my mini CD collection

Finally finish burning 168 songs in a CD to bring to the hospital. phew! These songs can last me about 10.8 hours. Hopefully that is sufficient to soothe my mixed emotions then. =|

Food Cravings List

My food cravings since pregnancy:

1. Char Kuay Teow
2. Hokkien Mee
3. minced meat noodle
4. minced meat 
5. Peanuts/Ground nuts
6. Popiah
7. Rojak
8. Yam cake
9. Carrot cake
10. Zhu Chang fen 
11. Zui Kway
12. Tau Suan
13. Mango/fruit cake
14. Swiss roll
15. Waffles (with chocolate or peanut fillings)
16. Soup (Melon, Lotus, practically any type of soup)
17. Coco Crunch 
18. Sugar Cane drink
19. Yammi Yogurt (Peach Flavour)
20. Orange juice

will update again if there is anymore....

Buffet Town

Venue: Buffet Town

Purpose: Celebrate my dad's birthday in advance (in case I deliver early...)

Experience: Very full, food not as fantastic as I thought. Rojak is nice but a bit cold. Love the waffle and cakes. Winter melon and veg soup is tasty. Soya bean drink is very fresh (but would be good if they have warm version too.) 

Additional remarks: Can't eat raw stuff - so Sashimi is out. Can't eat crab (old folks say better don't eat), ice-cream (too cold, so eat a super small spoonful). Can't stand prawn now so didn't eat.

Hope baby weight is still within 3kg. =|

Parenthood Fair 2011

Parenthood Fair 2011 @ Expo

Was at the Parenthood Fair@Expo and I bought the following:

• AVENT Steriliser Set - $135
• 2 nursing wear (suitable for office) -($25 each) $50
• Goo.N Diapers (New Born 58pcs; with 2 complimentary samples) - $14 (just get 1 pack to in case this brand is not suitable for baby. Actually wanted to get pampers but it is lined with aloe vera. Ironically, aloe vera is supposed to soothe the baby's skin so it should be better, but hub is afraid baby might react to aloe vera. urgh...whatever.) 

Pending:

• Cordlife - ??? (gotta do further analysis....gotta make a decision soon.) 
• Post-Natal Massage - ??? (in process of getting feedbacks, advice....)

Coconut juice

This is my 2nd week of drinking young coconut juice.

Why drink? - Some older folks claim that by drinking, the baby will come out in a very "clean" condition.

Read through forums and mothers have also justify the claim. My colleagues also recommended from experience.

When to start? - 1 month before the EDD.

How frequent? - Once a week until the EDD

Where to get? - Any major supermarkets- look out for "Young Coconut" tag/label or check hawker centre drinks stall 

How to chop? - With a big parang knife. else the husk is really beyond your strength unless you are some experienced butcher/coconut seller or really has big muscles for it =) 

My experience:

I just drink about 1/2 to 3/4 of the coconut juice cos I feel that my stomach gets a tad "chilly" (or "liang2" in mandarin) after I drink the juice and I have to eat some hot food to warm it up a little. a little kiasi ... :}

Final Verdict:

Have to wait till I give birth to see for myself if this is really true. But for now, just do it (with moderation though) since it is kind of like "proven".

Will update this after my delivery............

Kick, Kick, Kick !

Frequent wriggling routine:

• morning when I wake up or when I said "Good morning" /"早安"
• Around 6-7pm+ - Dinner time! - maybe telling mummy "Dinner time soon, I wanna eat !"
• Around 8-10pm+ - When watching TV or when playing music or surfing the net etc....

Frequent kicking routine: Mostly after 3pm and then on/off until 11+pm

Special style moves: 

• 3 continuous kicks (imagine Bruce Lee punching you 3 time continuously -with lesser force of course, or muay thai boxing - haha) ; sometimes it feels like a continuous knee-jerk reaction, like a trigger.... 
• "Swimming" - see post.
• "waving" - imagine National Day Parade/Kallang wave - from left to right, or sometimes right to left.
• "Swinging" - imagine your hand one up and the other down 
• 1 small light punch in the middle of the tummy
• Tickling sensation in the tummy - slightly below my belly button

So, sometimes, I just tap the same position where she did her action and she sometimes actually respond at the same spot too. hub also did the same thing and he was intrigued and amused by her reaction. But the irritating part is he always want to "play" with her by tapping on my tummy whenever I managed to soothe her before I sleep. GRRrrrr.

Dubious Post in forum: 3rd Trimester Pregnant Ladies Needed

In case you see posts similar to the following:

Post in forum: 3rd Trimester Pregnant Ladies Needed

Think twice.


After seeing her posts in :
a) http://www.mummysg.com/forums/f34/3rd-trimster-pregnant-ladies-needed-74364/   (for GAP outfits)
b) http://www.mummysg.com/forums/f34/third-trimester-ladies-required-72946/  (for M&S outfits)

I emailed my enquiry.

