Seriously ... hush-hush.

Yay! :)

noreply@blogger.com (Anaih) — Mon, 16 May 2011 16:26:00 +0000

No.. It not a NEW new year's Resolution

noreply@blogger.com (Anaih) — Wed, 05 Jan 2011 01:55:00 +0000

I loved this article on New Year's Resolution by The Almighty Dad. Totally agree with him that we're all be hypocrites, most of the time.

And I've realised that I'm doing it right this time around. I had my epiphany to change my life in November last year, so it doesn't count as a New Year's resolution, and I've made monthly plans! Yay!

Let's just hope I go through with all of it. And to make sure of that, I've signed myself up for walks, a cross country run and a Night Run, one for every month. This way, I have to go, if not, it'll be quite a shame as almost all of my running buddies know that I've registered, plus I've paid the entry fees.

1st up: The 26th FTAAA Cross Country 2011 on the 23rd of January 2011. A 6.2 km, cross country run. They say run, but I'm pretty sure I'll be walking, if not striding, all the way. I don't care, it's a start. :)
The best part of it is going through the Lake Garden! This is what it looks like:

Taman Tasik Perdana (The Lake Gardens), Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

2nd is: The Bareno Run 2011 on the 13th of March 2011. A 5km run at the Bukit Jalil National Stadium. Or maybe I should go for the 10km run? hehe.. We'll see..

3rd: The Energizer Night Run! which will be held on the 16th of April 2011. I might be going for the 11km run!! ok, it will still be jogging probably, but, what the heck. I'm gonna try to just finish the run!

Wahh!! So excited for the beginning of 2011! Let's make sure it's not just a New Year's Resolution, ok? :D

A new Secret ...

noreply@blogger.com (Anaih) — Tue, 04 Jan 2011 05:47:00 +0000

Psst.. I lost weight!

Ok, so I'm not gonna be making this about a certain product, although you can purchase them from me, because, i truly believe that losing weight is not about one certain factor, i.e. dieting, excercising, the desire for change, etc. It's a combination of all those factors.

Maybe I should start from the beginning. I'm following this fabulous blog on tumblr: Ben Does Life. He blogged on losing 120 pounds!, and went from obesity, to becoming a marathoner! Oh, and he's funny too. :) So, he basically inspired me too write about what I'm going through too, provided from a nursing, and babywearing mother point-of-view.

I'm not sure when it hit me, though. At one point in my life, I always felt tired! Tired when I should be fresh in the crisp morning air, too tired even to spend time with the children after work, too tired on weekends even after sleeping in. Ok, and here goes, my big reveal, my weight was .. 82kgs! (that's 181lbs!).

Yes, the usual excuses applied, just had my 2nd baby (which by then is already 1 year old!), didn't have the time to exercise, blah blah blah..

Moving in a new home (on the 2nd of November 2010), we wanted to document everything. How happy the children were with their new home, how excited they were to explore the new neighbourhood (not to mention the playgrounds!). Then, i saw one particular picture of me & the kids.. I saw how HUGE i looked. And I remembered not having the energy to just run around to play with my son in front of the new house.. So here's the pic *cringe*:

I decided then, that enough was enough. I wanted ENERGY! I wanted to be able to run around on a football field with my son. I wanted to teach my daughter how to swim. I wanted to DANCE with them all the time. And I did!

Be it slowly at first. I started taking Herbalife, which is basically a food replacement shake. I've tried it before being pregnant with my daughter, and now I'm following through with the program.

Nothing major really, I started drinking shakes instead of having breakfast and dinner. But I ate lunch as usual. I started having energy throughout the mornings, and not even getting hungry till after 1pm! The old me, would've started finding things to munch at 10.30-11am, even after a heavy breakfast of eggs or roti canai or nasi lemak!

And dinner was great too! I quickly had my shake dinner and I had time to prepare dinner/ or buy them for my family. I hate it when I'm preparing food while being starving myself.

But the best thing about the shakes are in a certain period of emergency that we went through. ..

My husband was admitted to the hospital for a few days. And after the hospital, he was still sick, that he had to stay at home with ZERO energy. So, naturally, I had to play nurse, caretaker, wife, and mother all at the same time. My children then caught the same fever and I had to take care of them, while my husband was still recovering. And through ALL that, I am truly thankful to god that I had the Herbalife shakes and snack bars. Those were all the energy, and food that I had the time to take for myself! (don't forget that I'm still breastfeeding too!).

So, the shakes were really my savior. And to this date, I can now safely announce that I lost 6kg! (13pounds) in less than two months!.

