My baby needs me... All the time!!

Hmm... Where should I start? Perhaps, I shall start from the time Arthur was born and was a demanding baby... Yes.. my baby, Arthur, was (and, still is) indeed a demanding baby. If you are a parent and you are reading this, I'm sure u'd understand what I mean... if you are a parent and you are reading this and you don't understand what I mean... well, you are one lucky parent!

I'm not sure about how is goes about with other cultures but with us, Malaysian Chinese, the tradition is to go into confinement to get as much rest as possible for at least one month after your baby is born...


As much as I had anticipated it.. "getting as much rest as possible" was never an option for me when Arthur was born. The very first 'barrier' to that was my determination to breasfeed. You will know what I mean if you have read 'My Breastfeeding Journey'. I was and still is the one and only waking up in the middle of the night to feed..

Then, Arthur was dignosed with jaundice, which had us going in and out of the hospital most of the first month... not forgetting to mention all those who are kind enough to visit us almost each and every day in that first month and waking my sleeping baby with the intention to later try to put him back to sleep?? I really cannot just practise 'closed doors policy', can I? (maybe, with the next baby, I will)

I'm not sure if I shall blame it on these but I will anyway.. jaundice and the 'disturbances'... added up to a fussy and demanding Arthur who wants to be held most of the time... who cries for attention the minute I put him down.. who needs to be rocked to sleep in our arms.. who woke up for a feed almost every hour... the first month with Arthur was really a very tiring experience though as many Moms, I'd say it is a very rewarding experience.

Fast forward to a few months later when we started bringing Arthur out... like most, we'd imagine that he'd be a happy baby going out.. being pushed in a stroller.. happy and contented... After all, that's what we see.. picture perfect.. But no... most of the time, he would scream for us to take him out and to carry him... leaving me one hand to push the stroller while carrying him... and til this day.. it's still the same...

In a way, I am tired but still, when I think of it, I am glad I have a baby who loves to be carried and the way we have bonded so well through the experience we shared together...