Baby's Necessities

So hi again everyone. I know it has been the longest time since ive updated this blog and honestly, as cliched as it may sound, i really dont have the time to do so. And guess what, im currently in my office at my desk juggling between my many many other things to do. Anyways, just a quick update. Im pregnant! And actually close to the end of 40weeks. Im 35weeks at this point of time and for todays entry, i would like to share with all of mommies to be out there 'The Ultimate Baby Essentials'. These past few months ive been doing my own research on the "baby necessities" and came out with a list on what to get her (The Baby which shall be addressed as BabyA, for now).

So lets begin!

1. Diaper

For new mums, its a little tricky to estimate the size for diapers to fit the baby. So i ended up buying 3 packs of diapers. 2 for newborns (Mamy Poko and Diapers Wee Wee Dry) and another 1(Diapers Wee Wee Dry) is S (3-8kg). We shall see how they will fit BabyA. I got all my diapers from Manjaku, Wangsa Maju.

2. Booties/Socks/Mittens/Hat

I bought few sets of socks and Booties. Namely from Manjaku, H&M Kids, Holabebe and The HappiKiddo. Bought them in sets as well as individually. I think i have about 10 sets alltogether, Cant quite remember how many i have. 

3. Rompers/Onesies/Outing Clothes/Leggings

This one is basically where all your pockets will be empty. I have about 20 pairs of onesies, 4 pairs of leggings, 5 pairs of outing clothing. If you are on a budget but want cute outfits, H&M kids is the place to go. I got most of them there. FOS also has good quality onesies like Carters and Baby Gap for RM15 a piece. and oh, i got some Cotton On Kids as well.

                                                   

4. Bibs/Washcloths/Burpcloths/Towels/Hanky

As unimportant as they may seem like, trust me you are gonna need a bunch of these just because they are very handy especially when your baby "muak susu" etc. For bibs, I got 2 kinds, one is the plasticky ones which makes it easy for clean ups and the other, the cloth kind. I got the plastic ones from The Happi Kiddo (RM35 for 3 i think)  and the cloth kind from Cotton on Kids (2 for RM50). I got some kain lampin from Manjaku (10pieces for RM35) for washcloths and some towels from IKEA (Rm 15 for 2 i think).

5.Grooming Set

The grooming set i got comes with A comb, Hair Brush, Scissors, nail clippers and nasal aspirators. Got them at the Happi Kiddo for RM65 or so. It comes in a zip bag as well. How nifty!

6. Barut Baby

This one i got 5 of them from AEON kids section and some from The Happi Kiddo i believe. Forgot how much they cost but i got the simple white ones.

7. Bedung/Swaddles/Safety Pins

I had a hard time finding swaddles particularly because they are so darn expensive. I had no idea. On instagram, most of them are pre-orders and that is a problem for a person who is impatient like me, Haha. So one day, i went to cotton on kids, and found a bag of 2 cotton muslin swaddles for RM75! So i got 2 bags. Then i went to OneBBWorld and found the softest swaddles you can lay your hands on. They are from Aden and Anais and i got it for a deal because I was spending so much there -_-

So i got it for only RM35. If you are wondering on what type of fabric, get the bamboo fiber ones instead 100% muslin cotton. The bamboo ones are much much softer. In love! Oh, i got the Safety Pins from OneBBWorld 5 for RM5.

8. Baju Lubang Lubang

If you live in Malaysia, trust me you are gonna need this. They are breathable thus the nama baju lubang lubang. Haha. Got 2 pairs of them from Manjaku. They are RM16 a pair i think.

