In a nutshell

Okay, so i think i have some time on my hands so i shall blog quick before little bub wakes up!

This year shall end in less than 12 hours, according to Gregorian calendar anyway. It has passed so quick, i really could say some events felt like yesterday! Let's see if i can remember major happenings this year..

January: i made vows to make 2013 my last shot in being strong willed, workwise. See, 2012 especially towards the end was such a let down! Myself and my close buddy, we made plans to do more.

February: my birthday month! Last year being 20s.. We celebrated with nice lunch and picked an oven as my present at OU. Simply because we haven't been there quite a while. This month i travelled to Miri, and marks the last trip of the year!

March: we found out i'm pregnant.. Best thing ever happened this year, syukur!

April: my performance rating was out... And i was devastated, to the point i kept the hurt inside because i didn't want to let it affect the pregnancy. Bonus was spent merrily, bought my first Coach (i know, totally not a big deal..)

May: slipped and fell upon leaving toilet. Was worried sick but alhamdulillah.

June: first appointment with gynae. Happy to confirm baby is safe and healthy

July: did detailed scan, found out it's a SHE!

August: husband away for overseas assignment. Loathe it. But what can i do?

September: refer to above

October: hmmm oh, husband's birthday!! I baked cuppies and made mihun soto! Two firsts and succeeded yeayy

November: started my much awaited long leave..for the birth of Raihanna :) our precious gift, saham akhirat insya Allah.

December: confinement phase..

So there you go... The birth of our daughter has got me thinking of so many things. Of how i want to be better in all of my roles here on Earth. I do not wish to share all our goals here, but one of it has been fulfilled. Allahuakbar, thank You.

Now, let me share some easy goals for 2014:
1) drink 2.6litre
2) more veggies
3) less sweet things
4) take care of skin
5) smile

Oh i have 13kgs to lose.. Will i succeed??

The birth story - finale

I remembered telling myself 'this is it! Today insya Allah!' as I was wheeled into some sort of waiting room. I have been in that room before, when i had to go for D&C last year, so i knew what to expect.. The nurses would say hi, triple confirm that i haven't stuff myself with anything since mid last night and leave me shivering there.

Last year it was about expelling the failed product of conception, and this year Alhamdulillah a breathing, human being i have carried full term will be taken out. Still i couldn't shake the nervousness. If last year an anaesthetist would approach me with consent form for GA (general anaesthesia- that's pengsan whole body), this time i had signed for spinal block. An injection to block out sensation from waist below. Obviously i was scared shitless of the administration being unsuccessful.

But really, not like i have a choice :)

I think i waited around 10mins there before another staff took me away. This time i was transferred to another bed, much higher that i couldn't see the floor. When i got to the OT, i saw the room has windows with views of the city.. Only for a few minutes though, before the shades were being drawn.

They transferred me to the operating table, and started to set me up. Heart monitor, blood pressure, pulse monitor, things just got real. I was starting to feel miserable at this point and kept asking when will my husband be joining. At the same time, i try to keep the little one calm.

The anaesthetist came in. Oh no moment.  We chatted a bit before she started doing her thing. It was the longest minutes ever, i felt, because like i said earlier i was dreading it. I  wish to skip the details, but i will say this though - that point of time, i was more than happy with just one child. And soon as her job was done, i feel like screaming 'finally!' And get up and run around the OT.

Only i couldn't. With so many things strapped on, in addition to that, i wish so hard the spinal block works quickly. It did, and i could breathe (and think) normally. I was helped to lay down again and that signals i'm this close to meet Allah's creation.

I remember looking at the clock once throughout the operation. I kept glancing to my left and right - waiting my husband to come in, looking at my own pulse reading, trying to count how many staff was in there who saw this fat pregnant lady being cut up.. I chatted a bit with my gynae to ease my tension - suddenly i recalled a close friend asking about her famous clients / patients - our local actresses.

I figured she would ease up as well - obviously i wasn't thinking straight cos who on earth would go easy breezy during operation? So she just replied 'sorry dear, that's P&C'

Oh well, at least i tried!

Husband came in around this time, and i actually teared up a little while i smiled at him. It was his first time too, but as usual he looks composed. Moments later, i heard the doctor called him.

'Oh, she's huge!' - gynae
'Is her skin tone supposed to look like that' - husband

I was like 'what colour?!' for a few seconds before i heard the most beautiful cry. I remembered thinking, that's her? That's my baby? That's OUR baby?' It feels surreal, still feels the same even as i steal sideway glance at her sleeping peacefully next to me now.

I remembered crying as well, (and sobbing too) when i heard her cries. She was brought to me minutes later, and yes, i felt strange and overwhelmed.

40 weeks and 2 days, Alhamdulillah, Allah made me a first time mom, and my husband a new dad around 9.15am to a beautiful, healthy baby girl on 25/11/2013. Our highlight of 2013, the one we've imagined about in our years of being together.

She weighs a whopping 3.96kg, much to my surprise. There's a funny story to this, actually. During our last appointment pre-delivery, i joked with my gynae by speaking to my tummy 'you better be worth it, girl.. I'll be embarrassed if i had to be cut up open and you turn out 3.2' .. My gynae obviously giggled because she had told me earlier third trimester scans may be inaccurate.

So just moments after she finished whatever needed to be done, she said to me 'Good decision, idayu!'. Later on she disclosed she personally called Nursery to find out how much Raihanna weighs. Hahaha. She even gave me thumbs up few times.

I was wheeled out of OT and spent some time in recovery ward. I recalled crying a bit cos i already missed my daughter. Plus i was shivering madly.

When i was brought back to the ward, it took minutes before my family reconvened. Even longer was my baby, whom i understood they ran some tests and cleaned her nicely. I saw her briefly in the OT, so i was pleasantly surprised when the nurse brought her in.

Fluffy, big sized, full of hair...and loudly screaming :) she latched on immediately, alhamdulillah! It felt strange, amazing and nerve wrecking all at once. They say the pain will go away once you see your newborn... In my case, that is true. With the help of 24hour painkiller :)

So there you go, the birth story of our first child :) we are now parents, Alhamdulillah.

The birth story - part two

..so Monday, 8.30 am it is.
Things just moved fast then.. Her staff made a call to the OT, i then signed few forms relating to the procedure and that was that.

It just goes to show how mighty Allah's will is. In a split second, we found the answer to our prayers and questions. I was overwhelmed by it all, in one moment i was happy and excited the date is now most confirmed but the next moment i was almost in tears. Monday also means hubs is entitled to 3 days paternal leave!

I asked her if anything i did (or could've) would've brought us to that decision. I mean, i walked A LOT during this pregnancy, we bought the bouncing ball.. Wouldn't these help?

"Those would be useful for muscles and ligaments.. We're talking about bones here, which could not be flexed at all".

