Disclaimer: I'm not a expert on baby nutrition, just sharing my experiences. Feel free to give comments and correct me if I'm not right.

I started weaning Damien on solids since he was 5.5 months old, though the recommended age was really 6 months (according to all the baby health guides in the world). Firstly, his constipation problem was awful so I wanted him to try out The Prune Treatment (which worked yayyy). Secondly, I'm just an overly-zealous first-time mum who was anxious about feeding the baby real food for the first time lol.


There are a zillion weaning guides on Pinterest but here's my version for first foods at 6 months.

  • Apples 
  • Avocadoes*
  • Pears
  • Prunes
  • Bananas*
  • Carrots
  • Sweet Potatoes
  • Pumpkin
  • Butternut Squash
*Okay to eat raw. All other listed foods should be cooked.

Some guides recommended mangoes too, but it sounds that it might be too sweet/heaty? That's for me, but that's really up to your comfort level.

Consistency should look something like this. Not TOO watery like soup ok.



How to cook:
The best way to retain nutrients is to steam and blend, but baking and blending is fine too. You can choose to blend with a little hot water or milk. I used his usual formula milk to blend with the foods so that he can get more used to the taste.

Several mummies swear by the Avent Steamer and Blender so I would say that it's a good product. I use my regular blender though - more washing I suppose, but my kitchen had no more space for any additional gadgets. :(


To freeze, or not to freeze?
Some people don't like the idea of freezing... I'm personally okay with that, but I didn't do much of it because I felt that it's easier to whip up smaller portions to feed within the day. Less cleaning. Less storage. Less hassle.

But if you DO happen to make too much extra, make sure that:

  1. Puree foods are stored in cube trays or storage cubes with covers. Hygiene reasons.
  2. Consume frozen cubes within 1 month. Google says 3 months, but I feel 1 month is optimal.
  3. Consume refrigerated cubes within 24 hours. Google says 48 hours.
  4. Do not use thawed breast milk to blend with fruit/veggie before freezing. Thawed and re-frozen breast milk = Fishiness to the max. Either use fresh breast milk or formula.
OXO Trays, available on Amazon.com! :)

I fed Damien with rice cereal too, and here's what I went for.

From iHerb - a mummy's haven. :P
I actually tested Damien on a few brands like Heinz, Nestle, etc. and this is BY FAR his favourite. Occasionally I mix in some fruit/vegetable puree but he's fine eating it without anything too. He's eating the multi-grain version now, since he's older and all. :)

Key points:

  1. Feed one food for three days to test for any allergies.
  2. Don't be too ambitious. Milk feeding is as per normal for the time being - start with 2 - 3 spoonfuls (teaspoon size of course) to let baby taste. Not every baby is accepting to solids at the start.
  3. If baby is accepting, slowly increase portion of solids and reduce milk, until you feel that baby is ready to replace whole feeds. Damien started taking solids-only for lunch and dinner since 7.5 months.
  4. Milk should still be baby's main diet till 1 year old.
  5. Certain foods which are common allergens include eggs, honey, nuts which should only be tested/fed when they're older. I've recently started Damien on egg yolks at 8 months old.
Will do a write-up on the next stage of weaning soon! Will be including some simple recipes as well. :)
Introducing my ah buiwell-endowed erm, son. I created a special hashtag for this little guy called #mylittledamien on Instagram to document his journey as my little human and mine as his creator. :)

The past 6 months was like a dream. From a teeny little newborn at barely 3kg to a fluffy 9kg sack of rice today, Damien has really grown. Why do babies grow up so fast! :( Mixed feelings... on one hand, I don't want him to ever grow up and retain the cuteness always, but on the other hand I can't wait for him to feed himself lah, lol. More than anything, I'm really glad that Damien is a really healthy baby (other than the constipation -_-), and didn't catch anything more than a runny nose. 

Damien was born looking a lot like his daddy. But he grew up to look a little more like me, heh. He's really cheeky, smiles a lot, has a hearty laugh, craves human attention, loves listening to stories, drools like mad, hates not getting attention, and takes up 60% of our bed space.

