Shopping for Your Baby to Come

• If you are a first time parent, it is amazing how much equipment and how many items that are needed to prepare for the arrival of a new born. I would suggest you to start shopping before entering into your 7th month of pregnancy, just in case you may ended up in early labour or by then, you may be too fat to walk around and trying to catch your breath.

Again, if you have kind friends or relatives who is offering you used stuff, I would say, take them. First of all, baby grown up fast and second, you could really safe money.

Here is the basic shopping list for a Newborn Baby:-

1. CLOTHES

• tops (for day wear) - short sleeve and those perforated type (really good for Malaysia weather-Carefour and Jusco's are cheap)

• pyjamas / rompers

• blankets

• socks/booties

• mittens (again perforated type are good to enable air circulation. Some prefer not to use this. I personally do not used this often. As long as you are able to maintain/keep your baby's nails short, you can actually do without it. The main purpose is just to prevent them from scratching their face. But again, this apply in Malaysia)

• lots of handkerchiefs

• Cloth Diapers (some people like to just used those disposable type. I like to use this as this allow some ventilation/circulation of air and able to prevent rashes, also to do a bit for the earth as they are washable and reusable.)

• Disposable Diapers (Mammy Poko is expensive but it is the best for night use. You can find something cheaper for day use)

• Of course, also some nice go outing clothes

2. FEEDING AND BATHING

• Bottles (the selection depends on your budget or whether you are a health freak)

• Bottle Brush

• Cleaning detergent

• Sterilizer kit (steamer/sterilizing pills method)

• Breast Pump (depends on your need)

• 1 small bottle of formula (just in case you are not able to produce breast milk)

• Bathtub

• Anti-slip mat

• Towels

• Baby bath ( I will suggest that you just get a small one. You will end up owning dozens of them from the fullmoon gift pack)

• Baby shampoo (as above)

• Baby lotion (as above)

• Ru Yi oil (usually rub on baby's belly button to get rid of wind. Use only after the baby cord fell)

• Lots of baby wipes

3. BEDDING AND TRAVELLING

• Baby Cot / Play pen

• Cot mattress

• Side protection cushion

• Bedsheet c/w pillow case and bolster

• Changing mat

• Bouncer chair

• Car Seat / Infant Seat

• Front/Back carrier or Baby sling ( I find this very useful. It is like a hands free kit. You can carry your baby and carrying other shopping stuff at the same time)

• Stroller

• Diaper Bag

There are items like walker, baby chair and etc. you will need to get when the child is older.

The above are basic stuffs that you need to get. My suggestion is do not try to over buy anything. If you are leaving in a small space, you will end up with a very clutter place or losing a certain space of your room and become storage of your baby stuff.

So, enjoy shopping!!!!

If you have done all your shopping, the birth date must be near approaching. I will talk about the birth in my next post.

Monitoring Baby Development

When you are carrying your child, you will be so eager to know of their development. There are lots of website which offer the week by week pregnancy calender. The calender will give you the idea of your baby's each week development.

What I did was, I printed out the week by week calender and bound them into a book. I will write a short note of my baby's growth, weight and movement, the date of my visit to the Doctor. I even jotted down the payment involved in each of my visit. I continued using the same book during my 2nd pregnancy with my twins. At the end, I was able to compare the growth of my 3 babies and also noted the increase in price of consultation and medication charges by the Doctor!!!. Call me sad, I think this is a very precious piece of information that you could keep and pass on to your children later. I know, they may think this is useless. Never mind, if nobody appreciate it, you can sit in your rocking chair, looking at it when you are old, and think back of all these money you have spent!!!

The Risk-Test for Down Syndrome

Once you received news about your pregnancy, you will be so delighted and started to set plans, visualize the happy moment and eagerly waiting for the little one. However, the journey of pregnancy does not come easy as you think especially when you conceived in your thirties.

When my doctor said I need to go and have a check for down syndrome, that worried me. I was worried whether the baby will be ok and thinking what if it is not, what will I do next. I knew with my age, the risk of having a down syndrome baby is higher.

This is a test to be done around 11-13 weeks of your pregnancy.

The risk of Down syndrome is increased with increasing age. The risk is also increased if there is history of Down syndrome in the family.

