Early teether!

Here you go!
Felt something sharp in his mouth when he bit me yesterday, only to find a little pearl popping out from his gum.

Went to the pharmacy to get teething gel, just in case, and got confirmation from the pharmacist when she saw Oli's gum. And she said, "My boy didn't get it until 12 months!"

It's a day of neverending screams today.

Fly me to the moon - Oli's first big trip

Mummy's diary

21 Jul 07

(Lesson #1: Do not pack at the last minute to avoid overpacking (baby's stuff) and/or underpacking (mummy's))

We're taking the 2pm flight to Queensland. I knew I should have packed at least the night before but that would be unusual of me to do that. It was just unbelievable but there was so much to do! I was so busy that I literally didnt have enough time to sit down and had my breakfast before we left. I wasn't sure what he needed, couldn't make up my mind on what to bring - I ended up prety much taking almost the whole nursery. Packing for him took forever and I just threw some of my stuff in the suitcase at the end of it. In the end, the only thing I probably didn't bring was his cot.

(Lesson #2 - for daddy: Do not say "What would you do if we leave early this morning instead of the 2 o'clock flight?" while you're sitting down having a nice cup of coffee and your breakfast while your wife is running around getting things organised for YOUR boy. It is not very nice and your wife might not want to talk to you for the rest of the day.)

Milestone #1 : Oli tried to sit up without support in the morning on his rocker after breakfast

The flight was suprisingly quite easy - though it would be a different story if it was 5 or six hours flight. The passenger sat next to us moved to another row so we had next seat empty - very very helpful. Oli couldn't get comfortable to sleep but no problem with his ears during take off/landing.

We got our rented car - v annoyed because instead of the baby capsule we got a child seat, facing forward instead of rear facing. Aaargh.. Have to put rolled rug to support Oli's head and sit at the back to make sure he's ok. It is secured in the middle seat so Oli just staired right at the road and too fascinated to fall asleep even though I know he's very tired.

Arrived at poppy Bradley's at 6pm - Uncle Bob & Aunty Carol were there too. Oli went to bed straight away,thinking we should give him a power nap before he said hello to everyone, but we ended up letting him sleep until the morning. Too bad that uncle Bob & aunty Carol didn't even get to say hi!

22Jul

For lunch today we have: Daryl & Ann, poppy's best friends, Karen (Scott's sister) and Shawn & the kids, Paul (nanna Marg's son) and Janelle & the kids -rrrr... that's 15 of us. What a nerveracking time !

Just couldn't believe though that Oli actually had good naps all day, wasn't even bothered by the noise or overstimulated by the crowds. Phew.

Milestone #2: first tickle giggle - not with me or dad, but uncle Shawn.

23 Jul

yawn. Oli woke up twice this morning. Suspecting teething as he began to pull his ears as well as drooling (a garden sprinkler, Scott calls him).

24 Jul

Mummy & Oli went for a walk to the conservatory, looked like a jungle that we turned home halfway.

We went out for dinner with Murray & Marg (poppy and nanna) - the first time! Yay. He slept the whole time. Looks like we'll be having more dinner out from now on!

25 Jul

Oli and mummy were just having a boring day at poppy's place. At least mummy's got her new Harry Potter book. Not reading it as fast as I like though.

26 Jul

Scott's working from home. But Oli and I were going out with Janelle, sister in law, Paul's (Marg's son) wife. Went to the movie - not a baby session though, so when Oli started to get uncomfortable and started to make noise, I got so nervous. Had to put him down in his stroller and move him back & forth while watching.

Milestone #3: degree 'spinning' (very slow spinning!) on his tummy

Milestone #4: Roll over to his tummy. But of course we missed it. He started crying so I put him on his back and then i went to make a cup of tea. Scott was working just next to him, and the next minute he was on his tummy!

27 Jul

Had lunch at the Southbank and walked along the river with Scott in the afternoon.

Last night in Brisbane - we were having dinner with Marg & Murray, Janelle, Paul and the kids at the Thai restaurant not far from where we lived. Again, Oli slept well in the stroller. Yay!

