End of confinement

I've diligently finished the confinement set: internal and most of the external stuff. The pantang ritual of massage/ tungku started earlier at week 2, as compared to previous post C-section pantang. The Pfannenstiel incision took 3 weeks to heal externally, whereas the episiotomy wound took 2 weeks to heal all throughout.

It is now 7 weeks post delivery- day 44 was last Thursday (yippee!). End of pantang ritual...penutup pantang they say. The previous 'mak bidan'(s) did massage and womb massage a.k.a. sengkak. I usually go to Nona Roguy spa after that. This confinement- for which I used their home service, I went for 3 days of spa (plus it is a good reason to go out/ drive post confinement). It is specifically for massage/ tuam/ tangas.

Confinement practice varies from each person. I chose to have more massage/ tungku as I really want to regain my pre pregnancy state. I see faster healing because of this and mostly because it is natural delivery, not a c-section.

Don't forget pap smear during gynae checkup at 6 weeks!

Spare parts

... of my breastpump. Need to get another set of breastshield, connector and valve. The Medela Pump In Style Advanced is still working well.

5

Pumping

Pumped in the first week when I was engorged- but just to relieve engorgement. Didn't want an oversupply and suffer further engorgement or OALD.

Restarted pumping recently, next to impossible if she is nursing continuously. She is 5 weeks+, hopefully her feeds are established soon enough for me to build up stock.

Cooking again

Apart from the confinement dishes that I managed to prepare, I am slowly starting to cook. Cooking pajeri in first trimester totally put me off cooking ever since.

Cooked pasta bolognese (for toddler and I) and importantly the pungent, spicy sambal tumis. 5 months time- I'd be weaning Sarah to solid *gasp*. That was the origin of this blog- cooking for the baby, back in 2008.

My "A" girls

I have my 2 girls...and a boy (al Fatihah to Adam).
Arianna- we call her Sofea.
Arissa- she's been called Sarah since 1st trimester.

We went for Greek names. As long as the name has good meaning to it- does not represent a bad meaning in languages we know, we are happy.

Confinement food

I'd eat sensibly with balanced carbohydrate, protein and lots of veggie. I got bored of fruits lately but I'm taking more veggie.

Apart from obvious things (that I normally avoid anyway), I eat most things. Things I avoid are cold stuff, seafood except for fish. I take more ginger. And if I get bloated (angin, kembung)- I'd go back to my pantang rituals.

What's with Gong Cha? I (we: tweetmomma/ WA momma) wonder if it is a galactogogue. Another cup of longan/red date cuppa tonight.

Pantang rituals

It's Nona Roguy all the way.
I used the confinement set (3rd time around), and had the home service too.

A day before delivery





We were out doing groceries on Monday (Sunday was Aidiladha). We tried The Daily Grind... (thanks Liz @Snuggbaby for the suggestion). That was the last main meal I had prior to admission! I had the lamb stew for late lunch. On D-Day, I couldn't stomach breakfast. I was rostered to CT scan, all work and walking... forget about breakfast when at work (a note for all dedicated, hardworking docs).

By the time I got into the car going to the gynae clinic- I ate few choc chip cookies. When I left the clinic, with no clear time for scheduled C-section, I really couldn't stomach a meal, and I knew I should be fasting. I just finished the rest of choc chip cookies (courtesy of @nadhirah of @1tspoflove) for  fast energy.

Next meal was hospital dinner at 6pm.... thank God for fast and furious labour.

Ate the mash potatoes, veggie, papaya and red date soup I think. Curry chicken was blergh.

Painkiller

So during intrapartum, I survived on entonox gas. Too late for pethidine or epidural.
I had panadeine (paracetamol+codeine) in the ward and upon discharge.
I took diclofenac sodium (ok this is self prescribed) rather than mefenemic acid on the days that the throbbing pain was really bad, or I had to go for hospital visit i.e. lots of walking.

2 weeks later- I'm alright, no more painkillers. Epi has healed.

8th of November

I was still rostered to work that week. Was busy walking in and out of the CT room that morning. I was particularly tired despite having a 3 day weekend (Aidiladha was on Sunday).

By 11am, I have excused myself and headed to see the gynae.
By 12pm, after an ultrasound, VE of 2cm and a swab later- it is decided that it's time.

*Oh, I was allowed a short trial of labour.
Baby's size didn't change much since week 35. Battling pneumonia, work probably contributed to it. She's a smallish, cephalic baby.
VBAC it is.*

1.30pm: ARM @ 3-4cm
4.10pm: contraction stronger, wanted epidural. Nurse said I was 5cm
4.20pm: cancelled epidural, I was 8cm
4.50pm or thereabouts: Dr. Patrick arrived and stage 2 began
5.02pm: Sarah was born.

*No pethidine, no epidural.
Entonox made me high and floated up to the sky.
Yes, I drove to work, drove to clinic, and drove myself to the hospital. But valet parking la since I had my bag and baby bag.*

Fast and furious labour.

Happy Birthday

Born at 5.02pm.

2 weeks ago

It was my sister's birthday.... and I was still working. Rostered in CT scan- but was doing the running around too (Tuesdays are short as it's class day for first years). But I actually excused myself before lunch. Guess why?!

Pneumonia

Call it what you want, call it lower respiratory tract infection... The fact remained that she was really sick, spiking temperatures after her dose of diclofenac supp (did not attempt syrup paracetamol, nor syrup ibuprofen).

I was sick initially- I thought it was the freezing aircond in CT reporting area. Took the first MC of the semester. Sofea got sick after that and we brought her to Dr. Eric.

After 2 antibiotics, 2 MDI, Singulair granules- she recovered in early November - alhamdulillah. We went to see the pediatrician every 2-3 days, daily/ twice daily nebuliser (including weeknight neb in emergency department.

Looking back- would it be faster recovery if she was admitted? Being in 3rd trimester, immunocompromised (being a pregnant, asthmatic mom as well as recently recovered)- I think we did what we think was best. It was a struggle to administer meds- but that'd be the same in hospital, and I dread what she'd do to the IV cannula.

Shopping

Don't need to do much shopping- but it was still 400+ worth of damage. Nursing bra, nursing wear are not cheap but essential. Towel, blankets, wash cloth, daily wear for the baby. It's well worn, so baby deserves new stuff. Managed to get Baby Gap pajamas for this growing toddler too.

Cough and asthma

Whenever she has prolonged cough, and reliever inhaler- MDI Salbutamol does not provide relief, it is usually time for steroids or long acting drugs. We are on the first week of MDI Alvesco- one of the newer steroids.

For me, warm honey drink lessens my cough. Oh and get this, kicap+limau!! One of the Jawa tips my friend told me earlier.

Going green

Been awhile since I shopped for CDs and CPs. Not a big fan- err never a fan of pocket diapers. But I did get 2. Will blog about it once I get another 2.

I bought Grovia (used to be Grobaby) shells as I have plenty of soakers. I had quite a few sets of it when it was first launched.

I couldn't resist and bought 2 newborn Grovia AIO. That isn't very wise but I just had to see the cuteness of a tiny newborn diaper.

Decided I won't do prefolds and cover. Prefold doesn't seem to be easily available, and it is expensive IMO. Unless I google tutorials on converting lampin to prefolds? And I'm not keen on buying plenty of S sizes cover.