Why you so perfect one. #obsessedparentalert

Warning: Cuteness Intensive.
(this mama not paiseh one LOL)

Hello, I am The Damien.
FINALLY flipped over at 5 and a half months!
Attended his first CNY lohei at Boon Lay Raja.
Subsequently took a family photo with his slavesparents on the styrofoam sheepies at J Cube.
Started solids slightly earlier than the recommended age at 5 and a half months, as his pooping got backlog. -_-
The boy was like "WHY NO MILK" *VOLCANO ERUPTS*
Beginning of The Teething Nightmare. Drools like the Niagara Falls and bites on everything.
EVERYTHING.
I cannot deny that this parenting thing is hard. REALLY hard. Like nothing I've ever encountered before. It is a huge responsibility. It requires you to multi-task on a whole new level altogether. And you can forget about 'me' time, or 'us' time, or whatever time. No more sleeping in on weekends. You will keep worrying about your child until he's 50. It's like wearing your heart on the outside... so fragile. In a nutshell, that sounds like a pain in the ass. But you have never known that a human's heart can hold so much love, it's going to explode. You have never known love in such a magnificent form. Nothing makes you happier than seeing him/her smile, or laugh, or eat his toes. Being a parent is magical, and all worth it. We keep falling in love, over and over again.

Happy Half Year Old, #mylittledamien. 

With love, Daddy & Mummy.
This guide is written in Singaporean context. J

Oscha Sekai Hiiro, size 6, Front Wrap Cross Carry.
Sizing
“What size should I buy?” is the first question every mummy who’s venturing into babywearing would ask. For beginner mamas, I’ll recommend starting out with your base size – It’s the size where you can do full-length carries (e.g. Front Wrap Cross Carry) most comfortably. After experimenting with different sizes, here’s a conclusion from my own observations.

Petite body type (short, underweight/skinny) – Size 4
Average body type (slim mamas, most common in Singapore) – Size 5
Large body type (eh, me lah… UK14 to 16) – Size 6
Plus-Sized body type (above UK16) – Size 7

If you google, Size 6 is the average but see… Caucasians have bigger body frames than us Asians. The sizing is not only dependent on your body type, but also preference and experience. Some slim mamas like longer tails, so they’ll get a Size 6 anyway. I like shorter tails occasionally, and I can do a Front Wrap Cross Carry in a Size 4 (with the tummy muffin top jutting out haha). If you still can’t decide which size you are by the end of this write-up, just get a Size 6.

The sizing of the wraps also depends on the types of carries you want to do. This is a good website on the types of carries you can do with various sizes:
http://www.wrapyourbaby.com/wovenwraplength.html

Which Brand Should I Go For?
It varies from person to person, but most beginners go for Lenny Lamb, Girasol, Didymos, Little Frog, Inda Jani. 

Where do I buy these wraps?
There’re a lot more, just listing the more common ones if you’re just starting out. J

Local
SG Babywearing Swap (Facebook Group), Jars Of Fluff, Fluff Mail, Sophie Ian Baby Boutique, etc.

Overseas
The Babywearing Swap (International Facebook Swap Group), 5mr.com, birdiesroom.com, marsupial-mamas, b2boutique.co.uk, wrapbabyboutique.com, pinkletinkbaby.com.

Types of Fiber (Materials) and Fiber Care
Refer to: http://babywearing102.tumblr.com/post/53280622414/washing-and-care-by-fiber for more info. This is a pretty good guide. J

Types of Detergent
Rule of thumb is no Optical Brighteners and no Softeners. Most mamas use Ecover Delicate (can buy from iHerb), Earth’s Choice (Cold Storage). For wool, Eucalan is recommended.

Learning How to Wrap
I mostly learnt from Babywearing Faith/Wrapping Rachel/Wrap You in Love YouTube Channels. Or join a Wrap Clinic here. The key is to practise practise practise and soon you can wrap with your eyes closed.

Why are Wraps SOOO expensive?!
If you have spare time, read this: http://babywearing102.tumblr.com/post/56148580856/the-economics-of-babywearing

In a nutshell… Wraps are just like bags. There are Korean-style Bags from Qoo10 (wraps under $100), Coach Bags (wraps $100 to $300), Gucci Bags (wraps $300 to $600) and Chanel Bags (wraps $600 to $1000 or more).  The more expensive wraps are either limited edition, are of better material (which means more lasting and supportive… it’ll probably do fine after being run over by the MRT 10 times), or customized/hand woven. Wrap economics involve market value too, like how you can sell Chanels above the retail price that you bought.

For even MORE detailed information…

Check out the documents from Babywearing Singapore Facebook Group here. J Happy babywearing!
As a follow-up post to what I packed in my delivery bag, I realised that half of the things were useless and the 2 nights' stay at the hospital went by in a flash, lol.


