Parenthood can be worrying at times for us.  There were times where we really felt helpless and did not know what we should do 

during the times when they

    ....refused to eat for a whole week 

    ....kept throwing up and was bony thin (like Gollum)

    ....were high on fever and we didn't know how else to make them feel better

    ....Hans eczema flared up and his skin cracked and bled

    .........

     I felt like I have failed them. It's times like this that I thank our Father in heaven that eventhough I am weak that He is strong, that He is watching over us all. 

 

They still cry and throw up and Hans' eczema still flared up amongst other things... but I know they have guardian angels watching over them and there is reasons for everything... maybe they need to develop the lung or build immunisation... I don't know.  But I trust my Father in heaven knows better.  

 

Ryan sums it up ....

     

More and more people I know are getting pregnant!!! I found out yesterday another friend is expecting in June... congratulations Yee Hwei.  Anyway she asked me about my experience in breast feeding, what pump I use, do I have enough supply that kind of stuff... which I've shared a few times with others... so here is what I replied to her for whoever expecting in the future and wants to know more.  

 

Disclaimers: This is just my personal experience/advice, use it at your own risk. 

 

1)      For me breast feeding was about persistence.  I only have a few drops of milk the first week.  But I kept breast feeding and pumping every 3 hours (even though it’s just a few drops).  I think can get quite depressed when you see there is only a few drops and wonder if it will ever increase.  But by the second week, I get about 2 ounces, eventually by end of 1^st month, both my babies were fully breast fed.  The supply is based on demand, so the more you put baby to breast or pump, your brain knows that the baby needs more milk so the more supply you’ll get but sometimes it takes a while for it to come.

For my first one, after I went back to work, my supply dropped straight away as I didn’t have so much time to pump in the office, so the ababy was supplemented with formula.  Even the current one, I started some contract work in January and my pumping schedule is a bit off, I also notice a drop in supply.  For me once it dropped, it takes a while for it to come back even I tried to breast feed or pump more often, that’s just me lah.. I think every one is different…. but I do believe God created every woman to have enough for the baby.   

 

I have a Medela electric double pump, the model is called Pump In-Style, came with a Back Pack and a cooler pack etc.  I was working and wanted something that looked professional when I travel, but actually you can buy just normal medela double pump and buy the accessories separately, I think it turns out cheaper.  Don’t bother getting a manual one or single pump if you are serious about breast feeding, it’s just too slow and tiring.

I think you can buy them later if you really want to be sure, but when you don’t have the pump, just have to put baby to breast as often as you can do (without getting stressed).

I only bought mine a week after Ryan came out, but what happened was Ryan was admitted for Jaundice, so I had to pump at home, what I did was borrow my sis-in-law’s manual pump, and it was painful on my hand and breasts, shortly after that I bought mine.

 Last piece of advice, don’t get too stressed out if you can’t breast feed or baby not sucking etc, just be patient and persevere and eventually you’ll get the hang of it.  When I had my first one, I was so uptight about needing to fully breast feed that I was so stressed out when I had no milk and baby kept crying.  Stress can also cause low milk supply.  So with the second one, I just relax, I’ll let the baby sulk and after about 20 min, if still crying then we just give a bit of formula, motherhood seems more enjoyable.  No matter what seems to be wrong, just remember the baby will still grow up intact.

 

Also there is some tea (called MilkMaid Tea, can buy from Babyhaus in 1 U or Babyland) and some papaya fish soup you can take which is suppose to boost supply .  I can send you the recipe.  I tried them all but it doesn’t do much for me… some people said it helped them.

 

Also some more info, this is a local forum which you can get some useful info on Motherhood.  I gives some good local info like which shopping center has nursing room etc.,,

 

http://www.mymomsbest.com/