Postpartum : Week 4

How I feel (Overall): As expected, I'm feeling better with each passing week. That said my little pooch is still there albeit flattening out, slowly but surely.

I can't wait till my 6 week post natal checkup with kamaljit. Pretty sure I'd be able to start exercising afte that!

Pain areas: The incision itself I believe is almost fully healed. The occasional pain I feel is from the inside which I believe is from the inner wound.

A new pain area would be my back and hips - from carrying AJ all day! He's getting heavier and my arms are not getting proportionately stronger to support that, in fact my wrists started aching last week and sometimes I wake up from my nap feeling my someone has taken a hammer and smashed my wrists.  Yeah it's that bad. I hope this subsides eventually as they get used to all the carrying. 

Back and hips hurt due to my scoliosis. Carrying him on one side of my shoulder creates an imbalance in these areas - a circumstance that definitely doesn't help my current situation! Gotta get that Moby wrap,  apparently it evenly distributes the weight of the baby across both shoulders thereby causing less impact on the back and hips.  Anywho we shall see about that - might even do a review on it!

How I coped: I've started going out & regaining some normalcy of my life - meeting my dearest colleague and friend Gladys for breakfast at our usual hot spot below the office - Grab.

And to be honest I feel like these are much needed breaks from the repetitive baby schedule I'm on otherwise.
I'm very grateful mum is around to allow me to do this - however I do still have a 2-3 hour "curfew", one set by my boobs otherwise they become angry and engorged. Yeah, #breastfeedinglife.

Next short term goal : hitting the gym!

AJ's Progress: Now that we are a month old he will need to get his booster shot soon - Dr. Altaf recommended we get it done at our local public clinic since that is where the stash of vaccines coming into the country are prioritised. Other than that, I think im starting to see the beginning signs of him smiling and it's so damn cute. I can't wait for the day when he can smile & talk!

[Monspiration] Courage

Source: fromupnorth.com


Too often we get so used to being in our own comfort zones, that we lose sight of the bigger things in life that we can achieve. Today's quote is to encourage you to have the courage to step out of your comfort zone & take risks because if you don't, then you won't fulfil your potential in life. 

Happy Monday!

[Review] Ocean Spray Original Craisins (Dried Cranberries)

When I had a UTI infection early last year, I did a mountain of research on it and most of what I read recommended drinking Cranberry Juice as one of the more natural ways to prevent it. So once it cleared I was out and about on the hunt for Cranberry juice. However, in KL, Cranberry juice is a rare sight and when I do find them it's either ridiculously priced (RM45 for a bottle? Come on..) or loaded with artificial sweeteners/sugar/preservatives. Desperate as I was to start integrating Cranberry juice into my daily diet, I just couldn't!

Then, one fine sunny afternoon, I saw a packet of Ocean Spray Original Craisins sitting on one of my ex-colleague's desk. My first thought was "Craisins?.. Crazy Raisins??" until I took a longer look at the pack and realised they were actually dried cranberries! Super cool. Instead of paying through my nose for a bottle of Cranberry juice, why not consume cranberries?? However, because she wasn't at her desk, I couldn't ask her where she got them from but eventually I forgot about it..

Until I saw them at Village Grocer in Bangsar - however they were selling it at an exorbitant price (like with everything else at this shop!) so I skipped it. Last Saturday when John and I were going our regular weekly grocery shopping at NSK Kuchai Lama, I stumbled upon it again and this time it was almost half the price of Village Grocer's at RM7.30 per packet. Without hesitation, I immediately grabbed a bag.

Package - Front

Package - Back

I know these are also loaded with sugar, as with other dried fruits (and any health nutritionist would surely warn you against them), but they are an alternative to the juices which are also loaded with sugar and TWICE the price. Here's something that I miss about Australia - the widely available fresh produce and natural health foods.









Anywho, I ripped open this packet in an instant (after purchasing it of course!) and found that they were a tad too sweet for my liking. However, I've found that they go very well with my oatmeal breakfast with natural baked almonds and a drizzle of honey.

You can also add them as part of your trail nut mix (afternoon snack) and even in muffins and biscuits!

