Wednesday, February 4, 2009

Nurturing the Nature


Salam..

This post is nothing some people might think, but personally for me, it is something important and vital to be discussed about. Especially when it is involving love, affection, emotion and nature. Why love and nature? True love is only for ALLAH. Yes, it is true, and I admit the statement is absolutely correct. But, the other love which will be discussed later is about the love that Allah grants us as a gift to every mother; 'the nature's way of nurturing the bond between you and your newborn'.

Believe in love at first sight?

As I googled 'love at first sight', I came upon a lot of blogs and articles talking about their love lives and how wonderful they were. Have you ever came across another love, which you might fall for it deeply and full-heartily, even before you can see it? Once you feel it, you might think that this kind of love is more powerful than 'the love at the first sight'. It is called, 'the love before sight'. Only those who call themselves a mother or a mother-to-be would be able to define this term as the love grows inside them, getting stronger as days go by.
The love is called foetus, baby and embryo. Some mother might call them by its name. In my case, I called my foetus by his name, right after the doctor confirmed that my baby is a boy; Adam Nor Fariz (Teladan Cahaya Si Pandai). I hope Si Pandai can be a good example to the Islamic world one day and make his Momma proud of him; grateful for raising him up.
The bond between momma and child is one of the strongest connections in nature. 'Romances come and go, but once you have bonded with your baby, you're probably hooked for life, and not because you enjoy the prospect of changing thousands of diapers.' (www.babycenter.com)
Having a baby in your tummy, feeling his kicks and hiccups inside of you are the eighth wonder of the world. Every night during my pregnancy, Adam Nor Fariz woke me up by happily kicking my rib and tummy. Still, I did not feel distracted, but I did feel contented for my baby wanted me for affection and a little attention, even before he could see me. But, I believe he loves hearing my voice as much as he prefers listening to it now rather than listening to the TV or big stereo playing the new Hits song in town. Isn't it wonderful of having someone who always wants you? Not that kind of sick romance which sometimes can be a bit nuisance.


Adam Nor Fariz is my Dopamine.

Did you know? During pregnancy, your body is producing a love hormone called oxytocin. This love hormone, brings out the mother in us. In Malay, we often say 'Naluri Keibuan'. Yes, it is true, Naluri Keibuan will develop even before the baby is born. Many interesting recent researches have been done to show how this hormone actually works, especially to rats and other animals which breastfeed their babies. One of the researches shows that, the more you nurse your baby, the more your body will produce the hormone, and this hormone eventually will ease the feeling of stress that you have. This oxytocine is produced at the highest level when you nurse your baby, so the more you nurse her, the more your body will produce the hormone. It is undeniably for me to express that by frequently nursing Adam Nor Fariz, I tend to do my work and live better; stress-free environment. Mind you, I'm now stuck with the bond that I might have to pay, workloads, assignments and many more, but I find that by nursing Adam Nor Fariz more often, the world is a better place. Some researchers call oxytocine as the 'love hormone', you will find this on the net as you google it.

Therefore, mommas should breastfeed their babies often, and avoid feeding our little ones with formula milk. Some mothers however might find that breastfeeding is very tiring and a bit conservative. Figure this, I have done my own research (verbally) on the percentage of working mothers who breastfeed their babies compared to housewives. Surprisingly, more working mothers decide to fully breastfeed their babies rather than full time housewives. The question is WHY?
1. Media Influence
Too much media influences of the benefits of Formula Milk which claim that the particular formula milk is the best in providing antibody for infants and able to raise their IQ levels.
2. Community Perception
Our community perception especially these 'elderly' who claim that mothers should give formula milk to their infants as to avoid jaundice, to ensure that they gain weight and as to make sure that they would not cause any trouble to their mommas, especially working mommas, since according to them, breastfeeding can be a bit annoying.


Why do I choose to breastfeed?

1. Breastfeeding is never a nuisance, annoying nor tiring. That is the best thing Allah gives to me, as a mother, to provide food for my beloved one as so to make him healthy and et cetera. Be happy for your ability to breastfeed, as that is what makes you special.

