Review on FPP Putrajaya Hospital

I'm trying my best to be neutral here. However, this review is based on my experience and my humble opinion only.

I have really high hopes upon checking in at the hospital. I dreamt of a single room where hubby and me could spend hours admiring our newborn baby and visitors can come and go as they please.

Well, that did not happen. First of all, the single room were not available anymore. I had to share a room with another patient (luckily, she's a wonderful roommate) BUT, I had to pay the normal room fee which is RM300 per night. I was pissed, but thank god this happen while I was still pregnant, so I took a deep breath, don't want to put too much stress on myself and just said okay.

The room was exactly like the normal ward, except that it was carpeted instead of the usual tiles. There was not much space and it felt stuffy at times. And, visitors still have to abide by the visiting hours which is 12.00pm to 2pm and 4pm to 8pm.

As for the service, it was great. The nurses were great and Dr Hamidah was a dream doctor. I'm really amazed by her stamina and energy because she had like 11 cases per day, and to top that off, she had been on-call since the day before. For a tiny little person that she is, she sure can carry a lot of responsibility.

Dr Hamidah explained every procedure to me. That is one more noticeable difference between the normal public service (which I experience giving birth to Sara) and this FPP thingy.

One more large difference is that, normal public service requires the patient to go to a special common room for any procedure (yes, including the painful dilation checking). Well, for FPP, you don't even have to move. The nurses and doctors will come to you :)

Upon checking out, I estimated my bill would be less than 2k, as I didn't require any extra procedure (no epidural, no vacuum etc..). BUT, my bill amounted to RM2,054.20. The two things that I was most dissatisfied was the charge on "consultation fee (after-office hours)" RM360 and "obstetrical procedures spontaneous vertex" RM600. I mean, I was in the ward for two days; why do you have to visit me outside of the normal office hours and charge that to my account? And, I was already charged on the labour room, ward, lab, medicines and consultation, surely the procedure of giving birth itself is already covered right?

My roommate, who had a c-sect, had a bill of RM3,500 which I think was a very reasonable price for the procedure. But, whatever it is, I think the service was well worth it and I'd recommend FPP for those who wanted to deliver in public hospital. And it does state on the bill that the charge is not final, so I guess I could have argued about the charged if I wanted to, which I don't.

Adelya Qasdina - The Birth Story

Okay, now that I think I am in a better state of mind (but still experiencing the sharp piercing pain from breastfeeding), I am finally ready to tell this chapter of my life story.

My labor experience was a beautiful one. I had what they would call a precipitate labor (very rapid labor. Oh, it comes with its own set of risks but thankfully, I didn't know about it beforehand).

"Short, Fast Labor (Precipitate Labor)

A precipitate labor is normally very short, lasting less than three hours. A precipitate labor has its own special problems and challenges. The duration of the labor may appeal to you, but you may not notice the signs of the labor in the latent phase thereby missing the early signs of labor. Suddenly, you will be thrown into active, hard labor without time to prepare psychologically. The first noticeable contractions can be long and crushingly intense, and accompanied by feelings of panic and confusion."

On 19th October 2011, I had to check myself in the hospital because I had not yet show any sign of delivery. Since I had diabetes, the doctor does not allow me to past my due date; which is 20th October 2011.

So, at 6.00am, 20th October 2011, I was induced. Nothing new there (because I experienced that with Sara) BUT, it did felt a little bit painful. I had two rounds of check-ups using the CTG machine, and my contractions are progressing. Great, that means I won't have to be induced for the second time.

At 2.30pm, Dr Hamidah came and my dilation was only at 3cm, so she asked me casually "Do you want to give birth today? I can help you if you do, but it will be a little painful". Hmm, well, okay doc, bring it on. She did the membrane sweep and yeah, it was painful. It did struck my mind that I was completely aware and alert of all the pain I'm feeling this time around. Back then, with Sara, I was blissfully ignorant.

The nurse told me that they would wheel me to the labour room at 3.30pm. I bathe, perform solat, recite a bit of Quran and walk around the ward to speed up my dilation.

