple feeds. So if your baby drinks 180ml and you need 6scoops of formula powder, measure and store 6 scoops in each level. No digging through a bulky formula box and trying to scoop out the correct measure of powder when your baby is screaming in hunger!

It is available in many brands, I would however recommend Juniors and Farlin. The former is available at Lifestyle outlets across the city and Farlin is available on www.babyoye.com and www.firstcry.com. The price range is between Rs.250-400.

 

Air Travel?

First time air travel with your baby? The most important part is to be well prepared - make a checklist, organize your luggage well, pack your baby bag, make sure your baby is well rested and of course, pray to god that your baby isn't in one of his/her cranky highs!

There are multiple checklists available online to help you with the "travel baby-bag essentials". However, from my experience with our unpredictable airlines (and airports), it is better to be extra prepared to face the great Indian aviation standards!

So here are the essentials to carry in your Travel Baby Bag:

1. Cotton: Most domestic flights do not carry cotton, so make sure you carry some minutely rolled up cotton balls to plug in your baby's ears during take-off and landing to prevent ear pain.

2. Bottle: Keep a bottle with milk/water/juice handy and during take-off and landing, try feed the bottle to your baby as the sucking will help prevent ear block.

3. Sugar: This is a trick I learnt from an air hostess attending to a distressed baby on board. If your baby refuses the bottle for some reason, take some sugar on your finger tips and make your baby suck on it, as that will also help prevent ear block.

4. Sedation medicine: My doctor prescribed a few drops of a medicine to help my baby sleep through the flight and avoid any sort of discomfort for her. This is to done only if absolutely required and with the approval of your doctor of course.

5. Water and Milk: Carry extra bottles of milk and water. Always be prepared for a delay of at least two hours.

6. Same goes for food if your baby is on solids.

7. Toys: You MUST carry his/her favourite toy in case they get cranky.

8. Medicines: In case of a long journey like 26hrs, do carry fever and cold medicines atleast.

9. Cleaning: Extra diapers, extra wipes, cleaning pad, hand sanitizer.

10. Jacket, beanie and blanket: It could get very cold on the flight, so make sure you are geared up to keep your baby warm.