Table of Risk:-

Age of Mother Risk of Trisomy 21 Risk of all

Chromosomal Abnormality

twenties 1 in 1000-1700 1 in 380-500

thirties 1 in 170 - 1000 1 in 100-380

forties 1 in less than 100 1 in less than 60

There are 2 types of test available; screening tests and diagnostic tests. Screening tests include biochemical tests and ultrasound scan. This involves taking a blood sample from the mother to measure certain protein or chemicals in the blood. The ultrasound takes measurement of the nuchal translucency of fluid beneath the skin of the fetal neck and look at the presence of the nasal bone.

Diagnostic tests area 'invasive' involves sampling with a needle tubing. There is a procedure-related risk of miscarriage between 0.5% to 1%.

With the advancing laboratory techniques and high resolution ultrasound, many doctors will recommend for the non-invasive tests for down syndrome.

I thank GOD that the results of my 2 pregnancies turned out to be ok and I need not go for the invasive test.

The Doctor

My dream of having children is made possible by Dr. Prashant Nadkarni. He was recommended by my gynaecologiest friend as mentioned in my earlier post.

He has had over 17 years experience in infertility and ivf. He has his own private practice in Damansara and is the Clinical Director of IVF Services in Pantai Medical Centre Bangsar.

Infertility is define as the inability to conceive after a year of unprotected intercourse or the inability to carry pregnancies to alive births.

So, if you are facing the above situation, I would suggest you make an appointment and drop by for a visit/consultantation:

KL Fertility & Gynaecology Centre

Suite 604, 6th Floor, Wisma Perintis

47, Jalan Dungun

50490 Kuala Lumpur

Tel: 03-2093 3500

However, treatment at private hospitals or practices are generally high. Average success rates of conceiving are between 15-30%.

For those who is facing financial issues, you can apply for sponsorship from TAFF. TAFF is a charity organisation headed by Her Royal Highness The Tengku Puan Pahang, Tunku Hajjah Azizah Aminah Iskandariah binti Almutawakkil Allahlah Sultan Iskandar.

Tunku Azizah had sought infertility treatments all over the world and had experienced 16 failures and 6 miscariages. She finally conceived under the medical care of a Malaysian infertility specialist, Dr.PC Wong. Tunku Azizah is now a mother of six children.

To qualify for TAFF funding, couples must be Malaysians married for more than 3 years, with a joint household income not exceeding RM4,000 a month.

Application can be made to the following:-

Tunku Azizah Fertility Foundation

Istana Abdul Aziz

Bandar Indera Mahkota

25200 Kuantan

Pahang

Phone: 09-573 3241 (Amy)

Email: taff2004@streamyx.com

My Infertility Issues

I got married in year 2000. I was 30 and my husband was 35 back then. We have even secretly trying for a baby before our wedding day.

As time past, friends/neighbours/relatives surrounded us started to get pregnant, having babies and with children running around. What we felt was jealous, jealous and jealous!!

In year 2002, after much of a prep-talk to myself. I decided to brave myself to visit a gynaecologist. I was diagnosed with endometriosis and has a blood cyst of 9cm big. I went for a keyholes surgery and a 7 months of treatment.

Year after year, consultation after consultation, check up after check ups. I was still not pregnant!

In year 2005, I met my friend who is a gynaecologist herself, was having problem to conceive. She was finally pregnant with twins. She said to me " if you trust me as a friend, please go and see Dr. Prashant"

I went straight away and again there was cyst problem with me. I underwent another surgery and a series of infertility treatment. Yes, finally I was pregnant in Year 2007 and given birth to my eldest son in Year 2008. I remember very well about the phone call from the Doctor's office to my husband while he was in Jakarta. He said 'OK' and was shocked with the news and demanded the Doctor to sms him to confirm the news. I was stunt too when he called me about that.

I must thank my husband for his support and patient for the wait for a child all these year.

As my husband wanted another child and I was already 38 when I gave birth to my eldest son, I know I have to do this quickly. Yes, I have given birth to my twins, a boy and a girl in year 2009.

I must say we are really blessed. Even with all the stress and money spent, at the end, we would say, it is all worth it. Looking at my 3 beautiful children, they matter to me.

Also, i would have to thank my family members who has pray hard for us and my friends, neighbours who care for us so much.

I decided to start this blogspot with the intention to share my journey of getting pregnant and my treatment to ladies out there who has been trying hard for a baby.

I have recommended the Doctor to my friends and they have managed to get pregnant even at the age of 42. I told my friend, I am like a direct selling person, who is trying to get my friends to go and see my doctor and overjoy by their news when they sms or call me that they are pregnant!!!