Little Izzah was given her second jab of Pneumococcal vaccine on 23rd October 2008. And, also her first Rotavirus vaccine.

Rotavirus is an oral vaccine, so Dr Ling gave that first. Izzah must have enjoyed the taste so much because she kept on licking her lip even after the dose is all consumed.

Not even a single drop is wasted. She swallowed them all. Good baby!

You see, Rotavirus vaccine is RM180 each. So, not spitting means not wasting your hard-earned money!

Then, Dr Ling injected the Pneumococcal vaccine on her thigh. As usual, she cried out loud.

She must have hated her paed so much.. ha..ha..ha

Pneumococcal and Rotavirus vaccine are not included in the government compulsary vaccination program. Perhaps because they are so expensive.

But, I believe both are also as much important as other vaccines like BcG, HepB, Polio, Dtp etc.

Money is valuable, but your baby’s well being is PRICELESS.

If your baby is not yet protected, now is the best time to do. Don’t delay because you don’t know what will happen in the future.

I have written about Pneumococcal here.

How about Rotavirus?

Rotavirus is a virus that infects the bowels. It is the most common cause of SEVERE diarrhea among infants and children throughout the world and causes the death of about 600,000 children worldwide annually.

Symptoms of the disease include fever, vomiting and watery diarrhea which can cause severe dehydration. Severe dehydration can lead to death so hospitalization for intravenous fluid (drip) is needed.

Rotavirus infection is highly contagious. Almost all children will become infected with rotavirus by their third birthday!

So, we decided to give baby Izzah the protection against Rotavirus too (the recommended age is 2, 4 and 6 months old).

The Rotavirus vaccine is known as Rotarix.

There are two vaccines available. One is Rotarix (RM180 each) and given two doses (once in a one month gap). Another is RotaTeq which is cheaper (RM100 each) and given three doses (once in a one month gap).

Dear little princess…

Mama and babah have given you almost all the protection you need against those nasty bacterias and viruses. So, be good ok. Else, mama will claim back all the expenses incurred when you start working (mama has compiled all the bills ya…) 

Breast milk is the best. But, if your baby’s growth is at risk (too little weight gain) with breastfeeding alone, it’s time to put your ego as a mother aside. And, supplement with formula.

I did and I’m glad that I made the choice. No matter what other pro-breastfeeding moms said, only ME alone knows what is best for my baby.

Yes. I do support breastfeeding. I learned everthing about breastfeeding during my pregnancy. And, I wanted to exclusively-breastfeed my baby until she is 2 years old. But, not all things go out as planned.

Her weight was gaining so slowly, so I was advised by her paed to give a special infant formula for premature babies.

Do you know what I felt when the paed said I didn’t have enough milk for my baby? I was so extremely angry!

Annoyed. Devastated. Mad. Heart broken into pieces.

I thought I have failed as a mother. And, I was so close to having a major post-natal depression.

But, the tiny little princess made me realised. Her well-being is much more important than my stupid ego.

So, she was given Enfalac A+ Premature Special Infant formula and also breastmilk until she was 6 months.

Now, it is time to switch the formula.

We were looking for a formula that is easy to be digested. And, do not cause constipation.

And, we found Nestlé NAN H.A 2 (Hypoallergenic)!

Baby Izzah has been on this new formula for a week. And, she is happily passing stool once in two days.

No more signs of her having pain while trying to empty her bowel. A definitely happier baby!

Nestlé NAN contains probiotics (beneficial bacteria - bifidus) which helps babies to poo easily. And, it is a hypoallergenic formula with easily digestible proteins that help reduce the risk of allergies.

Baby Izzah was given her third dose of Hepatitis B jab yesterday. And, also the first dose of Pneumococcal vaccine.

Imagine how loud the little princess cried when the doctor injected both of her thighs… She must has hate her paed so much…ha..ha

So, what’s Pneumoccocal vaccine?

You see, this vaccine, also called Prevnar, protects against pneumococcal (pronounced new-m’COCKL) infections - which mostly strike children under age 5. The infection can lead to some of the worst childhood diseases.

According to the World Health Organization’s current estimates, one child dies of a pneumococcal disease every minute.

Pneumococcal infection can cause ear infection, sinus infection, pneumonia, blood infection (bacteremia), and meningitis (infection of the covering of the brain). About 1 out of every 20 people who get pneumococcal pneumonia dies from it, as do about 2 out of every 10 who get bacteremia, and 3 out of 10 who get meningitis.

The infection is caused by pneumococcus bacteria, also known as Streptococcus pneumoniae. These bugs live in the mucous lining of the nose and in the back of the throat, and when plentiful enough can cause an infection in the respiratory tract, middle ear, or sinus cavities.

Pneumococcal bacteria are spread by close contact and through coughing and sneezing. Diseases such as meningitis and pneumonia can crop up within days of infection.

Symptoms of pneumococcal pneumonia usually include fever and chills with shaking or trembling, as well as chest pain, coughing, shortness of breath, rapid breathing, rapid heart rate, fatigue, and weakness.

Babies who are sent to day-care are at the highest risk of getting this terrible disease. So, it is wise to get your baby vaccinated as soon as possible.

Pneumococcal vaccine is not included in the compulsory immunisation schedule. You need to check with your baby’s doctor about the vaccine.

According to baby Izzah’s paed, she will get 3 doses of vaccine. The second dose will be given next month and the third dose will be given when she turns one and half year old.

Pneumococcal vaccine is quite pricey - about RM300+ per dose. So, total for the whole vaccine is around RM1,000.

Expensive eh? Not really. RM1,000 is nothing compared to the life of your baby!

Isn’t a baby tight the same as a huggalug? No, it is not.

Baby tight’s leggings are sewn together and only can be worn on legs. While, huggalug can be worn on both legs and arms.

The picture below is a huggalug (red & orange stripes) and a tight (pink). See the different?

The little princess is happy wearing a huggalug.. he..he..he

I love onesies very much! It’s an intelligent creation for babies (and mommies).

Apart from it brilliant usage (easy to change the diapers), they all come in so many cute designs. And, I really love seeing baby Izzah wearing onesies with cute “baby-say” wordings on it.

I love bodysuits from Luvable Friends because they’re affordable, simple and hmmm…. fun! Tell me if you can resist these….

And, these….

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia:

Onesie or onesize is American English for a bodysuit for infants designed to conceal a diaper when worn. It is also called a creeper, diaper shirt or snapsuit. The British English equivalent is babygro.