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Friday, March 25, 2011

Yaya Blues....

Remember the yaya that was 'meant to be'?


Well, when Kailee was still inside me - Yaya was very very helpful around the house.  I liked her because she's malinis magtrabaho, she's also not makwenta with the household chores - whatever she can do to help my all-around, she does without being asked to.  She cooks and cleans and does laundry.  I have no complaints about her - nada.  She seemed too perfect, a little too perfect honestly.



But when Kailee was born - I asked her to keep me company in the hospital.  She was very attentive although I noticed that she was having a hard time listening to instructions and also she was quite insistent on certain things like having Kailee wear a bigkis and Kailee drinking formula.  You see, I've told her a number of times that Kailee will be breastfed - she then told me 'Ma'am mas tataba ang baby kapag pinainom natin ng formula'  to which I replied, that we will be purely breastfeeding the baby.  When we were about to leave the hospital, my Pedia - Dr. Joy Ty-Sy came by to visit and Yaya again told us 'Mas tataba si baby kung ihahalo natin ng formula milk'  This prompted my Pedia to say to her 'Yaya, friends tayo ha! PURE breastfeeding tayo dapat!'  Diba?  Pati the Pedia napagsabihan pa siya tuloy!  Another similar incident was that of wearing a bigkis - I kept on telling her that it was advised by the midwife (Elena) that babies nowadays don't wear bigkis anymore because it causes infection of the belly buttons - BUT Yaya still insisted this to me, the nurse then told her that it was not practiced anymore because it causes infection.


This made me realize that Yaya seems to have a problem listening - and everyone knows how I HATE people with poor listening skills!  Listening for me is one important step to avoid miscommunication and misunderstanding, but apparently - this Yaya of mine has a problem with her listening skills.


The first few days were hard for the both of us - since of course, Kailee is already around.  Yaya has her methods, while I have mine (which I perceive to be correct) and of course, I want my methods to be followed - right?  Yaya once told me that she's experienced with newborns but somehow I wasn't as convinced of that - I knew she took care of her daughter BUT taking care of your daughter is different with taking care of another person's baby.  My Panget insisted that we hire a midwife to help us (me and my Panget) out and also the Yaya, to give her a re-fresher course of some sort.  Good thing was that Yaya did not take offense!  She even welcomed the additional information - although sometimes, she forgets tiny little things.


This morning, I woke up to loud voices in the other room - apparently, it was my mom's voice.  She was arguing with the yaya on the issue of Yaya using baby wash on Kailee's face.  My mom said maybe it was the cause of the rashes.  To cut the long story short, Yaya used water slightly soaped with baby wash and wiped it on Kailee's face during her afternoon punas punas - this was what my mom noticed - to which Yaya denied and denied - she insisted that she used Lactacyd (We use Lactacyd on Kailee during her morning bath and not her afternoon punas-punas).  Eventually after much prodding, Yaya admitted to using the water slightly soaped with baby wash - this angered my mom because had Yaya admitted to it early on, there would be no argument, right?  When I went to the room, my mom was re-telling the issue - to let me know what has happened then after a few seconds she started crying and said with a soft voice 'Ma'am kung ayaw niyo po ang trabaho ko, pwede niyo naman ako sabihan ng maayos, aalis naman po ako!'  This angered me!  My mom even walked out of the room out of anger - I mean, Yaya has this habit of reasoning with her wrongdoing to make it right, then in the end - she will admit her mistake!  I mean, why not admit to the mistake immediately instead of reasoning lengthily trying to right the wrong?  Then when you reprimand her, she will tell you that she can be replaced??  The midwife then told Yaya in a joking manner 'Kaya ka pala NPA (No Permanent Address) kasi lagi kang nanghahamon na aalis ka, sabi mo bukas ang isipan mo at tumatanggap ka ng mga pagkakamali?'  This statement somehow made Yaya feel good!  Which was weird! 



In the end - after much psyching up of the midwife, Yaya admitted to the wrong doing - but it was already too late!  Yaya has this late reaction to things you see, after much explaining - she will eventually realize her mistake.  The midwife also told Yaya not to take offense when being reprimanded because being reprimanded only helps you to remember what you should and should not do - and EVERYONE gets reprimanded - there's no exception to that.



