AN had no fever, no vomiting, no diarrhoea today. Thank God! She had random episodes of coughs but was otherwise well.
ER was ok too. Like AN, he coughed on and off but it didn't appear too bad. He's much more manageable today. Thank God for that too.
As for Mr Liow, I'd like to believe that he's also recovered but I seem to find him walking weird again. Everytime his slipdisc acts up, he walks slanted to his right. This time he told me it was just inflammation of something at his lower back but he's not walking normally. He can lie about anything but not this coz his posture gives him away.. still, he is more mobile this time than the others, although movements are much slower.
One more day for him to rest, 2 more days to work and he'll be flying off to States on Saturday. Technically speaking, he'll be leaving home for the airport at 11pm Friday night...
I wonder if that SQ plane is using Rolls Royce engines.....I have only one hubby. I need him to return in a full piece.
Please pray with us that he will be comfortable during the near 30hrs flight/transit and for journey mercy. Pray that his purpose there will be met, that his meeting up with those reps from other countries will be fruitful.
Its winter now... How nice...how I miss winter. AN had to rub it in by agreeing: "I don't like Singapore. Singapore always hot and always wet."
Last year this time...we were looking forward to Las Vegas and Pinetop...
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Recovering Trio
Discontinuing Nature's Variety Instinct
Grrrr....
They have grown accustomed to this kibbles and then now we are told distributor won't be bringing this in coz prices will be going up in the States and will affect prices here.
I actually believe most owners will pay the difference if their dogs are doing fine on their current diet, no? Beats having to change and risk food allergy and what nots, isn't it?
If only I hv time to cook for them...we won't hv to worry about changing kibbles...
What now? I'm looking at Canida grainless, or Addiction, or Honest Kitchen? Or back to Azmira again? Sigh...better switch while I still hv food to transit them...
Why discontinue??
Bad things come as a package
ThwMr Liow is better now by the grace of God.
But AN's fever is back! She measured 38.1°c and complained of tummyache. Soon after, she threw up, followed by passing loose stools. Needless to say, the discomfort upset her and she started crying. Thank God after one session each of throwing up and diarrhoea, she seemed better and was her usual self again. We decided to give her fever relief even though the fever wasn't extreme so that she can rest better tonight. So fever us gone too.
Seems to us that it could be a problem with her milk. First time it happened, she threw up in the car to Universal Studio 2 Fridays ago. We thought it could be indigestion.
Last Sat at Valen's baby shower, she threw up again. What else but suspect indigestion again coz she was well both times?
And this evening too...
She has milk every morning but it occurred only these 3 days..we're suspecting but I can't be sure.
The last 2 times might also be due to something she caught at Kinderclinic last Thurs for ER's jab for all we know.
I'm going to call Abbott up to ask if there had been reported cases of similar incidents from this particular batch of Pediasure. In the meantime, no milk for her.
Next up ER. He had been fussing in his sleep since last night, stopping only if I carried and walked him about...oh my goodness...MIL carried him THE WHOLE AFTERNOON because she thinks he's sleepy but wasn't able to sleep and even after he fell asleep, she'd still be carrying him. We asked her to put him back to rocker after he fell asleep but she wanted him to fall into deeper sleep before putting him back.
He kept waking up and she kept walking him about to make him sleep. His eyes were wide and alert a few times when she commented that he looked tired...
Sure hope he's not preferring me to walk him to sleep or be his human mattress...
It could also be due to overstimulation coz we had guests last evening.
Another suspect would be his belly button. It's still moist after 2 months now. dr Lim said he would get us cream for that but we didn't hv it. It slipped my mind til next morning and I keep forgetting til now...
Both kids took turns to crank up just now. It was ..... beyond description...Thank God Mr Liow was able to help with comforting one while I comfort the other, else I'll go crazy...
So thankful the kids are asleep now.
