(EeLin) Shopping for Confinement - For The Little One

For Ee Lin and new mums out there...

Here is my list of what to get before your little one comes home. Sorry abit later but I was busy and very tired after work. Here goes...

• Baby bath towels -- get at least 3 as you need to change pretty frequently. Go for soft and light ones. Remember your baby's skin is soft and delicate.
• Mittens and Booties (with and without holes) -- always get more as they usually get wet. Choose the small ones as your new born baby hands are very small.
• Cloth napkins (buy lots) -- if you intend for your baby to wear napkins. Also they are useful for bed lining - put on top of pillow to absorb sweat, wrapping up the new baby, blanket, etc. I got about 5 packs of 10s.
• Nappy liner -- if you intend for your baby to wear napkins
• Bips
• Tummy wrap for new born
• Baby soft face towels -- get the soft ones. Remember baby's skin is very soft and delicate. Get more as you need them for feeding, bathing, wiping, etc. You don't have enough time to wash.
• Short sleeves top and pants -- get more. They always get wet - vomit after feeding, etc.
• Long sleeves top and pants
• Short sleeves top with tiny holes -- this is cooling for a hot day. Also less risk of heat rash
• Beddings, flat baby pillows & bolsters, cot bumper (if use wooden cot) and their covers (get extras), mosquito netting
• Blankets - get the light soft ones. Don't use the comforter yet as the new born baby is still small.
• Bouncing Net
• 'Sarong' bed -- that is IF you want but be warned, once your baby gets used to this, you have to bring this sarong thingy wherever you go. I didn't.
• Detergent for washing bottles - optional. I prefer to wash with water and then boil them. No soap!!
• Baby clothes detergent eg. Nappy Clean, Pureen ABC. I prefer liquid detergent and I used Nappy Clean. This mild for babies. Separate your clothes from the baby's. The baby maybe sensitive to 'adult' detergent.
• Baby lotion/oil. I used Johnson and Johnson Diapers. Apply after bath.
• Diapers - I used Mamypoko (S) & (NB) for night time. Day time, my kids wore cloth diapers
• Body Powder - only if you want. I chose Johnson & Johnson. Some docs and CL advise against it .. pores clogging.
• Extra pails for washing -- Believe me you need that! Lots to wash!!
• Clothes rail -- Prepare more clothes lines or drying place for massive washing
• Cotton balls -- For cleaning… eg face, bottom
• Waterproof rubber changing mat (for changing diapers/after bath)
• Baby Nail clipper/scissors --- Baby's nails are very sharp. Only cut them when you can see well. Even after cutting, their fine nails are still sharp. Put on the mittens at all times. That's why it is better to have some mittens with small holes. Else the baby skin will peal due to sweat.
• Baby soap eg. Johnson & Johnson. If your baby develop sensitive skin later (rashes), see your pediatrician to recommend mild soap. I used Baby Sebamed for my kids. Warning - pricey!
• Cotton buds for BB (smaller ones) - for cleaning. Do not dig their ears!
• Yu Ee oil (mandarin brand) -- apply after bath. There are 2 versions - take the one with mandarin oranges picture which is less hot. This is good expel win and sooth tummy upset. Be careful, sometimes the baby skin may not be able to take it like my son. Watch out for rashes.
• Diaper Rash Cream - Bepanthen or Drapolene
• Menthol Body Powder (0ptional) for heat rash
• Bathing tub
• Rubber mat for bathing tub -- must have!
• Pacifier for new-born (optional) -- Mothercare, Avent, etc. Optional but better to prepare to sooth baby when fretting. However try not to make it a habit.
• Baby bottles -- recommend Avent. Use 4oz bottles for new born. The 9oz bottles are too big!! Remember to check the nipples. Make sure they are for new borns.
• Big pot -- to boil baby bottles, pacifier, etc
• Milk Powder (optional). Go for 100% breast feeding if you can.
• Gripe Water -- to expel wind. Best time to give is after bath time
• Travel Stroller -- If possible, get friends to give as baby gift
• Baby car seat -- If possible, get friends to give as baby gift
• Bottle warmer -- for travelling. Make sure fits bottle esp when you get big bottles like Avent
• Measuring milk container
• Flask for hot water -- for travelling - to make milk
• Water tumbler for cold water -- for travelling - to make milk
• Baby Carry Bag -- Suggest back pack style for your convenience
• Baby wipes - Anakku, Pureen

Can't think anymore already. Hope this helps.

(EeLin) Shopping List for Confinement - For the New Mum

This post is for sis in law, Ee Lin (hope I got the spelling right ;p) who just gave birth to a little baby on 1st Jan. Congratulations! And for any other new mums who find it useful, I'm gonna give a few posts about the things that I did when I was in confinement. I also did some earlier posts on Post Natal and Confinement - just check out my Label Cloud to see if they can help you too.