And now, the hard part.. I need to do something else to stay healthy. Oops. forgot to mention that I joined a 5km "fun walk" too. So, my next mission is to run.

I'll start of with 5km walks/ run first, and see if I can make it for the 11km run in April!

So, there you have it. My new, big secret. I was overweight in November 2010. I'm not overweight now, but I want to be healthier, for myself, and for the children.

Wish me luck! :D

Coming to terms with the fact..

noreply@blogger.com (Anaih) — Fri, 10 Dec 2010 02:01:00 +0000

I finally accepted the brutal fact that I LOST my Ergo pink carrier!! I can't seem to find it with all the chaos of moving to a new house!!

I'm so depressed just thinking about it.. :(

Oh well. It's just another excuse to buy me a new Ergo!

A legacy baby carrier..

noreply@blogger.com (Anaih) — Fri, 10 Dec 2010 01:32:00 +0000

A legacy baby carrier is basically doing a major hoarding on a baby carrier, ideally to be passed on from one generation, to the next. I honestly don't know what to do with all the carriers that I bought because i suppose, they don't get much wear, except for that ONE particular favourite ring sling. :)

So I've been thinking of deciding on a legacy carrier. Legacy wraps are a good idea, but all the good ones, in my opinion, are mostly not suitable for the weather here in Malaysia. So what's the point in that? I ended up loving really thin wraps that aren't suitable to be a legacy carrier (not fancy enough?).

So I'm customizing my very own SSC by a local baby carrier manufacturer: SNUGGBABY. Check out her available SSC here. Aren't they lovely? :)

But she's currently on maternity leave, so I can't wait to actually materialize all the ideas of my legacy SSC!

Stay tuned people! :D

It's December already..??!

noreply@blogger.com (Anaih) — Thu, 09 Dec 2010 09:34:00 +0000

First, an update from the previous post: Here are the pics of Malaysian Babywearers (MBW) who were involved in the Lactation Conference.

Ok, So I'm the one in the purple scarf/ hijab, demonstrating (or was trying to) breastfeeding while babywearing. :D

My dear son wouldn't leave my side. So he tagged along on the stage. Well, at least Aliya was cooperative.

Oh, and did you notice all the babies thrown about on the floor? LOL!. Quite a gruesome scene, because of the chaos to demonstrate all the types of babywearing gears, and to be used for those who didn't bring their children to the demo. :)

Next project!

noreply@blogger.com (Anaih) — Tue, 05 Oct 2010 03:44:00 +0000

So, Susuibu.com is holding a Lactation Conference, with Malaysian Babywearers as guest speakers right here in Putrajaya. So, yours truly, volunteered to be a demonstrator of breastfeeind while babywearing. :)

Ok, honestly, I'm not an expert at all! But at least I can show the people there how it can be done, without much of an effort. Provided, you'll get better at it with loads more practise!

It is tomorrow at 5-5.30 pm, and I read that some of my favourite shops opened up booths there too! Argh! Temptation! Hmm.. shoud NOT bring loads of cash.. haha! (added the NOT after revising the sentence.. :P )

In preparation to this, Farrah lent me her Natibaby Butterfly (the top wrap in the picture below)

Isn't it gorgeous?? This particular picture is from a sale blog of another MBW momma. You can view it here (Lixa). Yes! it's FOR SALE! :D

So, I'm practising, I'm nervous because my wrapping methods are almost always sloppy, and I'm excited, to meet all potential BW mommas! :)

Wish me luck!

My Didymos CGW experience.

noreply@blogger.com (Anaih) — Thu, 23 Sep 2010 09:32:00 +0000

Hello everyone.

Salam Eid Ul-Fitri to all. fuhh.. This celebration, FYI, takes up one whole month! Fasted for 1 whole month (Ramadhan), & celebrate the next month (in Syawal). It really is a wonderful, beautiful celebration where every Muslim cares for oneself, one's family, and the whole community (starting by one's close neighbours). Oops, that reminds me, I haven't visited MY neighbour in Putrajaya yet!

Ok, so on tho the new wrap experience. The travelling wrap is from a Malaysian Babywearers (MBW) mommy. A Didymos CGW size 3.6m and dyed in cranberry (maroon). It is up for SALE and you can find more info on it here and here.

It was kind of an inconvenience really to receive a travelling baby carrier when I'm extremely busy with the fasting in Ramadhan, travelling to my hometown, preparing for Aidil Fitri and then visiting relatives, etc. This is only because I have not mastered the art of wrapping. Seriously. Because I see BW mommas who pull wrapping off perfectly with their traditional baju kurung and to wedding, etc. For me, so far, I can only wear a ring sling or a pouch with my baju kurung!.. need more practise with wraps.

