Jabby Baby...

Brought Isaac for his 3-month jabs (the 6-in-1 concoction) this morning. Wanted to make an appointment with Dr YY Yip, but his appointment slots are full, so went to see Dr Ngiam at the same clinic instead. I was also curious to learn more about Dr Ngiam's 'style' and bedside manners after hearing what some of my friends said about him.

We reached the clinic about about 9.10am and managed to see Dr Ngiam almost immediately. Prior to that, the nurse did the routine checks (weight, height, head circumference). Well, Isaac weighs 7.4kg now, is 62.5cm and his head circumference is 42.5cm. When we entered Dr Ngiam's room, the first thing Dr Ngiam said was "is there anything you want to ask me about?". So we asked him about Isaac's crying episode the other day (he said it was colic and will happen off and on up till 8 months or so and one good way to stop the crying is car rides), about why he is salivating quite a lot (he said it was normal and not a precursor to teething), about his weight (he said Isaac is quite a big baby but we shouldn't have to worry about his weight at this point), about his poopless days (he said it is normal with breastfed babies). Well, the advice Dr Ngiam gave us was the same as Dr Yip's but the difference was in the body language and tone used. Dr Yip can be quite clinical and 'busy' (understandable since there's so many patients waiting outside) while Dr Ngiam makes time for small talk and communicates in a rather relaxed manner.

Another difference is the way both doctors handle Isaac. For Dr Yip, the first thing he asks you to do is to put him down on the cushion and he starts checking him while talking to you. Dr Ngiam, on the other hand, will have you carry him while he talks to you. And when the Q&A session is over, he will have you put him down on the cushion and will start examining him. Another subtle difference is that Dr Ngiam undresses Isaac's clothes and dresses him back after his checks, while Dr Yip will undress the fella but will ask you to dress him up after that. I also find subtle differences in the way both doctors administer the injections. Well, there is no comparison of who is better as they have different styles. But we are comfortable with both. Well, since Isaac needs 2 more follow-up jabs after this, we'll just stick with Dr Ngiam for the next 2 appointments. Dr Ngiam said that a small number of patients will come down with fever after the jab. Let's hope Isaac will be fine:)

Chee Meng again did not want to see the jabbing process coz it hurts him to see Isaac cry. Ooohhh, what a soft-hearted daddy. No prizes for guessing who will be the parent who will spoil Isaac.

Cry baby...

Isaac gave us a scare last night when he tried incessantly for nearly an hour last night, and both Mum and I suspected it's coz of stomach wind. We tried all ways to pacify him - carrying him, feeding him, rubbing medicated oil on him, feeding him gripe water... everything failed! After all the failed attempts, we decided to bring him to see the doctor at NUH's Children's Emergency, just to play safe and to seek some remedy for his stomach wind.

Actually, we both know that it's the stomach wind that making him upset and it's normal... but my dad was anxious, Chee Meng was anxious and we were worried that he's crying for too long a period. Well, the best thing is... when we reached there, Isaac is already pacified. And when the doctor examined him, he smiled at her! I must commend the doctor at NUH's Children's Emergency - she was very thorough in her checking and though she said Isaac was okay, she asked that we stay in the hospital for about an hour in case he acts up again. So, after the consultation, i breastfed him and he fell asleep. Back to normal. My mum and i heaved a sign of relieve. And the whole consultation took less than an hour. We were lucky coz there was a long queue after we are done with the consultation. The doctor also prescribed some colic drops for Isaac just in case he is still irritable when we got home. And the little fella just fell asleep when we got home and things returned to normal. And this morning, he was wide awake playing by himself while i zonked out. He's at his best in the mornings, and he will greet you with his beautiful smile when he sees you.

Naughty little fella...

Home Alone... with Isaac

Finally... an opportunity for me to experience what it is like to be a full-time mother/housewife. Mum went to KL for a 3-day getaway this week and i was left pretty much alone with Isaac, except for the occasional help from Chee Meng and my dad in the evenings so that i can shower, have my meals etc. The experience is quite alright, except that it was quite a boring routine which revolved around putting him to sleep, bathing him, cleaning him, feeding him, washing his clothes, putting him to sleep, cleaning him, feeding him...the cycle repeats itself everyday. Boring but fulfilling and at the same time, made me feel more confident of taking care of Isaac alone. And i think i can. I even wanted to bring Isaac out shopping but the weather (it was raining every afternoon) stopped me from doing so. So i only managed to bring Isaac downstairs to get some sunlight this morning coz it was bright and sunny!

Siok, Michelle and Lynette had dinner last night and Siok called me while they were having cocktails. She asked how i was coping and if i missed working. I told her quite honestly that i missed working and i could hear the rest going "oh man, this is bad...". And Siok went on and on about how motherhood is fulfilling etc. I bet they thought i am totally stressed out and on the verge of depression or something. But I'm ok, just that i missed having my 'alone time' since Isaac is born. Everything revolves around Isaac now and i guess it's also my own doing (maternal instinct) - i made everything revolve around Isaac and i must admit it that i sometimes just can't let go especially when i am still breastfeeding him. When I went for a medical appointment with Dr Chew, Dr Chew asked us if we found time to 'pak tor'. Both of us shook our head in unison. Dr Chew said that it is important for us to have some couple time together, and advised us to take 2-3 hours off once a week just to spend some time alone. Dr Chew also asked if everything was going on fine. I told him that we had a couple of tiffs since Isaac joined us (we hardly have tiffs) and he said that it was normal, coz the mommy assumes the daddy knows what mommy wants daddy to do. He hit the nail on the head. I had assumed that Chee Meng will know what i want done, how i want it to be done etc. I felt guilty that i have not been communicating with him since i had to take care of Isaac myself, which made me petty, hot-tempered and basically angry at Chee Meng. Luckily we trashed everything out and made it a point to communicate better now. Now, i am more appreciative of Chee Meng and also make it a point to tell him what i need him to do. And he does help out.

Well, mum is coming back tomorrow and i will have someone to help me look after Isaac while i steal some naptime and have some alone time! I'm glad i passed the 3-day test.

Photos of Isaac

Hey! Where's the Poop??!!

Well, another 3 days have gone by since Isaac's last poop on Saturday. Hence we decided to bring him to see Dr YY Yip this morning just to confirm everything is ok. The nurse also weighed him before the consultation and he is...... (drumroll)...... 6.8kg! There was another baby almost the same size at the clinic (though Isaac seems a little taller) and judging by the way his father carried him (his neck is very steady already), maybe he's about 4-5 months old. And Isaac is only 2 months+.. Even Dr Yip said that 'erm, he's quite a big baby for his age'. Hmmm... do i hear the undertones of 'erm, he's a bit overweight'??? But well, what can we do? He's drinking every 3 hourly as per usual and now predominantly breastmilk and the occasional formula. Well, we'll just have to continue to monitor him.

