Last night, with the "blessing" of our confinement lady, Louis and I went out for dinner to spend whatever remaining "twosome" time that we have left while there is someone to help us take care of Faith. Ok, for those of you reading this, please do not let on to my mom that I "snucked" out during my confinement period or my mom will freak out!
Since I couldn't take sashimi or any raw/semi-raw stuff during the 9 months of pregnancy, the first thing I wanted to eat for dinner was Japanese. Like a prisoner that has been let out of jail, I devoured all the sashimi that I could eat, sans prawns, squids and octopus. I had sashimi salad, hamachi wafuu carpaccio (I think this is a new menu from Sushi Tei but the carpaccio was absolutely delicious *slurp*).
We both thought we could enjoy a little romantic get away with some time of our own to enjoy and relax before Faith was out. Boy did we underestimate how much Faith has gotten us wrapped around her teeny-weeny little fingers. Half an hour into our meal, I was surreptiously glancing at my watch every few minutes, thinking how much time I have before we need to make it back for Faith's next feed. Suddenly, Louis remarked that he missed Baby already. So, we both agreed that we should quickly finish our food and go home.
From the time that we stepped out of our house till the time we reached home, we only took 1 1/2 hours in all, including travelling and eating time. Our confinement lady was quite surprised at how soon we were back.
Its really amazing how a little bundle could really change our lives and make everything topsy-turvy. Then again, I guess that's parenthood and its a phase that majority of folks go through and yet still find it fulfilling.
Friday, April 06, 2007
Thursday, April 05, 2007
The many facets of Faith
Alright... today's posting is not going to be about breastfeeding for a change. I realised that I've been obsessed about it for a while now. My only defence is that feeding constitutes about 1/3 of her key activities on a 24-hourly basis. The other 2 being sleeping and pooping ;)
Faith's most prominent feature seems to be her mouth, based on the number of comments that we've heard whenever people sees her or get a glimpse of her pictures. Louis said that her lips most resemble mine.
Faith has got many facial expressions and pouts which never ceases to amuse us. Whenever she's full, she would purse or pout her lips to prevent us from shoving any further milk into her mouth. Even when sleeping, she never fails to contort her face or mouth into a grimace, smile and some other expressions that I have yet to be able to adequately describe. My favourite is still her smile and she does it while sleeping or even during her feeds. I've never been one that can resist a baby's smile, what more one of my own flesh and blood. Her smile is enough to bring one of my own or a sense of contentment.
Since this week, she's been kicking her legs and flapping her arms even when we swaddle her and there are times when she has loosen the swaddle cloth enough that it even covers half her face. In the end, we have taken to letting one of her arms out so that she doesn't protest and stretch her arms so much as there's a risk that she might be suffocated by the cloth with the amount of kicking she does.
With each day as I get a little more confident about coping with Faith, Louis and I are actually looking forward to the time when she's more aware of her surroundings or when she's older so that we could bring her out and do things together. Until then, we're treasuring every moment that we have with her and also learning how to read her temperament better.
In the meantime, here's more pictures of Faith.
Faith's most prominent feature seems to be her mouth, based on the number of comments that we've heard whenever people sees her or get a glimpse of her pictures. Louis said that her lips most resemble mine.
Faith has got many facial expressions and pouts which never ceases to amuse us. Whenever she's full, she would purse or pout her lips to prevent us from shoving any further milk into her mouth. Even when sleeping, she never fails to contort her face or mouth into a grimace, smile and some other expressions that I have yet to be able to adequately describe. My favourite is still her smile and she does it while sleeping or even during her feeds. I've never been one that can resist a baby's smile, what more one of my own flesh and blood. Her smile is enough to bring one of my own or a sense of contentment.
Since this week, she's been kicking her legs and flapping her arms even when we swaddle her and there are times when she has loosen the swaddle cloth enough that it even covers half her face. In the end, we have taken to letting one of her arms out so that she doesn't protest and stretch her arms so much as there's a risk that she might be suffocated by the cloth with the amount of kicking she does.