3.40pm - reached the labour room and was attached to the CTG machine for 20 minutes. A doctor came and explained to me that I had to decide whether I'm going to take the epidural injection or not. I told her that the pain is still bearable, but I might change my mind if the pain gets worse. Hehe. She told me I had to decide there and then because my dilation was at 4cm and they had to book the doctor early. I politely decline. I have nothing against taking the epidural injection but the thought of having to poke a big-ass needle in between my spine is much more scarier than facing the contraction pain.

4.00 - 5.15pm - I drifted in and out of sleep. Oh, I did take the ethonox gas. Twice. Doesn't make much difference though. I think (for Muslim) you're better off reciting the "doa Nabi Yusof". At 5.15pm, the doctor thought that I might need another induction, so they hook me to the drip and injected painkillers on my hip. (Hey, that rhymes ;p)

-- What goes on from here onwards is really embarrassing for me. I, err...lost my cool (to put it mildly) but in my defence precipitate labour does cause panic and confusion (as explained in the orange font above ;p)--

5.30pm - Suddenly, I feel like something moved in my stomach, sort of like something fell down from my tummy to my uterus. And after that, came the excruciating pain. Whoa, this is not normal. I screamed to hubby "Get the nurse!!" and I was thrashing in the bed from the pain. (It was sooo embarrassing, I was literally thrashing and almost took out all the drips and machine they put on me).

The nurse came in and because I was that hysterical, she had to scream at me "PUAN! SABAR! JANGAN MACAM NI! TENGOK SAYA!". I remember thinking, if this is not the time yet, I want epidural. Now. The nurse checked my dilation and her face changes. She rushed out to call the doctor and everything, everyone moved sooo fast.

The nurse grabbed a hold of my hand "PUAN! TENGOK SAYA OK. KITA BUAT SAMA-SAMA. BILA SAYA CAKAP PUSH, PUAN TARIK NAFAS, DAGU SENTUH KE DADA, PUSH SEKUAT HATI." I was like, oh, its time? Now? I'm really giving birth?

I pushed twice, and the third time, the baby came out at exactly 5.45pm. And because there was no drugs on me this time (the painkiller have not yet taken effect), I was fully alert and aware of everything. I saw the baby came out, I can hear the suction thingy that they use on the baby and then they took the baby away (don't ask me, I really don't know why).

The doctor then told me that my baby came out with her fists first (like knocking the door) and she weighed 3.05kgs. She told me to relax my body because she's taking out the placenta. (hmm, I thought the placenta came out with the baby?) She pressed and massage the top bit of my tummy and the placenta safely came out.

I had first degree tear and there were stitches. But, it was not very painful (as compared to the contractions I felt earlier). And then, my baby was delivered back to me. And I fed her for the first time. And it hurts like hell. But, thank god that the painkillers have started to take effect so I was more sleepy than in pain.

The nurse came to check on me and she told me she's sorry for screaming at me. She said even she was panicked to see me "lost control" like that. Tee hee. I also said that I was sorry for losing it. And I thank her for grabbing a hold of the situation, even if it means screaming at me. See, who said that public nurses are grumpy? I think negative perception towards government/public hospitals are overrated.

So, there you have it...the story of how I lost my cool and delivered a beautiful bundle of joy. I think she looks exactly like her sister, but with much thicker and longer hair :)

Oh, when my hubby wheeled Dina to meet the rest of my family waiting outside the labor room, I can hear Sara screaming "Hey, I want to see my sister!" (because she was short and everybody else is blocking her view ;p)

The pain that woke me up!

I am a very deep sleeper. Fortunately for me, Sara has always been a good sleeper too. I am not the one known to wake up from sleep for whatever reason (my mom always said that a bomb can go off and I'd still be sleeping soundly). Even when I was having contraction during Sara's birth, I drifted in and out of sleep.

However, last two night, when I was soundly sleeping, something woke me up. That something is the excruciating pain on the right side of my jaw (Oh, hi there my lovely wisdom tooth). I grabbed my handphone, and fervently wished that it was already 4 or 5 am. Instead, it was only 1 am. Gaahhhh!!! How am I suppose to deal with this pain for another 7 hours?

I tossed and turned, drank water and try the "its-all-in-your-mind" therapy. Pfftt. Nothing seems to work. And when nothing works, what do you do? Turn to Him, of course. I perform solat sunat and felt calmer afterward. The pain does not magically subside, but it became manageable.

