Is BreastFeeding Cheaper?

How did i decide to breastfeed?

1. Its good for baby
2. Peer pressure (everybody's doing it)
3. Cheaper

But is it really cheaper? Things i bought or needed to buy to sustain this:

1. Electric pump $100 (ok maybe non BF mummies also need a pump to help engorgement but perhaps a manual one would do?)
2. Breast Pads. I wear Madela washable ones @ $16 for 2 which last me a month?
3. Disposable Breast Pads. In case of emergency. $8 for 32pcs. Lasts 2 months i hope.
4. Lansinoh Milk Bag @ $15-18 per 25pcs. which lasts only 6 working days.
5. Cooler Bag to transport the BM. I think it was about $20.
6. Nursing tops $50 each. I know this is not necessary but i can't help it! =D
7. More diapers as breastmilk is easier to digest resulting more output. lol
8. More money for food cause i'm always so hungry!!!

I've only just unearthed Avent reusable cups from the back of my wardrobe that Z bought a long time ago. (3months actually haha) I supposed that was around $20. There are 10cups and i've switched to this one already.

At first i didn't use them cos its shape wastes a lot of space in the freezer. Now i to store it in chiller for a short time, so there should be more than enough space. BUT! I've already bought 3 packets of the plastic milkbags. Heart pain! Ok nevermind i'll reserve that for emergency purposes say the cups are not washed or all in use... or if i wanna store it in freezer. But 3 x 25pcs will take a SUPER LONG TIME To finish.

(Haha ok as i write this entry i've only just noticed i have a lot of "for emergency cases" things. Even my clothes and scarves, stationeries, shoes there are "for emergency" categories. I'm such a sicko!)

Hopefully with the Avent cups i will save a lot more. I dont dare do the maths, but is BF really cheaper after the figures above? Look quite unlikely. Formula milk is only what? $20-30 that can last a whole month. I got a lot of bottles from the gift packs. Ok some may argue that BFed babies are less likely to fall sick = save on doctor's fee... but surely not that much that often?

But of course, at the end of the day, its the Baby's health that's more important and the bonding experience. =)

Physiotherapy Follow Up

Mon, 13th July 09 (3.5months old)

@ 1pm, my parents picked me up at that Aranda CC from my mother's hospital appointment at GH.

I've only had bfast at 9am and was raving hungry but we made a stop at a mosque first before heading to the KK. and even then i had to endure another 30min for the appointment before i got Mc for lunch.

Right at the door, we were both issued masks. The kind nurse tied it on for me but told me to hold the mask for baby. At first, Tufeil was quietly excited at this thing covering his face but after awhile, the fingers resume its permanent residence in his mouth. haha.

While waiting, i managed to feed him for 5min before he fell asleep. Oops This might just spell danger. True enough, when we carried him to the bed to be inspected, he cried his lungs out!! He hates to be woken up from sleep. He WAILED and WAILED and WAILED till it was diff for the doc n me to talk and to tape his toes! In my heart i was saying, "Alamak Tufeil, Ummi 'Azma just praised you for being a good boy yesterday..."

Basically, the therapist said that his club feet are no cause for worry, its quite natural for them to rise inwards but as long as they correct it on their own, its fine. But to continue with the exercise, which to be honest i didn't do cos i thought letting him stand on his feet would suffice. Apparently not. While lying on his back, i should raise his knees and push his ankles towards his thighs and stay for 10counts x 10times a day.

As for his curled toes, his right one is good already but his left is still on the lower side. So far i've met 3 different physiotherapist and this 3rd one is telling me the first method of taping the two last toes is better even though its tougher to do. PLUS must make sure no creases and blood circulation is in order.

I asked her what will happen if his toes remain like that? Indirectly asking if its ok i slack a bit and not tape it haha. She said if the condition is not corrected at 1yo or older, it will be more diff to change and more invasive therapy has to be introduced. And this will result in the toe being uncomfortable wearing shoes as it will get "stepped on".

Ok Julissa, buck up! Next appointment in 6 weeks.

