Can You Spot Oyis?

Sasar lahir 60,000 graduan Ph.D

Oleh FATIHAH MOHAMED
fatihah.mohamed@kosmo.com.my

MOHAMED KHALED melihat sijil milik Siti Norwardatulaina Mohd. Yusof selepas majlis

pelancaran MyBrain15 di Pusat Konvensyen Antarabangsa Putrajaya semalam.

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KUALA LUMPUR - Kementerian Pengajian Tinggi (KPT) meletakkan sasaran untuk melahirkan sebanyak 60,000 lulusan doktor falsafah (Ph.D) di negara ini dalam masa 15 tahun ini bagi membantu memacu perkembangan ekonomi negara.

Menurut Menteri Pengajian Tinggi, Datuk Seri Moha- med Khaled Nordin, penghasilan lulusan tersebut akan dilaksanakan melalui Program MyBrain 15 yang bertujuan untuk meningkatkan bilangan pelajar lulusan Ph.D.

"Melalui bilangan lulusan Ph.D yang mencukupi, ia akan membolehkan negara dikenali masyarakat antarabangsa melalui penciptaan dan inovasi produk dan perkhidmatan yang bakal diterokai," katanya semasa melancarkan program MyBrain 15 di sini semalam.

Setakat ini katanya, pelajar Ph.D dalam negara hanya seramai 8,000 orang manakala seramai 3,914 pelajar lagi sedang melanjutkan pelajaran dan kos bagi menampung pembiayaan pengajian mereka bagi tempoh 2005 hingga Ogos 2008 menelan belanja sebanyak RM837 juta.

"Jumlah perbelanjaan tersebut meliputi 39.4 peratus iaitu 1,543 pelajar yang mengi- kuti pengajian Ph.D di univer- siti tempatan, manakala selebihnya di luar negara," kata- nya.

Jelas Mohamed Khaled, jumlah sedia ada itu masih belum mencukupi, justeru memerlukan campur tangan institusi pengajian tinggi (IPT) untuk memastikan hasrat meningkatkan pelajar lulusan Ph.D tercapai.

"Jadi kita sarankan pihak IPT mendorong pelajar-pelajar peringkat sarjana muda untuk meneruskan pengajian mereka ke peringkat lebih tinggi sama ada di IPT tempa- tan atau luar negara," katanya.

Untuk tujuan itu, jelas beliau, pihak IPT juga perlu menyemak semula beberapa perkara berkaitan kemasukan pelajar ke program Ph.D, sokongan penyelidikan, tarikan kerjaya dan tempoh tamat pengajian.

"Pihak IPT juga perlu menangani urusan berkaitan penyeliaan Ph.D dengan lebih serius melalui meletakkan nisbah penyelia pelajar pada kadar 1:5 untuk menyokong keperluan pertambahan tenaga kerja berijazah," katanya.

http://www.kosmo.com.my/kosmo/content.asp?y=2008&dt=0926&pub=Kosmo&sec=Negara&pg=ne_10.htm

Aisyah's 3rd Month Visit Update

Aisyah nyer visit last week, but somehow sibuk giler x tertulis2 lg.

OK, ni dia stats Aisyah so far...


Dia skang selsema. Kesian dia.

Semoga cpt sembuh ye sayang?

Hubs Should Really Quit His Job ...

And become a stand-up comedian instead...

IF ...

All of his audiences find him as funny as Aisyah does. He's there doing absolutely nothing and it totally cracked her up. See how she's laughing her head off? Macam budak besar...

Visuals like these totally make me warm and fuzzy inside. Aisyah, you turned 100 days old today, and I thank Allah for allowing me to cherish these mometns with you.

Happy 100th Day Birthday, Baby!

Applying Visa on Aisyah's 3rd Months Birthday

Pagi2 lg smlm kitaorg kuar ke Visa Application Centre utk submit visa application kitaorg. Sebelum tu dah beberapa mlm tido x cukup sbb nak siapkan ALL the documents yg perlu utk wat visa tuh. Bole wat masa Aisyah tido aje, me n Hubs sama2 wat. Dah lama dah collect sket2, tp semlm mmg all out la, sbb x mo tangguh2 dahGiler leceh la, malas nak tulis. Imagine je la yeh kesengsaraan kitaorg tu yeh?

Visa Application Centre ni terletak kat Wisma MCA, kat Jalan Ampang. Tingkat 19, pening kepala aku naik lif. Whoosh! Dia punya security, pergh, ketat giler. Nak masuk dia scan, pas tu ada beberapa pintu security yg hanya guard bole buka utk kita masuk. CCTV jgn citer la. Dtg kena wat appointment, but walk in pon bole gak kalo x ramai sgt. Kena beratur utk scan bag and badan. Pas tu guard yg bg no giliran. Plak tu, bkn bole masuk beramai2. Lps beberapa org keluar, baru la beberapa org dibenarkan masuk at any one time. Tempat wat visa UK ni bersebelahan ngan tempat wat visa US. Masa aku jengok opis sebelah ut, Ya Allah lengang... yg kat UK ni berlambak org. Says anything? ;P

Byk yg dtg ni bakal undergrad aku tgk, sbb parents pon ikut serta. Kalo korg dtg ngan parents, baik dtg sendiri je la, sbb guard akan suruh parents turun tunggu kat lobi. Nasib aku mmg apply utk tiga beranak, so all three bole masuk. Actually, lebih senang, sbb ada baby, so diaper bag tu dia x check sgt. Guard pon bg masuk cpt, sbb takut baby nangis tunggu lama2 kat luar. Hehe... rahmat2...

