prelude

a prelude to the next entry.. reading this explained the unexplainable of munchkin.. hee


Baby Growth & Development - What to Expect.com

Baby Growth Spurts

Is your baby suddenly clamoring for more food? He may be going through a growth spurt.

It’s inherently unfair, but all too common. Just when you’re finally getting the hang of a somewhat reasonable breastfeeding schedule, your newborn suddenly changes course and begins eating every hour. And even when he’s done, he still acts like he’s ready to hit the drive-through at McDonald’s, making you wonder if your baby’s getting enough milk. But relax; he’s not starving (even though he’s acting like it). He’s just hit his first baby growth spurt — the first of about five he’ll have during the first year. One of your baby’s most important jobs this year is to grow bigger, and he’ll probably triple his body weight by the time he’s 12 months. Surprisingly, though, a lot of that growth happens in short, intense bursts. (So it’s not your imagination — your baby really did outgrow all his newborn outfits overnight!)

Although growth spurts can happen anytime during the first year, your baby will most likely have his initial spurt between one and three weeks; and another between six and eight weeks. After that, you can expect more at three months, six months, and nine months. The good news: A baby's growth spurts usually last only a couple days, so your baby (and your life) should get back to normal soon.

Here’s how to recognize your little sprout’s spurt:

Your baby wants to eat nonstop. If you’ve been breastfeeding every three hours, your baby will now want to belly up to the milk bar every hour or two. That’s just fine. The more often your baby breastfeeds, the more he stimulates milk production to keep up with his growing appetite. Older babies will also want to nurse more and up their intake of the jarred stuff if they’re eating solids.

Your baby will be up more often at night. Even if your baby was sleeping for a blissful five- or six-hour stretch, during a growth spurt he’ll howl for a midnight snack, then one at 2 a.m., and 4 a.m., and so on. You may find your older baby waking up earlier from his naps, too.

Your baby will be crankier than usual. At the breast he’ll be extra fussy, latching and unlatching because he wants more milk right now, and your production might not be up to speed yet. Plus, all those late nights don’t help his mood (or yours!) either.

How to deal with baby growth spurts:
Since you were already struggling to get enough rest or do anything other than feed your baby, it’s extra-exhausting to have a newborn who suddenly treats breastfeeding like a 24-7 all-you-can-eat buffet. So make sure you’re drinking plenty of water to stay hydrated, recruit help from your partner or a friend to do dishes and other household chores, and settle in for the long haul. (A DVD can help pass the time.)

Whatever you do, don’t give up on breastfeeding now. When your baby seems hungrier and crankier than normal, you may worry that he’s not getting enough to eat and think about abandoning breastfeeding altogether. But those temporary round-the-clock feedings are actually your baby’s way of boosting your milk supply to keep pace with his oh-so-healthy appetite.

If you’re really concerned, keep an eye on two things: diapers and weight gain. If he’s packing on ounces (that adorable little T-shirt seem tighter today than it did two days ago, for example) and soaking five or six diapers a day, he’s doing just fine. Soon enough his hunger pangs will be over, the growth spurt will end, and things will settle back to normal. Until the next baby growth spurt hits, that is.

my take on.. booby food..

m sure everyone has been made known of my idea of breastfeeding. it shall be done.. it will be done. thus, everything that screams 'breastfeeding' is researched, studied (religiously), bought (oklah, ni kire part of the deal a kan..hehe)..

so when the time finally comes.. (i've been warned though by both believers and non believers) it did not happen. well at least not as i expected it to be. hei.. i was told colostrum is produced 1/2 hour after the placenta leaves the system. kan? not. in. my. case. takde pun.

to make things worst.. you know when they say some babies don't automatically pick up the whole correct latching what nots idea? some. babies. not mine. she's a pro. i think what ive been reading was better absorbed by her, then me.

and there i was.. turning her round and round.. cos i obviously didnt know how to hold one (the book says body to face body bla bla) .. and there she was latching on.. and nothing. sakit adalah. hee.

so the nurses told me to chill. it will come around (and so does my other pro lactation pros hee).

so oklah.. second day.. still no sign of neither milk or colostrum (though ive been told its almost invincible. determined to make it work.. the boobs had to work overtime. and there's probably some trinkle (of hope). but not enough to make her happy. and again.. she was given formula *sobs*

i was told that a massage would help speed things up. sakit ok. no fun at all. of course, my kak mas was sympatethic enough. next thing i know, i felt the engorgement. which leads to me to waking hannah up for a feed (excited dan jakun gile ok)..

with the milk supply sort of established (welcome breastpads and nipple shields).. i can happily report both mommy & munchkin is a happy trooper.

how do i cope with the aftermath of the c-sect? well... that's totally another story..

