Developmental Milestone : 9 months

Assalamulaikum,

Lamanya tak update blog with Firdaus' progress. Last milestone recorded was when he was 6 months. Sekarang dah 9 bulan. Terlampau banyak perkembangan dia sekarang.

OK last check up, he dropped a little weight ; currenly 8.9 kg with I think dalam 73cm length kot. I don't think the nurse record this in his chart. Nevermind. 

Dia sangat aktif sekarang dan dah ada kehendak, which means kalau dia taknak, dia akan toleh dan tepis dan kalau dia hendak sesuatu, dia akan bergerak ke arah benda yang dia hendak tu lah.  Sekarang dia dah pandai merangkak. He started crawling dalam 7 1/2 month and got stronger dalam 8 bulan lebih sikit. Now dah 9 bulan, dia dah pandai berdiri dan meniti along the furniture. Harap-harap tak lama lagi berjalan la tu.

He is still breastfed dan sangat susah nak makan. He can live a day tanpa solid food and he hates solid food - tak kisah la apa jenis food pun. Since he is a picky eater, my mother suggested Cerelac. I never wanted to give my baby Cerelac / Nestum or whatever processed food like that tapi memandangkan kalau suap real food kat dia, dia tepis/tolak/menangis/terajang semua, I had to consider the option so I tried bagi Cerelac and he likes it. Aduh anakku ini. Why? But considering that dia memang takkan makan anything else, I had to relakan he eat Cerelac once a day and in between, I try sneaking some mashed rice or fish or sweet fruit into his mouth whenever I am eating. 

He is also now very vocal. He says "ababah" or "bababababa" sometimes "papapapa" and occasionally kalau dia menangis and I dont care, he will say "maaaaa". Not sure if he intends to call us or just saje suka suka blab bunyi bunyian. 

 

My father says he is such a jovial kid. Memang pun, he smiles at almost anyone and whatever tricks. 

Two days ago, I started him on a routine. Kerananya, dia selalu tidur jam 2 pagi. Balik dari taska, selepas penat lelah bermain, dia akan tidur jam 7 sampai jam 9 selalunya dan terjaga dan tidur semula at 2 am. Oih, I cannot do lah liddat. Penat kot. So, 2 hari sudah, after returning from Taska, I fed him solids (Cerelac), mandikan dan carry him around the house agar dia tak tidur. And then we play together and let him watch babytv for 30 minutes sampai la dia mengamuk. On the first night, he slept at 10pm straight sampai pagi with 3 to 4 hours interval wake ups in between for comfort nursing. Semalam, he dozed off at 8pm, sama juga terjaga di tengah tengah malam 2 3 kali untuk confort nursing. Overall, it has been going on well. I got more sleep to walaupun, sebenarnya pagi pagi memang senantiasa mengantuk. I hope he can stick to this routine.  

 Masa ni dia dedor dedor nak demam, kita tak perasan dia tak sihat. Keje menangis tak renti renti. Memang agak naik darah jugak la.. tergertak sikit kat dia - ape ni keje nangis tak renti renti, penat la macam ni - terus dia merajuk tersedu sedan kat hujung katil. 

Tak lama kemudian, dia datang balik kat dia, baring cam ni... Ye la, nak merajuk dengan siapa lagi kan. Dengan Mama dia je la walaupun kena marah. T_T. Kesian baby! I put him to sleep, and then in his sleep baru terasa badan dia panas. Demam rupanya. Patutla merengek tak renti renti. Sorry, sayang! 

I kiss him like hundreds of times every day. Last night, since Firdaus is under sleep-training, my husband couldn't play with him lepas balik keje. He watched him sleep and then menangis, tacing sebab tak dapat main dengan anak. Ahehehe. Tak pe lah, for his own good jugak tidur awal kan. 

We love you, Firdaus. You are our everything!

Firdaus First Solids (Recipe Included)

I could not wait for Firdaus to turn 6 month because I had been looking forward to feed him with solids. I did not know that the early stages of introducing proper first solids would be very difficult. I have been reading that we must start with fruit puree and to obey the 4-day rule, just in case.

However, the nurses at the clinic (KKIA) advised to start immediately with porridge, blended with carrot or potato, the usual combination in the Malay society. The reason is that, turning 6 months, most babies are likely to start crawling. Thus, they need the nutrition to build their muscles and strength.  At the least this is what the daycare started him with, following the guideline from Jabatan Kebajikan Malaysia.

At home, I introduced Firdaus with plain brown rice porridge. No extra flavoring added. He hated it. I hated it as well. It was bland and ughh.. He barely took half a teaspoon during each meal. It was so frustrating. Obeying the 4-day rule was a torture for me because I wanted to enjoy the moment of feeding him, but to wait for 4 days to see any adverse reaction is just plain torture.

