#Bestforbaby - a Question that only a Mom can answer

What is best for my child? Which style of Parenting shall I practise? How do I model the best behaviour for my child to emulate? How do I ensure that my child is getting the best of nutrition? How I know which baby products are best suited for my Child's health & skin? How do I sift through myths & facts? 

Mind boggling to say the least is what parenting has come to be with endless access to information & opinions. Judging parenting methods has become an international pass time as one parenting book mentions. In this entire gamut, one often seeks genuine facts, not advisory but plain cold facts for one to comprehend & arrive at an informed conclusion which suits us.

BabyChakra has often been instrumental  in facilitating presentation of facts, honest discussions, fiery Q & As to cast away a mom's concerns & help her be the mom that she wants to be. It is a platform which brings together moms & crowd sources all their knowledge! I find it a beautiful way to preserve the Indian Mother's Parenting Style. This month, the BabyChakra team decided to bring Johnsons & Johnsons, India to interact with moms in Mumbai & allay away their fears of using J&J products for their babies under the current shadow of  the suits filed in other parts of the world & allegations of containing carcinogenic ingredients in its line of baby products. This was organised under the #BestforBaby campaign. 

On a Monday morning, 25 moms got together at a fun venue where representatives of J&J via Team games, fun ways & anecdotes explained what goes into a J&J product, the clinical testing & proving its raw materials go through followed by the final product testing & approvals. The team further confidently fielded queries regarding the carcinogenic ingredients & assured the audience of how safe the products were & that they have also won certain suits. The day ended with moms being reassured & introduced to their yet to be launched baby liquid detergent for clothes & a really loaded goody bag thanks to J&J & the BabyChakra team.

In my honest opinion, J&J has been in India, like forever! However now other brands, Indian & Imported seem to have become more popular. Additionally, disposable income in the hands of the millennial parents convinces them that premium products are better. The world being a global marketplace today, products influenced by American or European culture are being perceived as better quality. Unfortunately J&J did not adopt these new product expectations into their existing products & probably assumed that what has been accepted will continue to be accepted for a long time. To add to it, the law suits, deterred the new age parents from its products. This being a wake up call, they have modified their products to have lower fragrance levels, removal of certain ingredients & an aggressive outreach program. Questions that come to me are simple: Reducing the fragrance level now implies J&J probably had not been listening to what new parents were seeking. Parents have always wanted to have a dialogue with companies that make products for their babies but it is only now that we can speak to you. Is it too late for you to convince the mom in me that you are perfectly safe? Yes, you have placed facts before me, Am I convinced 100% ?

As a mom, I want to trust with all my heart any product or service I use for my child. It is heart breaking when one's trust is broken. Even with facts around me, a part of me feels unsettled because I always assumed with blind faith that one could never go wrong with a certain product or service and when that happens, yes it takes time to process facts & data. As a mom, I am emotional about everything associated with my child. My brain may tell me, its all good however how do I convince my mommy emotions? May be trying to gradually use your products for instance, the liquid detergent that I quite liked. However the constant nagging feel is what I am not comfortable with. Am sure, you as a brand have always kept the best interest of children as your focus & are constantly working towards it. At the end of the day, it is this that makes you who you are & I truly appreciate the genuine passionate efforts that the team has taken to convince us that it is all safe. I am extremely glad that officially the premium range of your brand will be available in India & we wont need to seek the same from either the grey market or relatives abroad.

If you are reading this blog, I earnestly request you to, access & understand all facts, ingredients & products of different brands and make an informed decision. What you use is always your choice coz you always know what is #BestforBaby.

PS: Aveeno is also a J&J product. ;)

Look what we did! :)

Take a Break, Dear Dad.

Dear Mommy, You are enough! You are doing good! You need Me Time! Take a Break! - Yes, One will often come across stories/posts with the above title & theme and fairly so. Moms indeed break their backs with child rearing & house keeping. More so when they are also walking the rope between home & aspirations of a professional career. Its killing yet at the end of the day worth it. 

