Its for Real

(Daddy burping Shannyn - Sean says that she looks like La Bi Xiao Xin during burps)

(Grandparents holding Shannyn)

Yeah! Daddy Sean and Mummy Sally have received Shannyn's birth certificate. Seeing my name in the mother's details section, it suddenly dawned upon me that I'm now a parent and am responsible for another homosapien's well-being. Basically, I'm someone who doesn't know how to cajole a baby or to entertain a kid. In fact, I have never carried a baby for more than 3 minutes as I find newborns too 'flimsy' and 'fragile'. On the day that Shannyn is born, my maternal instinct kicked in and somehow to my surprise, I managed to carry her with ease.

I stayed in the hospital for 3 nights. The hospital does not allow anyone to stay overnight, not even partners. Unlike Singapore (where hospitals have nurseries, husbands can stay overnight and nurses take care of babies throughout the night so that mothers can rest), my baby slept in the bassinet beside my bed throughout my stay in the hospital. After a crash course during the day from the midwives, I was expected to feed my baby and change her nappies all by myself while recuperating. I could hardly get out of bed by myself and was extremely apprehensive as to whether I can handle my newborn alone.

Night 1: Shannyn slept pretty well and only woke up once for milk. The other patient's baby in the same ward was screaming throughout the night but we slept like 'pig'. Guess both of us were too exhausted from the delivery.

Night 2: After having one night's experience with Shannyn, I was confident that the 2nd night would be smooth-sailing too. However I overheard the nurse told the patient in the same room that babies tend to fuss a lot in the 2nd night so I kept my fingers crossed. The other baby in the same room continued to scream like mad throughout the night. But somehow, we don't seem to bother much. I was starting to think that the hospital purposely arranged for the 'noisiest baby' with the 'quietest baby' in the same room! The next day, a nurse came into the ward to weigh Shannyn and to measure her temperature at the same time. As baby seemed cold, I let her wear a hat just before the nurse came in. However, the nurse said that its not necessary for babies to wear hats in the hospital and asked me to remove the hat. I told her that baby seemed cold but removed her hat nevertheless. When she read baby's temperature, she told me that "Well, baby's temperature is a little low so she is a little bit cold afterall". I didn't need her 'high-tech' thermometer to tell me that!! My basic maternal instinct has told me what to do to protect my baby!

Night 3: The patient in the same room, together with her 'noisy baby', had left and we had the entire room to ourselves. But somehow, I felt that its going to be a long long night. Shannyn started to scream and was unable to settle from 10pm to 1am. The nurse came in and reprimanded me for not asking her to assist despite the 'difficulty' faced in settling baby. I was shocked that time had passed so fast and I didn't seem to be tired despite having fed Shannyn umpteen times and changed 3 nappies during the 3h period. It turned out that due to oversupply of milk and engorgement, baby was unable to feed well and was not full despite the constant feeding. The nurse was very stern but I knew that she meant well. In fact, I'm grateful for her assistance. She assisted me in expressing milk and Shannyn finally managed to sleep well after a good feed. But it was the most tiring night, physically.

Day 4: Time to go home. Hurray!! Went for the physiotherapy class that the hospital conducts for mothers. Halfway through, I heard Shannyn cry. Yes, I can recognise my baby's cries! Rushing back to the ward, I saw Sean changing her nappy. He asked me to go back to the class if Shannyn remained unsettled after nappy change. So I went back to the class which I'm glad I did. The physiotherapist told me that my stomach muscles have 'disintegrated' and I'm one of the two patients who have to go back for another physio class and am advised to wear a stomach band during daytime.

This is the start of our journey to parenthood!