So, I bought those natural home made flavoring powder they sell online. Bought a set of meat, chicken and fish powder. No MSG or salt or sugar or artificial flavoring. I added it with his cereal. He preferred the fish and meat powder. Not so much of the chicken powder. Nonetheless. he took very little solids. And at 6 months, I did not dare to experiment him with mixture food. I did not obey the 4 days rule, though. I have tried these combinations:-

• peach & apple
• roasted pumpkin & japanese sweet potato with some garlic (boy, he loves his food roasted)
• purple carrot & orange carrot and a bit of japanese sweet potato 
• baby spinach + orange carrot

I add these puree into his brown rice porridge and I still use the flavoring powder to give it a good taste. He likes them, but still did not eat more than a teaspoon.

I felt like he is not getting the supplementary nutrients his body requires with this eating habit. So, a week after entering 7 months. I experimented with new recipes and cooking method, saute.

I prepare his food mostly in Autumz Baby Food Processor. I prepped his pureed vege and keep it chilled and I use may be around a  teaspoon to add into his brown rice porridge. These recipe makes around 2 oz of vege puree and can feed my baby 4 - 5 times (roughly 2 days for 2 meals a day schedule)

First Recipe 

Kale + White Button Mushroom Puree + Holland Onion

Finely chop (1) white button mushroom + a quarter of Holland Onion + (1) medium sized kale leave;

Saute in unsalted butter and a bit of Olive oil. Cook thoroughly. Combine all in baby food processor. Add a little water and blend until it is pureed. Chilled it.

He....loveeees.. it!!! I cannot tell how happy I am seeing him wanting to eat and cry when his bowl in clean.

Second Recipe

White Button Mushroom + Garlic + Steamed carrot

Roughly chop and steam 2 inches of carrot in water. Don't use too much water. You can use the water to smoothen the blending process later. Finely chop (1) white button mushroom and (1 or 2 clove of) garlic. Saute in unsalted butter and olive oil. Combine all items in baby food processor and blend away.

He lovessss this recipe, too. I won't lie. I tasted them both and I am very proud of the taste.

Adding these two recipe in his meals, he ate like the size of his fist now. That's a lot. And I wasn't forcing the food down his throat. He actually opened his mouth to be fed.

Last weekend, I made something better. Instead of using water to mix his porridge, I use Chicken Bone Broth. Loved it!!

So here is my version of CBB. You can find many versions of this dish over the internet. I use normal stainless steel pot, and prep it over the stove. So I had to let it simmer  on really slow heat for nearly 5 hours. I was yet to not know that if I let the carcass soaked in the water and acid (my choice was lemon juice) for half and hour, I can cut the cooking time.

My version of Chicken Bone Broth

+ makes approximately 24oz

• (1)  whole chicken carcass
• (2)  tablespoon of organic cold pressed lemon juice 
• (1/2) of a fennel 
• (1) whole carrot
• (4) cherry tomatoes
• (8) cloves of garlic
• (1/2) of Holland onion
• (1/2) teaspoon of mixed herbs 
• rempah sup bunjut

Roughly chop all veges. Put in at the bottom of the pot. Rest the chicken carcass on the vege. Add water until it cover the carcass or 3/4 of the pot. Sprinkle mixed herbs. Let it boil on high heat and then simmer on very low heat for a minimum of 4 hours. Don't forget to close the lid. When the bones break apart. you are done.

Strain and throw away the ingredients. They contain very little or no nutrients as it is dissolve in the stock. So there is no point in recycling the vege.

Pour it in ice cube trays and freeze it. Take two cubes to prep a roughly 2 oz of porridge. 

I tell you, Firdaus is crazy about it. Last weekend he took three meals a day. I added CCB + Vege Puree + Brown Rice powder. I used half of it to enjoy white rice. Delishhh!!! Ummm! No salt require for adult but do add if you must.

I wish I can share photos, though but I took none and I simply adding an entry here so I won't forget.

These recipes may not be suitable for your babies. I have been lucky that so far my baby had not show any adverse reaction to the food. I believe there is no strict rule in feeding your baby. If you wish to try my recipes, please do it with caution. 

I have two more recipes I am waiting to try. I will share if it worked well for Firdaus. 

Developmental Milestones : 6 months

Hi,

Come this 21st May, Firdaus is going to be 6 months. This is the time I have been waiting for. Mainly because I am looking forward for something new to do in terms of child bearing and upbringing; feeding!!