But what about Dear daddy? Dear Husband? The Man of the House? Does he not need a break? Some Me time? Some Alone time? Ever give a thought? 

I did...for my #Hujband #Jaan #BooBaba...so here it is for him & many more men who strive each day for making it better for their families... 

Dear Father, Husband, 

 As you continue to stay in the washroom for those extra minutes, each morning, catching up on news & sport scores, 

 As you smile & walk through the door at the fag end of the day with a burst of energy & smile even though all you want to do is just crash in, 

As you start to dance & play & wrestle with the kids, make funny noises and hear the gurgling sound of sweetest laughter, all the while ignoring the rumbling in your empty tummy, 

 As you get the kids to wrap up dinner, splash in the tub for a while, get a running naked baby into a night suit, just so your lady can have those 30 minutes of "me time", 

 As you smile at your lady & lead her to the room so she can put the lil one to sleep while you set the dinner table, waiting for her... 

 As you clean up the living room & bring order into chaos just so everyone has a clean home to wake up to, 

 As you prep the dinner plate for her & sit next to her while she eats & catches up with on the day, 

As you scour the TV Guide to pick a movie for her for to view just until midnight, 

 As you hold her hand & seek solace in its warmth, giving a warm rub to her tired shoulders, knowing that the lil one will cuddle in & not you, 

As you bid her a good night & step out to clear the dinner table, Know that in the room, she is thanking You, Thanking her Life for you. She Loves You. Know that the happy faces in the house are coz of YOU! Your efforts to sustain & improve their Life. Its YOU who makes it happen. If the Wife is glad she has had pasta for dinner, its You who somewhere is behind it. 

 So, here is my Thank you to my Jaan. For being Mr. Mukherjee to his Mrs. Mukherjee.

Why this mother donated her breast milk?

This is my story...a chapter from my motherhood...

I was never keen on breast feeding. I was quite comfortable with the idea of formula. I had seen my twin niece and nephew being fed both breastmilk and formula and they have turned out just fine. Bursting with energy, sharp and extremely lovable munchkins!

In hindsight, I was ignorant of the benefits and the acute importance of breastmilk. My prenatal and lamaze classes gave me an insight into why breastfeed. How even a few drops of colostrum is nectar. How breastmilk protects the baby and its endless advantages. With so much information floating all around, my grey cells went for a rather happy jig down the alley.

However, I was still not averse to formula. Infact before my baby was born, while prepping up, I had listed down feeding bottles. Steriliser, Hot water flask et al. I was a pro at mixing formula- small, large & patiala pegs!  I even called for an expensive breast pump, in case I was unable to breastfeed directly. I wanted nothing amiss.Amidst all this planning and preparations, my sister asked me one simple question-

"If you want to exclusively breastfeed, then why are you arranging for an alternative? For an option? Why do you want to be able to reach out to a feeding bottle and make formula? Why do you want to pump milk and feed via a bottle?"

My Lamaze teacher looked at us in a session and mockingly questioned us, "Do you not have any confidence over your body? Your ability? Your capability?" Ouch! That hurt! 

Of course, I was confident yet hesitant enough to keep my back -up options open.

Answer was to throw caution to the wind and simply dive into EBF (exclusive breastfeeding). I read up all about it. And was convinced that it was the right thing.

Think of it-

EBF saves you loads of money which otherwise would be spent on formula, expensive feeding bottles! 
EBF saves you the effort of washing and sterilising bottles a million times a day and checking each bottle, nipple, cap for any residues!
EBF ensures you travel light-hell all you need is a feeding poncho or a dupatta and you are sorted!
EBF magically burns away all the excess fats!!!!
EBF is said to aid in preventing breast cancer.

So there I was determined. I was given a new monicker- guy mata/cow/mooooo...! All in my stride!

And yes EBF made my life simple. And over the months, I realised the marked difference between EBF and formula feeding.

