Antibodies

I watched as the loaded syringe penetrated into my little boy’s skin. He winced and let out a painful cry. Why does science have to torture this innocent soul this early in life?

 

 

Isn’t it the same way we feel sometimes when we have to go painful experiences?

However, just as the vaccines help the body produce antibodies that increase our immunity, so do stormy experiences strengthen us and teach us patience, endurance, never to give up, and above all, build our life immunity.

So, when next you have to take a vaccine of life, endure the pain, it’s only for a little while, and then a stronger you resurfaces.

Rocking my baby to sleep.

Cheers

The little bump

Off he goes… my little baby has found strength in his legs and can’t seem to stop exploring every room in the house. Gone are the days when he could sit still as I watched my favourite soap opera.. now my heart beats every time he walks away hoping his feet make a good landing and not his head. On that fateful day, I got carried away, and suddenly i heard a loud thud and a cry! The day I dreaded had come and I felt so guilty. How could I have left him alone? Was he hurt? Should I call 911? My heart sank as I picked him up and consoled him. I checked to make sure everything was fine and got so fidgety doing it. After a few seconds, he smiled and trotted away again. I heaved a sigh of relief and thanked God he was okay. There will be times, as a nursing parent, that you don’t have everything figured out. Don’t panic.. do the best you can and get help when you can. It’ll turn out good in the end. Ciao!

Sleepless Nights..Aaarrrgh!!

Like every working mum, I look forward to going home and cuddling my little one whose smile melts away the stress of the day.

Oh, there are other times when the smile turns into long moments of tears due to a discomfort called “common cold”.

I hold my baby in my arms wishing I could take the cold away with the wave of a magic wand but I’ve been told “It has to run its course”.

So, here I am, another sleepless night, watching over my little one. Every day gets better, thanks to great advice and home remedies such as saline drops, vicks balm, eucalyptus oil…the list is endless, lol.

As a new mum, whenever you have these moments, may you find the strength to see it through. Lean on other experienced mums for advice, do the best you can and be comforted knowing it will soon pass and that charming smile will be back.

Off to bed now!

The Extra Luggage – Part II

Ok, so it’s officially 6 months ago when I decided it’s time to start getting back into shape. You see, I had much fun with my cravings and after having my baby, 15kg stuck so tightly to me and wouldn’t say goodbye.

After a couple of months, I made up my mind to lose 1 kg per month by forming good habits like more fruits, less soda, more movements etc, nothing drastic. It’s enough to have the stress of taking care of a new baby and getting back to work.

Standing on the scale today, I am happy to say I have lost 11 kg and dropped 3 sizes and I’m better for it.

If you’re in my shoes, Don’t give up!

Every day you keep up that good habit brings you closer to a healthier, lighter, happier you!!

Watch out for Part III when i hit my target:) for now, baby duty calls.

Cheers!!

Something white

As he smiled, I spotted the little white tooth popping out of his gum; the third of many more to come.

When is it a good time to start brushing your baby’s teeth?

It’s been advised to start as soon as the first tooth shows up as it may take a while before all the first 20 milk teeth take their places.

ACTION STEPS:
1. To clean your baby’s teeth, you can start by cotton balls, add a little tiny bit of low fluoride toothpaste and move your fingers across the teeth and gums as gently as you can. DO this twice daily and your baby’s dental hygiene is on track.

2. If you prefer a toothbrush, check out the soft bristle toothbrushes recommended for babies but remember to be gentle. If your baby is fussy about it, try brushing your teeth in front of her, making cute faces that’ll make her smile. Also, you can give her the toothbrush to play with and she’ll figure it out in no time.

Happy Cleaning!

Phew!!!

Waow.. it’s been like forever since the last time I wrote a few notes. I never imagined getting back to work and juggling work, family, ministry and the little one would be so time consuming- it’s like I’m constantly on the move.

However, these last few months have been easier with the help of my support system: my loving husband, my beck-and-call sister and caring friends around me.

 

TIPS: Never think letting everyone know you’re not a “superwoman” diminishes who you are. you might be surprised how many people are willing to help but you never asked. When people are around:

1. Leverage them to get some errands done or allow them baby sit. No one can resist cuddling a baby for a few minutes.

2. If you’re tired and need to take a nap, say so and go do it without feeling ashamed. Everyone would understand you’re a nursing mother.

See you sooner than you think.

Dimples

I’ve always had a dimple on one cheek..odd, right?

When my baby was born without dimples, I felt sad ‘cos I really like the way a dimple shapes the cheek. Now, he’s 3 months going to 4 months and the dimples are beginning to appear..Yippeee

I love watching my baby giggle out loud..it’s like rain on a hot summer day.

Do you have dimples? I love them.

ACTION STEPS:
Having a cheerful baby brings some relief through the stress of the day. Visitors and strangers would also like to play with your baby. So:

1. Maintain an atmosphere of calmness around your baby. Even when your baby fusses, don’t take it out on her.
2. Keeping music close by spreads harmony and your baby would love the lovely tunes.
3. Smile! It’ll cost you nothing. The more you smile at your baby, the more likely she’ll smile back (except when she’s really hungry)

The Extra Luggage

So, it’s official!! I gained 15kg during my pregnancy and it seems to have stuck even after having my baby.

Some people say the weight looks good on me but I don’t agree. I feel heavier and determined to shed some of it at least

It’s taken me some time to embrace my new curves and appreciate myself even if I want to lose the extra luggage and now, I have come to realize that my worrying about it everyday only adds  to the stress of being a new mum and doesn’t help me nor the baby.

So, starting today, I have decided to act on it. I will take it one day at a time. I will do what I know to do and seek support from my family and a nearby gym to help me get back to a reasonable weight that suits my body framework. My journey begins….

ACTION STEP: Are you a new mum also adjusting to your new weight? Don’t be so obsessed about returning to a size 0 in 6 weeks as you see on TV. It’s mostly not true for every woman. Start with baby steps till you get into a rhythm. A few tips:

1. Move around: Take a walk, an evening stroll and stretch your muscles. If you can’t leave the house, use free exercise videos on you-tube for a 10 minutes workout whenever you can.

2. Keep a healthy diet (you need it for breastfeeding) and stay away from junk food.

Care to join me? Any more easy tips for me? Let’s go…

Chuckles

“Mum”, big brother screamed, “Ethan is laughing at me”

Isn’t it amazing how a smiling baby brings smiles to even the toughest of souls! After an exhausting day, the chuckles feel like a cold drink on a hot sunny day.

ACTION STEP: Try recording your baby’s coos or your child’s voice on your mobile phone and play it back when you’re stressed out. It’ll work like magic even if it’s for a few seconds.

Lullabies

Singing to a baby can be really interesting. Where do the lyrics come from? how are the tunes formed? It’s interesting how you forget about everything else in the world when you’re singing lullabies.

ACTION STEP: Practice singing to your baby and truly enjoy the moment. Form a tune about anything and you’d see how interesting the song becomes. Need some tips? Sing about the tea-pot, the feeding bottle, the colour of his/her sleepwear, the fact that dad is going to work or other siblings to school. Got it? If you need more help, there are lots of materials on the internet.

Happy singing:)