I pray that Mr Liow will TOTALLY recover tomorrow, that AN's fever will not come back even without medicating her, that she will not throw up or have diarrhoea again tomorrow. Praying also that the infant ER will be spared of infections at the belly button or catch anything nasty from his sister. Also, I can't fall sick so that I can care for all of them...please pray with us for recovery for the youngs and old ya?
What a day...one is enough!
Monday, November 29, 2010
Something serious
The numbing pain at Mr Liow's hips could be something serious according to the doctor he saw.
I remembered the A & E doc he saw at CGH many years ago mentioned the same thing: pain is good indication of working nerves. If it's numbness it may have gotten worse...
I'm worried :( he's on his way to A & E again for x ray. Pray that he'll be fine, or at least for the slipdisc to not,have gotten worse :(
Sunday, November 28, 2010
A Weekend that Slipped By!
AN's fever lasted till before she slept and we were praying that she would recover soon.
Took her temperature throughout the night and saw her getting better. She was 37.5°c when she woke up this morning and by the time Mr Liow came back with breakfast, she was back to normal at 36.5°c. No signs of other sickness. Have no idea what that was but thank God she's well again.
Ah girl brought Paul over for a visit. It's our first time meeting him and I like him. He's a very pleasant young man, very likeable and decent. Girl, I'm so happy for both of you :)
We had a good time chatting and I realised I missed having ah girl drop by often to keep me company. Hehe. Missed those days when she would come and I'd tell her stories at night before I got married, missed her dropping by after school or during long lunch breaks. She's grown up and dating now. In no time, she'll be busy with her own family... Then it's going to be AN's turn...
With packed activities for this week (it could have been even more packed. There was another bb shower this afternoon that we gave a miss to avoid bringing AN out), I am starting to miss Mr Liow.
All 4 of us slept in the same room on both Fri and Sat night. Mr Liow slept on the floor on AN and my mattress. I always enjoy squeezing together in the same room with people I love. Reminds me of Andy and I sleeping with our parents in the same room when we were young. And when ah girl came, we all slept together. I like the feeling of togetherness.
But sleeping together means someone has to sacrifice due to lack of bed space. Mr Liow is feeling some numbing kind of pain at his left buttocks/hip area. I'm praying its not going to spark off his slipdisc problem again. He has a long flight on Sat..pray that he'll recover fully by then.
I love you dear. Having you at home makes 'work' feel easier and I'm happier. And just thinking of your absence makes me miss you already :(
Saturday, November 27, 2010
AN having fever
She's running fever of 38.8°c. Have no idea why! She behaving normal and even body warmth felt normal. She did throw up at Valen's baby bash which we suspected was due to indigestion.
Well monitor her to see what's wrong :(
Imagination on a higher level
AN was 'consulting Dr Liow' one evening.
AN: "Dr Liow! Can you check me?"
Daddy: ".....(talking on the phone regarding work)....."
AN: "Dr Liow..Dr Liow!!"
No reponse from daddy.
AN: "haiya...this doctor doesn't wasn't to talk to me. I better change another doctor..."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
AN is a doctor this time, and I'm patient.
AN: "Tell me you are sick."
Me: "em...ok. I'm sick."
AN: "ok. I check you."
Full body checkup with stethoscope.
AN: "you are very sick. Super duper sick!"
Me: "oh no...am I going to die?"
AN looked sad and replied promptly: "no you won't die."
Me: "but I'm super duper sick. I'm dying. Its death painful?"
AN on the verge of tears: "no you won't die!"
I was about to ask again when she raised her voice and told me again : "you will not die. And I don't want you to say that word again."
Me: "which word?"
AN getting frustrated: "die! You won't die!"
Hahahaha! So fun to irritate a 3 yrs old for once.
Friday, November 26, 2010
At Kinderclinic
Birth Extract Delivery
Remember I complained about getting engaged tones from ica hotline?
Mr Liow called and got them at his very first attempt.
-______-"
He was given an RR number by ICA staff but when he called Singpost to check, this RR number was for an article to be sent to Toa Payoh, not Fernvale!
He called in a second time and was given this same number.