Firdaus has shown interest in grown up food since he reach 5 months but I dare not experimented him with grown up food just yet. Nonetheless, I could not stand seeing him staring and drooling over our hands when we eat so I let him have a taste of various fruits for starters. The first fruit he tasted was watermelon. Boy this boy lovessss cold watermelon. We just cut a chunk of it and let him suck out its juice. He liked it so much that he held my hand locked to his mouth so I won't pull away. Not until last few days, I let him suck on mango pit. This is wondrous experience for him I guess, because he likes it so much. Me as a mother, I am more than happy seeing him tethering on the pit and completely enjoying it. He also has a taste of durian. Nope, didn't like it. I gave him apple once. He seems to like it but it is hard to suck on the juice out. I tried. Unless, you really suck it hard, the juice is hard to get. And then, oranges. One of his faves, too. I read that oranges are not supposed to be introduced to babies below 8 months, I think. But, too late. I suppose there is no harm is giving him a taste of a slice of orange. It is hardly one teaspoon of juice. He had not show any adverse reaction to it, so I think we are good here. 

mangoed

He has also tasted banana, mashed and whole. He likes his banana whole better and I can say he hates it when it is mashed. Dia macam geli geli gitu. I also started to give him organic teether cracker which is basically flavoured rice cracker but fret not, it is for babies. It is mildly flavoured - almost tasted "tawar" - bak kata husband. He can't hold it yet without later on throwing it all over the place but he seems to like to nibble the cracker. 

The worst thing I gave him to taste was chocolate ice-cream. I mean, I cannot look at him drooling. And he actually watched our hand going back and forth to our mouth. So, yea I let him tasted it. I mean who does not like ice-cream? My child is not one of the exception. Sikit sikit boleh la. 

On rolling over, yes! He has mastered rolling over back and forth but he doesn't like it being on his tummy. Often when put on tummy, he would just cry. 

 before the water works

He now can sit with support. But he cannot keep quiet. His arms and legs are often on the movement (read : fidgeting). Changing diapers is like a battlefield with this one. So, we switched to pants diaper - still a challenge, though especially when he poops. Oih... he likes to grab things.. including his own poop under his butt in the diaper while changing. While sitting is fairly new to him, he likes standing better. His abdomen muscle is very strong now because I have been "training" him to sit up while me holding up his hand. He can actually immediately stand from laying flat. Kegiatan lompat-melompat masih diteruskan seperti biasa sehinggakan semua orang dukung jadi penat. 

 stand tall, sayang

He is currently 8.5kg (last checked during 5th month vaccination) and 66cm long, fully breast-fed. I am a proud Mama!! I mean every inch of his flesh is from me. Mana boleh tak proud kan? No no I am ok with formula-fed babies. I am not one of those breastfeeding mother yang kerek, yang mengharamkan formula kepada babies. It is one's personal choice. 

Pergi ke kitchen sebentar to take a gulp. 

Return to the hall, seeing him almost fell off from the rocker.

 

Hari hari nak kena cium dia sebab he smells so good.. and those chubby cheeks, no one can resist!

Developmental Milestone : 4 months

Firdaus now is approximately 4 months plus and he has grown very big. I won't say he is fat and chubby but he is definitely one chunky baby. 

Seorang 5 bulan, Seorang lagi 4 bulan.
Bandingkan

Few days staying at home with me masa dia kena measles, dia grew fatter sampai I got worried. Fat babies are cute at certain size tapi kalau gemuk macam Baymax tu, rasanya dah tak cute kot. Tengok dia bergerak pun rasa macam payah sangat. Berat mata memandang, berat lagi lengah yang nak mendukungnya. Haha. Husband kata, "ni mesti sebab duduk dengan Mama lama sangat. Asal bunyi - sumbat, asal bunyi - sumbat ~ sampai gedebab baby".

Lepas hantar dia balik ke Taksa, alhamdullillah dia susut sikit. Nampak comel la muka dia with less double chin.

Now, he seems like a grown up baby. He sucked his thumb a lot and it appears that it is the most pleasurable thing for him at the moment. He does not like pacifier. I tried gantikan ibu jari dia dengan pacifier, dia luak buang pacifier. Siap mengamuk marah marah nak hisap jari. 

I wouldn't say dia dah pandai meniarap. This is something we had seen since dia dalam 3 months plus tapi kami tak pernah tengok dia meniarap betul betul lagi. Ada berlaku sekali dua dia roll over tapi selalu sebab faktor bantal terlebih tinggi at one side which make it easier for him to roll over to the other side. Once he is on his tummy, dia akan merengek mintak dipusingkan semula. So, I guess he is not ready nak betul betul meniarap. But that's ok. Mummy can wait.

Oh now, he is very vocal. Very very vocal. He screams a lot (bukan menangis) especially when he is excited or overjoyed. Kalau excited + geram, dia akan tarik rambut, tudung or whatever he can grip on (an never let go). Kalau dengan papa, rambut papa akan jadi mangsa dan kalau dengan Mama, tudung Mama la.. sampai senget senget la tudung jadinya. Tak pun, tengah tengah dukung tu basah je tudung sebab dia hisap kain. Tsk tsk tsk.