With each day as I get a little more confident about coping with Faith, Louis and I are actually looking forward to the time when she's more aware of her surroundings or when she's older so that we could bring her out and do things together. Until then, we're treasuring every moment that we have with her and also learning how to read her temperament better.
In the meantime, here's more pictures of Faith.
Wednesday, April 04, 2007
A little milestone
Last night, we've reached a little milestone with Faith where breastfeeding was concerned (sigh... my postings these days seemed to centre around breastfeeding and not much else).
Typically, she only latches on for breastfeeding when she's in a "good mood". Meaning to say that she cannot be too hungry, agitated or being prodded up from her sleep. For some reason, she seemed overly hungry yesterday and was latching onto 2-3 times at a go, and each time, drinking for about 10-15 minutes.
Finally at the 3rd feed, when she lets go, she had a milk moustache and some of the milk was dripping out from the side of her mouth. The funniest thing was when I burped her, she spit out some milk. This was a milestone for me and I was elated with happiness. It might seemed puzzling because it might be common for some babies to spit or burp milk out as they might drink too much. The difference with Faith is that she's not very interested in drinking to her heart's content at feeding time. In fact, she's happy to fall asleep as soon as her hunger has been assuaged.
For once, she's drinking so much that she's filled up. This is probably the exception than the norm. But for me, it feels like a little milestone and achievement :)
We've also registered Faith's birth today since we were at the hospital for my regular checkup with the gynae. Her full name is Faith Tan (Chen Shiying) and her Chinese name is 陈诗颖. "诗" (shi) refers to poetry, while "颖" (ying) means possessing wisdom. We hope in time that Faith will be able to learn her Chinese name, though we know it is by no means simple to write :)
Typically, she only latches on for breastfeeding when she's in a "good mood". Meaning to say that she cannot be too hungry, agitated or being prodded up from her sleep. For some reason, she seemed overly hungry yesterday and was latching onto 2-3 times at a go, and each time, drinking for about 10-15 minutes.
Finally at the 3rd feed, when she lets go, she had a milk moustache and some of the milk was dripping out from the side of her mouth. The funniest thing was when I burped her, she spit out some milk. This was a milestone for me and I was elated with happiness. It might seemed puzzling because it might be common for some babies to spit or burp milk out as they might drink too much. The difference with Faith is that she's not very interested in drinking to her heart's content at feeding time. In fact, she's happy to fall asleep as soon as her hunger has been assuaged.
For once, she's drinking so much that she's filled up. This is probably the exception than the norm. But for me, it feels like a little milestone and achievement :)
We've also registered Faith's birth today since we were at the hospital for my regular checkup with the gynae. Her full name is Faith Tan (Chen Shiying) and her Chinese name is 陈诗颖. "诗" (shi) refers to poetry, while "颖" (ying) means possessing wisdom. We hope in time that Faith will be able to learn her Chinese name, though we know it is by no means simple to write :)
Tuesday, April 03, 2007
We've survived
We've survived the weekend without our confinement lady around. But that said, we were waking up many times in the middle of the night with each sound that Faith makes, just to check if she's alright. As with many an anxious parent, we were so tired out the next day and zonked out.
For the last few days, we've been having problems getting Faith to latch on for breastfeeding properly. Most of it was because she's easily agitated when she's hungry and rather impatient when she can't latch on. So, the current method that we've used and that seemed to work for her, is that I will express into a bottle and feed her some first. Let her rest for 1/2 hour or so before she manages to successfully latched on for breast feeding.
This seemed rather contrary to what most breastfeeding experts would recommend, as they would say that the baby would be confused between suckling at the breast and the bottle. But we have found this to be the least stressful because when she's agitated, she would yell her lungs out and cry a lot. However, when she's got a little something in her stomach, she would be in a better temperament and more amenable to suckling longer and better at the breast. Overall, it would also mean that she consumes more milk in total.
For now, we're keeping our fingers crossed on this method and hope it would work out. Personally, I'm rather apprehensive as every day presents a different or new challenge, and what works one day might not work the next day.
