I Have Milk!

Nursing this time round seems a lot easier because:-
1) The amt of time spent on each round of expressing is significantly shorter (20min Vs 45min. Kudos to the double pump!)
2) I have a larger supply and hence the absence of anxiety
3) I am motivated

I am really thankful to have enough not only for Ashlynn but also Adri. Both girls are on total breastmilk. Yes, Adri too!
Adri doesn't mind forgoing her formula milk in exchange for mummy's milk (known to her as the "good milk") and she drinks a good 300ml twice a day, once in school and another before she turns in for the day. The transition didnt happen overnight. Like what all other mummies would have done, it was done gradually, with an increasing amount of mummy's milk replacing the formula milk each day.

Breastfeeding undenibly takes a toll on my physical self but as parents, aren't we always sacrificing? I'm motivated because this time round, I am working hard for both my precious!
I aim to nurse for a year. Do you think i'll have the perserverance?

This is one-third of my excess supply.

Top view

Frontview

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Factsheets of my Princesses

~Adri's details @ birth~

~Ashlynn's details @ birth~

Ashlynn is the tinier (lighter, shorter) one.
But, she has a slightly larger head! =)

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Adri Meets Ashlynn

Sibling Rivalry.

Much has been read on and heard about the above topic and I was quite jittery as to how Adri would respond to Ashlynn. Adri was absolutely sweet to the still-in-mummy's-tummy Ashlynn but that might not be indicative of her response to the actual babe.

Mart and I decided that Jie Jie Adri would be the first family member to meet Ashlynn and that she would meet Ashlynn without the presence of other family members.

Why?

We didnt want noise.

We didnt want Adri to be influenced by the adults.

We wanted Adri to feel free to express herself, to be genuine with her response.

We wanted to be the ones to observe and guide Adri in receiving her lil' sister.

We wanted to be the ones to affirm Adri should she feel insecure.

We wanted to be the ones whom she would talk to should she want to talk about her lil' sister.

We were aware that the first experience was very important.

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As advised by friends and books, we bought Adri a present on the behalf of her sister.

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So how did Adri respond to Ashlynn?

I thought the first meet-up was a great start!

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Adri knew that Ashlynn was a little baby and was very softspoken the whole time she was at the hopsital. She put her fingers to her lips and went "shssh".

She waved and said hello to Ashlynn in an extremely angelic tone and kept looking at her lil' sister.

She was undenibly less chatty and excited than usual and that's probably cos she didnt know what to say to this new "friend" who wasn't quite responding to her (Ashlynn was sound asleep).

Just as Adri got a little bored of looking at Ashlynn (who wasn't moving), we handed Adri the present we had bought on behalf of Ashlynn. Adri got all excited and was instantly back to her loud nature. She couldnt wait to open the present!

The moment she opened her gift, Ashlynn became out of sight and out of mind.

Adri busied herself with her new play doh set which she loved dearly.

So that was it, no crying nor wailing on Adri's part.
Adri accepted her lil' sister (it seemed).

Why the parenthesis?
Much to our dismay, the two months that followed were really hair-tearing.
Adri became a real rascal and was very trying.
To cut it short, Adri got jealous of her lil' sister and was constantly fighting for our attention.

Adri whined and cried unnecessarily and no amount of explanation or coaxing or treats (sweets, chocs and lil' presents including) worked. The Adri who took explanation well and who willingly communicated her needs verbally turned into a lil' nightmare overnight. It got so bad that there were many times where she rolled on the ground of shopping malls and refused to get up.

Adri refused to let Mart carry Ashlynn. Daddy clearly belonged to her. Daddy was not allowed to carry mei mei and when Daddy had to, Adri wailed BIG time and was inconsolable.

Adri threw tantrums every night. Unlike before, it was impossible for both of us to put her to bed together and that really upsetted her. In the earlier days, she insisted on waiting for us and ranted "I want Mummy/Daddy" non-stop, only to find herself drifting into dreamland. Poor Adri cried herself to sleep.

Adri also became very rude in her exchanges with us and that didnt help in the communication process. As much as we were tired and getting impatient, Adri got demanding and refused to listen to us. There were several times where she threw herself to the ground even before we could explain ourselves.

Mart and I were helpless. We had our fair share of fatigue in caring for the newborn and our elder one wasn't quite cooperative. Our patience drew thin and eventually reached the limit. While we persisted in assuring Adri that we still loved her just as much but had to take care of Ashlynn who needed more help in many things cos she was a lil' baby who knew almost nought, we were mindful in not allowing Adri to go overboard. Yes, it was understandable that Adri felt insecure and hence reacted negatively but Mart and I felt that Adri was taking the opportunity to misbehave and was blowing things out of proportion at times. It was really difficult to strike a balance between being soft-spoken to her and sending her to the Naughty Corner and/or serving her the cane. Each time we disciplined Adri, it pained our hearts and we had to be very careful for we didn't want to give her the misconcpetion that we loved Ashlynn more than we loved her or that Ashlynn was more important than her.

