Susuibu.com Lactation Consultant

MAHA 2010

we went to the recent MAHA 2010 for the first time...our aim was to bring the kids to see live farm animals and trying out some good popular foods...shopping for goods was very down the list ; )

anyway, we arrived quite early at around 9.45 am, the weather was just great and there were already many people marching towards the venue...we managed to get a good parking spot, but still had to walk up and it was a good exercise...

posing with the cow

our first spot was the farm area...we got a ride on the RapidKL bus and the kids were so excited to go on the bus..this was the first experience for Imtiaz...he was extremely excited and cannot stop humming the sound of the bus while on it...

we went to see the cows and goats and sheep and i took this opportunity to introduce to Imtiaz all these animals...Jihan, even though she knows all the animals by looking at their pictures in books, sometimes she got it mixed up when seeing it live in front of her eyes...so i corrected her and she was amazed when she saw the big cows and buffaloes (not like the ones she saw during Korban recently)...

yummilicious roast lamb

next we filled our gastronomic needs with roast lamb...it was so succulent! the kids got to see some chicks and chickens, ducks and ducklings, rabbits, turkey and  geese too..we went to see some of the producst exhibition as well..then back on the bus ride to the main exhibition halls...and the kids loved the bus ride so much..

at the main exhibition halls, we marched our way to the Popular Food Stalls...crowd of peoples have started to arrive and filled most of the corners of the large MAEPS area...we tasted nasi kerabu, mee rebus, cendol, murtabak singapore and murtabak mengkasar...boy, our stomachs were full with yummilicious food!

then we made our way to one of the exhibition halls but got out after a while because the kids were already exhausted...before heading home Jihan bargained to get some balloons...so a Hello Kitty balloon for her and Upin Ipin balloon for Imtiaz...

the weather was getting hotter but still lots of people started arriving...MAHA was a great place for the whole family...learning, shopping and trying out good food all under one roof...

Imtiaz in his sling while munching beef balls

we brought Imtiaz stroller along and he behaved well while in it..when he fell asleep, we put him in the stroller so that he could have a somehow comfortable nap...but when he was up and about, we let him to be on his feet, especially in a less crowded area...or else he would be in his MiniMonkey sling with me...Jihan took the opportunity to sit in the stroller while Imtiaz was in the sling...

tired Imtiaz

it was a tiring day for all of us, even though we didn't explore the whole area...luckily the kids got stroller to ride on and a sling to hop on, so they were less tired than we were...

am I a normal parent?

just finished reading "Am I A Normal Parent?" by Sara Dimerman...i really want to know if i am a normal parent...

this book is a therapy for the mind and soul for parents...i thoroughly enjoyed reading this and every parent should read it...this is the definitive guide to figuring out what's normal for parents in the 21st century...Am I a Normal Parent? will allow you to evaluate how you fit into what is most typical and will reaasure you that you are not alone in your worries...it also addresses feeling guilty about losing patience, being angry and not spending enough time with your children...this book also touches on how culture, upbringing and external influences affect your parenting way...

i am really fascinated with the author believes what NORMAL is...NORMAL is an acronym for No One Really Marches Alone.... even if you are in a situation where you think or feel is not normal, comfort yourself by knowing that somewhere out there, another parent is feeling, thinking and behaving just like you....

this book is deeply comforting to mothers like me who suffers the guilt and anxiety that woven into the parenting experience...it is very reassuring, not preachy, yet thoughtful and insightful, and best of all it is written in a humorous way...!

after reading this, i assure you that i am still a normal parent..!

going green- cloth padding

my stash

yeah, Let's Go Green! it's definitely time to make a paradigm shift if we want to save our world...long live Mother Nature...

let's see how green is our family now...i'm breastfeeding, Imtiaz is cloth diapering, we bring our reusable shopping bags on no plastic bag day (occasionally, if we remember what day it is, sigh), we signed up for e-billing for bank statements and phone bills, Jihan uses recycle papers to draw or write her stuffs, we grow our own vegetables/ulam, we make our own Roselle cordial, hmmm, what else..?

and recently, i've been cloth padding fully during my last menstrual cycle...to start with, i bought 3 night pads, 8 regular pads and 4 panty liners from various brands...i had mamapatch, momiji, fussybutt moonbow and sweetprettystuff...

at first, i was nervous it would leak and i doubt its absorbency and messiness...lucky my 1st day menses fell on a holiday, so there's no need for me to anticipate any possible embarrassing moments in public...

my first day experience, well, not bad at all...i really like the feeling of having something soft down there with no feeling of wetness at all (like the one that i feel with disposable pads usually)...plus, there was no itchiness or urticaria developed at the contact area...there was no leaking and handling it was a breeze...

what i did was wash thoroughly the soiled pads with running water until there water ran clear and there was no stain on the pad...well, if the stain did not come off, i soaked it overnight with a tiny amount of detergent...and the next morning, i tossed it together with Imtiaz's cloth diapers and let the washing machine do its job...

