Tales From The First Time Mom

Kidkraft Toy Castle with Tunnel: Not quite ready yet!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 06 Jan 2016 09:55:00 +0000

My son received a play castle for his first birthday from a close friend. I was actually really excited about the gift and believe my son would enjoy it as well. But just like any household, space is an issue. We are renting a two-bedroom apartment and unlike other units, we felt that we are living in a good-sized apartment. Until my son came along, space we thought is enough seems inadequate. My husband and I usually find ourselves contemplating which toy to keep and which toy to take off from the box so we can use.

As our son hits his milestones, we are also trying to let him play with appropriate toys suitable for his age. He is also not somebody who has any “comfort” item or favorite toy so we try to limit the available toys he can play with. That way, we have less/manageable amount of toys scattered across our living area. Plus, he can enjoy his toys thru stages.

We were quite happy with the setup and we knew a couple of toys are still inside their boxes. Until our friend who gifted the toy castle constantly ask us where the toy castle is. We are always trying to let her know that we really appreciate the gift but needed the space where to put it. But every time she comes over, she asks. So one weekend afternoon, we decided to unbox the castle. My son was over the moon when he first saw the castle. He was so excited with the new toy he bought his favorite (so far) truck inside. As expected, he treated the castle as if it was his “home”. We even took a couple of photos to show our friend that there it is! We are using it!

Inside the castle!

The first few minutes were OK. But then, my son decided he likes the small flag on the top of the castle. My husband and I were a bit busy trying to keep a few things to make room for the castle when we saw our son knocked off the castle in his bid to reach the flag! It was very easy for him to do it since the material was very light and there were nothing to make the castle stay put. My son literally carried the castle across the living area, we did not like it! We felt that it might lead to unwanted accidents especially if he is with his nanny or if we need to take our eyes off him for a couple of minutes. It could lead him to get hurt or break a few items in our living room in split seconds!

Because of the incident, my husband read the box and checked the suitable age for the castle. Of course, it should’ve been done before we took it out and we saw it was for bigger kids (3 years old and above). It then made us realize that those precautions were written there for a reason. So it was a good reminder for us to make sure to read those first, before giving in to peer pressure!

Overall, I like my friend's gift but I think we needed a few more months/years before we can take it out again. Better to be on the safe side! For those with little ones who are interested (and old enough!), here is the castle my friend gave to my son:

Top Reasons why Motherhood is not for Everybody

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 08 Dec 2015 20:05:00 +0000

I have a close friend from my previous employer and I bet she is laughing her ass off now. I remembered that after a couple of months since we got married, we had this conversation about family life and kids. Without batting an eyelash, I replied that I plan to have kids a year after getting married. Her reply? She doesn’t plan to have kids at all. I was shocked. All of my close girlfriends plan to have kids; surely she wants to have her own kids. I asked her again and her reply was the same.

Fast forward to this day, I now have my active little toddler. My friend stayed true to her word about not having kids. Don’t get me wrong, I love my little boy. But my past experiences as a Mom opened my eyes why my friend would not want to have her own kids. She is my son’s godmother. While I can feel she loves my son dearly, I can feel she is giving me the that’s-why-I-don’t-want-kids statement.

Her shopping bags contain items for herself. My shopping bag contains nappies and little person’s clothing.

She can leisurely eat dinner and enjoy her wine. I eat my meals in 5-minutes and drink wine to feel good sometimes.

She can read or watch mother-child themed movies and just shed a few tears. I need to bring a towel to wipe my snot off.

Her “me time” means she goes for a whole day thinking about nothing else. My “me time” is going outside of our home trying to do activities for myself but constantly texting my husband/minder how my son is.

She can yell at her husband for not tidying up the house. I can yell “ouch!” each time I tripped at my son’s little trucks.

Her concept of vacation is a trip to a beautiful remote island, maybe the Maldives. My vacation is a trip to the groceries without a child screaming at me.

She can have dinner at any restaurants she wants to try. I dine at restaurants where there is high chair and basically child-friendly.

She can extend her time at bed during the weekends. I wake up when my son wakes up at 6 AM even on a Saturday or Sunday.

She brings her nice leather handbag filled with makeup and accessories to go out. I bring a big bag filled with small toys, bibs, and other child-accessories.

She can wear her stilettos anytime she wants to. I forgot how to wear heels already.

Coming Soon: Terrible Two's!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 30 Nov 2015 10:36:00 +0000

When my brother was young, that was the time when I heard the term “terrible two’s and three’s”. My Mom told me that it is the peak where toddlers would try to impose their authority and independence. It is basically like having teenagers around the house. The only problem is that some toddlers do not start speaking until about later. So it is easy to say that there is a language barrier issue. But then, teenagers speak the same language as we do but still things end up messy so, yeah, maybe it is not the language, then.

When my brother was little, I did not really see what was so terrible with having a 2 or 3-year-old. Maybe because I was not involved in imposing discipline to him (it was my parents’ role anyway!). Or I was not just paying too much attention back then. But now that I am a Mom, I can clearly see why they say that this is a big deal.

My son will turn 2 years old in a couple of months and I can see some signs where he wants to gain independence. I also see him trying to manipulate us to do things in favor of what he likes. In case you are curious, here are the things I am talking about:

One minute he acts so sweet then smiles. Approaches his Dad or me and get our hand to get something he is not supposed to touch/play with.
He is the King of Drama. Will make fake cries when we don't give something to him.
Learned how to stomp his feet when upset. I can only blame the Youtube nursery rhymes with this.
Grabs his spoon/fork/chopsticks to feed himself.
Gets the soap to take a bath.
Screams when he wants to get out on a cold, freezing, rainy day and I don't allow him.

My husband and I try our best to keep patient since we know it is a normal phase in his baby life. Although I have to admit, it is quite hard to be patient and try to enforce discipline at the same time. Anybody here in a similar boat as we do? How do you keep your sanity intact and discipline your toddler at the same time?

Quick Toddler's Chow Mien!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 12 Nov 2015 15:14:00 +0000

I love preparing for my son’s meals. Especially now that he is over a year old, I can easily give and share “our food” to him with very minimal alteration from the recipe I use. I still watch out for the salt and sugar. If I make his meals, I don’t add any salt or sugar to it. But if it is store-bought, I try to find something that has a very minimal amount of salt/sugar in it.

One of my son’s favorite snacks is noodles. I am not sure why, probably he liked the idea of eating something long. He has this funny habit of getting a single strand from his plate using his pincers and put the strand inside his mouth. He will gradually slurp it while saying “mmm mmm”. LOL! Kids! They are so easy to please (sometimes!).

