Out of body Mumsperience || The Cuddle Blog

September 11, 2017









"Mumsperience"?

Yes! I just coined the word.

 It is every experience unique to Mums! 

I had an out of body experience. Oh No! I had an out of body Mumsperience. It was less then one month after I had Cuddles and he was on a 2 hours eat-sleep schedule. He woke up sometime in the middle of the night this fateful day and He started crying, I picked him up and just kept rocking him but he just won't stop crying. I was beginning to wonder what could be wrong with him when my husband woke up and asked me 

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3 things: New Mum Essential || The Cuddle Blog

September 8, 2017


While I was doing my research for this post, I noticed that not alot of people focused on the new mothers in their "essential" posts. It is important that new mums - howbeit hard - should not forget themselves. In light of that, here are 3 things I think are essential for new mums;


  • A Snack Stash (Especially if you are breastfeeding): I found myself craving for different things when I started breastfeeding. No one told me that the craving won't end, it felt that I was losing weight fast at the beginning but I wanted to eat twice as much.
    I wanted all the junk food to stuff my face in. I later had a stash of go-to snacks to help with the fix
  • Breast Pads:
    Nothin as embarrassing as a leaking breast. I didn't have a clue how serious it could be but it is verrrry important that you have enough breast pads, especially if you choose to use the disposable ones. 

  • Solitude: Being sleep deprived, overwhelmed, tired and feeling like you can't take it any more  comes with the territory of becoming a new mum.

It's very important that you take a break and have some alone time, even if it's 30 mins to do whatever you want to do. I don't necessarily sleep when he sleeps. I take a long bath, do my nails, blog, write or just enjoy my own company in order for me to renew and refresh. At the end of the day, as much as I am doing everything for my baby, my baby also needs me to be in the right frame of mind. 

What do you think is essential for a new Mum?

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Pregnancy Diary 5: Birth Story || The Cuddle Blog

September 5, 2017



"March 10,2017 37 Weeks 

So,  we're officially going to meet you next week! Incredible. "Just like that?" is the question I asked the doctor. This is not what or how I envisioned it but I am grateful, very grateful. At the end of the day what's most important is that we are all safe and not at risk" 

These are part of the words I wrote in my pregnancy journal less than a week to meeting my little one. I did my antenatal care in a different hospital and husband and I decided to have our delivery on another hospital, I had to register close to my Edd. I started going to this new hospital and because of my height it was recommended to do a pelvis examination. This is not done routinely but from a certain height they recommend this scan so they can know what they're working with. 

This was the timeline. I went in for my regular appointment on a Friday, I was asked to do the CT Pelvimetry scan the next Friday before I came for my appointment which I did. I gave the doctor the Pelvimetry report, he examined it and told me point blank that my pelvis was "inadequate", made a few calls and scheduled me for a C-section the next Wednesday and I blurted out "Just like that" He explained to me why we had to go that route and the consequences if I choose not to go for it. 

I called my husband to tell him and I went home after the routine blood work. We looked over the report of the pelvimetry exam and sent to a couple of people after we were certain that a c-section was the only way, we called our parents to inform them that their grand baby will be here in 5 days. 

In the next couple of days, I just wanted to mentally prepare myself because frankly I wasn't ready. I was thinking I had atleast 3 weeks to prepare but now, I had just 3 days. I put my hospital box together, arranged baby's cloths, watched tons of youtube videos on CS, listened to my playlist over and over again and basically just waited. In that wait, I fought the urge to be sad and have a pity party because this was going to be the first time I would have a surgery in my life. Nothing prepares you for it frankly. 

According to the hospital's policy, I had to go in the day before because I'm not supposed to eat after a certain time and the surgery was supposed to be early in the morning. 

The night before on our way to the hospital
I had put together a playlist and movies on my phone that I would watch, just to have a positive mindset. My Sister and Mother in Law were around to follow us to the hospital, While I wasn't very happy about the means I was so glad the pregnancy journey was coming to an end. I watched Queen of Katwe that night to take my mind off the nervousness I was feeling, still managed to sleep abit after. 

As early as 6am, it was time to get the show on the road. The nurses (which were amazing) came in to prep me, put in needles for IV fluid as I had not eaten anything in the last 9 Hours. The IV thing felt weird as I could feel the fluid go in through my veins.
Where I spent the next 48 hour
Ready for IV fluid 

As I changed into the hospital gown and waited for the theater to be ready, I was crying. I really couldn't wait for it to be over. Finally got into the operating room, I felt like a cow waiting to be sluthered with how they laid me there, I was just thinking all kind of thoughts and muttering "God help me" and fighting back the tears. It felt like I was watching a movie but the beeping sound of all the gadget I was plugged to reminded me that this was really happening to me. By this time I had gotten the epidural and gradually not feeling any pain. When they started cutting me open I felt abit of pain and told the anastheoligist and I think she added a dose to the pain killers I was given, enough to numb the pain but not enough to put me to sleep so I was hanging in the balance and in what felt like a twinkle of an eye, I felt the relief. My very tight stomach felt relief and I heard the cry of my baby and I just say "Thank you Jesus" and just like in the movies I thought they would atleast come show me my baby but that didn't happen. Thankfully, my husband was there and he just went with the nurses to clean him up and do the necessary for him. 