Photos : faces of a booby junkie *LOL*

my take on .. labour&all the hard work..

well.. 1 day after the EDD has passed.. caveman & i headed to the obgyn for the regular check up.. and of course.. the verdict. initially i was convinced that i dont want to be induced.. and shall wait for munchkin to arrive on her own terms.

her own terms she has..

upon some very uncomfortable check ups.. i've been told that since the last check up (at 38th week).. i am still only a centimeter dilated. and no thinning or dilating is progressing. *sigh*

so after going through the pros & cons of being induced.. we gave in.. and were checked in immidiately (remember the bags that was there since forever? we finally get to take it out..hehe)..

the first funnies we had was i had to change to a sarung. which, i have no idea how to. skipping other embarassing & painful stuff (m sure u get my drift) .. i was induced at 11 am.

hours passed.. nurses change shifts.. but all came in to check on me to see if m having any contraction. more hours passsed.. many more phone calls, textes.. facebook updates.. and dvd.. and still no sign. but my back was starting to hurt really bad. and that's that.

7 hours passed.. and i finaly start to feel my 20 mins apart contractions. 20 then became 5. it felt like a big poop coming but not *LOL* but the nurses assured me that it was a light contraction.. light macam tu... kalu nak terberanak camne lak kan???! so i was quiet happy that there's some kind of progress (tell me which woman in labour says this about contraction? haha). and when i thought my water break... it wasn't (and it was pee either.. it was the meds) ..i was still 1cm dilated. and please dont remind me how much i hate both the process and the result! then i had a bloody show.. i was like.. yey!! we're getting somewhere!

somewhere we didnt.. all the pain quickly subsided.. and i slept like a baby through the night. sigh.

earlier i have mentioned to obgyn that should my labour did not progress... i can only tolerate a 12 hour wait.. then m going for a c-sect. i woke up at 5am.. excitedly waiting for the obgyn to clock in at 9am to see if there's any progress. main motivation.. a lady who was induced at 3 pm the day before has delivered a baby girl at 3am..her scream (the baby's) was such a boost.

alas.. nothing happened..no dilation, no thinning of cervix. and before i could say about the c-sect.. i was induced again. how i was feeling? i finally broke into tears (no the contractions didn't do me any emo damage) as i thought of all those hours wasted. obgyn told me to wait till lunch hour before proceeding for a c-sect (yes, obgyn very the pro au-naturel one).

as usual, no contraction. and i fell asleep.. until the senior nurse came with a letter of consent for a c-sect. yey! caveman who was also sleeping was super blur he asked "bile nye nak buat ni?" hahhah!

next thing i know.. m in a robe.. poked into places.. texted mama (caveman was a little lost all he could remember was giving me my handphone and asked me to text her LOL).


we started at about 12.30... and 12.55 i saw her for the first time. poe was right.. i was groggy to feel the emotional part. and as caveman held her for the first time & recite the azan & iqamat.. she held one of my finger. at that point, i know this is exactly what i wanted.

being a mommy.

lamaze

tanda2 kejakunan golongan ibu bapa adalah apabila mainan anaknya yang belum keluar (dari dalam perut) sampai di dalam kotak yang besar, mereka merupakan orang pertama membuka (dengan gelojohnya menggunakan tangan, gunting, pisau) dan oohh.. aahh.. aaww.. membelek, membaca manual.

bayangkan...

p/s : dont mind the bahasa melayu.. i never did well in BM in school anyways.

p/p/s : items bought via mybbstore and toys are Lamaze developmental toys.

p/p/p/s : why we bought that weird looking thing with the giant lady bird in the middle? back to sleep, tummy to play. read on..

onesies..

my EDD is 10th of Nov.. tapi arini kira halal la ek.. kire full term dah la. in view of that (dah lama gian tak buat paper).. i did some more online damages.. by buying a couple more stuff. sukatila kan.. *LOL*

after getting some developmental toys (besides breast milk storage bag and a baby monitor, these are the only things we dont have..*hint*).. i was browsing through my facebook (dah abis ilham dah nak google ape lagi). and i realised my old skool mate has an online blog.. called Faramour. making handmade onesies.. check this out.. :
you can even get them customized.. with your tot's name on it.. cute innit?

polka.. again..

don't tell me this isn't the cutest thing..


from Bouncin Baby Cake

and since i've given up on the ducky hunt yummy mummy sent me (it would've made a really quacky akikah / cukur jambul / baby shower) .. this pic is for her..

Photo from Cutest Baby Shower Ideas

and since i still have tons of unused styrofoams from the wedding .. i just might get creative. might *grin*

caveman is still very confused on why everyone is so excited about the akikah / cukur jambul thing. munchkin pun tak keluar lagi. well.. rather then mopping around the house doing nothing (nesting can get really old), and mama will be very occupied to go around getting things done for the kenduri.. we thought we rather get a few things done now. tak kisah la people think its weird since the baby hasn't even arrived. whatever. like my brother taught me .."sukatila .. baby aku!"

p/s : yummymummy... we end up buying the book. and.. it came in pink.. hee!

google..

still googling : why am i getting migraines & morning sickness like nausea and puking since my 38th week?

hmm..