I made some chow mien for myself and my husband the other night so I separated some of the veggies to cook for my son’s noodles. I did not put any seasoning to my son’s veggies except for a bit of ground pepper to taste.


My son's favorite chow mien!

Recipe:

1 portion of uncooked egg noodles

a handful of mixed veggies (I used beansprouts, cabbage, and carrot for this) sliced thinly

ground pepper to taste

1 tsp sesame oil

Steps:

1. Boil some water and soak the noodles in it (if using dried noodles)

2. Heat your pan and place the sesame oil

3. Saute the vegetables for about 2 minutes or until it becomes soft

4. Strain the noodles and toss in the same pan with the vegetables

5. Stir fry for another 2 minutes or until the noodles and vegetables are well-cooked

6. Serve warm and enjoy!

Note: These are the ingredients/items I used to create this dish

My Experience with a High Needs Baby

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 06 Nov 2015 15:17:00 +0000

I have a clingy (high needs) baby. It was evident a few days after he was born. He would go on a sleep marathon only if I hold him close to me. The moment I put him down, I can count to five and hear him screaming. My first few days as a new Mom were not easy. It took some time for me to figure out what I needed to do with my son. I remembered those early days when I would constantly Google something to find out how to leave the baby in the crib or what the “problem” with him is.

You see, I was able to mind my brother when he was a baby. This experience made me believe that I know how to take care of a baby – or so I thought. With my brother, I put him to sleep and then lay him down in his crib so he will sleep for an hour or so. He will never shriek the moment I put him down and will wake up happy. My son was different. No matter how long or short I waited to put him down, he still wakes up the moment I put him down. I tried doing all the advice I got from the Internet: PUPD, hush-pat, tap the leg, hold the leg, swaddle tightly, swaddle loosely, and I admit, a bit of controlled crying when he was about 4 months. It is not like I didn’t try to put him down, I just couldn’t. Days went on and naptimes were constantly a disaster. I found out that my son needs and loves his sleep, but just couldn’t (or wouldn’t) want to sleep alone. It is also around this time that I realized what kind of Mom I am; I learned that I am one of those who can’t stand to hear their kids cry. Especially if I know that what he wants from me is something natural, innate between a mother and child. It felt so wrong for me to ignore his wails of “help” as I try to implement what the article I read from the internet advised me to do. Add up to the fact that my son is very resilient. He is not like other babies who would stop after 2-3 minutes of crying. He can go on for as long as it takes until somebody gives him what he wants/needs.

Weeks went on and I was still plagued by confusion how to deal with my son’s sleeping habits. Mostly because of some advice I get around that I am “spoiling” him. Until the day I stumbled across Dr. Sears’ website about clingy (high needs) babies. I read the description and it’s as if everything was about my son. I did not believe it immediately but went to do my own “research” about clingy or high-needs babies and was surprised to read that I wasn’t the only one. I learned that there are other babies out there similar to my son; who are resilient to let their primary caregivers (Moms) know what they want and need from them.

Because of this, I learned how to baby wear (something I thought I will never do). I would have my son constantly glued to me just so I can do something as he takes his naps. It was uncomfortable, especially because the belt sits on top of my c-section scar. But it allowed my son to take his much-needed nap for as long as he wants, making him a happy kid when he wakes up. I learned that if he wakes up happy, I can leave him to play in his crib for a while so I can go have a break. It allowed me to fold the laundry, sweep the floor, or have some tea.

Apart from baby wearing, I learned to accept my son. During the first weeks, I was trying to “fix” him because I thought something was wrong with him. It was a constant struggle between my son’s needs for human touch and my perception that all babies should sleep in the crib. But after reading Dr. Sears’ article, I learned it was me who was wrong. I was wrong to assume that like my brother; my son should be like that – sleeping soundly in his crib. I learned to accept that all babies and families are unique. This means that I can only use the advice I read on the internet or tips given by other Moms, but it is not a guarantee it will work for all families.

My son is 20 months old now. We still cuddle him to sleep. It is inconvenient, yes, especially because I needed to go back to work. But I was blessed enough to find nannies who are willing to do the same for us. Despite not sleep training him, I noticed some improvements with his sleeping habits. At around 9 – 10 months, we are able to put him to sleep if we are outside while he is inside his pram. Before, it was impossible. We could go around the whole city pushing his pram as he wails inside demanding to be carried.

I am a believer that things will get better. Over time, I have seen the improvement with my son’s sleeping habits. I am hoping the day will come for him to understand that he will never be abandoned when he sleeps in his crib/bed. But for now, I am just doing what any mother with high needs baby can do. Keep trying and just savor the moment because I know these times will never last forever.

Easy Salmon Fish Cake

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 25 Oct 2015 20:42:00 +0000

I love preparing my son’s meals and snacks! I love spending time in the kitchen and really enjoy preparing my family’s meals. I make sure that my son gets to eat different types of meats and veggies per week to make sure he gets the proper nutrition his growing body needs.

My son is a very active toddler and in order to make sure that he gets all the calories he needs for the day, I offer him 3 meals and 2-3 snacks throughout the day. There are days when he can finish all the food I prepare for him with such gusto. However, there are “bad days” where he is not really interested in eating!

It can get quite frustrating for Moms who prepare food from scratch, only for it to end up getting binned. How much more for working Moms like me!? The answer to that is to make use of the oven and freezer!

I love preparing muffin-styled food for my son because it is easy and I only needed to make use of a 12 pieces muffin pan. It is very easy to come up with different flavors and tastes! I make at least 6 muffins of anything and keep 3 in the fridge. The remaining 3 pieces will be stored in the freezer for future use.

Since being quite busy with work and I realized it’s been a while since my son had fish, I decided to make him a salmon fish cake. Unlike the typical fish cake where frying is involved, I used my muffin pan so I just pop it in the oven and wait for 20 minutes.

Salmon Fish Cake. I know my photo is horrible!

Recipe (makes 6 muffins/fish cake):

1 small fillet of salmon, cut into strips

1 sweet potato, roasted and cut into chunks

¼ sweet yellow bell pepper, roasted and cut into chunks

Black pepper to season

2 eggs

3 tbsp self-raising flour

Oil for brushing

Steps:

1. Preheat the oven to 170C.

2. Mix all the ingredients in a mixing bowl, except for the oil.

3. Once mixed, brush the muffin pan with a bit of oil to prevent the muffins from sticking.

4. Scoop the salmon mixture and place inside the muffin pan. Do not fill up to the brim. Leave a bit of space, maybe about 1cm.