By God's grace, our efforts paid off. I really have no idea how Mart and I managed. Adri was only a terror for two months. By the third, Adri grew to accept and love her lil' sister and took the initiative to care for her lil' sister daily.

Many a times, Adri was found standing on her lil' kiddy chair and playing with Ashlynn, waving some rattlers to her and/or talking to her while Ashlynn lay on her cot.

Adri also offered to hand us the diaper whenever Ashlynn was due for a diaper change.

When Ashlynn cried, Adri would scuttle off to inform either one of us.

Adri wanted to feed, carry and pat Ashlynn.

Just days ago, she wanted to help bathe Ashlynn and was extremely careful in not hurting Ashlynn's eyes when she helped to wash soap suds off Ashlynn's head.

Two days ago, Adri held Ashlynn's hands while they were seated on the sofa (mummy was supporting Ashlynn) and played "London Bridge" with Ashlynn in one of the softest and sweetest tone.
*and the list continues*

Mummy is extremely thankful that Adri is back to being a well-behaved and doting elder sister to Ashlynn. I am even more thankful that Adri's "terrible two" syndrome was merely a passing phase and didn't last that long. =)

My pair of lovely girls who get along well.

Adri loves her lil' sis and Ashlynn smiles at the sight of Adri! =D

Adri: I want to hold mei mei's hand.

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~Ashlynn's Arrival~190410~

After consulting Dr Chen, Mart and I decided to have Ashlynn induced at Week 37+. This time round, it wasn't becuz we were eager to meet Ashlynn. I would have loved to have Ashlynn in my tummy for another week or so for the womb would definitely have been a better nursing place for the lil' one. My cheeky princess, however, seemed really eager to meet us. The spotting episode at Week 33 aside, I was experiencing rather intense contractions throughout the three weeks i was put on hospitalisation leave, despite having taken the prescirbed medication that served to control the contractions.

According to Dr Chen, that was threatened labour. The uncertainty was really nerve-wrecking. I defintely didn't want to deliver Ashlynn at home and be caught in a "Oh my gosh!" situation. There were so many times where the contractions were so intense, frequent and regular that i was close to checking myself in to Mt A! However, I refused to and turned to medication simply because BB was only 34/35/36 weeks. I had wanted her to stay in my womb longer, yes, longer and longer, for as long as i could "tarhan". My aim was to keep her in me til at least Week 37. Anything before that seemed way too early for me.

Like all other doctors, Dr Chen gave us the option and Mart and I decided to receive Ashlynn on 19 April 2010, at 37 weeks and 2 days. I just had this hunch that if i hadn't, she might just pop before i could check myself into Mt A one fine day.

Unlike my experience with Adri, i was better prepared this time round. I knew what to expect and i aimed to catch a good rest prior to checking into Mt A and even at the delivery suite. Ashlynn, however, didn't allow me to rest. This time round, i experienced intense contractions rather early, at ard 3am although i was given the pill slightly past midnight. The water bag was burst at around 9am and Ashlynn arrived at 1507h, weighing 2.65kg.

When i first cast my eyes on Ashlynn, I was dumbfounded. Here's why...

Did u feel the "ouch"? Just imagine how this tired mummy felt.

Ashlynn arrived all bruised and had lacerations that covered the top of her head. My heart really broke. What happened to my baby?!! Instead of focusing on her features and hair etc (like wat all mummies would hv done), i was "drawn" to her bruises and her wounds.

It was sheer heartache.

Dr Chen and Dr Tan (the PD) were very professional. While they assured me, they explained that Ashlynn was in the wrong position, the OP position. On top of that, instead of looking down, Ashlynn had her head tilted up and that greater circumference due to the tilt caused her to be stuck at the birth canal for quite some time.
Dr Chen had sensed that something wasn't right, that the crowning process was taking way too long even though i had gotten the position right and was pushing well. Instinctively, she decided to use the vacuum.

I had similar assistance for Adri too. Back then, I didnt quite know how to push. Adri only needed one suction. Ashlynn, however, needed more tries. It took 4 suctions before we were all relieved. The increased circumference due to the tilt proved to be a challenge. The lacerations was the result of the suctions.

I couldnt help wonder if Ashlynn was "blue" but Dr Tan assured me that she was just "bruised" and the bruises would clear within a week. There and then, i was extremely thankful that there weren't complications and that the injuires were superficial. I just wanted to cuddle this precious newborn. I was just extremely thankful that despite all odds (the 2 falls i had [yes, i had another fall, at week 36 =p], the threatened labour and the unexpected hiccup during delivery), Ashlynn was S.A.F.E.

How could I not be thankful?
This pregnancy and delivery had been so eventful.

...More pics of Ashlynn in my upcoming posts...

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