Similac Mum: Classical Tunes

Although I don't fancy 'Similac Mum' ("V" time when I drank the sample), I am impressed that Abbott Nutrition actually compiled a set of classical tunes for the babies. I received the complimentary set sometime after my 1st trimester and I have been playing it occasionally while sitting in front of the PC or lying down on bed. My personally favourites are those highlighted in bold.

1. Bach : A Lover's Concerto
2. Bach : Concerto No. 5 in F Minor (Largo)
3. Mozart : A Little Night Music (Romanza)
4. Vivaldi : The 4 Seasons, Autumn (Adagio)
5. Tchaikovsky : March of the Tin Soldiers
6. Dvork : Humoresque
7. Pachelbel : Canon in D Major
8. Mozart : Turkish March
9. Tchaikovsky : Waltz of the Flowers
10. Beethoven : Moonlight Sonata (Adagio)
11. Chopin : Fantasie Impromptu
12. Saint-Saëns : The Carnival of the Animals
13. Offenbach : The Tales of the Hoffman
14. Mozart : Sym. No. 40 in G Minor
15. Bach : Minuet in D Minor

I also like this:

Extremely smoothing during bedtime !

Mathematics for Kids

I can say my elder niece (8 years old) is pretty smart. Yeah, pretty + smart. She picks up (be it knowledge, concepts, words etc.) fast and doesn't need any repetition (unless when distracted with TV and younger niece disturbances.)

I was resting after dinner when she came up and chat with me regarding baby's development. She surprised me with her knowledge of the uterus, umbilical cord and baby's desired position in the 3rd trimester. So I explained to her in detail - the use of the placenta and drew some pictures. Then, she asked me how heavy is the baby. So I told her about 1.7 kg and said that baby needs to grow up more for the next 2 months. 

So, I gave her a simple mathematics problem sum:

Before pregnancy, my weight = 47.50 kg 

After pregnancy, my current weight =55.90 kg

Baby's current weight = 1.70 kg

How much weight have I gained - excluding baby's? 

Calculation : 55.90 - 47.50 - 1.70 = 6.70 kg

Then she quickly mentioned that this weight will be shed off after I gave birth and we can also use the same way to calculate how much I lost by recording how much I weigh after birth. 

She goes on to rattle that the baby's weight and dimensions will be recorded immediately on the record card. 

(oh yes, she knows !!) 

I will also tell baby next time how she actually come out from mummy's tummy. 

Perhaps I can ask baby the same Maths question when she grows up and see what's her reaction. 

Good idea ya?

Cordlife vs Stemcord (Cord Blood Banking) ?

Criteria	Cordlife	Stemcord
1. Establishment Year	2001	2002
2. Corporate Profile	Founded by medical practitioner: Dr Fang Boon Sing	Founded by medical practitioners: Dr Teo Cheng Peng Dr Ang Peng Tiam Dr Leong See Odd
3. Accreditation 1	Licensed and audited by Singapore's Ministry of Health.	Licensed and audited by Singapore's Ministry of Health.
4. Accreditation 2	AABB (American Association of Blood Banks)	FACT-NetCord (Foundation for the Accreditation of Cellular Therapy and NetCord)
5. Track record	Yes	Not Sure #
6. Pricing	@ See separate Table below	@ See separate Table below
7. Other	-Systematic and Informative Presentation : The full process from obtaining the cord to storing with Cordlife - Shows the difference between using Cord blood and Bone marrow transfusion -Supplement with CD ROM -Gives some real-life example of how Cordlife save individual lives.	- Provide checklist in brochure - Shows how USA and other developed countries make use stemcells - Store cells in 2 different location
8. Informativeness ?	Good	Satisfactory
9. Ability to answer questions during seminar	Satisfactory	Below Satisfactory #
10. Allow visit to the labs ?	Not sure - yet to ask	Not sure - yet to ask

Note:
@ Cordlife works on 21-year plan package while Stemcord works on 5-year plan package.


Cordlife manage to answer 1 question due to time constraints while Stemcord answered more than 1.


# Despite asking for statistics on how many patients/customers Stemcord have helped, the speaker seemed not to answer the question directly.


Seminar date attended for Stemcord and Cordlife: 24 September 2011 and 8 October 2011 respectively.


Base on the above data, I concluded:
- Cordlife is more established, but Stemcord provides 2 storage locations.
- Cordlife provides 21-year plan package - suitable for parents who wants 'full coverage' while Stemcord provides 5-year plan and subsequently yearly payment - suitable for parents who prefers a 'wait and see attitude'.

So, which one have you chosen?

From I see, both are commercial organisations who is seeking profitable growth in their business while providing insurance (as some called it "bio-insurance" - think: insurance policies that you bought from the various companies). Depending on what you want, you choose the coverage and premium that you want to pay.

Hmm.

Popiah Craving

Our trip to Kway Guan Huat Joo Chiat Popiah is wasted when the lady said that they do not provide dine-in facility - they only provide ingredients freshly-packed for you to bring home. 1 Set = $45 (approximately for 4 pax) Urgh! 

