February 2009

Our little baby has been doing these trendy poses recently… maybe, she’s showing signs of leadership?!?!?!

For those who are very up-to-date with our happenings - know that our little princess has a phobia to darkness… In addition to this, she has the sleeping patterns of the wrong country!!! She sleeps in the day (even when bathing her and going out) and is very alert at night!! Good if we were in Singa - but bad in UK!!!

We’ve been trying to “train” her! Keeping her wide awake in the day, so that she can nod off at night! But this is proving difficult and the sleepless nights are slowly but surely creeping up on both the parents DnA! Her feeding habits are also weird and yip, similarly, we are trying to train her in this aspect too!!! In the daytime, she feeds every 3-4 hours and in the night, it’s practically every hour!! Missions cos it’s knackering and my boobs are killing me cos Im breastfeeding!

On a good note though, today Chloe was weighed by the health visitor. She was born 7lb 2, after discharge from hospital (9 days later) she was 6lb 8, then last week she was 7lb and today she was a fab 7lb 10!!! DnA were a little worried that she wasn’t getting enough milk - but worry over now!

As I look back at the faces of our baby Chloe - she’s changed so much already!!

When I first saw her I thought she looked like more like a boy!! Squashed face and nose, big head!!… No real elegant girlie features!!

Now, when I look at her, she’s “growing” into a beauty…

Day 2: (the ‘angry don’t mess with me’ look)

Day 6: (the ‘clueless’ look)

Day 12: (the ‘thinking’ look)

Day 14: (the ‘girlie angelic’ look)

It’s been a bit crazy recently and over-whelming! Yip, I did it! Baby Chloe is out and amazingly 2 weeks early!!! Good thing really, so that Daddy Allan can spend more time with her before he jets back to Singa for work…

Chloe is currently sleeping peacefully in her moses basket, whilst I’m catching up on emails, facebook and just random bits and bobs…. You actually don’t realise that a little one can take so much of your time and be so dependent on you (or even your boob - if you’re breast-feeding that is!!!)… And the amount of poo that comes out of her and the frequency is just ummm…. You change the nappy and then “farttttttt” - more poo!!! You finish bathing her (image), then “fartttttttt” - more poo!! And the whole cleaning process repeats itself!! We’ve only had a few “pee” accidents, luckily!!! Whilst in the process of changing the dirty nappy, and transferring to the new clean nappy - Chloe has decided to pee!!! Thank goodness, a towel was used in time to block the flow!!!! Well, practice makes perfect…

Baby Chloe is starting to get into routine now, since being home… Feeding approx every 3 hours day and night… She’s got a phobia to darkness though! DnA think it’s because we had to force her to wear the eye mask during the phototherapy treatment for her jaundice… She was terrified during the whole process… Now, when the lights are off - she shudders and cries uncontrollably… When the lights come on - the crying stops! We even tested it when she was in deep sleep! We’ve had to buy a small light which is kept on during the nights!

Daddy Allan has been bathing Chloe, changing her nappies, cooking, cleaning and being a perfect Huppy and Daddy… He’s so loving it.. and I’m so loving it, watching him!!

I am currently in confinement, eating and drinking nutricious foods/tonics and resting well (well trying to! Cos I get so fidgetty and have to be doing things!!) - I’m always getting told off by Hupps and mum to rest!!! Everyone has been fab in helpping out and sending their warm wishes… Thanks everyone…

Happy Valentines’ Day, Bingy, the Queen, the mother of our baby.

I love you!

To the rest of the world, hope you have a great V day today!

Could Chloe be suffering from breast milk jaundice?

Midwife came yesterday and today to our place for a routine check, and feels that it is better for doctors to have a more professional opinion on Chloe’s prolonged jaundice. Hence we went to the hospital for a blood test and chat with the doctor.

Updates as at Friday, 13 Feb (friday the 13th), 8pm:

Senior consultant at children’s hospital feels that the slight increase from 315 to 343 micro moles/ litre over 2 days is not alarming. He believes that it is very much related to breastfeeding jaundice, and at this moment he doubt the bilirubin level will suddenly shoot up sky high, hence told us to give it another 2 days, and see how Chloe’s body react to the bilirubin. On Sunday, we will go to hospital to do another blood test to see the bilirubin level, and he will then be able to make a better decision whether to go for next procedure.

Also, using his SOP chart, Chloe is in the low risk level, hence very comfortable for him to tell us to go home and wait for sunday, as he believes the bilirubin level will plateau and come down soon… And if it continues to go up, he will want to do photo therapy on Chloe and further investigate the root of the jaundice (thorough investigations).

Finally both babies are home… They were discharged yesterday evening time, and have been busy settling them at home.

Last night was my 1st overnight with the baby, and I understand how Daisy felt doing the night feeds. It wasn’t that enjoyable. But we still managed to get 6 hours of interval sleeps… not too bad…

Chloe is more alert this morning, we think that its the antibiotics that made her drowsy, and since she haven’t had any for the past 24 hrs, she is really awake. She is feeding a lot, which is a good thing (can also be a bad thing - more frequent). Poo and pee is consistent. Still a little bit yellow on face, but she loooks terrific other wise.

Daisy, on the other hand looks tired but she is very happy that they are home…

The jaundice on Chloe is back on, and the level is pretty high I feel, at 343 micromol/l for the bilirubin (at 350, advanced treatment should be applied). There are so many possible reasons that could have caused it to happen. I am concerned. But I know that as long as the level is maintained, it would be good for now, until we identify the root of the problem. I just hope Chloe will be a good girl and stay inside the incubator and get some UV rays on her effectively.

This evening we (my mum and daze’s mum) went to a performance at CIA, it was called Holiday On Ice. Not too bad a performance, but the venue degraded it a bit i feel. Went because of the 2 grandmothers, make them happy to go for a show.

Tomorrow if the bilirubin level will go down, and maybe Chloe’s liver is functioning better to beat the jaundice, then maybe they can be discharged tomorrow!! I really hope so.

Today has been a better day with Chloe out of the incubator for more than 12 hours. She is feeding better and more routine which is fantastic.

Tomorrow Chloe will be weighed and if she is not putting on weight, she would be required to stay in the hospital until she is feeding well…

Fingers crossed.

More photos at http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=57547&l=7cf5c&id=609059572

Chloe was placed in the incubator overnight and apparently was crying her head off, until she gets cramps in her body. Daisy had to calm her down by carrying her and breastfeeding her. Both mother baby did not rest well.

So when I arrived, I got Daisy to rest while I make sure Chloe’s goggles does not cover her mouth when she turns her head. Oh yea, did i tell you guys that she is quite a strong and clever baby for her age?

She can kick me and push my hands with her violent movements. And her responses were quite amazing.