Baby in Bangladesh

When you are taking someone to your home country for the first time, you cannot help but be careful. You try to make sure that the food and water are safe and the weather is not too hot and humid. In September 2013, we took our daughter with us to Dhaka, Bangladesh on a short vacation. But who knew that taking her to my homeland would demand so much extra work!

My 12-month-old daughter was traveling with us to Dhaka for the first time. The preparation for the trip began weeks ahead. Veteran moms advised me on food, water and weather of Dhaka city. I was going home after four years and I wanted to spend good time with friends and family - nursing a sick child was the last thing I wanted to do.

Beside gifts, it was my daughter's foods, clothes and diapers that took most of our luggage space. I took four tins of baby formula for my three-week trip. I thought that would be enough but it was not - I had to go to Kids & Moms in Uttara to buy formula for her on the third week of our stay. Thankfully, I took enough diapers. I even brought back an unopened bag. I took with me fresh avocados, oranges and ready-to-eat organic fruit and veggie purees. I took enough to last me three weeks. I just did not want to give her something new and then see her fall sick.

Our non-resident Bangladeshi friends suggested that we take water from here. Wow! I thought that would be too much. Besides, that would have meant no gifts for people back home. That would have also meant leaving behind most of our clothes in our US home. I did not want that either. Her pediatrician warned us against malaria (thankfully, Dhaka is now a malaria-free zone), typhoid (since she is too little, her doctor could not give her a typhoid shot) and hepatitis B (she was given a Hep B shot a few days before our departure date).

The hours spent on the plane were not fun in any way. My husband held her in his lap during the entire time on board. He could neither sleep nor eat peacefully. I, not being physically as strong, held her only for brief periods on our way to and from Dhaka. Changing diaper in an airplane's tiny bathroom is one of the most difficult tasks I can think of. My husband relieved me of the trouble by changing our baby's diaper on the plane whenever needed. Seriously, I sympathize with every mom or dad, who traveled in the air with a small child.

I think I gave my family a tough time during my Dhaka visit. My mom had to make sure that MUM mineral water was boiled well and then cooled for her granddaughter every day. Like many NRBs, we thought feeding mineral water right out of bottle was probably not safe!

My daughter, who was not accustomed to seeing crowds, cried the first week whenever she saw several people together. Whoever tried to hold her had to give her back to us because her loud cries would nearly pierce their ear drums.

My daughter, who spent most of her life in a US state notorious for its extremely long winters, used to sweat profusely whenever she left an air-conditioned room. I need to ask my dad next month how much he will have to pay extra for the air-conditioners that we kept running almost 24 hours a day...

Nevertheless, it was a short but memorable stay in Dhaka. I met with my family and childhood friends after four years! There is nothing like seeing the people you love. I will always cherish the memories of our 2013 Dhaka trip, especially because it was my daughter's first visit to my home country!





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