Efficient gak diorg wat keja. Kitaorg x yah tggu lama2 pon. Tp mmg diaorg scrutinize abis kita nyer dokumen2 tu sblm diorg amik. Pas tu amik biometric data setiap sorg tu, dgn sepuluh2 jari and muka masuk dlm rekod dia. Mesti gile besar dia punya database nak simpan each and every applicants nyer info. Btw, diaorg hanya terima bank draft. Kalo x silap aku, ari tu baca kata bole kasi cash, alih2 x bleh plak. Ke aku konfius ngan buat passport? Ntah la, tp nasib baik kat bawah tu ada Alliance Bank. Kalo x nak Alliance Bank pon, gi Maybank seberang jln kat Ampang Park pon ok. Habis RM 2000 lebih okeh nak wat visa utk 3 beranak nih? Haiyo... harap2 approved tanpa byk songeh la application kitaorg. Visa akan siap dlm 10 working days, Insya Allah...

On the way balik tu, kitaorg singgah Great Eastern Mall, beli baju panas utk baby. Nasib baik ada, susah betul nak cari saiz under 1 year old nih. Dpt la beli gloves and wool hat utk Aisyah. Also beli Long Johns utk dia (bodywarmer). Aku beli gak sepasang Long Johns utk aku sendiri.

Sbnarnya, utk bulan Oktober, masih x perlu topi and gloves tuh, tp aku ingat sgt masa aku first gi UK dulu, sbb pertukaran cuaca tu, mmg angin sepoi2 bahasa pon rasa cam dah nak beku. So biar la aku wrap Aisyah lebih sket, even kalo org sana nak ketawa sbb masih autumn and bukannya winter pon aku x kisah. Janji Aisyah warm and comfy, mintak jauh la demam or selsema sbb sejuk. Cuba diaorg yg kat UK plak gi Msia, hah... mcm cacing kepanasan la gamaknya, so jgn mandai2 nak ketawakan org :D

Menyentuh bab beli2 baju nih, ada la sket2 dah wat. Itu hari gi cari jeans utk aku, sbb aku x decent pair pon. Aku ni kan wanita melayu terakhir, asyik pakai baju kurng je. Kat sana mmg x dpt la nak pakai kalo bkn ari raya, sejuk beb! Anywya, dpt la rembat sepasang (nak kena cari lg :P). Sungguh aku x sangka saiz seluar aku sudah melepasi angka umur aku. Wah! sungguh x percaya ngan saiz aku skang. Mmg la aku tahu aku dah besar berbanding dulu, tp x perasan la plak bila masa dah naik saiz nih, tahap malu gaban nak citer nih. Rahsia wokeh saiz aku? Mmg I have lost all the baby weight, tp aku lupa yg body dah x se'tone' dulu. Aiseh, nak kena cari bengkung nih. Ni la bahana pregnancy and the c-section made it even worst. X pe, demi Aisyah, aku redha :)

Oh ya, dekat Great Eastern Mall tu dia punya Nursing / Changing Room sgt2 selesa, roomy n wangi. Ada 2 tempat nappy change, 2 bilik nursing (dlm nursing room ada sofa, end table, mirror), ada sofas di lounge utk bottle fed babies n moms hang out, ada sinki and ada in-room toilet. Also ada aircond, best2. Nmpk mcm x ramai sgt yg guna, so ok la x berebut ngan org lain mcm kat Alamanda ke. Itu je nak ckp, in case ada org nak gi, so jgn takut2 psl x de tempat tukar nappy. (Kalo nak gi wat visa kat Wisma MCA ye, perlu takut, sbb x baby-friendly tempat tu. Mmg x expect pon, sbb very corporate punya tempat kan. Aku terpaksa fed Aisyah kat surau, which had no aircond. Kepanasan tau! huhu).

Ok la, itu aje citer jenjalan semalam. BTW, Aisyah turned 3 months semlm. Ni dia Aisyah yg tgh test pakai wool hat dia.

Tips Untuk Travel With Frozen EBM

Beberapa minggu lepas aku rasa x berapa motivated nak pump susu wat stock. Sebabnya, aku terpikir, aku kan dah nak gi UK, jadi ada byk isu yg menserabutkan kepala relating to EBM. Antaranya:

1. Dgn apa aku transportkan EBM tu semua nanti?

2. Plak kalo EBM tu semua cair dlm perjalanan, kan ke sia2 aje usaha aku selama ni?

3. Better aku BF direct aje la wat masa ni, x yah susah2 beli storage bottles tu lg (botol dah habis wat stock EBM dlm fridge, needed new ones).

