After the previous post, some three weeks later, I’m still in the learning curve of motherhood. And no one could have prepared me for how daunting this role can get!

Don’t get me wrong though, I love being a mommy. Especially when you get to witness the development of your newborn, adjusting to his new environment–it’s amazing. But it’s not all peachy as it may seem. It’s actually hard work and it can get frustrating (it gave me new found respect for all mothers, especially the full-time moms). That’s why I feel so blessed to have a supportive husband and family who help me take care of my little Ziki. Thank God for them, I haven’t suffered post-partum depression (or so I think).

It may take me some time to master motherhood but here are some of the things I have learned so far:

• Breastfeeding is love! Yes, it can be difficult at first but when you find your groove and start getting used to it, it will be your most favorite moment of the day. I love my bonding moment with Ziki and super plus points because he gets the best nourishment he’s ever gonna get.
• Sleep deprivation cannot be avoided. Babies can keep you up all night! I literally watched the clock tick from midnight until 6AM on Ziki’s first night at home.
• Even if we have decided to use cloth diapers and lampin, using disposable diapers at night (and some parts of the day) can save some sleep time for you. Because…
• Babies urinate and poop like there’s no tomorrow! (But it’s still a good thing because it means your baby’s systems are all working well)
• Giving your baby a bath can be a feat. So you’ve got to know when your baby’s best waking time is in the morning so that he/she will be conditioned and less cranky when it’s time to hit the baby tub.
• Spit ups and vomiting can be scary. When I finally knew that it was actually hyperlactation on my part that caused him to throw up most of the milk and not reflux, it gave me relief. I was so afraid it may be GERD or something worse. Now, I pump out some of the foremilk so that Ziki can easily get to the hindmilk (which is the most nutritious milk) without being overfed.
• You will make up the silliest dance moves and out-of-this-world tunes to soothe a cranky baby.
• I burp Ziki every after feeding to make sure he doesn’t get gas. But sometimes I let him be especially when he has fallen asleep after feeding. And I read that it’s okay since he’s breastfed.
• Taking a bath, personal grooming and the like is hurried. When you have a baby, you don’t have the luxury of time to get prepped like you used to.
• A baby’s smile when sleeping is actually just a reflex and not a social smile. I don’t care though, I just love seeing my little baby smile at me.
• A greenish discharge may come out of the umbilical area even after the stump has fallen off. You need not freak out if the area is not swollen, reddish or the discharge foul-smelling. Just continue wiping it off with an alcohol and it will eventually dry up.
• You need to have discernment when to introduce the pacifier. In Ziki’s case, sucking soothes him. And with my hyperlactation and his frequent spit ups, giving him the pacifier has helped. But I would have withheld it, otherwise.
• Baby carriers could be wonder chairs!
• Let the baby know when it’s day or night. Go about your daily grind during the day, with the noise and all. Then keep it down when it’s night time. This way he would be able to adjust to the time and his surroundings. It’s passé to keep quiet around a sleeping baby when it’s daytime.
• Paranoia and anxiety can hit you a hundred times over than when you were pregnant. It hits hard when it’s night time and you’re watching your baby sleep soundly.
• Babies love to be swaddled. So you may want to invest in that.
• When all things fail in calming your screaming little one, putting him/her in the middle of your breasts can actually quiet him down. It’s because he/she hears your heartbeat, which was  all the sound the baby constantly hears when he/she was still in your womb. This soothes them.
• Kissing your baby can be addicting. :D

Okay, maybe that would be fine for now. There’s still more that comes to mind but I don’t want to bore you with a very long post. Basically what I’m trying to get at here is that everyday is an opportunity to learn something new about your baby and how to raise him/her–and it is exciting!

Hooboy! I still have a long way to go but I’m enjoying it. :)