JE is starting N1!

JE is starting N1 at PAP Sparkletots two streets from home.. two days from now.. I think as parents, we are more kanchiong, or maybe jux me the ever worrisome mother.. she hasn't been away for classes before, as I didn't want a big age gap so while the kids are 22 months apart, they are academically only 1 year apart.

I did think about signing her up for classes but did not want to just leave helper and JY alone at home.. around November, we started this Music and Movement class on Saturdays where a teacher comes to our house for a 45 minute session of nursery songs, animal play and tinkering with the ukulele, drums and cassinet.. it has not been the most regular yet, think only 4 classes so far as the class is small, my neighbor, her friend's boy, and JE. jY joined in the class since he likes music too and it's just in our own house..

Hopefully classes can be more regular in the new year.. it's a exercise for mummies too cox we move along with the kids, e.g. do the elephant walk, or run around like a mouse, or carry the kids n shoot off to the sky... Hubby was thinking of signing JE up for classes at Yamaha instead but then that would lead to JY not being able to participate too..

Anyways, back to school, I hope JE takes well to it, since I have to count on our helper to bring her to and fro classes daily. Hubby and I will take turns to bring her for the first week, and hopefully she's ok for the 2nd and onwards.. and will meet great friends and caring teachers that make her love and enjoy studying..

There's nothing to prepare for a N1 preschooler, right? Right...

Breathe in, breathe out..

JY is 1!

JY has turned one year old, in fact, he's turning 13 months old come early Jan! Lazy mummy has been lazing on updates.. 

We held a party for him a day earlier at Sis-in-law’s condo function room.. the venue is great and we booked both the Karaoke and function room.. the room.was already decorated with festive LED lights cox it was going to be Xmas season, same case as his first month baby shower party during early Jan.. my boy sure picked a good month to be born during the year end festive season, helped us save abit of decor and the condo management helped hype up the place..

Anyways, I had bought party stuff from.taobao since August.. abit over-excited and actually didn't use everything that I had bought.. because of the great11.11 sale and shipping concierge ezbuy couldn't handle the surge in orders, some of my goods actually came way after the party.. ?!?!?

Oh wells, you can't save all the money so pay peanuts and you get monkeys.. 

But some of my orders are wonderful.. got decor balloons for just $6 that totally didn't look like it..

Bought some cutesy cookie wrappers and got snacks from Bencoolen to fill them as party favors.. bought chocolates from Cocoa Trees and put them in my old but festive-looking Cookie Museum tin.. also bought 3-tier bowls from NTUC for Bangkok cookies, displayed Pocky and Pejoy sticks.. and that was my less than $100 dessert table.. of course the buffet and venue rental was another sum, all in all I guess $1000plus or likely lesser for a crowd of 70 pax..

Jts some of my party buys:

Balloons: https://detail.tmall.com/item.htm?id=527209706539

http://h5.m.taobao.com/awp/core/detail.htm?id=19598923878

http://m.intl.taobao.com/detail/detail.html?id=531297500368

http://m.intl.taobao.com/detail/detail.html?id=540156529310

Cake stand:

https://detail.tmall.com/item.htm?id=530689445115

Led balls: http://m.intl.taobao.com/detail/detail.html?id=12399180735

Mummies can also search for cake toppers or 蛋糕插 on ezbuy or taobao.

some additional links for other stuff that can be used at both the party and after: 

https://ezbuy.sg/Product/Detail?url=https%3a%2f%2fitem.taobao.com%2fitem.htm%3fid%3d533917018861&src=

https://ezbuy.sg/Product/Detail?url=https%3a%2f%2fitem.taobao.com%2fitem.htm%3fid%3d524770619277&src=

https://ezbuy.sg/Shopping/EasyBuy?url=http%3A%2F%2Fitem.taobao.com%2Fitem.htm%3Fid%3D526965074330%26spm%3D2014.12193480.0.0&IsFromPrime=Y

https://ezbuy.sg/Product/Detail?url=https%3a%2f%2fitem.taobao.com%2fitem.htm%3fid%3d529685953889&src=

https://ezbuy.sg/Product/Detail?url=https%3a%2f%2fitem.taobao.com%2fitem.htm%3fid%3d520248448218&src=

https://ezbuy.sg/newcategory/?keyword=cake%20toppers&isPrime=false

On his birthday, we went to the temple to give thanks.. I bought e-tickets at $34 to go to the SEA Aquarium, and topped up $40 to convert my day pass to annual pass instead of $88 for annual pass.. promotions only lasts til 31 Dec.. was contemplating about buying a RwS invites membership or not as there's an ongoing promo as well for MasterCard holders at $135 instead of $150 as they offer $200 dining vouchers at those fancy restaurants.. thought its quite worth it and the til 31st Dec deadline is making my heart race.. oh wells...

Hope this post helps you to save some money too!!

Sharing post on KKH

I am sharing my experience at the L3 fetal monitoring clinic for mummies back in 2015.

I had a scare midway through my second pregnancy and went to KkH one evening for tummy aches that lasted an entire evening around 26 weeks and was asked to go to the L3 monitoring clinic. The nurses told me I was having contractions and possibly miscarriaging and scared my wits out of me. For quite some time, I didn't know what was going on, i was left alone while being strapped to the monitor, then they gave me the news while I was alone, subsequently I asked for hubby to come in as I was crying and shaking. They had to ask the Registration for permission for some steroid jab n i could either ward or go home. Not reassuring by any count when I was filled with dread and fear. I was wheeled up to the ward around midnight as we decided to stay, not knowing what and how the worst may have happened.

The nurses at the ward were really angels from heaven, extremely reassuring and tender and held onto my hand while they inserted the IV. They calmed me and soothed my frazzled mind, allowing me to rest for the night after a junior Dr came and gave his preliminary views. The angels at my ward continued to care for me over my 3D2N "staycation", while an extremely gentle lady Dr came and told me I probably caught some infection down there that triggered the contractions, until I was discharged. It was mind-blowing how different the nurses were, and to this day, I still dread my harrowing experience at the L3 clinic..

I have only one other experience of KKH children's A&E, and hopefully no others to come. My girl had fell and hurt her nose and mouth and was bleeding and rushed to KKH around 5plus 6pm. I rushed down from work and she was thankfully already calmed down and attended to by the time I reached about 6.40pm.. however, I have heard of other stories whereby my friend's son was administered stitches without sufficient anaesthetics and it was a terrible experience..

So, I guess it all depends on the nurses and Drs you meet..

Recipes for bone wellness

My father in law somehow fainted in Chinese Garden last Friday and fractured his arm. On first look the injuries are quite bad, as he somehow got a black eye as well.. He also got a couple of injuries here and there.. i googled online for some soup recipes that could be useful..

