Baby Isaac @ 8 months Old

My 8 month old precious has started to show signs of being mischievous.  At this point, amongst the things that he can do are:

- Shake his head (vigorously) when you say “No! No!”

- Just learned to say “Pa Pa Pa Pa Pa”. On repeat mode. 

- Trying to psycho him to say “Ma Ma”.  He’ll usually shake his head.

- When in awe, he'll usually go "UhhHHhHhhh" with an "O" shape.

- Can give a high 5.

- Depending on mood, can do Twinkle Twinkle Little Star.

- Knows what is Bang! Bang! and then proceed to bang on the table.

- Occasionally can clap his hands. 

- Sometimes can wave bye bye.

- Likes to bite people. Especially on their faces. 

- Able to scoot around very fast. Not able to crawl properly yet.

- Able to sit very stably on his own.

- Learning to grab onto things to hold himself up.
- Loves to roll around on our bed. 

- Is in a “koala bear” phase. He love to cling onto me. 

- He screams when things don't go his way. 

- Cries and will reach out for you for attention.

- Knows when and how to manja to get things done his way.

- Showing signs of separation anxiety.

- Dislike being in a huge crowd of unknown people. He'll end up crying hysterically and being in a "koala" mode.

We have started him on semi-solid ever since he was 6 months old. He's on 3 times solid now with 3 times of milk. I'm very pleased that he is not too picky/fussy on food - he'll usually chomp them down. And if you are not fast enough, he'll end up crying screaming for more. Of course if those that he doesn't like, he'll end up spitting them out or clamping his mouth shut. If you continue to force him, he'll use his hands and grab the spoon or will inevitably end up crying screaming. Yup, this boy knows exactly what he wants! 

On my breastfeeding journey, I'm sad to announce that I'm on mix-feeding. Once on breastmilk and twice on formula milk. Mummy can't catch up to his demands anymore - he's now taking a total of 7.5oz at each feed. :( And may I say, formula milk is so darn expensive! We're feeding him organic Bellamy formula milk. Apparently, the closest you can get to breastmilk in terms of components. 

I vow for my #2, I will push myself to direct latch more and to go on exclusive breastfeeding as long as I can.

My precious is growing up way to fast! I love waking up next to him every morning and cuddling him to sleep in the night. Better enjoy it whilst I still can before he eventually outgrows all the snuggling sessions. 

Love;

Mummy Geri

Baby Isaac @ 6 Months Old

How time flies! Isaac boy is 6 months old!

He is such a joy to be with. I love rushing back from work and seeing him laughing and smiling away. To think that initially I was so worried whether if I'll be a good mother and how on earth am I gonna manage a baby! I wanted him to grow up fast.

Now I want him to slow down.. I'm beginning to miss his infant-hood! :(

Here are some of his milestones:

He slept through the night at 2.5 months old. Good boy! So that Mummy and Daddy can be well rested for work. :) He has learned how to flip and turn over.Recently have learned how to lift his cute butt up and lunge forward. My baby boy is attempting to crawl soon!

Very chatty! He will go coo~ing and aah~ing when he sees us. He blabbers a lot too I'm psycho-ing him to call mama :p I think he's teething as he's drooling a lot and he nibbles on things. He's biting on people's fingers, knuckles, and shoulders! He's quite a kay poh chi observant little baby. Always looking at people with his mouth open wide.

Relatively easy baby. Not much fuss. :) He loves the water! He'll kick and "paddle" in his bath tub - making us all wet!

He loves music too - all thanks to my Mum. He love it when people sings to him. When he sleeps, he loves being surrounded by a lot of pillows, only leaving his little face exposed. And he wants people to hold his hands too. -.-"

Extremely good in manja~ing. He'll snuggle his face into your shoulder and chest. And when no one is around, he'll cry and reach out his hands for you to be carried.

Started on semi-solid i.e. avocado and he loves it. He love his food just like Daddy.

And he loveeeee his Mummy's milk :)

Love;

Mummy Geri

I choose to NOT vaccinate my child

Source: The Star

I have made the informed decision with the consensus of my husband to delay Isaac's vaccination until he's at least 2 years old. Then we'll decide from there whether if we want to proceed with it or not. He has taken all of his compulsory shots up until 4 months old.

Initially when I was pregnant, I was one of those judgmental person who thinks that mothers who choose not to vaccinate their children are crazy, ridiculous, selfish, and is putting their babies at risk for infectious disease.

And then, I was opened up the what vaccines contained and what are the adverse side effects that could potentially harm my child. I am grateful to one of my friend who introduced me into a group so that I can read up more on it and to consult them on my worries/concerns before making an informed decision. Noticed I keep using the word informed. I do not recommend people to just follow blindly on whether if they choose to vaccinate. The decision is yours. Do your own research.

Below are the reasons as to why I would want to delay Issac's vaccination :

(1) Do you know exactly what is being injected into your baby? I strongly suggest for you to read up on this article. It clearly states the breakdown and the effects of each of the vaccines on your child. You'll be surprised that most of the items listed down are toxic to your child's body. Look at some of the real cases on the adverse effects of a vaccine injury on a child - on a worse case, it could lead to death. Would you want to expose your child to it? Think about it.

Here are some links on cases where babies succumb to their vaccine injuries. I shall not post the pictures here but you may view them in the links below. It is very heart-wrenching.

