Sunday, October 19, 2008

Small things make a big difference

By Babymom.com feat. Zombimom.com
18 Oct 2008

Don’t complain

Babymom
Complaining saps your energy and makes you a victim. Stop complaining and your energy shoots up.

Zombimom
You can still get fed-up exhausted, and re-tell the story of your hardships to sympathizers, but try stay positive.


Be zen

Babymom
Everyone knows a happy baby is a happy mom, but the reverse is also true. Which is why it’s so important to relax into the moment – Tim often follows suit … Being zen doesn’t take away the hard stuff, but it makes it more bearable.

Zombimom
We lose the plot completely almost every day though. Poor mite, when he gets over-tired and the hiccups strike, but he is so tired he can’t feed them away. He lies there, his little mouth latched, but slack, drifting into sleep between each hiccup, wrongly believing each horrid cup is the last.


Bath every morning

Babymom
It’s amazing how regenerative a bath can be. You go in with the night still weighing on your shoulders, you come out beautifully refreshed (with a little help from wonderful hormones that new moms come equipped with!)

Zombimom
Got to take the gap and bath when Tim takes his first sleep of the day, because the rest of the day is accounted for …

Learn!

Babymom
Dedicating effort to understanding baby is very worthwhile, though it’s often mystifying, especially since Tim changes. The more and faster you learn the happier everyone is. Here’s some stuff I reckon is useful to know about Tim, and I guess other babies might be similar –


Chill on the running banter

Babymom
Know when to talk and when to shut up. For Tim talking is more of a happy thing. He doesn’t like talking all the time and often has more important things to do like look at the light streaming in through the window or pass a bit of wind.

Zombimom
When he’s tense he seems to find talking an unwelcome guest, like an insect buzzing at his ear.


Stroke him gently

Babymom
One of our favourite things is stroking each other. I use it when he’s sleepy to rouse him and when he’s relaxed, because he succumbs completely to my purring hands. And Tim strokes me oh so feather soft when he’s feeding. It’s gorgeous.

Zombimom

But when he frets at the edge of sleep, then stroking just makes him fret more. I prefer to rest a hand on his chest.


Hold him

Babymom
There is nothing more huggable and squeezable than a little baby. Mixing a little bit of holding and hugging with every wake time makes him happy.

He cracked his first smile yesterday. And again this morning. Both smiles came when I was cradling him in my arms and playing small silly games. There is nothing nicer.

Zombimom
Moms beware the allure of the adorable little piglets – watch out for exhausting cuddle addictions! I prefer little bursts of loving throughout the day, rather than prolonged lovey-dovey sessions.

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