Midwife then told me to try and look for a back-up yaya just in case this one will challenge me to another 'Magpapa-alam' incident, kasi kawawa daw si Kailee - which is true.

Thus, I am on a search again.  Even if Yaya is still with me, she gave me the impression that she comes and goes because she told me 'Mag-se-stay ako hangga't makakaya ko, pag di ko na kaya - magpapaalam po ako'  So with that statement, I have to be warned.


What do you think??

Growth Spurts & Fussy Baby

We're experiencing our first growth spurt!

Yesterday, Kailee wanted to be fed every hour!  She can't seem to sleep or doesn't want to sleep!  Yaya and I were tired from pacifying Kailee - good thing when my friend Kath & Denz came, she fell right to sleep while we were chatting away.

Kailee slept very well last night, only waking up every two to three hours to be nursed.  This was a good sign.

And this morning after nursing her at 7am - she slept soundly until 11am.

I was so uneasy yesterday - because I didn't know what to do!!  I felt so bad for Kailee because I knew she was sleepy, but just couldn't seem to sleep!!  She was reall fussy!!

But today, she was a good baby - she slept and ate and slept.  No fussy-ness, no shrieking cries!

My Panget and I had to leave for a while to go to a designer's fitting.  I asked my mom to come by to watch Kailee - I had prepared for them two bottles with 2oz of breastmilk each - just in case Kailee gets hungry.  But before we left, I was still able to nurse her - I just had to stop nursing because we had to leave.

Thirty minutes later - I get a text message from my mom saying that Kailee finished the first bottle in three minutes!  Then after a while, I get another message saying that the second bottle was consumed in five minute and it was a good thing that after the second bottle - Kailee fell asleep!

My mom was worried that after the second bottle, Kailee was still hungry!  Good thing she wasn't, but when I got home - when I saw Kailee, she instantly cried and wanted to nurse.  My mom said that Kailee might have smelled my scent - thus she knew mommy was home!!

When I look at Kailee, I can't help but smile - she's the cutest thing!  And I am much more happy when I see how my mom and my Panget fall in love with Kailee every time they see her.  Its a different feeling seeing them like this!

Tuesday, March 22, 2011

Help Helper!

Since I gave birth - my yaya has been concentrating on the baby.  We hired a midwife for two weeks to help the yaya out - some sort of a refresher course for her and also for me.  The midwife, Elena has been very helpful - she taught me and the yaya how to bathe Kailee, how to burp her and so many other things.  I wish I can hire her forever!  If I had the money - why not!  But it will be a very expensive yaya - who works for only 8 hours.  Hahaha!!

Anyhoo, since Yaya has been with Kailee most of the time - my all-around helper, Cathy - has been quite busy.  She has been doing all the cleaning, the cooking and the laundry.  Just last month, she was only servicing two people - me and my Panget, with the help of Yaya.  The tandem of Yaya and Cathy has been very effective - they seem to help one another out with chores around the house, but since we came home with Kailee - the work they both did before, she has been doing on her own. 

It only occurred to me that she was having a hard time when I noticed that I was running out of PJs to wear.  I spoke to her and asked why it was taking so long - she then told me that she had a lot on her hands, cleaning and cooking and doing the laundry - she didn't have enough time.  This made me decide to take out the laundry-ing out of the equation, I called my mom and asked if I can still have our laundry sent to them for Manang to wash - and of course she said yes (Thanks Ma!). 

Since I took one chore out of her hands, I gathered that she will have an easier time doing the cleaning and the cooking.  She told me that somehow, it helped because she didn't need to keep rushing to do her chores, I then reminded her that even if she had enough time now - she's not supposed to slack off.

So far, so good but she still needs a little work on her time management.

But its all good, thank you Lord!! :)

P.S. About 3 years ago, I wondered why my SIL had hired 2 helpers for her house (that is on top of her 2 Yayas), it was only now that I realized that one helper cannot do EVERYTHING especially when there's a baby around.  The Yayas become focused on the little ones since that's their main job - as for the all around, she becomes tasked to take care of the household - and her two hands and two feet can only take her so far and so additional help can make things better - makes tasks easier to do.

