Panic!

Sorry, I know I've been gone for a few weeks. I'm back to work and life is hectic as hell.

During the week, if I'm lucky, I get an hour with Morgan before she falls asleep. I get more or less the same amount of time to spend with HSS if I can manage to stay awake until he gets home from work.

Needless to say, I try and compensate during the weekend but it doesn't always work out.

This week just gone, I had a horrible bout of toothache which by Saturday had me in tears and forced me to take a trip to hospital in order to get the tooth pulled out. This meant I didn't get much time with Morgan as I was in no condition to look after her. Thankfully, HSS and my mum had that covered whilst I was MIA.

Today at work, I just had what you could call a panic/anxiety attack. This was due to knowing Morgan is being looked after by someone other than my mum or HSS. Due to circumstances beyond anyone's control, getting an acquaintance to babysit was the only option. I had been feeling palpitations for an hour and a half, after which I was so nauseous I had to run to the toilets. This, my dearies, is what being worried sick feels like.

On a more positive note, Morgan is well, and happy. For the past week she has been trying to get up on all fours to try and crawl, but so far she's only managed to move a "step" backwards. It is a matter of days now til she manages.

Off to work again!
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18July2012 - Bathtime fun!

Burn Baby Burn! Disco Inferno!

Yesterday was a Day From Hell.


In Malta we have 2 seasons - Summer [Mid-march - Christmas] and Autumn [Boxing Day - Mid-March].  It gets way too hot for my liking - and before you tell me to quit whinging and to sod off to some place else [like the ever-so-lovely UK] [[mmmmm rain]] - I did, and had to come back unfortunately.  Or fortunately, anyway.  Had I not returned, I wouldn't have My Family nowadays.

I get migraines after 5 - 10 minutes in direct sunlight.  Sucks.

Morgan seems to be affected worse than me though.  Which leads me back to the Day From Hell topic.

I ended up giving Morgan 2 baths.  The first one was due to her feeling so uncomfortably warm, in spite of being just in her nappy, that she started crying her lungs out to the point where she almost turned purple.  This happened over the span of 2 minutes.  She was inconsolable, poor baby.

We spent about 10 minutes or so bathing.  By the end of it she was giggling and gurgling happily.

Her second bath happened at the same time as her daily bath and helped her cool down enough to bear wearing clothes.  I always ensure she's clothed at night since she wriggles, tosses and turns so much that she always ends up kicking the bedsheets off her.

 

Morgan attempting to blow raspberries -[15th June 2012]

So - we've got one warm-as-hell baby.... who is also teething... and is easily bored.  Meaning I spent all day trying to keep her cool, amused and soothe her teething pains.

When she finally fell asleep, I was so tired and irritable that I unleashed my bitchiness on an unknowing victim.

I had mentioned quite a long time ago that I was irked by the lack of Nappy Changing Facilities in the shopping centre-cum-cinema that is just a few streets away from my home.  Well... I managed to find an e-mail address, and sent an     e-mail, asking whether there is a minimum age requirement for a child to go watch a movie that is marked as "U" by the censorship board.  "U" stands for Universal - meaning it is appropriate for all ages.

I also asked why there are no nappy changing facilities in the entire shopping complex, considering that they have shops selling baby clothes and accessories and also have a play area.

To my surprise, I received an e-mail back today with an apology for any inconvenience I may have encountered.  I was told that there's a nappy changer installed in the Play Area Toilets [which I was unaware of their existence merely because Morgan is still too young to access this Play Area] and that there's one due to be installed in the Cafeteria area.  In the reply I received, I was assured that these facilities will be marked in a more clear manner [since clearly they aren't, otherwise I'd have noticed them!]. The person who replied to my e-mail also agreed with me regarding the Cinema needing to cater for all ages since "U"-rated movies can be watched by people of all ages.  He asked whether I've experienced any inconveniences.

I sent an e-mail back thanking the guy for his reply and for acknowledging the issues I raised and for being willing to rectify them.  I explained I haven't encountered any inconveniences as of yet - but that is entirely due to my planning ahead and timing my outings in a manner that helps me avoid having to change nappies whilst out and about.  I pointed out that Potty Training can take a long time and it is not uncommon for 4 year olds not to be fully potty trained - and that I have every intention of taking my daughter to the cinema before she is fully potty trained.  I mentioned that my not having encountered issues doesn't mean other parents haven't - but that it is likely that most of them aren't bothered with taking any action due to being used to encountering obstacles of the sort everywhere they go.

I'm hoping that this matter is rectified sooner rather than later.  It would be nice to be able to hang out in this shopping centre without having to worry about the lack of Nappy Changing facilities.

Oh - and before I forget - Thursday was a good day.  HSS and I bought a high-chair for Morgan and then took her out for coffee in Bugibba.  This was her first time there.  We are having people stop us in the street to ask how old she is and to make remarks about how beautiful she is.  I find it amusing when they tell HSS congrats on having such a beautiful baby.  To me, that means that his street cred is ruined for life.  Jokes aside - it is always pleasant in a warm-fuzzy-feeling-kind-of-way for a random stranger to recognise the love between a parent and a child - regardless of whether there are bio-links or not.