Baby Dies After 9 Vaccines in One Day  

Ian's Voice (I cried reading baby Ian's story.. so much of suffering)

And one more case.. closer to home : 16-year old Malaysian boy paralyze after receiving his tetanus jab

(2) Vaccination does not equal to immunization. That explains the booster shots. Further, in my opinion it is better to allow your child to fight off the disease himself to strengthen his immune system naturally. It is all about good hygiene and proper sanitation. 

(3) MMR vaccine causes autism. Read up here. 

After reading all of the above, it is a risk that I'm not willing to take. To knowingly allow toxin being injected into my baby. 

I am the mother. And as a mother, my role is to protect my child at all cost.

Love;

Mummy Geri

Breastfeeding (Part 1) - The Journey So Far

Today I want to talk about my breastfeeding journey so far. I'm not gonna lie.. it's not easy. People has the misinterpretation that breastfeeding is the most natural and easy thing to do. It's not. You need sheer determination and perseverance to not give up and give in to that tin of formula milk. 

You have to constantly battle with supply issue - not everyone is blessed with abundance of supply. Some mummies even have too much of supply they suffered from mastitis. Sometimes I get blocked ducts and lumps too - it's annoyingly painful and you would have to massage it to unblock the duct.

Thank God I have good support from my parents, friends, and my confinement lady - else it would be an uphill battle. Of course, joining sites like The Breastfeeding Advocates Network (TBAN for short) on FB really helps a lot - where all mummies come together and connect to share a common goal i.e. breastfeeding. 

Being an exclusively breastfeeding mum who is also working full time, you have to be extra hardworking to pump out your milk to ensure that the baby has enough supply at the daycare. Thankfully I have an understanding boss who is ok with me taking time off to pump in the office.

Truthfully I did occasionally think about quitting but when I look at my boy thriving on the breastmilk and growing up strong and healthy, I know what I'm doing is the correct thing. And then I will persevere one month at a time.

I guess at the end of the day it is mostly your mental and how determined or stubborn you are that makes breastfeeding a success.

My personal target is to fully breastfeed Isaac until 6 months old. Thereafter, I will set another milestone. :)

.. 2 more months to go ...

p/s: My only qualms is that I wished I could have direct latch him more. Now I've became an exclusively pumping mum. I miss having to direct latch him. Maybe for #2, I will try harder at latching. :) 

Love;
Mummy Geri

Review : Giving Birth in SDMC

I had stated previously on why did i choose SDMC to give birth. And how I have been through it, I am glad that I've chosen this hospital. 

The only downside is that this hospital is amongst one of the more expensive private hospital to give birth in. My total bill (inclusive of the baby) came up to approximately RM9k! Bear in mind that this is an induced natural birth with epidural and not even a c-sect. Can't imagine what's the cost of a c-sect. When we looked through the itemized bill, the hospital in itself charges the most (surprisingly not the professional fees of the gynea or the anesthesiologist or the nursery and pediatrics).

Oh and also there is no additional sleeping chair for your spouse. You may rent a lazy chair but it is very uncomfortable. In the labour ward, there is no sofa chair as well. Room is rather small as well.

What I love about SDMC:

1. Dr Delilah, my awesomest gynecology in the whole wide world
- calm, cool, and collective. In my 25 hours of labor she kept coming in the check on me - even in the wee hours of the morning.
  
2. Midwives
- all very professional and patient.

3. Dr Ngui, the anesthesiologist who did my epidural
- fantastic, didn't feel a thing.

4. Labour Ward
- very warm and comfortable (not scary like those you see in movies)

5. Nursing Care
- Thumbs up!

6. Nursery
- Very pro-breastfeeding. After the baby is taken to the nursery to be heated up for 2 hours, the baby will be taken to you for breastfeeding. Everytime the baby is hungry, the nurses will bring the baby to you for feeding. The nurses will teach you how to latch correctly and is on-call 24 hours should you encounter any problems. Rooming in with the baby is encouraged. No formula milk is given unless consent is given by the mother.

7. Dr Sanjay, the peadiatricion
- Extremely gentle with babies. Love that he encourages breastfeeding as well.

So there you go.. given a choice (and the budget), I would definitely choose SDMC again to give birth.

Love,
Mummy Geri

Life as a Mummy

Sorry for the lack of updates. With the baby and being a first-time mum, life has been extremely hectic. Everything is centered around the little one and there is no such thing as a 'me' time anymore. Proper bathing is a luxury item now and is a thing of the past.

Don't even talk about leaving the house for movies, shopping, leisure walks, hi-tea etc. 

Yes, I'm not gonna lie. Much has to be sacrificed. It is tough. I do get very frustrated especially when my boy fuss around and you have no idea why is he behaving like that. Worse is when you have lack of sleep. Thank God my mum has been coming around often just to help me so that I could take a breather. Truly grateful for that.

So far mummy~hood has been not too bad. Am beginning to slowly get the hang of things and understanding baby Isaac's pattern and routines. 

Well, he is now coming to 2-months old. How time flies. Some of his significant milestones are:

- Smile voluntarily (my heart melts each time).

- Coo and responds to us.

- Lift up his head.

- Turn to his sides (I have a feeling he's gonna flip over soon)

- Sleep through the night (hallelujah!)

His last 1-month checkup shows that his progress has been on the upper percentile which means he has been growing at an above average rate (not fat ok) in terms of length and weight. All on cap susu ibu (more on breastfeeding later).

Yup, and here's a simple collage of my little prince.

Love;

Mummy Geri

My Birth Story - Baby Isaac Lee

Baby Isaac Lee

Baby Isaac Lee was delivered on the 17th November 2012 at 1:20pm. Mummy had to go through 25 hours of labor with excruciating contraction pain in the final hour when Mummy was pushing the baby out. Am still   in the hospital as the baby has slight jaundice and needs to be put under photo-therapy.