Plus, it is EXTREMELY HOT in my hometown! It will be crazy to ever wear an Ellaroo woven wrap, let alone, this thick Didymos! And no, I didn't have time to go to shopping complexes where I usually try out wraps as they are fully air-conditioned. :) or highlands like Genting or Cameron Highland.

So, this is basically it, my tribute to Sh. Zarihan's Didymos CGW:

I honestly didn't think that I could wear a short wrap confidently as the once I've tried previously were both 4.6 & 5 meters in length. But after You-Tubing (will that catch on? :P ) I've confidently set my mind to try a few wrapping methods.

The 1st method (Pics above) is just like wearing a ring sling, where I first needed to tie an adjustable knot or slipknot, and wear my DD like I would in a RS. I improvised by adding another knot under DD using the tails left. Felt more secure that way. This method is fairly easy as I'm used to RS-ing anyway. But special care need to be focused on for pressure points. If not tied properly, you'll feel pressure on where the knot is and maybe even your back. (More practise is needed).

The 2nd & 3rd method is one I found on You Tube too. It's a short wrap cross carry. (Pics below).

I started off with DD facing me. But she was getting bored so I turned her around. Very sloppy tying though as I did it on the spot. She seemed to enjoy it, but I was worried if there were any pressure on her tummy or if this is a crotch carry type method. So I kept adjusting it so that she would sit back on her bum-bum, instead of the weight being on the crotch.

So, basically I enjoyed trying out the wrap as I didn't realize that there were really a lot of carries to try with a short wrap. So purchasing a short wrap is definitely NOT off the menu yet for me. :)

Second Breastfeeding revelation!

noreply@blogger.com (Anaih) — Thu, 23 Sep 2010 02:28:00 +0000

Hmm.. seems like I only get the chance (or am motivated to) write here when I get a huge revelation.. hehe.

So, here's what happened:

Ramadhan went by beautifully and Aidil Fitri was celebrated contentedly with my beloved family. I started this year's Aidil Fitri vacation early (4th of September) till the 16th. One day of working on the 17th led to engorgement throughout the day!

The weekends then included the 20th & the 21st as my DD (dear Daughter) came down with high fever. So imagine a minimum of 18 days of exclusive breastfeeding & constant clinging. :D

My DD is currently 10 months old, and after surviving the 6th month drought/ danger, we're thankfully still BF to a routine of mornings and nights ONLY, even on weekends. I didn't need to pump at noon as I wasn't producing much then. This was all until I started the vacation.

Vacation period:

1st-2nd day:
DD started being clingy and not wanting the bottle. BF was by demand. I was really afraid that she's not having enough to eat/ drink as I feel that I didn't have much BM then. But DD seemed contented to exclusively BF.

3rd-6th day:
Travelled back to my hometown (Alor Star, Kedah). DD enjoyed FULL ACCESS to her BM. :) She now seems really full after feedings compared to previously when she seemed like constantly BF-ing, with small amounts of BM. I've started to consider a pacifier with the dependency DD has developed of BF-ing till she falls asleep (which is always full hours from the time she first laid down & closed her eyes!).

7th-10th day:
Even with the wondrous yet hectic Aidil Fitri celebrations going on, I find myself grateful to have to get away for periods of time to just be with my DD, and calmly feed her in the privacy of a room or space. :D Loving the time we seem to be spending together, how everyone wants to carry her, take pictures of her in a baby shawl or the traditional baju kurung, but when it comes to feeding time, everyone just get out of my way! I just want my mommy! :D

11th-13th day:
As everything winds down as mommy prepares for work, and just spending calming time with the children (& dad!) DD is still enjoying her 24-hours access to BM. She's starting to feel the separation anxiety as on Friday, mommy's gonna leave her, even if it's just for a few hours.

14th day:
@ Work. Wow, was I surprised. From a non-existing BM at noon before vacation, today, I was engorged by 10 am! And the last feeding was at 8am! And I didn't bring the pump.. Yikes. After enduring it for awhile, I quickly drove back home and thankfully was able to breastfeed DD! Engorged again at 1.30 pm, and 4pm!...
Hmm.. This is really a pleasant surprise.

15th-18th day:
A couple of days of pure pleasure exclusively BF-ing DD again, she came down with fever on Monday. It was a mysteriously high fever which for the life of me, I couldn't figure out the cause.. We stayed at home for most of the time, she wasn't exposed to any public places, and there was no cough or runny. blocked nose. After two days of that, she recovered and was extra clingy. I had to do my house chores WHILE wearing (Ergo/wrap) AND breastfeeding her!

