Sweet Dreams

I was amazed by how our newborn Princess Angelica's sleeping pattern was different from my own. She slept most of the time but at night she would wake up frequently most of the time because she was hungry or needed to be changed. I was really sleep deprived during her first few months because I had to acknowledge her calls quickly or else she would be awake the whole night! Experts said that mothers should respond really quickly during the first two months because newborns were not capable of settling themselves back...it was true, because if I failed to come to her fast enough, she wouldn't get back to sleep...what she would do after being fed or changed was play the whole night through!!! so both of us would be awake!


When she was about three months old, even if I didn't attend to her right away, after I gave the bottle of milk to her, she would settle back to sleep...finally, Mom could sleep back for hours before it's her feeding or changing time again!zzzzzzzzzzz

Bottoms up!

At about 1 month old, Angelica could finish 2.5-3oz of her milk formula quickly. Our hands never got tired holding her bottle because she was a fast "drinker", always bottoms up, not a drop of her milk was left! After each feeding she would give us load burps...I noticed that when we shifted her to lactose free formula, she had less yucky vomitting or "lungad"! Angelica really loved Enfalac Lactofree!

More milk, Mom!!!

I tried really hard to breast feed our princess, however no matter how much stimulation she did ( she got very strong sucking reflex, believe me!!! ) only little milk came out. I noticed that she was kind of upset, shrieking out loud, probably because she was too hungry. I was pressed to give her a milk formula as an alternative! I had to or else she would get hungry & angry!:(...Frisolac was her first formula then I tried S-26 Gold, however her Pediatrician had to shift it to a lactose free due to frequent colic. When she started taking Enfalac Lactofree she was always happy after each feeding...no more crying because of colicky pains & her poopoos were okay. Thanks to Enfalac Lactofree Formula, it's really tummy friendly!

Frightful Moments

During our baby princess' first few days at home, I should say I felt that I was totally dumb because there were times when I would just stare at her tiny body (with a funny looking thing dangling at the middle of her frog-belly)as if studying her fragile body so intently before starting anything...from a simple undressing to a more difficult bathing a small, slippery & wiggling small creature! I was really scared to hold her. I realized that the feeling was entirely different when I was handling babies in the nursery during my medical clerkship & internship days. I had more courage then...while this time, with my own baby, I was filled with terror...and to my husband's amazement, I became panicky!

Since she still needed a sponge bath until her umbilical stump (that funny looking "ornament" on her belly) fell off, I thought it was still a lot easier to do than giving a real bath...but still I couldn't decide which baby product should I use...should I use oil?...a no rinse cleanser? I knew that I should use alcohol free products because baby's skin is really very sensitive. Sans harsh chemicals should only touch my baby's skin. My husband was laughing at me because I bought several bottles of baby bath products of different brands and because of this, I couldn't decide on which one to use first!!! really tough!

So came the first day of "tribulation"...she had her first bath on her 10th day of life. Would you believe that I tested the water's temperature for about 5x before I finally put her in her tub. I was really scared at first & I needed my Mom's help because my baby kept on sliding down her baby bath tub. I forgot to put a towel because I thought that the coarse pad at the center of the tub would hold her in place... but I was wrong & it was late to take her out( we didn't want her to get cold because she was wet already ).It wasn't easy...she cried through the whole bath! Mom had to hold her still while I gave her bath. I believe it really took practice to give me more confidence in doing this tough job...but I enjoyed it so much!!!!

Welcome Home, Princess!

Angelica spent about 4 days more in the NICU. We were so thankful that she didn't have to undergo more painful tests and the exchange transfusion was already a remote consideration at this point. All we could do was to visit her or call up the nurse on duty to get updates.

We finally brought our Princess Angelica home on July 30, her 7th day of life. Everybody was so excited to welcome her...especially her big bro, Kuya Justin!

