Last night was a nightmare.

My baby was sucking on and off for three hours since 9 o’clock. Each time I took her off the breast, she cried.

When I latched her on again, she appears to suck very well for about a minute and then fell asleep.

Oh my God. Was she still hungry? And, do I have enough milk?

I’m pretty sure I have a lot of milk supply because she is passing a lot of that bright yellow breastfeeding stools.

Qucikly I flipped through the Asian Parenting Today book. Aha! Turned out that she was snacking. And, also was using me a pacifier!

This must be stopped.

I believed my baby learnt about this when my mother-in-law insisted that I feed my baby when she was crying and kicking while been dressed after a bath yesterday.

Actually, I already breastfeeded her before the bath. She was not hungry but impatient because my mother-in-law was taking her own sweet time to dress (”demah”, put Yuyee oil, binds, put a diaper on, put some lotion & powder and swaddle) her.

My baby was feeling cold, tired and restless!

Since she persistently insisted me to breastfeed first eventhough my baby was not properly dressed up, I took my baby. That’s the beginning of her snacking episode and using me as a pacifier.

You see, my baby is a very intelligent baby. She learnt very fast that crying means she will get my breast instantly. Oh dear!

And, while my hubby was changing her diaper last night, she cried like crazy. He was struggling to put on the diaper while my baby was kicking and crying. Impatiently, he asked me to breastfeed her first.

But, I insisted him to finish dressing my baby and hold her to calm her down. Just because she was crying her lung out, that doesn’t means she is hungry.

If feeding occurs within less than two hours, chances are baby is snacking and using me as comfort.

Furthermore, my breast was becoming really sore due to breasfeeding her on and off for that three hours in a row.

I asked my hubby to try comforting her by other means. Don’t just take the easy way out and use me as a pacifier.

True enough, my baby fell asleep after my husband cuddled and sang her a lullaby!

Baby Izzah had a good sleep last night. She didn’t cry but I noticed her trying to get her hands free from the swaddle so many times.

I woke up at 2.30 am and 5.30 am and breasfeeded her. And, eventhough she was sleeping, she took my offer and sucked vigorously. Go girl!

I know she is having a substantial feed because I can hear her swallowing the milk. And, she also passes a lot of that bright yellow breastfeeding stool.

You see, adequate stool output is a good sign of sufficient nutrition. So, let’s celebrate swallowing and stooling!

This morning, my baby feed on demand. It was every half an hour or so! Is my baby having a growth spurt? Yes, most likely!

I sms-ed Chiew Yee, a participant of the same HypnoBirthing classes that I attended.

Guess what? She also gave birth on the same day as mine! And, her baby is also a girl.

Chiew Yee gave birth vaginally at Hospital Serdang. Her birth plan was accepted and she gave birth so easily on the hospital bed, not in labor room!

According to her, the contractions were painful but she ignored the pains and continued sleeping, until her water broke. Her baby was born 10 minutes later. That’s the power of HypnoBirthing!

Soo Wai Han, a certified HypnoBirthing instructor called and congratulated me on the birth of my baby. She said it was a miracle for a premature baby born at 34 weeks with no birth complication at all.

Wai Han was surprised (all of us do), that my baby’s birth weight was 2.47 kg. She said the baby is already “cooked” that’s why she was ready to come out from the womb.

I believe the iron and vitamin supplements that I religiously consumed, as well as healthy food eaten during pregnancy contributed a major share to her healthy birth weight at 34 weeks.

My baby is indeed a happy HypnoBirthing baby thanks to the HypnoBirthing breathing, relaxation and visualisation techniques that I practised during my pregnancy. The Rainbow Relaxation CD was also very relaxing to listen.

By the way, if you’re pregnant, I strongly suggest you to attend the HypnoBirthing The Mongan Method classes held by Wai Han.

The HypnoBirthing classes really opened our eyes (me and hubby) about a natural approach to a safe, easier and more comfortable birthing. And, how to have a happy pregnancy and ultimately a happy birthing for both you and your baby.