So now i've started taping again at night. By right, it should be twice a day. But i feel like i can't impose more on my mother than i already have when i asked her to look after Tufeil. Altho i havent really asked, I simply can't expect her to do it after each morning bath. So its once at night for 12hrs and twice at weekend insya'Allah should help.

First Overnighter w Baby Alone.

Sunday 12th July 09 (3.5months old)

4 of the 11 bestfriends have now been Mummies for a year and they took the opportunity to get together with all the other mummies and new mummies.

Aranda Country Club is the chalet that you can see from Wild Wild Wet. We got a two bedroom suite and it faces The River!!!!!!!!! I was sooo jumping with joy couldn't wait for next day to take the rides. Unfortunately, WWW opens at 1pm, check out is at 10am, my appt @ KK at 3pm = No time.

Another thing that dropped my jaw was seeing a Thomas & Friend's Bouncy House(??) / trampoline for the kids to jump. I LOVE THIS!! At one point, Nul and i went in with our babies... then another adult wanted to step in that's when disaster struck! The bouncy Float became lopsided, pressed to the ground! And the kids were all deliriously screaming but my small li'l Tufeil was traumatized seeing the walls closing in on him. So after the Bounce stabilised, i quickly handed out my baby to safety. It was sooo comical. Poor Tufeil. Let's just hope he won't grow up a claustrophobic.

It's nice to catch up with some of our seniors. I realised most of them gave birth around the same time as i did! Between March and April 09! So we all exchanged notes and gathered round for group feeding.

'Azma kept praising that Tufeil is so... good, sit quietly. and i kept telling her that He's just happy as long as somebody carries him. For example: it was already 9pm when we went bowling till past 11pm. He was being passed around in between my turns but no cry. Alhamdulillah... I just hope he stays a pleasant baby, cause i read that after 3 months, babies start to have preferences favouring some faces more than others.

Hairiah, on the other hand, thought i was confident (is tt the word u used?) bringing the baby out on my own. I dont know why but i grew up feeling guilty if i let other pple do my stuffs for me. Actually i do know why, but its embarassing to say here. haha. So like it or not, heavy or not, diff or not, i persevere.

Also, there were a few instances within the first month of baby's birth where i was nursing baby and kept asking Z to fetch things, tissue lah, pillow lah, hp lah... until he got fed up and said, "Can't you take yourself?" Of course at tt point of time i replied, "I can't move what!" But upon reflection, yeah i should be more independent. Ever since then, even if i forgot to take anything, i will as best as i could, take the things with baby in one arm, the other arm stretching as far as i could in half sitting, half standing position.

As far as possible, I won't ask the maid to handle my baby also. Like i've already written, i would rather wait to pass to my own family. I would also push the stroller myself. It's something i like to do anyways since young. Simply put: Kesian (pity). Not to mention i don't trust her. Only one time i caved in cause i was driving and the only other adult was Kak Ly but Syifaa' was acting up.

But then again, i'm not totally independent since i get the maid to do ALL the other chores for me. I dont hafta make my bed, i dont wash the bottles, let alone the clothes. I dont even iron them. In that sense, u can consider I'm lucky.

In any case, the next day, AFTER checking out, we went to the club's swimming pool. We had it all to ourselves! We dipped for just under an hour. After tt both 'Affaan and Tufeil started to get cranky. 1.5months ago Tufeil needed support using Syifaa's buoy but not anymore. Yay!!

It was a DISASTER trying to change the babies and ourselves. There was no proper place to change baby, but i managed to wash him in the sink (he's afraid of showers - i can understand it might be painful) then put him on the ceramic tile top covered with our own towel. So scary, afraid he might wriggle and fall!

He was all nice and ready on the counter but i dont know what to do with him. I havent changed and was still wet. Cldn't leave him to get ready. So i thought, lay him down on the buoy on the floor. I carried him with a towel between us but he still got wet and refused to be put down! So we found ourselves both feeding the babes in the changing room! Thank God there are seats!