28 Jul

It's funny what happened today. We flew out today , the flight was ok too. Except the nappy changing part in the small lavatory because I thought his nappy was soiled. Little did I know he then really soiled his nappy during landing - and his jumpsuit. He was really smelly, but couldn't change him until we landed.

got in the first parent room we found, but in the middle of changing nappy he decided to go for a wee, and spoilt his spare jumpsuit. I haven't got a spare of spare jumpsuit, we hadn't got our luggage, the only thing i had in the bag was my top that I packed just incase he leaked on me. So here he is, in mummy's top, happy as can be!

New pictures are uploaded on: http://home.exetel.com.au/bradley/baby_album/my_pictures.html

A Handful Oli

with cousins Nic, Chloe & Ben

Mummy's been pigging out.

It started with Oli being very fussy during the day lately, and when I took him him to see the nurse at the health centre, we found out that he hasn't been gaining enough weight (can't tell if you look at his chubby cheeks & creases on his legs though).

The nurse recommended me to start cereal on him. But he's only 4 months old!


Desperately trying to increase my milk supply (hence a lot of food, water, milk and beer!!! We don't have guiness but apparently normal beer helps to increase milk production as well - good enough for me) because I really need him to have good immune system & antibody at the moment:
1. I am catching flu (not looking forward for his first head cold), but this might actually mean that my milk will decrease
2. He's getting his second jabs on Thursday
3. We're going to Queensland to visit poppy Bradley & nanna Marg for a week on Saturday.

So far I'm sick of eating and drinking and not sure if my milk supply increases.

Would be an interesting (and dreading) to see what happens. He's a handful already even when he's not cranky. He's doing half roll now when put on his back on his babygym, trying so hard to roll over until his face turns red and he gets really upset that Mummy needs to step in. The other day he's trying to crawl with his face down dragging along on the baby gym - oouch - that mummy needed to step in as well.

His naps are generally getting better now that I take time to do proper wind down. I'd pick him up when he's whingy and start singing to him (Unfortunately Scott said the only reason Oli goes quiet everytime I sing is because he's hoping that maybe mummy would stop singing? Very funny, dad.) His favourite song is 'over the rainbow' but mummy can only sing the first verse (over and over and over).

what's in the name

Lots.

Apparently, these days parents get a lot of pressure in naming their babies. They want their chidlren to have names that set them apart from the rest of the pack, but also not so unusual that they will be target of the bullies at school.

(In my opinion, people -no matter how famous they are- who named their children Apple, Shiloh or Suri are as weird and nasty as what Michael Jackson did to his sons - just different approaches)

Anyway, some parents are willing to go the distances by hiring a baby-name consultant. Yes, a baby-name consultant.

For $95, BabyNames.com will set you up with a half-hour phone consulting session to find that perfect name for your little one. If that’s too much time and money, you can pay $35 and they’ll suggest 12 names based on a list of preferences you can check off on the site. Do you want ethnic, biblical, trendy, traditional? How about a name of your favourite place? (Sidney? Wiena? As long as it is not Paris).

Or you can shell out more to pay a numerologist to see if your favourite name has positive associations, or get the expert to make up names from the combination of your and your partner's name combinations.

Oh boy, talking about spending money. My suggestions would be that you go to the library and borrow some babyname books or find them on the internet, and spend that $35 or that $95 for coffee and cake or dinner with your partner, before the little one arrives (you can also talk about baby names with him!)

The mind game

I am soo tired. Our little angel has turned into a nightmare this week. He's very moody and cried and cried and cried and unconsolable - and we (I) don't know what we did wrong or if something wrong with him.


I threw soo many theories on him already. Maybe he is an early teether since he is a bit of a drooler now and bites my finger when I offer it to him - not to mention always sucking his own fingers now? (Oh this is funny. He sooo drools now that when Charlie, a 2 years old son of Scott's friend came over and we told him to give Oli a kiss, his first reaction was, "Yiiikes... he's smelly!" And Oli wasn't smelly that time, and believe me, I know how smelly smells.)


