rants and raves

Rave
I found a great sling online, which I have used since Leah was 4 months old. This is a joined 2 pouch system that allows me to slot DD in without too much of a struggle from her. (DH thinks I look like that chap from Total Recall, the mutant with the extra person growing out of his chest.)

I was using a ringsling before, but then DD started to kick and scream when I tried to put her in it. At that stage she was still not able to hold her head well and I could only put her in either the cradle position or the breastfeeding hold. However, as mentioned, she didn't like the sling much for that. Hence the purchase of a MyBabyNest carrier. I didn't need to adjust the yards of cloth with a wriggly baby as well. A lifesaver. She does seem to like being in it. No complaints from her so far.

That said, now that Leah can hold her head properly, I have tried her in the ringsling again, this time in a modified snuggle hold (with her feet sticking out). And she's not objected. In fact, she managed to fall asleep once in it.

Rant
There's one thing that gets my goat in Malaysia and Singapore: seeing families out and about with the maid carrying the baby in a carrier. Anything wrong with this cosy fam scenario?

Hel-lo, baby carriers are meant to help parents with bonding!!! It's like these daddies and mommies think it's cool that it's the help who does the 'menial' task of carrying their children.

I have also been to one baby support group where one mommy brought along her maid. When it came time to do the nappy changing, her maid did it. The mom's main complaint --- and she wanted the rest of us to give our advice --- was how to cope with a baby that wants to feed incessantly and cries all the time, because "the maid has housework to do too." (I was agog, but didn't say what was on my mind: How about YOU take over and carry the baby when it cries then.) When they left, the maid put on a sarong sling and carried the baby.
I have no time for these part-time parents!

halftime report

Now that our favourite teams have been booted out of the World Cup (DH: England, moi: Brazil), I guess I have some time to update this blog.

On Sunday 2 July we started on solids! After much anxiety, nerves, general trepidation... Actually just baby rice mixed with lots of milk. We began with the 11am feed. I fed her a little from the breast first, then when she took a breather we transferred her to her high chair and fed her the baby rice-milk gruel.

As my mom predicted, Leah took to eating with a spoon like a natural ("She's not this size for nothing"). She was even grabbing the spoon and the bowl, wanting to get her little fingers on the meal.

But I am still kinda stressed over the whole idea of solids though, as I am not a cook and the thought of preparing her meals (when she progresses to other things besides baby rice, like sweet potatoes, carrots, pears etc) everyday is scary. I hope I don't overcook them!

The other confusing thing is what to do next. Some books suggest starting with the 11am feed and then switching to the 6pm feed (i.e. keeping it once a day for a few days more), before having 2 meals a day. But one of our paediatricians suggest that we progress to 2 meals a day (breakfast, then lunch), before we move to 3 a day.

Then there's when we should add more baby rice: at the end of the first week or after we have progressed to 3 meals a day?

Ooh, what to do...

As for development milestones: Leah is still not rolling over. This is her 24th week (although her 6th month birthday is still another week away). But she can raise herself up on her arms when I put her on her tummy, and she can put both feet in her mouth now (she explores everything by putting them in her gob).

One of my friends said not to worry about achieving these milestones as her DD only rolled over at 13 months (although she was crawling at 10). I am not really that fussed, honest. But it would be nice to have her more fit; she is tending on the Michelin man side.

At least her neck is much stronger now and when we pull her up from a prone position her head follows her arms.

She went through a babble stage: b's for a week ("bahbahbahbah") but that's over. She now does a semi-near-hysterical "hngh hngh hngh". These past 2 weeks, her voice also changed. It's a bit hoarser now. I wonder if it's anything to do with teething and the excess saliva?

We had a bout of nasty headcolds a month ago. I fell ill first. Took 2 weeks to get over it, then DD caught the bug. I think she quickly got over it though (no green candles issuing from her nose) and seemed none the worse for it too: she still slept okay and ate well. But after she got well I got the bug again. For another week, but in a milder form. This was the first time I was ill since I became pregnant. (I had a cold when I flew to the UK but nothing as bad as this latest round.)

I was a bit twitchy about Leah's cold though --- her first illness afterall. But we didn't need to bring out the Calpol or anything, thank goodness.

This half year has really flown by. We've been making very short videos (from my digital camera) and generally doing a weekly photo op, just to keep a record of her growth. With each new week I forget the previous one and what she was like then. I wonder if this is how mothers cope, reserving energy for the next day of mothering.

Last month, Leah's other set of grandparents (paternal) finally got to meet her. It was a monthlong get-to-know-you session. I don't know what impressions DD will get from this though. Someone joked that babies' memories are just slightly longer than goldfishes'.

Her paternal grandmother is the only person I know who can make Leah laugh just by speaking to her. Something in her tone of voice maybe.

I wonder what the next 6 months are going to bring...