Till then, I'm really trying hard to persevere with breastfeeding :)
For the last few days, we've been having problems getting Faith to latch on for breastfeeding properly. Most of it was because she's easily agitated when she's hungry and rather impatient when she can't latch on. So, the current method that we've used and that seemed to work for her, is that I will express into a bottle and feed her some first. Let her rest for 1/2 hour or so before she manages to successfully latched on for breast feeding.
This seemed rather contrary to what most breastfeeding experts would recommend, as they would say that the baby would be confused between suckling at the breast and the bottle. But we have found this to be the least stressful because when she's agitated, she would yell her lungs out and cry a lot. However, when she's got a little something in her stomach, she would be in a better temperament and more amenable to suckling longer and better at the breast. Overall, it would also mean that she consumes more milk in total.
For now, we're keeping our fingers crossed on this method and hope it would work out. Personally, I'm rather apprehensive as every day presents a different or new challenge, and what works one day might not work the next day.
Till then, I'm really trying hard to persevere with breastfeeding :)
Saturday, March 31, 2007
A trial run of things to come
Today is the start of a 2-day trial of "independent parenting" for Louis and myself. Since the day of Faith's arrival, we've had help from either the hospital or the confinement lady upon our arrival back home. This weekend, our confinement lady has asked for time off in order to pay respect to her deceased mom back in Malaysia.
The concept of a confinement lady is prevalent in Singapore and Malaysia. Usually by word of mouth, a mother-to-be would hire a nanny of sorts to take care of herself and the newborn for a period of one month. It is believed that the 1st month after childbirth is a time for the new mom to recuperate from the delivery and also one in which the body requires a lot of nourishment to repair and renew itself. Hence, the confinement lady is hired solely for the purpose of providing 24x7 care to the mom and the baby. This usually involves the cooking of nourishing food for the mom and also general care of the baby so that the new mom could rest as much as possible.
It is with some amount of trepidation that Louis and I look forward to the 2-day of having Faith to ourselves and wondering if we will survive with our sanity intact. The morning started off on a wobbly start as Louis and I spent some 5 hours "combating" with Faith on the proper technique to suckle and breastfeed independently without assistance from myself. I never knew what mothers went when they say that the first 2-3 weeks of breastfeeding was the most challenging and hence, much determination is required to persever the daily challenges that comes with breastfeeding. In gist, breastfeeding techniques or Faith's temperament change by the day and what worked yesterday might not work today until both mother and child develops a routine and also when the milk flow stabilises.
For lunch, our BIL and SIL came over together with Anthea and Anders as the cousins wanted to spend some time with Faith and also to partake some of the "vinegared pig trotters" food that is only prepared during the confinement month.
Right now, its mid afternoon and Louis is taking a nap in Faith's room while I'm blogging. Faith's been sleeping for a good 3 hours after the morning's combat and I should be too cos we wouldn't know what other "challenges" are ahead of us.
Wish us luck!
Friday, March 30, 2007
Having Faith
Louis has told his version of Faith's dramatic entrance into our lives and since, the week that followed her arrival. Having taken a long hiatus from my blog postings, I feel in need of a little self indulgence and blog about my own experiences as a new mother. I do apologise if this blog is going to be focused on Faith, breastfeeding and parenthood. But frankly, if you've got to spend a month cooped up at home with the "mandate" to rest in bed as much as possible, feed baby and recuperate from the c-section, your focus or range of available conversation topics could only go so far.
In retrospect, I think we couldn't have come up with a more apt name than Faith. There are 2 reasons which I think why Faith (Belief) is so appropriate. Firstly, whenever I have gone to the Buddhist temple to visit my dear grandma who had passed away 3 years ago, my only prayer was that she would "watch" over me and what's mine. Even though my grandma has passed on, I knew without a doubt that a part of her is still watching out for me from wherever she is, keeping us safe. I know it might sound strange to some, but I'm positive that many others would also be able to relate to this heartfelt belief for their departed loved ones that they have developed deep attachments. And of course, my mom has been praying too as a Buddhist for both our safety more than anything else.
