Re: nsapura.r.tsaqifahinsyira

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Re: nsapura.r.tsaqifahinsyira

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I Want to Win Babywearing Gears for Great Cloth Diaper Change – KL!

Dear readers,

I am writing this entry because I WANT TO WIN THE STORK SSC by SNUGGbaby!

"How would you describe your IDEAL or DREAM baby carrier?"

I would label myself as a social babywearer. For every type of babywearing gear, I own 1 each - 1 pouch, 1 MT, 1 ring sling, 1 SSC and 1 wrap (new addition to the babywearing family).
Why social? Sometimes my LO just doesn't want to be worn, we have to take her out from these gears.

Among these carriers, I will always reach for SSC most of the time, because it has almost every criteria that fit my DREAM baby carrier:

1. Comfortness - The SSC I own is Korean-made. It has fluffily-padded shoulder strap that I could stretch my babywearing into the maximum I could go. Comparatively, my only MT is lightly padded, whereas my RS is gathered shoulder unpadded - these will cause a dig into my shoulder and I'll surrender after not very long. My wrap is of medium thickness (I think), have some cushiness but still uncomparable to the SSC's.

2. Easy adjustment - Since SSC is equipped with adjustable buckles, it makes adjustment for perfect snug a breeze. Just pull/let go to the desired fit, voila, you'll get it. But perhaps something can be done to those excess webbings which may impair the look of the SSC.

3. Breatheability of the fabric - Because we are living in tropical weather! Hot and humid can cause uneasiness to our LOs. So, fabric must be breatheable, but yet sturdy to support the weight of our LOs. And ohhh, if it is thin, it would be a plus point because it enhance the portability and storability (got such word?) of the SSC. You know, SSC is rather bulky!

4. Colours - What we'll do without colours in our lives, right? Vibrant and striking colours definitely win my votes! Brilliant colours could easily attract people's attention, when they've admired it, then perhaps we can spread some babywearing love. I love stripey/rainbow colours especially. I definitely have been dreaming of owning 1 wrap-conversion SSC with stripey/rainbow colours. I have seen also (in pictures only) SSC made of yummy designers fabrics, ahhhhh... would love to have those too. I love the floral motives, and the cutesy animal motives, retro motives, I can go on and on and on. Just would love to have 1 each! But the price is just beyond my range at the moment, so I have to settle with the dark-blue-coloured SSC. Be contented!

5. Chest strap - I always find it is not easy to reach for the chest strap in the case of front carry, especially if you've got nobody to help you out at that moment (home alone with LOs, for instance). But it is a must to ensure that the SSC is secured and shoulder straps won't be falling off from your shoulders. Perhaps, these chest strap could be positioned a bit higher at a reacheable point?

6. Extras - Would love to have small compartments/zippered pocket included in SSC for small item storage purposes (keys, handphones, coin purse, etc), and it should be located at the waist strap (like we are reaching for our pants' pockets). Alternatively, perhaps a zippered patch pocket at the already-bulky straps (do-able?) would also be great. The point is, easy access! One more - inspired by JumpSac Baby - a drool pad, because my LO likes to suck the straps and that will leave unsightly drool marks on my beautiful DREAM baby carrier.

I guess that's JUST it! Hope you'll pray with me, so that I can win that STORK SSC by SNUGGbaby.

If you are in KL this weekend (23 April 2011), do check out The Great Cloth Diaper Change KL 2011 and GCDC's Eco & Health Friendly Sales Bazaar at Scriptory Box, Wisma Bling Lustre, Puchong, Selangor. There are Day and Night event, so you can choose which one you want to be at, or better still, BOTH!

Viva la Babywearing, Cloth Diapering and Natural Parenting!


Yours truly,
Nina Sapura Rahmat

Diminishing supply & Rebound

Pic: My BM production, so far @ 3pm, office.

 

Last 2 weeks, I was experiencing diminishing milk supply. Arrrggghhhh! Tensinya!!

 

Qifah is almost 9 month now. Daily supply to babysitter is 4 bottles of 3.5 oz, at the max is 5 bottles (total 17.5 oz). Normally 1st pumping session I can get 7-8 oz, subsequent 2 sessions normally I'll get 3-4 oz each session. So should be just nice for Qifah's daily supply.