I took the whole day off yesterday and thought of going to the clinic, but I'm sure they'll only give me some painkillers and antibiotics (which I'm not planning on consuming, since I'm afraid it might affect the baby). BUT, I might go today if the condition got worse.

Having your wisdom tooth appear towards the end of your pregnancy is NOT FUN! It does however, take my mind away from the impending delivery.

Set Asas Pengurusan Uri

I am fairly sure that every Muslim knows that placenta (uri) have to be managed properly, so I will not blog about that here...however, what I wanted to share is : Did you know that nowadays people sell a set specifically to manage the uri (the Islamic way?). The first thing that popped into my mind is "Why didn't they do this sooner?" Hehe...

Anyway, I bought mine at mypermatahati.com at RM35.00 only. Inside the set is salt, tamarind, a clay pot, white cloth and latex glove. All the necessary things to help us dispose and manage the uri properly.

On a side note, a friend in the office who have the same due date as mine have already given birth...and looking at the maternity ticker above, I have less than 20 days!

Perineal Massage

Note : This is going to be a slightly "uncomfortable" topic, so may I suggest to those who have low tolerance of human anatomy, particularly in the "southern region" to please kindly leave this page ;p

I've heard about perineal massage from Suzie's blog. I followed the link back to Diah's blog and reading her experience, I'm sold. (she popped out a 4.1kg baby without the need for episiotomy).

Back during my first pregnancy, I somewhat shy away reading all the related material on the actual giving birth procedure because the more I read, the more I felt nervous, scared and all those negative feelings. This time, I'm proud to say that I am more open in reading the related material BUT I still haven't had the guts to look at the pictures/videos of people giving birth.

Okay, enough babbling...here is some info on perineal massage (copied from here)

What is perineal massage?

Perineal massage is the gentle stretching and massaging of the perineum (skin between the anus and vagina) during the last few weeks of pregnancy. This has been shown to reduce the incidence of episiotomy and perineal tears during childbirth.

Why does perineal massage work?

Perineal massage does not "lengthen" the tissues of the perineum. However, it does increase the stretch in two ways.

First, perineal massage is done with a cold pressed oil, which lubricates the tissue making it softer, more supple and improving is flexibility. This makes it easier for the tissues to stretch as the baby is born.

Second, perineal massage familiarizes the mother with the stretching sensations she will feel as the baby is born. This helps her learn to keep her perineal area relaxed during the stretching of crowning which can help prevent tears.

How do I do it?

Perineal massage can be done by the mother or her partner. The mother should be in a comfortable place, sitting or reclining in a way that gives access to the skin around the vagina. It can be done for up to 10 minutes a day during the last four weeks of pregnancy.

• Wash hands thoroughly. Ensure there are no sharp or long nails that may scratch the mother.
• Locate the perineum, directly below the vagina. It is the skin between the vagina and the anus. Apply some cold pressed and pure oil (such as olive oil) to this skin.
• Place the thumbs at the base of the vagina, allowing them the slide inside the vagina (to about the first joint) moving some oil with them.
• Using gentle but firm pressure, move the thumbs from the base of the vagina up the side walls as if you were making a "U".
• Return the thumbs to the base of the vagina, and repeat procedure.
• As the mother becomes more comfortable with the stretch, you may increase the amount you stretch the skin.

As for me, I've started doing the perineal massage two weeks ago and am hoping for the best (please...no more episiotomy). BUT, the thing with routine and me, we seldom see eye to eye. I've only done this massage for four times...(probably the same amount as applying anti-stretchmark cream on my tummy throughout these 9 months).

Note to self : Kalau tau je, tapi pemalas nak buat, tak guna ok!!
Self answered back : ok, ok...lepas ni tiap-tiap malam buat..

First Appointment as FPP in Hospital Putrajaya

This FPP thing is really great. I get treated even better than when I went for my appointment in K*J. I spent less than 2 hours (and the first 45 minutes was spent looking for parking...hmm, maybe the Hospital should consider special parking space for FPP *kidding*).

I walked up straight to the counter; explained that I'm an FPP and have an appointment scheduled with Dr. Hamidah and I was immediately ushered to another counter to complete the registration and pay RM110 (new case and registration fee).

