Confinement - Day 12

While I was pregnant, I heard so many different versions of what 'pantang' is like for women. Some told me that it was something well worth doing, following every tradition to the last tee. Some told me they only lasted two weeks. And some said, "pantang? What pantang?"

I decided that I want to follow pantang as much as I can and to whatever level I could manage. But I only really followed it properly on the second day back from the hospital. But I still needed help from Eddie or my nieces or whoever was around as I was still in so much pain and even standing felt like a chore.

Body Care

On that third day, after we'd bathe, clothed and put Zafry to sleep, it was my turn to start the process of what was to become my morning routine. Eddie would prepare for me my 'salt spa' where I would sit for 15 minutes. The salt is believed to help speed the process of healing my wounds. During those 15 minutes, Eddie would boil the rempah2 consisting of flowers and leaves and I'm not sure what else and take his shower while it's on the boil. Just as I'm about to finish with my spa, he would come and bring me a large pail with the boiled herbal water which I would have to mix with tap water to bathe. The first week, I had no energy to stand and I couldn't move as freely as I'd liked. So Eddie would shower me with the herbal mix.

Once I've got my underwear on, Eddie would lightly massage the Ibu Halimah lotion which is believed to help reduce fat and cellulite while also releasing trapped wind. He would then help me with my bengkung, pulling and tying as tight as he could pull and as much as I could manage.

Now that I've entered the second week, I feel a lot stronger now. I can bathe myself, get dressed and put the bengkung on myself - although Eddie still sometimes insist on massaging the Ibu Halimah lotion on me.I also wash my hair everyday, but with the normal shower water. Hygiene is definitely something you have to take care of when you're recovering after birth. I think it's important to not just feel clean, but to know that you are clean. This avoids any sort of illness or infection. Because believe me, that's the last thing you want when you're recovering.

Food

I put on a total of 16kg when I was pregnant, about 4kg over the average amount of weight you should put on during your pregnancy. When I reached home from the hospital, one of the first things I did the next day was weigh myself, and discovered...I only lost 2 kg!

I took a vow there and then that I had to diet and be strict with what I ate since I was in no condition to exercise yet. This is what a normal day of food would be like for me:

Breakfast = Milo + milk, fruits and bread.
Lunch = Water, biscuits and fruit
Tea = Juice and biscuits
Dinner = Rice, veggies and fried chicken or fish OR kuey teow/bihun soup

It might seem like I'm not eating much, but I'm eating only what I need to give me enough energy for the baby and to keep my breast milk going. In fact, I already have PLENTY of breast milk...enough for twins I think! I also try to drink a lot of water...but not so much that I need to keep running to the bathroom, because just having to pee involves moving up my bengkung and cleaning and changing pads and this and that....When you can barely sit or walk, having to pee is just something you want to limit as much as possible.

Rest

It is so so important for you to have someone around who's there to help you with your needs and with your baby's needs. In my case, I'm lucky I have Eddie. He doesn't allow me to do anything when he's around. He wants me to just sit or lie down for as long as possible. He prepares my shower, does the laundry, cooks for me before he goes to work, makes sure everything is nearby when he's about to leave so I don't have to get up and get anything, and even changes the baby's diapers and bottle feeds him in the evenings after work to give me a break.

Because I've rested the whole day, I would make sure that when the baby cries in the middle of the night, I would get up and get the baby before Eddie wakes up so he can rest. But there are times when he would hear me talking to the baby and would just rub my back or prop a pillow against me while I'm feeding. Trust me, it's these little things that makes you feel a lot better. If your husband did nothing and just slept, that's probably when you feel like killing him.

Coming into the second week, I can do a lot more by myself now. And I can help a bit more around the house. I help by washing a few dishes, or helping wash the clothes (but Eddie still dries and folds), or just cleaning up so the house looks a bit in order. I can also walk around a bit more and sit more then lie down. I can even manage to stay online a bit longer then just the one hour last week - and even then I needed a two hour nap to recover!

My Conclusion?

It's been a very tiring two weeks, but it seems like time is flying by already! Although there's not much I can really do now and I don't feel a hundred percent yet, I'm savouring every moment I can with my little family. Everyday is a new day. We discover something new or cute about our baby, or even each other and it's something that will just bring us closer together.

Showering and getting dressed every morning may be a chore, but I just keep in mind that it's something that will heal my body and bring its shape back - if not form a better one! And wearing the bengkung was difficult the first few days. It was difficult to walk, sit or go to the bathroom, but as of today, I'm proud to say that my belly is only days away from being 'un-flabby' :)

It's difficult being cooped up at home all day and every day, but once you set what you think it'll turn out after 60 days, it's well worth it.

Checklist

Following my last period date, I'm 37 weeks into my pregnancy. When I went for my last check up a few days ago, my doctor told me that the baby is already 39 weeks into his development. And she casually said that the baby has descended into my birth canal and I should be giving birth in about ten days. This is exactly what she said to me after the scan = "This will be your last check up. All my first time mothers did me proud so you must too. The next time I see you I want you to be pushing." !!!!!!!!

Pregnancy, labour and delivery is something that's natural and normal to my doctor but it freaked me out that I would be due so soon! I had myself prepared for birth at the end of the month..not next week! After I told a few people, they all said the same thing = eat whatever you want to now because this is your last chance for the next few months.

This got me thinking - I need to start making a checklist. But not just for the food I want to eat, but also of what else has to be done and prepared before next week.

Food to eat:
 - Nasi lemak
- Sushi
- Wantan mee with wantan
- McDonalds
- Pizza
- Fries
- Pasta
- Cake
- Cookies
- Boost juice
- Anything and everything deep fried

So far...the only things I haven't had the chance to eat yet is wantan mee with wantan and pizza. So that means I can eat whatever I want...and double it! Hahahaha!

Preparation for the baby:
- Set up changing table by the crib
- Set up bin next to changing table to throw away used diapers
- Arrange baby toiletries and diapers
- Arrange baby clothing
- Clean the house - mop, vaccum
- Boil baby bottles and pacifier
- Set up the baby pram with pillows and blanket

Preparation for Mummy and Baba:
- Put the baby car seat in the car
- Put the hospital bag in the car
- Set up toiletries and set bersalin for after birth
- Set up steamer to cook pantang food
- Buy more socks
- Bring down more clothes for pantang

And the last and most important thing to do from now - prepare Eddie so he won't panic! :)

Baking

I'm not a baker. I don't bake. The last time I attempted to bake cookies it resulted in cookie shaped pebbles which could probably seriously injure someone if I threw it at them. But then..I was only 14 and wanted to experiment. And my heart wasn't in it. I was just baking for the sake of it.

In the last few days, I've had the urge to bake. Pies, cakes, tarts, biscuits... However, seeing as how we don't have an oven at home anymore and our financial budget is pretty tight for the moment...looks like I'll just be surveying what I want to bake:

Buttermilk biscuits. Yum.

I would love to be able to bake a really moist carrot cake.

I wish lah kan - Lemon Meringue Pie

New York Cheesecake. Yum.

Upside down Pineapple cake. Just because it looks pretty :)

Apa entah nama benda ni...

And scones...oh yum...