Month 1 Week 2: Growth spurts?

B is finally napping after what feels like an eternity!  He's been feeding almost every 2 hours or less since last evening.  Argh.  Our next weigh in is not till early Jan, but his 6 weeks photos reassure me that it's not just my hands getting tired from carrying him around, he IS getting chubbier!

Month 1 Week 1: My amazing new job

At work, we just launched our last campaign of the year "The Amazing Everyday." While I've missed the team and our hive of activity, everyday has also been amazing in my new job at home aka motherhood.  The past few weeks have been quite a blur but my live-in helper and (virtually live-in) parents have helped transform many potentially difficult and dreary days into simple yet amazing ones.

Mommy lessons:

1. Happy mom = happy baby. Don't forget to take care of yourself! Nap whenever he does. Leave him with other helpful hands in between those marathon feeding sessions or let him cry just a tad longer so you can take a quick snack, shower or face scrub    
2. The 5 S system. Forget the 6Ms and 4Ps from biz school, learn how to calm a crying baby by simulating the womb environment via Swaddling, lying on his Side (left) or Stomach, Shushing sounds, Swinging and Sucking 
3. Breast is best BUT it comes with lots of blood, sweat and tears (plus round the clock nursing and pumping sessions)!  Don't let the "breastfeeding nazis" guilt you into thinking you're a bad mom if things go awry or you need the occasional relief bottle from being a lean mean milk machine

Baby milestones:

1. Just when we thought we cracked his cries, he added baby talk sounds like the pre-poop "aaaah" whimper.  And speaking of poop, the oil-on-cottonbud-up-the-ass trick works to help get all that "curried yogurt" flowing ;P
2. Who's your mommy? He distinguishes sounds and scents, tracks with his eyes, and (mostly!) calms down now when we bathe him or change diapers 
3. Tummy time progress! He lifts his wee head and turns side to side on his own.  It tires him out though esp. as his head seems to have grown faster than the body (newborns develop top down). Over time, as he gains strength and practice, this should get easier ... and fun!

Month 0 Week 2: This pretty much sums it up

There's no escape. I live and dream this too lately!

Thanksgiving (and my birthday present!) came early

Week 39 is here and guess what? It's baby's Day 1! B arrived at 6:15am, November 13 2011 on a glorious Sunday morning. Measuring 3.15 kg weight, 53 cm length and 36.5 cm head circumference (that's 7 lbs, 21 inches, 14 inches for you Americans!), he's a beautiful long limbed, big headed baby boy :).

It's our last night (of peace) at the hospital and I'm taking this opportunity to update this blog while hubby rocks our just-breastfed-now-drowsy babe to sleep.

What a past 48 hours it's been--

Saturday, Nov 12:
930a - Mucus plug passed. The bloody show is here! Spotting throughout the morning.
11a - At our regular CTG scan, doc says "labour is imminent"
3-6p - Contractions increase in frequency and intensity, going from 20 mins apart to regular 5-1-1 (5 mins apart, lasting just about 1 min for 1 hour)
630p - After holding out as long as we can at home, we check in at the hospital delivery suite
7p - CTG scan confirms cervix is fully effaced, 3cm dilated, regular contractions every 4 mins
730p - Doc is informed and advises no dinner for me, only one hot drink aka Milo (note to self: EAT before going in next time!) before running an enema
10p - After 7 hours of contractions, I wimped out and asked for an epidural (in hindsight, this was a blessing, as my active labour lasted for a loooooong time)
1030p - Epidural hooked up. Why didn't I take this sooner?!
1110p - Doc breaks my water bag and finds some meconium staining.
1115p - Syntocinin (oxytocin) drip prescribed to help the contractions along just in case the baby is in distress due to the meconium

Sunday, Nov 13:
12-4a - I slooowly progress to the transition phase. Numbness sets in below my hips. Pheew. Meanwhile, hubby checks up on the pending Michigan-Illinois college football game
430a - 9 cm dilated. Almost there, nurses adjust the epidural and oxytocin levels so that I can feel more in preparation to start pushing
530a - Push! Push! Push! Phase 2 delivery starts
610a - Head is visible. Doc comes in with forceps to help get his (big!) head through
615a - He's here. Tears. Cries. Shaking. WOW.

Mom got stitched up. Babe got sent to the ICU for a few hours observation. Hubby chats with the pediatrician. Everything since has been one amazing ride.

Thank you all for the love and support. Let the (REAL) journey begin!

PS Do check my Facebook account for photos as I've removed them from the blog to maintain privacy.