4. Nak kena cair n buangkan ke EBM tu before leaving for the UK, then basuh2 storage bottles tu elok2 and pack dlm beg ke? (ruginya!) Kalo mcm tu, x ke buat berat beg aje bawa botol kosong? Better beli kat UK aje nanti botol2 tu, lg murah kot.

5. Bila dah buang stok EBM skang, habis tu kat UK kena start from scratch ke? Mak aiih... dah la masa tu Aisyah makin besar, permintaan susu dia mesti tinggi. Skang pon 4 oz x berapa cukup per feeding session. Mcm mana la aku penuhi demand dia nanti, dgn aku nak start school nya, stress research n stress in settling life kat sana. Ada susu ke?

6. Kalo x buang kan EBM tu, bole ke transport atas flight? Bkn ke ada regulations regarding membawa cecair ke atas kapal terbang? EBM lepas ke?

7. Kalo lps pon, mesti berat gile frozen EBM ni. Botak la nak byr overweight luggage... huhu

.. dan mcm2 lg la yg negatif. Last2, aku pikir, x leh jd ni. Kena tanya pakar nih. Makin lama aku pendam rasa negatif gini, makin malas aku dibuatnya utk mengepam. Tau2 kang kering plak susu sbb dah x de motivasi. Aku pon book appointment ngan Puan Rita Rahayu tu (Lactation Expert) kat kedai Moms Little Ones tu la.

Man, was I glad I had that chat with her. Lps explaining masalah aku, dia terus provide suggestion and possible solutions. Jgn buang EBM2 tu skang, and jgn rasa down, nnt effect pengeluaran susu, kata dia. Skang nih, nak naik flight bole bawa EBM, either as hand luggage or through baggage bawah. But remember to declare it first before checking in. Kalo ada masalah, cite apa yg tertulis dlm TSA Policy (Transportation Security Administration). Bawak aje printout, tunjuk kat org kaunter yg check-in. Mau gaduh lg kalu, panggil sama itu manager la. Hehe...

"TSA is also modifying the rules associated with carrying breast milk through security checkpoints. Mothers flying with, and now without, their child will be permitted to bring breast milk in quantities greater than three ounces as long as it is declared for inspection at the security checkpoint. Breast milk is in the same category as liquid medications. Now, a mother flying without her child will be able to bring breast milk through the checkpoint, provided it is declared prior to screening."

Lagi kata dia, setakat UK, flight dlm 12 jam tu, dia dah biasa transport EBM. X cair kalo kena caranya. Tips dia:

1. Get a good insulated cooler bag utk pastikan susu x cair

2. Line it with high quality ice packs (at least kena cover perimeter of the beg from the inside, atas, bawah and letak lg ice packs in between rows of EBM dlm beg

3. Use storage bottles yg tahan (MLO pon ok). Bekas plastik dadih/disposable liner bags adalah sgt2 x disarankan, sbb masa angkut2 bag tu nnt gerenti pecah bekas tu, menyebabkan susu melimpah dalam beg.

4. As soon as touchdown, masuk terus freezer. Dari Heathrow ke tempat aku tu nnt, bole tahan lg, coz dah sejuk2 gitu cuaca kat sana nanti. Kalo cair sket2, it's OK lg, bcoz susu ibu ni sgt2 susah nak basi/rosak. Tips: kalo baby reject, then jgn guna. Otherwise, it's still OK

5. Kalo x nak kena caj extra weight, carry it as a hand luggage, terus free of charge. Get a cooler bag with wheels utk tarik beg tu bg mengelakkan proses angkat mengangkat.

6. Kalo terpaksa masuk cargo jugak, all the better, coz dlm cargo mmg freezing bila dah kat atas nnt. So EBM lg tahan lama. But make sure wrap bag tu (ala, yg wrap guna mcm saran wrap yg pusing laju2 kat KLIA tu) for extra protection in case rough handling.

Insya Allah la, kata dia. Aku happy sgt dgr penerangan dia nih. Dah x perlu la aku was2 utk membuat stok. Dia suggest beli cooler bag cap 'Compass' yg ada wheels yg dia jual. Aku godek2, mcm best.

Features dia: polyester, with nylon panels. Insulated cooler with clear, removable lining. Retractable handle. Front pocket. Side handles. Bungee bag cord in top lid with cord. Setakat masuk 60 botol tu, relax aje (Aku pon x de 60 botol lg skang, so kena pump lebih dah la skang). Harga: RM 129. Rupa dia lebih kurg mcm ni (tp bkn exactly, x jumpa plak gambarnya).

So aku pon beli la. Lagi aku beli MLO ice packs (6 packs - utk 3 packs = RM27 ) and 1 sheet of Techni Ice (RM 30) utk keep the EBM cool. Kat umah dah ada 3 ice packs tu, so tgk la camne nanti, cukup kot.

Kerana storage bottles aku dah habis, aku beli lg some more yg Twin Packs gitu (RM59.90). Kan dah x de ragu2 lg utk wat stok ... hehe..