Lion King Moment :) [14th June 2012]

Six Six Five - The Neighbour Of The Beast

Thursday 12th April:
So, what happened today?

Morgan woke me up at about 5:15am wanting to be fed. We finished the cleaning up and feeding at about 5:45am and we slept some more. She then woke me up again at about 9:15am with a backfist flying in my face.

I stayed in bed next to her, watching her sleep until it was time to feed her.
 
Once fed she nodded off again so I put her in her rocker, and she woke up soon after. She was quietly playing with the dangling toys, so I managed to grab a quick bite, do some laundry and prepare her bottles.
 
We then spent the day playing and watching movies. This was our Quiet Day In, which was much needed. Going places with Morgan can be very tiring - both mentally and physically. Being aware of my surroundings all the time to ensure she's safe is just as tiring as pushing the pram uphill or holding it still on the bus.

Friday 13th April:
We woke up at around the same time as the previous day, and we watched more movies. My plan was to have another quiet day in, however plans changed the moment my mum came over. She immediately started to hint I should go out so that Morgan can sleep over at their's.

I tried to ignore the nagging, but eventually gave in. I told my mum I'd bathe Morgan before we leave, but my mum insisted I should do it once at my grandma's house lest Morgan catches a cold. With a sigh, I agreed to do it her way. BIG MISTAKE.
 
Halfway there, Morgan started getting restless as she wanted her bath and to be fed. I turned on the music on my phone and stuck it in the pram for her to listen to. The moment she heard Mr Mercury sing "Its a kind of magic," she stopped all the fussing. My mum was impressed by Morgan's musical tastes!

Once we reached our destination, I immediately bathed Morgan and fed her right after. She started getting cranky after her bath and feed, so I turned on the music again, and once more she stopped all the fuss and fell asleep within a matter of minutes.

I decided I should try going out since Morgan was settled. And so out I went!

There was a 50s/60s party going on which I decided to check out... I didn't last an hour there. Went to my usual haunt instead - and bumped into a friend. We hung out for a while and at about 2am I made my way home.

 
4 and a half hours. Not bad.
 
Once home, I hopped into bed and snuggled up with Morgan.

Saturday 14th April:

We woke up relatively early, as the plan was to go to Medieval Mdina. This is an annual event spread over two days where the old capital city is transformed into a Medieval Fair with sword fighting, music, lots and lots of food, street vendors etc. Museums also have reduced prices to encourage locals and tourists alike to go in and have a look at whatever is on display.
 
The weather was rather uncertain, so it took us a while before summoning up the courage to attempt our outing. But, attempt it we did.

We got to Mdina at about 12:30pm and we walked around for a while, pausing every so often to watch whatever activity was going on. We managed to catch a show by a sicilian group of flag-bearer-waver-thingmabob group. The weather was still playing up and suddenly it started to drizzle. My mum, Morgan and I ran into the Priory Cafe for lunch.

The Cafe is quite impressive. Considering how old the whole of the city is, and that Malta is bursting full of history, it is not uncommon for said history to be found in layers. Literally. When I went into the restroom to change Morgan's nappy (alas, no nappy changer was available, so the pram had to make do as a surface for the nappy changing business.) I noticed that there was a glass pane to the side, creating a sort of balcony effect. When you look over the 'balcony' side of the restroom (this section only contains the sink.. The toilets are behind closed doors), you get to look at what's underground. And what is underground is an alcove of sorts with what seems to be a female Roman Statue lying down.
 
Right after lunch we roamed around the streets again. We met a good friend of mine who happened to be over here on holiday (visiting family) and caught up. We watched the last tune by a german folk band called Liudon Incorruptus, followed by an illusionist's performance and a sword fight. Morgan fell asleep in my arms after a while, however she did seem to be captivated by the performances!

Soon after, we made our way out of the city, caught the bus and made our way back over to my grandma's house.
Having had quite a struggle all day against the strong winds dominating the island all morning, both Morgan and I were quite wiped out, so we decided to stay for the night. Morgan fell asleep at about 6:30pm and slept til morning (with the exception of when I woke her up to feed her).

Sunday 15th April:

Once awake, we took it easy all morning, as the weather was still a bit unstable- or so the weather forecast claimed.

In the early afternoon, we headed back home. The journey back here was rather hectic, as it was still rather windy and silly me wore a dress. This meant I had a few Marilyn Monroe moments. Someone's day was made as a consequence. Ah well. If one can't laugh at themselves, then life surely would be way more stressful than it already is.

Once home, Morgan and I just cuddled up and played until bedtime.

