My pregnancy chronology (Second Trimester)

The second trimester of my pregnancy was another major transition period for me, mainly because for the first time in my life i was taking the step of prioritizing myself and my family to become a full-time stay at home preggie mom. The choice was a fairly difficult one, having always been a perfectionist at work and being able to always draw a decent steady salary at the end of every month, to having to rely on my own savings now going forward with barely any other alternative source of income.

Things were heating up in office with the peak period nearing and with a very slow progress of improvement of my health at the beginning of the 4th month of my pregnancy, i was forced to make a choice of priority. At hindsight, even I did not have confidence to say when things would get better for me and to steadfastly continue down this path of trying to balance work and health could have a detrimental effect on me and the surrounding people soon.

On the flip side, i motivated myself by planning ahead the things i could probably do during my spare time that i normally would not be able to if i had to work a 5-day week job, including reading up on all pregnancy related materials, joining related forums and support groups, studying market prices of products and services recommended, preparing homemade toys and accessories for baby and learning up on future baby food recipes, buffing up on my japanese/mandarin languages and planning a travel itinerary to Japan for all seasons to name a few. Maybe a part-time job or course online? Who knows the opportunity that may be there if only i could spend some time to find out a bit more.

However, actually handing in my resignation letter on week 15 of my pregnancy was no easy task and the frustration was excruciating. The one thought i had was if only i had more time to prove myself before i got pregnant the people around me might have been able to know me better and be more understanding of my situation. This was a very hard lesson learned on family planning that i had briefly thought about before, but never really took it into account until by mere chance i was in this position. 

Nonetheless, once the decision had been made there was no turning back. It felt rather obvious to me that my body and my baby were indirectly signalling to me that i needed to pay more attention to them and with a heavy heart, after deducting all ALs collected thus far, i bid my work life adieu on week 18 of my pregnancy, 8 June 2016.

Focusing my attention now on my pregnancy, i was actually shocked and amazed on the hours of sleep i tried to catch up back on once i began staying at home. This "hibernation"period lasted at least 2 weeks for me, with my sleep hours including naptimes ranging from between 10-13 hours total daily, and made me actually wonder how exhausted my body actually had been in the first 4 months of my pregnancy. 

I took this opportunity to read up on immediate concerns regarding my pregnancy, such as recommended daily nutritional needs, effects from lack thereof, pregnancy symptoms and their meanings, recommended O&Gs and their fee rates, solutions on managing the challenges of a difficult pregnancy, apps to monitor my pregnancy, active local support groups and forums to join, checklist of products to ready for delivery and the baby, and antenatal classes available, as well as potential part-time financial opportunities and courses available online.

I did have a few pregnancy books to read up on, but i ditched them halfway through as googling for information online was much faster, direct to the point of queries i had in mind, and could be shortlisted by how updated and recommended they were, which was a very important factor to consider when we want the best for our growing little bundle. 

Starting out was pretty challenging, considering this surge of information could keep me glued up to 6 hrs daily in front of the computer screen and leave me dizzy from all the information i had absorbed. 

Online offers and courses

In addition, adjusting to a life without a steady monthly income was a nagging concern and in all honesty, after months of searching online, it was near impossible to find a decent paying online job, as most were scams or spams aimed at depriving you of your money instead of helping you gain them on the basis of promises of future wealth for that "minor investment" paid to start out. 

Completing surveys are barely worth the time to be honest, as the chances of you being in the target group to be rewarded was less than 15% chance, whereby you would probably need to do about at least 10 surveys totalling about 3 hours just to probably earn a RM10 or RM20 jusco voucher? Remember this is only if you make it into the target group of the survey or otherwise, you would not be rewarded for your time spent on the survey even if you have gone though it halfway.

Other familiar online schemes would be those marketing schemes that would ask you to pay upfront RM30-RM100 training fee before you are provided the package to begin your work which would net you at least a few hundred weekly if you are hardworking. Or asking you to spam advertisements on your FB page or your email contacts with the promise of payment being made weekly once you have completed the job, but you would not need to report your progress to them as the spamming is at your own time and convenience and they would somehow be able to track it. Detect a scam? Definitely.

All in all, attending online training courses proved to be the most fruitful investment i took up on during my entire pregnancy and yes well, that ended up with me having to spend instead of earn but hey, in the long run, this will be my fountain of knowledge when i join back the workforce post pregnancy.

Ok, back to the topic on my pregnancy:

Searching for the right O&G

Finding the right doctor for me was confusing initially. Family and friends recommended doctors who were either in KL and far from home or from rather pricey hospitals. And as i needed to find one immediately after discovering that i was pregnant, i decided to go for the nearest hospital recommended with a good track record and try my luck there. A summarized depictation of my experience can be found in my linked post here.

In summary, the factors i believe that need to be considered when choosing your doctor for pregnancy and delivery include:

1. Costs per visit, including if supplements and medicines are provided

2. Waiting time per visit, as i understand, a 1.5hr wait at government clinics are fairly common

3. Experience, capability and friendliness of the doctor and nurses on duty, as the last thing you would want is a rushed appointment where your concerns are brushed aside or downplayed when you are already nervous as is

4. Ultrasound facilities, and quality of the scan results and photos

5. Location and facilities of the clinic/hospital available for labor

6. Costs of labor and hospitalization

7. Accessibility to a recommended pediatrician and lactation consultant immediately after labor

8. How contactable are the nurses or doctors in case of an emergency

9. Whether the delivering doctor is supportive of natural birth or cesarean, and how much leeway you will be given to move around before being admitted and "strapped down" for actual labor

10. How comfortable you and partner are when communicating with the doctor

11. If you would prefer a male/female doctor to carry out your delivery

12. If your partner can be with you in the labor room throughout delivery. This is not allowed in government hospitals.

Consumption intake/ outtake pattern

My appetite started to get better by the end of my 5th month of pregnancy and it felt like majority of smells and tastes did not offend me as much as compared to the first trimester. Nausea and vomiting came to a halt as well during this period, and by way of trial-and-error, i discovered the best methods for consuming my supplements - not before or after but in between meals. The only strong aversion i seemed to have was towards onion (in any form), garlic and plain drinking water (which thankfully can be easily rectified by mixing in other flavored drinks/juices in, or infusing it with peppermint, lemon or cucumber). My craving for fruits and berries increased as well to combat my constant constipation problems, which luckily did not result in any hemorrhoids throughout my pregnancy.

