I’ve been busy with Nathan over the last few days, who is now at home and living it up in his bedroom with all his presents and toys. Yasmina left hospital just four days after the birth but I think she’s pleased to be home rather than staying in hospital. Friends have been round to greet the new baby, and have cooed over him and generally been very nice. Grandma and Grandad from England came over to see their first grandson and Grandma is still here while Grandad had to go home to work as he has no holiday left.
Being woken up in the middle of the night has been difficult. Not so much at the time but on the following morning the fatigued feeling makes me irritable. As we get more used to Nathan and he gets used to us, I’m hoping he’ll find a rythmn which suits us all. As you can see in the photo, Mummy tries to sleep at the same time as baby to catch up when she can.
In France babies are prescribed Vitamin D and Flouride supplements every day until they are 18 months old; I don’t know if this practice exists back home in England. They also use a lot of mild saline solution for cleaning baby’s nose and generally in place of water for wiping eyes (whilst closed of course). I’d be interested to hear your experiences of the first few days with your babies and what the medical quirks were like.
26/10/2005 at 5:20 pm
My babies are on the way!
God bless.
26/10/2005 at 8:43 pm
What a precious baby. Here’s to him and to his mom. Hope you catch some sleep soon.
26/10/2005 at 10:34 pm
Hi Orikinla, I don’t see a post on your blog about your happy event. Please post a link if you have blogged about it.
Jawahara, congratulations on your forthcoming book to be published. Thanks for dropping by.
-Fruey
26/10/2005 at 10:37 pm
Oh, how I’ll never forget the sleep deprivation…our babies are now 5, nearly 8 and nearly 10 (and I get cranky when they wake me in the night now). Early days? That salve in the eye in case the mom has some sort of STD that can cause blindness. I underwent an uncomfortable procedure while pregnant to prove I did not have aforementioned STD, but they forgot to check the records in the hospital and smeered them anyway. They got a vitamin K shot to help blood coagulation (can’t remember why, but it’s standard). They want to give sugar water if the baby cries in the nursery, unless you say NO, no sugar water, trying to get the breastfeeding thing going, thank you. They prick their little heels and do a PKU test (which I can’t remember the long real name of). I think that’s it. But the irritability from sleeplessness…it will begin to wane, and your little one will begin to settle into something more livable. I always considered the first 6 weeks Baby Boot Camp…you’ll get there, Soldier!
26/10/2005 at 11:04 pm
Hi Allison,
Well the little prick in the heel rings a bell, something I missed because I couldn’t stay in the hospital overnight with Yasmina and missed the morning round of the paediatrician once. Sugar water isn’t recommended here at all but can be a last resort to calm them.
I really like your allusion to “baby boot camp”. I hope I manage to get through and that the irritability fades 🙂
-Fruey
27/10/2005 at 11:55 pm
CONGRATULATIONS! I can remember like yesterday the first time my baby slept through the entire night! Never felt so good! Enjoy it when it does happen. Now, my “babies”, 21 and 18 (boy, girl) are out all hours of the night and I am back to not sleeping again!
Waaaaaaaaaaaa!
Many blessings!
28/10/2005 at 3:57 am
Loved conversing with a chap all the way from France…just checked back in tonight, and although you’ve posted nothing new (no surprise, with new little Nathan!), I just thought I’d send well wishes of peace, as much sleep as possible, and the continued healing of your wife. And the ability for the two of you to recarve yourselves as a couple in love with a baby in the house. It’s not always easy, but is always worth it.
28/10/2005 at 12:06 pm
Annie,
Incredibly Nathan slept from midnight to 7am today. I’m hoping that this trend will continue :-). I enjoyed your comment about your babies still keeping you up at night, reminded me of my poor Mum when my brother and I were out painting the town red.
Allison,
I try to post 2 or 3 times a week, but that’s an average over a month really. When I think of something good to post, I’ll post it. I could write lots about Nathan but I don’t want to be just a baby blogger. The baby does take up a lot of “space” in the relationship, so I know what you mean about recarving. For the moment we’re very happy just looking after him, but we’ll see how it goes!
-Simon (fruey)
2/11/2005 at 2:50 am
You have a beautiful baby.
Congratulations
2/11/2005 at 1:28 pm
Hi Red,
A short but sweet comment. Thank you for your congratulations, I hope to see you here again soon.
-Simon (fruey)
11/11/2005 at 12:34 pm
Hello everyone
How nice it is to see everyone’s interest in Nathan. I am the paternal grandmother and have been overjoyed to spend 2 weeks with Yasmina, Simon and Nathan and share in the beginning of Nathan’s life. I didn’t want to come back to England and back to work!
Everything has changed since Simon was Nathan’s age, no warming feeding bottles, mixing fees by just shaking the bottle, no nappy bucket under the sink just always full of nappies waiting to be washed – I could go on and on. But one thing hasn’t changed – babies still wake up in the middle of the night and REQUIRE ATTENTION!
Can’t wait for my next sight of Nathan which hopefully will be around Christmas/New Year time. And thanks from the bottom of my heart to Yasmina and Simon for letting me be there.
Grandma
13/11/2005 at 8:44 pm
Ah! Helen! Good to see your addition to the blog. If you’re anything like my mum – you’re bursting with pride and can’t stop reminiscing about your ‘babies’ when they were new born. Got fond memories of you so I thought I’d skip Simon and say hello to you! Enjoy Grandmotherhood. Love Anna x
13/11/2005 at 9:44 pm
Hi Mum,
It was lovely to see you and we’re really missing you. Being just the two of us is nice, but it’s hard work! It was great to have you around.
Hello Anna,
Nice to see you again, I’m sure Mum will be chuffed to see your comment.
-Simon
29/11/2005 at 7:37 pm
Well hello Anna
Such a long time since I saw you but remember you well as part of the Warwick University scene. So you are ahead of the game with the baby business then!
Yes, I am just like your mother. I work at a large hospital and I think almost everyone has seen photos of Nathan, Nathan with Mum, Nathan with Dad and Nathan with Mum and Dad.
Hope you continue well,
Love Helen