What To Bring if Your Child is Warded?

Last month Adellia warded lepas we decided to take Nebulization in Hospital because her breathing was quite fast. Mulanya I did not expect that she'd have to be admitted. Tapi lepas Doctor decided to do second Neb after her first one did not improve her breathing rate (also her SPO was not at a normal level), masa tu I dah ada uneasy feelings.

At first, I macam positive je lah maybe it will improve after her second Neb ni. BUT, NO. Doctor asked for her to be admitted malam tu jugak because her SPO level was not satisfied even after her second Neb. I terkejut juga la. Masa tu 11pm dah lepas nama kena panggil masuk bilik Doctor. So, we were shocked la and decided to go to other hospital sebab nak tunggu insurance and so on.

About this one, I felt really regret la sebab keluar dari Hospital Az-zahrah malam tu when we can just admit her there when the Doctor asked. Tapi sebab Prudential did not cover for that hospital, Aiman asked to admit her to other hospital. So we called few hospitals that night just for an empty room. Semua penuh ye guys! At last, Aiman berjaya call Tung Shin Hospital in KL and they got empty rooms for children. Sigh, finally.

So, passed 12am we travelled to KL. Adellia was sleeping in the car. Nasib baik sampai sana, all the other procedures for admission macam tak lama sangat. We reached there around 1.30am and wajib la buat Covid test dulu. Adellia punya banyak test. The Doctor asked to do Covid, Influenza and RSV test. And all these tests were negative.

Also, Aiman convinced the Doctor that he was sure this is not about Covid because we had no symptoms 😂 Masa ni I gelak je la dengar dia cerita.

And then kena tunggu 2 jam before the results were out. We have to wait in the emergency ward, so masa ni I kena tunggu dalam dengan Adellia. Aiman kena tunggu luar.

While in the emergency, it was a bit struggling there! I nak tidurkan Adellia because I know she was really tired, masa tu dah nak pukul 3am. Adellia was really scared of the environment. Bila dia nampak nurses keluar masuk untuk check her lagi la dia nervous and anxious. So, she cried everytime Neb sessions. And Doctor decided to use Oxygen to help her breath. Ahh sudahh, pakai O2 dekat hidung pun dah mengamuk ye.

We have to wait until the results were out lepastu I have to do RTK test. So I let her sleep in my arms. To let she feel safe. Bila nak letak atas katil hospital je, dia terbangun. Dia macam tahu taw yang dia sekarang bukan dekat rumah haha.

Until it was my turn to do the test, I have to put her on bed. Masa tu nurse masuk and said,

"Takpe puan. Tinggal dulu, saya jagakan"

Nurse pun dukung la dia sambil sooth. I tergelak la pulak time tu sebab dia memang nampak takut! So cepat-cepat la I pergi buat test and masuk balik ke emergency ward tu.

Until around 4.30am macam tu, dah dapat bilik and nurse pun tolak la katil tu ke bilik. Dengan I sekali duduk atas tu. Time tu I memang dah barai dah sebab satu hari tak tidur.

So, I think it is really important for mothers to prepare everything you can if your child needs to be admitted.

Here is the list that I prepared last minute:

1. Mykid and your IC too -- this one is important for registration. Don't forget!

2. Clothes (baby) -- I bawak lebih for 3days just in case. Walaupun awal-awal susah sikit nak mandikan anak sebab ada wire semua, tapi I mintak jugak nak mandikan dia sebab I yang rimas! Lagipun kesian, mesti dia tak selesa.

3. Long sleeve shirts (baby) -- I packed around 3pcs because hospitals are cold!

4. Pampers -- bawak secukupnya untuk 2 atau 3 hari (usually admitted around 2 or 3 days). If possible, lebihkan je pampers because you never know!

5. White noise machine -- if your child uses white noise to sleep, bring along. It may help them to sooth because the environment may cause them to feel anxious. 

6. Toys -- yup toys are necessary because we might need them to distract baby! Aiman packed toys yang dia selalu main dekat rumah. Masa ni I rasa lega jugak la Aiman masukkan sekali haha

7. Blanket -- please bring along blanket just in case! I tertinggal padahal dah ingat dah nak bawak. Last-last I guna my sweater to cover Adellia.

8. Towels -- for you and your child too

9. Shower gel -- yup I packed this one too! Hospital mana ada sabun. Nasib baik I bawak shower gel for baby

10. Toiletries -- for yourself and for baby too

11. Botol susu -- bring 2 bottles just in case

12. Extra foods, i.e. biscuits, breads -- I brought along simple foods just in case we might get hungry!

13. Telekung and sejadah -- easier for you to pray in ward. There's no time for you to go to surau because you got to watch your child for 24-hours.

14. Wet wipes -- just in case if tak boleh mandikan, you have to prepare wet wipes because you might need them a lot. Especially if they poo!

So, apa lagi benda kena ada kalau anak warded? I hope this would help mothers out there to have an idea of what to bring to hospital if your child is warded. If ada tertinggal, boleh suruh husband hantarkan. Some hospitals are very strict. So kena la ikut rules and policy hospital tu.

Mothers, It Is Okay To Not Be Okay

Moms, have you ever feel like you are burning out that you didn't want to do anything at all? Have you ever woke up in the morning and think 

"Please, I just wanna lay on my bed doing nothing"?

I bet all of you must have felt the same. Yup, that was me today.

But the thing is, I started to feel like that today when I was at an event (my makcik's engagement event). Boleh bayang tak macam mana I rasa tengah duduk sembang-sembang, and suddenly what I wanna do is just sleep...

So I started to feel lemau sangat when the folks were talking chit-chatting. I was like... Please, I just want to sleep, NOW!

So, as usual, if I ever feel like this, usually I'll let my husband handles Adellia. Like, please give me time.

Aiman was very understanding. He'd entertaining, feeding, playing with Adellia when he saw I sat there in silence.

I just said to Aiman,

"Please take care of Adellia. I mengantuk".

Little did he know I was just feeling burned out....

The burned out feeling bawak sampai ke malam, that Aiman handles all Adellia's needs. Until now.. (I typed this when Aiman and Adellia were in front of television watching Adellia's favorite cartoons).

