Nursery Room @ Isetan The Gardens Mall

Last Friday, I fell sick. I wanted my body to fight whatever war that was going on inside my body, but nada. I visited the doctor during lunch and got an MC for the rest of the day. Since Anand was still working, I decided to wait for him. It's Friday, come on. Of course I wouldn't want to stay in the office.

I took the LRT to Bangsar station and hopped on the bus to Midvalley. It was a much better route than getting down at Universiti station and taking the bus from there.

The reason why I chose to go to Midvalley was due to the availability of Nursery rooms (or Mother's room). I don't exactly know how many are available but I know for sure Jusco AEON and Isetan have one in their Baby department. This post is about the Nursery room in Isetan that I visited.

First impression - it's really clean! The place looks polished and well-kept. There are 3 nursing room with curtains, a pantry with microwave and hot water dispenser, 3 changing pads and a sink.

For added convenience, there are also additional bench like chairs. Each nursing room has power outlet, a chair and table... and a nice picture to look at :P

Anyway, I personally feel the room is well-kept. I don't know whether men are allowed in the first place, but while I was pumping a couple came in with their baby. So, always make sure you have the curtain pulled while nursing/pumping and locked with the hook. Moving on to a more visual part - pictures of the place!

The nursing rooms

Inside the nursing room

The changing pads and pantry

A wider view of the nursery room.

So where do you find this room? Look for the Baby Wear department at Isetan, The Gardens Mall. While you are there, do walk around - they have some really pretty baby stuff there *hint hint*.

Medela Calma - a review

The idea seemed cool - a teat that was designed for breastfeeding babies so that they can use bottle and still doesn't end up with nipple confusion.

I got my Calma teat along with the Freestyle my husband bought for me last year. I only introduced bottle after one month of exclusive breastfeeding. I feel it is important not to introduce bottle within the first 4 weeks of birth, if you have no medical reasons to do so. This is mainly because, the first few weeks of breastfeeding is the most crucial part of breast milk supply establishment. 

Yes, it's challenging. But persevere. :)

So, I started my bottle feeding experience with Medela Calma - which costs RM85 in the market today.

At first, I was definitely attracted by the fact it is recommended by lactation consultants for breastfed children. I read reviews on Amazon (and even thought of getting a second set) before starting to use it. Some people reviewed that their babies choked on this teat. Some claim it was the only thing that worked for them. 

For me, my baby accepted the teat just fine. She had problems with it first - like choking on the gush of milk. The teat works by the means of vacuum - the baby has to suck to create vacuum to get the milk flowing. But that's where it stops in comparison to breast feeding. When the baby stops sucking, the milk kept flowing until the vacuum runs out. So babies are forced to drink when all they wanted to do was pause.

Since my baby was only 1 month old when I gave her this teat, she had trouble swallowing the heavy gush of milk. In the end, a lot of breast milk just went down her neck instead of her throat. Also, the amount of work she has to put in the get the milk is far more difficult and tiring than getting the milk from the breast itself. In no way I see this teat can be compared to breastfeeding.

Often, it is also a challenge to get the bottle to be completely empty as possible. This is because you have to keep repositioning the flow hole so that the last few millilitres of milk could flow to the baby's mouth. But then, it is almost always difficult to see the hole. If you're planning to send the baby to daycare, then it requires a lot of training for the caregiver to properly use this teat, else you risk losing A LOT of breast milk just because the flow hole wasn't positioned properly and the milk doesn't get to the baby. This was my #1 concern and frustration - anything that makes my breast milk to go to waste raises a loud alarm bell in my head.

Also, my baby takes just 5 minutes to finish 3 ounces of milk with this teat. At one month, she used to breastfeed for at least 40 minutes. So 5 minutes on the bottle is REALLY fast. She was literally gulping the milk. This is not a good thing.

The bottle is not anti-colic. Period.

Finally, disassembling, washing and assembling it again was another chore to add to your list. The teat has a silicone nipple (which was long and hard), and some other "layers" of parts to clean and assemble each time. It was just a hassle.