But a few dubious points :

1. Why they need to come to Singapore in just 1 day ? Isn't it a waste of money? With that kind of money, might as well engaged a professional and we are getting paid for it!

2. "Please see 8th Aug 2011 Singapore Straits Times article about us." I later managed to get hold of the hard copy, but found nothing on lamodels or anything mentioning on maternity shots.
She should at least clarify which page, but didn't - just ask for my details and photo.

3. No official procedures mentioned.

4. and then she posted in the forum, "thanks to all who attended on the 11th sept. hope you enjoyed and got the experience while being paid!" - but no one responded to her....sharing the experience etc.
(huh???)


Then after checking with fellow forumers- chocobaby and alisa- who also responded to her email, they had quite different responses but enough to generate suspicion. So we didn't carry on the correspondence and nothing happened in the end. (Update: chocobaby - was requested to send photo in bikini or lingerie ! ; alisa - was told there was an article in April, but when she asked the photographer to send a scanned copy of the article, some excuses was given - duh !)


Of course, the next best to clarify is to email GAP and M&S to check if they really engage/authorise such person, company to do photography. But for me, I think the above pts just puts me off. (pt 2 is obvious enough.- just cook up a date- far enough but still recent in hoping that people won't check?)

The following shows my correspondences with J. B., Just to share and warn all ladies:

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hi,
I refer to you post in mummysg.com - http://www.mummysg.com/forums/f34/3rd-trimster-pregnant-ladies-needed-74364/
I was just wondering you are located in California, so how are you going to take photos of ladies in Singapore ?

Thanks,
m.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hello M

Yes i am based in California. We do the shoots in singapore at the esplanade. The team flies in for the shoots and we put up at Marina Mandarin Singapore.
The shoots are for 1 day only and we conclude everything on the day itself. Please see 8th Aug 2011 Singapore Straits Times article about us.
Visit our site www.lamodels.com
Regards,
Jessie Baylin

---------------------
Hello Jessie,
I tried checking "PRESS" on http://www.lamodelsblog.com for the scanned copy of the Straits Times article but couldn't find any.
Anyway, I don't have the hard copies of the archives.
What sort of details do you need ?
What criteria are you looking for the maternity shots ?
Will I be able to have a copy of the photo taken if i were to be selected for the shot ?

Thanks,
M.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hello M
Yes you will surely get the shoots for yourself as well.
Name:
Age:
Nationality:
Occupation:
Height:
Weight:
Vital Statistics:
Stomach Circumference:
Your images of yourself.
Regards,
Jessie Baylin
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hope the above helps.

If anyone who really went through the maternity shoots and would like to clarify and share, please feel free to do so. Thanks !

[Note: I have also posted the above in mummysg.com so as to warn those who come across the post.]

Sleeping Position

I have been sleeping in a lying-on-my-back-facing the ceiling position for the past few weeks as baby will just "swim" upwards and "piak" her thighs/legs onto my tummy if I were to turn at the left or right side for too long. Whenever this happens, I felt my chest gets tightened and I can't breathe easily. =(

So what I did was to lie on my back and then hush-hush her while stroking my tummy and then she will "swim" downwards. Then again, at certain days, I can lie on my left side without any problem. hmm.
Maybe she just feels better or have more space to wriggle when I lie on my back? urgh.

My Tollyjoy stuff

Guess what ?

My mum is so good at keeping old stuff that she still has my baby wear, tollyjoy dress, and powder puff which she dug out from the storeroom !!! She even has this manual breast pump that she used back then. Super old school design. (can donate to museum...)

The clothings are still in very good condition - just slight yellowish along the lining and some looks as good as new ! I can't imagine my little babe is wearing my own clothings. =}

Think I should take some of the pictures and post them soon. heh.

Weight as at 5 Nov 2011

I am 59.50 kg today !
Baby = 2.5 kg


Baby has grown about half a kg during the last 2 weeks !


So hopefully baby will weigh around 3 kg by the time she is ready to come out - just nice for natural delivery.


(See also: average fetal length & weight chart)

Breast Feeding thoughts

Actually this post is quite embarrassing...cos I think my cup sizes are bigger than B, but not yet C. (like "I am not a girl but not yet a woman??") 

I was comparing to my colleague who was preggy 2 years ago and hers was like WOW - (BIG C I think.) The problem is: do I have enough milk to breastfeed? : (

I read the breastfeeding booklet given out during parentcraft lessons and it states  "Demand = Supply" - you just need to let the baby latch on and the milk will flow. Urgh. Hopefully my milk flows out sufficiently for my baby.

