How did I quit breastfeeding...

As I found out that I was pregnant for the second time, my concern was not only my pregnancy but my existing son, Ubaid. He was 1-year and 10-month-old at that time. Since I was (I guess I still am) too skinny, my concern was the nutrition that my fetus get and what was left for me. BUT, this does not mean you MUST or HAVE TO quit breastfeeding once you are pregnant. Consult your medical practitioner for more info.

So... How did we (my son and I) did it?

Pre-quitting phase

A few weeks (I don't really remember how long but I think it went for about one or two weeks) before I began the actual "quitting"stage, I talked to him over and over about it. Like 

Übaid... soon Ubaid dah tak boleh mamam tau... sebab dalam womb mama ada baby... adik Ubaid... Adik tak pandai makan lagi macam Ubaid so adik kene mamam mama. If not adik lapaq... sian kat adik kan..." (sort of) "

This is to prepare him mentally of what is coming.

Quitting phase

This is not a one-shot stage where we simple cut-out breastfeeding. I began with day-time quitting, and it is only morning session. So whenever he asked for breast milk in the morning, I talked to him about it. The talked went on with something almost similar to the pre-quitting phase.

Ubaid: Mama... nk mamam...

Mama: Aik... kan mama dah cakap, from today onwards Ubaid dah tak boleh mamam dah pagi2... 

        

and it went on with simple explanation (by simple I meant using language that he could understand) about this process...

it went on for about a few days... until he stopped asking for breast milk in the morning, then only I moved on to the next phase which is afternoon session, then evening, then at night before he went to bed, and finally... when he was sleeping. 

trust  me... it was not easy at all but it went pretty well for both of us...

and be prepared for a lot of cuteness and "puss in boots-shining-watery-cute-eyes rolling" when he begged for it...

another tips is to ensure he was not left hungry so I gave him formula milk in the morning along with other meals like fries, nuggets, rice, or whatever I could prepare for him. This is very important because when he was full, he won't be asking for milk anymore. 

The most challenging phase was the night time when he was sleeping. So, I prepared warm water and other supplies for his formula milk in the room so whenever he woke up at night and asked for milk, I rushed to prepare the milk for him. I've got to be quick because when it took so long then he started crying the rest of the night and it would be very unpleasant for both of us. It was also difficult for me because Ubaid does not drink from bottle but only in cup with straw. So he had to sit up to drink. This wasn't easy at all because I basically disturbed his sleeping time. But nevertheless, I managed to (weeehuuuuuuuu)

Post-quitting

He had a habit of having something (you know what) in his mouth when he slept, and I refused to give him pacifier (he rejected it too) so  this was also a challenge for us. How did I manage to? I'm sorry but I've forgotten. Perhaps I just calmed him down, hug (lots of it) him and talk to him about it. After a while, the milk supply was getting low as there were no more demands anymore. 

But...

There were times that I cheated... How? At night when I was too tired to get up and prepared his milk, I would just slipped my breast into his mouth... 

Anyway... 

I didn't use anything like many people told they had used on their kids to quit breastfeeding (this includes syrup to pretend it is blood to scare the baby away, or applying anythings that tasted bad etc) but A LOT OF TALK with Ubaid. Alhamdulillah, after about two months (plus), he completely forgot about breast milk. Most importantly, as a mother, I had to be strong and firm with my stand on this :P

rindu...

oh...rindu sungguh nak ber-blog

in sha Allah akan ada post baru soon

love,

azim allaudin

 :)

Kelahiran Dinantikan

Akhirnya...

Selepas sebulan ditahan ward di Hospital Serdang, saya selamat melahirkan Muhammad Ubaid Bin Mohd Zulfahmi :)

Kalau ikotkan planning asal para doktor dan pakar O&G di hospital, saya akan melahirkan melalui procedure inducing (baca sini kalau nak tau lagi) kerana Expected Due Date masih jauh lagi (9 December 2012).