Maybe he's catching cold because of the winter weather? He woke up last night during our dream feed or rollover feed or whatever you want to call it, and cried his lungs out when we put him down, which is very unusual of him. So much worries that I decided to give him some panadol infant. The second we squirted that panadol infant on him, he suddenly went quiet and we didn't hear a single squeek after that. Obviously the drug wouldn't work within that 30 seconds, so it was the shock - shock therapy does work!!! For all he knows we could have just squirted water into his mouth.

Maybe he's getting older and he needs more activities? Maybe I misinterpreted his boredom with sign of tiredness?
Who knows.

It is like playing a charade really. Except he can't tell me if it is one word or two words, no cues whatsoever. The only cue, the repetitive cue is that same looooong wail. It is taking so much energy to guess what he wants. And so this little devil makes soo much impacts on my days. When he's happy, I am happy. But when he's cranky, I am even crankier.

"What do you want, Oli?"
"waaa waaa waaa"

"Are you not feeling well?"
"waa waaa waaa"

"Right, if you keep crying, I am going to put you on ebay. As new - very well trained, generally contended and already sleeps through the night."
"waa waaa waaaa" (maybe this one means: hmm not a bad idea, mum!)

Accidental parenting?? (if it's not for Oli)

The book that I am following Oli's routine from, "The secret of Baby Whisperer" said that parents can do 'accidental parenting', such as turning things (or themselves) into prop needed by babies to settle down, allowing them to not be able to independent sleeping by rocking them, putting them in their bouncers, offering breast, using dummies, etc etc. It is a cycle usually starts by a child who can't seem to be settled so parents pick him up or rock him or do whatever it takes to settle him (trust me, we'd do anything to get him back to sleep when he cries his lungs out every hour in the middle of the night) and then the parents do it again next time he cries because 'it worked last time' and at the end the baby depends on whatever the 'prop' is to settle him back.

Being the textbook I am, of course I soo don't want to do any accidental parenting. I reckoned I would.. if it's not because of Oli. You see, i followed everything word by word from the book.. and tried to fix something that ain't broken.

As an example, it recommended to wind baby down before nap/bedtime by holding him in your arms - only when Oli's about 2.5 months old did I realise he doesn't really like a cuddle before bed. It makes him unsettled instead - I think I have a baby who likes to go straight into business, "wham bam thank you ma'am' baby. Life is sooo much easier now - how lucky we are to get a child who doesn't need to be nursed before bedtime. Woo hoo...

The book also recommend teaching baby to self soothe and put himself back to sleep when he stirs from the REM sleep by 'shhh-pat tehnicque (now, babies have approximately 45 minutes sleep cycle where he moves from the REM sleep into deep sleep like an adult - the problem with that is that some babies wake up when they shift gear and can't go back to sleep by themselves and start crying desperately instead). We did it for a while but Oli doesn't like it!! His crying got worse - the 'shhh' and patting on his back actually woke him up. So we gave up - and thought, "what the hell.." and did what is not recommended by the book. We picked him up and let him fall asleep in our arms (it didn't work very well either though, most of the time he got settled this way because he was just too tired and boy, he was a nightmare during that stage!). But who would've thought.. he just doesn't cry anymore and been sleeping so well the past week that I never need to pick him up again... Again - this is him and has nothing to do with any technique. Lucky is an understatement and it has nothing to do with what we do as parents. I probably would have changed him into all the bad things I feared him to be if he's not the one in control *grin*.

But actually..... sometimes I think I am not reading his cues, it's actually him reading my cues. Sometimes I think I put him down too soon but he never whinge, like he knows it's his bedtime and then tries to go to sleep (and laying there for 20 minutes with eyes open and me feeling bad about it, but since he's not crying I can't pick him up). Or he wasn't fussy about food but the minute I put him in position then his mouth starts rooting. I am still convinced that he's actually the one in control but only let me think that I am (whatta a good boy, knows mummy needs this for her ego).

Febi (damn you, Feb!) always said she feels sorry for my child because i am a control freak *grin* but I think she would've felt sorry for me, because if it wasn't because of Oli I am probably too busy pulling out my hair to write this blog entry.

