I will come to you in the silence
I will lift you from all your fear
You will hear My voice
I claim you as My choice
Be still, and know I am near
I am hope for all who are hopeless
I am eyes for all who long to see
In the shadows of the night,
I will be your light
Come and rest in Me
Chorus:
Do not be afraid, I am with you
I have called you each by name
Come and follow Me
I will bring you home
I love you and you are mine
I am strength for all the despairing
Healing for the ones who dwell in shame
All the blind will see, the lame will all run free
And all will know My name
Chorus:
Do not be afraid, I am with you
I have called you each by name
Come and follow Me
I will bring you home
I love you and you are mine
I am the Word that leads all to freedom
I am the peace the world cannot give
I will call your name, embracing all your pain
Stand up, now, walk, and live
Chorus:
Do not be afraid, I am with you
I have called you each by name
Come and follow Me
I will bring you home
I love you and you are mine
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Sleeping Schedule
Bethany has been very fussy the last three days. Yesterday, she slept less than 2 hrs from 7am till 6pm! Mom and I took turns to rock her to sleep in our arms, and then slowly and quietly put her in her crib. As soon as her head touched the crib mattress, she opened her eyes wide open and started to fuss again. Our day went by so fast as we were busy putting her to sleep, then picking her up, calming her down, changing her diaper and feeding her.
Last night, miraculously, we fed her at 10pm and she slept till 4am this morning! If this sleeping pattern continue, I would be able to get some zzz! Mom has been doing the middle-of-the-night feeding while I pump. Starting this Saturday, I will take over all the feeding, diaper changing, bathing and of course pumping duties, so if Bethany sleeps for 6 hours at night, I will be able to pump twice during the night (I pump once every three hours) and be able to get some zzz!
Last night, miraculously, we fed her at 10pm and she slept till 4am this morning! If this sleeping pattern continue, I would be able to get some zzz! Mom has been doing the middle-of-the-night feeding while I pump. Starting this Saturday, I will take over all the feeding, diaper changing, bathing and of course pumping duties, so if Bethany sleeps for 6 hours at night, I will be able to pump twice during the night (I pump once every three hours) and be able to get some zzz!
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Bethany has learned to suck her thumb!
Yesterday, out of the blue, Bethany sucked her thumb for the first time!
They all say babies know to how suck their thumbs without much instructions... if I did not see it with my own eyes, I would not believe it!
They all say babies know to how suck their thumbs without much instructions... if I did not see it with my own eyes, I would not believe it!
Our Future Plan...to move or not to move
I have always wanted to move back home. Note, home is always in Vancouver! Back in the days I was a single gal, living in my condo apartment overlooking Dow's Lake, I always referred the place as my apartment, but never once, did I address it as my home. To me, home is where the heart is, and heart is where my family is, so therefore, home is in Vancouver.
When Joe and I found out I was pregnant, I told Joe about my desire to move back home. We do not have families here in Ottawa, and sadly enough, our support network is also very limited. Being a first time mom, I worry about anything and everything, and I just worry that when something goes wrong, we will have no one to turn to, and this very thought made me wake up in cold sweat at countless nights. At the same time, I want Bethany to grow up with at least one set of grand-parents around her. Bethany is the first grand-child in my family, and perhaps I am selfish that I really want Bethany to be close to her Gong Gong and Pao Pao.
Joe always says that I am a worrier (yes a worrier not a warrior!) and his motto is, "Everything will be fine." When we first discussed about the possibility of moving to Vancouver, he was not too keen on it. However, having a baby in our lives have changed our persepctives. Joe has changed from "I will not entertain the idea of moving to Vancouver as this will make me further away from my mom" to "I am slowly warming up to the idea."
To my surprise, Joe came home last night and told me he spoke to the HR manager at work and he asked about the possibilities of getting a job at a Costco warehouse etc. Joe is also planning to have lunch with a newly appointed warehouse manager (he is formerly an AGMM in our office, so he knows a lot about transitioning from the buying office to the warehouse). I was surprised when Joe told me about this, and I was like, "Wow, why is there a sudden change of heart?" and he simply replied," I am simply exploring different possibilities and I am slowly warming up to the idea of moving to the west coast!" Wow! I can't believe this was the response I got from my husband... They all say pregnancy and motherhood can soften a woman's heart. In our case, entering parenthood has also changed Joe's perspectives! My husband had just made my day!
Our lives have changed a lot (well, more like up-side down) since Bethany came home. I think Joe has slowly come to the realization that raising a child on our own, with no families around, can be challenging. We are very fortunate that my mom is here to help us out during the past 7 weeks, and with the continuous effort of all parties, baby Bethany has slowly gotten into a daily routine which I am keeping my fingers super tight that she will stick to this routine so mommy and daddy can get some sleep!
I am keeping my fingers crossed that one day in the near future, opportunities of moving to the West Coast will come knocking on our door, and our family of 4 will be able to move back to the "Beautiful British Columbia". Until then, I put everything in God's capable hands and I am sure He will lead us to the correct path when the time comes!
Until then... I will start looking for houses in Vancouver between feeding Bethany and changing her diapers! :-0
When Joe and I found out I was pregnant, I told Joe about my desire to move back home. We do not have families here in Ottawa, and sadly enough, our support network is also very limited. Being a first time mom, I worry about anything and everything, and I just worry that when something goes wrong, we will have no one to turn to, and this very thought made me wake up in cold sweat at countless nights. At the same time, I want Bethany to grow up with at least one set of grand-parents around her. Bethany is the first grand-child in my family, and perhaps I am selfish that I really want Bethany to be close to her Gong Gong and Pao Pao.
Joe always says that I am a worrier (yes a worrier not a warrior!) and his motto is, "Everything will be fine." When we first discussed about the possibility of moving to Vancouver, he was not too keen on it. However, having a baby in our lives have changed our persepctives. Joe has changed from "I will not entertain the idea of moving to Vancouver as this will make me further away from my mom" to "I am slowly warming up to the idea."
To my surprise, Joe came home last night and told me he spoke to the HR manager at work and he asked about the possibilities of getting a job at a Costco warehouse etc. Joe is also planning to have lunch with a newly appointed warehouse manager (he is formerly an AGMM in our office, so he knows a lot about transitioning from the buying office to the warehouse). I was surprised when Joe told me about this, and I was like, "Wow, why is there a sudden change of heart?" and he simply replied," I am simply exploring different possibilities and I am slowly warming up to the idea of moving to the west coast!" Wow! I can't believe this was the response I got from my husband... They all say pregnancy and motherhood can soften a woman's heart. In our case, entering parenthood has also changed Joe's perspectives! My husband had just made my day!
Our lives have changed a lot (well, more like up-side down) since Bethany came home. I think Joe has slowly come to the realization that raising a child on our own, with no families around, can be challenging. We are very fortunate that my mom is here to help us out during the past 7 weeks, and with the continuous effort of all parties, baby Bethany has slowly gotten into a daily routine which I am keeping my fingers super tight that she will stick to this routine so mommy and daddy can get some sleep!
I am keeping my fingers crossed that one day in the near future, opportunities of moving to the West Coast will come knocking on our door, and our family of 4 will be able to move back to the "Beautiful British Columbia". Until then, I put everything in God's capable hands and I am sure He will lead us to the correct path when the time comes!
Until then... I will start looking for houses in Vancouver between feeding Bethany and changing her diapers! :-0
Monday, September 28, 2009
Bath Time
Now that I am 6 weeks post partum and my rhino feet have gradually diminished, and my tummy is not as sore and tender as before. I gave Bethany a bath this morning, while mom was beside me, watching, teaching and supervising.
I find that washing Bethany's hair, by far, is the most difficult part. I need to balance her on my lap, and cover her ears with my thumb and pinky finger so that water won't go into her ears. Amazingly, she did not cry one tiny bit. I think she enjoys her bath time!