Seeing and cuddling Baby Isaac in my arms now makes it all worth it. And here is my birth story :)

- 16th November 2012 -

8:30am:

The day when I was to be induced. Took a nice long shower and washed my hair. Me, Bear, and my parents had our breakfast in a nearby mamak stall. Thank God for that because I was to fast during my long hours of labor, which I totally didn't expect.

9:30am - 11:00am:

Admitted ourselves into the labor ward and changed into my hospital gown. Was given enema to move my bowels. A light meal of porridge was served. A vaginal examination (VE) was done - meaning the midwives will jab their fingers down there and go all the way up the cervix to check for dilation. I couldn't even take the pain and discomfort so they kinda abandon plan and said that I definitely need epidural, which I totally agree. 

The labor ward in SJMC

11:30am - 12:30pm:

Was induced via insertation of pill in the vagina. And waited for contraction to start. It didn't and the midwives wanted to start me on drip to further induce. I was already quite scared at this point because I can't stand needles. And they took 4 tries trying to poke that drip needle because they couldn't find my vein. It was horrid. 

2:00pm:

Dr Delilah came in to check on me and was kinda agitated on why was I not on the drip yet. She inserted the drip herself in one try. 

2:30 - 4:00pm:

Start to feel the contraction pain which is once in every 2 minutes. Requested for an epidural first at 4:00pm because I was too chicken to go through the full force of contraction pain.

Epidural machine

4:30pm:

The anesthesiologist came in an administered the epidural. Truth be told, I was terrified because I know that a small tube will be inserted to my backbone where painkiller will be pumped into my system to numb the area below my waist. However, the procedure was pretty painless and the anesthesiologist was very gentle. Really nothing to be scared about. 

5:00pm:

The effect of epidural starts to kick in and I was pretty relax by now. So I sent Francis down for his lunch. He was pretty famished by then.

7:00pm:

The midwives did VE and I was 3cm dilated. Dr Delilah came and broke my waterbag by inserting a long thong-like scissors into my vagina all the way up to the cervix to poke. This will speed up contraction much significantly. Thank God I don't feel anything. Everytime when the VE is done, the midwives will also insert a catheter to drain out my urine (because of the epidural, I am unable to feel the urge to pee.) 

- 17th November 2012 -

2:00am:

Only 6 cm dilated. By now, I was already mentally very tired and extremely hungry. Sucked on sweets which Francis got my dad to buy and took sips of water. You are not allowed to eat or drink anything when on epidural because you may end up vomiting. Sent Francis downstairs to our single ward room to sleep for a bit as he was getting very uncomfortable sitting on the chair in the labor room.

3:00am:

Suddenly there was a beep in the baby's heart machine - seems like the baby was in distressed. I was so worried for the little one as I was in labor for so long and the waterbag has been broken for some time. Turns out that I was having low grade of fever and the midwives quickly gave me panadol and injected antibiotic intravenously. By now, my BP has also dropped and Dr Delilah instructed for the induce to be temporarily removed to stabilized by BP.  

6:30am:

I was 7cm dilated. Extremely slow progress so I was put back on the induce drip. By now, I was crying to myself because it was really tiring and I was mentally very exhausted. It was made worse with me having no food or water for hours, which makes me physically very tired as well.

9:00am:

Dilated to 9cm. Was getting very excited because I only had 1 more cm to go before I can push the baby out. And I knew the end is very near after the long waiting hours.

Really tired

11:00am:

Finally dilated to a full 10cm and the midwives asked to switched off the epidural so that I would know when to push with the contraction pain. I was extremely terrified because of the on-coming pain.

11:30am - 12:30pm:

Started to feel mild contractions as the epidural begins to wear off. I was asked to start pushing. By now, the baby's head has crown. Dr Delilah was suppose to come in at 12:00pm to assist in the delivery but she was held up in the OT and subsequently with another natural delivery.

Machine to monitor baby heart rate and contraction.

12:30pm - 1:00pm:

By now I felt the full-blown contraction and I had stopped pushing. I screamed, teared, and wanted to give up with every contraction pain. It was so bad I wanted to die (not being drama about it ok). The midwives had to quickly called Dr Delilah and informed that the patient was in distressed. I screamed for the epidural to be switched on again. It was done but only half-dose. It brought no pain-relieve whatsoever for me. 

1:00pm:

I was still screaming in pain when the Dr came in. Somehow despite the pain, I was relieved to see her because I knew that I was in safe hands. She quickly assisted me to help vacuum the baby out and instructed me to push when the contraction came. In the moment of confusion and daze, a few midwives had to hold my legs down. I was given a towel to bite to stop myself from screaming. My drip was pulled off from the commotion. 

1:20pm:

By God's grace and enabling, despite the pain I managed to push baby Isaac out with Dr Delilah's help and it was the most beautiful thing ever. She put him on my tummy and then instructed Francis to cut the umbilical cord. The minute the baby was out, I was almost going in and out of consciousness from the pain and tiredness. From now, everything was a blur. I knew that the placenta was pushed out. I knew Dr Delilah was stitching me up but yet I felt nothing. I knew that they took the baby to be weigh and warmed up under the heater but I just couldn't respond to his cries.  

Baby Isaac straight from the oven

After everything was done and I was cleaned up, I was allowed in the room by myself with the lights shut off the rest and sleep. 