Found this website useful for reference on Chinese herbs: http://www.homemade-chinese-soups.com/chinese-herbs.html

Source: http://5elementfood.blogspot.sg/2014/11/three-chinese-bone-soups-for-healing.html

Pork Bone Soup 

1 pound of Pork Bones (preferably Neck Bones)
Enough Water to Just Cover the Pork Bones
Enough Water to Cook the Pork Bone Soup
1 Tablespoon White Vinegar
1 Tablespoon Salt
Optional: 2 cups of Soybean Sprouts

Place Pork Bones in a soup pot and add water to jut cover the bones. Bring to a boil and turn off when the scum rises to the surface. Throw out all of the water and then refill the pot so that there is about 4 inches of water covering the bones. Add vinegar and salt and bring to a boil. Then reduce heat and simmer on low for 3 hours or more. Cool and strain broth. If desired, reheat and cook Soybean Sprouts in the soup for about 15 minutes before serving. Otherwise, reheat one cup at a time to boiling and serve in a mug. Season with additional sea salt if desired.

Chicken Bone Soup

1 pound of Chicken Drumsticks
1 large yellow onion, stem ends removed and cut into chunks (can leave peel on)
1 Celery Root, washed and cut into chunks
2 large carrots, washed, stem and end removed and cut into chunks
2 - 3 Parsnips, washed, stem and end removed and cut into chunks
2 large Celery Stalks, washed and cut into chunks
1 - 2 Turnips, washed, stem and ends removed and cut into chunks
2 - 3 teaspoons of salt
10 - 12 cups of Water

 In a large soup pot, put in chicken thighs and all the root vegetables. Cover with water up to 4 to 5 inches above the chicken. Bring to a boil and then turn down heat to a simmer. Cook for 1 1/2 hours. Taste and add salt. Strain broth and serve individual portions reheated and poured into a mug. Season with additional sea salt if desired.

Beef Bone Soup

4 - 5 pound Beef leg bones,
1 large Onion, stems removed and cut into chunks (leave skin on)
2 large Carrots, washed, stem and end removed and cut into chunks
2 - 3 stalks of Celery, cut up
3 Large Tomatoes cut up
12 cups of Water
3 teaspoons Salt
1 Bay Leaf
Handful of Parsley

 Put beef bones in a large soup pot and barely cover with water. Bring to a boil until the foam rises. Drain water and rinse the bones. Put back into the pot with the water, vegetables, Parsley and Bay Leaf. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. Skim additional foam as it rises. Cook for 3 hours. Cool and scrape out the marrow if possible and add back into the soup. Strain and refrigerate. When ready to serve, heat up one cup at a time and serve in a mug and season with additional sea salt if desired.

Five Element Analysis Soups, and especially broths are a Water Element food. But, each soup is made with a different kind of bone. Pork Bones belong to the Water Element, Chicken Bones to the Wood Element and Beef Bones to the Earth Element. The Soybean Sprouts contribute the Wood Element to the Pork Bone Soup and the Celery adds more of the Wood Element to the Chicken Soup. However, the Celery Root is an Earth Element vegetable as are the Carrots, Parsnips and Turnips in the Chicken Soup. Onions add the Metal Element to the Chicken and Beef Soups and the Parsley and Bay Leaf add even more Metal to the Beef Soup. Tomatoes contribute the Fire Element to the Beef Soup. The Pork Soup is for tonifying (nourishing) the kidneys. The Chicken Soup starts adding essential nutrients and supports the Liver and Stomach. The Beef Soup is for enhancing the blood and energy. 

Found a vegetarian soup recipe here too: http://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/food-recipes/recipe-bone-nourishing-soup.html

 Du Zhong/Toh Tiong (Eucommia Bark) – 3 to 4 pieces (cut into thick strands)
Chuan Gong/Chun Kiong (Szechwan Lovage Rhizome) – 20 pieces
Chinese Black Dates – 1 cup
 Goji/Wolfberry – 1/2 cup (soaked in water to remove any colouring)
Red Cane Sugar – 1 tablespoon/to taste
Mushroom stock – to taste
Eggs – 4 eggs (boiled in advance) [Optional]

 Pour some water into a small pot, bring it to boil and place the eggs into the boiling water. Pour the 1/2 cup of wolfberry into a bowl of water, wash and drain it. Cut the Eucommia Bark into smaller pieces. Fill the slow cooker with boiling water up to 3/4 of the pot. Put in all the Eucommia bark, Chuan Gong, Chinese black dates, and wolfberry into the the slow cooker. Add 1 table spoon of red cane sugar and about 1 teaspoon of mushroom stock. You can add more according to your taste. Let the soup boil for 4 hours, then soak to 4 eggs into the soup. Leave the boiled soup in the slow cooker to keep warm. 

Another vegetarian soup here: http://www.onegreenplanet.org/vegan-recipe/no-bone-broth/ 

14 cups cold water
2 large onions, chopped small
5 garlic cloves, crushed
4 large celery stalks, chopped small
1 large potato, chopped small
1 large carrot, chopped small
10 sprigs parsley
1 large zucchini, chopped small
1 large parsnip, chopped small (optional)
3 bay leaves
1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns
1 corn cob (optional)
1/4 cup diced green onion
1/2 cup arame
1/4 teaspoon liquid smoke or smoked paprika (optional)
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper

 Place the cold water in a large stockpot over high heat. Begin chopping the vegetables and placing them in the pot as you go, along with the arame. Add bay leaves and peppercorns. Cook for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally. Strain well before using. Add liquid smoke if using, and salt and pepper to taste before serving.

For phlegm (shared by fellow mummies in my grp)

This post is up to record recipes for phlegm in babies.. by mummies Cindy n Denise..

Pear with almonds soup
Cook the pear and Chinese almond soup with a bit of the chuan Bei powder..

take one Chinese pear (cut into pieces, skin removed), one tablespoon each of the nan xing almond and Bei xing almond, one quarter of the dried tangerine, 白木耳 (one quarter, soak in water to soften first). Add 1 big bowl of water and put everything in the slow cooker.. Boil for a few hours. Before you serve LO, add a bit of the chuanbei powder. The chuanbei powder is important as it is the one that reduces the phlegm, not too much.. Just give LO, 2-3 tablespoons of the soup..

Chinese yam 山药
1)yam, peeled, cut into small pieces into the food grinder, together with half a bowl of water yam processing into a thin paste,

2 )then cooked while constantly stir to boil.

The best to eat with empty stomach. 1 bowl of yam can be divided into 2 or 3 times to feed your baby 

yam spleen and stomach, lungs gas, kidney essence, is best suited for infants and young children, not only can cough treatment of asthma, also on the baby anorexia, sweating more, drooling. Qi deficiency, timid and other diseases also have a good therapeutic effect. Note that, yam's boiling time should not be too long, otherwise the starch contained therein would break down, leading to the loss of tonic effect.