I stopped using Calma at 2 months old mainly because I couldn't see my baby choke on the milk each time anymore. She struggles and when she's really hungry she gets frustrated for not being able to get the milk out. It was much easier to get milk letdown on my breast than using Calma. I'm glad I did not make the decision to purchase a second set. It's just too pricey and the so-called technology that went into it is just marketing gimmick.

I finally bought Pigeon bottle with Peristaltic Plus nipple at M size which has Y-cut nipple. It works much simpler that Calma, cheaper, easier to clean and my baby doesn't choke on it. The milk flow pauses when my baby pauses and the breast milk leftover is just so little.

If you're looking to purchase Calma to replace some other bottle you have been using, then skip this product. Give the teat a try if you got it free - who knows you might like it. I wouldn't really recommend the teat if you need to pay money for it.

Oh well it's still Friday!

Taking time off at Dome@The Gardens Midvalley mall.

Friday finally!

A traditional cup of "kopi susu" to kick start the day!

Break from routine

One thing that I did not expect is losing weight after delivery. If anything, I anticipated weight gain not weight loss - and I have lost 7kg from my pre-pregnancy weight!

This new me has landed myself into another dilemma to deal with - clothes that doesn't fit anymore. My skinny jeans are now baggy and my shirts are hanging over my shoulders. I obviously needed some pair of new pants. Nothing fits anymore.

Today was a day that I looked forward to. Anand and I finally found some time to hit the mall. We took Baby ma along too. 

We headed to the Gardens Mall in Midvalley, straight to the Gap store. I tried on their skinny jeans which I was after by the way, but I liked none. In the end, I decided to deviate from the norm and got their slim cropped pants. Yes, it looked fashionable yet formal. And I liked it. The hubby paid for it of course. :P

Then we went to Baby Gap store which was just a floor above. There were pretty dresses and shirts and ... sigh... I really wanted to get some for Baby ma, but the fact that she grows so fast kept me thinking whether I should really be spending so much. Furthermore, Anand just spent a fortune on Baby Gap shirts for Baby ma few weeks back. I decided to wait until she is 6 months old to get her some new batch of clothes.

By the time I'm done, it was almost lunch time. And I know Baby ma will start screaming for milk. The three of us headed to Manhattan Fish Market (MFM) to redeem our Groupon offer. I purchased Groupon deal from MFM for RM49 which basically gives us the flaming seafood platter (values at RM55.90), Ceasar salad (values at RM12.50), mussels in garlic herb sauce (values at RM10.90) and finally 2 Tropical Breeze drinks (values at RM8.90 each). Oh, did I mention the voucher includes the service and goverment taxes as well? Yes, indeed it was a deal. I love the seafood platter so, this was a jolly good deal! :)

As we expected, MFM was packed with people who were redeeming their groupons as well. We were seated after few minutes of waiting. While waiting for the food, we fed Baby ma. By the time she is done, the food arrived :) Perfect timing.

After lunch (the queue to enter MFM got longer!), we headed back to the Gardens mall. We stopped to buy a new Samsung battery for Anand and continued to Marks & Spencer to find some additional pair of pants. This was when we had our first explosive session with Baby ma.

She pooped. While in her Boba. And some splashed on Anand. Lol :D

Good thing I packed extra clothes and the rinse-free nappy cleanser. The good thing about Gardens mall? They have pretty good facilities there. The baby changing room is located right next to Isetan and it was clean. So, we dropped our shopping session and got Baby ma cleaned. It was a good teamwork between Anand and myself. He helped to wash her soiled pants and dry it using the hand dryer while I cleaned Baby ma and freshened her up. 

We headed back to M&S and I found two really skinny pants (those are called "jeggings" which is the short form of "jeans leggings").

Of course, the day would not be complete with some ice cream from Baskin Robbins, would it? :)

We're ending the day today with couple of sticks of chicken satay, nasi himpit, wine and football game. Today was a breather for us. A break from the usual hectic, full of stress routine.