Clothes and other wearables
Button-down PJ set x 1 Tummy was still humongous, couldn't button up shit. My maternity tank top worked better for latching. 
A set of clothes for going home x 1 I just wore whatever I wore on the day of delivery. Who cares how chio I look? I just gave birth to a baby yo. I took a taxi home anyway.
Jacket x 1 I wore a cardigan, because I felt damn hot.
Baby clothes set x 1 Okay, this was useful. :D
Bedroom Slippers x 1 pair Slippers were provided by the hospital, so I didn't need to use them.
Socks x 2 pairs Totally unused.
Nursing Bra x 2 Only used one. I was practically bra-less throughout. 
Disposable Underwear from Guardian x 1 pack This was important. :D
Maternity Pads from Guardian/Watsons x 1 pack The hospital provided pads, so... barely used them while I was still there. Could've left them at home lah.
Belly Binder I was too lazy. Yup. But necessary, I guess. 

Toiletries
Bath Towel x 1 Didn't manage to bath, of course.
Travel Neck Pillow x 1 (to put on my butt) Turns out the stitches weren't as painful as people mentioned, so didn't use this either. Meh.
Wet Wipes x 1 pack Okay, this is a must-bring. Remember to wipe boobs after latching!
Tissue Pack x 1 (the bigger kind) Provided by the hospital. 
Travel Toothbrush/Toothpaste Set Yes, I managed to brush my teeth. :D
Dry Shampoo I think I used it once.
Angel Mama Bottom Spray Didn't use it. Like I said, the stitches were not as painful as I thought.

Nipple Cream YES. Because chapped nipples.

There should've been a LOT less things to pack, or maybe I'm just a minimalist at heart.
I've been struggling on how to continue blogging, because my life just whipped up, over, and sucked into the black hole of baby baby baby ever since I gave birth. And now I've been back at work (since January, actually) and I finally have time to blog again. But every time I tried, it'll end up looking like a hard news article (it's a work thing -_-). Anyway I'm the type who's too lazy to upload and edit images lol. 

I'll press on anyway. Because the husband's been bugging me for the lack of writing. 

There's a MEGA huge misconception about maternity leave. I mean, it's "LEAVE" and it's four fricking months long. Sounds awesome to most people. Like a dream. Like a sabbatical. Eat Pray Love. To non-parent people, I mean. Maternity leave was like having to run on chicken essence pure adrenaline due to the steep learning curve of parenthood. 

Because...

1. Mama became a raging ball of hormones, feeling demoralised and pissed off half the time for no reason. 

2. Mama constantly feels (or made to feel) that she's under-performing. Lay off the "advice", people!

3. Breastfeeding. Another rant for another day (another long article for this!).

4. Cranky baby is cranky. 

5. Sleep. What sleep?

Teaser to more ranting posts ahead. 

Anyway, I have some really good review posts coming up. Maternity leave was also the season of experimentation, and I learnt so many things that no one told me about. I won't proclaim myself a guru, as different stuff work for different babies, but it's cool to try. Stay tuned.

Here's a random picture of my boy to end this post. I'm starting to miss the newborn version already, though he's such a cutie pie now. 


Despite all the bitching, nothing beats being Damien's mummy. :) BEST THING EVER.

It's Day 17 now, and I've finally managed to find some time to pen down my birth story... I can't believe two weeks had just flown by! It has been the most dramatic two weeks of my life, I think.

My last gynae appointment happened on 7th October when my gynae did a VE (vaginal examination) since the ultrasound showed that Little D was really low. "You're 3cm dilated," he said, and I was like HUH? Anyway, Little D was 37 weeks old and finally full-term, so he advised me to admit to the hospital tomorrow morning as I was ready for delivery.

I was kind of expecting it lah because I was already off my meds for pre-term labour, but the reality made me quite excited. :x 

That night, I had bloody show so I called the gynae up on his emergency line, and he told me that it's better to go to the hospital immediately. Omg. ._. Anyway, we picked up the bags and headed for Gleneagles. I was pushed to the 5th floor in a wheelchair (though I srsly didn't need it....) and changed into the hospital gown in the delivery suite.


There. My last bumpfie photo with Lil' D. I'm already missing my bump and baby kicks! 


The bed was actually more comfortable than it looks. The husband was sitting/sleeping on a comfy-looking armchair nearby, with my barang barang and stuff. 