for the heavy days, i tend to use about 5-6 pads per day and on lighter days, 3-4 pads per day...the washed pads were very clean with no stains visible and the cloth stayed like new...

if i'm on the go, i bring along a small wetbag to stuff in the used pad that has been washed with water...i definitely like the pretty prints on the pads..it makes my period day happy...and saves my pocket too....

lesson learnt...

cartoon googled

yesterday, i was on leave, yet i had to attend to some important matters in the afternoon and later in the evening catching up with my best friend, Dahlia for dinner...

i had to leave the kids at home and they followed their wan and atok to an engagement party in the afternooon...before leaving, as usual, i nursed my thirsty dinosaur... and throughout the afternoon to late evening, i did not express my breast milk...

returned home, i nursed Imtiaz as usual and throughout the night as he demanded..and this morning i felt a pain lump on the left breast and pain on the nipple...i checked for any crack nipple but i found another milk bleb...gosh, that caused the pain and possibly causing a blocked milk duct...

so, i guess i have to self-remedy...i nursed Imtiaz frequently on the affected side and kept on massaging the painful lump...in the shower, i immersed the whole breast in a mug of warm water and massaged the painful lump towards  the bleb/nipple (ouch!)...

it helped but didn't solve the problem...the milk flowed through the bleb but did not burst opened the bleb...so, i took a sterile needle, gently stuck it into the bleb and milk oozed from it....phew..!! then i massaged the lump towards the bleb and more milk flowed..quickly i called Imtiaz to nurse and he did a wonderful job sucking all the milk out and relieving the blocked duct...

alhamdulillah, it's now better...

i thought, my milk production is not that heavenly much like before (as Imtiaz is already 20 months old now) but it can cause significant problem when i did not empty my breasts for about 5 hours yesterday....that's why i still pump at work twice a day - for stimulation and also to prevent such things to happen...i will never, ever leave Imtiaz again for a significant long duration without any intervention..

i'm listed on ILCA

i've been a member of the International Lactation Consultant Association (ILCA) for the past 1 year... ILCA, is the professional association for International Board Certified Lactation Consultants (IBCLCs) and other health care professionals who care for breastfeeding families.... their vision is a worldwide network of lactation professionals.... their mission is to advance the profession of lactation consulting worldwide through leadership, advocacy, professional development and research...

and now, as an IBCLC, i am listed in the Find a Lactation Consultant (FALC) Directory.. i'm proud to be part of ILCA..hoping to get a scholarship and attend the annual ILCA conference soon...in the meanwhile, to make a lactation profession well-known and established in Malaysia...

the meaning of Aidiladha

1 cow down

on 10th of Zulhijjah month of Islamic calendar, Muslims all over the world celebrate Aidiladha, which is one of the biggest and important events in the annual Muslim calender...similarly on the same day, the pilgrims in the holy city of Mecca are performing the fifth pillar of Islam, the Haj..

during Aidiladha, a ritual known as qurban or sacrifice is carried out after the Aidiladha prayer... animals such as cows, goats and camels that meet certain religious criteria are sacrificed as a symbolic gesture to remember the sacrifice that was instructed upon Prophet Ibrahim a.s...this act of sacrifice is an attribute of the spirit embodied in Islam... Islam encourages its believers to be everwilling to sacrifice in the name of God....While the sacrifice on Aidiladha is specific in nature, sacrifice can come in many forms...

imtiaz makes new friends

it should be realised that sacrifice should not be limited to the day of Aidiladha...instead sacrifice should be part and parcel of a Muslim's character which is practised every day of his life....this form of sacrifice can be tangible or intangible, be they in the form of material, financial, time and/or energy...

besides a whole array of delicacies on the table, we should inculcate the meaning of Qurban in our children...even though they are too small to understand the true meaning of it, it is a good exposure for them to see what is really happening on the day....

my two beautiful kids

as Jihan becomes mature each day, she understands that Muslims go to the holy Mecca to perform Haj..her school principal also went to perform Haj this year, so that put more sense into her...when she saw the photos of Kaabah and Muslims performing the Haj in the TV,  she would say that she one day too would want to go to Mecca...and we always tell her before going to Mecca, she must perform 5 times prayers a day, be a good Muslimah and to start saving money from now on...

and yesterday, dear hubby brought the two kids to see our Jamaah slaughtering cows at the surau...Imtiaz was so excited seeing the cows and Jihan too, being scared at first, later enjoyed herself..it was such an experience for her and i was very proud of her courage..

the kids are so amazed

later in the evening, i read her a story regarding Prophet Ibrahim a.s and his son, Prophet Ismail a.s, how Prophet Ibrahim was commanded to offer his son Ismail up for sacrifice, and though it grieved him greatly, he made ready to perform the task.. however, as he was about to strike his son, God stopped him and revealed that it was a trial... Ismail's life was spared, and a ram was sacrificed in his place...

