Some milestones

My little man turned 3 months old on the weekend, 13 weeks today to be exact and I marvel at the miracle unraveling right before my eyes. His growth and development though not disimilar as any other human's doesn't cease to amaze me. When I look at him and notice how thick his limbs have become or how long his eyelashes have grown since he was born, I just can't believe that his only "fuel" is my breastmilk and his sleep, his much needed way of recharging as he undergoes this phenomenal growth. He now weighs double his birth weight and has grown 8 centimeters since birth. All in 3 months. Doesn't sound like much to most people probably but when you're his mother and saw him as a "bean" at his 12 week ultrasound scan, it can be pretty astonishing.

So, what are the milestones?

My little man is now...

...laughing out loud (LOL!) and definitely recognizing my face and my voice and smiling when he sees me, kicking his legs when he sees me approach after a nap or a sleep.

...able to hold his head up for extended periods of time while being held sitting up. Also able to enjoy tummy time for longer (he likes it better on my belly rather than on the floor).

...getting better at settling himself to sleep. Noah no longer needs to be rocked to sleep or held (I still wrap him and pat him a bit definitely a hundred times easier than carrying a wriggling boy for ages just to put him to sleep). He can only self settle though in his own space such as his cot, his pram or his car seat. I've given him his first blanket a week or so ago which I hope he will associate with sleep as he grows so that whenever he needs to sleep hopefully he can be comforted by the blanket and settle himself to sleep no matter where we are. This is important as he won't be in his usual comfort zones when we travel home to the Philippines in a few months.

...sleeping for a stretch of 5 hours. I still long for the day when he can sleep for longer so I can sleep longer but for the moment I just have to be happy with this mini improvement from the usual 3-4 hour periods.

...able to control his hands. They are no longer these random, alien things that fly about. He is now able to hold his hands together and hit/touch things before him. I cheer whenever he makes one of his mobile toys play music (which is done by rolling a ball) as it quite an achievement for him... it takes his full concentration and focus to aim his hand to the right thing and hit it with the right force. Because he has found his hands, he is now sucking it like crazy to put himself to sleep.

...not crying endlessly (seemed like endless anyway). I guess it boils down to having this relationship with each other - mother and baby knowing each other better. I am better able to interpret his many different signals so I can provide for his need quicker therefore minimising the need to cry. It's a great metaphor for any relationship for that matter. Once we have a relationship established it gets easier for both parties to meet each other's needs.

Indeed, I look forward to the many more milestones to come and celebrating them! I celebrated my little one's 3 month birthday by making Coq Au Vin for dinner last night... it was very yummy and hopefully my son will enjoy it too.. in the not too distant future.

newmum V

Priceless part 1

Instead of whingeing about things that I terribly miss I thought I'd blog about it to get it out of my system.

I do love my little Noah to bits... so much so that I think about him all the time and that pretty much my world, my diary, my every minute revolves around him. So don't get me wrong, I will NOT trade motherhood for anything BUT it's worthwhile noting, for those considering motherhood, what some of the smaller, mundane trade offs are.

1. Being able to finish a hot cup of drink while it's still HOT... priceless.
2. Going out to the mall or the gym or meet a girlfriend at a DROP OF A HAT ... priceless.
3. Reading the weekend paper from cover to cover in one go .... priceless.
4. Unlimited glasses of wine or coffee ... priceless.
5. Going to the cinema ... priceless.
6. Going out to dinner ... priceless.
7. Sleeping for at least 6 hours STRAIGHT ... priceless.
8. Sleeping in beyond 9AM... priceless.
9. Going out with just my tiny handbag ... priceless.

There's more to the list but baby's calling... so wait for Priceless part 2.

newmumV

Top Tips 1

Throughout my pregnancy I was given a lot of unsolicited advice. Some of them were brilliant and were certainly God-sent so I thought I'd share them including other tips that I think would be helpful given my own personal experience. Not so much on how to care for a newborn as you can go to classes for that and also every baby is different. More a list of things that every new mother or mom to be should know...

1. Cook and freeze as many meals as your freezer will hold. For the first three weeks after my baby was born, my hubby and I lived off home-cooked frozen dinners. All we did was boil rice or cook pasta to go with the cooked meals. This allowed us more time to spend with our very demanding newborn whilst making sure our own needs are met as well - what is more gratifying than a nice meal! Towards the end of pregnancy, try and cook extra every time you make dinner and then freeze them. It's no extra effort except maybe more chopping but well worth it.

2. If someone is throwing you a Baby Shower, try and have it as early as reasonably possible. Either have a gift registry or do your own baby clothes shopping after the shower. You will end up with so many clothes given as presents and it would be good if they don't end up duplicating what you've already got.

3. Hold off on buying a lot of feeding bottles unless you are absolutely sure that you will not breastfeed. Two bottles would be plenty in the early weeks if you just intend to top up with formula from time to time.

