My breastfeeding journey

 

Dear future mommies,

Breastfeeding is a beautiful, yet challenging journey. Whether you plan on exclusively breastfeeding, exclusive pumping or bottle feeding your baby, it's totally up to you and remember that your choice won't make you less of a mother.

My breastfeeding journey started as early as my pregnancy. I determined to breastfeed my baby because of tremendous benefits of it. For the baby, and for the mommy. But those benefits won't come easy, although it's a natural thing and breastfeeding probably exists since Prophet Adam era, there is a lot for me to learn and it doesn't come naturally.

But till today, after almost 4 months of breastfeeding Iryss, I strongly believe that determination is the main key for breastfeeding.

Because of my determination, I started reading blogs on breastfeeding, watch videos on YouTube and I'm sure you can find them on the net and I started doing what I felt right for me.

To begin with, I started eating milk booster as soon as I was 6-month pregnant and particularly these two: 

You can buy this from this link: Nufiya Milk Booster

You can buy yours from this link: Milk booster cookies

 Nufiya drink worked as I started leaking towards the end of pregnancy, but I stopped consuming it because my sugar reading is kinda high. So, I just stick to the lactation cookies. They are not too sweet and delicious too!

When giving birth to Iryss, my hospital didn't teach me on how to breastfeed right away because I was going through c-section, so I couldn't even sit upright for 24h. Iryss was bottle-fed (formula milk). During my 2nd day only the nurse taught me how to breastfeed. It was such a short session, I wish they provide longer session for new moms.

In Melaka, we're lucky to get nurses come and visit us at home everyday till the 10th day, and alternate days till 20th day. So the nurses help me out with breastfeeding. They also shared tips and tricks on how to breastfeed and they gave me hope to continue doing so. Not gonna lie, your nipples are gonna hurt, lucky for me they didn't bleed. It's hard to get baby latching during the first few days. But you gotta push for it. 

I continue eating the lactation cookies and another thing that works for me was bertunku (hot compress) around breast area and at my back. That really helped in stimulating more milk in the beginning.

You can buy it from this link: Tanamera hot compress

Because my milk production wasn't a lot initially, I kept doing that before pumping. Yes, I was exclusively pumping in the beginning because Iryss didn't latch. But the nurses told me, to stimulate more milk, and to teach Iryss how to properly latch, I had to direct breastfeed her. 

Later, Iryss got jaundice. It's pretty high and the doctor at clinic advised on alternately giving formula milk, so we did. At that time, my milk production has improved and because I didn't own a proper breast pump, I experienced breast engorgement (bengkak susu). Oh my god, that time, I was crying so much because it hurt like hell. With my c-section wound, I couldn't walk or sleep properly, with learning how to deal with baby, with painful breasts, I broke down.

Luckily, I found a trick on how to reduce breast engorgement on tiktok and this blog and you can check it out here: https://milkbarbreastpumps.com.au/blogs/breastfeeding/clear-a-blocked-duct-with-your-haakaa-epsom-salts

It helped a lot!

Another trick I learned was to consume Sunflower Lecithin as it has been recommended to combat recurrent plugged ducts. I'm gonna you save some time and not to try searching for one at physical pharmacy because they didn't sell Sunflower Lecithin there. The only have soy lecithin. 

You can buy it from this link: NOW Sunflower Lecithin

After that incident, I learned my lesson. To always pump whenever I feel my breast is 'full'. And to always invest in good wireless pump.

I'm thankful to find this wireless pump, though it's not the most exclusive one, it works well and easy to be used. I buy mine from this link: Youha wireless pump

With determination, patience, perseverance and good support system, alhamdulillah Iryss is fully breastfed now. 

My doctor recommends me to continue taking pregnancy supplements when breastfeeding. I also consume supplements that help me with my milk production and give me all nutrients needed for me and Iryss. Here are the supplements I consume on daily basis:

Before breakfast:

I'd drink 1 glass of Wildan goat milk (chocolate flavor) that's mixed with 1 scope of Shaklee ESP, a plant-based soy protein drink for long-lasting energy.

Then, I'd take 1 tablet of Surbex Calcium-D3 and 3 tables of Shaklee Omega

I feel much more energized after taking these supplements and not gonna lie, Shaklee ESP is so sedap that I'm looking forward to drink it every morning.

After lunch

I'd take 1 tablet of Blackmores Pregnancy & Breastfeeding Formula, together with 4 tables of Shaklee Alfalfa Complex. 

After dinner

I'd take another 4 tablets of Alfalfa Complex and drink another glass of Wildan goat milk with 1 scope of Shaklee ESP.

Please consult your doctor before consuming any of these supplements. I'm just sharing my routine with you.