The nusre at the hospital advised to give Bethany a bath every other day, and during the off days, I usually wash her face, wash her bum (she has diaper rash, and the only way to help cure it other than Zinc Oxide, is the keep her bum bum clean), wash her hands and feet, and give her a new change of clothes.
Practice makes perfect! I am sure I will master in this category in no time.
I find that washing Bethany's hair, by far, is the most difficult part. I need to balance her on my lap, and cover her ears with my thumb and pinky finger so that water won't go into her ears. Amazingly, she did not cry one tiny bit. I think she enjoys her bath time!
The nusre at the hospital advised to give Bethany a bath every other day, and during the off days, I usually wash her face, wash her bum (she has diaper rash, and the only way to help cure it other than Zinc Oxide, is the keep her bum bum clean), wash her hands and feet, and give her a new change of clothes.
Practice makes perfect! I am sure I will master in this category in no time.
Friday, September 25, 2009
Life is Beautiful
Life is beautiful
We love until we die
When you run into my arms,
We steal a perfect moment.
Let the monsters see you smile,
Let them see you smiling.
Do I hold you too tightly?
When will the hurt kick in?
Life is beautiful, but it's complicated.
We barely make it.
We don't need to understand,
There are miracles, miracles.
Yeah, life is beautiful.
Our hearts, they beat and break.
When you run away from harm,
Will you run back into my arms,
Like you did when you were young?
Will you come back to me?
I will hold you tightly
When the hurting kicks in.
Life is beautiful, but it's complicated,
we barely make it.
We don't need to understand,
There are miracles, miracles.
Stand where you are.
We let all these moments pass us by.
It's amazing where I'm standing,
There's a lot that we can give.
This is ours just for a moment.
There's a lot that we can give.
X 2
We love until we die
When you run into my arms,
We steal a perfect moment.
Let the monsters see you smile,
Let them see you smiling.
Do I hold you too tightly?
When will the hurt kick in?
Life is beautiful, but it's complicated.
We barely make it.
We don't need to understand,
There are miracles, miracles.
Yeah, life is beautiful.
Our hearts, they beat and break.
When you run away from harm,
Will you run back into my arms,
Like you did when you were young?
Will you come back to me?
I will hold you tightly
When the hurting kicks in.
Life is beautiful, but it's complicated,
we barely make it.
We don't need to understand,
There are miracles, miracles.
Stand where you are.
We let all these moments pass us by.
It's amazing where I'm standing,
There's a lot that we can give.
This is ours just for a moment.
There's a lot that we can give.
X 2
Sacrifices and Compromises
About a week ago, I thought about writing a blog entry on Sacrifices and Compromises. I have been giving some thoughts in this topic when I am changing Bethany's diapers, pumping in the wee hours when everyone was sound asleep in the house, and holding Bethany, rocking her to sleep when she is crying her lungs out. That's why it took so long for me to finally have a chance to sit in front of my netbook, typing out this blog entry.
In any successful and sustainable relationship, sacrifices and compromises are the two fundamental building blocks. In the world of parenting, it is no exception. Bethany is a month and 6 days old today, and I must honestly admit that the arrival of this little precious one brings lots of joy in our house and at the same time, also changes our "adult" world. I have noticed that I am spending lesser and lesser time on the computer, whether I am simply browsing the internet or updating my blog. Often times, I find that I am replying to e-mails or writing a new blog entry during the wee hours of the day. One thing though, I have been googling more on baby's topics (for example, diaper rash, cloth diapering, breastfeeding etc). Watching TV is also a luxury for me these days. For the last month or so, I have never sat down for longer than half an hour and enjoy a re-run of Jon and Kate Plus 8 (One of my favourite shows). The only time I can watch TV is when I am pumping, and I am watching TV (and I can't even remember what I watched) to kill time. I love to read... magazines, fiction or non-fiction, I read them all. I bought a copy of The Year of Living Biblically by A.J. Jacobs last week, and so far, I have not even got past the introduction of the book. Sleeping is an extreme luxury for me these days.
Joe asked me the other day what I want for christmas... as crazy as it might sound, all I want is an un-disturbed 4 hours of sleep (not broken down into three segments throughout the night) and move to Vancouver where Bethany can be closer to her Gong Gong and Pao Pao. I have been a pretty good girl this year, so perhaps Santa will be nice to me this year and I get what I want for christmas.
With mom leaving next Saturday, Joe and I have been talking about how to divide up the household chores and taking care of Bethany. Joe is taking a week off, and I want him to shadow me 24/7 and he will then truly appreciate how I have been living my life in the past month. Joe is very active with the Scouts (he is the area commissioner) and Knights of Columbus (he is the Recorder). Generally I do not mind him getting involved with these two groups at the same time. However, with Bethany so young and that Joe needs to attend quite a few meetings a month, I simply can't allow him to be out of the house so many nights while I am home alone not only during the days when he is at work, and also home alone during the nights that he has to attend those meeting. As a result, after a considerable amount of thinking, I have asked Joe to quit his involvement with either group so that he can stay home, take care of Bethany, bond with Bethany and relieve part of my stress during the night. I know both groups are important to Joe, but as a parent, he also needs to understand that sacrifices and compromises are invloved when there is a baby in the house. To my surprise, Joe has agreed to quit Knights of Columbus for now, and if things are still hectic in the house, he will also consider quitting Scouts. I know Joe does not want to give up his involvement with either group, but as a parent, he also understands his role as a father and all the responsibilities that come with it.
In any successful and sustainable relationship, sacrifices and compromises are the two fundamental building blocks. In the world of parenting, it is no exception. Bethany is a month and 6 days old today, and I must honestly admit that the arrival of this little precious one brings lots of joy in our house and at the same time, also changes our "adult" world. I have noticed that I am spending lesser and lesser time on the computer, whether I am simply browsing the internet or updating my blog. Often times, I find that I am replying to e-mails or writing a new blog entry during the wee hours of the day. One thing though, I have been googling more on baby's topics (for example, diaper rash, cloth diapering, breastfeeding etc). Watching TV is also a luxury for me these days. For the last month or so, I have never sat down for longer than half an hour and enjoy a re-run of Jon and Kate Plus 8 (One of my favourite shows). The only time I can watch TV is when I am pumping, and I am watching TV (and I can't even remember what I watched) to kill time. I love to read... magazines, fiction or non-fiction, I read them all. I bought a copy of The Year of Living Biblically by A.J. Jacobs last week, and so far, I have not even got past the introduction of the book. Sleeping is an extreme luxury for me these days.
Joe asked me the other day what I want for christmas... as crazy as it might sound, all I want is an un-disturbed 4 hours of sleep (not broken down into three segments throughout the night) and move to Vancouver where Bethany can be closer to her Gong Gong and Pao Pao. I have been a pretty good girl this year, so perhaps Santa will be nice to me this year and I get what I want for christmas.
With mom leaving next Saturday, Joe and I have been talking about how to divide up the household chores and taking care of Bethany. Joe is taking a week off, and I want him to shadow me 24/7 and he will then truly appreciate how I have been living my life in the past month. Joe is very active with the Scouts (he is the area commissioner) and Knights of Columbus (he is the Recorder). Generally I do not mind him getting involved with these two groups at the same time. However, with Bethany so young and that Joe needs to attend quite a few meetings a month, I simply can't allow him to be out of the house so many nights while I am home alone not only during the days when he is at work, and also home alone during the nights that he has to attend those meeting. As a result, after a considerable amount of thinking, I have asked Joe to quit his involvement with either group so that he can stay home, take care of Bethany, bond with Bethany and relieve part of my stress during the night. I know both groups are important to Joe, but as a parent, he also needs to understand that sacrifices and compromises are invloved when there is a baby in the house. To my surprise, Joe has agreed to quit Knights of Columbus for now, and if things are still hectic in the house, he will also consider quitting Scouts. I know Joe does not want to give up his involvement with either group, but as a parent, he also understands his role as a father and all the responsibilities that come with it.
