Now a Mummy!

My SIL has recently given birth to a baby boy and whilst her milk came in late, she was pretty much adamant  to breastfeed her son.

On the day she gave birth, my BIL called my husband (his brother lah tu. hehe) and asked how to increase her BM. Hehe. The husband told him to make my SIL drink lots of milo and take a lot of soup. When he came home for dinner, the husband asked me if I still have my fenugreek supplements, so I can give it to my SIL. I had a bottle half full and since I wasn’t taking it, I passed it to my BIL. Bless my husband for knowing all these. Hehehehe.

During Baby F’s first week, my SIL said that her milk had not come in and that Baby F was having problems latching on, even expressing was a bit sore for her. Baby F was also showing signs of having jaundice. When I spoke to her, I told her to just continue to feed Baby F even when he was sleeping. Of course, there were pressures to feed Baby F formula. I didn’t want to be the one to say no to formula, especially since AH was on formula before my milk came in too. So, I just told her if she felt like she needs to give formula to supplement whilst waiting for her BM to come in, go ahead but continue to express and direct feed so as not to give the wrong signal to the brain.

After a week, I came back to my ILs place to find out that my SIL had managed to express 3-4oz in one sitting! Alhamdullilah. I told her that when AH was 2 weeks old, I could barely get 1oz when expressing. Apparently our domestic helper also told her that I used to cry because I couldn’t get my milk supply. I asked her what she did to have so much supply. She said she was drinking plenty of liquid, eating soups during meal times (both I did during the earlydays of my confinement) and she was expressing frequently and took fenugreek from even before she left hospital!

Everytime I speak to a first-time mother who once asked me about breastfeeding and has now established breastfeeding with their babies, I get teary! Its ridiculous, I know! Haha. But I think it is probably the thought of going through all the challenges in the beginning and when you finally get it established it is somehow a relief.

Just yesterday I was texting with a friend and she asked me how to increase her supply and how to treat her sore nips. I told her what I knew and I also told her that most of that I know are through trial and error or from family and friends’ experience. I just hope that she can benefit from it just as I did.

I remember a friend once shared that her baby refused to take the bottle and turned out it was because the flow was not fast enough so she had to use 3m+ teats for her 1-2mth old baby. I didn’t have this challenge (in fact, AH is still using 0m+ teat because my flow is not fast enough and was worried that AH might refuse direct feeding if I introduce him to faster flow teats) but I remember a friend mentioning that her baby refused to take the bottle and I shared with her that perhaps she can try to change the size of the teat.

Other times I try not to give too much about breastfeeding information especially if I don’t know if the person is pro-breastfeeding. This is not because I do not want to share what I know but I have found myself several times being shot down and get, ‘awu. Enfal** atu kana cakap bagus jua tu untuk baby. Or baiktah bagi susu tapung jua. Kanyang ya.’

I got sucked into the latter comment before until I was ‘educated’ that the only reason why babies are more kanyang after formula is because BM is more watery so as for it to be digestible. Hence, they get more hungry easily after a BF session realtive to a FF session.

You know my favourite? ‘Siang saja susu dada. Malam pakai susu tapung, nyaman ya tidur.’ Errr. If the baby is breastfed during the night, you dont have to get out of bed and prepare milk. As my friend used to say, ‘just whip it out and feed whilst lying down’. Haha. Unless of course you can get the husband to wake up in the middle of the night and prepare the milk :p

Digressing. Anyways, my point for today’s post is it pays to ask questions about breastfeeding or to read more about it. I googled (and I actually still google) a lot of breastfeeding information online if I can’t get my family or friends to assist me. However, I believe when I was told repeatedly by my breastfeeding-blogging friends that niat itu penting and also, not to forget to doa to murahkan rezeki (not to buy more bags :p) anak untuk menikmati susu dada dengan sempurna (open to intepretation but most mothers choose to breastfeed till 2).

AH is turning one soon and insya Allah, I will reach my mid-term goal. Although AH feeds less now, I have continued to stick to my pumping schedule during the day. I am thinking to start him on bottled EBM more and perhaps just direct feed in the middle of the night (ani kes malas bangun malam to reheat EBM) but we will see. I have no clear plan because I think I am reluctant to put him on more bottled EBM but I suppose I will see where we go.

Erk. This is a long post. I think it shall make up for my lack of posts lately. Hehe. Have a good week y’all!