So I discover one of the ways that can help moms out there overcome this "burn out" feeling:

1. Give time to yourself

This really helped me out A LOT. Usually when I feel I don't want to do anything, Aiman can read me. He'd usually take Adellia with him. He'd usually say 

"Let's play together, Adellia"

I akan play with my phone, reading, watching kdrama sampai melepet untuk bagi I masa. And sometimes I akan keluar alone untuk me-time.

Trust me moms, it helped! You are also a human being, you are not a robot.

2. Talk with your partner

Ladies, it is important to communicate with your partner how you felt. Kalau macam I, I memang sejenis kalau takde mood I akan diam je. Aiman knew me, so he'd usually asked me if I was okay etc, and I'd usually replied

"I need time alone"

So dia akan faham and gave me space. So he took Adellia with him to give me time and space. 

Ladies, please, it worked! Sometimes, all you need is just TIME & SPACE. That's why I said, talk with your partner.

3. Acknowledge and let go

If you find yourself too bothered with the feelings of burned out, LET GO. Just let it go. Dia macam... you know that this is just for a while. You'll be okay and it is okay to not be okay :')

4. Sleep for how long you want and come back stronger

Sleep is the solution to all problems. I couldn't deny that. Go to sleep. And don't forget to come back stronger tomorrow :')

5. Forget about today and preserve your mental health

After I did all of the above, I'd forget about yesterday and start to feel okay. And please, after you had your time & space, come back to your baby and kiss them!

Tell them how much you loved them and thank you for understanding.

Source: Google

Ini apa yang I buat whenever this feeling appeared. Yes, I usually felt this way every once in a while. That's why sebenarnya it is very important for mothers to preserve their mental health into a good level. Because you are taking care of another human. You are also a human being. You have emotions and feelings. You deserve time alone too. Nothing is perfect and you don't need to be perfect for your child. Because humans are not perfect. And can't be.

There are many ways that you can do to overcome the "burn out" feelings. Discover which one is your preferences and no need to feel guilty if you do that. You don't have to feel guilty if all you need is time for yourself.

And remember, come back stronger, Mothers! 💓

Preparation Before Let Baby on Plane

Masa mother-in-law balik Malaysia itu hari, they planned a last minute trip to Penang by flight. That was a really last minute plan. MIL nak jumpa all her adik beradik since dah lama tak balik sini for 3 years plus.

Jadi disebabkan I dengan husband kahwin zaman PKP and I tak pernah jumpa sedara belah Kedah sana, plus with Adellia dah setahun pun, we never meet them, so I join la naik plane untuk ke Penang.

So, that was Adellia's first flight (which I was quite nervous la walaupun sekejap je, less than an hour). I am quite busy that week so I tak prepare la apa benda should I do before letting baby on flight. Sehari sebelum flight baru I read what should I prepare etc.

On the way to Penang, while waiting for flight, Adellia dah tertidur dulu sebab bangun awal pagi. Masa tu I dah nervous sebab I want her to sleep on plane! Tapi dia tidur sekejap je.

Things I did:

1. I talked to my husband, let she played around. Before boarding, I bagi dia main puas puas, jalan sana sini sampai penat.

Masa ni I tak bagi susu and boleh tahan lama la dia bertahan. Yang penting let baby/toddler played sampai penat. Penat yang sampai boleh tertidur atas plane. Which means, berlari sana sini, jalan jauh-jauh etc.

2. Change diaper before fly.

Masa tunggu nak boarding I changed her diaper. Ni penting jugak sebab nak biar baby selesa.

3. Make sure baby is full. Untuk baby yang dah boleh makan, give them foods before fly.

Tapi disebabkan flight to Penang dalam 40 minit sahaja, so I dah bagi makan light je before fly. Sampai Penang baru cari makan berat.

4. Atas plane, I ada baca, masa pressure dekat telinga tu, bagi susu untuk kurangkan pressure.

Tapi apakan daya, masa baru je nak fly (to Penang), she was grumpy so I terpaksa bagi susu masa belum berlepas. Kiranya, masa landed tu, she felt the pressure on both ear and menangis ye. So I had to calm her, tepuk-tepuk, and stand untuk dukung. Masa ni nasib baik all the passengers calm and no one was looking la haha.

(LESSON I LEARNED: patut bagi sebelum fly, and bagi lagi masa landed to reduce the pressure).

So masa nak balik KL, I berjaya buat macam ni. And flight balik KL, she was ok, not crying. Siap boleh main dengan stewards and passengers. Nasib baik ada orang nak layan main hide and seek haha.

To Penang

To KL

Untuk flight balik boleh dikatakan berjaya la buat dia tenang. Keluar je dari plane, dia dah tertidur sebab dah penat sangat main masa boarding tu. So I think all the steps above is important bila nak fly with baby. Can use the tips for next trip pulak!

Post VIVA Things

Continue from previous post, what you need to do after you have passed your VIVA session. So, after you have heard 

"Congratulations, you have passed/completed your Master/PhD study"

There you go! It's time for a correction thingy.

Correction ni depends on what status you got for your VIVA. If you pass with minor correction, UPM will give 3-months for you to do correction (during COVID19 period). If you pass with major correction, then you will get 6-months to do correction. You can check further on UPM's website.

So after you already finished with the corrections, there are a few documents that you need to submit along with the correction thesis.

- GS-16a form
- GS25 form
- GS17 form (for graduation, along with RM200 fee)
- 1 copy of Thesis (corrected)
- List of correction
- 1 copy of Abstract (in Malay & English)
- Manuscript (accepted or published)
- Text Similarity Report (under 20%)

During my time, I just sent through email to SGS. Masa tu still PKP and UPM is closed except for urgent matters. So I was told to send all the documents online.

I even got all the signatures online (by email). Mulanya risau juga, tapi fuh nasib baik UPM staffs efficient. So I got all forms signed and verified. After that, you will get email saying that all documents were received.

Actually, I have to submit hardcopy after PKP ends. But I didn't. So I went to Counter 4 SGS and told them about this (cause it was almost 1 year after I submitted the correction). So they just took GS25, GS17 and GS16a hardcopies form. I pergi sini lepas I dapat email from Senate that requires me to do one last step (which is hardbound).