You can order yours from the following links: -

- Wildan goat milk (chocolate flavor)

- Surbex Calcium D3

- Shaklee ESP

- Shaklee OmegaGuard

- Blackmores Pregnancy & Breastfeeding Formula

- Shaklee Alfalfa Complex

I just registered as member for Shaklee because I'm using their products and I saved a lotttt! If you're interested to try Shaklee products and interested to becoming a member, you can DM me on instagram, @aliahnazamusa. Only sharing what's good for me and my pocket hahaha

Although I'm directly breastfeeding and I prefer doing so, I also bottle train Iryss during working hours. So I'd stock up my milk and store them in a milk storage plastic that I bought from this link: Momo House milk storage bags

my milk stock

This Shopee store sells cheap and high quality storage bag. If I were on the go, I'd bring my pump and a few pieces of milk storage bags in this cooler bag: https://shp.ee/8k69bd3. Super convenient!

As for baby bottles, I got lucky because I bought 1 complete set of Tommee Tippee Feeding Kit for half its price. It includes 1 x Steriliser, 1 x Bottle Warmer, 2 x Bottle Carriers, 4 x 260ml PP Bottle, 4 x 150ml PP Bottle, 1 x Bottle and Teat brush, 4 x Milk powder dispensers, 1 x 0-6m soother, 1 x Teat Tongs. So worth it! For only RM659. 

You're lucky, because Tommee Tippee official Shopee store has the same discount today: https://shp.ee/rutcbb3

Bottle train is important especially if you're returning to work. Do not start too early because your baby might be confused between your breast and the bottle, but do not start too late like Aliah here. Because Iryss would cry a river during every bottle train session lol.

I only bottle train her during working hours and at night, it'd be direct feeding, as it helps with milk production as well. 

To be able to breastfeed Iryss is definitely a great blessing. Every time after feeding, Iryss will smile and that automatically brightens my day. I hope I can breastfeed her till she's turning 2 years old. I hope every mother that's reading this will experience the joy and gift of breastfeeding.

Till my next post.

xo

Shopee Finds - Newborn Nursery, Diapering and Bath Essentials

Hello there, if you haven't checked out my post on newborn clothing and gear essentials, please do so :)

In this post, I will share my essentials for nursery, diapering and bath and where did I buy them (Hint: Shopee) lol.

Newborn Nursery Essentials

A baby’s room calls for adorable decor for sure, but you’ll also need furniture and baby bedding that will make infant care all the easier (and safer). Here are my baby nursery essentials:

• Crib or playpen

For baby crib, though people will say your baby will end up sleeping between you two, I feel like it's still essential and safe to do so. Some would go for the wooden crib, but as for us, we bought a playpen for Iryss. So it can be used for a longer time as you can adjust the height of playpen.

We actually surveyed Iryss' Graco playpen at Isetan KLCC. Unfortunately, they don't deliver to your home. When we were surveying for playpen, I was heavily pregnant hahah so there's no way we could carry that home.

It's such a coincident because this playpen is the same one as my brother's and that had been passed down to my sister four years later. So we're confident this playpen can be used for long.

You can buy this via the following link: Graco playpen

• Firm, flat mattress that fits snugly in the crib (less than two fingers should fit between the mattress and crib)

When we surveyed for the playpen, the sales girl also showed us the right mattress than can fit the playpen. We bought this Bumble Bee Latex Mattress at Isetan but I found the same one on Shopee :)

Although, it's quite pricey, it's worth it because the mattress is firm and quite heavy.

You can buy this via the following link: Playpen mattress

• 2-4 fitted crib sheets

And you'll definitely need sheets for your baby mattress kay? My favourite brand is Bumble Bee, though it has less selections but love the materials! You can also get them from Isetan KLCC :)

You can buy this via the following link: Mattress cover

• Dimple pillow 

The pillow features an ingenious head pocket to reduce pressure on the baby’s fragile skull and prevents flat head syndrome. It is suitable for babies who have a slight flat spot on the head as the pillow can help to shape the baby’s round head naturally, as long as the baby's head is not severely flattened. It also provides ultimate support for the head, neck and shoulders of the baby and reduces the risk of suffocating. The Baby Dimple Latex Pillow is truly a natural, comfortable and healthy choice for your baby to sleep on nightly!

 

You can buy this via the following link: Dimple pillow 

Newborn Diapering Essentials

Changing a diaper may seem daunting at first, but trust us, you’ll get the hang of it—and these baby must-haves will help you pick it up even faster. Check out this list of baby necessities for diapering:

• 2-3 large boxes of disposable newborn-size diapers

I use MamyPoko Air Fit Newborn for Iryss. It has Newborn size and I bought 2 boxes (consist of 270 pieces of diapers per box) and later move on the S size till now. Do you know a baby can use up to 12 pieces of diapers per day? 12 is probably the max. Usually it'd be 8 min.

You can buy this via the following link: MamyPoko Air Fit

• 2-3 large boxes of baby wipes

You can never buy too many baby wipes because baby will use them for a long time. My favourite is Anakku baby wipes and I always buy like 80 packs of them in one go hahaha!

