Flash Ed

Baby's Chinese Language education starts here. Opera, no less. *haha* .

2mo JR was cooing and oohing at the googlebox. Maybe the characters are flashy, eh?

Germs Galore

A big household is the most unhealthy equation, especially for a newborn. Dh had a month-long cough from the time JR was born. By the time JR was 1mth old, he was having a dry cough. It didn't seem to bother him and he had no problem nursing, so we were quite cool about it. I figured that he wouldn't be too friendly with medicine. We still brought him to the clinic just to make sure his airways & lungs were clear, but for added treatment, I decided to try TCM. The 医师 would check baby, then recommends the 推拿 treatment for the ailments he has. They also prescribe herbal packs 药包 for baby to use on his belly.

JR's cough ceased for several weeks, but a week ago, suddenly I heard him coughing in the early morning hours - again!!! *sigh*. He must have caught it from his brothers who were down with flu/fever over the weekend. I brought him to the GP who said once again, that his lungs were clear. So I brought him to 推 again. This time, the herbal packs specifically say for 感冒. He still is his active self, except for the cough and stuffy nose. He still has no problems nursing, thankfully!

Sadly though, the presence of his cough a week on, made me bring him this time to the pediatrician, only to have him tell me the same thing that the GP & the Yishi said. His lungs are clear and he'll be fine since he's fully breastfed. Oh well, thankfully after that, his cough started clearing. He's been alert, active, & nurses with no problems all this while. Shows how breastfeeding helps a young baby weather illness.

When his cough was phlegmy, we helped alleviate the coughing spells by putting him to sleep in an inclined position on a firm pillow. We also filled a sock with some rice grains and had that heated up a little and placed on his chest to help with any congestion.

We also put some Snuffle Babe Vapour Rub on the soles of his feet. Not sure if it's an "urban legend" or not, but it seems to help us when we have coughs, so since baby's feet are covered in his sleepsuit at night and he always wears socks during the day, we just add a dab on his soles for his comfort.

This is where I brought JR:

Traditional Chinese Tui Na Massage (suitable for infants and children):
Yu Guo Chinese Physician Acupuncture & Physiotherapy Pte Ltd
8-B Jalan Masjid #01-04 Kingston Terrace, Singapore 418929 Tel : 64474761 (Behind Kembagan Plaza, near Kembagan MRT. If driving, park at Kembagan Court).
Mon - Fri: (except Wed) 9:00 am - 12:30 pm, 2:00 pm - 5:00 pm, 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm
Sat: 9:00 am - 12:30 pm, 2:00 pm - 5:00 pm
Sun: 9:00 am - 12:30 pm (Closed on Wed & Public Holiday)

Concert outing

I love going to concerts, and frequently go for both Chinese & Symphonic Orchestral performances with our older children. However, with a young baby, this is just not possible for at least awhile. We took the opportunity instead to go for an outdoor SCO concert at the Turf Club.

We were early. JR took a nap and had his milky. I had the pouch on, which provided extra coverage since I still need to guide JR on the initial latching on as he's still quite a young baby. Wearing a nursing top with an empire-level nursing opening helped with easier access.

He woke just as the concert started. He seemed a little dazed at first but stayed awake the rest of the time, watching, and watching, eyes huge and super *kaypo*...and pooping. *HAHAH*

It was a fairly good outing. Poor JR didn't like the drive home. Must have been past his bedtime. ;( Was wailing the whole journey.

One-Armed Damsel

How does all this "newsfeed" get done if I have a 5-minute-napper?

I have him with me at my workstation! My handphone would be within reach, so's my camera so that I can snap precious moments to share. My files and work samples are closeby too. And interestingly, with the past 2mths' back-to-back revision for school exams, you'd see that there's schoolbooks on my printer. Baby JR then nurses off and on while I put things together. Quite a task when I am often left with only one-hand to use!

Car Travel

Babies should always travel in a car seat. It is dangerous for the baby to be carried by an adult. And a child that has been taught that car travel means being in the child safety seat would learn to use it without protesting.

Baby JR came home from the hospital in his infant carseat. We do have to watch his mood or he'd cry the whole journey in his seat. When going out, I would allow time to nurse him so we do not have to worry that he cries during the trip because he's hungry. If he has a dirty diaper, I'd make sure to change it first too.

Our older baby TJ was a big cry-baby when out in the car. Back then, I spent some time training him over a week. I did this by bringing him out for a short drive everyday around the neighbourhood. For instance, the 1st day, it'd be for only 10mins, then 2nd day for 15mins, then 3rd day for 20mins...and so on. You'd have to watch your own baby and be somewhat intuitive with the timing of this "training schedule", but eventually, baby will become used to the idea that as long as he's in the car, he has to be in his infant seat.

And this is how 2-month-old JR would be nowadays, when he is in a happy mood while in his carseat. Woe be it if we don't watch signals of bad mood and we'd have a screaming baby instead the whole trip!