Pukul 3 pagi Dr datang untuk mengambil darah untuk disediakan bekalan di bilik bedah sekiranya berlaku kecemasan dan memerlukan doktor melalukan emergency caeserian. Dalam masa yang sama doktor terus cucuk jarum kat tangan untuk masukkan air selepas bersalin. Saya rasa proses ni sakit dan seksa sebab sangat terbatas pergerakan sebab tangan tak boleh nak bengkok sangat. Nak makan, mandi dan apa sahaja terasa sangat susah dan rasa disable kejap sebab kena mintak bantuan orang buat banyak benda untuk saya.

Pukul 5 pagi nurse datang mintak saya bersedia untuk diperiksa dan procedure akan dimulakan. Berdebar-debar sangat sebab kebetulan jumpa sorang lagi patient lain yang dah kene induced dah 3 hari tapi masih belum  melahirkan sebab "Gerbang Kebahagiaan (GK)" belum terbuka dan rahim masih lagi tebal. Akak tu cakap sakit sangat-sangat. Tu yang buat lutut tiba-tiba longgar :P

Akhirnya sampai turn saya untuk diperiksa. Kali ni saya lebih relax berbanding kali pertama diperiksa. Tapi doktor memang ganas. Sakit sangat-sangat rasa macam nak terajang je. Tapi bila doktor explain dia periksa dan dalam masa yang sama terus tolong bukakan sikit GK. Kebetulan masa saya baring, saya terus mula rasa contraction. So doktor tak jadi induce sebab GK pun dah terbuka dan sign of contraction pon agak kuat. Puihhhh... alhamdulillah... lega :)

Seharian tu saya sakit sikit dan sekejap-sekejap je. Semua macam biasa kecuali pergerakan terbatas. Sampailah petang lebih kurang pukul 6, saya mula kerap rasa sakit dan lebih sakit dari pagi. Menggelupur jugak la. Serba tak kena. Bangun, jalan, tidur, serba serbi tak kena. Selalu jugak update mama perkembangan.

*selingan: SMS mama tanya datang tak hospital, mama cakap "tak pi boleh dak? mama tak sampai hati tengok girl sakit"... terus bergelen-gelen air mata keluar :P

Malam lebih kurang pukul 9 saya dah tak tahan sakit. Terus mintak doktor check dah nak bersalin ke apa :P doktor cakap perkembangan cuma 1 cm sahaja. Kecewa sebab saya sangat berharap dah boleh dihantar ke labour room sebab nak cepat selesai sebab tak tahan sangat dah.

Saya mintak painkiller. Tunggu dan panggil nurse banyak kali tapi tak dilayan (masa ni memang sakit hati tapi sabar tak nak maki orang time-time camni). Akhirnya lebih kurang pukul 12 tengah malam baru nurse datang untuk pasang mesin CTG nak check keadaan baby dan contraction. Masa tengah buat saya mengamuk tak nak buat dah mintak nurse alihkan mesin sebab sakit yang tak tertanggung dah. Nurse terus check dan announce GK dah terbuka sampai 6cm lebih dan minta saya bersedia untuk dibawa ke labour room.

Kebetulan husband pun ada dekat situ masa tu, terus dia pon cepat-cepat ambil barang baby dan turun tunggu dibawah.

Akhirnya, selepas bertarung nyawa dari jam 12.30 a.m, saya selamat melahirkan Ubaid pada jam 2.45 a.m.

Tapi belum berakhir lagi proses melahirkan ni...

Tiba la part yang paling mengerikan... JAHIT-MENJAHIT... disebabkan saya mengalami beberapa masalah semasa meneran banyak jugak jahitan yang saya terima. Memang azab sangat-sangat. Nurse siap bagi warning lagi sakit sangat sebab jahit mentah-mentah tak ada bius, painkiller or epidural. So memang sakit sangat ok.

Habis menjahit, ada lagi... doktor datang check jahitan dan darah kotor takot-takot ada yang masih tertinggal kat dalam. Kalau ada memang bahaya.

Dan akhirnya... saya dibawa keluar dari labour room dan tunggu baby siap screening. Hampir pukul 4 a.m baru kami dibawa naik ke ward. Masa tu memang letih sangat-sangat sampai tak rasa nak tido sebab terlalu letih. Saya juga tak selesa sebab masih terasa sakit jahitan.

