Music Festival, Paris 2008

I am just too lazy to update this blog. I don't know why. Maybe I don't have much time. Yeah, that's right. During weekdays, I am just too busy - working, cooking, chatting with my wife. During weekend normally I will going out with my friends and buying some foodstuffs for the following week. Today, I just spend my time in the room. Unexpectedly, I have been married for 7 months by looking at the ticker counter above. Time has flown so fast huh. Hmm. Nothing much happens today, still feel tired after went to Music Festival in Paris yesterday. Actually, on June 21 (which is also the longest day of the year in the north hemisphere) everyone can play music in the street, in gardens, places or even at the churches' backyards.

Yesterday, I went out from the room around 9 am with my friend from Indonesia, Ricko. We decided to buy the foodstuffs first at the Les Quatre Temp. Actually, I don’t have any plan for the weekend but during Friday praying, Ricko did mention about the festival. Yeah, I know about it also from my team mate but I don’t have much interest at first and just want to spend my leisure time with my wife via Skype after dull week days of living in my room and lack of news from my wife during busy week days.

Then, on Friday night, I let my wife knew about the plan and after hours of chatting and sharing the updates and news, she just simply told me to go to the La fête de la musique in Paris with my friend. Actually, it is not the festival itself that I value most but the invitation from a good muslim friend that changed my plan for the weekend. Normally, we will go to the Friday praying together (3 km away from Technip office) by taking a bus at the La Defense bus station. We also shared some difficulty feelings as a muslim to survive here especially to perform our daily praying. Anyway, we were very lucky as there is a toilet dedicated for a disable person which equipped with a water supply in the office. I feel very lucky also since my project coordinator and lead engineer know about the Friday praying and being the latecomer in the evening every Friday is considerably accepted. Hehe.

OK, back to the festival. After we bought all the foodstuffs – halal’s chicken and meat, vegetables, fruits, drinks, etc, we walked back to the room and 5 minutes later we went out again for the festival celebration. The weather improves significantly within these days. It was very hot and dry which is not the same feeling like in Malaysia which has higher humidity level. Here is very dry. Huhu.

First, we decided to have our lunch at the Hard Rock Café. Reached there almost 12 pm. Just nice for the lunch. The only choice that we have for the meals was Grilled Salmon with cheesy potatoes and broccoli. I thought it was not so tasty by looking at the picture in the menu but my prediction was totally wrong. After try a bit, I would say this is the best meal that I have ever eat in France! Super delicious! The salmon portion is not so big but it really makes me full for the day! I am sure I will have it again next time. After lunch, we spent some time to look for souvenirs there. I bought 2 identical Hard Rock Café t-shirts sized L and M for me and my wife and a cap. Done with shopping, we snapped some pictures and went off to the La Fayette shopping mall. My friend was looking for perfume for his wife and we couldn’t managed to find it. I forgot the brand but the salesperson told us that the perfume was sold out in Paris! Huhu. Big frustration for my friend since her wife just want the perfume with that brand and I don’t know how many times he called her wife back in Indonesia to tell the situation but then he decided to look at Champs de Elysees. Again, we couldn’t find it. Finally, he bought Burberry perfumes. It is better than nothing, he said. Hehe.

Then, we went to Notre Dame and Latin Square to experience the festival. We could see groups of people playing their instruments freely expressed themselves about this celebration. The musics genre ranges from classical, jazz, blues, country and hip hop. It is all about music. There is no limit. After hours of walking, we decided to take a break at the Hagen Dazs. Two big scoop just good enough for me to cool me down from the hot and dry sunny day. Few minutes later, we decided to go back to perform our prayers and then went out again at 7.30 pm.

Refresh from cool shower and cold drink, I got the rhythm back. Seriously, we have walked a lot and I really tired but the festival was not over till midnight. 7.30 pm, the sky was still clear. We went out to the Hotel de Ville. One of the happening places for this festival. There were more than 20 groups of musicians or I would rather name it as a band playing their music all around the city. There were scattered from other groups so we really need to walk around the city to look for all the great performances.

As far as I remembered, there were groups of Red Indian performing their spiritual songs, Brazilian performing their capueira songs with martial art performances, Jazz, Blues and Raggae songs dominated by groups of black, Siamese and Philipino groups with their traditional musics, and many more. Seriously, there were many more. But one of my favorite bands was a group of 5 talented musicians performing many cover songs from Metallica, Iron Maiden and Rage Against The Machine. Seriously, they are really good. I love when they played “Killing In The Name” and “Master of Puppet”. The guitar solo and drum beats perfectly matched. 12 am, we decided to go back. Looking back, this festival was not only about the music but it is more on gathering all the music lovers around the city to share the great and good time together regardless the differences in colors, cultures, and beliefs. All is one.

zzzZZZ...