Another item yg beli ialah MAM anti colic bottle (RM 31.80), sbb mak aku mintak. Dia kata, masa dia jaga Aisyah kat umah, kdg2 cam x cukup tgn nak tend baby lg, nak basuh/sterilize botol lg in between feeds tu. Kalo beli dua bole la dia gilir2, x la terkejar2 dia nak basuh. Translation: aku la basuh masa dah balik keja nnt - hehe. So aku pon beli la lagi satu. Plus, better ada dua pon, sbb Aisyah x mo terima botol lain. Kalo satu hilang, ada lg satu. Kalo x de spare, naya jek...

Pembelian aku secara borong ni telah memberikan aku 2 item free - cooler bag kecil and also pacifier brand MAM. Aku happy sgt, sbb bila try2 dekat Aisyah, dia nak plak pacifier tu. Selama ni mmg dah jenuh beli puting, bermcm2 shape- olive, symmetrical, orthodontics, cherry, dan bermcm2 brand - anakku, pigeon, cap ayam, tp semua x jalan. Alih2 yg imported brand UK ni dia terima plak dgn senang hati. Mungkin design nipple dia tu serasi ngan Aisyah. Haish.. high maintenance plak anak aku nih... Jgn mcm tu anak oii... Ibu n Ayah bukan la org berada pon ... Sket2 x pe hehe...

In conclusion, I'm a happy bunny. Doakan la semuga niat suci murni aku nak continue BF Aisyah sampai cukup masanya yg hak ni dimakbulkan Allah. Aku dah cuba yg teerbaik dgn meng'invest' dlm benda2 yg dirasakan perlu, harap2 nya berjaya la ek? And if you are like me, travelling but with an intention to carry your frozen EBM with you, jgn gusar. It is possible :)

A BFP, An MC & A Delivery

Breathe, I'm not the one with the BFP (Big Fat Positive). It so happened yesterday I met a friend who confided in me that his wife is expecting. Or at least he thought she was, since they got their BFP last night and wanted to be sure that they had read the results right. Sure enough, I told him that if there were two lines, than she's almost 99% pregnant, as it's very very rare to have a false positive. I congratulated him and wished him and his wife a happy and healthy pregnancy.

Not long after, I found out a wife of another friend had a MC (miscarriage) just recently, after being pregnant for only 8 short weeks. Although it had happened a while back, the news had shocked me, as I was late in finding out as I was away on maternity leave for ages. My condolences to the family and hopefully they get through the grieving process well.

Later in the evening, I went to visit my buddy Yzma, who had given birth on Sep, 11, 2008 to a 3.89 kg baby boy at the Kajang Speacialist Hospital. My, my, her baby is a 90 grams heavier than Aisyah, and it is no wonder she had to have surgery to get him out. Mother is doing well. However, baby isn't so, as he is under phototherapy treatment for jaundice. I am happy for them on the safe delivery, and pray that their baby gets well soon. I definately know how tiring and hard these early times are,and I wished Yzma to be steadfast and patient with her breastfeeding efforts with a jaundiced baby (very, very difficult!)

At the end of the day, as I pondered upon the three isolated events that happened to friends around me, I felt as if I had relived everything in my journey to baby. I've gone through the joy and shock of discovering a BFP (heck, TWO BFPs if you count the one I miscarried), I've dealt with the sorrow and grief that followed my miscarriage, and I've been blessed to have experienced the safe birth of my baby, only to feel very upset and anxious later when she was diagnosed with breastmilk jaundice. Really, having gone through all these, I can say to each and every one of my three friends that I know EXACTLY what you are going through. And I pray them all well, through the easy and tough times. I guess this is the hikmah of everything that had happened to me previously; God gives me more understanding and empathy for others and what they are going through.

And as the night falls, I stare into the eyes of my Aisyah Nurzahirah, I could feel my love for her blossomed ten thousands times more. Indeed, it was a long journey to baby, but it was a beautiful one, and I look forward to continue this journey with baby with each passing day ....

Babywearing

Okay, in response to some more questions from friends on the safety and the benefit of babywearing, I've put down 10 reasons that would hopefully help a lot of you out. These 10 facts are credited to LadySoul, who is also a huge fan of slings.

I'm not trying to convert anyone, but I really want to share the joy and convenience of babywearing to all Moms out there. I know the concern is mostly on the safety issue, coz it does look a little dodgy on the outside, but believe me, with correct fitting, your baby is sure to be snug and comfy in there. People all over the world have been babywearing for hundreds of thousands of years now, so there must be something good about it, right?

But if the issue is all about being embarrassed to don the 'Indon Maid Look', all I can say is, look around you, babywearing is so the IN thing right now! Angelina Jolie is wearing it, so is Brooke Shield, and I have here Julia Roberts, Gwen Stefani, heck, even Etahn Hawk is proud to use it! So who exactly, is missing out on the latest fashion trend here?

All celebs aside, I'd like to ask, 'Is there anything sweeter than when your baby lays her head aginst your chest?'

