A week ago, I started Bethany on the famous "tummy time". I wonder if all babies hate tummy time (or in our house, we call it "tum-tum time")
In the afternoon from 3:45pm to 5:15pm, Bethany and I spend time in her room. Often times, Bethany plays on her playmat, listening to Baby Einstein's Lullaby, while I catch up with my reading. I usually let her play on the playmat, on her back for 1/2 hour and then I flip her onto her stomach.
The first time she had her "tum-tum time". She absolutely hated it! She would simply lay there, with her little face buried in the ground and screamed until she is being picked up. Once she is being picked up, there is this terrified look on her face, kind of like " I can't believe you almost let me die mom mom!" look, though that could very much be my own imagination.
Then the next day, I got her on her tummy again. This time, she cried bloody murder until I picked her up. So tum-tum time lasted less than 5 mins.
Then the third day, I got her on her tummy againg. This time, she did not cry or scream. At first, she laid on the mat still, with her face buried on the mat. Then 30 seconds later, she lifted up her head to 45 degree. This lasted for a good 15 seconds, and then she turned her little head sideways.
I guess no babies like tum-tum time. However, according to the famous "What to Expect in the First Year". A two-month old baby should be able to lift her head to 45 degree when placed on her tummy (checked!). By the end of the third month, she should be able to support herself with her elbows and lift her head to 90 degree.
Friday, October 30, 2009
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Good Morning Bethany!
Bethany started cooing about three weeks ago. Each day, she coo-es a bit more. As a mom, this really gives me a lot of joy and I simply can't wait for the day when Bethany says her first word!
I have been taping clips here and there about Bethany. Here is one I took earlier this week...
I have been taping clips here and there about Bethany. Here is one I took earlier this week...
A walk along the canal...
Last Sunday, Joe and I took Bethany for a walk along the canal. Prior to Bethany having her first set of shots, we were under straight doctor's orders to keep Bethany at home as much as we can. She received her shots about a week ago, so Joe and I decided to take her out for a walk... and enjoy her first fall in Ottawa.
We parked the car at the Experimental Farm, and started our walk at Dow's Lake, and slowly made our way downtown. Joe and I used to live by Dow's Lake, and we often took long walks along the canal in the evenings. The last time we took a stroll along the canal was almost two years ago; we were engaged to get married and we took the little pooch Bee Bee with us for the walk. Two years later, Joe and I are happily married and we were strolling with our daughter Bethany, sleeping soundly in her stroller.
We walked causally for about two hours and then we stopped by at Canal Ritz for lunch. When the food arrived, Bethany woke up... just when Mommy was hungry, the little precious one was also hungry. So, for the very first time, I changed her diaper in a public washroom (and it is not as scary and complicated as I thought!). Joe then fed her and she was a good girl! Eating out at a restaurant with an infant often attracts a lot of attention. A few restaurant patrons came by our table and looked at Bethany, and told us how pretty she is!
After lunch, we made our way back to our car by cutting through the Glebe. We walked by the church we got married in, and I thought to myself, "This is where all the joy and excitement in our life began."
It was a great afternoon and we sure enjoyed the walk! Being a stay home mom and the outbreak of H1N1, Bethany and I do not get to go out very often (other than going to church on Sundays!) so this afternoon stroll was a treat to me! :-)
We parked the car at the Experimental Farm, and started our walk at Dow's Lake, and slowly made our way downtown. Joe and I used to live by Dow's Lake, and we often took long walks along the canal in the evenings. The last time we took a stroll along the canal was almost two years ago; we were engaged to get married and we took the little pooch Bee Bee with us for the walk. Two years later, Joe and I are happily married and we were strolling with our daughter Bethany, sleeping soundly in her stroller.
We walked causally for about two hours and then we stopped by at Canal Ritz for lunch. When the food arrived, Bethany woke up... just when Mommy was hungry, the little precious one was also hungry. So, for the very first time, I changed her diaper in a public washroom (and it is not as scary and complicated as I thought!). Joe then fed her and she was a good girl! Eating out at a restaurant with an infant often attracts a lot of attention. A few restaurant patrons came by our table and looked at Bethany, and told us how pretty she is!
After lunch, we made our way back to our car by cutting through the Glebe. We walked by the church we got married in, and I thought to myself, "This is where all the joy and excitement in our life began."
It was a great afternoon and we sure enjoyed the walk! Being a stay home mom and the outbreak of H1N1, Bethany and I do not get to go out very often (other than going to church on Sundays!) so this afternoon stroll was a treat to me! :-)
Saturday, October 24, 2009
I am a nervous new mom!
