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The first few days after a baby is born can be quite overwhelming for the new parents. Its like you are suddenly responsible for this whole new being and there is no instruction manual!

Every parent wants the best for their baby- ensuring a holistic growth through proper nutrition, ensuring the baby feels safe and secure, engaging in activities that stimulate brain development and cognitive development once the baby is a few days old and has settled down. 

Did you know about this amazing concept of feeding IQ to the baby? As unbelievable as it sounds, it is true. A mom can feed IQ to her baby through breastmilk. Vitamin E and DHA which are essential nutrients for brain development are present in breast milk and by feeding the infant, a mom is actually feeding him/ her IQ.  It goes without saying that a mom to be and a new mom has to pay extra attention to her own nutrition as it impacts the growth and development of baby. SimMom IQ+ is a specialised nutritional drink which helps moms to be by providing calcium, proteins and energy and it also helps in healthy weight gain.

The environment in which a baby grows plays a major role in his/her cognitive development. The parents, grandparents and other family members the baby is in contact with have a big role to play here. A quick guide on the top 5 activities that the family can indulge in to stimulate cognitive development in a baby are-

• Become a child again- Yes you heard me right- play with the baby by making funny faces, sticking your tongue out, whisper something in his/her ear, move your hands all around. Let the baby observe, react and note what delights her. Peekaboo can be a fun game where you hide in the same room, behind the curtain or laundry basket and let your baby’s eyes search for you.
• Blabber away- You can never have enough of talking with a infant. Babies love their mumma’s voices. It soothes them. Talk to your baby even though they may not respond, talk about your day, the brith story, sing a song, have a proper conversation even though it may be one sided. Gradually you will notice the baby responding in its own way. This will encourage listening skills and language development since an early age.
• Take the baby out and let her explore new surroundings -We often worry that it may be too early to take the baby out of the house for fear of catching an infection or the baby may feel distressed. On the contrary, babies love to explore new places, new sounds and sights. Make sure the baby is appropriately dressed and you carry your baby bag along. Take her to the park, to visit someone preferably where there are kids. Outdoors work wonders with babies.
• Swimming for babies– its never too early- Yes you heard me right, infants can be taken for swimming as early as 4 weeks. This has to be under constant adult supervision and its important to ensure that the water is warm else the baby needs to be dressed appropriately. Swimming is an excellent way to get the baby to flex his arms, practise kicking and thereby stimulate cognitive development. There are also swimming classes available for babies.
•  Games for infants- Babies are fascinated by bubbles.Place the baby on the bed and blow bubbles from a distance. See how your baby’s eyes light up as he/he follows the bubbles  by their eyes. Make some simple finger puppets and narrate a story to the baby by changing your voice as you talk about each puppet. Or simply gather things at home like tiffin boxes, the cereal box, a shoe box and make a tower. These simple games are something babies love.

With the right care, comfort and a secure environment, a baby will thrive. As a new parent, focus on staying happy, eat well, do try and get some sleep though this is often challenging in the first few months. Providing a conducive environment to your baby begins from home, and you are the point of focus. This is no doubt a bumpy ride but a fulfilling one too, so fasten your seat belt,  get the baby on board and get started.

Image courtesy- http://www.simmom.com