You can buy this via the following link: Anakku baby wipes

• 2 large tubes of diaper cream

Drapolene diaper cream ftw! This cream works wonder for nappy rash. Highly recommended!

You can buy this via the following link: Diaper cream

• Changing mat

Although the playpen has diaper changing side, we never use it haha! Instead, we're using this air filled changing mat from Shopee. Honestly, it's comfortable and Iryss sometimes fell asleep on it.

You can buy this via this link: Changing mat

• Diaper bag

I'm blessed with friends who gave me Sometime by Asian Designer diaper bag, it's spacious, has a lot of compartments and has changing mat too! It's super convenient!

You can buy this via the following link: Diaper bag

Baby Bath Essentials

Bath time can be tons of fun—at least, once you get a handle on that slippery baby. Best be prepared with all the right gear. These are the baby must-haves for the bath:

• Baby bathtub & cushion

People do talk about buying baby tub, but they don't tell you to get the cushion. Buy the one with cushion! It's super helpful. As a new mom, it's a bit awkward for me to hold my baby during the first few weeks, and this cushion has come in handy when bathing Iryss. 

As she grows bigger, the float helps a lot because  don't have the strength to hold her for long as she gains weight and she's more active now. She gets super excited when in water and this cushion comes to the rescue!

You can buy this via the following link: foldable tub and cushion

• Baby shampoo, body wash and lotion

Iryss has a mild sensitive skin, only Cetaphil works for her. I've found a Shopee store that sells relatively cheaper Cetaphil products. 

You can buy this via the following link: Cetaphil baby products

• 2-4 hooded baby towels

Hooded towels are easier and convenient to dry baby's head. And they're super cute too!

You can buy this via the following link: Hooded towel

• Soft washcloths & Minyak telon

I've reviewed my favourite washcloths and minyak telon in my previous post. You can check it out here: https://www.petitemalaygirl.com/2021/10/7-things-i-didnt-know-my-baby-would-need.html

I hope this will help you in a way to prepare for your newborn's arrival.

Thank you for reading. In my next post, I will share about my breastfeeding journey. 

Shopee FInds - Newborn Gear Essentials

If you haven't already, do check out my previous post on Shopee Finds - Newborn Wardrobe Essentials :)

Hello there, in this post I'm gonna with you Shopee Finds - Newborn Gear Essentials.

Whether you’re on the move or relaxing at home, you’ll need to need have some key baby gear at the ready. After all, at some point you’re going to need your arms back! Here are the baby must-haves to have on hand:

ps, I might be biased towards one brand but I'm only sharing what I love hehe

Joie Baby Carrier Car Seat

This is great when you're commuting back and forth for clinic / hospital visitation during the early days of post-pregnancy. It's not safe to hold your baby in the car, and I found infant car seat is a little bigger for newborn Iryss. You don't have to spend a fortune for carrier car seat because when they turn 3 month, they might not fit this anymore.

You can order yours from this link: joie baby carrier car seat

• Infant car seat or convertible car seat

This car seat can fit from baby up to 7-8 year old kid! Iryss sleeps so comfortably in this.

You can order yours from this link: joie infant car seat

• Stroller

I prefer this 4-in-1 stroller but it's not really 4-in-one if you don't have the carrier and cot. But stroller comes in handy even we're not going out that much because Iryss would be in stroller when we're eating in the kitchen and there's a phase when she preferred sleeping in one. It's so worth it!

You can order yours from this link: joie stroller

These are all the products we own and we're lucky enough because our family and colleagues sponsor them for Iryss. We have to keep them in good condition so we can pass them to our future kids hahaha

In my next video, I will share more on Newborn Nursery, Diapering and Bath Essentials :)

Stay tuned!

Shopee Finds - Newborn Wardrobe Essentials

 Hello, future mommies and daddies :)

I'm super excited each time I found out about fellow friends who are expecting!

Shopping for your newborn can be a little overwhelming especially if you have no idea what's needed and what's not. I'm sure you can google all the things needed for your baby and there are tonnes of blogs about it. In this post, I'm going to share with you all my newborn essentials that I personally bought and do not regret buying since I was 6-month preggo. 

I will also include all the Shopee links :)

Do you know that all amazing baby stores like mothercare, happikiddo, joie, Anakku have their own official stores on Shopee? Amazing right?!

So you don't have to create many accounts just to buy baby stuff. Add everything into your Shopee cart and you're good to fo!

If you haven't already, do join Shopee Mum's Club for more benefits!

Baby Wardrobe Essentials

It doesn’t get much cuter than tiny baby clothes, but you’ll want to pick out practical baby things that’ll keep your newborn comfy and cozy. When it comes to clothing, these are the baby must-haves:

• 4-8 onesies (envelope folds at the shoulders and snaps at the crotch)

I bought multiple sets from Gugu, it's a local brand that I discovered during baby fair! Fortunately, they also have their official store on Shopee. You can get yours now here: Gugu Newborn Onesies

The best thing is they have mittens, socks and hat together with the onesies, so for someone like me who loves color-coordinated outfit for my baby, Gugu is perfect!