So SGS terus suruh hantar B5 Thesis format. REMEMBER, you have to submit B5 format ok. They will not accept A4 format (I submitted A4 format and got rejected). So bila dah rejected tu, they asked to follow the format exactly as the guidelines.

You will get Approval Sheet to insert in your thesis during printing later.

Once you submit the B5 format, you have to wait for 2 working days. They will review and comment for further correction (this one correction after senate approval). Once you get your thesis, please do correction exactly as told. They will mark and write down any corrections there.

So, you will need to do the corrections again and send back to them for final check. SGS was very strict. They will check the margin and spacing as the guidelines. Once they are satisfied, then you are ready for hardbound printing.

For Masters, you can print 5 copies of hardbound. 2 copies are compulsory (1 for library and 1 for faculty). Another 2 copies for your supervisors and you can keep 1 for yourself.

Once your hardbound is ready, you need to get your supervisor committee's signatures and stamps before you can submit the thesis to Counter 4 SGS. Next, submit your hardbound along with GS16b form + 1 CD to SGS to obtain Dean's signature. Usually you may collect your hardbound after 2 working days.

But, I dapat my hardbounds on the spot. They signed it immediately there. They will take 1 copy of your thesis (so they can send to library). SGS baik hati untuk send the copy themselve to the library. Then they will give you a "Green form". You have to collect the signature from your faculty and submit 1 copy of your thesis. After you bagi 1 thesis copy to your faculty, then they will sign your Green form.

Ok, then you are almost there! After that you have to go to SGS Counter 3 to claim your transcript and Dean's letter (to clarify that you have completed your Master study). Then they will signed the "Green form" and keep it.

Masa I submit this Green form, the staff tiba-tiba asked for my GS17 form (which I already submitted all of the forms before). They asked if I have another copy. Of course I have but that one is my copy. Tapi I terpaksa la ambil my copy dalam kereta and gave to them sebab I don't want to delay the Transcript and Dean's letter. And then I heard one of them said "form tu mungkin dekat xxx". And immediately asked me if I have other copy. Adoi. I think they should clarify with their staff first before asking another copy from student. But what to do lah, I already gave them. Hmm. Hope there is no issue later.

They will give the transcript and Dean's letter in the envelope. And then, congratulations! You have completed your Master study :)

Boleh tunggu convocation, which UPM will inform you in the email later.

Phew, what a journey I had! I settled all the process above in 1 day, which took me 2 hours and a half. Tapi seriously penat gila drive ulang alik to 2 different places sebanyak 4 kali. Hahah. Dah lah my faculty and SGS consider quite far la jugak. So it was a bit renyah to those yang have no transportation. Tapi sebab I nak settle semua in 1 day, so I rush sangat-sangat ulang alik my faculty and SGS 4 kali. Lucky me that I successfully submitted all the forms above in 1 day.

To those who are continuing your Master degree in UPM, I wish you goodluck and all the best. It was a bitter sweet memories to further my Master degree in UPM. Thank you UPM :)

Viva Preparation (What You Need to Do Before You Are Ready for A VIVA)

I have completed my Viva presentation 1 year ago, but I just wanted to share my experiences to help everyone out there who are struggling on what's the next step to take if you are ready for Viva presentation.

I takut I lupa lupa je ni. Sebab dah lama sangat dah haha. Ok hope it helps! If you guys are ready for VIVA presentation, first thing first, you have to submit GS-14a form. Ini baru form taw, belum lagi thesis submission. This form is a notice of submission, macam kira nak bagitahu you are ready for VIVA la.

P/S: For UPM students, there are TWO submission(s) for THESIS taw. I will explain later.

Make sure you fit the criteria above. Then, only you can submit 14a form. If possible, submit this form 3-months in advance. Along this form, you have to prepare i) Table of Content of your thesis & ii) Abstract.

Once you dah submit this form, then boleh la start complete your chapters in your thesis. Mind you that proses untuk tunggu VIVA memang sangat lama, that's why advisable to submit 3-months in advance. University have to appoint Examination Committee.

For Master students, you will have 1 external examiner. From other university which will be your examiner during your VIVA. They also will review your thesis and correct anything they want. Berdebar kan? Haha

So I submitted mine on January 2020. Lama dah sebenarnya, then due to COVID19, I have to wait for almost 1-year k. Really, lama gila.

Then, once University has nominated your Examination Committee, you need to prepare GS-15a form and please bring along what they asked. For Masters student, you have to prepare THREE(s) hard copies of your thesis and Turnitin report. Plus, 1 CD of PDF version & Turnitin report in it.

This process pun kena get few signatures before you can send them. Memang kena kesana kesini sikit part ni.

Submit 15a form with these

Ini belum hardbound taw. Just submission of thesis before VIVA. Your thesis will be sent to your Examination Committee for them to check and review.

Then, you have to wait again. This process also quite long. Sebab your Examiners will check your thesis taw. I tunggu 6-bulan (also due to COVID19 too). Then, last-last I rasa cam lama sangat, I terus contact UPM and inform them about this. Terus they asked me which date you want to do the VIVA. So after I talked with my SV about this, I agreed to do VIVA 1-month after. That time I was still working, so it was my busy month. After long thinking, I think 1-month after is ok (because I can't wait to settle this once and for all).

So I pilih tarikh 9/3/2021 for my VIVA presentation. Tak fikir apa dah ni. Nak nervous pun takleh sebab dah setahun lebih dok tunggu. Ingat-ingat lupa je semua content. So 2-weeks before, I read my thesis everyday. Fahamkan about my research (padahal taktau dah nak baca apa).

And I also request for VIVA online (that time I was pregnant, and I was concerned about COVID19 too). Luckily, they approved. So I did my VIVA online at 9am.

If you want to see the details, please log in your student portal. You will find all the informations there. It is important to keep up to date with your portal okay.

Phew, it was tough haha. Got so many questions, and I also didn't know if my answers satisfied them. Haha. But Alhamdulillah, I passed. Phew.

