Tips, checklist, A to Z for mom to be..

Disclaimer : This entry written based on personal opinion and observation. It night be long, but really hope worth reading. Another thing there is a lot of hyperlink to my previous entries and also from other blogger/ site

The moment of joy

I believe the moment that we found out that we're pregnant..its something really new experience and of course somehow it might be clueless

I wont write in details, just some kind of general notes..the rest blh google jelah kan?

A. Pregnancy
1. Antenatal check up - you can choose to have check up with gov clicnic, private clinic / hospital. The choice is yours, as long as you have proper check up. For those plan to have check up with gov clinic, you read some tips here

2. EDD - EDD give is just an estimate...you might end up have early/ on the EDD itself or overdue. Sume ni kuasa Allah kan? so kita boleh doa sahaja baby selamat dilahirkan

3. Problems - eg bleeeding in early pregnancy, miscarriage, pre-eclampsia - you might have smooth sailing pregnancy while some ended with problems. Remember each pregnancy is unique, so get some professional advice and be patient.

4. Hormones and emotion - Yes pregnancy can produce a number of conflicting emotions

5. Common discomfort and complaints - Cramp, constipation, nausea, heartburn, tiredness and so on. Some might have it for temporary esp first trimester and end of pregnancy but some have almost 9 months!

6. Healthy eating - Most would say eating for two..but personally I believe eat moderately as afraid might end up with overweight pregnancy which can lead to other problems.

7. Wardrobe and looking your best - I believe nowadays pregnancy do not limit ur fashion (except myself..both pregnancy rasa cm selekeh..). A lot of choices nowadays and the good thing you can wear it even after delivered..like maxi so on. But for me I prefer to have 2-in-1 maternity and nursing bra, maternity and nursing blouse/ shirt (most shirt worn here are 2 in 1..ramai xperasan pun kan) . Oh ya pregnancy hormone also can affect the colour and texture of your skin..jgnla terkejut pelipat2, ketiak ka tiba hitam semacam..

8. Preparing for your little one - I believe around second trimester is the best time to start shopping for your little one. The good thing for those stay in KL/ Selangor, you can have wider option from baby expo and warehouse sale. You don't need to buy the whole mall before the arrival of lil ones

9. Third trimester discomfort - false alarm, braxton hicks, plus kicks counts


B. Breastfeeding choice
The first food for ur baby is milk, and of course breatmilk is the best

Dalam Islam pun dinyatakan klu mampu bf until 2 years. Once u become mother u'll know how certain mothers so fanatic on bf to the extend ada yg smpi berperang kat internet - mcm gelar anak2 yg minum FM (formula milk) ni anak lembu and so on

Learn about bf as much as you can - books, net, forum so on. Personally I prefer to learn through books because it written and covered topic by topic, while thru net you might not sure where to start


C. Antenatal, breastfeeding & hypnobirthing class
It is not a must. But I really encouraged for first time parents to be attend the antenatal class. At least both of you get the general idea esp the labour process.

If you have extra budget and time, you can attend breastfeeding and hypnobirthing.

I think around second trimester is the best time to attend such classes. Dont wait until the last minute.

Some classes conducted for free while some you have to pay for the materials & food. You can check around through internet or simply make few call. Sblm terlupa like myself bersalin di Hospital Putrajaya, tapi gi kelas antenatal KJMC...so xsemestinya gi kelas antenatal KJMC, bersalin kat KJMC jugak. But certain place ada yg hanya bukak kelas untk patient yg bersalin di situ

Notes on antenatal class here and bf class here


D. Choice in childbirth
1. Natural birth-involves the use of breathing and relaxation technique termasukla hypobirthing, some need assistance - episotomy, vacuum in order to deliver ur baby

2. Caesarean birth - in case you cannot deliver normally, the option is caesarean

3. Water birth - you can check Dr Halina's post here on water birth experience. I found blogger post here the water birth cost is RM6k++

Get some general idea on how each process will take place..at least adala idea sikit2 nk persiapkan diri ke labour room

Learn few terms like episiotomy, epidural, enthonox, pitocin, forcep delivery, vacuum extraction...Ok nanti bakal2 ibu ingat cam nk g peksa plak...no-no just gain as many knowledge as u can, so at least bila misi kata sy nk bg pitocin, anda start pk bukan2

For second time mother, if you have caesarean previously you still can have VBAC (vaginal birth after caesarean). Talk and discuss with your gynea/ expert


E. Birthplan
hehe bkn kawen aje ada plan..nk bersalin pun ada plan

1. do you wish to have with u during labour-husband, mother? Klu kt malaysia bersalin normal biasanya nowadays blh je husband temankan...believe me husband will be become our best partner ever..

2. can birth partner remain with u if u have caesarean or forceps delivery? Tang ni kena tnyala doc awal2...but normally csect husband xleh masuk..pe2 pun tnyala kt doc tmpt nk bersalin tu

3. pain relief, which sort do u want? Ha tang ni susah nk kata sbb masing2 tahap tahan sakit berlainan...klu rasa nk epidural mintak awal sbb certain stage, dh dilated 6cm above dia xbg..