We are talking about identification here and they are so mixed up? I wondered if it was AN's birth extract that was sent to the Toa Payoh because they gave us the RR number based on the application reference number I got from them after applying online...
They finally found us the right RR number (I sure hope that's the right one). We'll know after the birth extract comes by tomorrow.
Thursday, November 25, 2010
6 in 1 jab
ER got his 2nd month vaccination today, finally. Mr Liow had something important on Tuesday so he wasn't able to take leave. Told him if he still is unable to take leave by today, I'll just hv to make my way there with my mum, if she was free. And she was, coz she bought me a pail that dries mops well without needing me to possess strength of a weight lifter, and brought it to our plc. Hee.
Anyway, we didn't get to see Dr Tan. He was super duper fully booked. In fact, Kinderclinic was so busy that we waited 2 hrs to see Dr Lim instead. He's another nice doctor but Dr Tan is one rare PD practically gifted with the power of healing.
ER as compared to AN, was less receptive of the jab on his thigh. AN was as Dr Tan predicted 3.5yrs ago: " she'll cry for 5 secs and then stop." ER did not stop after 5 secs. Dr Lim thought he might also be uncomfy coz his diapers was soiled.
AN was braver... :)
Then came our questions regarding some worries:
1) Weight Loss
Dr Lim said weight loss is unlikely. ER is 5.4kg today, 58cm long and with head circumference of 38cm. He's above average on the chart and I noticed Dr Lim making a mark at the 75 percentile! He said ER had been getting powerful milk and is growing very well. Its near impossible for him to be 5.6kg 2 weeks ago. I feel more assured.
2) White stains on tongue
It's either milk stains or thrush. Thrush is fungal infection and if he's having thrush, it won't just be on his tongue (it'd also be on his gums, inner cheeks etc), and it won't be removable. I did see white spots on ER's gums. Dr looked and confirmed its harmless milk stains that should go away by themselves. The white spots on his gums are calcium buildups and harmless.
I now know why both our mums kept warning us that ER will not feed well if the whitish stains on tongue gets thicker. It's Thrush they were talking about but they didn't know it's a different thing altogether.
3) Jaundice
Cleared! Thank God!!
After seeing the Dr, we went to visit Karen who had given birth yesterday at Mt A too. She looks good and baby Ash too. So dainty...I like little girls...hee.
Had a late lunch and AN was so sleepy she slept thru lunch. Finally settled the CDA thingy. Its going to,take another 2 weeks for them to send necessary documents to us.
ER seems drowsy. Does any of the 6 in 1 jab contain anything that cause drowsiness? He feels a little warm to touch. We are praying hard against fever from the jab. AN never had to suffer fever after jabs and we pray ER will be spared too.
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
Home alone from 4th - 13th December
Frustration Part 2
Mum took AN out and I thought I hv time to finally settle some payments online. Safari on the iMac doesn't allow viewing of certain pages (missing something) so when I clicked send, I was shown some error code...duh..I'm no programmer. Speak no computer language leh...sigh...
Downloaded IE for MAC but it simply freezes at random pages. Used to work on the laptop when I paid with IE as my browser coz Firefox also didn't work when I had to make certain online payments.
Desperate, I returned to Safari again...this time paying through the bank's website instead of operator's. I prefer paying through operator coz I could monitor status, not through bank.
Took me hours to download, wait, install, wait, pay and wait again...
Then, AN came back. She's got lots to tell me about Strawberry Shortcake at the performance mum took her to, but I was too occupied to listen. I had to file those invoices that had been paid, and leave those that I've not paid somewhere within sight so that I don't forget.
Then ER cried. Time for milk. I went outside to get him and saw pee stains...sigh...I just mopped the floor before going into the room. Why didn't they pee before I mopped? They had from morning till 2.30pm. And it was s if in revenge coz there wasn't just 2 puddles of pee. The whole paper area was soaked in pee. It's no wonder how they stepped on pee before walking out and about...felt like crying....I JUST MOPPED THE FLOOR!!!