9. Bottles/Pacifier/Sterilizer

This is a headscatcher for me at least. You are unsure of what baby bottle brand to buy, what type of material (glass,plastics etc), what type of teat best fit your baby. Since my sisters got Avent for their children, I got the Avent Starter Set. Comes with 2 0-3 months bottles, 2 3-6 months bottles, Bottle brush cleaner and a pacifier. I bought it on sale at AEON for RM145. I also got a small NUK one from Manjaku for RM27 (0-3 months). And recently, I couldnt resist the temptation and got 4 Suavinex bottles from Bebetotz and OneBBWorld. Also got 2 pacifiers from Suavinex. Honestly though, they are so cute! I didnt want to get sterilizer at first because Ive read somewhere that over sterilizing can lower the babys immunity. But then i figured, that will only happen if i over do it. So i got mine the simplest one from Avent (2in1) at Bebetotz for RM299.

 10. Formula/Bekas Susu for travel/Thermos

For breastfeeding moms, count this out. I prepared these just in case but like most of you, I too plan to breastfeed my child. I got Enfalac A+ from Manjaku 1.8kg for RM204. Bekas susu tu I got from Manjaku RM8 je kot. Has 3 sections. And finally, Thermos I got a good deal at ROBINSONS. I got 2 Thermos for RM189! Such a steal,

11. Thermometer

I havent purchase this. But im planning to get the infrared ones just because its faster to operate than the regular ones.

12. Baby Laundry Detergent/Baby Dish Washing Liquid Wash

Havent bought these yet but Im planning to get them at Manjaku. Just incase babyA has sensitive skin. The baby bottle wash i think is important as they do not have any dangerous chemicals that may upset her tummy. 

13. Cot/Mattress 

I got babyAs crib and mattress at a factory back in Kedah. I will post the address of the factory below so that mommies can get a deal for cots. I got a simple cot with a coconut mattress all for RM550! Coconut mattress is organic and very breathable. Suitable for babys skin. I can never find a great deal else where. Thank God i found this factory.

14. Bedding Set/Blankets/Pillows

All of the items above I got from non other, IKEA. I got 3 bedding set, 1 quilt and 2 pillows. One bedding set is RM69 and quilt was RM49. Pillows were RM29 each. I love how simple the designs are. I bough mine mostly neutral coloured like brown/grey. 

15. Baby Toiletries/Bathtubs

All the toiletries mentioned above were bought based on my sisters advice. You may or may not follow. I might even change some when if I feel necessary later on. And i also got the travel sized ones. For bathtub, I got the one from IKEA for RM29 kot. Tak ingat.

16. Stroller/Car Seat

Stroller we opted for Quinny Zapp Extra 2.0 only because we got it from my husbands brother. he bought it for his kid but now he got a new baby so he is currently using the city jogger one. We got it cheap only RM900 including the Maxi Cosy Car Seat. 

17. Carrier

Havent purchased this yet we are planning on getting the Ergo ones but still not sure. We will get this once babyA is out so that we can test them with her. Cant wait!

18. Baby Diaper Bag

I got my diaper bag online from a seller who sells Cath Kidston bags. I got a diaper bag that comes with a small changing mat, a small zipper bag and a bottle cover. I got it for RM150. I saw the exact one at Cath Kidston in ISETAN. Close to RM400. Thats just absurd. haha.

19. Ipad

This one is not a purchase actually. I have an Ipad laying around and Ive decided to put it to good use. Im downloading Surah2 and some baby rhymes to play it on loop in the babys room. :) 

So those are the items I got for BabyA. I have another list for myself e.g. breastpump/breast pads and all that jazz. But that will be updated later, The Momma Post. Thanks for reading and I hope this will help you even the littlest to prepare for your little one. Goodluck!

Japamala, Tioman

Ever want to escape the hecticness of Kuala Lumpur? Look no further there is a paradise called Japamala in Tioman. I've been browsing through the web to look for a weekend hideout and stumbled upon Japamala's website. I was immediately drawn to the jungle-beach like atmosphere and hastily made a reservation there. Alas, due to limited numbers of room available, the place is likely to be fully booked during peak season. So plan ahead.