And thankfully 'Affaan the baby has fallen asleep on the same said counter. so we took turns looking after both babies while the other got ready. In the meantime, i had asked my parents to come fetch me.

After the whole fiasco and having to change Tufeil back to yesterday's clothes (POOR BABY!), I cld barely carry 1 big baby bag full of wet clothes on my right shoulder, 1 big bag full of goodies from the party in my left hand, 1 inflated buoy ('Azma helped) and 1 baby in carrier in front. Ayah came to the lobby and i dumped everything into the stroller he brought.

Phew!

Tufeil's First Library Visit

Tuesday, 30th June 09


Just a day before i start work.


Was alone at home. By 3pm, i got bored and decided to go out to the library with Tufeil.


Put him in the stroller and i read for him a couple of books. He was quite attentive looking at the pictures.


A female security guard even stopped by our pram and said, "So Cuteee." He was prolly the youngest reader at tt moment.


The best thing is there's a nursing room with two cubicles and its always empty.


Fed and changed baby with ease. But the next thing, i felt extremely guilty about... i went to the loo with HIM! Since nobody was with me, i had to bring him into the cubicle as well - the handicap one. Sorry, baby. But i pulled down the shade.


Lunch time now.


Fish & Chips + Cookies & Cream Ice Blended @ Cafe Galilee in Woodlands Library. SUPERB!

My first time too

Tufeil, satiated, sat in the stroller peacefully, drinking in his unfamiliar surrounding. He looked "high" so i rocked the pram (while eating at the same time) and suddenly he fell asleep! Weee! I'm taking my OM's advice to "train" the baby to sit in stroller very seriously. Hope he'll continue to cooperate. Before long, perhaps i can't even put him in the stroller at home, just like Fara =)

TWO DAYS before Work Started

Mon, 29th June 09

I bought a term life insurance policy to protect my child in case anything untoward happens to me.

But becaused i declared anemia and Gestational diabetes, i was sent for the most thorough check up. Clinic was at somewhere Tiong Bahru. Supposed to meet the agent there.

I wanted to leave Tufeil at home. Can be like a practice session for my mum to take care of both grandchildren, but i changed my mind. Let's bring Tufeil out, instead.

So Tufeil had his first TRAIN RIDE! He fell asleep in the stroller on the way to the mrt. When we boarded, he kept being jolted awake by the irritating overhead announcement! IT was soo loud! But after 3 stops, he got used to it and slept thru.


In the afternoon, we had 2nd Immunisation @ Poly along with 3rd month development check up.

Z can't come so i asked Mummy to accompany me and so Syifaa' tagged along too.

Even though we reached like 15min earlier, our number was only called like 1hr later from the allocated time slot!

I thank god mummy followed us cos i wldnt, for the life of me, be able to hold my baby firmly to stop him from wriggling around. It was shot on the thighs. I can't remember where the first shot was because i didnt look.

We had a very nice young Muslim nurse. She jabbed my baby with a Bismillah. =)

I was soo surprised there's no payment for all subsequent jabs and doctor's consultation. Weee Alhamdulillah

Two weeks after last check, not much diff in height and weight @ 60.5cm and 5.8kg. Nurse said that both are still one notch down the national average but head circumference is one step higher. Don't know measurement. She was definitely stumped. She can't say my baby is heavy anymore.

No Sentosa Retreat This Year

Thurs & Fri 25th - 26th Jun 09 (3 month old)

For the past 3 years, we have enjoyed going away for a 3D2N retreat as a dept. I've been to Bintan and twice to Sentosa with them.

With the current economic condition, it is wise to cut cost and so no fancy retreat this year. But we did get together for a department dinner at Regent Hotel. And the next day, we had our "seminar". It was also a work trial for me.

"Where are we going, Mummy?"

"We're going to Regent Hotel, Sayang. We will meet mummy's friends. There's a baby girl there too. You met her 4months ago. When I carried her, you kicked me in my tummy."

Both father & son sporting double chins!

Day of Seminar

The day Michael Jackson died, I was in this seminar.