Baby & Mummy Essentials & Hospital admission Checklist

Here is what I downloaded from mummysg :

Baby's Room
[ ] Baby's cot
[ ] Cot mattress x 1
[ ] Cot bedsheet Covers/ Bumpers x 1 set
[ ] Cot pillow / bolsters x 2 sets
[ ] Cot mattress Protector x 1
[ ] Cot bed lining x 1
[ ] Wind-up mobiles x 1
[ ] Baby's monitor x 1 set
[ ] Waterproof mat x 1
[ ] Blanket x 2
[ ] Chest of drawers x 1
[ ] Bean sprout pillows x 2
Baby's Clothes
[ ] Pacifiers
[ ] Mittens x 5
[ ] Socks/ Bootees x 5
[ ] Bibs x 5
[ ] Jump suits/ Rompers (short sleeve) x 5
[ ] Jump suits/ Rompers (long sleeve) x 5
[ ] Short sleeves / Long sleeves Tops x 5
[ ] Long pants x 5
[ ] Face towels x 10
[ ] Nappy/ Nappy liners
[ ] Bath towels (with hoods) x 2-4
[ ] Tummy covers
Hygiene/ Bath Items
[ ] Short stool x 1
[ ] Nail clipper/ scissors x 1
[ ] Bath sponge x 1
[ ] Baby shampoo x 1 bottle
[ ] Safety pins x 1 pack
[ ] Cotton balls x 1 pack
[ ] Baby Wipes x 2-3 packs
[ ] Bath tub x 1
[ ] Non slip mat x 1
[ ] Baby bath x 1 bottle
[ ] Baby oil x 1 bottle
[ ] Baby powder with puff x 1 tin
[ ] Baby lotion x 1
[ ] Diapers - Newborn Size/ S Size x 2
[ ] Sanitizer
[ ] Baby's Laundry Powder
Care for the Umbilical Cord Stump
[ ] Sterile swab applicators
[ ] Sterile cotton swabs
[ ] Sterile container for cord spirit x 1
[ ] Cord spirit x 1 bottle
Medical Items
[ ] Cream for nappy rash (Destin) x 1
[ ] Oil for wind x 1 bottle - Ru Yi Oil
[ ] Gripe water x 1 bottle
[ ] Thermometer x 1
For Feeding Baby
[ ] Steam sterilizer x 1 set
[ ] Warmer x 1
[ ] Milk bottles x 4 - 2 big + 2 small
[ ] Teats
[ ] Tongs x 1
[ ] Bottle/teat scrub brush x 1
[ ] Milk containers x 1 set
For Nursing
[ ] Breast pump x 1 set
[ ] BM Storage bottles
[ ] Storage bags x 1 box
[ ] Nursing bras x 2
[ ] Nursing Tops
[ ] Nursing/ breast pads x 1 box
[ ] Cream for sore nipples x 1 - Destin
Accessories (for later stage)
[ ] Play pen x 1
[ ] Walker x 1
[ ] Stairgates/ doorgates x 1
[ ] Rubber/ corner protectors
[ ] High chair x 1
[ ] Bouncer
[ ] Stroller x 1
[ ] Baby carrier x 1 - Ergo
[ ] Pram x 1
Mummy Care
[ ] Confinement Lady + Herbs
[ ] Jamu Massage
[ ] Bedroom slippers
For Jamu Massage
[ ] Mattress
[ ] 1 large towel
[ ] 2 small towel
Packing for Labour (Hospital)
For mum:
[ ] Slipper x 1 pair
[ ] Nightdress/ pajamas x 2
[ ] Face towel x 1
[ ] Nursing bra x 2
[ ] Breast pads x 4 pairs
[ ] Disposable maternity panties x 3-5
[ ] Sanitary pads x 1 pack
[ ] Cardigan/ Sweater x 1
[ ] Toiletries x 1 set
[ ] Socks x 1 pair
[ ] Ipad, mag, camera, HP charger, etc
[ ] Aloe Vera cream x 1 tube
[ ] Nipple cream x 1 tube - Destin
For baby:
[ ] Long sleeve tops + long pants x 1 set
[ ] Mittens + botties/ sock x 1 pair
[ ] Baby's Blanket x 1
[ ] Baby's knitted cap x 1

Additional: If u are delivering at TMC, u will be provided with a essential pack consisting of
- Baby vests
- Disposable diapers
- Toiletries
- Maternity bag
- Baby blanket
- A pair of mittens 

For Mount Alvernia, this is what I have been asked to bring (stated in the Parent Craft booklet):

Preparation for Admission

 FOR MOTHER

• Doctor's letter and blood results

• Husband and wife's identity cards/passports

• Marriage Certificate

• 4 nighties with front opening (or loose T-shirts)

• Breast pads

• Maternity bras (1-2 sizes larger than your normal size)

• Cotton panties

• 2 boxes of maternity pads (optional)

• A pair of slippers

• Toiletries

FOR BABY

• 2 pairs of mittens (optional)

• 2 pairs of booties (optional)

• 1 vest

• 1 baby blanket (to keep baby warm on discharge)

I have packed all (even if it states optional) - very kiasu. = }