3:00pm:

Once my energy was regained, I was wiped and sponged down. Thereafter, was transported back to the normal single ward. Food was served which I chomped down gladly. Around this time was when I had a good look at baby Isaac. 

There was such overflowing joy and love for the baby that all the pain that I had endured earlier was totally forgotten. 

Love;

Mummy Geri

Week 39 : Still No Signs Yet

In case some of you who don't know, that is how Week 39 looks like. I assume that most mummies would have delivered by then and won't know how a bump at Week 39 looks like. 

During my recent checkup yesterday, the Dr was saying that although baby bear is already engaged, he still seems pretty "far up" - meaning he has not gone further down the cervix. In view of that, the Dr opines that my delivery may be exactly on the expected due date i.e. Nov 15 or later. 

Looks like our dear baby bear here is getting a tad to comfy inside mummy's tummy. 

I am still pestering talking to the boy everyday to come out and see us when the time is right so that mummy will not need to be induced. I hope he is listening inside there. :)

Dr Delilah assured me to not be so kan cheong and that I should enjoy my leave time off now. I should relax and do the things I love. Sleep as much as I can. Because when the baby comes along, I will be severely deprived of all those items. And having quiet time by myself or with the hubby would be a something of a luxury. 

So yup ... there are no signs or symptoms yet that points to delivery being anytime soon. I shall take Dr Delilah's advise and enjoy my time whilst I still can. :)

But one thing's for sure when the time comes, I will definitely miss the little one kicking inside my tummy. 

Waiting Anxiously;

Mummy Geri

The Waiting Game ...

is no fun! -.-"

I am sitting at home doing nothing except to wait for signs of labour. My friend today had send me a prayer link which I love a lot and this will be my mantra prayer until I deliver. She's due the same time as me. :)

"Father, as I look forward to delivery of my sweet baby, having enjoyed a blessed pregnancy of full duration, I thank You in advance for Your word, Your blessings, Your peace, Your presence, and Your divine intervention. I pray and confess that my body and my baby will cooperate with perfect, supernatural delivery, that there will be no problems of any kind. I also believe and declare that my labor and delivery will be quick, short, easy, and painless. I believe and declare that I'll have time to get to the proper place with proper help. 

Baby, in Jesus' name, you move and place yourself in perfect position for birth: head first, not breech and face down. You rotate properly as God intended you to. I command the umbilical cord to be in proper position as well. Body, you function perfectly during this time. I have perfect peace and am relaxed. All fear must go and stay gone for I have God, who is perfect love and casts of fear. My body will not be tense, but relax, at peace. I speak specifically to all the parts of my body to come in line with God's Word and Will.   

Father, I believe that at the proper time for delivery my water will break and my uterus will do its job and begin to contract and push my baby down the birth canal and out into our loving arms and lives. I command my cervix to dilate fully to 10cm, to be elastic and stretch. To the uterus, vagina, perineum, vulva as well as my cervix, you relax, be elastic and stretch without causing pain or any complications. Accommodate the birth of my baby. Furthermore, I declare in Jesus' name that I will not tear or need an episiotomy. Father, pain is under the curse of the Law, and your Word says that Jesus bore our pain, so I rebuke all pain and will not tolerate pain. I will have a short, easy, pain free delivery in Jesus' name." 

AAAAAMMMMEEEENNNNNN ~! :)

Love;

Mummy Geri

Pregnancy Update : Week 38 (Anytime Now!!)

During my last check-up on the 31st Dec, Dr Delaila has uttered the magic words:

"Your baby is already engaged." 

And so my next question to her was :

"When can I go on leave?"

:D

And that explains why I am bumming around doing at home at this point in time. Free 1 week of leave~!! Honestly, I only wanted to go off next week but due to some idiotic people issues, I decided to take the rest that is needed as advised by Dr Delaila. 

According to the Dr, I will be early but only a couple of days - however she did caution that since the baby is already engaged, I better be prepared to welcome our bundle of joy anytime. She asked me to pack my bags and make sure it is with me at all times just in case. She also asked me to watch out for signs of labor and just get enough rest at home because I won't be getting any when baby bear comes along.

Do I feel any different, now that I am so close to the finish line? 

(1) Since the baby is engaged, whenever he moves it kinda "jabs" at my bladder and "down-there", so it can be uncomfortable.

(2) I do feel some mild contractions pretty often now. How can I tell? It is when my stomach suddenly tightens to almost like a spasm kinda feeling. And then the spasm is released. This is confirmed by Dr when I did my last ultrasound scan and she could feel my muscles tightening.

(3) Walking is now a chore because I feel the weight of the baby and it feels as though he is gonna "drop off" anytime.

(4) The baby's movement is quite prominent and can usually catch me offguard. 

(5) I get hungry very fast and very often. My portions has been increased as well. Take for instance yesterday's dinner, I had Maggie soup, char siew pau, and roti bakar. My appetite is insane! -.-"

(6) Backache is my constant companion now. And I do get heartburns occasionally.

(7) The toilet is my favourite place. Can't keep my bladder in for long now.

(8) Can still sleep well because I am used to sleeping on my side. 

(9) Can't bend down or is flexible anymore as the tummy gets in the way.

(10) I get very tired and worn out easily.

Other than the above, it is quite "business as usual" for me. No significant changes or symptoms yet. So, yes at this point in time it is a waiting game.

I keep going to the toilet to check if my waterbag has leak.

And I am waiting very anxiously. 

Love;

Mummy Geri

Pregnancy Update : Week 37 (I am full-term now!)

Note: Will upload my 37 weeks baby bump when I get back home later. 

