Cuz I am lucky ducky

So he is teething….for about a week or two! Ngeh ngeh ngeh…..moms, please be jealous of me! hehe…just kidding.

But I am lucky….his cranky phase is over before we know it….or is it just us? Is it because my husband n me is just too excited for him to even realized he is crankier than he usually is?!

Babies cry…that’s my motto…sometimes they cry because of no apparent reason… well…moms cry too….hew hew hew…

Talking about that…I am desperate to get my energy back! My extra energy…forget about being supermom! I am barely awake by 9 pm… well to be fair, I do get up at 4 or 5 just to pump…despite my sleep being interrupted few times by the little hand… 

but how did other moms do it?! How can they have the energy or the time to do anything else but taking care of their baby and go to work?!

Omg….i need helpppppp!!!

Baby Food

Food may cause constipation

Banana

Applesauce

Cereals

Breads

Pasta

White potatoes

Food to relieve constipation

Apricots

Spinach

The P’s fruit

Prunes

Peaches

Plums

Pears

Cruciferous vegetable

Broccoli

Brussels sprouts

Legumes (big NO NO for G6pdies

Beans

Peas

Lentils

Root Vegetables

Sweet potatoes

Raw beets

Carrot

The POWER of POWER-pumping

Ok….so power-pumping is what you should do when your milk-flow drop.

When power pumping, you will pump for 20mins, rest 10mins, pump again 10 mins then rest again, then pump again for 10mins. Means in total you need about 50-1hr. Well there is no definite time actually. Some pump for about 10 mins, rest 10 and repeat till 1 hour. (That’s what I did).

Why power-pump? Power-pump, in addition to drinking enough water and eating sensibly, can actually boost your milk-production. What it is supposed to do is actually sending signals to the brain that the baby needs more milk (through the suction)…hence the body will produce more milk. Forget the expensive milk-booster…this one is a definite success…just remember to eat and drink enough water.

I guess a much disciplined mom will do this at the same time every day. As for me, I power pump anytime I can. It was such a success to me that I guess I am addicted to it. It is tiring…mind you…sitting there for 1 hour…but the result is so convincing. Give it few days for the milk to come in…some said 3 days…some maybe less or more. Persevere..insya allah you will get the reward.  :)

Tips

Where should I even start?

Since the little one came to my life, I barely had time for anything else besides loving him… :P

But it is true…I am smitten! I am in love all over again. Woke up every day and see their faces…I am falling head over heels.

Good news good news… he is still fully breastfeed. Since I have started working, this is a new challenge to me. Maintaining a good supply is almost impossible. Just almost…but it is still possible. 

All it need is extra support and extra rest (which I can hardly get any lately).

People asked me how I managed to exclusively breastfeed him till now…I can’t give you any tips without saying I have been blessed with a very supportive husband and a very patient child. Even when there is no or little milk-flow, all my little guy did was whine…and all I can do is coax him and try again later. 

Nope…my baby is not baby-michelin…but he is not underweight either…and for that I am grateful. 

And nope…my fridge isn’t full with ebm. I expressed the milk today for his use tomorrow.  I keep in it the chiller instead of freezer. I am one of this paranoid mom who believes that chilled ebm is far better than frozen one, with one condition, u must use it within 2-3 days. 

When I am at home, I rarely give him bottle. Direct-latch is always better. Plus it helps with the minimal ebm I have. 

So there…that is all the tips I can tell you. When the milk-production is low, I choose to sleep and power-pump when I have enough rest. When I am at home, I choose direct-latch over bottle-feed. I tried to eat proper food and drink enough water (if not more).

It is hard…it is tiring. I can’t remember the last time I left home without my little guy (except when I left for work)…I can’t remember the last time I slept through the night cuz lately he woke up several time for night-feed. I can’t remember the last time I truly had a long shower… & I can’t remember the last time I stop thinking about him. J being a mom is absolutely tiring….absolutely over-whelming…absolutely time-consuming…but yet I have never feel more alive! ;)

Breastfeeding

Now i understand why some moms loves to upload their ebm (expressed breast milk)...cuz it really take a lot of energy n effort to pump! 

I cant comment more on pumping cuz ...hihi...i am too lazy to do so. Plus i find it easier to dl (direct latch) without all the bottle and pumping and storing fuss. 

When the nurse weighed him yesterday and told me he has reach 5kg, i m overjoyed. I felt like all my sweat and tears are paid off. All my short showers and quickie meal and 2second toilet break seems nothing now. My baby is 5kg in just 2 months. Meaning he is eating(well..drinking) well. Alhamdulillah. 

Give it overnight and suddenly i realized i am being selfish. This is not my 'contribution' alone. This is ours! My husband and me. Sure he is 'exempted' from feeding our baby but he is there for everything else! 

I can still remember when my obgyn asked me if i would bf my child and i said yes. I also told her that my husband is my biggest supporter. She smile widely and say, "his support is all you need"...and oh boy wasnt that the truth...all the help and back-rub he gave...just makes this bf journey so worthwhile. Totally worth while. 

I dont know why some moms choose fm...they must have their personal reason cuz every mom wants the very best for their child.

But those of you who are expecting, maybe i can advice you this, be prepared to bf your newborn. To exclusively bf your newborn. Trust yourself that your body will produce enough milk for your child...because that is the case unless you have medical reason (which is highly unlikely...). The first latch should be within 2hours after delivery...(mine was within 2-3hours...cuz they told me they need to keep my newborn under the warmer or something...they intend to do so for 5hours, if i m not mistaken, but my husband, keeps on asking the nurse and finally they agree to bring our newborn to us...i mean he is ours...didnt i just push him out into the world?! And why would he need a warmer when his mom is alive and able to warm him up?! Manas padu pasal ya..haha)...

Anyway...my point is, try hard and try harder to bf your newborn. If you have a very hard time after deliver and you cant dl..its ok...you can expressed ur milk and gave it to the nurse...ask them to feed ur newborn using feeding cup or spoon or syringe.. tell them that you plan to bf your newborn and surely they will understand...

If they dont...oh well...its ok. Once you n ur baby are home, start to dl...never ever give up...never ever scold your newborn...sooth them and try again...they might wail their heart out...take a deep breath and try again...its ok...sooth them..hold them lovingly...insya allah...  ;) 

P/s: its not that easy for me either but i am desperate....i am desperately wanting to bf my baby...and alhamdulillah my prayers are answered...