Monday, September 21, 2009
Bethany's Baptism
Bethany was baptised yesterday (Sunday Sept 20) at St Andrew Parish in Barrhaven.
It was a beautiful ceremony and a total of 17 babies, including Bethany was baptised by Fr. Jessi! Bethany slept through pretty much the entire ceremony and was a bit startled when Fr. Jessi poured water on her head, but she felt back to sleep after like two seconds. What a sleeping baby!
After the baptism, we had a little gethering where food and drinks were served. Once again, Bethany was showered with lots of baptism gifts from the Knights and their wives!
It was a beautiful ceremony and a total of 17 babies, including Bethany was baptised by Fr. Jessi! Bethany slept through pretty much the entire ceremony and was a bit startled when Fr. Jessi poured water on her head, but she felt back to sleep after like two seconds. What a sleeping baby!
After the baptism, we had a little gethering where food and drinks were served. Once again, Bethany was showered with lots of baptism gifts from the Knights and their wives!
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| From Drop Box |
Thursday, September 17, 2009
My One-Month Performance Review of Being a New Mom
Now that Bethany is one month old... it is time to do a self evaluation on being a new mom. At work, every new employee has to go through a 30-60-90 day performance evaluation. Since I am now a new mom, it is only fair conduct a 30-day evaluation.
Switching from a career-driven woman to a stay-home-mom (well only for a year though!) is a huge change for me. I was pulled off work when I was 33 weeks pregnant. During the first few weeks, I was pretty happy as I got more time to get ready for the arrival of our little precious one. After a few weeks, after Joe left for work... I realized that I was stuck at home with a baby in my tummy. Now that I am on maternity leave, I spend 99% of the time at home, caring for baby Bethany. I mastered diaper changing in less than two weeks, and I managed to function with minimal sleep every night.
Ok... as much as I want to portrait myself as a super-mom, I must admit that the first two weeks since Bethany was born had completely turned my world upside down. During those first two weeks, I was severely sleep-deprived and my feet looked more like rhino feet than human feet. I was extremely short-fused with Joe as he managed to get at least 7 hours of sleep every night. Amazingly, he also managed to sleep through Bethany's crying even though the baby monitor was on! I would not have survived the first two weeks without my mom's help and Joe's extreme patience with me. Now that Bethany is slowing getting into a routine (well, I am keeping my fingers crossed that it is a "routine"...), and I have also gotten a grip on my pumping career. As a result, I manage to sleep for three and a half hours (though these 3 1/2 hrs are broken into two or three segments) a night. After all, waking up a few times during the night while Joe is sleeping through baby's crying and the ever-loud alarm clock, is not as bad as it seems. Who would have imagined that I can function with only 3 1/2 hours of sleep? The phrase "Beauty Sleep" is long gone in my dictionary!
It takes about 9 months for a pregnant woman to pack on 25-50lbs and it takes at most 6 months or even shorter to lose all the preggo weight. At first I found it hard to believe... but after what I have seen how my body changed during the first month, I think I will be able to shed off those 40lbs I put on probably by the end of December, if not sooner. The constant lack of sleep and the tons of household chores is the B.E.S.T. diet in the world! I have lost 24lbs so far, so I only have 16lbs to go! Prior to the wedding, I spent an astronomical amount of $$$ to shed off 20lbs... and this time around...it will cost me absolutely nothing to lose all those 40lbs!
Taking care of a new born is not an easy task and definitely not a no-brainer. Both Joe and myself are first-time parents, and I must admit that we learn from our mistakes! I read a lot of books before I gave birth, and I thought I knew it all. It did not take me long to realize that in order to learn, I need hands-on experience.
Diaper Changing
I can read tons and tons of information on how to change diaper, but nothing beats actually changing a diaper. Joe changed Bethany's very first diaper at the hospital, and I changed her second diaper the first night we stayed at the hospital. I took me forever just to change the diaper as Bethany was so small and delicate that I was afraid to break her legs while changing her. Joe was sound asleept on the cot in my room at the hospital, so I could not ask him for help. With IV hooked in my left hand, and afterpain in the c-section area, I changed Bethany's second diaper, and her arms and legs did not fall of! The statement of "Practice makes perfect" is a very true statement. By now I have changed over 200 diapers (Bethany produces 8-10 wet / soiled diapers every day) and it takes me just under 2 minutes to change one.
Feeding
Joe and I firmly believe that breastmilk is the world's best food that we can offer Bethany. Bethany had a hard time latching on. At first, I was very frustrated and discouraged as I had failed Bethany as a mom in the breastfeeding area. However, we did not give up. We"investeded" over $800 in two breast pumps (yes, two pumps... one pump is just not enough!). I express milk in a bottle and feed the breastmilk to Bethany through the bottle. In this way, she gets all the good stuff in breastmilk that formula can't offer. Joe is also able to help with the feeding, thus creating a father-daughter bond. I read it from somewhere that a new dad wrote a heart-felt e-mail to his wife, thanking her for giving him a chance to feed the baby (express milk and then put in a bottle)... I have yet to receive a heart-felt thank you for Joe!
Household Chores
With the rhino feet slowing going away (my ankles are still pretty swollen at this point), I have slowly returned to the household chores. We have a cleaning lady who comes to our house once a week for cleaning and stuff, and for some reasons, she did not show up this week. With the two sets of grandparents visiting this week, I decided to do the house-cleaning myself. I managed to scrub the bathtub (and that's a hard task for me as my tummy is still a bit sore), tidied up the house, cleaned up the cold storage area, pulled some weeds in the flower's bed and did two loads of laundry. The only two things left to do before my in-laws arriving tomorrow will be cleaning up the garage and vacuuming! I started cleaning up the garage this afternoon while Joe was at work. I will wake up tomorrow and get the rest done before my in-laws arrive! Joe is not a town-home man and he does not have much initiatives to do any home improvement projects and spring / fall cleaning projects. He is more of a computer guy who would rather spend endless hours sitting in front of a PC or a TV. All he does around the house is once every two weeks or three weeks vacuuming and laundry. I guess I will be the lucky one taking over all those departments soon!
Switching from a career-driven woman to a stay-home-mom (well only for a year though!) is a huge change for me. I was pulled off work when I was 33 weeks pregnant. During the first few weeks, I was pretty happy as I got more time to get ready for the arrival of our little precious one. After a few weeks, after Joe left for work... I realized that I was stuck at home with a baby in my tummy. Now that I am on maternity leave, I spend 99% of the time at home, caring for baby Bethany. I mastered diaper changing in less than two weeks, and I managed to function with minimal sleep every night.
Ok... as much as I want to portrait myself as a super-mom, I must admit that the first two weeks since Bethany was born had completely turned my world upside down. During those first two weeks, I was severely sleep-deprived and my feet looked more like rhino feet than human feet. I was extremely short-fused with Joe as he managed to get at least 7 hours of sleep every night. Amazingly, he also managed to sleep through Bethany's crying even though the baby monitor was on! I would not have survived the first two weeks without my mom's help and Joe's extreme patience with me. Now that Bethany is slowing getting into a routine (well, I am keeping my fingers crossed that it is a "routine"...), and I have also gotten a grip on my pumping career. As a result, I manage to sleep for three and a half hours (though these 3 1/2 hrs are broken into two or three segments) a night. After all, waking up a few times during the night while Joe is sleeping through baby's crying and the ever-loud alarm clock, is not as bad as it seems. Who would have imagined that I can function with only 3 1/2 hours of sleep? The phrase "Beauty Sleep" is long gone in my dictionary!