Keep in mind that each serving (40g) contains 29g of sugar - that's a whopping 75%! However, eat them in moderation, and you'd still get your cranberry fix in any cranberry-deprived situation you find yourself in - like I have!

[Weekly Digest] Postpartum: Week 4

How I feel (Overall): Can't. Wait. For. Week. 8. I dreamt that I started doing BBG workouts again and man, I woke up feeling good for 5 seconds before realising it was just a dream. 

Pain areas: Still some soreness at times but minimal. Im hoping the pain will subside even more and by week 6 I'll be pain-free! 

How I coped: I feel like things are starting to fall into a schedule that works for me, John and mum. Mum has been of tremendous help - so has John and I feel extremely lucky again this week as I ponder and look upon the blessings in my life. 

AJ's Progress: AJ is starting to become more alert - mum reports incidences where he actually responds to what she says (either by coo-ing or making some cutesy baby noises). He sleeps less these days, is increasingly fussy and still regurgitates milk. One thing I've learnt about him this week is that halfway through feeding, if he has to burp and feels uncomfortable he will squirm around and pull away. That is when I know, if I don't straighten him up within he next 30 seconds he will puke out all the milk. And so far I've been 99% right. 

[Tuesday Tips] The ONE Solution to (Multiple) Clogged Milk Ducts

So, today I experienced perhaps the worst case of clogged milk ducts in my 5 weeks of motherhood and it was a direct result of not pumping/expressing on schedule the last 2 days (went out for a movie and shopping) where I went 5 hours (instead of the usual 2-3 hours) between each pumping session... not cool.

The moment you stop nursing or expressing, your milk supply starts to build up and if you leave it for long enough hours, your breasts engorges (becomes very full). Leaving your breasts engorged for too long contributes to clogged milk ducts and the tissue around the ducts becomes inflammed. Other common factors that contribute to clogged ducts include incomplete draining of breast milk either by ineffective latching techniques or a non-functioning pump (e.g. weak suction). If left untreated, it leads to the one thing that most breastfeeding mums dread the most - MASTITIS.

I had a minor clogged duct just a few weeks back that almost immediately cleared after I did one thing. And today, just overnight I experienced MULTIPLE clogged ducts all over my left boob which immediately cleared after I did the same ONE thing. What is it, you ask?

Source: homeremediesweb.com

I scoured the internet for advice, and many of them repeated the same steps: Massage, Hot compress (many suggested soaking a diaper in hot water), nurse and pump frequently until ducts become unclogged. Some suggestions even went as far as downing Castor Oil - what the??
They might work for some, but trust me, I did most of these (except the Castor Oil of course) and still it didn't clear my clogged ducts - in fact, it made it worse and got to the point where there were blue-black bruise like marks on my boob and were painful as hell. Especially the massage and frequent pumping advice - nearly brought me to tears. Heck, even lying down was a major pain.

So my solution??

--> Take a short nap and let your milk supply build up until your breasts become engorged. The moment you wake up, nurse your baby with the affected boob for at least a minute and lo and behold, your ducts will almost certainly become unclogged.

Skip the massage, put away your electric/manual pump, save the last diaper for when you really need it and leave the castor oil at the shops & use your baby because trust me, it worked like magic. Even my mum screamed out with joy because she witnessed how much pain I was going through the entire day prior to this!

And lesson to take away from this? If you have an oversupply like I do, draw out a schedule and pump on schedule. Don't wait too long in between pumps and if you know you'll be away from home for longer than your usual number of hours, take your pump out with you - it will save you so much pain, suffering... and castor oil. :P

[Weekly Digest] Postpartum: Week 3

How I feel (Overall): 90% is where I'm at this week. Whilst I'm beginning to feel more and more like how I felt pre - pregnancy, it's not there yet.

For one my little belly is still there because my uterus is still in the process of shrinking. And I think my hormones have not completely subsided - I still feel bouts of extreme sadness and/or happiness and/or anger.

In terms of mobility, I can do all housework now :-)

Pain areas: The area around my incision is still numb - I understand that this can continue on for YEARS to come. But it doesn't bother me. My incision is almost fully healed (scabbing!) and is no longer tender to the touch.

