First major milestone

Baby J flipped unassisted today! Past few mornings, Javier has been leaning towards my side attempting to flip. There was once he did flipped but I thought that was because I am heavier and there was a depression on the mattress and he managed to flip due to that. This morning, I sensed that he was going to do a flip and I step away from the bed and he flipped! I tried again on the cot and he flipped on his own too. Look at the happy face on him. I think he had been trying hard and now succeeded and I can see the happiness in his face. :) well done baby J. Now mummy has a lot more work to do as you start to flip towards other milestones. 

Nursing / Diaper changing rooms

I shall attempt to capture the nursing/diaper changing rooms which I've visited in the last couple of months. My favourite is the changing rooms/nursing rooms at Parkway Parade and Bedok Mall but I forgot to take photos of it. I shall remember the next time I visit and upload for sharing.

Bugis shopping centre

I met my cousin for lunch at Bugis shopping centre and needed to change and nurse my boy. I am impressed with the new diaper changing stations and nursing room at the newly revamped BHG located on level 3. It resembles the one at Parkway Parade Isetan but instead of 2 nursing rooms, there is only one.

It is nicely decorated with 3 diaper changing stations. What impressed me most was that they even provide wet wipes! They also provided plastic bags for disposal of the diapers which is something I look forward to when I visit diaper changing room as this made the room stinks lesser if parents wrap up the soiled diapers before throwing into the bins! 

The nursing room is simple. I don't think I saw a power point inside though. It would have been nice if they also put a bench outside the nursing room so that we can use nursing cover in case someone occupies the one and only nursing room. 

Bugis - Three diaper changing stations!

Bugis - Nursing room

Bugis - Sample wet wipes and plastic bags provided!

Orchard Ion

Last weekend, I went to Orchard Ion. The nursing/diaper changing rooms are located on Level 4. I believe there is one on Level 3 but I did not have time to check it out. The nursing and diaper changing station are not separated, hence, if someone is nursing inside, it might take a long wait if you only need to change your baby. 

They also had a dispenser machine for Huggies diaper (L size only) as well as disposable diaper liner.

A simple but rather comfortable chair. They were quite thoughtful to put a fan for ventilation. I was impressed that they even have a milk warmer for those who need to feed expressed breastmilk (ebm)!

Orchard ion - milk warmer and water dispenser

Orchard ion - nursing chair with fan

Orchard ion - changing station

Breastfeeding (BF) week

In view of breastfeeding week, I decided to blog about my breastfeeding journey so far.


Breastfeeding has been the number one topic that was stressing me during my pregnancy as I know nuts about it. I didn't knew the existence of breastfeeding support group on facebook etc during pregnancy. On hindsight, I should have found out more information and joined such groups so that I am more aware of the issues and could prepare myself better for the journey.


Before I was pregnant, I recalled seeing mothers breastfeeding in public and never understood how they are so open to nurse in public and some mothers don't even bother to cover up and as a result of that, expose their nipples. It made me felt extremely uncomfortable and I remembered I made a note to myself that I will NEVER breastfeed in public.


Even as I was pregnant, I have repeatedly told my friends that I will never breastfeed in public as I felt uncomfortable and shy about it. My friend who delivered a month earlier shared with me that she had been breastfeeding in public (with a nursing shawl/cover of course!) and that I will do so with a wailing hungry baby. I did not believe her at that point in time, I still insisted that I will not nurse in public and I will bring a bottle out with me. My bf journey has not started out smooth as my supply was slow to arrive. From the moment Javier was born, the nurses let me bf him almost immediately so as to build the bond. I am lucky that Javier, this tiny little new born was very good at latching. I requested for total breastfeeding during my hospital stay as I was told by a friend that if I do not insist, they will feed the baby formula milk. I had a strong mind about total breastfeeding and nothing could stop me from achieving what I set out to do. My friends have also been encouraging (this is extremely impt!) and I was told numerous times that supply will come with demand and never to give up under pressure. The older folks will without fail, pass remarks such that "is your breastmilk enough?" "you don't even know how much the baby is drinking", " I m sure your breastmilk is not enough, hence your baby keeps crying" etc etc etc. Learn to ignore these negative comments as they might not be aware and educated about breastfeeding.