Nasib baik husband sentiasa disisi. Dia la yang banyak menolong dan menenangkan. Tapi syukur sangat-sangat akhirnya semuanya selesai.

Alhamdulillah :)

Terima kasih kepada semua yang mendoakan saya dan baby.

Love,
Azim

How Can I Not Be Grateful?

Day 18 in Hospital Serdang

Why am I warded? I'll share every detail in other posts (perhaps Day 1 or 2) later.

Despite being warded for 18 days today, I feel ever so grateful. Why? Being sicked is not good, worse is when it involves lives of others (and in my case, my baby's life). But then I am still grateful I have been receiving support and in some kind of way I feel loved by so many people: family and friends.

How Mama has never failed to come and visit me in the afternoon and evening with a lot of food stocks just to make sure I will never be starving... Thanks so much Mama :)

Bapak, who will try his best to come in the afternoon and evening or whenever he has time and as long as he's not out of town for work... Who will bring along biscuits and anything I can munch :D Thanks so much Bapak

My dearest husband... who despite being thousand miles away, will take a bus on the weekend just to see me... Bring me breakfast, lunch n dinner... Who provides unconditional support and love... Who always ready to get his shoulder wet with my tears... Who never failed to listen to whatever complaints and requests I have... Who provides hugs and kisses when there are no words that can make me feel better or comfortable... and the lists will continue until forever... Thanks so much Love ;)

To my family: my sister, my sisters in law, my brothers, granny, aunties, cousins... Thank you so much for all the food, attention and prayers from all of you...

To my lovely ladies, Yaya and Rad: Who try hard to make themselves available in the afternoon during lunch hour and weekends (and brought along pizza and chocolates) ... You ladies are the greatest friends anyone can ever asked for... Thanks so much...

To my friends who provide support through FB, phone calls and messages and other forms... Thanks so much.

Trust me, every prayer and wish do make me feel stronger and more focus to fight back...

I might not be able to thank everyone individually... I am sorry if I have missed anyone in this note...


Love,
Azim and Baby :)

Beautify Your Hair from Your Kitchen

I love to try out and make my own beauty products from whatever I can find in the kitchen because I believe it is safer, cheap most importantly, it is less or zero chemicals on my skin :) 

Here's one fine and in my opinion, very interesting tips to beautify your hair i retrieved from tanamera fb page. 

Natural Hair Care: Beautiful Results sans Chemicals 

Oh, we all want it – beautiful, shiny, lustrous hair. And it’s surprisingly simply to achieve. All you need are a few (three, at most) simple ingredients from your kitchen. Apply any of

 these natural deep-conditioning treatments once a week and you’ll spend less time styling your hair in the morning because hey, it looks good already!

A simple hair conditioner 

(1) Warm up some olive or coconut oil (but don’t let it boil) and massage a liberal amount onto your hair. 

Because your hair will absorb the oil much better if you keep your hair warm, wear a plastic shower cap or wrap your head with a towel soaked in warm water. Better still, apply the warm oil to your hair right before you step into the steam room at the gym or spa. The heat will open up your hair cuticles so it can absorb all the good stuff. Leave the oil on for at least 30 minutes before washing with your regular shampoo. No olive or coconut oil? Try massaging in some small chunks of butter (yes, butter) or applying some mayonnaise instead. Weird, but it works. 

If you’ve got a bit more time..

(2) Plain yogurt is also a great hair conditioner. 

You can purchase plain yogurt at a grocery store but they’re usually sold in large tubs so we prefer to just buy a small packet of tairu from our favourite nasi daun pisang shop for around RM1. 

(3) If you have oily hair, mix a cup of yogurt together with a few drops of lime juice and one egg white 

to make a deep-conditioning paste that won’t overweigh your hair. But you’ll need a bit more than that if your hair is dry – mix together a cup of yogurt, a tablespoon of olive oil and one egg yolk. Remember, some heat makes your hair absorb more of the yogurt’s moisturizing properties so wrap your head in a warm towel or wear a shower cap and leave the paste on overnight.