My sister’s twin babies would always spit out excess milk. I recall converting a towel into a cape and always wearing it. My twins would frequently be gassy. My twins unfortunately often fell sick and we had to resort to antibiotics quite early. And we could never never travel sans a huge duffel bag! 
While Sabyasachi, now 8 months old, barely threw up excess milk. We have had only 4 incidences of gas. And touchwood, we have stayed away from medicines. Yes. I have seen the difference it makes. It makes me happy. I have seen my breast milk heal his eye infection. I believe in the power of breast milk coz when you feed the child you ain't just feeding but also sending out vibes, energy and blessings. So there I was enjoying EBFing my baby.

And one late evening I received a message- a mom had delivered a wonderful girl but since the child has to undergo an emergency surgery, the mother is grappling with the situation physically, mentally and emotionally. Her breast milk supply is affected. Can anyone express and share their breast milk?

I did not need to think. Ponder over. I pinged back and offered. There was simply no way a newborn 5 day old baby would be sans breast milk. A part of me cringed at the very thought of needles and tubes passing through her small frame. Lying alone in the NICU when all she wanted and needed to be in her mom’s arms. She needed it. It would heal her. Period.

I spoke with Nabonita, we figured out a time when she would come and pick up the milk, giving me sufficient time to express twice since by then my supply had adjusted to my child's demand and I didn't want to disappoint Mia, the child. And then I spoke to my husband and my mom and told them about my decision. And am glad they understood and were extremely happy and supportive! My mom started me on a "increase milk" diet!

I gave Nabonita about 60ml and I felt guilty that it was such a less quantity. She surprised me! She said, "Ritu, this is more than sufficient for 2 feeds!" I was dumbstruck! Really?! Coz when EBFing, you never quantify milk! I saw her smile. And we hugged. And I knew my daughter in the hospital was going to be just fine!

We continued this for a few days until Nabonita was able to feed Mia independently. And today Mia is one naughty hale & hearty Angel!

But, let me ask you- if all a newborn requires anywhere between 10-120 ml of milk, why aren't more breast feeding mothers coming forth? Why do we not want to share our milk, our energy with a child? I shared and in no way I saw my supply dip or deprive my child of his feeds. In no way, Mia caught an infection from my milk. If anything, Mia today has a Maasi and I have a daughter.

Mothers, get rid of your inhibitions! Debunk the myths! Breast feed your child and share the milk with another child in need. You are the best healer a child can ever have! Hold hands and support a mother who is unable to feed her child instead of judging her! Motherhood is beautiful when we share it with another mother. Our milk is a blessing, share it. 

Mother’s milk is BEST for the BABY even if it is not of the biological mother’s herself!

This is Nabonita Banerjee's Story, in her own words. 

I was born to fight this battle and my daughter taught me to win it. I knew I am a strong WOMAN but on 18th December, 2015, when I was about to get discharged with my 3-days-old daughter I was told by my paediatrician that the green vomit of my daughter is not good and they need to keep her back. While she was taken away for ultra-sonography, CT scan and finally admitted to the NICU I broke down and I knew my strength will be tried and tested once again. 

My daughter was diagnosed with a congenital intestine issue, medically known as malrotation of the gut and the only solution was a surgery. And from then until the 29th of Dec my husband, my parents and I spent hours outside the NICU hoping for the day when she will not spit out anymore green fluid. This also meant that I couldn't breastfeed from the 18th and my breasts were engorged. Doctors gave me medicines and asked me to express milk, not get stressed, eat well, sleep well but nothing worked and I could express at the max 10 ml a day. I was really worried as to how will I provide her breastmilk once she is taken out of Intravenous support as I didn't want doctors to give her formula. I would sit in the NICU and express but it was never sufficient. Seeing my daughter attached to various machines broke me every time I walked into the NICU. 