The next 45 mins - 1 hour or so was a blur asides from me drifting in and out of sleep and muttering some gibberish to my husband, It is not a feeling I want to remember. After I was wheeled back to my room after the surgery, I had still not seen my baby and I just kept saying "I have not seen him" when they finally brought him to me.

right after the surgery 
First time holding my baby. 

I didn't even know what to feel, It felt like I cried but I don't think I did. It was such an emotional thing for me and I was under the influence of some heavy pain reliever. I nursed the guilt in my heart of not being able to push my baby and have an ideal experience rather than be under the influence of drugs. At the moment I just felt I needed to be alone, I couldn't process my joy or the lack of it. I desperately wanted to be alone and have some time to process the whole thing but as you can imagine I didn't get to do that until like 2-3 months after.

 I am so grateful for medicine because I probably won't have been able to give birth to my baby without surgery. The process of Pregnancy and Child birth is not a walk in the park and I've described it as "Traumatic" to anyone who cared to listen, it's a part of my life I want to just block out. The pregnancy journey wasn't tough for me but at the same time it wasn't so breezy. I am grateful for the gift of a beautiful boy and I am sooo Thankful to God for putting him in our care but I am also not looking forward to the next one (I know there will be by God's grace)

You can view the rest of my Pregnancy journey here

What's your Delivery Story?
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3 things: What I am loving right now #1 || The Cuddle Blog

August 31, 2017
Here are a list of 3 things that I am loving right now.


  1. Sleep Suits: I absolutely love sleep suits because, Laziness and less laundry. Sleep suit is just one piece of cloth but if I have to dress normally for him I would have at least 3-4 piece of clothing on him. Onesie, trousers, top and socks as against just this one item - Bliss! But unfortunately, I can't fill his wardrobe with sleep suits - Ish

  2. Coconut Oil: I absolutely love the smell and the benefits of using coconut oil on his hair but much more than that, I loveeeee when someone smells it on him and I'm just there feeling a super mama using all natural products for her baby. Hey!! Look at me!!!! I'm making all the right decisions.
  3. Shea Butter: I love how it has multiple functions, he had a bit of rash and i used the shea butter, I use it for his hair, I use it for my own skin, I don't need another daiper cream. I mean, if your relationship is broken just put some shea butter on it. 

What are the things you are loving right now?


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3 things: New Born Essential 0-3 months || The Cuddle Blog

August 24, 2017
I know that there are many other things you need at this stage but I am tagging this "Essential" because somethings are more crucial than other things. In the first 3 months of your babys life I call it "Survival mode" most especially if you are a first time mum- because you are just getting starting this new experience and adjusting your life to accommodate a new baby and it is never easy. Here are 3 things that I think are essential to making it a lot more easier.


  1. Nursing Pillow; It's just amazing the difference this pillow makes when you are trying to breastfeed. When you are a sleep deprived new mother with a baby trying to get the hang of breastfeeding and wanting to feed all the time this is a life saver, the support. Oh the support. Your arms will thank you. 
  2. Burb Cloth: Spit Up is REAL and boy is it disgusting!!! Don't get me wrong, I love my baby but that love doesn't extend to what comes out of his mouth.
    You will need the burb cloths, it will save you many times. Have it handy and have a backup for the backup! Thank me later.
  3. Baby Pain reliever: I think the pain reliever is essential because your baby will be taking immunisation injections back to back in the first 3 months and they get so cranky afterwards from the pain. Not a pretty sight.
     Having the pain reliever handy even before you go for the injections go a long way for them. 

What else do you think is a New born essential? 



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Pregnancy Diary 4: 3rd Trimester || The Cuddle Blog

August 21, 2017


"Feb 9th, 2017 - 33 Weeks 

Wow, it's just amazing how it felt so far but right not, it's here. We have just 7 weeks to go and honestly, it's getting more difficult by the day as everywhere hurts. Lower abdomen, tight tummy, really everything... walking, bending... SIGH

I'm just trying to keep  a positive outlook and attitude towards everything. The last doctors appointment was indicating that you are not in the right position yet, so I have been bouncing on the birthing ball and rolling on it as I hear it help encourage babies to turn. I am trusting God that it will all workout. I will know by next week"
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Pregnancy Diary 3: 2nd Trimester || The Cuddle Blog

August 18, 2017
"Nov 2016.
1
Strength
I wonder what makes strength
is it the energy?
the emotion?
or just the ability to do what I don't feel like doing? 
or is there more? 

 5
Bent 
This has got me bending 
bending over backwards
Things I never felt
Emotions I've only read
and I won't have it any other way
because it births you.

 4
length, 126.
For now, 
For tomorrow. 
For now, because there is so much 
bending I can take. 
for tomorrow, because there is so much
more to look forward to.
You. "


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