Jihan was so amazed listening to the story and that taught her to be brave like Prophet Ismail a.s and obey all Allah's commands and also to listen well to the elderly...

insya Allah, as they mature each day, i believe Jihan and Imtiaz will understand more the  wide meaning of sacrifice...

Breastfeeding Sucks - What to do when your mammaries make you miserable

i've just finished reading such an hilarious breastfeeding book that keeps you laughing out loud from cover to cover...it's good for middle of the night reading when your hubby and kids are fast asleep and you are still wide awake, not knowing what to do...this is just what you need- something funny and engaging that is also somehow informative...

when reading this, i agree that some the stories inside coincide with my own experiences (along with my stupidity and zero knowledge of breastfeeding during my first time nursing my baby 5 years ago)..although as a lactation consultant, i agree that some of the information are incorrect and need further clarification from the lactation experts and further reading  from some other breastfeeding references/books...but this book is light enough, short enough and funny enough to engage the average mother...

i would recommend this book to mothers who want to relieve their inevitable stress about breastfeeding, but not as a sole breastfeeding reference...

i bought this at the recent Big Bad Wolf  (BBW) Books Sale....guess how much the price is..? i got for RM 5...yes, i'm not kidding you, just RM 5..! the original price at Amazon.com is USD 9.95...

and if you are looking for this piece at the BBW Books Sale today or tomorrow, sorry, you won't find it anymore...my lactation friends have bought them all and they were all sold out by the 3rd day of the sale...

the Big Bad Wolf Books Sale 2010 (part 2)

that's my stash for the 3rd day...

i'm such a crazy book lover ...yup, went for the 3rd time yesterday (alone) just to see if i can get some good books..the addiction to the BBW Sale is so irresistible...

there weren't many people around...but i saw a few familiar faces that have been coming to the sale for the past 3 consecutive days as well...(that proves that i'm not the only one who went ku-ku with the sale)...

though there were still tonnes of books around, there weren't much cooking/recipes book left, and at the children section, books for preschoolers and toddlers were almost non existence...

despite that, i managed to grab 18 more books that cost me RM 118...(huwaaa...so much damage done these few days due to the BBW Sale!)..mainly some books for the kids, some cookbooks for myself and a few novels...

apart form all the books that woo me,  i really like the BBW staffs...they were so friendly and helpful..they even help you to send your books to your car... congratulations to the whole BBW staffs...they deserve a big clap for their dedications and hard work throughout the sale period...

i didn't get the free book marks as mentioned, and i don't think i'll be going there again just to collect them (and that prevent further damage to my pockets as well, huuuu)...anyway, i'm looking forward for the next sale and yes, i'm going to be there on the very first day!

keep up the good work, BBW...!

La Leche League International - How Weaning Happens

i just finished reading a breastfeeding book that i borrowed from the Susuibu.com Library. the La Leche League International - How Weaning Happens, by Diane Bengson, a LLL leader...

what i like about this book is that it includes the personal experiences of mothers who have weaned their children in a variety of ways...

La Leche League's approach to weaning is very different from the conventional view that weaning is something abrupt and painful that one must do to a baby to push him into the next stage of maturity....HOW WEANING HAPPENS presents weanings that are gentle, gradual, and natural... "Weaning can be seen as a lesson in trust. Trusting that your child will wean when he's ready is an act of faith, as is trusting that you and your child can find gentle, acceptable ways to wean."

 Above all, HOW WEANING HAPPENS recognizes that weaning is a process, not an event. It starts when a baby takes anything besides breast milk by mouth. Gradually, the baby finds other activities and pleasures to meet the needs that were once met exclusively by nursing. The weaning process may extend over months or years and over many stages of a child's development. Leaders often say, "Watch the baby, not the clock," about how often you nurse your baby. In the case of weaning, the slogan might translate to, "Watch the baby, not the calendar." As one mother in the book observed, "Weaning is not about logic or charts or time. Weaning is about readiness. I only know this because I can see that my baby is not ready to wean. She hasn't shown me at all that she is ready to wean, and she is the one person whose opinion on this subject counts."

It can be hard to balance the needs of mother and child in the cooperative venture of weaning. Many mothers find themselves thinking about weaning before the child is ready, while others experience disappointment when their baby or toddler initiates weaning earlier than expected. Things grow even more complicated when the rest of society weighs in. An entire chapter is devoted to "Pressure to Wean." It helps mothers deal with criticism or misinformation from others. The chapter on "Weaning Because of Medical Advice" is equally useful and presents information, resources, and enlightening questions to ask when a health care provider suggests weaning.

