Still lactating...

I have finished my DOSTINEX dosage few days ago. It is suppose to stop the lactating process. But my breasts are still quite full but not painful. This is just what I want, not pumping for whole day and just enough for Yijing to suck (pacify) during night sleep. JUST NICE!

In conclusion, DOSTINEX is not able to stop a well-established lactating mom completely within 2 days course.
 
Now, I have more quality time to spend with my eldest daughter. Been neglecting on her ever since I start pumping rigorously lately due to engorgement. :)

Suppressing Lactation

Before you read on, I would like to clarify first that this write up is not about encouraging you to stop breastfeeding , I just would like to share to all about part of my breastfeeding journey.

If you have been following my blog lately, I had a severe engorgement on my left breast few days ago. Its been engorged, relieved... engorged again.. relieved again, engorged engorged and engorged.. at the end, I'm not able to pump it out nor feed by baby. I had been very moody and kinda of depressed over this breast pain .. it been affected my work and time with my family. I'd been spending most of the time worrying my engorgement and steal time to pump milk but all at no vail. I can see that my hubby is also very worry about my condition too.

In such, i finally decided to end the lactation process. It takes lots of courage to decide to stop it. But thinking back again, I successfully breastfed Yijing exclusively for 6 + months. To me, that's a great achievement already! Plus she is now taking solid food, and loving formula milk, which means she is taking enough nutrients daily. ^_^

So, yesterday hubby brought me to see gynae. Had a chat with doctor and he actually proud of me to be able to feed exclusively for 6 months. He advised that if engorgement and discomfort affecting my life and work, then it is advisable to suppress it. He prescribed me DOSTINEX (Carbergoline) from Italy ... in that small bottle only have 2 tablets.. and it is just for 2 days consumption. 2 days stop the lactation completely! So FAST?! Kam geng? Can't believe hor ? It took me 2 weeks to build up good milk supply and just 2 days can make it stop completely? According to my doctor, this drug actually stop our body to produce hormones that cause the brain to send signal to breast to produce milk. This drug is safer and more effective compared to Bromocriptine (used many many years ago.. i think even my mum used it last time) which has lots of side effect and in some cases causing death! If you see the price tag on the box.. it is so shocking expensive for just 2 tablets. I really hope it will solve my problem and worth every penny from my purse!

Will blog again on the result ... stay tune!

HARD Rock!

Yesterday i had a bad bad breast (1 side) engorgement. Almost 3/4 of my breast is swollen and as hard as a ROCK. Imagine a rock inside it, and the shape of the breast actually follow the rock! Out of shape terus! Painful and so sensitive to touch. From morning till night I been struggling with this pain. Hubby even skipped his squash practice, standby to send me to see doctor/gynae. Aiyo, what can actually doctors help le.. In my first pregnancy, almost every week, i faced severe engorgement.. till fever some more.. seen doctors, but only being send home with paracetamol and advice to pump and feed regularly. No one can help except our bb. But, long time Yijing has not been feed directly (except night time when she is too sleepy to suck , only treat me as her pacifier). Plus my aerola is too hard she can't even latch properly. Since any pump also can't help me, i only can use hand-express. Little by little.. till i sweat like hell especially in this kinda of weather. Since i reluctant to see doctor, so hubby tried to search from the net for any help/tip. He happened to bum into this chinese forum where a mommy had same situation like me last time. Can't pump can't feed .. So what she did is she squeezed oranges juice up to 1 bowl (small chinese soup bowl) and add 1/2 bowl of rice wine. Steam it for 15mins and drink it hot. She went to sleep and direct feed during sleep time.. and early in the morning, engorgement is gone! My hubby is so nice.. he prepared a bowl for me while i handle 2 kids in living room. Drank it, felt a little bit dizzy coz rice wine has 17% alcohol. Quickly finished up house chores and went to sleep. But Yijing is toooooo sleepy to suck. AIYO.. so woke up at 12:30am to try pump.. jeng jeng jeng.. milk shoots out after 1 minute of pumping.. what a relief! I GOT BACK MY BOOB finally!! Though milk production has decrease drastically from that boob, but I'm sure in no time it will regain back its efficiency. BTW, I can't really guarantee if this tip really works for everyone, but at least for me and for this time, YES, it works!

