Mummy bathed me

I'm coming to a full month this Friday, Mummy is excited to be able to bring me out after that. Well, she's got a big problem after nanny leaves, she'll be left alone with me, which means she has to get more involved with me.

She has to bathe me and can only be free when I'm asleep. Haha. Oh, and she cant go anywhere unless there's someone to take care of me. That's her great commitment now! Fear not, mummy started to learn bathing me yesterday, she thinks I'm too fragile and struggles alot, and now I can even lift my head up for few seconds... challenging.

Clean mouth and face first

Ready for bath

I like sitting upright

So many hands?

OK... Dap dry

Haha, not quite easy to bathe me huh. Nanny reminded mummy to pay attention to my skin folds, neck and the back of my ears. They have to be kept dry.

After my bath, mum and dad took their lunch and they went out again. haha. They wanted to get my friends their full month presents. It was wonderful shopping for baby's stuff. Hope they'll like it...

 

My little hands and feet...

Mummy and Daddy have always been amazed at how small babies' hands and feet are. Here are some pictures Daddy took of mine... wow!

My little feet

My Well fed thigh... haha

My little hand... cutting nails soon.

My foot on mummy's hand

Try my powerful kick now...

Fenugreek...

Hey! Mummy sneaked out for dim sum yesterday! It was so wonderful to be out walking and eating again. But mummy was filled with worry when out, worried that I might need more milk as she only prepared one feed for my nanny.

Hmm... now mummy is planning to do her hair and face before nanny goes off after the one month. After nanny goes off, mummy will have to stay home with me all day, beciase there's no more nanny. On the bright side, it means no shopping and outing, so mummy saves money! Rhymes huh...

Last Friday, mummy went out with daddy to do some groceries and Grandma took care of me. Mummy bought Fenugreek from GNC, to increase milk supply. My intake increases every week, so mummy hopes to be able to suffice my feeds soon. Well, Fenugreek seems effective, mummy managed to express 200ml this morning, which was quite miraculous! Hope supply continues to increase...

End confinement soon....

14 more days to end confinement, mummy cant further tolerate the many 'cants' and 'donts' of confinement 'rules and routines'. Of cos mummy doesn't follow strictly, she would sneakily do some things to comfort herself. Ops! Oh, and confinement food can be real boring at times, same lunch and dinner if mummy cant finish the foodie over lunch. Haiz! Cant wait to gobble the happier food like dim sum, sushi and cold desserts... yum yum.

On a happy note, mummy just weighed herself, one more kg to shed to her pre-pregnancy weight! Throughout her whole pregnancy, though it was tough, mummy didn't experience any swollen hands or feet. She put on 10kg throughout. That was thankful. Well, mummy hopes to slim further. haha. With many more sleepless nights and busy moments, this sounds possible...

Ok, gotta do homework i.e express milk, haha.... Mummy will be back to update soon.

Simply pictures

My little angel...

Bath in Guiness Stout

Myth or not? It is said to make newborn's skin smoother.

Milk drop for next feed

In deep thoughts

sleepy

Sweet dreams

Loving newborns, simply pure and innocent...

Mummy recovered

Mummy is stealing time to blog while I sleep. She's been down with fever the past 2 days, because of bad engorgement. Poor mummy! Daddy was so worried that he insisted on bringing her to see a doctor at KKH. It was about 1am, so we had to go to the 24hrs emergency clinic.

If baby doesn't latch on well, it gives pain and inflicts phobia whenever its time to nurse. Because I was picky and rejected mummy's other side, it caused engorgement which led to red swell, headache and fever. Erm, its an educational experience that I'm sharing about huh...

The nurse at the hospital was a real angel to her, she spent an hour teaching and helping her remove the blocked ducts. It was a painful process! She left the hospital at 3.30am, felt exhausted to latch me on again. She rest through the night, prepared expressed milk for grandma to feed to when its time. Thank you grandma for taking care of me.

Oh, the angelic nurse gave mummy some cabbage leaves to reduce the swell and pain, by slowing the milk production. It helps! Mummies, do try.

After a week...

It's about a week after birth , Mummy felt so tired since discharged. In the hospital, she slept the 1st night and had to study for her exam through the 2nd night, she only slept 2 hrs and rushed to school for the paper. Well, I guess mummy didn't want to spend her confinement studying for the deferred exam. She knows I need lots of attention.