HOW WEANING HAPPENS does an excellent job of portraying the advantages of natural weaning. Bengson also has the courage to recognize that weaning can be hard emotional work. HOW WEANING HAPPENS respects mothers by addressing both the positive and negative sides of extended nursing: "Being aware of and honest about your own needs is the best way to avoid feeling burned-out or put upon by a nursing toddler." "Extended nursing isn't about being a martyr or feeling powerless in your nursing relationship . . . Instead of seeing nursing (or not nursing) as a power struggle to be won or lost, consider that your child is asking to nurse in order to get his needs met." Bengson helps the reader sort out whether taking a more active role in weaning will be worthwhile. There is a useful section about how weaning should not be expected to change your child's other behaviors, such as eating patterns or night-waking. Chapter 10 also takes us into a new arena: concrete advice for what to do when weaning doesn't go well.

The book ends on a positive note, reminding us that breastfeeding is only one aspect of the mother-child relationship. As one mother expresses it: "We are still very close. I realize that nursing did not equal mothering. I am still his mother and we are still attached." A satisfying weaning is as precious as the beautiful bond of breastfeeding. HOW WEANING HAPPENS will help many mothers achieve this satisfaction.

from the La Leche League International website

no, i'm not ready to wean Imtiaz as yet, although he is already 20 months old..i'm pretty sure Imtiaz is not ready as well...reading this fantastic book gives me the idea on how to anticipate the possible maternal feelings towards weaning, and how to continue to love our child unconditionally after the nursing relationship ends with your child...

it is such an amazing thing reading the mother's experiences and feelings on weaning and how their relationship with their children strengthen after weaning...it does bring tears to my eyes as well, because i am not sure how i would react to end the beautiful nursing moment with my macho Imtiaz when he is ready...

i didn't have any problem with Jihan because i only nursed her for about 6 1/2 months and i distanced myself from her at night so that she wouldn't nurse during the night..at that age, it was quite easy because she didn't even remember that she ever nursed with me..i regretted that i had to end my nursing realtionship with Jihan that way...i blame it on my lack of knowledge at that time...if only i could turn back the time...

the Big Bad Wolf Books Sale 2010

yes, call me crazy or what, i've been hunting for books for the past 2 days, back-to-back..! my first time ever attending the Big Bad Wolf Books Sale at South City Plaza, Seri Kembangan...couldn't believe my eyes there are so many books (i mean it, MANY) at very low prices (yes, i really mean it, VERY, VERY LOW)....

went there yesterday with my dear hubby (managed to persuade him to come along with me), leaving the kids behind after taking advices from my friends who went there on the very first day of sale...we arrived very early in the morning at around 8.45 am..a few people had arrived and started queue-ing (gosh, we the booklovers are really crazy!)..wo, we went to have a plate of roti canai and teh tarik just outside the mall and went back in at around 9.15 am..the queue was a bit longer, but we were still quite front...waited and waited until they finally opened the grill barrier at around 9.40am..everybody rushed in and ran towards the entry door..being a first timer, we followed the crowd...

we were kept waiting again at the entrance to the hall for another 20 min..when they finally open the door, everybody rushed in like mad people, grabbing boxes, pushing their trolley bags and we just carry our reusable shopping bags...we made a separate ways looking for our books...i can't believe it i grabbed all the books that i touched...the prices were so knocking cheap....

i wanted to look for fictions but then there were so many people and so many books to look at, i didn't know where to start...finally we made our payment after 40 min browsing through the big hall full of books...and guess what was the total amount..? RM 338 for 42 books...!! that's roughly about RM 8 each...!

just look at these fantastic books...

yes, we went in again today...it was quite unplanned, since i had a breastfeeding consultation to attend to this moring and everything settled at around 11.20am...along with the kids this time, we made our way hunting for the wolf again...with Imtiaz securely tugged in his sling, Jihan held his papa's hand, we were lost in the sea of books and people...today's aim- looking for some chick flick stuffs for my sister and some other good books sighted...

so, our earnings for today's catch- RM 236 for 24 books! that's less than RM10 per book..

i'm going crazy with this sale...i think i have enough stocks of books to read that can last for the entire year...me myself not pretty sure when i'm going to finish reading all those books...

enjoy yourselves looking at our books... ; )

i am an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC)

hi all, sorry for the long hiatus...yes, to much to write, but little time to do it...

first, let me start with a good news...remember that i've written about the MILCC scholarship award for me to sit for the International Board Lactation Consultant Examiners exam? yes, i sat for the exam on 29th July 2010...2 papers- 75 statements questions in the morning and 100 pictures questions in the afternoon...boy, that was exhausting...not forgetting that i was stuck in a massive traffic jam from Bangi to Kajang interchange due to an accident of reckless drivers on drizzling morning...lucky me, my dear hubby took a day off to send me to the exam venue at Hospital Selayang..if not, i would've cry in panic while driving..alhamdulillah, i managed to arrive to exam hall in time, merely about 20 min before the exam started...

there were 6 candidates sitting for the exam..me, being a first timer, i was nervous...i can't say how well or how bad i did in the exam..i prayed for the best and waiting for the results was such a longest wait ever..

finally, the results were announced on the IBLCE website on 29th October 2010...i browsed through my webcode number and my heart was pounding hard...and finally, there it was my number...and i passed the exam! alhamdulillah..i couldn't believe my eyes and re-checked my number again and again, just to make sure...(because the number immediately below me, failed)..i even called my dear hubby to check for me...when his 4 eyes checked and confirmed that my number  showed that i passed, then i agreed to believe...

so, officially i am thus awarded the right to use the title International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) for a period of 5 years...yes, i'm proud of myself and this is what i really want to do- helping mother and baby pairs out there to successfully breastfeeding with confidence...

insya allah, i will carry this amanah with all my heart...thank you all for the prayers and your support, and may Allah bless us all..