The venue is somewhere behind Tanglin Mall and the property is so HUGEEEEEE!! The House is HUGE, the compound doubly so! Can't imagine working here. No place to go for lunch as surrounding are all private estate area. Altho we could claim cab fare, Ayah sent and picked me up. Yayy

In the morning, we had a professional consultant assessing our team personalities. A revelation: My boss recruits pple with similar personalities ie Blue & Green persons, left Brainers.

Interestingly, the lady said that in Singapore, we are NURTURED to be left brain oriented. Or perhaps used to be. Now with all those creative thinking (How can u teach pple to be creative?!), its quite a promising outlook for the future generations i hope.

I enjoyed the session very much, esp the part where we introduced ourselves using a toy. I picked this colourful flexible round-ish thing and described myself as flexible in the sense that even if i have an opinion of my own, i can understand yours too. Normally that rendered me stuck in between. I know where he's coming from, i know why she feels that way. But what should i do, going forward??

Tea breaks and lunch was catered. I had a special HALAL bento set meal. Fish curry. Hmmm... Boring. I went to take the salad and prawn from the main food.

Because the place is ULTRA HUGE, there were many places where i could sit, plug in to my pump and whir away. "In fact," i thought "this is much comfortable than office! I was worried for nothing!" There was even a bar counter and i made myself at home using the fridge. haha

Our new team!

Taken by the security guard. *gasp!*

What's in a Name - Part 2

So we named our baby Tufeil Hussain Zubair.

The word "Tufeil" comes from the Arabic word Tiflun which means boy. Tufeil is the endearing version of Tiflun.

Although it originates from an Arabic word, i don't suppose it's a popular name amongst Arabs. It's more used in the Pakistani community.

My sister told me that it is also the name of one of Prophet Muhd's sahabat (friends).

but the real question is how to PRONOUNCE it?!?!?!?!?

Mostly, the Malays would say it like "to fail" but i prefer the Pakistani's pronounciation "two fell". Same goes with "Whose Cent" and "Zoo Bear".

The funniest i've ever heard was "Tough - feel". I almost burst out laughing. Then suddenly i realised, oh no... my son is going to have problems with his name thru out his life. What have i done!

Tufeil's First Rollover

15th Jun 09 - Just about 3months old

So i read tt we shld let the baby rest on his tummy to promote his motor skills and i did. Generally he doesn't have a problem lying on his tummy. In fact, he sleeps sounder in that position.

However, this is his first time being on tummy while wide awake (Altho his Titi - short for Aunty Siti aka Ash was fast asleep!).

Right after i clicked STOP on my hp, he ROLLED OVER!

So i didnt actually get to capture the moment on video... but i got to see thru my own eyes and not the camera's.

To date, he has only done it twice on his own accord. Other times, i rolled for him and he regurgitated afterwards so i stopped! haha

Leaves... Holiday.....

Tues 7th July

So its a good thing i took leave that day. Initially, it was because mummy has class every tuesday and that particular Tues, Ayah can't send mummy cos he's on course. I didnt want her first day of bringing Tufeil to class be via public transport. Terperanjat berok nanti kepenatan! (Rude shock to handle the tiredness.)

As it turned out, my grandfather called her over to bring him to the hospital. He was in pain. Much later we gotta know its water retention due to poor kidney function.

I'll be on leave again this monday for Tufeil's follow up check up with the physiotherapist, which i'm looking forward to. Im hoping they'd say, "Oh! His club foot and curled toes are all nice and normal now. Good job!" so i can stop taping this toes which i admit i'm getting lazier to.

Anyways, i just gotta know that i only have 8 days of maternity leave left when i came back to work. I was under the impression that i had 10 days left. with 2 being taken this month, i'm left with 6days maternity, 6days child care and 13days annual leave. I hope this will cover me for the period when my parents go for Hajj, insya'Allah, ie 22nd Nov for a month!

