Waiting Game

As JR doesn't like to take expressed milk, he ends up accompanying everywhere. BB & I have spent much of the holidays shopping (for nothing in particular) and basically "waiting". Here's one of those times, but at least he's asleep here - much to my relief!


I thought it was so cute that he was hugging me as he slept:

I'm using a silk sling here & wearing the Selina Top.

Rough it Out

When the going gets tough, the tough gets going? Exercise works for me in dealing with sleepless nights and stressful times.

A walk energizes me like no nap can, so I'd drag my tired lazy self out. And bb would be soooooo amused. He loves looking at the traffic - look how far he turns his head just to catch a glimpse of the buses & cars! Super Kaypoh!


And I just can't resist posting these 2 pix that I collected on other walking trips. Cuteness Overload!



And the baby pouch is still my favourite for walks. Totally handsfree! Woot! JR is between 3-4mths in these photos.

Bookish Diversion

On one of those nightmarish trips, after all the song & dance didn't work anymore...I passed JR this book I had in the car.

This little boy sure likes studying the images or prints in books/clothes. The bawling was diverted for most of the rest of the trip. Whew!

Cool Evenings

We like to laze around on cool evenings after dinner. Bb enjoys the breeze and observing all that goes around. He can hold himself up better already.

4 months old here. Weight: 6.853kg (Yeah...100% Mommy's Milky)

The Liana

The Liana is my absolute favourite nursing top of the moment. ;-)

It has scrunches at the bust so that even when I wear the most convenient-to-nurse-in Cami-style bras, I won't look flat-chested. The bounded neckline is mom-friendly as my baby who likes to grab at my necklines won't manage to pull the neckline down with him and expose me (urgh!). The nursing opening is also just right for nursing in a baby pouch or sling.

And... the short-sleeved version has sleeves just at the right length for more modest coverage of my newly postpartum arms, being flattering instead. Just what a new mom like me needs to look good!

I used to wear the sleeveless version with great confidence. Maybe in a few more months then!

Unlike my younger self, I think I need a little longer for all the post-baby fat to melt away. *sigh*, but in the meantime, I couldn't resist grabbing the new colours of the short-sleeved Liana that just came in stock this week! Oh, and I could take them in the smaller S size already. So happy. ;-)

Liana Scrunch Top: Short-Sleeve & Sleeveless. New colours are in for the Short-Sleeved Liana in a Purple-Blue & a really refreshing bright pink.

Bleb

My nipple had a sharp painful spot. I noticed it was a hard and very white spot, somewhat like a huge whitehead. Really *ouch*. I'd heard about milk blebs(you can see a photo on that webpage), but never had one before.

I didn't quite want to try the awfully scary treatments I'd read about. Decided I'd monitor the situation a little and try to get baby to soften and suck away the little clog, just by nursing frequently at that spot.

The spot seemed to soften after a day. Whew! By the 3rd day, thankfully, it disappeared. It worked! Baby solved it - once again.

Energizer Bunny

One of those nights when baby just seems to be tireless. Just one of those days when it's just too amazing how he can have a full day and not be down early(!!!).

No EBM

Hai, the little boy just refuses to have his milky any other way but direct. He'd rather wait for me than have any form of substitute. When he was real little, he took the Avent bottles but didn't quite manage to suck well.


I saw that NUK had new teats that could fit wide-necked bottles (yeah, they do fit the Avent!), so tried them out. Our elder 2 children took their milk with NUK teats, and didn't like any other teats, so I thought it might be worth trying. Oh well, no go. The baby just didn't like those either.


We also tried giving the baby his milk by using a syringe. But the cheeky little one spits out the milk instead, making the caregiver all "drenched" in milk instead. *haha*. As a "last resort", I got these Avent Spouts that are easily used with Avent Bottles. I realised that with these new "no-spill" spouts, the poor baby still needed to suck at it to get any liquid out from the bottle. So I removed the valve below the spout attachment (and yes again - the valves are easily removable). This way, the milk can just flow out of the spout without baby needing to suck. Once again, baby launched his protest by spitting out the expressed milk.