You can also get yours from Anakku, I prefer buying Anakku outfits at Parkson, they have many choices there as compared to at their online stores.

• 4-8 shirts (kimono-style with snaps or envelope folds at the shoulders)

I bought most of Iryss' kimono-style from H&M physical store. In a way it's like onesie but with kimono style. So much easier to put this one baby.

• 4-8 pants (footies can be a great option)

I also prefer buying tights for Iryss from H&M. Zalora has great selections of H&M tights and you can buy them from this link: Zalora H&M Baby Leggings

• 4-8 one-piece pajamas

Gugu has great pyjamas for newborn baby too. It's zipped up version. It's easy to wear but the downside is that you gotta have to take off the whole outfit when changing diapers at night.

You can buy Gugu pyjamas from this link: Gugu pyjamas

For Iryss, I bought premature clothes from mothercare for her, the size fits baby who's below 3kg. You don't need many of them, just one set or two should be enough as your baby will outgrow them fast. You can buy this set from this link: mothercare premature set

ps, I only buy gender neutral colored clothes just to be safe hehe

• 1-3 dress-up outfits

You gotta spend wisely when it comes to buying baby clothes because they outgrow their clothes super fast. Shopee is always the best place to buy cheap and cute outfits for your baby. And mine is from this link: cute baby outfits

• Socks and mittens

Of course you would need socks and mittens too! I love matching her outfits with same colored socks. As for mittens, I didn't really put them on as Iryss turned a month old hehe #notguilty

You can buy cheap and 25 pairs of socks for less than RM50 here: cheap and cute socks

• Gentle laundry detergent

Lastly, you'd need gentle baby detergent. I'm torn between these two; Applecrumby Baby Laundry Detergent and Anakku Detergent With Softener.

Both are great but Anakku is much cheaper than Applecrumby hehe

I hope my suggestions will help you shopping for your baby. Treat shopping as a therapy, and as a form of excitement to welcome your newborn to this world. <3

In my next post, I will share Newborn Gear Essentials.

Stay tuned!

7 things I didn't know my baby would need!

 

Parenthood is not a course offered at university and even though there are many online parenting courses, it's definitely a journey that we'll learn through experiences. As a mother of 3 month old baby, I still have to learn a lot. From people's experiences, Pinterest, Youtube, blogs and most importantly from my own experience.

In this post, I wanna share 7 (as of today) things that I didn't know a baby need and I hope this post will be beneficial to you too :)

1. Minyak telon

The first time I heard about the existence of minyak telon was from my friend, Jash. She has a daughter named Ayra who's turning 1 this December and she listed down all the things I needed to buy as I approached third trimester, and minyak telon was one of them.

Growing up, I only knew about Minyak Yuyi Cap Limau or some call it minyak buah. I'm sure you'd know the smell of minyak yuyi and I still use that for my period pain till now. But my daughter, Iryss couldn't handle minyak yuyi. I think it's too strong for her skin, so we switched to minyak telon.

I will apply minyak telon on her tummy, feet and her back every time after bathing. It helps with colic and tummy pain. Happy tummy, happy baby, happy mommy :)

You can buy minyak telon via this Shopee link: Minyak telon

2. Cetaphil Baby Advanced Protection Cream With Organic Calendula

Iryss has rashes on her cheeks due to breast milk. We call it 'ruam susu'. It's a wonder why does breast milk cause such rashes. We have to clean her cheeks with cloth soaked with warm water after every feeding, and when we just wiped it off, she'll develop rashes. When this happens, I'll put this cream on her cheeks. So so glad I found this treasure! The rashes will go away overnight!

You can buy this Cetaphil cream via this Shopee link (cheapest one I've found!): Cetaphil Baby Advanced Protection Cream

3. Youbaby Cream

I got super sceptical when Facebook ads suggested me this cream. But thank God for Ayra's mom who suggested me this cream, this cream is super helpful when Iryss developed phlegm. It's clinically proven to help dilute baby's phlegm through vomiting, runny nose or feces. It reacts differently on different babies and as for Iryss, the phlegm is diluted through her feces, so she didn't vomit like you could see on some testimonials. 

You can buy this cream via this Shopee link : Youbaby Cream

4. Foldable baby tub with cushion!

People do talk about buying baby tub, but they don't tell you to get the cushion. Buy the one with cushion! It's super helpful. As a new mom, it's a bit awkward for me to hold my baby during the first few weeks, and this cushion has come in handy when bathing Iryss. 

As she grows bigger, the float helps a lot because  don't have the strength to hold her for long as she gains weight and she's more active now. She gets super excited when in water and this cushioncomes to the rescue!