I'm fantasizing to stretch that holiday till 2010. But honestly, I don't see it happening. With all the year end reports to be done, and prolly more follow up check ups to go before then, as well as trying to bring forward some annual leaves to next yr, i think i should just come back after Xmas.

However, the BIGGER Question is.... WHERE SHALL I GO TO during my month long holiday? I definitely want to take the aeroplane!! and NOT a budget one. I want some place that's not exactly a retreat place, more family and baby friendly destination but NO Shopping. MALAS! (Lazy) besides, it will only make my heart ache looking at the fabulous things i CAN"T afford to buy. Bah!

At first, i told my sis, absolutely NOT Australia since i've been there before albeit just once. And i thought it's.... boring? I dont wanna visit pple so much (Which we will end up doing). I want more of visiting museums, libraries then just chill at the park or beach. But it'll be SUMMER in Dec. Yikes!

Then she suggested New Zealand, said its cooler there even in Summer. Ahhhhh that's a country i'd LOVE to go! All meadows and...... cows / farm? On the other hand, it'll be a tad boring if we dont stay near town. Then it'll be just like a retreat, which i DONT want. Besides, its more for adventurous pple with the rafting, bungee jumping and what nots.

So on hindsight, maybe Australia's better. Sydney perhaps. Summer pun summer lah. At least its still cooler than Asian Countries?

But then again, i will only go if Ash is coming with us. Following my sis and BIL would be just too weird :S

Any other suggestions?

Wanna Hear His Voice?

24tH jUNE 09 - 3 months old





"Kek kek kekk kuih bangkit. Siapa nama Tufeil kena geletek."

It's a Malay game. Second sentence means "Whose name is Tufeil gets tickled!"

Another Disaster

Oh no!!!

I forgot to bring this valve (or whatever part of the pump system that is) to work today. It's usually attached to the two piece funnel + bottle set washed and sterilised in the steam machine. But over the weekend the maid found out the thing can be twisted open so this morning i didnt realise its not fixed back on. Not totally her fault. Shld have checked.

So later, i hafta go to Marina Square again to buy this thing... $30 for 2pcs!! *faint* Oh well.. ive been wanting to get a spare one anyways and now i have the perfect excuse to.

This morning Tufeil didnt go back to sleep after his 6am feed like he usually does. I think its bcos the day before he had too much sleep. And for the first time, it ached my heart to leave for work seeing him brimming in the morning. *sob sob*

Well at least there's something to look forward to this week. My replacement is gone! For the week at least. The past 3 days she had been handing over pending jobs to me and tying up loose ends. I dont wanna be nasty or gossipy... so let's just say... i'm not quite comfortable with her endless chatter. but she is a very nice person..

My boss wants to keep her. So since one of our colleagues is in need of an assistant, she's gonna come back next week to fill tt position, albeit temporary. Again.

But the MAJOR good news at work is that... the FC has tendered resignation and her last day of work is mid July. We have recruitted a new person and she's from the other office transferred to ours. Lucky me, i actually gotta know her while in my 1st yr serving the RecClub with her. Also, we played badminton together tt same yr. I can say she's soft spoken yet rugged n sporty. on a personal level at least. So hopefully the coming months will prove to be a good bunch of colleagues with the irritating ones weeded out.

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Tufeil's caregiver is sooo pro bottle feeding that she tot it appropriate to repeat saying:

1. Oh its ok baby, tmrw i give u bottle ok. So u can sleep nicely afterwards
2. He's still hungry, urs is not enough (he just wants some comfort sucking)
3. Just give bottle lah (But i'll be the one in pain if i dont feed him directly n not express)
4. Hey look, he's not latched (i know i've only been a mother for 3months, but i know when he's not latched.. im just giving him some time)

I thank you for warming up the eBM for Tufeil... but please, I need ur TOTAL support to continue BF-ing successfully.

BACK TO WORK!!!

Day One - 1st July 09 (3 months old)



MISHAPS!



I reached office bloody early at 7:50am but forgot to bring my access card. Nobody will reach the office till after 8:10. I didn't wanna wait tt long as i need to express!! So i decided to go up to 23rd floor to get somebody down to 9th floor to open my office door since we use the same access card.