Then, the hardest part was corrections. Omg, really, it was tough. Because I was so eager to settle the correction as soon as I can (I was afraid I terberanak before submit the corrections lol). So I bersengkang mata siapkan corrections in 48 DAYS je. One week before I terberanak haha. Nasib baik sempat submit.

Ok I will continue the next part in the next post. Please stay tune on what you need to do next. Really, so many things to do...

Eczema

Dua bulan yang lepas Adellia ada sikit eczema dekat tepi mulut. Mulanya kering je and dia tak garu. So I keep on sapu cream Cetaphil Advanced Protection Cream Baby tu. The irritation will come and go. Lepastu, suddenly ada satu malam tu dia garu masa tengah tidur (she suddenly know how to scratch). Bangun pagi esoknya I terkejut dah berdarah and habis kena comforter semua.

So I was really concerned. Terus I cuci and sapu cream Cetaphil lagi. And disebabkan dah berair and berdarah, cream tu macam tak sempat nak act upon the cut, she already scratch back. I was shocked kot and I gotta find one cream yang kena soothe the wounds and dry it as soon as possible. Sebab I taknak dia garu lagi.

I made quite a lot of survey untuk cream for eczema yang boleh soothe the wounds as soon as possible. One of it I found Honey & Olive brand. So I terus made order untuk Rescue Cream and Restore Salve dulu. I wanna try this two first before consider to buy others.

Masa I placed order tu luka Adellia masih kering. And it turned out she scratch the wounds at the same day I placed order. Lepastu luka tu dah jadi infection cause she keeps scratching taw. And I tak fikir panjang dah, terus bawak dia ke klinik and consult Doctor. So Doctor gave cream untuk sooth the infection and also for moisture. And she also got antibiotic untuk makan sekali for 3 days. After sapu the cream, the infection is soothed. And I stop of using it after the wound cuma tinggal dry je. Cause the Doctor said, cream tu ada steroid, just sapu nipis je.

Then, a friend suggested cream named Aquaphor. Mulanya I nak try Honey & Olive tu dulu, but it seems like the cream did not really help with the wound after third time of application. Mungkin jugak faktor Adellia keep scratching. Basically, her eczema is the degil one taw. Very hard to soothe.

So I bought la Aquaphor pulak untuk try. The texture is same as Vaseline. Very moisture and thick. You just need to use a little je, because, really, it is so THICK. I bought 50g first because I wanna try. Tapi I rasa macam lambat habis because memang sikit sangat guna tapi dah boleh apply to most area. And I think I like la the cream, cause Adellia likes to touch her face, so most cream yang I guna memang akan hilang after application if she touches her face. This Aquaphor's texture is thick. So macam lambat la nak hilang if she touches her face.

After been using this cream for few weeks, I think I like it! Adellia memang ada masalah menggaru sikit. She always scratches especially masa tidur. Macam-macam cara la nak prevent she scratches tapi itu lah, susah jugak.

So far, I think this cream act fast. Sebab if sampai luka dia garu, I just apply this cream, and soon nampak macam dah sooth sikit luka tu. Which is THE POINT! I memang tengah cari cream yang sooth cepat to prevent infections.

I brought this cream everywhere I go. Including masa travel raya itu hari. Nightime sleep I kena balut tangan dia to prevent she scratches. Itu pun kadang dia pandai buka balutan tu.

Thank you to a friend yang suggested this cream for eczema problems. Can see the difference la. I want to share the after pictures tapi tak ada lagi cause the wound is still there (she still scratching) and susah nak dapat clean skin macam dulu cause the cycle keeps repeating haha. Bila dah elok, dia garu lagi. So tak sempat nak licin, dah jadi balik. I will update when I found ways to prevent her from scratching haha!

Aquaphor Advanced Therapy - RM29.90
Honey & Olive - Up to RM34.90

Preparation for Labor

Disclaimer: What is written on this page is what I did as a preparation for my labor. Different people have different ways and experiences. Thank you.

Every mother must experience anxiety and nervousness when thinking about the day of labor, right? Well, I certainly did! The anxiety kicks in around 37 weeks, prompting you to prepare both mentally and physically as the anticipation of entering the labor room at any moment looms large!

So, I did a lot of reading and made a lot of Doa' that Allah will make it easy for me. Alhamdulillah, it turned out to be ok although I'm still traumatizing of childbirth haha!

At the end of my pregnancy, I did few things that will help to ease the delivery (according to the readings). Here is the things I did:

WALKING

Yes, I moved and walked A LOT. Start from 36-weeks I dah start brisk walking everyday for 2-3km. Usually I will ensure I reached 3km, but it depends. Sometimes pregnant moms can get really tired. Hence, dapat 2-3km pun dah consider ok for me. If I macam malas, husband akan remind and teman I buat everyday setiap petang. Kadang tak sempat keluar, I akan buat dekat treadmill. Yup, I went to that level! Haha

If you feel alone and malas, please get your partner's help ok. It really helps! Partner's involvement at the end of pregnancy is really helpful. Sebab masa akhir pregnant la, all the problems started to appear. Like, the backache, can't sleep, always wanted to pee, sudden anxiousness, the overthinking part... and many more!

EXERCISE

Exercise can mean a lot. Masa I hujung-hujung pregnancy dulu, I cuma exercise basuh tandas and turun tangga je. Cause I malas nak buat exercise for pregnant mothers tu. Haha.

But is is advisable for you guys to exercise end of pregnancy ok. Use that yoga ball and do every techniques that is good for labor.

PERINEUM MASSAGE

If you want to know more about perineal massage, CLICK HERE

During week 34-36, it is recommended to do perineal massage. I did perineal massage 2 times per week as suggested by my Doctor. My doctor said "Please learn perineal massage and do every week. It will help for normal birth"

So I just did according to her advice. Kindly learn the steps carefully and seek advice from your doctor first before you do it.

VIRGIN COCONUT OIL

I read a lot of tips to ease labor. One of them is to consume VCO at the end of pregnancy (or start 6-months above).

Well, actually, I do have trust issue with this one. But I tawakaltualAllah je. InshaAllah dengan izin Allah. So I consume VCO starting 7-months if I'm not mistaken. The pill is quite big haha it scared me! I consumed VCO from D'Aura Minyak Kelapa Dara.