Clothes are still in washing machine waiting to be hung up. Thank God mum had already helped me bring down and fold the previous batch.
This is one of those days when all things happen at the same time, causing me to feel busy to the point of frustration...
Infants are Cute! (ER's growth updates)
Can't help but think ER is cute. Hee. He's been cooing a lot more lately and maintains eye contact while doing that, like he's holding a proper conversation.
I like how he coyly blinks his eyes, sometimes looking away shyly, sometimes widening them as if he was surprised.
He's still wide awake as I'm writing this post, suckling while lying beside me (we've managed to maintain this position for the past week. No spitting up due to nursing this way). He's looking up at me while nursing, and chatting with me at the same time. He doesn't have big eyes but they sure look bigger when he gazes upwards...and that face... So cute. Hee.
He returns our smile too. Put our faces nearer to him and smile, he does the same back, sometimes.
I had been envious of Joan coz Darius is a daddy's boy. He wants daddy most times. Seems like ER is also showing signs too. YEAH! Whenever he's unpacifiable by me, most times after he's passed to Mr Liow, he either calms down or falls asleep! That is amazing, and its good news, for me at least.
He's been drinking rather little lately. Nurses for short periods of less than 5mins and sleep for 2 hours after that.
No more explosive poop that shoots right into us anymore. I didn't get any although Mr Liow said he still does it.
He's rather smiley, more so than cool AN who hardly smiled when she was a baby.
In short, I really am enjoying the infant stage of life this time round. The first time, I was too preoccupied with logistics and worried excessively over milk supply. Plus the lack of sleep made me wish motherhood was just bad dream that I could wake out of.
I'm still complaining about things that happen day in and out. But I see cuteness in ER, those I overlooked in AN. If only they never grow up, how nice. Hee.
Taking a Break from sleeping alone
AN managed to sleep on her own for slightly less than a week. She started realising that I'd not be with her every time she woke up, so each time I go back to lie with her, she would hug me tight or feel my body to make sure I was beside her and it was not just the pillow. So as not to turn her off the idea of sleeping alone , ER and I have shifted back to sleep with her. We'll try that again maybe next month or later, only after she is able to fall into a deeper sleep.
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Frustration
I'm so frustrated!!!!!
AN's birth cert had survived the US 2 years and we came back with it. Just when we need it now to register her for school, it's missing...
I have already applied for a birth extract and it's been 2 weeks. Not here yet. I found finely torn up pieces of what appeared to be a registered post notification slip (recognised it from the tiny corner...). Thanks to B&M again. I have no idea if it's for the birth extract. Even if it is, I can't arrange for them to deliver it again coz i do not have the RR number.... Of sooooooo many days I'm home, they have to send it when I am NOT home!! WHY??
I went online to find some ways to contact ICA from their website. There is only one number to call and that number's always engaged. No email address to contact them. The only F&Q info about application enquiry says that I have to get my application number and email address ready. I have both, but then what do I do next??? I cant' even get them to check it up!
This is sooooo irritatiing.
ER's baby bonus thing is also rejected due to incompleted form..What's incompleted about the form?? We waited 3 weeks to hear that form was incomplete. And then now, does it mean we have to reapply and wait another 3 weeks??
OMGoodness....I can only do these things when I'm free and I don't have time in front of the PC to do these often....now one thing's missing and i need to redo another. Will Adnroid go faster and allow flash so that I can do these while putting the kids in bed??? I need TECHNOLOGY to be productive!!!
It's soo....freaking....ARGH!!!!~!!!!
Monday, November 22, 2010
Something's not right
What didn't help
Coffee stains on table top that invited ants, spoon still with coffee on it ON THE DRYING RACK, white stains from toothpaste that dripped on reflective surface and mirror that had been left to dry, a screwdriver left on coffee table, some unknown brown and sticky substance on cabinet door....
These do not help.
What helps
AN trying her best to behave, helps.
She finished her milk this morning, had a decent portion of lunch and even got up after drifting into sleep for nap to tell me she had the urge to pee. No doubt after peeing, she's now wide awake and chatty but we'd want her to not pee in her training pants at all, if she can help it.