The outlet under my desk are all in use so i hafta plug from behind me to turn on the pumping machine. Amos was the first to come. He asked what was that noise? The Pump, i answered. For What? he asked and peered. Don't worry, i was fully covered. He still cldnt guess more so bcos i was reading a book. He was prolly puzzled as to why i need to pump a book?

Second to arrive was the Office manager. She promptly deduced i was doing my thing and said, "I have u know the next time u hafta do it in the toilet." Sheepishly i agreed, "The thing's noisy." But in my heart i complained... why is our office so mother unfriendly one? Some of my friends do get to express at their desk.


30min later, i realised i forgot yet another thing. my Milk bags to store ebm!! Damn! Where to put my 110ml's worth now? I left it in the machine's bottle and but it in the fridge. 'Azma suggested a small plastic bag. I dont have clean ones, mine are prolly dusty and got holes. So i decided to go to Marina sq during lunch time to buy a new box from Mothercare. and at the same time, i can go to one of their numerous nursing rooms!

Promptly at 12nn, i went out. I bought 1 Qi Ji Popiah (ohhh its been a long time), KFC's popcorn chicken snackers and settled in the nursing room happily whirring while eating. The not so good part was.. the supply was minimal. But altogether i managed to scraped 80ml x 2. Then a bad thing happened. I SPILT THE MILK, on the changing station no less, while packing it. That's almost half a serving gone! BOOHOOOHOOOO.....


Forgetful me aside, let's talk about sleepy me.

It's very tiring for the past couple of weeks, baby has been waking up at 2am, 4am in between 12 - 6am. I just let him suckle while lying in bed but it's still... tiring to the mind. Even when Ayah offered to let me drive i declined for fear i get sleepy. Wait, let me adjust first.

I also got a few offers to do lunch but i politely declined as i need to find and settle down into a routine before i can decide if i can ever go out anywhere for lunch considering i hafta take time to express.

Next session was at 5pm. I did in the toilet. yucks. Lucky no one was depositing their investments in the other cubicle. Plus i hafta use batteries. I feel like its a big waste of... batteries. the outlet is just outside the washroom but if i wanna use electricity, it means i hafta stand for like... 30min?


Came home w Ayah. The minute i reached, i quickly put my bag down, changed, stored the milk, went to the loo and prepared my dinner even before i looked at the baby. Cos i was afraid tt once i did, i cldnt let go of him. So i had my dinner while looking at him in Mummy's arm still. And everything went on as normal.


Total milk: 400ml


DAY 2 - 2nd July 09.

Pumped in the toilet 3 times. 8am, 12nn, 5pm. Results were lesser than the day before. Boooohoo... must be due to the unappetising atmosphere. My poor baby. The worse part is not being able to eat while i pump, like DUH! It's eating up on my lunch time ok! But at least i get to read.

The other downside is, i'm reducing the no of available cubicles on the 9th floor by 50%. Go figure. I can only thank god that the cubicle i use has got a parapet that i cld use as some sort of table.

I'm seriously thinking to start work at 8:30am and get to go home at 5:15pm so i only need to express twice, get to go home earlier and not disrupt my "work time".

i cannot imagine doing this pumping for a year. But my japanese aunty did it for 2 yrs and still doing it for all i know! Next to explore: possibility of doing it at the mosque during lunch time. That's 3birds with 1 stone. Lunch, Prayer, Milk. Nice.


Kak Ly called to ask me out for dinner @ Bugis. I was adamant to go home straight to my baby. After all its only been my 2nd day of work. He might go into shock or something. But she said its quite rare that we get to go out on weekday nights the 3 of us so i relented. Besides, mummy cooked something tt i dont really favour.

So... a beef lasagne@Pasta Mania and 1/2dozens of J Co Donuts, $10 cab ride and 2.5hrs later, i reached home. sadly, i dont get to hold him straight away. Need to express again before i do.