Monday 16th April:

Monday morning, I got Morgan fed and cleaned up and we made our way over to my Grandma's. Shortly after we arrived, my mum showed up. I needed to run off for a few brief moments as I had to go check out a piece of furniture from some guy who lives round the corner from my Grandma's house.

I didn't have a mobile number for the guy and the doorbell didn't work, so I stood on the corner waiting for him to show up. As it happens, I started singing "Figaro" in my head whilst I waited. That seems to be my permanent "hold music", so to speak.

After about 10 minutes of standing on the corner feeling like a lady-of-the-night, if you catch my drift, I see the door open. The guy was in the house all along!

I had a look at the furniture, thanked the guy and went back home. I'm afraid it was a no-go, mainly due to it having S-shaped legs. I'm paranoid about it potentially toppling over once Morgan starts walking. I can't really anchor every single piece of furniture here since it is a rental place, otherwise the house will start looking less like a human residence and more like a slab of cheese.

I then got extremely pissed off due to matters which I won't divulge here. Let's just say that people's communication skills need a major upgrade at times.
 
I decided it was time to go home, and so I put Morgan in her pram, and went to get another bag from the other room. I wasn't away for even 10 seconds, but upon my return I peek into the pram only to find Morgan with her index finger stuck up her nostril.

I couldn't stop laughing. Thanks to Morgan my mood went from murderous rage to hysterical laughter in 0.001 seconds.
 
My mum tagged along, and stayed with us whilst I bathed Morgan. Soon after, she bade us farewell. Morgan and I got to chill for the rest of the evening. She fell asleep shortly after though.

I woke her up at about 11.30pm to clean her up and feed her, and then both of us got to call it a night.

 Morgan snoozing! 16th April 2012

Tuesday 17th April (a.k.a today):

Morgan woke me up at about 6:45am to have her nappy changed and to be fed. Right after feeding her I prepared her bottles for the rest of the day and made myself a coffee.

Morgan decided she wanted to stay up after being fed, and so we went to the living room where we got to play a bit. She nodded off in my arms about an hour later though. That meant one thing - time for me to catch up on blogging! It is now 8:43pm and I'm not done typing away yet!
 
She slept right through to her next feed. Just as we were about to finish the feed, my soon-to-be sis-in-law showed up for a long overdue catching-up-over-coffee session. Morgan got to play a bit with her beloved Auntie Melzy, and we discussed her pending wedding related topics.

Playtimes! 17th April 2012

 

Shortly after she left, my mum came over with goodies. She stayed at mine for about an hour and then got picked up.

Morgan's evening feed wasn't due until 8pm, however usually it happens between 6pm and 7pm, before which she's accustomed to having a bath. Routine won her over and by 7pm she was crankily demanding her bath and bottle.

Onesie turban :D

As usual, she passed out right after being fed.
 
It is now 10:02pm. By the time I upload this entry, it'll be time for her last feed of the day. Therefore I bid you all good night!

I got 5 on it

7th April - Saturday night:

I failed.

I tried to go out. I didn't even last 2 and a half hours before I came back home to be with Morgan. The gig I went to happened to feature one of my favourite locals bands, too! And yet, the urge to come back home and be with her was too overwhelming.

Thankfully, a friend offered me a ride home as he wasn't in the mood to stay out. The moment I got back home, I rushed to Morgan's side and held her hand. She stirred, slightly, and I breathed out a sigh of relief.

I snuggled up in bed next to her and fell asleep shortly after.

Easter Sunday (8th April):

Woke up, fed Morgan, and stayed in bed for as long as I could together with Morgan. My grandma gave Morgan a teddy bear soft toy with an easter egg attached to it. The egg, I'll be munching on this year. The bear will be enjoyed by Morgan when she's a bit older since it has choking hazards (beady eyes and a glued-on nose that could be easily pulled off).

My sisters visited briefly, and in the afternoon, my elder sister, Morgan and I walked back home. I noticed how used I have gotten to pushing a pram whilst walking with my sis. I let her push the pram and Gods know how many times she bumped into things (like the edge of the pavement, potholes or doorsteps). When pushing a pram or pushchair, one has to examine the ground that is way ahead of them all the time and memorise what obstacles are present. It is similar to programming your very own Mental GPS System.

Woe is me!

Once home, she hung out with Morgan and myself for a short while and then left us to a nice relaxed evening of watching Once Upon A Time together.


I bathed Morgan upon her request. "How?" you might be wondering. Well, Morgan very rarely is fussy. On Sunday early evening, she was fussy for no apparent reason and kept fidgeting. I took her to the nappy changer so that I could have a peek and see if she needed a nappy change. The moment I lay her down, she stopped whining. That is when I realised that she actually _wanted_ a bath! She is starting to enjoy being buttnaked and feeling all fresh and clean. Right after bathing her, drying her up and clothing her, she fell asleep in my arms. I woke her up to feed her and she then went back to sleep. Later, I woke her up again for another feed and yet again, she drifted back to sleep straight away!

