Confinement Days - Day 1

For my 2nd child birth, I had hired a confinement lady to take care of me and my baby girl. It's my first time having a stranger to stay with me and take care of us both. Frankly speaking, I was doubtful and nervous on how things will work out at first. The people I know would know that I am not those typical traditional Chinese who follows the old customs and I am really afraid of all those typical Chinese auntie who will tell me this cannot and that must do...bla bla bla...

So on Monday afternoon, once I reached home, the auntie from Ipoh came to my house. She is about 50++ of age and she is a bit traditional type of auntie...I think it's difficult and rare to get a modern and more "open-minded" auntie to do confinement. Oh well, the first thing she blurted out to me was "You cannot drink water at all...It's a NO NO NO thing". And I was astonished as what kind of people will survive without drinking water...even warm water is not allowed. She claimed that drinking water will cause me to have swollen legs and water retention in my body. What absurd is that...So, i just kept quiet and sneakily fill up my drinking bottle with warm water everyday and keep it in my room. I can't not drink water at all as I am breastfeeding and the auntie cooks all the heaty food for me...I'm afraid later my baby cannot past motion and my body will be too heaty. The auntie only allows me to drink red dates water and hot milo...pity me...

The other thing is that I can't touch tap water at all...She told me that I cannot touch water as later when I'm old, my hands will be shaky due to "wind". So, if I need to wash hand or clean myself, I can only use boiled water with warm temperature. Even water heater water is also banned as it's related to unboiled water. Phew...so many "pantang".

So first day, not much of talking between her and me...I was not used to her and her style. I kept quiet and observe her treating my baby. And i found that she is not a very patient lady with baby. Not much caring and understanding the baby. The worse is that she did not really understand about breastfeeding and when my baby starts sucking, she will imply that my baby wants pacifier. I was like "No way, i do not want my baby to suck pacifier...she is breastfeeding so when there is sign of her sucking, meaning she wants milk from the mummy, not pacifier."

And at first she supposed to sleep with my baby and carry her to me whenever she needs milk. But when I heard my baby crying in the next room, she did not bring her in. She just gave her pacifier and let her suck, and she went back to sleep....Luckily I went over to the room to spot check (I couldn't sleep the first night as I worried about my baby). As soon as I saw my baby left sucking the pacifier while semi-sleeping, I kidnapped her back to my room and let her sleep with me. After I breastfed her, she was soundly asleep and there is no need of pacifier at all... So from that night onwards, I told my confinement lady that my baby will sleep with me at night and I will take care of her on my own. This way I can make sure my baby gets enough milk and able to sleep soundly...and not getting her in hunger with just sucking pacifier...