Okay, back to the poop. So we brought him to see Dr Yip and he said that his tummy feels alright and he looks well and more importantly, it's NORMAL! Dr Yip said that it's normal for breastfed babies to have poopless days, some even up to a week, coz the baby is absorbing the nutrients from the breastmilk and hence, don't have too much waste produced. Well, i certainly hope so! However, Dr Yip gave Isaac some oral mixture to help him to poo coz the suppository that Isaac received last Saturday is no longer in production! I'm not inclined to give him the medicine so soon coz he's still happy and drinking as per normal. I will monitor and only give it to him if he don't poop on the 5th day. And, this will be the 'pattern' until Isaac start to have solids! A few more months of worrying! Dr Yip also asked us to give him some diluted baby apple juice just to give him some additional fluids. Well, my mum has also been giving Isaac gripe water daily but still no poop!

Let's hope his poop will come soon!

==============

Note: Isaac pooped right after i published this posting! Yay! Finally!
Let's hope Isaac will have daily poops!

Survivor - The First Week

Am glad to report that we survived the first week in caring for Isaac ourselves... but not without the help of my mum!

I psyched myself mentally to be a 'real' full-time mummy and was also quite determined to do so. So, after sending Auntie to her sister's place last Sunday morning, we headed straight to my parents' place. While we were there, mum took care of Isaac while i 'recharged' my batteries and took a nap. We went home at about 8 plus at night, changed Isaac, fed him and put him to bed. I didn't really sleep much the first night of caring for him, mainly coz of insecurity - if he is sleeping ok, if his little wimps are because he needed something etc. I also breastfed him throughout the night and i was rather pleased when he went back to sleep after the feed coz it seemed that the supply is adequate for his needs! And viola, the first night was over. I felt happy though a little tired. And the spent the rest of Monday bathing him, feeding him, putting him to sleep. And, when Chee Meng returned home in the evening, i became a little emotional coz i was really happy that he is back to help look after Isaac! Finally, i survived another day! I was emotional also coz when Auntie was with us, she would prepare dinner and both Chee Meng and I would enjoy our dinner in the kitchen while Auntie take care of Isaac. That looked like a perfect picture of family life and seemed no different from couplehood days.

I was contemplating preparing dinner but Isaac is quite an active baby who needs to be rocked even while in a sarong and will only sleep through soundly without any wimper for at most half an hour. The thought of dashing around preparing dinner and looking after Isaac at the same time is quite 'sian', so i asked Chee Meng to pack dinner instead. So that rounded up the first 24 hours on our own. It also didn't help that i came down with sore throat and a cough which made it more challenging. I was feeding and carrying Isaac with a mask on which made breathing a bit more difficult.

And on Tue, we went over to my parents' place according to our plan - ie, weekday nights at my parents' place and weekend nights at our own place. And i also went to see a doctor for my cough on Tue night and the cough mixture he gave me really made me groggy... luckily mum was around to help care for Isaac when i was in a state of blur. Well, wrong cough at the wrong time. I was so glad mum is around to care for Isaac in the day so that i can catch naps and recharge. I still took care of Isaac at night while at my parents' place coz i think it is my responsibility and it's not fair for me to pass this on to my parents. Luckily, Isaac is learning how to sleep better and i am also getting a few hours of sleep at night. And, thank god my mum is very very good with children, so Isaac is in good hands. I can also tell that he likes her a lot. He listens and responds to my mum when she talks to him and that makes her smile. Same for my dad -Isaac will keep staring at him when my dad speaks to him. I can tell that that they are proud grandparents!

Isaac also decided to throw in a challenge in the first week - by not pooping. He did not poop from Sunday to Tuesday (2 days) and from Tuesday to Saturday (4 days). And he was getting a little cranky coz his system is 'blocked' though when i called up the paediatrician's, the nurse said that poopless days are quite normal for babies this age as their bowel movements are still not fixed. I also checked the Internet and saw in some forum postings that some babies go without poop for 2 weeks! It was worrying especially when he poops a few times a day since birth. However, he was still passing gas rather regularly and his tummy is not bloated or anything. But on Saturday, we decided to bring him to see a doctor coz he was wailing even after he was fed and cleaned. His forehead was also a bit cold (which according to old wives' tales meant an upset tummy). So we went to the Children's Medical Institute at NUH to see a doctor on Sat late afternoon. Luckily there was no one there when we were there so we got to see the doctor fairly quickly. And the doctor also checked and said that Isaac's generally ok except the fact that he did not poop for the last 4 days. So they inserted a suppository into Isaac's bottom and within minutes, the poop landed!! And i tell you.. it was a mega-poop. For once, we were so happy to see Isaac poop and i was cleaning him up with much joy!! Luckily, Chee Meng's company provided Isaac with medical insurance which meant that we did not have to pay $90 for the consultation (treated as emergency). Even if we had to pay, we would do so happily! All for the poop! And Isaac gave us another mega poop again that evening and was still pooping when i cleaned him! I think it is about 4 days worth of poop that Isaac discharged in one day! Well... he still hasn't pooped today... so let's monitor the situation. Let's hope we don't have to artificially induce poop again!

Well, i'm just glad to have survived the first week. But mainly because of my mum's assistance. Indeed, 世上只有妈妈好!

Mixed feelings..

Chee Meng and i sneaked out for a 'date' tonight - to catch the latest James Bond movie. Isaac was at home with Auntie... the 2nd last night before she goes back. Chee Meng took leave today to accompany us around and also to take a break from work. Well, both of us think that the latest Bond movie is just so-so... nothing to shout about...I think i still prefer the series of Bond movies by Peirce Brosnan coz he's just so suave...

I went on our date with mixed feelings - on the one hand, i felt good doing the usual couple things again just as we did before Isaac came into our lives. But on the other hand, i kept thinking what was Isaac doing (is he sleeping, has he drank his milk, has he this, has he that...) and if he's 'bullying' Auntie. We contemplated taking a short break to either Thailand or Hong Kong in Dec 08, but i'm not sure if i can go on our holiday (leaving him in the care of my mum) without thinking about him. From a very firm ' yes, i can leave him with mum' initially, my inner voice is telling me 'can i leave him with mum?' now. My main concern is whether he will get his daily requirements of breastmilk and if that few days being away from him will affect my milk supply especially when i'm not really overflowing. Mornings can yield about 6-7 ounces of breastmilk (coz i'm too tired to wake up to pump/feed Isaac at night as he's being cared for by Auntie) and every 3 hourly interval gets me about 3 ounces combined at most. Hmmm.. don't think the quantity is sufficient to meet Isaac's needs. After suckling on both breasts, he's still restless at times and we have to supplement it with formula. Sometimes my inadequate supply makes me a bit sad and demoralised, but i'm determined to keep breastfeeding him as long as i can but at least for 6 months. Let's hope my breastmilk will fill up buckets!!

Since i've been lazy at night, i shall try 'relactation' after i take care of Isaac full-time. It may not be easy and may even be tough, but let's try it. At least my body is well-nourished to withstand inadequate sleep due to night feeds and i think my determination will see me through. Of course, let's hope little Isaac will cooperate with me and not 'bully' me.

Though i'm a bit worried if i can cope with taking care of Isaac on my own, I'm at the same time quite looking forward to it. Coz it's something i have to go through eventually. And i think i should be able to manage.

Wish me luck! Or else, buy me lots of eye cream to cover up my panda eyes (let's hope you don't have to!!!!)

The challenge begins on Sun night:)

Counting down - 3 more days...