So, basically I've figured out that (at least in my case) it doesn't really matter what supplements or milk boosters I'm taking, the only way to increase BM is to increase DD's breastfeeding period! And pumping too if I want to keep it increased.

But I'm still swearing by oats, made a difference for me. :)

BambooLite Diapers Giveaway on Cloth Diaper Malaysia!

noreply@blogger.com (Anaih) — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 20:47:00 +0000

In my previous post, I mentioned how I refer so much about parenting to Mummy's Review & and about babywearing to the Malaysian Babywearers. But when it comes to cloth diapers (CD), Cloth Diaper Malaysia is the go-to site for me.

I love the site not just because of the reviews & giveaways, but what I love most is the directories of Malaysian CD shops available AND Malaysian CD moms bloggers! This is the perfect place to compare prices, to know available offers, and especially to read up on others' experiences in cloth diapering!

You can find Cloth Diaper Malaysia via: their website, FB page, and Twitter account.

BambooLite Diapers Giveaway on Cloth Diaper Malaysia!

After reading up forums, and blogs and after trying a few, bamboo is by far my favourite type of insert, and pocket types. So, I think that the BambooLite CM Tru-Fit might just be the ONE for my baby!

The company: BambooLite basically focuses on bamboo fabric products (and raw silk) because both material have anti-bacterial factors that prevents nappy rash & raw silk promotes rash healing! Ok, I have just found this out, and I'm learning new things about CDs each & every day! :) Don't you just love that?

And as for the currently featured diaper: the BambooLite CM Tru-Fit diaper:

they're fully adjustable, yet easy & neat. There's always the fear (at least for me) that is the CD is adjustable, I won't really get the perfect fit for my baby, and there'll be leakages for sure, and the sizing will be hard to adjust. But with the diaper's adjustable elastic band, unlimited diaper settings are available! They even have a video on how to adjust the CD.
they have quite a unique design.They're one-of-a-kind design fits many types of inserts & boosters. This is quite important too as I found out (the hard way..) that not ALL inserts fit any type of pocket diapers.. But I still get them mixed up anyway!..

We may purchase these BambooLite CM Tru-Fit diapers @ online shops such as Mama Paradise and Sayang Baby Ibu. For a full listing of where to get them, click here.

I just love the Chocolate CM Tru-Fit Fitted diaper:

But what I would really want from BambooLite is the printed version of these, maybe a pink leopard print please? hehe.. :)

Mummy's Reviews - Bummis SWIMMI

noreply@blogger.com (Anaih) — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 07:24:00 +0000

So, I'm not able to constantly update my blog.. But I really wanna share one particular blog with everyone. Yes, a part of the reason is because they're having all these giveaways but the real reason is that I've been a fan of the site for sometime.. And more often than not, I find myself wanting to spread every single word that was written to all.

Mummy's Reviews is very much for parenting as what MBW is for babywearing to me. It's my go to website for everything from which might be the best milk product for my babies, to the latest warnings and wrongdoings that I myself might not realise that I'm doing while parenting!

With their "What we like about it:" and "What can be improved:" sections, I definitely can't imagine going back to reading lenghty reviews like most bloggers (including me!).. I just don't have the time!

So, for the latest cool giveaway from them (you can check out their Facebook page too: Mummy's Reviews) it's Giveaway #12: Bummis SWIMMI Swim Diapers!

Fiest your eyes on these: :)

How adorable are these right?? Hehe.. So, you can probably guess by now that my obsession is moving more towards CD rather than BW gears at the moment..

That's just because, these past few weeks I've been using/ rotating the only CDs that I have. They really are much better than the normal disposable diapers (in my opinion). I have even used them when we do some short distance travelling (shopping complex, etc).

So, these Bummi Swimmis would just be perfect for my CD collection! LOL.. I can already imagine Arman in the blue turtle print Bummi Swimmis jumping into the pool. It might even fit Aliya, who still needs to get herself used to all the water (she's a bit jumpy when it comes to swimming pools).

So, for more info on the giveaway, you can click here. Why don't you join the fun? :)

Breastfeeding & Fasting.

noreply@blogger.com (Anaih) — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 16:52:00 +0000

Salam Ramadhan Al-Mubarak everyone. So this is it! We've come to the most anticipated month in the Muslim world. The month where literally, peace is truly felt by believers. I myself, have never felt as near to Allah S.W.T. as I always feel in the holy month of Ramadhan..