Mothers vocabulary update

Phew. Not much time left beside looking after little Oli - excuse my laziness to update my blog. But I thought I should post this little article found on the web - just for fun!


You knew many things would change once you became a mother, but did you expect your vocabulary would be one of them? Here are some common words that may have taken (or will take) on new meaning thanks to your baby:

Amnesia: The condition that enables a woman who has gone through labor to make love again.

Feedback: The inevitable result when your baby doesn't appreciate the pureed carrots.

Full name: What you call your child when you're really mad at him.

Grandparents: The people who think your children are wonderful even though they're sure you're not raising them right.

Hearsay: What toddlers do when anyone mutters a dirty word.

Impregnable: A woman whose memory of labor is still vivid.

Independent: How we want our children to be as long as they do everything we say.

Ow: The first word spoken by children with older siblings.

Puddle: A small body of water that draws other small bodies wearing dry shoes and socks into it.

Show off: A child who is more talented than yours.

Sterilize: What you do to your first baby's pacifier by boiling it and to your last baby's pacifier by blowing on it.

Two minute warning: When your baby's face turns red and she begins to make those familiar grunting noises.

All you need is love...

Mum's gone home after 2 months staying with us to help me out. She wanted to stay longer but there wasn't any seat available during June when we tried to change her flight. Although she seemed to be sadder to leave Oli than me.

She left me with hundreds questions: how am I going to survive without her? What am I going to eat? I suddenly feel like a grown up. I am not playing house - I am running a household and a family now!! EEKS...

Anyway, it's now half a week since she's gone. We are okay - Oli and I. Trying to settle into routine without my mother. So far I have only text-ed her less than 10 times regarding my worries. See, this is the only thing I hate about parenting - I am sooo neurotic (and a bit of hypochondriac) and trust me it's not much fun worrying about your little person. And why is parenthood is all about trial and error - I don't want to run experiments to my child, I just want to do everything right for him!).

I saw those mothers I saw walking down the streets with two kids, usually one toddler and one baby and I asked Scott, "How do you think they manage it? If you have a 2 years old child who is still demanding a lot of your time, and you need to feed a newborn every 2.5 hours, and that each feed takes about one hour, when do you have time for the older one?"

His answer: "impossible, Linda, impossible."

PS. We're having a mothers club meeting next week, and as Scott put it, many new mothers only got interested in mothers club after their mothers had gone home.

Brand New Day

Everyday is a brand new day. Well, not exactly right for me, as everyday is a repeat from the other day. Just like the groundhog day. It's a repeat from yesterday - wake up, feed the baby, change nappies, you get the point.

But for Oli, this little baby who did not even existed in the world ten weeks ago, everyday is indeed a brand new day.
Discovering new things. Learning new things. Understanding.

Scott went away for two nights and his comment when he got home was "Oli was like a stranger to me. He's grown, his face is different, and he seems to understand what's going on."
How true. How amazing.

He started talking about two weeks ago and now seems can't get enough of coo-ing and goo-ing. (You'd say: "No more talking, mister. It's bed time" and he starts giggle and talking back). He only just found his fingers (only his left ones, the right hand is yet to be discovered), and he is mastering it by frantically trying to put them in his mouth whenever there is a chance. We put his down for his bedtime, all relaxed and zen, and fifteen minutes later he cried. When we checked on him, he was too busy sucking his thumb and too awake to put himself to sleep. (Though I am glad I quickly realised that sucking his thumb does not mean that he is hungry)

Now I know how proud it feels to be a mother, even though I share it with millions others (being a mother, I mean). I am so proud just looking him grow, looking at him putting on weight, smiling at me - just basically being him. Watching him mastering his body is exciting.

As something that I read somewhere, 'you want to show your baby to the whole world but most important is that you want to show the whole world to your baby'. That is so true. And all I need in return is his smile. That's all I need!

First Mother's day

To all the mothers in the world (and especially my mother): HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!!!

I didn't think Mother's day would feel different from usual. But strangely, it did. Granted, I am a Mother now, but still, it feels surreal. I am proud to be mother - which is funny, why would you be proud?