So we drove to Mersing and took a 2 hour ferry ride to Kampung Genting Jetty. Note that it is best to book your ferry ahead to secure seats. We paid 30USD per person for a two way ride. Once you reach Kampung Genting, a speed boat will be waiting to bring you to Japamala. Mind you, a mere 5 mins ride to Japamala will cost you RM60++ per person for two way.

Upon arrival at the Jetty, I was in awe of the view (already). The long stretched jetty led us to a small quaint lobby where we were given the keys to our room.Bare in mind that you will need to pay RM200 deposit per night. Oh we were served a glass of iced berry-ginger drink and a chilled towel. How thoughtful!

We've decided to split our stay, one night in the sea view room and another, treetop jungle view. The rooms here requires a bit of climbing as there are many steps! Also, note that there are many creepy crawlers there which includes, monitor lizards and pythons. Yeap, that’s right. Youve been warned. So be prepared. If you're a scaredy cat like me, be sure to never wander alone and try to climb the stairs fasssstt. Once you’ve reached your room, you’ll forget the whole thing in a jiffy. Room is very clean and interior feels cozy. Veranda, is definitely the salient feature here. Especially for the sea view room.

 Later that afternoon we decided to have a swim in the turquoise colored sea. Snorkeling gears are provided. You can also opt for kayaking as well. The are many pretty fishies swimming in there which is somehow very therapeutic. Guests will also be served quick bites of ‘kuih’. At night, you can enjoy your meal deliciously prepared by the chefs while the staffs clean your room. That’s a little unexpected, having your room made up at night. We came back to room well cleaned and bed all made. They even gave us chocolates! How sweet.

Rates here is a bit on the high side compared to other resorts in Tioman, but nevertheless it is definitely worth every penny. That being said, look no further and go ahead, pay Japamala a visit!

The Bali Post

Bali. A cliched honeymoon destination for most of us Malaysians. Relatively cheap attainable flight tickets and hotels. You will be spoilt on choices. But you have to know where you want to stay of course. Question to ask yourself before booking include, are you a beachy kind of person or the jungle serenity type?

 Me? why not do both? So we split our stay. One at the Sakara Ubud Resort and another at the Rimba Jimbaran by Ayana. Let me share you my Bali highlights. Sankara is located in a small village in Ubud region. Its secluded from the bustling city and very private. Rates per night is considerably cheap and staffs are very friendly and most helpful.

After a two night stay we headed to the city, Kuta. One of the highlights in Kuta is most definitely our late lunch at Ku De Ta. A cool upbeat restaurant serving good food while hearing the sound of waves crashing the shore and wait for it, watching the sun sets by the beach. Thats the most Bali thing to do! Patrons can opt to lay on the grass outside (cushions provided) or have your food inside. Definitely love the vibe as well as the food.

Our next stay was in Rimba Jimbaran by Ayana. Entering the huge estate itself is already an experience. Rimba has a more modern contemporary setting while Ayana has the classic traditional Bali feeling. The highlights of our stay in Rimba would definitely be The ever famous Rock Bar, Unique Rooftop Bar and Kubu Beach. All these facilities are shared between guests staying in any of Ayanas Hotel. The place is so huge that you will need a buggy bus to take you anywhere you wish to be. And oh, you are provided a map incase you get lost. Kidding! Rates here are a little more expensive but definitely value for money.

Tip: If you are planning to go to The Rock Bar, be as early as 4.00PM as the queue might get a little unforgiving. But if you are staying in any of Ayanas Hotels, fret not as you will be given priority ;)

Next, the last stop we went to is lunch at Di Mare, Karma Kandara. We called for reservation earlier just in case there were no available seats. We had the most wonderful lunch at the cliff overlooking the beautiful beach, Karma. We then head down to the beach by a tram, and went to have coffee at the Karma Beach Bar. A perfect end to our honeymoon.

So for the lovebirds out there, you might want to consider Bali, as cliched as it may sound. You just have to avoid the overrated tourist spots and really do your research before going. Good luck!