Post Delivery Blues

The first time I visited Angelica at the hospital's NICU, she looked so small in her basinette, with pinkish skin & lots of hair on her head. It looked like she got her Dad's eyes...not so with the nose :( ! Oh, how I longed to touch & hug her. Her intensivist told me to start breastfeeding her...I tried even though it was difficult & painful & she had a hard time getting my milk. It was not so comfortable at first but I gradually got used to it! I loved feeling her soft skin & smooth silky hair ( they were so black!). It was an unforgettable moment for me...to touch, smell & kiss her for the first time!

I thought we could bring her home with us on the 3rd hospital day, however, her Pediatrician told us that she had to stay at the NICU for further observation because she was jaundiced & her bilirubin levels were a bit over the normal values. Dr. Mantaring just wanted to make sure that there was no hemolytic reaction as the underlying cause. Angelica got her Dad's blood type which is B+ while I am O+. We were even told about the possibility of an exchange transfusion ( as the last option if proven there was an incompatibility ). We both prayed that this wouldn't happen...she was so young to undergo a lot of pain from pricks & intravenous insertions. I felt so helpless at that time, I didn't know what to think, to decide , so it was my husband who made all the decisions at that time.

I was really very hesitant to leave Angelica in the hospital, but we had no choice because our doctors gave us no assurance of the date as to when Angelica could go home...maybe a few days more, weeks or months. Oh God, I hope it was not that serious! We went home with a heavy heart, I couldn't get my eyes off her when I last visited her at the NICU. She was lying there under the "bili" lights with eyes & genitalia covered with black cloth. I said good bye to her silently, controlling my tears...it was such a painful moment!

Delivery Time!!!

The moment of truth was here...I was scheduled to deliver our Princess on July 23, 2002 via Caesarean Section. So we went to the hospital a day before the date. We were asked to prepare 3 units of Platelet Concentrate as standby just in case I bleed during the procedure ( remember, I was on heparin for months ). Everything was fine...but I felt scared, really scared & excited to see our Princess! Tomorrow, I could see how she looked like...I could hear her voice, her cries...I could feel her soft delicate body...the waiting seemed so long. I couldn't sleep that night, probably due to excitement & fear (of surgery...this was going to be my first time to go under a knife!!!).

At 5:30 AM on July 23, I was moved to the OR, praying endlessly..asking Him to protect us! The day had come... to give new life to this world...God's greatest gift for us. That's why I chose Angelica to be her first name because for us she was an angel sent by God to give us joy...and Ysabelle ( an Italian version of Elizabeth ) meaning consecrated to God!

Princess Angelica Ysabelle, our precious one arrived at 6:59 AM. She was small with a full bunch of black hair. She weighed 5lbs & 8oz and measured 48cm long. I heard her loud shrieks...I felt so happy because I knew that she was alive & well....Welcome to the world, our little angel...our princess!

A Close Encounter ???

Weeks passed, everything seemed alright, but on June 10,2002, I was again awakened by strong contractions, stronger than what I experienced before. I was so scared that I cried because I thought that I was about to have an untimely delivery...I was even blaming myself, if only I followed my OB strictly, probably this would not happen. My husband called up my doctor and I was told to have another ultrasound done as soon as possible. So I did...The baby was okay but she was still very young, barely 37 weeks. My OB found out that my cervix was already open, about 2cms dilated. So I was admitted immediately at Medical Center Manila for monitoring & she would try to abort the contractions/ labor & further cervical dilatation. But we were already advised about the possibility of a premature delivery of our baby Princess. I was sedated, given IV Bricanyl and hooked to a monitor. I was also given IV Hydrocortisone just in case I would deliver that day (this would help my baby's immature lungs to adapt to "her outside world")! We were so thankful to God, when I heard the nurse said that I could be transferred to room, so that meant it was not delivery time yet! I was discharged the following day with strict advice of complete bedrest until our Princess was mature enough to see the world....

Contractions!