And yes, he recognises the CDs that I've been playing in the car all throughout my pregnancy (in the background? Edouard Lalo's Symphonie Espagnole). He has a cute little "Mr Sun" toy that plays a nutcracker melody clipped to his car seat too.

Burp!

Do babies need to be burped? Breastfed babies should not be taking in much wind if their latch is proper, so they don't really need to be burped. If there are sucking sounds when they are nursing, often the latch may not be correct, and this should be checked.

If your baby is rather gassy and has wind in its belly making it uncomfortable, do practise carrying baby upright, like how JR is being cuddled by his big brother. Giving baby a little massage and rubbing some oil on his belly would work too!

Family Bed

Having experience with sleep training and co-sleeping, we chose the latter as it fits our lifestyle better. Simply for the convenience in breastfeeding at night, coziness of baby being near us, and the ease of putting baby down to bed. Also so that we won't be saddled with a baby cot that may be rarely used.

In the 1st few weeks, we used a sleep positioner to help prop baby up to nurse when he sleeps. Now that he is 2 months old, he can nurse while lying down with less help.

Babies who sleep in the family bed will tend to be more secure as parents will respond quicker. And well, they are babies. They do deserve to be babied!

To read more on co-sleeping:
http://www.breastfeeding.com/reading_room/co_slepping.html

2 months on

Weight 5.8kg, Height 60cm, HDC 40cm

And me at 2mths postpartum?

I'm back to pre-pregnancy weight and I can wear my pre-pregnancy clothes. But .... body sure doesn't seem pre-preg in shape at all !

Oh well.... the bane of age, and of having gone through a battlezone called pregnancy. Certainly not Elasti-Girl !

Breastfeeding when Sick

JR is 8weeks old now. Was really tired this morning. Went out with baby to the shop for some groceries that we ran out of, and when I came home, I just fell asleep sitting on the bed with baby still in the pouch. I was happy to leave him attached to me still in the pouch since he looked so contentedly asleep and I desperately needed some shuteye.

I was unfortunately down with stomach flu the day before with high fever. Thankfully, the fever subsided by morning, but I was nevertheless weak and rest was something I couldn't get enough of with this baby and the older ones to care for.

I continued breastfeeding the baby, even when I was sick. This is the added protection I can provide Baby JR. As my body fights and heals, it creates antibodies. These are passed through breastmilk, which the baby will benefit from. This will help lessen his chance of getting the same illness. There is thus really no reason to stop breastfeeding even when Mom is sick.

The crucial question that some mothers would have is when doctors order them to be on medication. For breastfeeding mothers, do always let the doctor know that you are breastfeeding. In most cases, there are breastfeeding-compatible medication. Do note not to take antibiotics lightly though. If your doctor feels that you should be put on a course of antibiotics, do at the same time strengthen your body with probiotics ; as antibiotics do tend to alter your intestinal flora, and also that of your breastfed baby, and puts both of you at risk of getting thrush if probiotics are not used to balance.

So, do remember, there's no need to stop breastfeeding when you are sick. Just try and rest together with baby, or if there is someone to care for baby while you rest, that'd be even better! And don't forget to load up on fluids!

Enough Milk?

A new mother often questions the adequacy of her milk supply, usually brought on by a baby that fusses and refuses to be pacified except at the mother's breast. Other family members or nannies in the household might then deduce that the baby is still hungry and cast doubts on whether mom has enough milk for the baby. Since our breasts are not transparent with measuring marks on them, they might then suggest that the mother express milk to "see how much she has". In reality, this is the worst form of "measure". Firstly because a new mother is not used to pumping or expressing milk, so she may not naturally "let-down" for the pump, and not because she is not a "good producer of milk". If she gets a miserable amount from pumping, she may really start to think she has not enough milk for her baby, and take on the advice of her family members to start supplementing.

A new mother should learn to relax more, be well-informed instead, and be confident of herself. The best measure of whether a baby has enough is through the baby's output. A baby that is past the 1st week of birth should be having at least 6 to 7 wet diapers including 3 or 4 bowel movements. The stools should be yellowish, soft & curdy. It is quite common for breastfed babies to pass their stools quite *explosively*! So do not be alarmed. (Yeah, that photo shows our 5-day old babe clenching his hands while passing motion!).

As new mothers, we learn as we go along, and we learn after a while which advice is useful and which is probably just nice to smile and nod away at. ;-) Ah...even when I strolled around my neighbourhood and chatted with a granny, she too asked if I had enough milk for my baby (what a question to ask of a passing acquaintance, yah?!).

You will soon learn to recognise what your baby's moods, what he seems to want, and when his cries are cries of distress and when it is not quite so serious. And you'll discover many entertaining nursing moments along the way too! The moments when your baby latches off, milk dripping from their mouths, thanking you for nourishing them. ;)

Christening

Christened at 8 weeks.


Mom wearing a Red Cara Top.

Stinky Face?

Practice Times @ Home

Baby's practising here too!

From a baby that normally kicks away actively when in a good mood....

