Week 38 Pregnancy Update, What motherhood taught me!

Hi all..

I'm currently 38.5 weeks pregnant. It's getting so so close now. How crazy isn't thinking I'm going to pop a baby anytime now :D 

As my due date is getting so close now, I have this weird feeling (not sure if other second time mums can relate)  it's like having a strong separation anxiety with my first born. I feel like every moment I spend with my son is extremely precious, much more precious than before and I feel like that precious time is getting shorter & shorter.. The connection with him is just getting stronger & I'm afraid of losing what I'm currently holding tight once the new baby is out and I'm afraid things between us will change. Never knew the transition from 1st time mum to 2nd time mum can be that difficult. Nevertheless, I hope the relationship with first child remains strong & will never ever change even though I'm having a new baby :)

At this stage, I'm doing pretty okay ~ no complaints so far except a little backache here and there and soreness in my V area (not sure why too!)

 

My super round belly ~ it's so wide! Left and right side of my belly are equally swollen! And I think my popped out belly button looks funny! :D

Highlights at 38 weeks:

1) Leaking Colostrum ~ I wake up every morning with yellowish dry skin on my nipples I suspect as colostrum and I'm right ~ the other day, I tried to press gently my right nipple and a tiny drop of super yellow liquid came out but funnily on my left nipple, there was only a drop of transparent liquid. I guess left boob is not ready to produce colostrum yet.

I can tell that milk production will kick in more quickly in the 2nd birth than the 1st one. I remember day 1 after I gave birth to EJ, I had to press my nipples really hard (until it really hurt) to see a tiny drop of colostrum. So I just hope breastfeeding will be easier & more natural this time round :)

I have also started applying nipple cream twice a day, kind of nourishing it before the real breastfeeding kicks in :) So I won't face dry, cracked, painful nipples during direct latching for the first time!

2) Coffee ~ I just have craving for a cup of coffee in the morning & yes I have it! I know that drinking caffeine during pregnancy is not good but I guess one cup in the morning won't be that harmful, right? I used to drink a cup of coffee in the morning before I got pregnant & coffee never failed to wake me up but during pregnancy, coffee has no effect on me at all. I still feel tired & sleepy!

Pregnancy craving does change! Last week I craved for chocolate & I had to eat a bar every day and this week's craving is coffee!!

3) Watching movie is no longer fun ~ Yesterday I watched hunger games part 2 with my husband thinking this is our last movie before the baby is here but turned out I didn't enjoy my movie at all. My back was so sore from sitting down for 2 hours without pillow support & worst part was I needed to go to loo every 30 minutes. So annoying!

4) Braxton Hick Contractions are getting stronger and more frequently ~ sometimes I think I'm in labor but nope, I'm not! The tightening can be really strong although not painful but it's really uncomfortable and it can come many times in one hour time, especially when I walk, bend down or stand up.

5) Nesting Part 3 is done ~ I'm done! That's it! Nesting is a serious business! My whole body is very sore now ~ everywhere especially my back. Seriously that's it! Baby Cal, just come whenever you're ready!

6) Baby Movements & Kicks ~ Everywhere! but her favorite spot is my right ribs! She loves the right side of my belly so much & most of her movements are on my right side! Occasionally, she's on my left but most of the time, right is her all the time favo!

7) Talking to her every night ~ Yes, I do talk to her every night before I go to bed. What do I talk?

"Cal Cal (Calysta's nickname), when you're born, please be a good girl, latch on and breastfeed well. Give your mommy plenty of rest & sleep, so she can take a good care of you & produce you plenty of milk. Please don't be cranky at night, do sleep through the night, be an easy going baby and most importantly, be healthy and happy all the time!

I talk the same to her every single night! And that's my wish for her!

I made my own reflections! As a second time mum & as a mum who has been through motherhood for the past 19 months, motherhood has taught me many things I didn't know before nor I didn't expect it to be.. And I really think it's good to sit down, reflect, write down and perhaps make changes about it? I'm someone who prefers to pour the content of my heart through writing and here are my 10 reflections as a mum who has been going through motherhood for the past 1.5 years and here are things motherhood taught me:

1) A mum can be very protective

Even simple things like "Do the germs get into my child and make him sick if he touches dirty shoes?", "Why didn't you wipe his hand with anti bacterial wipes?", "Oh no, that stranger auntie is touching him again, will he get germs or something?" Sounds familiar? A little simple thing can make a mum paranoid and extra protective!