On my 24th week, I was awaken by a series of mild abdominal contractions....they were not strong & there was no vaginal bleeding. But we got so alarmed that I called up my doctor first thing in the morning. I had to see her immediately...she poked me down there to see the status of my cervix. Thank God because my cervix was still closed. An ultrasound was done & showed that our baby was doing fine & she was a girl! I was so happy about the results. Secretly, in my mind I was already thinking about what baby stuffs to buy for our princess!

I was not admitted but she gave me Bricanyl tablets to abort the contractions, replaced aspirin with Heparin injections & I had to be in complete bed rest...meaning I had to pee & poo on our bed (of course with a bed pan :D). This also meant I couldn't work, no clinic starting this day!!!my doctor's orders, so I had to follow them.

Did I follow her instructions? Yes, but not strictly :D ! I couldn't pee & poo using a bedpan so I thought that it was okay to use our bathroom since it was just a few steps away from our bed, anyway!

I felt like a queen because everything was being brought to our room, everything was being done for me! I couldn't join my family during mealtime...that was one of the saddest parts. I refused to be given a bath because I felt that I could do it, I just promised to do it fast!

My life then was so boring...I had nothing to do but lie on bed for the whole day. All I could do was read, watch TV or DVDs, sleeep and sleep...and sleep zzzzzzzzzzzz!

When I didn't feel any contractions, I told my husband that I wanted to go to my clinic to see my patients...not following doctor's orders!!!! Well, my OB found out about my noncompliance :( (an expose innocently made by some med reps grrrr ! ), so I was scolded during my next visit.

From flutter to flying kicks

At 20-21 weeks, my baby peanut's fluttering movements became powerful kicks...as if she was responding to our touch, songs & music or our voices when we talked to her. They were not exactly comfortable but my husband & I felt so thrilled to see her move & able to touch her.

I found it more comfortable to sleep on my side (now that my baby peanut had grown into a size of a banana or carrot) with a soft pillow between my legs. I never had leg edema, but I did feel some heaviness in my legs, so before I sleep & after a prolonged standing position, I put my legs up against the wall or over a 3- or 4-pillow- high elevation.

Mom's Journey

1. My lifesavers during those "throw up" days were ice chips, sour fruits, frozen orange juice & Lifesavers candies (I preferred fruit flavors over the minty ones). They all gave me great relief! I remembered one time when I forgot my lifesavers & I suddenly felt that I was going to throw up, my driver had to stop the car so that I could relieve myself! It was so annoying & yucky!

2. I began to have heartburn on my 12th week, though the discomfort was mildy annoying. I found relief in eating crackers & small low fat meals. I really couldn't tolerate milk so I had to take calcium supplements instead, plus folic acid. Iron pills would worsen my heartburn & usually precipitated my vomiting.

3. I spent most of my spare time reading pregnancy books & mags & sat for hours surfing the net. I loved visiting the www.babycenter.com & www.pregnancy.com . I learned a lot from these sites. I came across the Chinese Gender Chart used in predicting baby's sex. It had a success rate of over 90% but it was solely for entertainment purposes. I enjoyed it...the result said that I'd have a baby girl! I thought that would be nice...to have a princess! I also loved their discussions on the details of the baby's development.

4. Sleep, sleep, sleep...I experienced the sluggish stage of pregnancy. I slept for hours at night & in the afternoons. I always felt sleepy, that's why I rarely drive when I was pregnant.

5. Constipation occassionally bothered me, so I took prune juice, pineapples, oranges & veggies...they worked well with me!

"Sweet" Misery

Since that day my eating habits changed! Folks said that preggys should eat for two...I also thought that when in this state, one would have a really big appetite. In my case, it was different! I didn't have the morning sickness...but my misery would began in the afternoons. For three months I couldn't have my typical meals, I usually didn't eat my dinner because I would throw up...everything! The aroma of sauteed garlic & my husband's perfume which I both loved so much before could trigger my nausea. I felt really weird because I hated my favorite chocolates, I couldn't even eat a piece of Hershey's Kisses..if I did, I'd have a whole day of misery. I never craved for anything in particular because anything that I put in my mouth was either tasteless or tasted weird!