I was asked to go directly to the obgyn counter and when I gave the nurse my card, she immediately asked me to weigh myself and took my blood pressure. Wow, no waiting? Hehe... On a side note, I gained 2.5kgs in two weeks!! I blame the Raya foods ;p

And then, I went to have my urine checked, and again...no queue? What? Is this really the same hospital where I spent almost 8 hours last two weeks?

I was politely asked to have a seat and wait for my turn to see the doctor as she was swamped with appointments today. I sat for a good 15 minutes and my name was called. Now, this is where it gets tricky.

I went to the hospital with a full tummy, hence a very good mood. I am a patient with a normal pregnancy case, and I myself didn't have anything extraordinary to ask. So, when I entered the room and the Doctor is still examining the other patient and at the same time, asking me conditions about my health, it doesn't bug me as much as it should. Maybe it did piss off the other patient, but I was somewhat okay with it.

The doctor asked me to go to a different room for ultrasound scan and I lie down on the bed for 3 minutes before the doctor came. She performed the scan, and told me everything looks good, the baby's head is where it is supposed to be, and at 36 weeks, my baby weighs 2.8kg. *Sigh* Guess she's gonna be huge like her big sister...

All in all, I wasn't disappointed nor was I delighted by the FPP service. For RM110 (new case + registration), it was okay. Although I do have to admit my opinion may differ if I went there hoping for some one-on-one time with my gynae. Or if I went there with an empty stomach. These days, my mood is in exact correlation with the amount of food I consume. Full stomach = happy me.

Full Paying Patient (FPP) in Hospital Putrajaya

*Disclaimer : The information below is based on the brochure distributed by the Hospital and from the inquiry counter and solely from my own understanding. Please go directly to the hospital for more accurate information.


After some hard contemplating (private vs government hospital), I've decided to try my luck at Hospital Putrajaya. Again. But this time, as a full paying patient. I was made to understand that a full paying patient is entitled to the same privilege as the private hospital.

Frankly, I have nothing against government hospital, I had a really nice experience during my first pregnancy and labour. Its just that government hospitals does not allow spouse/parents to spend the night at the hospital (and I was in sooooo much pain after the labour, I can't bear going through that again without anybody present this time).

Okay, before I got sidetracked, below is the information on FPP for birth/delivery in Hospital Putrajaya:

1) Registration fee for a new case (first time visit) is RM10 and the consultation fee is RM100.

2) Subsequent and follow-up visits are charged at RM60.

* Both fees are not inclusive of treatments and medications

3) There are four OBGYN specialists in Hospital Putrajaya (and the patient can choose whomever they want subject to the specialist availability). There are two female doctors (Dr. Noraihan, Dr Hamidah) and two male doctors (Dr. Hazim, Dr. Azmi). As for me, I made an appointment with Dr Hamidah this 20th (will update on the outcome).

4) All FPP need to pay downpayment of RM3,000 the day they are admitted. The total amount of bills will be updated regularly to the patient and the excess fee (should there be any) will be returned to the patient (by cash) during discharge. I asked around and the rate for normal delivery is quite cheap (RM1,000 to RM1,900 - depending on extra medication/procedure such as induce, epidural, vacuum etc..etc). As for c-sect, the rate is also quite competitive and can go as low as RM1,200 (if the operation is smooth).

5) The actual charge is RM250 per hour for the operation theatre (for c-sect delivery) and RM250 for birth in the normal delivery room.

6) The room for FPP is at level 5 and is charged at RM300 per day. Again, I asked around, and they said that the room is super nice, similar to a hotel suite. At RM300 per night, the room better be super nice, right?

I think that's all I have for now. Hope this information helps. I will write more review after my first appointment with Dr Hamidah. Should anybody wishes to get more info, you can call 03-8312 4315 or email to fpp@hpj.gov.my

Fasting during pregnancy

During my first pregnancy, I missed seven days of fasting. I usually throw up around 10am, and depending how I feel in the next half an hour, I'd either break my fast or continue fasting. Usually, it will also depend on whether my good friend, who was also pregnant at that time feels. She was my partner in crime, we'd go and buy McDonalds at the drive-through and eat it in the car, under a tree of some random housing area. Hehe.