2) A mum needs to be & stays strong

She has too! Who else can wake up every one hour to check her child's temperature when he's having fever? Who else can monitor her child so timely to make sure his medications are taken on time? Who else can rush to the hospital back and forth and do everything it takes to ensure the child is happy & healthy? Who else can be that strong to watch a sick child vomiting his medication, crying his lungs out, yet never give up, but to stay strong and repeating the process over and over again?

3) A mum is a decision maker

A strong decision maker on her children! Not dad nor other family members! Mum decides what's the best for her child and mum's natural instinct is really that strong & accurate and so her decision is mostly the best for her child's well being. Most of the time, she will be very careful, do lots of researches before making that decision!

4) A mum is from Venus & a dad is from Mars

A mum loves to rant and share about her day being a mother to her man without wanting a solution sometimes but man tends to take woman's sharing as complaints and he wants to find parenting solutions for his woman, but at the end, finding solutions for his woman can interrupt his concentration at work, thus affecting his work performance. And eventually, it affects the relationship between man and his woman. I came far to learn about this, ranting to your man is not a solution but it's the root of every family problem. Parenting is not only about the relationship between you and your child but it's also about you and your husband.

5) A mum sacrifices everything

Her sleep, her beauty, her career, her youth, her health, her time, her hobbies, things she wants. And her children are always her top priority. A mum sacrifices with no regret at all!

6) A mum needs to learn to block unnecessary comments

Comments about how you raise your child is getting more hurtful when you are a mother yourself.

Does this sound familiar?

"Your milk supply is low, just top up with formula milk!"
"Your milk is too watery, no wonder baby doesn't like it!"
"Don't you worry about your child?"
"Don't you care about your child?"
"Why did you feed him that?"
"Don't take this, it's not good for your child!"
"Your child should...." "Your child shouldn't.."

Seriously, when those unnecessary comments come from your family members, it sucks 100 times more than comments you receive from strangers if you know what I mean? And it's quite a trick to ignore & block those unnecessary comments without getting upset or angry! Motherhood does teach a woman to grow up and to be more mature in handling problems like this!

7) The world doesn't always revolve around us and our children

Sometimes, it's not all about us and our children, selfishly we want the best for our children without thinking about others or our actions towards others but we are not the center of this world, we are PART of this world! Many things we just can't change! Our entire lives don't just revolve around our children, there must be a balance of everything I believe!

8) Children are forgiving

This is what I learned from my 19 month old son.  I was angry with him, so I scolded him and I screamed! 10 minutes later, he acted like nothing happened ~ he gave me his biggest smile and hugged me! Can we learn from our children to be that forgiving?

9) And so, mum feels guilty but moves on fast!

Because children are so forgiving and thus we feel guilty screaming at them, isn't? A mum's voice can be loud & fierce but her heart will remain soft for her children.

10) And this shall pass too!

Everything will pass too! I have been through the period when my child:

"Went on food strike"
"Had sleeping terrors ~ waking up & crying non stop"
"Had fever more than 39.8 degree"
"Had bacterial infections"
"Was sick for 2 weeks and I had to force feed him medications with so much heart breaks"
"Refused to nurse"
"Was crying & couldn't sleep because he had bad flu & cough"
"Wasn't well yet I received unnecessary comments that added more pressure than I already had" 

But every single thing I mentioned above passed too! And every single thing will be back to normal! Amazingly, despite things I went through, I'm still enjoying being a mum!

Motherhood is simply awesome!

~38.5 weeks and counting, so see you soon labor ward!~

LOVELY BABY is the result of good bonding, PART 2 journey with Pampers

Every child is a blessing and every child is a gift. 26 April last year, my precious child was born after going through 12 hours of painful and challenging labor I thought I would never make it.