5. Place inside the oven and cook for 20 minutes.

6. Serve warm and enjoy!

Note: Here are the ingredients/items I used to create this recipe:

Gradual Weaning Process for Myself: Letting Go

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 15 Oct 2015 08:37:00 +0000

I was blessed with a lot of milk and I always thank God for that. While our breastfeeding journey was not perfect, I can say that I am so happy that until this moment we are still breastfeeding. I am also thankful that my current work setup allowed me to breastfeed my son directly. It can also be the reason why we were able to breastfeed for this long.

Despite being at home most of the times, I always pumped milk in the morning for my son. Regardless if he will drink the milk, I made sure that I pumped on my “pumping time”. It was the 15-minute session every day, every morning that I allocated to pump milk. Since my son did not regularly use the milk stash stored in the fridge, I accumulated enough freezer stash for him that filled the last tray of our freezer. Probably if our freezer was any bigger, I could’ve stored a lot more than what we ended up with.

When we go out, that’s when the stash became useful to us. I never breastfed my son in public (unless it was during a long plane ride) so we had to bring a bottle for him. However, at around 16months, my son voluntarily weaned from the bottle. We noticed that if we were out, he can last the whole time without drinking milk but will continuously do so if we were at home. If we tried to offer him the milk from the bottle whilst outside, he will throw temper tantrums while looking at me. Probably his way of saying, “What is this Mom?!?! I want boobs, not THIS!” We tried putting the milk inside his sippy cup, mixing with cow’s milk, mixing with flavored milk ETC. But nothing will make him drink milk unless coming from me.

So we stopped to bring milk while we are out. And that left us with our full tray of frozen breast milk stash. I had a quick look at the dates and the milk was still usable. I contemplated what I wanted to do with it. I initially thought of giving it away, but I held back. Why? I was thinking/hoping that my son will still drink the milk. I never thought I would feel that way, but it occurred to me at the time that the pumped milk belonged to my son. I thought of the days I was so busy with work, but I can’t/don’t want to skip my pumping session fearing my son will never have enough milk.

A couple of days passed by, and one frozen bag expired. I still have about 2 Liters of milk sitting inside the freezer. That’s when I finally accepted that my son will no longer use it. It has been months since he drank milk from any other source except me. I finally accepted that in order for the days/time I spent pumping that milk mean something is for it to be useful.

I offered the milk for donation and it didn’t take long for somebody to accept it. I didn’t meet the lady whom my breast milk went to but knew that her little one had tongue tie so they had issues with latching. But she was really determined to breastfeed her son. I gladly gave the entire frozen milk stash and somehow I felt a tiny pinch inside my heart as I was emptying our freezer tray. I knew that the milk will end up with somebody who needs it, but it just made me realize that it could be a sign; the start of my son’s weaning process. And it hurts me just by thinking about it.

After the milk exchange, I received a text from the lady thanking me. We exchanged a few more texts until I received this. With that, I just knew that giving the milk to somebody who will use it was the right decision. It could be the best way for me to gradually start our weaning process, letting go of our freezer stash.

Teething Drama is About to End! What Worked for Us?

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 05 Oct 2015 09:55:00 +0000

Molars, why are you taking your sweet time to get out?! My son has been in this molar-teething stage for as long as I remember. He is actually very good with teething. He still sleeps well in the evening and don’t get feverish (thank God!). Unlike other babies, my son never liked biting on his teethers. We bought about 5 different teethers to test if he will like any of those but, nada! We placed them in the fridge/freezer but never worked. I even tried the breast milk popsicles, but he just made a face and threw it away! I also tried to give him a cold, wet washcloth, but it didn’t appeal him. But I know that he is suffering from this phase as he gets pretty cranky sometimes and totally clingy to Mum.

You are probably thinking, what worked for my son during this uncomfortable teething process. Here are some of the things that we did that seemed to ease his discomfort:

Any metal objects such as spoons. As I’ve said, my son didn’t like his teethers. He would pick up any random object to chew and bite but not his teethers. When I notice that he does it often in a day, I immediately relate to this as teething. He doesn’t really bite anything unless his gums are already swelling because of a tooth about to erupt.

Give him an apple or pear. My son loves fruits so much and that he likes to munch on crunchy and harder fruits when he is teething. So when I think he is teething, I give him sliced/whole apples and pears for a snack. If you are giving your child whole fruits, watch out for the core!

Gum gel. My son can get pretty crappy when it comes to food when he is really in pain. He will not cry but constantly spit out his food. Probably because it hurts his gums. So to allow him to eat (since he is interested anyway), we massage a bit of gel around his gums. Remember to read the label on the frequency of application to avoid overdoing it. He particularly likes this brand and I tasted it. It is actually kinda sweet!

Frequent latching on Mom's breast. If you are a breastfeeding Mom, you will immediately notice that your child wants to latch every-single-time. I work from home so I am able to feed him but like any working Moms, I also have deadlines. It is impossible to work and nurse at the same time. When he is teething, I try my best to accommodate to his every demand in “boobie time”. Breast milk has natural analgesic that helps them to feel relief when teething. Watch out for the bite marks, though! Teething babies will make frequent attempts to bite during this stage.

Give some pain relief medication such as paracetamol or ibuprofen. When all things fail and your child is still cranky, give him/her a dose of painkiller such as paracetamol or ibuprofen. I am not a fan of giving too much medication to my son especially since he doesn’t have a fever. But when I feel that he is in too much discomfort (ie cranky, spits food frequently) even after trying the other things mentioned above; I give him a dose of medicine. I noticed that ibuprofen works best for teething pain especially with the molars. So you may want to use paracetamol for other teeth but ibuprofen for molars.

Remember that I don't do all these at once. I try to do one thing at a time and the last would be to give him a dose of medicine. Apart from these, additional TLC helps them get through this painful teething process.

Weekend Morning with a Toddler

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 27 Sep 2015 16:07:00 +0000

Before my son was born, weekends meant that I get to wake up past 8 AM in the morning. Well, I don’t really wake up late. I think the latest would be around 9 AM. But at least would be able to stretch a bit while lying in bed. My husband and I can have a slow start to our weekend mornings. We can spend a few more minutes chatting in bed before somebody volunteers to start making some coffee.

Now that my son is here, he gets to dictate our schedule. We are awake when he is awake, which is around 7 AM (if we are lucky!). He is our alarm clock, and he can go off at random times each day. There is no telling what time he will wake up for a certain day. We are lucky if he wakes up consistently at the same time for a week; only to change it the week after.