4. are u going to breastfeed? Insya Allah sume nk bf kan? for those bersalin kt swasta inform awal2 nk bfkan baby...for gov hosp most likely mmg encourage bf...I really encourage time kt hospital ni jgn segan2 tnya psl bf ni..even u can ask them about marmet (teknik ni amatla bagus untk dipelajari sbb ftwm ada potential nk tertinggal pump parts ..so time2 nila sesuai praktis marmet)


F. Choosing hospital, father friendly, baby friendly
On top of this I believe budget will come first, govt or private is ur own personal choice. Father friendly means that husband can accompany while in labour room. Baby friendly for hospital support breastfeeding

Buat yg beragama Islam dan mampu sebaik2nya pilihla doktor perempuan untuk monthly checkup. Kita baca sini ye untk lebih lanjut


G. Hospital bag
Get prepare around 32 weeks. My checklist posted here. Insya Allah will revisited and update later, since actually you can pack 1 bag standy at home (in case kena stay lama kat hospital then barulah breastpump berguna...and extra things like pampers so on)



H. Cord blood
This is something consider new in Malaysia..its not a must, but an optional...and of course its not free. If you have extra budget, you can opt for it (jd retis gak yg untung...sume co nk sponsor brg baby and even cord blood)


I. Labour and birth
Show, water breaking, contractions. 3 stage of labour.

For first time mum usually xsure cmne contraction kan..klu rasa xyakin blhla ke hospital, but u might end up kena balik rumah balik sbb false alarm. BUT if waterbag breaking..air ketuban dh pecah, sila terus ke hospital..penting sgt sbb baby kan diliputi air ketuban ni, klu air ketuban dh kurang bahaya


J. Islamic birth
Azan & iqamat, tahnik, cukur rambut, akikah, khatan, menamakan anak dgn nama yg baik, tanam uri dgn segera

Hukum mencukur rambut di sini ye


K. Confinement
Confinement pun kena la ada sedikit sebanyak plan
1. How long - 30 hari? 44 hari? 100 hari?

2. where - kampung? rumah sdiri? rumah MIL?

3. whom will take care - mak, MIL, or maybe confinement services (ok pricey, tapi klu dh xde mak/ mak dh tua sgt ini antara option- cth shadira, ireetouch, jemari tradisional so on- for further testimonial sila google ye)

4. confinement regime - learn a lil bit confinement regime..pantang makan minum, urut, tungku, bengkung so on...ikut tak ikut tu ikut diri masing2la kan...

5. confinement massage - I have to write this, for those S'gor/KL u might be suprise it will cost u..kdg untk 3 hari dh beratus2. Plus please survey and book in advance...weh glamer tau makcik2 tukang urut bersalin ni. Some even offer massage so on and even stay in house. some just basic package

6. breastfeeding plan - ok during confinement u can stock up ur milk! esp those FTWM (full time working mom)..bkn pe kdg dh start keje, stress..time mgmt-keje vs pump..so on susu pun maybe ada naik turunnya..so stok2 ni akan berguna di saat memerlukan. For those have confinement at kampung, don't worry u can transport ur frozen EBM safely. U can refer her entry here (fatih, pinjam ye...malas nk taip bnyk2)


L.Post natal
Lots of post natal issues like post natal depression, getting back into shape, tiredness vs relaxation, hair loss so on. Talk to ur gynea if you are unsure

Oh ya please do not forget to have pap smear (if not mistaken a month after delivery)


M. Newborn
You might find the first weeks at home with ur new baby quite difficult. Don't worry its learning process

Newborn care - how to hold new baby, bathing, dressing, breastfeeding technique, sleeping, crying, colic and so on. OK sila jgn ingat baby hanya tido...baby tido kejap2 je, kejap2 nk susu..


N. Immunization

You will be given baby book which there is table of compulsory immunization. You can opt to get it at klinik kesihatan or clinic. But if you choose KK you have to be prepared with long hours waiting (like pregnancy check up, except this time with ur lil one)

Beside compulsory immunization, you can have additional jab eg rotavirus and pneumococcal - posted here. Recently ada kata nk masukkan rotavirus as compulsory but not sure when it will be implemented (ok I just realised something..ada kata rotavirus ada babi, but ada plak yg kata org g haji pun kena amik rotavirus..then cmner ye? erk...dh terlepas dua anak amik rotavirus)


O. Childhood illnesses
sickness, diarrhoea, high temperature, fever, refuse to eat/ drink, teething.

Some temporary solution posted here.

Lupa plak klu demam blh la jeram ngan air asam jawa...bancuh asam jawa (mcm nk masak) lps tu lumurka kat badan, kepala anak.Insya Allah suhu badan akan turun


P. Insurance and saving
Start early. It is not a must to save certain amount, but sedikit2 lama2 jadi bukit kan? Having insurance and saving at least will make parents be prepared for the children future esp when it comed to education cost

For saving, if plan to have 2 in 1 plan, you can open SSPN account - saving and at the same time you can cliam for tax deduction (current claim max RM3k)


Q. Family planning
There a lot of option for family planning. But each comes with pros and cons. Discuss it with your husband and gynea.

Some might found that they are not suitable with certain type of family planning - cthnya ada yg susu jd sikit (so bf mommy klu yg amik family planning jenis pil kena tnya dl doc), some even having heavy bleeding, irregular menses, headache and so on

If you're in final trimester please talk and plan with ur partner, even u can ask ur gynea..don't wait to last minute because you might end up having a close gap pregnancy (yg xkisah tu xpelah, bkn pe being working mum, anak rapat2, cost of living..blh stress jugak tu)

Breastfeeding also can consider as natural family planning, or known as LAM. LAM is 98% - 99.5% effective during the first six months postpartum. So sooner or later u still need to thing about family planning!


R. Nursery, baby sitter, parents, parents in law, maid
You have to decide whom will taking care ur baby once u back at work. So start early (even u not yet delivered)

You can check from neighbours, friends to find for the trusted nursery/ baby sitter. The cost range from RM 200 - 300, besides there is overtime esp if u working late.