I am too tired. Actually, I just reached my room after a long working day. Dinner? Yeah. I just eat a scramble eggs with three slices of bread. Huhu. I just want to take a break and I don’t want to waste my time and energy to cook as usual. We all know that jobs today aren't what they used to be. Time was, you worked a nine-to-five for life, while every evening and weekend was yours alone. Nowadays, most jobs leave us feeling permanently stressed out, which means we have lost sight of the benefits to be had from leisure time. If play can be good for the kiddiewinks, who says it can't be good for me later in life, too? The biggest problem here is that, I don’t have much time. Normally, I have no interest to do anything else during weekdays. In fact, I will try to make myself away from work to wind down, even if it's just ten minutes with my feet up but normally it will ends up on the bed. Huhu. 5 minutes walking from office to my room is good enough to be considered as an exercise for the day. Again, it is all about the time. I am not even having a sufficient time for my hobbies and other recreational activities. I know that regular and frequent exercise is a good stress reducer but the free time seems not allow me to do so. Huhu. I think the work load is too much. I know that I need to be fair to my job but at the same time I need to be fair to my physical needs as well. Next time if I have been asked to take extra work on board, or to stay in the office after my colleagues have left, I will straight away decline. I have to learn to say no. I hope I will have the confident to say that magical word. I think that’s the reason why my eye sight is worse off. Maybe I have spent too much time looking to the monitor. Moreover, the lighting around my workstation is not so bright and by sitting for hours in front of the monitor, my retina will no longer worked functionally as normal as used to be. Anyway, at the moment my eyes have a problem as I was told during my last appointment with an optometrist. It was claimed that my retina was partially damaged and I need to change my bad habit towards watching television or doing computer work in a gloomy environment. I think I need to have a serious talk with my line manager about my workload and not to forget to provide me a personal light on my desk as this facility will be provided upon request if necessary. Hmm. I'm on the bed now. Good night.

I love my job...but....

Hmm. Now it is 10.45 pm already. I don’t know what I’m going to do before I fall asleep. Actually, I am just thinking about my work here. I really love my job and definitely I do love chemical engineering. But till now, I have never put any particular specialization towards my career. Maybe it is too early to make up my mind. Hmm. Oil and gas engineering services seems to be my expertise. Technically speaking, it is not only restricted to a hydrocarbon processing which may be applied for upstream / downstream job but it is also widely applicable to numbers of end products processing work. Now, I don’t know exactly which area I should specialize on. It is just a matter of interest and long term thinking towards my career growth. Basically, a chemical engineer can get involved in those mentioned areas by shifting their profound skilled and apply it to that particular new area whenever relevant. Of course, it is not an easy job. It will be the same fundamentally but the approach, guidelines, study and analysis involved will not be the same in dealing with different products / components. But now, oil and gas sector is booming. It can be expected that oil and gas resources will last for another more than 50 years. I hope so. Hence, I think I will stick in this area. Currently, I am providing technical and engineering support for a chemical plant project. It is totally different from my previous projects in term of nature of project, licensor’s technology implementation, dealing with non-hydrocarbon products and unit operations concerned. It involves a lot of things when it comes to detailed design engineering phase. It may also be a hectic job if it involves a lot of design modifications at this stage. Personally, I love the healthy pressure experienced in this project. It really provides me a momentum and enhances my knowledge development to solve some specific problems by myself. Here, I really need to be independent. It is just like, “I give it to you, I want it back, DONE.” More or less like that. Sometimes I feel very depressed with the approach I took towards the tasks assigned for me. Of course, it was due to the tight time constraints. Because of that, I am not really appreciating the work so much since the aim was just to complete the task within the time frame. I don’t have much time to know the details behind that particular task. For example, within this week, I have been assigned to review and check some instrumentations sizing. Essentially, I know pretty well how to do it but I have to bear in mind that now I am working in a chemical plant project which involves a lot of variations in chemical substances or components and it may requires an extra and additional knowledge to deal with such services. Moreover, the well-known process steady state simulator also will not be able to best represent the fluids involved i.e. aqueous solution. So, it takes some time for me to complete the task and occasionally it took minutes just to find some thermal properties from the handbook! Yeah, I love my job.

Good Sleep Habits Essential During Pregnancy

The American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) says that one of the ways for expectant mothers to help give their baby a better chance of a healthy and full-term birth is to practice good sleep hygiene.

Not sleeping well can lead to a number of problems. Expectant mothers who have poor nighttime sleep are more likely to have a depressed mood, attention and memory problems, excessive daytime sleepiness, more night time falls, and use more over-the-counter or prescription sleep aids, all of which may adversely affect the healthy development of her baby. In addition, recent studies associate lack of sleep with serious health problems such as an increased risk of obesity, cardiovascular disease and diabetes.

Jodi A. Mindell, PhD, a professor of psychology at St. Joseph’s University in Philadelphia, and associate director of the Sleep Center at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, says that keeping good sleep habits is especially essential when a woman is pregnant. On behalf of the AASM, Mindell offers the following sleep hygiene tips for all moms-to-be:


1. Maintain a consistent sleep schedule.

2. Make your bedroom dark, cool and comfortable.

3. Sleep on the left side, which is best for the developing baby.

4. Don’t clock-watch.

5. Don’t stay in bed and try to sleep. If, in 10-15 minutes, you are struggling to fall asleep, get up and move to another room and do something distracting, but not stimulating. Read or perhaps listen to soft music.

6. Avoid alcohol and caffeine.

7. Allow yourself time to unwind before bed.

AMALAN-AMALAN YANG DAPAT DIAMALKAN KETIKA MENGANDUNG

Memperbanyakkan mengingati Allah s.w.t dengan memohon ampun dan taubat. Ibu yang hamil digalakkan banyak mengingati Allah supaya hatinya tenang dan mendekatkan diri kepada Allah s.w.t. Dengan ini diharapkan agar anak yang lahir nanti bersih hatinya dan ibu dapat melahirkan dengan tenang dan baik. Bapa juga digalakkan melakukan perkara yang sama ketika isterinya mengandung.Perempuan yang hamil juga digalakkan supaya banyak bermunajat ke hadrat Allah s.w.t dan memohon doa kepada-Nya semoga anak dalam kandungan sentiasa sihat dan agar dipermudahkan Tuhan bagi ibu tersebut. Doanya :

"Dengan nama Allah yang Maha Pemurah lagi Maha Mengasihani. Ya Allah, peliharalah anakku selama di dalam kandungan dan sembuhkanlah ia, Engkau Maha Penyembuh, tiada sembuhan melainkan penawar-mu, sembuh yang tidak meninggalkan kesan buruk. Ya Allah, lahirkan ia daripada kandunganku dengan kelahiran yang mudah dan sejahtera. Ya Allah, jadikanlah ia sihat sempurna, Ya Allah, elokkanlah perangai (akhlak), fasihkanlah lidahnya dan perelokkanlah suaranya untuk membaca hadis dan al-quran dengan berkat Nabi Muhammad s.a.w".