Sometimes, it feels surreal that we have been sleeping for less than 8 hours for more than 19 months now. It is just amazing to see how time flies by so quickly, we hardly notice that we have been into this parenting thing for so long.

My son's version of "Good Morning Mom!"

Fast forward to today, I still don’t get to stretch idly in bed during the weekend mornings. We wake up the moment he wakes up. Am I complaining? A bit maybe. But the moment my son wakes up, is a start of a happy day for me. It means that I get to hug my little rascal good morning and start a new day with him. It meant that I can expect a hand or foot in my face as he tries his best to wake me and his dad. It meant I can hear his contagious giggles as he tries to poke my nose, ears, mouth, and eyes just so I will stop pretending to sleep.

Parenting is not always full of roses. There were bad days that I wish would just quickly pass by. But I can’t exchange simple, happy moments like waking up each day with my son for anything in the world. I still miss my slow and lazy weekend mornings. But for now, I will savor each moment while my son is still this cute little fella. Time flies by so quickly, I am pretty sure the day will come when I wish my son is a baby again. I know other moms out there do, and I am certain that I will feel the same way soon enough.

What I Really Think About Daycare

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 17 Sep 2015 10:57:00 +0000

For months now, my husband and I are constantly plagued with never-ending questions when to put our son into daycare. I am pretty sure that the question meant well, to give us an option that we probably didn’t think of. And for the past months now, we are always consistently answering the same answer: We will take him when we feel it is the right time to do so.

Our son is growing up. He is a very active little boy who loves to run and climb around the house. This is probably the reason why we are constantly asked when we will bring him to a certain facility so he can “learn” to interact with other kids. Don’t get me wrong, my husband and I never thought that by putting one’s child into a daycare facility is evil. To be honest, it was one of the options we had in mind when my son turned one. We even went as far as to call a nearby daycare facility and pay for a full amount of deposit (yes, we already paid for it). It is just that after carefully thinking of our own situation, we decided against it. So the result was to delay his start for a whole year, without refunding the deposit (ouch!).

Here is the thing: parents put their kids to daycare because this is the setup that works best for them. I am not here to question anybody’s parenting style or preference, but would like to stress that the decision whether to put one’s child in a daycare facility comes from the parent’s child. Parents are the one who knows best of their unique situation. Parenting and child-rearing is not a “one-size-fits-all” approach. I am not here to say that we have turned deaf ears for friendly advice and opinions. I actually welcome them since it allows me to have more options to choose from. But to be constantly nagged about the same topic over and over can get quite overbearing.

I hope that as I have said my piece, the topic on daycare, playgroup, or any form of social interaction that I MUST bestow upon my child should end. I am not sure where this idea that it is a MUST to put one’s child into daycare so they can achieve better social skills came from. Are there any hard and fast rules about parenting that I haven’t heard of? The only one that I know of is that we send our kids to school by the age of 4 (or 5 for some countries). By this age, experts agree that a child’s social skills are quite matured making them ready to interact.

I am not to say that I will NEVER let go of my son to be independent. It is actually the opposite. I wish and hope for him to grow up to be an independent man; one that loves to travel and explore the world around him. It is just that for me, a child spending 40 hours per week in a day care facility with enough time to go home just tired to sleep without interaction with family is sad. If I were the child, I will be. And since my husband and I have a choice not to go to that direction, we won’t.

Post Travel Rant: Flying with Baby

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 14 Sep 2015 12:32:00 +0000

We recently went to a long flight back home in Asia with my little one. While I love going back home to see family, I admit that the flight was something I dreaded. My little boy is now 18 months old and is a very active baby. People would commend how he seems to have that never-ending energy. At home, he constantly runs, jumps, or climbs at anything to spend this energy. His nannies would bring him at our apartment’s courtyard so he can spend some of his energies while getting a dose of fresh air.

Traveling from Europe to Asia was not easy. It was a long 16-hour flight. While we took the best route we could get (splitting the travel time to 8-hour each), it was still a difficult task for any parent to make sure that the trip will be fuss-free!

If you are one of those families taking a long trip like this with an active little toddler, here are some of the tips that my husband and I did to survive the long flight:

Make sure to bring small toys to entertain. My son loves the McDonald’s minions and toy cars. We decided to bring a couple of those to make sure that he would stay seated for even just a few minutes/seconds. Be thankful for each moment where your little one is content just being in his/her chair. It could get worse.
Bring lots of snacks/homemade food. We requested baby food/kid’s meal for my little one for the duration of the flight. But on the first leg of our trip, we discovered that our son was not included in the headcount for the meals. It was really disappointing and while it was something that the airline company should be apprehended for, parents should make sure that little kids will not go hungry on the trip. It was a good thing I packed lots of snacks/homemade meals for my son and brought empty small containers. The reason why I did this is to make sure that when my son goes hungry, he gets fed. Little kids can go cranky if they are hungry and we can’t expect that his mealtimes will go on schedule as the cabin crew’s schedule for meals. If the crew served his meals and he is done eating or he is taking a nap, I pack it away so he can eat later.
Pack a couple of extra change of clothes. My son never liked changing nappies in tightly closed spaces like the plane’s toilets. He would cry and scream on the entire nappy change process. This would lead to some spills or sometimes he would end up peeing on himself. So to make sure your kid will not stink on the remaining hours on the flight, make sure to pack a couple of change of clothes.
Choose flights with reasonable stopover time. My son loved it the moment we step out of the aircraft. Who wouldn’t be? Even I and my husband loved it when it is time to disembark! If you have connecting flights, make sure to allocate enough time for everybody to enjoy the change of surroundings. I would personally recommend to make sure that the flights in between have at least 3-hours stopover.
Ignore other passengers. When I was a solo traveler, there were times I was really annoyed when little kids would go screaming their heads off on the entire flight. I think it is pretty common reaction for other passengers who wanted to catch some sleep, but can’t due to the noise. Now that I have my son and we experienced the difficulty, I felt sorry for how I felt towards the parents who were struggling to keep up with a screaming baby on the entire flight. I experienced how difficult it was for those equally sleepless parents to try to keep the baby calm while being equally tired and sleepy. I admit, I think I noticed some passengers close to us giving us “the look” when my son screams, kicks, or basically put his “I am pissed” emotion out on display. Believe me, we really tried our best to contain him and make him wear that seat belt or stop him from hitting the tray table but he really thought it was funny. So since it was a lose-lose situation, we decided to ignore those looks. It was not like we were not doing anything anyway.