I remember the nurse asking if i had taken too many sweet things, icy drinks..of which could led to a baby this big. Wallahualam whether that was true, but yes i craved cupcake every week in 7-8 months. While the non-pregnant me would not blink twice at the sight of cupcake!

I was told to check in on Sunday by 8.00 pm. Following the check up, husband and I had some nasi arab at Hadramawt, the same restaurant (different branch tho) we went after our first appointment with Dr Seri. Coincidence huh.

We spent the weekend back in Shah Alam, reading up on post operation care and trying to relax.

Sunday night

We checked in slightly after 8.00 pm. More signatures required during admission, and then off we head to the ward. It was my first time of all sorts - first operation, spending time in hospital.. I was more than happy hubs was by my side at all times..

The room is cosy, overlooks my office (ok ok, the magnificent KLCC) and expensive well lit condominiums. It almost feels like hotel stay, except for the bed. Shortly after few nurses came to perform standard procedures including the CTG. I was in the midst of dinner (luckily we brought some rice from home, as Coffee Bean and everything had closed by that time) so i had to cut the meal short.

Alhamdulillah CTG results were good. We spent the night taking some pics (last few as being  party of two) and of course, longer time on the praying mat. I kept saying 'i can't believe we're about to meet her!' . Due to the operation, i was supposed to fast after 12.00am. With each passing hour, to get a good sleep seemed impossible. My husband was the opposite case, obviously tired of running around settling everything (and his wife) slept soundly on the sofa bed.

I had read up a bit on the procedure so i kinda knew what to expect.. Empty the bowel, take the shot, put on urine bag, cold naked chicken cut up... And baby comes out. But still there were so much i couldn't anticipate.. Namely the pain.

Monday morning

I was scheduled to be in the OT around 8.30 hence the nurses had advised me they will come at 6.00am for more procedures. Boy they aren't kidding about time! I woke up around 5.30 and quickly showered, knowing very well it'll take some time before i can have that good quality shower again.

Around 7 am i texted my parents, seeking their forgiveness if anything goes wrong later. Little did i know they were gonna come and wait out for us. At 8.00 am, a friend called me and asked if i had given birth. I couldn't explain the whole story to her as OT people were ready to wheel me off, so i only said i'm in the hospital and will call up later.

All these while i wondered if anybody ever saw any patient being wheeled off throughout the classy floors of PCMC. Well i got the answer all right, some visitors did saw me lying helplessly on the hospital bed.

It was time to head to Level 2, operation theatre.

The birth story of Raihanna - Part 1

The Birth Story - Part One

Alhamdulillah, with all His Might and Mercy, our first born has arrived safely.. and i'm recuperating nicely (i hope).

I've dreamt about writing this story for so long, at each time i didn't know what it would feel like. Happy and joyous, for sure.. But now that she's here, there's no other word to describe Allah's gift other than a blessing. Truly is.

It started on Friday, 22/11. My estimated due date for popping her out. Weeks leading to this date was full with anxiety, which date and when being the main concern. Being first time would be parents, we wondered and waited for any sign at all.. Be it lower back ache or contraction..we are ready.

Or so we thought.

I have to admit, i was pretty scared she would pass her due date and bring us to induction. I have heard and read too much to even want to think i had to be induced. Logically, anything forced doesn't feel good, isn't it? So i prayed i would give birth earlier - a day, a week, 2 weeks... Any date is better than surpassing that 22nd.

But.

But who are we to determine such things.. I had that sneaky feeling come Thursday morning. That feeling which told me i now have to face induction, since my contractions were not regular. Yes, i felt the pains alright... Just somehow it subsided before i can spell regular.

So the much awaited Friday came. I was heavily pregnant, with water retention so bad my legs actually look shiny for the skin was stretched! Off we went to see my gynae, who had earlier issued pre-admission letter from past 2 weeks! Yeah i was expected to deliver early but up to that fateful day, baby was sitting snugly inside.

Few minutes after sitting down, my gynae told us the possibility of induction is very high since she would not let the pregnancy extend more than a week. I was already 40 weeks on Friday, and the further the pregnancy goes, additional risks can be expected. She did say we would have to come to PCMC daily for CTG if we were to wait it out. It wasn't a good news, but i have foresee it thus slowly i started to nod.

We then proceeded with a lie down, this time with a vaginal examination - the infamous poking to see how much a labour is progressing, cervix dilation etc. It was my first, and oh boy.. Was that a finger or a knife?!

She began the sentence with a tone that took the birth process a different route.

"Your pelvic outlet is too tight"

I was clueless so she then googled a pelvic bone model. In layman terms, she simply said the baby would not be able to pass the canal. There and then.. It doesn't take much for me to put two and two together, that i'd have to be operated.

My heart sank.

She continued by saying there were 3 factors pointing towards a risky vaginal birth, should i so wish it: my bones structure, the baby size and the fact that i'm overdue. Oh yes, on that day we found out the baby has grown off the charts.. Estimated to be 4.1kg! She said we can try induction, but yes the process would be long and stressful. I know that will not be good, and that wasn't what i want for the firstborn.

I had tears in my eyes as i nodded to proceed with c-section. It was overwhelming, to learn about my bones, the baby size (i couldn't believe she could grow that chubby) and to quickly adapt and get used to the operation plan.

"So which day would you like? How about Monday?"

38 and counting!

Assalamualaikum & hello there!

Alhamdulillah we are now in the full term phase :') loads of things has happened since I last wrote.. I have started my 2 weeks MC since last Monday (with a scare from TTMC doc) , my parents has returned safely from their pilgrimage (syukur Alhamdulillah), i have had recurring contractions.. And husband bought me a bouncing ball! Hehe. 

We have moved to my parents home in Keramat for 5weeks stay, starting from last night (10/11/2013). I miss our home dearly, especially Astro Byond's Food Network Channel and our own space.. But hey, i will do my best to make the most of what i can here.. Husband has started daily drive from here to Shah Alam, i pray Allah bless his journey to and fro work with safety and mercy.

I haven't sterilized the bottles yet (!!) and left the breastpump manual at home. *smacks head* oh well, there's 3G so hopefully i can bookmark the page. I don't plan to bottlefeed early, but I know some moms had to express as early as 3 first days to avoid engorgement.. So i have to be equipped and pray for the best, insya Allah. Car seat and hospital bag (and the breastpump) are in the car, finally. 

For today, i shall start with unpacking :) 

Too many things to think about

I find myself worrying a lot these days.. been getting less sleep at night because of it. And just before I doze off, I'd feel strong kicks :) They say it's normal at this stage of pregnancy, as it somewhat prepares mom-to-be's for those sleepless nights.

Oh boy.

Back to the topic, I do worry about my emotional well being once I start living in Keramat (even for short while), my husband's eating schedule and habit, his laundry schedule.. and most importantly, taking care of the precious one.

I actually think it's so unlike me, because appearance wise, I do not have the put-together look nor do I behave lady like. So all this planning and thinking somehow feels foreign to my system, yet completely natural. Above all, I enjoy making mental check lists of all the things to buy/bring/wash for this upcoming adventure.