Each option have pros and cons, klu hantar anak nursery bersedia la kdg2 dlm beg tu ada brg baby lain - kes tersalah masuk brg, senang berjangkit penyakit


S. Back at work
Once u back at work, the timetable might be totally change..You might need to slot pumping session between juggling with work, and of course a lot change..You might rush urself because u'll missed ur baby soo badly. Beside no more such working on weekend (if possible), and no karaoke session with collegue (haha..this apply to me...mmg xpernah ikut karaoke)


T. Adjusting with the whole family
Your life will change a lot. And believe me you will learn to adjust almost everything

My personal exp? hmm masa mula naik kerja (ni time afham je ada), balik rumah salah sorg akan letih xingat dan tdo awal...pstu mcm take turn isnin selasa - ibu jaga afham, ayah tdo awal, rabu khamis - ayah jaga afham, ibu tdo awal...and it last for a month jugak kot..skrg xde dh. dua2 dh biasa (get to use, tp serious letih la)..


U. Baby and u
Ok tak tau nk letak header pe...but most likely anything related to ur baby..issues like playing and learning with toys, baby massage, travelling with baby, keeping ur child safe, teething and so on so forth.

Some even started early education..ada yg kecik2 lg dh ajar mengaji..ni ikut masing2lah kan, all parents want to provide the best for their children


V. Introducing solid
I would recommend once ur baby hit 4 months, it time for u to learn homemade solid food. You can refer few website and join facebook group (HSFFYB) . Commercial baby's food is expensive and homemade solid food will save some $$ plus kasih sayang. Don't worry u don't need to become Masterchef to cook for ur little ones.

My compilation of homemade baby food posted here


W. Milestone and development
From grip ur finger tightly, lift head, smile, cooing, laugh, roll ball, talking and to the first baby step.

Baby's development - sight vision, hearing, smell, taste, touch, talking, social behaviour, mobility, play

Remember each babies have their own and unique development. For example some can walk before hit their 1st birthday while some later..talk to expert/paed if you have major concern


X. Natural parenting
Known also as "asuhan alami" - breastfeeding(BF) , babywearing(BW), cloth diapering (CD),homemade solid food, homeschool. The choice is urs!


Y. Read and learn from others
Read more books and learns from others..kakak, mak , atok, mana yg baik kita blh teruskan, mana yg xberapa elok/ sesuai pandai2lah kita elakkan

Believe me sometimes it can be stressful, ada kata cmni, ada kata cmtuh..if anything unsure talk to expert (at least they know better

Z. Enjoy motherhood journey
It might be tough, but u'll enjoy it.

Forget about stretch mark, long hours in labour room and so many motherhood issues (bf issue and so on) - I remembered while attending antenatal class, someone asked the gynea about stretch mark- her answer just simple.."itu tandanya anda dah jadi ibu


If you expect this entry to have baby checklist, I'm really sorry..not this time. I will try my best to share it later (yes it takes ages to finish an entry because so many commitment and sometimes I lost my mojo)

Hope this will be really worth reading esp for mom to be! Nak share kat yg lain pun boleh..sharing is caring! klu ada yg nk tambah pun most welcome. I might update this entry later by sharing perhaps like baby warehouse & expo review, and maybe checklist - so it will be complete reading..baca 1 entry tp mcm2 ada..hehehe

Phew..managed to get A to Z *tepuk sikit bahu..*

Till then


xoxo,
mother of two A's

Sweet potato pancake and bihun goreng cina for ur little one

Okay...just share 2 simple recipe

Sweet potato pancake (8 months)


2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
1/2 cup cooked sweet potatoes, mashed
1 egg (or 2 egg yolks)
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 cup milk (or more)



Mix sweet potatoes in a mixing bowl with egg. Stir in the flour and add the baking powder.
Add up to 1/3 cup of milk while stirring. Stir in 1 tbsp butter.
The mixture should have the consistency of thick, lumpy sauce like an "instant" pancake mix.
Place a non-stick or heavy iron skillet over medium heat on top of the stove and add 1/2 tsp butter.

Spoon batter into the skillet and cook until bubbles rise to the surface of the pancakes and break. Approx. 1 to 2 minutes.
Using a spatula, flip the pancakes and cook another 2 minutes.
Remove pancakes from the skillet and keep warm on a covered plate in the oven. Freezes Well.

Source : http://wholesomebabyfood.momtastic.com/sweetpotatobabyfoodrecipes.htm

Banyak gak adunan ni. Dapat lah 2 "mickey mouse" mcm atas. Alif makan habislah jugak part telinga..selebihnya dia wat main2..Afham reject (haha tekak melayu makan nasi nasi nasi) . Lebihan yg xabes, ibu makan..blhla walau pancake xfluffy tapi rasa manis2 keledek



Bihun goreng cina


Ikan bilis
Bawang putih
Bawang merah
Olive oil
Bihun
Carrot - potong halus2
Kuning telur

Masak sama mcm masak bihun dewasa..sayur mayur tu ikut suka la..protein pun blh je letak ayam

Next time kena buat bihun omelet..sbbnya Alif ni suka pegang makanan...wat cmni dia susah sikit nk pegang..so end up kita bg part yg kena telur2 (kan mcm keras2 sikit..dia blhla pegang)..oh ya ni 1st time bg dia bihun..okla bnyk gak dia makan walau bihun tu terkurang air ..

Baby : ready for solid

Bersemangat "makan" toy?

As Alif will hit 6 months, it means this is the second time for me to wake up early morning to prepare his meals..