The saddest part of the night is that, when i fed him directly, he suddenly seemed to have forgotten how to. Kept removing his mouth after a gulp. I had to hold his head firmly then he gotto his normal style.

Sighhh...

Cousins' Nights

19 - 21st June 09 (2months 3weeks old)



So its the school holidays and my Bro-in-law is out for 40days khuruj (preach) and my parents are in Indonesia, so my sis planned a 2D2N cousins gatherings at her place.





Fri night was quite chaotic. My sis' new house doesnt have enough pillows and/or beds, so we brought many comforters, 1 fan, 1 baby rocker, 2 strollers and other baby changing stuffs.



All 8 cousins, 1aunty, 1 grandma and 2 babies finally arrived and settled down at 10pm and Tufeil was already cranky for his comfort sucking time. only after I put him to his 1hr nap before he wakes up at midnight for another round of comfort sucking to deep sleep did i manage to get my dinner/supper. Fried spaghetti and steak (malay version) and birthday CAKE!!!



Bedtime was .... another round of chaos. Me with baby got special privilege of sleeping on the masterbedroom's queen bed. The host herself and Syifaa' slept on one corner of the floor of her room, the other corner were Ash and Nur. Outside in the living room on the sofa bed were Nenek and Tiah. Spread all over the floor of the living room were Yayan, Hamzah and Cik Girl.



And funnily enough, the maid gets the study room all on her own, albeit on the floor. But we'd rather have her there then join us the girls in the room. ERK! Sorry babe, we're not sisters. I know i may sound nasty / prejudiced or whatever... but we just have issues with her work performance. So much so that i can't trust her with my baby. I'd rather wait to have a family member to be available to hold Tufeil for me than to hand him to her.





Well anyways... Tufeil slept as usual as if on his own bed. But unfortunately Syifaa' woke up at 4am crying down the house!! Don't know what made her so... the heat? nightmare? god knows and Tufeil had to be pacified back to sleep too.

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SATURDAY! 2nd swim!



We went to Jurong West Sports center in two cars. Kak Ly and Nur were the designated drivers. (If only i could drive, but i use the travel time to nurse baby) Over there, they have 2 pools, 1 baby water playground and a "river". Before going in, i bought a buoy tt's too big for Tufeil cos we forgot to bring Syifaa's



I saw a family room outside the water complex and asked the officer where can i BF baby. Instead of showing me to tt room cos they said its dangerous (???), nor the first aid room cos pple might come in?, they gave me access to the disabled toilet!!! Ok whatever lah i just take it.



So after changing, we first went into the river. Though the waves and currents were nice, it was a BIG MISTAKE. there were MANY SPRAYS of water all over. Some are very hard even for me and i think it might have hit tufeil on the FACE. and he cried and screamed! Poor baby. So we decided that everytime we need to pass the "rain", i hafta carry him off from the buoy to protect his face. And he cried even more cos he was nicely sleeping but i go and disturb him.



So i said to everybody let's go to the normal 1m deep pool. That's where he slept blissfully. That's when we looked at the time and we had little time left till our parking coupon expires. So i passed the baby to nenek sitting at the side on her wheelchair and changed him (without bathing him!!) cos nenek said he's gonna get cold if i dont and went to play with the rest of the cousins.



Sis said that tt's not good cos babies need to be bathed right after a swim. Ok so now i feel doubly, triply guilty for LEAVING my baby with his great grandma on WHEELCHAIR to have my own fun and DIDN"T wash him properly. HUARGhhhh i'm such a bad mother.





Cik Girl refreshed me how to take breaths in between strokes again. Yayyy!! Now i can do it.. just no stamina to finish 1 breadth, what more a whole length! some of us went up to eat. we were ravenous. on the way there i discovered the slide!!!! I went up 3 times and it was LOVELY!!! my first time ever. At first i was afraid we'd get stuck in the tube. They say its bcos of being fully clothed. But no such thing. I went down like a breeze. the water was nicely hot too!


