It's been 3 months since our crazy, overzealous family of three became four and we've all more or less adapted to having Megan in our lives. As you can tell from my lack of updates as compared to before, life with two kids has been quite a handful for me. My maternity leave will soon come to an end and I'll need to learn to cope with being a full-time working mom of two but I'll worry about that when the time comes.
Megan has been a pretty fussy baby. She constantly wants to be carried and she's quite a light sleeper (much like her mommy) so she doesn't nap very well during the day. She's been sleeping relatively long stretches through the night though (around 5-6 hour intervals) so yay for that!
I mentioned in one of my earlier posts that Megan's actually born a preemie at 36 weeks and 4 days. & even though she's only a few days premature, we did encounter some new challenges caring for her that we never had with Kylie. Although they're only very minor, it made me think of the pain and difficulty of other parents whose child's one or two months premature. I can only imagine how hard it must be to feel so helpless. Thankfully for us, Megan has no major health problems. I never thought how a mere few days short of her being full-term (a baby is considered full-term at 37 weeks of pregnancy) could bring about certain health/medical issues even though they weren't severe.
Not Nursing Well
For a start, Megan was really sleepy in her first two days of life. She refused to wake up to nurse so I had to pump out colostrum and the nurses had to syringe-feed her. The lactation consultant said it was probably because she still had sugar in her system that hadn't been "used up" while she was in the womb (since she arrived prematurely) that's why she could sustain so long without feeling hungry. Before we brought her home, she started feeding a little more but it wasn't enough because she still kept sleeping and I was advised by the paediatrician to watch the clock and wake her up to nurse her.
For a start, Megan was really sleepy in her first two days of life. She refused to wake up to nurse so I had to pump out colostrum and the nurses had to syringe-feed her. The lactation consultant said it was probably because she still had sugar in her system that hadn't been "used up" while she was in the womb (since she arrived prematurely) that's why she could sustain so long without feeling hungry. Before we brought her home, she started feeding a little more but it wasn't enough because she still kept sleeping and I was advised by the paediatrician to watch the clock and wake her up to nurse her.
Choking
When she did start nursing well though, she had troubles drinking and would often choke on the milk while she fed. Babies learn to swallow when they are inside their mother's womb - that's why the longer they stay in the womb, the better (of course, not exceeding 42 weeks that is) because they've all the time they need to develop before entering the world. Because Megan arrived almost 4 weeks before her due date (due date is calculated based on 40 weeks / 9 months of pregnancy) she didn't have as much time to learn how to swallow which resulted in her often choking. On a couple of occasions she turned blue when she choked on the milk, good thing the first time it happened, nurses were with me and they taught me what to do while I was panicking. So every time it happened after that, I managed to stay calm, sit her up right and pat her back. One night, when she was less than a week old, Megan regurgitated her milk and some went into her nose, she started screaming with her back arched cause she couldn't breathe through her nose. Her screams were piercing and it lasted for a good 15 minutes, I felt so helpless and was on the verge of crying before I recalled a video I had watched months back on what to do when an infant chokes. So I placed her face down across my lap, started patting her back and to everyone's relief, she finally calmed down.
(Can't find the exact video but I'm adding this video below because you never know when you might be able to save a child's life!)
Jaundice
Jaundice is very common in newborn babies, it's a condition in which a baby's skin and eyes turn yellow due to excess bilirubin in the blood stream. For babies born before 38 weeks of gestation, the odds of jaundice occurring is higher because their liver is still not mature enough to effectively remove the bilirubin from the blood stream. I gave birth to Kylie at 38 weeks and she had mild jaundice which went away on its own. For Megan however, within a week of her birth, she developed jaundice and the bilirubin levels in her blood was pretty high, partly because she wasn't nursing very well (breast milk aids in the breaking down of bilirubin) & because she was born at 36 weeks gestation, so she had to undergo phototherapy where she stayed in the hospital for two days. She recovered well like most babies after that!
(Can't find the exact video but I'm adding this video below because you never know when you might be able to save a child's life!)