Nurse asked Mummy to come back to the hospital after the exam, which was good, because Mummy felt relieved when nurses took care of me while she's away.

She recalled that morning, when she was having her breakfast before leaving for exam, a nurse pushed me to her ward. Mummy smiled when she saw me, because she thought she would be going to school without cuddling me that morning, but she did! It was her morning booster.

At home, it's long days and nights for mummy, I'm still trying to adjust my sleep mode to mummy and daddy's. Mummy talks and plays with me in the day so that I'll sleep more in the night. And poor mummy, always got to get up to nurse me when I cry, I know she feels like giving up on this, but she wants the best for me, she will persist on. Thank you Daddy for always encouraging and supporting Mummy...

April 2009

Little Jazz arrived on 01 April 2009, with a little weight of 2.785kg! She was birthed at a gestation period of 40 weeks, 2 days! Simply wonderful!!!

What her mummy, I went through:

3.30am: Awaken by some cramps in my tummy, which I didn't really bother as I was always waking up in the middle of nights. It seemed like part of my insomnia routine. I took walks in the living room and in my bedroom thinking if Jazz might be coming out.

4.30 am: The man was awaken by my movements, and I felt the pain getting more intense. He suggested going to the hospital, but I thought it might not be a need to go yet, as the pain was still bearable. I tried to sleep again. Can't believe I was so relaxed!

5:15am: The pain was really more intense, I woke up and crouched on the bed. Told the man that we got to go. I hurried to change, brush up, wash face and took a quick shower. Ed got himself ready, gel his hair and dressed up real smart. I said, "We're going to the hospital, are you going to work?". He replied, "Later must take photo with baby!" Oh well, he wins. First time Dad after all. Anyway, while waiting for me to pack up, I told him to feed pillow (our fur kid) and walk him as it might be a long day. 

5.30am: My water bag leaked, and it was like a sure sign. I hurriedly clear up the mess.

5.40am: We left home, gave pillow my goodbye hug as I knew he'll be away for a month before I'll next see him.

5.55am: Arrived at hospital, pain was unbearable at every 5-10mins interval. I was directed to the labour ward and changed into their ward gown. I was 3cm dilated upon admission.

6:30am: The man did the administration, I was put on CTG to monitor contractions. Nurse came and asked if I could still clear my bowels, I wanted a mess free delivery, so I said I could. Despite the pain.

8:30am: The pain was mad!!! Asked for laughing gas, as Epidural wasn't on my mind (wanted to save money... really!). The laughing gas didn't help and I contemplated on Epidural after some struggle with pain. The Anesthetist was around, I was asked to sign the form, but changed my mind to hang on again. With some bad attitude, he went "It's Ok if you don't one, just that when you need it later, you'll have to wait for some time". Then he proceeded to tell the nurse loudly "I'll be back at 1.30pm". My mind was like, "It's ok, go! Stop provoking a woman in labour pain! Men seriously don't understand!" But in my heart, I doubted I could bear till 1.30pm! I was in great pain.

 9:45am: Contractions got more intense! Really painful!!! And it's real scary when you hear women screaming in other wards. And, Ok, I gave up, I needed Epidural. Told the nurse and she called for an Anesthetist. While waiting, I crouched and moved and held on tightly to the bed rail, till the nurse asked me not to move, as CTG is not monitoring my contractions. I tried to figure out about staying still during the journey of pain.

10am: Had my Epidural!!! Oh, even this process was excruciating! But thank God, it was a different anesthetist, an angelic looking lady administered the Jab for me. It was 'happy-dural!' I slept after the jab. It was a life-saver!

1:30pm: Pushed to delivery suite, waited for gynae to come. And am fully dilated. Watched TV, rested and waited.

2.15pm: Nurses came in to help with the pushing. This part was tough because of the epidural. It doesn't prompt me to push appropriately. At a point, the nurse asked if I needed doctor's help, in my heart, I was thinking, "Of course, I'm getting tired and breathless.", so I asked "how is the doctor going to help?" She replied "vacuum or forceps." I said, "It's Ok, I'll try again". I recalled there are charges for using these equipment. Amazed at myself on how frugality comes into my mind during a time like this. When Jazz's head was quite visible, they called for the gynae to come. And pushing continues...

3:15pm: Jazz arrived!!! Tears flowed and now I'm a MOTHER...

The precious prize to a long labour

A beautiful addition to the family

 

The parenting journey begins...