Then there was a day when the doctors told me that we need to give her more milk and I just thought is there a Breast Milk bank anywhere? First thing that came to my mind was my network, my yoga group and my yoga teacher Rolly mam. The moment I made that call and she told me not to worry, I knew something will work. She helped me connect to a few moms and Ritu was the only angel in my life who was so forthcoming to share with me her breastmilk. I request all the women in this room to break their glass ceilings and not have any inhibitions and not be always worried about societal perceptions but be bold to bring about a change in one’s own life and in the society. 

I still remember the long ride from Hiranandani hospital to Ritu’s house and there she was with a big hug at the door. I can’t thank you enough Ritu, but thank you for sharing as that day your 80 ml breastmilk was the best medicine for my daughter. We have exchanged empty milk bottles vs filled up bottles in the midst of traffic just because we both believed breastmilk is the best for a child during the initial days. This gave me motivation to express and soon I could express 100ml in a day. I just hope one day we have breast milk banks readily available just like blood banks. Believe me, there is always a road not taken and that's the road that's tougher but also greener.

NOTE: This story originally appeared on www.BabyChakra.com

http://www.babychakra.com/learn/1415-mother-s-milk-is-best-for-the-baby-even-if-it-is-not-of-the-biological-mother-s-herself

The pictures are from Nabonita's personal album

Joys of Breast Milk Sharing

World Breastfeeding Week: While breast milk banks have been around for a long time, the concept is yet to gain popularity among new mothers

Barely three days after giving birth to her daughter, Noyonika, Mumbai-based investment banker Nabonita Banerjee was informed about her bundle of joy's congenital intestinal problem that would require surgery. The infant braved the surgery and was recovering, but stressed after the ordeal Nabonita realised that she was barely producing enough milk for her newborn. That's when she thought of reaching out to her immediate group — family and other expectant mothers from the yoga class she attended.

"My yoga teacher connected me with Ritu Mukherjee, who was prompt. We discussed the logistics and soon I was picking up milk that she had expressed and stored in a container," said Nabonita. The two mothers began coordinating their schedules to ensure that both their little ones were given breast milk. For Ritu, an entrepreneur whose son Sabyasachi is now 10-months-old, it was an instinctive decision to agree. It helped that her husband extended his full support. "It was her maternal instinct that I responded to. I put myself in the shoes of the recipient and thought what if it was my baby needed the milk and no one responded," Ritu explained.

She would express milk after feeding her child and store it in a stainless steel container and freeze it. Nabonita would drive down to pick it up from her home. While the concept of breast milk donation is not popular in India yet, breast milk banks have been around for decades. While the Lokmanya Tilak Hospital in Sion was the first hospital to set up such a facility, breast milk banks are also present at KEM, Cama and Albless and the Sir JJ Group of Hospitals in Mumbai.

"There are blood and semen banks that are managed safely. In the same way, breast milk bank can also be handled well," said Dr Nikhil Datar, medical director and senior gynaecologist at Cloud Nine Hospital, adding most infections are not passed through breast milk and the donor can be screened to reduce the chances of any infection to the baby.

For Nabonita though donor breast milk was a boon as it helped her daughter recover faster after the surgery. "Soon, after that I also felt better and I started producing enough milk for my baby," Nabonita added. Ritu now wants to go a step forward is planning to create an informal group that will bring new mothers together so that they can help each other. "Many of us, mothers who want to donate milk are coming together. This would be a group where the older ones will exit and the ones who have just given birth will enter," Ritu added.

Nabonita Banerjee​ with her daughter (left) and Ritu Mukherjee with her family.

About breast milk donation

• The breast milk can be expressed manually or using a pump
• If frozen immediately it can be saved for as long as 6 months
• Breast milk helps new born build immunity
• WHO recommends exclusive breast feeding for first six months
• Breast milk banks store milk from donors at several govt hospitals

NOTE: This story originally appeared in the DNA Newspaper & has been reproduced here.
http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-world-breastfeeding-week-joys-of-breast-milk-sharing-from-mums-mouth-2242317

The 1^st One

She had a spring in her step, a smile on her face & carefree were her days. She loved the fact that she was popular with her friends (Girls & Boys), excelled at sports and was one fun daughter of mine!