So Bethany had her first set of shots on Wednesday. She did fine after the shots, and did not develop any severe reactions. Although I read up on all the possible reactions on the internet beforehand, I was still nervous. Mainly because Bethany could not talk and it was up to me, as her mom, to determine her comfort level based on all the clues she gave me.
She did sleep a lot after the shots, and took a bit longer to finish her bottle. There were two feedings that she fell asleep and did not finish the bottle. I took her temperature three times within the first 24 hours after the shots, to ensure that she did not develop a fever. I know I am supposed to trust the temperature reading indicatate on the therometer, but for some reason, I was extremely nervous and kept thinking that the therometer was not accurate (though it is brand new Braun Digital Therometer!). I woke up many times during the night, tip-toed to the baby's room, felt her forehead, touched her little hands to make sure she was doing ok. There she was... sleeping soundly in her crib.
I can't help but wonder... do I worry too much as a new mom?
She did sleep a lot after the shots, and took a bit longer to finish her bottle. There were two feedings that she fell asleep and did not finish the bottle. I took her temperature three times within the first 24 hours after the shots, to ensure that she did not develop a fever. I know I am supposed to trust the temperature reading indicatate on the therometer, but for some reason, I was extremely nervous and kept thinking that the therometer was not accurate (though it is brand new Braun Digital Therometer!). I woke up many times during the night, tip-toed to the baby's room, felt her forehead, touched her little hands to make sure she was doing ok. There she was... sleeping soundly in her crib.
I can't help but wonder... do I worry too much as a new mom?
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Bethany's first set of needles
Joe and I took Bethany to get her first set of needles yesterday. Usually taking Bethany to the doctor is my department, but just that she was getting her first shots yesterday, and I was not quite sue how fussy she would be, so I figured it would be safe if Joe came along.
The doctor appt was at 1pm and I gave Bethany a dose of Tempra (as recommended by the doctor) an hour prior to the appointment. We arrived at the doctor's office at 12:50pm and were called into the examination room at 1pm. The nurse came in to weigh Bethany. I asked the nurse if I should undress Bethany before putting her onto the scale, and she was like, "No! It is cold in here!." So with the long sleeve onesie, a sleeper and a cardigan on, Bethany weighed a whopping 11 lb 14 oz. Her length was 21 3/4".
When the doctor came in, he looked at Bethany's weight on the chart, and I told him that the nurse did not ask us to undress Bethany so I do not think the weight is too accurate. The nurse took the 14 oz off and said that was the weight of her clothes... The doctor looked at me and said," There is no way all her clothes weigh close to one lb. Next time tell the nurse you want to undress Bethany down to her diaper before weighing her." So for now... Bethany is about 11 lb. I am planning on taking her to the well baby clinic next monday here in Barrhaven just to weigh her again. It is important to know her exact weight as I need to make sure she gets enough breast milk everyday. The rule of thumb is 2oz to 2.5oz for ever lb of the baby.
The doctor said Bethany's weight, height and the circumference of her head are all measuring fine. The doctor could tell Bethany was more alert than the last visit (the beginning of Oct). We told the doctor that Bethany has been cooing a lot and smiling a lot. :-)
Although I know it is important of Bethany to get her shots, but as a mom, it was heart-breaking to see the needles going into my daughter's little thighs. She had two needles, one on each thigh. The first one went in fine, and she did not even notice. The second one went in, she yelped and screamed and cried for three seconds (yes only three seconds and she stopped as soon as her daddy picked her up) The doctor said that babies have short term memories and as soon as the cry was over, she probably had forgotten about the needle.
We were instructed to give her Tempra once every four hours for the next day and closely monitor her temperature. I took her temperature last night before going to bed and this morning when she woke up... everything checked out fine. I am keeping my fingers crossed that she will not have any reactions to the shots.
Her next set of shots will be done when she is four months old... Dec 18 at 1pm!
The doctor appt was at 1pm and I gave Bethany a dose of Tempra (as recommended by the doctor) an hour prior to the appointment. We arrived at the doctor's office at 12:50pm and were called into the examination room at 1pm. The nurse came in to weigh Bethany. I asked the nurse if I should undress Bethany before putting her onto the scale, and she was like, "No! It is cold in here!." So with the long sleeve onesie, a sleeper and a cardigan on, Bethany weighed a whopping 11 lb 14 oz. Her length was 21 3/4".