Note: not my recipe, just posting for record and to share with fellow parents.. somehow I can't upload the pictures shared.

9m + milestones

JY can now:
-stand 3-5 seconds without support
-crawl on all fours
-play peekaboo on his own,
-point to his head
-salivate a little less.
-sound like he's calling jiejie
-climb down backwards from the sofa
-scream along with jiejie

It also means I'm heading towards two toddlers in the house soon!! Crawling n walking and screaming around the house.. Yikes!!

Baby Jaundice

I recall this as I was congratulating a new mummy friend about her delivery… Her newborn has jaundice and had an extended stay in the hospital after birth..  Both my kids had jaundice that was picked up around Day 3 post-delivery. Hubby and I stayed an additional night for both kids as we wanted to be with our babies.

During JE’s time, being a first-time mother, I didn’t know what to expect. I had learnt about jaundice during the pre-natal class but it didn’t kick in until I was told my baby had to stay additional night and I couldn’t carry her home immediately. We stayed one more night after being checked by Dr Lim to be fit for discharge. The next day, the PD still deemed the jaundice not sufficiently low for discharge and had to stay an additional night again! We had to check out as it was silly spending so much so on hospitalization fees when I was well enough to rest at home. We stayed at mum’s as it was nearer from TMC and more convenient to visit JE to bring her freshly pumped milk. At this, I remember tears spilling out of my eyes when I toppled my painstakingly pumped milk while trying to transfer it after my first manual pumping session at home.

When JE was finally discharged, we happily went home… only to be readmitted during the one-week check-up because the damned jaundice spiked again. I held back my tears while in the Dr’s room but they rolled torrentially down my face once I was out waiting for the nurses to get the forms ready for admission and photo-therapy. It was a horrendous experience as hubby was busy and my sister was accompanying me.

When it was JY’s turn, I was calmer and knew I had to leave it to the experts, but still the readmission from the PD led to a pool of tears and funny Dr Tan saying “Aiyo… you don’t cry leh, I’m very scared when girls cry..” We did the readmission and went home to JE and some sleep. Both kids were diagnosed with blood type jaundice as they followed hubby’s blood type instead of mine. However, JY’s case turned into breastmilk jaundice and continued well until he was 1 month old. In the end I cheated and gave FM instead of breastfeeding for the few days prior to the last check-up. Thankfully, he managed to clear it  and did not have to go through those blood tests and pee tests nor therapy again.

Some of the methods we tried to alleviate the jaundice:

• -          Feed and bathe with honeysuckle flower (Jin Yin Hua) from traditional medicinal shops. Boil the flower in water, and then bathe the baby in a tub mixed with the solution for at least 3 -4 days. Info: http://www.heartknowsbest.com.sg/qna/QuestionDetail?qid=1045
• -          Sun bathe. Bring the baby out to the gentle sun for Vit D rays
• -          Cut down on ginger in mummy’s diet. Apparently I took Wen Dong Ginger which was very heaty and prolonged the jaundice.
• -          Gave formula feed for the 2 – 3 days prior to the check-up after baby was identified for breast milk jaundice. I was too upset with the multiple pricks for blood test.
• -          We also did a bath with warm rice water, though I forgot was it for jaundice or for a bloated baby..
• -          What I read but didn’t try: You can bathe baby in stout beer too!

Diarrhea

Can't believe I'm posting about diarrhea after constipation but well, they happened to different kids.. so.. JY was down with diarrhea yesterday. Not sure if it was the addition of a tiny bit of avocado in his oat cereal that caused it or something else.. might have been due to teething.. but he pooped 5 times yesterday and granny asked me to bring him to the Dr.

I thought to bring him to the clinic opposite mum's since at 4plus, Most clinics have stopped their PM sessions and that clinic had a evening session between 1900 - 2030. So I gobbled up my light dinner and prepared to make a visit across the road. I had called a couple of times but no one picked up! Irritatingly, the Dr put a note to say it had closed at 1940! Hubby had seen the Dr open awhile before that and of all times it had to close after my boy woke from his nap n gave a lil poo!

Arghh.. we hurried home and rushed to go TMC instead as Dr Tan at L6 was open til 2000 for the last registration. But we reached at 2004 and the nurses hae closed the desk. Hurumppphhh... We trudged down to l1 24-hour clinic instead.. got some powder meds and probiotics powder, plus anti nausea ones in case. When collecting meds, I then remembered to ask the nurse about diluting his milk feed and was told to stop his regular milk! She gave me some Similac total comfort samples instead to give JY for the time being, at least for 2 days.. and offer solids like white bread, porridge, steamed fruits in place of milk. She said some babies might even be sensitive with soy milk..

Thankfully, everything is fine now. But will still watch his diet for the next few days..

The past few weeks have been going to Dr visits, tiring on the senses and pocket.. hopefully the kids stay healthy and accident-free...

Visit to NuH

Talk about emergency for kids and most people immediately think of KKh. However, I keep hearing of long wAits there even in late hours of the night.. becox presumably, the whole nation's parents go there after GPs and PDs are not available..

About two weeks ago, my girl had an acute constipation episode where she was straining in pain n sweat for more than an hour. She has had a bit of a problem pooping since after 6 months old when brown rice cereal was added to her milk to fill her up. In the past, my grandma had manually cooked brown rice paste for us in place of milk. But now, it was the Nestle one we used.

Back to that night, granny, my hubby , maid and I tried to see where's her poo after an hour of sweat and crying, it was at her anus but it was too big and hard to come out. After Calling the GP who advised us to go KK, I decided to go NuH instead since it was closer. We live in Bukit Panjang, I guess either would take us about 15-20min in smooth traffic, but the queue at KK would be far longer. Given that I had not too good an episode during my 2nd pregnancy where I had an emergency admission into KKH, I was also less inclined towards KKH.

We spent about 2.5 hours at NUH that night, registration was fairly smooth. Told the triage about JE's ongoing flu and constipation. Saw the Dr who left JE rather traumatized especially after the medicinal liquid was dispensed up her butt by the nurse.

It was a good thing she wasn't toilet trained yet, and just pooped into her diapers. Else it would have been a mess. I brought a diaper and set of clothes just in case for the a&e trip, but the diaper wasn't enough. And thankfully, we got one more from the triage.

By the time we settled back into bed, it was past midnight. Thankfully Dr had given MC and I applied for urgent child sick leave the next day. Lactulose was prescribed to soften her stools over the next week before a follow-up appointment at NUH Children's Clinic.

On the appointment day, JE was in high spirits after I told her I was bringing her to sit the train. She had only taken the train once when we were waiting for our appointment at Yuguo baby massage and the queue was horrendous so we went to Paya Lebar for a walk in the mall.

