September 28, 2012

My List of Important Things

So, after 2 months, these are the things that I consider "important" and they have made my life better (apart from those basic stuff):

1. The big net bouncer
2. MobyWrap (the sling)

3. Bottle warmer
4. Gina Yong's "Got Breast Milk?"


5. Bath Stand

The Breastfeeding Journey Continues...

Caedy is 2mo today. I thank God how I have pulled through and am still breastfeeding her exclusively.

Even tho breastfeeding her has been an amazing journey (I love the intimacy we have when I'm nursing her), but I, too, have moments of weakness. There are times I feel like giving up, especially when I'm physically tired. But thinking of the health benefits of breastfeeding (and btw, the book "Brain Rules for Kids" says that one of the brain boosters for kids is to breastfeed for a year), I chose not to give up.

There are many websites and groups that support breastfeeding and you can find useful info to keep you keeping on:
1. FB group - The Breastfeeding Advocates Network
2. kellymom.com
3. breastfeeding.com
4. mother-2-mother.com

I believe there are many more, but I often refer to no.1 and no.2.

She has been growing healthily, at 2mo, she's now 5.1kg and at night she'll sleep for 3-4.5 hours, sometimes less, before waking up to drink again.

Love my chitty chatty darling daughter :)

September 11, 2012

TO CARRY OR NOT TO CARRY

There's this term called CIO, stands for crying it out, that is popular among parents. Basically it's like a training for the baby to sleep on her own; cry it out then sleep. Moms and dads won't carry the baby to sleep.

Caedy has been quite cranky and demand to be carried at around 7-11pm, oh btw I have to walk around while carrying her. That's also the time I need to settle Keira (dinner, shower, change, homework, play, story time, etc). So I'm trying this CIO method for the first time last night.

I let Caedy cry for about 15-20mins. She didn't stop at all, I talked to her and pat her, but no carrying. She continued crying, so I checked her diaper. At the end she managed to sleep before 10pm. She then woke up at around 1am, fed her and then she slept on her own. But at 3am, she woke up screaming. Tummy had gas!! I suspected it was due to excessive crying. So I carried her for a while, walked around while giving pressure on her tummy, rubbed some oil, and there was an explosive gas + poo after that... Phew... then nursed her and she slept back...

It wasn't as smooth as I wanted. It was tough actually. But for long time advantage for everyone... I think I just have to do it. I can't wait til she's older so that she can at least show me different expression. I need to see her smile back at me, to assure me that she's a happy baby. But for now, I think I just gotta bear with it...



So here's for all mommies n daddies that have gone thru or going thru or will go thru this phase! It's all gonna pass soon, so just cherish this moment :)

September 05, 2012

Journey of Mothering Two

It's been few nights... Got Keira ready for bed at 9pm but she refused to sleep until 11++pm. That's also the time when Caedy got cranky and wanted me to carry. And in between those 2+ hours, Keira would want to go toilet for like 10x, I'm not kidding. I got angry with her almost every night. Never failed to threaten her that I'd take out cane if she didn't stop whining, I'd beat if she couldn't stop talking/singing/screaming/playing... last night I told myself that "OK... I'm not gonna scold her tonight!". But I think you can guess exactly what I did... I scolded her, yet again.

After the both of them slept, which was around 12am, I was doing my devotion with this wonderful book by Dr James Dobson. I cried so badly. I knew parenting requires sacrifice and patience, but I was so disappointed at myself. Then I think of the time, probably few years down the road, when the kids grow up, when the house is quiet... I'll miss their screaming, their cheeky, playful, annoying and unending demands... I fast forwarded my life to the time where they will leave for college somewhere else, what would I want to change (in my parenting) if I were to live this moment all over again... I told myself I'd stop scolding and yelling at Keira for petty little things, the small things that so easily got on my nerves. I'd carry Caedy when she was crying because she hadn't mastered the self-soothing skill. I'd interpret the situations from their perspectives.

I said sorry to God, I said sorry to them while they were sleeping, I said sorry to myself for failing...
I'll try again tonight. Try to be a better mom.