Well, Auntie will finally be completing her 2-month stint with us this coming Sunday... which means we've 3 more nights to be lazy before we are left to our own devices to take care of Isaac. Auntie has been a great help these 2 months and thanks to her, I was able to rest well (and at night especially) and have good nutrition. I've also gone on a crash course of changing and bathing Isaac since the end of Isaac's first month, so that i will be well-equipped to handle the little fella when Auntie goes back. But everything has been so far so good and i'm getting more confident in bathing Isaac and he also seems to enjoy bathtime. I think i should be able to handle him on my own. Lots of friends have been giving me encouraging messages about looking after Isaac and i would like to thank all of you who have messaged me!

Chee Meng asked me to go stay over at my parents' place for the first week after Auntie goes off so that my mum can help me look after Isaac till everything becomes more stable and I become more 'steady'. Chee Meng is also worried that i will starve to death coz there are no foodcourts, no markets around me, whereas my parents' place has a wonderful market and hawker centre just at our doorstep. And, my mum can also help to look after Isaac while i catch winks or naps. I'm sure my mum is looking forward to us staying with them though Chee Meng will feel a bit sad coz he won't be able to give his precious Isaac a kiss before he goes to work every morning. But let's see how.. if i'm able to handle him after a week, then i'll move back to Sengkang. I'll find a way to settle food or just rely on 'healthy' food such as cereals and sandwiches. Ah... maybe i can even lose some weight!

We are also looking at moving near my parents' place so that everything is easier, but flats/apartments near my parents' place (Ghim Moh) are rather expensive, so let's see how.

In the meantime, i'm gradually taking over the care of Isaac from Auntie, so that i'll be ready to be a full-time, unassisted mommy!

Never say never...

When Isaac was still in my belly, i said a few 'nevers' such as - i will never let Isaac suck the pacifier, i will never let Isaac sleep in a sarong. Well, i relented to both the pacifier and the sarong just to ensure that the little fella can sleep well and sleep enough.

Isaac started the pacifier after his full-month celebrations and luckily he don't really like it that much and even spits it out when we try to put it in his mouth to make him sleep. And when he sucks on the pacifier, it really helps him to sleep and it's cute seeing him suck on it.

As for the sarong, Isaac slept in it for the first time yesterday and seemed to enjoy it. The journey to the sarong came a long way. Since birth, we've tried all ways and means to make Isaac sleep - without carrying, without swaying, without the sarong. But Isaac was the direct opposite! He wants to be carried, he wants to be swayed which meant that we have to spend most of our time carrying him so that he can sleep. He's also an active baby and seems to require less sleep as compared to the normal babies. The first question every morning is 'did he sleep?' So we finally decided to buy a sarong for him so that we can spare our arms the 'pain' from carrying the little fella. I was deciding between the normal sarong or a motorised sarong and decided to get a normal sarong coz i still remembered that my younger brother would only need to be rocked a while then he would sleep soundly. Hence, no need for a motorised sarong. But i was wrong!!! Isaac would fall asleep after a few rocks, then he will make noise after at most 10 mins and we would have to rock him again. Which means that i have to be positioned near the sarong while he is sleeping!! Not time-efficient!! Time for a motorised sarong! I will go get one over the weekend so that we can 'squeeze' more time for ourselves!

So, the moral of the story is - never say never. You never know when the never will be reversed:)

Diary of a 6-week old Mummy - Part 2

Isaac is not overweight!! This was the confirmation given by Isaac's paediatrician, Dr YY Yip, though he had gained 2kgs since birth and is now weighing 5.6 kg. He has also grown taller from 50cm at birth to 57 cm yesterday. His head circumference has also increased from 36.5cm to 41.5cm. Overall, he is growing up well and everything is ok.

The purpose for the visit to the doctor's was for his second dose of the Hep B jab. The jabbing process was so cutteee, though Chee Meng's heart ached when Dr Yip poked the needle into Isaac's thigh. Isaac was shaking his head ferociously from side to side when the needle went in, cried for a while, then quietened down and stared at Dr Yip. The whole process is so interesting (sorry, i'm quite a sadist huh?!) and the only regret we had was that we did not film down the jabbing process.. sigh... i should have brought the videocam along! But really, Isaac is really so funny! I think the image of him and the needle will remain as one of the cutest memories of Isaac.

After his jab, we went shopping at Takashimaya! I had to get some new nursing tops coz the ones i bought earlier (when i still had my big belly) was now too big and made it easy for me to overexpose myself! After buying the tops, Isaac was hungry and i went to the Taka breastfeeding room to feed him. He was feeding well, until i guess he felt he poo-pooed and was uncomfortable, that he spat out quite a large amount of milk all over himself and me. Didn't even have a chance to burp him. So i immediately SOS-ed my mum and my confinement auntie to come take over and change him. And wow, it was big business man..

After we changed him, we went for lunch at Angus Steak House! This is one of my favourite makan places since pregnancy and boy, i was so glad to be able to sit down at the restaurant to enjoy a good meal after delivery! It was really yummy! After lunch, we walked around for a bit and went to my parents' place so that Isaac can rest a bit. Of course, Isaac manja-ed everyone and wanted to be carried to sleep. And he rested on my mum's chest for a good 2 hours while i took a nap on the same bed i slept on during my pregnancy. We stayed at my parents' place till about 8pm before we headed home.

So, after a day of galivanting, the lessons are:

Lesson 1 - Extra clothings
It is a given that we bring extra sets of clothings for Isaac when we go out, but perhaps i should also bring an extra top when i go out and expect to feed him. When Isaac spat out milk, he left blots of milk all over my top and i went around Taka for a good half an hour with wet spots on my tee. Luckily we hid in the restaurant where the blots dried up after we completed our meals. Maybe i should also wear a bib when feeding him!! Haha!

Lesson 2 - Call for reinforcements
I felt quite helpless when Isaac spat out milk all over himself and started fidgeting and crying. Luckily i had my mum and my confinement auntie with me and i immediately called them to come and take over. At least i can pass Isaac to them for the clean-up while i go clean up myself. So, the moral of the story is - never attempt shopping without calling in mothers, aunties etc. At least for the beginning, until we get better at handling him.

Lesson 3 - Consider extending the services of the confinement nanny
Luckily, we were able to extend the service of our confinement auntie for another month, which meant that we could still have an easy time while out shopping. As mentioned in my earlier postings, i was really lucky to have such a good confinement auntie who is pro-breastfeeding, neat, communicates well, loves babies and generally supportive. She is also a very good cook and tries to cook different dishes using the same ingredients (well, the ingredients for confinement food is quite standard). There were many days where the dishes she came up with surprised both Chee Meng and myself and we finished every single piece of meat/vegetable! Another reason why i extended her stint was so that we could fit Isaac into a more stable pattern before i take over full-time as well as to have more rest. Of course, i worry if Isaac would be too attached to her but then again, i have my secret weapon - breastfeeding!!! Haha!!

Cheers to more shopping!!

Diary of a 6 week-old mummy - Part 1

Time really flies... Isaac is already 5 weeks old. Chee Meng and I had been reflecting on our parenthood journey these few days, especially after Isaac's full-month celebrations. How it was a miracle that Isaac is with us, how cute Isaac looked, how interesting his various expressions. Chee Meng told me that he could not forget the fateful morning of 18 Jan when i had spotting and how his heart 'fell' to his feet when i came out of the bathroom telling him 'we have to go to Dr Chew's... I'm bleeding'. He still shudders when he think of it. Well, after a roller-coaster of an experience, Isaac is finally with us.

