Sorry, I Haven't A Clue...

~ Posted on Tuesday, March 22, 2011 at 8:58 AM ~

In my 2 years of parenting life now, I have been privileged to be able to share my experiences and gave my advice to people across the world, the Internet and so on... Friends made on mom blogs, forums, personal blogs, even on Facebook. Topics ranging from pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding (mostly), baby care and so on...

And yet, there are some questions I've heard which I have to, (even today!) say "Sorry, I Haven't A Clue" to that...

* Image taken from Google search

So, the following are some of the questions that left me speechless and helpless (for not able to answer them!)...

#1: Any questions with regards to FORMULA MILK

Example: Which type/brand of formula milk is good? Or what formula brand is your boy taking?

* Image taken from Google search

Ummmm... sorry, I haven't a clue to that... I'm still breastfeeding my boy at 2 years old now and yes, since we brought our baby boy back to our house from the hospital, we have never needed to buy any formula milk at all. No kidding.

And yes, if you asked me how much I think we save on not needing to purchase any formula milk, I haven't a clue to that too as I have no idea how much a tin of those costs, what are the good brands and how much/frequent usage of the formula is as I breastfeed on demand and never knew how much I fed my boy. So, again, sorry, I haven't a clue to this...

#2: Any questions with regards to WEANING my child in order to try TO CONCEIVE for our next child

Example: How do you wean your child? How early you have to wean your child in order to try for the next one?

Uhhhhhh.. like I said in the earlier question, I am still breastfeeding my 2 year old boy and yes, I am almost 4 months pregnant as of today and I really can't answer this question. Friends and relatives tell me it's not possible to get pregnant while you are still breastfeeding and yet, I prove them wrong. People said we have to wean off our child in order to try to conceive our next child and yet, I am pregnant and STILL breastfeeding now.

* Image taken from Google search

#3: Any questions with regards to BREAST PUMP

Example: Which type/brand of breast pump is good?

* Image taken from Google search

Since I gave birth to Ben 2 years ago, I only used one battery operated breast pump (Medela brand, picture shown above) which was a hand me down from my 2nd SIL who got it from my 1st SIL. And I used that pump about 3 weeks (was serving my one month notice as I tendered my resignation a day after I returned to work from my maternity leave). I ended up learning to express my breastmilk using my bare hands. Armed with tutorials and guides from the Internet, I learned as much as I could on the techniques to hand express and I finally mastered it after a few attempts and was so glad and satisfied at my accomplishment!

After quitting my job, I direct feed Ben from then on and  resumed the hand express method when it was time for Ben to start solids at 6 months old. I hand expressed some breastmilk for storing after each direct feed so that I could mix the breastmilk with his solids during the initial couple of months of starting on solids.

So, yeah, if you asked me to recommend you a particular type/brand of breast pump, I'll most likely tell you to learn to do it the natural way, which is to hand express.

#4: Any questions with regards to transitioning my child to SLEEPING ON HIS OWN BED

Example: What techniques you used to get your boy to sleep on his own bed?

* Image taken from Google search

Since Ben came into our life 2 years ago, he has been sleeping with us on our bed. Granted, there are times when hubby ended up sleeping on the spare bed next to our King sized bed (selfishly hogged by Ben and myself hehehehe...), but still, co-sleeping with us since day 1. So I have no idea on the ideas/techniques to transition my boy to sleeping on his own bed. We do have a playroom for Ben with a spare bed for him (intended to be Ben's room when he is older) but as of now, we are taking it easy and slow and just let things run its course. I remembered I still co-sleep with my parents up until I was 7 years old.

That's about the questions I can think of which I have yet to be able to answer as of today...

What about you? What are the questions you get that you have no clue on how to answer it?

Comments (9) -

Miki Chua

i once met a lady in the nursery room and she is feeding her 4yrs old child and in the crib she hv another baby who is already few mth old. she told me her 4yr old child will vomit and hv diarrhea if introduce formula milk.. tat's y she continue to BF her 4yr old.. so i don't think there'll be any problem BF while being preggy.

aurie

You go girl!!  Those are questions that you don't need to know the answers to Smile

Mama Hen

I think we moms learn many things from other moms. We do not always have a clue and it is so wonderful to be able to read books and blog to find out things we may not have known. I hope you are doing great my friend!

Mama Hen

MieVee @ MummysReviews.com

Ha... I'm also very inexperienced with formula milk, breastpump and son still sleeps next to me.