Banyak melakukan ibadat, membuat kebajikan dan meninggalkan segala larangannya. Perempuan yang sedang hamil digalakkan memperbanyak mendirikan solat malam, solat sunnat, sentiasa menutup aurat.Manakala suami juga dituntut memperbanyakkan ibadat, berpuasa sunat terutamanya pada hari hari yang disunnatkan iaitu Isnin dan Khamis. Ibu yang hamil juga adalah digalakkan untuk sentiasa membaca makthurat terutamanya setiap kali selepas solat.

Memperbanyakkan membaca Al-Quran, ibu-ibu yang mengandung perlu memperbanyakkan membaca Al-Quran dan cuba memahami makna bacaanya. Antara ayat-ayat Al-Quran yang elok dibaca ialah : surah Al-Fatihah, surah at-Taubah, surah Yusuf, surah Luqman, surah an-nahl ayat ke 78 dan surah al-A'raf ayat 189. Selain ibadah ia juga dapat memudahkan bersalin, mendapat anak yang sihat dan sempurna, anak yang patuh dan taat pada Allah dan Rasul-nya.

Sentiasa berakhlak yang baik. Bagi ibu-ibu yang hamil hendaklah sentias menjaga akhlaknya dan bersikap baik kepad jiran tetangga, tidak suka berborak- borak kosong dengan jiran kerana sikap yang tidak elok ini boleh mempergaruhi anak yang akan dilahirkan kelak. Perbanyakkan membaca Al-Quran daripada berborak-borak kosong. Demekianlah amalan yang dituntut bagi ibu yang hamil untuk mengamalkannya semoga Allah akan memberi ganjaran pahala kepadanya dan diharapkan anak yang akan lahir nanti anak yang betul-betul taat kepada Allah, Rasul dan ibu bapanya.


Akhlak Suami kepada Isteri yang hamil
Sebagai suami pula, kita mestilah mempunyai akhlak yang baik dan memperlakukan isteri dengan baik tambahan pula di sedang hamil. Suami tidak boleh mengambil sikap sambil lewa dan tidak bertanggungjawab. Di antara perkara-perkara yang perlu dipenuhi oleh suami ialah:
- sentiasa bersikap kasih sayang terhadap isteri.
- sentiasa bersikap jujur dan tidak berlaku kejam terhadapnya.
- jauhilah daripada kata-kata yang boleh menyinggung perasaanya walaupun dalam
- keadaan marah, banyak beristighfar, berselawat dan ambil wuduk dan cuba
- mengingati keadaan manis dan jasa isteri.
- Janganlah kerap mengeluarkan perkataan Talaq kerana ini dapat mengganggu perasaanya dan juga kandunganya.
- jauhilah daripada merendahkan isteri di depan orang ramai.
- hargailah dan berikanlah pujian dia atas segala pemberian dan perbuatan isteri
- bantulah isteri dalam kerja-kerja rumah.
- cuba fahami keadaan dan masalah isteri dengan mengambil berat tentang perasaan dan kesihatannya.
- berilah semangat dan perangsang kepada si isteri dalam melakukan sesuatu agar beliau bertambah semangat. Tenangkan hatinya selalu jika dia mengalami kesusahan atau kesulitan.
- bantulah isteri dalam melakukan kebaikan dan Ibadah.


Akhlak Isteri terhadap suami ketika hamil
- menunjukkan sifat kasih sayang terhadap suami
- menjaga lidahnya dari menyebut perkataan kesat dan keji.
- Taat kepada segala perintah suami selagi ia tidak melanggar hokum Allah.
- jangan cerewet dan menimbulkan masalah dalam rumahtangga.
- hormatilah hak dan kelebihan suami juga keluarganya.
- apabila suami dalam keadaan marah maka diamkanlah diri semoga ini dapat melembutkan hati suami.
- berterus teranglah pada suami apabila timbul sesuatu masalah dan jangan was-was terhadap suami.
- jangan merendah-rendahkan suami d hadapan orang lain.
- jangan berlebihan dalam berbelanja dan hendaklah selalu bersyukur dengan apa yang ada.
- jauhilah dari mencungkil rahsia-rahsia suami yang tidak dia sukai dan Janganlah sengaja mencari-cari kesilapan suami.
- jauhilah dari perasaan mencintai orang lain lebih dari suami sendiri.

Recommended Servings for Pregnant Women

The six food groups and general recommended servings (a serving is approximately the size of the palm of the hand) in pregnancy are as follows (choose low-fat or nonfat versions when possible):

Grains [9 servings]
Complex carbohydrates or starches include bread, rice, cereal and pasta. These are a good source of energy, minerals, vitamins and fiber.

Vegetables [4 servings]
Choose colorful vegetables and eat a variety, including leafy types, root and starchy vegetables, and legumes (chick peas and beans). They are low in fat and high in fiber and provide vitamins such as A and C, and folic acid, as well as minerals such as iron and magnesium.