Ah...I think I'll just save my liquid gold and not waste my time expressing milk, lah. Will just either bring baby out with me or just not leave baby for too long away from me. Just for a couple more months.....

Nightmarish

Just one of those days .... the nightmarish trip we always wish never to have. ;(

It's so important to plan the trip well and not get into one of baby's foul moods, but well, we try...

Transitional Pleats

One of my fave tops while pregnant. I wore this until I *popped*! (and no, I'm not talking about my belly button. ;-P)

It was a really comfortable top, skimming and showing off my preggy form. And really great immediately postpartum. Friendly for breastfeeding.

Now available in-store. Just look for the Hayley Pleated Top.


Another fave top is the Tania Babydoll. This fits my bustline nicely and flows out to hug my belly neatly when I was preggy. Postpartum, it is a really comfy top that does not look like a maternity item.

Camera-Action!

It was one of the loooooooooongest photoshoots I've ever done. Little JR refused to be put down, and only wanted me.

(Model wearing Rachel Scrunch Top)

So I had to carry Baby JR while styling the models, ironing, and organising the clothes and taking the photos. Had to balance somewhat with baby on me.

He nursed......


.....and he slept, & he played. Cheeky fella...

And I was super-exhausted after the photoshoot!

Outdoor Concert

Another outing. We are "super-deprived" of concerts now with baby *hehe*, so outdoor concerts are so welcome!

It was cloudy earlier and threatened to rain but well, it ended up well. The weather was cool & windy. No showers at all! YAY!!!

The group performing - Joyful Strings were great! Even the little ones are really pro. They play with choregraphy too. They even played their violins while hula-hooping, and bouncing on balls! Very very impressive!

I found this videoclip of that day's performance online too, that shows a close-up of the group of really young ones (3yrs & above) joining in the performance with some Suzuki pieces. And looking really cool as they danced & performed!


We certainly had a wonderful outing. Ah....and it sure tempts us to put JR to Baby Suzuki Classes like those kids too! *haha*

Charity Dinner

Was performing with the Strings Group in school. I have done this many times before, but this time, it was quite a task as I had to work the practices with the Group around Baby JR's schedule.

And on the night of the performance, we had to bring the little baby along. I planned the whole day's schedule so that hopefully baby would not be too cranky at night. It was somewhat "risky" to bring him out at that time of the night since it was his bedtime.

We did a run through (rehearsal) with the String Boys while there, and then I tried to give JR a good feed before the Dinner started (and hence the performances).

The boys looked really spiffy that evening, all dressed to the nines in their tuxedoes. To have a breastfeeding-friendly outfit, I just wore my black Jean Tank Top inside my buttoned coat & black long pants. That was quite dressy enough. And I could breastfeed baby easily too, as can be seen from the photo!

Aerial III

So comfy sleeping in the baby pouch.

Aerial II

3-month-old baby sitting in the pouch (legs inside)

Tummy Filler

As a breastfeeding mother, I get hungry often, and with an in-arms 2mth-old (ah - JR just turned 3 mths-old yesterday!), it's not always possible to get a more decent snack in between meals.

I've found an oatmeal drink to be a quick & easy tummy filler. Just a few spoons of instant oatmeal mixed with a little hot water, and when oatmeal is well-mixed, I add in chilled soymilk from the fridge. I did say it's to be a quick to prepare item, right? That's why it has to be "instant" oatmeal and not rolled oats (to be cooked), and soymilk is the ready-to-drink kind from tetrapacks or pre-prepared.

Oh, and another good thing about oatmeal? It is good for your milk supply!

Swimming

It was a beautiful sunny afternoon , so JR went for his first swim today!

Ah ... this was BEFORE we stripped him down bare. ;-) He wore a pair of cutesy swim diapers that are available from CLA & Bumwear.

When we first put him into the water, he had this "what is this?" look. But before long, he was kicking away with such intensity, enjoying every bit of the experience! He was so tired out from the exercise that he drifted off to dreamland soon after the swim! Just as well too, as it poured heavily the rest of the afternoon.

Going to Church

As it is every Sunday, we go to Church.