2. If a formula milk is better in providing antibody or immune system to my boy, then why does Allah ever give me this breast to produce milk? Because my milk is the best, better than a cow's milk for my boy. Breastfeeding is indeed a noble action to do.

3. Breastfeeding babies learn faster, listen better and nicer. In case if you haven't noticed, a fully breastfeed baby is hundred times closer to his momma rather than a formula milk baby. I totally agree, as my youngest brother is a fully breastfeed baby. He's a total genius and very close to my mother which sometimes makes me sick (since I need the attention as well). But, I do understand that he is a 'product' of a fully breastfeeding process (up until he was 2 and a half years).
In my case, Adam Nor Fariz is a very nice boy. He never caused me any trouble, yet he is not the type of baby of would cry for nothing, even if he is hungry. At this age, infants develop their Emotion Quotient (EQ) as well as their IQ. Why do babies cry for nothing? Sometimes they'll still be crying even though we know that they're full, regardless of normal colic and such? Undeniably, they crave for attention and warm love. They need a little cuddles and kisses.

Therefore ibu, mama, umi and et cetera, please breastfeed your children up until their 2 years of age, because if you think you know better than me, let me tell you, Allah knows best than all of us. Please refer to Surah Luqman (13 - 19) ;)

Thursday, January 29, 2009

Entry Number 4


Salam..

I actually don't have time to write, but I do have lots to tell. So, to cut it short and simple, I hope this collage can summarize them all..
See you next time! ;)
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Monday, January 26, 2009

2 different settings, 2 different views of Breastfeeding

Salam..

Last few months, before Eid ul Adh, I went back to Chendering for a kenduri solat Hajat for my MIL. After the kenduri, while holding Adam Nor Fariz, there was one lady (which I think she's older than my ma) approached me.

Lady : Berapa umur anak mek?
Mama : Baru nak masuk 3 bulan.
Lady: Oh, sihatnye dia. Boleh buat apa doh?
Mama: Baru nak belajar meniarap.
Lady: Boleh agah2 orang doh ke?
Mama: A'ah, lama doh buleh. Sejak dalam 40 lagi dah belajar agah2 orang, suka-suka, cakap-cakap dengan Tok Ma dengan Tok Pa dia.
Lady: Cucu makcik, lahir bulan puasa hari tu. Besar lagi dari ni (while pointing at my boy). Anak mek minum susu apa? Cucu makcik minum susu tin mahal. Dekat 50 inggit satu tin kecik tu. Bagus susu tu, anak sihat jadi dia.
Mama: Adam menyusu ibu dengan saya secara eksklusif. Takdop campur apa-apa lagi. Nak tunggu 6bulan baru bagi bubur.
Lady: Oh, susu dada. Habih tu, anok nak dapat khasiat dari mana? Mek kena campur susu jugak, baru anak dapat zat, sihat jadinya.

* I was a bit shocked with the statement. I wished I could say that Susu Ibu Adalah Makanan Terbaik Untuk Bayi Di Bawah Umur 6 Bulan ( as stated on the outside label of that susu tin yang makcik beli mahal untuk cucu makcik tu..) So, I replied...

Mama: Tapi dalam Al-Quran kata, kita kena susukan anak kita, dan tempoh bercerai susunya adalah 2 tahun. Mestilah itu yang terbaik kan makcik, sebab tu Quran kata gitu..
Lady: Oh, surah mana tu?
Mama: Surah Luqman (ayat 13 - 19).
Lady: Oh, mek tak kerja kot. Anak makcik kerja. (Pulak dah, tadi katanya susu tin lagi elok.)
Mama: Saya kerja makcik. Saya pensyarah Bahasa Inggeris dekat *tut*tut*.

That lady just nodded her head.


*************************************************************************************
Another setting...

I went to Kenduri Mencukur Rambut of my new little cousin, Abid Darwisy at my uncle's house, which was close to mine. We came a bit late, since Adam Nor Fariz had his afternoon nap for about 2 hours. As we arrived, my ma took Adam and cuddled him while asking me to have my lunch first with babah Adam. Suddenly, one of my aunts asked..