Dairy [3 servings]
Includes milk, yogurt, and cheese, which provide protein, calcium, phosphorus, and vitamins.

Fruits [3 servings]
Choose fresh fruits, fruit juices (not fruit drinks made mostly with sugar), and frozen, canned, or dried fruits. Fruits provide vitamins A and C, potassium, and fiber.

Meats [3 servings]
Includes poultry, fish, beans, eggs, and nuts. This group provides B vitamins, protein, iron, and zinc.

Oils & Fats [use sparingly]
No more than 30 percent of the daily calories should come from this group.

Healthy Habits During Pregnancy

Today, the emphasis on a healthy lifestyle is more apparent than ever, and in pregnancy, proper nutrition and exercise are essential to the well being of both the mother and the baby. Maternal daily choices can directly affect the developing baby; therefore, establishing good habits and eliminating bad ones, such as smoking or drug abuse, prior to pregnancy can be the best things that a woman can do for herself and her baby.

The key to good nutrition is a well-balanced diet, which can be achieved by eating a variety of foods. To assist the public, guidelines were developed by the government in the form of a food-guide pyramid (see MyPyramid.gov). It stresses a diet that is low in fat, sugar and cholesterol, and high in vegetables, fruits and grains.

The guidelines listed below should help you meet the nutrient needs of pregnancy. Every diet should include proteins, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins and minerals; therefore, routine multivitamin supplementation is not necessary unless the maternal diet is inadequate or the mother is at nutritional risk. A pregnant woman needs 60 grams of protein daily to meet the demands of a growing baby, her enlarging breasts, and her increased blood volume.

Strict vegetarians may need assistance from a nutritionist and may find the food pyramid guide for vegetarians helpful. Because carbohydrates fuel the body, more than half of the food eaten should be in the form of carbohydrates, which are simple sugars and starches. Starches are in grains, vegetables and fruits. Limit simple sugars (table sugar, honey, syrup, fruit juices, candy, and processed foods with a high sugar content) and favor starches, especially if there are concerns about blood sugar regulation or diabetes in pregnancy.

Increased iron in the diet is a must to support the growth of the baby and to produce extra blood. A daily supplement of 30 mg of elemental iron is recommended. Iron is best absorbed on an empty stomach or with vitamin C, such as in orange juice, but not with calcium which can block absorption.

To prevent depleting the mother’s bones, 1200 mg of calcium should be taken daily. Milk and dairy products, such as yogurt and hard cheeses, are good sources. The lactose intolerant woman should consult her healthcare provider.

Folic acid is essential in reducing the risk of neural tube defects. It is best to take at least a 0.4 mg daily supplement for one month before becoming pregnant and during the first three months of pregnancy. Women who have had a child with a neural tube or certain other birth defects need 10 times this amount — 4 mg daily.

It is important to stay well hydrated, and drinking eight glasses of water a day should replace what is lost. Dehydration can lead to cramping. Increased water intake alleviates constipation, a frequent problem in pregnancy. Fiber, 20-30 grams or about one ounce daily, also helps women stay regular.

Exercise is highly regarded, and participation in many activities appears to be safe in pregnancy. Current recommendations are 30 minutes or more of moderate exercise most, if not all, days. Exercise may be particularly beneficial in preventing gestational diabetes, especially in morbidly obese women.

Active women, including athletes, can remain active and should modify their routines as medically indicated. Previously inactive women, and those with medical or obstetric complications, should be evaluated before recommendations for exercise in pregnancy are made.
Activities with a high risk for falling or abdominal trauma should be avoided. Exercises involving lying on the back after the first trimester or standing motionless for prolonged periods also should be avoided, as they can lead to decreased blood output and feelings of lightheadedness. Warning signs to stop exercising include bleeding or fluid leaks, shortness of breath, dizziness, headache, chest pain, persistent contractions, or muscle weakness.

Perkara yang perlu dielakkan sepanjang kehamilan

Penjagaan sepanjang awal kehamilan sehingga hari kelahiran yang ditunggu-tunggu adalah sangat penting bagi menjamin tahap kesihatan ibu dan bayi dalam keadaan sihat dan selamat. Jadi banyak perkara yang bakal ibu terutamanya perlu tahu perkara-perkara yang patut dan perlu dielakkan.

Diantara perkara yang perlu dielak mengambilnya ketika hamil :

> Aspirin - akan menyebabkan jumlah cecair amnion menjadi sedikit, mengurangkan aliran darah di dalam otak bayi.
> Alkohol - meracun sel-sel di dalam tubuh janin yang sedang membesar.
> Litium - ubat yang berkesan untuk merawat masalah mood yang tidak menentu dan boleh menjejaskan perkembangan jantung bayi.
> Vitamin A - jika pengambilannya berlebihan melebihi 8000 IU sehari, risiko untuk bayi mendapat keabnormalan urinari dan trak genital semakin meningkat.
> Tetrasaiklin - sejenis antibiotik untuk merawat jangkitan dada, faraj dan ubat jerawat. Jika diambil pada trimester kedua dan ketiga, ia boleh menjejaskan perkembangan gigi bayi dan menyebabkan giginya berwarna kuning.
> Ubat penahan sakit - boleh menyebabkan penguncupan salur darah penting di jantung bayi yang sepatutnya hanya menguncup selepas dilahirkan.
> Rokok - asap rokok bukan sahaja mengandungi nikotindan tar, tetapi juga karbon monoksida, ammonium, racun sianida dan campuran bahan kimia lain yang menjadi penyebab barah. Ia menganggu pengaliran oksigen kepada janin, janin cenderung lahir tidak cukup bulan, kecil, dan ringan, mudah keguguran, bayi cacat atau mati sebaik dilahirkan.
> Hentikan kegiatan lasak - seperti bermain tenis, menunggang kuda atau kerja yang memerlukan anda berdiri sepanjang masa.
> Minuman tertentu - kurangkan pengambilan minuman bergas, berkafeina, teh herba kerana dikhuatiri boleh mengancam bayi dalam kandungan.
> Makanan - makanan yang dipanaskan semula dikhuatiri mengandungi bakteria dan tidak baik untuk kesihatan. Makanan dalam tin biasanya tinggi kandungan gula, garam, perisa, lemak, bahan awet dan penawar tiruan. Gula boleh menambahkan berat badan.
> X-Ray - ibu hamil tidak digalakkan mendapat rawatan secara x-ray sepanjang tempoh kehamilan.