Yesterday morning on our way to work, husband and I discussed briefly on this topic.. which brought a huge smile to my face. I don't know how other couples do it (and I believe it's really none of my business) but most of the time I rarely read about it. At first (and sometimes) I feel I'm over thinking things or being fussy. 

It feels good to have your partner sensing and shares your concern, especially ensuring nothing is left out. I know, we as human beings can only plan, but Allah decides. This just means we have to plan well and hope for the best. He's just the kind who'd remind me if we haven't sort out baby (or my) stuff yet. 

Right now I've started washing and packing.. With my leave around the corner, I suppose I can afford to think more on laundry planning. There are other things I need to revise, though:

• Breast feeding - pumping kit, manual & bottles
• Reading up on breast feeding
• Recite Quran more
• Labor signs

I have about 2 days to go til I leave office for awhile, hence my mood is definitely better than that of earlier week :)

Gearing up

Alhamdulillah.. we just hit 36W few days ago. We went for a check up, this time dear baby played hide and seek so we couldn't see her chubby face. She now weighs 3kg.. which shouldn't have surprised us, but we were still shocked anyway. Alhamdulillah all seems well, doc predicted my water bag would burst with the current rate of water I have in the tummy.

What's bothering me is my weight gain! Oh boy all this while it has increased accordingly, but this time around I put on 2kgs in 3 weeks! I wanted to cry but really there's no one to blame when I've been stuffing myself with sweet things (waffles, cupcakes, sweet breads) from the last check up. Doctor has warned me it may make things difficult (for me to lose weight, that is) if I let it reach til 80! I have 4kgs before that figure and I have 4 weeks to go. *sweating buckets*

So post check up, I have vowed to eat responsibly.. by these steps

1. Limit rice intake to twice daily (even better to once, but let's not dream that big)
2. More fruits and less ice creams
3. More plain water
4. More veggies

Whether I'll succeed, that can only be seen come 8/11 which is next Friday..

Anyhoo, we've sort out 99% of the shopping list with the recent addition being infant massage oil and baby balm for the butt. We chose Buds' and Angel Baby simply because of the organic compound, plus Fabulous Mom had a sale going on so the prices were just too good to pass up! The thing about going all organic has its own pros and cons I suppose.. they're costly (for the sizes they come in) but I suppose we chose for some reassurance that our baby (and later on, children) are not covered in chemicals. 

Yeah we did grow up with Johnson & Johnson, but back then there was really no other choice apart from these similar brands. Frankly, if we are so passionate about BPA-free bottles, breast feeding and using child friendly detergents.. organic skin care seems to make sense as well, right?

But I'm sticking to just the massage oil and baby balm for the moment, as these two will be thoroughly applied and absorbed through the skin, as compared to shower gel and shampoo.

Shopping list aside, we've moved some stuff like bath tub, washed comforter set, tummy binders, swaddle napkins and blankets to my parents' home. The room looks more baby friendly now, with me making some space in our cupboard as well. Soon there'll be the little one sleeping in the cot, and that thought makes me smile :)

We have loads of stuff to pack, not just the hospital bag.. but also our clothes during the one month stay. Our to-do list seems longer as the day looms closer, but the thing is only Allah knows when is the birth date. Insya Allah.

Talking about the date, I've been pondering for weeks when should I start my leave. See, in my company maternity leave starts once the baby is here, but I definitely do not plan to give birth on the train, or worse, in the office. Hence we agreed that I should go for medical leave for 2 full weeks prior to delivery. I actually have 23 days for MC, but I'm not that 'evil' to fully utilize it :) 

At the recent check up, my gynae okay-ed my MC request and I swear my face lit up like those i-City trees. It just so happens the day she agreed to have me on MC falls on the same day my good friend proposed. Insya Allah. And this just means, this week shall be my last before the MC begins. I'm ecstatic, hence the long blog post!

I promised her that I would not stay idle even in my MC, and she recommended I get the bouncing ball. Definitely not the typical O&G doctor, she is. She said one of her patients had quite easy delivery with the ball.. so off we went to KLCC scouting for one. Upon finding one, i was this close to paying it, but husband decided against it because the sales person would not let us try the size we wanted. 

So yeah, the list suddenly gets bigger.. with items and things to do. Oh, I should also jot here that there's definitely a plan to find a place to rent now that the baby's almost here. Alhamdulillah.. it came to me as a good surprise, amidst all these massive preparation. Alhamdulillah for Allah has granted us so much rezeki so far.. May Allah accept our ibadah and bless these sustenance.

See you in the next post!

Antenatal Class Pt 2

Alhamdulillah.. we've reached 35 weeks! *happy tears* couple more weeks before we get to full term (I'm confused, some say 37? 38? 36?).. and I'd like to jot here that we have officially finished shopping for the baby!

Yes.. *confetti streams* husband went out (by himself!) yesterday to get the final things baby-related.. cot & bedding set (for Shah Alam) and bath tub (for Keramat). Alhamdulillah!

Okay, on to the topic.. fourth talk - Pain Management!

I have to admit, among all topics pregnancy related, this is probably the topic I did not read / study at all. The most I knew (before attending this class) was from blogs, which was just a mention of "epi", "entonox", "pethidine".. and frankly, I was OK with that. Because reading it in detail scares me a lot!

The talk was delivered by one of the 6 anesthetist in PCMC, and he came in with surgery attire, holding a backbone replica. He was soft spoken and funny - a good combination that'll come in handy should I need it later :)

He spoke about labour stages, anesthetist availability during labour and of course all the options we have to minimize the pain. Yes, I cringed but I furiously took down the notes because labour pain is something subjective - to each her own. Some doesn't need it, others have to have it.. Right now the best is to be well-informed, and I adapted 'never say never' state of mind when it comes to this topic. Friends have asked whether I'll take epi but it's too soon to say anything kan?

After all, Allah has decided our rezeki, and all we can do is pray for the delivery to be easy, safe & sound. Insya Allah. 

Epidural looks gory.. despite many friends recommending it. Probably the pain justifies needle poking and all. I feel like a chicken surrendering my fate to anesthetist! And this is without thinking about the side effects! Definitely a lot of praying to be done...

Come to think about it, even laughing gas seems scary.. with the risk of baby getting sleepy towards crowning. What I can summarize is that we'd have to know the right timing to opt for any pain management for it to work well.. and first time mothers don't exactly have the advantage of 'knowing'.

Okay, let's go to fifth topic - Newborn Hearing Screening.

This topic is an enlightening.. simply because we (or rather, me) seldom hear about audiologist in a labour room / nursery. There's the gynae, nurses, anesthetist.. but no one I know mentioned about this team. A Senior Audiologist, petite lady, started off this topic with boring (as she vastly mentioned) statistics that somehow I find it scary actually.