Secondly, as Louis had recounted about what we went through, my gynae had told us that he had similar cases recently in which 2 of his patients had placenta abruptio, one of whom had just given birth 3 days after my own experience. Unfortunately, both of them had to remove their womb due to the heavy bleeding and one of them had even lost her baby. Hearing it and having gone through the same experience myself, I believe that its more than luck that has kept Faith and myself safe. How do I explain the fact that I'd labour contractions much earlier than most at 3 weeks before our due date and the fact that our gynae was conducting an early round of inspection that day? Or the fact that both of us escaped relatively unscathed while 2 others had both lost their wombs and one even her unborn child? Even though Faith is underweight for her time, Louis and I are just thankful that we are alive and healthy.
For now, I can't say that motherhood has given me a glow. Like all new parents, Louis and I are rather sleep deprived as this stage and it seemed overwhelming that there are so many nuances of parenthood that we need to learn in order to be able to handle our little bundle (let's not jump the gun and call her a bundle of "joy" for now"). We are still learning to differentiate her cries, handling her crankiness at feeding time, how to bath and change her diapers and a gazillion other challenges. And she's certainly is showing more of her character too. Some of it seemingly similar to either Louis or myself.
However, despite all her crankiness and occassional temperament, the one thing that never fails to cheer me up is seeing her smile in her sleep or while she's nursing. I think I could watch her do that and not get bored. I guess that's just the beginning to the joys of parenting and why many have told us that parenthood is rewarding.
In retrospect, I think we couldn't have come up with a more apt name than Faith. There are 2 reasons which I think why Faith (Belief) is so appropriate. Firstly, whenever I have gone to the Buddhist temple to visit my dear grandma who had passed away 3 years ago, my only prayer was that she would "watch" over me and what's mine. Even though my grandma has passed on, I knew without a doubt that a part of her is still watching out for me from wherever she is, keeping us safe. I know it might sound strange to some, but I'm positive that many others would also be able to relate to this heartfelt belief for their departed loved ones that they have developed deep attachments. And of course, my mom has been praying too as a Buddhist for both our safety more than anything else.
Secondly, as Louis had recounted about what we went through, my gynae had told us that he had similar cases recently in which 2 of his patients had placenta abruptio, one of whom had just given birth 3 days after my own experience. Unfortunately, both of them had to remove their womb due to the heavy bleeding and one of them had even lost her baby. Hearing it and having gone through the same experience myself, I believe that its more than luck that has kept Faith and myself safe. How do I explain the fact that I'd labour contractions much earlier than most at 3 weeks before our due date and the fact that our gynae was conducting an early round of inspection that day? Or the fact that both of us escaped relatively unscathed while 2 others had both lost their wombs and one even her unborn child? Even though Faith is underweight for her time, Louis and I are just thankful that we are alive and healthy.
For now, I can't say that motherhood has given me a glow. Like all new parents, Louis and I are rather sleep deprived as this stage and it seemed overwhelming that there are so many nuances of parenthood that we need to learn in order to be able to handle our little bundle (let's not jump the gun and call her a bundle of "joy" for now"). We are still learning to differentiate her cries, handling her crankiness at feeding time, how to bath and change her diapers and a gazillion other challenges. And she's certainly is showing more of her character too. Some of it seemingly similar to either Louis or myself.
However, despite all her crankiness and occassional temperament, the one thing that never fails to cheer me up is seeing her smile in her sleep or while she's nursing. I think I could watch her do that and not get bored. I guess that's just the beginning to the joys of parenting and why many have told us that parenthood is rewarding.
Our Baby Faith :)
Faith
Variations: Fay, Faye.