When the doctor came in, he looked at Bethany's weight on the chart, and I told him that the nurse did not ask us to undress Bethany so I do not think the weight is too accurate. The nurse took the 14 oz off and said that was the weight of her clothes... The doctor looked at me and said," There is no way all her clothes weigh close to one lb. Next time tell the nurse you want to undress Bethany down to her diaper before weighing her." So for now... Bethany is about 11 lb. I am planning on taking her to the well baby clinic next monday here in Barrhaven just to weigh her again. It is important to know her exact weight as I need to make sure she gets enough breast milk everyday. The rule of thumb is 2oz to 2.5oz for ever lb of the baby.
The doctor said Bethany's weight, height and the circumference of her head are all measuring fine. The doctor could tell Bethany was more alert than the last visit (the beginning of Oct). We told the doctor that Bethany has been cooing a lot and smiling a lot. :-)
Although I know it is important of Bethany to get her shots, but as a mom, it was heart-breaking to see the needles going into my daughter's little thighs. She had two needles, one on each thigh. The first one went in fine, and she did not even notice. The second one went in, she yelped and screamed and cried for three seconds (yes only three seconds and she stopped as soon as her daddy picked her up) The doctor said that babies have short term memories and as soon as the cry was over, she probably had forgotten about the needle.
We were instructed to give her Tempra once every four hours for the next day and closely monitor her temperature. I took her temperature last night before going to bed and this morning when she woke up... everything checked out fine. I am keeping my fingers crossed that she will not have any reactions to the shots.
Her next set of shots will be done when she is four months old... Dec 18 at 1pm!
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Quiet Time..
Ever since I have become a stay-home mom, having a moment of quiet time seems to be a luxury. However, as Bethany is slowly settling into a routine, I find that I do enjoy the two hours of quiet time in the morning. Bethany has been sleeping through the night (and I am keeping my fingers crossed that this trend will continue!) and she usually wakes up between 5:30am to 7am for a feeding. She is such an amazing baby that she always goes back to sleep after the feeding. So, after my 7:15am pumping and before she wakes up for her bath (around 10:30am), I get about two hours of quiet moment for myself! That's the time I get enjoy a cup of coffee, update my blog, connect with friends via Facebook and lately, work on the christmas shopping list.
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Do you think...
Last sunday after church, Joe, Bethany and I went for a quick brunch before going home. It was 10am, still considered "early" on a sunday morning, so the restaurant was not too packed. While I was sipping a cup of decaf coffee, Bethany was sleeping peacefully in her carseat, and Joe and I were chatting causally, a very-pregnant lady walked by our table and "awed" at Bethany. We have gotten quite used to the Oh and Awe when we take Bethany out with us. The lady stopped at our table, at first, we thought she was going to comment on how pretty Bethany is (a very popular compliment we get these days!). To my surprise, she asked me where we got the Cozy Cover. Cozy Cover is a carseat cover, which goes on top of the carseat, to shield off the wind and cold... I must say it is a MUST for Ottawa winter. It works better than the the bunting bag which has to go between the carseat and the baby, and this might pose a safety hazzard.
So, I told Mrs. Mom to be that I got the Cozy Cover at Walmart for $18. Below is our short but sweet conversation:
Mrs. Mom to be: Where did you get the cover?
Me: Walmart for $18!
Mrs. Mom to be: Do you think it is good?
Me: Yes it is good! And it does the work and it is so easy to put on!
Mrs. Mom to be: Do you think Walmart still have it? When did you get it?
Me: I got it two days ago... and there are tons at Walmart...
Mrs. Mom to be: OK. I should go right after I eat then... I have three weeks left and I think we got almost everything... do you think that having a newborn sometimes can be overwhelming?
Me: (paused for a second... and thinking... hmm, this can turn into a very interesting and long conversation if taking care of a newborn is an overwhelming experience...) I did not intend to scare of Mrs. Mom to be, so I smiled knowingly at her and said, " Yes, it can be overwhelming, but you will manage!"
This conversation really got me thinking... I have progressed from a rookie new mom to a new mom whom strangers will come to me for advice! I am not an experienced mom, and taking care of Bethany is a learning curve for Joe and myself. I have become more confident in taking care of Bethany while Joe is at work. I guess I am not afraid to ask questions or google answers. Bethany has slowly settling into a routine and our days are very structured. Bethany sleeps during the day and becomes active by early afternoon, and she is extremely fussy from 7pm till her last feeding. She has been sleeping through the night, and this gives me time to rest. Although I still need to wake up at 3am to pump, at this point, I am slowing getting used to this schedule. Getting up at 3am is not as hard as it seems!
Joe and I were talking about our interesting encounter the other day... Joe thinks I should have gotten Mrs. Mom to be's e-mail address and that we will be able to exchange pointers on taking care of newborns... I kicked myself of not thinking about that at the restaurant... or I would have a new mom-to-be friend!