 

But since last week, every session I can only get 4 oz the max. There are times when the output level is marginal (0.5-1 oz). Pumped for the whole 20 minutes but yet no let-down reflex. I've tried my normal way of milk-boosting: Horlick + oat, kismis, lots of plain water. But I can't seem to solve the puzzle. There have been a number of times I've to 'steal' from the frozen EBM (and now I don't replenish the frozen EBM anymore). Ohhhhhhhhh... what is happening to me? Or it is time to send my Spectra for servicing? Aiya, service agent kat KL some more... Lecehnya...

 

Should I try other milk booster already? Hmmmm... Hopefully the milk flow will return abundant as before, pray to Allah...

 

Then I came across 2 very relevant articles at Suraya's blog Inspiraluna. Immediately, I modified my pumping timetable during working hour, increased from 2x daily (ehem, memang tak cukup ler 2x je...) to 4x. Alhamdulillah, managed to gather 10-12 oz at office. And I'll top it off with one more session at home.

 

Alhamdulillah... looks like mamaqifah's BM supply is back on track again. On normal working days, the 4x pumping session is normally adhered to. But when it comes to weekend and out-of-office days, I tend to 'break the rules' :P. Aiyaaa... cannot like this laaa mamaqifah.. susah payah adjust your body to increase production, now nak ngelat2 pulak... well, some times circumstances reaaaallly not permissible lah...

 

 

 

 

 

Poketku kopak lagi!

Arini aku baru je sign 1 cek, untuk dibayar pada LHDN. Tension betol!

Dalam 1 bulan lepas aku terima 'surat cinta' daripada LHDN. Dia cakap akunye tax tak cukup bayar, kena tambah lagi RM700+ sebab interest on housing loan aku tak menepati criteria dedutible expenses. Ini adalah kerana, umah BDO aku tu dibeli pada tahun 2008. Whereas, interest on housing loan yang boleh ditolak hanya untuk umah yang dibeli pada Mac 2009 hingga Dis 2010, dihadkan kepada RM10k setahun, boleh ditolak daripada tahun taksiran 2009 - 2011 (3 tahun).

Eiiiiiii...aku tak puas hati betol...kerajaan nak galakkan rakyat beli umah, tolonglah bagi incentive yang munasabah sikit. Ni ko hadkan pada 3 tahun tu je, ada makna ke? Dahla rakyat Malaysia ni kebanyakkannya berpendapatan sederhana rendah, housing loan instalment (yang di dalamnya portion loan interest adalah tinggi pada awal loan tenure) boleh tahan pulak tingginya, sebab harga umah sekarang dah melambung2 tinggi. Alangkan umah dengan tanah bersaiz 20x70 pun dah payah nak jumpa yang below RM200K, kat area bando la... kalau kat kg. pinang sebatang ke agaknya masih boleh didapati lagi. Tapi, orang2 yang kerja makan gaji kat opis ni, rata2 duduk kat bando, kalau nak soh dok kat area luar bando, belanja minyak kereta pulak yang melambung (minyak pula dah semi-liberalise, terapung2 ikut harga dunia dan belanja minyak juga tak boleh ditolak untuk kira cukai yang perlu dibayar OK?). Dah la gaji cukup2 makan, akhir tahun tengok belanja2 besor ni tak boleh claim as deductible expenses, kena bayo selepuk lagi, bagaikan sudah jatuh ditimpa tangga, keringggggggggggggg je member wehhhh!

Oleh yang demikian, adalah harapan kami warga Malaysia berpendapatan sederhana rendah ni agar kerajaan dapat berfikir dalam keadaan kami. Bukan semua orang boleh duduk umah sponsored, naik keta sponsored, minyak keta sponsored, segala2nya sponsored. Kitorang pun dah naik muak dengar skrip 'kenaikan harga barang tidak akan membebankan rakyat' etc3. Memetik kata2 daripada Dr MAZA, jangan pikir pemimpin rakyat yang turun padang dukung2 usap2 kepala anak kecil tu dah dikira mendekati rakyat, that's very superficial OK! Cuba secara sejujur2nya, korang hidup macam kitorang ni hidup, tengok boleh survive sampai baper hari.