It takes about 9 months for a pregnant woman to pack on 25-50lbs and it takes at most 6 months or even shorter to lose all the preggo weight. At first I found it hard to believe... but after what I have seen how my body changed during the first month, I think I will be able to shed off those 40lbs I put on probably by the end of December, if not sooner. The constant lack of sleep and the tons of household chores is the B.E.S.T. diet in the world! I have lost 24lbs so far, so I only have 16lbs to go! Prior to the wedding, I spent an astronomical amount of $$$ to shed off 20lbs... and this time around...it will cost me absolutely nothing to lose all those 40lbs!
Taking care of a new born is not an easy task and definitely not a no-brainer. Both Joe and myself are first-time parents, and I must admit that we learn from our mistakes! I read a lot of books before I gave birth, and I thought I knew it all. It did not take me long to realize that in order to learn, I need hands-on experience.
Diaper Changing
I can read tons and tons of information on how to change diaper, but nothing beats actually changing a diaper. Joe changed Bethany's very first diaper at the hospital, and I changed her second diaper the first night we stayed at the hospital. I took me forever just to change the diaper as Bethany was so small and delicate that I was afraid to break her legs while changing her. Joe was sound asleept on the cot in my room at the hospital, so I could not ask him for help. With IV hooked in my left hand, and afterpain in the c-section area, I changed Bethany's second diaper, and her arms and legs did not fall of! The statement of "Practice makes perfect" is a very true statement. By now I have changed over 200 diapers (Bethany produces 8-10 wet / soiled diapers every day) and it takes me just under 2 minutes to change one.
Feeding
Joe and I firmly believe that breastmilk is the world's best food that we can offer Bethany. Bethany had a hard time latching on. At first, I was very frustrated and discouraged as I had failed Bethany as a mom in the breastfeeding area. However, we did not give up. We"investeded" over $800 in two breast pumps (yes, two pumps... one pump is just not enough!). I express milk in a bottle and feed the breastmilk to Bethany through the bottle. In this way, she gets all the good stuff in breastmilk that formula can't offer. Joe is also able to help with the feeding, thus creating a father-daughter bond. I read it from somewhere that a new dad wrote a heart-felt e-mail to his wife, thanking her for giving him a chance to feed the baby (express milk and then put in a bottle)... I have yet to receive a heart-felt thank you for Joe!
Household Chores
With the rhino feet slowing going away (my ankles are still pretty swollen at this point), I have slowly returned to the household chores. We have a cleaning lady who comes to our house once a week for cleaning and stuff, and for some reasons, she did not show up this week. With the two sets of grandparents visiting this week, I decided to do the house-cleaning myself. I managed to scrub the bathtub (and that's a hard task for me as my tummy is still a bit sore), tidied up the house, cleaned up the cold storage area, pulled some weeds in the flower's bed and did two loads of laundry. The only two things left to do before my in-laws arriving tomorrow will be cleaning up the garage and vacuuming! I started cleaning up the garage this afternoon while Joe was at work. I will wake up tomorrow and get the rest done before my in-laws arrive! Joe is not a town-home man and he does not have much initiatives to do any home improvement projects and spring / fall cleaning projects. He is more of a computer guy who would rather spend endless hours sitting in front of a PC or a TV. All he does around the house is once every two weeks or three weeks vacuuming and laundry. I guess I will be the lucky one taking over all those departments soon!
Bethany is 30-day old!
I should have written this blog entry yesterday...
Bethany was 30 days old yesterday! In the Chinese Culture, this warrants a huge celebration: giving out red eggs to families members and friends.
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I did google the meaning of red eggs:
"30 days after a baby is born, a red egg party must be thrown. To formally welcome the little one to life, its new home. Eggs, symbolizing fertility are boiled hard, then dyed red, for good luck will surely be in the child's charge."
As Bethany is half Chinese, I feel that it is important to carry out this ritual. Mom and I made a batch of dyed red eggs on Tuesday, and I then each of the eggs in a little bag, tied with a purple ribbon. Joe brought them to work on Wednesday and gave them out to some coworkers.
Another celebration of a child's 30-day old is the 30-day old banquet. Since my dad won't be arriving till later tonight, we have decided to have this dinner on Sunday Sept 20. Virginia, Annette and Barry, godmothers and godfather of Bethany will also be attending this special dinner gathering.
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Bethany's second doctor appointment
Yesterday, mom and I took Bethany to her second doctor appointment. Getting a baby ready for a road trip takes time... from checking her diaper to putting her in the carseat takes about 25 mins. A 15-doctor appt turned into a two-hour marathon, factoring into the travel time.
Bethany weighs 8lb 8oz... and 3/4 inch longer / taller since birth. Her weight, height, and circumference of her head is all on track and measuring just fine.
The doctor checked her diaper rash... and I was relieved that it was not fugal infection. So, we need to continue with what we have been doing... a thick dab of Sudocrem on the affected area and change her diaper as often as we can (we have been changing her diaper once every two hours, and we do not use diaper wipes... simply just lukewarm water and a tiny washcloth does the trick.)
Her next appt is on Oct 20, and she will be getting her first set of shots... it will be the very first time I take Bethany out on my own as mom is flying home in three weeks, and Joe will be working on that day... so I will be flying solo!
Bethany weighs 8lb 8oz... and 3/4 inch longer / taller since birth. Her weight, height, and circumference of her head is all on track and measuring just fine.
The doctor checked her diaper rash... and I was relieved that it was not fugal infection. So, we need to continue with what we have been doing... a thick dab of Sudocrem on the affected area and change her diaper as often as we can (we have been changing her diaper once every two hours, and we do not use diaper wipes... simply just lukewarm water and a tiny washcloth does the trick.)
Her next appt is on Oct 20, and she will be getting her first set of shots... it will be the very first time I take Bethany out on my own as mom is flying home in three weeks, and Joe will be working on that day... so I will be flying solo!
Saturday, September 12, 2009
Super Early Birthday Present
Although my b-day is 8 weeks away, I got my super early b-day present today. Joe got me an Acer Aspire One netbook!!!!!! With Bethany spending most of the time in a bassinet on the main floor, and my PC in the basement, I just do not feel good about being in the basement browsing the web while Bethany is on another floor.... We got a very good quality baby monitor but I still do not feel 100% confident. So I told Joe that I need a laptop which I can carry it with me around the house...the next thing I knew... Joe got me a netbook as my b-day present! I love my present... and most important of all, I love my hubby... he, for sure, knows how to spoil me!
R.E.S.P.
Today, Joe and I went to the bank and opened a RESP (Registered Education Saving Plan) for Bethany. The topic of RESP came up when I was in my second trimester. I read an article on RESP at the doctor's office. It costs about $40,000 tuition fees for four year university and it costs about $160,000 to raise a child from infant to 16 years of age. Overwhelmed with all these astronomical figures, Joe and I decided that setting up a RESP for Bethany is the right thing to do.
I applied for Bethany's SIN card, birth certificate the day after we got home from the hospital. The birth certificate came two days after, while the SIN card arrived a week after. The only thing left is getting a passport for Bethany. Joe got his last week!
I applied for Bethany's SIN card, birth certificate the day after we got home from the hospital. The birth certificate came two days after, while the SIN card arrived a week after. The only thing left is getting a passport for Bethany. Joe got his last week!
Friday, September 11, 2009
After much consideration...
After much consideration... I have decided to put my blog on "private" again! With loads of information and pictures of Bethany posted on my blog, I want to make sure only a selected group of people (close friends and families) get to see the update of Bethany's growth and my challenge from being a career-driven woman to a stay-home mom.
I have reviewed the people who are on the "allow to view blog" list, and will probably add a few more people on this list so that they won't miss out on any new information on Bethany.