One thing I learnt is that hubby's support is extremely important in bf journey. It is also critical to get a confinement lady who is pro-bf. Mine was half supportive and kept asking us to buy formula milk. When I arrived home and my little one kept wailing at times, my confinement lady insist that baby was hungry. On hindsight, I learnt that baby was not always hungry and that he needed to be burped, cuddled etc. Being a new mum, one is afraid and not sure and will tend to seek advice from the 'older','experienced' folks. Hence, after being stressed out numerous times by my confinement lady, we caved in and bought a can of Nan formula milk which we only gave less than 10 times to Javier. I remembered my CL giving formula feed at night without asking me and I got so furious with her. From that day on, she always asked me and I always insist NO,NO and NO!


Knowing that my supply was slow to arrive, I asked the doctor for medication. He prescribed me one which boosted my supply but caused the baby to have liquid, loose poop. So I decided to stop it even though it was extremely effective.


I switched to purchasing Fenugreek from iherbs.com and a tea from iherbs.com and it worked very well for me. I also drank mother's milk tea and it indeed helped my supply to grow.

For more information on iherbs.com, you may refer to my following entry:


My purchase from iherbs

http://mygrowingbelly.blogspot.sg/2014/04/iherbcom-httpwwwiherbcomrcodeshf069.html

It was an extremely tiring 2-3 months of bf to build supply. During growth spurt season, Javier requires nursing almost every hour, practically leaving me with no time to do anything! If I remember correctly, this happened during weeks 4,6,8 & 10. Like my gynae said, I am a 'cow'.  I think it was only till around 2.5mths that my supply became more established and stable. I am so thankful for the support given by my friends to allow me to stay on this journey. Javier is a tiny baby at birth but has caught up and grown to ~6kg in 3 months. I believe in the goodness of breastmilk and I hope to be able to continue providing for at least a year. Not sure if I am able to last that long but at least I tried and am already into 3++ months of nursing him.



Bf has changed many aspects of our life. Basically, we have to surround our activities around his feeding time. If we need to get out of the house, the time bomb starts from the time I feed him at home. Then there will be 1.5hr to 2hrs timeframe for us to do what we want, before we need to either locate a nursing room but find a place for me to nurse him. We also checked out the various nursing rooms/diaper changing rooms before we head to the malls. When I have time, I will update on the various nursing/diaper changing rooms just to share with mums who prefer to nurse in the nursing room like myself. :) Bf has also changed the way I dress. I had to find bf-friendly clothes which may not be my original style.

Just to share, I think that nursing cover is very important. Initially, I was using the freebies given during pregnancy to nurse in public and it was very stressful for myself and hubby as I needed help to ensure that I am not exposed. I discovered this nursing cover which has a bone-structure at the neckline so that you can see the baby from the top hands free and hence your hands are freed up to carry the baby and adjust the shawl to prevent exposing yourself. I purchased it from Qoo10. It is worth buying, it cost less than $20 and the quality is excellent.

Nursing @ Food for Thought @ Botanic Garden

I would like to encourage all new mums out there to persevere and provide the best for your babies. It is indeed a tough journey but it is a fulfilling one. Of course, if it really does not work out for you, at least you did try your best and don't stress yourself over this :)

My thoughts on motherhood

I have been wanting to pen my thoughts on motherhood but really haven't found time to do so.

Today, Javier turns 3 months!

I still recall the very moment he was delivered at Mt E Novena on 4th May 2014, the first moments when our eyes first met. He was being 'thrown' onto my body by the gynae after he was being cleaned up. Such a tiny fellow. My feelings then - I felt so so so relieved & blessed that he is a healthy baby, I remembered myself checking out his eyes, his tiny nose, mouth and ears. I am unable to describe the feeling but it is so amazing. Amazing how this tiny one is formed, renting a 39 weeks stay in my womb.

When I was expecting, the mummies would all tell me that they miss the feeling of the baby in the womb and told me to enjoy my pregnancy journey. Now I do understand how they feel as I look upon those preggies who are glowing with their babies in their womb. I do miss him kicking inside. These were the 'last' preggie pics of me when I was close to 39 weeks! Couple of days before Javier chose to kick the waterbag and arrived.
          

#throwback #39 weeks

 

This phrase aptly described what I felt in the delivery room. As a first time mum, one can't help but feel nervous and somewhat fearful about motherhood! - the entire pregnancy, delivery & how to be responsible for another life! The courage to deliver him without epidural was the immediate one - just focus on the end result & manage your mind/pain! 