Here are the 10 reasons:

Babywearing is an ancient tradition that has withstood the test of time in native cultures around the world. Here are ten reasons why using our baby sling can play a vital role in successful parenting today.

Convenient
* A sling allows you to care for your baby and work HANDS-FREE at the same time!
* The baby’s weight is COMFORTABLY distributed across your shoulder, back and hip.
* You can attend to your other children while safely holding your baby.
* Slings are much more COMPACT than strollers or plastic infant seats. You can carry your sling in a diaper bag.

Easy to use
* Your baby can be worn in many comfortable positions: snuggle hold, cradle hold, kangaroo carry, hip carry, or back carry (for toddlers).
* Putting on a sling is as easy as putting on a purse.

Calms babies down
* A sling is an instant baby soother; babies love the rhythmic motion of riding in a sling.
* A 1986 study of 99 mother-infant pairs (reported in Pediatrics Magazine ) showed that carrying babies at least three hours a day reduced crying and fussing 43% during the day and 51% at night.
* Babies are happier being carried and have less need to cry, so parents enjoy their babies more as a result.
* Versatile and cost effective
* You can use a simple sling from birth to age three (or 35 lbs.), replacing the need for other more expensive baby carriers.
* Slings can also be used as a shopping cart safety belt, toddler harness, light blanket, or changing pad.
* Small pets (under 25 lbs.) love to be carried too.

Babywearing enhances mental development
* Carried babies are up at eye level, able to share your world and receive lots of healthy stimuli and attention.
* Since babies are exposed to more experiences and conversations, they often develop language skills quicker.
* Sling babies have better visual and auditory alertness, and increased "quiet alert" times, which is when the brain is most active. As a result, babies learn faster.

Improves physical development
* Slings provide a “transitional womb” for newborns adapting to a new world. Think of it as 9 months in the womb and 9 months out.
* Carried babies develop good muscle tone in both neck and body, and have better balance.
* Carried babies have fewer stress hormones and this relaxed state aids in better digestion, physical growth, and attention span. (Just be careful when you carry her after her full meal :) or...you'll be carrying a handful of baby barf :)

Promotes self-confidence
* Slings promote bonding between parent and child. Findings from a Columbia University study revealed that 83% of babies carried in cloth carriers were "securely attached," compared to only 38% of those carried in infant seats. This bond is essential for infant development.
* Carried babies and toddlers feel more secure in new social situations
* Babies become more independent and confident at an earlier age.

Keeps baby safe
* Keep baby close to you and away from germs in public places.
* In a sling, your toddler can’t wander off.
* Slings provide protection from overstimulation. (Which is very true because all she's focused on is YOU)

Makes parenting even more enjoyable!
* Wearing your baby will help you gain a greater awareness of your child’s needs and eliminate excessive crying and temper tantrums.
* Better communication increases bonding, infant trust, and feelings of parental competence.
* Holding your baby releases mom hormones that create a unique feeling of close attachment.
* It’s fun to cuddle your baby! A sling helps you enjoy this special time for as long as possible.

For more information, please refer to:

The Continuum Concept by Jean Liedloff. Reading, Mass.: Addison Wesley, 1985.

Creative Parenting by William Sears, M.D. Montreal: Optimum Publishing International, 1992.

Mothering and Fathering by Tine Thevenin. Garden City Park, New York: Avery Publishing Group, Inc., 1993.

Hunziker, U. A. and Barr, R, G. (1986). Increased carrying reduces infant crying: a randomized controlled trial. Pediatrics, 77, 641-8.

Anisfeld, E., Casper, V., Noyzce, M. and Cunningham, N. (1990). Does infant carrying promote attachment? An experimental study of the effects of increased physical contact on the development of attachment. Child Development, 61, 1617-1627

Aisyah My Little Gymnast

I managed to capture Aisyah doing her current everyday must-do exercise regime - flipping!

Look at the speed she does it! Giler laju sampai mak aku tanya, 'Lajukan film speed ke?' (which I hadn't, btw, in case you're also thinking it).

Lps dia dah flip on her belly tu, aku dtg dekat, konon nak capture muka dia on camera, sbb slalunya dia senyum2 puas hati meniarap buat sendirian berhad. Alih2 hari ni dia marah aku dtg dekat. Ingatkan kenapa, rupa2nya dia belom habis buat gymnastic routine dia. Dia teruskan dgn mem'flip' semula ke belakang. She did a full 360!

Boleh tahan aktif anak aku ni yeh? Patut la dlm perut dulu kuat melasak mcm tgh buat aksi gymnastic gaya cam nak challenge Nadia Comanechi.. hi hi..

'I Love Your Blog' Gift

This gift is given to me by the generous Mummy H&H. Rasa honored betul. Thanks very much. I love ur blog too, bebeh.

To all yg ada blog link nya di sebelah kanan blog saya ini, sudi lah kiranya terima hadiah yg x seberapa ini drpd saya yg dipanjangkan drpd org2 sebelumnya. Sesungguhnya mmg I love your blogs, and mmg konfem check everyday -- even the ones yg jarang update, hehe (u know who u r, maka rajin2 la update keh keh keh).