It was abit more than an hour's trip on the bus, and transiting across two trains from Bukit Panjang to Kent Ridge. We arrived at 1144 for our 1145 appointment. Her razor eyes zoomed in on the play area but paranoid mummy forbade her to enter the playroom since it was presumably a sea of germs. After taking her weight, we were led to a quieter waiting area outside the Dr's room. I gave her old one baby puffs and vitamins I had packed.

It was a horrendous crying fit upon entering the Dr's room having been traumatized the week earlier at A&E. She was crying and reciting "Go outside ah..." Throughout the 45minutes of consultation where a pretty Dr asked about her history. I had forgotten how her constipation had started, and only realized I missed out some facts in the night when recounting the episode to my granny.

After collecting 2 more bottles of Lactulose, and appointment for a month's time, we went to meet my Sis who works at NUH ENT Clinic for lunch at Xinwang. JE feasted on the papaya fish soup beehoon I ordered, plus some of Yiyi 's mushroom pasta before my order arrived. Afyer lunch, we went to the ladies for a diaper change. It was then time for Yiyi to head back to work, but the little one clung onto her Yiyi like a koala and we bluffed her that her beloved Yiyi went to buy cakes. Yiyi then escaped back to work.

I brought her to buy a fruit tart at Deliverance home in consolation, and then cabbed home. jE fell asleep on the ride back but woke once I put her down. Arghh.... She only fell asleep out of exhaustion around 1630.. not before I nodded off while patting her to bed...

Hopefully the situation improves, with more water intake, along with vegetables and fruits. She only takes packaged purees rather than fresh fruits.. and spits out if I give too much spinach or any other vegetables. I wonder when will she freely eat everything offered...

Found a useful link for further reading: http://patient.info/health/constipation-in-children-leaflet

8m milestone (Aug)

Time flies.. JY is turning 9 months. I've had tough times, cox the boy is somehow hungrier, fiercer and stronger than his sister. He is increasingly vocal now, and will flip in the Yaolan swing if he's awake or if he doesn't want to sleep..  He's sitting on his own for quite a bit now, and will try walking when we hold him and inch forward, still doing the leopard crawl but now it's from the TV area all the way to the common toilet or bedroom. Agile lil one, he has been trying to pull himself up using the TV console drawers and coffee table. And knocked his head against the floor a couple of times. He also likes to climb against the folds of the back of the sofa and try grabbing the window grilles.. much as I try to baby-proof the house and be careful, I foresee heart-stopping moments to come and pray that the knocks would be light ones..

Night feeds.. and panda parents

So.. JY is around 7.5 months old, n JE at 29 months. These couple of days, we struggle with an extremely feisty , hungry lil babe screaming at the top of his lungs if milk is not prepared fast enough every 2.5 hourly in the middle of the night.. he has awoken JE on a couple of occasions, and I'm thankful she has managed to sleep through his screams while hubby scramble to make milk amidst his groggy state. Initially, I used to latch once or twice and ask him up to make milk once or twice. Usually a night feed is about 3 hours apart alike day feeds. I will then do one diaper change and place him together on our bed or back in his playpen. however, he doesn't sleep as well in his playpen and wake more often, I wonder if he's colder there alone and wants to join the three of us on our Queen sized bed.

Lately, he will make all the milk while I soothe the noisy babe.. after the feed, he thankfully falls fast asleep again, until the next scream about 2.5 hours later. Once, we made the milk after he screamed, but he took a sip and went back to sleep. I brought in a cup to warm the milk, thinking that he may wake an hour later to drink, but the bottle went into our oats for breakfast instead when daylight came.

Once, he went back to sleep immediately, while I was sore at having to change diapers and JY was still making lil cries as he was disturbed when he wanted his Zzzs after milk. Although he woke again to help me when he heard me tear open the diapers, I threw the wet wipes on the bed a little and was abit angsty. Next morning, hubby asked why I was angry during the night change and I told him I was upset he went back to sleep immediately when I was sleepy as well after feeding. He said I could always ask him up if I needed help, and he would. He had thought that a change wasn't needed so dropped back on his pillow.

But after talking about it, I did find myself being silly about my earlier behavior. I am thankful that he's been so helpful during night feeds, although he only prepares the milk and snoozes while I sleepily feed JY. And he would help to hold the diaper or grab his legs while i wipe the lil butt. It's still quite an effort considering he's quite a heavy sleeper. And I always make him turn when he snores cox I'm a light sleeper..

I hope that all hubbies will endeavour to share night feed duties, it's tiring, but it's some form of bonding when we commiserate the next morning about the tiresome night.. it would hopefully only be for a year or so.. JE has stopped night feeds, but if disturbed enough, will still cry for milk.. I hope JY can learn to sleep through the night soon.. it been almost 3 years since I last did that. Then again, I may wake up in fear checking if the kids are breathing and sleeping well when the time comes..

What an irony...

My Taobao purchases for JE & JY

Many parents have jumped on the bandwagon to shop for baby stuff from Taobao. I used to raise my eyebrows thinking about MIC products as there were times when news of horrendous inhumane merchants made lousy products made for babies. There are of course hits and misses at times, but so far, most of my purchases have been ok.

I use ezbuy.sg, a shopping concierge to shop my Taobao purchases after hearing from my Malay colleague who shopped wondrous stuff before I did. I have tried 2 - 3 times buying directly from Taobao and using thier shipping firms but as I order from various vendors, there were dozens of boxes sent in a huge gunny sack. I didn't like it. Ezbuy.sg collates my purchases and takes out most of the boxes, does inspection and delivery fees are quite reasonable. There are also multiple collection points around housing estates and MRT stations, highly convenient. I'm now on the 1 year Prime membership offering $2.99 flat shipping for eligible items to Singapore. One jewelry stand i bought was smashed, have yet to get a refund, but otherwise, it's been so far so good.

Sharing some kids' items from TB:

Girls' Shoes at $7	Learning Charts at $3
Babies' Socks - $5 for set of 5 Socks 2	Bamboo PJs 1, PJs 2- $7 - $8 Very soft, great buy!
Girls' Clothes	Foldable table and stool
Bibs	Finger puppet
Door Stopper	Dress 1 Dress 2 Dress 3

ezbuy.sg has put up some kidswear links for users to order from, do refer to these links for your shopping:Kids shopping 1,  Shopping 2

Baby habits by the month

Baby habits by the month: http://www.visualistan.com/2014/06/keeping-track-of-baby-habits-infographic.html

Baby-proofing tips

Another useful link for baby-proofing your house from: http://infographicsmania.com/baby-home-safety-tips/

I find that JE always find ways to put herself in danger despite my best efforts to baby-proof the house. Initially my sofa was in the middle of the living room separating the TV area and dining area. She started climbing and sitting high on the top of the sofa. I had to re-align my sofa against the window, and she started holding against the window grilles and even stuck a leg out the grilles once! Despite smacking her legs, scolding, she occasionally still climbs to the top of the sofa and sits up there. GRrrr.. bracing and praying no serious falls to come..