Sekian luahan hati seorang middle-income-working-mom-yang-poketnya-kopak-arini.

First night with 'the little stranger'

Pagi ni tiba2 terjaga, tengok si kecik tu tengah nyenyak tido kat sebelah, mulut muncung abis! Ikut Mama dia lah tue...

Alih2, aku teringat malam pertamaku dengan 'si dia' - bukan Ayahnya lah, tapi ngan si kecik tue ler...Qifah a.k.a. Cip

Cip lahir pada Isnin, 15 Mac 2010, jam 11.16 malam. Lepas 2-3 jam lepak kat dewan bersalin, kami disorong balik ke wad pada pukul 2.30 pagi. Ayahnya pun dah lepak giler, stay kejap making sure everything is in place (lagipun hospital gomen ni strict, tak bagi visitor waima suami stay overnight), dia pun tinggal aku berdua2an dengan 'the little stranger' tu.

Pelik betul rasanya di hati bila aku tenung muka si kecik tu. Perasaan masih lagi berbaur2, gembira, relieved, penuh tanda tanya, gemuruh, segala2nya bermain di fikiranku. Dan yang pelik lagi, lepas berhempas pulas kat dewan bersalin tu, aku terasa semacam segar, tak mengantuk pulak tengah2 malam buta tu.. siap boleh makan nasi + sup daging yang mak aku bekalkan malam tadi.

Si kecik tu tidur nyenyak je dalam basket. Aku nak dukung dia tidur sebelah kat atas katil, tapi rasa kekok pulak tak reti nak dukung budak yang masih lembik tu, and takut pulak nanti terjatuh dari katil. So aku just tengok je dia dari katilku. Aku rasa wad tu sejuk giler dengan aircond terpasang, lantas ku tutup, takut si kecik tu tak tahan. Baru kenal dunia 2-3 jam je...

Malam pertama kami, masih segar lagi dalam ingatan, macam baru semalam, serious! Tup2, budak ni dah 8 bulan setengah, dah besar, dah pandai merangkak sekarang nak papah2 belajar berdiri, dah pandai cakap 'mam mam mam' mintak makan. Alhamdulillah, Cip membesar dengan sihat dan cergas. Sikit tahun lagi dah masuk tadika, UPSR, universiti, berkahwin.... eh, terjauh pulak memandang ke hadapan. Tapi hakikatnya, memang kita seakan2 tak perasaan proses pembesaran budak2 ni adalah begitu pesat. The next time kita kenang balik, rinduuuuuuuu sangat rasanya.

Sekian sahaja entri emoku pada kali ni, semoga berjumpa lagi di lain entri, tada!

Today's fluffy mails~

From top, left to right:

QQ Baby Snap Pocket OS CD (Apple & Olive Green), Coolababy printed CD
(snap button for purple and velcro for blue), Butik Nara Syria Hijab (black & dark brown), Hemp Babies hemp insert, New printed velcro Bayu diapers (pink floral and blue retro) and Coolababy wetbag.

Today I just came back to office after long weekend due to Diwali. When we reached home yesterday nite, all of us were dead tired from the long-hour journey (luckily Qifah was already asleep, otherwise it could be a very loooong nite :O), deep inside I was looking forward to
tomorrow as I was expecting the arrival of at least 2 fluffy mails ^_^

They were there already, on my office desk, 2 courier bags: 1 from SentuhanBayu and another from QQ Baby. Ahhhh~ all these cute prints
will be worn on Qifah's bonbon later (after at least 3 times of pre-washes of course… lazy nyerr…).

Then, fluffy mail for myself pulak arrived. It's the replacement Syria hijab from Butik Nara. I've ordered 3 outer Syria but they've got the wrong measurement for 2 of them. After much hassle, Butik Nara was kind enough to replace and I got to keep those outers sent earlier (perhaps could fit perfectly on Auntie Onnie?).

Just before the end of the day at work, my last fluffy mail arrived. It's mine again this time ^_^ - the cloth pads & liners from Mum7kids
(saffa brand). Ahhh~ so many cute prints to be feasted today.

I have to refrain myself from visiting those online shops again this month. Haih...