Maternity Shoot - Photos Out !

Hello Baby !

Nice pinkie bootie for you. Do you know it's mummy's bootie once upon a time?

Mummy will love  and protect you. ; )

 Daddy will love and protect you too ; )

These are some of my personal favourites. Meanwhile, I am still pending for some editing works from DT. ^__^

Water Birth

I read about water birth few months ago from a book I borrowed from the library. However, I didn't give much thoughts but recently I chanced upon some posts from the forum.

At first I thought water birth is not available in Singapore. But water birth is actually available in Singapore, but not many people chose it cos it is not widely practiced in Singapore. One also has to understand the pros and cons of water birth.

In Singapore, the following hospitals have water birth facilities (as at of current updates):

• Mount Alvernia Hospital
• National University Hospital
• Thomson Medical Centre

One also must note that it is essential that one needs to have a doula should you wish to opt for water birth.

And it is recommended that one goes for hypnobirthing classes if you are into water birth.

The following are some of the places that teaches hypnobirthing:

1. BabyBliss
2. ParentLink
3. Four Trimesters

Channelnewsasia Article: 14 November 2009 on hypnobirthing:

Hypnobirthing ensures pain-free childbirth for some
By Venessa Lee, TODAY | Posted: 14 November 2009 1009 hrs

 SINGAPORE: Ms Regina Lim gave birth to her daughter in circumstances starkly different from most other women's.

"Actually, childbirth is not painful," said the 34-year-old, referring to her pain-free labour with Hannah and contrasting it with her experience giving birth to her two older boys, where labour had been induced.

Describing her daughter's birth at Mount Alvernia Hospital on February 20, Ms Lim said: "It's almost like your body's trying to do a split for you. If you just relax, it will gradually, over four or five hours, get into the 'split' position." Labour had been "fun", added the property analyst.

Ms Lim had practised hypnobirthing - a technique she credited with helping ensure a pain-free birth - with the help of her doula, Ms Ginny Phang. In ancient Greek, the word "doula" meant a woman of service. Today, a doula is a professional who assists women during childbirth, providing practical and emotional support.

Actress Nicole Kidman was reported to have had a doula at the birth of her daughter Sunday Rose last year.

Dr T C Chang, a consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist at Thomson Medical Centre, told Weekend Today that hypnobirthing "can reduce the need for pain relief." "Some patients will tell you ... they didn't feel pain. Others will say the pain was reduced markedly", obviating the use of pain relief during labour, according to Dr Chang, who said that 15 to 20 per cent of his patients use doulas.

Hypnobirthing, which can comprise visual and auditory cues, is "a mind-body technique to teach women to relax during labour," said Ms Phang, who owns FourTrimesters, a firm that offers doula services.

According to another doula, Ms Kiki Porter Wolff, hypnobirthing "is mind over matter, the mind controls how the body reacts. It won't get rid of the pain per se but it reduces the pain to nothing but an irritability."

Said Dr Chang: "They don't even use the word 'pain' ... they refer to every contraction as a 'surge'."

Ms Lim was part of a small but growing group of women who employ doulas, who number fewer than 20 in Singapore.

Ms Di Bustamante, the director of ParentLink, a company whose services include doula and pregnancy-related services, said the firm provides doula services for eight to 10 births a month, compared with five or six such births per month, two years ago.

About half her clientele are expats and half are locals, she said.

The numbers involved are still tiny, however. Since 2007, for example, KK Women's and Children's Hospital "has received two requests for the assistance of a doula, during delivery", according to Ms Paulin Koh, deputy director, nursing, at the hospital's delivery suite.

Ms Lim said: "In previous births, I had difficulty in getting what I wanted because I was in labour and (not in a fit state to) argue with doctors and nurses, and I wanted an advocate."

Ms Lim said her "advocate", the doula, Ms Phang, advised on matters such as when to lie down and when to walk around, and when to go to the hospital when labour had advanced. "When you're pushing the baby out, someone will, invariably, in all the births, say something like 'Shut up and push!' I will usually tell the nurse, 'you shut up'. Now I have Ginny helping me to glare at her," she quipped.

Having the kind of birth they want - which often excludes pain relief - is important for clients of doulas. "

Some doctors don't even allow birth plans. We often have people switching to us because they can't have a birth plan," said Ms Wolff, who, besides being a doula, is also a trained nurse and midwife.