The past 6 weeks has been a good learning journey for me and Chee Meng - from deciphering what Isaac's cries meant, to worrying about why the little fella is not sleeping at night. Luckily, my confinement nanny has been very kind in teaching us what Isaac's 'patterns' and pecularities are. Like how he always poo-poo in the night, how he will fidget and cry about half an hour after feeds before he is willing to go to sleep and most importantly, the entire process of bathing and dressing up little Isaac.

Lesson 1 - Sleeping
My idea of a newborn baby is that he will sleep and sleep and sleep... but not!!! Isaac is quite an active baby and sleeps quite little in my opinion! He sleeps only about 3-4 hours from 12mn to 6am, and for about 10+ hours from 6am - 12mn.. And, the best part is - he wants to be carried all the time. This is a thing about breastfed babies... they want to be cuddled more than formula-fed babies. When Isaac first came home, we made sure we didn't carry him more than required during feedings and to let him learn to sleep 'independently'. But well, the little fella is not quite cooperative and has this very 'sorrowful' cry if we just leave him alone. So no choice, we carry him hoping that we can put him back to bed after he is sound asleep. But no! He will cooperate for a good 5 minutes and then wail for people to carry him. So we pick him up again. All in the hope that he will sleep well and not have panda eyes (which he did for a few mornings when he did not sleep well at night). I even went to check with his paediatrician on the 'KPI/best practice' for the no. of hours a baby should sleep. His paediatrician told me there's no fixed pattern - as long as the baby is putting on weight, seems happy and pees/poos normally. Which Isaac does. Which brings us to the next lesson....

Lesson 2 - Feedings
As per my earlier postings, we supplemented breastmilk with formula milk on the 2nd day after Isaac is born coz he was restless even after breastfeeding. Don't know if he has a good appetite or what, but he was already drinking 4 ounces (120ml) when he was a month-old. And, when we tried weighing him yesterday (ie, weight when we carried him minus our own weight).. the scales show that he is creeping into the 6kg range!! I think that he's overweight!! I shall see what his doctor says when we see him tomorrow.. Hopefully it is not too much of a problem!! Look at these photos and you know what i mean... very cute, very chubby but err.. not too good leh. I don't want Isaac to be an 'Ah Pui'!

Cute hor? But a bit tooo chubby i think.. but then again, i'm chubby too!!
Haha!!

Watch this space for more news about our little precious!

More pictures of Isaac!

Isaac when he was 3 weeks' old:


Isaac in his 'sunshine' sleeveless outfits - look at his 'muscles'!





Daddy carrying his little precious:

Isaac is one month old!!

Yay! I survived my 30-day confinement and celebrated my 'release' as well as Isaac's full-month on 9 Oct, 11 Oct and 12 Oct. Time really flies and it's great to see Isaac growing each day. Many friends reminded us to document Isaac's growing milestones as he will change each day. Well, the pictures we took from the day Isaac was born till now really showed how much he has grown and changed. He looked exactly like Chee Meng (many said the he was an 'ang ku kueh' mould like Chee Meng) when he was born and now he bears some resemblance to me (ahem, especially my fat cheeks lor..).

Well, this is a picture of Isaac when he was more than a week old. But look further down and you'll see the difference!


Well, we celebrated Isaac's full-month celebrations over 3 days - the haircut & prayer session on 9 Oct, a buffet dinner for my relatives and my dad's friends on 11 Oct and another high-tea buffet for Chee Meng's relatives and our colleagues on 12 Oct.

We were told that Isaac has to wear a new outfit from head to toe on 9 Oct to commemorate his 'official' full-month. So, we got Isaac to wear a red/white striped romper i bought from the UK 6 years ago (yes! that's how long we waited for Isaac to join us!). And he looked so cute in it!!



The first stop we made on 9 Oct was to a hair salon for a haircut. My dad told me not to shave Isaac botak and insisted that we only do a small snip at the back of his head. So that was what we did. And Isaac was fidgeting throughout the cut but luckily everything went on smoothly!



Isaac wore lots of new outfits on the 2 days of celebrations - an orange romper on 11 Oct and a blue romper on 12 Oct. And he looked so cute in both of them!! I will post more pictures of Isaac in his various outfits in my next posting!


And, here's a cheeky picture of Isaac to end off this posting! Watch out for my next posting where i'll post more pictures of our precious Isaac!

Reflections of a new mummy - The Breastfeeding Journey

I'm a 1.5 week old mummy and i'm happy to report that the breastfeeding journey has been ok thus far. Isaac started suckling at my breast a few hours after birth, and i laid him on my side with the help of the nurse. The act of moving to the left and right sides were a bit painful especially after the c-section, but i perservered and it was bearable subsequently. And i was delighted when Isaac suckled immediately when put to the breast, and i sure hoped he was getting the pre-milk aka colostrum, which contains a host of antibodies:) And i continued to breastfeed Isaac throughout my stay at the hospital, though i'm not sure how much milk he got out of it.

Well, you always have this ideal picture of how breastfeeding should be - that the milk will come in soon enough to feed your hungry baby and everything will be hunky-dory. But reality sets in - on the 2nd night (12 Sep), Isaac felt restless, was crying and kept searching for my breast despite being put to my breasts for 20 minutes each. My mum told me that Isaac is hungry and suggested that i supplement my breastfeeding with formula. We also checked with the nurse who said that the baby is probably hungry. So, we made the decision to give him formula (Nan 1). Isaac slept like a baby after that. And we all felt reassured. Then when my mum went home, at around 9plus, Isaac regurgitated milk when Chee Meng was carrying him which sent Chee Meng into a frenzy. Being a first-time parent, Chee Meng kept worrying if he was okay and if Isaac spat out milk coz he did not carry him properly. He ran straight out of the room and sought the nurses' help and one of the nursing sister ran to take over Isaac from his arms immediately. Being first-time parents, we were so worried so much so that i regretted giving him formula. Chee Meng went back to the nursery 10 minutes later to check if Isaac is ok.. and Chee Meng told me subsequently that Isaac just looked at him from his cot and seemed ok. Maybe Isaac was thinking "Daddy, i only spat out some milk, which is normal... why are you so worried?". Well, hopefully:)

I checked with Isaac's paediatrician, Dr YY Yip, the next morning after he checked Isaac about him regurgitating milk after formula and also sought advice from him if i did the right thing by giving him formula. Dr Yip said that it's normal for babies to regurgitate some bit of milk after feeding. As for starting Isaac on formula, Dr Yip said that it's ok to give formula otherwise the baby would be hungry and restless and may develop jaundice if he continues to stay hungry as his body would then break down the protein in his body to fulfill his needs. I felt reassured and less guilty after Dr Yip's explanation. And Isaac continued to be fed formula if he is still restless after breastfeeding. I also took the opportunity to take a rest on the third night by asking the nurses to feed him formula if he is hungry and boy, it was the best 8 hour sleep i had after delivery. I felt recharged and revitalised coz i slept less than 10 hours in 3 days after my c-section.