My favourite TV programme now is the live telecasts of the Solat Tarawikh from the Holy City of Mekkah, (Masjidil Haram). I cry sometimes watching it, always reminded of how truly lucky I am, to have had the opportunity to set foot in this Holy Land. :)

This Ramadhan is my 1st while actively breastfeeding. I anticipate dehydration and tiredness, so I really need to take extra measures to avoid those situations.

But overall, I'll just take one day at a time, and not force myself. Thats one if the things I love about Islam. You are not forced to do anything. But if you do the things needed to be done, you yourself can feel the difference, the closeness to Allah SWT. :)

So, salam and happy fasting to all of my Muslim friends out there. Lets make the most of our richest month in the whole year.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Announcement! Cloth Diaper sale!

noreply@blogger.com (Anaih) — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 15:54:00 +0000

The Tiny Tapir Eco Shop : "we're no longer the distributor for Rumparooz but we still have a TON of stock (since they aren't very popular here) - would a 30% discount entice you to buy?"

So, don't miss this opportunity to grab a few Rumparooz CDs for your little ones (LO)! :)

How adorable are these...? hehe...

According to Tiny Tapir, there are around 2,500 of these to be sold at discount prices starting on the 1st of August 2010!

There are many types available, thus the original price ranges from RM55 (for Solid Aplix Rumparooz - G1s), to RM98 (for Solid Aplix Rumparooz - G1s & Solid Aplix Rumparooz - G1s). So, imagine with even 30% discounts!!, it will definitely worth the money!

All I can say is... get ready moms!!

I think, if Tiny Tapir did a kind of warehouse sale on these.. The stocks will be finished in a few days! hehe.. And I'll probably take the day off to go there!   LOL!

Giveaway #1: HUNBABA Mei Tai Baby Carrier Guest Giveaway

noreply@blogger.com (Anaih) — Sun, 04 Jul 2010 07:27:00 +0000

This is a giveaway that you can enter too:

HUNBABA Mei Tai Baby Carrier Guest Giveaway

Kekesi Marti the creative hand behind Hunbaba is offering her most popular carrier, the Mei Tai Baby (featured above) to one lucky Grosgrain reader, worth $99. The Hunbaba Mei Tai baby carrier combines comfort, excellent weight distribution, beauty and stylish design. Every piece is handmade from top quality fabric, with lots of fun and love. It can be used with babies from 3 months to toddlers in front and back carries.

The Hunbaba mei tai:
*Correctly distributes the baby's weight to prevent an aching back.
*It is constructed of twill and reinforced all over with heavy canvas for sturdiness and durability.
*The padded shoulder straps are 200 cm+ long
*The waist strap is heavily padded which makes the carrier very sturdy. The waist strap can be rolled up to shorten the body for little babies.
*The body is slightly contoured and reinforced with several layers of canvas.
*The hood holds the sleeping baby's head. It is decorated with a wonderful embroidery.
Materials:
- Twill and canvas are 100% cotton.
- Padding is 100% polyester.
- I use high quality Gütermann thread.
- All materials has been washed from 1 to 3 times so it is pre-shrunk and free of excess dye: It will not bleed onto the panel when washing.

Giveaways can be entered in three ways:
1) By linking (to your blog, facebook, myspace, or any other site)
2) By leaving a comment without a link or
3) By linking and leaving a comment (this will be worth 2 entries which will better your chances of winning). Find more info under the FAQ page.If you are leaving a link just use the 'create a link' at the bottom of this post or simply creating a post on your blog and including this link.If you use blogger just use the "create a link" link at the bottom of this post. If you don't use blogger,

For the contest's FAQ: Grosgrain: FAQ

Just bought some cloth diapers..

noreply@blogger.com (Anaih) — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 06:24:00 +0000

Just F.Y.I: bought a few cloth diapers to try out.

My method is this: try out a few brands, be it with All-in-ones, fitted, pocket diapers.. etc. Then, when I finally found what's best for Aliya and my current situation at home, then I'll borong that one type or brand lar. :)

These are bought from at the MBW forums (http://malaysianbabywearers.lefora.com/)

Top left: Happy Heinys Onesize Pocket Diaper (Cow Hide print)
Top right: Blueberry Deluxe H&L Onesize Pocket Diaper (Orange Dot print)
Bottom left: Mommy's Touch Onesize Snap Pocket Diaper (Orange color); and
Bottom right: Bumgenius 2.0 Onesize Pocket Diaper (Twilight Blue).
A few more brands in my stash at the moment. Trying these out are new experiences on their own! :)

Should I write more on cloth diapering...? hmm...