She got impatient with her toys while playing just now and willingly walked into the naughty corner of our room when asked to. And she accepted her punishment of having the toy confiscated for (another) one day (it got confiscated yesterday for the same reason.. Somehow tool-toys seem to make her lose patience easily, but she doesn't give up just because she didn't get it to work. So, she needs more patience).
It seems to me that AN behaves better when only one other parent or guardian is with her.
Sunday, November 21, 2010
One Bad Day
On some days, 80% of the things AN does brings my blood to boiling point.
Taking forever to finish breakfast (only milk), lunch and dinner (IF SHE FINISHES!), her refusing to submit, her throwing tantrums, and now she even reasons that peeing in her training pants before she falls asleep is ok. She seems to have a thousand and one things in her tiny brain that she brings out each day to bring my blood pressure up.
Is this the beginning of defiance??
Big Mess...
We were out for Isaac's first month bb bash this afternoon and went to meet my family for dinner after that.
It was a long and tiring day and by the time we got home, it was almost 10pm.
The last thing we hoped to see was mess...and being tired, I was hoping the floor will not be too sticky, coz we don't have much energy to mop.
But, not only was the floor sticky (extremely! I was almost sure they peed in the living room and stepped all over the house....), we saw a puddle of pee on the new cushion of our papasan chair...
Well done, Maen.... Well done...
We're finally done with cleaning. Thank God Ethan was not too whiny so we could share duties and get things done soon.
I've soaked the pee area of the cushion. Let's see how many days it'll take for the cushion to dry...
Time now is 12:28am.... I'm tired, physically and mentally...sometimes I wish we don't always have to return home to sticky floors so at least I can choose whether or not I want to mop them when I'm really really tired...
I fear leaving the house now...I fear having more work to do when we return, like today...and with the usual days when Mr Liow thought he would bring me out for a breather.
I was asked twice on separate occasions by different friends if we've considered a domestic helper. I had at some point but we're both nt too keen.
It takes time to train a helper, that is if we are blessed with one who meets our requirements. Good helpers do not come easy, and we don't have time or excess patience to train.
And I see how some kids rely totally on the helper to the extent of nearly behaving crippled (leave empty boxes of raisins on table. Eat and drop food everywhere. Everything must be done by helper, from getting hair blown dry, to having dishes placed on table..and they do not wash their own plates.)
Not all kids with helper behave like that but if mine happen to, I.WILL.DIE. I hate such behaviours but have no remedy for them...not as if I have plenty of time on my hands, or patience, or knowledge on how to bring up perfect kids...
Another one of emo days again...I should just try close my eyes now before ER wakes up for milk, anytime soon....
Friday, November 19, 2010
Boredom
I'm missing the jie jie. For the first time in years, I actually am feeling bored. ER fussed quite a bit this morning and fell asleep for almost 3hrs after that.
With that 3hrs that I had, I felt lonely without the constant yaking from AN ringing in my ears like every other day.
I've finished part of the housework already but am lazy to do the others (like dusting the house , bathing BM, changing bedsheets etc)
Am trying to enjoy boredom! Its not exactly enjoyable but its one chance to feel bored that doesn't happen .
I should just make ER go to sleep soon and then change the sheets. Think they're getting dusty, probably. Mr Liow and I had been sneezing. Kids too.
Ok, shall do that.
I can post pictures
This blogger program on my phone allows me to post pictures when the actual blogger.com tells me I've busted 1G of my given space...
So I'm going to post pictures using this program from now on.
Ice Cream Day
Forgot pictures of my fish n chips & Mr Liow's all time favourite: Rum and Raisins...
A Day of PEACE (beginning with the first 2 hours)
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Letters of the Alphabet
AN notices BM's pee and poop whenever she's doing her own business in the restroom.
Someone peed a letter "O" today. It was lowercase "E" yesterday, and uppercase "T" the day before.
This will be another way to teach ER to recognise letters when his turn comes.