Basically at PCMC, they'll conduct few tests to check on the newborn's hearing via a simple gadget. I forgot what's it called though.. I dozed off somewhere this session. Again, this information is very crucial.. I felt like every hospital, private or not, should offer antenatal class with this topic included. I believe every parent needs to be well educated about this, however low the risk may be.. because early detection can then lead to soonest response and treatment. 

Sixth topic - Puerperium

It's actually labor stage :) One of the few topics I made sure I didn't leave my seat. She's one of the two female gynaes in PCMC..and I'm happy to report she's one friendly, reassuring lady. If I were to meet her in Cold Storage, I'd probably wouldn't know she's a doctor. She was very engaging, I felt obliged to throw few questions her way. At the time, I even briefly entertained my thoughts on choosing her for my future second pregnancy!

Anyhow, she described the process as something natural.. and that includes episiotomy! Yes, when she threw the figures (90% of Asians will need to be snipped) at us, I was floored and I think my face went white. Oh boy. I then asked her if perineal massage will help to reduce the potential, of which she simply says "there's no harm in trying"

NOT CONVINCING, this massage! 

Everyone else in the room seemed fine with it, but hey, I'm not about to deliver next to them, so..who knows what'll happen right? Dr Tan later assured jokingly, that the gynaes know the right timing to cut so that we (patients) won't feel a thing. Nice one, doc! 

Somewhere between this topic and previous one, we stopped for lunch, served at Food Galleria downstairs. I ate here once, and I wasn't too impressed so I kinda know what to expect this time around. They served sweet and sour fish fillets, chicken kurma (which I later heard many were complaining it was bland - hello! this is hospital food!), chinese styled veges, and.. ulam and belacan! 

I briefly wondered where would husband eat during our stay..

We then continued with antenatal exercise, in a multipurpose room with yoga mats spread out. The session was lead by a nurse therapist, a cheery one at that. She taught us labour stages, breathing exercises as well as simple movements that could help us with easy delivery. Fun session, except the times I couldn't get up. Seriously, one of the nurses remarked I looked heavy and that it looks near (to delivery). I replied that with a teeth-biting-tongue smile.

Finally, the class concluded with a tour to labour room. My feet was tired and hurt by this time, I was practically limping all the way. The therapist told us to make the room as much homey as possible.. but somehow I don't know how to see it that way. Yes, it comes with a TV, toilet, cabinets and all.. But it is labour phase we're talking here, I'm not sure I'll remember the beautiful KLCC view and chicken nuggets when it's my turn later next month? The room also sits a weighing and cleaning station, just next to the bed.. a reminder that the little one's coming along lits up my face. I hope I can psyche myself because right now I just don't know how I'll react to the pain.

They served bread pudding before we adjourned.. and I had two servings of it :) it was sweet, but Milo complemented it very well I thought. All in all, like I said earlier, it was definitely worth it.. every topic presented and room visited gave us the much needed insight of what PCMC has to offer. Sure, it is scary, but I've set my mind to think that it's something I have to go through.. painful or not, to hold our little one in our arms. I'm just thankful we got the opportunity to attend this one :)

Antenatal Class Pt 1

Alhamdulillah, we got to attend the class as planned last Saturday (12 Oct). The course costed us RM300, which if you ask me, was totally worth it for the whole experience - venue, speakers, food (ok, don't go expect Chili's or Ayam Penyet because this IS hospital food we're talking about) and the labour room tour.

We reached there just in time for breakfast (they served 2 types of sandwiches, mineral & Milo - so thoughtful , but of course, it's a hospital!) at the foyer. We were then ushered into an auditorium just near the cafe. I never noticed that hall before, despite monthly (and before that, yearly) visits to PCMC! 

Registration was smooth, as there wasn't too many couples attending.. and we were given a bag of goodies.

*pause* I wish i can upload the pictures here, but my phone is currently having issues.. sigh.

Anyway, the auditorium was quite big. It had 4 regular screens and 1 big in the middle. The screens shows presentation packs and the speakers alternately.. so every move the speaker makes will be visible to us, no matter where we sit! The facility reminded me of Convec's and Permata training centre.. Well, they all are owned by PETRONAS pun kan.. The seats were comfy and each came with a side sliding board, for us to take notes. So let's see if I can still remember what I learnt last weekend :)

First - Eating Right Throughout Pregnancy (or something like that) by in house dietician.

As we're approaching the last weeks of pregnancy, I consider the info was a bit too late. Nevertheless, I took notes because I surely will need them for #2 later. (Eh?) She gave us the breakdown of additional calories needed by trimester, and what is the exact portion. 

Second - Baby care & bath, by a CN.

I know most of us mommies get by without this lesson just fine, but it surely doesn't hurt learning from the expert, no? Especially the ones doing it day in day out, year in year out. Because we moms do it up to certain number of years, and differently as our children grows. But these wonderful nurses? It is their job, looking after the babies. So, obviously each step of the procedure has its own objective. 

Previously I asked around whether a newborn needs cotton wool to clean their eyes area.. As most friends said they didn't, I KIV'ed the item and decided to wait for this class. Well, I can now say with confidence, yes, we need those small balls! In fact, we had bought this yesterday during our weekly grocery shopping. See, the class is beneficial! Few points worth capturing here:

• Although the hospital provides everything we can think of, the baby is only swaddled and diapered. Yes. So it's recommended to bring the outfits.
• It's understandable that a newborn generates thrill and excitement to families, relatives and friends.. but you'll want take a day to recover before you can receive visitors. Labour is no joke, man. Personally, I would always ask friends when should I visit them, because I understand they need rest.

        And of course, I'd want to savour these first moments with just the three of us - me,         baby & husband :) 

      

        Plus, let the baby rest comfortably.. because EVERY visitor would want to carry and           gently rock the baby. She then demonstrated how a baby is passed from one visitor           to another, causing unnecessary headache for baby. "Then, everyone goes home               happy, and you're left with a crying baby"

        HOW TRUE! Definitely will caution them!!

• CN told us mommies to dress up on the second day! "Go put some nice clothes on, some make up.. it'll make you feel good.. why on earth do you want to wear hospital gowns?" Ok noted, definitely bringing more front button shirts then :)
• Mittens and booties are best used up til 6 weeks only! 

She taught the proper way to bathe a baby, with doll demos, basin with water and all. I definitely am thankful for this information because I've never had any experience handling newborn.. And things (specifically procedures) have changed since I was born. 

Third - Breastfeeding

I personally felt this topic, no matter how much you think you're prepared for, should best be learnt at a talk like these. Books, friends' stories & tips, blogs, journals.. they wouldn't do so much justice as listening to a real Lactation Counsellor speak. One of the many, many things I love about this class is that the speakers encouraged us to ask questions. 

I also discovered that PCMC offers breastfeeding classes every Monday and Thursday as well.. Although I'm not sure about the price, it sure sounds good to us first time mothers who are still figuring things out kan? 