The decision not to breastfeed that night also caused my nipple to become a bit dry (or maybe it was already dry prior to that:)) I also had a little bit of bleeding on my left nipple and the nurse asked me to buy Medela's PureLan to apply. The nurse also wheeled in a breastpump to see if my milk has arrived. Upon pumping, there were a few droplets of milk which the nurse used to soothe my dry nipple. But i could still see dry scaps around the nipple which meant that anymore suckling by Isaac would aggravate it. Well, this is the first reality check and set-back to my breastfeeding journey.

We were discharged from the hospital on 15 Sep and prior to my discharge, i had asked my mum to help me prepare a tin of Nan 1 so that i can feed Isaac in case he gets hungry. And as my confinement nanny only arrived at 4pm that day, we had to handle Isaac on our own for about 3 hours. Isaac obviously enjoyed the car ride very very much that he continued to sleep way past his feeding time - for almost 5 hours!! Hence, we decided that we had to wake him up for milk and i made him formula. And being a first time inexperienced mummy, i even overdosed on formula!! But luckily the nanny came soon after and took over! Phew!! I'm also very lucky to have a very good nanny who encourages me to breastfeed and always telling me that breastmilk is the best!

Breastfeeding really takes a lot of perserverance and determination and i must admit that there were times when i was so tired that i really felt like giving up and just give Isaac formula. But luckily, the nanny also encourages me to continue on and that breastmilk is good for the baby. And when i'm tired, she'll take over the feeding with formula so that i can rest and a good sleep really does wonders. I really appreciate her support in the breastfeeding journey.

Well, 1.5 weeks into mummyhood, my breastmilk is steadily increasing and i'm able to pump about 1.5 ounce of milk even after feeding Isaac. I hope the milk will come flowing, or perhaps even overflowing soon, so that we can stop feeding him formula and let Isaac be a totally breastfed baby! Another positive thing about breastfeeding - it allows me to bond with Isaac!!

Yes, breastmilk and breastfeeding is the best!

Reflections of a new mummy - The Pregnancy Journey...

Isaac has a really strong neck! He turns around quite a bit during feeds!

Time really flies.. i'm a one-week old mummy! Exactly one week ago, Isaac was born. I still remember the fear and anxiety i had over the c-section the night before the operation, the excitement when Isaac was born, the satisfaction when Isaac suckled at my breast that same afternoon and the moment when Isaac opened his eyes and greeted Chee Meng's colleagues and my parents. And now, it's been a week.

I've been thinking about my pregnancy journey these few days. I still recall the excitement we had when I tested positive when using the pregnancy test kit on 14 Jan (one day before my birthday!) and when Dr Chew confirmed my pregnany on my birthday -15 Jan!! We were supposed to go to Hong Kong on 17 Jan and Dr Chew advised us to postpone the trip if there was no absolute necessity for us to proceed. We decided to take his advice and postpone the trip to March. And luckily we postponed it coz i discovered i was bleeding on 18 Jan and went to see Dr Chew immediately. We were both scared as it reminded us of a similar experience 5 years ago, when i bled and suffered a blighted ovum eventually (sag present but no foetus). So, we were sort of prepared for the worst while on our way to Dr Chew's clinic. Dr Chew ordered me to be admitted to hospital for complete rest-in-bed and i was not allowed to even walk to the toilet. Everything was done in bed. I had to stay in the hospital for 3 days and was allowed to discharge on the condition that I continue to lay in bed at home and to minimise any movement. We decided that it was best for me to stay at my parents' place so that my meals would be taken care of (instead of at home where i've no food supply..). And it was also where i spent the rest of my pregnancy at. I was also given hospitalisation leave for 8 weeks, and had to go back to Dr Chew's clinic for jabs to stabilise the womb twice weekly until i was 12 weeks pregnant. It was a trying time for us, and Chee Meng would ask if there was any bleeding whenever i go to the toilet. And luckily, the pregnancy stabilised. However, i was losing weight as i did not have any appetite and Chee Meng was worried every time my weight dropped when i had my check-up at Dr Chew's. But with God's blessings, my parents' love and care, and the well wishes from our friends and colleagues, everything went well and i went back to work when i was 13 weeks pregnant.

The 2nd and 3rd trimester was a breeze and quite enjoyable. Though i must confess that i still have a fear of bleeding whenever i go to the toilet especially in the first few weeks of my 2nd trimester. I'm glad things went well and i was gaining weight and my pregnancy proceeded smoothly. Every visit to Dr Chew's was exciting for us - as we are able to see little Isaac in my tummy and at times, making interesting movements. I still recall fondly that he was sucking his little thumb during one of the scan conducted in the 13th week. Or covering his face during one of the scans. I also enjoyed the movements and stunts when Isaac was in my tummy - and how he would respond to my mum's call for him to do 'Breakdance'. I was also quite disciplined throughout my pregnancy - i did not touch any cold drinks, no coffee, no tea - and only drank warm water and hot drinks. But i got a little impatient towards the end of my pregnancy and could not wait for Isaac to join us.

And about the delivery process - my ideal delivery was via natural delivery without epidural and how i would hold Isaac across my belly after delivery. But as updated in my earlier post, i opted for a c-section under general anesthesia and i only managed to see Isaac about 3 hours after he was born, as they had to warm him up in the nursery first before he could be sent to our room. And when they sent him into the room, all the discomfort from the operation disappeared.

Our little prince has finally arrived!!

Isaac's sleeping positions..

After a four-day stay in the hospital, Isaac finally came home on 15 Sep. And at home, we noticed the various sleeping positions that he has... and some of it are also my favourite sleeping positions!

He also fidgets around quite a bit even while sleeping.. which explains the many movements i felt while he was in my tummy!


Isaac in deep sleep...


This reminded me of a scan that Dr Chew did while Isaac was still in my tummy... covering his face during the scan..



This is my favourite sleeping position! Haha! He takes after me in this aspect!


"I'm a superman!!"

Pictures of Isaac

Picture of Isaac when he was just wheeled out of the operating theatre..


Isaac opening his eyes - 4 hrs after birth!


"Hi everyone!"


Mummy and Isaac!

Introducing Isaac Poh Chin Tze!

Introducing bebe... also known as Isaac Poh Chin Tze, born on 11 Sep, weighing in at 3.29kg!


Isaac seeing the world on his third day!
As fate would have it, all my talk about delivering him naturally, having no epidural all came to nought coz in the end, i delivered him via caesarean section. The first consideration for c-section was because we thought Isaac would be a big baby and i might have problems delivering him. Secondly, i heard about how my colleague's daughter had to go for emergency c-section eventually which meant that she had to suffer twice. Thirdly, my mum somehow had a hunch and was egging me to opt for a c-section. Well, i'm glad i opted for a c-section coz Dr Chew told me after delivery that Isaac had one round of his cord round his neck. Perhaps that's the reason why there was no sound no picture despite Isaac being head-down at 37 weeks!!