I remembered last time for Afham, I think I don't really have fancy cooking..just normal foods porridge, vegee puree, fuits puree, and of course with protein group - chicken, beef, eggyolk, tofu. And for pasta, oatmeal, and so on *ape yg pelik* I never tried to him when he started solid, perhaps because of pregnancy hormone - ya I found out that Im preganat while Afham just 7 months (now blame pregnancy hormone for all laziness!! apa da!).

Now with Alif, I consider I have basic knowledge and I really hope that this time I can try to cook even better and perhaps trying more new recipe *crossing my fingers that Alif suka makan homemade food, Insya Allah.*

So hereby I'm sharing checklist for the homemade baby food/ checklist for solid/ checklist cooking for baby dan yg seangkatan dengannya (rasanya tulis ikut flow tau dr penyediaan smpilah nk suapkan makanan)

knife, chopping board - asingla dr yg guna hari2, since yg guna harikan ada potong lada

bekas2 plastik -same reason as above...bekas2 ni guna untk letak sayur/ buah/ ayam/ daging so on yg dipotong..sementara nk masuk dlm steamer/ pots

pots & cooking utensils - same reason as knife, chopping board..asingkanle sbb kot2la senduk2 tu dh kacau lada, kari

slow cooker - some mother said it makes their life easier...masuk sume bahan malam esok paginya dh masak..but I dun really plan to have one (dapur dh penuh mcm2 brg, plus masak nasi pun xsuka pakai rice cooker inikan plak slow cooker)

steamer

blender and/ or food processor - no need to buy fancy, normal blender will do..klu hadiah kawen banyak blh la gunakan? as long as can do pureeing, blending, mashing

small holed strainer or fine mesh strainer: pushing more textured foods through to make a more fine and smooth purée..ops jgn plak pakai penapis teh anda...beli yang baru ye

cookie cutter - ni klu mak2 yg rajin buat biskut untk baby bolehla beli...even blh guna for toddler food preparation *esp yg picky eater..agak2 nmpk comel at least diorg eager sikit nk makan*

ice cream mould - yes baby can have homemade ice cream! later will blog about this ye

ice cube tray with lid/ baby cubes/ storage containers for freezing - freezing food cubes

freezer bags / tupperware - storing the frozen food cubes from the ice tray

label & marker - laber freezer bags / tupperware with food cube type and date prepared and frozen..masking tape pun boleh guna..mcm kita simpan ebm frozen tu

feeding set - mangkuk, sudu, sippy cup so on..

bib - mcm2 jenis ada jual kat pasaran, ada yg kain ada yg plastik, ada yg disposable, ada yg dh rupa mcm baju..senang cakap sediakan ajelah duit

highchair/ bumboo - bagi memudahkan urusan suap-menyuap..

food thermos/ food jar - ni senangkan kerja nursery xpayah panaskan makanan. beside blh guna time outing with baby - like posted here

fresh food feeder - baby can enjoy the fruits/ vege like posted here

You also can check here for the tools need for preparing homemade solid foods.

If you still wonder how FTWM (full-time-working-mum) can prepare homemade foods, you always can check all my postings here to give some general ideas. Oh ya lesson learnt, this time use pure olive oil (POO)

My checklist above might be not 100% complete.. you can add on few items that you think that will help you to cook and prepare food fast, easy-peasy...cthnya nk beli food warmer ke, heat sensor spoon ke..its up to you. Banyak brg kat pasaran ni, yg penting ada uwangnya!

Oh ya..two website that I will read *again and again* which is really useful for the homemade baby food are :

http://wholesomebabyfood.momtastic.com/

http://www.homemade-baby-food-recipes.com/

On top of that, I found this blog that really inspiring me for homemade baby food*plus ada fb group, leh join tau..sgt informative-serious rasa xterfolo untk sy yg jrg2 msk fb*..and the good thing it also give some ideas to incorporate family recipe that can be enjoy the whole family! *leceh beb masak beround2...tp tgk blog kak farah baby pun leh join makan soto...cuma kena pandai la adjust tuk baby like no salt so on, so this time I should challenge sikit my cooking skills perhaps buat yg simple2 cth sweet potato puree for Alif, while extra2 sweet potato kita buat la bubur keledek ke - lps tu sume perang kentut! hihi *

http://foods4tots.blogspot.com/

Last but not least, some of my personal collection @ gadget untk prepare baby food..*xpelah tepon cikai janji ada sedikit sebanyak gadget dapur :P*

• Cookie cutter & ice cream mould (Daiso)

• Ice cube tray with lid (Giant)

• Thermos : Funtainers 10oz Food Jar (Rugby), The First Years : Take and Toss 8oz Toddler Bowls with Lids & Munchkin : Fresh Feeding Set (food grinder + fresh foos feeder) - mybbstore.com

• Thermos : 16oz stainless steel king food jar with spoon (Jusco)

Hope it will helps mums ideas where to find the "gadget"...mcm food thermos tu boleh try carik kat jusco, parkson...I noticed that kat bbstore dh xde set grinder + feeder...tp still ada feeder tu..so pandai2la carik ye..ni just sharing info

Last not least presenting "green - gadget"

Matching kan? Right for Afham (Daiso), left for Alif (Ikea)
Hope Afham don't fight because of diff plate! takut Afham gatal nk pakai bib plak..em alahai

Now I am not sure whether to have another baby chair.Currently we have one, bought from Ikea...klu beli lagi mgkn semakkan rumah, tak beli takut "berebut" ngan Afham nak letakkan Alif. Tapi klu beli in future dh xguna leh je jual balik kan? *ade ke yg nk beli?*

So happy cooking mummies...I believe we dont have to become Masterchef to cook for our lil ones :)

Baby food : Introducing protein

I should post this few months ago..Unfortunately ehem ehem you knowla all the laziness hormone come and go. Nowadays Afham dah makan nasi join kami makan..