My Ellaroo Ysabel experience ...

noreply@blogger.com (Anaih) — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 06:04:00 +0000

So, here's what happened to us in the two weeks that the Ysabel reached us.. We (my family) were compelled to go out every day on every weekend so that I may try out the wrap outside as much as I can. :)

Please pardon me as I'm EXTREMELY new at this wrapping methods. So everything IS sloppy. I chose a few wrap carries that I wanted to try and I did. Except for the back carries which I only tried at home. I definitely do not have the confidence to do back carry yet. (and also the Pix are all from my iphone, my camera seemed to be constantly borrowed this past few weeks, hmm...)

So, this is front wrap carry (FWC), I think. The wrap is thin! I love it! But Aliya is so used to me carrying her in a ring sling (RS) that she immediately turned her body so that she'll be able to look ahead. She needs a wide view of the world. :)

So, a few trials and errors later, I'm able to wrap us both comfortably in a hip carry. I have no idea how I did it, I just improvised! That's really what I love about wraps! There really is NO WRONG way of wrapping. The important thing is just to make sure that your baby is SAFE, while tying and untying the wrap and while she's in it.

But, my DD (dear daughter) and I both sweat quite easily, so our usual haunt (Subang Parade) is definitely not enough to fully test the suitability of the wrap for me, and instead of straight to the outdoors, our next destination is Giant Batu Caves (near my in-laws). It's hot as my hubby and I took turns to run around making sure Abang Arman is behaving on the playground. :)

The place was warm, especially near the playground but Aliya was already comfortable sleeping in the wrap. Loving it so far.. But she was really sweating in there.. hmm.. Plus, I'm not so sure why my the middle part almost always ended up quite high on my waist.. A lot more practise is needed! :)

Not so sure where this is.. Another shopping complex I think. Worth noting here is that my 1st few days using the wrap, Aliya's legs were red in some places. This could be due to my methods were incorrect, or it was a bit tight at places where it shouldn't be. But the wrap is quite rough too especially for delicate baby skin. Even compared to the Storch Inka which was a lot more thick though. But this Ysabel is very airy, don't think I can bear the Storch Inka to be worn outdoors! Pengsan dehydrated nanti. hehe..

Ok, so we finally went to the zoo! The wrap is heaven sent! Because you see, I only have one ring sling (RS) and its made of thick linen. So imagine a baby carrier more versatile than a Soft Structure Carrier (like the pink Ergo) and thinner and definitely more comfortable than my thick linen RS! I'm loving it at the moment! hehe..

And F.Y.I: I set a goal to be achieved during the wrap's stay with me, and I achieved it! (hence the top-left picture). My goal was to try breastfeeding in public using the wrap. And I not only achieved that, but I also bf while walking around in the zoo! LOL!

While at the Savannah part of the zoo.. a couple stared and were talking about me. I know this because they were even pointing their fingers at me! I thought they were looking at the giraffes!! I still have my MBW cards with me.. Just come up to me lar if you wanna ask something... hmm.

But Aliya was less sweating because there were cool breezes throughout the zoo! Lovely day! :D

But after she was covered up for breastfeeding, she was sweating.. kesian pulak.. Quickly cooled her down after that. But all and all, I think Aliya loves the wrap too! She prefers her arms out though. :)

After the zoo, went home and tried a few Back Carry methods.. This is my version of a very sloppy Tibetan (if I'm not mistaken). But Aliya wriggles and wriggles until she was able to chew a part of the wrap! Sorry Liza!

So, there you go. My little adventure of wrapping with a very airy yet strong wrap. Can't wait for my turn to try the Didymos CGW (Colourgrown Waves) in Cranberry/ Maroon! Yay.

Stay tuned for that! Ciao!

My First Temporary Trade (baby carriers)

noreply@blogger.com (Anaih) — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 06:37:00 +0000

Did you know that you can buy/ trade just about anything you can think of online? Women especially trade their shoes/ bags, used (most of the time seldomly used) items, and not to mention they do the same for cloth diapers and baby carriers too.

So, I've decided to trade my pink Ergo with Snuggbaby's Ellaroo Ysabel (it's a gorgeous woven wrap!).

I traded this:

for this:

So, basically I traded (temporarily) my ever dependable Ergo to try a very versatile type of baby carrier called a wrap. For more on wraps: http://www.wrapyourbaby.com/

My goal:

Expert at breastfeeding Aliya in the wrap, in public!! (within 2 weeks cos have to return the wrap then) Fuiyo!!

Truth is:

Ok, of course not an expert la, but at least have tried ONCE to BF while wrapping in public.

