Getting Crafty: Project Life Week 22

As I mentioned earlier, I started Project Life in 2012 as a way to document our daily life as a family. For weeks after weeks, I capture photos and complete my PL weekly spread, until September. 

It was then I found out I was expecting Baby A. During the initial period, I was too tired to do anything else, including PL. Thus, my PL for 2012 stopped at week 38. Thereafter, I do not have the time and energy to carry on. 

Come 2013. I want to start all over again. Since work has taken a backseat, I deliberately planned for every Thursday to be a PL day where I catch up on my PL. The plan was well executed, until Baby A arrives. 

It is almost a month since Baby A arrives. I have managed to catch up on my PL. 

So here is my spread for Week 22. 

I kept the spread pretty simple, using minimal embellishments. And I love the PL kits from both Studio Calico and Kelly Purkey June/July Project Kit. I am also using Clementine and Seafoam Core Kits from Becky Higgins. 

Hope you enjoy it. 

Thoughts on Motherhood - On Breastfeeding

As I just started my 3rd time at Breastfeeding with Baby A, I thought I just shared some thoughts on breastfeeding. I am by no means any experts in this, but since I managed to tbf my two girls previously, I like to share some thoughts on this.

1. Don't give yourself additional stress!
I witnessed many mummies crying in despair (both my sisters included) as they worried they do not have enough milk for their babies. This is worsened by the constant crying of the babies.

When I started breastfeeding Jiejie, I did not tell myself I need to exclusively breastfeed Jiejie. I also comforted myself that babies do not need to really drink milk for the first 24 hrs, so that give me some reassurance if I am not able to "produce" enough milk. For the 1st 2 days at the hospital, I sleep/rest when I can, and get up to breastfeed my girl when the nurse brought the girls to me. Simply put, I just did what I can.

2. Block out the "noises".
I am really blessed to have my mum staying with me during my confinement. Although my mum was not too supportive towards TBF, she did not "encourage" me to supplement with formula. But I think it is important to learn to block all the "concerns" of the naysayers.

What worried me most was Jiejie constant crying for "milk". I had to tell myself I needed the time to freshen up, I needed to be away. I was lucky I had all the aunties and uncles around to carry and pacify my girl when I steal some time away.

3. Persevere through the first week
Everything seems to be fine during your stay at the hospital. However, things start to go haywire the moment you stepped into your house. Speaking from experience, the hardest time to carry on is during the 3rd day. This is the day when you just settled back at home, and just when you want to settle to sleep, the baby starts screaming every other hour. My best advice is to PERSEVERE. Once you get through this stage, things will be much smoother.

4. Latch on and/or Express as often as you can
I know this is not easy as I typed here. But I do find the benefits of latching on often. Latching on (even  so for comfort sucking) helps to stimulate milk production and is also great bonding between you and your baby.

Although expressing can be very rather troublesome, it is important to continue expressing if your baby doesn't latch on (even if it means getting out of bed in the middle of the night with half closed eyes). Expressing helps to stimulate milk production and it is important during the 1st month to "stabilise" milk output.

Of course, breastfeeding is not always a bed of roses. I had my fair share of down time with all my 3 munchies.

There are problems of cracked nipples (ouch!), super bad engorgements (Urrgh!!!), silence cries in the bathroom, unsightly leaks etc. And having to lug the ultra big breastpump with me everywhere I go for 12 months,  the constant lookout for a nursing rooms is nothing I looked forward to. But I have learnt to cope with it.

Getting a good (& dual) electric pump saves time (total blessings) and a chic and cool nursing covers add that special touch when you do need to breastfeed in public (I feel the "high" when other mummies comment on how cool my nursing covers is) and being not too paranoid on the "hygiene factors" on the places you express helps too. I have tried to express many times in shopping malls toilets as nursing rooms are not in existence yet. Of course, I tried to clean my hands as best as I could before I start expressing.