High for the period - Was enjoying the fact that my appetite gradually got better until i managed to consume at least 2 decent meals a day. Being able to try out all types of fruits, including dragonfruit, guava, peaches and apricots, really added much fiber and variety to my diet. This made it possible for me to eat out more as well and to meet up with friends and enjoy foods which i have been craving for so long.

Low for the period - Discovering that whilst i liked to consume fried/spicy/flavorful food once in a while, my stomach apparently could not handle any type of indian food, even daal, and I would easily get hyperacidity after the meal. Same went for blackberries and golden kiwis. Discovered on week 24 of my pregnancy that consuming too much concentrated green tea in a day (from drinks and desserts) could apparently be accidentally passed onto my baby, resulting in him continuously kicking up a fit in my tummy throughout the sleepless night until dawn. Seems that my caffeine tolerance plummeted ever since i stopped taking coffee/tea at the start of my pregnancy.

Other challenges during this period

• Managing the ton of information i've been reading up on and counter-checking it with real-life experiences of moms around me.
• Stepping out of my comfort zone and transitioning to a FT SAHM, whilst attempting to juggle my ever-depleting finances and horrific nightmares of being so financially cornered.
• Deciding what to purchase in preparation for confinement, delivery and for arrival of our newborn with our limited budget, including insurance and stem cell storage options.
• Heading out early to officially attend my first baby exhibition fair ever alone to scour some cheap deals, and holding out with a trolley for half a day until family back-up arrived. Definitely a once in a lifetime experience considering i'm already 26 weeks pregnant, as reviewed in my post linked here. 
• Many of my loose clothes were starting to feel snuggly and my range of available clothing was becoming limited. Discovered that body hugging outfits actually irritated my belly leaving it red and itchy.
• Having to start a strict regime of daily moisturizing of my growing belly with stretch mark prevention creams.

"Memorable" moments

• Finding out his gender  at week 21 pregnancy, and boy was he not shy in making this announcement!
• Feeling my baby's first hiccups at week 24 pregnancy. Oh that tickles!
• Felt the strongest kick from him up my diaphragm on week 26 pregnancy when i consumed ice chrysanthemum a little too fast and surprised him with the chill. Oh how the tea nearly splurted out my nose when i choked. Ouch!
• Started out first appointment with Dr Raja at Columbia Asia, Puchong. Felt ticklish when the nurse asked me why i wanted to see her and the look of disbelief when i told her i was already 25 weeks+ pregnant. Guess i didn't look the part yet.
• First 4D and 3D ultrasound of bubs on 1 August 2016, could finally see his cute tiny lil face. Awww...
• Massive moral and financial support pouring in from my families on week 26 pregnancy, really touched. 
• First ever shopping mania for baby stuff for a whole day. Suddenly started feeling so at home surrounded by pregnant moms and their kids and all the commotion around, and also extremely proud of my shopping achievement from the fair by the end of the day. Best marathon ever!
• Got my first nursing bra and bra extension at week 27 pregnancy. He's starting to stretch me out in there.
• Started shopping for maternity clothes and wearing hub's tops when i got the chance for home wear. Who knew raiding his cabinet could be that fun. Tee hee!

My pregnancy chronology (First Trimester)

I've hit week 39 of my pregnancy and am playing the waiting game with my little one now. Feels like a milestone achievement for my first pregnancy. After all i've been through these 9 months, i thought i might as well pen down my thoughts and experiences and lessons learned during this life-changing phase.

Starting off with my first semester of pregnancy whilst working was incredibly difficult. Thinking back, when people asked me if i had planned this pregnancy i should have replied "no". Reason being there is actually so much information available on the web nowadays and unless you are always surrounded by other moms or soon-to-be moms who are willing to share their experience and life knowledge, i doubt an exhausted working mom would have the energy and motivation to study up on all pregnancy related issues on a daily basis.

The mass media works a little too well in bombarding us with information of various accessories to purchase, and according to stages of pregnancy - multiple supplements to take, exercises, daily activities to stick to, and food and drinks for consumption, pre and post pregnancy insurance and medical plannings, etc, and this is even before we receive the wisdom from our elders on the do's and don'ts of being pregnant.

Consumption intake/ outtake pattern

In the first few weeks of my early pregnancy, things were relatively normal. Appetite was normal, and i had no particular aversion to any kinds of food. Starting week 4, slight aversion and light nausea kicked in. Things peaked at week 5, with full day nausea and strong aversions to almost every food i could see or smell, which pretty much carried on throughout until the end of my 4th month of pregnancy.

High for the period - Was discovering that liquid cereal drinks, yakult, berries (all types, especially blueberries), cream crackers, soya bean drinks, citrus fruits such as golden kiwis, lemon juice, tomatoes and oranges, all lightly cooked vegetables, cold cooked foods (chap fan with tofu and vege), nothing spicy, were gentle enough on my stomach and could encourage my appetite, which was generally 1 meal a day and snacks in between.

Low for the period - Heavily relying on citrus foods caused me to experience frequent gastrointestinal reflux, and discovering too late that processed tomatoes such as carton tomato juices or canned tomato puree in itself would drastically escalate the acidity level in my intestines. Learned the hard way as well that pineapple and sugar cane water was a big no-no during pregnancy. Also, it seemed like junk food was the other alternative food i could stomach down - maggi goreng (lunctime at work, almost 3 times a week), potato chips and gatorade (for all meals for 2 full days).