When it comes to protein, I do not introduce it as early as 6 months, since from reading it is recommended to introduce beef and other meats and proteins between 8 – 10 months

So here I share two simple recipes that are protein based

Japanese Silk Tofu with Pureed Dates
(or we can called it Taufu Fah - versi baby)
Source : Mammamiya

Bahan-bahan
Japanese silk tofu (block or cilinder)
10 bijik kurma
1/2 cup hot water

Cara-caranye:
1. rendam kurma dlm air panas for 5mins
2. Pureekan kurma dgn air rendaman dlm blender
3. Tuang kurma puree tu dlm individual tubs dlm 1/3 of the bekas
4. Lay cut tofu on top of the puree
5. Close tub & simpan dlm fridge

*it is best to simpan dlm fridge and not freezer coz dlm freezer tofu tu akan pecah air.
*this dish can last for 3-4days at normal fridge temperature & over 2 weeks dlm freezer.
*to serve-masuk dlm microwave for 40sec-1min


Since we do not have microwave or food warmer, I steam the tofu for a while. Then scoop it int0 bekas kecil2 yg dh ada puree kurma (belasah pakai sudu mcm ala2 org jual taufoo fah tu bolehla kan..nk potong2 dh leceh). I made 4 bekas..1 immediately makan, 3 lagi untuk the next 3 days makan, which panaskan cara konvensional..mcm thaw ebm

One more thing make sure it is not egg tofu..bkn pe takut anak anda allergic kat telur (Always remember we can only introduce egg yolks to baby around 8 months. Egg white only can be fed after he reached 1 year old-source here)

Sup ayam / daging
3 biji bunga cengkih
1-2 biji bunga lawang
Kulit kayu manis
1 ulas bawang putih
1 ulas bawang merah
1 inci halia
Ayam / daging (biasanya saya potong kecil..tp tidaklah halus2 since kemudian blend)
Air
Sedikit minyak

Bahan2 dia atas ikut anggaran masing2, ayam tu agakla seketul dada atau lebih..agak2 secukup stok yg anda ingin sediakan)

Cara- cara
1. Bawang putih, merah dan halia ditumbuk (kalau anda nak blend halus sup ni, boleh jugak racik 3 bahan ini)
2. Tumis bahan rempah sampai naik bau
3. Tumis bahan no 1 hingga naik bau
4. Masukkan ayam / daging. Fry until all the water dried (some said boleh hilangkan hanyir...)
5. Masukkan air dan biarkan mendidih
6. Kalau nak masukkan sayur eg potato, celery, carrot pun boleh
7. Angkat, sejukkan, blend..Sblm blend make sure you remove la kulit kayu manis, bunga lawang, cengkih tu (I have a habit conting brapa bnyk bunga cengkih so on sblm tumis..then masa remove pun kira cukup ke tak)

I always use olive for oil. Ikut masing2la nak guna minyak sawit, minyak jagung ke...

Source of protein that can be added to porridge
1. Scramble egg yolk – I consider as super easy source of protein
2. Fish – soup / fry/ steam..I tried once soup but it turns fishy...so usually I fry fish with olive oil..then pakai garfu siat jadik kecik..masuk dlm bubur
3. Beef / Chicken – usually I made soup...like above recipe
4. Tofu – usually I add masa bubur dah nak masak..another easy step (malas)

This was how I prepare 2 weeks (14 days) stock
4 tube of beef soup
5 tube of chicken soup
Remaining 5 days – tofu and scramble egg yolk
4 type of vege – peas, cauliflower, corn, carrot

Beef soup

Chicken soup

Vege

So for 2 weeks we can mix and match for example (that is the reason why the my soup do not include vege)
Porridge + Beef soup + Carrot
Porridge + Chicken soup +Cauliflower
Porridge + Scramble egg yolk + Peas
Porridge + Chicken + Corn + Carrot

The above is just example..you always can plan and don't be afraid to mix and match. We don'thave to become chef to cook our little one food!

Selingan..kunci pun sodap :p

Jgn lupa vote saya ye..cara2nya di sini

Baby :Vege/fruits puree and anchovies powder

My step by step preparing vege/ fruits puree

1. Clean and cut the vege/ fruits
2. Cook it using any method that you like
3. Cool it a bit
4. Blend it using blender
5. Strain the food using strainer (if needed depends on texture and ur baby age, some food like sweet potatoes@keledek is creamy and seems xde la kasar2 texture..so you can skip)
6. Put it in the ice cube / baby cube
7. Refrigerate it (mula2 fridge, then after 1-2 hours masuk freezer)
8. Once it turns into cube you can transfer to other container/ freezer bags. Then masuk balik freezer
Tips: Lalukan air di belakang ice tray sekejap, senang sikit nk keluarkan cube.
Oh ya usually I do not mix the cube in 1 container..maksud klu buat few purees, 1 bekas hnya untk 1 jenis puree
9. Everyday I will take the selected food that I plan to give for the next day. Then put them in fridge to defrost
(mcm handle ebm jugak)

