Olivia @ 1 month.
My baby girl just turned a month old last September 18 and from 2.1 kilos she now weighs 3.75. I am about to tell you my tough first month ride. It was tough yet fulfilling. In this post, I want to talk about overcoming fears, my choices and personal preferences especially when it comes to taking care of Olivia, and my first-time moments as I experience motherhood much like the first time –again. It’s unique from the experience I had with my first-born, Lucas. This journey has been physically, mentally and emotionally challenging, and I want to share it with you.
Olivia is my 2nd child, and my first month with her plus Lucas has not been easy although I thought everything would just fall into place once we arrived home from the hospital after I gave birth to her.Having a newborn in the house comes with a great sacrifice. I need to wake up every two hours to feed her but it's different this time since Olivia is a preemie. Her lungs have not had matured yet so she spits up most of the time. I need to constantly check on her because she might choke on her milk. I must say my first two weeks have been crucial. I panic, I overthink, I assume, I get paranoid. I remember once, I spent the whole night just watching her because I thought she was having seizures and yet everyone ruled it out as just normal stretching. It was postpartum anxiety that eventually went away, although there are days when paranoia would still strike but I’m able to manage them now and get over quickly.
On my choices when it comes to Olivia, I've decided on them even before I got pregnant.I have decided that on feeding her, breastfeeding would be my sole and ultimate option. I didn't even have to think about it especially when I found out she had to come out earlier than expected. I used to breastfeed Lucas until he was 6 months, then I thought I had to stop when I decided to work. But later on, I found out that research says I can still breastfeed while working, and so we were forced to get a fridge before my due.
Breastfeeding will always be the right and best choice. It's one of the reasons why I could always get away with paranoia, since I never have to worry a lot about her getting sick easily. She got everything she needs with my milk, and so I don’t have to give her any vitamins. It's mommy's superpower!
On her nappies, I have decided to go with cloth diapers. It may be a little hassling because of its wash-and-wear demand but that's the essence of being a mom, right? I see that she's more comfortable wearing CDs than disposable diapers. It's cotton-made and it means less rashes for baby given the right detergent used in washing. Another good thing about CDs is that I get to save more with them because I just need to spend a lot once and she can use them until she's 2 or 3 years old. Currently, I only have 13 pieces of CDs and I still need more. Just like feeding, CDs need to be tended every two hours. It’s environmentally friendly, so no annoying piles of DDs in your trash. Plus, the prints are too cute to ignore, one can even be an additional accessory to her OOTD. By the way, I bought a lot of 10 brand new brand new printed CDs with bamboo charcoal inserts from Sky's The Limit Shop for 2600 and 3 from one of the mothers in the club I am in. Link here.
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| Embrace Baby Wrap |
I have also decided to learn baby wearing. I bought my stretchy wrap from Embrace Baby Wrap online shop on Facebook for 600. It's kinda difficult and she still gets a little fuzzy whenever I wear her but I'm still learning –I, in fact, at the moment, researching about baby wearing. I like the thought of being bonded with my baby through baby wearing. It also allows me to multitask and it's a lot convenient than a stroller when going out. Most of all I feel a lot closer to her whenever I carry her.
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| Preloved onesies I got from my blogger friend Crislyn of http://www.acelynprojecthappiness.com/ |
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| Swinging crib I bought online for 1,000 pesos only. |
Having my second child is just like having my first –I still find myself not knowing everything- especially that taking care of a baby girl is different from taking care of a baby boy. I’m just grateful to God that no matter how difficult and how tiring it gets, I get to smile seeing both of my children everyday growing healthy. And that is very rewarding.
I may not know much about parenting, but I am certain that I only want what’s best for them. I may not know if everything I do is right, but I will never want to put them in harm’s way. I know I can’t deal with the uncertainties that come along with being a mom, on my own. Alongside the worries and uncertainties, all I do is pray to God for their protection every day. After all, you can't be a mom if you worry less.
XOXO
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