 



 

 

Motherhood is indeed tougher than working. Mothers are selfless and always put her child ahead of her own interest.

 

Some of my thoughts on motherhood and its sacrifices:

 

1. One loses her figure as a new mum ( of course some are born with excellent DNA, otherwise one has to work really really hard to get back into shape ( but where do you find time to do so?)) :(

 

2. Breastfeeding is a tough journey, truly understated. ( Tougher when old folks will keep telling you to give water / formula ). The trick is to perservere, perservere and ignore negative comments! ). I can have a separate blog entry to document my journey [ when I find time to jot it down]

 

3. (Beauty) sleep is no longer available. You should be glad that you get to sleep. No more long stretches of sleep. If you get 2-3 hours in a stretch, it is an added bonus. ( of course I am told that it gets better as the baby grows ).

 

4. First month is the most stressful period. New to everything - breastfeeding, confinement, bathing baby, changing diapers, burping, sterilising, etc etc etc

 

5. One has to be absolutely calm & patient to deal with uncontrollable screams of babies

 

6. One has to be very efficient & multitask, finding time to shower or poop is a challenge

 

7. One has to control and cannot shout when angry

 

8. One has to think very hard between returning to work or being a SAHM. ( of course ultimately we have to return to work but when? )

9. You end up singing nursery rhymes even when you are not with him as it becomes a habit sub-consciously ( e.g. in the shower or when he is crying from far )

10. There are good days & bad days. You just need to remind yourself of the good days when the boy screams non stop. Keep calm and carry on.

 

**of course the above may not apply to every new mum but definitely what I am going through when I am alone at home since I shifted to my new place

 

I am not complaining. The above sacrifices melt away as you see your little one grow, smile, coo, learning motor skills, and many more first moments/milestone to come. :)

 

My little precious one has grown from a tiny baby weighing ~~2.87kg at birth to ~ 6kg. Oh how you have grown my precious little boy.

 



 

@4th May

 

@ 4th June

 

@4th July

 



 

@4th August

iHerb.com: http://www.iherb.com/?rcode=shf069

As a new mum to be, many enthusiastic & helpful mummy friends have been sharing valuable information with me.

I was introduced to iherb.com, an online website which carries nutritional supplements and other healthy products both domestically and internationally. It has received any great reviews in terms of the range of products especially organic stuff for babies!

For a start, I ordered babyganics cleaning items, sanitisers, cotton balls and a rubber ducky for my boy!

Below is the list of what I have ordered:

#	Item	Price	Qty.	Discount	SubTotal
0	BabyGanics, The Cleaner Upper, Toy & Highchair Cleaner, Fragrance Free, 17 fl oz (502 ml) BGN-01049	$5.99	2	$0.00	$11.98
1	BabyGanics, The Grime Fighter, All-Purpose Cleaner, Lavender, 32 fl oz (946 ml) BGN-01004	$6.99	1	$0.00	$6.99
2	BabyGanics, The Germinator, Foaming Hand Sanitizer, Alcohol Free, Fragrance Free, 8.45 fl oz (250 ml) BGN-01005	$7.49	2	$0.00	$14.98
3	Munchkin, Safety Bath Ducky, 0+ Months MUN-31001	$2.55	1	$0.00	$2.55
4	Swisspers (Organic Essentials), Triple Size Cotton Balls, 80 Count ORE-01981	$2.56	4	$0.00	$10.24
	Extra Discounts: $10 off your first iHerb order of $40 or more! Offer available for first-time customers on their first order only. Please Note: Abuse of this coupon will lead to cancellation of any related accounts and will be subject to additional administrative fees.				($10.00

I placed the order yesterday, 24/4/2014 and shipping costs $4 flat!

Let's see how long the delivery takes and I will update on the products which I purchased too!

They also carry a variety of supplements, bath & beauty products which I have yet to try.

You can Check out http://www.iherb.com/?rcode=shf069 and enter my Rewards Code shf069 to receive up to $10.00 off your first purchase.