Sekarang dia dah pandai hold to things yang dia nak pegang jugak. Mostly, his EBM bottle dan mainan. I bought him an activity centre from SkipHop. Awal-awal beli dia macam clueless nak buat apa dengan benda alah ni. Few days ago, I can see that dia began playing with the attached toys. Ralit la kejap. Benda ni bukan la sejenis walker. So, I figured beli je untuk develop sensory dia. Plus point adalah benda ni grows with the baby. As Firdaus grows older, this center boleh convert jadi small desk. So okaylah, pejam mata je lah and beli. (Kalau dia derhaka kelak, I tunjuk je resit ~ tengok ni! Mama tak beli baju 3 bulan sebab  nak beli toys kat Firdaus kekeke)

Last weekend, kami balik dari Kuala Terengganu and Firdaus belajar satu benda baru lagi ~ melompat sambil didukung. Ya Allah imagine weightlifting kampit beras berkali kali. Bengkak tulang belakang weii.. But, on the other hand, I am very proud sebab dia reached banyak developmental milestones in between bulan ke 3 dan ke 4 ni and I look forward to see more. 

Everytime I look at him, I always had a thought that I must have done something so right to deserve him in my life. I mean, look at him. OK stop, dont look at him too much. 

Mama and Papa sayang Firdaus sangat. I cannot wait for you to grow up and be my best friend.

Breastfeeding Journey

Hi, 

I am writing this so I can read later in the future.

Since I got pregnant, I have been wanting to exclusive breastfeeding my baby kurang kurang takat 6 bulan dan dalam masa yang sama berharap rezeki diberikan pada my baby to enjoy my milk sampai ke 2 tahun. Reason utamanya adalah it helps us, financially. Dengan taksanya yang mencecah RM5000.00 ++ setahun, I think it is appropriate to panic when it comes to the cost of raising a baby. Jadi, kat mana boleh cut cost, I normally berusaha ke aras itu. Cuma, tang nak cut cost membeli pakaian baru kat anak tu macam tak boleh nak master lagi.

From diaper, bermula dengan Mami Poko, I downgrade to Petpet. Bagus juga. So far bum bum Firdaus tak de rashes pun. Bocor tu ada la sekali dua kalau salah pasang tape nye atau dia poop massive goop. Naik sampai ke belakang nun. Tapi I have no complains using slightly cheaper diaper. Lagipun baby poops a lot, tak sempat nak peram baby dalam urine diorang for them to develop nappy rash. So, nak beli diapers mahal-mahal rasa tak berbaloi sangat.

So coming back to my breastfeeding journey. I have been doing it for three months now. I can say it was fun. Breastfeeding adalah sangat menyeronokkan especially masa direct feeding. Plus, it keeps my baby to relax dan more importantly, I am the only who can calm him time dia mengamuk atau terkejut sebab mimpi. #PowerofBubis bak kata pak dia.

Menurut support groups, mindset is the most important and the milk booster yang paling terberkesan. I guess it is right, I do not really experience shortage of milk supply lagi sekarang. Susu pun tak de meriah macam sesetengah mothers tapi kalau pam tu selalunya ada la benda keluar. Mungkin sebab dari mengandung dah set nak susukan anak exclusively, maka susu tu selalu je ada.

Preparation

Truth be told, I started collecting information tentang breastfeeding selepas Firdaus lahir. I thought what is so hard about breastfeeding, it is there kan, bila baby nangis just stick into their mouth. It is not like that. Lucky, I bought breastpump sebelum beranak lagi. So, masa dalam pantang, I fully gunakan my breast pump to feed my baby. My first challenges come just after three days of delivery. 

Challenge #1

Susu tak keluar

I did not get the chance to bond skin to skin lepas delivery sebab I was very high on drugs. In fact lepas I declared he is a boy, I ask them to feed him dengan formula, which I truly regret. Tapi in my defence, I was really stoned masa tu sampaikan sanggup bagitau husband suruh bagitau doktor I wanted a C-Section sebab tak tahan sakit nak teran. So, my baby had been feeding on formula two days. Day 3 kat wad, lactation consultant try nak ajar untuk DF, baby mengamuk sebab susu tak kluar. He sucked but I don't know lah, susu tak kluar. Picit picit ada susu tapi mungkin dia dah biasa susu dari botol keluar laju, dia tak puas bila DF. I tried both sides sehinggalah nipples crack. Masa ni tak perasan lagi nipples dah crack.