How about you, do you have tips that can help tired and worn out parents traveling with active little toddlers?

Tips When You Need to Buy Readymade Snacks

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 03 Sep 2015 17:21:00 +0000

As mentioned in my previous post, there are times that I can’t prepare my son’s meals. Just like any other working moms out there, I don’t always have the time to do everything! As much as I want to keep everything homemade, there are times when it is impossible. So I do the next best thing for me: buy store-bought snacks. It is better than to allow my son to go hungry, right?

However, I just don’t buy snacks just because that’s what other kids eat or because that’s what I used to eat when I was little. To choose ready-made snacks, here are some things moms can keep in mind in choosing what to put in the grocery basket and what I do before handing over for kids to eat:

Avoid overly sweet or salty food. Even your local public health nurse recommends not giving salty and sweet food to your little one (until the age of 3). Small children’s internal organs are not ready to process huge amount of salt and sugar in their teeny-tiny bodies. Studies show that what we eat when we were little has an impact on our food choices later in life. Avoid cream-biscuits, wafers, or crisps when buying ready-made snacks for your kids.

Don’t fall for the organic labels, read the ingredients. Moms these days are easily drawn into the organic food labels, thinking that organic meant healthy. While it could be true for some brands, not all food labeled as organic are healthy. So when shopping for ready-made snacks, make sure to read the ingredients list. If there are anything in the list that you are not familiar with, it is more likely to be artificial.

Left vs Right: See the difference?

Check the expiration date. Make sure that the pack you bought is not yet expired or way in advance of the Best Before Date.

Taste it first before giving it to your kids. A lot of issues these days show that even the well-known brands falling culprit to negligence in food preparation. Moms reporting of molds inside a packet of flavored milk or fruit smoothie are rampant these days. Even if the packet indicate that the item is way before its Expiration or Best Before Date, it is better to take a few sips especially if you can’t see the contents before handing it over to your child. It is always better to go on the side of pre-caution than to get the risk of food poisoning.

Try to avoid flavored options. These usually applies to dairy products such as flavored milk and yogurt. Do you know how easy it is to add sweetness to these items naturally? My advice is to buy the plain ones because it allows you to cut the sugar amount drastically! Buy plain fresh milk or plain Greek yogurt for your kids. To sweeten, you can easily add fresh fruits such as banana, berries, or cooked apples. I recommend to add a drop of maple syrup or honey (if your child is more than 12 months).

Note: I store a couple of packets of ready-made snacks in the cupboard to make sure my son has something ready for snacking on days I am unable to cook for him. If my first choice brand is not available, I try to buy the next best alternative. My goal is still to provide my son with healthier and homemade food choices.

I also buy fresh fruits. Sliced fruits are a nice snack for little ones. Kids will particularly love eating some sliced apples, a banana, or plum as a snack. Snacks are meant to keep your kids from getting hungry as they wait for the next meal such as lunch or dinner. So it need not be too heavy to avoid losing appetite for the meals.

Mommy's Letter to my Little One

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 25 Aug 2015 15:23:00 +0000

It is raining today. It seems like summer has officially ended here in Ireland. Terrible weather aside, my day didn’t start quite right. Apart from our usual morning nanny on vacation (we do have somebody to cover for her), my son decided to wake up late than usual, ruining his “schedule”. I also had early morning calls that prompted me to give brief instructions to the cover nanny in the morning. As I had my calls, I learned that my son decided he didn’t want to take his lunch (and the nanny seemed to forget to give his fruit). As my work day went, I learned how tight the schedules are for the project I am in (I am not sure how much involvement I will have). I was trying to keep my head around my task for work when my son woke up as soon as the afternoon nanny arrived. He refused to be consoled so it prompted me to step in and give him a 15-minute cuddle/breastfeeding time. Even after that session, my son wants more of me. As he constantly gripped on my shirt and never left my side. Fast forward later, he still won’t take his snack and still won’t leave my side. The only thing that distracts him is to watch a video from his nanny’s mobile. It’s OK but watching meant no eating. So I am not sure how much he has taken for the day.

Having two different nannies for the morning and afternoon is quite difficult for me since I am working-from-home. The past months, I have been trying to work around my work schedule, the nannies schedule, and my son’s schedule just to get the harmonious timeline at home from 8 AM – 5 PM. Like anybody else working, I have deadlines. I have calls during office hours that I need to dial in to. When my son has a bad day or decided he wants Mommy, it is terribly difficult for me to focus on my job as an employee without feeling bad that I need to deliberately ignore my son. Add to the fact that there is a need to teach any new nanny about the routine/techniques/tricks on how to deal with my son. It is one of those things I have come to know over the months that we have somebody minding my son as I work (or try to work). As mothers, we have that certain instinct to identify what our child needs/wants or how to handle a situation. But we can’t ask or expect the same with a stranger, no matter how “good” they are with kids. My son could go on screaming his brains out because he doesn’t want what is in the TV but the nanny will never “get” it.

I am one of those Moms who want things done perfectly. But as each day pass by, I learned to let go of some things since I don’t have control over it. I learned to accept that my son behaves differently with me than with her nannies, no matter how much he likes to play with them. I learned that if I want things done according to my standard, I should do it myself. I learned that it is impossible for my son not to cry when I hand him to his nanny because he obviously wants me. I learned to accept it is hard to expect the same results if I mind my son personally or if he is with his nannies. But despite learning of these things early on, a day like this is still hard not to feel bad about.

But what really led me to this post/rant? Well, I think this is for my son when he grows up. I might let him read this to let him know how bad today went for the two of us. Probably he will not remember this day of his childhood when he grows up. I do hope that what he remembers are the time that I try to be really there for him. I hope that the days and hours I allocate to make time for him sticks with him rather than the time I pass him to his nanny as he shriek in protest. I would show this to him so he will know what my thoughts are for today and how I wish I am in the situation where I can just be there for him.

It is still raining, my son not eating, work pending, and house a bomb site. What a day, huh?!

Healthy Crackers Recipe: Parmesan and Oregano

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 21 Aug 2015 09:34:00 +0000

My son loves to eat crackers or anything crunchy as a snack. He would eat the usual food I prepare for him but would eat crackers with so much gusto; it’s as if he is eating a steak! Probably if he can only have his way, he would always eat crackers. Whenever I give him a piece, it will never end up on the floor or in his hair! He will finish the entire thing with a big grin on his face!