This time, I still do vomit from time to time, but I have better self-control (or maybe because this time, I no longer have my partner in crime ;p), I still haven't missed puasa except for a couple of days I have to go through with my BSP checkup at the clinic. I am also spared from the stomach cramps I usually get when I'm hungry, Alhamdulillah...

I didn't do anything differently though. Still the same routine. I'm the type of person that have to wake up for sahur EVERYDAY. And I eat more during sahur than berbuka. I usually have rice, one glass of teh tarik, one glass of pomegranate juice, one glass of plain water, half-boiled eggs, some leftover kuihs and dates for sahur.

With only 5 days left in Ramadhan, here's to hoping I can fast throughout and may my fast is acceptable to the Lord Almighty. Amin...

Tips on how to stop your child from using pacifier

I am not supporting nor rejecting the idea of using pacifier. My motto in raising my kid is work with what you've got. :)

As for Sara, she was on pacifier as early as five days old (I think) and no, I am NOT proud of the fact.I know that kids regularly on the pacifier will tend to develop dental deformities, so we have from time to time try to avoid excessive usage.
Sara has always call her pacifier nu-nu, and she'll motion for her pacifier using her index finger to her mouth EVERY TIME she wanted to sleep. So, what we did was take out her pacifier as soon as she falls asleep.


As she grows older, and able to talk, she'll always ask for her nu-nu when she wants to sleep. BUT, when she reached towards two-years-old, she began to demand for her nu-nu every time she felt neglected by people around her.

For example, when I was watching TV instead of playing with her, she'll walk up to the kitchen, and start to ask for her nu-nu. So, I casually suggested to my mom to start depriving her of the pacifier, gradually.

Little did I know that my mom was also having the same thought, which is to stop her from using the pacifier altogether.

So, what we did was: first, we stopped giving her pacifier by her demand. When she wanted to sleep, we gave her the pacifier, but after 10 minutes of sucking, if she's still not sleeping, we'd take out the pacifier and played with her until she's really sleepy.

Secondly, we'd take out her pacifier the minute she falls asleep (as opposed to taking it out when she has dozed off completely). Sometimes she would wake up, but judging from varying degree of crying (mild meaning she can get back to sleep, screaming meaning I-want-my-nunu-back); we either give it back or just cuddle her until she falls right back to sleep.

However, the two ways doesn't really diminish her need for pacifier. They were just means to train her and decrease her need to depend on the pacifier.

One day, my mom decided to go cold-turkey. She secretly cut the tip of the pacifier and put a black thread inside the pacifier. So, it looks as if there's "worm" inside the pacifier. (Sara is really scared of worms ;p)

She took one look at her pacifier, and say "Nenek, got worm" and together, they threw the pacifier in the dustbin. Later that day, when she wanted to sleep and asked for her nu-nu, my mom reminded her that her nu-nu got worm and its in the dustbin. She must've been really sleepy because she dozed off after that.

During night time, she asked for her nu-nu again, and this time, she pulled my dad's hand to the dustbin and demanded that my dad take back her nu-nu. "Wash first, ok?" she said. Haha.

My dad took the nu-nu and brought her to the kitchen and they wash the nu-nu together. "But, the worm cannot come out-la, Yaya" my dad said. She's dissatisfied, but didn't cry. I take that as a good sign.

She came running to me and asked me to buy her new nu-nu and I said okay. I also told her that "Only baby can get nu-nu, Sara big girl already, Sara kan kakak. No more nu-nu okay?" She seemed to understand and didn't press further.

Luckily for us, starting from that moment on, she'd never scream/shout asking for her pacifier. Don't get me wrong, she did cry and we have had some sleepless nights and our patience are almost running thin. But, we persevered and the result; no more pacifier for the little girl.

Step-by-step instruction of traditional bengkung style

This entry is dedicated to mommies waiting to deliver. A traditional bengkung consist of a loooonnnnggggg cloth (approx 7 metres long and 6-7 inch wide). I got mine from the Mustika Ratu set I bought for my confinement and my mom made me the other one. (Illustration on pics below is using the one that my mom sew)

There are lots of modern bengkung style nowadays. I've tried my hands on a few and all I have to say is, BACK TO BASICS. No modern bengkung can offer the flexibility and the tight comfort as traditional bengkung. Sure, it can be daunting to wear, but once you get the hang of it, you should be able to do it with your eyes closed. :)

Note : I use a square cloth tied loosely to protect my bengkung from all the ointment and jamu I put on my tummy.