4. Mentally and emotionally prepare to have a very unsettled baby on the third day after child birth. This is the day when babies start to go really hungry and unfortunately your breast milk supply is still low and just coming in. So, it would seem that no matter what you do, your baby would be very unhappy. I was breastfeeding every 2 hours but he would still cry so much and therefore not sleep properly. I eventually allowed the midwives to give my baby formula at midnight as I just couldn't bear to see my baby so unhappy anymore. They were giving 10 ml each time and here is a photo of my baby being fed formula through drops by the midwife. The following day, the paediatrician saw my baby and instructed the midwives to offer the baby 50 ml. of formula after each breastfeed as she saw that the baby was getting really hungry and not having enough milk. This ensures that the baby will continue to suck and help build up my milk supply whilst being well fed as well.

5. If your hospital has an overnight nursery, do take advantage of it. I left my baby with the nursery midwives overnight as North Shore Private Hospital had this facility. The nursery was open from 6pm to 6am and every mother had the option of leaving their baby in the nursery so they can sleep for a few hours straight. The nurses took note of when the feeds were scheduled so they can call the mother to take the baby and return it to the nursery once feed was done. The overnight nursery was a fantastic option however not all hospitals offer it.

new_mum_V

The Day Noah was Born

It's been a while since my last post.. how bad a blogger am I? Tsk tsk tsk ... but the good thing is no one follows my blog (except my brother David and my Dad) so it's not like someone out there is missing out hahaha.

Well, good news is I had baby Noah on the 7th of December which explains the long absence. I thought what a good way to resurrect my blog but to write about The Day Noah was born.

I had the baby through Ceasarean section which I highly recommend and would probably do again if I ever get blessed with another baby. After 5 days of being overdue, I had my last doctor's appointment around 9am when he was going to examine me internally to see what's going on "down there." There were no signs of impending labour (cervix closed and head not engaged) plus my blood pressure was high. So, Doctor Smith recommended the Ceasarean as the first alternative which was an induction would likely lead to a C-section anyway. If I go through the labour AND the Ceasarean my body wouldn't heal as quickly as if I just had the latter. So, we went with the expert's advice and lo and behold he booked the operation for that afternoon. Never in my (and my husband's) many birth scenarios did this one come up.

The few hours leading up to the operation were all too surreal. I felt like I was in a trance. I went through the motions of getting my things organized - suitcase for the hospital, baby's bag - tidied up a bit so I wouldn't come home to a mess but what was really going through my mind was a silent prayer for baby's health and well being and of course a successful operation as after all, it is a major surgery what I'm about to go through. When we got to the hospital (North Shore Private) the midwives helped me get settled in my room, I changed to the hospital gown and waited for the orderly to get me. At around 2.00 in the afternoon, it was time and so I got wheeled to the operating theatre with husband Glenn by my side. When they were giving me the anesthetics, Glenn was given his "space" outfit to wear during the procedure. He complained that he was going to pass out from wearing it as it was so hot but I think he was really passing out because he saw the canular being put in and the big needle for my spine! Poor thing, he had to sit on the floor whilst they prepped me in the operating theatre. Eventually, he was asked to come in and then he sat next to me near my head, holding my hand. I can feel lots going on in my belly area - pushing and tugging - but there was no pain.

Eventually, I heard cries and looked at Glenn as I couldn't believe he is out! The doctor quickly showed me my grey baby, screaming his lungs out then he was taken to the midwives to be checked, weighed, wrapped etc. Glenn quickly left my side to see our baby and take photos (this is first ever photo of Noah). I asked for the time my baby was born and he came to the world at 3:07 pm. Eventually, hubby put the baby on my chest, almost right below my chin, as operation wasn't over, whilst I gaze at my screaming baby. I think it was all too new and strange that I didn't really feel that immediate attachment to the strange screaming creature.

My husband took my baby to my room whilst I recovered from the operation. After an hour or so I was taken back to my room to meet up with my new family - hubby and baby Noah. Noah was silent by then and I just marveled at his beauty and the miracle of it all - somehow by God's grace we now have this beautiful son.

The midwives were fantastic. Throughout that first day, they just kept checking up on me, topping up my pain medication and doing all sorts of things to make sure I'm OK as my blood pressure had become very high again. Glenn stayed with me until almost midnight and helped me with breastfeeding and just being my assistant as I was glued to my bed. Baby Noah stayed in the hospital nursery overnight and brought to me for feeding once or maybe twice that night.

So after 40 weeks and 5 days of pregnancy, I am now a proud mum to Noah.

Vange

3rd day overdue

Baby was due 3 days ago, 2nd of December and nope it hasn't come and yes, I get numerous calls every day from people asking "has it come yet?"