Other challenges during this period

• Breaking the news to my family, friends and colleagues at week 5 day 5. Reason: Had to take an ultrasound to check on status of the fetus due to unexpected bleeding from breakdown of a section of the uterine wall. Diagnosed with threatened pregnancy and told to take 2 days MC. Not a good way to start of on the probation period of my new job.
• The fact that my nausea would peak generally at lunchtime daily, and that drinking water would in itself induce me to throw up anything and everything in my tummy, supplements of hormonal medicine and Obimin + included. The next "cycle" would be generally be once in the evening and once later after 10pm. This being the minimal number of times daily with the maximum being 6 times a day, everyday. 
• Add in weekly constipation for an exhausting experience ahead. 
• Educating my parents on the foods i could and could not and should not take during this pregnancy, considering that mom served me pineapple lychee konyakku jelly on 1 occasion as dessert.
• Got the flu, fever and cough for 2 weeks due to exposure within the family. Horribly difficult  to recover considering there is so much medication that we cannot take during pregnancy. 
• Constant sleepless nights from nightmares, and fear of loss arising from this sudden transition, coupled with the thoughts of the choices i may need to make if things do not improve - my baby or my job.
• The fear of throwing up each time constantly causing strong uterine contractions may actually harm and evict my little one. 
• Difficulty memorizing things and focusing at work. Near impossible to socialize at work too especially since everyone unwinds only during lunchtime. Constant exhaustion and tendency to need a nap during lunctime to be able to last throughout the day, even if it meant sleeping in the car in the parking basement since the office air-conditioning was pretty cold.

"Memorable" moments

• Discovering the tiny life form swimming about inside of me and hearing its steady heartbeat for the first time. The mixture of emotions was in between fear, confusion, concern, delight, and awe.
• The 2 instances where i had cold canned sardine in tomato sauce for breakfast. Yeap, fresh from the Ayamas can in the pantry, no heating required. For a person that barely ate more than half a cooked sardine on the rare occasions it is served pre-pregnancy, this was something unexplainable to me.
• Thankfully, i discovered that the cure to my never-ending phlegm and headache during my flu period was due to heatiness of the body from trying to follow tradition too strictly and having avoided all cooling foods/drinks. Immediately cured within 3 days after taking the necessary herbs and drinks to balance back my body.
• Best way to stimulate my appetite - take a bite from whatever hubby is having. Somehow, his food choices always seem more delectable, be it fried rice or curry chicken. Well, at least hubby can't blame me for fattening him up by ordering food and not finishing them instead!
• Managed to "hijack" hubby's FoFi whilst he drove my Viva to work instead as i needed a more comfortable ride to and from office.
• Cleared of the "threatened pregnancy" status after week 10 of visiting the O&G, Dr Pauline Pue, at SJMC.
• Discovering i lost 2kg during this period, but managed to steadily gain back that weight and that baby was growing fine inside me despite the constant struggles i was having.

During this 3 months i had pretty much no time at all to read up on pregnancy related materials or seek support from groups or forums on such matters. Weekends were spent doing trial-and-error on foods and trying to catch back up on sleep from the exhausted week. Although my office was filled with moms and dads, asking them pregnancy related questions seemed to sometimes turn them off and they would direct me to google instead of sharing their own experiences eventhough they offered assistance in the first place. 

Truth be told, despite the support my hubby and family were giving me, it really felt like i was taking on this challenge alone, with no better alternative in sight and constantly just trying to desperately stay positive and hope for the best. I know everyone's pregnancy is different but constantly being judged and assumed that i was actually well informed but yet made such mistakes was depressing to say the least. In the end, it really felt like the weight of all blames shifted to me and the feeling of being cornered got stronger everyday, especially when there are also people out there aiming for the opportunities to "nail" you down already.

On the flip side, i received encouragement that things normally do improve by the second trimester, although it may vary from pregnancy to pregnancy. So by the end of my 3rd month, here's to hoping for a better turnaround in my second trimester.

Searching for the right O&G

Finding the right O&G for me due to my sudden circumstances  at 5 weeks pregnant was rather rushed and head-spinning. As the facilities at SJMC were recommended, me and hubby decided to check it out for our first check-up at week 5 day 6 of my pregnancy. Many recommendations came in for Dr Delilah of SJMC. Unfortunately, she had stopped her services a few years back and as we urgently needed to see an available O&G the next morning, we settled for Dr Pauline Pue.

Having no idea what to expect from our visit, we went in, did an ultrasound, and left paying everything in a blur. I had no idea what to ask and it felt like we were guided to just carry on with our daily lives as usual until the next check-up. I had thought maybe the lack of communication between us and the doctor was because it was our intial first visit. Only much later after reading up on experiences from other moms did i understand that i was not alone in facing this confusion and what i should be looking out for in an O&G in accordance to my gut and maternal instincts.

By the end of the 4th month of my pregnancy, i had developed a nauseating reaction towards my pregnancy supplement, Obimin +, and was advised by my O&G to switch to Pharmaton Matruelle. Only by the end of my 5th month check-up did she highlight to me the need to consider calcium supplements since Pharmaton did not contain any. Only then did it hit me that the reason why i had been so exhausted before was probably due to the lack of iron and calcium in my diet! However, the way she suggested it to me nonchalantly made me kind of upset, especially since i had already informed her earlier on i was lactose-intolerant and generally did not drink milk daily as part of my diet.

Another point that irked me was the lack of proper communication between the nurses and the doctor. One such instance was where my blood test results which were carried out in the 4th month of my pregnancy which was supposed to be handed to me at my next visit was only located by the hospital and given to me after i requested for it 2 months later of not having received it.

In addition, the clinic where the mid-pregnancy ultrasound known as the Fetal Anomaly Scan ("FAS") was to be carried out during week 20 of my pregnancy, Subang Women's Scan Centre, which had been recommended by my O&G, was located just across SJMC and costs RM300 one-off, did not pass on a copy of the scan results to my O&G and at my next appointment with her a week later, i had to give her my copy of the results pending receipt of their copy. Good news was a found at that our baby was a boy! His unashamed positioning of his little asset made that pretty certain when he flashed it on the screen monitor for all in the room, including mom-in-law, to see.