Monday, March 21, 2011

Ge Lai Diaries

March 7, 2011 (Monday)
Got admitted in Cardinal Santos, I wanted to go home BUT wasn't allowed to
This was the last night that I took a bath!
Felt so refreshed and I have to thank my OB's resident Dr. Janina Go!!  (she gave me a sachet of shampoo!)


March 8, 2011(Tuesday)
First day of my no ligo day!
I felt normal - didn't feel dirty because I was cleaned up pretty well by the nurses!
I was sleepy and tired the whole day


March 9, 2011 (Wednesday)
Second day of my no ligo day!
Still felt normal, I didn't notice the icky feeling yet, maybe because Cardinal's aircon is cold!
Changed hospital gown and sheets (this, somehow made me feel - fresher!)

March 10, 2011 (Thursday)
Third day of my no ligo day!
Felt itchy on my back - because of the epidural catheter's tape!  
Got discharged during lunch time.  Started wearing PJs (long sleeves with socks ALL day)
Tied my hair for the first time since I got admitted (March 7)
Made punas-punas using HOT water with Vinagre Aromatico!

March 11, 2011 (Friday)
Fourth day of no ligo day!
Felt itchy on my back and on my lower abs and navel because of the tape's adhesive.
Had to clean the adhesive left on my skin using baby oil
Hair was still okay - tied it into a ponytail
Made punas-punas using HOT water with Vinagre Aromatico!

March 12, 2011 (Saturday)
Fifth day of no ligo day!
Hair is still okay
Made punas-punas using HOT water with Vinagre Aromatico!

March 13, 2011 (Sunday)
Sixth day of no ligo day!
Hair is getting a bit oily, but the feeling is still okay
Made punas-punas using HOT water with Vinagre Aromatico!

March 14, 2011 (Monday)
Seventh day of no ligo day!
I thought to myself - 7 more days to go!!
Hair is getting oily - I keep it in a ponytail the whole time, para di ako mairita!
Made punas-punas using HOT water with Vinagre Aromatico!

March 15, 2011 (Tuesday)
Eighth day of no ligo day!
My baby's a week old!  And still - I've had no shower!!
Hair is getting oilier and oilier!!
Made punas-punas using HOT water with Vinagre Aromatico!


March 16, 2011 (Wednesday)
Ninth day of no ligo day!
Its confirmed, hair is super oily at this point!
Scalp is also beginning to itch!
Made punas-punas using HOT water with Vinagre Aromatico!

March 17, 2011 (Thursday)
Tenth day of no ligo day!
My scalp is getting itchier, but I can still handle it! 
Tied my hair in a ponytail
Made punas-punas using HOT water with Vinagre Aromatico!


March 18, 2011 (Friday)
Eleventh day of no ligo day!
My scalp is soooo itchy!!  Hair is still on a ponytail!
Made punas-punas using HOT water with Vinagre Aromatico!


March 19, 2011 (Saturday)
Twelfth day of no ligo day!
My scalp is super itchy na!  Hair is feeling so oily and dirty!
Made punas-punas using HOT water with Vinagre Aromatico!

March 20, 2011 (Sunday)
Thirteenth day of no ligo day!
Scalp is itchy and stinks like napapanis na!!
Mom told me to take a bath on the Fifteenth day instead
Made punas-punas using HOT water with Vinagre Aromatico!

March 21, 2011 (Monday)
Fourteenth day of no ligo day!
I am VERY excited for tomorrow - kasi finally, I can wash my hair!!
My scalp is itchy, there are what seems to be dandruff like thingies on my hair, STILL the panis like smell is getting to me (although my mom says they can't smell it from a distance)
Made punas-punas using HOT water with Vinagre Aromatico!


March 22, 2011 (Tuesday)
FINALLY!!
The time has come for me to take a bath!!!!!!!!!!!

Sunday, March 20, 2011

Kailee's cheeks!!

My baby's cheeks!!

Kaka-gigil!!!

My Birthing Story

Here's my birthing story, posted it on my other blog..


