Baby Constipation

When we brought baby Zara home last Wednesday, she hasn't poo for 2 days.
Being first time parents, we were trying our best not to be worried over it.
On the way home, i prayed for her, lay hands on her tummy, confess over her...
i did everything a spiritual mother would and could at that moment. :p

When we got home, her tummy was bloated and she was very uncomfortable
So i used a Indonesia traditional oil for the tummy that my friend recommended.
Having Peihua and Jo around, we googled for remedy.
Massaged her tummy, exercised her legs, did all we could...
and when she poo, we were so happy!
I never thought that for simple things like going to the toilet could bring so much joy!

However, the following day and the day after, she still did not poo..
We continue googling, exercising her legs everyday, massaging her tummy to ease the tension and discomfort..
Because she is only one month old, there's many things we cannot let her eat or try..

So here's some of the daily routines we can do and tried:
- Adding a bit of honey water to her milk (we only tried once, but realized that honey are HIGHLY not advisable for infant under 12 months)
- Constantly putting oil and rubbing her tummy each time we change diaper
- Massaging and exercising her legs in circular motion
- Diluting her milk with more water
- Praying for her

What makes meets the mark is when we tried the following:
1) Boil 10-15 grains of Ayam Chicken Brand Barley in a cup of water
2) After boiling, the amount of water should have dropped
3) Scoop out all barley grains as they will expand in the baby's tummy
4) Cool the barley solution
5) Use 30ml of the barley water to replace 30ml of the water you use to make your milk
6) The baby passed motion within 2 hours after drinking
(We only tried these once and because it's so effective, we don't advise to give this to the baby often to prevent stomach upset or diarrhea)

Subsequently, we went back to continuing with the daily routines to allow the body to slowly go into the motion of passing motion naturally.

It's been a week now and she has been passing motion naturally everyday!

Tests in our lives

Every situation in life, is a lesson to learn.
Very often this learning attitude will determine how well you 'pass' or 'fail' the test.

Like we often said, your attitude determines your altitude!

Talking about test, i think our lives are filled with test from the very day we know to make sense of anything.
Almost when you couldn't even remember, we are often tested on our integrity and moral principals like,
- did you take the cookies from the cookies jag?
- who broke the glasses?
- did you take any cold drinks in school?
- have you finish your homework? (Most of the time when you are catching your favourite TV series or cartoon show)
even in little things like this, the test had already begun.

When we entered pre-school, the termly test known as exams begun. It remains constant for almost a huge fraction of our lives. To many, it seems unnecessary but to me, i think it prepares us for the real test in life.

One thing i learn about test are,
IF YOU FAIL, YOU WILL HAVE TO SIT FOR IT AGAIN!
Are you tested in your love for people? Trust in God? perseverance through difficult times?
Know that we have a God who is more interested in our character than comfort!
The grace is, you get to sit for the test AGAIN!
The way to pass is not depending on your own strength but the grace of God is sufficient for you!

You only move on after you actually pass the test.
I believe in every situation, God is testing both the tester and the testee.
The tester is often the one tested with bitterness and hurt, who in turn tries to hurt or put the testee through a trial due to that hurt or pain he explained that was not deal with properly; temptation to betray to protect oneself or for the benefit of one.
Whilst the test for the testee is how he/she will handle the situation without feeling bitter about the tester, but yet in all, choose to love.

Recently, even before these incidents happened, God spoke to me when i am in the bathroom, as always.
I was feeling a lot about this and about that and sometimes felt that certain things someone did, can be done better etc.
I guess it's just human, but God came and said to me that, the reason why He allowed me to feel a certain way is not so that i can be complaining all day, but to the change agent!
Be the one to make a change!

If there's a way to make the world a better place, it always begins with the man in the mirror!
So i decided that i want to start something NEW called 'Celebrating your success!' where we can come together to support and share the joy of one another's success!
Sometimes it can be quite emotional when you feel that no one is sharing your joy.
We will be there not just for the good times but we will also be there for the bad times!

Lord, strengthen me that i can be the change agent and make this family a better place, a place where we can be united to know you more!