Confinement Practice in Malaysia
Confinement practice in Malaysia where I am from is a must for all mothers who just gave birth. They adhere to a 30 days traditional postpartum practices knows as confinement period. This practice is aim at taking care of new mothers to recuperate after delivery. Usually the mother or a relative is tasked into taking care of the newborn baby and mother. When it is not possible, a confinement lady is hired to do the job. Nowadays we even have confinement centers where mothers and babies stay and receive this traditional treatment. This confinement practice differ between the different cultures but the objective remains the same.
Babysit Two Grandsons
I offered Kasandra numerous times to stay with her for a few days after giving birth to Aaron but she declined. She is determined to be independent and even refuses our offer to bring food over. I can’t imagine how she handles two kids and a household. We usually have maids acting as nannies and housekeepers in Malaysia. I was relieved when she finally asked if Shane and I could babysit the two boys for a few days. So how hard can it be to babysit two grandsons at the same time? There are two of us and Aaron is now two months old. Boy oh boy….. we have the work cut out for us big time.
The Drill
We know the drill with Kiel – give him a lot of fun activities and keep him occupied as much as possible. Aaron is too young to play and he’s just going to drink milk, change diapers and sleep. I take Kiel out and used my winter jacket on him since we forgot his. He has a lot of fun running in the front yard while Shane watches Aaron. Aaron naps a lot so it is fairly easy with him. Kiel is so cute…he imitates his grandpa burping his little brother after feeding. I wrapped one of his toy in his blanket and he carries it around, acting like mummy and daddy. He even cuddles the toy while watching Ice Age cartoon on the TV screen.
Here Comes the Torture
We survived the day but here comes the torture! Kiel wants more attention from us. He insists that he sleeps on our bed and grandpa should tell him a long story. We put Aaron in his baby cot in our bedroom. I am supposed to feed him every 4 hours but Shane and I both wake up at every little sound he makes. Kiel isn’t helping either. He thrashes around and kicks us. In the end I bring Aaron’s cot out and sleep on the couch in the living room. This allows Shane more room on the bed because he needs some good night sleep for work tomorrow. It is a big relief when he wakes up, takes care of Aaron so I can go back to our bed and sleep a little more until Kiel gets up.
Huge Respects for Mothers
I have huge respects for mothers like Kasandra who takes care of their children without any assistance from nannies or relatives. I am aware this is quite a norm in the United States so I am thankful I had the experience of a different concept in my home country. Babysit two grandsons is hard and in just two nights, Shane and I are worn out and happy Kasandra is picking them home. Will we do it again? Absolutely!!!