My blog is my diary. I write what I see, hear and think from my perspective. I am a candid person and I write from my heart, and I do not give anyone white glove treatment when I write my blog. (Well, this got me in trouble a few times when certain people visited my blog try to dig dirt and attempt to use those information against me!) That's the reason I put my blog as "private" 6 months ago. Same reason applies today, 6 months later, as I do not want any idiotic or stupid comments from some un-related people, telling me that I should not be writing certain things on my blog. Heck, this is my blog... and I can write what I want! If they have a problem then they should not be wasting their time to read my blog!
I have reviewed the people who are on the "allow to view blog" list, and will probably add a few more people on this list so that they won't miss out on any new information on Bethany.
My blog is my diary. I write what I see, hear and think from my perspective. I am a candid person and I write from my heart, and I do not give anyone white glove treatment when I write my blog. (Well, this got me in trouble a few times when certain people visited my blog try to dig dirt and attempt to use those information against me!) That's the reason I put my blog as "private" 6 months ago. Same reason applies today, 6 months later, as I do not want any idiotic or stupid comments from some un-related people, telling me that I should not be writing certain things on my blog. Heck, this is my blog... and I can write what I want! If they have a problem then they should not be wasting their time to read my blog!
Things are under control!
It is week 3.5 since Bethany was born. I am happy to say that things are starting to get under control.
With mom's help, I am getting better everyday in changing diapers. Trust me, changing diapers is an art. In the beginning I thought it is a no-brainer to change diapers, only to realize that I did not quite get the diaper in place properly, and this lead to more clothes changing.
Bethany's diaper rash is under control! Well, at least, she does not yelp or cry or scream when we change her diaper. Her next appointment is coming up next Monday, and will get the doctor to check on the rash.
Feeding is also under control a bit. Though Bethany is getting breastmilk exclusively, I am not feeding her directly off my breast. I express the milk in a bottle and feed her with a bottle. I had a hard time try to get her latched on properly in the beginning, and this caused super sore and bleeding nipples. This then turned into my mistake of getting a single breast pump and later on, my quest on finding a double breast pump. I felt bad about not able to feed Bethany directly off my breast. I spoke to the public health nurse and she re-assured me that there is nothing wrong with expressing breastmilk and put it in a bottle. The one good thing about this is that I know exactly her milk intake in a day. She is three weeks old, and she should be fed from 6-8 times a day, and for a total of milk intake from 18oz to 26oz. This week, we have started her on 6 feedings per day, once every 4 hours, 4oz of breastmilk for each feeding and she is getting 24oz of milk everyday. She is on track with her weight gain.
The phrase "Feeding On Demand" is common in breast-feeding babies. Reason for feeding on demand is that the mom has no idea how much milk the baby is taking once he/she is properly latched on. Therefore, the only way to make sure the baby is having enough milk is to feed on demand (when the baby shows hunger cues) or judge the number of wet and soiled diapers.
Bethany has 8 wet diapers and 5 soiled diapers a day. Her hunger cues: crying / screaming and rooting (searching for the nipple).
A week and a half ago, Bethany weighed 7lb 7oz. Healthy babies put on about 1oz per day, so I will not be surprised that she will be around the 8lb range when we go for her appointment next Monday.
Being a mom for only 3.5 weeks, I guess I am doing a pretty good job in "beefing" Bethany up!
With mom's help, I am getting better everyday in changing diapers. Trust me, changing diapers is an art. In the beginning I thought it is a no-brainer to change diapers, only to realize that I did not quite get the diaper in place properly, and this lead to more clothes changing.
Bethany's diaper rash is under control! Well, at least, she does not yelp or cry or scream when we change her diaper. Her next appointment is coming up next Monday, and will get the doctor to check on the rash.
Feeding is also under control a bit. Though Bethany is getting breastmilk exclusively, I am not feeding her directly off my breast. I express the milk in a bottle and feed her with a bottle. I had a hard time try to get her latched on properly in the beginning, and this caused super sore and bleeding nipples. This then turned into my mistake of getting a single breast pump and later on, my quest on finding a double breast pump. I felt bad about not able to feed Bethany directly off my breast. I spoke to the public health nurse and she re-assured me that there is nothing wrong with expressing breastmilk and put it in a bottle. The one good thing about this is that I know exactly her milk intake in a day. She is three weeks old, and she should be fed from 6-8 times a day, and for a total of milk intake from 18oz to 26oz. This week, we have started her on 6 feedings per day, once every 4 hours, 4oz of breastmilk for each feeding and she is getting 24oz of milk everyday. She is on track with her weight gain.
The phrase "Feeding On Demand" is common in breast-feeding babies. Reason for feeding on demand is that the mom has no idea how much milk the baby is taking once he/she is properly latched on. Therefore, the only way to make sure the baby is having enough milk is to feed on demand (when the baby shows hunger cues) or judge the number of wet and soiled diapers.
Bethany has 8 wet diapers and 5 soiled diapers a day. Her hunger cues: crying / screaming and rooting (searching for the nipple).
A week and a half ago, Bethany weighed 7lb 7oz. Healthy babies put on about 1oz per day, so I will not be surprised that she will be around the 8lb range when we go for her appointment next Monday.
Being a mom for only 3.5 weeks, I guess I am doing a pretty good job in "beefing" Bethany up!
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
11 years ago today...
11 years ago today... I started working at the buying office of Costco Wholesale Cananda!
Time really flies!
Time really flies!
Hand Washing!
I am a Certified Food Safety Manager at Costco. I need to get re-certified once every three years. Therefore, I understand the importance of hand washing.
Now with Baby Bethany at home... I re-inforce the importance of hand washing at home. Mom and I are firm believers of washing our hands (20 seconds rule... scrub scrub scrub all the way to the elbows) before touching Bethany every time. The worst offender so far is Bethany's Daddy. He does not believe in washing his hands every time before touching Bethany; and this drives me B.O.N.K.E.R.S.! I have explained to Bethany's Daddy numerous times but he does not seem to listen. He thinks that washing his hands once is enough... although he might be sitting in front of his PC, touching the keyboard, touching the remote control, touching his i-POD, touching the garbage etc... and he thinks it is still ok to touch Bethany as he washed his hands before touching the garbage, but not after the garbage. I get mad at Joe a few times because of this, and I really hope that he understands the importance of hand washing (well, Joe does not believe in washing fruits before biting into it, or washing any uncooked meat before cooking it... and being a food safe manager... that's the main reason I do not allow Joe to cook at home or prepare the food!).
If anyone thinks of a good and effective way to get Joe to understand the importance of washing his hands... please let me know!
Now with Baby Bethany at home... I re-inforce the importance of hand washing at home. Mom and I are firm believers of washing our hands (20 seconds rule... scrub scrub scrub all the way to the elbows) before touching Bethany every time. The worst offender so far is Bethany's Daddy. He does not believe in washing his hands every time before touching Bethany; and this drives me B.O.N.K.E.R.S.! I have explained to Bethany's Daddy numerous times but he does not seem to listen. He thinks that washing his hands once is enough... although he might be sitting in front of his PC, touching the keyboard, touching the remote control, touching his i-POD, touching the garbage etc... and he thinks it is still ok to touch Bethany as he washed his hands before touching the garbage, but not after the garbage. I get mad at Joe a few times because of this, and I really hope that he understands the importance of hand washing (well, Joe does not believe in washing fruits before biting into it, or washing any uncooked meat before cooking it... and being a food safe manager... that's the main reason I do not allow Joe to cook at home or prepare the food!).
If anyone thinks of a good and effective way to get Joe to understand the importance of washing his hands... please let me know!
Bethany is three weeks old!
Bethany is a bit more than three weeks old!
These past three weeks after Bethany was born was definitely the toughest. Sleepless nights and struggling with breastfeeding / pumping became part of my routine. But I discovered a wondeful surprise in all of this: the overwhelming love that I felt for my daughter.
Saturday, September 5, 2009
I am sleep deprived!