At my last consultation on 9 Sep, we discussed with Dr Chew the option of a c-section. Dr Chew, who is pro-natural, was open to me having a c-section coz he also feared that Isaac would be too big for me which meant that i might still have to go for emergency c-section if i can't deliver him naturally. He said 'no point suffering twice' but he said that we should give Isaac a chance to come to this world naturally on his due date on 10 Sep. And if there are no signs that Isaac is ready to come to this world, then i go to the hospital on 10 Sep, 10pm and have the c-section on 11 Sep, 8am. Chee Meng looked at me and then told Dr Chew 'huh, 11 Sep... she don't want to have a 9-11 baby...'. That's when Dr Chew laughed non-stop for a good 3 minutes as he was so tickled about the 9-11 thing! But then i told Dr Chew that i'm ok with 9-11 if it has to be 9-11 coz i was also getting impatient about getting Isaac into this world soon after resting for about 10 days doing nothing but sleeping and eating...

As there was no picture, no sound on 10 Sep, I admitted myself to Gleneagles Hospital at 10pm that night. I felt quite emotional - a mixture of fear and anxiety - before i left my parents' home and it also dawned on me that after that night, i would not just be a daughter to my parents but would be promoted to become a mother. It got worse when my dad hugged me and told me that 'all would be ok' before i left for the hospital. There is this thing about fathers and daughters, especially between my father and me, and my tears keep flowing whenever my dad hugs me and comforts me. After hugging my father, i went on to hug my mother who was also tearing.. see lah, so drama huh?!

On 11 Sep, 6am, the nurse woke me up and i prepared myself for the surgery. Chee Meng arrived at 6.45am and we chatted for a while before the nurse came to get me to the operating theatre at about 7.30am. Chee Meng followed me down to the OT and waited outside for Isaac. Chee Meng 'met' Isaac slightly after 8.40am and followed Isaac and the nurse to the nursery where Chee Meng was asked to check that Isaac's hands and feet are intact etc. Chee Meng told me that he was so touched and emotional when he first saw Isaac. I was wheeled back to my room and was awake at about 9.10am (the anaesthetist did a good job in administering just the right dosage!)

My mum arrived at 11 plus and was the first grandparent to see Isaac. Dad arrived about 4plus and was excited to see Isaac... and he was particularly happy that Isaac has a 'kok-tau'. And Isaac reciprocated by opening his eyes wide open to greet Grandpa and Grandma!



I want to thank everyone who came by the hospital to visit me - Damien, Alice, Sally, Angie, Felicia, Lai Lian, Chee Meng's colleagues, Angeline, Lauren, Bing, YY, Sandra, Lim Tim, Irene, Jennifer, Mrs Chua, Alan and all our relatives.

Watch this space! Will post more pictures of Isaac soon!

Counting down... One More Week..

Had my 2nd last consultation with Dr Peter Chew yesterday and was accompanied by my mum and Chee Meng. Throughout the consultation, Dr Chew kept telling me that 'your baby won't be small' and when he did an estimation via the scan, Bebe's weight was about 3.65kg!! Dr Chew said that there is usually a +/- 200 grams difference, which means that Bebe would at least be 3.4kg! Then he went on to examine me and said that my cervix had not opened and my pelvic bone is of average size. He said that he is worried that my baby would be too big for natural delivery and asked if i have the power to sustain a natural delivery. Of course i said yes..

I've always wanted a natural delivery coz it heals faster and more importantly, i don't have to go under the knife. But my mum was saying that if Bebe is more than 4kgs, then it may be better for me to have a c-section so that i don't have to suffer labour and then still have to go for c-section. Even Dr Chew, who has encouraged natural delivery all along, was open to the idea of a c-section coz he was worried that Bebe would be too big for natural delivery and the fact that i would have to suffer twice - ie, go through normal delivery and then having to opt for c-section eventually. Dr Chew said that we will know 5 hours into labour if we should proceed with natural delivery or have to go for c-section. Well, i hope that everything will proceed smoothly and let me deliver Bebe naturally!

Also received news on Monday that a friend, whose boy is due on 14 Sep, chose to join this world earlier! It's her second child and she delivered via c-section. Hmm... her son was supposed to be Bebe's 'younger brother' but now has become Bebe's 'older brother'!

So, we are all now waiting for Bebe to decide when he would like to join us.. mum is saying 8 Sep (08-09-08), my elder brother Eric is saying tomorrow, and Chee Meng keeps asking me when Bebe is coming to join us.. Well, i'm also not sure, and it all depends on when Bebe is ready! I told him to let mummy enjoy a few days of doing nothing at home, just resting and maybe a little shopping, and he seems to be quite obedient about it. I just asked him yesterday when is he ready to join us and told him that we are ready whenever he is ready.. so let's wait for Bebe to decide. And if Bebe still has not made a decision by 9 Sep, we'll have to decide for him and maybe opt for a c-section:)

Let's see:) In the meantime, let's pray for a natural delivery!

A Temporary 'Tata' to Working Life..

Today is my last day at work before i embark on my journey as a new mummy for the next 6 months. Bebe's due date is on 10 Sep but i thought i'll start my leave earlier and take some rest before Bebe joins us. This will be the longest break i've taken since i started work 12 years ago. Yes, 12 years and with the same employer:) Which explains why i can afford to take another 2 months off, on top of the 4 months maternity leave that i will be entitled to.

I've always enjoyed working, as compared to studying, for the simple reason what working only comes with deadlines and the occasional project work but no endless assignments/homework/exams that repeats itself with a vengeance every semester. Well, the new 'course' that i will be signing up for, ie 'Mummy 101', will be a life-long project that spans through day and night but i'm looking forward to it. Chee Meng and i have been married for 6 years and frankly, after a while, there's just so much of travelling, shopping and couple-time that you need. We decided that we will take a mega-long vacation before we seriously try to have a baby. We are really glad that God answered our prayers and let us have Bebe after our two-week holiday in New York/Canada end of last year. And just in case you are wondering, Bebe is a post-NYC baby:) (oops, too much information?!)

I'm about 10 minutes to my official end-time... i will miss the people here as well as the good food in Amoy & Maxwell Food Centre:) Not sure if i will miss working though... coz i'm quite certain i will enjoy spending time with Bebe.

Now it's really counting down...

It's a Waiting Game now...

Well, saw Dr Chew for a medical consultation yesterday and the outcome of it was that 'we'll just have to wait' though Bebe's head is engaged. Dr Chew also asked laughingly if Bebe would be a 9-11 baby in view that his due date is 10 Sep (2 more weeks to go!). Well, i have a feeling that Bebe will be born earlier than his EDD but i've been psycho-ing him to join us only after 1 Sep coz that's the date that i applied for leave! And i still have some outstanding stuff to wrap up at work:)

In any case, after months of procrastination, i finally signed up for cordblood banking with StemCord yesterday at their office at Gleneagles Medical Centre. I've always been keen on cordblood banking and the fact that i can use Bebe's child development account (as part of the baby bonus package) for the annual storage fee is an added advantage. Basically, i chose StemCord coz the people behind it are medical professionals including Dr Ang Peng Thiam, a renowned oncologist. And StemCord also offers a special package for Dr Chew's patients so all systems are in place. So, after signing up, i got a box of stuff containing syringes, tubes for blood collection and a bag to collect Bebe's blood from the umbillical cord. And i will just pass it to the nurse at the delivery ward and the nurses will know what to do. After delivery, Chee Meng is supposed to call StemCord to arrange for collection at the nurse station. So a fairly simple procedure.