Monday (9th April):

Willow & Dimi [her dad], Morgan & myself :)

We met Becca, Dimi and Willow in Valletta! This was Morgan's first encounter with another baby. It was good to finally meet Willow as Becca and I have pretty much followed one another's pregnancies and parenthood up til now.



Willow seemed interested in Morgan, but Morgan's attention span is still limited and so there wasn't much interaction yet. It was still pretty cool.

Morgan and I in Valletta

I do have a complaint though. We went to this cafeteria just opposite the St John's Co-cathedral, and were left waiting for food for about an HOUR AND A HALF. With TWO babies. All we wanted was a pizza, a burger and a salad. No biggie! We ended up paying for our drinks and going elsewhere. This time round, food only took about 15 minutes and the waiter was nice enough to get me a jug of boiling water for me to warm up Morgan's bottle when it was time for her to eat.


It was really awesome watching Willow make a mess of her fruit puree food thingy! I can't wait til Morgan starts the weaning process! I'm sure I'll be exasperated at times, but food is meant to be enjoyed and boy do babies enjoy it!!

Right after saying our farewells, I took Morgan to Paola to meet up with my mum. We had coffee, and afterwards Morgan and I came home.

Morgan then requested she be bathed. I'm not kidding! She was restless and cranky, so I put her on the nappy changer to check if she needed a nappy change. The moment she was flat on her back, her mood improved and I realised she wanted a bath. Thus, I obliged. She was really cheerful afterwards!
We were both pretty tired, and so we just hung out and eventually went to sleep.

Yes, I hang out with my baby. She's cool! I actually enjoy spending so much time with her, watching movies, playing, listening to music, going places etc. She's fun and good company.
We watched some more Once Upon a Time episodes, and then it was soon bedtime.

Tuesday 10th April 2012:

We took it easy. Didn't go anywhere as it would have been too tiring. We watched the last few episodes of Once Upon A Time, and then watched Van Helsing. Both Morgan and I nodded off whilst watching it though. All the running around we have been doing lately tends to drain me. Plus, all that fresh air tires her out too.

Yet again, Morgan requested a bath at about 6-7pm. She seems to now want to be bathed before her early evening bottle is fed to her. I'm fine with that timing as it means she gets the day's grime off her early, but not too early so that she's still clean by bedtime.

Oh, and we had an "argument".  Morgan kept spitting out her dummy and trying to suck on her hand. I'd stop her and stick the dummy back in her mouth only for her to spit it out again and suck on her hand.  We spent some 5 minutes at it.   She then accepted the dummy, but shortly after I noticed she was trying to sneakily replace the dummy with her hand again.

Sneaky baby!

We played quite a bit and once it was time for her to have her night bottle - around 10:15pm, I decided I'd join her as I was pretty exhausted.

Wednesday 11th April:
Got woken up at about 5:15am by Morgan who seemed to have gotten hungry earlier than usual. Unfortunately it meant I also had to prepare the day's bottles at silly o'clock.

The steam steriliser took forever. Once it turned itself off, I prepared the bottles, put them in the fridge, and rejoined Morgan in bed. She had stayed up waiting for me to return to bed.

We snoozed some more, until Morgan decided she had had enough at about 9:15am and wanted to watch the light change through the window and to play. I laid her on the bed in front of me and we played for a while until it was time for her next feed.

Once cleaned up and fed, we set out to go pick up a parcel sent by her Paternal Granny from the post office. Such awesome stuff was contained in said parcel! A couple of outfits, a hat, a "Superhero" cushion - I call it so because the cushion cover has the letter M on it. Reminds me of the Superman S and stuff. Also, a giggle toy (one whose belly you press for it to make a sound), a pair of sandals, and a face cloth which is hilarious and awesome! It is one of them thingies you put in water and they expand. Its got a dinosaur on it, called Morganosaurus. The moment I read out its name, Morgan grinned. She seems to like punny stuff. *grin*

We stopped by at my grandma's, then went for coffee with my mum. Yes, I really like coffee. After coffeetimes were had, we returned back to my grandma's for a while. Since it was rather cloudy and drizzly, the moment the sun came out, we set on our way back home lest it rains.

Once back home, we just chilled and played. Morgan seemed to be amused by my singing along to "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" as she grinned when I started singing along to it. I had the same reaction from her a few days ago, but it was with Walk Like An Egyptian. She has good taste in music!

I bathed Morgan, fed her, played some more and she then nodded off. Took care of some laundry which I only just remembered I need to attend to... Argh! I don't feel like dragging my tired arse out of bed! Ah well. I suppose I have to anyway in order to edit this post once I submit it to my laptop..
I only just fed and cleaned up Morgan for the last time today. She is now fast asleep in bed.

Oh, epic news! Her Paternal Granny just rebooked her flight! In just about 6 weeks, she'll be over! It will mean that my time at home with Morgan would be nearly up, but I suppose at least it is something to look forward to. A way to sugar coat it all, if you will.