I still can't get out of bed frontwards as my internal abdominal muscles are not yet fully associated and it'll take time. So right now I'm still rolling out of bed on my side.

How I coped: The major breakthrough for me this week is AJ latching on correctly 50% of the time.
I've discovered the cradle and cross- cradle position and boy, all those tears I shed in the first few days of breastfeeding could've been solved if it weren't for that wretched football position due to my incision! I always feel mothers who delivery naturally (not by c section) have it easier with recovery.

It's funny how life works - always a give and take in life right? C section mothers suffer post-delivery while natural mothers suffer during labour and delivery.

AJ's Progress: We went to see Dr. Altaf on Sunday and guess what? AJ weighed in at 3.4kg! Which means he gained the ideal 300g in a span of a week. Phew! I can finally pat myself on my back *pat pat*

With this, I'm more motivated to continue bf-ing and pumping for my little guy. I want him to grow big and strong!

Also we got some medication for his minor oral thrush, milia and probiotics (which cost us RM120 for a tiny bottle!) for his gassiness.

Overall a good week! It's getting better and we are reading him better - knowing what his cries mean, what to check when he cries (diapers? last feed time? temperature of room?) and how to rock him to sleep. He loves music. And I'm not referring to the infamous "White Noise" that is recommended for newborns as it mimics the sounds he's used to inside the womb, neither am I referring to baby lullabies. What he really falls asleep to is pop songs, billboard chart toppers and generally the type of music that the current generation listens to.

Heroes by Alesso, anyone??

[Weekly Digest] Postpartum: Week 2

How I feel (Overall): This week is proving to be an improvement from the last. Not just in terms of recovery, but in terms of AJ's progress. I see a schedule slowly taking shape - John managed to extend his paternity leave for another week because I broke down last week and told him I needed him for another week. Fights with Mum, mainly due to parenting differences, is getting worse. Sigh.

Breastfeeding is still taking a toll on me - painful nipples, blisters and even a little bleeding situation once - so tempted to give up. But I shall now. If I have the supply, I will strive to make this work, for the sake of AJ. I want nothing but the best for him.

TOOK MY FIRST SHOWER IN 8 DAYS.

Pain areas: My bandage came off after the end of Week 1. Paid a visit to Kamaljit for a Week 1 checkup and she said I've healed wonderfully! Yay. All the effort I put in to prevent myself from sweating and infecting the incision paid off. All of John's and Mum's pro-activeness in making sure I don't sweat up a storm, definitely paid off.

To be honest, it feels weird without the bandage now, as thought my fresh wound is exposed to the harshness of the world, vulnerable and ready to be attacked... Okay maybe I'm over-dramatising it a little but it does feel strange. I need to get used to this! I'm so afraid to touch it.

How I coped: I took my first shower (in 8 days!) and it felt.so.good. I feel like a new woman again. To give you an idea, pre-baby I used to bath twice a day, no less, and sometimes more. So going 8 consecutive days without a shower has been nothing short of a miracle for me. It doesn't help that I've got 'sweaty' genes, meaning I sweat up a storm almost everywhere I go in Malaysia (I don't know anyone in my circle of friends who sweats more than I do).

Granted, John wiped me down daily in those 8 days, but a damp cloth doesn't compare to the feeling of having warm water running down your skin plus the smell and feel of soap & shampoo.

I still have difficulty getting out of bed, takes me about 20 seconds to roll to my side and use my arm to lift my torso and upper body off the bed. And each time I do this, my lower abdomen where my incision is, hurts a ton. You know what else hurts? SNEEZING. After my shower, as I was putting on my clothes I let out an involuntarily (and huge) sneeze, immediately causing me to double over clutching my torso. It felt like someone literally stabbed me with 100 knives at once.. I seriously thought my stitches had split open - a visit to Kamaljit proved otherwise (phew!).

