Kristabelle Updates

HELLO again blog! Yes, it has been quite a long while and I'd like to start again by posting some updates on lil' Kristabelle...

Just slightly over 2 months old. Ain't she a cutie?

Tummy time. Still struggling to lift her head

All smiley in her favourite rocking chair

Tummy time is my daily routine

Posing with my Che Che

3 months old. I can lift my head much higher now

Getting stronger by day

Trying to sit at 3 months old

4 months old

Whoa... look at those "Michelin" arms :)

Putting on my first pair of shoes

Play time. I usually keep myself entertained

Looking all girlie

I don't like this thing on my head

5 months old. Now attempting to sit without support

Things I Do...

...at 18-20 months old:

1) Drinking from my cup without spilling

2) Potty trained and I am diaper free

3) Giving an "extra hand" around the kitchen

4) I prefer playing with Popo's cooking set than those colourful ones Mommy bought

5) Dialing up my fashion sense

6) Trying to keep myself fit and healthy

Gastroesophageal Reflux (GER)

Big words... for a little one. This has been (and still is) one of our greatest nightmare for both Baby Kristabelle and I.

Gastroesophageal Reflux (GER) is a condition where food and stomach acid flow back up into the esophagus. A ring of muscles at the bottom of the esophagus called the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) opens and closes to allow food to enter the stomach. The LES normally opens to release gas after meals. With infants, when the LES opens, stomach contents often reflux into the esophagus and out the mouth, resulting in regurgitation, or spitting up, and vomiting.

GER is apparently quite common amongst healthy infants and more than half of all babies experience reflux in the first 3 months of life. Most stop spitting up by the age of 12 - 18 months (Oh no!!!! That's still quite a long way to go)

Because I breastfed exclusively, I could no longer do so in view of this condition. Baby Kristabelle needed a thicker feeding in order for the milk to stay in her stomach and avoid regurgitation. I had to add Anti Reflux Formula to my expressed breast milk for each feeding. It wasn't a 100% treatment, to be honest. She still vomitted at times, but lesser.

And because Baby Kristabelle wails and fuss so much, I had no choice but to introduce the dummy so that she stays calm and least get some rest.

A fridge load of expressed breast milk. I suspect there's going to be a surge in supply since Baby Kristabelle is feeding on very low doses of my milk! Anyone needing fresh milk, please message me. Hehe!

My produce each time I expressed. Approximately 14 ounces (420ml) per pump. And I express 4 times a day. That's a total of 56 ounces (1680ml) a day!

2 Months Gone!!

Now where did the time go?? 2 months just flashed before me! My maternity leave is coming to an end and I'm heading back to work next week. Argghhh... I must admit, I have kinda gotten used to the full time homemaker/housewife... whatever you call it.... routine. Baby nursing, diapering, bathing, expressing and giving every energy and attention I have left to Little Isabelle has become every part of my life, my soul - 24 hours a day, everyday. I won't deny I will miss this "domestic" lifestyle, but most of all, I will miss having all this time to spend bonding with both the girls.

Here are some snapshots of Baby Kristabelle. Pre and post "botak" pictures taken before and after turning 1 month old.

28 days old

Full month - 30 days old

A typical chinese custom to bathe the baby with a variety of flowers for good blessings


Becoming more wakeful at day

My newly found friend, Hippo

"Don't you think it's a little too soon for tummy time, Mommy?"

Posing for the camera

"You're really quite heavy, Hippo. Get off me!"

"Ta ta"

"The day I got cooed to shave my head bald"

All comfy even after shaving off all the hair!

Playtime

"Aren't you too big for this, Che Che?"

A big smooch from Mommy :)

A genuine smile

53 days old - "Adios"