Huhu =(

Actually, I don’t know exactly why am I writing this post. I don’t know what had happened to me. This morning I woke up as usual and continue my daily boring routine as supposed. As far as you all concerned, I already came back from Roland Garros. There was nothing much special for the tournament except Rafael Nadal wins again. If I am not mistaken, he wins fourth time for the French Open title. Yeah, he deserves to win. He looked physically strong and played very well and ends up beating world number one, Roger Federer by straight sets. OK, just forget about the game. Back to the reality. What is the reality? Yeah, the reality is that, I will be alone here for another one month before I take a break for one week in Malaysia. Damn, it’s just a short break. Of course it is. I have no choice. I have to reserve the remaining leave balances for this upcoming Hari Raya and I have to go back no matter what. This Hari Raya will be the most unforgettable and meaningful for me and my wife since this is the first Hari Raya celebrated by us as a husband and wife. Moreover, all of my family members also will going back to celebrate the Hari raya holidays in Penang. Seriously, I can’t wait. Huhu. Now, it has been 9 days after my wife went back and left me alone here. Huhu. Seriously, I miss her a lot. I think that’s the main reason why I’m writing this post. I just want to let her know that I love and miss her so much. Even though we do chatting every day, I still feel something is missing. One of my French colleagues always says “Ce pas normal” which means “it is not normal”. Actually, she refers to our long distances relationship after marriage when she knows that we were just married. Huhu.

Panduan Pemakanan Ibu Mengandung

Semasa mengandung, anda bukan sahaja perlu meningkatkan jumlah pemakanan anda, tetapi yang lebih penting ialah apa yang anda makan. Kebiasaannya, wanita mengandung memerlukan penambahan 300 kalori/hari daripada biasa terutamanya semasa trimester terakhir di mana bayi membesar dengan pantas. Penambahan 300 kalori sehari tersebut penting diperolehi daripada makanan yang berkhasiat supaya ia boleh menyumbang kepada pembentukan dan perkembangan bayi.

Mengapa pemakanan sihat penting semasa mengandung?

Pernahkah anda terfikir mengapa berat badan anda bertambah 10-15 kg (secara purata) semasa anda mengandung sedangkan berat bayi yang baru lahir hanya ¼ daripada itu? Walau pun ianya berbeza bagi setiap individu wanita yang mengandung, faktor-faktor di bawah menyumbang kepada pertambahan berat badan:

> Berat bayi : 2.5 - 3 kg
> Penyimpanan protein, lemak dan nutrien lain yang berlebihan : 2.75 - 3 kg

> Penambahan darah : 1.5 – 2 kg

> Penambahan cecair badan yang lain : 1.5 - 2kg

> Pembesaran payudara : 0.75 – 1 kg

> Pembesaran uterus (rahim) : 0.75 – 1 kg

> Cecair amniotik (air ketuban) : 0.75 – 1 kg

> Plasenta (uri) : 0.5 – 0.75 kg

Selain daripada penambahan berat bayi, faktor-faktor lain juga penting untuk memastikan fisiologi ibu berubah mengikut keperluan ibu mengandung. Corak penambahan berat semasa mengandung bagi individu juga berbeza. Jika anda mula mengandung semasa berat badan berlebihan, berat anda mungkin akan turun sedikit pada awal trimester manakala penambahan akan berlaku bagi ibu yang kurus atau mengandung anak kembar.

Makanan semasa mengandung

Semasa mengandung, apa sahaja yang anda makan dan minum merupakan sumber utama nutrien bagi bayi anda. Pemakanan anda berkait rapat dengan kesihatan bayi sehinggakan kebanyakan doktor menasihatkan supaya tidak mengambil sebarang risiko dengan makan makanan yang berkemungkinan memudaratkan bayi seperti alkohol.

Sama ada anda mengandung atau tidak, diet yang sihat merangkumi protein, karbohidrat, lemak, vitamin, mineral dan air yang mencukupi. Jika anda mengamalkan pemakanan mengikut sistem piramid makanan, ini menunjukkan yang anda berpotensi untuk menjadi individu yang sihat.

Penting bagi ibu mengandung untuk memvariasikan makanannya bagi memperoleh semua keperluan nutrisi ibu dan bayi. Makanan yang perlu dimakan semasa mengandung ialah:

> Buah-buahan dan sayur-sayuran – target untuk makan 5 hidangan sehari termasuk sebagai snek, jus dan salad.