I was thinking she should as least suggest that she can provide the plates (from the next door beef ball soup which is also under them) so that we can buy the ingredients from her and roll the popiah. She didn't !! When hubby mentioned about going to 7-11 to get paper plates so that we can roll the popiah, she just said it's too troublesome and suggest she get the ingredients to bring home. Seems like they are not hungry for business. Of course, fame has found them, so do money. Why should they bother with just 4 pax eating spending only $45 yeah? And the most sickening thing is: their website doesn't state they don't do any dine-in any more!!! I was extremely disappointed that I can't feast on popiah as I have been craving it for the past 2 weeks+. 

(Side-note: 

This reminds me of a story about the difference between Hong Kongers and Singaporeans. 

One lady was snubbed in Singapore when she wish to buy a fruit from a fruit juice store in town (due to convenience) as the owner brushed her off and said, "Oh, we don't see fruits, we only sell fruit juice." However, in Hong Kong, whoever/whatever gives them the business - no matter how big or small, they just do it. They are more flexible, always looking for opportunities. If customer wants, and they are willing to pay a premium, why not? Win-Win situation.)

I was so angry (and sweating profusely) that I almost forgot that Ling and .r who were supposed to join us for dinner. I also can't be bothered asking her if she could let us use some plates from next door. I quickly call .r that we will have to adjourn to somewhere else and she informed Ling for me, while hubby go further down the lane to check out for any other popiah store. 

Well, lady luck is in - he found a nonya cafe that has popiah - Chilli Padi so we headed there. We ordered the nonya popiah, tauhu goreng, buah keluak fried rice, meat ball soup, and jumbo satay chicken. Guess we shouldn't order a medium bush keluak friend rice (small would suffice) when we are not too sure if we can finish (and perhaps buah keluak is more of an acquired taste....), so in the end, I was extremely full, but satisfied - at least I gotta eat popiah.

Then again, I still prefer Qiji popiah. Will probably head down to one of its branches soon, or get hubby to get for me. 

Group B Streptococcus (GBS)

Last trimester Tests:

1. Glucose Tolerance Test (GTT) - to check for Gestational Diabetes during pregnancy
2. Group B Streptococcus (GBS) - to check for vaginal infection 

My gynae said I don't have to go through GTT since the urine test (done every visit via the indicator on the urine test strip) is negative. As for GBS, it is compulsory so that baby is protected from getting infected when getting out of the vagina. 

For 1st and 2nd Trimester,

Weight as at 23 Sept 2011

I am 55.9 kg today !
Baby = 1.7 kg
Baby's growth = 0.5 kg (1.7-1.2)

Gynae said she is growing quite fast and on the big side (but not super big).
And her head is supposed to be downwards but has rotated to the side, which makes her in a breech position  which is not at all good for delivery ! =(

We still have about 3 more weeks to "educate" her about the position. The best position is posterior position.

Baby, baby, please do mummy and yourself good by rotating to the right position ok?

ionized water

Has anyone tried ionized water?

I was wondering if baby can benefit from it.
Then again, I am afraid if being "too clean" since we also need some bacteria so that we can build up a stronger immune system.
Perhaps drink when she gets older?

my "Antidote"

I think I better note down all my major symptoms and antitdote before I forget.

Vitamins / Supplements III

Now I have to take 2 tablets each daily as baby is growing bigger. =(

1. Nata Boost (equivalent to Natal care Triplus Omega Fish Oil (625 mg)) 
2. Multivitamins (Vitamin Products > Prenavit Tablet) 
3. Calcium and Vitamin D (Calcium products > Suncal-D Tablet) 

The different between Nata Boost and Natal care Triplus is that the former is a plant-derived extract of DHA, thus also suitable for those who are vegetarians. The advantage is that it states that it contains no risk of ocean-bone pollutants of contamination. 

Actually I still prefer Natal care Triplus cos the softgel is "softer" even though the capsule is slightly bigger than Natal Boost. 

The Smurfs

I prefer the cartoon version to the movie.
Anyhow, it was entertaining.

Love the uplifting song too:



Hopefully, baby will think so too. ;)

Vomitted AGAIN !

I craved for kimchi ramen but seems like the spicy noodles doesn't go too well with baby. :(
So I ended up like a Merlion and daddy got me a fish burger from MOS Burger.
Can't wait for this ordeal to be over.....
-__-

Choosing Gynae II

I have just changed my gynae to Dr Kenneth Edward Lee instead of Dr Michele Lee after much deliberation:

1. Dr Michele Lee charges additional $200 for delivering at Mt.Alvernia since her clinic is affiliated to Thomson Medical Centre.
2. I would like to get myself familiarised with Mt. A. since I am delivering there and Dr Kenneth Edward Lee's clinic is there.
3. Dr K. E Lee's delivery fees are slightly more expensive than Dr M. Lee but not to the extent of being exorbitant.
4. I feel more at ease since he is more experienced. (although initially I mentioned that my gynae must be a female. seems like a male gynae is also not too bad afterall.)

On a side note, he is a very jovial and down to earth person, (but my hub's impression of him is "lao-beng"- haha.) Anyway, I believe I am in good hands. : )

Weight

Baby's weight is now 1.2 kg !

My weight gain is gradually increasing. Previously I was so afraid that I am under weight, but my gynae said I am doing well, so don't have to worry too much.

1st Trimester: 47.50; 48.20 kg
2nd Trimester: 13/8/2011- 51.20kg
3rd Trimester (beg): 13/9/2011- 54.30 kg

Baby must be at least 3 kg, so which means, I must at least be 58 kg++ by delivery to be at a healthy level.
^__^