So when is a baby not a baby anymore?

 

My third child, born last May, will probably always be my "baby".

But before my very eyes he has now become a little boy.

 

I can't put my finger on the exact moment I realised he had "grown-up".

Maybe when he started to walk it hit me that he was no longer the tiny baby I left hospital with 18 months ago.

I have to say I am full of mixed emotions.

I am sad that my little baby is growing up. We are pretty certain that he is the last baby, its kind of the end of an era.

But on the other hand I am loving the extended chunks of quality sleep - hallelujah!!

 

I am also fascinated everyday watching his development and seeing the world through his eyes.

I also love the fact I can communicate better with my little man.

When he was a baby (well... younger) it was endless questions back and forth between my husband and I (well actually between me and anyone who was in a 5 metre radius of me and my screaming child) oh and not forgetting the numerous calls to my mum...

Do you think he's hungry? Maybe he's got wind? No I think he's in pain, what do you think? Could be a dirty nappy.

I dont know arrrggghhh???

But now I can ask him things. The answer is usually "No". Come to think of it 9 times out of 10 the answer is no (all my children seem to love that word) but at least he communicates and gives me a better idea of what is going on.

Even after 3 kids I am no baby whisperer - I wish.

 

It seems like a distant (blurry) memory - and I hear a collective squel of "She can't be serious" from all those new mums and dads..... sleepless nights, feeding every 3 hours (and then some), bizarre nappy monitoring - how many wees? How many poos? What colour? What consistency? (apologies to my father who when he reads this will declare far to much information. A super grandad but just can't handle poo conversation - love you dad!). And lets not forget the constant guessing games of is he too hot, too cold, to wrap or not to wrap. And then there is breastfeeding which I personally  struggled with (but persisted with for all my children). When I had my first baby I assumed breastfeeding was just something that came naturally. But to my shock and sometimes horror - like when my first son regurgitated blood tinged milk from drinking breastmilk from my cracked, bleeding and very very sore nipples! - I  realised this breastfeeding gig does not come naturally to all....and in amongst those first few months the exhaustion, questioning your choices, actions and decisions and wondering whether you are a good mother? What happened to my life? And thinking will I ever be able to have 5 minutes to myself let alone a shower.

Will this ever end? Yes, it does.

Before I go I want to say a huge congratulations to Holly & Neil who welcomed a liitle bundle of joy named Myles into the world recently. To you both and to all the new parents out there - Enjoy every moment - good and bad because trust me one day you will blink, open your eyes and look at your little man or lady and say "Where did my baby go?"

 

My baby Lachlan.

       

New baby on the way? Make life easier by hiring a hospital-style bassinet.

Preparing a home for a new baby is an exciting and joyful time but it can also seem a little daunting.
There are lots of decisions to be made and sometimes the “to do” list can seem overly long.

A top priority for all expecting parents is to decide where their newborn is going to sleep. Many parents-to-be like the idea of a bassinet, which provides a warm and cosy sleeping environment for a new baby. The compact size of a bassinet can be particularly useful if space in your home is limited or if you wish your newborn to sleep in your bedroom for the first few months.

But buying a bassinet can seem expensive, particularly since it will only be used for short time. A more cost-effective and convenient solution is to hire a bassinet for the first few months of your baby’s life.

Hospital Bassinet Hire specialise in the short-term rental of multi-functional bassinets. Used in many Australian maternity units these bassinets provide new parents with an easily manoeuvrable first bed for their newborn, which can also be used as a bath and change table.

A cost effective solution for expecting parents

Hiring a hospital-style bassinet offers several advantages to expecting parents. The multi-functional nature of the units saves the need to buy lots of separate pieces of equipment.  While a conventional style bassinet offers just a sleeping area, hospital-style bassinets provide a safe and cosy bed for newborns, double as a bath and can also be used as a changing table. A handy storage area for all baby’s essentials sits within the bassinet frame.