1. "A puritan virtue name that's begun to sound very appealing to modern parents who like the name's straightforward feminine image as well as its meaning. Indeed, it does take faith nowadays to get married and start a family — faith that you'll be a good parent and your child will turn out well. If you don't have that kind of confidence, better opt for Hope..." (source: www.parenting.com)
2. "It is of Middle English origin, and its meaning is "loyalty; belief". A virtue name" (source: www.thinkbabynames.com)
3. "Now Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." Hebrews 11:1 (source: Name That Baby)
4. "Fidelity to one's promises; sincerity of intentions" (source: Marriam Webster Dictionary)
Faith Tan arrived on the 23 March 2007 (Friday), in the early Singapore morning.
Faith's beginnings were dramatic (as you can see, we've picked up the bug of Parentsi Melodramatis fairly quickly). Eve had felt strong contractions the night before and I had come home merrily from dinner with my ex-boss. We hadn't packed our all-important delivery bag that night - yet. Because after all, Faith just turned full-term that week and we weren't expecting her till oh - three weeks later. And Faith, if you are reading this, mummy and daddy's excuse is that we've both been quite busy at work - daddy with his travelling and mummy with her IDA event on Wednesday.
I think parents develop an instinct for when their babies will come. Because for something we procrastinated for weeks, we packed our baby bag that night in half an hour. Call it Braxton Hicks or any other name, we had a feeling we'd be sorry if we had turned in without preparing that night.
At 2am on Friday morning, we decided to leave for the hospital. As first-time parents, we weren't sure what exactly constituted strong contractions or of water-bag bursting. After all, when one watches Chinese drama on Singapore TV, water-bag bursting usually means a pool of water gushing out from the pregnant mother - enough perhaps to fill a tub?
As we write this, Faith is yelling - perhaps from a nightmare or just her normal fussing before going to bed. She entered into the world close to 7am that morning with a yell just like that. Only then, she was in an operating theatre and she was probably oblivious to all the commotion going around her.
Faith arrived by an emergency Caserean-section. While Eve and I had discussed extensively about whether Eve would take an epidural to ease the labour pains of natural birth, we never once discussed the possibility of a C-section. When we were admitted into the hospital at 2am, the nurse had given us the routine check-up and informed us that Faith was due say around 11am. Fortuitously, at around 6am, our gynae came by to check-up on Eve as he had just delivered another baby in a nearby suite (we're not sure how this works in other countries, but in Singapore, gynaes tend to show-up only closer to delivery time - not 5 hours before). At first, everything seemed okay and he was almost giving the same thumbs-up that the nurses had given for a natural birth. But then he stopped very abruptly. This picture is still very vivid in my mind because I think his abruptness alerted me to something amiss. He then checked the fetal charts, put on his gloves to do further checks, and promptly told us that we had a choice: we could either deliver Faith now by emergency C-section or risk losing the baby and possibly putting Eve and her womb at risk, if we chose to continue with natural birth. Eve of course wasn't able to see what was exactly happening but in reality there was substantial bleeding occuring already. I assured her that I could see a "little blood" and that it was best to go with our gynae's recommendation.
According to Yahoo! Health, Placenta Abruptio occurs in 3 in 1,000 pregnant women aged 20 to 24, increasing to 7 in 1,000 in pregnant women over age 35. "Normally during pregnancy, the placenta is firmly attached to the inner wall of the uterus until the baby has been born. Placenta abruptio is the premature separation (abruption) of the placenta before childbirth. Since the round, flat placenta is a "lifeline" that supplies nutrients and oxygen to a fetus from the mother, an abruption can be life-threatening for the fetus, and sometimes for the mother as well".
Half an hour after the doctor's assessment, Faith was delivered in the nick of time. Within that half an hour, several things happened - and more probably did in the background. What I was aware of were the calls that the nurses made to the operating theatre to prepare a theatre and to staff an anaethetist. I had to sign a few forms consenting to the op. My paedaetrician was paged and he had come running into the changing room of the operating theatre, where I was readying myself for the clean-room environment. I was none the wiser in the operating theatre. But I take my pd's word, when he told me in the changing room (when we were changing out of the theatre overalls) that Faith was saved literally in the nick of time.
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The little family