Baby bump

Another useful infographic from: http://www.ucollectinfographics.com/bump-grind/

Embedded from uCollect Infographics

Baby Nutrition

Found an interesting post at http://infographicsmania.com/baby-nutrition-guide/

Save while you shop, use diffmarts.com

Found this website called Diffmarts as I was surfing about baby laundry detergent. It finds, compares, or monitors groceries from all our favourite local stores. How wonderful and useful!! It's also available as an app! Why so many apps around?!

 Do use it and share it around! Mummies need to save all the money they have.. I saw this convo about young mummies starting to buy lottery, hoping to strike something so that we can defray baby expenses.. At least I'm not the only one who started this unhealthy and occasional habit.. oh wells..

This provides a better and more practical way to defray some expenses..   :)

Baby Pediatric Massage

All along, I've been bringing JE to Yu Guo Baby Massage at Kembangan ever since I got to hear of it in 2014 when my mummies' group was sharing about remedies for cough, wind in the tummy, etc for babies..

Yu Guo Baby Massage  (18B Jalan Masjid, #B1-01 Kembangan Plaza, 418944; Tel: 6447 4761) is non-invasive, and a experienced physician would diagnose your child prior to assigning massage therapists to massage your child according to his or her condition for around 30 - 40 minutes. Medicated tummy packs will be dispensed for the kids.. So far, we have been going there for the past 2 years..

However, I'm not sure if there's an epidemic recently or they have gotten more popular, the waiting time is rather mad during weekends. One Saturday, we rushed down from Senja to Kembangan only to be rejected for registration 1 hour before closing because the queue was too long. We have been rejected once cox it was 30 minutes prior to closing time, and thankfully given the grace to register once around the same time. We went down again early the next morning around 10am and waited 1.5 hours before we got to see the Dr, and finally finished our massage around 12.30pm..

So when JY caught running nose middle of the week, I was sourcing around for alternative clinics..
There's also not bad reviews for Herbal Basic at Havelock Road. It's sort of in the middle between the east and the west. Hubby's friend recommended it, so did one of the neighbours. perhaps shall try and then review them one of these days.. they go by appointment basis as well..

Looking around for clinics even nearer home, I found that BPP has a pediatric tuina at Eu Yan Sang. Also found that there's Shandong TCM at Jurong East, Chinese Medical Centre ( at CCK, Jurong East & West).

I brought both kids to try Shandong TCM on Saturday morning. They take appointments, we made one that morning for 10.30am but then were slightly late and so had to wait a little for our turn. The clinic was much smaller than Yu Guo's. There was a dispensary and 2 physicians who would diagnose the patient's condition. The physician we saw was Dr Tee Bee Lay, who had two assistants, one typing out the condition and diagnosis. After diagnosis, we waited to do massage at one of the three treatment beds available. Both kids were supposed to do the Herbal Vapour Therapy as both were having a bit of flu, but JE was awfully scared of it. (Pic is from Shandong TCM's website.)

I had to cox her for a long time with watching Youtube videos on my phone and even then, she was sitting abit further away from the machine and I had to fan it towards her to get more of the medicated vapours into her nose. JY, being only 7 months, just sat there on Brenda's lap while the therapy was ongoing. The treatment time overall was quite abit shorter than at Yu Guo's, perhaps only 20 - 30 minutes, whereas at Yu Guo the massage went on for about 40 minutes. I paid $95 for two kids' massage, HVT, and medicated patch for JY and oral powder for JE. Shandong TCM's price is available here. I guess I will go back again during Saturday for a follow-up, hopefully they are already well by then. JY pooped sticky poo on Sunday, hopefully he was dispelling phlegm after treatment and would be fine soon..

Baby Fair Shopping 2

I gave the following advice to a friend who’s expecting their first child, and thought this would apply for many new parents-to-be:

If EDD is far away, then you should go check out the July fair, and buy the pre-order and collect during the October fair. Since its first born, a lot of stuffs you wouldn’t have, getting bundle deals is very value for money. There's baby fairs every other month of the year. Baby Market n Baby World are the best, in my opinion. Of course, there are good deals for the Baby Baby and Supermom fairs as well, one just have to do their research and price comparison if time allows. Recently, the fair organisers have upgraded their sites to allow you to add products to wishlists, so this is especially useful! Do refer also to 8 tips on surviving baby fairs.

Do use this SHOPPING LIST to plan your purchases.

I refined it from my cousin's list and have been circulating it around for my friends' use.
Re-copying what I shared during one of my first posts:

There will definitely be white elephant purchases, please don't buy a truck load home at your first fair. And there are baby fairs almost every other month.. the ones organized by Mummys Market have the better offers than the rest.. but I have also gotten a very good deal for milk powder and free Parklon playmat ($155) at a Baby Baby fair (if i didn't remember the fair wrongly).

So importantly, Customize your own baby checklist. Research and compare, ask around, fiddle around, then make your choice of the items you need. There would be lots of needs, and wants. Know that there are many purchases that would follow, so splurge sparingly and spend wisely.

Dont be shy to ask around if friends or relatives wanna pass down their baby stuffs to you, baby outgrow clothes and toys in the blink of an eye, those little clothes dont need to be all brand new. There are things that you would not be able to save on and request for no matter the price.. You need to save money for diapers, milk powder, insurance, education n a whole lot more.. Having good condition hand-me-downs are also symbols of blessings for your children.

Breast pump bundle, baby cot/ playpen, chest of drawers, stroller, carseat would be the biggest initial purchases at baby fairs. I strategize on my purchases such that my stroller, cot and carseat can take me from birth to toddlerhood so that i dont need to keep changing them so often.

These are the bigger items that are worth getting bundles for (image credits all from organizer's website):

http://babyworldfair.com/starbuy/product/935-philips-avent-super-breastpump-bundle-(breastpump-+-playpen-+-bathtub-+-sterilizer-+-warmer-and-more!).html  Philips Avent Double Pump Bundle:  Twin Electric Breast Pump + Newborn bottles  Electric Steam Sterilizer + Bottle Warmer  Support Pillow +  Swaddle + Bath Tub  Graco PNP Playpen  Skylight 4 Piece Abalone Set	http://babyworldfair.com/starbuy/product/808-tula-ergonomic-baby-carrier-+-joovy-balloon-lightweight-stroller-(use-from-newborn-&-up!)-bundle!!!!.html Tula Baby Carrier + Joovy Balloon Stroller BUNDLE
http://babyworldfair.com/starbuy/product/572-baby-one-breast-milk-storage-bags-(bundle-of-3-boxes)!.html Breast Milk Bags	http://www.babymarket.com.sg/starbuy/product/390-spectra-s9+-breastpump-bundle-with-free-gifts-worth-$195#  Spectra S9+ Breastpump Bundle But the free handsfree bra is just average, the Simple Wishes one is better
https://mummysmarket.com.sg/deal/new-mums-medela-swing-maxi-breastpump-bundle-plus-babyhome-emotion-stroller-my-brest-friend Medela Swing Maxi Breastpump Bundle: Medela Swing Maxi Breast Pump + Medela Breastfeeding Starter Kit BABYHOME Stroller + My Brestfriend Nursing Pillow Isa Uchi Sterilizer + Bottle Warmer	http://thomsonbaby.com/nursery/55-bon-bebe-4-in-1-baby-cot.html I got this Bonbebe cot prior to JE's birth, it has 3 adjustable levels. And during the fair then, there was a bundle with mattress and bedding set plus diaper organizer going for $499 plus delivery in total.