Or in other words, my pregnancy has reached its F.U.L.L  T.E.R.M.

Which means like or not ready or not the baby bear will make an appearance very very soon (or loosely translated to : a.n.y.t.i.m.e.).

(Actually technically, at this point in time I am almost 38 weeks)

As of my last checkup with Dr Delaila two weeks back, the baby bear has not engaged yet although he is sitting at a pretty low position - which explains why I need to rush to the toilet almost every 30 minutes to pee due to the pressure. On second thought, I guess it could be because Mummy is short petite hence the torso area is short so the baby bear is too cramped up inside. Or maybe he has long limbs and tall like Daddy.

I shall go with the second reason. *denial*

I have been asking around (via FB) on whether if it is common for babies to make an appearance earlier than the expected due date (EDD). And yes, based on some experienced mummies, they do. Some say 2 weeks in advance and most of them 1 week in advance. Which means according to my EDD which is Nov 15, it could be either this week or the next.

0_o" 

No wonder people in the office and even my big boss keep on asking me on why am I still around and not going off on leave already. Yes, I am an employee contoh - hardworking like that. *ahem* I want that promotion next year~!!

Physically, I am still able albeit walking a little like a penguin now. Stamina has gone down by notches and I would need to catch my breath after a long short walk or even standing up for too long. I am still driving myself around. Can still concentrate on my work although I do doze off once a while. Am still attending meetings. Heck, I am even joining my team's karaoke session this Friday! 

Staying home alone for the next few days also is ok for me.

Yes, I am independent like that. :)

Well of course, my hospital bag is on-the-go with me all the time la.. just in case. 

All of the baby stuff and necessities have already been bought and set-up - except for a few bottles that I haven't got to washing yet. Oh.. and I need to prepare the bedding for the cot too. 

Honestly, I am quite surprised at myself at handling the impending child-birth pretty calmly. From young I always had a fear of this moment because I am terrified of hospitals and needles and everything that is related to it (I had an open eye surgery when I was a toddler - will further elaborate on another blog post). I guess it's the preparation of the antenatal class, talking to friends, and in general anticipating for the arrival of the baby bear outweighs the fear. Of course, knowing exactly how I want to manage the pain (i.e. epidural all the way) also helps a lot. 

I guess ultimately the trick is to take everything with a laugh and a smile. Stay positive, and I will be able to go through childbirth without any problems. Of course, trusting and focusing on God is also very crucial as well.

Actually, I am more concern about taking care of the baby, the late nights, the breastfeeding, whether if we will be good parents etc.

And we've finally came to an agreement on the baby's name - managed to convince bear to deviate away from his list of Man U player names *roll eyes*. Choosing a nice and not too common name with a good meaning is pretty tough. It is an important duty of the parents to not come up with a stupid funny name or risk your child being taunted and made fun of for the rest of his/her life. Ohh.. such burden! His Chinese name will be determined by my father-in-law - yes, I may be open-minded, but certain Chinese customary must be followed and this is one of it. 

So yeah ... we've about 16 days to go and Mummy can't wait to see you Baby I (oh.. that's a hint!). Am already constantly imagining on how you would look like already. Such exciting times ahead!!

Love;

Mummy Geri

Review : Antenatal Class with Jenlia

In my opinion,  antenatal class is extremely important especially for first time parents as we do not know what to expect. It is better to learn from the expert than go around listening to hear-says from other people because their "advises" could be wrong - although they meant well I am sure. 

Truthfully, we didn't do any research on which classes to attend. We selected Jenlia based on good recommendation from friends who had attended their class and naturally because their classes are conducted in SDMC where I am going to give birth at. 

Jenlia charges RM350 per couple and there are 4 classes which are conducted on Fridays (7:30pm) and Saturdays (2:30pm). Each session lasts about 3 hours. The educators are qualified midwives who had garnered their experience from UK. Both me and Bear had thoroughly enjoyed the sessions and we found them very useful. 

Here are my thoughts on the sessions: 

Session 1

Recognizing derivations from normal progression in pregnancy.

Preparation for parenthood.

Relaxation technique.

Antenatal exercise. 

--> This session was pretty easy-going and light. It is a very basic class on what to expect and what to look out for during your pregnancy and into the first few months with the arrival of the new baby. I have forgotten how to do the antenatal exercise actually. 

Session 2
Importance of early breastfeeding. 
Steps to successful breastfeeding.
Care of self post-csect.
Signs of labor.
Admission procedures.

--> I totally love this session especially on the topic of breastfeeding because I know it is not easy. It is good to be mentally prepared and learn the correct techniques to ensure that I won't give up too easily when the time comes to breastfeed. Also, knowing what are the signs of labor and admission procedures keeps us on our toes to look out for symptoms and not panic when the time comes when the baby bear arrives. 

 Session 3

Tour of labor suite.

Husband's role during labor and delivery.

Preparation for normal labor and delivery.

Normal labor and delivery process.

Pain management.

Breathing techniques.

--> Touring of the labor suite was very interesting. Looking at the suite, my fear of giving birth somewhat was lifted off a little because it looks pretty cozy. It doesn't feel cold and scary like in the operating theater. Secondly was on pain management. I have pretty made up my mind that epidural is the way to go the minute I can use it to completely take away the pain (yes, I am wussy like that). We were thought on how to handle labor and the actual birth, when to push, what to expect, and what is the role of the husband (not to stand there and look pretty ok). We were also shown a video of an actual child birth using epidural - and seriously, this session overall really calmed me down a lot. There is not so much fear of childbirth anymore. I also forgot the breathing techniques.. I hope my husband still remembers them. 

