Rainbow Baby

My first day of work.  So back to normalizing the routine to pump and work and go back and look after baby and all that.  Phew.  Tough. Today I am gonna share the things that were very useful right from the start.  Some moms may not agree with me, but it's OK. 1.   Pureen baby jumpsuit with attached booties and mittens cuff This was one of the best one-piece suit that is really easy to wear and you don't need to look for matching booties and mittens and wash those tiny stuff.   Pureen has it and it's reasonably cheap.  Babyland in SS2 sells them. 2. Booties and mittens with fantastic elastic If you can't buy the above or can't find, then go for really good elastic booties and mittens.  My baby is small and those tiny hands are too small for any mittens and same goes for the tiny feet.   Buy those with elastic that are like an inch instead of those thread elastic.  These things keep coming off and it's quite annoy...

My maternity leave is coming to an end soon.  And what have I learned in the past 2 months was really incredible.  In the end, I have only 1 answer to all the problems and obstacles that I have faced in the past 2 months, and that is in the end, believe in God, for He is the only one who can help us. Let me just round up all the snags and obstacles that I have faced.  I believe all new moms faced the same issues, but I have an extra thing that happened.  It's gonna be a long story, so please sit down, take some food or drink.   I am sure you have read my birth story.  If not, please go here and read it.  Because what I am about to write is all connected, right from the beginning.   1. Difficult labour I didn't know that a difficult labour could spell difficult breastfeeding journey.  I only know to try as natural as possible and reduce as much medication as possible.  Next time, if I know birth is gonna be this difficult,...

I never thought getting through the 1 month can be so difficult, but we made it.  What was difficult was confinement, eating all those heaty food while struggling with breastfeeding. Don't ever think that just because God gave us ladies a pair of boobies that we are supposed to know how to use them when it comes to breastfeeding.  It's not automatic knowledge.  Just like God gave us arms and legs and we have to learn how to use them as we go along this journey of life.  I would say we have to train our breasts and baby how to feed.  It's like a mutual agreement and both must come to terms in order to have a smooth breastfeeding journey. I won't say I am a pro now, but at least breastfeeding has been established.  But just as I feel we are good at it, it's time for me to train her for bottle feeding and not latch so much during the day, so that when I get back to work, it's easy for her grandparents and baby and me. I believe I went through post-partum depre...

You may wonder how I still find time to blog.  I don't.  I lost count on how many hours I sleep per day.  Sleep deprived and yet still alert.   I am only mother for barely 3 weeks.  How I wish someone have advise me on how to get along or live my life for the first few weeks of baby's life.  Here's what people don't tell you.  Hopefully, those who are going to be a new mother (like first child), can use these tips in the future. 1. Time factor I am sure many said you won't have time to pamper yourself.  For me, since I am looking after baby 24/7 for now, with no helper except when my husband is around or my parents to help carry her, this time factor thing is so important. What do I mean by that? First, if you have a normal delivery, you will be expected to do the sitz bath treatment 4 times a day for 10 minutes each time.   Second, a newborn feeds every 2 hour.  Every feeding duration depends on baby.  Mine ...

We survived 11 days of parenthood.  When they said, you will be sleep deprived, they were not joking. Sleep deprivation is real and can't be avoided.  And this is especially true for us who struggled to get baby back at the breasts. It would have been easier if we have just given the breasts from Day 1 and not supplemented with any formula.  It was my biggest regret and something that I wished I can turn back time to rectify.  But I believed everything happened for a reason.  The lesson is never listen to anyone who tells you that you have no milk and that your baby is crying because she is hungry.  Even your husband needs to understand you. After struggling for 9 days, trying to direct latch and still supplement with formula and paid consultancy to help me to get baby back at breasts, she managed to direct latch without supplementing, without lactation aid and was back at my breasts completely on Day 10.  We were so relieved.  I can stop pumping ...

So our girl finally arrived after 9 months of pregnancy.  She is 2.99kg, perfect and have long fingernails now.   I tried breastfeeding for the very first time and not very successful.  I think because of the epidural, in which I was to fast and have not eaten since my last meal at dinner, 27 Jan 2016, I was so dry inside.  No wonder many said to avoid epidural. After latching the little one for 2 hours, yes, she refused to sleep and still suckle, I gave up.  My nipples were sore, she was exhausted from suckling and I was tired.  Coz she was still hungry, can hear her stomach growling and my milk has not kick in no matter how I squeeze my breasts.  Not even colostrum.  She was so frustrated and crying buckets and that's when I then decided to give her formula but will continue with breastfeeding.  Hope she prefers my nipples than the bottle. I also told the nursery to let her rest there for the night and take formula when she is hungry. ...

Finally, the day has arrived.  I started to feel contractions at midnight of 27 Jan 2016. That's one day overdue.  At first, I thought it's BH, so I just brushed it aside.  Then it was 20 minutes each duration and about 50 seconds each time.  By 3am, there was bloody show.  I didn't know it was the mucous plug that came out until I reached the hospital. Very quickly, I was transferred to the Delivery Suite upon arrival.  The nurse hooked me up on the machine to check baby's heartbeat and contractions and everything is good.  Except that my cervix was tightly closed.  Not even 1mm.  It was 4am and since there is no progress, the nurse told me to sleep. Woke up at 7 and was told ObGyn will come by 9am.  He came by 11am and checked my cervix.  Still closed and tight.  Baby's head is high still.  Dang.  He doesn't want to induce me.  Instead just want to monitor my progress in the normal ward.  He said if he ind...