Breastfeeding with Confidence: A Practical Guide

another great book for parents-to-be...Breastfeeding with Confidence: A Practical Guide by Sue Cox is such a great book for expecting parents...written in easy-to-understand format, this book takes you to the amazing journey of breastfeeding- from the process of making milk to breastfeeding through toddlerhood and weaning of breasfteeding...according to Sue Cox, learning how to breastfeed is a lot like learning how to drive a car...it incorporates the step-by-step practical aspects of breastfeeding that you can practice even before the baby arrives and provide new mothers with the insights they need to be successful...

Sue Cox explains both the art and the method of breastfeeding, and addresses the fact that making milk comes naturally, but breastfeeding is a learned skill...when many mothers-to-be are asked if they'll breastfeed, they often answer, "I will if I can." Cox counters that answer proactively and positively with information, advice, support, resources and encouragement for new mothers...

there are also stories and comments from breastfeeding mothers, with lots of reassuring advice and information...the stories of successful breastfeeding mothers started off with a rough breastfeeding journey and they succeed in the end, which increase our confidence to continue our breastfeeding journey with our little precious...

it's not a thick book but packed with all you need to know on how to breastfeed with confidence successfully...not much of colours and illustration in it, but relevant important pictures such as positioning and latching are included...

Baby-led weaning...

i'd really love to share with you my limited knowledge of baby-led weaning (BLW)...weaning is another important aspect of child's nutrition apart from breastfeeding...as we know, exclusive breastfeeding is recommended up to 6 months and complementary foods are introduced along with continuing breastfeeding up to 2 years and beyond...

BLW is relatively new in Malaysia...traditionally, we spoon feed our baby her first food and this continues until she is big enough to hold and handle her food by herself, but then we are scared of her choking and tend to be overprotective of her act...i used traditional way to wean my children to solid food and often got frustrated when they didn't finish the stipulated amount of food in the bowl...i encountered problem with Imtiaz when he is too used to spoon feed , when one day i put a piece of bread that was relatively easy for him to grab and put into his mouth but he didn't do it... what he did was, he brought his mouth to the plate on the table and try to bite the bread from the plate, like a bird picking his food..! it took him sometime to be able to feed simple food by himself and i shouldn't i feel worry..?

i first heard about BLW a couple months ago when i virtually attended the Australian Breastfeeding Association Online Seminar and was very impressed with Gill Rapley's talk on BLW...after having a minor setback with Imtiaz's feeding experience, i found that BLW is the ideal way of introducing solid to our babies, it's about being in control and balancing the intake of food and fluid by choosing how long each feed should last...

what is baby-led weaning (BLW)?

baby-led weaning is a way of introducing solid foods that allows babies to feed themselves - there’s no spoon feeding and no purées..the baby sits with the family at mealtimes and joins in when she is ready, feeding herself first with her fingers and later with cutlery..

in another words BLW allows babies to explore taste, colour, texture and smell, at the same time encourages independence and confidence, helps to develop their hand-eye coordination and chewing skill and makes picky eating and mealtime battles less likely...and all healthy should be given the opportunity to feed themselves from about 6 month of age...


why 6 months, not 4 months or earlier..?

BLW is based on the way babies develop in their first year...in term of motor development , comparing a 4 month old child and a 6 month old child, i'm sure you can see how steady and stable a 6 month old child is if seated on a chair and how developed his gross motor movement is, including trying to reach out for food on the table.....while the 4 month old would still have wobbly head and shaky body, trying to balance himself, not appear to reach out for food with uncoordinated palmar grasp...

in term of babies' immune and digestive system, they are not ready for other foods until they are about 6 months old- breastmilk [or formula] is all healthy babies need until then...at 6 months, a baby is able to sit upright, pick up pieces of food, take them to her mouth and chew them - she can feed herself!

in the past, when babies were started on solid foods at 3 or 4 months, they had to be given purees because they were too young to feed themselves...so if you've waited until your baby is 6 months to introduce solid foods, there's no need to puree the food for them and you can enjoy family food with the rest of the family members...


won't she choke...?

many parents worry about babies choking..however, there is good reason to believe that babies are at less risk of choking if they are in control of what goes into their mouth than if they are spoon feed...this is because babies are not capable of intentionally moving food to the back of their throats until after they have developed the ability to chew...and they do not develop the ability to chew until after they have developed the ability to reach out and grab things..the ability to pick up very small things develops later still..thus, a very young baby cannot easily put himself at risk because he cannot get small pieces of food into his mouth...spoon feeding, by contrast, encourages the baby to suck the food straight to the back of his mouth, potentially making choking more likely...