Oh yeah, before I forget, there will be a nurse checking up on us and baby's well being for as long as we're in the hospital. Isn't that nice?

Okay, I should stop here.. will continue in the next post!

33 weeks

Alhamdulillah, we're at 33 weeks ++ now. Few days left til Saturday, of which we have antenatal class to attend, and this pregnancy shifts to week 34. Subhanallah, every day time goes on quickly and this bump is growing well.. I know I'll miss being pregnant :)

But for now, we're enjoying the kicks, stretching, turning and punching from the outside. The movements got me all smiley, thinking how precious and magical Allah's creation are. One night husband chuckled while looking at my tummy's getting pokes from different angles. Baby's probably going 'look at me daddy, look what i can do' as her father stares in awe. Such a delight, this little one.

In terms of her growth, recent check up indicated her estimated weight now currently at 2.1++ kg. Wow. Growing beautifully as the graph shows, says Dr Seri. Alhamdulillah. Speaking of check up, last week we got there 5 minutes later than scheduled. I know, i know.. totally our fault. So we had to wait about an hour as Dr Seri had to assist a delivery. Honestly, we were totally fine with it.. because birthing period are all decided by Allah anyway. And this just confirms our decision to choose her is correct because it means she will be there during my delivery, insya Allah! Plus PCMC ambience was calm, and in order so there was nothing to complain about.

We still have items yet to purchase, such as bath tub, baby cot & its beddings, my pyjamas, socks & pads, and finally.. the oils & lotions! I have been delaying in purchasing these simply because I wanted read more on the ingredients and its function. Like I said earlier, I would only buy things after thorough read-up. So yes, finally I have made up my mind to get a balm for bum, an infant essential massage oil and newborn cream.

Shopping list aside, we have been spending time on washing baby clothes, setting up cot (which includes rearranging our bed and closet at Keramat) and slowly moving things to Keramat. Suddenly it seems surreal, we're about to become parents insya Allah. Our weekends have been filled with baby preparation activities! From checkup to just baby laundry at home.. it's been an eventful yet joyful period so far.

I'm almost halfway reading the What to expect book, and I realized there are still so many things I have yet to learn & plan - breast feeding (managing EBM, sterilizing), our laundry & logistics! Oh yeah, on delivery process itself.. but I'll leave that for antenatal class to teach us :) The hospital bag checklist are 95% complete I think.. all that's left is to start packing. Interestingly, most of the stuff consists of ours! 

Four weeks left to full term insya Allah, and week after that my parents will be returning from Hajj. Above all preparation, one that needs consistent implementation is spending time devoting to Allah. During my recent stay at the parents', they organized a qiam session, with ustaz to lead the prayers. I'm so thankful to Allah I managed to wake up and focus on the session. It really does help and motivate me to do on my own. With less than 7 weeks to go, I really want to do more in my ibadah as I need Him more than ever.. because Allah has granted this beautiful serene journey. 

May Allah ease my delivery process, may Allah bless this baby with great state of health in gestation and upon her arrival onwards, may Allah grants this baby with perfection in her organs and personality.. Amiin.

When it's no more about you

Pregnancy is one wonderful journey, alhamdulillah for this experience given. It changes me & husband in so many ways.. they say husbands will only be more caring when the wives are expecting. I have to say, i disagree completely.. but only regarding my husband of course :) He's been more than attentive since we got married, i suppose we learn from each other along the way. I mean, that's the whole point of being married right.. complementing each other. And by the last sentence, our weight now are roughly the same. Hehe.

Yes, this journey has brought about so many changes physically.. I'm just in awe of daily kicks and bumps and of course, the expanding waistline. There're so many things to think of, losing weight is the least of my worries. Like, #1000 out of 1000. This pregnancy has also taught me a lot on patience. Most of the time i could keep my composure, other times i let loose.

Especially when I've spent half a day on thinking (mostly baby preparation) and my mind just gets tired of exercising the virtue of relaxing. I know, it's not good. Believe me, I've been wishing more than once, that this baby inherits her father's level of patience. So far i see her having her mind of her own.. very much like her father :)

Being pregnant and thinking a lot also made me a susceptible victim to the drama of others. Others here refers to everyone than my husband. I tend to think and dwell on others' issues. I know, not good. 

And people don't really ask me how i'm doing, just as long as their issues are heard.

It's been going around for so long that i couldn't care less, but now that i'm expecting i really have little attention span. I would dedicate my time, and then dispense advice(s).

The problem now is that don't see my advice(s) any worthy. 

I've vented my frustration at husband, and he comforted me endless times. Today, however, I decided it's the time to stop.

Stop caring about others who don't to themselves. 

Stop getting into hot soup, even with good intention.

Because, it's not just me that i've to think about.. This baby will demand my attention day and night, and she deserves it. She is my amanah from Allah, hence all my thoughts should go to her (for now).

32 and counting

Alhamdulillah, we're now at Week 32..i think ;) because every time we head to the doctor's office, the scan showed difference in terms of age between head circumference and body. Normal i suppose :)

So this weekend (it still is a weekend.. I'm typing this on a blissful Sunday morning while husband is in deep sleep) we have got a packed schedule! Let's recap yesterday's activities, shall we?

Noon: Went to Littlewhiz warehouse (and the only sales boutique i think) in Setia Alam to get the infant car seat. Husband had done some research, while i took a liking at Maxi Cosi Cabriofix. We both agreed infant car seat is the best after reflecting on our lifestyle, and we definitely don't mind getting the convertible one when this baby outgrows the seat.

 The warehouse / HQ / boutique was stuffed with parents & parents-to-be. It was nothing like FabMom or OBW probably because this is the only outlet they have, hence it was all industrial..if you can call it that. We went specifically for the infant car seat, and because it is a sale, you can expect great discounts for all (available) models. When we got there, we saw Maxi Cosi, Halford and ... this one

Cybex Aton 2

 

 sunshade!

 

caught husband's interest. Little did i know, he'd done research on this one :) It is sturdy (albeit tad heavy) and comfy.. it's well padded so we wouldn't have to get additional paddings for it. It actually costs the same as Cabriofix, and feels better than Maxi Cosi Pebble. We decided on it, and then went around the (cramped) aisles to look for additional pillowcases and extra receiving blankets. We wanted to get another bed set as well, but it was too stuffy for me to think properly :) Other shoppers bought Moses basket, breast pumps, bath tubs.. while the whole store is on sale, i definitely am grateful we had settled the bulky items much, much earlier.

 

I wanted to get few more items, but decided to get that at OBW instead. Much much comfortable and spacious!

 

We then had lunch nearby and then...

 

Afternoon- night: Reached AEON Bukit Tinggi to redeem our free movie passes that we got from my department team building some 2-3 months ago. It would expire this weekend, and coincidentally so does our AEON cards. We saw 2 Guns, and i had this feeling this movie would be the last before i give birth. Who knows when the our next time would be, cos i'm definitely not taking my young baby to cinema anytime next year!

