HELP!

Dear fellow moms,

My bmilk supply is zooming down and i need help, advice or any petua that may help

As i've mentioned in earlier posts, Sarah is on mixed feeding. It used to be 70% formula, 30% EBM, then 50/50, then it drops to 100% formula for the past 2 days since i'm all dried up!

She rarely feed directly from me now. When she does, it's more of the playful kind, not the hungry kind. But when she does, i can actually see that there's plenty of milk.. enough to last the one hour suck, let go, sucksucksuck smile, let go.. These days, i pump only twice a day. (Was pumping every 4 hrs but mostly one or two sad drops and that sent me really stressed, so i limit the pumping) In the morning i get less than 1 oz and in the evening just slightly more than 1 oz. and this is not a joke. For the past few days, my morning pumping session produces nothing at all. Yesterday and today, I spent my whole day with her, and there were no letdown, not when we were playing, not when she's fussing for feed. I dont have engorgement, just feel heavy but no pain. Tried to pump with both of my 2 pumps, nothing!

I'm using medela harmony and spectra 3 interchangeably. But earlier this week, out of desperation, i used my bare hand and it produces close to 2 oz.. something i never achieve for a long long while.. but my nips suffer afterwards. My back ache too.

So how la? tried the fenugreek tea, longan, lobak putih, sawi, pegaga.. sama je. I'm not on any jamu and eating well. I'm happy most of the days lately. I know I'm doing far better this time around but I cant help thinking that breastfeeding is such a natural thing that it shouldnt be this difficult to produce enough milk to nourish my kid. Afterall she's only 3 mths old, almost. I'm not beatingmyself up abt this yet.. afterall i dont foresee that i will produce that long anyway.. but this is too soon, and i'm still game for this. So ladies, help me?

Rolled over

Dear Amir,

We saw adik rolled over last couple of days. It was the first time she succeed. It was 6.30 am, she woke me up by pushing and struggling against me, so i get up to give her space. Then you woke up and and join me to watch and cheer her on, both half asleep, but I was alert enough to pick up the phone and snap the moment.

Another champion has landed!

Adik is almost 3 months now. She is more predictable and less fussy. She chuckles and smile and coo. She vocalise a lot now, especially when we adults are having our conversation. She's getting also close and familiar to kakak now. Since i've started work, I think this is a good development too. Tok Ma said kakak likes to coo and play with her too, which is good, hoping the attachment helps to retain her with us for a long time.. hehe..


She doesnt feed much these days, or maybe she has established a predictable pattern that when i'm with her, i'm not forever washing bottles, mixing formula, undoing my nursing bra, washing the pumping equipment and etc. She hardly feed directly from me now. She doesnt binge feed anymore so i guess that's why her direct feeding drop tremendously. So it's no surprise that my supply has also gone down like crazy. It stressed me out jugak last few weeks (staring at the empty bottles after 20 mins of pumping is simply depressinglah) so i chose to limit my pumping to twice a day, and get something like 0.5oz to 2 oz per session and become a happier person that way.

And now that i'm less stressful, things tend to fall into places la. I've started work, that helps me to find 'my time'. We're moving office and starting on a new project, so life at work is getting exciting. There'll be a family room/nursery in the new office so more excitement factor there. We have finally sorted out our routine at home and i've finally come to terms with the fact that my life will never be the same again (haha.. yes, finally) which is really the starting point for evrything to be ok again (or at least for now). Sorted things out with Papa a few weeks ago when i had a major breakdown after feeling too overwhelmed. He has since established a routine of his own to help me with stuff at home. You see, Sarah is unlike you in a way that she prefers standard routine while you are more flexible. So the only way to go about it is for us to be more err.. 'structured' or more disciplined la in managing our time around the 2 of you.

Aaaanyway, wat's up with you?

You're learning veryveryvery fast now - talking, mimicking, socialising, names, songs, concepts. You know that atm cards or anything that look like it is for drawing out money from the bank. You know that when something is not working, Papa should take the ladder, climb and fix it. You know that you are Abe to Adik, Amir to Mama and that I am Kak Ying to your uncles and Papa is Yang to me etc. You actually immitate me while 'talking' to Yaya, singsong tone, the gugugaga stuff. You love and adore her to pieces. Every morning, once you woke up, you'll climb the bed and check if Yaya is there and then join me cooing at her. She too responded to you in her own language.

