Just 3 more sleeps!!!

Just 3 more sleeps and we'll meet baby!! Hopefully baby will come out on Friday and hopefully everything will be quick! SJ and I are so excited!! :))))) So are our family and friends. The most common question is these past few days were, 'Baby's here already?!' or something similar to that: 'Your wife or You deliver already?'

I think I felt contractions while watching tv after dinner tonight; my bump suddenly felt very hard and contracted for quite a long while and then the muscles released. Felt it twice within a short period. Told SJ that I could be having contractions and we started to time the 2nd one at 9.43pm. Waited for a long time for the next one and it didn't come. So, that was not a contraction; it was a Braxton Hicks. The moment I thought I had contractions; SJ said that he had to cut his nails because he is afraid that he will be too busy when baby arrives. I told him immediately that I need to update my blog more, complete some forms for work and do some yoga moves before baby can comes :S Well, that was a false alarm, so I have more time go update this blog and prepare more things.

I had the most productive day today in the past 1.5 weeks since last Monday, 9th July whenI officially took off from work. I have bought almost everything I need or want before baby comes today :))))) Started off today by driving to Midvalley to have a lunch with a client as she wants to increase her insurance coverage. We had a very good happy chat. Then, I walked a lot around the mall buying things. I was swiping my credit card almost every 15 minutes and I told SJ that I should redeem something for free from the mall for doing this. Was chatting with SJ and sending photos via whatsapps while shopping, so it's like he was also accompanying me virtually to shop. 

First stop, I went to Jusco and bought my pajamas that has buttons so it's easier when I want to breast feed baby. Bought 4 sets of these : 2 one-piece and 2 two-pieces pajamas in both red and blue colours. I was searching for them at Carrefour but couldn't find any. So glad to have found these at Jusco and most importantly, they are really affordable; one piece pajamas cost RM29 each and 2-pieces pajamas cost RM49 each. Now, I have the right equipped clothes to breast-feed baby full time during confinement.

A client of my mine heard that I wanted to to fully breast-feed my baby, so she suggested that I must get this nipple cream called Lansinoh from Mothercare. Walked to the information desk of Midvalley to enquire the location of Mothercare and found them on the first floor. Bought this next ;) It's only 10mg! Such a small amount.

Went to use my Rm20 birthday voucher from L'Occitane next. I have been using this scalp care conditioner since I've cut my hair really short when I found out I was pregnant. You can read more about my haircuts here. This conditioner has been really good because I used to have major dandruff problems. Had Rm20 discount on this, was quite happy ;) The promoter was trying to ask me to get more things; like getting more shampoo and conditioners which I rejected him by telling him that I won't be washing my hair so often soon because I would be in confinement. He wanted to ask me to get more cream or oil for stretched marks which I rejected him by saying that L'Occitane was not very effective. Very pleased with myself that I didn't get anything more because I could be easily influenced to buy more things; I was tempted to buy birthday and Christmas presents for family and friends.

Next, went to Crocs to get myself a new pair of slippers :)))) I bought a pair of slippers in the middle of this pregnancy and the sole is almost completely worn out due to my heavy weight. The colour of this slippers cheered me up and I wearing this to the hospital on Thursday! 

My confinement lady called me asking about my labour and she is glad that baby has not arrived yet as she wanted to attend her nephew's wedding on the 14th July. She jokingly said to tell baby to come after 15th so she can attend her beloved nephew's wedding. Well, her wish came true :P She told me to get a few Chinese herb items for my confinement which are 'So Hup' pills and 'Wu Kan' pills. I have no idea what are these and I was very skeptical because I was not sure if this would affect my breast feeding and most importantly, would these have an effect on baby since whatever I'm having would also go to baby through breast milk. I posted this question in 'The Breastfeeding Advocates Network' (TBAN) on Facebook; TBAN is a forum founded by Malaysians lactation experts and as the name suggests, it fully supports new mothers on breast feeding. I have been following this forum for months and it has helped me a lot in gaining confidence in breast feeding and I have learnt so much from this forum. It is so fantastic that I have been adding many new mothers into this group, not only new mothers; I added SJ and my mom too!

So, the first few replies on TBAN after I posted my question was it was alright to take these pills during confinement as So Hup pills are for expelling wind from the mother's body and Wu Kan pills are for removing blood clots in the womb. However, some replied much later that they would not advise taking any of these as it would probably affect breast feeding. I told my confinement lady that I want to fully breast feed my baby and would taking these affect the flow of my breast milk. She told me no because she had experienced with breast-feeding mothers. I thought I will just get some and if I don't feel comfortable about it, I won't take them at all. Was advised by a lactation expert in TBAN not to take any Chinese herbs on the very first week because it could cause jaundice in baby. I seriously have no idea what are these as these chinese traditional medicine are mostly in Chinese as I can't read Chinese. I thought it would be good to get them from reputable shops so I can be sure the ingredients are at an acceptable standard.

Went to Eu Yan Sang and asked about So Hup pills. This is the smaller packet and it's a supply for 3 days only, to take 2 sachets every day and I was advised by this shop's promoter to take it for 3 weeks to one whole month. The promoter was telling me that if I shower everyday, I should take 2 sachets but if I am about to shower less, then I can take less as it is believed that showering will bring in or trap 'wind' in the body. I only bought a box which cost RM45. The promoter was trying to introduce me the whole range of post-natal soups and herbs which I sort of zoned out when he was explaining because I have no idea what he was talking about. I felt I was entering a whole new strange world which I know so little about. They should give me an introduction leaflet instead about this whole post-natal herbs/foods.

Eu Yan Sang doesn't sell Wu Kan pills, so they directed me to another Chinese herbal shop called Yin Onn, which I also have no idea what/where was it. That guy who was serving me gave me the strangest look that I have never been to Yin Onn before because it's huge and probably been in Midvalley for many years. Went to Yin Onn and it's a Chinese shop that I have seen for years but never entered it before.

The person serving me immediately showed me a box of  So Hup pills but in a different brand, hence a different English spelling; Su He Wan and this is a box for 10 days supply costing Rm44. 

My confinement lady told me to get only 6 pills of Wu Kan pill which I've got that. This certainly look like Chinese medicine to me. It's RM5 for each pill. He advised that if I'm concerned about these herbs affecting my baby; I should take it 2 hours before I feed baby so these herbs would be fully digested and not enter to baby via breast milk.

The last thing that I've bought was 'Yu Yee' oil which is going to be used to rub baby's tummy and body to expel wind from his body (maybe before or after shower). I remember my mom used to apply this on our tummies when we had stomach ache when we were young. 

I will try to find out more about these Chinese herbs before I start taking them. My father-in law thinks that all these are completely fine and won't affect baby in any way because many Chinese have been taking these for decades. I guess he has his point and many Chinese beliefs have their benefits; it's just that there is not hard scientific proofs that these are effective. Many Chinese are just following based on information passed down from the previous generations. At the end of the day, it's my body and I'm going to be a mother; I'm in charge of another person's life until my baby turns 21, so I'm responsible of my own well being. I just going to do my very best based on the information that I've gathered. I'm so thankful that both my parents and parents-in-laws are easy-going and giving me the freedom to choose on what I want ;)

Just before I left, I went to Robinsons and bought another bottle of Clarins's Tonic Body Treatment Oil. Am still trying to get rid of my stretched marks and will not give up even after delivery! Went home feeling very happy and satisfied because I had such a productive day! Oh, I even filled my car tank full with fuel before I reach home :)))))