Starting to feel uncomfortable with her service and considering the premium rate we were paying of RM160++ per visit, excluding parking, toll and petrol, we tried to see another Dr. Christina Tan within SJMC itself to see if things would be better. Personally, nope. The waiting line was longer, our appointment time was shorter and rushed, her prescribed supplements and fee rate was heart-poppingly higher, almost double of what we'd normally pay, and finally, she does not do labor deliveries.

That said, hubby and I began sourcing for alternative hospital/clinics nearby with recommended O&Gs present. That was when we came across Dr. Ng and Dr. Raja Juhaidah from Columbia Asia, Puchong. Already at 22 weeks pregnant, hubby and I decided that it would be best to just stick with this hospital to ensure that we could build up a proper medical record for our baby, as jumping round "testing" other doctors now would only make my patient profile confusing.

My first visit at Columbia Asia, Puchong was unfortunately on week 22 day 2, due to the reason that i had missed the last step on the stairs 2 nights ago thanks to our toy poodle sleeping in the middle of the step and throwing me off-balance when i failed to notice her there. Fortunately, i managed to instinctively balance myself and landed on my legs folded japanese style, with my belly, pelvis and tailbone not hitting anything hard. 

Unfortunately, a half hour later my whole abdomen started tensing up and cramping up pretty bad and baby started moving around alot, as if struggling and kicking. This carried on for at least another half hour and then baby suddenly went quiet, and stayed quiet until the next day late afternoon. Talk about a scare! It was also that very Saturday morning i had just visited Dr Pauline Pue and now having to visit Dr Ng on Monday for an ultrasound checkup to be safe was like paying for 2 checkups in that 1 month span. In addition, first time visits for any specialists are always the most expensive. OUCH!

It was pleasant to speak with Dr Ng and he could tell that as a first time mom i was still very knew to this experience and nervous. He shared a number of reading materials with me and recommended i do the Modified Glucose Tolerance Test as my grandfather had a history of diabetics before, something which i wondered by SJMC did not recommend me to do eventhough i had highlighted the same to them before. Personally, i was comfortable with Dr Ng but this being my first pregnancy and the fact that i still felt somewhat shy about a male doctor assisting with my delivery, i decided that my next visit would be to see Dr. Raja Juhaidah after she returns from her Raya holidays.

I began seeing Dr Raja Juhaidah since week 26 day 3 of my pregnancy and since then, have grown rather comfortable with her and her nurse. Hubby and I would try our best to be the first few patients on Saturday morning 8:00am, as this will result in our waiting time to be as short as 15 minutes, and the whole appointment, registration, urine test and payment included, would be done by/before 9:00am.

Another plus point for us was how upfront they were on their fee rates for check-ups and delivery, as well as general medical advisory and contact information as we were provided an information sheet on these immediately after our first visit with her. Information within the hospital was well managed and a patient's history records are usually updated into their system promptly to enable instant retrieval (even by another doctor) upon the next visit.

The ultrasound scans results were clearly printed for us each time and provided to us in accordance to whether a decent photo of the baby could be seen. This was definitely something i treasured every visit as i would be able to read the basic statistics of how well our baby was doing, not to mention the clear 3D photograph shots of him were just adorable! Compared to our earlier visits at SJMC where most of the photos were blurry/dark and in instances we did not voice out for a copy, none would be given to us. Yet the rates charged at both hospitals were nearly the same!

As of week 39 of my pregnancy, i have visited Dr Raja Juhaidah a total of 6 times for check-ups so far, and i noticed that the more frequent i visited, the lower the doctor's fees would be. As at my 6th visit, without the ultrasound pic and only statistics provided, my bill is almost half of what i paid during my first visit to her clinic! Both visits exclude any supplements or medications too. I guess this is the same for recurring patients of other clinics/ hospitals, but what surprised me most was the fact that they were willing to reduce the fee for my ultrasound to RM15.90 excluding GST because no picture could be taken with baby having moved quite down into my pelvic area. 

Thus far, Dr Raja Juhaidah has also done a wonderful job at easing some of my pregnancy worries such as my earlier low-lying placenta concern, if my baby could suddenly rotate to be in breech position or if natural birth could be possible with my ever larger growing baby. She also introduced the concept of perineal massage to me in hopes it would help to ease labor later.

During the times i had been seeing Dr Raja Juhaidah i had received very positive feedback from other moms of another visiting doctor in the area, namely Dr Chia from Chia & Loo Women Specialist. Although the check-up rates with supplements provided would be cheaper than Columbia Asia, the slight cause for concern would be how much their labor rates would be when they were to borrow the facilities of the patient's chosen hospital for their delivery, as resident doctor and visiting doctor rates are definitely not the same. Guess i'll need to follow-up on this if this alternative can be considered later on for my second pregnancy?

The final stretch of my home-run is nearing now, and my abdomen is now constantly cramping up (literally!) from all this anticipation. When the time comes, even with my birth plan ready and having briefed hubby on it, guess i'll just play things by ear and hope for the best then.

A summary of factors i have compiled for consideration on choosing the right O&G for you can be found in my linked post here.

Poise Organic Wellness Studio (OKR branch) Pre-Natal Massage review (Part 2)

Subsequent to my earlier review of Poise Organic Wellness Studio (OKR branch) on 7 September 2016, i was contacted by their outlet manager Ms Gillian that afternoon who addressed my few concerns and apologised for the uncomfortable experience at their outlet, including the messed up timing and massage arrangements for 3 instead of 2, and my experience of being made to lie on my back. However, there were 2 issues in her explanation that irked me:

1. Although she had apologised for Siti's management of our appointments, she reiterated that it was difficult to find "good staff" nowadays for hire. 
   
   
   "Good staff"? Really? Her staff had recommended a 1 hour extension massage to me despite me already clearly mentioning i do not want the massage done on my front or back. If she really is the "good staff" she is made out to be, management should fess up and take responsibility for their staff's incorrect recommendation that put me in this discomforting situation in the first place. This is aside from the mismanagement of our appointment schedule as mentioned in my earlier review.
   