I also love to eat crackers especially if I can have a bit of cheese or dip in it. But we all know that it is not that healthy. Some crackers are too salty and it is difficult to feel full by eating only a few pieces. Because of this, I try my best to make my son’s crackers at home. It is actually very simple and easy to make! The downside to it is that because I don’t put additives, I need to throw leftovers (if any) after 1-2weeks.

Recently, I also discovered that my son loves cheese. When I first introduced him to cheese, I was buying the Mini Babybel Cheese or the stretchy cheese. He didn’t like them (but I do! LOL) and would spit it out the moment he tasted it. I stopped trying to give him cheese for snacks until I bought some grated red cheddar and mozzarella. I tried to give him just a few strands to taste and was surprised to see him eating it and asking for more!

I have made these crackers before for my son and made it again since he likes them so much! Try it and hope your little one would love it too!

Healthy Parmesan and Oregano Crackers!

Recipe:

1 cup wholemeal flour

1 cup plain flour

¼ cup grated parmesan

5 tbsp dried oregano

¼ cup oil (I used olive oil for this)

About ½ cup water

Note: If you don’t like the grainy texture wholemeal flour has, you can make the crackers by using just plain flour.

1. Mix all the ingredients together except for the water. Combine the ingredients by hand. You should have a sand-ish consistency.

2. Gradually add the water while kneading. Keep on adding the water until you are able to form a dough ball.

3. Once your ingredients are solidly formed in a ball, try to roll it to your desired thickness. Note that the thinner you roll the dough, the easier it is to make it crispy!

4. Pre-heat your oven to 175C.

5. Continue rolling the dough and mold the crackers to your desired shape. Use cookie cutters if you like!

6. Cook the crackers for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, take it out of the oven and flip to the other side.

7. Put it back inside the oven to cook for an additional 10 minutes.

8. Let it cool before storing in an airtight container.

Additional Note: I have been making these crackers a while now and learned it is best to store the excess dough in the freezer :) My son can easily finish just 1 tray in a week so I prefer to bake frequently to make sure he is eating freshly baked crackers.

Note: Here are the ingredients/items I used to create this recipe:

Extended Breastfeeding: Thinking Out Loud

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 15 Aug 2015 12:39:00 +0000

I don’t remember how many times my mom and some friends asked me the question, “Are you still breastfeeding your son?” or “He is more than a year old now. When are you going to stop?” And each time I get asked the same question, I try my best to give the same answer, hoping one day they will get it or get tired asking.

To be honest, I did not plan to breastfeed my son until this moment. From my last post, I was not even sure if I will breastfeed my son anyway. But when we finally got the hang of it, I told myself that I will breastfeed him until only 6 months. I went on to tell my husband that it might be better because I plan to go back to work and might need to leave home blah blah blah. But fast forward to this day, I know what I said before did not happen. When my son turned 6 months, I was back at work but I was working from home. We have a nanny minding him as I go to the office (aka my desk). But since I am constantly at home, my son would go berserk if the nanny tries to give him a bottle and I am just a few inches away from him. He would be inconsolable for an hour or so until I give in to feed him for 10-15 minutes. That’s when I realized that I can’t stand to hear him cry like that, especially when I know I can give what he wants easily. I had to make adjustments with my working hours, so that I could make up for the 10-15 minute feeding time that I give my son. But at least I was able to console my son when he needs me and be able to work peacefully, except during Wonder Weeks and teething.

When I realized that I was behind my 6 month deadline to wean my son, I thought “Surely after his first birthday, I am done with breastfeeding”. But my son is now 18 months old and I still breastfeed him. It is funny; I remembered I had this conversation with one of our Godmothers from our wedding. And how she told me she breastfed her kids until 2. At that time, I was thinking “My God, two years?! How about teething and biting!” But I can now say that one cannot truly understand unless you are in that same situation as the other person you are talking with.

These days, I stopped planning when I will wean my son. It would be convenient to wean him soon, but a part of me feels sad just by thinking about it. I am sure not all moms would understand why I still breastfeed. But for now, I feel it is the right thing to do. It is my way to comfort my son, to hug him tightly, to reconnect, and say “I love you” without even saying anything.

Baby Product Review: Johnson's Top to Toe Wash

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 10 Aug 2015 11:35:00 +0000

Johnson's Top-to-Toe Wash

Johnson baby products have been around for years and it is easy to understand why. They make high quality baby products that are really gentle to our little one’s skin. I can remember that when my brother was little, we were using Johnson’s baby products for his daily hygiene. Now that I have a baby of my own, I made the same decision and use the same items for my son.

For his bath time, we normally use the Johnson’s shampoo and shower gel. But being a budget conscious mom that I am, I saw that the Johnson's 500ml Baby Top-to-Toe Wash went on sale so I gave it a try. It was only 1.99€ when I bought it, and the regular price for the 500ml bottle is 3.49€. I thought that if my son will not have any reactions to this product, it is convenient especially when we are traveling.

On our first wash, I noticed the same gentle scent that comes with every Johnson’s bath time products. It smells really nice and the no more tears formula is also an added bonus. The product did not lather as much as the usual shower gel but I didn’t mind. It cleansed my little one’s delicate skin and did not dry it.

Probably the only comment I have with the product is that I wouldn’t use it long-term as a shampoo replacement. My husband and I noticed that after rinsing off my son’s hair, it doesn’t feel as soft as it usually did if we used the normal Johnson’s baby shampoo.

Probably they needed to make the formula a bit gentler since it is a 2-in-1 kind of product.

I will still buy this product especially if it goes on sale again and is very handy for traveling since I only need to pack one bottle for my son’s bath. But for the long-term, I will not use it and stick to the regular Johnson’s baby shampoo so my son’s hair will continue to feel nice and soft.

Healthy Vegetable Pasta

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 07 Aug 2015 09:53:00 +0000

My 18 month old son loves pasta. He can eat it even if it is just the plain, boiled pasta! It doesn’t matter if it is fussilli, penne or spaghetti. Just hand him a piece and he will gladly finish it; as if it was a bag of crisps!

It is good he loves pasta because I also love Italian food. But I don’t want him to just eat pasta all the time. I want him to get used to different food textures and tastes. I know of kids who are allowed to eat plain, boiled pasta all the time and wondering where they get the nutrition their body needs.

Since I am a working mom, finding the time to cook different variety of food can be troublesome. So what I do is to cook enough for about 2-3 serves. I make sure my son finish the food in a week to make sure it is still fresh, especially if it is tomato-based.