ER lost weight?!
He was 5.6kg 2 weeks ago but when I took his weight just minutes ago, he is only 4.9kg! Did he lose weight? How can that be?
And I noticed his belly button doesn't look dry. I mean, it looks a little scaly with flaking skin and part of the skin around his belly button looked shiny, as if it had been moist. Is it infected? Am going to alcohol wipe the area again...
Oh no :(
Monday, November 15, 2010
No More Long Hair
Trimmed AN's fringe this morning and while I was at it, I decided to trim the rest of her hair as well.
It got shorter, and shorter....My mum will cry when she sees the long hair's gone. My heart ached too. Surprisingly, the little girl said she likes her shorter hair!
Give her another year and half. Hair will grow back. Hee.
"Walk out of the room to look for me"
Among some common behaviours that AN is punished for each day, shouting for me from her room after she wakes up each day is one that I didn't seem to see much improvement in. Shouting develops into screaming tantrums if I do not appear soon.
And patience is something I hv even lesser of these days... Each time she wakes up crying, I'll hv to remind her that we are at home and she can walk out of her room to look for me. If she shouts in the room, I wait for her to walk out. If she starts screaming, she gets punished.
But then right after waking up from a sleep, do I expect myself to immediately regain composure and recall specific instructions? It's not easy.
AN did it, 30 mins ago. I was awake but trying to fall asleep when I heard her through the baby monitor. The moment I opened the door, there she was, sobbing.
She remembered to "walk out of the room to look for me"! Even in the middle of the night, she remembered...
Have I been thinking worse of her than she really is becoming? I thought she's trying to be difficult each day when she starts screaming for me in the room. I thought she's simply being too stubborn to obey...
Wrong...she's trying to remember. She really is.
Judy, she's only 3 years old. Can you wake up and look carefully? She's only 3!
Friday, November 12, 2010
Explain explain and explain
When words go a big round before reaching the ears or eyes of people mentioned, they turn foul, like food.
I tried explaining to keep a friend. If explaining works not, I have totally no idea what I can do anymore. I don't even know what's the magic word to use on my 3yrs old, let alone people I do not live with.
Just how did just a sentence to explain a situation erupt into such big misunderstanding?
Can someone explain to me?
Things have changed
The Story about Sleep
ER had the best rest ever last night! We tucked in around midnight and he did not wake up till 4plus am. After the 4am feed, he rested another 3hrs and woke up at 7plus.
I should be soundly resting too.....BUT...the elder sis did not sleep as well.
She was punished before bed time and did not go to sleep in peace. At 3:13am, I heard her sobbing and asking for me through the baby monitor.
I rushed over to hug her. I had been losing my patience with her very easily lately and with trying times during every meal, she gets it from me too often...And it's often after she's fallen asleep that my guilt attacks me. Why do I always choose to be so harsh with her when my conscience reminds me that I can choose to be gentle...
She hugged me tightly and said sorry before starting to sob. super heartache.... :( I hugged her for a long time till I thought she should have gone back to sleep but the moment I took my hands away, she woke up and pulled my hands back onto herself and firmly held onto me... I've created insecurity in my baby... :(
Didn't think she should continue sleeping alone coz she'd only continue to wake up and find me missing each time, so I took her to sleep in our room fter she remained awake for the next hour (in case ER wakes up needing my attention).
The end.
Thursday, November 11, 2010
"Bu Shi Wo"
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
Sleeping ALONE
It was AN's first night sleeping alone last night and she did it!
I laid down with her till she fell asleep. The baby monitor we used to have beside her when she was a baby, came in handy again.
ER and I slept in the master room with Mr Liow.
The whole night, besides waking up to feed ER every 2 hourly on average, I was also unable to sleep coz I was worried about my girl...I was afraid she would wake up finding herself sleeping all alone in the dark and get frightened.
Thank God there was not a single sound she made at all. The baby monitor didn't catch a single whine. She didn't even budge when I carried a bawling ER to her room for a diaper change. She did find the bedside lamp irritating and covered her eyes with her hands, and then fell asleep again.