I remember how my tears streamed down my cheeks when I heard his cry for the first time because it was the best moment in my life. My tears couldn't stop flowing from my eyes when I looked at him and when I held him for the first time and in mind he was beautiful and how lucky and blessed I was to have him.. I knew it was an immediate natural bond between a mom and her child. Bonding with a baby is a beautiful thing a mother ever experienced in her life.

And thanks to Pampers for the blogging collaboration opportunity. Here I am to share with my readers my tips on caring for my baby boy through bonding or connecting.

1) Hugging & Cuddling

Hugging & Cuddling can be the best medicine for both mom and baby. Ever heard one story of a very premature baby breathed well again after being cuddled by his birth mother? No doubt, it's the best way of bonding with your baby.

Bonding time with mommy although he can't stop moving!

2) Kissing him

Need I say more? Kissing a baby is an instant love in the air. It's one of the strongest feelings. I just feel I'm in love whenever I kiss him. It's kind of maternal feeling too!

3) Smelling his scent

Oh Gosh, I swear baby's scent is the best scent in the world, so much better than any perfumes in the market. Baby's scent works like drugs on mother's brain.

His hair is the best scent ever

4) Feeling his soft hair & skin

Touching his hair & skin is a serious addiction and I remember touching him all the time when I nursed him when he was a little. Soft baby hair & skin, how long will it remain soft? Touch, feel and smell when it lasts. Touching the lovely baby is a pure happiness.

Those little toes and fingers won't remain tiny forever

5) Carrying him

Showing him I'm there when he needs me. Carrying him all the time will not let him be too "pampered" but it's to let him know mommy is here to love and care him. Carrying gives baby a sense of security

Baby EJ when he was a newborn

6) Spending time to play

I'm not only his mommy but his play mate too.. It's for him to trust me at a very early age that mommy can be his friend, thus there won't be any secrets between good friends when he grows up. Another way to bond with your baby is through play time.

Playing peek-a-boo with mommy and I love how he hugs me from behind. It's the best feeling ever!

7) Family time

I love to spend certain timing at night to have family bonding with both my son & husband. It's normally at 8PM, when all of us have had our dinner & taken our shower, we will jump into our big bed just to play wrestling with the baby (in a gentle way, of course). Even a family cuddling means so much to us. It's a strong way of bonding and a way to show my son that even though daddy is very busy at work, but he's always there to bond with his baby.

 

Having family time with busy daddy

8) Singing & Talking

I sing and talk to him every single day and I sing to him to sleep. His favorite nursery songs? Many! Ba-Ba-Black Sheep, Twinkle-Twinkle Star, London Bridge, ABC, Brother John, and many more. I also sing to him Indonesian nursery songs, my Singaporean husband can't understand a word but he said Indonesian nursery songs are nice. Hehee..

9) Comforting him when he cries or falls down

My baby boy is actively walking now and he often falls down. (that's part of growing up). Comforting him makes him feel secured and lets him know mommy is always there even he's having bad times. In fact, mommy is always there, good and bad days!

10) Sleeping next to him, comfort him when he has a nightmare

He has been sleeping with us for the past a few months and I couldn't be more than blessed sleeping next to my little man. He cures my insomnia. Seeing him sleeping beside me, it gives me a peaceful state of mind and I couldn't be sleeping better than this! Besides, it's easier to comfort him when he has a nightmare and he sleeps better with us than alone in his crib.

11) The first person he sees when he opens his eyes in the morning is MOMMY

And that makes him smile and makes my day better. What else can be better than a happy baby in the morning? He's not alone, he has his mommy, even in an early morning!

12) Saying "I LOVE YOU" all the time

You will never be too young or too old to express your love to your baby. Parents say, Baby follows. Soon or later, he will follow by saying "I Love You" and it will be the most beautiful words you've ever heard in your life! Trust me! 

 

Mommy loves you, little EJ!

Who says having a baby can totally change your life and you are no longer your old self? Having a baby doesn't mean you're stuck with the same lifestyle but there are tips on how to improve your life after having a baby. Follow these tips and trust me, you will still be your old self (with just a little of an improved version of your old self) ^^

1) Having "Me" time once in a while

I'm a SAHM (Stay at home mum), but that doesn't mean I totally can't have "ME" time. I still can! At least once a while, I will let my mom in law take care my baby boy for a few hours while I'm doing my hair at hair salon or having massage or spa. Mothers work hard and deserve to get pampered once in a while!