Another thing is I know little about disposable diapers because son has been cloth-diapered since newborn. We only tried 1 brand in the beginning when I haven't bought enough modern cloth diapers. After that, we managed to diaper him in cloth full-time. Even on overseas travels, we may use a few disposable inserts with his cloth diapers, but still not full disposables. Along the same line, I know little about disposable wipes too since he's been using cloth wipes.

On the other hand, I know several mums who got pregnant while breastfeeding. Many were unplanned though. Hee...

Aries

I haven't the slightest clue on the first two but I hate using the breast pump no matter what brand. As for sleeping, both my sons sleeps in a cot since the day they arrived home. Never sleep in the same bed with me and when they fall sick I would sleep next to their cot with a small mattress lay on the floor next to the cot. So by the time I had my second child, I have no problem getting my first to sleep on his own. So by the time my eldest was 3, I got him a single bed mattress with no bed for training till he stopped falling of the mattress, we got him a bed. So since young they both know that mummy and daddy had their own room and sometime we do need our privacy. I mentioned this is one of my earlier post too. Happy parenting!

Jenny @ I'm a full-time mummy

Hey Miki!
Wah, good for the mother and her children! Smile

Hey Aurie!
Thank you! Smile

Hey Mama Hen!
Yes, I agree! I think I get more encouragement and support from bloggy moms and those I met in forums!

Hi MieVee!
Good for you on the cloth diapering! We tried it Ben in his first week after born, but very tiring for us, he pees a lot! Cannot wash and dry in time, ended up just use disposable diapers. Thank God he does not have any rash or reactions towards disposable diapers of any brands Tong
As for pregnancy during breastfeeding, oh well, we are planning to have a next child, just that we don't want to wean just to have the next child. So we're taking it slowly and leave the rest to God, if it's meant for us to have a child, whether breastfeeding or not, we will have mah... ;P

Hey Aries!
Good for you to have your children sleeping on their own independently! I guess for my case, co-sleeping is the best option as I'm still breastfeeding and it's really convenient for us to be co-sleeping Tong

Katrina@TheyAllCallMeMom

Greetings from California, USA!
Those questions I do not have the answers to, either...because I do pretty much all the same things that you do, regarding my babies.  My youngest is 2.5 years old and still nurses (more for comfort now than nutrition)  and all my others I didn't really "wean" so much as we just cut back bit by bit, and usually I was pregnant by that time, anyway...and once the new baby came, the older baby just stopped nursing.   Same with co-sleeping.  I have slept with all of my newborns.  And with the infants.  And the toddlers.  And the preschoolers.  Any age is always welcome in my bed.  What I find to be true in our home is that once the child gets to be around 3 years old, the "big boy bed"  or "big girl bed" start to get exciting, and they begin taking their naps in it.  Then I can lay with them at night in their big bed...and they fall asleep... and then I sneak out.  And then in the middle of the night or early morning, I wake to find that child curled up next to me in bed.  And that's okay.  I have never - and I mean NEVER - turned a child back to his/her own bed.  No matter the age, we have an "open bed" policy over here.  Both my husband and I feel very comforted when our little ones are in our bed.  I'm quite sure they feel the same way!

Thank you for stopping by my blog!  I'm thrilled to have a follower who lives in Malaysia!  I'm your newest follower, too!

Katrina  
www.theyallcallmemom.com

Katrina@TheyAllCallMeMom

One more thing...about conceiving a baby while still breastfeeding.  I have 9 children.  What I have found to be true for me is that once I cut back the night feeds, my fertility picks back up again.  So...if I did not want to be pregnant yet (like when my little one was 2, 3, 4, or 5 months...)  then I would nurse pretty much around the clock, on demand, whenever the baby wanted to eat, wanted comfort, etc.  Since the baby slept in the bed with me, I would be nursed on pretty much the entire night.  When the baby got passed 6 months, the night feeds usually cut back on their own, once the baby was sleeping through the night.  And that is when I usually got pregnant.  I have never stopped nursing a baby just to conceive another one.  My feeling is that it would be doing a disservice to that nursing baby, and to me, too...because I enjoy that special time with my baby. And I feel that by breastfeeding I am giving that baby the best.  I would never cut it short just to conceive.  But that's just my way, not saying it's the right way.  Just my way Smile

Jenny @ I'm a full-time mummy

Hi Katrina!

Thank you for the following me back and sharing your inspiring experience! Wow 9 kids! That's just totally awesome! I too don't believe in weaning just to try to conceive another child and I'm glad I didn't do that! Smile

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