It has been a roller coaster ride this past months, some bad but all mostly good. I dare say I have learnt a lot. Let me see if I can remember them all..
Lets start from the begining
We brought him home and all was well. We tried our best and we managed ok but because we were first time parents we didn't know much. Trust me when I say if you're a first time parent, get someone who has been through childbirth recently to help out. Don't be shy to ask question. Remember you're doing it for the little one.
Little feet in a big world and you are suppose to be the one guiding them but we needed someone to guides us. Both my wife and I read a lot of books but it's not the same as someone who's been through it and can show you. Don't think that if someone comes and shows you how to breast feed, how to change or even bath the baby, that makes you a bad parent. On the contrary you're being better parents for wanting to learn. "Jennifer" from Jenlia was our angel. She help both me and my wife a lot.
Me and my wife tried our best but after 5 days he had to go back into hospital. Jaundice!!!. Let me tell you it was the worst period so far. There was no room in the hospital so me and my wife got a room in the hotel close by. We had to go visit every 2 hours cause my wife (the most amazing woman in the world) was breast feeding. We needed to keep him hydrated and at the same time give him all the protection from Mummy through mummy's milk. He's Jaundice levels was very high but we manage to bring it down only after 1 night under the UV light plus the 2 hour feeds. That was all thanks to my wife. She was a trooper. Trust me guys breast feeding is not easy and very draining for a woman so be nice to you wife and help her out every way you can.
That was only in the first month......
The little guy continued to grow and grow. The 2nd & 3rd month was kind of hard cause the little fellow slowly learned new things. He also realized what he likes and doesn't so he started to get a little fussy. No more just letting him just sleep in his cot. Now he wants to be carried and he knows crying will get things done. But the best part was his new facial expressions.
I say carry him now, not all the time when he cries or else he thinks that when he cries you will carry him, but carry him whenever you can. Trust me they put on weight really fast and soon he is no more the light little baby that you once held only a few months ago.
Invest in a digital camera because one thing about a new born baby it's his first times. First time smiling (there's a difference between a real smile and gas. They only can smile after 3 months. Before that it's all gas), first time laughing, first time taking the bottle.
Oh yes before I forget, my advice to you new parents, introduce your baby to a bottle within 3 weeks from birth cause if you did like what we did it's going to be hard. We waited 2 months before introducing the bottle and he refuse to take to it. We had to try all the bottles in the market until we finally found one he likes.
Few months down the line and it's already 5 months and it's time for his first Christmas. This is my boy looking at the Christmas tree for the first time. Just look at the wonder in his eyes.
Now chicken pox on a 5th month old baby is actually not that bad. It's more taxing on the parents than the little guy. It's more painful for the parents to see little pox appearing on your child than it is for the child. They don't mind it, at least my son didn't. He can't reach around his back so he can't scratch the pox so that's good but we had to keep him clean at all times. We had to bath him twice a day and keep him cool. They had this medication to help the little one with his itch as well. My little boy was just like normal, at least as close to it as possible, but my wife and I were flat out tired.
He looks like his mummy doesn't he....
Now between 4 to 6 months let's add mobility into the picture. My son learnt how roll over onto his tummy when he was 4 months. Here's another worry for us. When he turns over he doesn't know how to turn back so he sleeps on his tummy, sometimes face down. Time for some sleepless nights checking on him. We bought this strap thingie that kept him in place but we still had to check on him
We had to teach him to turn back. When ever he rolled over we tried to make him role back on his back. Took him a month to learn but he eventually did.
Little feet in a big world and you are suppose to be the one guiding them but we needed someone to guides us. Both my wife and I read a lot of books but it's not the same as someone who's been through it and can show you. Don't think that if someone comes and shows you how to breast feed, how to change or even bath the baby, that makes you a bad parent. On the contrary you're being better parents for wanting to learn. "Jennifer" from Jenlia was our angel. She help both me and my wife a lot.
Me and my wife tried our best but after 5 days he had to go back into hospital. Jaundice!!!. Let me tell you it was the worst period so far. There was no room in the hospital so me and my wife got a room in the hotel close by. We had to go visit every 2 hours cause my wife (the most amazing woman in the world) was breast feeding. We needed to keep him hydrated and at the same time give him all the protection from Mummy through mummy's milk. He's Jaundice levels was very high but we manage to bring it down only after 1 night under the UV light plus the 2 hour feeds. That was all thanks to my wife. She was a trooper. Trust me guys breast feeding is not easy and very draining for a woman so be nice to you wife and help her out every way you can.
That was only in the first month......
The little guy continued to grow and grow. The 2nd & 3rd month was kind of hard cause the little fellow slowly learned new things. He also realized what he likes and doesn't so he started to get a little fussy. No more just letting him just sleep in his cot. Now he wants to be carried and he knows crying will get things done. But the best part was his new facial expressions.