Balik je rumah, terus panggil bidan untuk urut. Bidan tu urut kemain la sangat. Dia gentel, tarik semua cukup. Dan kena dengan gaya urutannya, susu memang keluar. Sekali, nipple crack. Bila my baby started suckling, the pain is unbearable sampai menangis nangis nak susukan anak. Disebabkan ilmu yang sangat cetek pastu ketidaksabaran merajai hati dan masa yang sama dok fikir jiran jiran marah anak meraung raung. Maka dibancuhkan lah formula untuk Firdaus

Challenge #2

Cracked nipple

Rasanya almost SEMUA new mother akan experience benda ni. Cracked nipple is no monkey business. Sakitnya sangat OMG suatu penderitaan yang kalau boleh tak mahu diharungi. It is painful bila baby sedut. It is painful juga bila pumping, just a little less dari direct feeding. Bila pump dapat la 2 oz from both sides. Masa tu tengok susu dalam storage bottle ~ alahai sikitnye la. Anak pulak kat kat hospital dah diajar minum 2 oz sekali hadap, maka demand dia tinggi. Susu badan pulak every three hours baru "refilled" balik so nak kejar demand dia 2 oz setiap sejam - sejam setengah tu rasa sangat la memenatkan. So, berselang seli la dengan formula. Kesian anakku itu.

Challenge #3

Kekangan masa

Dalam pantang, I had time. Dah dalam maternity leave, I sure had a lot of time. But I use that time to sleep sebab I was sleep deprived like big time. Dengan husband kat KL, only visited sehari seminggu, dengan my mother sekali sleep deprived. I fully utilise my privilege di mana "the mother should sleep when the baby sleeps". So, sebab letih senantiasa, dan nak yield 2oz in 30 minit (each pumping session), rasa leceh sangat. Masa ni guna Lacte Duet Elite. It is a heavy duty double pump tapi, hanya reti buat sebelah sahaja each sessions sebab sebelah tangan kena pegang botol, sebelah lagi nak massage breast to stimulate. So, 15 minutes each sides utk dapatkan 2 - 3 oz tu rasa bercinta sangat. Lebih baik tidur. Haa.. masa ni tak motivated lagi nak breastfeed. Tambahan pulak, formula tersedia. So, Firdaus berselang seli FM dan BM (tapi gradually BM tu lebih banyak dari FM). 

Masuk minggu ke 4, boleh dikatakan Firdaus fully breastfed. Stok pam harini guna harini. Setakat ini, tak berani tak bagi direct latching sebab dia tak pandai latch, kita pun tak pandai nak position kan dia dan ditambah pulak dengan sakit belakang dan trauma cracked nipple. Dalam hati berkata - pump pon pump lah, janji dia minum susu ibu. Formula dah tolak ke tepi.

As far as I could remember, Firdaus minum dalam 3 kotak kecil formula Anmum tu je.. 200gm X 3. Ada beli satu yang besar 600gm kot sampai skrg tak guna sebab susu badan kian bertambah.

Challenge #4

Stok susu

I DID NOT KNOW THAT YOU MUST START MAKING STOCK MASA DALAM PANTANG. Dan bila dah tahu, I thought of "rumah tak de fridge besar so how la?". Percaya atau tidak I started keeping stock 2 hari sebelum masuk kerja. Memang jenis kais pagi makan pagi kais petang makan petang la kiranya. To date, I have collected dalam 25 x 3oz packs. Lagipun, the idea of keeping BM dalam freezer sampai 3 4 bulan cam agak tak best. Kalau boleh setiap feeding nak bagi yang fresh kan. Alhamdullillah, so far boleh kejar demand anak.

To me, breastpump tu sangat penting. After joining support groups, I notice ramai ibu ibu beli 2 3 4 jenis breastpump sebab ada yang tak kena la, suction kurang la, ntah kenapa I rasa membazir. Kenapa tak invest terus untuk satu pump yang berkualiti terus?

I use Lacte Duet Elite. This is the first pump I beli, dengan harapan I can pump efficiently dengan menggunakan double pump.. Jimat masa. But I never used both of the cups sekaligus sebab rasa suction kurang kalau gantung kat bra semata mata. So, I tend to buat sebelah sebelah.. kalau rajin dpt la pegi 30 minit X 2, kalau tak rajin, 15 minit X 2... Leceh kan? And then, I learned ada sesuatu dipanggil "Freemie". Google punya google... amboi cecah RM400.00 utk cup sahaja. Mahainyaaaaaaaa... nak nangis..

Challenge #5

Tuntutan kerja yang memerlukan pekerjanya sentiasa on the go.

But, I thought at that time investing in freemie cups won't be a waste. Lagipun, boleh claim tax exemption under the 2017 budget. Trust me when I say, this is the best decision I ever made. Sebelum ada freemie, or lebih tepatnya sebelum tahu kewujudan freemie ni, I dah serba salah dan susah hati how to restock EBM di kala I have to go out of town for my Court trials. Siap plan perjalanan nak berhenti kat R&R to pump and then continue the journey. Dengan adanya freemie, I just stop kat R&R to put on the cups and then boleh teruskan perjalanan. Berhenti kat next R&R untuk simpan expressed milk dalam storage bottle/bag aje. Mudah sangat dan sangat menjimatkan masa. I also find that freemie ni amatlah mudah digunakan kat office. Jadi tak de la curi masa sangat nak pumping masa waktu bekerja. Maintenance pun senang. Tak renyah nak cuci. So yea, freemie is the best investment I did to exclusive BF my son. I bought my freemie for RM340.00 with postage (2017). I think this the cheapest sold so far.