Session 4
Care and support for mothers during puerperium .
The newborn - what to expect in the first few months.
Meeting the needs of your newborn.

--> Informative on post-birth care for the mothers and basic 101 care for a newborn like bathing, swaddling, sleeping position etc.

The subject matter which are being thought are very basic and is only an overview, which is good enough as a headstart. Typically, you are encourage to join an antenatal class about 2 months before your due date. 

Love;

Mummy Geri

Why Did I Choose SDMC to Give Birth?

No.. I have not given birth yet. But I am due really soon (about 3 weeks from now assuming that I don't go into early labor). I've been asked by some friends on why did I choose SJMC SDMC as my preferred choice to deliver my first baby given that it is not that near to my house compared to the other hospitals like Assunta or Pantai Bangsar. 

After talking and consulting my friends who are now mummies, I am convinced that I've made a correct choice based on the following reasons.

(1) My Gynecology Dr Delaila.

She is the best ever. She is God-sent. And I heart her a lot. Also, I trust no one to deliver my baby bear but her. Of course, she is also based in SDMC :)

(2) Pro-Breastfeeding.

Very very important. I need a hospital that supports breastfeeding 100%. In SDMC, they have designated lactation consultants who will attend to you immediately after you give birth to assist first-time mummies, making sure that the baby latch-on correctly and to answer any queries that you may have on breastfeeding.

I've asked around and apparently the nurses are also very supportive of breastfeeding. They will make it a point to bring your baby to you every two hourly for him/her to direct latch onto your breast to stimulate milk supply. 

From one of my friend's recently not-so-good experience in TMC in another hospital,  the nurses just chuck the baby to her and left her there alone to figure out on what to do. She is like me a first-timer too. Sheesh .. bad bad service!

(3) Nurses / Medical Personnel. 

Overall feedback on the nurses are good. Gentle, patient, and caring. I have two friends in fact who recently gave birth in TMC another private hospital who said that the nurses are clueless on what to do during the delivery. That is real bad! 

(4) Facilities.

Top-notch facilities. They even have Dome, Subway, and 1901 Hotdog! Need I say more? 

(5) Labor Ward. 

During our antenatal class, we had a tour of the labor ward and I have to say that it was far from what I imagine it to be (always thought that it would look like an operating theater). The room is like your standard single room in the hospital, only bigger. Fully-equipped with the necessary medical equipment, TV, lazy chair for your husband, and in general .. somewhat.. pleasant and not too menacing and scary.

(6) Choosing the Best - Because I Can.

Naturally, giving birth in SDMC is not exactly cheap (what is the standard package price anyway?). During my pre-admission, I have enquired on the estimated cost and assuming if there is no C-Sect, the cost would come to approximately RM4,500 - RM5,000. I am pretty blessed because out of it my company is subsidizing RM3,000. On top of it, my company further subsidized on the room for RM168/night. *hallelujah*

And so, that concludes why SDMC is my choice. Of course, the "actual review" can only be done after I've given birth la. So wait for it ok ... that is if I have the time still when the baby bear comes along la.

Love;

Mummy Geri

Pregnancy Update : Week 35 (We are Almost There!)

During my last check-up with Dr Delilah on 8 Oct, she mentioned that my baby bear is lying head down a bit low and she reckoned that I may have an early delivery. 

0_o" 

I think she saw my panicked face and quickly added that it will be at most 1 - 1 1/2 weeks earlier. Which means around the first week of November. Which means it would be about 3 weeks from now.

0_0"

And then she went on the schedule my next check-up earlier on the 19 Oct in the afternoon. She suspects that by then my baby would be engaged.

Source: Baby Center

-.-"

My Level of Readiness: 

Wahlau ... too much of information to absorb in that one night of checkup. My hospital bag also haven't packed yet. I've been procrastinating. Good thing is that my baby cot has been set-up and most of the clothing and bedding has been washed. Only thing left are the bottles, sterilizer,  breast pumps etc. And Bear would be travelling too sometime in October, I hope I don't go into labour when he's not around. :(

Need to schedule my wax appointment before delivery too!!

Pregnancy: 
Am beginning to miss my pregnancy severely. :( Aside from that, everything is going on track. Praise God for that. Just that sometimes I feel a bit of a backache and the muscle just beneath my breast feels sore from baby bear's constant moving and kicking.

In the next check-up, Dr Delilah will do a vagina swab test to see if I have Group B Strep (read more here) which is a type of bacteria that invades your vagina and may be infected  onto your baby upon delivery. If that happens, for the first 12 hours after birth, your baby will be closely monitored for fear of infection. This could lead to death of the baby.

So pray for me ya ... that my test will turn out negative. :)

Baby: 
The little bear has been having a field time kicking mummy pretty hard. I also understand - the space in my uterus is getting a little cramped up. Sometimes the movement is so vigorous, it almost felt like a spasm! Oh ya, from the scan Dr Delilah said that my baby bear has a nice sharp nose (just like mummy!) :)

Birth Plan:
Nothing too extreme or gung-ho. Dr Delilah has given me a letter meant for pre-admission procedures in SJMC.

I would like to have the following:
- Normal vaginal birth.
- Epidural to be given as soon as I can (usually dilated up to 2-3cm).
- If can, no episiotomy.
- If can, no vacuum or forceps.
- I would want my hubby to be there.
- I would want to bring my pillow busuk in also.
-Just be positive, with no expectations... and relax.