   
   
   
2. My 2-hr pre-natal massage had to be conducted in the manner where after the first hour, any subsequent massage time would need to be carried out on my back as doing the massage sideways for over an hour would be too strenuous on the masseur themself.
   
   
   Again, this issue points back to their staff's poor understanding of customer needs and how their massage services work. If Siti knew that any pre-natal massage conducted more than an hour would result in the customer having to lie on their backs and the customer has already voiced that they DO NOT want to lie on their back, how can you still even recommend the 1 hour extension to the customer?! The manager giving the above excuse to me is nothing more than trying to justify their service without considering the requests of their customers, eventhough operating a massage parlour is actually deemed as being involved in the service industry?

After all that had been said, Ms Gillian did understand that i had been shortchanged on my 1-hr extension massage and at least did offer to compensate me with a half-hr pre-natal massage replacement voucher, with no expiry date, which can be used at any of their Poise outlets around town.

That said, looks like if i wanted to make full use of the balance RM60++ paid for the extended massage time, i would have to do it soon whilst i could and was still pregnant. After considering for a month, i decided to make an appointment back with Ms Gillian to use the voucher for only that half hour at their Old Klang Road branch, no more top-ups.

Relying on what i have learned from my experience there thus far, i called Ms Gillian to check with her before making my appointment if it was possible to do the massage for only half an hour, as i wanted the massage only on my thighs and calves, and at most my hips, whilst lying sideways only again. I was lucky that my back and shoulder were not stiff from being 36 weeks pregnant, but my legs and hips were really feeling the brunt of it, and were aching from both water retention and having "wind" going in. 

Thankfully, Ms Gillian said it could be arranged and we agreed that i would call Siti to make the appointment thereafter. And true as expected, when i called Siti to make the appointment, she told me there was no such thing as a half hour massage and insisted i top-up to at least an hour. When i told her i had already spoken to Ms Gillian and she had said it could be done because of my requested circumstances, then only Siti obliged and proceeded to make the necessary booking. Looks like my case had not yet taught them and management to consider a more effective team communication and understanding of their services offered.

Anyways, my appointment was made at noon on 6 October 2016 and although i arrived 15 minutes earlier than scheduled (to avoid the lunch traffic in the area) i was serviced almost immediately and began my massage 5 minutes after stepping into their outlet.

Again before the start of the massage, i informed my masseur i was coming to 9 months pregnant, can only rest sideways, and wanted the massage for the lower half of my body (excluding soles of my feet as a precaution since there have been comments about how doing pressure point massage in late pregnancy could have an effect on the baby and uterus).

Thankfully for that half hour, things were very comfortable and relaxed and whilst i did not feel the bounce in my steps after the massage like i did a month ago, it was satisfactory and i was able to unwind for a bit then. I'll admit, taking a half-hour extension to make the massage an hour long was tempting at that point in time but i had purposely scheduled other plans after this massage to ensure i would stick to my plan.

All in all, i stand by my earlier review of the place, and yes, whilst the outlet's relaxing ambiance, friendly staff and pretty good massage services are plus points, the laid back attitude of management, lack of understanding of specific customer needs and poor response of negative customer feedback to improve their services would still give them a few minus points in my book.

Stretch Mark Prevention Cream & Oils Review (Part 2)

Time sure flies since i started my blog, and now i have reached 38 weeks of my pregnancy already. Spider veins are creeping up on me almost every few days when i check and my stretched skin has gotten really sensitive to clothing material that may brush against my skin's surface, regardless of how loose the clothing may be.

Subsequent to my last review on the subject matter above in my earlier post on 9 September 2016, there are a few new updates i would like to add in as follows:

Bud's Stretch Mark Prevention Cream (150ml)

Since i started using this cream beginning September 2016, where for around 2 weeks i had used it once a day at night whilst using Palmer's Cocoa Butter Formula Soothing Oil in the day, i had changed my usage pattern in mid September 2016 to using Bud's twice daily as it was much more absorbent, less oily, and did quite well in keeping my skin moisturized and PPUD at bay.

However, this usage resulted in me finishing the cream by the 3rd week of October 2016 (probably due to the fact that my tummy was now bulged out at an alarmed rate of 40 inches in diameter around the belly button compared to an average of 36.7 inches diameter at the beginning of September 2016). 

My summary review after finishing 1 bottle of Bud's on top of my earlier review: 

1 bottle would last only about 1.5 months on a full pregnant belly of 38~40 inches if applied twice daily. It's light texture in my opinion might not be enough for the later stages of pregnancy where spider veins and varicose veins suddenly start popping up on my sides and back of the hips, which i had been massaging in previously but still remained unless i used a pretty decent amount for those places for over 3 days, where it then subside and return again once i let up on the amount applied.

Sebamed Anti-Stretch Mark Cream (200 ml)

Just bought this yesterday to be used since my Bud's cream above has been finished. Will submit my updated review on this cream once i have finished this bottle, which i believe should be some time during my confinement?

Palmer's Cocoa Butter Formula Soothing Oil (150 ml)

I've actually stopped using this oil daily in mid September 2016 as i felt the strong chocolaty sweet smell to be way overwhelming when applied everyday. So much so i actually felt nauseous and stayed clear of consuming any chocolate during the time i had applied this oil. There was also the slight uncomfortable feeling of my somewhat oily skin sticking/rubbing against my loose clothing, even though it would not stain. 

My summary review after prolonged usage of Palmer's on top of my earlier review: 

Would not re-purchase this oil in the near future. Whilst it is very cost effective, relying solely on it for a day application daily, it was still insufficient and heavier application of it would only make you feel uncomfortable throughout the day. On top of that, the strong sweet chocolaty scent i mentioned earlier is definitely not for everyone especially if applied daily.

Bud's Nurturing Nursing Cream (15 ml)

This cream has come in pretty handy around end September 2016 where my breasts and aerola have started expanding in anticipation of the nearing delivery of my little one. If the spider veins that pop out around my chest area aren't too many or if my aerola would feel dry/slightly rough after a bath, i would dab this cream on them and the marks and dryness would slowly fade over a few days.