... to a baby practising his listening skills. ;-) Noticed that JR slowed down and became so still to placidly listen as his brothers practised away (yea, the violin is going on outside as well):

Scalding & Moulting

Yikes - hand all red and feeling really tender and raw last night. So painful, like as if loads of chilli padi had been rubbed on it. I was scalded when the water from my steamer spilled and splashed on my left hand as I brought out the pump parts I had sterilised. Ah...do be careful as you do this task!

My 1st thought was to put aloe vera gel on it. It gave temporal relief, but the sting was excruciating once the gel had cooled off, and I kept applying it with no further relief. Eventually I thought of this Mango Butter that I got from Little Dreamers and have found most reliable for dry skin during my pregnancy.

It gave immediate relief from the burns! By late evening, the redness on my fingers had almost all disappeared.

This healing cream was what I also reached for when our newborn seemed to be moulting as his dry baby skin was in the process of falling off - it sure looked like I was carrying a baby full of dandruff! Applying this cream helped the dry skin fall away faster, revealing a new layer of beautiful baby skin. ;-)

Get Moving

With a baby that often naps only 5 minutes at a time, I ran out of ideas & energy to keep him happy and myself sane, as his mood between those 5-min naps could range from kicking happy to super cranky, either of which saps my energy & mood adversely.

Instead, I bring baby out in the baby pouch on morning and sometimes evening walks. It could be walks simply just for the fresh outdoor air or walks out to run errands and do my shopping at the nearby market and shops. This also gives me an opportunity to explore our neighbourhood near & far, which is easier to do when on foot.

Our walks are usually for 30 to 45minutes, and are also great for exercise, other than raising those happy happy endorphins. Just have to make sure I have on a comfortable non-slip pair of shoes on!

That's our 6-week old JR yawning as we start on one of our morning walks....he will invariably fall asleep along the way , and never fails to amuse all who see him all cuddled so cutely, allowing me to be totally handsfree.

Aerial View I

View from the Top. How the 1 month-old baby looks like curled up sleeping in the baby pouch.
.

What Else?!

At times like these, with milk powders being contaminated, we are grateful for breastfeeding.

This time, at least Singapore does not directly import China-made brands of infant formula, but I still recall years ago, when our 3rd baby was just a newborn and there was a major recall on several brands of infant formula, and yes that WAS in Singapore.

If disaster like a typhoon, earthquake, or a cyclone were to strike, like it did recently in Myanmar, even expat families, who were not hit by the cyclone, were affected by "no water, no electricity" as supply lines were damaged by the storm.

These are ALL times, when we would be super thankful for continuing with breastfeeding. The way nature intended, and the best to protect our young ones, and not have to, like some Chinese were quoted in the press reports of the SanLu incident, as worriedly asking "What do we feed our babies with now?". Those who had continued breastfeeding can at least heave a sigh of relief and say "What Else?".

Full Month

Had a simple celebration, sharing cupcakes from Mong's Stirs. We did the red eggs ourselves, packaging and decorating - had quite a bit of fun doing that simple task!


Baby had quite an outing today. I had to nurse him several times while out today. Here I was in dh's office nursing wearing my favourite Selina Top in Berry Pink size M - sure's discrete and convenient!

Week 4: Wt 4.62kg, Ht 54cm, Hd 37cm

Out with Baby

Baby turned a month old and the whole family went on a short outing. Quite liberating to be out with everyone, and eating out once again. ;-)

Baby was happy in his pouch, looked around, napped, had his "dinner". It was so great that Dad carried baby around in the pouch after dinner, so I could shop around too !!! The pouch was really easy to use in this young baby cradle position and I could be handsfree.

(I am wearing Liana Short-Sleeve in Mocha size M and easily nursed him in the size S pouch while having my dinner).

Pre/Post-Natal Massage

With an aging achy body that found this last pregnancy too taxing, I found prenatal massage to be such a respite. Time-out for full-body massages were rare, and I only managed these a few times, and loved going to Aramsa for my Prenatal massage. The ambience was great, the service & the therapist were excellent. But what I indulged in mostly were prenatal foot massages. These, I managed to fit in almost every week, sneaking in the time when my elder ones were in classes. It was superb for a relaxing half-hour nap too, which was so needed, since woe ..... I'd only managed to sleep like 2 or 3 nights each week this whole pregnancy(!).

Soon after birth, I had a few days of home postnatal massage, which I looked forward to each morning, after a night of getting up for night feeds and having my joints aching. Using a belly binder (from pharmacies) helped lots in supporting my lower back and weaker abs while I moved around caring for the newborn and the older children.

I also tried a service that was newly introduced to me. Too bad that I hadn't known of this earlier! It's a TCM Postnatal Home service from Idylls TCM Professional (Tel: 67410369/96727422 Ms Chua for booking). It includes TCM consultation, postnatal confinement cooking, and TCM postnatal massage. I tried this TCM massage in my 3rd week after birth. It was really really good, working on pressure points and was very effective for my aching body. The pricing was really reasonable too!