Hi moms,
After reading all the entries, i noe tat we need one another's support tremendously!
Mayb we feel especially down during this period *some of us cos our expectation b4 preg very diff frm now...
Herez my lowdown on my experience as a 9th day mom...
1st day ~ After e op, still felt energetic but when e effects of e epi wore off, e pain from e stitched up cut started. BB was trolleyed in n out of e suite. Tried to sleep but cant...my hb n i still recovering frm seeing a little life being born...
2nd day ~ strived to start TBF on 1st day-nite. Stop ard midnight as cant tahan liao. Luckily can push back 2 nursery...phew...scared of sitting on e toilet bowl passed urine due to e wound...A few friends/parents came 2 gape @ e bundle of joy...All said look like e little me...
3rd day ~ felt hungry n thirsty increasingly...hav great problems w passing motion/wound/ sleep...w bb's crying...exhaustion set in...oso attended e BF class n Bathing Class...a lot of moms beri blur...MS jus colestrom...pple remarked if itz enuf cos look watery..discharged on this day. Went home to rest for a while b4 proceeding to my parents' place for confinement...
4th day ~ 1st day of my confinement...well bb got rather active n hungry..ave 1-1.5 hr want a feed...don sleep much @ all...afraid of limited ms...so decided to give BF in e day...FM in e nite. My cousin came n gave me some really useful tips on BFing/ Feeding/ Sleeping for long periods @ a stretch...
5th-7th day ~ Feeling really smelly/ sticky n uncomfy due 2 e lochia discharge/ wound n prolonged wearing of sanitary napkins...hate e feeling! Begged my mom 2 hav mercy n let me wash my hair on alternate days w herbal bath...she relented...been eating mainly veg/meat/fish..went for my pedi appointment n relieved to noe tat he is growing heavier n taller...on e 7th day.
8th-9th day ~ feeling more confident as a mom...ms good...milky fluid...breasts hardening feeling...leaking n squirting @ times; sometimes accidentally gav bb a spa on e face...tried some relief using warm towel n cabbage...e only concern is tat my bb when he is cranky...likes to turn his head even though his mouth latched onto e nipples; there r times he jus slides off frm e nipple n gets very upset...other than that, he is getting used to his caregivers. Noticed a little smile on his face whenever he is well taken care of...
Worries ~ he oso has occasional heat rashes on his neck/ redness near his anus due to freq bang sai-ing...Poor thing! Jus pray tat day by day his immunity sys will b strengthened n i oso make sure we apply desitin cream (overnight relief on e affected area)
I told my mom...our time rite now is totally dictated by e little one...Frankly speaking, i don mind grounded @ home for one mth cos we kinda look really tired n still hav tat mummy tummy...i qite like e break. E only peeve is e humid weather n endless restrictions during confinement...cant eat/do etc...
Jus as I wan 2 doll up 4 full mth celeb, i believe in taking a day @ a time...believe me...i hav turned down friends who wish to visit me during this confinement period cos i jus wan 2 rest w/o worrying abt wat they may say abt me...of course cant say no for relatives / close frienz...
For those who r taking care of ur bb on ur own, now tat e CLs r gone...my encouragement is to seek support in watever form...Take heart...Ur bb how old = U as a mom...Whoever likes 2 say insensitive remarks abt ur care for e bb / appearance shld b overlooked...
Initially, i was rather depressed cos i felt tat my hb n his side of relatives not so supportive...They seem very enthusiastic abt e bb's arrival but did little 2 make this mom feel relaxed n less stressed...I got agitated very easily whenever they offered advice/help in some way...h'r not e way i wanted...My uppermost concerns r whether e bb sleeps/eats/poos well...e rest not impt...it took a long while 2 sink this idea into my hb's head. Though i miss him badly, but i felt more @ ease w my parents ard...Unlike his relatives, my parents take crying as a form of commn n they oso very patient n understanding even if e bb cries in e wee hrs...i feel blessed 2 hav my mom as e CL...Tho itz her 1st time but i can feel e care frm her n she towards my bb...if i back w my hb, i not sure if i can cope well as they tend 2 ask Qs which i cant ans...some comments do make me feel down...hopefully i hav e strength 2 b firm n show them this is our child...we decide how best to take care of bb...i jus wan pple who cant help but only talk 2 back off a while...
Dunno if someone has this similar experience...my bb is great so far...itz only this area i need to put my stand as my hb is those easy going type but i simply don like those who say things w/o considering pple's feelings...i call it EQ dum dum...
To end i really hope we can all persevere...to end, i wan 2 share something tat touched my heart...I asked my cousin of 3 kids...wat gives u e ability 2 hav all 3 @ such close age...despite hrs of sleeplessness n worries over their devt...
her ans jus so simple...When u see their adorable faces/1st smile/1st turn/1st call @ u as mama...nothing beats this feeling...u wan 2 pluck e stars, give them all u hav 2 them n ensure tat they grow well...
I hav learnt to take a day @ a time n b ready for surprises n uncertainties...hope we all hav e will 2 pull thru for their sake...if we not strong...itz hard to b their pillar of strength...
Jia you dearie moms...