I didn't realize the wait would be so agonizing! Every day, I wonder could it be today? Every new sensation, I think did I feel this before or is this a new feeling? Is this one of the signs of early labour? Last night I didn't sleep worrying about the labour and the birth, what it means to get induced etc. etc.

There is a silver lining to the delay I must say. Today I had a chance to re-read the "birth & labour" chapter of my pregnancy book which is probably the third time I've read it. Lo and behold, I discover that I didn't quite absorb all the interesting things in there weeks ago when I originally read it! Only now do I have the mindset to really pay attention to the important details. A few weeks ago, I was preoccupied with other things and just not ready to think about labour. Things like the baby shower, cleaning, cooking, making sure nursery is ready with all the things baby needs.

My attitude has always been to not focus on the birth but focus on the outcome which is a healthy baby. So rather than concentrating on the minute details of labour, I wanted to make sure I was ready to care for a baby, made myself and my home as ready as possible for his arrival and prepared my body as much as I could for breastfeeding.

I didn't want to write a birth plan for precisely the reason that I wanted things flexible as I really didn't know how things would pan out and how I would cope with the pain (I think I have quite a good tolerance for pain but the ultimate test is yet to come). My attitude is, whatever works at the time, that's what I'll do. I didn't want to define a successful birth by whether I used as little pain relief as possible rather a successful birth should only be about a healthy baby and a healthy mum.

Having said all that, with the baby not coming just yet and with everything else ready for his arrival, I'm now in the mode to really think about the birth process. I now have the time to visualize things in my head and think about what I need to do to manage the pain. I now have a "fluid plan" in my head of things I could do to minimize the pain. I am also adamant that my husband read the same book and that we talk about it so we're on the same page (pardon the pun) on the day and he can provide the best support as possible.

Wish me luck!

newmumV(ange)

Roller coaster last week

It's 6 days before due date today ... it's agonizingly close and there's been highs but also lows this past week.

One high was last Saturday's baby shower which I thought I would never get to, being just a week and a bit before the due date. I was too optimistic or believed too many people who say I've got such a big belly surely the baby will come early. Well it hasn't & the odds are that it will be just on time or a bit late given it's my first child birth.

Anyway, it was a lovely day, sun was out, just a little humid but remained below 30's. My sister in law Michelle organised the invites & between herself & other sisters in law, they provided some nibbles, fruit, cake etc. It was a great afternoon filled with laughter, stories and presents. Two girlfriends stayed until early evening & I had lots of fun chatting with them. Oh I love girl friends :) Then, the following day, it was the horrible 41 degree day & hubby & I basically stayed indoors. Thank goodness we have a pool in the complex & also airconditioning so I survived & didn't feel too bothered throughout the day.

Later that day, I discovered a rash on my forehead so I thought then that I must've been bitten by a mosquito whilst I was in the pool or on my way to/from the pool got bitten by a spider or something nasty because it was turning into a nasty rash. 2 days later the rash had multiplied & now had them on my left eyelid. Eventually on Wednesday hubby brought me to see a GP and lo & behold it was none of the things I thought it was. I got diagnosed with Shingles! It was THE ABSOLUTE LAST thing I needed and I was really depressed the whole day wallowing in my unfortunate circumstance. I'm taking antibiotics & putting lots of soothing topical medicines which my OB had OK'd but from not taking any medication apart from the odd paracetamol during my entire pregnancy, I'm taking 3000 milligrams a day of antibiotics for the next 7 days plus paracetamol for the pain. The fact that it is very painful is a constant reminder that I had this affliction and that instead of having a blissful time waiting for bub to come I had this disease to deal with ... blah blah blah. Yes, I was quite down.

Question I have which will be answered on Monday on my next OB appointment is whether it's possible for me to pass on chicken pox virus to baby. I'm thinking no because my baby would have the chickenpox & shingles antibody but I'm not 100% sure. Or does anyone know the answer?

Today, I feel much better. I've come to terms with the "disease" and that I just have to deal with it and get over it. It is not life threatening and will get better in due course so it isn't a disaster. Just need to make sure bub cooperates and doesn't come before next Wednesday to make sure my rash has healed & that the virus is out of my system.

Until later,

newmumV(ange)

ZZZZZZ

It is second day into the first week of my maternity leave & I didn't realize how hard it would be to go through my to do list! I thought I would have done much more around the house by now. But, having said that I have washed rest of baby's clothes & cooked about a week & half worth of dinners to be frozen so maybe it's not too bad.

I am just sooooo exhausted all the time! Is this normal?!

I sleep about 11 hours - broken sleep of course due to all the toilet stops & carpal tunnel pain & needing to turn & baby moving etc. But after having breakfast, I feel like going to bed again at 11am! Because of all the cooking, I didn't manage a cat nap until early afternoon but as I type this, the bed is calling me for a more substantial nap.

Til later (after the zzzzzzzzzzzzzz)....

Vange