ER and I went to sleep with her after Mr Liow went to work. She woke up with us by her side, not realising she survived the night all by herself!
I praised her this morning and told her she slept alone last night. She went:" I don't want to sleep by myself!" Too bad...it did happen.
Am praying that she will survive sleeping alone again tonight.
Monday, November 8, 2010
You don't know, who will know???
Made a request to switch to Smartsurf. It only makes more sense that I get 12G of data for $10 more than pay $88 for the little bit that I use each month. Will take a day for the switch..
Saturday, November 6, 2010
The kids (human and furred)
I've found another way to put pictures on the blog!!
This is going to be time consuming so pictures will be rare now. Will still post because if I lose my memory at any time, I know where I can go back to find myself. hehe.
Thursday, November 4, 2010
sticky eye discharge
ER's left eye is getting increasingly watery and I saw a teeny bit of discharge at the inner corner on that eye.
AN had blocked tear ducts when she was an infant. If he's having the same thing, all I need to do will be to massage the inner corner of that eye and clean both eyes regularly.
Hope this is nothing serious
Milky Business
This is a non profitting business that I'm doing for a 2nd time. Was super tough the 1st time but I was able to nurse AN all the way till now.
And I'm a confident human equivalent of a cow, believing I have LOTS of milk.
With AN, I came to a point where a 150mls storage bag wasn't enough to store what I was producing at each pump. I needed 2 bags each time, and the freezer filled up with bags of milk, faster than AN could finish. Even with BM helping to 'clear stock', I still had problems with space to store the excess.
So, this time, after more than a month later, I'm starting to pump and store again. And the confident moo moo cow in me got a shock of my life.... I could hardly hit 100mls after trying my very best!
Near 100mls last evening and only 80mls half an hour ago. What happened to my '150mls and more', and 'past-midnight shift' supply??
Uh-oh...
But I do remember overdoing it the first time. Was worried I might not have enough for the then baby AN, so whenever I wasn't nursing her, I was pumping. So my body kept producing.
My supply at this stage is either stuck at the 'norm' range, a month into the life of my infant, or my lack of pumping did play a part in the lower amount of milk this time.
Maybe it's just normal that I will not produce too much more than what my infant can drink, whether or not my 'machine' is seasoned. Even Mr Liow's cousin (whose baby is 9 days younger than ER), is already producing 100mls at night!
I do know I'm comfortable now at night time though, unlike my first time, when the b....ts feel full, hard and painful. I had to pump frequently to relieve myself of the pain. Its a (vicious) cycle: pump to relief pain but body produced more to top up.
So, to 1st time mummies who intend to nurse or have just started, trust that your body can give what your baby needs. Don't give in to thoughts or comments, telling you that you have no milk. Just keep feeding and pumping. If you ever have to get into a (vicious) cycle of anything, this is probably one worth getting into.
But of course, if nursing turns into a chore or gets overly stressful, it's probably time to consider giving formula. Being able to enjoy motherhood is more important than getting all stressed up about feeding baby. Formula milk these days contain all the goody stuff to make healthy and smart babies too.
As for me now, I'm stocking up, without regards for how much I produce. I need to build up my milk bank so ER has enough to drink when jobs start coming (hopefully not too long after).
Oh, and this time I feel hungry all the time! I have my 3 regular meals and am constantly snacking (on nuts, crackers, chocolates) in between! And I'll feel so hungry before bedtime I'll not be able to fall asleep until I have something to eat....sob....how am I supposed to lose weight like this?
I felt thirsty very often the first time. This should explain ER's built vs AN's.
Anyway, I'll update on whether or not my supply increases over time as I go along. Hee.
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
Mr Liow misses our past 2 years
No more space??
I've run out of my 1GB space and can no longer upload pictures on the blog!! huh??? This blog is going to be pictureless from now on...I will probably do up another blog ... like .... give me another 3 more years to get it up and going.
Huh....why like that???