tipping a baby backwards or lying him down to feed him solid foods or even milk all by himself is dangerous...i am sure that was what actually happened in the deadly incidents involving babies and toddlers in day-care centres/nurseries recently, where they were left unattended while feeding with their bottles were nicely secured onto the chest and the babies were helplessly fed and got suffocated with their feeding because the fast flow milk were forced into their mouth and lungs and they can't take it at their own pace and such small babies didn't know how to throw the bottles away if they decided they had enough...a baby who is handling food should always be supported in an upright position..this ensures that food he is not yet able to swallow, or does not wish to swallow, will fall forward out of his mouth...


what food to offer my baby...?

the good thing about BLW, you don't have to cook separate food for your baby..you can share most healthy family foods with your baby (avoiding salt and sugar) , for example fruit, vegetable, meat, cheese, well-cooked eggs, bread, rice, pasta and most fish are suitable..choose foods that are easy to cut into sticks or large strips when your baby is starting...

offering your baby a variety of foods will give her the chance to discover different tastes and textures and ensure she gets all the nutrients she needs...


what about breastfeeding...?

continuing to breastfeed on demand during weaning period will have added advantage of allowing the baby to decide how and when to cut down his milk intake...as she eats more at shared mealtimes, so he will 'forget' to ask for some of his milk feeds, or will take less at each feed..there is no need for her mother to make these decisions for him...

the need of follow-on formula for babies who have weaned to solid food and stop breastfeeding is not always necessary as the babies will get most of the nutrients from variety of nutritious and balanced food, not milk anymore...


remember..!

don't expect your baby to eat much in the beginning..many babies eat only small amounts for the first few months of baby-led weaning and still breastfeeding a lot on demand as they take this transition at their own pace...

also, do expect some mess...they thought mealtimes as playtimes in the beginning...however, this approach utilizes his desire to explore and experiment, and to mimic the activities of others..allowing the baby to set the pace of each meal, and maintaining an emphasis on play and exploration rather than on eating, enables the transition to solid foods to take place as naturally as possible...

lastly, keep it enjoyable..that way your baby will be keen to try new foods and looking forward to mealtimes...

Source: Rapley Weaning.com


in her presentation, Gill Rapley showed a few videos of different ages of babies and toddlers doing BLW and they have good hands and eyes coordination and very good at using cutleries during mealtimes at an early age, together with their family members...

after knowing this fantastic approach, i really hope to use it on my future children and i love to share this bit of information with all of you...and i'm currently hunting for Gill Rapley's Baby Led Weaning: Helping Your Baby to Love Good Food book and DVD at affordable prices {they are not in Malaysia :( }

for those who'd like to watch the video of BLW, try this link and this link or find some other interesting clips at youtube.com

Susuibu.com International Lactation Conference 2010

hope it's not too late for me to blog about this auspicious event occurred from 5th -7th October 2010 at Pullman Lakeside Putrajaya...wide topics were covered by our key speakers - Dr Jack Newman, Sue Cox and Diana West (as mentioned in my previous entry)...

i was glad that i attended the event..i came not only to gain more knowledge and get a first hand experience from the experts, but also to build a good and establishing a network of breastfeeding advocates and exchanging views and sharing experiences with all the participants from Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, Hong Kong,Thailand, Philippines, Australia and others...

as for me, this is a good experience and opportunity gain the knowledge and experience, making new friends and adapting other nations' way promoting breastfeeding...

in Indonesia, the Asosiasi Ibu Menyusui Indonesia (AIMI) approaches the Ustaz and Ustazah and teach them the importance and the technique of breastfeeding so that they'll be able to preach their communities that breastfeeding is greatly beneficial for the infants, as proven by science and it is also mandatory as mentioned in the Noble Quran...

in Bangkok, the breastfeeding mothers have WOMBLES (working overstressed mothers of Bangkok lets eat supper)..it's a great way to let yourself out, hanging out with friends and supporting each other...

in Malaysia, we are proud to present the first structured and systematic Mother-to-Mother Support group, the Malaysian Breastfeeding Peer Counselor (MBfPC), which currently have trained around 120 peer counselors and we are working together supporting and educating breastfeeding mothers and their families so that a more favourable breastfeeding outcomes will be seen in Malaysia in years to come...

even though the participants of this conference came for different background, our aim is the same..we want to empower women to choose to breastfeed, to educate society at large about the importance and benefits of breastfeeding, and working together to make breastfeeding a norm among the population...while many knows that breastfeeding is best, but some do not know how to get it done right from the start and lost their confidence in their breastfeeding journey...that's why it is important to build a strong network of breastfeeding advocates in the country so that we can reach to those mothers, fathers, grandparents out there who are in need of help and support to improve the breastfeeding practices for both mother and infant and young child..

i had fun during the conference...food was good, there were many breastfeeding books, gadgets, clothings on sale, not forgetting babies stuffs including cloth diapers, babywearing stuffs and organic and green stuffs on sale at unbeatable prices...we also had fun contests and lucky draws with great prizes offered {which i didn't win :( }

i really admire the efforts brought by Nurturing Concepts Sdn Bhd and Susuibu.com who have made this conference a success...insya Allah, this will be their annual event as part of continuous breastfeeding education in Malaysia...

