First week - Baby's first year of life

I thought of creating a series of baby's first year of life blogs. This will contain in brief, all the wonderful milestones baby has accomplished and is accomplishing... This is how I can track his progress and feel proud of his achievements. So one day, we both can read it together.:)

After delivery, Richie was brought to me. He weighed around 3024 gms and measured about 47.2 cms. I held my sweetie pie close to my heart and was lost in my dreamworld. The feeling was great. :)I guess it was mutual.Richie spent most of the first week in the hospital under the watchful eyes of the doctors and mid-wives.As kids, we used to play with dolls, feeding them, bathing them etc. And today here I was, holding a live soul, who was solely dependent on me for everything.
The mid-wives took care of his feeding and change of nappies etc. on the first day as I was tired. He was given bottle milk that night. My hubby stayed back at the hospital.
I was waiting eagerly to hold my baby again. The next day we woke early and went to the babies room. The mid-wife brought our baby to us. He was sleeping soundly, tucked up in a warm blanket. We were proud parents of a beautiful baby boy and we let the feeling to sink-in. We could not help admiring our own creation and just kept watching him for a long time.
The next few days went fast. Everyday Richie and I had checkups. Then I had sessions on how to take care of the newborn, feeding, bathing etc. Richie used to be with me most of the time. The toughest thing for me that time was burping. Silly right? But yes, I was not able to burp him and he used to throw out a lil later. I was afraid that he was not having enough. Doctors and parents advised me that throwing up is just normal and there is no need to worry. The hospital stay was good, interacting with other moms and sharing each others experiences.
I still remember how once I got shivers down my spine thinking of whether I will be able to take care of my baby well. But I maintained a positive attitude and boosted my self confidence saying that we can do everything very easily. Nothing is difficult in this world if we maintain a positive outlook.

My Baby is a Reality

Finally the day dawn and I am holding my little angel close to my heart. It was a normal delivery. It happened almost 1 week in advance as compared to the delivery date. Maybe he wanted to see the world sooner rather than wasting more time in my tummy:). He felt he has grown enough and can survive well in the new world.

I had completed 38 weeks 4 days. I was working a lot at home doing cooking, cleaning etc. It started with mild contractions and went on for almost 2 days. It was regular contractions happening every 20 minutes. Then the contractions became frequent with a 5 minutes interval. We called the doctor and he said to visit him. The doctor diagnosed and said that the cervix has opened to 6 cms and it is time to admit. So finally I was there in the hospital for my delivery after the 9 months. I was very anxious. The contractions were unbearable. I was tired due to lack of sleep the previous night because of the contractions. The mid-wife took me on the delivery bed and I was praying that everything goes on well. The labor pains became stronger. My water bag burst open. The mid-wife checked and said the cervix had dilated to 10cms and it was time for the baby to come to this world. I was very excited and trying my best to bring my baby out in this world. It was not that easy as this was my first time. The best part was that my hubby was with me, holding my hand firmly and reassuring me that everything gonna be all right.Hubby dear, what would I do without you? The delivery took about 2 hours with me trying my best to stay awake during contractions and sleeping in between. At one point I almost gave up, but the excitement to see my baby kept me going on... He was there at last. He cried a little to tell that he is here. I just could not hold back my tears of joy. All is well that ends well. I am getting goose bumps as I am recollecting and writing this down. The doctors were very helpful and took special care of me. All in all it was a wonderful experience. I would say we should experience the joy of being a mother. It is life-changing.

34 W 6D - Visit to Dr.Uncle

The visit to the doctor was very positive. The doctor was happy with the growth and movements of the baby. This time we captured the ultrasound images with our handycam. Baby is now 50 cms in length and weighs around 2500gms. Baby smiled and winked at us when we were seeing the ultrasound. He was also closing and opening his mouth and drinking in aminiotic fluid.

The doctor said once I complete 36 weeks, it will be called full-term delivery. After that if I go in labor anytime, it is fine. A couple of weeks to go... I am feeling so excited.

This time we also did the hospital admission formalities for labor and delivery. We also had a tour of the hospital to know what are the facilities provided for labor and delivery and what is the essential stuff required during the stay in the hospital.

Labor & delivery- Hospital bag

Here is a list of things in the hospital bag which you might handy when going to the hospital for the delivery. It is a good idea to pack it little bit in advance so that you are not running around shopping for things during your tough times.

For Mom for the hospital stay:
* Comfortable robe,nightgown or large shirt that opens in the front ( hospital may provide you with this)
* Nightgown
* Nursing bra and nursing pads( very handy as you may leak for quite a while when ur milk comes in)sometimes it can come on your outfit and be embarrasing..
* Warm socks
* Slippers non skid ones
* Comfortable outfit you can wear home, warm clothes
* Sanitary pads ( hospital may provide you with this), keep a lot handy at home for 2 months for heavy flow
* Toiletries such as shampoo, conditioner, deodorant, moisturizer, lip balm, lipstick, take a bath in the hospital will be very refreshing
* Brush or comb
* Toothbrush and toothpaste

For Baby:
* Car seat
* Newborn hat
* 2 receiving blankets
* 2 "onesies"
* 2 pairs of socks
* "Going home" outfit — including sweater or bunting if the weather is cold
* Diapers and diaper bag
* bib

For Your Labor Partner (if staying in the hospital with u):
* Change of clothes
* Book or magazine
* Toothbrush, toothpaste, and other basic toiletries
* At least $20 in cash and change for snacks, phone calls, and so forth
* Snacks or soft drinks
* Watch with a second hand for timing contractions.

Documents:
* Birth plan
* Insurance cards
* Address book with phone numbers
* Birth announcements

Extras:
* massager
* Massage oil
* Some books and magazines
* Camera or video camera, tapes, charger, batteries, memory card
* Extra pillow
* Hard candy to suck on during labor
* Cell phone & charger
* Towel for the car
* Thank you cards for staff