Time flies when you have your little one...

I can't believe that Kendrick is already 3 weeks old and next week, we will be celebrating his first month! So far, each day has settled into some sort of routine. In the mornings, his feed at around 6am plus would more or less wake me up for the day already. After that feed, he would either nap for a short while or remain awake for his morning walk downstairs to get some sun. I really hope that Kendrick's jaundice is improving, though I still see some yellow tinge on his face. Wonder what else can I do! Besides giving him water, sunshine and hopefully the right way of breastfeeding, I really do not know what else can be done. Can only pray that the jaundice will not remain that long...sigh.

Anyway, spending lots of time with Kendrick has sort of given me more confidence in looking after him and at this stage. I enjoy the moments when he is awake and looking around curiously at the world around him. I think he can sort of recognise my voice or face. There are times whenever I call him and smile and laugh, he will respond with a smile in return. That feels really sweet :) Of course, he has his 'pattern' too. Whenever he is hungry, he starts making this 'eh eh' sound as a start. But as he gets more agitated and impatient, it leads to a cry and his feet will be like stomping frantically, while his hands wave about. Very funny scene and I can't help wondering if all babies behave in a similar manner?? Or is it that my boy is the impatient sort! His rooting action towards the breast whenever he is hungry is also pretty amusing...coz even when his Dad carries him, sometimes he does that!!

Ok, here's some of the latest photos of Kendrick...

Follow-up checkup with PD

This morning I brought Kendrick to Mt. A for the follow-up checkup with the PD for his jaundice. Thankfully, the doctor checked and told us that he's quite ok, jaundice level is not that serious already. Just need to sun-bathe him a bit each day. Quite a relief as I certainly do not wish for Kendrick to be admitted to stay in hospital again! So these couple of days, his Ah Gong will help bring him down in the morning for some sunshine!

Anyway, I also wanted to comment that I am feeling the toll of the night feedings. Kendrick somehow stays awake more at night and as a result, also wants more frequent feedings that are about 1.5 hours apart. Of course, I'm still learning and adjusting to this little boy, but sometimes, you just feel like giving in and perhaps consider other options like feeding formula milk or expressing the breast milk for bottle feeding so that I don't have to physically latch him on. But on the other hand, I want to latch him on and it also helps in getting my breast milk supply going. I'm trying to keep to this total breastfeeding routine as much as possible for his first month at least, before assessing the situation again. The PD I saw this morning was also telling me that babies do go through this day-night reversal symptom, resulting in them sleeping a lot in the day and staying awake at night. It should slowly change with 2 to 3 weeks. I certainly hope so!! Also, his frequent feeds could partly be a pacifying latch on for him rather than a really hungry drink. But if I don't feed him, he will keep crying and he has his 'mouthing' action to indicate so. Gosh...it's quite tricky to handle and look after babies at night indeed!

Thanks for some encouragement there Tracy. I guess I will still try my best to 'jia you' for the sake of the baby....a mummy's sacrifice indeed....

Kendrick comes home!

This morning we were informed by the nurse at Mt. A that the doctor has checked on Kendrick this morning and his jaundice level had gone down to 9.8, so we could bring him home already. Really thankful for that, so off we went to bring him home. So far these 2 days, Dear and I have made about 3 trips down to check on him and breastfeed him. Once on Friday evening and twice on Saturday. I suppose some people may say that during confinement, I should just stay at home and rest, but seriously, I could not stick to that totally. I felt that it was pretty essential that we go have a look at him and try to continue latching him on. Even seeing him for a short while felt very good.

Of course, with him being not around, I got to rest a bit more these 2 days...more peaceful sleep that is! But with him coming home, it was such a happy feeling again. We bathed him when he got home and this time, he opened both his eyes to observe us after his shower :) So cute..hehe.. And this time, me, Dear and my mother-in-law all caught him smile for a short while! :)

Here's a picture of him where we managed to catch him smiling after we cleaned up his poo poo!

Kendrick has jaundice

We went for the first paediatric check-up this morning at Mt. Alvernia hospital. It was quite interesting as it was the first mini-outing for Dear and myself and Kendrick. He was pretty well-behaved in the car, but at the hospital, Kendrick ended up crying quite a bit. He was still hungry as it turned out. Anyway, they did a weight check and head circumference check, plus a blood test to check for jaundice. While waiting for the test results, I took the opportunity to breastfeed him. Then we had to see the doctor and was informed that his jaundice was a bit on the high side at 17.9. As such, the doctor recommended that Kendrick be admitted to hospital immediately for the ultraviolet light treatment. It was going to last 48 hours. I guess I was half-prepared to hear this, so quite at a loss of what to do.

We admitted him anyway and the nurse gave me the opportunity to breastfeed him one more time before we left. As I did this, somehow Kendrick was awake and he actually opened his eyes quite wide to look up at me for quite a bit. I was totally swooned by it...and to make things worse, it was also the first time I spotted a little smile that he suddenly showed out of the blue for a split second!! I cried there and then....I guess I was feeling a little overwhelmed by the fact that we would have to leave him there for 2 nights and that I can't really be there to breastfeed him all the time. It was quite necessary to add a bit of formula supplements unless I could actually pump out so much milk for him. After some time, we left Kendrick to go under the 'light' and went home. Along the way home, could not forget the scene about catching the small smile from my son. I never knew I could feel so touched by a little action like this and so was telling Dear about it.