The little freedom with Boba 4G

Almost always having a small being with us means lack of mobility. Babies are definitely fragile and just because of that bringing them out and about is a tough decision for mommies like me.

I love spending the weekends out with Anand. Whether it's shopping or out for a brunch or coffee, I look forward spending time with him. But, with the baby at hand, it was quite difficult for us to go out. 

We looked for a solution. Stroller does seem appealing but at times, it is not practical. For example, manouvering in and out of the weekend Midvalley crowd is unthinkable. And there are places where bringing a stroller may not be apt. I am not saying strollers are bad choice, it's just may not be the prefect solution for me now.

So we decided on a baby carrier. But there was another bigger problem - which one? I was very disturbed by the fact baby carrier could lead to hip dysplasia. Choosing the right baby carrier is really important. Our final choice was Boba 4G baby carrier.

I was attracted to this carrier because of 2 things - nice design and it was comfortable to use for us and the baby! FabulousMom was having promotion for baby carriers so I got this for a good price. My other option was Ergo Baby Carrier and I did try both the carriers before purchasing it. I think that was the most important factor in choosing a baby carrier. Bring your baby, and try it on. We did find it awkward asking the sales girls to allow us to try, but we're glad we asked! They were more than happy to help us. I especially loved the sales girl I met at Fabulous Mom boutique store in Cheras.

My baby screamed in Ergo, but slept off in Boba - so Boba it is! Not only that, the 4G model comes with infant seat insert which is detachable once the baby is big enough. Ergo does have an infant insert but it's thick and you have to purchase separately. Personally, I felt more comfortable wearing my baby in the Boba compared to Ergo (we tried Sport and Original).

After the breastfeeding pillow, this was probably the next best thing we have invested in. The little freedom of bringing our little one around, while keeping our hands free! The carrier complies with ergonomic of baby carrying and baby feels snug and safe with us.

Boba 4G can be worn in 3 different ways and can be used for babies up to 25kg. The material is soft, but it's best not to use it under hot weather because it can get really stuffy! We took Baby ma up to the Batu Caves temple using this carrier. As it was drizzling, the head cover that came with the carrier was of great use! It was a life saver for us. Baby ma slept all the way up and down!

Baby products are not cheap, so finding the one that is useful and doesn't hurt your pocket much is challenging. I'm glad I decided to try on the carrier before buying. It took me a week to research and narrow down on the brand. It was a hassle, but I am happy with the purchase. :)

Anand and I are off for weekend outing tomorrow, with Baby ma :)

Updated Mar 28th:
After using our Boba, we would normally store it in the box that it came with. It's a little hassle that was easily solved by purchasing the Boba stuff sack. I bought it online from Aboo family for RM55. Quite pricey but it came with the same design as my Boba and makes more fashion sense to carry the Boba around with this than the box itself. :) Here's a picture of my sack stuffed with my Boba 4G

Polar for my polar bear!

Haha...

My husband is a fitness freak. And as I cracked my head what to get for him for Valentine's Day, I stumbled upon the idea of getting him a watch with heart rate monitor. He loves to collect watches so a watch that helps to monitor his heart rate? Sounded good to me :)

The hunt begin. What brand which model. I took me 2 weeks of research to finally settle for Polar FT60. Polar is synonymous to quality heart rate monitor and they have been making these since 1977. Deciding on the brand wasn't tough.  But the real challenge was to decide which model. 

So I took quite a bit of time to finally decide to get FT60 for Anand.

What I like about this watch is the STAR training program where he would be able to create his own personal training programs and track his progress online. The drawback is you'll need a data transfer device called FlowLink to transfer data into your computer. So I forked out additional bucks to get the FlowLink as well. The good thing is it works with PC and Mac.

So here you go my love, a new toy to keep you motivated throughout the year. No more blaming me if you go out of shape :P I know the technology is little daunting but you'll find your way :))

Got milk?

