10 things I didn’t know until my 2nd child

I thought I’d learned everything about a newborn with my first child until I had my 2nd child and I realised there were still things I didn’t know about. How humbling, here are 10 things I learned these 6 weeks.

1) breast milk can be used as eye drops: at a few days old, Jordan had some green discharge in his eyes. My CL said he was heaty due to phototherapy, but I later found out it was due to his tear duds not completely formed and the green stuffs being tears that are stuck and cause infection. The best way was to use a drop of breast milk into his eyes as it has the antibacterial properties. Can it be used for adults too?

2) babies sleep better swaddled: I kinda knew this with Josiah but didn’t find it practical. I pretty much left Josiah with flinging arms in bed but with Jordan I found the amazing Woombie, and he sleeps so well in it, completely safe and snuggled. Contact me if you wanna buy one! Special price.

3) pump while nursing: I also kinda knew this but never tried it. This time I tried from early on and it is so easy to pump while nursing. I manage to collect a big stock of frozen milk and won’t have to stress when I get back to work which according to calculation, just one pump each night will give me 36 bottles of 2oz by then.

4) newborn clothes are useless: I bought so many newborn clothes for Josiah previously, out of excitement. With Jordan, they were hardly used as he grew so fast out of them. Jordan wears the same few onesies everyday, extra clothes are unnecessary.

5) how to bath a baby: Josiah was mostly bathed by John, but I bathed Jordan daily. I didn’t think I dared to do it, but it was simpler than I thought. I use the bathing net so it was easy, thanks to Ps Calvin who gave us one, plus I’m not so afraid with handling a newborn anymore.

6) how to clean a cord: that’s probably one thing up learned from the hospital this time. The drying hanging cord is very gross for me and I never knew how to clean it well. Well, I learned it this time, how to wipe it in every corner.

7) Asian babies can have light eyes: Jordan was born with light grey eyes which normally don’t happen with Asians. Only after this did I found cases of this happening around the world. Many people marvel at his eyes, doctors and nurses were always excited to check out his eyes. This made it real that human kind all came from one man and one woman. Doctors said the colour won’t ever change, but let’s just see in 6 months.

8) Newborns can be potty trained: I didn’t try this myself but I first saw my SIL Gracia doing it and thought it was impossible until even my CL and another friend Christine told me they are doing it. It’s quite a lot of work, it means having to hold tiny baby on a tiny potty each time they awaken.

9) magic of Bo Ying compound: Jordan is extremely gassy and colicky that we finished the gripe water to no avail. My CL told me to try this Chinese remedy and we bought a box from Eu Yan Sang. We only give a tiny bit mixed with water to Jordan after bath and he really slept better. It even once stopped his crying that couldn’t be soothed.

10) babywearing: I finally learned how to use a ring sling. Chin Nee was so nice to visit me with her twins to show me how to use one with Jordan. I’m still trying to master it but it had been useful so far, as Jordan refused to stay in his strollers the few times we were out, once it was Josiah who refused to let Jordan sit in it. So I wore Jordan and he slept immediately.

There you go, I learned at least ten new things!