I'm still waiting to find out what is going to happen at work. I called yesterday and was told they'll call me back.

I'm still wishing I had the luxury of being a stay-at-home mum.
 
Ah well.

If you've managed to read all of the above - well done! Here's a cookie!

Sent from my BlackBerry® smartphone from GO Mobile

Wherever we may roam

Yesterday, Morgan and - had our First Day Out. It was fun - but boy was it overwhelming and tiring!
Our day started off with my mum and I deciding to give Morgan a sponge bath.

 Wet Baby! And not a very happy one!

The door bell rang just as we were done, but before we could dry her and clothe her. My mum handed her over to me wrapped up in a towel. I kept thinking "you're going to either pee or poop on me, aren't you?"

Lo and behold! I hear the trickle of pee slapping against the floor's tiles. I put Morgan down on the nappy changer to get some tissue paper to soak up the pee on the floor so as to avoid potential slips until I could clean it up. A few seconds later I notice a tiny amount of poop. I place a wet wipe underneath her bum so that she can poop freely before I clean her up again.. I gave her a couple of minutes or so, and when I saw there was no progress, removed the wipe and turned around to get something from behind me. As soon as I turn back towards Morgan, I see Mount Poop being built up on the towel beneath her.

It got a bit messy, but eventually managed to get everything under control. I suppose it was Morgan's way of telling me exactly what she thought of our stripping her down to give her a bath - and paying me back.
We then got picked up by my soon-to-be sis-in-law. We managed to get the pram in the car, car seat strapped in, and we set off, driving slowly to our destination.

 Are we there yet?

We parked a couple of blocks away from the cafeteria we were going to - Mint - and so I got to push the pram in the outside world for the first time. It was daunting! Making sure I keep an eye on Morgan, looking at the pavement to avoid potholes and other possible obstacles, keeping an eye out for any pedestrians, cars and other vehicles/beings who might cross our path, looking for the nearest, safest and most convenient spot to roll off the pavement to cross the street - and keeping a conversation going. Talk about becoming suddenly aware of how often we multitask without even realising it!

We got to Mint, and luckily for us a group of people with a pram left at that very instant, clearing up an ideal spot for us to sit inside. People were chattering, an REM cd was playing in the background [which I found amusing seeing as I made a reference to them recently in a previous blog], and Morgan was hungry. This meant I had to feed her whilst trying to decide what I wanted to order for myself. That wasn't an easy task since I was focused solely on her - so I opted for the easy way out of the "I'll have what you're having" kind.
Seeing as I was focused on Morgan, it took me a while before I got round to my coffee and meal. Mel (my soon-to-be sis-in-law) wolfed down her food so as to be able to help Morgan burp whilst I eat.

To those of you who work in catering - please don't hover over my shoulder when you can clearly see I have a young child to tend to before I can focus on my own meal.

I never had reason to complain at this cafeteria - food and service are both exceptional. However, yesterday it was as if the 3 waitresses waiting on us grew tired of waiting. They invoked The Unspoken Time Limit During Which Food And Drink Must Be Consumed Lest Your Plate And Glass/Cup Be Taken Away - and that nearly happened in fact.

I missed seeing the Blond Dreadlocked Eyecandy Waiter yesterday - it would have been Lesson 1 on men for Morgan. Instead some guy walked in, and I taught her that this dude is what I call a Pretty Boy, and that she should limit herself to looking at Pretty Boys and that's it. She seemed content receiving this knowledge.
We went for a walk and after a short while, I started getting quite tired. Morgan fell asleep in the pram, and so we headed back towards the car - but not before taking a photo of the two of us.

Happily bringing the day out to an end.

We stopped by to say hi to Mel's parents as they wished to meet Morgan, and then we headed back home where a nappy change & feed was due, followed by a ton of sleep for both Morgan and myself.
A major update for today is - I was discussing what weapon gives the most satisfaction - a machete or a sledgehammer (yay for sledgehammer!) - with a friend and I made a pun using the following video - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rG71yD8UUbE. I decided to show it to Morgan. She was entranced!! She was watching it quietly, and when I moved my phone slightly, she followed the movement with her eyes!

Rub-a-dub-dub!

Looking after a tiny human being that grows at a astonishingly rapid rate can be a daunting task.  There is so much work behind it - stuff that we tend to take for granted and tasks that are second nature to us as grown humans, that sometimes looking at all the tiny details in the form of a list can make even the bravest of us go weak in the knees.

In a previous blog about cleaning, I have briefly mentioned that babies don't need daily baths unless they've had a nappy explosion, and that until their umbilical cord stump falls off, it is best to give them a sponge bath.  Well - that isn't all there is to keeping your baby clean and healthy.  Here is where we'll be going through the nitty gritty details.

Looking at the above picture, one starts  to realise how much there is to look after separately in a human body.  I will try to break it down piece by piece in as concise yet detailed manner as I possibly can.  [*insert bad dismemberment joke here*]


The Head

This is probably the most complex area to take proper care of.  We'll go through it step by step.