The Breastfeeding Mother's Guide to Making More Milk

often we hear many new mothers and even experienced mothers complaint of having low milk supply and that somehow hinders their confidence to breastfeed their baby...knowing what goes wrong or trying to work it out why it happens is important, as the management for each problem differs...some might just go for a quick-fix but will that solve the entire problem..?

getting peer support or even professional help may relieve the anxiety and stress; which can aggravate further drop in the milk supply...searching for reliable information through the internet or books widens our knowledge and at the same time help us understand more on the physiology of milk-making in our body...i couldn't agree more that mothers should not be alone during this situation...they need support and encouragement and a word of advice telling them the correct thing to do....

i found a very interesting book that i bought while i was having the milk supply crisis when Imtiaz was around 9 months old...although at that time i was looking for a quick-fix, but after reading the whole book, i realized that there is more that just a quick-fix in making more milk for my little ones...The Breastfeeding Mother's Guide to Making More Milk incorporates the latest research and discoveries about causes of low milk supply, the way your body makes milk and how babies contribute to your milk production.. best of all, it offers valuable suggestions for both time-honoured and innovative ways to make more milk...

the opportunity to meet the author, Diana West during the Susuibu.com International Lactation Conference 2010 recently was exciting...listening to her speech helped me to boost my confidence to continue helping mothers with breastfeeding difficulties...i also got my book signed too...

this is definitely a worth buy...

LCBSP Eid Mubarak Celebration & Mini M&M Concert

for the first time ever, Little Calips Bandar Seri Putra (LCBSP) invited the whole family to attend the Eid Mubarak Celebration...previous years, the event was held at the school compound and was celebrated among the kids and their teachers...this year, they made it a bigger event and invited the whole family to come over to enjoy the fun and to see our children in action...was held on the 25th September 2010 at Anuwar Mahmud Hall UKM Bangi, it was the children's first experience making a stage performance in front of a whole lot of audiences...

the children has been practicing their performances for quite some time, but when the time came that's the time when the lyrics were forgotten, wrong steps occurred, some just too astonished to move on stage, but most of all, they had real fun on stage...even my little boy made his own performance in front of the stage, following the songs and steps of the bigger kids on stage....

at the end of the concert, awards were given out to those children who managed to fast the most during Ramadhan...one of the recipient is my fantastic Jihan who manage to fast the whole month of Ramadhan...

and we had a feast of food afterward...where every family brought potluck, there were more than enough food for everybody present...

alhamdulillah, the event was a success one...we hope to see more of our children's work in the future...

Syawal 1431H

alhamdulillah, we had a blast aidilfitri this year...we went back to negeri sembilan and batu pahat and had great food, meeting up with relatives and enjoying ourselves travelling....the kids behaved well and had lots of fun too..

after the raya break, we went back to work and had another short break during the Malaysia Day..this time we travelled up north and had another round of great fun there...we visited relatives and friends and on the way back to KL, we stopped by at Bukit Merah Laketown Resort for a night stay...we have to come again to this place to enjoy all the fun there next time..!

something to be proud of, this year Jihan stood tall with her personal achievement of being able to fast fully during Ramadhan, alhamdulillah..she treasured the meaning of Ramadhan and Aidilfitri more this year...sharing and caring with others, especially with the less fortunate ones...

May Allah bless us all and accept our good deeds and reward us with Jannah in the hereafter

i'm having milk bleb : (

picture googled from mother-2-mother.com

alhamdulillah, to date at 18 months, Imtiaz is still breastfeeding, without any supplementation of formula milk..even though during the day,he is no more interested to drink my expressed breast milk (EBM) via bottle, cup, etc, he drinks only plain water, juices or occasionally UHT flavoured milk...but when i'm around, i am his readily available milk producer for him...

once a while, i noticed i will have to deal with nipple pain or blocked duct myself, even Imtiaz is considered as big enough to cause such problem to me...during the hari raya break, i had another episode of nipple pain, being the usual area, the right nipple...i thought it was due to improper latching or due to pulling by my aggressive little dinosaur...the pain was sharp, at every feeding, even after i corrected the position...

this morning, upon waking up, i noticed a tiny, white spot on the nipple...i'm having a milk bleb or milk blister...