Challenge #6

Pumping while at Court. 

Setakat ini belum lagi pernah pump kat Court. Pump dalam perjalanan ke Mahkamah pernah dah sekali ~ guna Freemie. Ada one time, almost nak pump kat Court tapi kes habis awal. Yang ini, bila tiba masanya I think it is either I have to do it in the surau or pump dalam kereta je. Waktu pumping 3 jam tetap kena jaga.

Challenge #7

Motor pump rosak

This happened before I returned to work. One of my double pumps motor rosak. Mujurlah pusat service Lacte ni dekat dengan my house. So, I went there one day sebab pump masih under warranty. Rupanya, susu dah berkerak kat dalam motor pump akibat back flow. (Susu tersedut ke dalam motor). Masa tu dah susah hati. Kalau kena tinggal pump kat service centre cemana nak pam susu. So, I invested in a manual pump. This one I beli second hand je. Medela Harmony. But it is good as new. In fact kotaknya pun cantik berkilat lagi. Rupanya previous owner tak sempat nak guna pun. Beli beli konon nak pam susu, susu tak nak keluar. So, she sold it to me for RM100.00. Ok lah kan? Yang ni tak berkesempatan nak guna lagi. Harap harap tak perlu guna tapi saje la beli, mana tahu kan berguna kelak. Nak marmet tak reti.

Challenge #8

Susu LDR. Kemudian membazir. 

Ini sepatutnya berada antara cabaran yang terawal sebab before I learned tentang milk collector, collecting milk yang LDR ketika anak menyusu adalah sangat hazab. Ye lah, tak pandai. Alatan bantuan pun sikit. Masa ni I tak purchase lagi Freemie or Medela harmony tu. So, every time LDR berlaku, tekap tuala je kat bubis. Sayangnya susu. Kadang kadang tengah berjalan pun boleh LDR dah menitik atas furniture, atas lantai. Maka my mom mengamuk la kena mop satu rumah. So, for this, I invested in the Hakka Milk Collector. Sebelum kenal Freemie, I am super impressed dengan milk collector ni. Just lekap dan leave. In 30 minutes, collector tu dah almost full dah. Baru la tahu, ibu ibu tandem guna cara ini lah selain dari pumping sebelah dan DF kat sebelah lagi. Kemudian, Firdaus pulak fuhh kaki dia kuat macam badang. Dia sangat suka terajang, jadinya ada la beberapa insiden dia terajang milk collector tu sampai terpelanting tertumpah susu. Sedih weh tengok susu badan tertumpah.

Challenge #9

Storage refrigerator

This is becoming really fast as a challenge for me kerana Alhamdulillah, Allah bagi rezeki dapat 5 ke 6 pack of 3 oz every day kalau pam kat office. Maka peti ais ku yang kecil tu kini memang khas utk susu je. Bahagian sejuk beku kini tak de dah lauk mentah, digantikan frozen EBM. I am thinking of getting a new fridge now hanya untuk letak susu. Tapi susu tak banyak mana sangat pun. So I am 50 -50 tentang getting a new fridge.

So, buat masa sekarang dah 3 bulan breast feeding Firdaus, inilah cabaran yang I hadapi dan I berjaya harungi. Panjang lagi perjalanan ni. Harap harap Allah kekalkan memberi rezeki untuk Firdaus merasa susu ibunya sampai ke usia 2 tahun.

counting days to three months

Hi,

I just returned to work 1 February haritu. Lucky me Boss extended my maternity leave for another week sebab I had 5 days baki Annual Leave last year.

Firdaus now is around 10 weeks and is fully breast-fed. Cuma in the first month tu ada campur formula few times sebab mild jaundice.

His progress now is that he can smile, laugh and make really squeaky sound bila upset or marah or even happy.. His choice of word or sound actually, is Aiii.. Everything is Aiii.... hek hek Aiii... Haa Kalau Aiii tu makna nak tidur la tu.. Kalau lapar, dia akan nangis terus.. Using the same sound, he is very talkative juga. He talks a lot and melayan dia adalah sangat seronok. Dia sangat vocal especially selepas mandi.

His weight masa 2 month check up was 6.7 kg, kalau tak salah. Sekarang ni macam lagi berat je. I don't know. Generally, dia tak banyak ragam. Tapi agak kuat memerap kalau mengantuk. Normally, memerap tu tak amik banyak masa la. Dalam 15 minits selepas didodoikan atau disusukan, dia akan doze off.