Jaundice
Jaundice is very common in newborn babies, it's a condition in which a baby's skin and eyes turn yellow due to excess bilirubin in the blood stream. For babies born before 38 weeks of gestation, the odds of jaundice occurring is higher because their liver is still not mature enough to effectively remove the bilirubin from the blood stream. I gave birth to Kylie at 38 weeks and she had mild jaundice which went away on its own. For Megan however, within a week of her birth, she developed jaundice and the bilirubin levels in her blood was pretty high, partly because she wasn't nursing very well (breast milk aids in the breaking down of bilirubin) & because she was born at 36 weeks gestation, so she had to undergo phototherapy where she stayed in the hospital for two days. She recovered well like most babies after that!
Umbilical Hernia
When Megan was about 3 weeks old, she developed umbilical hernia. All of our friends and family had never heard or seen anything like it before until Megan.
As you can see, her belly button is extremely protruded, I did a quick search on it and found that it happens because the umbilical cord passes through a small hole in their stomach muscles when the baby is in the mother's womb and it usually closes on it's own but in some cases (like Megan's) the stomach muscles don't join completely and causes the intestine or other tissues to bulge through this spot (i.e. the belly button). It's painless and when I press it, it actually goes down but I consulted a doctor about it and she said to wait until Megan's 9th month check up and see if it will resolve on its own. I also have to monitor to ensure that it isn't red and inflamed and that it can go down when pressed. If not, she'll have to go through surgery. So far, the hernia has reduced in size so I'm praying it'll go down completely so she doesn't have to go through surgery!
I honestly never knew what difference a few days in the womb can make but thankfully, other than the hernia, Megan's a healthy, normal baby.
Kylie The Big Sister
My biggest concern with Megan's arrival was to ensure Kylie didn't feel neglected. She loves Megan a lot but we had to reprimand her a few times when she attempted to pick Megan up from the bed on her own. Just a few days ago, I had to remind myself to stop reprimanding her and to tell her nicely instead because she got upset and said "I don't love Mei Mei!" but she was alright after I talked to her. Ky loves it when I ask her to help with Megan, like assisting in changing her diapers and all so I try to involve her as much as possible and not leave her out.
Megan's growing really fast and although I can't wait for the day she starts babbling and playing, I'm relishing her days as an infant for now.
Mane ‘n Tail is a brand that carries hair products which are uniquely formulated for both horse and human usage. The shampoo formula contains high lathering and ultra-cleansing agents that are fortified with moisturizers and emollients which will help to leave your hair soft & ultra clean! Their conditioners help nourish and aid in healthy hair growth and leaves your hair looking lustrous and silky. These micro-enriched protein formulae help to prevent and repair hair damage, achieving longer, stronger & fuller hair!
Currently, Mane ‘n Tail Singapore provides a range of 5 specially formulated shampoos and conditioners namely - Original, Herbal-Gro, Deep Moisturizing and Gentle Clarifying & Replenishing. For online at their E-store Maimee’s Corner, it’s 6 formulas - Original, Herbal-Gro, Deep Moisturizing, Gentle Clarifying & Replenishing and Anti-Dandruff. The brand boasts several highly recognised beauty awards including “Best Hydrating Shampoo & Conditioner” awarded by Woman’s Weekly and “Best Everyday Shampoo & Conditioner” awarded by CLEO Magazine.
Admittedly, when I first heard of Mane ‘n Tail’s products, I was a little apprehensive about using a “horse to human” product on my own hair but decided to give it a shot anyway because I’ve never tried or even heard of any other hair products as unique as Mane 'n Tail's before & since it has also won several awards, I thought to myself that it must be something special then!
I first tried the Original formula and it won me over from the very first wash! It's unlike anything I’ve ever used before! Due to the very fine texture of my hair, I always find my hair breaking and dropping all over the place and the Original shampoo & conditioner is formulated to treat exactly that!