For the rest of the items, they are smaller ticket items that you can ad-hoc walk around and shortlist. But please plan your route before heading down with loads of cash. What i usually do prior to the fair is:

1. Make a wishlist and print it out
2. Print out the event handbook, highlight the stalls on the map that i wanna visit
3. Plan my route
4. Take leave with hubby
5. Bring extra recycled bags / pull-along bag / trolley for small and carton purchases. Last time we walloped milk and diaper cartons and it was crazy carrying them from the back of the Expo hall to the carpark. So we got smart and bought pull-along trolley to stack up the cartons and whisk them home. What we got was actually a cheaper one, but i can't find the link on qoo10 anymore. 
6. Bring snacks and drinks.
7. Enjoy the fair, for about 1.5 hours, rest, snack and recharge, continue another hour, eat a proper meal. Go home with an empty pocket and boot full of baby stuffs. 

Diapers, I would save the effort queueing and lugging cartons by ordering from bbwarehouse.sg, they are fast and cheap. Milk powder we go to Kim Sang Medical Hall to buy, they do delivery as well. Recently, Nan has promotion at NTUC, two tins of Nan Pro 2 costs $89.90,cheapest so far, until 31st July only! We have grabbed 4 tins already.

For breast pumps in 2013/14, Philips Avent n Medela were the leaders. Now its Spectra in 2015/16. So ask around, of course, everyone have their own opinions, preference and budget. Make sure you know yours. The worse case is just that you have 2~3 pumps and strollers at home..

We got a Maclaren Techno XLR stroller at home, bought from Baby Hyperstore (69 Kaki Bukit Avenue 1 Shun Li Industrial Park Singapore 417947, Tel: 6844 1123) after much research but it's a semi-white elephant cox it's so heavy and seriously, baby-wearing is so much more convenient. If you are visiting Baby Hyperstore, do drop by Baby Kingdom (83 Kaki Bukit Ave 1, Singapore 41795, Tel: 6547 1677)  a few shops down.

Milk bottles are dependant upon your baby, i have Avent, Tommie Tippee and Pigeon in the house.. some mums will tell you they have tried almost every other brand in the market before bottle lottery struck.. we are women after all, but still, so don't buy too many first whenever you see discounts..

Another recommended store: Shen Kwong Trading Co (Blk 269 Queen Street #01-246 (S) 183269, Tel: 6338 3260. The block is opposite OG in Bugis area, and the shop is slightly hidden at a corner near the public toilet.) It's recommended as a wholesaler of old-school baby products. The clothes are plain and suitable for home wear; baby hankies are $3 for a pack at 12. There are also towels, PJs, and other little things.

I also find OG and BHG having good and simple baby clothes below $10. E.g cloth diapers are very cheap at OG, but they are not the all hyped up ones witih pretty snap buttons at baby fairs. Do check out Robinsons during their sales too, a box of Philip Avent breast pads (30pcs) cost me only $5.50!

There are lots of other ad hoc purchases like clothes, blankets, pacifiers etc that dont cost as much, but even then, do compare prices or go with the flow occasionally if you find something you really fancy.. Meanwhile, Enjoy the shopping!

Post-natal checkup at 7m

Went for a checkup 7 months post-partum. Generally ok, apart from my weight gain. Dr said I have to maintain my weight, as with my Polycystic Ovary Syndrome, too much weight gain would lead to hormonal imbalance and the cysts might grow thereafter. Some people with PCoS have fertility issues, thankfully I managed to have my two lovelies. 😘 Did a pap smear as well and awaiting results by post. Dr asked about our birth control, and I replied there were none. It's been too tiring and I'm still awaiting to have my sleep through the night.

Then again, I might jump up in alarm when the day first comes since I'm a worrywart., Wondering if my boy is breathing ok, sleeping ok, did my girl flipped herself into the pillows, etc.  Being a mum makes for anxious days. Coupled with that  mild anxiety disorder i have makes every little thing a mountain out of a molehill.. I occasionally pity hubby for the need to deal with a half-witted wife at times, but then again, he said he 上了贼船。I was a little mad when he first said that in jest !!! Then again, it's occasionally true, both for me and for him.. so from time to time, I will take a deep breath and pray for my rampaging heart to still for awhile..

Baby brands shopping list

Cot: Bonbebe from Mummy's Market Fair
Playpen: Shears from Mummy's Market with mattress from Metro
Bean pillows: lovingly from my Popo
Blankets:  Sg50 shawl, Thomson Medical Centre prenatal class by Mrs Wong Boi Boi, nappy cloths from Shen Kwong Trading (near Kwan Im Thong Hood Cho Temple (Bugis), 269 Queen Street. It's nicely tucked in the left corner near to the public toilets. )
Bedsheets: baby fair
Yaolan: Mustafa, get one extra set of cloth for changing

Clothes:Carters.com, Fox, children's section at OG & BHG, Shen Kwong Trading , H&M, Uniqlo, taobao. I use ezbuy.sg to shop from taobao, so far, quality is OK. Got clothes, socks, shoes for both kids, more hits than misses. Don't overshop  since you will get gifts from time to time. Plus kids outgrow in no time..

Diapers: tried Moony, Merries, mamyPoko Mickey, Goon from bbwarehouse.sg. free delivery and good service and quality. Used pampers , pet pet , mamy poko and dryers from supermarkets but don't find them as good deal and cutting as the baby warehouse.sg ones.

Cotton roll: provision shops. Do use Cotton rolls instead of wet wipes all the time, more economical and good for bb's butts..

Breast pump: Philips Avent and spectra (qoo10)
Breast pads: Philips Avent n Pigeon
Milk bags: Pigeon n BabyOne from TLo.sg.
Milk bottles: Pigeon
Powder dispenser: Pigeon, tollyjoy
Bottle wash: Tollyjoy
Sterilizer: Philips Avent from Lazada
Thermal bag: Philips Avent (2nd hand one at $10 only!!)