I didn't really go into labour right away until the next morning when the gynae broke my waterbag and put me on some sort of induce drip to hasten my contractions. The contractions' pain came quite quickly after... I tried to distract myself by chatting with the husband and watching TV, but it got to the point where I curled up in pain and grabbed the sides of the bed just to hold still. The final straw came when the gynae came in to do yet another VE for me... You wouldn't want to know the gory details, but having a hand inside you in the middle of a contraction is just... PAIN. PAINNNNN. You get the drift.

And I only dilated an additional 0.5cm. Pffft.

The midwife asked whether I wanted to administer the epidural, laughing gas or the pethidine jab. I only had minutes to consider as I was already 5cm then? Full dilation sounded so far away, and I was only halfway there. -_- That was probably the last chance to get the epidural, and my contractions were already coming every half a minute, so...

I said yes.

Luckily for me, the anesthetist happened to be in the hospital so it was only a 15 minute wait (usually it takes about half an hour or so for the doctor to come). I think he almost gave up giving me the needle because my contractions were so tight in between and he had to administer the epidural in super speed. I dunno about others, but the needle didn't hurt at all. Or maybe I was too numb from the contractions pain lol. The anesthetist was complaining about his condo problem while giving me the needle, and he apologized for being unprofessional after that. I was like "Eh it's okay, I'm having a bad day too." XD

The epidural took effect quickly, and I feel asleep right after. OMG it was probably the best decision ever. It was nice to be able to sleep! But the part where you're unable to feel your legs felt really disturbing. Even my hands were numb.

I woke up about an hour or so later when the midwife came in again to do a VE and she said "You're ready to push."


My dilation suddenly went super speed on me. ._.

I had to start pushing to a certain extent before the midwife called the gynae in. The husband and midwife propped up my legs (limp until cannot!) and I tried pushing, but I really couldn't feel anything at all. Like I wouldn't be able to feel anything even if someone broke my legs at that very moment. Epidural worked too well for me, the midwife said.

The pushing process was alot harder than I thought, especially since I couldn't muster any energy to push much. After god-knows-how-long I pushed, my gynae finally came in and I continued pushing. I pushed for pretty long... until I threw up (that's how hard I pushed! -_-) and my gynae used vacuum to help Damien out as his heart rate was starting to drop.

I thought I was going to die lor, I was choking on my own vomit when I finally pushed the baby out.


My beautiful baby. :) Born on 8 October 2014, weighing 3kg and measuring 49cm (if I remember correctly lol). I was too overwhelmed to feel anything, so I just kept staring at him crying away as my gynae stitched me up.

First bonding. :)
First family photo. :D
I'm grateful for the husband's support and encouragement throughout the delivery. He held me on my side when I was administering epidural (where did the nurses go?!), offered me his arm to squeeze when I was in pain, encouraged me throughout the pushing process (he was standing for hours too!) and cleaned up my vomit even, without complaints. Since my phone died, he was also busy whatsapping people to update them of my status lol.

I was told that gynaes only appear at the last minute when they deliver the baby, but Dr John kept popping by to check on me throughout the delivery and during my stay. He stitched me up pretty quickly too, and my stitches have healed well as of now. :) Grateful for him too! Money well spent, heh.

Big love to all the Gleneagles' midwives and nurses as well, they were very smiley and took great care of me during my stay. It was a mighty fantastic experience. Money well spent too, though Gleneagles is really expensive. ._.

Huge love to all my family members, relatives and friends who have showered me with tons of Chicken Essences, flowers, fruits and other lovely gifts.

Obligatory Gem of Gleneagles shot. Baby Damien looks so much like his daddy!
Mummy and baby. :)
I've just gotten the hang of dealing with a baby, being a noob mum and all, and I hope to blog more often after this... I have loads to write about, and will share more in due time.

Okay it's time to feed (again).
(Disclaimer: This is from a non-techie's point of view, and so it's strictly based on my own opinions and usage. :D)

I've been a loyal iPhone user for many years and while it has its share of problems (like the battery life wtf), I'm mostly quite satisfied and I've been looking forward to the new iPhone 6. But after watching the Samsung GALAXY Note 4 announcement, my heart wavered... by more than a little. D:

Credit: LINK (for more photos!)
Certain Note 4 functions will turn out pretty essential to my lifestyle.

The #Wefie function
I don't take #wefies very often but the panorama front-facing camera is a great function to have, as I'm also able to take photos of my surroundings. :D I mean, you can't see shit from any of our couple selfies overseas because there's no bloody scenery behind. Our faces are too big. 