 

Hmm i would rate the movie as so-so. While it wasn't bad, it wasn't something i'd pay again to see.. unlike Daniel Craig's James Bond or Christian Bale's Batman sequels. Bias, i know .. :)

 

We did some shopping, well, husband did.. with his birthday just in 2 days, I badgered him to pick a present. He chose a pair of sandals, which comes from the same series as mine :)

 

It was sometime after that, around 8.15 pm, that i started feeling some cramps in the lower abs. It came intermittently, and every time it did I could not walk even. We chose to have dinner there as well, and pain subsided when we sat. I felt the pain again as we walked all the way to the car. Thank goodness we decided to postpone grocery shopping, because i really felt hot and bothered by the pain!

 

I remembered thinking, I'm only in 32! But then, some moms had given birth in 32! But I haven't packed yet! Heck, i haven't done baby laundry yet!

 

We reached home, and the pain left. I read up, and it feels like Braxton Hicks! I've been having these thoughts, that i'd deliver much sooner than i thought (37weeks maybe) .. so i have 5 weeks to go!

 

This morning, fresh and wide awake, I have just soaked in first batch of newborn clothes (all whites) and hopefully, be just as motivated to continue throughout this whole week.. 

 

Things i've yet to buy:

• Cot & beddings for Shah Alam  house
• Minyak telon
• Nappy cream (to use daily, not reactively)
• Socks (for me)
• Pyjamas (also, for me)
• More maternity clothes & bras & stretch mark cream
• Bath tub for Shah Alam house! 

Phew! Wish us luck!

Checking up

We have more or less 8 weeks to go, insya Allah. I've been telling husband almost every single day that I'm nervous.. about delivering, about making it to PCMC on time, about breast feeding, about expressing & storing milk, about baby care. All these in mind, i truly hope junior here is all smiley inside, with no worries. I really would blame myself if she comes out with a frown!

I'm feeling all kinds of blues today, so I decided to blog about something that makes me happy : baby preparation!

I have not written about prenatal care and visits so far, have I? Okay, so upon discovering this pregnancy sometime middle March this year, there was no question or a single doubt I had set my mind on which gynae and hospital we shall be frequenting and ultimately delivering.

First and foremost, I'm thankful the company provides awesome maternity benefit (as well as medical coverage for spouse and family) so it was a matter of where and who. Obviously I chose Women & Child Clinic PCMC for its vicinity to my parents' home, that most of my colleague-friends had given birth here and most of them with the same gynae that I'm currently seeing.

The other advantage I have is that my mom used to be a nurse, with experiences working with most senior O&G specialists now opening their own clinics. Alhamdulillah for these two benefit, for all I did was proposing their names to Mom, and she would provide her 'review' on each of them. Most of these specialists now 'reside' at PCMC, APSH, Gleneagles, Kg Baru MC and SDMC. Obviously I wanted a female gynae, as it's an obligation for us Muslim to find a female gynae for aurat observation. 

Even though delivery process is considered 'darurat' as when that time comes, the focus shall be on getting the baby safely, and male specialists are allowed.. but  i do think it's a hassle to change doctors, plus with the advantages that I have, it's not that the female specialists are of limited quantity. Therefore shouldn't be a problem at all, to choose a female gynae.

Dr Seri had treated me last year when we suffered ( i say we because husband and i was deeply affected) the miscarriage. She handled our case well and with such finesse.. there and then I knew I'd choose her the next time Allah grants us this rezeki. She just happens to be the only female Muslim gynae at PCMC, which makes her most sought after and that translates to a packed schedule. Oh, another plus point is that her mom lives nearby my parents', they even share the same ustazah! Her mom had few times said if it's too difficult to get an appointment, let her know. Although the offer was tempting, I didn't take it up because I feel there was no need to abuse the privilege :)

Because of that, I didn't immediately get a date to see her once the physician at TTMC confirmed this pregnancy. I was fine with that, and settled for checkups at a normal clinic with a scanning machine. We picked a clinic near our house for that purpose, and for the first trimester few sorts of incidents caused us to frequent the clinic. I fell, had fevers, headaches, flu and Alhamdulillah since the clinic is near it saved us time. 

We were given 10th June, evening to finally see Dr Seri. I suppose Allah had timed it perfectly, as we'd entered 2nd trimester then there was more to discuss and explained as compared to 1st trimester, where everything seemed uncertain and more fragile. From this point forward we have been consistent in the appointments, despite more patients coming in on Saturday we definitely didn't mind as that's what private treatment gave us - flexibility. Sacrificing working days are not something feasible to both husband and I, hence Alhamdulillah again for the private treatment benefit.

Last month I brought my mom instead of husband to the monthly check up, as he was on an overseas assignment. I thought it'd be fun to see them catching up, and how right was I! All smiles rekindling their times back then in GH :)

The check up procedure is very smooth.. A text will be sent to my hand phone with time and date reminder couple of days before. Upon arrival, I would just hand in my pink book and wait for the nurse to call for urine test, weight & blood pressure check. The waiting is done in a separate holding area from the billing process, which comes after the appointment. When I say billing, it means signing off a receipt which contains a medicine docket, a form of which later on we would collect our monthly supplements at the pharmacy in ground floor.

Friends had asked me what's her consultation charges, but honestly I do not know as it wasn't indicated anywhere in the bill :) some cynical friends would question her availability when i'm in labor, some would say labor pain is the same no matter government or private hospital.. I usually respond to these with a smile. It's rezeki, and all of us are entitled to our own share of rezeki. 

Our next appointment is due next week insya Allah, 3 weeks gap from the last one and as time and baby progress go, closer appointment dates are expected. I am excited and nervous! 

Baby clothes

Those cute tops, onesies, rompers.. everything about them makes us would-be parents weak in the knees. The soft pastel hues, the prints (animals, abstract, dolls.. what have you's) and the tiny size never fails to make us go "awwww..". They come in ranges of prices, you can never say they are unaffordable. 

Unashamedly, I am one of these moms. I understand how my peers in this pool would get lost in baby stores and return home with extra 2 bags of things they really didn't have to spent. 

(Loosely translated as.. been there, done that)

When we first started shopping for the baby, I was determined we should get the clothes much, much later in the pregnancy journey. Well, you can say we succeeded about 80% in sticking to it. Firstly, I really don't have the idea how much does a newborn need (no thanks to different check lists available online). This prompts me into doing more research on the practical number. Secondly, i knew once i start buying clothes, there is just no way to stop. 

Secondly, because our monthly budget and allocation forces us to settle big ticket items (ie stroller, cot, drawer, breast pump) first before everything. Again, like i mentioned in previous post, all boils down to your lifestyle, your requirement.. and most importantly, your budget. Thirdly, clothes are available almost everywhere (KL wise, that is) in comparison to say, good stroller boutique. 