(Because it is the most tiring yet fulfilling job. It is indeed the most important job in the world!)

Things I love being a mother

It might be too soon to find out all the good things about motherhood, but these are the things I found out already - things I love being a mother:

* His first, second, and third smiles... and more

* Feeling a tiny fist curl around your finger when you touch his palm

* Putting the sole of his feet on your cheeks, and see him rewarding you with a smile

* The smell of his hair, the softness of his cheeks, and the warmth of his skin

* Watching him sleeping (for a looong time and never get tired of doing it) and wondering what the future holds for him

* Sneaking into his room to check on him, just to find out the second you step into the room he turn his face around and bright eyes looking straight at you - and cry for attention

* Watching him stop crying when he sees you

* When you cuddle him, he nestles on your shoulder and snugs in the crease of your neck

* When he falls into a deep sleep in your arms

Month 2 - milestone

Statistics:

11 Apr 07: weight 4350gr, height 55cm

22 Apr 07: weight 4760gr, height 55cm

31 Apr 07: weight 5010gr, height 55cm

8 May 07: weight 5420, height 57.25cm

First sleeping in: Saturday 15 April 2007, Oliver slept in from 9.30pm to 5.30pm. Mama did not sleep waiting for him to wak up, worrying sick that he is starving. Anyway, the nurse at the mother & child centre put my mind to rest when she weighed him and he put on 410grams in 10 days (they would like to see children put on between 15-30grams perday so Oli's weight gain is above average - yooouuuuu little piglet!!!!!). She said the reason why he sleeps through is because he has enough during the day, but be WARNED - this will change!!)

First big smile for Mama & Daddy: Saturday, 21 April 2007 with a little goo noise. Made our day!

First lift his head 90 degree: week 6

Control freak 'Stepmother'

I am one of those people who thought parenting was an easy job and that I would handle it just fine and that I would be back to my normal routinity in no time.

You see, I am a textbook person. I like everything to go accordingly to the textbook, I plan everything waaaay ahead and got stressed out when things don't work out the way I plan (which usually the way they end). This is why my friends said I am a control freak and that I would be a 'stepmother' (like the one in Cinderella) to my own kids trying to be in control.

Even before Oli was born, I had my plan on how to look after him perfected in my head. You see other women having babies and you think it's easy, but now I'd say you have to spend at least 24 hours with them to know how it is like exactly being a mother. If you were like me, you'd judge those mothers for only a small amount of time, and already you'd think about things that you would do and would not do if it was your own child -- then your baby comes along and nothing works to your list.

I knew the first few weeks were going to be hard and that I would loose some sleep but I was being a smart ass thinking that it would be a piece of cake. Actually I was being a smart ass about the whole 'I'd be a good mother straightaway' thing and that I can fit the baby in my schedule. It takes a lot of work and practice and it takes your (and his) whole life to learn it.

Going out after the initial shock and restless nights doesn't get much better straight away as well. My baby is such an angel (like all other mums would say about theirs), we generaly don't have any difficulty putting him down for a nap or nighttime sleep. He's been following some routine since he was 3 weeks old, which is great because all we need to do to make him sleep now is by putting him in his cot and he's been sleeping in at nights since he's 5 weeks old but of course there are some odd days when all he does is crying and that is something that we need to be flexible about when planning our day (or mine during weekdays).

The other day Sharon and I planned our first outting, which ended up just having coffee at her place because it all got too hard. You see, you can plan your schedule around, but babies don't have regular schedule. You can plan to go out and come back just in time for his next scheduled feeding time but then he wakes up half an hour earlier than when he's supposed to be up - would you tell him to follow his schedule and go back to sleep?). It takes a lot of organisation and planning to go out. He would need to be fed, changed and by the time we're ready to go, we would only have 1-1 1/2 hours before his next feeding time (three hours slots really doesn't mean anything if you actually only have that much time between each feeding to do your chores in between) . I still can't be bothered to try to feed him outside (eg at babies room in the malls etc., since that would mean spending at least half an hour feeding & changing gim in these early days)

At the end I really don't want to do it to my baby anyway (well, not yet). I would go out and rush my way around just to be home on time for the feeding, or if I go out with him, I would rush my way around so he doesn't wake up on the road and crying and I had no way to console him (Mum said, "Shopping is fun, but not with you because you always in the rush to go home". Hey, don't blame me, it's only 5 weeks since my life changed forever.) It breaks my heart to see him crying either in pain, in hunger, or just searching for comfort. Call me soft, call me undiscipline, tell me that I am making it difficult for myself, but wait until you have your own child and you'll call it mother's love.