Noise Cancellation
Okay, I have plans to write more professionally in the not-too-far future and I foresee myself using the voice recording function pretty often. There's the dedicated mic thingy too, so it's useful if I'm interviewing a few parties at once. Actually, this is a good function for secretaries too because I know that transcribing minutes is a pain in the ass. 

Note-taking
Eh this is not a new thing, but it's good to have if I'm switching over from the iPhone. I like to make lists a lot, though I don't really follow them. :D And I like to jot down ideas!

I know there's some hype over the AMOLED screen and such but to me it just means having a prettier screen to surf net and WhatsApp with lol. I don't even play games. I wouldn't even consider the EDGE version, because I don't really see the point. 

I'll wait for my hands-on experience before reaching a decision because the Note 3's camera is amazingly slow and awkward in terms of photo-taking. Maybe I don't have very steady hands, but iPhone 5's camera focusing felt a million times faster. Hopefully the Note 4 has a faster camera... :|

I didn't manage to watch the iPhone 6 and 6 plus announcement last night because I was too sleepy... but it was a good thing, according to the husband, because the streaming was super whacked. Anyways, the first thing I did when I woke up was to check the news about the launch. 

iPhone 6/6 plus

Credit: Channel News Asia
The rumours have been going around for the longest time that Apple is going to come up with iPhones that have bigger screens so no surprise there. Otherwise, no major upgrades? I mean, having a better camera (iSight - cute and slightly cheesy pun lol), display, etc. is all good, but how about wireless charging? :| So disappointed. 

Apple Watch

Credit: Channel News Asia
Apple has always been the one to introduce a new product category into the market, but it has lagged behind its competitors by a mile. But Apple being Apple, I was looking forward to them being able to at least refresh the category as smart watches are not yet seen as a commodity. 

From a marketing point of view, they did well with their mysterious-ish media invite and news (or rumours?) that they've also invited fashion editors.

Wish you HAD said more.
In my naivety, I was expecting something like a Apple x Stella McCartney or Apple x Marc Jacobs collaboration (I still think it's a good idea!) but noooo. The design was okay-nice (I do like the gold edition), but my first reaction was 'meh' as I had really high expectations for this product since they've been dragging their smart watch launch for the longest time.

(Marcio Jose Sanchez/Associated Press)
I wouldn't mind paying the premium price of 400 bucks+ SGD if it's a Marc Jacobs collaboration, but just for this? Hmm maybe not. The Apple Watch OS interface is not my cup of tea either... Like there're way too many things going on and many functions that will turn out to be a herd of white elephants.

These functions will do (for me, at least):
  • A chio watch interface
  • Ability to call and answer calls with the watch, James Bond-style.
  • Facetime!
  • GPS/Google Maps function
  • Weather
  • Alarm function
  • Sending commands via Siri to my iPhone
That's about it - I'm a really simple person. Everything else is redundant to me. And oh, it would be cool if there's wireless charging too because I don't want to charge so many damn devices. 

Conclusion

I miss Steve Jobs. D: With so much hype and anticipation over this event, it's like the hooha had been for nothing. 

There's still a 50-50 chance I'll get iPhone 6 plus though, because it will take a lot to get me out of my comfort zone and I have a lot of paid apps and cloud storage stuff that I'm too lazy to transfer over. 

Don't roll eyes at me ok. I'm just a fickle-minded woman who does not know better. 
I went through a rather dramatic episode last Thursday when I started having one of the worst cramps in my pregnancy career. It's not the screaming/hysterical type of pain but it felt much like painful gas... plus the excruciating backache. As the pain was constant and not in spasms (contractions, I mean!), I thought I was having a really bad case of indigestion or something but the position of the cramps made me wary... 

And so I gave my gynae's clinic a call and the nurse advised me to check it out BUT my gynae's away for a seminar. Grrr. The thing about my gynae is that he seems to have a lot of outside engagements and it's a pain in the ass when I need him. Not that having engagements is a bad thing (I know that it's a norm for doctors)... I'm just frustrated because these engagements always seem untimely. Or I'm just suay. 

Let's come back to my dramatic episode. 

The nurse gave me a contact for the covering gynae, Dr Fong Chuan Wee, so I could check out my cramps which "might be contractions" and they'll be strapping me onto the CTG machine. I was like "HAR? Contractions feel like this one meh?!" Then again I'm a noob preggie so I wouldn't know better anyway. 

