My hubby is on leave because we have an appointment with baby Izzah’s paed, Dr Ling at Selangor Medical Center.

We arrived at SMC around 9.15 am. While waiting for our turn, I went to the Breasfeeding Room and feed baby Izzah.

Before seeing Dr Ling, his nurse took my baby and weigh her. Her weight has increased from 1.98 kg to 2.25 kg. That was a 14% increase in 5 days! Go girl!!

I was so happy that I exclusively breastfeed her (and refused to give her the infant formula Enfalac A+) since she was discharged from the hospital.

I’ll consider giving her the special formula if or when:

1. My milk is not enough
2. We buy a proper steriliser equipment (Avent Electric Steam Steriliser)
3. We can’t find a breastfeeding friendly baby sitter who can accept EBM for my baby
4. I can’t express enough milk during office hours for storage

According to Dr Ling, baby Izzah is doing very well. But, he still a bit concern about her being below her birth weight of 2.47 kg.

So, he prescribed these supplements for my baby:

1. Folid Acid Syrup
2. Enersos MCT (medium chain triglycerides) Oil
3. Appeton Multivitamin Plus Infant Drops

I hope with me exclusively breastfeeding her and the additional vitamins intake will help to boost her growth soon.

That afternoon, I have a look at my kitchen and was so shocked to see the kitchen in a great mess. The floor was so dirty and dusty.

Utensils and bits of sugar/salt/milo crust/dried vegie were scattered everywhere. And, there are unremovable oil stain on my White House Ceramic kitchen top’s tiles!

Uh! What an eyesore.

I quickly cleaned up all the mess before my hubby was back. He would have scold me if he sees me doing the kitchen cleaning as I’m still under confinement.

But hey, I couldn’t stand the mess.

Baby Izzah woke up at 9 pm last night for feeding. And, she refused to sleep until 1 am!

After I breasfeeded her, my hubby cuddled her and sang a lullaby. But, she still refused to sleep and cry. Oh..

Berak rupanya… he..he..he

She passed stool so many times during that 4 hour period. I’m glad that she has a frequent bowel movements with yellow stools because this indicates that my baby is well nourished.

According to Asian Parenting Today book, frequent bowel movement are normal because breast milk is a natural laxative. It is easily digested, so the stools are loose with not much substance.

After changing her diapers a few times with feeding in between, lil’ baby’s eyes were still wide open.

My hubby switched-off the air-cond in our room. Perhaps, she was cold because it was raining last night.

And, after 4 hours filled with breastfeeding, nappy changing, swaddling, rocking and patting, baby Izzah was tired and fall asleep by herself.

Hmmm.. my dear baby. Mama thinks you need to change your sleep routine.

You see, she sleeps heavily all day long.

We tried waking her up during the day by unwrapping her swaddle and tickling her feet. We even make a noise by calling her to wake up. But, nothing works… he..he…he.

If the husband’s sperms are in good conditions, it’s time to have a check on the wife.

HSG is primarily used to examine women who have difficulty becoming pregnant by allowing the radiologist to evaluate the shape and structure of the uterus, the openness of the fallopian tubes, and any scarring within the peritoneal cavity.

I went to Tawakal Hospital on 11th April 2007 for my HSG session. My appointment was at 11.30am. But I reached the hospital at 10.15am.

At 10.30am… The nurse called my name and told me that I need to wait because the set of equipment for my HSG procedure is still being “cooked”. Huh…cook? What a scary word! I think they’re just heating the equipment to sterilize them….

Anxiety made me visited the ladies a few times to ease myself…ha..ha..ha

Then…my time finally came!

The radiographer assistant ask me to remove my pant and wear a gown. I didn’t have to remove all my clothes for this procedure. Just the pant & panty.

Thank God… the doctor carrying the HSG is a lady!

The lady doctor was very kind and gentle. She understood my fear and concerns. Who will not fear when somebody is inserting some kind of instruments into your vagina?

I saw the stainless stell instruments on the table. It looks..huh… shiny.

The assistant mixed up some kind of liquid for the HSG. Then, she asked me to held my feet up. The doctor explained what is the procedure and why it is carried out. She assured that it is a painless procedure but I might experience a mild discomfort.

Then.. it started ……

I was placed on an x-ray table and the physician proceeded to place a speculum inside my vagina and insert a catheter with a tiny balloon past my cervix directly into my uterus. I was then placed under an x-ray machine where I could actually see my internal organs on the monitor.

A dye (contrast material) was then inserted via the catheter directly into my fallopian tubes. Doest it hurts? Not really. I only felt some sharp cramps when the contrast liquid began to fill my uterus.

A few x-rays were taken and then it’s over… at least I thought so. But… I was asked to lay down for another 20 minutes on the x-tray table. Alone.

The doctor took another x-rays and then, the HSG was completed.

I got dress and waited for the result.

After paying for the HSG test (RM180), I can claimed my x-tray photo and HSG result.

The following is the written result, signed by the doctor performing the HSG.

No plain film abnormality is seen

The uterus appears normal in size and shape

Both tubes are normal in calibre and peritoneal spill is seen on both sides

The delayed film shows loculated contrast around the tubes and left hemipelvis

Appearances suggest the presence of pelvic adhesions

I’m not a doctor but the first three points seem like a good news. When the peritoneal spill is seen on both sides, it means that there’s no blockage in both of my tubes.

But the word pelvic adhesions got me worried. What is pelvic adhesions? Can it cause infertility? I need to find that out soon!

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!