You can buy this tub with its cushion via this Shopee link: tub & cushion

5. Mist spray bottle for diaper changing!

Usually, people will just clean baby's private parts when changing diapers with wet wipes. My mom teaches me to also spray them with water. Ofc you can just head to the sink, but who has the time to go to the sink for 8 times a day? Lol. So, spray bottle comes to the rescue. And I particularly like this one that I bought from Shopee :)

You can buy this spray bottle via this Shopee link: mist spray bottle

6. Quran speaker

I'll let the Quran recitation play in the background most of the time and this particular speaker is super awesome because it has different versions of recitations. You can choose your favourite reciter :) It can also be your night lamp.

You can buy this Quran speaker via this Shopee link: Quran speaker

7. Wash cloths and bibs

My baby is spitting up and vomiting a lot! I mean, not in a big amount all the time, but spitting up is common every time after feeding. And now that she's 3 month old, she's playing with her saliva so much. Wash cloths or baby handkerchiefs will come in handy. Not to forget, sometimes the saliva and vomit could get to their clothes. To avoid having to do laundry every day because you have to keep changing your baby's clothes, wearing bib is always a great idea!

How many is too many when it comes to baby clothes? That's the question I have no answer to because I loooove buying baby clothes and before I know it, she doesn't fit the clothes anymore. But there's no such thing as too many for bibs and wash cloths and don't worry about the price because shopee has the affordable and cheap options to our rescue!

The picture above is my utmost favourite bib, it's a cotton bib that will cover 360deg of the baby's neck area! The material is sooo good and the price is so cheap!

You can buy yours now via this Shopee link: cotton bibs

There are also handkerchiefs / wash cloths produced using the same material as the bibs mentioned above.

You can buy yours now via this Shopee link: cotton wash cloths

I'm happy to share some tips with you based on the limited knowledge and experience I have about motherhood. Let me know what else you want me to share and what's your go-to baby products!

Till next time :)

Disclaimer: I'm not an expert when it comes to baby related stuff, all recommendations are just based on experience and they're not sponsored. 

Dear Iryss

Iryss was sleeping on my chest, while I was typing this. She loves this sleeping position, though it costs me sit sleeping the whole night sometimes, I love it. It comes with backache as a price lol. I’m gonna start working soon and work will always be busy. With the current phase of where my projects stand now, it’ll more hectic than before I left for maternity leaves.

90 days aren’t enough for me to bond with Iryss. Yes, I ranted about this a lot on my social media but I just had to let it out of my system. I wish I was in Canada now, the maternity leave is up to 2 years.

I don’t have the courage to let strangers taking care of my baby, yet I don’t have the heart to be separated from her and leave her with my mom in Melaka. In the end, I have to make a choice.

Iryss is one of the greatest blessings from Allah and I know she belongs to Him, but I just want to cherish every moment with her, I don’t want to be the second/third person to witness each of her milestones. I want to be the first, always. Yeah, not forgetting the dad in this situation lol but I still wanna be the first.

Before Iryss was born, before we knew her gender, I told some friends that I wished I could have a boy because at least I would not feel so pressured to have a boy in future pregnancies. But deep down, I’ve always prayed for a daughter. I’m the firstborn, I’m a daughter. I think I could relate to the first-born daughter better. My mom and I are best friends, the bond between us is something I want to recreate with my daughter.

Iryss is 77 days old as I’m writing this. She’s such an easy baby, not a fussy one. She’s a good sleeper, very manja because I manjakan, loves to laugh, and is a chatty one. I love talking to her, telling her stories and when I told her about my maternity leaves almost come to an end, I swear the corners of her mouth turning down, and her chin is quivering. Cebik bibir. Like she understood. 

When this happened, I regret not starting any business sooner, being a boss of my own and can take as much time as I can with my little one. I know the importance of sending kids to school and letting them socialize and be independent etc, but I think 3 months old is a little too early to be separated from the parents. Especially if the baby is still breastfeeding. 

I can rant about this all day long, though I know there’re so many parents who have to go through this dilemma every day, I just wish this won’t happen, to any of us. Ugh, why isn’t Malaysia having a better policy for our younger generations? *rolling my eyes*

Regardless of whatever choices I gotta make, I pray it will be the best one. May Allah protect Iryss, always.

My c-section recovery & essentials

 

Hello, there! I've received many questions via DMs on my c-section recovery and here I am, sharing it in this post.

I think I've mentioned in my previous labor post, how a c-section is not intentional and I only read about it the night before my operation. But I'm blessed with aunts that had gone through c-sections and they helped me out with some tips and tricks.

Due to C-section, I had to stay in the hospital for three days after the surgery. During this time, I was given pain medication as necessary. I was given painkillers every 4 hours to help me with the recovery. Despite the use of medication, I was still quite sore.

After my procedures, I could not feel my feet for the next 24 hours. I felt nauseous and I could only eat 6 hours after I returned to my ward. I threw up twice after my operation. I still had a catheter placed, so I didn't have to commute to the toilet for a pee for at least the next 12 hours. Nurses at Mahkota Medical Centre helped me out with changing too when I still couldn't feel my feet.