So yeap, ready or not .. the baby bear is gonna make an appearance soon :)

Love;
Mummy Geri

An Open Letter to the Baby Bear

Hie Baby Bear!

We are about 43 days of seeing you. That's like a little over a month. Yes, mummy and daddy is extremely excited. Especially daddy. He couldn't stop talking and telling everyone about it. :)

Mummy on the other hand is excited too ... but nervous and to some extent scared on the delivery. When it's time for you to come out, please come out fast fast so that mummy will have minimal pain ok. :)

Mummy always wonder how you would look like. I hope you will look pretty handsome and fair like mummy and tall like daddy. :p Just joking!! Both of us will be happy so long as you are healthy and strong. Speaking about strong, mummy have been feeling your kicks and my goodness ... you really are a little kungfu panda huh? 

Mummy have one request though ... can you sleep when mummy sleep and only start kicking when mummy is awake? You are keeping me awake at wee hours of the morning leh.

Daddy has been talking to you a lot, did you hear him? Pretty naggy huh? But he just wants the best for you. It's cute when you sometimes respond to him by nudging probably asking him to keep quiet. Yes, unfortunately, your daddy does talk a lot - you will see that when you are out in November. 

Throughout this pregnancy, mummy has been blessed that everything has progressed normally with no complications. You have been good as well and have been growing wonderfully. But you are a shy one, aren't you? Everytime Dr Delaila want to do a 4D scan on you so that mummy and daddy can see your cute bear face, you will face down and cover with your hands. You really want to surprise us huh? 

How will you be when you grow up? Whose character will you take after? Mummy and daddy don't ask for much - so long as you grow up to be a good God-fearing man, then everything will fall into place. :) 

As much as both of us promise to love you unconditionally, unfortunately (or fortunately) for you, mummy and daddy has zero tolerance towards bad discipline and yes, you will get hard knocks every now and then. You will thank us later in your adulthood, we are pretty sure of it. 

Mummy and daddy promise to do whatever we can in our capacity to love, nurture, and provide for you. 

Can't wait to see you. :)

p/s: Did we mention that you will be circumcised at birth? :p

Love;

Mummy and Daddy

To-Do List : 1-Month Before Expected Delivery Date

I was still going through my normal routine happily when bear went around telling (almost) everyone in sight that I am only 7 weeks to my delivery date.

And that freaked me out got me on my toes and then I realised that my nursery is not set up yet. My hospital bag check-list is not done yet. Some other essential stuff has not been bought yet.

0_o"

So I was Googling and was bombarding my friend on what to expect, what to bring along, and what to do upon admission to the hospital (coincidentally two of her kids were delivered in SJMC by Dr Delilah).

I know a lot of first-time mummies like me are clueless, so I shall take the liberty of listing down whatever useful information that I have with me on hand.

Hopefully, you first-timers out there will find it useful. :)

What to Pack in Your Hospital Bag?

(i) Mummy:

- Pajamas (2-piece with button down shirt for easy nursing)*

- Disposable panties (provided for by SJMC)*

- Maternity pads (Madam by Pureen is recommended)*

- Nursing bra

- Nursing cover (easier to breastfeed with visitors around)

- Breast-pads

- Breastpump (just in case if baby can't latch properly)

- Clean towel

- Slippers / Socks

- Toiletries (toothbrush / toothpaste / comb etc)

- Home-going outfit

(ii) Baby:

- Milk bottle*

- Mamypoko infant (1 pack)*

- Baby blanket

- Mittens & Booties (2 pairs)

- Home-going outfit

(iii) Essential:

- Admission letter / letter of guarantee / documents etc

- Wallet

- Mobile charger

- Camera

- Infant car seat

- Food/Snacks (for energy when your labour is too long)

* All these items are provided for by SJMC, chargable of course. But I would prefer to bring my own.

What Must You Do 1-Month Before Expected Delivery Date?

- Ensure all your letters/documents are ready.

- Do up a birth plan (if you have one). 

- Pen down your requests (e.g. single room? etc).

- Select a pead that's attach to the hospital (it's a requirement).

- Bring your hospital bag on-the-go.

- Do a pre-admission with the hospital.

So yeah.. I guess those are the essential things to prepare before the big day.

Love;

Mummy Geri

Pregnancy Update : Week 31 (2 more months to go!!)

My goodness .. just now when I was applying lotion to my tummy area, I took a glimpse of my tummy and I went ..

0_0"

Seriously?

I turned to my side profile and to my front profile and I went ...

0_o" again

My tummy has grown so much in a short span of 1 week, it is unbelievable!! When I was in Sydney last week, I don't remember it looking that huge. Neither do I remember looking huge when I went for my checkup on the 11th Sept with Dr Delaila.

For comparison sake, the picture below was taken when I was in Bondi Beach two weeks back.

-.-" Unbelievable.

Cannot be because of my binging session in Sydney right?

As of my last checkup, I went up another 3 kgs and the baby bear is 1.5kg. Dr Delaila mentioned that the estimated delivery weight of the baby would be 3.1kg which is normal weight. *phew* I don't want to be tearing everywhere. 

So far everything has been going on track (Thank you Jesus!) and here is a brief update on my pregnancy journey:

(1) Tummy has exploded went exceptionally huge week by week.

(2) Along with it, my hips and thighs has "widened" so much, I can barely fit into my maternity pants comfortably. Dress is the way to go now! 

(3) The "stretched area" i.e. tummy, hips, and buttocks is getting itchier. Understandable because of the rapid explosion expansion.

