second pregnancy : my pantang preparation

Realized that I didn’t talk about my pantang plan properly in this blog the last time when I was pregnant with Rayyan.

Well, this time, I’d make sure I would..

So that my pantang experience wouldn’t be as horrendous as before FML T.T

The reason it sucked? I flunked the plan part, ultimately. I thought once I booked a confinement/urut/pantang lady, then the rest would be taken care of – the massage, the pantang food, the baby bath, the baby massage, etc.

Until my pantang lady didn’t show up for 3 days out of the 7 days I booked FML.

So, the pantang part, here’s how I understand : once I deliver the baby, I would be in confinement for 44 days; which means I’d have to restrict my eating to only healthy pantang food, I’d have to wear socks 24/7 except during shower, I’d have to surrender my body to the urut lady who’d be massaging my whole body (including the south part and boobs part, latter is essential to ensure breastmilk flows smoothly), I’d have to do all the param tangas herbal bath etc etc, slather some herbs on my face and tummy, drink some herbal drink, take some herbal pills, wear bengkung for the whole day for as far as my body can take.


So. The last time, I had it planned :

1st week : confinement lady (CL) would come for 7 days to do the above, accompanied by my mom
2nd & 3rd week : to be spent in Penang with a CL booked by my mom as she had to go to work
4th week : go back to KL and MIL would come to take care of me
5th week : I can survive on my own, I thought

Reality? My CL screwed me up, ended up only spending a week in Penang because I was husband-sick and missed the husband terribly and slowly going into a depression, and had to call in a new CL to take care of me for an extra week in KL. I was emotionally drained and exhausted and had to fork out extra money for the CL - not something a person who's going through confinement would be thrilled about.

Having said all that, I think I love confinement for the freedom. I love having my body pampered and having the husband around. I love hanging out in my own bedroom with only my baby on the bed, pumping milk while browsing online shopping sites or Korean drama videos.

So, this time I’m determined to have a better pantang experience- on top of the above. My pantang, this time, better rock it.

Already Googled for CLs available when I was 2 months pregnant (haha) – but since I was screwed over the last time, I wanted to ensure this CL I’m hiring would be dependable. So instead of the ineternet, I asked around – friends, colleagues who had an awesome pantang to give me their CL’s contact details, and surveyed one by one. Finally found one who is available for 10 days to take care of me, at an affordable price too – SO HAPPY GAH!

So. This time, this is the plan :

1st week : CL to come for 10 days and do her deeds, accompanied by my mom
2nd week : Mom to spend another week in KL to take care of me
3rd week : TBD – I think I can survive on my own (others think otherwise -_-, will be discussed later)
4th week : MIL to come to KL and take care of me until Hari Raya (which would fall sometime during the 5th week of pantang, lucky me)

My pantang would end a few days after Hari Raya so I think I can survive then.

This is the plan so far. Talked about this with my colleagues (who are older than me and more experienced), but they said,

“Are you sure you can survive on your own during the 3rd week of pantang? How are you going to bath the baby by yourself? You cannot touch cold water you know, nanti masuk angin”

Say whattt?

“How are you going to cook? You cannot eat reheat or cold rice you know”

Ah crap.

Since calling Mom in isn’t an option (she has to go back to Penang to attend to my sister who’s also having a baby which dues a month after me), think I need another CL to help T.T

But but, that would incur another cost..which I’m not ready to spend a large chunk of money for. Unless I can find a good CL with affordable rate.

Suggestions, anyone? How do you manage your pantang by yourself? Do share!