Confession of the Milking Cow

Allow me to introduce the new me. I am a mother - a very cranky mother since I hardly remember what a goodnight sleep feels like, my life has changed completely since baby Oli was born. I live on three hour slots basically, starting from the time he screams his lungs out (he's got very healthy lungs by the sound of it), which means it is his feeding time, to the next feeding time. I never feel so much being used by a person - literally - as a milking cow.

Baby Oli is a sucker - or maybe he just loves mummy's lovely milk. But breastfeeding does not come natural to me. Now if it is a natural thing, how come both mother and the baby need to learn to do it in perfect harmony? If it is so natural how come I have been in constant pain from the first day?

From the first day, everyone has different opinion. They said it shouldn't feel uncomfortable but then they said it was normal to feel uncomfortable since I might still be tender and need some adjusting period. What the???

Other girls that I spoke to at the new mother club didn't have any problem with breastfeeding and that made me feel something is wrong with me.

After some soul searching (starting from being a showcase in front of midwives in the hospital to make sure he latched alright, to calling the breastfeeding association lady and talking to the nurse at the mother & child centre), I finally decided to get a lactation consultant. The day I rang the breast lady (Scott has a different term for her, too rude to put it down here), Mum (who happened to be staying with us) objected straight away. See, again we have different opinions. Mum said it has only been a month, while in my opinion it has already been a month.

The breast lady and I went through the technique of latching and some other issues. The day when she came and visit, Oli slept through for 7 hours at night (with mummy not able to sleep waiting for him to wake up). I am still waiting to see if I can actually put all the theories into practice.

Fingers crossed...

PS. New pictures of 4 weeks old Oli are in the baby album on http://home.exetel.com.au/bradley

First time mummy

After the initial shock of being a mother, I realised the hardest part of the motherhood is that we are no longer a couple, we are a family now. You can't just do things impulsively, can't go out just whenever you want to (organising bub to go out turned out to be a very hard work and takes a long time), can't go out too long (need to coincide with bub's feeding time), and your spouse it no longer the only most important person in your life.

It is not all fun but it's wonderful journey (I thought newborn only wakes up to eat and poo and spend the rest of the day sleeping - little did I expect that they are capable of driving mummy crazy with their high pitch cries). I am enjoying the motherhood although it is still feel surreal - it has been 4 weeks but it still hasn't sunk in yet for both Scott and I.

New first things for the first time mummy (moi):

* First nappy change
Eeks.. what is that yellow gooey thing in his nappy? How do you clean him? It is funny how two educated people actually get clueless in these things and need to get someone else (the midwife) to show you how to clean his botbot and change his nappy. Fortunately the blackish sticky poo didn't last for very long (well on the serious side, it's called meconium which is the first baby's poo and they only last for 3 days) Eventually you get used to the smell and the colour and the frequencies (how could a tiny thing dispose that much stuff it's a mistery to me!)

*First poo and wee (on me!)
We bond together looking after bub. It might sound cliche, but looking at Scott talking to Oliver always gives me a warm feeling because we share our love. We share experience and responsibilities like a team when we look after him, bath him, feed him, put him to bed, even play with him. It is just amazing.

And I never thought that I would put up with someone peeing and weeing on me.

*First excursion (with baby)
First baby excursion was to the baby shop to get his first stroller. And I just could not believe so much preparation needs to be done just to go to the shop which almost practically around the corner. Everything is about timing - we rushed out the house just after he finished his breakfast (didnt' even give him time to burp yet) and I kept looking into his little capsule to see if he's awake when it was time for his next feed. In the second excursion to Ikea a week later, we actually got trapped in the traffic and I was so nervous and cranky because I just want to get home before he screamed and I couldn't stop blaming Scott for choosing that route home.