It fortifies the hair shaft preventing breakage and split ends! Its gentle and rich fragrant lather also cleans without stripping natural oils - an essential in nourishing and conditioning the hair and scalp while keeping hair moisturised. My hair also gets tangled really easily and since I started using Mane ‘n Tail’s shampoo & conditioners, I realised that it’s much easier to comb through after showering and my hair doesn’t break that easily either!
Just use the right amount of shampoo for your hair length, lather, rinse and apply conditioner.
*Tip: if you have short hair, use only small amount of shampoo (about the size of a 10 cents coin). 50 cents coin size for average length and two 20 cents coins size if your hair is past your shoulders.
I really like the Clarifying and Replenishing formula because it literally makes my hair and scalp squeaky clean right after rinsing it off! It completely removes daily buildup, grease, waxes and other hard to remove styling products yet is gentle enough for everyday use and for treating flaking and itchy scalp as well! The blend of essential oils, proteins & vitamins also revitalizes the hair as it cleanses. The thing I love about all their shampoo & conditioners is that you can really feel and SEE the cleanliness and it still doesn’t look or feel greasy even after a few days (Don't judge me but I know this because I don’t wash my hair daily, I do it twice or thrice a week)!
Love how my hair looks so clean and flowy after washing! And it stays like this for days! It also feels incredibly soft to touch (no matter which formula I use) - just like a horse’s tail! Shane asked me “is the soap really good?” so I offered to let him feel my hair & he responded with wide-eyed amazement!
I honestly love how Mane ‘n Tail has a shampoo for every need because I have really problematic hair. One of which is the rate at which my hair grows! I love keeping my hair long but many times I’m forced to snip inches off my locks because of the damage & my hair grows incredibly slow after! All my close friends know how I always complain about slow hair growth compared to all of theirs!
If I had to choose, out of all my personal favourite would be the Deep Moisturizing formula because it’s really effective in nourishing my hair from root all the way to tip. It irks me how the ends of my hair always look so horrible and damaged within days of trimming off the dead ends but this shampoo & conditioner has helped maintain repair & rejuvenate my hair from the previous time I snipped & dyed my hair about a month ago! It contains Vitamin E & Pro-Vitamin B5 that nourishes the hair for increased elasticity, providing soft & silky hair! The best part about this is that unlike most other moisturising shampoos and conditioners I’ve used, Mane ‘n Tail’s Deep Moisturising formula is not oily or greasy at all! At first, I wasn’t used to their conditioners not sliding off my hair when I applied it but after drying my hair, I was very impressed! It gave my hair this very different feel of softness that other brands I’ve tried never achieved, as though my hair absorbed all the goodness of the conditioner! It feels really natural and not a wee bit oily at all as if I was born with good hair all my life!
You can see here how naturally smooth my hair looks and even the ends of my hair looks so soft and healthy!
You can purchase Mane ‘n Tail for $15.90 at Watsons, Guardian, major Cold Storage,
Robinsons, John Little, BHG and NTUC or buy it online via their E-store Maimee's Corner:
Read up more about Mane ‘n Tail on their website: http://manentail.sg
Or visit their Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/manentailsg & ‘like’ them to participate in contest giveaways; They’re giving away a pair of return air tickets to Hong Kong & other prizes in January & February 2016!
Alternatively, you can redeem a free sample on SampleStore.com here:
Played a game of jellybean roulette with Shane & Kylie the other day! Kylie loved it! Barf flavoured beans? Stinky Socks?! Watch to find out what went down!
1. Having a baby completely changes your life
I know what you're thinking, "you don't say" right? But no, you have no idea what you're in for. Your lifestyle completely changes the instant your baby pops out from your womb and I mean COMPLETELY. First and foremost, your sleep patterns change. Get ready to bid goodbye to 8 continuous hours of shut-eye and say hello to 3 hour sleep intervals or less. Your social life literally goes from wildly exciting to almost zero. Your child becomes your first priority (whether you like it or not) and it is impossible to schedule anything without first settling his/her care arrangements. You will forget what it's like to have "me" time & when you finally have some time alone, you'll feel weirdly uncomfortable. Overtime, you'll realise that being a mom doesn't just throw you into a jumble, it also changes you as a person entirely (& I'm not talking about all that post-pregnancy weight).