** Do note, first time parents should get this category of items at baby fairs pre-order bundles, super good deal. They only introduced this when I was preggy with JY n had most stuffs.

Stroller: McLaren
Carseat: Safety First by Britax
Playmat: Parklon (free during Baby Baby fair for a carton of milk purchase)
Portable baby  chair: Fisherprice

Will add on my brand of use from time to time..

Philips Avent recommended products that I've used

Dual Electric Breast Pump (Get bundle from baby fairs,	Sterilizer (Get bundle from baby fairs)
Bottle warmer on the go (Can get second hand please!)	Thermal Bag (Get second hand too, I got mine at $10!)
Breast pads (30 pcs @ $7.90, Robinsons sale $5.50)	Thermo pads ($33) useful for softening breasts prior to feeding or pumping
Pacifiers (2 pcs @ $14.90)

Enslaved hubby

Came across a friend who commented on this article:

http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2016/jul/02/a-letter-to-my-wife-who-wont-get-a-job-while-i-work-myself-to-death

Hubby holds a sales position at dad's office and teaches cello and piano at schools and student's homes. He works 7 days a week. I do feel that he works too hard. For my own whims and expenditures， and maybe a third of all household bills, I earn my own keep. While I would love to be able to be a tai tai at home, I do love the challenges at my workplace. Though I may lament occasionally about stress, I don't think it's possible for a single income family to survive the way we want to. Something has to give, so in the article's case, sadly, the marriage and sanity and health of the hubby seems to be disintegrating. I hope we never come to this. I do consider changing jobs so that I will have time to spend with my kids once they need more guidance after school, but hopefully I can find something i like and be able to pay all the bills and a little more.. well, don't we all wish for that?

Where did my old life go to

Came across an article awhile back about a mummy saying she missed her pre-kids life .. sometimes i feel the same.. while we lay on the same bed, me at the foot and hubby at the head, i wonder where did all those hugs, kisses and snuggles go..  i didnt want a big age gap between our kids so we actively tried for #2 as JE was turning one. After a few disappointed pee sticks, a horrible backache that had me limping somehow confirmed the start of my pregnancy. From an eventful pregnancy that had me puking my guts and leaking my bottoms, came JY. Actually, pregnancy woes are just the beginning of a long journey to come.

The first 2 months had me more weeping and staring depressingly out the window during middle of the night hourly feeds for that hungry little boy that will scream the house down and wake his sister up if i didnt latch him fast enough. I miss my bed, i told hubby occasionally, having been invaded by my wiggling daughter who kicks her snoring dad in the face during excited dreams. I've settled for sleeping at the foot of the bed and leaving her huddled between the bedframe n bed rail, so as to prevent her from rolling down the bed while we all snooze.. after at least sudden thuds n loud cries between dark and dawn.. i also miss my ME time, to be able to go out to do my own thing without feeling the need to rush home to relieve my babies'caregivers of their duties..

JY is now 6 months plus, and we get by shuttling between work and home. Occasionally, we date and drop the phones and nagginess behind.  To forget that we are a couple first and foremost can be dangerous, since busying ourselves sorely around the children and work threatens the sanctity of the family nucleus.

But well, people have gotten by surviving their brood since stone age like that.. grandfathers with their two wives and dozens of offsprings. Its the modern distractions that cause us to loosen our familial ties that have binded people together.. so sometimes both of us nag each other, have rants that go one ear in and out the other, but still kiss and make up each night or the day after..

I often tell my friends now, dont wait too long to have kids or you will lament the insufficient energy to chase after those little sprinters.. have them close together so as to grit and get it over.. there will be lots of tears of joy and sadness.. but hearing that sweet little "mummy 我爱你...” is so worth it..

Trying to raise kind kids

Got alerted to a good parenting article by my brother:

http://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/education/trying-to-raise-kind-kids



At the end of each day, the author's kids are expected to jot down a good deed in one book and recall a misdemeanour in the other. It has provided an entertaining and heartening read on days when the kids inflated good deed or whitewashed the not-so-good ones. 

I think it's a good practice we will follow when the kids are older. :)

Breastfeeding

There's no denying the benefits of breastfeeding. But it takes alot of effort, willpower, time and energy to breastfeed exclusively for at least 6 months as recommended by WHO. Be it latching baby directly or pumping to feed.. i prefer direct latch but then i wouldn't know how much baby drank, and he seems to be hungry soon yet again. But when i pump, now at day 19 post-partum, i can get 120ml from both breasts, more from my right side.. Half the time, he would latch on one side and fall asleep. Sometimes i would switch sides then he is good to rest.. by latching, i also don't hqve to wash up pump parts after that, saves time, water and energy.. babies can latch for anything from 1 minute to an hour, so be warned.. at night, to save your energy and sanity, do occasionally top up with formula milk. My boy is up  2-3 hourly and feeds between 3am to 7am seem like never-ending and felt like i never slept a wink, as after feeds are the mandatory burps, and poops.. and each cycle takes about an hour each time.. it leaves you a panda before 2 weeks is up.. relatives dont even need to go to Mandai to see the ones loaned from China ...

Power pumping

They are supposedly the way to go for building your supply, but it's too time consuming so I didn't follow it through. I got by with just enough and then topped up with formula.. less stressful.. at one point, I had quite a stash because I was pumping and storing , baby had jaundice and giving formula milk was the trick for clearing the jaundice as breast milk compounds inhibited breaking down of the jaundice stuff.. when I cleared jaundice and went full on breastmilk, the stash disappeared and so did money for milk powder.. At some point, I got lazy so supply dwindled.. but it's ok, i did mix feeding for my gal and she's growing up fine, so I'm gonna aim to do the same for my boy til about 6 - 7 months as well. 

There's lots of info out there about breastfeeding, building supply, two useful info from the internet for reference. 

Do note that when breastfeeding, the diet is highly important. What goes in comes out as milk for your baby. So do watch it. Some baby are more sensitive than others, a little more broccoli or chocolate can cause a gassy tummy and whiny baby for the day. 

I got a US set Phillips Avent dual electric pump from Amazon back in 2013. Using it till now, but the wire is a little spoilt because I curl it quite tightly after use and also when i pump in the office it gets snapped in the doorway and the socket outside the door. I've gotten a Spectra M9 from Qoo10 which works quite ok, Best thing is that it's portable, quiet but less powerful than the Avent. I've also tried the MEdela Swing Maxi from my colleague when I forgot to bring my pump to office or when my Avent broke down, very small and handy too but needs a power source. Do research around before you find your preferred pump. A good one will take you a long way.. Happy pumping :)

Confinement

Confinement

Myths and traditions abound, some debunked as they are no longer true in current ages but sometimes you just gotta heck it n follow what the elders say..