Do share with me what's good too so that we can compare notes
http://www.iherb.com/?rcode=shf069http://www.iherb.com/?rcode=shf069

Latest update - Week 37/38

Last gynae checkup was on 22 April 2014. Baby now weighs 2.5kg. Gynae commented that baby is a little on the small side. The last checkup, baby weighed 2.3kg at 34 weeks. It got BK and me worried for quite a bit.

I was then sent for CGT test to monitor baby's heartbeat & fetal movement. Apparently, it was a routine test but we were not aware and thought that it was linked to baby's weight. I was made to lie in bed for an hour, strapped to a machine which tracked baby's heartbeat and I had to press a button whenever I felt baby's movement. After the test, the nurse called our gynae and we were allowed to return home. The nurse told me I was also having mild contractions but I could not feel a thing.

We went to buy durians to eat as many told us it will contribute to baby's weight. LoL. Next checkup is on 29 April 2014 and hopefully, baby will be beefed up more.:) I also started to take more protein in the hope that it will help baby to gain some weight.

My feet is also getting very swollen and I can't fit into all my shoes and had to get a new pair of Birkenstock to last me the last few weeks of pregnancy!

Why am I gaining so much compared to the baby :( sacrifices of a mum as long as baby J is good, healthy & happy.

I am also getting into nestling mode. I keep washing, wiping and preparing for baby's arrival. Hopefully baby arrives close or on due date. 11 May 2014. #mother's day!

Baby's temp room at my MIL's house is also setup. We have also cleaned up the car seat, set up the steriliser etc. Almost there. :)

Third Tri - 30 weeks

How time flies ! Sorry that I have not been updating this blog. I am already into the third trimester.

It's amazing how the three trimesters bring you totally different feelings.

1st tri - really trying to get use to the fact that your body is growing and expanding plus the fatigue (fortunately no morn sickness!)

2nd tri - The moment you enter this phase, your body really picks up on energy. Sometimes, you forget that you have a little bump.

3rd tri - Energy level dips. You get tired easily and the growing bump slows you down. My feet are starting to swell, especially if you walk a lot. I feel like a whale!

Last gynae checkup was in February and baby is growing well, weighing 1.3kg! I was a little concerned about the baby movements as I think I didn't feel baby kick at least 10 times a day which according to the gynae, baby should and many mummies have been complaining that they cannot sleep at night due to active baby. I pray and hope that the baby is good. I must have been walking too much as I cannot really feel baby's movement unless I sit down and really try to be aware of the kicks.

Mummy has been busy shopping for essentials - Cot, steriliser, diapers, nappies etc! Clothes! I cannot get enough of buying his clothes ( they are so cute!) but at the same time have been trying to control myself as was advised by experienced mummies that they outgrow really fast and DO NOT overbuy!

Baby cot has been purchased. I bought the Vermont white cot for him. Initially I went to the shop at People's park and was advised supplier stopped shipment for white colour and I was super disappointed as I had been eyeing this Cot all along!

Fortunately I bumped into my cousin at Taka who asked me to check out with the bon bebe guy. Luckily they had stock! Best thing was they had promotions at the taka baby fair and I bought it at the Taka baby fair 2014! :) How lucky.

I also purchased the Philips Avent 3-in-1 steriliser set from Kiddy Palace.

We are also happy to have collected hand-me-down stroller, play pens and bouncing chair. Such well maintained items come in really handy since they outgrow it very quickly and we are trying to cut down on expenses as we need to spend on baby and house at the same time!

I was also introduced to a diaper brand, Goo.n. Already made a purchase on http://www.diapers.com.sg/ and if all is good, will continue to order from this convenient website! Their purchase is really hassle free and delivery was very quick!

Yesterday, I felt the baby hiccup and it was really cute. It is rhythmic and for quite a while. According to the gynae, the baby's head has already turned downwards which is great news.

Now Mummy and daddy are also busy preparing for house renovation and targeting to move in for confinement. Seriously hope that it can be achieved.

Mummy has also signed us up for a maternity shoot tgt with baby shoot package. I am so fat now but I hope the photos turn out nice. We should be taking the shots on 29 March. Will share the photos soon!

Otherwise, all is good. Most of the big items have already been purchased. I need to do up a wish list as friends have been asking for it. I am so blessed to have such nice friends! :)

Looking forward to meeting our little one in May but I am also anxious about the whole delivery and taking care of the baby.

Hopefully I will have time to update my thoughts!

Till the next update. :)