So, I told Mrs. Mom to be that I got the Cozy Cover at Walmart for $18. Below is our short but sweet conversation:
Mrs. Mom to be: Where did you get the cover?
Me: Walmart for $18!
Mrs. Mom to be: Do you think it is good?
Me: Yes it is good! And it does the work and it is so easy to put on!
Mrs. Mom to be: Do you think Walmart still have it? When did you get it?
Me: I got it two days ago... and there are tons at Walmart...
Mrs. Mom to be: OK. I should go right after I eat then... I have three weeks left and I think we got almost everything... do you think that having a newborn sometimes can be overwhelming?
Me: (paused for a second... and thinking... hmm, this can turn into a very interesting and long conversation if taking care of a newborn is an overwhelming experience...) I did not intend to scare of Mrs. Mom to be, so I smiled knowingly at her and said, " Yes, it can be overwhelming, but you will manage!"
This conversation really got me thinking... I have progressed from a rookie new mom to a new mom whom strangers will come to me for advice! I am not an experienced mom, and taking care of Bethany is a learning curve for Joe and myself. I have become more confident in taking care of Bethany while Joe is at work. I guess I am not afraid to ask questions or google answers. Bethany has slowly settling into a routine and our days are very structured. Bethany sleeps during the day and becomes active by early afternoon, and she is extremely fussy from 7pm till her last feeding. She has been sleeping through the night, and this gives me time to rest. Although I still need to wake up at 3am to pump, at this point, I am slowing getting used to this schedule. Getting up at 3am is not as hard as it seems!
Joe and I were talking about our interesting encounter the other day... Joe thinks I should have gotten Mrs. Mom to be's e-mail address and that we will be able to exchange pointers on taking care of newborns... I kicked myself of not thinking about that at the restaurant... or I would have a new mom-to-be friend!
Sunday, October 18, 2009
Bethany is two months old!
Bethany is two months old! :-) Where did the time go?
It feels like yesterday I was in the operating room, giving birth to Bethany! The last 8 weeks went by like whirlwind. Bethany was 6lb 15oz at birth, and we weighed her last week (ok... on the bathroom scale so it might not be very accurate!) and she was a whopping 10.5 lbs!
I have discovered a lot of "first" of Bethany:
1. Bethany started cooing a week ago! Cooing has increased in the last few days... it sounds like as if she was talking to me when I was changing her diaper or bathing her!
2. Bethany started sleeping through the night (11pm till 6am) about a week ago!
3. Bethany had her first smile (ok... it was a smile and definitely she was not passing gas!) two weeks ago!
4. Bethany stuck her tongue out two days ago! It seems that she likes doing this a lot lately!
5. Bethany loves her swing and her baby einstein's playmat!
It feels like yesterday I was in the operating room, giving birth to Bethany! The last 8 weeks went by like whirlwind. Bethany was 6lb 15oz at birth, and we weighed her last week (ok... on the bathroom scale so it might not be very accurate!) and she was a whopping 10.5 lbs!
I have discovered a lot of "first" of Bethany:
1. Bethany started cooing a week ago! Cooing has increased in the last few days... it sounds like as if she was talking to me when I was changing her diaper or bathing her!
2. Bethany started sleeping through the night (11pm till 6am) about a week ago!
3. Bethany had her first smile (ok... it was a smile and definitely she was not passing gas!) two weeks ago!
4. Bethany stuck her tongue out two days ago! It seems that she likes doing this a lot lately!
5. Bethany loves her swing and her baby einstein's playmat!
Sunday, October 11, 2009
Bethany's Playtime
A few months before Bethany was born, Joe and I bought a Baby Einstein's Playmat for Bethany. Life was so hectic in the first month that we completely forgot about the mat. A few days ago, I set up the mat and put Bethany on it for the first time...and she LOVED it!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TwQIAAdSv18
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TwQIAAdSv18
Friday, October 9, 2009
A picture is worth a million words!
A picture is worth a million words.... My daughter is absolutely beautiful!
Bethany loves her rocker!
When I was pregnant, Joe and I bought the Graco Sweet Pea Infant Swing for Bethany. We read a lot of good reviews on this product and figured it must be a great one! It did not take us long to find out and accept the fact that Bethany HATES the swing! It takes 5 mins to strapped her in the swing and she then sit still for 2 mins before she cries her lungs out! Sigh!
My coworker gave us two big gifts: a Chicco Highchair and a Fisher Price Infant to Toddler Rocker. I put Bethany in the rocker two nights ago and surprisingly she loves her new toy! I put her in the rocker, with the vibrating mode on, and she was slowly rocking away to sleepy land! :-)
My coworker gave us two big gifts: a Chicco Highchair and a Fisher Price Infant to Toddler Rocker. I put Bethany in the rocker two nights ago and surprisingly she loves her new toy! I put her in the rocker, with the vibrating mode on, and she was slowly rocking away to sleepy land! :-)
First Week Without Mom...