The basis for such practices is to protect the new mother from future ill health, restore her strength and protect the family from ritual pollution. See here for practices across different races in Singapore:  http://www.healthxchange.com.sg/healthyliving/womenhealth/Pages/confinement-dos-and-donts.aspx 

Malay practices	Indian practices	Chinese practices	Me
44 days	40 days	30 days	30 days
• To purge out the “wind” in the body after delivery, promote “blood circulation”, strengthen the joints and promote milk supply • To avoid “cooling” foods
During confinement, a woman follows a special diet in which heating foods are encouraged and cooling foods avoided to restore the balance upset by the birth of the baby. Some Malay women who have just delivered often take a special drink called “jamu”. It is believed that the body's pores are opened during labour and “jamu” has properties that can keep the body warm.	Indians take garlic milk to prevent “wind”. Like the Chinese and Malays, “cooling” foods are avoided, especially tomatoes, cucumbers, coconut milk and mutton. Only chicken and shark fish cooked with herbs are allowed. Other seafood is not allowed. Chilli is not allowed. Consuming plenty of garlic cooked without oil is encouraged. Cooking is done with gingly oil. The oral intake of herbs is  encouraged to keep the body warm. There is a restriction on the intake of fluids/fruits/vegetables as well as cold drinks.	Traditionally, they use a lot of ginger, wine and sesame oil in their diet. Common dishes include pigs' trotters cooked with ginger and vinegar, fish soup, chicken cooked in sesame oil and a traditional tonic brewed from 10 herbs. Fish soup boiled with papaya is believed to be beneficial for milk production. It is also recommended that plain water be avoided during this period to reduce the risk of water retention. Instead, specially prepared drinks from a mixture of herbs and preserved dates are recommended.	Granny used a lot of Wen Dong Ginger, wine and sesame oil. Wen Dong Ginger is supposedly more heaty and powerful than normal ginger. Took 2 heavy meals a day of fish, meat, veg nad rice or vermicilli with ginger egg. Soups for dinner.                                             I also had mostly red date water and brown rice dry fried with ginger water rather than plain water.
Traditionally, childbirth is in the mother’s home attended by a bidan (Malay midwife) and the umbilical stump dusted with a mixture of spices. Fortunately, this has been replaced by hospital births that reduce complications and infection rates. Immediately after birth, both mother and baby should be bathed in heated water filled with herbs. The mother should “keep warm” through various traditional methods. These may include sitting near to or lying above a heat source, or warming the abdomen by applying a heated stone over it. During this confinement period, a female masseuse is engaged to help the mother regain her figure or at least to keep her extended tummy trim. The practice of tightly binding the tummy is called berbengkong, and is believed to help in maintaining the body shape. Sex is also strictly prohibited during the confinement period.	Indian mothers are also discouraged from leaving their homes during their confinement period. "Bathing is discouraged and if done, it should be performed with special herbal preparations and turmeric powder. Bathing is only allowed between 11 am and 2 pm when the temperature is at its highest." Daily body massages with oil are also encouraged. • Not allowed to enter the prayer altar room. • Warm water is splashed on abdomen during bathing to expel clots from uterus. • Washing of hair is done on odd days i.e. day 3,5,7… during the first two weeks. Dry hair after washing with incense smoke. • Place incense smoke in between legs to dry episiotomy wound. • Binding of tummy with six feet cloth. Sex is also strictly prohibited during the confinement period. .	The Chinese believe in staying indoors throughout the confinement period to avoid outdoor pollution.	I stayed at home except to go for jaundice follow-ups. If I went out, I was in a cardigan and long pants to avoid catching a chill being in and out of aircon and the sun.
		Strenuous physical activities are discouraged to prevent further “muscle weakening”.	I mostly rested and nursed baby, pumped milk, played a little with my elder girl.
		Some hire a confinement nanny to help with the housework and caring for the baby.	Granny was my confinement lady while helper did the housework.
		Other practices may include:
		• Not washing the body or hair during the month; especially avoiding contact with cold water.	Wet Shampooed my hair only after 12 days, prior to that used Klorane dry shampoo. and splashed myself in boiled lemongrass herbal water to wipe myself down for the first 12 days. Supposed to only do a wipe down, but I splashed the hand towel and wiped down for a reprive with boiled herb water. :) Bathed with herb water and lemongrass shower gel on alternate days and splash down after 12 days. My tap didn't have hot water function, granny said best not to touch cold water and if need be, always wash each warm or hot water. I flunked that rule, now sometimes I do feel finger joint ache , not sure if its over messaging or due to cold water confinement use..
		• Not going outside for the entire month (or at least avoid wind).	I stayed at home except to go for jaundice follow-ups. If I went out, I was in a cardigan and long pants to avoid catching a chill being in and out of aircon and the sun.
		• Not eating raw or “cooling” foods, or foods cooked the previous day.	Yep, I ate freshly cooked foods daily.
		• Eat chicken, especially chicken cooked in sesame oil; pork liver and kidney are also good; eat five or six meals daily and rinse the rice bowl with scalding water.	Ate mostly pork first as I had itchy skin earlier eating chicken. Drink pork stomach soup and other herbal soups. Not sure if my bowl was rinse with scalding water.
		• Avoid all wind, fans and air-conditioning.	Had the fan and air-con though not directly.
		• Avoid walking or moving about; the ideal is to lie on the back in bed.	Did this about 60% of the time.
		• Do not go into another person’s home.	Went only to mum's and doctor's where necessary.
		• Do not get sick.	Caught flu and sore throat,(granny says cox I bathed), but I wasn't sure it was because I was too heaty and thus got sick.
		• Do not read or cry.	Cried when baby got readmitted for jaundice.
		• Do not have sex.	Abstained
		• Do not eat with family members.	Ate at my dressing table alone since my confinement meal was always cooked first separately from the rest.
		• Do not burn incense or visit a temple or altar.	Yep, Think I didn't.

Got lemongrass confinement shower gel from here: http://www.mamaonlinestore.com/cart/en/blog/post/lemongrass-confinement-showergel-ginger-cream-and-lavender-cream-taiwan

Do get this in 2L bottle, very worth it, used it for half a year. I had got another bottle during a group.buy with fellow mummies, another brand and it was only 160ml each or something for shower gel and body wash, not even enough for half month's use.

During confinement, sweat and milk and menses are quite abundant, so do get enough hankies, breast pads, large sanitary pads. Also drink up so that you can be a cow for your baby. Please don't go dieting. Effective breastfeeding will take care of losing all the fats, should you have gained them during pregnancy. so just drink up and feast up. Do Note that when your milk output slows down a couple of months later, adjust your diet so that the weight stays away. I need to remind myself of that in time to come. Also rest up and enjoy the young one in your arms..

Any burning questions, ask your mummy support group or google them. I'm sure well-meaning friends, like me, would also love to offer their two cents' worth of experience. :)