My husband and I are so obsessed with him. I mean, we cannot stop ourselves from kissing him.. Sehari mahu lebih dari 50 kali dia kena cium. Selain dari cium, I spent most of my money on his clothes. He has many clothes now. Some of them, dia tak boleh pakai pun lagi sebab I deliberately bought yang 6 months and above punya. In the first few weeks lepas beranak tu, I got so emotional just by looking at him. I mean, he is adorable and I just couldnt express into words how much I love him, so I cried. I cried because I love him so much. Gila betul. 

Few days ago, husband saw dia mengiring sendiri, twice. Bila kami try nak tengok lagi sekali, dia tak mengiring pulak. I don't know if it is too early for babies to mengiring at this age. But kalau betul dia mengiring, that's another achievement that I am very proud of.

fatso before a month is called "Awang Kenit". He is so small when I dukung him..

fatso slightly after a month old... not so fatso sangat lah.. kuruih lagi..

fatso ketika 9 minggu... 

this is a video capture.. I mean omg.. so obsessed!

Gosh, major love for this little nugget. 20hb ni kita cucuk utk vaccination bulan ke 3.
#bukanantivax

#vaxsaveslife

Week 40 : In Labour and the Birth of our Prince

Olaaa..

Dalam my previous posts berkenaan kehamilan ni, one of my concerns was bila nak apply leave. Isu itu telah diresolved dengan berbincang dengan my ob/gyn dan boss, maka ianya telah ditetapkan bahawa I would be utilising my 14 days annual leave balance beginning 10/11/2016 sebab kerja-kerja tertangguh di pejabat telah pun dilengkapkan dan I was basically doing nothing kat office.

Biarpun ob/gyn kata this baby would be born on the due date (21.11.2016), ketika kat pejabat tu, rasa macam nak beranak dan dan tu jugak sebab naik turun tangga dan bergerak ke sana sini.

So, I left Bandar Sunway for Ipoh on the 10th with my husband. 

Ketika ini, I have already decided to give birth di private medical facilities kerana dua sebab utama:-

a. Tidak mahu dijadikan "bahan pelajaran" doktor-doktor pelatih; dan

b. Tidak mahu doktor lelaki menyambut bayi

Jadi di Pusat Pakar Permata Raoofah, Ipoh, I got both I wanted for. Antara lainnya yang membuatkan I chose this "hospital" adalah kerana privacy dan keselesaan selain dari mereka encourage for spouse/partner to be with the expecting mother sehingga hari discharge. Berbanding lain-lain hospital swasta di Ipoh ni, I believe Pusat Pakar Permata Raoofah ni agak murah untuk normal delivery.

So, byebye QHC Medical Centre, Subang Jaya (the hospital which I had my pre-natal check ups) - (ye saya tak de buku merah) and hello Pusat Pakar Permata Raoofah.

Check ups with Dr. Raoofah adalah simple, mainly because I did not have any complications. I believe I had a very healthy pregnancy journey tanpa sebarang masalah kesihatan mahupun fizikal atau mental. Namun, towards the end of my pregnancy, into my 39 weeks, I developed mild hypertension. Very mild but enough to put me into daily blood pressure check ups di Klinik Dr Raoofah. Dr. Raoofah suggested that since I have mild hypertension, beliau tidak mahu ambil risiko letting my pregnancy go beyond 40 weeks and suggested for an induction. Aduh, the things I read tentang induced labour scared the shit out of me. She planned to induce the baby on 21/11/2016 at midnight and see how things progresses from there. I hoped sangat sangat that I won't be needing that. And also, Dr Raoofah scanned my baby and found that my baby had now weight at approx 3.6kg. Mak aiiiii.. Rabak laaah.....

The rest of my 39 weeks of pregnancy was a breeze. Tiada tanda atau apa-apa signal yang I will be in labour anytime soon. Even Braxton Hicks pon tak de. 

However, pada hari terakhir into my 39 weeks (20/11/2016), I remember specifically at 4.50 am, I felt satu rasa contraction yang berombak di ari - ari. Gambaran sakit tu umpama sakit period pain tapi lebih intense. I did not know it was a contraction. At the same time, ianya rasa seperti nak terbuang air besar. I continued with my sleep biarpun dalam keadaan yang amat tidak selesa. I counted. It came every 15 - 30 minutes. I told my mother and she said "itu contraction la tu". Later that day, I still managed to move around buat itu ini, thinking "ahh lambat lagi ni".

Following Dr. Raoofah initial plan, I admitted myself into PPPR on 20/11/2016 at 9.00 pm hoping to be induced at midnight. I informed the midwife on duty that I had been feeling contractions since Subuh and tetiba, I am already in the Labour Room. 