For further information, please visit www.HypnoBirthing.com.my.

Wai Han is the first certified HypnoBirthing instructor in Malaysia. And, she was taught personally about HypnoBirthing The Mongan Method by Marie Mongan, the founder of HypnoBirthing Institute in United States of America.

She also practised what she is teaching! Infact, both her babies are HypnoBirthing babies. And, the second baby was born naturally at home, alone with no drugs, no medical intervention and no pain at all thanks to HypnoBirthing!

Once in 1 1/2 - 2 hours, I pick her up and offer her my breast. She sleeps heavily during the day so her sucks is not that strong.

Yesterday, she was awake at 6 pm and I took the opportunity to breastfeed her. Oh.. she was very (very) hungry that she sucked so vigorously on both breasts!

And, last night she woke up at 11 pm and was alert until midnight. She took her feed continuously in that one hour.

At 3 am, I woke up and tried to breastfeed her again. However, she wiggled and continued sleeping.

However, one hour later she woke up and didn’t sleep at all for the next two hours!

That’s the best time to breastfeed, play and talk with my lil’ baby. She was very alert, active and passed stool twice.

This means she is having a good feed.

Alhamdulillah. Thank God.

Alhamdulillah, my lil’ baby is back!

Yesterday, we went to Selangor Medical Center at 1 pm. My hubby went for solat Jumaat and I went straight to the second floor.

She was sleeping peacefully. Oh honey baby, mama is here!

I picked her up and breastfeed her. She sucked vigorously for a minute and slept again. I wonder whether she got my milk or not during the feeding. My breast still feeling heavy.

Anyway, we waited for the bill while me still trying to breastfeed my baby. The hospital bill for the 10 days intensive care treatments for jaundice and infection is almost RM7,000!

Half of the amount was for paying the specialists looking after my baby. That’s included a brief consultancy by Datuk Dr Zakaria, a very well-known paed specialist who gave opinion on lil’ Izzah stomach/intestine condition.

If not mistaken, Dr Zakaria is the doctor who performed the separation surgery for the siamese twin from Kedah. It was in the television and papers right?

Before going home, Dr Ling gave us six tins of special formula for premature babies. The premature special infant formula’s brand is Enfalac A+.

Dr Ling advised to give the formula in addition to breastmilk in case my milk is not enough. Izzah’s weight has dropped to 1.98 kg. She was given IV drip of glucose for about 7 days since addmitted (due to regurgitation/vomitting).

It was only the last 3 days that she was given my expressed breast milk. The special infant formula could help her gain her weight faster.

Back home, I tried breastfeeding her again.

Thank God! She latched and suck so very vigorously when I offered her my right breast. It was almost empty in 10 minutes!

My hubby cleaned the house as our little princess, Izzah Nabihah is coming home today.

She will be saying bye-bye to two of her friends in the ward. You see, there are only three babies in the NICU and all three are girls.

I think the other two babies are going to stay there for a longer period as they are premature babies with weight less than 2 kg.

One baby weight 1.67 kg and another 1.34 kg only!

The smallest baby was born at 28 weeks. Her face and whole body is still full with fine hairs known as lanugo. Lanugo is developed in the womb to protect the baby’s skin. It will gradually dissapeared when the baby is more matured.

Even my baby still has her lanugo especially on her ears, arms and back. You see, the fine hairs are more significant in premature babies than the normal babies.

Alhamdulillah, my baby birth weight was 2.47 kg eventhough she was born prematurely at 34 weeks. Due to the jaundice and the intestine infection (causing her to regurgitate/vomit milk), her weight dropped to 2.06 kg.

Since her feeding is back to normal, baby Izzah is gaining back her birth weight.

Don’t worry my lil’ baby, mama will give lots (and lots) of love and of course breastfeed you as much as you want, anytime as you wish… so that you’ll grow well and healthy.