Ok! I am sleep deprived! I sleep about 3.5 hrs, broken into two segments, per day. Last week with the stupid single pumping, I ended up not getting any sleep at all, as I need an hour to an hour and a half to pump for each feeding. Since the feeding is three hours apart, as soon as I finish pumping, I get to rest for half an hour at most (usually that's the time I take a shower, check e-mails, update my blog and enjoy a cup of decaff coffee) before my next pumping session. Last week was a living hell for me!
Doing the night feedings are exhausting. I hate the 2:30am feeding. Bethany is often sound asleep around that time, and it takes quite some time to wake her up, change her diaper before feeding her. Fortunately mom is always up to help out with the 2:30am feeding, so I do not feel I am alone in this. Knowing that mom will be leaving in the beginning of October, and Joe needs his 7.5 hrs of beauty sleep (from 10pm till 5:15am) every night, I can't even imagine what life would be like after mom leaves!
Earlier this week I got the double breast pump and it makes my new career as a pumping mom much easier. I can express 3oz of milk in 20 mins (last week it took me an hour to an hour and a half to get the same amount of milk) and I am no longer as stressed out as last week. I think I have better control of the time. For the first time since Bethany is home, I managed to be able to walk my dog in the morning and get out of the house once and run errands! It just feels good!
One thing weird though... I have dreams about pumping too! These dreams are not necessarily nightmares. In all these dreams, I am always pumping (gosh I am even pumping in my sleeps!) and when I wake up in the middle of the night, often time, I am very confused as I thought I have already expressed the milk. It takes me a few minutes to differentiate between reality and dreams. Hence, I want to sleep (a.k.a. R.E.S.T. which is a luxury for me these days!) but at the same time, I do not wash to dream about pumping!
Last time I had a continuous 6 hrs of sleep.... it was the night prior to the c-section! Though it was only a few weeks ago... seems like it was decades ago and I can't even remember how good it was to be able to sleep through the night!
Until then.... my DeLonghi stainless steel coffee maker and Poppybean's decaff coffee are my B.E.S.T. B.U.D.D.I.E.S.!
Doing the night feedings are exhausting. I hate the 2:30am feeding. Bethany is often sound asleep around that time, and it takes quite some time to wake her up, change her diaper before feeding her. Fortunately mom is always up to help out with the 2:30am feeding, so I do not feel I am alone in this. Knowing that mom will be leaving in the beginning of October, and Joe needs his 7.5 hrs of beauty sleep (from 10pm till 5:15am) every night, I can't even imagine what life would be like after mom leaves!
Earlier this week I got the double breast pump and it makes my new career as a pumping mom much easier. I can express 3oz of milk in 20 mins (last week it took me an hour to an hour and a half to get the same amount of milk) and I am no longer as stressed out as last week. I think I have better control of the time. For the first time since Bethany is home, I managed to be able to walk my dog in the morning and get out of the house once and run errands! It just feels good!
One thing weird though... I have dreams about pumping too! These dreams are not necessarily nightmares. In all these dreams, I am always pumping (gosh I am even pumping in my sleeps!) and when I wake up in the middle of the night, often time, I am very confused as I thought I have already expressed the milk. It takes me a few minutes to differentiate between reality and dreams. Hence, I want to sleep (a.k.a. R.E.S.T. which is a luxury for me these days!) but at the same time, I do not wash to dream about pumping!
Last time I had a continuous 6 hrs of sleep.... it was the night prior to the c-section! Though it was only a few weeks ago... seems like it was decades ago and I can't even remember how good it was to be able to sleep through the night!
Until then.... my DeLonghi stainless steel coffee maker and Poppybean's decaff coffee are my B.E.S.T. B.U.D.D.I.E.S.!
Diaper Rash
Bethany has diaper rash! When we went for Bethany's check up on monday, the doctor had already noticed the diaper rash, and he suggested us to apply Sudocream on her. Being all chemical-free and all natural approach, I decided to forgo Sudocream and use Dimpleskins' Bum Bum Balm instead. I thought I was doing the right thing, little did I know that the diaper rash had worsened when mom and I changed Bethany's diaper yesterday mid morning.
Being the queen of Google, I googled diaper rash right away, and noticed that Sudocream & SkniFix's Buttock Paste and Penatan are the three highly recommended diaper rash cream. While Bum Bum Balm is good as a prenventive measure, zinc oxide which is found in Sudocream, SkinFix and Penatan is used in treating diaper rash. I received two big tubs of Penatan at the Baby's shower and one tub of SkinFix at a Baby's show. I went with Penatan as this cream is sold @ Walmart, Toysrus, Zellers, Shoppers... if popularity of an item has any indication on its effectiveness, then Penatan is THE cream!
While googling diaper rash, I noticed that diaper rash is very common in infants, about 60% of the infants get diaper rash at some point. There is no cure of diaper rash other than doing the following steps:
1. Check diaper every hour and change it often -- as soon as it is wet or soiled
2. Clean the baby's bum at each diaper change -- use warm water with cotton ball
3. Stay away from diaper wipes as the chemicals in the wipes might irritate the diaper rash -- when I told Joe about it last night... he said, "WHY?????" Lately I have found that everytime when I tell him something about "new" ways of handling the baby, whether it is feeding, bathing or changing diaper, his first reply is always "WHY????" and this really bothers and irritates me! Last week, he gave his thumb for Baby Bethany to suck on. Mom slapped his hand right away and I was really mad at him! Everyone knows that there are germs in everyone's hands and I always wash my hands before handling the baby. For him to give his thumb to Bethany to suck on gave me a hard attack! He did not wash his hands (and this translates to GERMS!) and we have soother for Bethany for sucking!!!! Joe was really mad when he got slapped and he yelled "WHY????" Gosh, this really annoys me to a great deal... seems that men have no common sense in handling a baby! Though I am still learning everyday, I am glad that I send Joe off to work everyday, while I stay at home caring for the baby!
4. Allow baby's skin to dry before putting on a clean diaper
5. Use zinc oxide ointment to protect baby's skin from moisture
Being the queen of Google, I googled diaper rash right away, and noticed that Sudocream & SkniFix's Buttock Paste and Penatan are the three highly recommended diaper rash cream. While Bum Bum Balm is good as a prenventive measure, zinc oxide which is found in Sudocream, SkinFix and Penatan is used in treating diaper rash. I received two big tubs of Penatan at the Baby's shower and one tub of SkinFix at a Baby's show. I went with Penatan as this cream is sold @ Walmart, Toysrus, Zellers, Shoppers... if popularity of an item has any indication on its effectiveness, then Penatan is THE cream!
While googling diaper rash, I noticed that diaper rash is very common in infants, about 60% of the infants get diaper rash at some point. There is no cure of diaper rash other than doing the following steps:
1. Check diaper every hour and change it often -- as soon as it is wet or soiled
2. Clean the baby's bum at each diaper change -- use warm water with cotton ball
3. Stay away from diaper wipes as the chemicals in the wipes might irritate the diaper rash -- when I told Joe about it last night... he said, "WHY?????" Lately I have found that everytime when I tell him something about "new" ways of handling the baby, whether it is feeding, bathing or changing diaper, his first reply is always "WHY????" and this really bothers and irritates me! Last week, he gave his thumb for Baby Bethany to suck on. Mom slapped his hand right away and I was really mad at him! Everyone knows that there are germs in everyone's hands and I always wash my hands before handling the baby. For him to give his thumb to Bethany to suck on gave me a hard attack! He did not wash his hands (and this translates to GERMS!) and we have soother for Bethany for sucking!!!! Joe was really mad when he got slapped and he yelled "WHY????" Gosh, this really annoys me to a great deal... seems that men have no common sense in handling a baby! Though I am still learning everyday, I am glad that I send Joe off to work everyday, while I stay at home caring for the baby!
4. Allow baby's skin to dry before putting on a clean diaper
5. Use zinc oxide ointment to protect baby's skin from moisture
Friday, September 4, 2009
Happy Friday!