Get my new hair done once a while and I truly deserve it! Every mommy does!

2) Sleep & Eat well

It was hard at the beginning, but as baby grew older, I have been slowly getting more and more sleep. Get as much sleep and naps as you can. Nap when baby naps. 7 hours of sleep at least! no less! Eat well and forget about dieting! After all, eating is a blessing and an ultimate enjoyment of life. Agree?

3) Go for a date

Don't feel guilty if you need to leave your baby with your helper or mom in law when you need to go for a romantic date with dearest husband. Who says marriage life with kid can be boring and less romantic? I still go on a date with my husband for a good dinner and movie once a week. And I don't feel guilty at all to leave my baby for a little while with my mom in law (because I know he's with good hands) 

Beautiful roses from my husband for V's day. We are married but we CAN remain romantic as ever!

4) Don't be shy to ask for help

Ask for help if you can't handle it anymore or if you are too tired! Better to ask for help than to get stressed your self. When I was breastfeeding my baby, I needed to pump milk every 4 hours and who took care my baby when I was pumping milk? No doubt, anyone I could ask help from, my husband, mom in low, helper, niece even a neighbor auntie. Was I embarrassed? No!

5) Purse my passion

If you read my blog and follow me, you will know I have a huge passion in beauty and cosmetics stuff and I will never be young or old enough to follow the latest beauty trend. I buy cosmetics, put it on and write about it, wear cute dress, tie my hair with a pretty ribbon, put on Cheon Song Yi's (Man from the star) lipstick, Yves Saint Laurent (YSL) Rouge Pur Couture Lipstick #52 Rosy Coral and I'm not ashamed at all because beauty is my passion and what makes me happy, that matters!

I hope you enjoy my writing and please visit http://www.everydayme.com.sg/pampers if you are free to check out more info about Pampers and of course, everydayme website has also interesting info on food, health & wellbeing, home & garden, style & beauty and smart shopping.

Up to 12 hours of overnight protection! With Pampers Baby Dry diapers, your baby can get up to 12 hours of overnight protection, which helps him get the uninterrupted sleep he needs for a great morning. Plus, Baby Dry has an extra sleep layer for three layers of absorbency, offering outstanding leakage protection and a snug, comfortable fit. Go try it mommies! You will love Pampers Baby Dry like I do now!

Until Next Time,
Netty ~ Mommy of Baby EJ ~ 12 months old

10 Things I would do differently when I have baby #2

Hello Gorgeous Mommies,

As you read from my blog, I'm the first time mother with no experience in taking care a baby and honestly motherhood is a learning process for me, an overwhelming yet joyful process.. I learned a lot from my mistakes of taking care little EJ, each stage of his baby life, I made a mistake but I learned something from it. From these mistakes, I promise myself to do things differently when I have my baby #2

10 Things I would do differently when I have baby #2

1. Breastfeeding

When I have baby #2, I promise myself to try hard to latch the baby on directly. No bottle introduction at all until the baby learns the right technique of latching.. The purpose is to prevent nipple confusion.

I promise to latch on every 2 hours, no excuse of being too tired from delivering a baby

When milk hasn't come yet (although I understand that newborn can survive a few days with just drops of colostrum, but the idea of starving my newborn tortures me & makes me feel extremely guilty, so this is not an option to say "let's wait until the real milk comes...") or if my baby is still learning the right technique to latch on, I WILL NOT give up that easily and to just give the bottle to my baby.. Truthfully, I won't let my baby go hungry (although many mommies will say "Babies have reserve in their tummy for a few days), I just won't take the chance of a baby going hungry, I will still go by the guidelines in feeding my newborn :)

My prefect solution would be supplementary nursing system, the one offered by Medela is pretty good, I will use that during "the waiting time for milk to come.. " I would supplement my newborn with some formula milk using what it called "Supplementary Nursing System" I will put some formula milk inside the tube and feed my baby from my breast, just like shown in the picture