This one here is about the shopping list for confinement - for the new mum. I'll write another for the new baby. This was what I did. It may or may not be exactly what you really want but I would say that it wouldn't run far.

For the Mummy:

• Sarong and loose T-shirts -- for comfort. And the Chinese believe that ladies after child birth cannot be exposed to wind...it's up to you to believe. I'm quite banana and only believe 'pantangs' selectively, much to some older folks annoyance, hehe :)
• Disposable panties (optional) - in case of heavy flows and it is expected
• Socks - same reason above. The feet must be warm, they say
• Jumper/Jacket/Pashminas -- again same reason
• Sanitary pads -- here, I'd advise that you go for the cheap adhesive ones like Inoko that costs about RM5 for pack of 3. You need the softness and the padding. IF you go for the regular winged, thin and plastic ones, you'll hurt down there (for those who did natural births). Since its cheap, you can double it up. In fact, the padding makes it less painful.
• Rock Salt and plastic basin.. this is for the wound. Get a basin that you can sit on. Just before you bath, put a spoon of rock salt in the basin and fill it up to 1/3 with warm water. There is no need to get all the rock salt to melt. It'll take forever. Just sit in the basin (careful, water will spill over) for about 5 mins and then bath.
• Dettol Shower Gel. My gynae's recommendation. He didn't believe the pantang stuff about not bathing. In fact, hygiene is more important here. Bath with Dettol Shower Gel that has disinfectant ingredients
• 'Tumbuk' ('jung hump' in cantonese) to crush the ginger and kunyit. This is a must.
• Double boil pot and/or slow cooker - to cook your herbs and medicine.
• Some Dome and brandy in the house - your confinement lady will know what to do.
• Chinese medicine and herbs - ask your confinement lady what she wants
• Flask for red dates water. Again, here Chinese believe that you cannot drink any water but red dates water for xx days. Don't ask me what I did. As I said, I'm not exactly a very good 'follower'.
• Lots of pails -- Chinese again. They say new mums can only wash hands and face and bath in cooked water. Not heated shower also. Something along the lines of 'masuk angin'. I pity my confinement lady. She actually boiled pails and pails of water. Some left to cool for cold cooked water and some hot to mix in. And then, there will be lots of soiled clothes. If your hubby pantang, you have to separate your 'dirty' clothes from his.
• Massage lotion - I recommend Atika brand for Ginger and Lemon extract. This is a Malay product which you can get it from Malay stalls or shops selling Malay products. Very good!
• Bengkung wrap for the urut (the long long cloth to wrap your tummy and thigh). You can ask around. Not sure where to get as I borrowed mine. Ee Lin, I passed you mine already.
• Girdle. If you want to slim down fast, wear the girdle as often as you can.
• Breast pads. You will leak when you lactate!
• Breast pump - best borrow. Too expensive
• Bed plastic lining (optional). In case, you leak and dirty your linen
• Chinese Wine and Sesame oil. I'm sure this go without saying.
• and lastly, have enough pots and pans for the confinement lady to cook for you.

While you are at it, rest well. You have the perfect reason to laze out and you need to. When I had Ryan, I didn't rest enough and was picky with food. Took me 6 months to revert to my 'before' stamina and health level. When I had Raymund, I was good and ate whatever was on the table. I rested a lot with noon naps and so on. I was pink with health within a month.

Another thing to fast recovery, eat a lot and don't think about dieting at this stage. You need a lot of food, good food if you breast feed and for recovery. Not just that, eat what the confinement lady makes for you. Don't be picky. They know what they are doing.. at least most of them do. Rest well and leave the little one to the confinement lady. Remember, once the confinement lady leaves at the end of 1 month, the baby is all yours to take care. Believe me, you wouldn't have enough rest then.

The next post will talk about the baby. Not today. I gotta sleep already. Tomorrow is another ordeal with Raymund and new his kindy.

New Year, New Baby!

New Year ..new Baby!!! Haha, not mine!!! I 'sau tong' (translated: close shop... further explained 'stop production' :) ) already. Three lovely kids whom I totally adored are more than enough for me. Strange but I just dreamt of having the 4th kid last night. Shivers! No, no - not when I think about the months of morning - no, not morning - but whole day sickness... and not to mention, a lifetime of savings and providing and pathing the path for them. I love babies. They are so adorable. And now, I have another one in my extended family :) .. no need to personally produced, haha!

My sister in law - that is, my husband's brother's wife ;p - gave birth to a baby girl prematurely today, 01-01-10. About one and half month early and totally unexpected. Cool or what! But it sort of messed up their nicely planned preparation. Unfortunately, their confinement lady couldn't make it. And luckily, both sides' mother are available on standby while we look for another. I have asked my confinement lady to help. She couldn't do it as she is due for another job on 4th .. to HK..but she agreed to help source for one. She is that nice confinement lady that I have been mentioning in my blog. We still call each other occasionally to chat.