For this recipe, I used easy cook fussilli so it cuts my cooking time in half! What I did to save time is to cook pasta for dinner and made sure there were some leftovers that my son can eat as snack after his first nap. It is hitting two birds with one stone!

Yummy Vegetable Pasta

Recipe:

Handful of easy cook fussilli

Handful of chopped zucchini

Handful of chopped baby tomatoes

A bit of water

1 inch leek, chopped

Pepper to taste

1 tbsp Olive oil

Note: I still don’t add salt to my son’s food when I cook it separately. What I do is I let him have a taste of our usual adult food from time to time.

1. Boil the fussilli in advance and drain. Set aside.

2. Place the pan over medium heat and put the olive oil. Let it warm a bit before adding the leeks.

3. Toss the leeks a bit and put the chopped tomatoes. Toss until the tomatoes become soupy before adding the zucchini.

4. Add some water just enough to cover the zucchini. Let it boil and wait for about 2minutes or until the vegetables are soft for your child to chew.

5. Toss in the cooked fussilli and stir. Remove from heat and set aside.

6. Let it cool and store in the fridge immediately. This is good for the next 2-3 days for lunch or afternoon snack!

Note: Here are the ingredients/items I used to create this recipe:

Healthier Toddler Jelly Recipe

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 05 Aug 2015 10:28:00 +0000

As much as I can, I try to avoid feeding my son with readymade snacks and meals. My reason why I do that is because of the large amount of sugar and salt in this pre-packed food. Don’t get me wrong; I do have a few packets of ready-made snacks like crackers and rice cakes, which I also give my son. What I try to avoid is to give it to him regularly. I want him to get used to eating food made from vegetables or those that are not too sweet or salty. Besides, I believe that babies are born without knowing anything. It is our duty as their primary caregivers to teach them about what they need to know in order to survive. One of those things I wish to impart to my son is for him to learn to eat healthy and make healthy choices in the food he eats.

To me eating healthy does not mean we need to shut all guilty pleasures like cakes or crisps. Moderation is the key, and now that I am a mom, I try to moderate giving these items to my son. Or if I am creative (or have the time!), I try to make it my own. I don’t want my son to grow up without knowing these yummy treats, anyway.

One of those sweet treats regularly given to kids as snacks is jelly. I can remember I used to finish a whole bag of those brightly colored jellies in just one sitting! I don’t think there is any kid who doesn’t like jelly! It is sweet, soft, and best served cold! Some jellies even come with brightly colored spoons!

Now that I have an idea just how much sugar can get into a single pack of those ready-made jelly, I try to make my own version so I can lessen the sweetness and allow me to use natural sources of sugar.

Homemade Jelly!

Recipe:

1 packet ALSA gelatin, unflavored and unsweetened OR 1 pack agar powder

Water (read the instructions that comes from the packet how much water is needed)

½ c pressed juice (not from concentrate!) – if you have the time, you can make your own juice!

2 tbsp cooked apples, unsweetened

1. Read the cooking instruction that comes with the gelatin or agar powder. Check how much water is needed for the jelly to set. If the instructions calls for 1 ½ c of water, only use 1 cup. The reason is that you are going to add in more liquid because of the juice.

2. Mix the water and gelatin together. Stir until it is dissolved.

3. Put in a pot and warm it under medium heat. Continue stirring until just about to boil.

4. Once it reaches almost boiling point, remove from heat and set aside. Add the juice and apples. Stir a bit more to combine.

5. Wait for about 10-15 minutes and you will notice an opaque-ish film on top of the jelly, remove that film so you have a clear jelly after.

6. Test the jelly after every 15 minutes to see how cool it is. For my case, I had to wait for about 30minutes because the container I am using is made of plastic.

7. Once cool, transfer to jelly moulds or any container you wish. I didn’t have mini jelly moulds so I re-used the Popsicle containers I have. It still looked quirky, but it won’t hold the shape in the stick.

8. Place the jellies inside the fridge and wait for about an hour before serving.

9. Serve cold and enjoy!

Note: Here are the ingredients or items I used to create this:

Breastfeeding Awareness Month

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 02 Aug 2015 18:25:00 +0000

August is Breastfeeding Awareness Month. I did not know about this but I was inspired to make my first two articles with BlastingNews related to breastfeeding. It was probably my subconscious' way of telling me to be a part of this momentous event. Click this link here to read my article in BlastingNews.

In our country where I originally came from (Philippines), moms celebrated this event with a bang! Over 300 breastfeeding moms gathered together and breastfed their babies or toddlers at the same time! I was unable to attend (unfortunately) but the event seemed liberating!

I am happy for my fellow breastfeeding moms in the Philippines because they experienced seeing a community of moms whom they share the same endeavors with.

OT:
I have other articles published in BlastingNews. Click here and here to view and have a read!

Useful Tips When Making Child's Meals

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 31 Jul 2015 14:52:00 +0000

Ready-made meals are very convenient. Just choose a packet from the grocery aisle, put in the cart and pay before leaving. Super fast and convenient! Plus, it reduces the amount of chore that you need to do when you get home. It is an easy way to get things done for parents who are working or too tired to make meals for the kids. But did you know that ready-made meals, even those made for kids, contain a lot of sugar?

A number of recent studies show that babies who were given ready-made meals tend to be fussy eaters when they become toddlers. Scientists also discovered that the some diseases we have when we become adults like obesity; are traced back to the nutrition we received when we were infants.

I am not saying that we should NEVER give our children ready-made meals. We could be in a situation that ready-made meals are the only choice that we have. However, new parents should not think that ready-made meals are healthy. They are not. And the frequency that we give these to our children should be very limited. Ready-made meals should only be given to children when we are outside or if we are on-the-go. When kids are at home, homemade meals should be the number one choice.

When making meals for your kids, especially babies, here are some useful tips:

Do not cook for a single serving only. Cook in batches and freeze.
Do not add salt especially if your child is under 12 months old. Their tiny bodies only need a very little amount that they can easily get from breast milk or formula.
Buy small containers to put your child’s meals. This is extremely helpful when feeding babies.
Do not think that you need to be a professional chef to cook for the baby. Babies do not have a clue what delicious food is. Parents and people that feed the child influence the baby’s palate.
Do not be afraid to mix-and-match vegetables and fruits to make your child’s meals.
Introduce your baby to natural food such as fruits and vegetables first. Avoid ready-made rice cereal or artificially flavored cereals as first food for the baby. These do not have any guaranteed health benefits to your baby.
Do not be afraid not to follow what your mom said. This is a tricky one especially if you still live with your parents or they live nearby. The generation that they lived in received a different advice in weaning the baby and recent studies oppose what they know of. Explain that there are recent studies that back up what you are doing and show her the article, if possible.