The next morning after my c-section, I started experiencing soreness at my incision site, before feeling cramp-like "after pains" when my uterus started to contract and shrink in size. Later, the nurse encouraged me to try to walk again within 24 hours of my operation. She even helped me walk to the loo, just in case if I felt dizzy. I also read online that walking will help my body to pass gas, which was true. I forced myself to walk around my hospital room, though it hurt, gas can be very uncomfortable especially when it occurred under my incision site.

Another painful thing that I felt was at my bladder, I needed to urinate frequently, so my bladder did not get too full, or else I would have to pay for the pain.

The pain did make me cry once a while in the first two weeks post-childbirth. But it's not good to cry during postpartum days because it may result in postpartum depression. I just had to keep telling myself that a full recovery from a c-section will take up to 6 weeks. This pain shall pass. I was depending on painkillers for four weeks. Consuming paracetamols every 4 hours helped with coping with the pain.

C-section pain is one thing, breastfeeding pain is another. But I will share on breastfeeding some other time because that deserves a whole new post. I was always reminded to not lift anything heavier than my newborn, to walk every day as walking helps prevent blood clots and constipation, to hold a pillow over my incision when I need to cough or laugh. And I had to remind my husband and siblings to not crack so many jokes because I cannot laugh like normal people. 

I wanna share my c-section recovery essentials, that might help you in the future :)

1. Pain relief - can be paracetamol or anything that your doctor recommends. I took it every 4 hours, it really helps with the recovery. I prefer Celebrex :)

2. Vitamin C - I take a Vitamin C tablet, the one for kids (30mg) because the pharmacist told me a breastfeeding mom cannot consume vitamin C tablets more than 30mg. Vitamin C helps in speeding the recovery.

3. Stool Softeners - this helps make that first poop less scary and more tolerable. Stool softeners also help prevent you from straining, which could irritate your incision. I request this from my doctor because being discharged.

4. Incision care - Although the doctor said, I can shower normally, I still cover my wound with plastic during the shower. 

I cover my incision with plastic and adhesive dressing tape when showering.

After showering, Pan helped me cleaning my incision with warm water. He soaked cotton ball in warm water and cleaned the wound. Later, he'd pat the area dry after cleaning.

5. Dermatix Advanced Scar Formula

Many women say that their scars are still tender to the touch for months after surgery, and some say that it is still numb for up to a year.  My doctor advises me to apply this gel after cleaning the wound and after it dries, to help avoid having a noticeable scar, 

I'd wear high-waisted underwear later.

5. High-Waisted Underwear 

6. Nursing pillow

Whether you are breastfeeding or bottle-feeding, having a nursing pillow of some kind is helpful for all parents. Having a soft pillow designed to fit around your body is a nice barrier between your incision and the weight of your baby. It also helps bring the baby closer to you so that you don’t have to bend or lean over, which can irritate your incision.

7. Sleep and have enough rest

Sleep is essentials! Yes, with a newborn it seems impossible but when she sleeps, I sleep. Sleeping helps me recover fast and ofc I need extra help from my family.

8. Eat healthy food!

I know Malay Pantang can be very limiting but eat healthy food is a key to fast recovery. No, I don't eat pati ikan haruan / gamat. Just normal nutritious food. I love this makanan pantang set from shopee I bought!

 During the first two weeks, I felt very exhausted. I know women who give birth by cesarean section have a much more difficult time regaining their energy compared with those who give birth vaginally. I'm glad I receive extra help from my mom, my husband, and my siblings to take care of Iryss during this time.

After a month, I was no longer in much pain, though I still need to hold a pillow to cover my incision when I need to cough or laugh and I still cannot lift anything heavier than my baby. But it's all good. 

Do I want to go through it all over again? Maybe, if I need to. But as for now, I'm just gonna let my body recovers and enjoy every moment with my baby Iryss.

My pregnancy story : Anemia in Pregnancy

 This is a story about my pregnancy journey.

I did film some videos talking about my pregnancy journey but I feel like writing about it will be more meaningful, for me and hopefully for Iryss to read about it in the future. Though there’s also a detailed journal with polaroids that I wrote for Iryss.  

A bit of history, Pan and I got married on October 17 last year and I got my period on October 28. Little did I know, that’s the last time I got my period lol.

When we found out about the pregnancy

It’s November 30, and I realized I didn’t get my period in November yet. But I always got my period late anyways. However, I started feeling nauseous, bloated, and had backache. I started cravings for certain food. 

I told Pan, maybe we should buy a pregnancy test kit and did the test, just in case. We went to Guardian and bought 5 different types of pregnancy test kits just cause I didn’t know which one’s accurate.

We reached home at 1030pm, I rushed to the toilet to take the test. After a few minutes of nervously waiting, it’s POSITIVE!

But what if it’s a false positive?

And oh yeah, we’re supposed to take the test in the morning lol. So I retook the test the morning after and it’s (still) positive! Alhamdulillah.