I remember sitting down on my hospital bed, at the verge of breaking apart as I struggled to express colostrum for my baby. I was really looking forward to the breast crawl experience.  But as the nurse whisked my baby away to the NICU, I knew I had to wait.

It was only 2 days later I was allowed to carry my child. It was just out-of-this-world feeling. I still had to express my colostrum which was no way anywhere near the required amount. I could not breastfeed yet and my baby needed milk to survive.

Seeing me struggle so much, Anand tried to help. He spoke to the nurses, doctors and lactation consultant. He also searched for articles and videos on how-to correctly express the milk. In fact, if it wasn't because of him I would have given up. I persisted and finally I was allowed to breastfeed my baby!

Initially I was nervous. This was partly because during my visits to NICU I often see mothers trying to get their newborn to latch and oh my, struggle they did! The babies scream and often refuses the nipple despite numerous attempts by the poor mother! So I wondered, how would Baby ma react?

The nurse placed a breastfeeding pillow on my lap, carried my baby and placed her on the pillow. Almost immediately, my baby latched and started suckling! Again, it was and extraordinary experience and I definitely felt relieved. And at that very moment my journey in breastfeeding begins.

It has been close to 3 months now and my still breastfeeding my baby. I aim to feed her exclusively with breast milk at least for 6 months - longer if possible. I'm grateful for all the awesome gadget Anand got for me to support my breastfeeding journey. The best of it all was the breastfeeding pillow. I cannot imagine going through this challenging moment without it!

Of course there are those who were skeptical and who thinks breast milk reservoir will dry up in first month. Those who also thinks babies who cry often after a feeding is not getting enough milk and immediately departs their wisdom to you to feed the baby formula milk.

It wasn't easy I tell you to fend of the remarks from "non-believers". But perseverance was the word and I had to turn deaf and believe Kelly's Mom is right.

Learning as I go, I'm very certain breastfeeding has helped to bond my baby to me. And it's such a beautiful bond. 

A new experience

My husband always tells me that I look beautiful without make-up. He feels I don't need to put on make-up. For him, I looked perfect. But then, I know I don't :P

I don't know whether anyone would classify wearing lipstick counts as putting on make-up. If it does, then that's as far I know about looking beautiful. Honestly. I have tried few times to practice wearing more than just lipstick. YouTube has been my sole reference, but somehow I always end up looking uglier.

So, for a very long time I wanted to learn the right way to put on some simple make-up. In fact, I've been wanting to take a class for it - since 2007. Finally, I made use of a Groupon offer for a 2-day personal make-up workshop for RM59. 

The workshop was conducted at Celmonze Aesthetic Academy which is located in Damansara Utama (near Uptown). My classes took place over the weekend, which was yesterday and today. What did the classes cover?

First day of the class, the workshop covered personality analysis and finding your color tone. This followed by step-by-step hands-on techniques on applying day make-up. All make-up products were provided and we were given the option to purchase make-up brush set for RM28 or use one of the sets they already have. I decided to purchase one since I do not own any :)

My day make-up was not impressive of course - given this is the first time I tried my hands applying my own make-up. The eyeshadow was horrible, my foundation was uneven and my eyeliner was a disaster! But, I learned a lot. And I know, putting on make-up is an art on its own, so I had to practice!

On 2nd day, we did a revision of the day make-up that we learned from day 1. I looked better :). This was followed by night make-up tutorial where the instructor taught us on smokey eye effect. Finally, we finished off the session with a hair-do tutorial - which I failed miserably. I just can't seem to get my hair to curl!

I took away a good experience from the workshop. I also made new friends which I felt was a good point of the overall experience. I learned how to use the different brushes, and picked up some basic knowledge on types of cosmetics available. Now, all I need is to practice, practice, practice!

For the price I paid to attend the course, I think it was well worth it. I wouldn't have paid anything more, because the course is really very basic. I think I should invest spending some time more workshop such as this - it opens up opportunity for me to meet new people and make new friends.