Aunt 1: Kak tak bawak bakul susu Adam ke? Kekgi dia nangis cari susu?
My Ma: Tulah susu dia (while pointing at me)
Aunt 1: Eh, susu badan lagi? Bagusnya..lelah sikit la kan..?Dengan kerja lagi, belajar lagi..
Mama: Takpe Cik Mah, asal anak kita sihat, manja dengan kita, bijak cerdik pandai..Susah hari ni takpe, jangan susah kemudian hari..Kita susah takpe, anak kita susah jangan.. (I grinned)
Aunt 1: Bagus kak etty ni..

Then, my other unty was playing with Adam Nor Fariz (while my Ma was holding him). She said..

Aunt 2: Cantiknya kulit dia, lesuh macam kulit orang perempuan. Kak Zan (my Ma) bagi susu apa ni ke Adam?
My Ma: Susu apa Nah, susu mama dia lah. Mama dia tak nak campur pun. Pure susu ibu ni..
Aunt 2: Oh, gagah ah kak etty, sanggup bagi susu lagi. (She gave my ma an amazed look). Tapi, nampak cerdik sungguh Adam ni..

Suddenly, my cousin chipped in..

Cousin 1: Baguslah dapat bagi penyusuan penuh ke anak kita. Lain budak menyusu ibu ni dengan susu formula. Lagipun, ada sebab kenapa al-Quran menyuruh penyusuan ibu ni diteruskan sampai ke 2 tahun.
Aunt 3: Yelah, kita dulu-dulu dalam TV kata susu tu molek, susu ni anak bijokla apa la..
Cousin 1: Rasulullah tinggal ke kita Quran, bukan TV..haha (lawak yang agak pedas)

and I nodded my head...

Tuesday, August 12, 2008

Who says memories remain..?


Salam..

Have you ever woke up in the middle of the night, and stare at your beloved ones, while wondering on how fast time could fly and how you might miss the good old days? Especially the faces who do not just come and go but also touch you by the heart? Suddenly, the memories come fly by as if there are on a slideshow?

Last two or three years, I was still in Auckland, single, young, adventurous, playful, doing fun stuffs with cool friends, attending lectures, studying for exams. Today, I am cuddling Adam, playing with him, learning on how to be a good mother, lecturing my hubby at times, listening to Adam's coos and gurgles... Wow, time flies! Sometimes, I wonder, where was I before, have I been good or..bad? If I did not do the things I have done, would everything be the same as it is today?

Talking about attending lectures in Auckland Uni.,my experience as one of the university students, I sometimes ponder on how would I react to my new classmates in my Masters' Degree class later. The situation is obviously different compared to when I was in Auckland University. Getting to know new people and adapting self to the new order sometimes tiring. Will I be able to cope on with my new classmates? Or am I still shadowed by the memories that I have back in Auckland University?

Is there anyone like Cheryl Ng, my good mentor? Can I find a good buddy who loves to cook like Kak Hyppo..?Or maybe a Socrates like Ain, who never forgets to remind me of the task? Can I find a good ustazah like Kak Syahidah? Or a caring sister like Kak Sue..? Is there anyone as fun as Naz Naim? Or as talented as Nette..?Would someone as cool as Diane sit next to me? Or someone as bubbly as Mus? Is it possible to find a duplicate version of dynamic duo like Akmal and Amalina?

I can clearly remember all those names because the memories are still fresh and stick on my mind as if they are printed on the yellow stick-on-notes or they are not the type of people who are easily forgotten. However, when I tried to think back on all the good sweet memories back in MRSM Jasin, pheewww it was a tough one, but I managed to recall a few names though. It is either I am having a short-term memory loss, or because the memories are not fresh. So, who says that memories remain..? Regardless of how sweet they might be. ;p

Friday, August 8, 2008

The Arrival of Adam Nor Fariz Chapter 1


Salam..
Alhamdulillah, my most beloved gem was born on the 8th of August,2008 1t 12.02am, which was exactly on his 9 months and 10 days of age in the womb. He was 2.65kgs at birth. We name him Adam Nor Fariz bin Ahmad Nurul Fakhri. At the point of laying my eyes on him, I started to feel the love that has been growing since the first month of pregnancy, to grow more and more, and yet it's getting warmer as days went by.