Keep the blog world meriah people, okay?

Lotsa Love,
Oyis

Pouch vs Sling

Aisyah In Her Pouch

Okay, a few people have asked me, 'Which is better, a Ring Sling or a Pouch Sling?'

Honestly, both serves the same purpose, and I can't answer it without being biased about it. Of course I would say go with the pouch, but that's bcoz I'm useless with folding and tying that I couldn't even do it to save my life. But to others, the ring sling might be the best ever creation. It really depends on the individual.

So here I present a little smackdown between Pouch Sling vs Ring Sling that I have nicked from the Sweet Things Baby Slings Website. Hopefully, this will help explain it better than I can ever write it myself.

Ring Sling

Pros:
*Ring slings are highly adjustable. The fabric threaded through the rings can be taken up or let out to achieve a perfect fit; a ring sling can be shared with family and friends and passed on when the baby outgrows babywearing.
*The tail of the sling, if not sewn shut or "closed", is quite handy for keeping a sleeping baby's head out of the elements and covering boobage while breastfeeding.
*Ring sling tails can include a pocket that will hold a diaper, wipes, bottle, sippy cup, billfold, etc. You can leave the diaper bag in the car.

Cons:
*The amount of fabric necessary to keep the sling secure feels bulky to some people and, compared to a pouch, it takes a wee bit longer to put on and take off a ring sling.
*Not everyone gets the hang of letting fabric in and out at the tail.
*Some people find the rings to be heavy and annoying.

Pouch Sling

Pros:
*Pouch slings are very easy to use. There are no rings or extra lengths of fabric to mess with or position.
*Pouch slings have a very low profile and are comfortable enough to wear under a jacket or into the grocery store in anticipation of a child that elects to squirm out of a shopping cart. Parents of twins can wear two pouch slings at the same time, one across each shoulder.
*Some of our pouches are reversible. Twice the fun!
*Pouches fold up smaller than ring slings.

Cons:
*Pouch slings must fit an individual's specific measurement in order to be comfortable. If a babywearer changes weight dramatically, a pouch that fit originally will no longer work.
*There is no extra piece of fabric like a tail to cover a baby's head or to facilitate nursing.

Maka, harus la diingatkan, sekiranya korg nak beli pouch, kena la ukur betul2. Biasanya kalo average Msian yg tingginya kurg 156 cm tu, aku rasa, pakai saiz S aje. Unless you have a longer or shorter torso, then maybe you need an XS or M size. Apa2 pon better ukur la. Mcm aku ari tu, senang sbb gi kedai Moms Little One tu terus diaorg ambik pita ukur tu and ukur across the shoulder dah. Kalo order online, kena sendiri make sure la ukuran tu tepat.

Bab2 pouch ni aku nak give credit to Lia, yg introdce kan benda nih kat aku masa aku pregnant dulu. Dia ada wat satu entry psl ni dlm blog dia. Antara soalan naive aku masa tu (yg masih ada dlm kotak komen dia skang) ialah, 'x penyek ke breasts kita?' ahaks!

Jawab Lia, 'Tentulah x, kalo x mesti Angelina Jolie x nak pakai, pasal nnt x seksi!'. (Yes, AJ guna Baby Pouch utk carry Shiloh masa tu.)

And lps dah guna sendiri tu, aku bole konfem kan bahawasanya you, your baby and your boobs are safe. Trust me on this. All is rest assured! Yeay!

Aisyah Lounging In The Lounge

Aisyah duduk bawah aje lah ye...

We did nothing much over the weekend, except that we spent it over at our own house. Just as we did last week.

Above is Aisyah lounging in front of the telly in the lounge of our new house, watching Jaws on DVD. Blissful!

Ain't I glad that we got the leather seats instead of the L-shaped suede cushions that we had contemplated in buying when we first moved here. As it was, Aisyah spat milk all over the seats. Luckily, with one swipe, all was gone and there was no stain or marks left. It cost a few hundreds extra, the leather seats, but it was totally worth it. I don't want to imagine how nasty things might have been if we'd gotten the suede cushions...

Aisyah Anak Dara Ibu

Peace! Look Ma, No Hands!

Ni la anak 'dara' Ibu yg dah dewasa sket lg pd hari bersejarah ni. Tgh lena dlm pouch bak kangaroo.

Aku x biasa ambik gmbr buat Peace2 nih, tp siap baju aku oren, lawan ngan pouch yg kaler pepto pink tuh, terus rasa funky and muda. Poyo jer :p

Pg td gi settle kan urusan Medical Checkup si Aisyah. Seronot sgt, sbb queue x lama, proses x rumit n byran pon di bwh budget. Pegi dlm pkl 10 pg. Dlm wat medical checkup tu, sempat lg buat satu decision impromptu, iaitu mensunatkan Aisyah, atas cadangan Dr, sbb lps ni kan nak gi UK takut x sempat buat dah. Alhamdulillah, settle semua. Oh, btw, kos sunat baby pompuan kat Klinik Pakar Kanak2 An-Nur ialah RM72.