How:

Practicing at home 1st by trying out methods shown via You Tube and the ones written in all the MBW forums. (quite easy actually)

Ok, let's just see what happens, shall we? :D

Breastfeeding revelation!

noreply@blogger.com (Anaih) — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 08:08:00 +0000

A friend shared her experiences in breastfeeding (BF) her first & second children. & I am truly at peace with my BF situation now...   :D

I was starting to worry about my dwindling supply of milk and almost non-existing expressed breast milk (EBM) but curiously enough, baby Aliya was drinking till her heart's content when I'm at home (at night or the weekends). She refuses to drink the formula when I'm around!

So, what I found out from my dear friend was that what's happening to my milk supply is perfectly normal. My body adjusts to the needs during the days and nights. She experienced the same thing AND managed to BF her children until they were 2 years old!! Wow!

It makes sense that our body adapts to the needs at hand. That is why pumping is soo important (if you still want a lot of BM during the day) If not, it will dwindle. & if you don't mind, then keep with your routine and there will be milk during the usual feeding hours that you are used to.   :)

In a related note, here are a few pointers that I read from the experts in the MBW forums (this is also note to self!):

1. Factors that can lead to low milk supply include: (as pointed out by Shida)

less stimulation when away from baby esp for working mom (due to less pumping frequency at work);
less night feeding;
stress;
poor/incorrect way of latching (poor latching lead less stimualtion and poor milk drainage)
taking herb or medicine (has side effect of lessen bm supply)

2. Here is what you should do:- (as pointed out by Farrah)

Get a pump that works for you. Since you can't afford to be away too long from your desk, get a double pump and spend 15 minutes for every pumping session.
Pump more. Pumping must be done routinely because your breasts follow this schedule. Pump at work at least 3 times a day if you're away from your baby for 8 working hours.
Breastfeed more. Whenever you're with your baby, give him unlimited access to your breasts.
Send to your baby's caregiver tomorrow whatever you express today. Meaning, if your baby drinks 5x3oz daily, aim to express at least 18oz for the day, so you can send 5x3oz of fresh ebm for your baby tomorrow, and save the remaining 3oz as your frozen stock. With this aim in mind, hopefully it can give you more semangat to pump each time.
Avoid milk supply busters. Like stress, exhaustion, not emptying breasts often, not taking the right birth control pills, etc.
Live healthy. Eat healthy.
Take milk boosters.

If you notice, taking milk boosters came last in the list. That shows that doing the right pumping routine is the topmost important thing to do.

Ok, Im gonna try sticking to the advice given. Wish me luck! :)

An article on cloth diapering found @ http://clothdiapermalaysia.com

noreply@blogger.com (Anaih) — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 09:26:00 +0000

I think we’ve experienced at least a leak or two when we Cloth Diaper our baby or toddler. It’s not so pleasant is it, to see that your baby wet the bedsheets, carpets, mattress, etc OR even worse if it leaks on your lap or yourself! It certainly is not fun either if you just began to Cloth Diaper, but then it leaks, and you feel like you have wasted your time and money on them!

Don’t worry, and don’t give up on Cloth Diapering just yet! Also, before you throw those leaky Cloth Diapers out the window, (or sell them off on Diapers Asia ), check this list below to find out WHY CLOTH DIAPERS LEAK!

WHY DO MY CLOTH DIAPERS LEAK??! Here are 10 Reasons Why:

1. Insufficient prewashing: Most Cloth Diapers and their inserts, depending on material, will require 3-4 washes (some even up to 8 washes) to reach their full absorbency. For newbies: Did you actually PREWASH them before using them the first time?

2. (For Pocket Diapers) Inserts not properly inserted: Make sure when you stuff your Pocket Diapers, the inserts lies nicely flat inside the pocket and along the entire length of the diaper – not folded on the sides or twisted.

3. Your baby pees too rapidly: The Cloth Diaper material might not absorb the pee fast enough (instead, the pee trickles on the sides or back). Consider changing to a different type of Cloth Diaper, or use another type of material.

4. Your baby’s gender and sleeping pattern: For boys, try to increase absorbency on the front, and for girls on the back. Also, if baby sleep on tummy increase the absorbency on the front side and vice versa.

5. Poor Fitting: Even though many Cloth Diapers are “One Sized”, however you adjust them, they might still be too large for a tiny newborn OR too small for a large toddler. Consider getting SIZED diapers instead of “One Size” for a much better fitting around the legs and back.

6. Insufficient absorbency: If you are using Cloth Diapers for longer periods or during the night, consider adding extra inserts/doublers/soakers/boosters with them for additional absorbency. Consider changing the diapers more frequently too. This can prevent leaks when the diaper gets too “full”.