I say carry him now, not all the time when he cries or else he thinks that when he cries you will carry him, but carry him whenever you can. Trust me they put on weight really fast and soon he is no more the light little baby that you once held only a few months ago.
Invest in a digital camera because one thing about a new born baby it's his first times. First time smiling (there's a difference between a real smile and gas. They only can smile after 3 months. Before that it's all gas), first time laughing, first time taking the bottle.
Oh yes before I forget, my advice to you new parents, introduce your baby to a bottle within 3 weeks from birth cause if you did like what we did it's going to be hard. We waited 2 months before introducing the bottle and he refuse to take to it. We had to try all the bottles in the market until we finally found one he likes.
Few months down the line and it's already 5 months and it's time for his first Christmas. This is my boy looking at the Christmas tree for the first time. Just look at the wonder in his eyes.
Then came the new year and the next bump in the road. My wife got chicken pox and so naturally my little boy got it too.
Now chicken pox on a 5th month old baby is actually not that bad. It's more taxing on the parents than the little guy. It's more painful for the parents to see little pox appearing on your child than it is for the child. They don't mind it, at least my son didn't. He can't reach around his back so he can't scratch the pox so that's good but we had to keep him clean at all times. We had to bath him twice a day and keep him cool. They had this medication to help the little one with his itch as well. My little boy was just like normal, at least as close to it as possible, but my wife and I were flat out tired.
He looks like his mummy doesn't he....
Now between 4 to 6 months let's add mobility into the picture. My son learnt how roll over onto his tummy when he was 4 months. Here's another worry for us. When he turns over he doesn't know how to turn back so he sleeps on his tummy, sometimes face down. Time for some sleepless nights checking on him. We bought this strap thingie that kept him in place but we still had to check on him
We had to teach him to turn back. When ever he rolled over we tried to make him role back on his back. Took him a month to learn but he eventually did.
In that 4 to 6 months the little guy learnt to laugh, now that can cure any pain or stress from any parent. Even your tiredness seem to disappear. He starts to babble and squeal in excitement. He also learnt how to sit up with support. The little guy is growing up.
Now past the 6 month period it's time to keep a closer eye on him. Me and my wife had to watch him all the time as he begins to rock on all 4's then slow learn to creep forward. Now you think they can't move fast but you would be a fool if you do so. Trust me when they do learn to move they will move fast. Try not to play on high areas like your bed. He might just wander off it.
Another thing about the 6th month, it's solids time. It's time to introduce the little one to solids. Time for more pictures. Don't worry about not taking too much the first few times. They will gradually like the idea of solids and take more. My son started with 2 little spoons then he stop. Now he is having 3 solid meals a day.
Another thing you have to try in the 6th month is sleep training. There are loads of ways of sleep training available on the internet for you to read about but be prepared for the screams of anger. Our son just refuse to sleep when we asked him too, even though he was dead tired. It took us months and we still have problems but he has kind of learnt to sleep when he has too. Nowadays we just have to say good night and leave him in his cot. He will mess around a little then go to sleep with not much fuss.
Now comes the the pulling himself up to the standing position. When my son realized he could do this, he wanted to pull himself up all the time even though he could not stand for very long. This was another reason he couldn't be left alone for too long even in a secure place. He would try to pull himself up then fall down. So as I said before, "you must keep an eye out all the time".
So from learning to stand up you must teach them how to sit. My wife did most of this teaching him to sit properly from a standing position. Took him about a month to perfect it but he's a pro now.
Now you can plan for all this but one thing you can't plan for is when the tooth comes. My son started showing signs of teething at 4 months but the tooth only came out on 28 of March which was his 8th month. First my son was cranky, he had a slight fever and everything was not right for about a week and a bit when the tooth was actually cutting through the gums. He was angry. Then when the tooth came out, he started biting everyone and everything. This will go on for a while cause all the teeth need to come out the same way.
My wife breast fed the little one for 8 months. To me that's amazing. It took a lot out of her and she had to sacrifice a lot too. I'm talking about not being able to eat spicey food, crabs, prawns, Sambal Belacan and all the yummy stuff, even Sushi cause my son might be allergic to it or it might not be good for the kid. I might not say it enough but "I love you sweetheart for that and Jon loves you for it too. You're an amazing woman"
Now guys, if your wife stops breast feeding don't think they'll enjoy it. Trust me they will miss it. I won't claim that I understand what they go through or why they miss it but they do. I only can say try to understand it and be there for them.
My sons is 9 months now and I'm sure he taught me more but I just can't seem to remember them now. All I know he is learning new things everyday and coming up with new ways to make me and my wife laugh.
Has it only been 9 months??..... :)