If you have any tips to get rid severe engorgement , please feel free to leave comments here.. :)

Still stocking up....

Freezer still full! Yijing will start on solid food soon.. wow , almost 6 mths already. Time really flies! In that so, she will be taking less milk.. maybe skipping 1-2 milk intakes.. Will that means i should lessen my pumping sessions? Maybe not. I should slowly lessen when she is 7-8mths. I foresee that she might not be so keen on solid food yet. Let her used to those new food textures first.

Currently, i still pumping 5 times in a day. 6:30am, 10:30am, 1pm, 5pm and lastly 11pm before bedtime. During sleep time, only direct breastfeeding. Averagely , in a day, i'm able to get 36oz. Yijing drinking the most 28-32oz. Everyday, i'm still able to freeze up and stock up 4-8oz. Not bad. :) I'm happy with this amount. Why? Coz i'm still able to provide full milk to my bb and at the same time stock up a little for future use. Too much is just a headache, so better not. :P Space/storage is a big issue here. :P

I'm not using anymore non-BPA bottles to store the BM. Too space consuming, plus i'm too dire lazy to wash  it. So i use double zip lock storage bag instead. It is sterilized and now with ziplock (double some more) to prevent leakage and more hygienic! Not only that, it is now thicker with double layers of plastic. I love it a lot! I don't know if you notice frozen BM does have a kind of smell? With this bags, BM remained fresh and no smell at all.. ! Amazing right?

1 bag cost me RM0.50. Everyday i need 6 bags , so daily i'm paying RM3 for the storage. Ok la.. save my time, energy, water and detergents for washing those bottles. TIME and STAMINA are damn precious for me nowadays. :P

60oz or more GONE!

Poured away more than 20bottles (3oz each) of breastmilk into drain!


Haiii.. due to my mishandling of it. Should have put it into freezer right away after pumping as YiJing is not able to drink all in time. I had put it in refrigerator compartment for more than 1 week only when I thawed it for YiJing, the smell of the milk was awful.. tasted sour too.. YUCK!


Hub said nevermind, it is not that mommy has no supply.. he also added that if next time i pour it into drain again, better use it to water plants.. he wanna save 2 plants on our balcony which are dying away soon...hehehe..

Breastfeeding Progress So Far..

Gladly to say that i feel a lot more comfortable and confident to breastfeed YiJing compare with the time with YiWen. At least till now, i do not have any blocked dust or extreme engorgement since i'm been pumping every 2hours (daytime) and direct breastfeed (night-time). Through experience, i know how to avoid those problems which i faced last time. This time i hired the same Confinement Lady. She is a very nice person, darn good cook, very very hardworking, clean and tidy person. But she is never a good breastfeeding adviser. She will give lots of bad comment on the breastfeeding and no confident that breastmilk will grow up the baby. If last time i almost believe in her words.. but NEVER this time! Everytime she said anything bad about it, i will ask her to look at my YiWen. A 2 year old toddler but wearing apparels size of 3yrs old. So, jangan main main ya!! Never let surroundings to demotivate you! This is very important!!

Servicing my Beloved BreastPump

Few more months, my AMEDA LACTALINE DUAL Breastpump will be my best friends again. Will never leave it alone in the house anymore.. will always carry it in and out from house and office soon. :)

After my intensive usage for 1 year, it is time to send it for servicing. My current problem with it is, pump suction is weak where i have to adjust to the strongest when the suction back normal then i will have to adjust back to the power i want. Something like inconsistent suction. According to the customer service guy in KL, he said it is norm and a servicing will actually solve it. Phew! So happy to hear that..

Happy World Breastfeeding Week 2010!!

Do you all know that 1-7th Aug 2010 (this week) is World Breastfeeding Week (WBW) ? YES! Breastfeeding is so important that there is even a week in a year that is dedicated to it.

