Apart from "Government Warning: Cigarette smoking is dangerous to your health.", another TVC line that keeps being played over and over again is, "Breastmilk is still best for babies up to 6 months." So, having heard this repeatedly, I thought breatfeeding was the most natural thing in the world. Natural = easy. I was so wrong. I'm not a breastfed baby so my mom can't really give much advice.
Given that I'd be back in work by June, I ordered myself a dual electric pump (Medela Freestyle). My mistake was that since I got it the day before I gave birth, it wasn't prepared (washed, sterilized, etc.) and placed in my hospital bag. In the hospital, I had to breastfeed from Day 1-3.
SUCH A HORRIBLE EXPERIENCE. If baby wasn't sleeping, he was crying and clamoring for MILK MILK MILK! I had a difficult time making him latch... he would latch, then suck then unlatch and cry wildly. Then I'd try to find the right timing when he was crying with his mouth wide open and shove my nipple in his mouth to try latching again and he'd be annoyed, and unlatch - basically the same thing for a couple of minutes until he'd finally decide to latch and suck and swallow. As a first time mom (or maybe all moms in general), it was heartbreaking to hear baby cry, cry and cry! Like I couldn't give him what he wanted! So those were sleep-deprived nights in the hospital (3 nights). What also added to my stress and frustration was the fact that my in laws and family would be in the hospital, watching me be frustrated with breastfeeding and looking at me like I obviously didn't know what I was doing. Ughhh. Don't get me wrong, they have been very supportive, but it just added to the stress knowing they had their eyes on me. Like it was my fault that baby was crying!
Thursday, May 10, 2012
Saturday, May 05, 2012
5 Things I've Recently Discovered About...
..My Husband:
1. When it comes to Liam's soiled diapers, he has no qualms whatsoever in cleaning up. Prior to baby, he'd always give me that grossed-out look when I mention changing nappies. Now, I'm the one who watches by the sidelines when diaper contains poop, hehehe. In all fairness, I have no issues with pee :))
2. Although he treasures his sleep, he is as alert as ever the minute baby lets out a cry. Or sometimes when I beat him to it but need his help, I go, "Alvin!! Help please." and he's on his toes in an instant.
3. He loves cuddling and playing with Liam. His favorite is letting Liam munch on his NOSE. Yes, I've told him over and over that it's not hygienic!!! Haha.
1. When it comes to Liam's soiled diapers, he has no qualms whatsoever in cleaning up. Prior to baby, he'd always give me that grossed-out look when I mention changing nappies. Now, I'm the one who watches by the sidelines when diaper contains poop, hehehe. In all fairness, I have no issues with pee :))
2. Although he treasures his sleep, he is as alert as ever the minute baby lets out a cry. Or sometimes when I beat him to it but need his help, I go, "Alvin!! Help please." and he's on his toes in an instant.
3. He loves cuddling and playing with Liam. His favorite is letting Liam munch on his NOSE. Yes, I've told him over and over that it's not hygienic!!! Haha.
Sunday, April 29, 2012
April 21, 2012: Liam Jacob Ng Guce
This post is looong over due! So my baby finally came 2 Saturdays ago, April 21, 2012 at exactly 2:44 PM. I'll get to my birth story in a bit but just a few things that I want to highlight:
- Research shows that only 5% of babies arrive exactly on their due dates. My Liam's part of the 5% :)
- Someone told me lucky daw to have a birthmark. My little one has a huge (little & huge) birthmark on his tummy and a small one on this knee ;)
- Liam's a dragon baby <3
- Another friend told me that babies surviving coil cord incidents are considered to bring swerte. Liam was born with one.
**
So, here's my birth story:
- Research shows that only 5% of babies arrive exactly on their due dates. My Liam's part of the 5% :)
- Someone told me lucky daw to have a birthmark. My little one has a huge (little & huge) birthmark on his tummy and a small one on this knee ;)
- Liam's a dragon baby <3
- Another friend told me that babies surviving coil cord incidents are considered to bring swerte. Liam was born with one.
**
So, here's my birth story:
Saturday, April 14, 2012
Hubby Moment
Just want to document this so I won't forget...
When my husband and I were first dating, he was so cheesy I'd gawk at him every time he hits me with his liners like, "I feel like I'm in heaven when I'm with you." :| BARF BARF.
Throughout the years and I guess also because of being more mature, he lost it and started being less and less cheesy. These days, it takes an arm and a leg just to get him to answer a question such as, "What do you love about me?" Which I still ask once in a while and he answers (always), "You're cute. Yun." :|
He may no longer be his old cheesy self, but he does show love and sweetness in other ways (which may not always be obvious). Today, I got a kilig fit when I heard him as-a-matter-of-factly say something. We were talking about being successful, careers, life plans, etc. He was telling me about how his colleagues were so into being successful and climbing up the corporate ladder that he finds it ridiculous at times.
He goes, "For me ha, hindi na pera o ranking yung definition ko of success. Si baby na. If he grows up to be a person with a good heart and is well-educated, yan pinaka definition ko ng success ngayon."
We were in the car then and I was just looking straight, did not want to show how happy his comment made me feel and just uttered, "Ahh, oonga naman." But I could not help but smile from ear to ear. Not only did I marry a good husband, but a good father as well.
Once in a while, he proves to me that despite having changed and matured...in some ways, he's still that cheesy and sensitive guy I fell in love with 6 years ago ;)
PS NOW I'm the one who's cheesy :))
When my husband and I were first dating, he was so cheesy I'd gawk at him every time he hits me with his liners like, "I feel like I'm in heaven when I'm with you." :| BARF BARF.