The Medela Pump in Style is truly amazing! Yesterday, after the 8:30am feeding, I was able to hop out and run a few errands (getting pampers and new towels at Walmart, mailing a parcel for my SMF (Secret Mom Friend @ Weddingbells.ca) and doing grocery shopping) and I got home around 10:45am. Began pumping at 10:50am and was done by 11:15am. Bethany's feeding time was 11:30am! This spells F.R.E.E.D.O.M. loud and clear!
Last night, I did the 3am feeding single-handedly! Mom was too exhausted as she has been helping out with the day feedings, and night feedings except the 5:30am. Joe usually does the 5:30am feeding as I told him that he needs to get enough sleep so that he won't be sleeping at his job. I woke up at 2:30am, finished pumping at 2:50am. Woke up Bethany at 2:52am, changed her diaper at 2:55am. Began feeding at 3am, finished feeding and burping at 3:25am. Put her back in her bassinet at 3:30am. So it took about an hour for me from start to finish... not bad at all! :-) Last week, with the single breast pump, I would have never imagined I could be able to get all this done in an hour!
Joe did the 6am feeding... but he did not do the diaper change. I find that men, sometimes, are not as thorough as women, when it comes to diaper change. I like to take my time, make sure Bethany's bum is clean, put on Bum Bum Balm by Dimpleskins, and then put the diaper on her. Joe does not use Bum Bum Balm and I got really mad as Bethany has a bit of diaper rash, and the doctor "ordered" us to use diaper cream during each diaper change.
Last night, I did the 3am feeding single-handedly! Mom was too exhausted as she has been helping out with the day feedings, and night feedings except the 5:30am. Joe usually does the 5:30am feeding as I told him that he needs to get enough sleep so that he won't be sleeping at his job. I woke up at 2:30am, finished pumping at 2:50am. Woke up Bethany at 2:52am, changed her diaper at 2:55am. Began feeding at 3am, finished feeding and burping at 3:25am. Put her back in her bassinet at 3:30am. So it took about an hour for me from start to finish... not bad at all! :-) Last week, with the single breast pump, I would have never imagined I could be able to get all this done in an hour!
Joe did the 6am feeding... but he did not do the diaper change. I find that men, sometimes, are not as thorough as women, when it comes to diaper change. I like to take my time, make sure Bethany's bum is clean, put on Bum Bum Balm by Dimpleskins, and then put the diaper on her. Joe does not use Bum Bum Balm and I got really mad as Bethany has a bit of diaper rash, and the doctor "ordered" us to use diaper cream during each diaper change.
Thursday, September 3, 2009
Weight Loss Challenge Update
Weight loss challenge update
18 days postpartum... I have lost 20 lbs. Still have another 20 lbs to lose!
Once the swelling of my feet have gone done, and that I can fit into my runners again, I will start going for long walks (an hour each day) in our neighborhood! For now, I will need to wear my Crocs and go for half an hour walk!
When Bethany is 4 months old that I can her feeding schedule under control, I will start resuming Yoga!
Oh, by the way, Joe has lost 3 lbs since Bethany was born! With the 1/2 of carton of ice-cream he consumed thursday night, I am sure he had put back those 3lb plus another 3lbs more!
18 days postpartum... I have lost 20 lbs. Still have another 20 lbs to lose!
Once the swelling of my feet have gone done, and that I can fit into my runners again, I will start going for long walks (an hour each day) in our neighborhood! For now, I will need to wear my Crocs and go for half an hour walk!
When Bethany is 4 months old that I can her feeding schedule under control, I will start resuming Yoga!
Oh, by the way, Joe has lost 3 lbs since Bethany was born! With the 1/2 of carton of ice-cream he consumed thursday night, I am sure he had put back those 3lb plus another 3lbs more!
My New Toy -- Medela Pump in Style
Yesterday, I finally got my hands on a Medela Pump In Style Pump! This piece of equipment is Godsend! :-)
The day Bethany and I got discharged at the hospital, I went and picked up a Medela Swing pump. While the Swing pump works fine, and I survived the first 1.5 weeks being a pumping mom, and that Bethany had "beefed" up quite a bit (from 6lb 15oz, then down to 6lb 5oz, then up to 7lb 2oz , then again to 7lb 7oz), I spent about an hour just to pump, and mom had to help me with the feeding as often times, I was completely exhausted when the pumping was done.
Two days ago, when I was pumping at 1:30am, a thought suddenly came into my mind. If I do 8 feedings per day, each feeding (from start to finish takes about 1/2 hr) and that I need an hour to pump prior to each feeding.
Pumping: 8 hrs per day
Feeding: 4 hrs per day
That means I only have an hour in between last feeding and next pumping. With mom leaving in October and Joe at work, how is that ever possible for me to do all other stuff (i.e. laundry, bathing Bethany, running errands, cooking dinner and cleaning the house)? Cold sweat was creeping on my back!
At the 8:30am feeding, I discussed with my mom on the possibility of getting a double breast pump and theoretically, it will cut down the pumping time by one-half. I quickly made a call to my new friend, who is also the owner of a home-based cloth diaper business here in Barrhaven (www.amotherstouch.com) and discussed my concerns with her. To my surprise, she told me that a lot of new moms are going through the same experience as I am and that while a single breast pump works fine for once-in-a-while pumping, it can turn into a nightmare if a mom relies heavily on the pump 8 times a day. We quickly narrowed down my choice of double-breast pump and I placed an order right away.
My new toy, Medela Pump In Style double breast pump arrived yesterday! I brought it home at 1:50pm, and with the 10 mins sterilization in hot boiling water, I started expressing milk at 2:08pm, by 2:20pm, I had expressed 3.75oz of milk (it would have taken me about 1.5 hrs to express this amount of milk had I sticked to my Swing single breast pump!) I was sooooo amazed at the result! Yesterday afternoon, for the first time since Bethany was born, I, once again, experienced the feeling of F.R.E.E.D.O.M.! Last night, I managed to sleep for 2.5 hrs instead of 1.5 hrs, great thanks to my new love of the life!
For those expectant moms out there, who are considering buying a breast pump... you can never go wrong with a Medela Pump In Style or Medela Freestyle breast pump. Before Bethany was born, I had never thought that I would need a breast pump to express milk, so I did not do any research on breast pump! Being the queen of google, I kick myself every time when I think about how naive I was at that time, thinking that breastfeeding would be a breeze!
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
Forgive and Forget
About 1 1/2 years ago, I wrote a blog entry on Forgive and Forget. A few days ago, in between pumping and feeding, I had an hour to kill, so I started changing the layout of the blog and cleaning up a bit on old photo albums. I also re-visited this old blog entry.
I wrote this entry a few months prior to my wedding. At that time, I was deeply bothered by a soon-to-be family-member's actions. Her comments and verbal attacks had left a very bad taste in my mouth. In an effort to have closure so that I could move on with a life that Joe and I were about to begin, I wrote this entry to reflect. 18 months later, I was brave enough to revisit my still-bleeding wound, and attempted to find out if I am any different than I was then.
Sadly, my feeling for this "then-soon-to-be" family member and now "I-want-nothing-to-do-with-you"family member is still the same. Anger, hatred, disappointment and resentment are still the three words I have in my dictionary to describe this person. To this date, I have no intention to forget her childish and idiotic actions, let alone forgive all the hurtful and manipulative comments she had made.
A lot of people told me that pregnancy often has a softening effect on preggos. Although I had softened a bit during my pregnancy, the softening is not powerful enough to make me forgive and forget all the hurtful things she had said about me before Joe and I got married, after Joe and I got married, and when I was pregnant. Although she has done little things to try to mend what was broken, the extent of damage is so astronomical that at this point, I simply do not have the heart big enough to forgive and forget.