Pic here is just not in order (nak masak vss nk amik pics..mana lg penting?) So I just snapped bila teringat but hope the caption will help

carrot puree (top), sweet potatoes @ keledek puree(below)

both in ice cube

untk masuk dlm fridge pastu freezer

dah jadi cube...but this one pumpkin, prune and potatoes puree (eh 3p)..since dh lupa nk snap tuk carrot and sweet potatoes

acara transfer ke tupperware..bekas hijau tu akan disimpan di fridge (untk esok)..puri labu tu tumpang sat dlm puri kentang je..sbb nk snap gmbr dulu)

Preparing the porridge with vege/ fruits cube
(again my style...this it when he just started solid - so bubur mmg kena tapis)
1. Ambil bbrapa sudu rice powder masukkan dlm penapis teh
2. Basuh bersih2 dan masak sehingga menjadi bubur
3. Sejukkan seketika dan blend it
4. Tapis bubur yg sudah diblender
5. Campurkan vege/ fruits cube. Kacau sebati bubur dan thawed cube dgn api yg sederhana kecil
7. Masukkan dlm food thermos

Blend it!

Sesi penapisan

Sesi tambah vege/ fruits puree

Some mommies can use other steps...it depends on how you want to give it to bs/nursery. At first I also cannot make up my mind how I want to give the foods to nursery. Some said its not good to give foods yg dh simpan dlm freeze since takut kembung, ada plak kata bs x bagi mkn sbb malas nk panaskan food, and so many issues.

So after considering few thing, I have decided to mix it..bubur masak setiap hari, so it fresh. Only fruits/ vege je versi thawed-ice-cube. (I admit sometimes I cannot make it, so nestum jugak jd bekal...and the first time nk msk bubur hoho sungguhla ngantuk! but slowly I make it.

Besides I decided to invest in good food thermos since some commented that the food sejuk altho br bbrapa jam dlm food thermos (beli skali ja tuk guna sume anak). So far kakak nursery tu kata panas elok (kdg kena tggu bg sejuk esp bila mkn pg). Plus I consider at least diorg xpayah la nk panaskan food for my lil one (sudahla diorg nk handle babies2, toddlers lg, EBM lg...so masa beli food thermos pejam mata swipe credit card and just think +ve je).

Since now Afham already started with texture porridge, the steps as below plak
1. Ambil bbrapa sudu rice powder masukkan dlm penapis teh
2. Basuh bersih2 dan masak sehingga menjadi bubur
3. Bila dekat2 nk masak masukan vege/ fruits cube. Kacau rata2 seketika
4. Masukkan dlm food thermos

But, I have to make sure the rice powder btl2 halus..klu blend beras kasar2 nanti kena blend sekali lagi

Bekalan kasih sayang

Right (tahan panas 5 jam) - breakfast

Left (tahan panas 7 jam) - lunch

Bekas biru - nestum...in case ptg klu dia lapar lagi

(at least leh monitor afham mkn bnyk ke tak nestum tu)

On top of that, since salt is not permitted in baby food, we have an option to add anchovies powder..serbuk-ikan-bilis

1. bersihkan ikan bilis anngaran tuk guna seminggu dua stok
2. rendam ikan bilis selama 15-20 minit; tujuan untk hilangkan garam...so klu rasa nk lagi lama terpulang
3. goreng ikan bilis tanpa minyak sehingga masak
4. blend sehingga halus
5. taburkan di atas bubur baby

kerjakan bilis2 itu

rendamkan bilis2 itu

gorengkan bilis2 itu

kisarkan bilis2 itu

Ok till then ...bnyk sgt no plak dlm entri ini =p

Updated :

1. Ice cube dgn penutup itu sy beli di Giant. In case u have more budget can opt for baby cubes. Baby cubes if not mistaken leh dpt kt fabulousmom etc

2. For prune, I use Sunsweet...klu anda lebih rajin leh guna plum..since prune are just really plums that have been "dried"..or maybe klu jumpa option lebih baik silakan...(I saw from bloggers moomies using sunsweet prune, and since sy xsuka shopping lelama...so I just opt this...so its ur choice)

Baby food note

Cooking baby food is enjoyable!

Cook the food, let it cool a bit, toss it into blender and puree away.

Lets read some useful info taken from wholesomebabyfood.com and homemade-baby-food-recipes.com

1. Four basic cooking methods -

• steaming
• boiling
• baking
• microwaving

These are then followed by pureeing or mashing, depending on the type of food and your baby's age.

2. Steaming is the best way of retaining the foods' nutrients. Steaming as a cooking method helps foods retain their levels of water soluble vitamins too. Vitamin C is an important water soluble vitamin that helps aid in the absorption of iron. Steaming allows the foods to be surrounded by steam rather than soaked in water.

3. If you choose to boil the food instead, then use very little water and keep any water remaining once the food has cooked. You can then use it to thin purees - that way, if any nutrients were lost into the water in the boiling process, you can incorporate them back into your baby's food.

4. The longer any type of food is exposed to high temperatures and immersed in water, the higher the nutrient loss.

5. You can freeze foods containing breast milk, but you should never freeze any foods containing previously frozen breast milk, as this may be hazardous for your baby

6. Refrigerate freshly cooked baby food within 2 hours. Bacteria can grow at room temperature after this time. If the room temperature is above 90 F, refrigerate perishable foods within one hour

7. Some say that immediately transferring HOT foods to the freezer is NOT good because that hot food will affect the temperature of the foods around it and quite possibly the temperature of the whole freezer.

8. It is recommend transferring the food you have cooked to the fridge and then to package for freezer storage within 2-3 hours.