Breastfeeding Journey: 18 Months Ago

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 29 Jul 2015 14:55:00 +0000

When I learned that I was pregnant with my son, I decided early on that I will try to breastfeed him. Yes, try to breastfeed. The reason why this concept came to me with a hint of doubt is due to the fact that my mom and aunt also just tried to breastfeed their kids. I was also told that my aunt was unable to breastfeed my cousin (her firstborn) because she did not have milk but had milk on her next kids. My mom then went on to tell me that breastfeeding is painful and very uncomfortable especially when you are back to work. So from then on, I had this concept in my head that I may or may not succeed to breastfeed my son and I was OK with that.

When my son was born, I was filled with so much doubt in myself whether I will have milk. It is probably because of the story my aunt shared with me. Our first few latching sessions were not successful as well. My son had a really bad temper when it comes to latching and hates the feeding schedule of 2-3 hours. He would sometimes latch OK with me but often times, he wouldn’t. I even told the midwife that maybe because I have no milk that’s why my son doesn’t want my breasts. To which I receive the reply that really struck me up until this moment, “You became a mom, it is impossible not to have milk”.

Unfortunately during the early days that we stayed at the hospital, I gave my son some formula milk. I was so overwhelmed with all the mixed emotions I was going thru, not to mention that my son was losing a bit of weight and jaundiced. I was tired, a new mom, sleepless and so I had given into the strong temptation to feed him the bottle. I felt so guilty not being able to provide for his nourishment so I chose to give him a bottle to make sure he is not hungry.

When we arrived back home, that’s when I started to do a bit of research about breastfeeding. How it makes it unique and how to be a lot successful about it. I should’ve done this before I gave birth so that I was a lot more informed. I don’t blame my mom and aunt, probably they don’t know any better and just sharing what they know. I was especially devastated finding out about the virgin gut! If only I can turn back time and protected my son’s virgin gut. Guilt still haunts me up until now, but I cannot do anything about it. I can only try to make up for my mistakes in the past.

From then on, with the support of my husband, I ditched the formula and applied all the new information I gathered from reading on breastfeeding articles that I find online and also by asking questions to our local health nurse. It wasn’t easy. It took a lot of hard work, patience, tears (from me), nipple creams and plugged ducts before we got the hang of it. I tried all the possible methodologies that would work for me and my son so we can have a synchronized understanding how to make our breastfeeding relationship work. It was a long and painful process but totally worth it. Looking back now, there were times that it was a lot easier to give up. But being able to find encouraging articles online allowed me to persevere and exhaust all efforts that I can to push myself to make it work.

Fast forward to 18 months now, and I can proudly say that I am still breastfeeding my son. I don’t know up until what age I would allow him to breastfeed. I don’t have a weaning plan at the moment either. All I know is that I love it when he is breastfeeding and touches my face as he stares into my eyes. I love how calm, peaceful and natural it feels.

For new moms out there who are planning to breastfeed, seek help and read on about breastfeeding even before your little one is born. This is your weapon when doubt hits you as you start with your breastfeeding journey. This is mostly applicable to first time moms who feels that they are alone and don’t have anybody to encourage and teach how to do it right. Don’t be like me that only reached out to get educated on breastfeeding when my little one is already with me.

If you are one of those moms stressing about breastfeeding or having breastfeeding issues right now, I am sending you lots of love and virtual hugs. It can be done, even if you feel that you can’t.

Unforgettable Experience During Labor

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 28 Jul 2015 19:30:00 +0000

Since this is going to be my first post, I thought I’d start with the things that caught me off guard when the time comes that I will deliver my baby. These are the things I learned or stuck to me as something that I need to share with fellow moms or moms-to-be. Here are the top 5 memorable experiences I have when I was about to give birth.

Pain, lots of it. I don’t mean to scare new moms or women who want to be mothers out there, but I don’t want to sugarcoat things either. Before I gave birth, I thought that my monthly period was the worst pain in my life. But I was so wrong! When I came to active labor, words are not enough to describe how much pain I am in. I was constantly asked how much pain I feel by the midwives attending to me and my constant answer was that “I think I am breaking some of my spine right now”.
You can’t plan how you want to give birth. I wanted to have a normal delivery because my mom would always tell me that it only takes a week and your body feels back to normal. This concept was stuck to my head and somehow my maternity leave was planned all around it, that I will have a normal birth and I will feel back to my old self after a week. I was so wrong. When I checked into the hospital, my baby was in a comfortable head down position, the proper position for a vaginal birth. We were waiting for a couple more hours so I can dilate more and when my Consultant arrived to check on me, she saw that my baby moved and is now feet first! I wasn’t prepared for this at all and my plans of getting back to my normal self in one week shattered in an instant. I felt that I was a failure as a woman, mother and as a daughter (yes, I felt that I let my mom down at that time).
Having a female Consultant eliminates the chances of a male Consultant present at your delivery room. The hospital that we attended to is also a school for midwives. I knew from the start that there would be students so it was OK for me for them to stay there. What I was trying to avoid are male Consultants. It may sound silly but I deliberately chose a female Consultant to attend to me. I thought that if I chose a female Consultant there is no chance that someone from the male specie will be present when I am about the give birth. Again, I was so wrong in this regard. Because I was put into an emergency C-section, the anesthesiologist that will inject epidural to me was a guy. I initially thought that after he administered the epidural, he will be gone and don’t get to watch the ‘show’. That did not happen. He stayed for the whole duration while I was giving birth.
C-Section does not necessarily mean that your husband stays overnight. This one came as a huge shocker to me. My husband was prepared to sleep over at the hospital with me to help me take care of the baby. Plus the fact that we paid for private care and I had a C-Section, I initially thought that this is a no-brainer and the hospital will allow him to stay, right? This is another wrong assumption. My husband was only allowed to stay every day for up until 9PM and should arrive at 9AM the next day. And to add more fun to it, the baby stays inside my room the whole night! Hooray!
There are no words to describe when you first see your baby. After the long, painful process of giving birth (painless if you have epidural!), the key moment is to finally meet that tiny creature living inside your body for about 9 months. As the Consultant hand over your little angel to you, emotions will come surging to you. You will cry and laugh at the same time. Your thoughts will be filled with so much uncertainty at that instant as you come into the realization that you are indeed a parent now and responsible to the little person you are snuggling close.