Wednesday, April 2, 2008

4 days of fatherhood

Being a father really isn't an easy task. When we got home on 30th March morning, we were so busy, Joel was so tired, he slept, cried when his diaper goes dirty-dirty or when he is hungry.

Joel was active during night, 12am to 7am... I need to learn to change diapers, wipe his diaper area, make his milk, feed him, then help him to 'buang angin', to sing, and to rock him to bed.

It's not as easy as it sounds as you need to be quick, because normally, when he cried, he wants milk, after his feed, he'll do his business, then he wants people to sayang only go to sleep. He'll cry and cry until he's attended to, so, to make sure he don't get sick because of crying too much, you have to be quick, real quick because he'll get louder and louder.


We normally wrap him with towels, from shoulder to toe. On 30th night, he cried because he wet his diaper, I needed to get up and clean it as fast as I can, and in the process, his right glove slipped off, with his right hand free, he scratched his cheek...
I was so worried, I wake every mom is the house (SyinNi, SyinNi's mom, my mom) to look at it... They said it's ok, sometimes baby can scratch themselves... But I felt so bad because that was my 1st night as father... Luckily the pediatrician also said it's ok... I was so afraid that he'll look like a pirate...

Joel's appetite is getting bigger and he is getting more naughty. The 1st day, he drank 1 ounce of milk, 2nd day he drank 2 ounces, and at this moment, he is drink 2.5 ounces... I'm not sure who he looks like, but surely, he eats like me... And looks more like me now, because he becomes fatter.Last night was terrible, I didn't mange to sleep at all. He woke up to drink every 2 and half hours. To prepare his milk, I need 5mins, to feed him I need an average of 30mins, to make him burp, I need another average of 15mins. Then to change his diaper, I need at least 15mins. Put him to sleep, wash the milk bottle. It took me around 1 and half hours to be able to lie down.

But that's not it, because just after his milk, he'll urine, that's why need to change diaper, but around 15 to 30 mins after his milk, he'll pass motion. So, I can only lie down for around 15 to 30 mins. Then have to wake up to change his diaper again. And it took me around 15 mins to do that again. Another hour is gone. And it's time for his next feed.....