Hair
Baby may or may not be born with hair.  Either way, Baby might have Cradle Cap.  Cradle Cap is a fungal infection which isn't pretty, but isn't dangerous either.  Really and truly, there is no real need to do anything about it, but if you'd like, there's a fairly straightforward process you can go through to treat it.

• Gently massage Baby's scalp with your fingers or a soft brush to loosen the skin flakes.
• Shampoo more frequently (up to once a day), but be sure to rinse out all the soap or shampoo. After shampooing, gently brush your baby's scalp with a soft brush or a terrycloth towel.

In cases of severe Cradle Cap, you can try rubbing in a small amount of a pure, natural oil – such as almond or olive oil – on Baby's scalp and allow it to sit for about 15 minutes. Gently comb out the flakes with a fine-tooth comb or brush them out with a soft brush.  Finish off by washing Baby's scalp with a gentle Baby Shampoo.  It is important to do so in order to get rid of any lingering traces of oil on Baby's head as they can clog the pores and cause the flakes to stick. You might wish to leave in the shampoo for a few minutes before rinsing, to help cut the oil.

Eyes
Blepharitis is caused by the same issues that lead to Cradle Cap.  Should this condition occur, Baby should be referred to a doc.  If Baby develops a red bump on his eyelid, it is likely to be a Sty which can be treated simply by soaking a washcloth in warm water and putting it on the affected eye for a few minutes.  If the Sty doesn't go away after a week or so, or it gets worse, refer to Doc.  If the Sty is only affecting one eye, do not use the same washcloth on both eyes lest you spread the infection.

This is just to mention two different medical conditions that might affect Baby's eyes.  As a generic rule of thumb, just make sure you wipe clean baby's eyes gently whenever bathing him/her to prevent from hygiene-related issues.

Ears
Keeping Baby's ears - as well as behind his/her ears - clean is important. Simply clean the outer part of your baby's ears with a washcloth moistened with warm water.

Never insert a cotton swab [a.k.a. q-tip a.k.a. cotton bud] or anything else into your baby's ear canal -  you could easily puncture the eardrum that way. Earwax [cerumem] is the ear canal's natural bodyguard, if you will, and there's usually no reason to try to get it out of your baby's ears.

Whenever you take Baby to the doctor's for a check-up, Doc will check Baby's ears for signs of infection.  If there is a buildup of earwax to the extent of not being able to see the eardrum, Doc will remove the wax. Otherwise, the wax will come out on its own eventually, and sticking a cotton swab in there is likely to push it in farther.  If you notice a difference in Baby's reactions to sounds, it may very well be temporary hearing loss caused by Earwax  build-up, in which case, refer to your paediatrician.

Nose
Strictly speaking, it isn't necessary to clear a stuffy nose - and Baby may not like it if you try.  However, it can be done by use of a Rubber Bulb Syringe.  Other than that, if Baby is snotty, wipe it gently away with a soft tissue paper.

Mouth, Teeth & Gums
Taking care of Baby's gums is extremely important even before the teething process commences as you might not notice it straight away, and therefore start the Oral Hygiene Regime later than recommended. This means Baby will be more likely to be exposed to cavities.

It's a good idea to get into the habit of wiping Baby's gums with gauze or a soft wet washcloth during bath time.  Toothpaste is not yet required. All you would need to do is to wrap the cloth or gauze around your index finger and rub it gently over his/her gums.

Usually, around 6 months of age, Baby's first teeth start emerging. Purchase a baby toothbrush with a small head and grip suitable for your hand.  Use a tiny

As soon as the bristles start to look worn or splayed, the toothbrush should be replaced.  Flossing should only be introduced when tooth surfaces touch so that you can't clean them with a toothbrush.

Some important tips:

• If your child is healthy and still hasn't sprouted his/her first tooth by his/her first birthday, don't worry – some children don't start getting teeth until 15 to 18 months.
• If your baby's dummy falls, don't use your mouth to attempt to 'clean it' as you'll end up introducing bacteria in your child's mouth which can cause tooth decay to occur prematurely.  Also, do not share cutlery with Baby for the same reasons.
• Don't put Baby to bed with a bottle of milk/juice as this is well known to cause cavities.  Also, if Baby is no longer feeding, remove the bottle from them.
  

Hands & Feet
Babies fingernails and toenails grow at amazing paces.  This means, a regular manicure & pedicure is in order to avoid injury.  Fingernails need to be trimmed several times a week - toenails slightly less regularly.

Baby's mani&pedi should be a task left either for when Baby is snoozing, or right after a bath, when Baby's nails are at their softest.  Make sure you have enough light to see what you're doing - you don't want to cause accidental injury just because of inadequate lighting.  Ensure you use a pair of Baby scissors or clippers made especially for the purpose. Press the finger pad away from the nail to avoid nicking the skin, and keep a firm hold on your baby's hand as you clippety-clip.