A milk blister, or blocked nipple pore, is also called a bleb or nipple blister, or simply "milk under the skin." It occurs when a tiny bit of skin overgrows a milk duct opening and milk backs up behind it. A milk blister usually shows up as a painful white, clear or yellow dot on the nipple or areola, and the pain tends to be focused at that spot and just behind it. If you compress the breast so that milk is forced down the ducts, the blister will typically bulge outward. Milk blisters can be persistent and very painful during feeding, and may remain for several days or weeks and then spontaneously heal when the skin peels away from the affected area.. (from kellymom.com)

so, what i did just now, i applied moist heat to the area (i immersed my nipple in a bowl of warm water), then i apply some olive oil on a cotton ball and gently rub the area to soften the blocked pore...then i massage my nipple in the warm water and the milk started to ooze out of the bleb...alhamdulillah, milk is able to eject through that pore...and now i feel a bit better, with less pain...

the recommended treatment will be, applying the moist heat prior to feeding, then nurse the baby often or pump with hospital-grade pump, and followed by antibiotic cream if needed...alternatively if all the methods above do not work, ask your healthcare provider to use a sterile needle to open the bleb...pain relief can be used to relieve discomfort...

remember, to seek immediate treatment if any of the following occurs: fever, inflammation, swelling, any kind of discharge, abscess, etc...

2010 raya preparations

Jihan is so excited, she sleeps in her raya tudung!

alhamdulillah, towards the end of ramadhan, i am very proud of my Jihan who is still fasting fully until today...she is very excited to complete her fasting this ramadhan and very eager to celebrate eid...i am sure that this is the most meaningful ramadhan and idulfitri for her as she reaches the highest achievement in her life....

as for us, similar like years before, the preparation for idulfitri is done in moderation..this year, we are wearing purple and each of us got 1 piece each of baju kurung/baju melayu...for casual wear, the kids got 2 pieces each and a pair of shoes that is also to be used for day to day occasion...

kuih raya..? i managed to make 4 types and 2 cannisters already finished...alhamdulillah, i'm very happy that somebody will eat my kuih raya...

insya allah, we will be going back to Negeri Sembilan and Batu Pahat from 1st raya until Monday..dear hubby starts working and Monday and he'll travel back to work on Monday morning...we weill continue our journey to Muar visiting friends.. and on Malaysia Day holiday, we are going back to Sg Petani to celebrate idulfitri with my parents in-law...

wishing all my readers Eid Mubarak, Maaf Zahir batin...drive carefully and have a safe raya...

Parents-Teachers Meet Little Caliphs Bandar Seri Putra

last saturday, we went to the parents-teachers meet of Little Caliphs Bandar Seri Putra to see our little darling's school performance and achievements...

from my observation, Jihan had made such an improvement since she started going to kindergarten..being a busy working mother of 2, it is not easy for me to give my utmost attention to her and to coach her by myself...that's why we decided to send her to kindergarten at the age of 3 and a half year old because we were aware of our limitations as parents...alhamdulillah, sending her to the Little Caliphs program, an English- Islamic Integrated education was a correct choice...Jihan was able to grasp and digest the materials well...though she seldom tells us what she learned at school ( even when we asked her many, many times), she unconsciously shows her intelligent and talent when she is doing play role as a teacher herself...sometimes, she reads aloud her books and she loves to improvise her readings and making her own story...

during the last semester, she received good comment from the teachers, although she was quite playful and talkative...and this time round, her teacher told us that in term of achievement, she is actually far ahead from most her friends...she reads both malay and english well...and her iqra' also has improved..she is currently going to book 6...her achievement during this ramadhan, being able to fast fully, has become an example to other students as well..she is able to solat and recite the readings in solat well too...alhamdulillah..even though she is naughty and sometimes stubborn, she performs well in school...

i believe, the teachers and the parents complement each other in our children's education...and choosing the right method in early education is also essential as a core for our children's foundation...

we pray that our children will continue to pave their way to success, insya allah...

iftar with the unfortunate orphans

yesterday, we were invited to break fast with a few unfortunate orphans from Darul Izzah Bangi and Kajang area at Dewan MPKJ Kajang..the event was organized by Susuibu.com, Nurturing Concepts, Sdn Bhd, Sands Consulting Sdn Bhd and MPKJ....

i was glad that we were given this opportunity to do some good deeds in Ramadhan and to contribute some duit raya to the unfortunate children...i took this opportunity to teach Jihan to be grateful to Allah for what He has gives us and how fortunate we are to still have our parents with us...

Imtiaz, as usual kept on running around the big hall and it was quite difficult for us to enjoy our meals :( nevertheless, we had good meals of kambing bakar, satay, white rice and delicious lauk and kuih...

Imtiaz also helped me to distribute the duit raya packets to the kids while Jihan and papa ate their meals...

alhamdulillah, until today, Jihan has fast fully since day 1 of ramadhan...she is such a strong girl...we are very proud of her...

i hope we can continue to help the poor, the less fortunate and the needy as much as we can...and i hope to instill this good value in our children from now on and hopefully they'll grow up to be good muslims, insya allah...