Ptg sat ni plak aku gi kedai MLO tu lg. Tiap2 minggu nmpknya aku ke sana. Sah addicted dah ni. Tp aku pegi bkn utk wat purchase baru, tp aku nak exchange pouch yg aku beli itu hari. Aku sepatutnya saiz S, and masa aku beli tu, dekat beg luar dia sticker dia said 'S'. Malangnya, a week after beli, aku baru perasan yg pouch tu sbnarnya saiz 'M'. No wonder la agak londeh masa aku guna utk carry Aisyah sekali tu. Aku ingatkan dah x bole buat apa la, but I really tried my luck and called Puan Rita Rahayu.

You know what, guys? Dia mmg professional n ikhlas. Terus dia bg je aku tukar (provided that pouch aku tu mmg tiptop condition lg, which it was -- honest!), without much hesitation. Betul2 based on honor system. Rasa cam duduk kat UK plak. Chewah! So, kerana aku amat2 puas ati, aku mengambil kesempatan ni utk berkempen bg pihak MLO, 'Yo All BFing Mom! Singgah n shop la kat kedai MLO tu. Macam2 Adaaaa!!!!'

Antara yg offer this Ramadhan yg aku nmpk td ialah Organic Baby Oats tu, 2 peket RM9.90. Sgt2 orait tuh. Geram nak beli, tp pikir kan yg kat umah pon ada sepeket x bukak lg, kang membazir plak. Nafsu, nafsu... So in the end aku bwk balik pouch yg telah ditukar ganti tu je la, yg saiz S. Btw, kaler khakis n light blue mcm ari tuh dah x de saiz S, so I settled with pink and lime green. Mak aiih... funky gituh. Sepuluh batu pon korg dah bole spot aku. Nescaya Hubs x kan pakai la nih, but I will make him... hehe ..

Ok itu sahaja update hari nih. Aku penat pikir psl nak settle accommodation kat UK nih, plus aku letih sket sbb selsema. Sapa ada stok Clarityne? Mai sebijik... aku x sempat gi klinik td :)

Aisyah - My Little Soldier

Ok ni adalah pics of gaya2 Aisyah Nurzahirah meniarap dan pumping songsorg. Ala2 commando crawl gituh. Dia skang dah pretty much bole entertain diri dia sendiri dgn meniarap. Pantang letak flat / baring aje, bergolek. Pas tu suka hati, senyum2. Leka je aku tgk aksi dia dari jauh.

Ok tgk la aksi2 Aisyah ala2 soldier ni!

"Troops, we have to move forward. The enemies are coming in. Follow me. Stay low. And under any circumstances, don't let yourself be seen."

"Holy Smokes! The enemy has spotted us. Run for cover! I repeat! Run for cover!"

"Must move forward. Must move forward. To surrender? Never!!!!"

"Houston, we have a problem. One man is down -- pancit!"

Ngehehe...

~Dulce et decorum est, pro patria mori~

Selamat Menyambut Ramadhan

Budak kena flu... Sian dier...

Selamat Menyambut Ramadhan, All..

Aisyah is feeling a little poorly today. She has the flu. Her nose is runny and she feels a bit warm. Don't worry though, we've been to the clinic and she has been prescribed with some medicine. But she still manages to smile ever so often, though.

I should count my blessings coz Aisyah's attitude towards being sick is more like, 'I'm sick, so I'll sleep', rather than, 'I'm sick, so I'll cry and make my parents' life a living hell'. And she takes her medicines well, even I was tempted to have a sip of her medicine syrup just to know what they taste like. Serious! So for that, a mighty Alhamdulillah is due...

On the breastfeeding front, Alhamdulillah, not much of a problem on the 1st day of Ramadhan. Maybe it's bcoz I have been fasting (Qadha) one week straight last week. In fact, I did some spring cleaning from a little after Zohor straight until past Asar non-stop (Aisyah was asleep the entire time!). Supply has been almost the same, but I've got to make time to pump more. With Aisyah sick, I'm not too keen on double pumping with her whilst she breastfeeds directly. I'd rather focus just on her coz she's a bit fussy and not be distracted with a pump on the other breast. And then I got too lazy to find a time to exclusively breastpump. Gotta kick this nasty habit away to prevent any decrease in my milk supply, especially during Ramadhan :)

Okay. That's it for now. Hope everyone has safely made it through the 1st Day of Ramadhan. 29 more to go. Semoga kita berlumba2 mempertingkatkan amalan kita pada bulan yg mulia ini. Btw, Aisyah who is normally on me 24/7 has sorta understood that Ramadhan is a special month that comes once a year, so she has cut me some slack and allows me to perform my religious duty besides her mattress without much problem (note that she is on her mattress, not whining to be picked up, yay!).. Alhamdulillah ...

Aisyah teman Ibu solat teraweh

Please Pray that Aisyah gets well soon, okay?