If you’re feeling gung-ho.....

Do it how our great-grandmothers used to. 

(4) Scoop out the seeds of a papaya 

and leave them out in the sun to dry. In a pan, fry the papaya seeds without any oil and at low heat until they’re crisp. Using a pestle and mortar or a food processor, crush the seeds until they’re fine and sift to remove any big pieces. Mix with some coconut oil and apply to your hair, leaving it overnight before washing it out the next day with your regular shampoo. This old wives’ recipe will not only make your hair looks gorgeously beautiful, it’ll also reduce dandruff and prevent split ends.

So ladies, save up your money and try out these tips this weekend and give me your feedback ok.

Have a great weekend darlings ;)

Aurat

Assalamualaikum...

Selalu kita dengar pakai tudung...pakai tudung dan... pakai tudung... Tapi pernah tak kita fahami tuntutan agama yang sebenarnya? Adakah Islam menyuruh muslimahnya memakai tudung?

Pengetahuan agama saya amat cetek jadi maaf kalau saya salah. 

Tapi saya rasa Islam tidak menuntut muslimahnya memakai tudung tetapi menutup aurat. Sebab apa saya cakap macam tu? Cuba lihat keliling kita... adakah memakai tudung itu jaminan seseorang itu menutup aurat? Tak kan? Selalu sahaja terlihat wanita memakai tudung tapi bajunya kadang-kadang jarang menampakkan susuk tubuh, ada yang memakai lengan 3 suku tidak menutupi pergelangan tangannya dan kadang-kadang terlalu pendek sampai boleh nampak bulu ketiak... memakai jeans yang ketat sehingga terlihat susuk kaki persis model dan paling common, kaki terdedah tak ditutupi dengan stoking...

Tapi yang pasti jika seseorang itu menutup aurat pasti dia akan memakai tudung. Betul kan? Saya sendiri pun masih tidak menutup aurat dengan sempurna. Sebab apa? Tak ada apa-apa alasan pun cuma rasa macam tidak terbuka hati memikirkan perkara aurat ni sebagai suatu perkara yang amat berat dan perkara yang antaranya membezakan saya dengan wanita bukan Islam yang lain.

Hari Khamis lalu saya ke kelas memakai skirt labuh, baju labuh dan longgar dengan lengan panjang sehingga pergelangan dan selendang yg cukup besar bila dililit-lilit masih cukup menutup dada dan belakang saya. Perasaan saya? Rasa sangat cantik, selamat, terpelihara dan yang paling penting, rasa tenang sebab hampir sempurna saya menutup aurat dihadapan lelaki yang bukan mahram saya.

Saya pernah berazam "bila dah ada anak nanti baru nak pakai labuh-labuh dan cukup untuk menutup aurat"

Saya tiba-tiba terfikir, kenapa nak tunggu dah jadi isteri atau mama baru saya nak mula menyempurnakan pemeliharaan aurat saya ni? Kenapa tak lakukakan sahaja sekarang?

Insyallah...

Saya berdoa agar diberikan kekuatan dan ketetapan hati untuk menutup aurat dengan sempurna bukan untuk suami atau anak saya, bukan juga untuk bapak dan sesiapa pun... Tapi untuk kebaikan diri saya juga.

Saya juga doakan anda dibukakan pintu hati untuk melakukan perubahan pada diri anda.

Marriage...

Don't get married because the dresses are stunning with the beautiful laces and shinning beads...

Don't get married because wedding photographers are getting more creative nowadays and they produce amazing pictures...

Don't get married because most of your friends or family members are married...

Don't get married because Mak Cik Jemah and Pak Sood are being busy body and being asking when are you getting married... and just to shut their mouths...

Because behind all this awesome and amazing and beautiful things on your wedding day, lie great responsibilities... and it won't be as stunning as your wedding dresses or pictures anymore...

It takes great effort to make a marriage last... great responsibilities... u have to tolerate each other strengths and weaknesses...