Fingernails should be cut along the curve of the finger, whereas toenails should be cut straight across. Use a nail file to smooth out any rough edges. If you're patient enough, and Baby's nails aren't too long, you can actually just file them down rather than clipping them.  If you decide to give Baby a manicure while s/he's awake, get someone to help.  Babies are wriggly creatures, so some assistance may be required to limit the squirming and wriggling either by holding him/her down, or by providing some sort of distraction whilst holding his/her hands  and feet still for the clipping and filing.

Some parents bite their baby's nails into shape, but if you do, you run the risk of introducing germs from your mouth into any little cut your baby may have on his finger. You also won't be able to see what you're doing, and you'll find that your baby's finger is minute compared to your teeth! Still, some parents rely on this method.

Keep your mouth away from your child's fingernails/toenails as if they have some small cut you don't notice, you'll end up introducing bacteria in their system.  Also, Baby's digits are tiny. You really don't want to bite his/her fingers/toes!

Umbilical cord

It takes about 10 to 21 days for the umbilical stump to dry up and drop off,which will then leave a small wound that may take a few days to heal.  It must be kept clean and dry. Fold Baby's nappy below the stump if it doesn't have a  cut-out space for the cord so that it is exposed to the air and not to urine. If when the stump falls off, you notice a little blood on the nappy, don't panic -  it's normal. Avoid giving your baby tub baths until the stump falls off.

What are the signs of infection?

Consult your doctor if:

• Your child develops a fever or appears unwell.
• The navel and the surrounding area become swollen or red.
• Pus appears at the base of the stump.

For more in depth info, you can clicky here.


Genitals
This is probably the trickiest of them all.

Genital hygiene should be treated very carefully since the very birth. Otherwise, strangury, different inflammations or problems in youth age can occur. In fact, there`s nothing difficult here, you just need to learn several simple rules.

• Check Baby’s nappy often and see if it is pooped. If so, you should clean the genital area thoroughly with wet cloth and diluted soap.
• Always wipe from front to back for baby girls and wipe under the genitals for boys. Also, take care to clean the buttocks and fat creases under the thighs of your child. Apply baby lotion in case of skin rashes. Maintaining regular hygiene is the key to care for your baby’s genital area. 
• If your Baby girl has had a very dirty nappy and poo has got within her vaginal lips (labia), gently separate your baby girl's vaginal lips with clean fingers, and with the moist cotton wool, wipe the area from top to bottom, or front to back, down the middle.  Then, with two more fresh pieces of cotton wool, clean each side within her labia. Wiping from front to back will help to prevent bacteria transferring from your baby's bottom to her vagina or urethra, and causing an infection. When giving your baby a bath, again just use a flannel or sponge to swish water around the area, and wipe from front to back.
• Baby boys can suffer from circumcised or uncircumcised genital problems that need your special attention. In case of circumcised genitals, keep the area clean. Bathe the area every day with warm water and use a gentle baby cleanser to clean it.  After the bath you could put some petroleum jelly on his penis to protect it from rubbing against his nappy.
• In case of uncircumcised genitals, wash the area with warm water and baby wash. Do not use any cotton swabs, cotton balls, astringents, or other harsh detergents on your baby. Keep the tip of the penis clean. Avoid pulling the foreskin back while cleaning. Gently hold the foreskin against the tip of the penis and wash it.  While your son is a baby, his penis will "self-clean" to some extent. Don't try to pull back his foreskin to clean as you won’t be able slide it back.
  Your baby’s foreskin will be attached to the head of his penis. The foreskin will separate from his penis by the time he’s two. You don’t need to help it along and you’ll probably do more harm than good if you try. Forcing back the foreskin may cause it to tear, which can hurt your baby and leave scarring. It may also cause problems for your little boy later on.
• It is never good to keep your babies on soiled nappies for longer periods. If your baby pees or poops at night, do take care to attend to it immediately. Properly clean and dry the area before putting on a new nappy. If you prefer, you can avoid making your baby wear nappies at night, however this will make fora very messy morning present. 

For more info, clicky here.

That pretty much brings us at an end of the dismembered bathing experience.  If you can, have someone experienced with you just to supervise when bathing Baby for the first few times.  You'll get the hang of it eventually - at least, I hope I will.

Starting anew

First of all, I would like to thank you all for showing an interest in my inane ramblings and for the support you've shown! Thankies!!


New year, new chapter I guess, right?


Well, this year will be one of many firsts.  For the first time, my countdown will be to a life-changing event.  I will become a mother for the first time, and will be responsible for what seems to probably be a not-so-tiny-Creature.  I will be entering my first life-long commitment relationship-wise, and will hopefully get to witness Creature's first words, smile, steps, meal, bath, Samhain, Yule and gods know what else!

From here onwards, my life will no longer be mine - it will be ours.  For the first time, I will have someone I love, love me back [I hope] and sticking around for a long long time.