For months I was like this & got the hang of it...I missed my favorite dishes like the steamed crabs, my Mom's pork dinuguan, tinola..etc The books & my friends said that usually the nausea & vomiting were experienced in the first trimester only. So on my 5th month I tried feasting on crabs...what happened next? you guessed it right!...

Only on the 7th month, was I able to eat right...the nausea & vomiting rarely bothered me (thank God!). My weight was still within the maximum allowable weight gain for preggys, I actually did not gain much weight (because of 6months of abstinence hehehe...& I was already in the heavy side to start with :D ). So, I was afraid that my baby peanut wasn't fed well, she might not grow fast into a pretty princess!

The Start of the Journey

Probably because of too much excitement, after our lunch out at Saisaki's, I rushed to the bookstore to hunt for books about pregnancy. I was surprised to see a whole shelf stocked with pregnancy books & magazines. I was overwhelmed by so many choices so I ended up buying just one book & a magazine. I was also tempted to eye for baby stuffs...but I realized it was too early, she was just 9 weeks old...we still had along way to gooooo, baby peanut!!!!

Princess' First Picture

On 1/14/02, my husband & I went to my Obstetrician, Dr. Lourdes-Fe Del Rosario who confirmed my pregnancy. She did an ultrasound which documented the presence of life in my tummy. She looked like a peanut. I didn't know if it was just pure excitement that's why we both thought we saw something like a small stump waving...as if she was saying "Hi, Mom & Dad!". However, my doctor said that I had to take aspirin because she also saw a small subchorionic hemmorrhage, which if left untreated would cause the beginning of the detachment of the placenta, ultimately leading to abortion. Oh no, not again, please!!! So I had to follow my doctor's orders for my baby peanut's sake. I was told to go to PGH for the special tests for APAS before my next check up. As soon as we got into the car, I called up my parents & parents-in-law to tell the good news. I also texted my close friends who were so happy for us! Finally, we made it! :D




To celebrate, we ate lunch at Saisaki's in Alabang. I guess that was the last decent meal I had during my entire pregnancy, because the succeeding days were tormenting!!!!

It's Positive

About 3 weeks before my doctor confirmed it, I started feeling weird...I felt pregnant!? Or was it just my imagination?...or was I over reacting?It was my husband, Orlan who urged me to do a pregnancy test because he believed that I was pregnant. Although my monthly period did not come last November & December, I was still hesitant to do the test, probably because of the many frustrating results that I had in the past..they all showed a single pink line! Well, I thought, maybe one more test wouldn't hurt much. So, I did...after I saw the result of the first test, I bought another 2 different test kits because I wanted to make sure that there were really TWO pink lines! And the last kit showed a clear positive sign...thus confirming that I was really pregnant! My heart was pounding so hard and fast, I was perspiring and wanted to scream! OMG, it's positive! I was ecstatic! I called up my husband but didn't know how to break the good news to him. When I finally told him, there was silence at the other end of the line, I thought we were cut off...but after a few seconds, he was back, I noticed that he was stuttering so both of us laughed out loud, both in disbelief! We were so happy and thankful to God!

For My Daughter

I dedicate this blog site for my dearest daughter, Angelica Ysabelle. I was inspired by good bloggers like Che Che & Chris who blog about their babies & exchange their experiences as Moms & even give pieces of advice & updates in parenting! In here, you will find everything about my daughter from her conception up to present. I knew I had to work fast in transferring my journal entries during my pregnancy (since I was not into blogging yet during those days) to keep up with the pacing. Thanks to my little journal book where I kept all the important events in those 37 weeks, so it was not so difficult to recall the important details that I wanted to write in this blog. My scrapbook pages also helped refresh my memory, so there would be entries with pictures of my layouts, too. It felt so good to reminisce those wonderful years, from the moment I found out that I was pregnant up to this stage in Angelica's life wherein there are still so many memories to record and cherish forever!