DOA FOR EASE LABOR

When I was pregnant, I recite quite a few Doa' everyday. Once I found out I was pregnant, I bought this one book contain a lot of Doa' for pregnant mothers. And I really like the contents! Omg the book is really good and easy to understand. I never missed recite all the Doa's during pregnancy. Alhamdulillah.

Here is the link, Surah Dan Doa Pilihan untuk Ibu Mengandung

DID IT WORK?

To answer this question, I think it depends on one's experience and we should talk about qada' and qadr too. Everything is meant to be. But surely you can always work towards a better outcome.

As for me, yes, it worked! I am really thankful that I did quite a lot of walking back then. I gave birth to my baby girl exactly 2-weeks after I did 3km challenge everyday. To my surprise, it didn't take long for her to come out.

I noticed contractions around 6 pm, headed to the hospital around 10 pm, and by 11 pm, I was 2 cm dilated. Rapid progress ensued, reaching 6 cm by 1:30 am, and I was quickly rushed to the labor room. By 4:39 am, I had already welcomed a beautiful baby girl into the world.

I felt the contraction not too long. Decided to go to the hospital after 10pm because I still can bear the pain. LOL no kidding, it was intense actually, but I said to my husband, let's wait first, but he already panicked seeing me 😳

But really, different people have different experience. We gotta do something and make a lot of Doa' so Allah will make it easy for us. Remember, mother's Doa' are really powerful. Tiada hijab.

To all pregnant mothers, good luck and may you have a smooth delivery soon. The joy of seeing your little one is really worth the sacrifices, trust me! 😉

Can Baby Learn to Fall Asleep on Their Own?

As how the topic suggest, can baby learn to fall asleep on their own? Do you think it is possible for babies to sleep on their own?

Well, YES. Babies can sleep on their own if you start to train them.

HOW? 

Alhamdulillah, now I feel so happy and reassured that Adellia is finally own her schedule and able to sort herself out as well as soothe herself. Mulanya I macam tak percaya sangat that I able to go through this phase. Every day I would search on google "CAN BABY SLEEP ON THEIR OWN?" "WHEN WOULD IT BE THE RIGHT TIME FOR BABIES TO FALL ASLEEP ON THEIR OWN?"

I read a lot and even join FB Group macam mana nak train anak tidur sendiri. I still can't believe that after almost 1 month, she's getting the momentum! Alhamdulillah Alhamdulillah my prayer has been answered!

What I did to let Adellia sleeps on her own? Here it is!

1. Before sleep, usually I would let her play some toys (sometimes I do give her screen time, but not too much cause she gets bored easily!)

If you find your baby too hard to stay focus, you PLAY with them. Or simply just sit in front of them. Entertain them, talk with them, teach them.

Bila baby dah penat, around 1.5 - 2 hours, dah start nampak tanda-tanda nak tidur. Ok, this is a really important signs. You have to know their signals (gosok mata, menguap, cranky a bit, mulut macam mintak puting). It's time to get them to sleep!

2. Put baby to bed.

Dukung, and put baby to bed. Let them know it's their sleep time. JANGAN TERAGAK-AGAK. Masa ni kena YAKIN.

Kalau sebelum ni baby mengempeng sebelum tidur, jangan jadikan itu perkara terakhir baby ingat sebelum dia nak tidur. What should you do? Replace with other thing. For example, usap kepala baby, cium kepala baby, sing them a lullaby, say goodnight to them ataupun bedtime stories sekalipun.

If you want to stop the mengempeng session, never let the session be the last routine! So, the milk feeding session should be earlier.

I know how it feels for the mother who have baby that needs to mengempeng first before they can sleep. Cause Adellia dulu macam tu. And I slowly changed that.

Contohnya,

15 - 20 minit sebelum anak nak tidur, main dengan anak (peek a boo, talk with them etc) → bagi susu kepada baby → lepas habis susu, baby dah kenyang → bagi baby puting (if baby hisap puting) → kalau baby tak hisap puting, give something to let them soothe themselves → letak anak yang mamai ke atas katil → usap rambut anak, cium anak

Ini adalah contoh sahaja.

3. Let baby NESTING

After you put baby to bed, babies need to NESTING themselves.

Nesting, a way to relax themselves. Dalam erti kata lain, semua orang akan nesting sebelum tidur. Nak tahu apa?

Perasan tak sebelum tidur kita akan tengok phone, pusing kiri kanan, terkebil-kebil pandang siling, gosok mata atau hidung, berbual ringan. Perasan tak?

Babies are the same! They need to nesting first before they can let themselves fall asleep. For example,

- Hisap jari
- Gigit jari, peluk atau gosok anak patung
- Mumbling
- Goyang badan ke kiri dan kanan
- Garu kepala
- Main rambut

Berapa lama baby perlu nesting?
Depends. Tiada had masa. It took few minutes to 1 hour.

Macam Adellia, masa mula-mula I start, I letak atas katil, dia nesting dengan sangat lama! She mumbling and then goyang kaki sana sini, sekejap pusing sana sekejap pusing sini. A few minutes after she nesting, she still can't sleep. She will cry.

Baby menangis because they can't get themselves to sleep after nesting?
Dalam 20-30 saat baby menangis, angkat dan tenangkan. Dah tenang? Put them back on bed. Let them nesting again. Jangan buat your past routine untuk tidurkan baby (contoh, dodoi).

Macam Adellia, masa first day memang sangat kesian. I ulang step atas ni almost 6-7 kali untuk biar dia tidur sendiri. I didn't even proceed with dodoi (her past sleep way). I kentalkan hati and help her to sleep on her own. I redo all the steps again and again.

Everytime she cried because she can't sleep after nesting, I would angkat and tenangkan. Dah tenang, I akan letak atas katil semula untuk biar dia nesting. Masa ni dia dah menangis beriya, supposedly you have to stop the training. You have to get them to sleep using your past method. Continue the sleep training method for the next session. Tapi I masih nak try.

Sampai la yang last tu (after one hour), she finally able to sleep on her own after nesting (because she was so tired already). Masa ni memang kesian betul!

Perlu ke Ibu ada sekali sewaktu baby nesting?
TAK BOLEH. Ibu sepatutnya ada di bilik lain cause baby can smell their mother!