What I felt after finding out about my pregnancy 

Honestly, I was over the moon! I’ve always wanted a baby and to be a young mom. But I didn’t expect it to be this early hahaha! But we’re very thankful for this blessing. 

Pregnancy checkup and complications 

Most pregnant women in Malaysia will do their antenatal checkups at Klinik Kesihatan, later on, they will either choose to deliver their baby at a government hospital or at a private hospital.

As for me, I did my first antenatal checkup at Klinik Dr. Nurzawati and did our first scan there, when I was 8 weeks pregnant. I could just continue my antenatal checkup there as it is my company's panel clinic, but I decided to continue my checkup at Klinik Kesihatan Shah Alam Seksyen 19 as a government clinic would do a more thorough checkup although the waiting time can be a bit long. 

I found out that I’m anemic and I needed to take extra supplements to ensure my baby and I receive sufficient iron. And due to my condition, I had to do my checkup biweekly. It’s a bit tiring but I took it as my time off from work. At that time, I experienced quite a challenging work environment and with the morning sickness that’s quite bad, I was glad I got that time off.

Due to the challenging work environment, I started to feel very stressed out that I resorted to seeing psychiatrists - two psychiatrists to be exact. Honestly, I was glad I seek for professional help because a stressful mind with anemia would lead to more complications in the future.

I’ve made up my mind to give birth at a private hospital due to the rising of covid cases and because it’s covered by my company. My OBGYN was initially Dr. Imelda Balchin at KPJ Damansara till, towards the end, I decided to give birth in Melaka, as it’ll be easier for pantang and stuff. My OBGYN is Dr Azlina at Mahkota Medical Centre.

Thank God for my company’s policy, a pregnant woman is not allowed to be in the office and even my OBGYNs had issued me letters for me to work from home due to my pregnancy risk.

It's my first pregnancy and it is very challenging. Pan and I were anxious and worried over the littlest things and because of that we’ve met more than 15 unique doctors throughout my pregnancy. 

My anemic condition that only improved the last week before I gave birth had caused me to take blood tests every biweekly and I had to also check if I had thalassemia or not. Alhamdulillah, my anemia was only caused by iron deficiency.

During my third trimester, I once lived in a wheelchair for two weeks due to pelvic girdle pain (PGP),  a pain that is felt around the pelvic joints, lower back, hips, and thighs. I had difficulty in movement, I couldn't walk, part my legs when getting in and out of my car, cannot turn in bed, sleeping is a pain too. I resorted to prenatal massage and alhamdulillah it got better. 

Anemia, work stress, PGP had caused me to take weeks of leaves and MCs. They also pushed me to speak up for my right to higher management due to the injustice afflicted upon me.

With all the complications and challenges I had to go through, I’m glad I have a strong support system behind me. My husband, my family, my besties, and my small team at work.

My pregnancy essentials 

1. Maltofer Fol & Calcium

A pregnant woman should eat prenatal vitamins like iron and folic acid. Often, clinics will give Obimin. But I never knew these vitamins can give you side effects. In my case, Obimin made me more nauseous. 

Due to my anemic condition, I couldn't skip any iron supplement and God bless Dr. Hannah, my friend for telling me about the existence of Maltofer. Specifically Maltofer Fol. Because my hemoglobin reading was low (it reached Hb 8), all doctors I met recommended taking two tablets of Maltofer daily.  I have no qualm eating that because it tastes like chocolate. Yeap, it's a chewable supplement :)

Apparently, there’s a way to effectively eat your vitamins. You shouldn’t take vitamins with milk, especially an iron supplement. You should take iron supplements only 3 hours after drinking milk. And oh, for anemia, caffeine is a big NO. That includes tea, hot chocolate, and milo. Yeah, I was milo sober for my whole pregnancy. 

Surbex Calcium-D3

Calcium. Dr. Imelda also recommended me a calcium supplement, with vitamin D3 and I’ve been taking that till now. Calcium is very important for the baby’s growth but most importantly for the mother’s bone and teeth. 

2. Goat Milk - Wildan Mama Premium 

Wildan Mama Premium: Original RM79

Funny I couldn’t take any cow milk during pregnancy. I would get diarrhea. Only goat milk works for me, my uncle introduced me to Wildan Mama Premium, it claims to help to improve the Hb. It has dates,habbatus sauda, and all the good stuff in it. I love that milk, it gives me energy especially during my first trimester. There are two flavors for this type of milk, Vanilla, and Original. Vanilla is too sweet for me. So, I opted for the original flavor, and thank God it has NO goaty smell or aftertaste at all, fuuhh.

Wildan Chocolate: RM45

I continue drinking Wildan goat milk till now because I am breastfeeding Iryss. But for now, I drink the normal Wildan milk, chocolate flavored. Not the mama premium. It’s also cheaper haha! 

Other than that, I was also being forced to eat kerang like three times a week, to improve my Hb level. To the point, I don't wanna eat anymore kerang now.