Read the rest of the entry at:
http://candishhh.blogspot.com/2011/03/why-ive-been-away.html

Sunday, March 6, 2011

Pain: irritating as hell!!

Pain's a bitch yes - and I am one who has a low tolerance of!!

Every contraction (braxton hicks) that I feel - I cringe and hope that it goes away instantly..

The ones that are 30 seconds long are bearable, but once it goes more than the 30 seconds - my gosh, I clench into a fist, curl my toes and cringe!  Sometimes its outrageously painful and sometime its the exact opposite - it seems a little more bearable. 

I wish I can just pop a pill to make the pain go away!!!!!!!!!!!

Please pray for meeeeeee!!!!

Saturday, March 5, 2011

Bloody show

Last Friday night, my Panget and I walked and walked in Trinoma.

As per the advice of my OB - I should start walking to engage my labor.  And to be honest, it was only the 3rd time in the whole week that I followed her advise.  I walked a bit and felt a little tired, but my Panget insisted that I walk more, and so we did.  We walked for two hours doing a little shopping of course!! :)  (Thanks Panget!!)

Yesterday morning when I woke up, I felt a little cramp that I just dismissed.  I didn't think it was important or the start of my labor because - my tummy was still 'mataas' and that I haven't been walking much.  On our way to designer Edwin Tan's shop in Mandaluyong - I'd feel bothered whenever we'd encounter a pothole on the road, I felt like my stomach was being shaken or something.  I simply told my Panget to drive more slowly and to avoid potholes.

When we got to my mom's house for lunch - I immediately went to the bathroom, and since I have this habit of wiping myself after I pee - I saw pinkish red stains on the tissue paper.  I was confused, I mean it has been a loooong time since I last saw pinkish red discharge right?  And so I wiped again - it was blood.  So I stool up and looked that the toilet bowl - true enough, the water was red.  I got scared.

When I sat down on the dining table - I told everyone that I might be giving birth soon since there was already blood.  I remember my friend Alch - she had a bloody discharge and the next day, she already gave birth!  Everyone was so relaxed - even my Panget, he was telling me that it was nothing.  But seeing the blood for me, didn't mean it was normal - it was obviously NOT normal!  Good thing we had a doctor's appointment that same afternoon.

When I got to my OB's clinic - I immediately told her that there was a bloody discharge, to which she replied 'I like that!'  Hahaha - what the hell does that mean exactly?  Well to her it meant that my cervix is already preparing - she asked if it was a continuous discharge and I said no - she then did an IE on my and declared that the baby was still high and my cervix is just 1cm.  She also asked if I was experiencing contractions - the problem is, I don't know what contractions are!  Hahaha!  She described it as cramp-like pain, and I said I don't feel any pain at all.  She told me to take it easy on the walking but I still could if I wanted to.  She also told me that it might take a few more days or at the most a week - and not to worry.  She said for me to call her anytime if I feel the need, and that if I was not sure - I could go to the hospital and have myself checked, the nurses will call my doctor for a decision.

So last night, I was scared - there was this cramp-like thing that I felt - and I thought, is this it?  Then it occurred to me, that I should start counting already - and I did.  The cramps lasted about 30 seconds and they came every 10 to 15 minutes!  Some were not painful, some were mild and some were a little unbearable.  I didn't think I could sleep, but I did - thank goodness!! :)

So there - I think my time is nearing - Baby K will be out in a few days.

Wish me luck and pray for me for a safe and speedy delivery!!

Thursday, March 3, 2011

Baby's Room is all set!!

Finally!!

The baby's room is all set - the only one missing is - the baby!! :)

My friend Shappy gave birth yesterday - and her estimated due date was I think a week or two after me!  It seems that my baby K is very shy.

Doctor said for me to start walking - to engage the baby's birth.  And I have been, but I think its kulang!  Hahahaha...

By the way, we've finally decided to give birth in Cardinal Santos is Greenhills.  Its our first choice actually and good thing, our OB was agreeable to it.

I hope I give birth smooth fast and safely!!

We're sort of excited - hahaha!!!

But I think I won't be prepared for the sleepless nights!! Hihihi.