On the 3rd day after his delivery, Adam was diagnosed with jaundice. The klinik kesihatan nurses urged us to send him to the hospital for further check-up and he needed to be hospitalized as well. But, due to my mother's instinct, I wanted him to be sent to Kuantan Specialist Hospital instead. So, at 7pm on the 13th of August (Adam was 5 days old), my hubby drove us to KSH. Actually, it's my mindset that makes me decide to go to KSH instead of typical GH. Typical GH..?You know what I mean. My experiences of being hospitalized for 'alahan' twice early and middle this year make me despise GH terribly!~ Yes you heard me right. I'm so not a big fan of any government services. They are slow, terrible, bad PR-embedded skills, and et cetera. And the award for The Nation's Worst Ever Service falls to Malaysian GH!~ *GH = General Hospital. In addition, they treat you as if they are the most intelligent people on earth, and for you, if you work in other fields, such as engineering, education, or even soccer field, you are considered as uneducated, dumb, 'kampung' and not so well-off.

I'm so in love with my boy, there's no way that I would let him to be treated in such manner, even I could not stand the way they treat me. If I treat my boy like a prince, of course I am expecting others to treat him the same way, get what I mean..? Besides, the Klinik Kesihatan does not provide an accurate result of total bilirubin compared to KSH. During my stay in KSH, the paediatrician gave me all the access to the nursery, since I chose to breastfeed my boy. I explained to her why I chose to exclusively breastfeed my baby although I might be having a little obstacle in managing the hours when I start working. However, comparing to other matters, my boy would always come first in line.. ;)

Nenonatal Jaundice is a yellowing of the skin and other tissues of infant babies due to the high level of bilirubin. It can be detected even by pressing the skin, or applying pressure to the skin 'so that it reveals underlying skin and its subcutaneous tissue.' (source: wikipedia).

err...i'm out of words, so pen-off for now...till then..Salam..

Sunday, June 3, 2007

The Story of Not So Odd Malaysian

The Huh-Huh Chapter 1

Assalamu'alaikum..

hihi..let me tell ya..this is not the first time I am having a blog actually. not as if im tak setia pada yg satu, but then to be honest, I am unable to recall the passwords and the user name..aduh..

Hijau seems to be very refreshing..calm..and bla..bla..you would have heard them puji-puji the green colour of course..no kidding..green is refreshing..I love green. The theme colour for my engagement woud be green :)

Talking about green, I still clearly remember seeing banners, ads and posters along the way from Terengganu to Malacca promoting Green, Healthy Envi and so on which brings me to write about this one issue about promoting healthy environment as well (membebel would sound better)... Last two weeks, I went to Puduraya to fetch my biggie yg naik bus all the way from Malacca. Had to wait for him in Puduraya, for about 2hours due to traffic congestions.

Lapar, starving so I walked around in order to find something to eat at the nearby kiosk. Tiba-tiba I terpijak a chewing gum and that 'thing' actually melekat under my sandal. I tried to get it off. I went to the stairs which led you to the buses downstairs. Then, I tried to get the chewing gum off by kesat2 my sandal at one of the top stairs. Kat situ banyak betul mat saleh, and minah saleh as well. Malu dah masa tu, but then walking with the 'thing' under my sandal memang irritating. I really need to get it off!

One of the mat salehs actually came to me and asked me why. I said, 'Nothing, it's just small matter.' However, that was not actually what I really wanted to say. I wish I could say, 'Oh, this is one good thing about Malaysia. You can simply find 'souvenirs' anywhere, even you can unintentionally step on it!~ We are generous, of course.' Tapi, bila fikir balik...Malaysia is not that bad..because when I was in New Zealand, I still clearly remember seeing a bus-rider 'honestly' put his chewing gum under his seat. Not much difference compared to other countries, I guess.

What differs more is the way you think. How you shape your self-discipline..This thing, happens naturally..Parents or teachers are just simply the model, but kids, you would always be the one to decide what's best for you. But, adults nor caregivers can't say anything even if you don't want anything which is actually good for you. So kids, stay in school!~ ;)