I just cant wait till Sarah a little older and she's able to play with you.

And I just cant wait till Sarah a little older so that we can all go for a short vacay.. hehe.

Happy Day

Dear Amir,

It's a good day today.

After 2 really bad days, finally it's all good today.

First day at work, well, first half day at work. Had lunch with Papa alone after soooo long.

Came back early, play with Sarah (she can chuckle now!) and then settled her to bed early, then cook good hearty dinner for us. I experimented with chicken breast, stuffed with chopped brocolli, mushroom and cheese, with applesauce and mustard gravy.. to officiate the new grill pan Papa bought me. Anyway, you've been sleeping really early these days so you've been skipping dinner. But tonight, you joined us and wiped your plate clean. And after dinner we cuddled up on the recliner tickling and giggling with each other. Now i realised how i miss you and our funtime together. And how you've grown.. lenguh ok having you on my lap now.

I feel good today, so i guess it's a good day. After 2 exhausting and frustrating days, i'm glad i'm happier today.

Alhamdulillah for days like these, even if it's just once a week..

And alhamdulillah, you havent outgrown cuddling yet, even if it's just for a short minute or two

Amir, mama love you loads. Thank you for being such a darling throughout this adjusting period.. you're my cute little rock!

p/s : I wish to write a long lenghty entry on handling 2 below 2 for the past 2 months.. but i'll just treasure this happy day and try to sleep earlylah today.. next time, stay tuned.

2, 22 and counting

Like this boleh tak?

Since Sarah turned 2 mths yesterday and abang turned 22 months last week, Mama kira one go jelah.

Sarah at 2 mths old

• you still prefer to be held upright either against our shoulder or 'sitting' back against our chest.
• your head control and body movement has strengten tremendously that it's getting difficult to bathe you peacefully
• you like to gaze at our faces
• you are not that generous with your smile yet, but you loooove to sigh.. whyla dear, too young for that lah!
• you like napping in the vibrating rocker thingy
• you've established a steady sleeping pattern at nite, sleeps at 9pm, wakes up at 1am, 4am and 6am for feeds
• you sleeps in your cot! stir occassionally but settles by yourself unless it's feeding time

Amir at 22 mths old

• You love to listen to story, but all story must include your familiar characters ie Tok Ma, Mama, Che' Su, uncles.. etc
• You have started to play rough - pushed and scratched a boy at the playground the other day cos he was trying to ride your bike..ishishish
• You can count from 1 to 10 in Malay, not to keen on the English version though (whyla..English lagi senang wat!)
• Refused to learn ABC as yet
• Have started to string 2-3 words together but mostly still using the last syllable of each word
• You are 16.7kg now! Wears size 4-5 years. Do not own any long pants or jeans cos the length is definitely out! Hardly fits XXL pampers of most brand.. (looks like it's potty training or ..err...customised diapers???)
• You are still in the cranes and handyman phase..gets very excited when you spot a crane or big machinery (bulldozer/steamroll/tractor..etc). Owns a fleet of your own cranes, busses, lorries etc (and one 'mesin padi' tok Pa bought for you in Alor Setar... cool eh?). You can also spend hours playing with your set of tools, ie screwdrivers, bolt, nutt, hammer, saw.. etc (amir the builder!)
• Ironically still very scared of machinery sound ie the blender, vacuum cleaner, drill, etc
• Is beginning to take a STRONG liking in airplane and anything related to it (went berserk while watching The Terminal the other day cos you recognised that it's an airport but there's no airoplane.. haiyya!).. but then again, you're scared of the airplane sound. Pftt!
• Loves to immitate ppl singing, with scrunch forehead and mulut muncung2
• Continue to 'kill me' with your big hugs, huge chuckles, nitetime snuggles and when asked Sayang mama banyak mana? You'll answer with wide open arms and bigbig smile.. Aaaaanyaaaakkk! - cheap thrills, i know.. but just let me indulge while stock last boleh?