For Ms Lim, as with many people who opt for doulas, having a natural, drug-free birth was crucial, especially after her unhappiness over her second son, Rupert, having to be delivered via an emergency Caesarean section six years ago.

"I felt that birthing, like eating or sleeping ... or having sex, should be something that your body is designed to do. I wanted to have a natural birth. I felt that this is the normal way to give birth," she said, in contrast to "interventionist" societal norms regarding childbirth.

In opting to give birth without drugs, Ms Lim is in a distinct minority. With regard to the women who give birth at Singapore General Hospital (SGH), for example, "over 90 per cent opt for pain relief", according to Dr Tan Lay Kok, senior consultant at SGH's department of obstetrics and gynaecology. The three forms of pain medication commonly used are epidurals, pethidine injections and Entonox gas.

"In Singapore, all births are pretty much looked at as requiring medical attention ... a medical event, not a normal physiological event," said Ms Bustamante, a doula herself, stating views similar to other doulas'. Citing the use of painkiller drugs as an example of a medicalised approach, she added: "Some doctors want to release the membranes, break the waters routinely, halfway through labour."

Asked separately by Weekend Today whether obstetricians in Singapore were generally too interventionist in childbirth, Dr Tan of SGH said: "Obstetricians have their patients' and their babies' best interests at heart. It is in this context that any intervention is discussed with the patient, taking into account both maternal and fetal considerations, and assessing the pros and cons of the intervention."

Dr Tan added: "Labour is usually managed actively in hospitals, and if the progress of labour is slow, the obstetrician may suggest breaking the waters to help augment the uterine contractions."

Ms Bustamante also said: "Many doctors require that women give birth on the bed on her back. This position is not conducive to an easy birth. It fights gravity and can cause perineum tearing."

She added that "using a birth stool, squatting, (being on) all fours, even standing are much better positions as this allows the pelvis to open an additional 30 per cent".

Asked separately about which birthing position is best, Professor Chong Yap Seng of National University Hospital (NUH), said that would depend on the individual; it would be "the position that you feel most able to push when you're in the second stage of labour".

"The training all over the world is like this: Most doctors are trained with an active management mindset. Some of the policies may seem a bit too cautious to laymen," he said, in reference to queries about medical intervention in childbirth.

However, as doctors are privy to "very bad outcomes" that may occur even with normal pregnancies, "we actually like to err on the side of caution", said Prof Chong, senior consultant at NUH's department of obstetrics and gynaecology.

Whichever birthing method women choose, there is perhaps one universal constant in all new births. In 30 years of nursing, "I've seen thousands of deliveries", said Ms Wolff, "newborn babies always look like their fathers." She reckons it's a way for fathers to bond with their new babies, even though their children's features will soon shift and change.

- TODAY/sc

I contacted Ms Ginny Phang to find out more about hypnobirthing and she was very prompt in answering my questions. I was thinking if I should go for a intensive course on hypnobirthing (given that I am into full term and I might go into delivery anytime soon) - even if I don't go for water birth, it would probably help in relieving some pain during delivery.

According to her, she has worked with Dr Paul Tseng and Dr Lai Fon-Min at Mount Alvernia on water birth.

I checked with my gynae and he was not into water birth as he believes the more "established, traditonal methods". Of course, he also shared the pros and cons of water birth with me but he mentioned that if I am really keen on water birth, he could refer me to doctors who are practicing it. 

In the end, I decided that I don't want to go through the stress of having to go for an intensive course and water birth. I was thinking if I had more time, I would probably have signed up. For now, feeling relaxed is my top agenda. Anyway, now I just gotta count on my breathing techniques I learnt during parentcraft lessons and hubby's support (to remind and reassure me!) during the delivery.

Weird Habit?

Does any mummy has the weird habit of smelling your bolster while sleeping?

I have actually stopped after I went to high school but I discover that the smell (er, not to sound too yucky but is your own unique smell la) seems to helps to soothe my nausea feeling in my 1st trimester and currently the Braxton Hicks contractions which I have been experiencing more lately. To put it simply, it's like your "smelly pillow" (臭臭)  one might have during the childhood days.