So yes - it truly is a new beginning for me.

My only hope is that this year, there will be no funerals to attend.  For those who know me, you know it has been an annual thing since 2000.  Having a break and focusing on Life, rather than Death, would be nice.

Oh!! And I also get to witness the officialisation of another accomplishment of mine - my brother will be getting married to my lovely friend.  I claim full responsibility for their introduction :D

I look forward to this new challenge that lies ahead of me. For those of you who are thinking "What about doomsday?" I have my own theory - it is highly likely that the date is correct - and the end will be brought upon us... by Creature's first steps. Muahahahahahahahaha.

Cleanliness is next to Godliness

"Aaaaaaaah!!! The Germs!!! THE GERMS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

That's the kind of message society tends to shove down people's throats nowadays.  Admittedly, health standards have improved in this day and age, but sometimes it feels as if it is being taken to ridiculous extremes.

Being exposed to certain germs and bacteria is actually healthy, to allow us to build a stronger immune system.  Living in a bubble-wrapped world takes its toll on our health in that aspect.

As you know by know, if you've been reading the blog, I am one for recycling as much as possible when it comes to baby stuff - by making use of 2nd hand goods as often as I can.  This means one thing though- someone else's poopy baby has used that item of clothing/furniture/toy.  So, how to clean it all - especially non-machine washable stuff?

Cleaning is not enough - you actually have to disinfect and sterilise to the best of your domestic capabilities.


The best advice I have come across so far when it comes to non-machine washable items such as prams, push chairs, cots, and toys, is this: White Vinegar.  Surprisingly enough, Vinegar should be your number 1 best friend.  Clicky here, and you'll see why.

It is a fairly simple process really- all you need is:

• White vinegar
• Hot water
• Clean spray bottle
• Vacuum cleaner with hose attachment/ Lint roller.

All you do is you either vacuum the small pieces of dust and/or lint - or use Lint roller.  Once that is done, fill the spray bottle half full with vinegar, and top it up with he hot water until it is nearly full.  Shake it well.  Et voila! Go spray happy on the fabric bits [the more you soak them the better results you get] and wipe down any plastic/metal bits such as handles, frame etc. with the Vinegar solution.  Once the process is done, just plop whatever item it is you're cleaning out in the sun and allow it to air dry.  If you need it to dry quicker, you can always use a hair dryer to help speed up the process.  The vinegary smell will fade away - but if it bothers you, or you need it gone quicker, some fabric refresher [such as Febreeze] can do the trick.

Some websites recommend the use of a few drops of Lemon or Tea Tree Essential Oils - however they might be too harsh for your baby's delicate skin -especially if you don't know how to properly use them.

There are other methods I've come across, but the above seems to be the simplest and most cost effective one of them all.  For other examples on how to clean 2nd hand items, you can clicky here.  Also, clicky here for some guidelines on how to clean fabric items which cannot be machine washed [such as the uber-padded bits of car seats, the cloth insides of Baby's bed]

Anything non-plastic, non-metal, and non-fabric [i.e. wooden, wicker etc] needs to be cleaned slightly differently.  The good news is that there are quite a few products that can be store-bought - and they don't have to be different from the products you use on your non-baby items! Here is a brief guide on the cleaning & disinfecting process.

One extremely popular brand of disinfectant is Milton.  I came across the name several times whilst Googling - and when I mentioned to my mum I needed to clean the pram and car seats, she immediately said "Milton." as well - so there must be something to it.  Here is a link that explains how this alleged wonder-product can be used.

The most important point I would like to make though is when it comes to washing liquids - be it shower gels, shampoos, or clothes detergents.  Make sure you go for specially designed brands whenever you can - simply using something which is "suitable for sensitive skin" isn't enough.  My being a "hippie" variant means I try to go for as much organic and non-animal tested and vegetarian-friendly products as possible.  Knowing that there is a chance Creature will have extremely sensitive skin due to it being the case in other relatives means that I would like to minimise the chances of contributing to his/her having reactions to these detergents.

One brand I quite liked whilst shopping around is Earth Friendly Baby - which hits the mark on all aspects of my check-list.  I will try and remember to let you know what the results were once I actually start using the products.  I've come across some pretty good reviews though.  Fingers crossed!

 To conclude - when it comes to washing your baby - at first a daily bath is not necessary.  Unless there has been a Nappy Explosion.  Until their umbilical cord stub falls off, you can just give Baby a sponge bath.  It is important to keep the umbilical cord stub as dry as possible to prevent the risks of infection.  You can either get a Tops 'n Tails bowl, or a small basin, to help you with the sponge bath process.  Once you're ready to give Baby his/her first proper bath, ideally, you should have someone with experience with you.  Slippery Baby is Slippery.  One gadget a friend of mine swears by is a Bath Support.  She says it makes her life much easier,especially when she has to bathe Baby on her own.  More on this another time though.  In the meanwhile, happy cleaning, disinfecting, and sterilising!