My summary review after prolonged usage of Bud's on top of my earlier review: 

A gentle cream that does a pretty good job of moisturising the skin and aerola of minor irritations and marks. Slightly more oily texture compared to the stretch mark cream, but absorbs just as well over the small surface area. Been using it for almost 2 months now, and feels like it should be able to last at least another month more.

However, the spider veins started popping more noticeably 1.5 weeks later on my chest area and my aerola had started to itch, crack and had mini bumps swelling up (looked potentially like pregnancy eczema?) despite daily application of this cream twice. Hence, it seemed like as if daily rigorous application of this cream was starting to be insufficient, which leads me to consider and discover an additional supplement to my daily regime... Virgin Coconut Oil ("VCO")!

Country Farm's Certified Extra Virgin Coconut Oil

I've been reading reviews of how VCO had multiple uses for cooking, consuming and massaging to both moms and their newborns and although VCO can come in either in oil or cream form to be  warmed and melted before usage, the brand i decided to pick up was one that could be found in hypermarkets  quite commonly, Country Farm's Certified Extra Virgin Coconut Oil.

1 liter would cost just below RM68.90, and at the time of purchase, there was a promotion of free 120ml bottle at the said price. I love the whiff of coconut at the point of application which dissipates pretty quickly after  a few seconds and discovered that applying this on top of my stretch mark cream which has been absorbed did help to lock in the moisture longer. 

After half an hour of application though i would use some tissue to just dab around the areas which had been applied to gently remove any excess oil that had not been absorbed. This oil did wonders for my aerola itch outbreak as the first time i applied it was at night after a shower where the itch had been so bad i felt like taking a bite at myself, and the tiny bumps had started forming around the nipple, and not just on 1 side of it.

I had applied a generous amount of the oil on top of the nursing cream and placed a moistened tissue on each nipple to keep the area moisturized, and would water spray the tissue every 10-15 minutes once the tissue dried up. After 2 hours of repeated spraying, the itch subsided and i managed to get some sleep for the night. Voila! Next morning, my aerolas felt soft and bouncy, leaving me feeling more confident i can be ready to breastfeed my little one once he's born.

I have since followed the above regime every night as i noticed that whilst the eczema could be kept at bay with this regime, my aerola skin was now very sensitive to any material brushing against it for the rest of the day, including my padded bra. Hence, there may be instances where it would seem like by the end of the day the aerola skin might feel slightly flaky due to dryness or abrasions and after a cool shower (warning: warm showers will dry the skin and agitate it further, even if for a short while), i would now apply the VCO on top of my nursing cream for my nipple, and stretch mark cream for my other body parts for added moisture. 

Usually about 4-6 drops is all i need per application of the chest and body area and therefore, i had poured some of the VCO into a travel sized bottle for ease of dispensing and hygiene purposes.

Their benefits, which include the fact that it can still be used for topical application and massage post delivery, can be found in the facebook link herein. Another tip i read online was that VCO could also be used as a gentle moisturizer for the external perineum area, in hopes of being able to reduce perineal tear at the point of delivery. I have been trying out perineum massage for a few weeks now, but will share my opinions on it in another post at a later date.

So here's another interesting bit for both Bud's Stretch Mark Prevention Cream (150ml) and Sebamed Anti-Stretch Mark Cream (200 ml): Their normal prices in BIG Pharmacy in Taman Danau Desa, Kuala Lumpur is RM57.60 and RM65.03 respectively only! I thought my eyes were playing tricks on me but that's the price i paid at the counter, waaaaaaaaaaaay cheaper than any other pharmacy outlet in KL/Selangor that i have visited and no, these were not old clearance stocks either. Compared to the surprisingly more expensive BIG Pharmacy outlet in Bandar Puteri Puchong, this outlet was also much more well stocked with pregnancy related products, with brands like QV and Cetaphil taking up 2 whole shelves for display.

Just 2 weeks away from delivery now (if my little one decides to be come out no sooner than the expected due date), will see how well these oil massage tips i picked up in the last month of my pregnancy pans out in the process of labor and minimizing stretch marks.

Preparing for Confinement

With many of my close relatives having given birth either more than 7 years ago or recently but outside Klang Valley, and being the partial “banana” that I was, most of the advice and guidance came from my surrounding colleagues, high-school friends-turned-moms and online forums and blogs.

In the course of my research I came across a blog post by Ms Zay Aw regarding items to be prepared for confinement, which I personally felt was really helpful as a checklist to ensure I have as many things as I can covered. Her post can be checked out on her site: http://thediaryofzay.blogspot.my/2013/07/what-to-prepare-for-confinement.html?q=confinement.

From my understanding, confinement periods for us Chinese families can be a minimum of 30 days, but it is recommended to continue with it till at least 45 days for a better recovery period for both mum and baby. Most post-natal packages, be they herbal soups, recovery supplements, or herbal baths are usually sold up to a 30 day period as some of them can only be used starting from the 4^th, 7^th or 10^th day after delivery, depending on the circumstances of the delivery and condition of the mom.

So to start off, the basics usually considered during confinement would be:

1. The herbs and liquor used for cooking of the confinement meals

2. Supplements to aid the mum’s recovery

3. Long sleeved tops & bottoms (and maybe even hats?) for mums to keep the “wind” out

4. Miscellaneous clothing such as maternity pads, disposable panties and medical pads

5. Abdominal binder or Bengkung for those opting for a malay massage during recovery

6. Herbal Baths and massage oils for mum and baby

7. Breast pump and accessories for those planning to breastfeed during this period

Food Stuff

Your pantry should be stocked with various liquor and seasoning oils for cooking and double boiling, whilst your confinement room should be stocked with beverage mixes, some light snacks (and lactation cookies?) to nibble on during confinement. More details on this can be referred to in Ms Zay Aw’s blog post above on the same.

In addition, your fridge would need to be stocked with lean pork shoulders, chicken, selected fish and vegetables once you have delivered for the confinement meals to be prepared. Best ask the person who will be doing the cooking for you to manage on what and how much to buy on this as you would be busy recuperating and managing the new addition to the family.