In the evening, after our dinner, we took the chance to go back to the hospital to do a check on him and try to give him a breastfeeding. Unfortunately, he was way too sleepy and could not really keep awake to drink much. But at least he did suckle a bit. Probably too full from the 2 rounds of formula he had already taken. Nevertheless, seeing him again melted my heart. Suddenly he looked a bit different after not seeing him for a couple of hours. Haha... Well, we decided to go back there again tomorrow morning and probably again in the evening or late afternoon. Just praying that his jaundice level will go down quickly... can't wait to carry him in my arms again!

Spending time with Kendrick

We were discharged from hospital on 9 Jan and back at home, it was certainly a whole new experience looking after little Kendrick. The breastfeeding part was of course tiring, having to do so on demand, even through the night. I didn't sleep too well in the hospital the previous 2 nights, so was glad to be home. But even then, the excitement and new feelings somehow kept me going, even though I think I really had a lack of sleep. At this point, Kendrick still have not opened his eyes fully. But by 10 Jan, he did so and we were all so excited observing all his little movements and changes. His Papa also carried and soothed him on quite a few occasions too. So every day feels like a new experience.

Anyway, here's some photos to share with you....

When Kendrick was first pushed to my hospital ward...still not totally cleaned up yet

Carrying Kendrick up close

Sleeping peacefully when he was first back at our home

Opening both his eyes for the first time and gazing up at all of us as we watch him!

Peaceful sleeping again...took us really long to wake him up for his first shower

After shower, observing the world again

Papa carrying Kendrick

Welcome to the world!

My little baby boy, Kendrick Tan, came to the world on 7 Jan 2008 at 0729 hours! He weighed 3.55kg at birth and was about 51cm long. The whole labour and delivery process was such an experience...but I'll probably share it another time. Now, I've been really busy trying to meet the demands of my little one through breastfeeding! Much as it is very tiring, but the bonding process is truly enjoyable and wonderful :)

I think I'm feeling the onset of labour....

I mentioned in my earlier blog entry that I seem to be getting some form of cramps today...but guess what, from afternoon till late afternoon onwards, and especially in the evening, the menstral like cramp feeling have been pretty regular! Every 5-10 min, I could feel the pain that seemed to last between 15-30sec. When having dinner with my whole big family to celebrate my 2 cousins' birthday, the pain still existed. Could not really enjoy the meal as a result. Back at home, I checked and noticed some dark brown discharge that came slightly.

Quickly called Dr. Goh to find out whether if I should consider admitting to hospital already. He advised that unless there is bleeding together with the regular contractions, then I should go to the hospital. Otherwise, I should see him tomorrow morning. This is so surreal! Can't believe that our baby may just be delivered tomorrow or even the day after tomorrow possibly!

Back at home, Dear and I have packed up our bags ready to go to the hospital anytime. He's taking urgent leave tomorrow while I told my boss that I may start my maternity leave tomorrow already. To be honest, at this stage, I realise that it is very likely that I will take an epidural jab. This beginning cramps can be quite a pain, though I'm still able to tolerate them. If it's any more intense, I'm really not sure how I will be able to handle it...

Gosh...still can't really believe this is really happening!!

39 weeks

Went to see Dr. Goh again on Saturday morning and this week, I gained only about 100g, now at 67kg. Told the doc about the occasional cramps I experienced this week, but he noted that it was not regular, so not likely to be contractions. He did the ultrasound scan again and this time it showed that baby is engaged already. According to Dr Goh, his head is lower again, so it's considered around 2/3 engaged or something. At this stage, he said any weight estimation would not be very accurate, so I'm still guessing that baby may end up around 3.1-3.2kg ultimately. Water bag fluid still seems adequate and heartbeat still going strong. So again, it's back to the waiting game! If nothing happens again this week, we would have to go back to see him on 11 Jan. We were also asking Dr. Goh when was the latest that baby could be due and he did mention that even 1 week after the EDD was possible. But we certainly hope it's not that long actually!

Anyway, then on Sunday early morning, I started to feel some cramp like feeling again from 6am onwards till about 8plus. When I finally did wake up, I went to poo poo and saw a very slight tinge of blood. That got me a little nervous and it might mean the 'show' could be dislodged in time! However, so far on further observation, there was no more blood, so again, feel a little uncertain about what it could mean. I guess I can only take each day as it comes now and pray that I will be able to handle the labour process! To be honest, as I read more and more articles on labour and delivery, it all feels so scary! But yet, so many women have gone through it before, so I have to believe that I can as well....just hope to cope by the time it happens...

Baby..when do you want to be born??!

Experiencing some cramps

I started to experience some cramps on 1 Jan 08...it started in the evening around 8plus and was about 15 min apart. It then stopped and I felt some nagging acute pain again around my uterus area at around 11pm or so at night. It lasted quite long actually, so really had no idea what was it. Had to lie down to feel better. Though the pain was there for a while, I still managed to fall asleep after some time. I guess it eventually went away as I was able to sleep through the night.

Then today at work, I experienced a little bit of minor cramp at around lunch time. I guess it affected my appetite a bit, but after a while, the pain was gone again. I really wonder at this point whether has baby engaged already?! Is this why I'm feeling this cramp like feeling irregularly? I had to look through my antenatal class notes to re-cap the signs of labour. Ha Ha... I don't think I'm there yet, but it could just be an indication of more to come..... Oooh...counting down!