Tapi lain kes macam Adellia, I baring tepi dia. But I didn't do anything. I just baring and look at her. Sometimes I buat-buat tidur. Sometimes I membelakangkan dia and main phone. So when she nesting, she knows her mother is besides her.

2 minggu pertama I memang ada sebelah dia every sleep sessions. But now, I can leave her alone dah. Cuma kadang kadang ada masa dia akan merengek. If too loud, I will attend to her. If biasa-biasa, I just let it be. That's why, it is so important for you to know your child. Only you know your child!

Berapa lama kena buat sleep train ni?
EVERY sleep sessions. Jangan stop ye. Everytime your baby wants to sleep, you have to introduce this method. Do not ever use the past method.

How long can see the results?
Depends on babies. Ada baby took 2 - 3 weeks to get used to it.

Adellia already can sleep on her own after 3 - 4 days (that's why I was so shocked that she gets along really well). On day third/fourth macam tu, she easily sleep on her own dah. Thank God! Alhamdulillah. Day by day, she nesting really quick. Sometimes after I bagi susu, she already sleep. Less than 5 minutes.

Practice makes perfect!

Can swaddled baby be trained to sleep on their own?
YES. If baby masih berbedung, lagi senang! Make sure bedung dengan kemas and put on bed/baby cot. Let them nesting.

Apa lagi benda yang perlu ada dalam training ni?
White noise machine, puting (if baby hisap puting) dan kain atau patung (if baby suka pegang/peluk something).

Anak akan merengek/bangun tak semasa sleep training ni?
Yes! Please expect they will wake up few times or even sleep short time.

They still want to get used to it. Please expect that they will wake up atau menangis dalam tidur (merengek).

Macam Adellia, awal-awal dia tidur sekejap sekejap. Sometimes merengek sikit dalam tidur. Tapi I biar je. She's good to go.

How long baby can stay asleep using this technique?
Depends. Every baby is different. You have to know your child.

Lepas I train Adellia, I perasan every nap time, dia akan tidur satu jam lebih atau dua jam. Which is considered really long? I macam terkejut jugak. I thought that kadang-kadang je tapi bukan ye. Everyday she will get at least one hour and a half nap in one sleep session. Sometimes, even two sleep sessions!

Do we need to continue the training when baby is sick?
YES. Ok this time I would advise for you to continue the routine. WHY? Because we want them to acknowledge and adapt the routine.

HOW?

Follow the steps above. They get cranky? Angkat and tenangkan.

Masa Adellia demam itu hari, she really really cranky and even had trouble sleeping. Tapi I still continue the training.

Put baby on bed → they get cranky and unable to nesting due to feeling sick → angkat dan tenangkan baby → "shhh" method → tepuk sikit belakang badan baby → put baby on bed when they are calm

Ini apa yang I buat masa Adellia demam dan batuk.

Boleh ke ada partner sekali masa training session?
NO. If possible, please let baby soothe themselves during the session. And avoid any interruptions that can cause them to lose focus.

I did not involve my husband during this training. I would ask my husband to leave the room (especially night time sleep). Baby will think that it is their play time if they see more than one person in the room. Yup!

Did Adellia wake up during midnight?
Ada someone tanya I soalan ni. My answer is, NO. She did not wake up unless for feeding session. Lepas bagi susu she sleeps back. No nesting or what, just continue to sleep.

HOW?

Ok untuk soalan ni, you guys can refer to my first post.

READ HERE

Always ensure that you create a routine for them. Adellia memang takde bangun malam dah. She usually sleep through the night sampai esok pagi and wake up at 9-10am in the morning.

This basic sleep training I dah ajar awal-awal dulu since she was 1-month plus. So now she is 8-months old, she is already adapted to it. Alhamdulillah!

What if baby overtired but still can't sleep?
STOP the training. Use your usual method to get them to sleep. Repeat the technique in the next sleep session.

I think that's all. I hope it would benefit mothers out there to train your child to sleep on their own. Goodluck mothers! Remember, don't stop and repeat the steps until your baby get their own schedule. You know your child. Oh I would like to remind, before you start all of this, don't forget to create the routine first. Then you proceed with this technique!

A happy mom will create a happy baby. I decided to sleep train Adellia because I want Adellia to learn to sleep on her own as fast as she can. I also know how disappointed would it feel if you are so tired, but your child demanding you to soothe and comfort her 4 to 5 times daily. I been there! Mom, you have to take care of your mental health. Then, your baby will stay happy and healthy! 😉

Newborn & Mother Checklist

When I found out I was pregnant, I dah siap sediakan list barang-barang baby dah. Which one to buy now, which one to buy later, or which one to buy after baby is born.

We have around 7-8 months to prepare all baby's stuff. So that's enough time for us to be ready! Here is my list. Check it out!

Benda pertama sekali I beli is Breast Pump. Being a career mother, breast pump is a must taw! And actually you really need one. Macam I masa berpantang, baby memang my mom handle sekejap sementara I tengah berurut. Urut time is reallllyyy longgg. So baby akan menyusu sementara tunggu kita nak siap tu. So my mom akan bagi susu yang dah dipam. Masa I pantang, I akan pam waktu pagi sebelum CL datang. Siap sedia sebelum nak berurut!

Depends on which brand you guys wanna use. Dulu I pakai Haenim NexusFit 7A Lite brand (discontinued selling on Shopee). Lepastu I rasa malas nak guna yang tak wearable sebab I suka benda mudah. So I beli wearable breast pump. I use Ashlee Lova brand but now I think it is discontinued also (can't find on Shopee). Sambil jalan, sambil tengok TV, sambil makan can pump anytime you want! Senang sangat. I suka betul brand ni. Very easy and tak sakit! Lepas pam I akan terus masuk dalam botol untuk simpan.

But really, breast pump is a hard decision to make. You have to think a lot whether you need it or not. If you are a housewife, direct-feed is easier. Because every time after your pump session ends, you have to wash all the stuff. EVERY SINGLE TIME. Because we don't want to cross-contaminate the milk.