Chinese Herbal Post-Natal Packages

Nowadays, many Chinese herbal shops provide post-natal packages and would have pre-packed the herbs and labelled them according the day it is to be boiled and consumed during the confinement period. Stepping into the 2 rather well-known Chinese herbal shops aside from Eu Yan Sang, i.e. Yin Onn (Ipoh)Sdn Bhd in LG Floor Mid Valley, and Taimal Herbs & Medicine Sdn Bhd (also known as Effective Herbs & MedicineSdn Bhd) in 1U, both outlets would have a staff who would be able to show the pre-packed confinement herb packages, as well as provide a brochure/ booklet on the types of soups to be prepared according to schedule for consumption. Yinn Onn’s 22 day post-natal tonic herbal soup starts from RM760.00, whilst Taimal’s 30 day herbal soup package starts from RM750.00. All soups are normally cooked together with a choice of chicken or pork.

Eu Yan Sang’s 21 day post-natal package costs about RM600.00++ for member price, and RM845.00 for non-member. Being a pregnant mom, you would be entitled to sign up as their member for free. However in my opinion, the supplements provided in this pack such as the So Hup Pills and Pak Foong Pills would not be sufficient for confinement and you may need to purchase a separate pack for them.

Another opinion shared by other moms and moms-to-be that I have come across is that should you or a relative be more familiar with the local Chinese medicine shops, you would be able to procure the confinement herbal packages at a more lower price, and maybe even be able to mix & match the amount of herbs according to preference. A note of caution however is that if you are not familiar with the shopkeeper/owner of the less reputable Chinese herbal shops, it would be difficult to guarantee if the herbs sold are “clean” or original when it originates from China.

A tip to note here is whichever herbal package that you would be purchasing, do get it at most a month before your due date to ensure that the herbs are fresh and your fridge will have enough space to store them as these herbs have to be stored chilled or they may actually attract weevils.

Traditional Herbal Post-Natal Packages

Post-natal packages catered for the general public regardless of race would normally be derived from tropical herbs and contain consumable supplements or teas, herbal baths and massage oils to help calm and speed up recovery of the new mother, and care for the new baby as well. The 2 main packages I have come across are Amway Post Natal Care Package, purchased at member price of RM280.00 (N/P RM365.00 I think), and Tanamera Post Natal Care Set, which has been priced as per their website of RM335.00.

For the Tanamera package, I have liaised with several malay massage ladies who have specified that their massages will only be carried out if their client purchases the Tanamera package, and that they will not be able to carry out the massage if other brand products are used. Same goes with the massage/spa services offered by Tanamera’s masseurs.

Hence, due to this inflexibility and higher cost involved, I have opted for the Amway set. The Amway set has been recommended by several other moms as the most comprehensive and value for money package set, and includes the following items and instructions on how to use them as well:

For Oral Consumption

1. Herbal tea (10 sachets)

2. Supplement - After Birth 1 (60 capsules)

3. Supplement - After Birth 2 (80 capsules)

For External Use:

4. Herbal Wash (20 sachets)

5. Herbal Bath (20 sachets)

6. Firming Herbal Blend (20 packets)

7. Warming Herbal Blend (15 packets)

8. Calming Herbal Blend (15 packets)

9. Herbal Massage Oil (60 ml)

10. Baby Massage Oil (60 ml)

11. Bengkung (1 unit)

Amway Box set and Binder/Bengkung

Contents of the Box Set

Eventhough the malay massage lady that I will be hiring during my confinement would be able to provide her own herbal blend and oils for the massage, she also recommended this package as most of her customers would normally purchase this for use during the massage, and the herbal blend baths which can be used when she is not around. I have also come across posts from other new moms that if their spouse or relative is willing and knowledgeable in how to carry out the massage, purchasing this set would be sufficient for their confinement needs already.

Herbal Bath & Massage Oil Post Natal Packages

Some Chinese medicine shops do also sell their own mix of the herbal bath/soak sachets, but TYT was the herbal brand I noticed at all 3 baby fairs that I had attended that catered for confinement herbal baths (ginger variety available), baby herbal baths, herbal foot baths and herbal medicated oils. Their products have been certified HALAL by JAKIM and can be purchased online or at selected Chinese medicine and pharmaceutical outlets. Courtesy of a family relative, I have received a set of the 1 month’s Confinement Set +ginger variety, and 2 packs of the Herbal Foot Bath (x 4 sachet per box).

When enquired at the baby fair, the promotion price for confinement set is the same as their current gong price online of RM180.00 per set. However, purchases made at the baby fair will entitle you to some additional freebies, such as a free bengkung, some herbal medicated oil sample bottles or even a few more sachets of herbal baths/soaks.

To the moms-to-be who are wary of post-natal massages and would not be getting the traditional herbal post-natal packages but would still like to enjoy the benefits and convenience of a warm herbal bath/foot bath without the hassle of mixing your own herb leaves and flowers, this would be a good alternative as they are all pre-packed in easy to use and dispose sachets.

Post-Natal Complete Package

Another brand I saw at the recent Today’s Baby Expo held on 15 September 2016 in Mid Valley was Perfect Women Wellness House Sdn Bhd. I haven’t seen or heard much about this brand, and as I was in a rush I did not stop to listen to their promoter’s explanation. When I checked online, their write-up on their Complete Post-Natal package seemed to include drink supplements, pre-packed herbs and enzyme essences for cooking, and herbal baths. Their website also posted many positive reviews about it, but it costs RM3,398.00??!!

Personally this is definitely outside my budget, hence I leave it to my readers here to consider this package and to provide their review on it.

As for the confinement clothing, breast pump and other miscellaneous necessities and accessories, these should have been purchased and ready for use post-delivery and not just for during confinement. My checklist on these can be found in my earlier blog post on “Checklist for New Arrival”.