I've also been reading up on breastfeeding articles lately. All the articles by medical professionals and nursing mothers all tell of the need to persevere in the moo-moo process. Tales of sore nipples, engorgement, clogged milk ducts seemed like a normal occurence for all nursing mothers. I'm quite prepared for these little humps and barriers and i'm very determined to nurse Bebe exclusively for 6 months. I've also been doing what Dr Chew had advised me to do - to clean the nipples in preparation for breastfeeding which has been quite effective. Well, the only thing i need to do now is to hope that the moo-moo experience will be smooth-sailing!

Bebe has also been doing his 'breakdances' quite a bit, until i have to tell him 'Ooi..' then he will stop squirming around for a while. But only for a while, before he starts his moves again. And somehow, Bebe moves quite a bit when he hears my mum's voice. And of course, grandma will tell him "do your breakdance..." and when he does, grandma will say to him "good boy, clever boy"... Let's see how Bebe responds to grandma when he is born...

Till then, let's keep on waiting...

"It's Anytime"

Those are the words Dr Chew said after my medical consultation with him yesterday. He said that Bebe's head is low and it's a waiting game now. Of course, Chee Meng was rather excited and kept asking Dr Chew "so, it's this week? or next week?" and Dr Chew could only smile and tell him "only God will know".. Then i realised that Chee Meng was worried about the fact that i have not packed my bag and i would be in a state of panic if Bebe do decide to arrive earlier. But, i have already packed my bag, with the help of mum (what can i do without her?!).

She helped me packed stuff into the bag on Tuesday night and she seemed appalled that i'm so kiasu and bringing so many things along. My rationale was that i'll be bringing the stuff back home to Sengkang anyway, so it's ok to be kiasu and pack more stuff! So, in my bag there are 3 sets of pyjamas, 3 nursing bras, 1 cardigan, sanitary pads, 3 packs of disposable panties, 2 pairs of socks, Bebe's 'going home' outfit, receiving towel for Bebe, hospital admission form and other knick-knacks. Seems like a lot, but as i said, i'm bringing home to Sengkang anyway, so it's ok:)

The receiving towel that we'll be using for Bebe has a long history - 37 years in fact. This is the same towel that mum used for my elder brother, myself and my younger brother. I will try to take a picture of this little piece of something with Bebe wrapped up in it when Bebe is born! It has become a 'family heirloom' and that's why my mum insists on getting good quality stuff for babies, so that it can be passed down to the next generation. Hence, it's no wonder that all the rompers that Bebe is wearing is of good quality cotton and there are a couple of them that costs more than 2 Giordano t-shirts each! And of course, Bebe has the good fortune of being the first grandchild in the Lee family and will get to enjoy the finest first! Lucky Bebe! And, this is just his initial wardrobe.. can you imagine Bebe's wardrobe from 3 months onwards?

Anyway, also got the all-clear from Dr Chew re the Strep-B test, so i don't need any antibiotics. But he said that my urine sample is not too clear, with a bit of yeast infection, so he prescribed one dosage of some medicine that i'm supposed to mix with water. Else, everything is fine. Though the irritating rash has returned, been having heartburns and i'm feeling the skin stretching even more...

During the scan, Chee Meng was asking if we can see Bebe's face, but Dr Chew said that Bebe has turned head-down and won't be able to see his face. This will be the surprise that we'll get on delivery day! Hmmm... who will Bebe take after?

I've also been telling Bebe that mummy has to settle some stuff in the office and 'negotiated' with Bebe to wait till 1 Sep, which is the date that i've applied for leave anyway. I told Bebe to continue to enjoy his time inside mummy for a while longer and i will 'alert' him when 1 Sep comes! Then he can decide when he is ready to come join us!

10 more days to go before 1 Sep! Then it can be anytime!

All Vinegared Up!

Mum, the greatest chef (in my opinion), came by to cook her famous vinegared ginger for my confinement last Sunday, filling the house with the wonderful smell of vinegar and sesame oil! This is a classic Cantonese dish for confinement and it is believed to help in expelling wind from the body.

So, let's start with the ingredients - sesame oil, black vinegar and 'Boon Tong' ginger (only available in Malaysia - all thanks to my brother who lugged back 5kgs for me and my parents who scrapped the skin off the ginger!) :



Preparing the vinegar - by adding brown sugar in it. I was the official taster and it is sooooooo good!! :



Frying the 'Boon Tong' ginger in sesame oil:




Transferring the fried ginger into the vinegar:



Viola! The vinegared ginger is done!



The ginger will have to be soaked in the vinegar for a few weeks, so that the vinegar will be spicy enough to do it's job - to expel wind! And usually by then, the ginger will just taste like any other vegetable/root... well, i can't wait to taste this yummy pot of good stuff! And of course, the pig trotters and egg that gets soaked together with the vinegar as well...

Yums!!

Bebe's first furniture!

Shared in an earlier post that we bought Bebe's first furniture which were delivered to us in quite a frenzy to avoid the 7th lunar month.. Hmm... a little superstitious - but better listen than regret right?! And i'm really glad that my mum was around to help me arrange the stuff when it was delivered.

So here it goes... presenting... Bebe's first cot and chest of drawers in Daddy & Mummy's bedroom! And, just to orientate you... my side of the bed will be closest to Bebe's cot... so no prizes for guessing who will wake up first to coo the little fella when he makes noise!


Bebe's cot (apologies.. have not 'dressed' it up with the bedsheet with lots of car/train prints (chosen by Grandma!) as yet..). Bebe's chest of drawers (which doubles up as a changing table/bathtub as well).



We also bought a cradle for Bebe... so that he can sleep with the confinement nanny at night. My mum's theory is that Bebe will sleep in the cot in the daytime (so that he will get comfy with his little bed) and sleep in the cradle at night. So that i can get some rest...

And, as an aside, my mum also bought a potty for Bebe!! She said that it is important to build it into Bebe's regime to sit on a potty even as a newborn (which was what she did with all 3 of us!), so that he will get used to doing his business in a potty next time! Well, it's all about inculcating the right habits in Bebe since young, which i'll be happy to follow!


Bebe's first potty!!

Hmm... watch this space for Bebe's first poo-poo!! Haha!

Bebe's first wardrobe

Finally managed to download pictures that I've taken in the last few weeks from my digital camera. So, presenting..... Bebe's first wardrobe!

Mum helped me to wash Bebe's clothings, leggings, socks, mittens, cap 2 weeks ago and i was so happy to see them when i went home one day and saw all of them nicely hung up for drying. It's so tiny and so cutey!


Bebe's socks (thanks to Auntie Daphne!), rompers and leggings (so cute right?!) !


Bebe's mittens, socks and caps!

Counting Down - 4 more weeks to go!

Had my consultation with Dr Chew yesterday, where he did the Group Strep B test and discussed the birthplan with me. The Group Strep B test is intended to test if i've Strep B infection which is harmless to adults but can cause pneumonia, meningitis in newborns. I've been asking friends who have done the test before if it is something like a papsmear and they said almost similar. So, i was all psyched up for an uncomfortable papsmear-like test and worrying about the possible side-effects, but it turned out to be a gentle swap with a stick with a cottonbud head. Well, the whole experience turned out to be ok just a slight discomfort. [hmmm, shall not go into the details:)] Will know the outcome of the test at my next consultation next Wednesday:) Hope it is ok coz otherwise i think i will have to be put on antibiotics to clear the infection.