In about 18 months, I am going to re-visit my old blog entry and my emotional wound, and perhaps by that time I will be able to forgive and forget.
Until then...
I wrote this entry a few months prior to my wedding. At that time, I was deeply bothered by a soon-to-be family-member's actions. Her comments and verbal attacks had left a very bad taste in my mouth. In an effort to have closure so that I could move on with a life that Joe and I were about to begin, I wrote this entry to reflect. 18 months later, I was brave enough to revisit my still-bleeding wound, and attempted to find out if I am any different than I was then.
Sadly, my feeling for this "then-soon-to-be" family member and now "I-want-nothing-to-do-with-you"family member is still the same. Anger, hatred, disappointment and resentment are still the three words I have in my dictionary to describe this person. To this date, I have no intention to forget her childish and idiotic actions, let alone forgive all the hurtful and manipulative comments she had made.
A lot of people told me that pregnancy often has a softening effect on preggos. Although I had softened a bit during my pregnancy, the softening is not powerful enough to make me forgive and forget all the hurtful things she had said about me before Joe and I got married, after Joe and I got married, and when I was pregnant. Although she has done little things to try to mend what was broken, the extent of damage is so astronomical that at this point, I simply do not have the heart big enough to forgive and forget.
In about 18 months, I am going to re-visit my old blog entry and my emotional wound, and perhaps by that time I will be able to forgive and forget.
Until then...
Bethany's second doctor appointment
Mom and I took Bethany to her second doctor appointment yesterday. Joe and I went for the first doctor appointment the day after we were discharged from the hospital. Bethany goes to the doctor once every two weeks for check up and growth charting.
Yesterday was the first time I (with Joe's company) took Bethany out of the house. It took me 10 mins to put her in the carseat (as I wanted to make sure she was safely strapped to the carseat) and another 5 mins to hook the carseat to the car base in my vehicle. The drive from our home to the doctor's office was about 20 mins and mom sat in the back with Bethany. It must be the moving motion of the vehicle that Bethany feel asleep.
When we got to the doctor's office, it was close to Bethany's 11:30am feeding time, so mom fed Bethany. We got call into the doctor's office at 11:50am.
1/ Bethany weighed 7lb 7oz yesterday! Last thursday, the public health nurse weighed her and she was 7lb 1.5oz. 5 days later, she put on 5.5oz! According to those numerous books I read, it is quite normal for a new born to put on 1oz per day. Though expressing milk / pumping has taken 85% of my day and I have been averaging around 1.5 hr of sleep every night, knowing that Bethany has put on weight and that her growth is charting normal, my exhaustion virtually vanishes!
2/ Bethany has a bit of rashes on her face. They started to surfaced on Saturday, and it had gotten a bit worse by Sunday. The doctor told me rashes on the face are normal, as Bethany's body still has my hormones, and thus the "new born acne". No cream or lotion is necessary as the rashes will go away in a week or two. When the doctor mentioned "acne", I was like, "NO! Please do not tell me Bethany has gotten Joe's acne-prone skin!"
3/ Skin peeling on Bethany's hands, feet and lower thighs. I googled about skin peeling in new borns on Sunday, and it is absolutely normal due to the fact that Bethany was swimming in my amnioitic fluid for the past 9 months. Before I put any lotions on her to moisturize her skin, I want to get the "green light" from the doctor first. The doctor suggested a thin layer of Vaseline, to be applied on her hands, feet and thighs after every bath. He also suggested Johnson & Johnson lotions which I hold a different opinion then the doctor. I read somewhere on the internet that Johnson & Johnson's products are pumped with tons of fragrances and some babies are actually allergic to those fragrances. The doctor agreed with my "findings". So for now, we are using Vaseline!
4/ Diaper rash -- Bethany has a bit of diaper rash. Doctor suggested Sudocream. I believe in an all-natural approach, and I bought All Jill's Thing Bum Bum Balm and Dimpleskin's Bum Balm a few months ago. Both balms are 100% natural and with no chemicals.
5/ H1N1 -- A lot of medical professionals have predicated with "back to school" just around the corner, there will be outbreaks of H1N1. Children under 5 and men around 40s are the two high risk groups. I asked the doctor if Bethnay should get a vaccination against H1N1. Doctor said that Bethany is too young to receive this vaccines (babies 6 months or older can get this vaccination). However, he suggested that both Joe and myself get the vaccination. During the first three / four months in a newborn's life, this period is very crucial as the immune system is not fully developed and often time a new born is prone to illness. In order to prevent any un-necessary illness, the doctor highly recommended that we do not take Bethany out to public, especially with the potential of the H1N1 outbreak, unless it is absolutely necessary. I strongly agree with the doctor, as according to the chinese culture, we do not normally take the baby out of the house during the first few months anyway.
Yesterday was the first time I (with Joe's company) took Bethany out of the house. It took me 10 mins to put her in the carseat (as I wanted to make sure she was safely strapped to the carseat) and another 5 mins to hook the carseat to the car base in my vehicle. The drive from our home to the doctor's office was about 20 mins and mom sat in the back with Bethany. It must be the moving motion of the vehicle that Bethany feel asleep.
When we got to the doctor's office, it was close to Bethany's 11:30am feeding time, so mom fed Bethany. We got call into the doctor's office at 11:50am.
1/ Bethany weighed 7lb 7oz yesterday! Last thursday, the public health nurse weighed her and she was 7lb 1.5oz. 5 days later, she put on 5.5oz! According to those numerous books I read, it is quite normal for a new born to put on 1oz per day. Though expressing milk / pumping has taken 85% of my day and I have been averaging around 1.5 hr of sleep every night, knowing that Bethany has put on weight and that her growth is charting normal, my exhaustion virtually vanishes!
2/ Bethany has a bit of rashes on her face. They started to surfaced on Saturday, and it had gotten a bit worse by Sunday. The doctor told me rashes on the face are normal, as Bethany's body still has my hormones, and thus the "new born acne". No cream or lotion is necessary as the rashes will go away in a week or two. When the doctor mentioned "acne", I was like, "NO! Please do not tell me Bethany has gotten Joe's acne-prone skin!"
3/ Skin peeling on Bethany's hands, feet and lower thighs. I googled about skin peeling in new borns on Sunday, and it is absolutely normal due to the fact that Bethany was swimming in my amnioitic fluid for the past 9 months. Before I put any lotions on her to moisturize her skin, I want to get the "green light" from the doctor first. The doctor suggested a thin layer of Vaseline, to be applied on her hands, feet and thighs after every bath. He also suggested Johnson & Johnson lotions which I hold a different opinion then the doctor. I read somewhere on the internet that Johnson & Johnson's products are pumped with tons of fragrances and some babies are actually allergic to those fragrances. The doctor agreed with my "findings". So for now, we are using Vaseline!
4/ Diaper rash -- Bethany has a bit of diaper rash. Doctor suggested Sudocream. I believe in an all-natural approach, and I bought All Jill's Thing Bum Bum Balm and Dimpleskin's Bum Balm a few months ago. Both balms are 100% natural and with no chemicals.
5/ H1N1 -- A lot of medical professionals have predicated with "back to school" just around the corner, there will be outbreaks of H1N1. Children under 5 and men around 40s are the two high risk groups. I asked the doctor if Bethnay should get a vaccination against H1N1. Doctor said that Bethany is too young to receive this vaccines (babies 6 months or older can get this vaccination). However, he suggested that both Joe and myself get the vaccination. During the first three / four months in a newborn's life, this period is very crucial as the immune system is not fully developed and often time a new born is prone to illness. In order to prevent any un-necessary illness, the doctor highly recommended that we do not take Bethany out to public, especially with the potential of the H1N1 outbreak, unless it is absolutely necessary. I strongly agree with the doctor, as according to the chinese culture, we do not normally take the baby out of the house during the first few months anyway.
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