Confinement Ladies and Confinement Centres

To the moms-to-be who need a helping hand in house chores, caring for the newborn and mom herself, cooking the food and herbal tonics, giving massages, and someone to provide an overall medical/ traditional advice on what to do and what not to do, hiring of a confinement lady to stay, occasionally visit for a stipulated number of hours per week, to just drop the cooked meals, or even opting for staying at a confinement centre instead in the KL/Selangor area can go for a rate from RM3,500 – RM10,000, depending on the vicinity and type of service required. This amount may not exclude the costs of purchasing food materials for cooking of the confinement meal and soups, the “ang pao” at the end of the service, potential surcharges for services provided during holiday periods such as Christmas and Chinese New Year, as well as any medical consultation and medicine fees that may arise.

The Mummy Notebook had posted her reviews on 4 surveyed confinement centres under her blog posts in August 2015. The 4 centers surveyed include CareNanny Malaysia, Mom’s Paradise Postnatal Retreat, Gina’s Place, and Serenity’s Confinement Centre.

Malay massage ladies/ Tukang Urut

If hiring a tukang urut is your thing, then searching for a well-reviewed and affordable urut lady online or by word of mouth is crucial to ensure that your confinement massage arrangements are well organised and stress-free. One such active forum thread can be found on Lowyat.Net at https://forum.lowyat.net/topic/2579445, whilst a summary of urut ladies can be found on MalaysiaBrides.com at http://www.malaysiabrides.com/forum/topic/16241-malay-urut-lady/?page=2.

Prices can range between RM70.00 – RM130.00 depending on the type of services provided (i.e. massage for the mom, massage for the babies, herbal baths and wearing of the bengkung), the hours involved and location of the urut lady and her client. It also may or may not include transportation and massage materials/bengkung costs, which can go up to RM10.00-RM20.00 per trip, and RM35.00-RM50.00 for 1 bengkung.

To me, the factors i considered in choosing my kak urut were if their package service offered the basic of massage, tukul/ hot stone and bengkung wrapping, and if their price also included:
1. Their transportation costs

2. Costs for the materials used during their service, including bengkung

3. Massage for baby (optional)

4. Herbal Bath (optional)

5. Breast massage to ease engorgement (optional) 

In addition, just like choosing my O&G, i would try chatting with them first to see how upfront they are with their package services and how well we could get along (afterall, you will be hiring this person over to care and touch you when you and your family are most vulnerable). Understanding their background, years of experience, and how their package works would definitely make you more assured.

Some moms have voiced concern that hiring of these freelance urut ladies may not hold them as accountable as hiring a masseur from a spa service centre. To me this is a personal and delicate choice, as most spa masseurs might not offer home services and the mom would need to drop by the spa centre to carry out the massage later in their confinement period/ after, which some say would slow the process of recovery as the post-natal massage can be conducted as early as 7 days post-delivery (for vaginal delivery) or 14 days post-delivery (for caesarean delivery). In addition, if the massage costs are going to exceed RM150.00 per session, then a spa service massage could be considered.

Save for the confinement meal recipes which is best left to the person who will be doing the cooking for you, I believe I should have covered almost all aspects to be considered during confinement. I’ll share my experience on this once it’s my turn. Until then, all the best!

Full Moon Gift Package or Catering?

Normally most people will look into this after the baby is born. Me, I’m surveying this earlier as an anticipation that I may be too tight on time and energy once the baby is born and also because the recent baby fairs and workshop have given me a chance to source for several options available.

The first matter to consider at hand is whether you would want to do a catering course at home, or arrange for full moon delivery packages to be sent to your relatives and close friends and colleagues.

Caterings are more preferred if you would be expecting at least 10 tables worth of guests, i.e. at least 100 pax. Anything less than that could either be pricey, or the usual caterers may not be interested in offering their services. An average catering costs RM25.00 – RM40.00 per pax, with vegetarian caterings going at the more expensive price.

Full moon delivery packages can range between RM8.50 – RM30.00, depending on the combo sets chosen and delivery charges, and can be catered to either individuals or a whole family at the said price. In addition, there are also specialised designer cupcakes full moon gift sets being offered by creative home-based or small time entrepreneurs, such as Chelsy Full Moon & Catering and Apple Kitchen to cater to the modern parents and even vegetarian preferences. Most packages need to be ordered in a minimum quantity of 5 or 10 though for the order to be accepted.

Going through Lowyat.net forums, a pretty comprehensive “Full Moon Gift Pack” http://incomingincomingbaby.blogspot.my/2012/12/full-moon-gift-pack.html#.V-QDTfB97IU blog post by Art Guy in December 2012 was suggested. Another latest comprehensive blog review on Delight’s Full Moon Package and TK Bakery Full Moon Gift Packs was written by Mapeey on July 2016 under the title “Baby Full Moon Gift Packs in Malaysia”. http://third-dotter.blogspot.my/2016/07/baby-fullmoon-gift-packs-in-malaysia.html.

Thus far, I’ve myself tried Delight’s Full Moon Package set D1 (Roast Percik Chicken) and received positive feedback from colleagues on the same set for Roast Black Pepper Chicken. Coupled with their package promotions of buy 5 free 1 and free delivery to 1 main location, it’s hard not to consider their package which could inevitably save you quite a lot on expenses.

UniQ’s package is definitely more pricey as they offer much more in their packages, but it’s best to call or visit them to find out their latest promotional offers. Cash vouchers for their packages were being promoted at Today’s Baby Expo last Friday, 15 September 2016, where you could save up to 25% with the RM500 cash voucher purchase. The word I’ve heard though is similar to the comments voiced in the Lowyat.net forums, whereby the dryness of their chicken dishes can be at times inconsistent. Hence, the high-low reviews received on this brand.

Another point to note related to Delight's is that they have expanded their operations to include caterings for full moon as well and can be found at Lynn's Cafe in SS15, Subang Jaya. The link on Delight's main page is broken though so if you're interested, please click on the correct link i have shared herein above.

Chances are we’ll be doing the full moon packages instead of caterings, so when we get to it I’ll share my review then. For now, I hope this helps. Cheers!