BluE Scrubs

I didn't buy this book by Gina Ford. A friend gave it to us when we were expecting. To be fair, we did look tad bit clueless and also Ak started looking around for books to read when we hit 20 weeks. It may have looked like he was more interested in what's going on in my tummy than I was at the time, but I, well I guess I have to agree. I was in a perpetual shock.

One thing that always amazes me is his genuine thirst for knowledge and how little he thinks he knows. He knows a lot. I know that. I get a pat in the back by some friends and nurses saying 'You shouldn't have any worries having a paediatrician as a husband'. I guess it is that expectation that makes him want to make sure that he measures up all the time. I'm not sure.

Even when there is no expectation, he would search long and hard for an answer he owes to parents of a sick kid for example. I remember when a 3 month old presented to him last year, with a mysterious illness, he practically littered our living room with books and hover on his laptop for hours. The kid died soon after, the parents were devastated until now. No way she could have survived the rare metabolic disease, but I know Ak must have done something more than just being the doctor because they made him the godfather and insisted that he went to the funeral. May she rests in peace.

Well I was going to go through Noah's routine today, but it all became about the dad. My mind I tell you, it wanders to places sometimes I feel exhausted just to keep up with.

So Noah's day starts at 7 am normally and I usually feed him first because almost like a clockwork he will do a 'stinkah' on me, so I thought why waste nappies? But lately because of the nature of morning nappies being so heavy laden from overnight pee pee, the nappy tends to leak, so I change him first then feed. The feed lasts usually for about 30 mins. A breast an a half.

He will then nap for half an hour after 9 am. Feed again at 11 and another nap at 12. These naps were at quite random places today. First in Mothercare because I needed to get a bottle and some milk storage bags. I've been going through bouts of fear that he might not let go of nursing well if I leave it too late. So we need to get practicing with bottles. I tried Tommy Tippee with him with no luck and I heard of some good words about Breastflow. So we shall see.

Ak thinks I am being paranoid, considering by the time my maternity ends and I go back to work, Noah will be about 9 months. He might not need a bottle at all. So why the push? I guess it's the thought that I can leave him with somebody so I could run errands, run, pilates, exam courses, hair cut, massage maybe. Am I trying to do too much too soon? Do I miss what I used to be?

Oh and the second nap in Tesco. He fell asleep while chuckling to my jiggle-the-susu with the honeydews. Is that normal? What happens to 'drifting' to sleep like normal babies? The nap was only for about an hour. Another hour at home after. At 3 months I think 3 hours of sleep during the day is enough as he would sleep well at night. The worst I've done is letting him sleep for two hours between 4 and 6 pm. In the night, he woke up for night feed and wanted to play!

He gets fed at 2pm and usually this will make him last until his bath time with Daddy at 6pm. His Daddy complains that this is not enough and I understand totally. He goes before Noah wakes up and home just in time for the bath. That could be me if I had to go back to work. I am forever grateful for this whole 9 months paid maternity leave. National Health Service is not bad at all.

So after 2:30 pm, I keep Noah occupied. Today he tagged along to my physiotherapy for my wrists. He then kips for another half an hour between 4 and 5. Ak came back early, so I could go for my second time ever run. The first one was on Sunday and it's the same route by the river Thames. It was pathetic. There was me hobbling along and Ak overtook me while 'strolling' Noah and talking on the phone, still in his work clothes.

Rome wasn't built in a day and those extra weight weren't put on in a day, I keep telling myself. I managed 20 minutes non-stop and that is pretty good going for this fat ass. Noah fed at 6:30 pm and I settled him in the cot just after 7.

So what bugs me still with his routine is the fact that everything seems fine if he starts his day at 7 am, but if I have to feed him at 5 am then it messes up the whole morning until 2pm. Gina's book doesn't help much with this problem. Oh well we'll just muddle through it until we get it figured out. It's not like I am going anywhere.

At night, his last feed is about 11 pm and I leave it up to him as to how much he needs. He would last until just before 7 am and on a strange days 5 am when he would just 'baby talk' in the cot non stop. Maybe he does Subuh prayer. This is only just recently. Up till 2 weeks ago I was still feeding him once in the night.

Both boys are asleep now and I should really finish my Al-Baqarah, good night.