> Makanan berkanji – roti, nasi, pasta, ubi kentang. Banyakkan bijirin penuh (wheat, whole grain)

> Makanan berprotein tinggi – Daging, ayam, ikan, telur, kekacang (soya). Banyakkan makan ikan sekurang-kurangnya 2 kali seminggu.

> Makanan berkalsium tinggi – Susu, yoghurt, cheese.
> Makanan berserat tinggi – Jadikan sayur, buah, bijirin dan kekacang sebagai makanan kegemaran kerana ia boleh mengelakkan sembelit.

Minum banyak air dan elakkan makanan berlemak dan bergula tinggi seperti kek dan coklat kerana ia mengakibatkan pertambahan berat badan berlebihan dan seterusnya meniggikan risiko mendapat kencing manis (gestational diabetes mellitus). Jika anda sukakan snek, ambil raisin, biskut bijirin penuh (Jacob’s atau IKO), salad buah, yoghurt atau sebarang makanan bernutrisi yang lain.

Perkara yang perlu diambil berat semasa membeli makanan

Makanan basah seperti ikan, ayam dan daging harus dibeli segar dan dijamin kebersihannya. Pastikan sayur-sayuran dan buah juga segar dan tidak mengandungi pestisid (kebiasaannya, sayur berlubang dimakan ulat atau serangga tiada pestisid).

Bagi makanan yang dibungkus atau dalam tin, baca label makanan yang menunjukkan kandungan nutrisi dan kalori makanan tersebut. Terdapat juga label makanan yang memberikan cadangan hidangan yang bersesuaian bagi diet seharian. Apabila anda mengandung, cadangan hidangan bersesuaian juga sebenarnya bertambah seiring dengan keperluan untuk penambahan kalori. Periksa label makanan sebelum membelinya supaya makanan tersebut dapat dipastikan:

> HALAL kerana makanan akan menjadi darah daging anda dan bayi

> Berkhasiat untuk kesihatan anda dan bayi

Perhatikan juga tarikh lupus (expiry date) makanan dan pastikan pembungkus / tin makanan dalam keadaan sempurna (tiada kebocoran, tercemar, kemek). Walau pun nampak remeh, tetapi ia sebenarnya penting kerana makanan yang tercemar atau sudah lupus tarikhnya boleh menyebabkan anda keracunan makanan sekaligus boleh memudaratkan kesihatan bayi anda.

Bagaimana anda tahu yang pemakanan anda sihat semasa mengandung?

Kunci utamanya ialah dengan mempelbagaikan pengambilan makanan dalam kumpulan yang berbeza-beza (seperti yang dicadangkan di atas) dengan jumlah yang mencukupi. Jangan risau jika anda mengalami alahan yang teruk dan tiada selera makan pada trimester pertama. Keadaan ini tidak akan memberikan impak yang besar kepada bayi anda kerana bayi akan mendapat nutrisi terdahulu daripada anda sebaik sahaja anda makan. Bagi yang mengalami alahan yang mencapai trimester kedua sehingga bersalin, pastikan anda tetap makan makanan berkhasiat - biar sedikit tetapi kerap.

Walau pun penambahan berat badan ideal semasa mengandung yang dicadangkan ialah 10-15 kg (kebiasaannya 1.5 – 2.5 kg pada trimester pertama dan 0.25 - 0.5 kg / minggu pada trimester ke -2 dan 3), jangan hadkan diri anda. Sebaliknya, fokus pada pemakanan yang sihat dan seimbang untuk memastikan anda dan bayi sihat.

Khasiat Kurma Ketika Hamil

Sabda Rasulullah s.a.w
'Berilah makan buah kurma kepada isteri-isteri kamu yang hamil, kerana sekiranya wanita hamil itu memakan buah kurma, nescaya anak yang bakal dilahirkan itu menjadi anak yang penyabar, bersopan santun serta cerdas pemikirannya.'

Kebaikan memakan kurma ketika mengandung dan bersalin adalah amat baik sekali jika diamalkan kerana ini akan memudahkan bersalin nanti. Semasa bayi dilahirkan, buah kurma juga dicalitkan sedikit di lelangit bayi.

Ingat tak kisah di mana Maryam hanya memakan buah kurma semasa melahirkan nabi Isa a.s. Buah kurma tidak mengandungi gula yang merbahayakan malah ia merupakan makanan Rasullullah s.a.w.

Nabi Muhammad SAW bersabda:
'Rumah yang tidak ada kurma di dalamnya, akan menyebabkan penghuninya kurang sihat.'
Berilah makanan kurma pada wanita yang hamil sebelum dia melahirkan, sebab yang demikian itu akan menyebabkan anaknya menjadi seorang yang tabah dan bertakwa (bersih hatinya).'

Abu Abdillah a.s. bersabda:
'Buah kurma adalah salah satu buah yang berasal dari syurga dan dapat mensirnakan pengaruh sihir.'

Abu Abdillah a.s. bersabda:
'Orang yang memakan 7 buah kurma yang baik sebelum sarapan, maka pada hari itu dia tidak akan tertimpa racun, sihir dan tidak diganggu setan.'

Imam Ja'far Ash-Shadiq a..s. bersabda:
'Barang siapa memakan 7 buah kurma yang baik, maka cacing-cacing yang ada di perutnya akan mati.'

