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May 2017

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For the past week, we’ve gone through a fever, a runny nose, sore throat and cough with my baby. It’s the first time; she’s been this sick. She only had a mild cold previously, and it was a walk in the park compared to this time. I’m just relieved that she is almost back to her normal self now, apart from a little cough she still has. But let me tell you, caring for a sick baby is no fun.

When you are trying to figure out why they are crying for two hours straight at night, it’s easy to get overwhelmed. Is it something serious? Is she in pain? Should we call an emergency? All these alarming thoughts go through your mind that you completely overlook the simple symptoms of a blocked nose. So, when the light bulb finally went off, I sent my partner to a late night pharmacy to get a nasal spray. No, I didn’t have one at home, as my doctor advised against using them on small babies. But this time, as my baby is almost one and was crying inconsolably, we decided to try one of those saline nasal sprays for babies.

Babies are creatures of habit; they feel comfortable in the familiar environment. So, when the environment changes, it can cause some distress and anxiety. Each baby will react to change differently, some are more easy going than others. Some will need more reassurance and comfort than others.

Babies in the new environment can behave unpredictably, so how can you help them to adapt to their new surroundings? Since I had my baby, we have visited my family in Slovakia a few times. Here are some tips and ideas on how to deal with these situations.

Before we get into that funny part of being bilingual, let me just say that I’ve never really considered myself as being bilingual. Yes, I’m quite fluent in my second language, English, but nowhere near as fluent as in my mother tongue, Slovak. I always thought that bilingual means speaking two languages at the same native language level. It turns out that bilingualism doesn’t always have a straightforward definition. Bilingual can also be referred to a person who speaks two languages, which I do. No mention of proficiency. So, could I really call myself a bilingual person? Maybe yes, maybe not, but for the purpose of this blog, I’ll stick with bilingualism, as it’s easier than to call myself someone who can speak two languages. Now, let’s get back to the point.

Finally, we’ve had our first swim session. It took me ten months to get around to do it, but hey, better late than never, right? I planned on taking her swimming earlier but as many new mums know, life happens, and before I knew it the winter came, so I thought we’ll wait a bit longer until it’s warmer outside. I finally took her while on my recent visit to Slovakia, accompanied by my sister with her five-month-old son at first, then by my sister-in-law. We’ve been few times since then, and I’m pleased to say that my little one seems to enjoy it so far.

We didn’t have any swimming lessons just yet, maybe in the future. I wanted to introduce my baby to water myself before I consider any lessons.

How did it go? What worked and what didn’t?

It’s been eleven months since my baby was born. It’s been an emotional roller coaster, but it’s been an incredible journey at the same time. Life has been pretty busy and hectic, so it’s no wonder I’ve been craving some me time for quite some time.

My pre-baby carefree life seems like a distant memory now that I’ve become a mum. Do you remember those days off when you could do absolutely nothing? If that’s your way of relaxation. Those trips to the cinema, shopping trips, those date nights you used to have with your partner, it’s all fast forgotten when you become a first time mum.

There is suddenly someone else who has higher priorities than your own needs. Your focus and responsibility shift in a whole new direction. It’s so easy for us mums to forget about ourselves. We don’t have time to take a shower sometimes, never mind having time for the perfect mum retreat.

I have recently read an interesting article about a mum who was disappointed when she discovered she was having a baby boy, not a girl. She was genuinely devastated.

This got me thinking. I had no idea so many women, and even some dads, experience these feelings when they find out the sex of their baby. Many women probably keep their emotions to themselves. It’s not something to be proud of, I guess. Especially, when there are so many struggling couples who would do anything to conceive and have a healthy baby, regardless of the gender.