Aisyah's Got A Parcel!

Baru2 ni dpt satu kiriman dari member yg nun jauh di bumi Queen Elizabeth sana, dari Che Fadh. Dia kirim kpd sorg staf UTM yg wat research di Bristol tp balik collect data di Msia. Dari situ, pas ke Malia di UTM, then pas ke Jia yg dari UTM dtg KL utk present paper kat seminar di KLCC minggu lps. Fuh, jauh sungguh parcel ni travel...

Bila bukak, ada satu package tu Che Fadh bagi hadiah wat Aisyah. Set serba biru. Cantik gitu. Sungguh x tahan tgk kasut biru yg kiut miut itu. Alahai.. Konon nk wat pakai masa first few days kat UK, silap2 aku wat raya kt Msia dulu, sbb lawa sgt... hihi...

Geram seh, tgk brg2 nih...

Che Fadh tahu aku nk gi UK soon, so aku mintak dia belikan juga beberapa baju panas utk baby yg murah2. Sgt2 puas hati la dgn design yg dia pilih n harga yg kena utk baju2 tu. Aku dah survey kat Msia ni, dua kali ganda harga dia berbanding kalo beli kat UK, even after convert pound sterling. But maybe I'm forgetting the transportation costs and all the other hidden costs, but still... jauh jimat beli kat sana aje...

Mata aku sudah berpinar kerana happy sgt tgk baju2 ini ... weeee ....

Mungkin rezeki Aisyah tgh murah kot, Malia n Jia also kirim hadiah. Hok aloh, terimo kaseh la deh... Comey betul... X payah susah2 sbnarnya...

Tima kacih Aunty Lia n Aunty Jia!

To Che Fadh, Malia and Jia, terima kasih byk2 yeh utk hadiah and kiriman tersebut. Aisyah n Ibu dia sgt2 happy :D

Shopping Barang Baby Lagi

Bottle Warmer & Baby Pouch

Hari Khamis lps aku singgah lagi kedai MomsLittleOnes tu. Kemaruk aku nih. Gotta do something about that later.

Ada beberapa benda yg aku purchase. First of, aku beli brg2 utk kasi member2 aku hadiah. Mostly brg2 utk further encourage BF. I hope they like what I got them :)

Secondly, I bought a Snow Bear 2-in-1 Home & Car Baby Bottle & Food Warmer. Buatan Korea. Harge dia RM 149.90. My mom has complained that it is such as fuss to keep warming up my EBM tu be given to Aisyah while I was gone at work. Kesian my Mom. So hopefully this purchase will help make things easier for her. Pikir2, esok kalo gi UK pon mmg perlu ada warmer nih, dah la sana cuaca lg sejuk dari sini kan? Lagi la berguna tuh. Plus bila Aisyah dah start on solid food, lg la mknan tu semua nak kena panaskan. (Kalau dah nak beli tu, mcm2 je alasan konkrit yg bole diberi ngehehe...)

Anyway, aku dah test dah, and Alhamdulillah, the EBM stayed warm for as long as we leave it in the warmer (although jgn la bubuh sampai over 2 hours per bottle). And ada adapter utk letak dlm kereta tu, so kalo jln2 nnt senang nak panaskan. In the end, I'm happy, my Mom's happy and paling penting, Aisyah's happy coz EBM dia lps ni confirm stays at 40C. We all win!

Lagi satu, aku beli Baby Pouch jenama My Lovely Closet dgn harga RM69.90. Kaler Light Blue & Khakis. Ingat nak amik warna pink, tp pikir2 nntsusah plak nak bergilir ngan Hubs. Org laki ni, jarang sgt la yg setuju nak pakai anything pink kan. So aku amik kaler neutral.

Masa aku kat sana, the infamous Puan Rita Rahayu the Lactation Consultant ada kat sana. So dpt la aku bertanyakan beberapa soalan mengenai BF secara direct. She is a very knowledgeable person when it comes to BF, and dia akan layan most of your questions dgn baik. Cuma kesian, beliau sorg yg sgt2 sibuk, phone dia x henti2 bunyi, and customers dtg x putus2 . Laku sungguh kedai tuh...

And nasib baik juga dia ada kat situ, sbb dia ambil ukuran aku before beli Pouch tu. Ingatkan aku saiz M, rupanya S. Huhu... And dia ajar teknik pemakaian pouch tu, so x de la aku pening2 nak kena ngadap instruction die bila balik umah. Terus test pada Aisyah. Suka dia, senyap je. Kejap je tido. Even Hubs yg x setuju dgn usul pembelian Pouch ini pada permualaannya pon dah start suka, sbb senang nak handle baby. Aisyah skang kuat meronta, but bile duduk dlm tu, baik je... and kalo ngantuk sgt, not long after that dia akan tido dlm pouch tu tanpa disedari, nyenyak jer... Best.. best... best..

Aku pikir esok kalo masa nak naik plane tu, senang ada both hands nak handle bagasi, x yah pikir2 psl stroller. Ok x hujah aku? Kira pembelian berhemah la ek ni?