7. Are you wearing your Cloth Diapers correctly? If you use diaper covers, make sure it wraps the baby snugly and all diaper material is tucked inside. Also, ensure that you fasten the snaps/velcro on the waist at the right setting to get the right fit and also correctly.

8. Wrong use of detergent: Have you been using detergent or cleaning materials which has any enzymes, softener, bleach, additives in them? These substances can greatly reduce the absorbency by coating the material, or even spoil the waterproof qualities of your Cloth Diapers!

9. Detergent build up: After some time of usage, Cloth Diapers might have detergent trapped in them. This will cause your diapers to repel water (water just stays on the surface instead of being absorbed). You need to strip wash your diapers to remove detergent build up.

10. Faulty/Low Quality Cloth Diapers: If you have really exhausted all the reasons above, contact the seller for help and advice. You might be unfortunate enough to discover that your diapers are actually defective! On another note, keep in mind the principle of “You get what you pay for…” Very very cheap Cloth Diapers might not work so well, or might easily deteriorate over time.

Easily said, any Cloth Diaper WILL leak once it is full. And they will also leak if the fitting or sizing is not right. Now that you know these reasons, perhaps your Cloth Diapering journey will be a more pleasant and successful affair!

Babywearing for us.. so far.

noreply@blogger.com (Anaih) — Wed, 02 Jun 2010 06:20:00 +0000

Currently I'm using a lot of these two babywearing gears: my pink Ergo (soft-structured carrier a.k.a. SSC) & my ever faithful ring sling.

Even dear hubby got into the act. :) (more liked forced really!):

Truth is ( I read somewhere, & I quite agree with it) that choosing babywearing is kinda like choosing which shoes to wear. You can have more than one, because you usually use different types of carriers for different occasion or situation. Plus, the obsession (like shoes too) is there. Once you buy one, you'll want to at least try (& buy) a new or different one. So please be forewarned! hehe.. ;P

More on babywearing soon... :)

Introduction

noreply@blogger.com (Anaih) — Sun, 30 May 2010 13:08:00 +0000

Salam and hello everyone..
So, here I am, for the first time in my life, actually writing something that I want other people to read. :)
You see.. I don't know if it's a typical Scorpio trait or something, but I have never really "opened up" to the wide and borderless virtual world. Truth is, I have a few blogs (both @ blogspot & Wordpress), Facebook account, Friendster, Myspace (had), Twitter, my own forums (Lefora/ Yahoo), etc. But ALL if not most are private! I write everything online, but I don't want other people to read it. Go figure!

Anyways, I have recently found a new passion that indirectly gave me the responsibility to spread the word, and help others in the journey to dive into the passion.. or should I say passions.   :D

My adventure started with the birth of my second child, Raja Aliya Sarah bt Raja Khuzairie Azaham. (a mouthful, I know!). This little angel seemed not only to push me towards beautifying myself (God knows why! found myself buying beautiful dresses instead of my usual black t-shirt & jeans!), but she also made me fall into the beautiful and wondrous world of breastfeeding & babywearing.   :D

Well, my roller coaster adventures in breastfeeding is STILL ongoing. And I honestly could not remember who introduced me to babywearing.. I think I stumbled into the Jumpsacbaby website. With all the glamourous pictures of mothers wearing their babies, I'm hooked!   :)

My first ring sling was heaven sent! (My dear husband agrees with this!) I think we were at this particular part in our life, where like most married couples are, when they just had a second baby, and their first born was around 2-3 years old (already walking but tires easily), we went on a search for another stroller.. but since dear son (Raja Arman Shah) still needs a stroller, we even thought of purchasing a double stroller (like the ones for twins). And then, there was the space issue, we both have a Satria & a Myvi.. so can you imagine a double stroller fitting in any of the cars?   :(

With my first ring sling, I carried baby Aliya around, & on short trips, we don't even need a stroller. On a longer journey, the stroller was used alternately between Aliya & Arman because I was quite new to baby wearing and wasn't so sure on how to carry Aliya once she fell asleep. But nowadays, we rarely use the stroller anymore!   :)

So, here I am, starting this particular blog to help friends who need information on my three passions in life at the moment, breastfeeding, babywearing, and cloth diapering. Even when I thought I was actually ok/ good at googling and finding information when I wanted it, but I had no idea how much of information I found from certain people and certain groups right here in Malaysia. Sometimes, we just don't even know what QUESTIONS to ask.

Welcome to my blog, & feel free to ask me questions & comment on my posts especially if my information is not entirely correct. I am only human after all.   :)

Enjoy.