(4) With the additional weight of the baby bear, my back is starting to take a toll. I've been having constant backache especially the lower back area. Sleeping can be sometimes uncomfortable trying to find a good position to snooze it. 

(5) Doesn't help that I hunch a lot have a scoliosis problem. 

(6) Baby bear is having a field time kicking mummy especially in the night when he is suppose to be sleeping. I can even see him turning/moving around in my tummy sometimes - it's such an amazing experience! :)

So yup ... that should be all the updates. Until the next time.

Love;

Mummy Geri

Pregnancy Update : Week 28 - Officially Entered into the Third Trimester

Baby Bump @ 7 months

Can't believe it that I'm officially entering into my last trimester of the pregnancy. It didn't really occur to me because I am excited about my Sydney trip until my last checkup with Dr Delaila that she mentioned that from now onward, my checkup will be more frequent at every 2 weeks instead of monthly. 0_o

So far Thank God everything has been going in accordance to plan and there has been no major issues. My pregnancy journey has been an enjoyable one except for my first trimester, which in all honesty when I looked back was pretty mild compared to those stories which I have heard before. (I felt like doomsday [pardon my language] shit at that time ok and was questioning what have I gotten myself into). 

Here is a brief update so far:

Tummy:

I now have a nickname for it - it's called "The Expendables". Seriously, week after week my tummy has grown so much in size it's scary amazing! 

Weight:

Ballooned up by adding on an additional of 5kg - of which 1.44kg is the baby's weight. And mind you, I don't stuff my face with food ok. Dr Delilah said it's still within the normal range. :)

Belly-button:

Gotten deeper but not protruding out yet. 

Cravings/Appetite:

Definitely has increased but I still don't binge in-between food. And no, I don't usually give in to my cravings. Heh ~ super vain mum who wanna look hot still! 

Backache:

Am beginning to feel the pressure especially when I am sleeping or has been sitting down for too long. The pressure is mostly on my lower back. Thank God for pre-natal massages.

Stamina: 

Has reduced significantly. I am unable to walk or stand for long without ending up panting of feeling "fainty". Thank God most of my baby stuff has been purchased. Really tak larat wanna go jalan in the mall anymore. Wonder how am I gonna survive walking around in Sydney?

Fatigue:

I tend to get sleepy and tired more in the day time now. Not so good especially if you are a full-time working mum.

Stretch-Mark:

Non-existence so far. Hallelujah for good genes! :D

Leg Cramps: 

Non-existence so far. Probably is because my sleep position is correct i.e. at the side and not on my back. 

Breast:

Starting to leak (ok ... sorry too much of information) :p

Baby Boy:

Has been kicking Mummy non-stop at odd hours especially when I am trying to sleep. -.-" The movements are definitely more frequent and stronger now. 

Well, I guess that's all the update that I have for now.

Love;
Mummy Geri

Please Don't Over-React

Source: Google

Throughout my pregnancy, I have been more of a happy-go-lucky mummy except for the first trimester as oppose to those paranoid mummies out there. Don't get me wrong, I am not here to condemn as everyone is entitled to their own opinions. What I meant by paranoid is over-worrying to the point where you almost live in a glass bubble. To the point that it gets quite irritating.

I have been given "advises" on what you should or shouldn't do, what you should or shouldn't eat etc. To me, I only listen to one person and that's Dr Delaila. I feel pregnant mums should not over-react, our bodies are made tough. The baby in your womb is made tough. To me, so long as everything is done in moderation then everything will be fine.

And we all know the cause of miscarriages is primarily due to your body's natural reaction to "expel" anything that is unhealthy, or due to a fall, or due to sickness ... not due to what you eat or what you do.

Food: 

I have been eating as normal except for half-boil eggs and raw food (risk of bacteria), clams (risk of Hepatitis), and pineapple. All the above were told by Dr Delaila to not consume. Aside from that, I've been told by others to not eat "cooling" stuff like watermelon, "heaty" stuff like durians, and "herbal" stuff like bak kut teh. 

Honestly, I still eat them when I feel like it. I just don't eat a lot of those and I eat them less frequently. Come on! Two slices of watermelon won't cause miscarriage! Once in two months of bak kut teh won't cause miscarriage! Pineapple slices in a slice of pizza won't cause miscarriage! Don't be too paranoid!!

In fact, just past few days I had Japanese with Bear and took two slices of sashimi. If others find out, I'm sure to be lectured. It's only two pieces, what harm will it cause?

I still enjoy my coffee and tea occasionally (although Dr Delaila say try to avoid), but I have taken the effort to cut down a lot. No big deal. *shrug*

Of course certain items are a big no-no like alcohol, cigarettes, and drugs.

Carrying Heavy Stuff:

I work in an office and would sometimes required to carry files. I just make sure that it is within my limitation and I don't over-exert. I don't believe that once you are pregnant you should be immobile and just sit and do nothing. Being pregnant doesn't mean that you are disable! You are still as capable as the rest of your colleagues.

Radiation:

This is the worse "do not do" item I have ever heard!! Stay away from handphones! Stay away from computer! Heloo!!!! Before you were pregnant also you were exposed to these items what - why now only you want to be so overly concerned?? Your baby is strong enough to withstand it ok. Takkan you want to live in a  bubble wrap? 

In fact, I am typing this blog post using the laptop which is resting on my lap. *gasps* Radiation alert? I think not. 

With lots of prayer, trusting God, doing everything in moderation, keeping yourself joyful and happy - everything will fall into place. :)

Love;

Mummy Geri