Throughout the years and I guess also because of being more mature, he lost it and started being less and less cheesy. These days, it takes an arm and a leg just to get him to answer a question such as, "What do you love about me?" Which I still ask once in a while and he answers (always), "You're cute. Yun." :|
He may no longer be his old cheesy self, but he does show love and sweetness in other ways (which may not always be obvious). Today, I got a kilig fit when I heard him as-a-matter-of-factly say something. We were talking about being successful, careers, life plans, etc. He was telling me about how his colleagues were so into being successful and climbing up the corporate ladder that he finds it ridiculous at times.
He goes, "For me ha, hindi na pera o ranking yung definition ko of success. Si baby na. If he grows up to be a person with a good heart and is well-educated, yan pinaka definition ko ng success ngayon."
We were in the car then and I was just looking straight, did not want to show how happy his comment made me feel and just uttered, "Ahh, oonga naman." But I could not help but smile from ear to ear. Not only did I marry a good husband, but a good father as well.
Once in a while, he proves to me that despite having changed and matured...in some ways, he's still that cheesy and sensitive guy I fell in love with 6 years ago ;)
PS NOW I'm the one who's cheesy :))
Friday, April 13, 2012
Monday, April 09, 2012
On Patience and Selflessness
Each experience, good or bad, is out to teach us a lesson. Despite having gone through 9 months of pregnancy (the waiting, vomiting, waiting some more, nausea, waiting a little bit more...), I can't believe that in these last weeks, God still pushes for even more life (and shall I say mommy) lessons.
Since I hit the 37-week mark, I've been hoping day and night that I'd go into labor, claiming that I was already excited to see Liam - which is true, by the way. But lately I've been thinking...
I remember years ago when Ms. Sabado observed me in the classroom. One of the things she mentioned was that she found me to be a bit impatient when it comes to questioning. According to her, when I'd ask the class a question, I hardly gave what the academe world would call "think time" and impatiently move on to another question, or another student. She told me I had to be more patient and give the girls time to reflect and actually come up with an answer in their minds, think of how to deliver the answer and then actually raise their hands and give the answer. That comment of hers always stuck. I made it a reminder to myself to always be patient, in and out of the classroom. This time around, at 38 weeks and 3 days, my patience is yet again being challenged.
With much thought, I realized that not only is God trying to give me a lesson on patience, He is also teaching me about the many other ways I need to SELFLESS. The main reasons why I want to give birth already are...
Since I hit the 37-week mark, I've been hoping day and night that I'd go into labor, claiming that I was already excited to see Liam - which is true, by the way. But lately I've been thinking...
I remember years ago when Ms. Sabado observed me in the classroom. One of the things she mentioned was that she found me to be a bit impatient when it comes to questioning. According to her, when I'd ask the class a question, I hardly gave what the academe world would call "think time" and impatiently move on to another question, or another student. She told me I had to be more patient and give the girls time to reflect and actually come up with an answer in their minds, think of how to deliver the answer and then actually raise their hands and give the answer. That comment of hers always stuck. I made it a reminder to myself to always be patient, in and out of the classroom. This time around, at 38 weeks and 3 days, my patience is yet again being challenged.
With much thought, I realized that not only is God trying to give me a lesson on patience, He is also teaching me about the many other ways I need to SELFLESS. The main reasons why I want to give birth already are...
Saturday, April 07, 2012
Fall In Love...
...stay in love and it will decide everything <3 I've always loved this quote from Fr. Pedro Arrupe and today, during the Easter Vigil, I saw this guy wearing a statement shirt that had the same line on it. I fell in love with the quote all over again. Here's the entire text:
"Nothing is more practical than finding God that is,
than falling in love in a quite absolute, final way.
What you are in love with, what seizes your imagination, will affect everything.
It will decide what will get you out of bed in the morning, what you will do with your evenings,
what you read, who you know, what breaks your heart and what amazes you with great joy and gratitude.
Fall in love, stay in love and it will decide everything."
I think there's nothing like a mass at the Gesu to renew and restrengthen my faith. After all, so many memories fill my heart when I'm in this beautiful church.
One of them would be this:
Of course, I also got engaged in the same church, where H and I used to serve during college masses back in the ligaw stage. Each time I'm in the Gesu, my life sort of gets re-anchored. I remember all over again my purpose in life - service. To God through my family and my work. I remember all over again that life does not revolve around me and that I have a far greater purpose than simply just having a good life - I make sure others have that chance too, my students and the less fortunate.
"Nothing is more practical than finding God that is,
than falling in love in a quite absolute, final way.
What you are in love with, what seizes your imagination, will affect everything.
It will decide what will get you out of bed in the morning, what you will do with your evenings,
what you read, who you know, what breaks your heart and what amazes you with great joy and gratitude.
Fall in love, stay in love and it will decide everything."
I think there's nothing like a mass at the Gesu to renew and restrengthen my faith. After all, so many memories fill my heart when I'm in this beautiful church.
One of them would be this:
Of course, I also got engaged in the same church, where H and I used to serve during college masses back in the ligaw stage. Each time I'm in the Gesu, my life sort of gets re-anchored. I remember all over again my purpose in life - service. To God through my family and my work. I remember all over again that life does not revolve around me and that I have a far greater purpose than simply just having a good life - I make sure others have that chance too, my students and the less fortunate.
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