Such is teenage life! And along comes puberty & the discovery of physical changes in one’s body, be it the hair growth or the evident presence of breasts. Breast Growth- sign of a woman, assets which became a liability for my girl. I could provide her with solutions for the excessive hair via waxing however I stumbled with probably the most important physical development which affected her emotionally. In some ways, it was unfair, because she was not as conscious as her friends as they noticed it, laughed at her & made lewd remarks, especially when she played her signature smash shots during volley ball matches. My bright happy girl stopped playing sports, avoided her favourite fitted tees and started to leave her hair loose on her shoulders. Something in her was not so happy and I failed to understand! The search mode came on and I googled with all possible key words. Initially I assumed, she was having issues with her friends but having taken her out for a drive and ice cream, I realised that was not the case. In more and more hours spent on trying to find a way out, I came across Teens & Bras! For a few days I keenly observed my daughter going about her routine and yes, there was an evident bounce which her existing bra didn’t seem to support. I also realised that at times, I could notice the bulge of her breasts even when she wearing a dark top. So this is what was troubling my angel. I searched more, spoke to experts in the field and obviously took my daughter on multiple shopping trips spending hours in a trial room! I had to bring back the smile in her life.

So here I am, post my research sharing with you tips & tricks I came across in choosing the 1^st bra for my teenage daughter!

1.      Ideal Materials: Teenagers lead hectic lives with school, classes and evening time with friends, running all over! So ideally one can pick cotton mixed hosiery as children find it easier to relate to it, are soft & comfortable. Given that our girls these days wear lots of party wear too, I also picked a few cotton + Lycra mixed to go with her fancy tops! What I really kept in mind was my girls comfort.

2.      Bra Style:

a.      My 1^st choice was sports bra/Tee-shirt bra. It is the most comfortable one to slip on & spend an entire day in. Often it’s akin to putting on a tee & yes, they provided complete coverage of the bosom too.

b.      2^nd choice was the multiway bra which could be worn in multiple combinations as strapless, racer back and halter depending on what my girl was going to wear over it. Definitely a money saver too!

c.      Cami top Bra: I would highly recommend this as it takes care of the need of a bra as well as a camisole. It is available in Cotton mixed fabrics & that is boon for translucent tops & the Indian summer season!

d.      Fashion Bras & Lacy ones are really not required at this age especially since they are in a growing phase. So for now, I skipped this one all together, though yes my girl has her eyes on few!

3.      Colours: We fought over it! Yes, she wanted neons, polka dots and all that jazz! I put my foot down. Given my daughters skin tone & her wardrobe, the safest colours are Skin, Nude, Black, light pink, grey and yellow. Though yes, I did pick a few others too, but my daughter herself has come to realise their utility when the polka & the stripes show through and has started to carefully pair her bras with her tops.

4.      The Right fit!

a.      There are essentially -2- parts to consider: Under Bust (band size) & Over Bust (cup size)

                                                    i.     Under Bust: this is that part of the bra that runs across the upper chest and around her back. Band sizes are generally 30, 32, 34, 36, 38 and so on.

                                                   ii.     Over Bust: Cups are what hold the bust. Cup sizes are alphabetic like A, AA, B, C, D, DD and so on.

So a size of the bra is a combination of the above 2. For example, 34B. It is extremely important to get both these sizes right for the perfect fit, coverage & support. I realised in my trials with my daughter that she was wearing the wrong cup size! Hence the bulge & lack of support!

5.      Signs of a wrong fit:

a.      The Bra band feels tight and uncomfortable around the ribcage.

b.      The band is too loose & rides up her breasts.

c.      Breasts are compressed and hence the awkward bulge/swell on the chest due to small sized cups.

d.      Large cup sizes wrinkle & create creases under the top and prevent a finished look!