Of course, getting the support of your hubby is KEY! I am so glad my hubby supported my decision to breastfeed exclusively. He even bought me the expensive breastpump. During the early days of engorgement, he tried his best to massage all the sore spots to ease the pains. Communicate to your hubby constantly and get his support, and psych yourself and him, "You can DO it!"

Having said all these, breastfeeding is getting more popular here in Singapore. Nursing facilities are more commonly found in shopping malls compared to 5 years ago. And all these helps to make breastfeeding in public much easier.

All in all, I have enjoyed my breastfeeding journey. It is a special bond between you and baby that nobody can share. And I am way on my third round with baby A.

Just my 2 cents worth.

I'm Back.

It's has been a long while.

I promised to blog more often, but yet again I had to succumb to the constraints of time.

Baby A is here since the last post. In fact, he arrives three weeks ago. And thus its also time for me to rethink what is important to me right now. What I want to do in the future. 

So I guess it is also THE RIGHT TIME to revive this blog. As I imagine a lot of what I wanna do (if successful) will largely be dependent on this.

We shall see. 

  

Getting Crafty

I always like to dabble in all sorts of crafty projects.

Since young, I tried cross stitching, paper quilling, knitting etc. But I know I'm not good in arty stuff so I tried to steer clear off drawing, painting.

Since I have started scrapping after my 1st born in 2008 and more regularly after my 2nd in 2010, I have never looked back. Through scrapping, I realized I can be creative too. Ha!

Anyway, fast forward to 2013. I'm waiting for my #3 to pop in 6 weeks time, I'm getting all crafty! During the term break that I had, I made a quilt blankie, a knitted blanket, a lined pouch and a laptop sleeve. Super happy with my efficiency.

I'm now onto knitting (and catching up with PL 2013), and I hope to be able to complete a simple cowl for myself and a matching one for the hub. I don't expect us to be using the cowl in Singapore (it's been super duper hot), but we are planning our big family trip to Aussie next year. Hope they come to use.

It's Time.

A couple of my good friends are exchanging SMS. And here we are talking about pursuing our dreams and passions.

Well, although we met at our work place, but each one of us are at different phase of life. Time, commitments, etc are often the reasons cited not to go ahead and pursue our dreams.

Since starting my scrapping journey and hoarding more and more stuffs, the hub has been very encouraging. He encouraged me to go ahead and pursue my passions -- to start my little online biz selling home made stuffs. I'm so very tempted. But the question is, CAN I?

There are just too many things I need to consider. Kids fees, daily expenditures, etc. But if I don't do it now, will I ever get the opportunity again?

With baby #3 on the way and the much looked forward NPL, this will be THE time or never. After this, I'll be stuck in the old rut of doing same things day in day out.

So perhaps, it's really time!

And to share a little LO I did yesterday to document the inspirations I had after the exchange of conversations with my kakis.

A year has gone by

Time flies. Almost a year has gone by for me without posting anything on this blog.
I'm not a frequent blogger. I blog only when I have the time (1st priority) and have something to blog about.
I have had plenty to blog about during the last year. But time, is simply not on my side.
Reading through my past posts, I realized I missed blogging. There is so much I can document through blogging. Although I started blogging to document my scrappy adventure, blogging has helped to document my journey through motherhood too. I really wish to blog more often.

Perhaps, I should set a routine to remind myself to blog more often. And perhaps, that will be my mid year goal for 2013.

Mothers' Day 2012

This year I celebrated my 4th Mothers' Day with 2 gals. 4 years back I was with my mum and sis watching a concert on Mothers' Day and then I was still expecting Atria. Time flies!

I cannot really remember what went on during all the years of Mothers' Day. But this year, I remember the hub so sweetly gave me a new phone. And I also dedicated a section on PL for mums day.

The gals gave me each a necklace and a flowers. Both are projects the CC asked them to make. So sweet.

It is really nice to spend the quiet evening with the hub and the gals. And that made my mums day even more meaningful.