First week without mom helping us.... Joe took a week off to help out in the house. Here is a recap of what happened this week:
Saturday: Drove mom to the airport... cried a bit on the way home. Stayed home till 12am for Bethany's feeding. I was exhausted by the time Joe finished burping her. I had a big lump in the left boob (clogged milk duct again... arrrggghhhh!) Woke up at 4am as Baby Bethany was awake for her "mid-night snack" I was surprised that Joe heard the baby crying first time in 7 weeks at nights. When mom was here, he usually slept through all the cryings at nights, and even slept in a few days for work!
Sunday: Woke up with a swollen and "hot" left boob! I bought a heating pad on Friday...I put the heating pad on my left boob 15 mins prior to my pumping session... and the lump was gone after pumping. Yay! Joe went to church and I bathed Bethany! Then I hand-washed all her clothes and managed to iron some of her clothes.
Monday: Woke with with a swollen and "hot" right boob! Seriously!!!!! It seems that I have clogged milk ducts everyday! The pain was so bad that I had to take a Tynenol! Joe went for an afternoon nap and he told me he was "sleep deprived". I laughed and said, "Welcome to my world! Now you know what mom and I went through the last 7 weeks while you were happily snoring away at nights!"
Tuesday: Tried the heating pad on my right boob prior to pumping... and no mircale this time! Arrrgggghhhh! Managed to run a few errands while Joe stayed home and watched Bethany. I ordered turkey dinner at Farm Boy. Joe is a big fan on turkey (I, on the other hand, find the smell of a cooked turkey disgusting.) . With the baby with us this year, there is no way I will be able to cook a complete turkey dinner while I pump once every three hours, change Bethany's diaper every hour and do other household chores. Bethany slept from 11pm till 5am!
Wednesday: Went for my 8 weeks post partum doctor appointment. My OB/GYN checked the incision on my tummy and everything was healing up nicely. She asked about our "plan" next and if we want any more kids! Without even giving Joe a chance to do his speech, I quickly said "NOOOOOOO!" and Dr. Dy just laughed. I told Dr. Dy about my experience with pumping and we discussed various ways of weaning off pumping. So instead of pumping every three hours, I am going to pump once every four hours, and gradually lengthen the time between each pumping and decrease the pumping frequency. After the doctor's appointment, we stopped by at the office to say Hi to some of the coworkers. Everyone at work said that Bethany looks just like me! :-) We got a bunch of gifts from my coworkers: a Chicco Highchair, a Fisher Price Infant to Toddler Rocker and a few other plush toys. On our way home, we stopped by a the Well Baby Clinic so that we could get Bethany weighed in. When we got there, we found out the Clinic has moved to another location, and is only open on Mondays from 1:30pm to 3pm. We then rushed home as at this point, I was in so much pain that I needed to "pump the lump" out... miraculously... after the pumping, the lump was gone! I pumped out 4oz of BM! Though the lump was gone, the spot where the lump was before was a bit bruised and sore! The pumpings for the rest of the day were very smooth! :-) Bethany slept for almost 7 hours... I only had to wake up once around 3am to pump! Joe slept through the night! :-)
Thursday: I went to Starbucks for a Chai Latte in the morning while Joe stayed home with the baby. After I got home, Joe took my car in for rust-proofing. While he was gone, I gave Bee Bee a bath. I then gave Bethany a bath. I pumped almost 5oz of BM (still no lump in my boobs!) and then fed Bethany! By the time everthing was done, it was mid afternoon! I managed to do a load of laundry (Bethnay's clothes and linens). Barry and Annette stopped by in the evening to see Bethany. They stayed for an hour or so..... I enjoy their visit as I do not have much adult conversations these days!
Once again, Bethany slept from 11pm till 6am!
Saturday: Drove mom to the airport... cried a bit on the way home. Stayed home till 12am for Bethany's feeding. I was exhausted by the time Joe finished burping her. I had a big lump in the left boob (clogged milk duct again... arrrggghhhh!) Woke up at 4am as Baby Bethany was awake for her "mid-night snack" I was surprised that Joe heard the baby crying first time in 7 weeks at nights. When mom was here, he usually slept through all the cryings at nights, and even slept in a few days for work!
