Supply = demand

I brought down 7 oz yesterday and stored also 7 oz.  It seems ages since I last managed to produce supply that meets demand.  It feels great :)

EBM stock plummetting

When I was just about to feel relief with stable supply & demand, tests came one after another.  For the past two weeks, EBM stock left the freezer at a steady rate of around 2 oz/day, or even faster.  I was busy with office work while attending to sick children during the first week.  I managed to pump only once a day, getting at most 6 oz.  On the second week ...  I myself was sick.  A very serious one that rendered me bedridden for 2 days with 6 days medical leave.  I lost my appetite totally and without proper eating, the amount of EBM produced was also less.  Not to mention a number of pumping sessions skipped, especially the night session ones, when I felt totally weak and just couldn't get up.  Hopefully I will regain my strength soon and back on track for 10.5 oz/day EBM, amin.

Breastfeeding journey with Achik so far

Alhamdulillah, I think we are moving down the hill slope in our breasfeeding journey.  For the time being, I don't have to worry about insufficient stock.  As Achik is entering her 15th month and after some consultation with the nursery owner, I have reduced daily EBM supply for Achik to just 10.5 oz a day i.e. 3.5 oz in three bottles.  Daily production is around 10 oz to 11 oz.  So far so good and she eats a lot too.  So, I am not worried about her source of nutrients.  Achik is also beaming with health.  No more hospital visit since she was discharged last August.  Alhamdulillah, alhamdulillah wa syukurillah.

Post vacation blues

As expected, getting the kids out of bed was hard this morning.  Along, while having his breakfast said, "Saya dah tak biasa dah dengan rumah ni.".  Oh my God, we were in Penang for only five days and he is now not used to his own house.  Funny.

Angah, brought down the pillow to the hall after having his bath, and then into the car saying "Saya ngantuk".  Achik?  Cried her eyes out when passed to the babysitter =(

EBM on board

I was a bit reluctant to take the cooler box with me to Penang that day, considering the already many luggage that I have to carry, including the three kids.  However, at the very last minute, I decided to bring it and I am glad that I did so.  I brought home a total of 12 oz EBM placed in a sealed cooler box together with the rest of the baggage.  Enough to cover one day supply for achik.

Safely home

The whole thing wasn't that smooth though.  The refrigerator at abah's house was faulty.  The freezer in particular was not working.  First day produce of 2 oz did not freeze even after 24 hours in the freezer.  It was only chill.  I discovered that when I wanted to store the second day produce of 2.5 oz.  So, on the way out for our sightseeing tour on the second day, we dropped by at abah's office to store the 4.5 oz EBM there.  On the third day, abah took the 2.5 oz expressed that morning to the office.  See?  The importance of husband's support in a breastfeeding journey.  Make sure you get one before you embark on the journey :)

Alhamdulillah, the refrigerator was replaced on the fourth day, avoiding the need to transport the fourth day (3.5 oz) and fifth day (1.5 oz) produce to the office.  On the way back, we dropped by at abah's office again to collect the frozen EBM there and then off to the airport :)

To complete the journey, we met Chef Wan after claiming our baggage.  Along was so excited and wanted to take photo with him, so I snapped one for him.  Achik was puzzled (as you can see from the photo) and Angah was like "Ada aku kesah?".  He he ...

Meeting Chef Wan

I heard Chef Wan said, "Oh, awak pun bawak cooler box ye ...".  Because he also had one, obviously a lot larger than ours.  The content was surely not the same :p  All of the EBM safely arrived home, 99% frozen :)