2. You will be tired 24/7
They always say that being a mom isn't easy but before I had my first child, I never imagined that it would be THIS tiring. You will find yourself fatigued and lethargic all the time and no amount of sleep can ever seem to pay off your sleep debt. You'll be asking yourself how it is even possible to be this tired - that is, if you even have the energy to.
3. Your sexual libido will drop
I assure you, it will. No matter how much of an animal you used to be, your sexual libido will definitely plummet and it is only normal because of how tired you are all the time. Before having kids, sex can be as frequent as a daily affair but after having a child, it can be anything between a weekly or even a bimonthly occasion. Good news though, is that you will usually get your sex drive back after a couple of months.
4. Breastfeeding doesn't come as naturally as you'd like it to
It's human nature but unfortunately for us "modern day" moms, it isn't as easy as we think it is. Breastfeeding is as tedious as it is taxing and it can pose as a challenge for many moms. But fret not, with enough perseverance, you will get the hang of it. If you have difficulty latching your child on, consider investing in a pump. It doesn't really matter if your child drinks directly from the breast or a bottle as long as he's getting the best of the breast. Most importantly, don't guilt-trip yourself if you're unable to give your child breast milk. Formula milk is fine too. Don't pressure yourself or let anyone chastise you for the decisions you make as long as both you and your child are happy and healthy.
5. Everyone will have something to say about the way you raise your child
Everyone will want to give their input on how you should do this or that and although it can be annoying at times, bear in mind that they also want what they think is best for your child and are just trying to help (sometimes a little too much). The best piece of advice I read way back when I was a first-time mom is to simply listen to each advice with an open mind. You don't have to act on every single advice. Ultimately, you're the one making the decisions and you know what's best for your child however, some tips are genuinely useful and you can learn a lot from other moms.
6. Every mom's just generally winging it, so take it easy on yourself
There is no set way of parenting. Most of us are just doing it trial and error style so don't sweat it if you're still trying to get the hang of motherhood. Breathe and give yourself time to learn, it's all a matter of time before you become a pro at being a mom.
7. Do not blame yourself for every little thing
Don't hold yourself hostage for things that are beyond your control. Things will inevitably go wrong every now & then and you shouldn't blame yourself for every bad thing that happens. Children will fall sick, bump their heads and scrape their knees - sometimes way too often (especially when they hit a certain age) but that doesn't mean you're doing things wrong. It's all part of the growing up process and more often than not, you're beating yourself up for nothing.
8. They grow up way too fast, treasure every moment
The first year will fly by in a blink of an eye, and that goes for every year after that as well. You only truly spend the first quarter of your child's life with them before they grow up into independent adults. They won't need you forever, they won't always want to be carried. Forget what people say about not carrying your child too much or they'll keep wanting to be carried because honestly, how long can you carry them for before they grow too big? Put down your gadgets, walk a little slower take as many photographs of them as you like and enjoy their adolescence while you can.
9. Don't focus too much on milestones
Every child develops at their own time and unless your child has a medical problem that warrants your attention, don't obsess over when they should be hitting their milestones. They will walk when they are ready to and before you know it, you'll be chasing them around and wishing you could go back to their infantile days. Don't compare your child with others'. It doesn't matter if they start talking at 8 months or at 2 years old as long as they can talk. Once they start, they don't ever stop. Do not stress yourself unnecessarily over your child's milestones and revel in the joy of motherhood instead.
10. At the end of the day, it will be worth it
You won't be this tired forever, your baby will sleep through the night in time to come. You won't always have to hold his/her bottle or carry her wherever you go. No matter how tired you may be now, this phase will eventually come to pass. You'll know it's worth all the sleepless nights when you see your child smile to the sound of your voice or call you "mama" for the first time. Being a mom will give you a sense of fulfilment like no other. So hang in there mama, it will all be worth it.