Image credited from: www.medicare.ie 

Another solution is to use syringe feeding, it's a replacement of bottle. It will at least prevent nipple confusion.. I will put some formula milk in the syringe and feed my baby :)

Image credited from Medela website

 

 

Having said that, I will still try my very best to latch my baby on and do milk pumping to stimulate milk production.. Once my milk comes, I will feed my baby exclusive breast milk :)

 

2. Feeding

 

When baby EJ was 2 months old, I swore he was the most difficult baby to feed.. He would cry, get upset or fall asleep during feeding and it took us 1 hour just to feed 100ml of milk.. It was very frustrating for us.. We were constantly worried if he had enough food and we often force-fed him when he was sleeping..

 

When I have baby #2, I wouldn't want to feed my baby during sleeping time.. I would just let my baby to sleep peacefully and feed after the baby wakes up.. We heard that sleeping is good for brain development, better than eating, so why would we disturb that on-going development process? We will take it easy!

 

3. Bottles

 

We will ONLY use anti-colic bottles.. The newborn baby EJ was fed with normal bottle and he was a little colicky.. Could it be the bottle? Next baby, we will do more research on the feeding bottles and promise to learn more before buying

 

4. Clothing

 

Oh boy, baby EJ has so many clothes and some clothes, he didn't even have the chance to wear it because he had out-grown his clothes before he had the chance to wear it!

 

When we have baby #2, we will buy less clothing, re-use baby #1's clothes and of course buy bigger size clothes.. Plus don't buy more than 2 pcs of "going-out" clothes for each size (although it can be very tempting).. Baby stays at home and doesn't go out that often!

 

5. Crying is OKAY

 

We used to get really stressed out when baby EJ cried hysterically. But hey, relax, when we have baby #2, we will stay calm and be convinced that crying is totally okay and normal!

 

6. Sleeping on tummy is OKAY too

 

Baby EJ sleeps on his tummy at night and as first time parents, we were very worried and we heard from a friend that sleeping on tummy all the time could squeeze baby's little organs..

 

We have checked this from our pedi and it's totally OKAY for baby to sleep on tummy.. so relax!

 

7. Baby Skin Care

 

I bought a lot of unnecessary skin care products for baby EJ from the market, I was lured by the super convincing advertisements and you know what, almost 80% of it gone to waste.. Baby EJ is now using skin care as prescribed by his pedi for different skin care needs

 

When we have baby #2, we will trust the pedi for any skin care products :) (Baby will often get skin rashes and doctor's prescription is much better than any commercial products in the market)

 

8. No Vit D + other supplements needed for breastfed baby

 

We let baby EJ drank Vit D + Iron once (as prescribed by his pedi, although he was a full term baby with no other complications and with no blood test done prior his supplements prescription), what happened was his poop becoming super stinky, unlike the usual sour poop scent and the color was scary algae green.. We stopped giving him supplements, did our research and we found out that breastfed babies don't need supplement! The breastfeeding mother should take prenatal vitamins and it will be transferred to the baby via breast milk

 

So, when we have baby #2, there will be no Vit D + other supplements when the baby is absolutely healthy.. Don't try to fix if it ain't broken!

 

9. Mommy's weight gain

 

When I was pregnant with EJ, I had this mindset that I was eating for 2, so I pigged out whenever I had the chance, as the result, I gained 25 kg during pregnancy and it's just crazy to gain that much weight..

 

Next pregnancy, I promise myself to eat in moderation with some extra calories, but definitely not to eat for 2..

 

10. Walking & Carrying weight during pregnancy is OKAY

 

When I was pregnant with baby EJ, I was too afraid to walk for long or to carry weight (even a little), thinking it could hurt the baby

 

I promise, next pregnancy, I won't worry about this because I know it's totally FINE

 

That's about it!!

 

 

I guess I have more to share, but for a mother with only 4 months experience in taking care an infant, this is all what I can think of.. I will definitely share again when I learn more from taking care baby EJ, I hope you, mothers to be or new mothers find this post useful and yeah Good Luck!

 

Until Next Time,

Momma Netty