So, orang kata baju baby jangan beli banyak-banyak sebab they grow up really fast! I do agree with it! Baju for newborn I ada dalam 10 pasang macam tu je. Siang and malam. Other than that, I beli for 3-6months, which can wear longer. Start Adellia umur 4 bulan baru I start beli baju above 6 months. So, I would suggest you guys to buy only few pieces for newborn. Nanti banyak-banyak tetibehhh tak boleh pakai dah. Lepastu nak bagi orang taktau nak bagi sape hewhew!

For baby oils, I do have few recommendations for you guys. Sebab I tersangat lah banyak beli minyak/balm untuk baby and I really do love 'em all! Check the list below.

1. TYT Medicated Oil - Works for Adellia for kembung! Loveee this!
2. YouBaby Baby Cream - I pakai ni sampai dah nak habis, works for every condition and bau wangi gila! Untuk gigitan serangga also can!
3. Tasneem Naturel Balm - Best jugak sebab I ada semua jenis balm masa newborn
4. Puer's Kidsdom Balm - This one pun semua jenis I ada for kembung, calm and sleep!
5. Minyak Yu Yee
6. Audelia Naturals Mummy Rescue Kit
7. Hud's Herbal Oil - I use this when Adellia batuk berkahak, really works! I ada 3 botol haha
8. Minyak Daun Bidara - Untuk kembung and also for soothing

Ada lagi la minyak for baby but I only list yang I suka pakai je okie! For diffuser and oils on my list tu, no need pun tak apa sebab that one my husband yang willingly nak beli sebab he likes the room to smell good haha. So I masukkan sekali je. Depends on you guys!

So, baby cot penting ke? This one, I cannot answer because it really depends on you. Mana you nak baby you tidur? I only use baby cot masa awal-awal je. For now, kadang-kadang je I akan tidurkan Adellia in baby cot (usually during nap time). So, this one really depends on how you decide! I actually don't want a baby cot, but my husband wanted to buy. So I suggest him to buy the movable one. So it's easier for us to move the cot!

You guys might really need baby wipes! Like A LOT. Newborn babies have to change diapers for 8-10 times daily. So prepare your baby wipes ok! Especially if baby ada jaundice, they need to poo a lot, so it's really handy if you just use baby wipes! Don't forget waterproof changing mat! I have 5 of these haha. Really handy and you really need one taw!

If you plan to store your milk (so it's easier once you're back to work), you might need a lot of milk storages! I bought a lot tapi I tak guna since I work from home, so I just direct-feed my baby. Easier meh.

Nappy creams is a must because baby's skin is sooo sensitive! So, get one for your baby ok. I ada 2 jenis, Sudocream and Drapolene.

I memang dah awal-awal beli thermometer for baby sebab I nak prepare, takpayah rush and chaos if baby demam/sakit. So I beli siap-siap.

Carseat and stroller perlu ke? YES, perlu. But as for me, I tak beli awal-awal. I bought after few months baby was born. Carseat I beli lambat sikit sebab I tak ready nak bawak baby keluar when she was sooo smol haha. I memang melepet kat rumah je the first 4 months. Stroller I beli awal sikit sebab nak bawak jalan area taman/rumah. So carseat and stroller must have in your list ok! Especially if you guys plan to move a lot after baby is born.

Yang lain-lain on my list you guys can decide whether it is needed or not. For sterilizer, tak ada pun tak apa, tapi I ada sebab I suka botol baby bersih and it's handy for me (I suka benda yang menyenangkan I). You can decide whether it is really useful or not.

Check out my list for Mother pulak. Lahhh semangat! Ada yang tak perlu pun takpe, tapi biasalah, I sejenis prepare awal.

Lepas bersalin, pad adalah benda yang sangat penting ye. Nifas time is realllyyy loonggg, so you need a lot of pad. And you have to change your pads every 4-6 hours. So, I would suggest you guys to prepare lots of pad. I beli 4 large packs and till now masih berbaki ye.

Masa di hospital I use Panties pad, easy untuk mak-mak yang tak boleh nak bergerak sangat. After I bersalin, nurse terus pakaikan, so you just have to prepare je bawak masuk dalam labor room. I use this one Libresse Maximum Security Panties.

Right after sampai rumah I use the normal pads (extra long for night) sebab lagi selesa la daripada pakai the one yang I mentioned above. But depends on you, sebab ada orang lagi senang pakai macam panties tu. I beli Security Panties untuk hospital je.

You NEED a nipple cream. For new mothers, I would suggest to buy one because breastfeeding is hard! Ahaha and then prepare nipple pads also because we don't wanna wet our shirt!

Nursing bra is a must if you breastfeed your baby. You have to bf your baby for 8-12 times daily (newborn). So easier for you to just use nursing bra.

Don't forget stockings and bengkung set ya! You really need one! I have 2 types of bengkung. The traditional and the modern bengkung. Awal-awal je pakai traditional, lama-lama pakai modern one. Zip zap terus siap. Senang nak pergi toilet! And kain batik also kena ada because you can't even wear pants! Senang just sarung kain batik walaupun jalan kena kepit ahah

Oh btw, disposable panties is a must have! I bought a lot. I think around 50 pieces. If you don't want to spoil your panties, I would say buy a lot of disposable panties. During confinement period, I use disposable panties, so you can just dispose them everytime you change your pads.

Lain-lain macam sunkist orange and bowl postnatal tu, it's just on my list sebab I nak cepat baik! Haha. I asked my husband to buy sunkist for me to consume everyday (vitamin C good for healing). And then I also did bertangas myself using garam kasar & herba-herba terpilih to heal fast! So this one, depends on you if you wanna include it in your list.

If you want to heal fast, always ensure your wounds are dry. Luka kena sentiasa kering before you change your pads. And always change your pads masa berpantang ye.

Ice/hot bag perlu ke? I bought this for bengkak susu. Tapi tak soothe the bengkak ye, don't know if I did wrongly or what. Bengkak susu kena treat cepat or else you are in so much pain! Masa berpantang I always kena bengkak susu (especially during berurut sebab urut time memang lama). Depends if you guys want to include it in your list.

Any other things on the list is just for my own use. You guys decide what is the best for yourself during confinement period. And enjoy your confinement days! Selamat Berpantang!