I hope I am not the only weird mummy. =}

Coconut Juice II

This is my 4th (and final) week of drinking young coconut juice.

Seems like hub has learnt how to chop the coconut:

1. Use a scissors to cut/scrape off the husk so as to expose it
2. Once you see an small opening (between the husk and the white flesh lining), use a knife to knock it and lift the husk up.
3. 5 mins -done !

If really all else fails, just get it off the drinks store at the food centre.

So now is like counting down to the D-elivery day. hmm.

Food Cravings List II

A follow up to my previous post :

1. Cha-Siew Ramen
2. Mee Siam
3. Mee Rebus
4. Ayam Penyet
5. Chicken mushroom pie/puff
6. Kuay Zup
7. Roast Pork rice
8. Subway sandwiches
9. Pear
10. Assorted cookies 

Weight and baby position as at 24 November 2011

I am 60.70 kg today !
Baby = 3.043 kg

Baby has grown about 300 g in a week !

Position: Head down but still facing upwards, then again today is more towards the side so hopefully she is on her way to face down ...

Nestle Baby Club

Nestle Baby Club

I happened to sign up with Nestle as a member of the baby club where they had a road show last weekend at City Square Mall. So today I received this Welcome message.

It is quite informative - I like The Baby Book and the Recipe book.

Gotta explore more !

Similac Package

I received Similac mummy's package today ! Super efficient, I must say.

The package includes:

• Similac Mum powder sachet (hopefully I don't react to the powder this time)
• A cute teddy bear T-shirt for baby (suppose to be socks but I think ran out of stocks)
• Abbott Discount Voucher $3 off (er... $3 off is better than S-26 with $2 off but I think this discount doesn't really make any difference ...)
• Abbott Nutrition pamphlets/ Information Leaflet (ok, quite informative, know the products better)
• Baby Guide Book (Physical milestones from birth- yrs, Weaning guide for baby's 1st yr, Managing common childhood problems, Stooling Patterns)
• Tips for Successful Breastfeeding (Nutrition for baby. Answering baby's call, Latching on, Getting to know your baby enough, Signs of Healthy Feedings, Myths about nutrition during breastfeeding.)

Gotta read more on the guide book and tips on breastfeeding !

Maternity Shoot

I managed to get in touch with DT via mummysg.com forum and we finally meet today at the studio for maternity photo shoots. Geez, it somehow reminds me of taking wedding photos.

I am glad he is quite jovial person, so you feel happy and comfy with him snapping. It helps that he is going to be a daddy soon, so he shares your joy.  Although I was quite tense in the beginning, thinking how to pose properly, I get more "warmed up" after some shots. Fortunately, hub managed to make me smile more naturally by giving me very "artistic" instructions.

The best part is that the maternity shoots are complimentary (ok, cheapo me again) as he is building his portfolio. Well, I have checked out some budding amateur photographers, and I think he should do fine.

Photos will be out in about 2 weeks time - I guess by that time, I should be in the delivery room, already resting at the hospital ward/home with my little babe or just on the verge of pushing?..haa.

Hopefully the pictures will turn out well so that I can (or dare to) post them online ...^__^

Occipito Posterior Position

Gynae said baby is in Occipito Posterior Position.

Urgh! Now that the baby's head is down, her head/face is facing upwards instead of downwards.

Gynae is quite humorous...he said baby is smart - wanna look upwards for nicer scenery rather than mummy's bottom. =|

Baby, could you do mummy a favour - please face downwards ?

Weight as at 19 Nov 2011

I am 60.20 kg today !
Baby = 2.7 kg
Growing steadily ;)

Waking Up at Night

Usually, the waking hours are in in the combination as follows - 2 or 3 times:

1. 2+am
2. 4-5+am

OR

1. 1+am
2. 3+am
3. 5+am

Either to pee or to eat some light stuff. I think since week 36+ onwards, I wake up just to pee or just drink water cos it so damn hot and I felt so dehydrated (even if I on the air-con cos the air is too dry!).


The irritating part is I can't sleep immediately after I wake up, especially when I wake up at 5+am. This timing is like "不三不四 " (chinese colloquial: neither here nor there) when I have to get up to work around 7:00 am. So you can imagine the number of times I overslept ! =\