My confinement was a disaster. Other than the tingkat confinement food that went well, I didn't sleep much. Sleep can be as little as accumulated 3 hours in 24 hours.
And post confinement now, my left knee is affected, my finger joints are affected, my back is affected too. I even drank mouldy red date tea, had diarhoea and tummy ache and have to take care baby 24/7. I want to believe that Jesus will heal and my health will be restored in future.
Anyway, I missed E's 5 year old birthday celebration because I was in confinement but she was with my mom and sis at some dinner gathering. I can't exactly remember either.
And for reunion dinner, I have only G and M with me at home. G shared with me my confinement meals cos the cny dishes were extra huge. Thankfully G was by my side for reunion dinner to keep me company as I was so emotional. E went to my ex-hubby's place.
After confinement ended, I tried two different companies for family dinner tingkat. The children didn't like it and there was much wastage. I was the only one eating everyday though I ordered 2 adult portions (for 1 adult and 2 children) so I didn't resume tingkat. I only managed to cook once or at most twice a week after M is 4 months old.
Yes, M is 4 months old already. Time flies. She is going into a routine and everything is great, nothing that I cannot handle. I am enjoying her though it's a tiring journey. I also managed to drag my pump to 4 - 4.5 hourly now. Everything will work out fine.
This is our current typical weekday schedule with a 4 month old baby. (
the first 3 months were NOTHING near like this. I couldn't plan my time because there isn't a routine yet. And baby is getting used to us and us getting used to the baby in our lives)
5 am - pump
6 am - M wakes
7 am - G ready for school (she walks to school by herself)
8 am - M shower + her 1 hour nap and E ready for school
9 am - Wake M up and send E to school
10 am - pump, light housework
11 am - M for her 2 hour nap (3 hours max)
1 pm - Lunch, grocery shopping (if M is awake, if not I order from redmart)
2 pm - Fetch G from school
3 pm - my rest time / baby tummy time / G homework
4 pm - M nap (usually 1 - 1.5 hours), pump
5 pm - Fetch E from school and buy dinner, while G watches over M
6 pm - Shower for E. Dinner time. E and G playtime
7 pm - Last milk feed for M and I settle her for bedtime
8 pm - G and E ready for bed and laundry (so that their uniforms will be dry the next day)
9 pm - usually all will be asleep, pump
10 pm - Bedtime for me (usually)
1 or 2 am - M wakes for milk, pump
3 am - 5 am - Rest time for me
Light housework means paper the floor with dry wipes, clean the sink, sterilise the milk bottles and laundry. Anything more will have to be done during the weekends.
Pump - one session is 40 minutes
Total accumulated sleep and rest time is about 5-6 hours (max). That is provided children are not sick, not cranky and not demanding.
But my girls are demanding and they want me ALL THE TIME.
Sometimes when I wake up to pump in the living room, G or E will wake to look for me. She wants me to feed her and pat her to sleep on top of the usual bedtime stories. There are a few times she even latch on me. I do allow her as I am now exclusive pumping for M.
But I thank God for my three girls. They are all I've got. They are everything I have. I am thankful that they love M and they will help me with M when I am busy in the kitchen or scrubbing the toilet. They have fed M milk, changed her diaper and also pat her in the yaolan.