So will all trials, experiments, hours in the trial room and google search I drew my check list for finding my daughters perfect fit!

6.      -2- Finger Test: Once she tried on a bra, I would ask her to insert -2- fingers just behind the hooks or at the centre of the bra on her back. If -2- fingers fit in comfortable, it was proven that the bra was neither too loose nor too tight!

7.      The band passed through the middle of the back & didn’t rise up creating an inverted V.

8.      Cups were comfortable, neither suffocating her nor allowing a freeway.

9.      I made her do her PT exercises of raising hands in all directions to check for spillage or bulges! Wanted to make sure my girl was completely covered!

10.   The straps should not dig into her shoulders leaving their mark behind.

11.   Now my daughter is a bit busty. Hence I also picked an under wire bra wherein the wire extended from the centre to the underarms to ensure full support—so yes, when your little angels grow, it will be time to invest in a good under wire bra too!

12.   Minimizers! Now this is where one has tread carefully! So because my girl was super conscious of her assets, she wanted a bra which would make her appear smaller. However, I had my concerns! It is like making Lemon Pickle where you try & squeeze in too many lemons in a jar hoping they will juice out and compress over time!

13.   Last but not the least, I learnt one major lesson—Maximum support to our assets must come from the band and not the straps! One mistake I too had been committing all my life!

The spring in her walk is back, she seems more confident, she is back in the game with her smash shots and friends no more mock. My girl is back to being the carefree angel she was, all because of a Bra! Yes, always seemed like the last pair of clothing to give much thought to but now I know better. Beautiful inside is Confident outside.

High Chair - An Indian Brand which makes it's mark: R for Rabbit 

Finally it makes sense. Why most of us have just one child. Consumerism has ensured that babies are an expensive business and simply mind boggling! The choices available can confuse even the most systematic research oriented parent. Especially when you know that the baby will soon outgrow it or may just not take a liking to it. Add to it the contradicting opinions & beliefs thrown at you, seeked by you and observed. My mom never used a high chair to feed her 3 babies and all 3 of us are well and enjoy meals! And knowing my mom I don't think she ever tolerated any sort of mess so I doubt she practised baby led weaning. 

The elders in the family were aghast when I offered a whole banana to my munchkin! I was insisted upon to feed him purée! So there I was a confused mommy pulled apart by wanting to try BLW and yet ensure the baby was being fed! Anyway, that is another story all together!

So there I was waiting for S to start sitting up on his own so I could get him the high chair! His own chair on which he would happily eat any and every thing I'd present to him! (Grand plans I had!) and that kickstarted my hunt for an ideal high chair. By default the hunt begun on Amazon and boy! I was honestly taken aback at the options- available-brands, colours, features, style & the damage on my pocket! It only made my decision harder Coz I was even more lost!

Almost all seemed similar! So how does one decide which to pick?! It was time to get down to some basics! I sat with my pen & paper & made a list of questions running through my mind to make things easy.

Q1-what purpose does the high chair fulfil?

A1- a comfortable & safe chair for the baby to sit on while I feed him, approximately 40 minutes thrice a day.

Q2-who will be using it more? And how?

A2- S & Me & other family members. S struggling to get out of it, preferring to sit underneath it. Me trying to be a cool mom & for me to stand or sit by the dining table to feed him.

Q3-where will I be using it most?

A3 - At home, by the dinning table or the terrace.

Q4-what potential difficulties will  I or the baby face when using it?

A4- Call me crazy but the only major difficulty I can think of is cleaning it!!! stability of the chair being the other concern.

Q5-how long am I hoping to use this high chair?

A5- Hopefully until S is 3 or 4 years old or until he can sit on a chair table suited for him & self feed.

Q6-does it need to be trendy?

A6- Errmm...yes...no! Be practical! uff!

Q7-price?