9. Salt and sugar are never needed when making baby food. Omit these items, preferably at ALL times, in your baby's meals. Other spices such as cinnamon, garlic powder, pepper etc. may be introduced as early as 7 months (some said 8 months and above)

Healthy recipe for your baby

About a week ago, I have tried new recipe for my lil one and also for us. And today I will share it with you 2 recipe for baby

Colourful yet nutritious

Potato salad

Ingredients
White potato

Carrot

Green peas (couldn't find the fresh one, so I'm using frozen peas)

Unsalted butter

Steps
1. Clean, cut and wash the ingredients

2. Steam it

3. Mix it in a bowl
4. Add unsalted butter

5. Cool it a bit. Blend it..done...

6. For leftover, I make it as stock for a week

There is no specific amount....sume agak2. Unsalted butter is for to taste (lgpun KK sibuk kata puan masak untk anak jgn lupa buh sikit minyak, nanti takut baby xgemuk..so baby needs some fat in their diet!)

It is recommended to choose the best ingredients, for carrot you might consider organic carrot. For peas choose the fresh one, but frozen is also the second best option.For potatoes consider Russet (reason: if guna this kind klu baked it will turn nicely and when mashed, do not turn to paste as quickly as other types of white potatoes). Oh ya I found that if you cannot find Russet potatoes, look for US potatoes..sbbnya nmpk dlm phamplet Giant..it same...

I put extra green peas as my plan for potato salad and green peas puree

After blend it...top-potato salad, below-green peas..

looks yummy-yummy

Baked apple and raisin in a bag

Ingredients

Apple

Raisins

Steps
1. Clean and cut apple
2. Put apple and raisins in the aluminium pocket
3. Cook it about 10-15minutes. Masak atas dapur...if you have microwave boleh la guna microwave so jadilah baked apple and raisin, tp klu baked xsilapnya seelok2nya kulit epal tu xpayah buang
4. Cool it a bit. Blend it..done...

Second plan of the day-baked apple& raisin and steamed pears

(on the same day I manage to prepare 4 types of foods for two weeks stock..

erk ibu-nk-jimat-masa)

Campur2 letak atas aluminium foil..dan lipat

Renjis sikit air sbb takut xmasak

Tgh masak

Dah masak

Both recipes you can add to the porridge.

I would like to remind that it is advisable for you to try the ingredient it before for 4 days..maksudnya baby anda sudah try makan puree carrot 4 days, green peas 4 hari and so on. The reason is if you just simply give this recipe without trying it before, you might dont have idea in case ur baby allergic. Secara logik klu la allergik xboleh nk teka alah potato ke alah green peas ataupun alah pada carrot! kan susah...(if you asked me whether I follow strictly 4 days rule, the answer not really..I mean depends..some smpi lebih 4 hari makan benda sama, some 3 hari..but at least 3 days)

After finished all the things, my kitchen look really mess! Masa steam potato, carrot, green peas mcm kelam kabut..but manage to organise it..nasib dah beli 3 layer steamer..so below layer water, second layer put potatoes, upper layer green peas. Dapur lagi satu I just use periuk isi air and put cake tin with carrot (nasib baik juga cake tin tu muat2 ngan periuk)...so just be creative to prepare the food!

Oh ya, since the potato salad looks colourful I took a little bit to make it potato-salad-untuk-ibu-ayah. Except I add mayonis and a lil bit of olive oil bagi menggantikan unsalted butter.

Adult-version-potato-salad

The adult version of potato salad perfectly matched with Fish & Co. I admit it is really hard for me to cook western style. If even masak spagheti usually chefnya ialah encik suami.

Since in the freezer, I have fish fillet and hash brown, I decided to prepare Fish & Co (I dont call it fish & chips since no chips, instead hash brown.

Its just simple step. Cover the fillet with seasoned flour (flour, salt and pepper). Dip the flour coated fillet into a beaten egg (white). Coat it with breadcrumbs and finally fry it.

I noticed that it is really saving up the cost. The fish fillet is dory which I bought at Tesco for RM4.99..and I just use half of it...Plus all the other ingredients, it cost maybe RM7-10..or even less...Hmm makan kat kedai untk 2 org sudah almost 30ringgit!

Fish & co

Fish & hash brown served with potato salad and black pepper dip

Encik suami smpt kata dh boleh bukak kedai ni....

(pls ignore the decoration...i failed)

So hope it can give some ideas for mommies out there. (klu xmasak skrg, copy-paste recipe and try it later)

Have a great weekend!

Baby : Ready for solid?

When your baby started to solid means it something new for him (not only him, but also the mother ~ sibuk pk nk bg makan pe, cukup ke, brapa kali sehari and so on)

So after almost 2 months sesi-suap-Afham..let me put some notes on this.

Signs of Readiness for Solid Foods
He is at least 4 months old.
He weighs twice as much as her birth weight.
He can sit with support, allowing her to lean forward when He wants another spoonful and backward to refuse.
He has control over her head and neck muscles and can turn her head to refuse food.
He has stopped exhibiting the extrusion reflex when you put a spoon in her mouth.
He is drinking at least 32-40 ounces of formula per 24-hours and still wants more.
He is breast feeding at least 8-10 times per 24-hours (after the first few weeks), empties both breasts at each feeding, and still wants more.
The time between feedings becomes shorter and shorter over a period of several days.
He can bring an object in her hand directly to her mouth.
He shows interest in others eating around her.
He becomes fussy in the middle of the night, whereas before he slept through with no problem. Or her sleep periods are becoming shorter instead of longer.