Books I Read When I Was Pregnant

Way before I found out I was pregnant, I already addicted to 'reading'. It was to my surprise that I actually read after like.. 10 years (if I'm not mistaken) not reading.

The last moment I read was during high school. Tapi itu buku novel cinta which you know, being a high school students kan dulu-dulu memang terjebak dengan buku novel cinta haha! Lepastu habis sekolah I was busy with studying and working and till now, I am back with reading!

My genre? This time I am more into Islamic & Spiritual genre (I loved it so much!). It keeps me reflecting myself and confident in whatever I did, I always have Allah with me. MashAllah.

My first book? Well, here it is!

Talk To Allah by Ayesha Shahira

What can I say about this book? Ugh, I loved this book so much that it turns my POV 360 degree. I mean, how can you not love this book?

It taught you how you can communicate with Allah, be it when you are happy or even when you are sad. This book taught us that everything you say, is actually a Doa if you communicate with Allah. It takes you to another journey of spiritual discovery: of reconnecting with Allah wholeheartedly.

I memang suka betul buku ni sampai I baca lebih sekali la. I jot down lots of important notes in this book. Whenever I feel sad or down, I akan open any quotes yang akan soothe my feelings.

Memang positif sangat this book. And sebenarnya it also taught us that you don't have to angkat tangan when berdoa if you want to make Doa! You can always ask Allah whatever you want without putting any barrier. We always thought that whenever you want to pray, you have to pray with your telekung and sejadah on, and angkat tangan bila berdoa kan? But, actually, Allah always listen to our Doas.

Because He is the All-Knowing.

I would like to suggest you guys to read this book if you ever feel lost in your life. It really give you positive vibes and boost your spiritual emotions back!

Here is my list of books that I read when I was pregnant. Sikit tapi sangat bermakna all the books! Hope you guys will get the benefits too 💓

White Noise for Babies

Our topic today would be White Noise. What is white noise? Do you guys know what is white noise, especially for the babies?

Ok so according to HealthLine sources, white noise is a sound that conceals other sounds that might naturally occur in an environment. In a city, for example, white noise can help block out noise from traffic. It is possible to use specific sounds to promote sleep regardless of environmental noises. For example, rainforest sounds or relaxing beach sounds may help.

Jadi, sebenarnya white noise ni dia act as specific sounds that can aid in sleeping. Especially for the babies la, but it can also be used for adults!

Masa baby dalam rahim ibu, they will hear many sounds, like, bunyi pembuluh darah, jantung ibu, proses makanan dalam perut ibu and many other sounds! So, actually, babies are used to those sounds that may aid them to sleep. But, once they are born, they hear environmental noises, sometimes very quiet (because we always assume when babies are sleeping, they need a quiet and calm environment).

A very quiet environment pun sebenarnya akan lead to high chances that babies are easily startled or shocked when they are sleeping. Itu yang tidur mereka pun akan sekejap sekejap. So, what should mothers do?

Macam Adellia, I used white noise machine since I was in confinement period. I read a lot during pantang about babies, ye la, sebab masa pantang kita berehat je kan hehe. So I have many times to read about babies. That was when I discovered about white noise. Dulu I guna youtube je and buka sampai 10jam, habis battery iPadku.

So, Adellia memang dah terbiasa dengan white noise sounds. Tapi Adellia does not have a specific sounds, sebab I akan always tukar sound dia every 1-2 months, depends on how she behaving. Sebab I perasan Adellia jenis senang bosan dengan sound yang sama. So ada satu hari tu I saja tukar sound, and she sleeps easily dengan cepat ye.

So, since then, kalau ada bulan she had trouble in sleeping, I akan tukar-tukar sound dia sampai la jumpa sound yang buat dia senang tidur. For example, white noise, rain sounds, river sounds, and many more.

How long should baby uses white noise to sleep?
Yang ini I pun tak pasti. Tapi they said that white noise can also be used for adults. Meaning like, for as long as babies need white noise, you might as well use it to aid them to sleep. Sampai la you rasa you nak stop the white noise for them. But, if you monitor that they have trouble to sleep, mungkin nak taknak you have to use it until they are ready to sleep without it.

Where can you buy White Noise Machine?
Now, dekat Shopee memang ada jual White Noise Machine. Even myself bought that at Shopee. I suka this machine sebab ada 20 sounds. Banyak sangat and boleh pilih which one suits for your baby. Click below link to purchase your white noise machine!

Shopee: White Noise Machine

As usual, what I can say is, all babies are different. Even setiap anak pun lain-lain, begitu juga anak kita dengan anak orang.

Mothers know their child. Apa-apa pun, only you know what your child wants.

Kurap Susu

Topik hari ni pasal kurap susu. So I just knew about this one taw. Masa Adellia umur 4 bulan, she had to deal with kurap susu (which is very bad). Mulanya dekat area tepi mulut, sikit je. Lama-lama merebak sampai ke pipi and dua-dua belah pipi.

Tapi I cepat bertindak! Dalam seminggu nampak kurap tu, I terus cari cream yang boleh soothe the kurap. After made a lot of reading, I found this cream. The cream is organic, natural and sooth for baby's skin. But I think the price is quite pricey (well, for me!).

It is to be reminded that if it involves cream, then you have to be sooo patient! I read about kurap susu and found out rupanya if baby kena kurap susu, it takes longer to heal! I ingatkan it's just something yang akan heal seminggu dua. Rupanya tidak ye! It took months! For Adellia, sebulan lebih baru kurap susu tu hilang and heal sepenuhnya. But, sometimes it comes back! Tapi you guys kena rajin everyday sapu cream. I will put the cream twice daily after bath session.

Kurap susu ni ada hari dia boleh jadi teruk, and ada hari dia tetiba macam hilang sikit. Then, esoknya teruk balik. So dekat sini kita memang kena rajin sapu cream everyday. Now, Alhamdulillah Adellia's skin dah back to normal. Licin and smooth.

So, for me, I really recommend moms to keep this one at home! It is natural, organic and no harmful substances for baby's skin. Highly recommended although it took time to see the results. But well, everything takes time! ;)

Shopee: Buds Super Soothing Rescue Lotion