Things to get for the baby!

We were so excited to welcome the arrival of our baby. After the first trimester, we started buying things for our baby. The first was a pair of Croc sandals! It will be years before baby Aisyah can wear them but they were cute at that time and they were on sale.

We did our homework and still made some mistakes when getting things for the baby. When buying anything for the baby, do bear in mind your child has their own personality. What you like they might not. For example strollers, some babies like to be carried. Babies will have their likes and dislikes somethimes different from both parents. Baby will also be growing fast. If you spend too much too early, you might not have enough later on. And of course, you may have another child.

Things we could not live without:

1. Baby Carrier - We bought our first carrier the Ergobag out of desperation. Baby wants to be carried all the time and cries when we put her down. We had to carry her all the time and our hands were just tired. She gives a loud cry until she loses her voice. We can of course just ignore her and let her cry it out but that would not be right. Imagine if you are a baby, would you not be scared if you can't move, can't talk, everything looks strange and bigger than you? I would. Thats why we keep our baby close to us. Recently we bought another carrier, the Synergy Active from BabyBjorn and it is super. This carrier lets the baby face towards and away from you. It dries fast when washed and is lightweight. The BabyBjorn is easy to wear on your own.
2. Tommee Tippee Feeding Bottles - Baby experienced nipple confusion and we had to get feeding bottles that does not confuse the baby. After looking at whats in the market we decided on Tommee Tippee. Initially we used Avent bottles but baby had nipple confusion. She did not want to breastfeed after using the bottles. We tried using Breastflow from The First Years. It works, no nipple confusion. We had another problem, colic and lots of it. Thats when we tried Tommee Tippee and stuck to it until today.
3. Safety 1st Baby Bath - We bought a tub with a build in-seat and sling. Its easy to bathe the baby and both hands are free.
4. Mothercare Sleepsuits - We waited until sale time to buy these. The most practical clothes for baby to wear at home. No need for mittens and socks. The sleeves can be turned to become mittens.
5. Baby Mobile and Lamaze Baby Gym - This is a lifesaver for us. We use it when we need a few minutes to distract baby in the house and car.
6. Baby Monitor - Lets us monitor baby while she is asleep. The monitors by Motorola is great, it has little background noise relative to other monitors. They are very sensitive too and we can hear baby turning herself. If we have a choice, get the new ones with a video camera.
7. Mila Stroller & Pebble Baby Carrier - It took a long time for us to get the right stroller and baby carrier. We wanted a baby carrier that can fit into a stroller. We have to purchase both together. For a stroller, something light and sturdy is ideal. It must be easily lifted by my wife and lift by herself into the car. The child carrier needs to be safe and in our favourite colour.
8. Mamy Poko Diapers & Clothes Diapers - they work great.
9. Baby Books  - Baby Aisyah's favourites are Where is Caterpillar by Lamaze and Nursery Rhyme by Ladybird.

Are You Pregrant?

"I am hungry" said my wife. "Can we go out and have a bite in McDonald's?". "Sure", I said. "We can go out in 5 hours time. Its 2am, how can you be hungry?"

On that night I suspected my wife was more than just hungry. She could be pregnant. If she was, one of our baby's first meals would had been a Big Mac! A nutritious meal indeed. Actually I did not know if she was pregnant then. At that time it was too early to tell. Pregnancy test kits would not work. They usually need a high level of pregnancy hormone before its of any use.

What do you do when your wife is pregnant? Go shopping? Celebrate? Enjoy before the baby comes out? I feel it starts before she was pregnant. She must want to get pregnant. She needs to be comfortable and secure with the thought of being pregnant. Carrying a baby in one's tummy and giving birth is a scary thought. Years ago childbirth was life threatening. Theres a high chance of dying when giving birth to a child. Now with modern medicine the process is much safer. However there are no guarantees, giving birth is still risky.

Can a woman who desire a child be scared of pregnancy and childbirth? The short answer is yes. Why not? I wish babies were brought by cranes but they don't. Labour can be a long process. A painful process.

Some of the fears before and while being pregnant:

• Pain during childbirth
• Child's life and the mother
• Child is healthy

What can husbands to? For me I just talked about it. Talk openly and be emphatic with your wife. Care genuinely. Going for prenatal courses and visiting friends with newborn children helps too. But nothing replaces a a heart-to-heart talk.