This is our first children's day as parents, Our kids are our teachers sometimes they teach us valuable things with their simple actions and every day is new learning.
I never follow any of the old traditions just because it was told by our elders, I always look it to things and only when I feel "yes this will help my baby" I will follow. I don't believe putting kajal makes the eyes big, I don't believe shaving the hair often will make their hair thick, I don't believe keeping kaala teeka will protect my child. All these are not scientifically proven so it's a Big NO to me.
Giving bal gutti, gripe water, dua (smoke) were recommended to me from the beginning but I never gave in. She is an exclusively breast fed baby and she did not needed anything. Unfortunately last week she catched cold from me and gave us tough time.. Her ever sweet malishwali Aunty told me that she will give dua (smoke) by burning coconut shell and ajwain. Though I did not like the idea I budged in because her cold was bad. The first day was nightmare that she cried and cried when she was lifted upside down near the smoke, I thought it's just first day and she will get use to it and her cold also seemed to be subsided. So we continued this for next 2 days until yesterday where she screamed like hell, She screamed at the sight of her Malishwali and cried till she left our house. She use to jump from me when malishwali comes but yesterday was terrible. Entire day she was holding my tshirt and clinged to me, was getting scared for all possible sounds. We immediately understood the damage this dua has done.

When I called her paed he said "Cold is cold and it will take few days to go, why to take short cuts?". I feel so guilty that I made her to go through this, Malishwali Aunty kept arguing with me "She will cry its all part of growing up" and I agree to certain extent but this could have been avoided.

All the new mommies, you will be given lot of free advices from our elders, Do check with your doctor before doing anything with your baby. Never put the baby in pain in the name of tradition.