Myself is a hardcore breastfeeding mom. Hehehe.. i used to failed, felt frustrated and dissappointed when i can't breastfeed YiWen exclusively during first 2 months. I bummed into several problems e.g lack of milk, sore nipples, cracked nipples, severe engorgement (due to blocked ducts) leading to fever .. you name it.. i think i kena all before. But thank GOD, after received lots of advises from my sis in law and also few experts on the NET, i managed to hold on and successfully exclusively breastfeed YiWen till she is 10 months. Phew.. then slowly, i'm introducing her formula milk (FM).. Why 10 months? Why not 1 year? Hehehe.. coz i thought to wean her off when she is 1 year old mah... so it was time to introduce her FM lor.. So she still mixing on BM and FM till about 1yr 3 months, then we stopped BM altogether and only drink FM from feeding bottle.. i no longer pumping milk.. just on demand, i will give her direct suck from my breast. That continue till she 1yr 9months and then she weaned off from breast.. :)

Women are not born with breastfeeding knowledge. They need to learn and gain support from surrounding in order to succeed. If you wish to breastfeed, but surrounding are negatively detering you.. then be firm and gain knowledge and support from all breastfeeding moms on the NET. They are many of them around. Don't be shy to befriend and ask advises from them. :)

Just can't wait to breastfeed my newborn this Nov. Hehehe.. need to check my pump condition too.. it got to be working fine!

That's my journey on breastfeeding. :)

I got this article from The Star Online. For those breastfeeding mom, please join the 1 Minute Simultaneous Breastfeeding. The event is in Penang, but if inconvenient to you, you may do it at home too.. :) You will eventually be given a cert by MMPS too.. :) Below are the details:

In conjunction with World Breastfeeding Week 2010, Penang Mother-To-Mother Peer Support group is inviting mothers to participate in the momentous One Minute of Simultaneous Breastfeeding.

This event which calls for Malaysia's mothers to join together to breastfeed their babies for one minute at the same time, will take place on 7 August at 3pm at the DISTED College, 340 Macalister Road, Penang.

The event is open to the public with song and dance performances for famiily and friends to enjoy, as well as to learn about your rights to successfully breastfeed your baby.

Registration is free and for information please call Jeya Aravin – 0192782728; Vasumathi Muthuramu – 0124996389; Deborah Lee – 0174259378; Tamil Selvvi – 0124159758 or email pgmmps@gmail.com or visit the blog at http://pgmmps.wordpress.com

*** If you are not in Penang on 7 August, no worries because you can still participate from wherever you are – at home, in the office and anywhere.

Here's how to take part:

1.On Saturday 7 August, at about 3.15pm prepare yourself and the baby (or babies). You can begin breastfeeding at this time and continue to do so till 3.30pm and continue after according to your baby's convenience. However, it is very important that you are breastfeeding your baby at exactly 3.30pm, because this is when all the mothers in Malaysia in their homes, offices, hospitals and at the event venue will be breastfeeding.

2.Just after you have successfully breastfed your baby at 3.30pm, pick up your phone and sms to 0124996389 /0124156446 / 0174259378 or email to pgmmps@gmail.com before 4.00pm so they can count you in as part of the number of mothers in Malaysia who have joined the One Minute Simultaneous Breastfeeding event. The announcement of the official numbers of participants will be made at 4.15pm.

Please sms or email the following details: Name of Mother: Name of Baby/Babies: Address for Mailing: Phone No.:

This information is required so that MMPS can send you a Certificate that you can proudly display and let the world know that you joined Malaysia's mothers in support of Breastfeeding.

Pumping in Public

Yesterday myself and DH took leave to go out outing. As it is a working day, as usual we sent YiWen to babysitter. Everytime I go out for long hours, I will bring out my MEDELA SWING pump which is battery operated so that i can pump in the car or nappy-changing room. DH plan to watch Ong Back 2 (kinda of violent Thai-movie) at noon. Isks! I need to pump at noon too. How le.. I can't find a nappy-changing room! I don't want to pump in the car too as the car park is very far! Just lazy! If I don't pump at noon, surely i will get blocked ducts after the movie. Don't know why suddenly i got an idea to pump in cineplex.. LOL. I told my DH about it, and he said NO COMMENT. So we went in and luckily only less than 10 spectators. Phew! Of coz we chose seats which are at secluded area for little privacy. There it goes.. my first public pumping! Happily bringing home a full bottle of milk for my little one. :)

DH's Voluntary Task

As a working mom and also still exclusively brfg YiWen, it is actually a very tough job. Ya, I really salute all housewifes that full time taking care of babies. Really not easy. So daddy out there, please appreciate your wife. Not to ask you to day and night kiss your wife. Help out in doing few household tasks will make your wife very happy and touched.