So, ini pertama kali lah merasa apa itu "vaginal examination" atau lebih popular dengan gelaran "kena selok". Not... fun..at..all. Now, I understand kenapa ibu mengandung benciiiii sangat  VE ni. Memang sakit, memang akan buat kau terangkat buntut, dan memang sangat traumaizing. Upon checking, midwife kata dah ada bukaan 3cm. "Oh, that's nice", I thought. "That was not that bad". Little did I know about the huge wave of pain that was about to come later.

Since dah ada bukaan, Dr Raoofah tak jadi la nak induce. The plan to induce me at midnight dipostponed kan ke 7 pagi keesokkan harinya (21/11/2016). So, malam tu, I spent the night kat PPPR with my husband. I did not get any sleep, though sebab dalam sejam dok ada contractions 4 5 kali. Agak menyeksakan sebab tiada apa-apa posisi boleh membantu, nak nak katil hospital kan tak best. Lucky, I brought my own pillow to calm myself and my husband's presence in the ward with me helped a lot.

Masuk jam 6 pagi, I took my shower sebab the contractions buat I sweat a lot. Elok je lepas mandi, nurse pun datang bawakan baju baru dan beri ubat lawas agar I tidak terberry ketika in labor. I actually did not know that they were preparing me for the labour room. I thought they all macam nak check progress and let me rest until the time comes.

Jam 7 pagi, 21.11.2016, I was pushed into the labour room for VE and ianya amat mengecewakan apabila bukaan maintained kat 3cm. Punya terseksa malam sebelumnya, rupanya tak de bukaan langsung. So, Dr Raoofah akan induce lah jawabnya.

My husband was with me during the whole process bermula dari drip dimasukkan di tangan, sehingga la selokan selepas ubat induction diberikan dan sehingg habis beranak lah kiranya.

This much I can remember, I was given ubat untuk induce di tangan, air ketuban dipecahkan, ubat tahan sakit dicucuk di buntut, I was asked to 'mengiring' to help with the crowning of the baby's head and I was sweating heavily with my husband kat sebelah giving words of encouragement, which langsung tak membantu. I just needed his presence, really.

Selepas induction dan air ketuban dipecahkan, bukaan jalan jadi bertambah cepat. From 3cm to 5cm and tau tau je dah 8cm and everything went chaotic dalam labour room as they prepared for the baby to come. I remember seeing Dr Raoofah scrubbing and there were two nurses, each on my left and right and my husband kat belah kanan near my shoulder. 

I was asked to push 3 times kot, and I could not. Memang tak mampu kerana contractions itu adalah sakit. I don't know if sakit is the right word sebab ianya lebih kepada ketidakselesaan yang amat melampau. Memang over the top punya tak selesa sampai disalah tafsirkan sebagai sakit (for me lah).

One thing I remember I did was mengeras everytime contraction datang. They did not tell me that contraction tu adalah "the baby was coming out". All I heard was "pushhhhhhhhhhh". Asyik asyik suruh push, sampai aku nak naik marah. Kenapa nak push, kan? Yes sekarang boleh la fikir, "they are the experts, they know what they are doing. Kau ikut je" tapi masa tu, tak boleh fikir apepe yang positif. I also remember Dr Raoofah kata "good good, pandai pandai and lastly, the baby is here. I need you to geram panjang panjang. Now geraaaaaaaaaaaaaaammmmmm". Aku pon geram laaa... (Husband kata at this point, I asked him to tell them I wanted a C-Section which of course I did not remember). I could not geram panjang and Dr. Raoafah kata if I can't push, she would have to vacuum the baby. One final push and I failed and I heard she asked one of the nurses to get the vacuum.

Lagi sekali, kali ni Dr. Raoofah mintak push as baby sangkut kat shoulders. As I pushed, baby pun divacuumkan. Orang kata lepas baby keluar, legaaa rasanya. Bohong, lega tu sekejap sangat. Elok je baby keluar, Dr Raoofah angkat dia so I would declare him a boy and took him away. Elok je they took him away, I saw dua jarum panjang dicucuk kat situ. Ya Rabbi, Jarum panjang-panjang macam lidi sate. Rupanya itu ubat bius, kena jahit beb. Jahit banyak beb sebab baby vacuum memang biasa koyak besar. 

Habis je dijahit, I told my husband "tak mahu dahhh.. sumpah tak mahu dah" and he was there holding my hand and cry. He cried. I saw him cried dan angguk angguk.

So, there, at 21.11.2016 @ 9.01 am, lahirlah Putera kami, Firdaus Fitri bin Fazli weighing at 3.45kg.

Sumpah babies are all cute, but mine is the cutest

Hari ke-5

It is now 7 days after I gave birth and it is a complete life turn around for me. MasyaAllah. Nanti di kesempatan lain, I share how it has been in the first 3 days at home after being discharged from the hospital.