Pregnancy is a wonderful time that women should celebrate. We’re growing an entire human being in our own bodies! It’s a miracle and a once in a lifetime experience that should be cherished.
However pregnancy is not all glowing skin and eating for two. Even when no serious issues arise and a pregnancy is going as planned, there are definitely some things that give expecting Malaysian mummies a headache, among them being:
To confinement, or not?
Most Asian countries impose some form of confinement, which comes with a whole package of rules. How strict they are depends completely on you and your confinement provider.
However for many young mothers, who may follow a more “Western” way of life and may even have mummy friends who delivered overseas and did not go through confinement, all the rules and regulations may seem quite troublesome and passé.
And so the struggle begins, not just within ourselves, but also with family members who although well meaning, are still headache inducing!
ALL the baby gear
There. Is. So. Much. Baby stuff. Out there. And every tiny thing, comes with its own set of glowing reviews. Baby carriers are supposed to be wonderful. So which do we choose? A structured one? Soft structured? Baby wrap? Sling? Mei Tai?
Then we move on to the stroller. To the playpen. The breast pumps. The cot, the bouncer, the bath tubs, the diapers, the wipes. Organic or normal? Scented or non? Seriously, screening through all options can take up hours in one’s work-day!
Should I be a SAHM or FTWM?
This is a big one for most mothers, especially first timers. Do we quit our careers to stay home to raise the little one or juggle a full time career with motherly duties? Can we afford to?
Malaysia is not well-known as a country that is friendly to working mothers; the hours can be punishing and maternity leave is only 2 months. So this is not a decision to take lightly, as there is a lot of guilt involved, no matter which option we finally settle on.
Everybody has an opinion
Should you really have that coffee? Aren’t you gaining too much (or too little) weight? Was the baby planned (you’re asking if I was using protection, right)? Are you going for natural birth?? Are you going to breastfeed?!? There is NO topic that is too taboo or too sensitive once you’re gestating a little human being.
Absolutely everyone from your second aunty to your fifth cousin to the neighbour to your tea lady definitely will have an opinion on every pregnancy/baby topic under the sun.
To the point where you feel like locking yourself up at home until after the baby is born, after which everyone will most certainly have an opinion about the best way to raise children!