Firstly, take a deep breath and suck all your tummy in. While holding your breath, tie the beginning knot at the base of your uterus (if you start to wear your bengkung as early as the next day after your birth, you can actually feel the "batu meriyan" (I seriously have no idea what this is, but that's what my mom call it. I think it's the cervix?) and keep it mind, you MUST tie the first knot under this thing to help your uterus return to its normal position (menaikkan rahim yang dah jatuh). This first knot is important to hold everything in place.

Next, hold the short end straight upright (seek help from somebody OR if you are alone, try biting the end of the cloth to make sure it stays upright).

pardon the messy bed ;p

Take the long end, cross it with the short end and pull both ends simultaneously while still holding the short end upright. Then, double back on the other side and repeat the process until you reach the end of the long cloth.

Note : My bengkung only reaches half my tummy during the first few days but slowly, I was able to reach the waistline towards the end of my confinement. I wore a corset on top of the bengkung to help keep it in place.

I don't know if I did a good job explaining the details or not but I hope the diagram helps. I wore bengkung twice a day, only opened them during bath time and although my tummy is not exactly washboard tummy, it doesn't bulge out or offer any unsightly figure.

Abdominal exercise is also necessary to help tighten the tummy area which in my case is often neglected so up till now, I still have the mummy tummy *sigh* which I proudly wear as my badge of honor. Heh.

Rashes and yeast infection on my baby :(

My Sara have sensitive skin, so she has been using Sebamed since day 1. She has had rashes here and there, but nothing unusual. Until she began to develop this nasty little flaring red rashes on her neck.

To top that off, she also began to develop white thingy ulser like blotches in her mouth. I brought her to the clinic and the doctor prescribed OralAid (some kind of oral thrush medication). Apparently, if not curbed early, these white thingy can turn into red patches that will hurt her during feeding. So, we applied the creams that the doctor prescribed us religiously.

The doctor also told us that Sara's hair is too long at the back of the neck, so we'll need to cut it off as it accumulates sweat. Oh well, off we go to Sara's first hair cut.

notice the shortER hair?

But, it has been almost two weeks. The nasty red rashes begin to appear on her butt, and also on the labia. We went to two clinics on Putrajaya, but none of them offer any credible explanation. They just pass the thing off as something normal that will occur to the baby. Gahhh!! We were sooo frustrated. And guilty because Sara was such a good baby, she never scratch her neck, she never cries and she always finishes her milk (she drank 200ml 4-5 times a day)

Anyway, last weekend we went to a wedding in Kuantan and my dad suggested we go to this clinic where he used to take us when we were sick. It has been almost 30 years (the kind doctor has been treating me since I'm still inside my mum's tummy) and the clinic still haven't changed. The doctor has aged gracefully, still kind and offers a complete and thorough explanation about what Sara has. Now that is what I call a doctor. Someone who explain the sickness we have, how it started, how it can be treated and most importantly, how to avoid it in the future.

It appears that my little angel has a fungal/yeast infection called candida. Anybody interested can google it up. In my case, since Sara is hyperhidrosis (extreme sweating), she is easily exposed to this kind of infection. It is best for her not to wear any type of diaper, even cloth diaper as her sweat plus urine can be a perfect place for the fungus to grow. The doctor gave us an antiseptic cream for her rashes and "Tystatin" for her mouth.

AND THEY WORK WONDERS!!! The rashes didn't magically disappear but there has been radical changes. The doctor also advised us to avoid wearing diapers, if possible, so we are now on another journey, the toilet training journey. Yeay!! *rolls eyes*

The chronicle of food poisoning

Thursday (15 October 2009) - Hubby text me saying that he has severe diarrhea coupled with nausea and light-headedness. I was worried, but he's a big boy, I'm sure he can take care of himself.

Friday (16 October 2009) - My little angel began to develop such symptoms. Her body felt warm, I thought she was feverish due to a little tooth that is beginning to show. However, during midnight, she began to puke her milk. Twice. I'm beginning to worry.