I didn't spend much time choosing clothes during all baby expos that we went. Somehow the idea of jostling against the crowd and trussed up tops and pants does not apply to me at all. Despite that, i did spent 5-10 minutes in one or two booths selling properly hanged sleepsuits, and come out with a couple of them. 

Over the months, we bought them gradually with these in mind:

a. For babies age 6 months and below, their neck still need support hence button down, kimono style tops are the best. (Best advice given by a colleague)

b. Baby clothes does not have to be expensive, nor cheap.

So yes, the clothes come from variety of places.. Mothercare, baby expos (Shah Alam, Midvalley & Citta Mall), Sunway warehouse outlet, Jusco, Tesco & Giant hypermarkets! As long it fits Criteria #1, then all is good. Saying that however, I found 5 pieces of onesies (3mos) in the stash. I really do not know how they got there.. but i'm pretty sure it must've come the earlier trips.

I was just arranging them cute tops and pants we bought yesterday, just to prove to husband we did not have that much clothes yet. Imagine my disbelief when the box were already full to the brim (and that's without recent baby gift my sister gave). I swear I didn't realize we have bought that much! I did plan to buy some this month, but after yesterday's stock take...

Mission accomplished! Next week would be perfect to start the laundry going, insya Allah.

I do think the baby needs more receiving blankets, and towels...

Train Reads

Ever since I got married and moved to Shah Alam, I have about 29 minutes to spare on the train on the way to work, and around 40 minutes back home. Over these 2 years plus, most of my time in LRT would be spent sleeping (can't blame me, the air conditioning was too comfy). But I do pick up the reading habit from time to time.. ranging from blogs, Solusi (really worth every cent).. and currently 

As of today, I'm few pages short of 100, and I have around 8 weeks to finish the remaining 600+. Teeheehee.

I got this from Kinokuniya, after pondering why haven't I got some hardcopy reference on this special journey. And this pondering took place around Month 6. Yes, all these while I depended on phone apps, a simple Islamic guide on pregnancy and.. blogs. Shame on me. But I've always believed Allah will grant you things when He believes it is the right time, so I don't feel so guilty.

Most friends get by without books, and somehow I believed I didn't need it as well since I have the What to Expect when you're expecting in my phone. But all that changed the day I walked into Kinokuniya. I don't know which books my friends believed it was unnecessary (they could mean pregnancy books?), but I know deep in my heart, most answers to all things baby must contained somewhere. I googled must-have books for mothers, and this comes at #2, instead of the Expecting book.

This book covers all phases starting from newborn right up to 12 months.. It touches on baby necessities, breastfeeding tips, starting on bottle feeding, simple baby recipes (once they reach 5-6 months) and emergency tips (colic etc). I love the fact that it does not discriminate mothers who choose formula to feed their babies, and at the same time encourages breast feeding moms to do the best they can, by listing its health benefits. May Allah make my breast feeding journey easy for this baby and her future siblings, Amin.

As the author is a Brit, most baby necessities are centred on its four season (ie. types of clothing),its culture (pram, bassinet) and UK support groups (ie. La Leche) but these doesn't take the bulk of the book, so it's still very much relevant to us Malaysian mothers.

I only hope i am able to finish this book prior to delivery!

Midwife Hunting Pt 2

I had some ideas what a typical midwife does... prepares herbal & steam bath, lathers some funny smelling paste onto forehead & tummy, massages for hours (i like this one, i do.. i even have some ideas which areas she should focus more), and tends to the baby. Oh yeah, even wrap you up with a bengkung. But what i don't really know is.. which comes first, and how long will each session take.. and most importantly, how do i balance nursing with all these?

Husband, on the other hand, never saw any of these because back in the kampung, everyone DIYs. Well that's what he says anyway. And obviously, nobody really had sat down with him and taught him the basics of Malay confinement. But being a technical guy, he wants to know all he can, so he told me to get some referrals from friends who reside nearby.

From my conversation with friends, most of them had traditional bidan came over. But none of them went into specifics, which i was disappointed because i really wanted to know more. All they said was, they only pay on the basis of sincerity and they had to pick the lady up. 

So yes, the one recommended by my colleague stood out from the rest. Maybe because this colleague had described in such detail (cost, scope, experience) so I was sold on that. Mom had earlier gave her a call, and knowing how much they have in common, she literally would remind me everyday to book this lady. 

I called her one night, and to sum it up in points:

• She stays in Selayang, which is not that far from Keramat
• Available packages: 3 days (RM 6++), 7 days (RM 13++), 14 days (RM 26++), 21 days (i didn't ask)
• Apart from everything bidan, she cooks as well
• Transportation included
• Will also bring extra paste/herbal mix for sale, should we need more after her service ends
• Medical background so no hanky panky mambo jumbo pawang stuff. Speaks fluent English (most senior trained nurses are) as well
• Deposit RM 100, balance to be paid upon job completion
• She has assistants that could do the job in case you still want her packages but she's unavailable. 

Alhamdulillah, she's available on my due date. I'm not too worried if I deliver earlier, because as a former nurse, I'm pretty sure she has considered this prior to confirming my booking.  May everything goes smoothly as planned, InsyaAllah.

Midwife Hunting

As much as i'm Malay, and Javanese at that, I have to confess i'm not that well versed in traditional Javanese healing ways. I don't consume jamu (like ever), unlike staunch Javanese ladies who has tiny waist and glowing skin. The closest I ever got to this ermm tradition.. was when I was in the midst of getting married. Yes, Javanese spa, massages and all. I thought i smelt million bucks but husband didn't like the au naturel scent. Haha.

Well, the thing about being Malay too, is that it comes with a set of rituals of do's and don't's. From getting married to giving birth to other what-have-you's. Because I was raised in the city, I have rather zero knowledge in confinement Javanese style.. this too moulds my thinking into eliminating most rituals I find baseless (and obviously strays from Islamic principles) in Malay community. Such as, adat berlenggang perut, berendoi, cukur jambul.. even akar rempah thingy. Okay, so akar isn't khurafat, but it negates the scientific modern medicine, which I'm thankful Mom is a practitioner of!

So you can imagine the state of cluelessness I am in, when I have to think about this. Yes, part of me still believe there's some truth (make that logic) in Malay confinement practices, only the ones that doesn't medically affect me and my baby's health. I knew I'd have to start somewhere, but i don't know where. At first, i told mom to just pick one based on whom she knew.

WHAT WAS I THINKING?

My cousin then told me it's much better to get someone by recommendation. Like, duh! Why didn't that came to me naturally, for someone who researched about anything baby clothing related?  She related a story whereby a bidan somewhere in Penang cut open the doctor's stitches (!!!!) , which scared her (obviously). So she and husband selected few potential bidans and conducted interviews.

Yes, interviews. It sounds funny, but their questions were valid I tell you. Here's some:

a) Do you recite any prayer , other than ayat Quran?

b) Would you open up doctor's stitches?

c) Do you bathe the baby as well?