A7- I will not spend more than Rs.5000/- on a high chair simply because I don't know if S will actually allow me to strap him into it & feed him and i do not want meal times to be intense Maa-Beta Drama! 

So, there I was, with some clarity, I listed down my minimum requirement list as follows:

-No Cushion or Removable Cushion (Cushions manag to develop fugal growth because of left over food & the humidity)

-Round edges to ensure S doesnt hurt himself when he crawls underneath it or around

-5 Point Harness

-Stable widely spaced legs for better balance

-least number of crevices to prevent food collection & decay

-Wide food tray (I do a mix of traditional weaning & baby led)

-super ease of cleaning

-Leg Divider under the food tray to ensure S doesnt slip down

-multi utility

-Ease of assembly, dismantling & storage  

Yes, I consciously kept away from listing down the frills! Its the same approach I adopt when buying new machinery for my factories- Keep it simple, add ons can always be added on later when the need arises. Stick to functionality!

Now most of the available high chair brands are imported and easily served all my questions. If you are to compare most available brands (imported & Indian) you will find them almost similar. Ultimately it comes down to pricing which starts from Rs.5000--Rs.1 Lac! Yes!!!! 

Going by above parameters, I zeroed down on a relatively new on the block Indian brand called R for Rabbit. Primarily Coz I have a thing for all things Indian. Secondly the pricing was super affordable so even if S didn't take to it, it wouldn't hurt as much. Thirdly it fit the bill of functionality perfectly. 

R for Rabbit: Cherry Berry The Convertible High Chair (Green colour)

(Claim a 20% Discount on all R for Rabbit Products on their website. Use SPECIAL20)

I placed an order on the company website which was rather simple & quick like other eCommerce sites. Infact the company communications system is very prompt & efficient & they offer an option of COD also! perfect!

Assembling it was a matter of 10 minutes even with S being the man meddling in. (They have a super short simple video explaining the assembly). It's light weight (approx 3.5kgs) allows you to easily carry it with one hand while holding your munchkin in the other & drag it between rooms. Even sans the baby you can easily carry it to the bathroom for a wash down. I keep moving it between the dinning room, terrace, kitchen & the bathroom. The edges are extremely well rounded moulded finishing ensuring zero harm to baby. They feel soft. The legs are wide & have a rubberised wide capping ensuring stability & grip. The chair is fixed atop the table quickly with a very simple click. The 5 point safety harness is removable making it easy to scrub it & decently sturdy. What I truly loved about it was the simple design minus the fan fare which enables me to literally wash it down with a hand shower after each meal and yet it's all dried up and ready to be used for the next meal! This was of utmost importance to me! Even though i bought a cushioned high chair I don't use the cushion. As the cushion if washed once will take a day or two to dry off plus on my experience any foam cushions tends to develop fungal growth when there is food on it and it's a pain to clean. A big plus with this high chair is that it can be used 3 ways:

1. A mounted high chair

2. A chair with a food tray

3. Table & Chair 

this multi utility makes it absolutely paisa vasool at Rs. 4950/- Perfect Value for Money. 

The leg divider is also removable & easy to clean up.The food tray is wide, however I personally would have appreciated for it to be a little more wide but I wont complain. 

It's height cannot be adjusted nor is the seat a reclining one. However I have not felt the need for these features. It does not have wheels however the rubberised caps allow it be dragged sans much noise.

So yes, in all, I'd say, R for Rabbit High Chair is a brilliantly designed in India, Manufactured in China, Shipped from Gujarat High Chair. It is functional to the T, its multi utility ensures its used either ways & is priced just right for a baby product. Indian brands are great & I love them! 

So if you are a pragmatic parent not wanting to spend a bomb on a high chair, I'd highly recommend the R for Rabbit High Chair! Worth every ruppee!

P.S:

What I wish it would have:

-Hooks behind the chair to hang bibs ;)

PPS:

Claim a 20% Discount on all R for Rabbit Products on their website. Use SPECIAL20