Saturday (17 October 2009) - I brought Sara to the clinic and it's confirmed that she also has food poisoning. On top of that, she also has a fever and a very bloated tummy. She pukes during breakfast, lunch and dinner. Her big round eyes lost their usual sparkle and I felt soooo powerless, I couldn't make her feel better.

Sunday (18 October 2009) - Hubby is better. Sara is still puking, we've tried every remedy to help alleviate her bloating tummy but nothing gives. But, she begins to feel better as evening comes. HOWEVER, my dad and I begin to develop severe stomach ache. I feel like the pain is worse than contraction. Ha! We had diarrhea all night long and the pain was excruciating.

Monday (19 October 2009) - Despite the pain, I still have to go to work since I have a few pending task. Tsk. Sara is getting better. Alhamdulillah.

The doctor at the clinic told us that this food poisoning does not necessary means that the source is from the food Sara consume. It may also come from her bathe water (I suspect this is true, last week the water quality in Selangor was sooooo bad), her contact with person with same symptom (in my case, most probably from hubby ;p) or the toys and other things that she puts in her mouth (I very much doubt this, she seldom put things in her mouth).

It's really heartbreaking to see my lil angel who loves to eat becomes somewhat afraid to eat, because if she eats, she'll just puke it back out. We really hope that this episode will never happen again in the future.

my confinement method

disclaimer : This post is written by me, who has absolutely no medical expertise whatsoever. My methods may work for me, but the result will differ according to your pregnancy and delivery. Please do not take my writings and ramblings here as some form of expert opinion. I am merely jotting down my experience for my future reference.

I was always 53-55 kg before pregnancy. With 165cm height, I think it was an ideal weight for me. During my pregnancy, the first trimester I gained almost 10kgs. Heh. Blame that on my desire to eat lots and lots of carbs and good food. Luckily, as I entered my second trimester, it was ramadhan. So, I had to cut back on eating rice and other things. Like most mommies out there, I had morning all-day sickness as well. I would vomit after eating breakfast or sahur but the funny thing is I will immediately search for food after a session of vomiting. (The worst thing to puke is spaghetti bolognese...oregano tasted sooo bitter and disgusting)

Anyway, in total I gained up to 20 kgs ++ during my pregnancy. I was 75kg ++ when I delivered and I went home from the hospital still looking like 9 months pregnant. I was worried. My tummy was hard as a rock. So, I was determined to follow traditional Malay confinement method (Pahang traditional method to be exact)

7 months pregnant II 3 months after delivery

Basically, my daily schedule during my confinement is as below:

6.00 am - 7.30 am : bertungku (I usually falls asleep during this :P) note to self : do it yourself - it'll help you burn all those unwanted and unsightly "chicken wing"

7.30 am - 7.45 am : breakfast (oats or few biscuits with horlicks/milo)

7.45 am - 8.00 am : bathe (my mom made a mixture of hot bathe water using various type of leaves "daun serom" and a mixture of "biji kani" for the va-jay-jay (per dr bailey grey's anatomy..heh)

8.00 am - 8.15 am : rub the "jamu" mixture on the stomach area and bengkung (I use the traditional bengkung Jawa - sooo hard to wear, it's a long cloth (7 metres long) but very comfortable and makes u feel secure if worn properly

8.15 am - 10.00 am : relax, watch TV, watch Sara being bathed, tend to Sara, massage (I only did this 3 times during my confinement), sleep - basically just relaxing and chilling out (thank God for my mom and MIL who took care of everything else)

12.00 pm - 12.30 pm : ate lunch (no food that could made you itch, lots of hot foods i.e black pepper. I usually eat a slice of spanish mackerel (tenggiri) grilled with bits of tumeric and salt seasoning plus lots of black pepper. After 2 weeks, my mom would made me "singgang" with lots of herbs and ginger and I drank "air sepang" for two weeks.