AJ's Progress: He's crying less this week. Last week (week 1) we had a fever scare. The no-touch forehead thermometer that Mum bought us kept showing that he was having a fever (hovered between 37.5-38.5 degrees celsius). We immediately packed our bags and made our way to Pantai Hospital. Because it was past 12am, we went straight to emergency ward. He kept crying and crying and the whole ordeal was terrible for us. Coupled with sleep deprivation, we were absolutely shaken.
Luckily, the paediatrician on duty at the time took one look at AJ and said "He's hungry".
I breastfed him on the spot (with curtains closed of course), and true enough he settled down immediately after.
Supposedly, having a fluctuating temperature like that is extremely common for newborns, particularly because their immunity and bodily functions/systems are not yet fully developed and they cannot regulate their body temperatures as well as we adults can.

Other than the fever scare, he's settled down a little bit. A scheduled visit earlier this week to Dr. Yong (Pantai Hospital Paediatrician) shows that he's lost 11% of his birth weight! From 3.28kg down to 2.92kg - which means he's not getting enough food, which absolutely explains his frantic screams and cries the last 1.5 weeks! We were so desperate because my milk supply hadn't come in yet, John drove out to Tesco (on just an hour of sleep - poor guy!) to get Similac (formula milk) for him and we fed him through a syringe to avoid nipple confusion as we planned to still breastfeed him once my milk supply comes in.

By the way, we didn't have a good impression of Dr. Yong - didn't appear dedicated & resourceful, and I had to ask a billion questions only to get either a "Yes" or "No" or a coy smile from him.
We asked Kamaljit for a PD recommendation and we were referred to Dr. Altaf in TTDI.
Paid a visit to his clinic at the end of the week and he's just amazing. His clinic is always packed - and what I really like about it (and I found this to be true of Kamaljit's clinic as well) is that it is a first-come-first-serve basis.
Essentially, you walk in from 9am to 12pm and write your name down on a numbered list which gets cancelled off one-by-one. If you come early at 9am, you'd be sure to get first dibs. If you come too late like past 11:30pm you'd be sure to be wait a long time because by that time there would've been at least 10 people ahead of you waiting to see Dr. Altaf.

Anyway he got weighed and put on 200g in less than 4 days!! Went up to 3.1kgs. We were so happy.

Things to be Grateful for: AJ has gotten back some of his birth weight and is overall a healthy bubs.  Mum is becoming more helpful - she took a one day hiatus and coached it down to Singapore where she caught up with Aunt BL. It was a good break for John and I too - sometimes you need that couple-alone time to get your heads back straight on again. Also grateful for all the well wishes from friends and relatives - we feel so loved and we can't wait for everyone to meet AJ. He's been such a blessing! Grateful also for a smooth recovery. My belly is slowly deflating... I give myself up to week 6 to get back my flat tumtums!

[Weekly Digest] Postpartum: Week 1

How I feel (Overall): To sum it up in one word, hell. When I was pregnant and reading up everything I could on motherhood, none prepared me for this first week. The incessant crying and not knowing what he wants, was not only painful to hear but an overwhelming sense of helplessness also engulfed me. Luckily, John was on paternity leave and could "share" in this pain with me.

We understood from the nurses at the hospital that AJ is still trying to get used to the new environment, new smells and it is normal for a newborn to be crying his lungs out and screaming in the first few weeks, but we never thought it'd be this hard. I eventually broke down and cried to John and he encouraged and motivated me to stay strong.


Pain areas: Incision throbs and hurts. I can barely walk, let alone lift anything. Trying to prevent incision from becoming infected as we live in a humid country and chances of infection is much higher than if we had a drier environment.


How I coped: John, & Mum. These 2 people in my life are God-sent I swear. Recovering from a C-section is not an easy feat. Add to that the responsibility of a new baby and existing responsibilities of having to keep the house clean and for food to be on the table 3 times a day... John & Mum have taken all of that onto their shoulders. For them, I am ever so appreciative <3


AJ's Progress: This first week has quite honestly, been super hectic. All he's done this week is cry, feed, sleep. It's okay.. the first few weeks I know are going to be the hardest.


Things to be Grateful for: A healthy baby boy. Nothing makes us more happy than seeing AJ thrive as he does. The reason our hospital bill came to almost half of what we were expecting it to be was because he was born healthy. No jaundice, no need to be admitted into NICU for any reason. Healthy baby, happy mummy (& daddy!). Thank God.