French Open 2008

Well, I am not really a big fan of tennis sport. In fact, when I spend my boring and dull evening watching Eurosport channel almost every day here since my wife return back home, I start to enjoy the game especially the French Open was held in the middle and now towards to the end where final tournament between Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer will take places tomorrow! I believe this tournament level is equivalent to the World Cup especially for those who really love and play tennis. I can imagine how big and grand this tournament for the tennis lovers. Frankly speaking, I have never playing tennis before but I used to watch my brother playing tennis with his friends quite some time ago. That’s all. I have no determination or interest at all. Hmm. But when I heard about French Open, I realized that this is not just about a game. It is one of the most prestigious events in tennis, and it has the widest worldwide broadcasting and audience of all events in this sport. Because of the slow playing surface and the five-set men's singles matches without a tiebreak in the final set, the event is considered to be the most physically demanding tennis tournament in the world. The French Open is a major tennis tournament held over two weeks between mid-May and early June in Paris, France, at the Stade de Roland Garros. It is the second of the Grand Slam tournaments on the annual tennis calendar and the premier clay court tennis tournament in the world. Not only tennis fans mark their calendars when Rafael Nadal’s and Roger Federer’s career paths collide in a final here in Roland Garros 2008. I, myself do, too. Hehe. Tomorrow, I will be going to see them in final and try to be part of the game!

Alhamdulillah, it works!

Yay, Finally !!!!

Alhamdulillah. It was really a good news from my wife. Last week, she told me that she missed her period and it was absolutely an abnormal situation for her. Hmm. I have been thinking about it but anyway, stress and illness would also cause a period to be delayed right? Yeah, I know a bit about that. Then, she also claimed that she feels something different and she’s trying hardly to figure out what are the signs of pregnancy or pregnancy symptoms from her friends. Then, I am start thinking of the days we spent here for the one month. Hehe. There was a moment she really exhausted and lack of energy. At the time as I could remembered, she just lay down on the bed and she told me that she don’t want to go anywhere for the day and finally we just spent our time freely in the room. As I am thinking about it, maybe it is due to the beginning of the conception. Yeah, I got to know about that from the internet and please don’t expect me knows everything in details especially in this pregnancy matter. Hehe. Then, she told me that one of her friends suggests her to try a home pregnancy test. Alhamdulillah. The test was positive. When I heard about this good news, I was very happy and excited. Then, a large part of me starts thinking that I will have an absolutely another big responsibility to deal with. Of course, I am going to be a daddy sooner. InsyaAllah. Amin. My brain is once again telling me that I must get prepared physically and emotionally before the newborn’s arrival. Now, it is the time to keep focus especially for my wife by changing her normal daily meals which I think not so nutritious as well as her bad habit to drink less water. This morning, I told my wife to make an appointment with a doctor to re-confirm the pregnancy. Yeah, we can't rely 100% of the home pregnancy test and it is better to seek for doctor advice. Then, if it confirmed, she can starts thinking and studying about the healthy eating guidelines for pregnant women. Of course, healthy eating is very important not for pregnant women only but also for their unborn babies. There are many nutritional issues to consider ensuring good health of both the woman and baby, during and after pregnancy. Anyway, I will not leave the whole burden to my wife alone. I will also need to do some homework on the related issues especially on the eating habits during pregnancy, meals to be avoided, vitamins or minerals supplement required, or maybe some early physical preparation for the baby’s arrival and of course I will start thinking about a good name now!

Simply Me

I am a happy man and married with a woman I loved. I know my wife loves me too. She told me. Hehe. But, how about the others? Friends? Officemates? Did they like me? Hmm. Now, I am just thinking about myself. How do people judge me when they know me? Am I a good friend? There are many words can describe about myself. If you ask my parents about me, they would mainly describe me as a serious person. Sometimes, they claim that I can be simply too sensitive and extremely unpredictable. I wouldn’t hesitate to agree with each of the descriptive traits since they should know me better than I am. They brought me to life and gave me a good name as well as raised me up from the day I was born until I got married. The first word most people I know would use to describe myself is friendly and easy going. Hehe. Sounds like promoting myself but anyway, I don’t care. I don’t give a damn. Just to be frank for myself. Hopefully, for those who know me pretty well, just give me some feedback about myself so that I will take an appropriate action if necessary to change my habit or behavior positively. For those who want to be my friend or going to know me a bit deeper, please keep reading this blog and lastly for those who don’t have any interest to know me at all, why you still reading this article? Blah la. Hehe. OK, back to the subject. In all my past experiences, I have learned that it pays off to be friendly. Of course we should be friendly to others especially living in this demanding social community. Besides, it will reflect our overall performance at work and promotes the involvement in any related area that we are supposed to jump in. I used to work in a fast food restaurant quite some time ago and it was basically a good exposure to me about this life. I have learned that life is volatile and full of surprise. I have also learned that we cannot do everything by ourselves and we cannot expect perfection and excellence from others. In fact, we have to bear in mind that nobody is perfect and no matter smart or “big” you are, we must be considerable with full of respect to others. Being friendly is an important trait to have in a life. We are social human being. We need others. Sometimes, we cannot rely 100% commitments by ourselves. That’s why we have been lectured about teamwork so many times. Besides, we should also try to be more optimistic and put a high dependence to others in the team. Actually, as I am writing this article, I remember my wife told me that most of her colleagues that used to work in a group with me during those days in university claimed that I am just too perfectionist towards the job assigned. I want everything in a good order and normally I was the lead for the group and I will distribute the tasks to others by expecting some perfect effort to be done by them. Looking back, there are many mistakes or I would rather rephrase it as a misunderstanding about this life happened to me. Now, after almost three years in employment with a professional services company, I know exactly what is the true meaning and importance of being friendly and being tolerated. Since then, I am getting to know more people with different level and easily get connected to them. I have a very good relationship with my colleagues in the office especially within my project. Positively, it will be much easier for me to work with them and because of that, I was awarded more responsibilities. This is the critical part which I think the most important for my self-development. Once they know that you are such a dependable worker, they will continuously feed you with a work until to some extent you won’t feel to work anymore!