Sunday: Woke up with a swollen and "hot" left boob! I bought a heating pad on Friday...I put the heating pad on my left boob 15 mins prior to my pumping session... and the lump was gone after pumping. Yay! Joe went to church and I bathed Bethany! Then I hand-washed all her clothes and managed to iron some of her clothes.
Monday: Woke with with a swollen and "hot" right boob! Seriously!!!!! It seems that I have clogged milk ducts everyday! The pain was so bad that I had to take a Tynenol! Joe went for an afternoon nap and he told me he was "sleep deprived". I laughed and said, "Welcome to my world! Now you know what mom and I went through the last 7 weeks while you were happily snoring away at nights!"
Tuesday: Tried the heating pad on my right boob prior to pumping... and no mircale this time! Arrrgggghhhh! Managed to run a few errands while Joe stayed home and watched Bethany. I ordered turkey dinner at Farm Boy. Joe is a big fan on turkey (I, on the other hand, find the smell of a cooked turkey disgusting.) . With the baby with us this year, there is no way I will be able to cook a complete turkey dinner while I pump once every three hours, change Bethany's diaper every hour and do other household chores. Bethany slept from 11pm till 5am!
Wednesday: Went for my 8 weeks post partum doctor appointment. My OB/GYN checked the incision on my tummy and everything was healing up nicely. She asked about our "plan" next and if we want any more kids! Without even giving Joe a chance to do his speech, I quickly said "NOOOOOOO!" and Dr. Dy just laughed. I told Dr. Dy about my experience with pumping and we discussed various ways of weaning off pumping. So instead of pumping every three hours, I am going to pump once every four hours, and gradually lengthen the time between each pumping and decrease the pumping frequency. After the doctor's appointment, we stopped by at the office to say Hi to some of the coworkers. Everyone at work said that Bethany looks just like me! :-) We got a bunch of gifts from my coworkers: a Chicco Highchair, a Fisher Price Infant to Toddler Rocker and a few other plush toys. On our way home, we stopped by a the Well Baby Clinic so that we could get Bethany weighed in. When we got there, we found out the Clinic has moved to another location, and is only open on Mondays from 1:30pm to 3pm. We then rushed home as at this point, I was in so much pain that I needed to "pump the lump" out... miraculously... after the pumping, the lump was gone! I pumped out 4oz of BM! Though the lump was gone, the spot where the lump was before was a bit bruised and sore! The pumpings for the rest of the day were very smooth! :-) Bethany slept for almost 7 hours... I only had to wake up once around 3am to pump! Joe slept through the night! :-)
Thursday: I went to Starbucks for a Chai Latte in the morning while Joe stayed home with the baby. After I got home, Joe took my car in for rust-proofing. While he was gone, I gave Bee Bee a bath. I then gave Bethany a bath. I pumped almost 5oz of BM (still no lump in my boobs!) and then fed Bethany! By the time everthing was done, it was mid afternoon! I managed to do a load of laundry (Bethnay's clothes and linens). Barry and Annette stopped by in the evening to see Bethany. They stayed for an hour or so..... I enjoy their visit as I do not have much adult conversations these days!
Once again, Bethany slept from 11pm till 6am!
Saturday, October 3, 2009
Mom went home!
After spending almost two months with Joe and me, mom went home this morning.
Mom and I went out for dinner last night. I pumped before we headed out, so I was able to enjoy a glass of Wolfe Blass Yellow Lable with mom last night. Food was great, wine was awesome! I always enjoy spending time with my mom!
Now that mom is gone... the real challenge for Joe and me has started. Tonight... let's see if Joe can wake up in the middle of the night to do the 4am feeding!
Mom and I went out for dinner last night. I pumped before we headed out, so I was able to enjoy a glass of Wolfe Blass Yellow Lable with mom last night. Food was great, wine was awesome! I always enjoy spending time with my mom!
Now that mom is gone... the real challenge for Joe and me has started. Tonight... let's see if Joe can wake up in the middle of the night to do the 4am feeding!
Thursday, October 1, 2009
Life as a Pumping Mom
I have to admit that life as a pumping mom is not as easy as it seems. The frequent pumping (8 times per day, once every three hours) makes outings or doing anything at home difficult. Also, pumping in the wee hours is beyond exhausting. Pumping does not mean feeding. So after pumping, I need to wait for Bethany to wake up to feed her. So, the challenge is really incorporate my pumping schedule into Bethany's schedule. Mom has been doing the feeding mostly. A few times I did both the pumping and feeding, and it takes about an hour and a half for both.
Lately, I have been having issue with my left boob. Yes... I know this sounds really personal... but my blog is set at private, meaning only selected family members and a few close friends get to read the update of our lives. It started two weeks ago. My left boob was super hard and sore, and even after pumping, the lump did not go away. I googled about clogged duct and mastatis and almost got myself a heart attack. I do not believe in self-diagnosing but lately, I rely heavily on google in getting me the answers I need for the condition in my left boob.