For (a), the reason was some bidans would recite chants that will somehow 'make' the baby cling to her every single day. So that when her period of service ends, the parents will have to engage her again cos the baby would be crying a whole lot. True story!

I listened with anxiety, but i didn't want to think so much then, because of the state of vulnerability i was in.. I decided to take things easy (i was 6 months pregnant then) and waited for husband to come home. Low and behold, the very next week, a colleague of mine suddenly talked about her bidan. 

She had heaps of praises for her, and looking at her figure, I knew she did a fantastic job! Of course, my friend's high metabolism plays a huge part in it, but i'll buy it anyway! She recommended her midwife apart from the reason above, because the lady comes from a family of midwife and she was also a nurse. I was sold immediately, and I knew Mom would too.

The cons: She charges a bomb, man! We're talking thousands here, for two weeks stint. And we'd have to think about her transportation.

Oh boy. Such huge pros, and cons to even it out. I told mom (and emphasized on the nurse point) and she agreed to it in less than a heartbeat. But of course! Even then, I still wasn't convinced (because of the cost) so I talked to husband.

He then asked me "what is a midwife's job scope?"

All technical evaluation, this guy..

29 at 29

All praises to Allah the Almighty, for He has granted us the journey this far, and with Allah's blessings, until junior reaches full term and possibly be out by end of that month :) Although I have experienced series of backaches, shoulder aches, nosebleed.. and recently pelvic bones ache, i still feel all of these pales in comparison with the active movements felt in my tummy :)

Anyhow, we have more or less 11 weeks to go, insya Allah. Suddenly time flies so fast, my heart starts beating every time i see Deliver Me on Discovery channel. I don't know how composed i will look during labour, although i try to psych myself by saying I will go through it gracefully. 

Right.. So i have created additional tabs in our Excel expenditure sheet, which consists of timeline and hospital bag checklist. In between husband's travelling, i no longer keep tabs on receipts because (a) most major items has been bought, and (b) i mostly buy little things like clothes and blankets which doesn't add up that much when he was away.

Timeline captures info such as weekly things to do, where to buy what vs time that i have before this baby pops out. I put in a 'Stop Shopping' alert in week 36, because i'd be full term then, and from that week, really, we're just counting days down. Hospital bag obviously lists stuff to be packed and stash in the car once week 37 reaches.

I have to say, i love checklists, despite its ability to silently tell me how (un)prepared we are by each week :) the feeling that i get everytime i update it post shopping trip... like i can now breathe normally. I suppose, that's one of the chapters i'm grateful i don't earn that much.. because the joy we get spending a little bit each month beats the spree.. anytime!

I do have an issue whenever we walk into baby store.. my mind will play games with my heart. Telling me we need more of this and that. More clothes, more blanket, more Medela bottles. Considering Mothercare sits up there, and quite far from my office (well, it is far to me) I rarely visit the store. Yeay for me and my purse!

I have gained 7 kgs from the start until now. If you ask me, yes i'm terrified as i have couple of months to go, which means anything could happen. But Nauzubillah, i'll just pray my weight wouldn't balloon that much. During our last checkup, my awesome gynae says my weight is pretty much nice looking on the graph. Alhamdulillah, anything for you dear baby :)

Check up for week 30 is due this Saturday, insyaAllah, hopefully all goes well. Big 3 is finally here! Baby stuff wise, Alhamdulillah we has crossed out so many items :) everything except car seat. And booking bidan. 

There's a lot to be done rupanya! Okay, i should talk about what need not, and what need to be bought.. 

Cot or Playpen, that is the question

Way before we found out I'm expecting (7 months now, Alhamdulillah), we made the decision for our future kids to sleep separately. For starters, they'll be co-rooming with us so they'll know Mommy & Papa are very near. But .. on a different bed :)

We had different opinions from other parents about this (harder to feed at night, they won't sleep sound, malas nak alih), but for now we are sticking firm to the plan and tawakkal the kids will happily oblige. So off we went to research land to discuss what type of bed would be suitable for the little one.

There's two options: cot and playpen. We took out the cutesy Moses basket / bassinet from the picture simply because the baby will grow quicker than the return of investment we'd get from purchasing one of these. It's fine to get one if you have extra cash and also for memory's sake, but for us it's not an immediate necessity :)

So our method was to decide either playpen or cot for our home. Our deciding factors were:

• space (same goes for stroller) and storage
• quantity (one of each, or one for both homes)

We then settled for playpen, seeing that we'll be spending some time for confinement at my parents' we can just pack it up and lug it back to Shah Alam. Of all brands sold in Malaysia, we love Graco (and spent hours browsing its online site) for its design, durability (from newborn to 7 years) and easy storage. 

Of course, we knew not many stores would carry that extensive range hence we may not get the design that we like, plus the price would be hefty. But considering this set can be used by future additions, this seems worth it. I did some research as to which mall in KL carries this brand, and found out First Few Years (only at The Curve and Paradigm) does, albeit limited models. Other warehouse outlets does sell this brand, but fewer choices than the ones sold in FFY. 

We saw this one the first time we step into FFY

Such a cutie, this one. Comes with a changing table, string of soft toys,  cover, diaper stack, wet wipes casing... all of these were music to my ears! For months we had set our minds to this model, and one weekend in Ramadhan we decided to purchase the set. I should also mention we made most purchases early, cos husband had some work assignments in Korea 1st week of Syawal itself, plus knowing my body strength, i knew i couldn't (and wouldn't) walk far come third trimester. 

We went to FFY The Curve, and listened to the sales pitch again. It was this time, that my gut spoke strongly for one of its function. That after certain weight, the bassinet has to be lowered, for safety reasons. Of course i am all for safety, so this kinda bugged me a lot. 

I pictured putting baby back to sleep would be straining my back, as the next level would be the bottom. The fact that this playpen is almost half of me, i could be falling inside it as well.

Jokes aside, i told husband of this concern and... immediately our focus switched. To baby cot, here we go! As The Curve sits opposite IKEA, that was where we headed next. Mind you, it was only few minutes before berbuka yet there we are, finalizing plans for cot. I told husband let's just have a look, we don't necessarily have to buy that day, but he was on a roll i suppose (well, looking at the time frame we had, travelling and all). 

We bought a cot and a drawer that day.. It was funny when i think back, that we rushed to gulp some mineral, perform our Maghrib prayers at Curve, rushed to IKEA, chose the model.. we almost completed our shopping trip when i insist to have dinner. It was 8 something, and pregnancy hunger is red level-high priority action item! Poor husband had to entertain his wife, so we walked back to Curve and had dinner at Bubba (worth mentioning he wants to eat here). Took our car afterwards to IKEA and i waited patiently while he quickly grab those two items and headed to payment counter.

That was some workout i tell ya.. But yeah, we had managed to tick off two items alhamdulillah. Right now, the list has evolved to including things to do (laundry, setting up cot, sterilize everything). Lots of things to do, but only one component missing: husband still away!