I hate being alone

It’s 8 pm. The bright sky with the wind blowing gently really refreshes and makes me relieve. As I opened the door and benefit the fresh air at the balcony, I saw a quite number of small kids still playing energetically in the garden in front of my hotel. Sometimes their behaviors tend very funny. They are so cute. Some of them love to run and some just prefer to remain silence by sitting on the ground while looked around innocently. I really love such environment. Peaceful and alive. Actually, I already had my dinner. Just a simple meal cooked by myself. After done with the dinner and clean up everything, I get online to chat with my wife. At the moment she was sleeping. Of course, it is 2 am in Malaysia. Besides, I am sure she was very exhausted today because of the jet lag (yeah, she just arrived yesterday!), struggle to settle out some issues and have to drive back from KL to JB alone! Pity her.

As I look back on all that’s happened to her, I feel very sad as she has to do everything by her own. I know that she understands the situation but frankly speaking when I am thinking about it, I feel very bad. I don’t know exactly what should I do right now. I know that distances will never separate our hearts which really care but it can limits and may be to some extent can demolish our dream in the future. Within this time frame, I would not be able to be with my wife where she needs me the most to solve some issues. Actually, there is no big issue here but I can feel that something is missing. We need to be together. Of course. I really miss my wife so badly. It is not easy for me to live here without her especially there are something that needs to be done by two of us. But whenever I start feeling sad because I miss her, I will remind myself how lucky I am to have someone so special to miss. And how blessed I am to have such an independent and dependable woman in my life.

I still remember when she was here, my life was just too perfect. She really completes me. Then, I questioned myself. Why can't we get all the people together in the world that we really like and then just stay together? Huhu. Actually, I just want to be a normal husband. Literally, to be a good husband, have a big family, living in a comfortable house with a small garden, have a good and secured job for the long term and definitely stay together under one roof and close to the loved ones. I hope I am not dreaming. I hope my wish will become truth. InsyaAllah. When, I recalled back those days when my wife was here, I am very happy to go back from work early in the evening. I know I should be grateful for this golden opportunity or can be considered as a brilliant working exposure in a lifetime, but should I put the work as my priority? No, I don’t think so. I love my family. Family must comes first. The past experience may be gone forever, and whatever the future holds, our true love will last forever.

She fits me!

Alhamdulillah, she reached home safely. She reached KLIA at 6.30 am (local time) and at the moment I was sleeping. Thanks to MAS for bringing my wife back securely. Now, she knows how far we were distanced and 14 hours journey can simply gives her a painful experience especially she was alone. It is rather can be even worse if she is seated next to a stranger with banyak songeh habits. Luckily, it was not happened to my wife. Thanks to my wife for spending and sharing a great time with me and let go her one month salary just to be with me (she took unpaid leaves for one month). There is nothing special for the day without her and in the silence of night I have often wished for just a few words from her before I nod off. Seriously, I will never forget the days spent together with my lovely wife. I really miss her cares, her smile, her soft-spoken, her voices, her cook and absolutely her true love. Huhu. Now, she is at my parent’s house having a nice dinner cooked by my mom. She will going back to JB most probably tomorrow and will resume a normal work on the following day. Take care sayang.

It's hard to say good bye

Time flown very fast. I can’t believe it has been one month I have had spent a wonderful time with my wife. Now is the time to go back to reality and undergo my normal daily routine. I will be alone again for this upcoming two months before going back for 1 week break in Malaysia. Huhu. Anyway, I was very lucky enough to be here for the long term assignment and got a chance to spend the spring holidays with my wife. It is priceless to me. I will crazily miss her so much and those sweet memories within one month spent together here will be remained in my heart.

This morning, she woke up very early in the morning. I realized that she was getting ready and doing her final packing before she wakes me up. At 7.00 am, we were ready. I make a phone call to the receptionist on duty to double check with him about the taxi. He said the taxi will be here at 7.30 am as per my request yesterday. We went down to the lobby and surprisingly there were too many Indians with their big luggage crammed the spacious lobby area. We walked through the crowded and upon reaching the reception counter, the taxi driver was already there.

We reached CDG Airport around 8.00 am. Since the check-in counter was not opened at the time, we decided to have a light breakfast at the McD. She just wants to drink a cup of coffee. Same to me but I have an additional McEgg. Hehe.

After we had our breakfast, we straight away heading to the Hall 5 and by the time, the counter still not opened. Actually, I have been informed earlier that the counter will be opened at 9.00 am and 5 minutes before that, I could see a group of Indonesian and few couples of French start to line up in front of the MAS counter. At the moment, we were already stood in the first line. Upon check in, I was getting annoyed with the officer on duty as she was busy with her hand phone while doing her work and she impolitely asked me to take out the previous luggage tag by myself. Then, I slammed her back by saying that I am not going to do anything and I told her that she supposed to do that. Actually, there is no big issue here, but the thing is, she must learn to be polite and patient especially involved in a public services. Dowh.

Done with check in, we went up to the boarding gate where the last point for me to be with my wife. Huhu. An hour later, it is the time for me to say goodbye. I said to my wife to give me a call after she reaches at Gate 41. Frankly speaking, I was so worried about her since she was alone. Alhamdulillah. She was just fine. Now, it’s been 6 hours she was onboard. 8 hours to go. Hopefully she will reach home safely. Amin.