We got horribly lost on the way home after missing a turn. So we reached home 30min later than the other car. Lucky the maid was at home and didnt follow us so she opened the door for the cousins.

Shortly after our much delayed lunch, half of us went to sent Tiah to work. They took such a long time. It turned out they went to an electrical store to buy Kak Ly a DVD player as a housewarming gift cos earlier we wanted to play a a scary movie Jgn tegur but no player.


In the evening, Yayan and me starting having abdominal pains and some loose stools. And suddenly ALL of us were having it too and there were only 2 toilets!! I had to squeeze close my butt while i feed the baby for 10 - 15min. EXTREME PRESSURE!! We can't pinpoint exactly what food we ate tt was bad. Nur thought it was the egg mayo sandwich cos the mayo is 1 day expired. but it can't be since we stored it in the fridge n its only been a day, plus Ash had a lot of it while i only had 2 but she only went to the toilet once or twice.

The source remained a mystery. But the damage forever remembered. Bcos Yayan n Nur decided at 3am it was too painful to bear they went to a 24hrs clinic and got burnt $250!!! *faint*

Nur was still in pain the next morning, she had to call her fiance to stand in as driver. LOL.

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the next 3 days, Kak Ly and i went out everyday just because we had the use of the car. I even get to drive a couple of times. We went to Toa Payoh, Tampines, Marina Square... Airport... It was nice. The only downside was, we had to depend on a maid to carry our things since we had our own hands full with the baby which means we hafta drag her along with us (not tt she minds *roll eyes*). While its not exactly unpleasant to have her around, its just uncomfortable.. like u cant really be yourself with a stranger amongst u at all times. Not to mention having to accomodate for her presence ... eg: cant leave her at home alone w a male family member. Makes Girls outing such a rare occasion. URgh!!

Tufeil & Syifaa'

Is there such a thing as Cousins' rivalry? hehe


As much as Syifaa' loves Tufeil, i'm beginning to see that she fears her place as the pampered grandchild is somewhat wobbly. I can assure her its not tho. Her Nenek loves her a lot. Too much.


Here are Tufeil & Syifaa' moments i'd like to share

She loves to hold the baby

Back when Syifaa' was still using the dummy/dummies.

Note the heigh difference back when Tufeil was 6weeks old i think.

2months old now and a lot bigger for Syifaa' to handle

Sayanggg Adik...

Two caterpillars in their coccoons. LOL

Both in blue. Tufeil @ 3months.

KK Follow Up

8th Jun 09 (2months, 1 week old)



Tufeil went for a follow up check up from the Special Care Nursery incident.



It was our first time going to the Children's Wing of KKH. It was nice.



Growth UPDATE: 5.4kg, 60cm



Yaya's baby Iman who was already 3months old was just 5.2kg @ 58cm.



Actually the doctor didnt check much, no blood test or anything.

Tufeil's First Swim

31st May 09 (slightly more than 2months)


My sisters and I went swimming with the babies. We used the swimming pool at our uncle's condo in Yishun.

Tufeil in a 3 - 6 months diving suit

Tufeil in Syifaa's buoy.

After just 15min, his fingers got all wrinkly! But we remained inside close to 2hours! When he cried, i gave him ebm i prepared earlier but he aint having any of tt. It seemed he just wanted to sleep in the water.

It was a bit sad that i didnt get to swim "properly". Granted i dont even know how to take breaths in between strokes but way better than just wading in the water? Thankfully, my sis were kind enough to hold him for a few min while i stretched those arms and legs.

Cleaning up after was a nightmare. Each of us had issues with our er.... personal items. I felt really guilty for just washing him w water less than 1min with no soap. But it was diff washing him in a bathtub. An unfamiliar one at that.

However, he was quite comfortable, not crying or anything. So i took it as a good sign.

By now (1st July), he has already had a 2nd swim. Tell u more later.

Stay Tuned

1st july is less than 1 week away. I dont have my data cable to upload pictures. So hafta wait till i get back in the office. Besides my keyboard at home is very hard that when i type i fear i wld wake the baby up.

So stay tuned!