For example, my DH actually volunteers to :
1) Wash and sterilize all breastmilk bottle, feeding bottles and teats.
2) Boil water and pour into thermos for my night use.
3) Hang out YiWen's clothes for drying. (I will do the washing)

Hey, don't ever think I'm being nasty ok.. I still let my hubby play PS3 and go out yam char with his buddies , ok? :P

Sagging Breasts

Let me get this straight, breastfeeding do not cause breast sagging. It is pregnancy that causes it! One of my colleague has such mindset and hesitate to breastfeed her newborn baby. Pity the baby.. can't drink mommy's milk. Ok, let's read the fact, I got this from http://www.mother-2-mother.com/:

Will My Breasts Remain "Saggy" Once Baby Weans?
Sagging is a concern for many mothers, but this is not a result of breastfeeding. Sagging is a physical change related to pregnancy, NOT to breastfeeding, and some studies have indicated that the degree to which a mother "sags" could be related to the degree of change in the breast during pregnancy. Other studies seem to indicate that sagging may be a genetic factor.
Most mothers do feel that their breasts are a little "saggy" during the latter part of breastfeeding, and upon weaning, but this "saggy" or "floppy" feeling is eventually replaced by a fuller feeling as time goes on and the body fat fills in around the milk producing glands.

You see now?? So DO NOT GIVE UP BREASTFEEDING because your breast will sag or what! Instead, think twice before you get pregnant.. LOL!

My best friend is sick.. :(

Sigh... my Spectra 3 pump has broke down! Need to send back to KL for servicing.. Luckily I bought from reliable shop, so this shop owner also my lactation consultant lend me a loan unit until mine is back. Poor pump.. my best friend is sick! Uuuuuuuuuwa...

Recurring Blocked Ducts

My common brfg problem is blocked ducts. Worst is that it keeps on recurring! Hate
it a lot! To overcome this problem, I must transform myself from a lazy person to a
hardworking one by adding more pumping sessions. You know what is blocked ducts?

A blocked duct presents as a painful, swollen, firm mass in the breast. The skin
overlying the blocked duct is often quite red, similar to what happens during
mastitis, but less intense. Mastitis is usually also associated with fever and more
intense pain as well. However, it is not always easy to distinguish between a mild
mastitis and a severe blocked duct. Both are associated with a painful lump in the
breast.

I had mastitis once , but many many times with blocked ducts. If you have
blocked ducts, the best way to get rid of it is to apply hot towel on the lumps and
then breastfeed as much as possible. Try every brfg positions until the lumps
subside. However, if you are away from your baby, you will need to pump rigoriously
to unblocked it. Breast compression is necessary. But I found that using
wide-tooth-comb to comb the lumps area from upper breast towards the nipple is very
helpful. Using comb may sound weird, but it works wonder! Well, I always keep a comb
in my pump bag though. After all, it ain't heavy right?

Sacred Tea for Nursing Mothers - 100% Certified Organic

Being a low milk supply mom, I need to take Galactogogue herbs tea to boost my milk supply. Recently, I have finished up my MilkMaid Tea. I found the effect to be quite mild where I need to drink day and night for 2 days to see the result. I want something stronger! Lately I bummed into this product from USA named "Sacred Tea for Nursing Mom". Claimed to be best-seller product from USA. Impressive reviews from few moms who tried it too. I gave it a try and bought it at RM89.90 for 6.5oz. On the packaging label, stated that "The unique combination of our ingredients makes this herbal tea a powerful cocktail of Vital Nutrients that will stimulate and increase blood flow to your mammary glands, thus promoting and increasing your milk supply within hours of use." Within hours of use??! This is what I'm looking for! And guess what after one serving, and interval of 2 hours, I managed to increase extra 2-3oz. Cool! But, I dare not drink it everyday, as I'm afraid I'll get blocked ducts if I miss a pump session in office. And my advice to all "DO NOT DRINK IT AT NIGHT BEFORE YOU GO TO BED"! Unless you can make sure you fully empty both your breasts when you nurse at night, else you will risk to get engorgement and leading to blocked ducts.
Btw, this tea is actually formulated by Ana Sola. You may visit her website www.breastfeedingwomen.com. Interesting birth story she had, read it when you free. I felt lucky after reading her traumatise birth story. :P Maybe I should blog about my birth story too.. Cool!~