The lump usually goes away in 12-24 hours. So this week Tuesday am, the lump came back for no reason at all. I pumped before going to my dentist appointment. The pain was so bad that I had a hard time sitting still on the dentist chair. By the time I got home, I pumped right away, hoping to relieve some of the pain and pressure. Unfortunately, it did not really do the job, and the milk from my left boob was less than usual (about 1.5oz instead of 2.5oz!) At this point, I was in so much pain that I had to take a Tynenol (which according to my GP, it is safe and only a tiny weeny amount will get into the breast milk). The afternoon went for so quick as I was in so much pain, and at the same time, was getting super worried and frustrated. By 8pm tuesday night, after pumping, the lump went away, and once again, I was a happy pumping mom again!
Wednesday mid afternoon, the lump came back. This time, I was like,"OMG! Am I going to have this everyday now?" I tried everything I could to relieve the pressure; hot shower, cold compress, massage... and nothing seem to work. By Thursday morning, I was so discouraged that I started to think about perhaps my pumping career has come to an end, and I need to give Bethany formula from now on. With mom going home this saturday and Joe being at work all day, what if the lump comes by and I am severely engorged, and it hurts so much to pick up Bethany? What am I going to do? At this point, I feel so helpness as I am the only one who can give Bethany EBM (expressed breast milk)!
Understanding all the advantages of BM, it is my plan to give Bethany EBM for the first 6 months and when it is time to introduce solids to Bethany, I will give her 50% EBM and 50% formula, and gradually wean her off EBM. As much as I want to stick to this game plan, the pain that I endured in the last few days have gotten me thinking... Can I really do it?
I thought about asking my GP to give me medication to stop milk production, and get Bethany on formula right away... in this way, I can have better use of my time during the day, give more attention to Bethany, plus no longer need to live in the fear that I might have clogged milk ducts, or even worse, infection in the milk ducts. However, on the other hand, seeing Bethany growing bigger and bigger everyday puts a smile on my face. Knowing that her immune system is getting stronger everyday due to my BM is very rewarding. Everytime when I look at her little peaceful face is a strong motivation for me to keep pumping as I know I am doing the right thing to give the best source of nutrients to my daughter.
So, to pump or not to pump... that is a question. As much as I hate to live in fear of clogged milk duct or milk duct infection, I will continue to pump until it comes to a point that I can't tolerate the pain! I am seeing my GP tomorrow and I will for sure discuss this with him. As long as he can prescribe me a medication that prevents the ducts from clogging, I have no problem pumping 8 times a day.
Lately, I have been having issue with my left boob. Yes... I know this sounds really personal... but my blog is set at private, meaning only selected family members and a few close friends get to read the update of our lives. It started two weeks ago. My left boob was super hard and sore, and even after pumping, the lump did not go away. I googled about clogged duct and mastatis and almost got myself a heart attack. I do not believe in self-diagnosing but lately, I rely heavily on google in getting me the answers I need for the condition in my left boob.
The lump usually goes away in 12-24 hours. So this week Tuesday am, the lump came back for no reason at all. I pumped before going to my dentist appointment. The pain was so bad that I had a hard time sitting still on the dentist chair. By the time I got home, I pumped right away, hoping to relieve some of the pain and pressure. Unfortunately, it did not really do the job, and the milk from my left boob was less than usual (about 1.5oz instead of 2.5oz!) At this point, I was in so much pain that I had to take a Tynenol (which according to my GP, it is safe and only a tiny weeny amount will get into the breast milk). The afternoon went for so quick as I was in so much pain, and at the same time, was getting super worried and frustrated. By 8pm tuesday night, after pumping, the lump went away, and once again, I was a happy pumping mom again!
Wednesday mid afternoon, the lump came back. This time, I was like,"OMG! Am I going to have this everyday now?" I tried everything I could to relieve the pressure; hot shower, cold compress, massage... and nothing seem to work. By Thursday morning, I was so discouraged that I started to think about perhaps my pumping career has come to an end, and I need to give Bethany formula from now on. With mom going home this saturday and Joe being at work all day, what if the lump comes by and I am severely engorged, and it hurts so much to pick up Bethany? What am I going to do? At this point, I feel so helpness as I am the only one who can give Bethany EBM (expressed breast milk)!
Understanding all the advantages of BM, it is my plan to give Bethany EBM for the first 6 months and when it is time to introduce solids to Bethany, I will give her 50% EBM and 50% formula, and gradually wean her off EBM. As much as I want to stick to this game plan, the pain that I endured in the last few days have gotten me thinking... Can I really do it?