*First excursion (without baby)
.. is as nerveracking as going out with the baby. Grandma was home to look after him when Scott and I went out for Sharon's prewedding barbecue. The minute we left home I felt strong urge to call home straight away. I gave it half an hour, because my hubby said I HAD to. Rang mum after half hour and about 1.5 hours after we left home. "Has he eaten yet? Is he asleep? Is he being fussy?" and mum went, "YES... (now leave me alone).." Well she didn't actually say that but I read between the lines.

New (not so yummy) mummy

2 weeks into the motherhood. Thanks for all the congratulations.

I am still trying to get into and enjoy the motherhood. It is the most tiring job in the world. I don't regret it the slightest - he's the most gorgeous little person in the whole world (and I am sure no one would dare say that I am biased) and the most amazing thing that happened in our life (This little man has grown into an individual with his own characters. He is not just a 'baby' anymore, he's Oliver who gets cranky when he doesn't get his food, always refuses to close his eyes even though he was yawning and yawning, and loves a drive in daddy's car; it is hard to believe he is the same helpless little creature born 2 weeks ago and the same person who was in my tummy for 9 months). But the whole thing has given me a new meaning on the new mummy syndrome:

Banana in pyjamas - No, it is not Oliver's favourite show. It is how I feel since I spend more time in my pyjamas than ever during the day. Most of mornings I would get up just to feed Oliver straight away and do not even have time to have my breakfast first or do other thing first. You just don't have time to look pretty anymore (taking shower is even a luxury) and anyway, the minute you put the baby down after a feed he'll wake up demanding more within an hour -there's no time, and frankly, why bother?

Walking zombie - All flesh and no soul, I am operating on the automatic gear like a walking zombie at the moment. Apart from being the milking cow I am, I switch on by the tiniest coo and sniffle from the little one. I jump straight from the bed instinctively, without thinking or anything. Scott scolded me for doing that when my stitches were still fresh from the surgery room. The other day we went to Ikea with Scott's mum and only in the car I realised I was wearing my home slippers - ugly ripped apart batik slippers. But do I care? Not a slightly bit.

Mixed feeling, baby blues - The third day at the hospital I had my first episode of baby blues. Tired, not enough sleep, incision pain, and been in the hospital all by myself (Scott went to work that day), I burst into tears in front of the midwife (apparently this is normal, since all the pregnancy hormones that gave me that 'zen' feeling suddenly shut off on the third or fourth day). Scott and I have been working as a team from the day we went back from hospital and Scott's mum had been here helping us out for two weeks as well, so I am more less better (although I would love to have ten hours of unbroken sleep. He is so angelic (mostly when he's asleep) but sometimes I still feel like putting him in the basket outside the gate with a little note "free to take home".

Baby boy!

Oliver Asha Bradley was born with C-section on March 13, 2007 at 00:01 after 12 long hours of normal labour attempt. Weighing 3.77 kg and 51 cm tall, apparently he was to big for mummy's petite figure.

Was discharged from the hospital last night (17 March) and am very very exhausted. More details coming.

Week 40 - Countdown

Monday 5 March - 4 days to D date

My book ('the bible') said to be aware of frequent fetal hiccups, 2-4 times a day of more than 10 minutes episode each time, since it might be a sign that the umbilical cord had become tangled around baby's neck (this, and or decreasing fetal activity but my baby has not stopped being active ever). I thought he had a lot of hiccups episodes but I timed them today - he had only 3 episodes but each lasted only around 5 minutes.

Braxton hicks are getting more often tonight and painful. I was not even sure if they are not real contractions when they happened, but they didn't last long enough.

Tuesday 6 March - 3 days to D date

I am still here. It's not happening yet although people started to ring up to check on me. I haven't gained any weight from last week though, which apparently is one of the prelabour signs (either weight gain is slowing down or actually losing weight but with the way I eat, it even surprise me that I haven't put on weight this week. Food turnaround in this household has never been so fast, especially with sweet food like ice cream, chocolate and biscuits!)