Don't Wait Longer than 8 Months
After six months, your baby begins to need solid foods for some nutrients, such as iron, vitamin C, protein, carbohydrates, zinc, water, and calories, and delaying food may cause delayed growth. It is crucial that your baby start developing eating and chewing skills between the ages of 7 to 9 months. And if you delay the introduction of solid foods past 8 or 9 months, your baby may refuse textured foods when you finally do offer them to her.

Some general rule

1. Apply the four day rule as you introduce each new food to your baby, in order to identify any potential allergies or digestive problems.

2. Try introducing new foods in the morning or at lunch time. If your baby suffers a severe allergic reaction, it will be easier to get medical help then, rather than later in the day.

3. As a general rule, though, it's a good idea to introduce some texture into your baby's food once he has been enjoying pureed foods for around 3 weeks - this will usually be at around 7 months of age.

Eg. Stage bubur baby mcm kt bwh ni
bubur nasi yang ditapis -> bubur nasi blended ->bubur nasi lecek -> nasi lembik ->nasi lembut -> nasi biasa

4. Start out slowly, preparing a tablespoon sized portion of whatever food you have chosen to begin with. You will probably only manage to have baby eat 1/2 of the tablespoon sized portion the very first times you begin solids.

5. It is not a must for your baby to finish a meal. For a good part of the first year, the purpose of giving solid foods is mainly to introduce your baby to new tastes and textures and to help him master the techniques needed to eat solid food, in preparation for the full transition from his "liquid diet"!

6. When your baby has had enough to eat, he will usually let you know, by...
- refusing to open his mouth
- turning away from the spoon/pushing the spoon away
- becoming restless in his highchair
- leaning back in his highchair

Like my lil one, dia akan ketap mulut rapat2 so faham2 jelah dia dh nk stop...or sometimes dia buat muka mcm nk nangis (haha maybe dh penat bukak mulut makan kot!)

7. Last but not least as with most aspects of solid feeding, there is NO HARD AND FAST RULE here. Instead, it's useful to trust your instincts and watch your baby for signs of readiness ... with a little guidance, of course!

Afham started solid as he 5 and a half months (at first nk tggu gak 6 mths exactly tp semua tnda begitu nyata)..if not mistaken on 23.08.2010 exactly. I just send Nestum (since that time tu kc baru siap..), then on Nuzul Quran I gave him kurma puree.. Before that there's one time nursery gave Nestum, since he seems hungry and don't want milk (tapi sekali tu jelah)

Slowly manage to send everyday to nursery, homemade baby food (but top up also mestum and baby bites in case he still hungry...hehe dia suka makan, kakak nursery kata everytime sape2 makan pun dia nk makan jugak!). Erm even dia pernah mkn keropok putih-bulat! Since masa tu budak2 nursery mkn (someone bg dia), and the moment dia mkn keropok tu I just in front of the door, terus terpa dia..korup sekali

For new mothers enjoy the early moments of solid food!

Solid food : Cooking porridge for ur lil one

Image from shutterstock.com

Since Afham already started solid, now I can write another topic..solid food! (grrr bnyk entri hutang..kc dh siap xtepek gmbr lagi..tu xmasuk citer raya)

So I copied from ratuhati.com several ways of cooking porridge for lil one

Cara 1
1. Masak nasi seperti biasa.
2. Ambil nasi mengikut kadar yang bayi makan.
3. Kisarkan nasi dan beberapa sudu susu menggunakan alat pengisar.
4. Cairkan dengan menambahkan susu lagi jika perlu.
5. Tambahkan kepekatan dengan mengurangkan jumlah susu apabila anak sudah semakin selesa makan bubur yang lebih pekat.

Cara 2
1. Basuh beras mengikut kuantiti bayi makan (atau lebih).
2. Goreng beras tanpa minyak dengan api kecil sehingga beras keperang-perangan.
3. Setelah beras sejuk, kisarkan sehingga menjadi serbuk dengan alat pengisar kering.
4. Simpan dalam bekas kedap udara.
5. Jika anda ingin memasaknya, ambil mengikut kuantiti bayi makan.
6. Bancuhkan dengan air dan kacau sehingga rata.
7. Jerangkan di atas api kecil sehingga bubur mendidih beberapa minit.
8. Campurkan susu jika ingin bubur nasi bersusu.

Cara 3
1. Masak nasi seperti biasa.
2. Apabila nasi hampir kering, cedukkan sedikit nasi (amaun bubur yang bayi makan) dan masukkan ke dalam mangkuk yang tahan panas.
3. Masukkan air mendidih ke dalam nasi dalam mangkuk tadi.
4. Letakkan mangkuk tadi di atas nasi sebelum anda menutup periuk nasi dengan penutupnya.
5. Biarkan sehingga nasi masak dan bubur nasi bayi lembut.
6. Ini untuk bayi yang besar sedikit.

Cara 4
1. Beras dicampur dengan air dengan nisbah 1 beras : 4 air.
2. Masak dengan api kecil sehingga beras kembang dan pecah.

Cara 5
1. Masak menggunakan slow cooker.

Ok2...you can choose and follow whicever suit with ur preference...What I do currently and practical for me (ni masa rajin masak hari2 la in future kita cerita nanti la)

1. I'm using organic brown rice
2. Sukat beras untuk 1-2 minggu
3. Using blender, kisar beras itu..so jdla rice powder
4. Keep it in the tupperware..pastikan kedap udara
5. Pagi2 bila nak masak amikla bbrapa sudu rice powder masukkan dalam penapis teh
6. Basuh beras bersih2
7. Masak..hingga jadi bubur

Next time I will post about fruit& vege puree...oh ya..silala kisar bubur untk early stage ni..