I thought about asking my GP to give me medication to stop milk production, and get Bethany on formula right away... in this way, I can have better use of my time during the day, give more attention to Bethany, plus no longer need to live in the fear that I might have clogged milk ducts, or even worse, infection in the milk ducts. However, on the other hand, seeing Bethany growing bigger and bigger everyday puts a smile on my face. Knowing that her immune system is getting stronger everyday due to my BM is very rewarding. Everytime when I look at her little peaceful face is a strong motivation for me to keep pumping as I know I am doing the right thing to give the best source of nutrients to my daughter.
So, to pump or not to pump... that is a question. As much as I hate to live in fear of clogged milk duct or milk duct infection, I will continue to pump until it comes to a point that I can't tolerate the pain! I am seeing my GP tomorrow and I will for sure discuss this with him. As long as he can prescribe me a medication that prevents the ducts from clogging, I have no problem pumping 8 times a day.
I heart OBLEEK!
Ok... I know I sound crazy. But seriously, I HEART Obleek!
I bought a Posh Mom Diaper Bag a while ago, but then I realized that the bag is cute, but it is just too small to jam everything in. Plus I need something that has a zipper and lots of pockets so that things won't fall out and things won't be "lost" in the bag.
After chatting with my fellow WB'ers, I have decided to get a custom made Diaper Bag / Purse:
I bought a Posh Mom Diaper Bag a while ago, but then I realized that the bag is cute, but it is just too small to jam everything in. Plus I need something that has a zipper and lots of pockets so that things won't fall out and things won't be "lost" in the bag.
After chatting with my fellow WB'ers, I have decided to get a custom made Diaper Bag / Purse:
Awesome August Mommies HOT TIPS
Awesome August Mommies HOT TIPS
-- place baby in rocker in the bathroom with the shower running always knocks her out and gets Mommy a shower.
- warm bath soothes her before sleep
- THE SWING!
- putting baby to bed awake with the mobile or aquarium on is enough to settle this turkey to sleep for the night after being topped up with milk
- pump at some point during the day (for me it's the morning) to enable someone else to give her a bottle so you can do something else or GO OUT
- pack the diaper bag the night before if you're going out
- Make your DH/FH watch the baby so you can have a bath or something just for you
- COFFEE
- Start Blowdrying your hair again - it'll put the LO to sleep
- bouncing on an exercise ball!!
- If you co-sleep or breastfeed in bed OR make a habit of changing baby's diaper on your bed ... invest in a mattress protector with a waterproof backing.
- Also, breastfeed lying down so you can sleep through most of the feedings. Sleep = happiness lol
- Miracle Blankets are like a straight jacket for your baby N sleeps through the night in his all the time
-Sound Machine
- Send your other children to daycare a few days a week. Your sanity is worth it!
- for dry skin issues ( which looked like baby acne). After much research on the internet I decided to try epsom salts in her bath and I purchased Baby Aveeno cream to put on her face. Within 2-3 days her face was perfectly clear again. Thought I would post that in case any of you were seeing similar issues with your LO's. Apparently the epsom salts and aveeno cream are also great for LO's with eczema.
-- place baby in rocker in the bathroom with the shower running always knocks her out and gets Mommy a shower.
- warm bath soothes her before sleep
- THE SWING!
- putting baby to bed awake with the mobile or aquarium on is enough to settle this turkey to sleep for the night after being topped up with milk
- pump at some point during the day (for me it's the morning) to enable someone else to give her a bottle so you can do something else or GO OUT
- pack the diaper bag the night before if you're going out
- Make your DH/FH watch the baby so you can have a bath or something just for you
- COFFEE
- Start Blowdrying your hair again - it'll put the LO to sleep
- bouncing on an exercise ball!!
- If you co-sleep or breastfeed in bed OR make a habit of changing baby's diaper on your bed ... invest in a mattress protector with a waterproof backing.
- Also, breastfeed lying down so you can sleep through most of the feedings. Sleep = happiness lol
- Miracle Blankets are like a straight jacket for your baby N sleeps through the night in his all the time
-Sound Machine
- Send your other children to daycare a few days a week. Your sanity is worth it!
- for dry skin issues ( which looked like baby acne). After much research on the internet I decided to try epsom salts in her bath and I purchased Baby Aveeno cream to put on her face. Within 2-3 days her face was perfectly clear again. Thought I would post that in case any of you were seeing similar issues with your LO's. Apparently the epsom salts and aveeno cream are also great for LO's with eczema.
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