We didn't visit my sis in law and the sweetie today. The poor little one is in the incubator since she is prematured and tiny. The new mum is of course tired and needs alot of rest. We will see them trow and see what they need. I remember that I wasn't up to entertaining visitors on the 1st day. The pain, the exhaustion and of course, the untidiness and the mess! I fully understand that. So, trow we'll be off to see the new sweetheart, my new niece. I'm already thinking of getting her new cute dresses for her full moon.

About Confinement & Confinement Ladies

The last thing you want when you've just given birth and recuperating is a

stressful confinement or a problematic confinement lady! Confinement is very important after birthing. When I had Ryan, I was so excited over a new baby in the family that I rested little and was very selective with my 'poh' herbs and food. It took me 6 months to fully recover! I was good (eerr... better la) when I was carrying Raymund and Rachel. All it took was just a month to be pink in health. So, advise, advise... especially for new mums ... resting enough and eating well is so important during confinement. Worry about health first. Worry about your figure and go diet much later. New mums have all the excuse in the world to be a bit more meaty ;) :). I used to retort on jibes (joking ones la) .. 'I just gave birth to a baby; what excuse do YOU have???' Ha-ha! Works all the time esp with men!

So, as I was saying, problems with confinement lady will NOT help at all! Recommendation and referral may help you get a better confinement lady (CL, for short). But do bear in mind, everyone's interaction with the same person may not be the same. One can get along with a CL and another may fight with the same person. At the end of the day, it takes two hands to clap. It is really all about communication and establishing an understanding with your CL who will be staying with you for a whole month! I went thru hell with my second CL but later established a middle ground with her to 'tahan' the rest of the month. How to get help half way thru my confinement?

Here are some pointers. Not professional advice - just little old me giving my 2 cents worth :)

1. Always establish an understanding with the CL during hiring. State what you expect her roles to be (esp if it goes beyond the usual - eg. washing and cooking for hubby and family) and what you are particular about. Get her agreement. Sometimes, they may up the fees if you require them to do more. Negotiate.
2. When she comes on board, spent a little time with her and again establish required chores, likes/dislikes and common understanding. My last CL was wonderful. We shared the same view - that is to lay down all that we thought and get a common understanding -- so that, no misunderstanding later.
3. Try not to get a CL who is too calculative. You will get headache throughout your confinement. Of course, it is hard to know initially. So, go on your gut feeling or ask your friends who refer you.. AND simply tell the CL not to be calculative. I did with mine :) Hehe!
4. If your baby is sleeping with the CL, do NOT allow her to lock the door at night. You do not want negligence, etc etc. Just firmly say that you want to check on the baby from time to time. But be understanding - try not to disturb your CL when she is resting. It is a very tiring and strenuous job and they are mostly older ladies.
5. You have to spot check .. tactfully. But don't go hostile unless there is a reason to. Remember that you need a peaceful and restful confinement.
6. Observe her pattern and how she manages you and the baby. If you have anything that you disagree with, discuss with her. Don't get stressed out about it.
7. Make sure that she is clean when handling the baby.
8. Make sure that she washes the bottles immediately after every feed esp at night. Use new clean bottles every time. My 2nd CL gave me nightmare about this!
9. Make sure that she cleans the baby properly after every feed. You don't want rashes on the baby's soft skin. I'm very particular about this.
10. When she cooks for you, she will know which herbs to give you at which time. Don't reject as some may be yucky to take (like freshly pound concentrated 'kunyit' juice - urghh!). Eat all if you want good health and fast recovery. I learnt this lesson from my 1st confinement.
11. Eat the quantity which your CL gives you if you can. Especially when you are breast feeding. Worry about dieting later.
12. If your baby is sick or not well, she must inform you immediately and don't play doctor. Some CL have traditional ways which they think they can cure the baby. Like in my case, Ryan's belly button was still wet and bleeding after a week. My CL applied sesame oil on the belly button. After that, his belly button swelled up bigger than a 50-cents coin. My doctor scolded her when we took Ryan for treatment. She meant no harm but ignorance is not bliss here :(
13. As I said, being a CL is no easy job. Lack of sleep. Full concentration required. Play your part and coorporate if it is reasonable to.
14. Lastly, get comfortable with your CL. Some can turn out to be great friends later just like my Rachel's CL :)

Given all these, you may still end up with a hardcore CL. Or just simple mismatch in chemistry.

At the end of the day, you have only 1-2 months to rest and recuperate. Just decide accordingly.

Hope this helps!