Hi!
Firstly, congratulations on being a parent! It must be overwhelming with all the advice you’re getting left, right, centre and online, but yes, like most of they say, it WILL get better.
Some of you have wrote to convey how encouraged you felt with my sharing on what I went through during my first few weeks of being a parent, so to make things easier to your already suddenly-hectic things-to-do, here are the links to get you directly there with a click.
[The Disclaimer: I’m not an expert on any of these areas so when in doubt, please always, always seek the advice of more experienced people whose opinions you trust or the professionals. These stories are purely based on my experiences.]
1. The birthstory of our firstborn
We had an amazing and pleasant delivery. It was something I least expected nor anticipated, but what a beautiful blessing and ease it was into Motherhood. Although on hindsight, perhaps getting checked in late when I was tired, did the trick. I know it’s never easy, but to me the options during delivery was clear – I wanted to have the energy to do those final pushes and embrace our newborn the moment he’s out then to deal with contractions beyond my threshold, when given a choice. For our firstborn, I was determined to receive him in as happy and chirpy a state as much as possible.
2. The first few weeks as a first time mum
I’m sure it happens to many, and I was one of the many. The first few weeks did not go according to plan at all. From asking the confinement lady to leave, to baby being hospitalized soon after he was first discharged to go home, to dealing with those bloody roller coaster emotions and more – it’s funny how none of my once-pregnant friends nor relatives prepared me for this. Maybe it was also because even if it was true, there was nothing much worth remembering and reminiscing about. But to me, acknowledging helps. Talking it out helps. Remember: your newborn is even more clueless about how the world works than you are. So it’s never personal. It will get better. If you have to, let all your pent-up feeling out. You know my email. Write to me if there’s no one else that you can talk to and not judge you for those moments.
3. The birthstory of our second born
Our second born was birth at the new Mount Elizabeth Novena Hospital which made it a very delightful birthing experience because unlike the first time round, I actually had a private room to rest and my husband had a proper couch instead of a plastic chair to sleep on. The nurses there were hilarious and helped a lot in maintaining my spirits up and again, the delivery was absolutely pleasant. We were beautifully blessed with a very healthy baby, safe delivery and like the first time round, I was one happy mama who was laughing a lot even when it came to those few pushes.
4. The first few weeks as a second time mum
Oh boy, I thought being a second time mum would have me feeling more prepared especially since this wasn’t my first time. Been there, done that, right? What I didn’t anticipate was the damn hormones. And managing the firstborn’s feelings. Tears flooded the eyes the moment I heard my firstborn going “I don’t love mommy. I don’t want mommy” even when I knew he probably didn’t mean it and was saying that to get my attention. I felt conflicted whenever my firstborn asked for me to accompany him to school, feed him or just sitting with him, and it was time to breastfeed the secondborn. I hated that I even had to make a choice between both boys.