It does tend to be a fairly stressful outing for me as I would always be worrying that the baby might kick up a fuss and cry during service. This is often every new parents' concern. Many new mothers would worry as to whether it is alright to nurse in church too (yeah, it is ok!).

If baby is sleeping and shows any sign of waking, I'd quickly try to nurse him before he starts to cry. On the other hand, if baby is awake and looking around when the service is going on, I'd look out for signs that he is getting tired and needs to nurse to sleep. That's me keeping alert so as not to have baby & me creating a scene in church - baby fussing with his cries and me fussing with trying to latch him on to nurse and quieten him down. Oh well, and there are times when the rocking, swaying, or nursing does not work and baby still wails ..... I'd have no choice but to spend a good part of the service outside pacifying baby JR.

Today, baby was fairly manageable. He was sleeping, waking only to nurse. Whew! (Nursing in my trusty Selina Top and a beautiful silk sling).

Sleeptime Marathon

A coincidence, but he's obviously communicating that it's bedtime!

As with every evening, baby does his Marathon Nursing sessions each night before he finally gets down to rest for the night. For those new mothers, do note, it IS normal for a baby to nurse very frequently and even seemingly non-stop in the evening hours. They are essentially tanking up their little tummies as they ready themselves for a longer stretch of night-sleep.

As the non-stop nursing leaves me rather much an invalid for that part of the day, I would plan not to do much for those few hours.

To cope, I would eat dinner early, bathe quickly and change after an early evening walk with baby and be ready to simply "veg-out" in front of the TV in my bedroom by 7+pm. I would also prepare 2 mugs/tumblers of drink on my bedside table to keep myself hydrated. Then I would just watch TV programmes or read while he nurses. He would usually finally get to deep sleep by 9pm or so. Some nights, it does get quite neverending and last until 10 or even 11pm! Do prepared for this and plan to basically do nothing much but relax at this time of the night when you have a newborn or young baby.

When would a baby outgrown the evening marathon nursing pattern? Seriously, I don't remember. *haha* It will eventually!

Shopping with Baby

Going out to the stores with baby is quite a journey to be planned for. I can't say it's mostly a breeze bc with baby "on" me, usually, I can walk and see the items, but it is rare that I can stand to *study* the items I want to buy. I generally would have to have an idea what I need to get, and then just pluck them off the shelves/racks quickly.

I'd need to allow extra time in my shopping trip in case I need to breastfeed the baby or to change baby's diapers. Believe me, after a 9year gap between babies, I do need to get the hang of nursing in public once again too! I had to think through how I could reach in to undo my bra discreetly but quickly, how to pull down and stretch out my nursing top and latch baby on - again, quickly but discreetly. Initially it was fairly nerve-wrecking. It has become easier with practice. So, for new mothers, trust me, you'll get the hang of it. Practise at home first if you need to! (Here in these photos, I am at Ikea with 2-month-old JR in a Navy Sateen Sling and nursing in a Selina Top)

See how I used the upright side-sitting position to carry JR so he can look around. This is very similar to the Hip Carry position. I have the edge of the sling up to his shoulders/neck for greater support since he's such a young baby.



I'm always happy when a much-needed trip out is at it's end, breathing a sigh of relief.

Here I am back from one such trip.

I was glad to be able to finally be able to fit into one of my favourite tops - the Belle Nursing Top , and after a tiring trip out, I was simply glad to crash out at home with baby nursing away.

MRT Ride

Baby had his 1st MRT Ride today.

We took a 15min walk to the station. Without fail, the swaying motions as I walked lulled him to sleep on the way.

He must've sensed something different as I boarded the train though. He woke and looked all around. Couldn't miss out on all the "action", I guess!

He drew quite a fair bit of attention looking the way he did, peeping out from his pouch!


I'd compromised on "luggage" for this trip since it was a fairly short one, and only used a waist-pouch. Didn't need to bring much for a breastfeeding baby anyway. I realised that I should just have worn my sneakers instead of my sandals so that the walk would be more comfortable.

Anticipation

The look of anticipation as I pick him up to nurse. His cries will quieten to a soft whimper or even stop, while he waits for me to get ready and position him to nurse:

I just had to capture this look!