12.30 pm - 4.30 pm : chilling out, sleep a little, have a little snack, this is the time where I usually play with Sara alone and she amazes me everyday with each tiny movement that she makes :) I miss newborn Sara

4.30 pm - 6.00 pm : one more bertungku session. *yawn (My mom will bathe Sara during this time)

6.00 pm - 6.30 pm : bathe and bengkung. Usually hubby is already home, so he can help me wear the bengkung. It's very hard, I still haven't had the hang of it. My bengkung keeps riding up like a loose panties..haha

6.30 pm - 7.00 pm : have dinner, rice with fish (again!) and air sepang

7.00 pm onwards : relax, cuddling with Sara, watch TV. Sara wakes up every two hours, so eventhough I am not doing anything, waking up every two hours is certainly tiring. Everybody (my mom, my dad, my sisters, my hubby would be groggy and zombie-like in the morning).

notes to remember :
1) "biji kani" - must have item. helps to heal wounds faster. grind it on hard stone and rub it to the va-jay-jay
2) "daun serom" - mixture of lemongrass leaves, pandan leaves and a whole lot of other plants/leaves (just found a cool blog explaining all the details). I bathe with this for 10 days. After that, just hot water.
3) "jamu" mixture on stomach can also be replaced with limau nipis + kapur
4) I think 3 times of massage session is not adequate. Should do 7 times and then once a week until the end of the confinement period
5) all foods must be of "hot" nature. No cold food are allowed. Iced water is a no-no.
6) "air sepang" - dunno other name for this drink, but it is the boiled water of "kayu sepang" plus bits of saffron. The colour and taste is like hot tea, quite nice actually. It'll make ur body warm all over.
7) "bertungku" - always rub a little bit of cooking oil before putting the tungku stone on fire. For the first 1 week, I use river stone, but my hubby over burn it and it broke into 4 pieces. Heh. Then, I use the traditional northern tungku (see pic *credit to nanabizmom.blogspot.com - she even sells it) and it works wonders. I will compile another post explaining the details about bertungku because it has specific methods.
8) "bengkung" - I use the traditional Jawa bengkung, will also compile another post explaining step by step the method of doing it.

I am somewhat lucky because I do not feel the urge to eat anything during my confinement. Partly because I was soooo in pain during my confinement. I'm back to my pre pregnancy weight within two months after giving birth. In fact, now I am slimmer than before. Now, I only weigh about 50-53 kg. It helps that I don't really like to munch on chocolates, junkfoods, biscuits or anything of that sort. I only enjoy heavy food in particular hot rice. Haha.

I am also the luckiest person on the planet because my mom, my dad and my sis are around to help me and hubby. All of us sleep together in the living room and they wake up everytime Sara cries out. Family support is very important during confinement period. Thank God for them...

My little "Naruto"

Sara was feverish a few days ago (fine, it was last week...Mommy is such a lazy blogger :P)...anyways, we put Koolfever to her head and she looks soooo cute...just like a konoha ninja...

Here's my little Naruto

And she was such a good baby, even though she was feeling unwell, she finished her porridge, she drank her milk and cries out for attention once in a while. Other than that, she remains as happy as a clam...Sara, Mommy and Baba loves you to bits...Thank god you are fine now...

I HATE SPECULUM

I swear, whoever invented that item is one sick person...they bloody hurt...I HATE SPECULUM!!!!!!!!!!

Sara and Mommy goes to the clinic

This is a backdated post... Sara and me survived going to the clinic on 11th February 2008. Sara is one month old, weighs a whopping 5.25kg (I know! I was surprised as you are), 56cm in length and appears to have no medical illness...Alhamdulillah...As for mommy, I'm back to my pre-pregnancy weight..yeay! I'm so proud of myself to have shed almost 15kgs of my pregnancy weight...

Sara received her second HepB dose...She was such a good baby, she didn't even cry during our waiting time at the clinic...she did scream when the kind nurse injected her but just for a few seconds...hee..I'm soooo proud of my little girl...Sara wore her new romper courtesy of Aunty Kmie..but unfortunately I forgot to snap any pictures...

Anyway, this is a picture of Sara that I totally love...Actually, this is the first time she wore non-baby clothing...

Sara and her BCG

Sara received her BCG immunization as soon as she was born. I never thought the BCG would develop into something nasty like this


Thankfully, Sara didn't cry out in pain. In fact, she seem rather nonchalant about the whole thing. It sure look like it hurts, but I guess it doesn't. Heh...luckily, now its okay already...hope u guys who have any experience in this leave me a comment and tell me whether this is normal or should I do something about it...anyway, now her BCG has developed into something like this...