Hospital-style bassinets are also extremely mobile. Thanks to a sturdy, stainless-steel frame and large, lockable wheels the unit can be easily moved between rooms, including the bathroom, and is perfect for downstairs use in a two-storey home. The height of the unit and its easy mobility is especially appreciated by mums who’ve undergone a caesarean.

And with a hospital-style bassinet you can keep an easy eye on your new baby, through the clear sides of the sleeping capsule. This is particularly useful at night when you can watch your newborn without having to get out of bed and also great for older siblings who can view their new brother or sister from a safe distance.

Making life easier for new parents

Hospital Bassinet Hire’s professional service is designed to make life as easy as possible for expecting parents. The company will ensure delivery of your bassinet before you return home from hospital and collect it when no longer required.

Your bassinet comes complete with a hygienic waterproof mattress and is thoroughly inspected, clean and sanitised before each new hire. Once in your home it’s easy to keep clean and changing of linen is a breeze.

When your baby is ready to transition to a cot (usually between two to four months) Hospital Bassinet Hire will arrange to pick up the unit. No need to find storage space in your home for an item that is no longer needed.

Service recommended by new parents

Sandra of Darling Point made the decision to hire a bassinet for the birth of their first child, after a recommendation from a friend. Sandra said she appreciated “having the bassinet dropped off one week early, free of charge, before my scheduled c-section, so it was in the house, ready for when I came home from the hospital.”

Renee Malley was unaware that hospital-style bassinets were available for in-home hire until her husband was informed of the service in hospital after their child was born. Hospital Bassinet Hire arranged the delivery of a bassinet to their home at short notice. Being a practical parent, Renee appreciated the multi-functional use of the bassinets, “I didn't realise that you could use them as a bath. I only hired it for the mobility and the fact that you could see baby sleeping, the bathing turned out to be a bonus!” 

A great gift idea for expectant parents

Hospital Bassinet Hire also supplies gift vouchers, which can make a unique and thoughtful gift for expecting parents.

For more information: To hire a bassinet, order a gift voucher or find out more, visit www.hospitalbassinethire.com.au or alternatively give them a call on 0402 271 751 

It's a boy!

On May 7, 2010 we welcomed our third child! A beautiful boy, Lachlan.



Big brother Maxwell (5 years old) and big sister Jessica (3 years old)  were very excited about the birth of their baby brother. We wanted a surprise for this baby so we didn't find out if it was a boy or girl (like we had with our other 2 children), so I think the kids were happy to finally find out if it was a boy or a girl after nearly nine months of waiting!

This birth I have to admit I was nervous, I knew what I was in for having done it twice before and I wasn't looking forward to the pain! Max was induced and was a long labour complete with all drugs available including an epidural. Jessica however was a very fast water birth with nothing but gas.

I wanted to be ready for this birth with all the pain relief options I could find. I looked into the Mama TENS machine which I ended up using for the first phase of labour. I was extremely surprised at how effective it was at managing the contractions. These machines are great as you can use them at home once labour starts and on the way to hospital you can have pain relief - this was very appealing to me! For anyone looking for drug-free pain relief the Mama TENS is definitely worth checking out. These machines are available for hire from Pink or Blue - www.pinkorblue.com.au.

Once my waters broke I opted for the bath (and unfortunately had to remove the Mama TENS machine). After about an hour in the bath our beautiful Lachlan was born. I ended up having a very similar birth to my daughter Jessica, water birth with gas. The recovery is so much better for me (the less drugs I have). Everyone is different so you need to do what you are comfortable with!

Lachlan has been a very content baby so far and I feel blessed especially having 2 other children to care for.

Thank you to all of you for the lovely well wishes and gifts and I look forward to giving you updates on Lachlan's progress over the next few weeks. And also a very big thank you to my family especially my parents who were such a great help to me in the weeks before and after Lachlan's birth!

Amanda

P.s. Click on the image below to visit Pink or Blue for more information on the Mama TENS!