Dr Chew also discussed the birthplan with me. He said that we will aim for normal delivery and said that Bebe will be quite a big baby but my physique should be ok to handle a baby over 3 kgs. I also asked him about Chee Meng cutting the umbillical cord and he said that Chee Meng can do it if he wants to, but he has seen husbands who fainted in the delivery room. I told Chee Meng about it last night that he can actually cut the cord, and he was like 'don't want lah...'. So, we shall leave it as such coz i don't want him to pass out! Haha! Dr Chew also said that he will leave it to me if i want an epidural and shared that he had a patient who asked for an epidural when she was 7cm dilated, which is technically too late and won't do much to relieve the pain:)

Dr Chew also said that i should check myself into the hospital if (i) my waterbag breaks, (ii) have any form of bleeding or (iii) feel any pain at regular intervals. He also explained when he will need to do a c-section during labour, ie, if (i) there are signs of foetal distress, (ii) waterbag breaks, (iii) increase in blood pressure, or (iv) no progress in labour.

Dr Chew was also visibly pleased when i told him that i will put Bebe on total breastfeeding for at least 6 months. He taught me to start preparing my breasts for the moo-moo experience - to place cotton wools soaked in warm water over the nipples for 15 minutes before shower and then clean it with a mild cleanser after shower, followed by a gentle massage. He said that this should unclog the nipples and that i should not worry if i should experience leaks in colostrum while doing so. I also asked him that i was told we should not massage the breast too much/forcefully as it may trigger contractions. He just said that it would be good if we can trigger contractions so easily:) He's quite funny.

Well, it's just another 4 more weeks to go and i should say that i'm about 60% done in preparing the necessary stuff for Bebe. Much of the preparations should go to my mum, who has been washing little Bebe's clothings, socks, mittens and everything else. I took some pictures of Bebe's laundry the other day and they are so tiny and cute! Will attempt to post some of the pictures over the weekend. But, the greatest thing that's happening this weekend is that my mum will prepare her famous pig trotters & ginger in vinegar! According to her, the vinegared ginger will need to be be soaked/kept for a month so that it has the desired effect of expelling wind from the body! Yums - this is one dish that i'm looking forward to during confinement:)

Diabetically Free!

Was given the all-clear of gestational diabetes by Dr Chew during a medical consultation on Tue. What a relief! He said that it was most probably a case of me taking too much starchy food before my blood sugar test earlier. But he said that he will continue to monitor me closely and i will have to do my blood sugar test again next week. Just to be safe. Well, on my part, i've been consciously cutting down on carbs as well:)

Dr Chew also told me that he will be doing a Strep-B test next week and will also discuss the birthplan with me. Well, i asked Chee Meng if he will want to cut Bebe's umbilical cord after delivery and he seemed a little queasy. Chee Meng said that Mrs Wong (our ante-natal class trainer) said that fathers no longer had that option, though i'm not sure if it was the case. Maybe he's just chickening out... haha... but it will be such a nice thing for Chee Meng to do, afterall, Bebe is so precious to us:)

I was also relieved that Dr Chew is very pro-breastfeeding. Dr Chew contributed an article in Mind Your Body yesterday which talked about the merits of breastfeeding. I am a believer in breastfeeding, coz i think it's the best thing a mother can provide for her child. Incidentally, the Consumer Association of Singapore (CASE) also projected a savings of a couple of hundreds of dollars in milk powder if a mother choose to breastfeed her child. Wow! That's quite a lot of money! But money aside, the important thing is that formula feed can never replace the quality and nutrients found in breastmilk. I am all set to be a moo-moo once Bebe is born:)

I'm now down with a pesky running nose and sore throat which made me rather lethargic.. hope it goes away soon!

Simply glucose

Did my glucose tolerance test yesterday morning and luckily it did not turn out as bad as i expected it to be. Thanks to google, i read some postings that some women actually vomit after drinking the glucose drink coz it was too yucky. But it actually tasted like flat Fanta Orange and actually quite nice. The not so nice part about the test is the waiting time and the 3 bloodtests. Ok, just to share in greater detail:

I arrived at the Gleneagles lab at about 8.45am (had to fast from 12 midnight) and was promptly attended to. I had to provide a urine & blood sample to track the sugar level while i'm fasting. Thereafter, i had to finish up a bottle of orange-flavoured glucose drink within 5 mins which was not too difficult as it was not as yucky as i imagined. Then i had to stay within the lab premises for the next 2 hours (there goes my ambitious plan to shop around Guardian pharmacy for magazines etc while waiting) without any food or drink. I read internet postings about drawing blood samples in the 1st and 2nd hour after drinking the glucose drink, but i was also to provide urine samples as well. Luckily my bladder cooperated:) haha.

Ok, back to the test. My first urine/blood sample was taken at about 9.07am and i was asked to return to the counter at 9.55am to do my urine sample and at about 10.05am to do my second blood test. Then repeat the process at 10.55am and 11.05am. The urine sample was easy, but i was alternating between arms for the blood test, until the 3rd test where the lab technician said that she would find another vein to draw out the blood. So now i have 3 little needle-marks on my arms:)

So at 11.10am, i finally could get food! And Bebe moved a little less yesterday morning, most probably coz i was just doing nothing and did not ingest any food. He only moved about 65 times from 9am-2pm - and i think i counted less coz i was so preoccupied with food (after being deprived of it for almost half a day!!!). But since it's more than half compared to the previous day (ie, 90 movements), there is no cause for worry:) Bebe also moved a grand total of 108 times from 4-9pm yesterday! I didn't record the movements for the previous day as i was in a meeting and i could not multi-task (ie, speaking and counting)..

Well, i will have to wait till next Tuesday to find out if i have gestational diabetes (hopefully not!) when i see Dr Chew. Till now, i'll have to watch my diet and cut down on carbohydrates. Luckily i'm not crazy about chocolates otherwise it will be a bit tough..

Hope will have good news to share next Tue/Wed!
Wish me luck!

Sugar, sugar... honey, honey

Had my blood sugar test yesterday and the reading came up slightly high (13.1 vs the normal reading of 12.5). Dr Chew ordered me to go for a glucose tolerance test tomorrow to find out if i have gestational diabetes or just because i had too much starchy food. Well, i had a packet of rice and fruits (kiwi and rockmelon) during lunch and maybe that contributed to the higher readings.
I certainly hope so!

Dr Chew also found that my iron level is low (10.3) though i've been stuffing myself with those iron tablets daily. Apart from feeling a little light-headed, i'm generally ok. So not sure if this is a cause to worry about but i think i'll just take it easy else it will be too stressful. Hmm... will just take it as it comes!

Dr Chew also asked me to count Bebe's movements, from 9am-2pm and from 4-9pm. Basically, the idea is that if the no of movements between days falls to more than 50%, i should call the doctor immediately coz it may well be a sign that Bebe is having a low supply of oxygen. So, now i have a counter next to me, so that i can count the no. of movements. Well, from 9am till now (11am), i've recorded about 37 movements. But i suspect the counter is a little wonky, coz the number jumps quite a bit in between pressings.. well, let's monitor and compare the results over the next few days. I'm also been taught by another friend to 'channel' the oxygen into my belly for Bebe:)

Hope everything turn out well tomorrow!