3. Pregnancy pillow(s)

During my get-together with my girls last Christmas, I told my secret Santa that I needed a pregnancy pillow. Thank God for Aida, she granted my wish, and oh boy I never slept without my pregnancy pillow until the day I was warded, just because I forgot to take it to the hospital with me :(

It is so comfortable and especially because pregnant women are not advised to sleep on their back. Yeah, shocking! There are so many don’ts on the list. The pillow may take half of the bed but yes, I needed my space hahaha!

Another type of pillow that my body thanked me for is the wedge pillow. I used it in the car. Lifesaver, for my back.

4. Pregnancy book and mobile apps

One book that I read on a weekly basis is What to Expect When You're Expecting. The book explains everything about pregnancy, from pregnancy symptoms, lifestyle, week-by-week developmental information. Don’t be intimidated by the 600+ page book—you don’t need to read every single page.

There is also a 'What to Expect' app, that provides me with summarized, important information that I need to know. There's also an insightful daily article for me to read, it makes me look forward to opening the app daily. Another app that I love is 'Pregnancy+'. It's neater than the previous app, and it also has a pregnancy countdown, which is so useful. Like I literally counting days to meet my unborn child.

5. Pregnancy Ball & Maternity Belt

Best purchases during my pregnancy. Birthing balls are essentially the same as exercise balls. They’re both made from a durable material that makes them extremely difficult to puncture. But exercise balls used at the gym tend to be smaller than birthing balls.

I used a birthing ball to exercise, to sit and it's a great help when I had PGP.  

The maternity belt has saved me from having severe backache, especially during my second trimester. As I approached the third trimester, backache wasn't really an issue, but note to self, to buy a bigger size maternity belt, so it could fit till the end of pregnancy lol.

6. A 3L water bottle

Water. water. water. Hydration is key. Because I always felt thirsty, and I didn't have the energy to keep refilling my water bottle, so Pan bought me a 3L water bottle from Mr. DIY and that bottle had become my staple pregnancy item.

7. A helpful, wonderful husband

I cannot thank Pan enough for all his sacrifice and help throughout my pregnancy. He's been such a great husband, helping me with chores, driving me around, accompanying me to every single clinic/hospital visitation, fulfilling each of my cravings, buying all the things I needed and wanted, massaging me, pushing me when I had to be on the wheelchair, helping me get into showers when I was immobile.  He's been such a wonderful husband, I don't know if I deserve it but maybe I do, because I'd risked my life for our child :P You're welcome hahaha!

But in all seriousness, to all single women out there, we really need helpful husbands for times like these. May he be helpful and wonderful and loving and caring till forever, aminnn!

Keeping my pregnancy a secret

Pan is a very secretive person. I respect that about him and we have decided since early on to keep our pregnancy a secret from social media. Did we have any explanation for it? Maybe we didn't. Maybe we did. We didn't really know. We wanted to share the good news with the world, but we also knew that not everyone will be happy with it. Regardless, we're glad it's kept as a secret. A little surprise goes a long way ;)

 A small part of me wants to do a lot of preggy ootd on Instagram but due to MCO, I hardly dressed up anyway and this pregnancy made me a lazy person. I hated dressing up, I hated morning showers and I hated perfume.

So I guess, keeping my pregnancy a secret wasn’t really a hard thing to do. Only family, close friends, and colleagues know about my pregnancy. For every photo I posted on the gram, it’d either be half-body or just a selfie. I also wore a big, loose kaftan for Eid just to hide my belly.

We also had a gender reveal iftar for my close family at Holiday Inn, Melaka. Just for the record, I’ve been staying at my parents’ in Melaka since before Ramadhan as Pan had to be in the office in Pengerang and my OBGYNs had warned me not to stay at home alone because I could pass out anytime due to low of hemoglobin. Thank God for working from home policy, I could stay at my parents till I delivered.

Oh yeah on the gender, only my close family knew. We decided to not reveal the gender till the baby’s born. But you know by now, it’s a girl named Iryss.

When will we reveal her face?

I'm respecting Pan's decision not to reveal her face on socmed / blog / vlog yet. We only share her pictures with family and close friends upon request. Cannot deny, it's very tempting to post stuff about her on igstory though. But it's not the right time yet.

My pregnancy journey has been nothing but a beautiful one. Despite being in lockdown, I think it's such a great blessing because I got to be working from home, I didn't have to drive to work, my husband's also working from home, so we wouldn't have to be in a long-distance relationship. I don't know what will the future hold with the status quo in Malaysia but I wanna spend my time, appreciating the present, our little family, and I am hoping to have a work-life balance once my maternity leave is over. And yeah, to drive again after 9 months of not driving at all. 

I know some of my friends who are pregnant now or trying to conceive, I hope my story doesn't scare you. No two pregnancies are the same and being a mother is the best role and sometimes the only role I want to be in life. It's such a blessing to become one, I thank Allah for this great gift. I pray for you to also experience motherhood and may Allah ease everything for us :)