Wednesday 7 March - 2 days to D date

Went out with Sharon to her wedding dress fitting, papershop, lunch etc etc to keep myself busy. Not very fun being out when people commenting how big my tummy is, that I must be due anytime soon now (in two days time, actually, if you really really need to know).

Thursday 8 March - 1 day to D date

Probably nesting instinct kicking in, I spent the whole day at home, baking and cooking (and eating the cookies straight away).
No sign yet.


Friday 9 March - The D date

Don't think it's happening today. Had a msn chat with Sinta last night and she asked me if I started dreaming about the labour - and of course I did have the dream after she mentioned it. Not sure if I really felt something but as they are gone in the morning, they must have just been braxton hicks.

Had lunch with Sharon then drove to the doctor. Baby is still in the same position as last week, which is 3 fingers from the pelvic. Scott said, "he kept saying that, did you give him 3 fingers when he's not looking?"

As predicted, baby didn't arrive. All the built-up anticipation had gone away now - I was ready for the pain and the labour but now I am not so sure anymore.

Am starting to feel that he's so stubborn that I might need to be induced eventually.

Week 39 - Full moon baby?

My body:
More than 38 weeks and am still pregnant. Looks like I am going to distance to 40 weeks (or more). Apart from getting uncomfortably bigger I haven't got any concerning complaints.

My baby:
is now about 51cm in length and weighs around 3.2kg. The vernix that has covered him and has protected his skin for the last nine months will assist him to pass through the birth canal and provides a layer of insulation after he is born. It is routine for the remaining vernix to be washed away after delivery.

I must look ready to pop out - the guy at the service station where I was getting petrol pointed at my tummy and being cheeky, took out his measure tape from his drawer. Haha, very funny.

We celebrated our 4th anniversary this week (first of March) - Scott wanted baby to be born on that day but I am happy that we dont' have to share our anniversary with his birthday.

(I was going to get Scott tickets to Little Britain live but given that the show was on the 28th February and was a bit risky, he had to settle with the Little Britain live dvd. Even though we could have gone to the show, it is still definitely cheaper and he can watch it over and over again with the dvd!)

Birgit rang and said that it would be a fullmoon night this Saturday. We're not sure if this is another old wives tale, but it has been believed that there are more women in labour during full moon than normal nights and that if there is a full moon close to their due date, they should prepare to give labour during that full moon, regardless whether it is before or after the due date.

This is from the net:
Contractions known as "Braxton Hicks" -- sometimes noticeable to the mother and sometimes not -- become more pronounced and many travel to the maternity unit in the belief that "it's time" (during fullmoon). Disappointed -- or perhaps relieved -- they return home, the pains having subsided and with no dilation of the cervix.

While these expectant mothers visiting the clinic with their mistaken signs of labor are part of the reason why extra staff are needed, the major difference is found in the number of women whose amniotic sac -- the water -- breaks.

Just as some women experience false labor pains, in cases where the water breaking marks the start of childbirth, full moon is the time when it's most likely to happen.

The theory is that the moon's gravitational pull effects the amniotic fluid in much the same way as it effects the water in the sea, rivers and even the water that's otherwise found in our bodies.

As a woman's body prepares for natural childbirth, the amniotic sac becomes distended so the point where it will easily burst if put under pressure. Under normal circumstances, the pressure of labor contractions bursts the sac. During a full moon, the pressure caused by the moon's effect on the water inside the sac can cause the same things to happen, but without the accompanying contractions.

When this happens, natural childbirth doesn't always move forward and with no other signs of labor present, the obstetrician may decide to induce the birth. During my own study of this phenomenon I found that of 8 women whose births started with the water breaking at full moon, 5 of them had no accompanying contractions.

Anyhow, this caused us a little anxiety on Saturday. But nothing happened. And I wasn't sure if we were ready anyway, merely because we still have some last minute things to do (get my car organised - not happening though, sadly, get the baby capsule fitted, etc etc).