I gave the husband a call and we rushed down to Dr Fong's clinic at Gleneagles. I started feeling really nervous, especially when they started strapping me on like some sort of science experiment in a room which looked alot like a dentist's office. The nurse gave me a button to press whenever I feel a contraction... which I didn't, because I couldn't actually feel anything extraordinary except for the constant soreness. But it turned out... YES, I was really having contractions and it was in constant 15-minute intervals.   


Dr Fong then made his grand entrance, saying that baby would be fine if I gave birth on that day but now's not a good time for the baby to arrive as it'll cost maybe 30k to 40k for baby to stay in the NICU, since I was only about 32 weeks few days pregnant. We were like wtf. 

I was then unstrapped and ushered to the doctor's office where he proceeded to do an ultrasound and a transvaginal scan. The good news was, baby's healthy (and sibei active as usual), his head's still down and I'm not yet dilated. HENG AH. The bad news was, I have a short cervix. 

Basically, it's something like this. 

It places me at a high risk for preterm labour, so I would have to be medicated to keep my uterus relaxed. I wasn't dilated so I didn't need to be warded for monitoring *phew* and I didn't need any jabs for the time being. I would only be medicated until about 36 weeks thereabouts, then I would just have to let it gooooo... D: For the time being, I would have to move as little as possible to put less pressure on the cervix. 

The little silver lining is that I'll most probably have a relatively shorter labour, since baby's "journey" through the cervix is shorter. 

It was a huge relief when we left the hospital knowing that we could still keep Little Damien inside for now, but I get worried every single time I feel a slight discomfort. Paranoia, much? D: Meanwhile, I'm taking a week's leave to reduce my movements as little as possible... and use this time to finish my baby preparations because suddenly I'm running out of time. ._.
Sponsored Review

Much thanks to the SampleStore.com for accepting me into the Seeders' Program! :) In this programme, "Seeders" get an early preview of new product samples and write reviews - a little something something to add into my slowly growing writing portfolio. :D And then get freebies at the same time, lol.

I'm really lazy when it comes to skincare so sleeping masks (to me) are a godsend. I will leave the paper mask on for say... HOURS, and forget to wash off masks that needed to be washed off because I almost always fall asleep while masking. I consider the sleeping mask invention relatively genius. :D

So stoked to receive the Bio-essence Hydra Tri-Action Aqua Droplet Sleeping Beauty Mask (Retails at S$33.90/80g) in the mail.

This came in a huge SmartPac box. ._.
And the frazzled preggie ripped off the packaging...
Why Mask?

Because we need to combat skin problems, that's why. 

The Sleeping Mask...

1) Brightens Dull & Tired Skin
2) Regulates Oil & Moisture Level
3) Moisturizes Dry & Rough Skin
4) Refines Enlarged Pores

What's "Tri-Action"?
The sleeping mask performs THREE ultimate functions with 3x Hydration Power that works out to give you supple, radiant skin. 

1. Hydrates
Having a nano molecular size of 15 to 25mm, the mask can be effectively and quickly absorbed into the skin's pores, instantly providing the hydration you need. The powerful Hyaluronic Acid and Power Nano Hyaluronic Acid (may the powers combine!) helps to lock in the moisture to keep the skin soft and Q! The cranberry extract helps greatly with moisture retention as well, while improving skin elasticity and suppleness.

2. Nourishes
Do you have dull, tired-looking skin? Then this is great news for you, as the cranberry extract also provides excellent conditioning of the skin, helping you achieve that radiant glow you always wanted. The Bio Energy Fluid (another awesome-sounding ingredient in the mix!) further nourishes and refines skin texture.

3. Protects
The cranberry extract present in this product is high in antioxidants, which can protect your skin against the effects of the damage free radicals, UV rays and environmental pollution. 

Wake up and say hello to smooth, revitalized skin.

The Science of Bio Aqua Crystals

Saving you from the chim explanation, it basically means that aqua droplets form after lathering the mask on your skin... in a matter of seconds! 3 seconds, in fact, though I wasn't counting. 


The gel mask has some sort of a protective "shield" over the hydrating ingredients to prevent any moisture loss before the lathering process. The "shield" breaks automatically upon skin contact into fine molecules (which makes up the aqua droplets) to release all the hydrating stuffies onto your face. :D


Pat gently into your skin! Patting is a very important process for maximum absorption.


Usage

The Bio-essence Hydra Tri-Action Aqua Droplet Sleeping Beauty Mask *exhales* can be used as both a moisturiser and a intensive mask. 

To use it as a moisturiser, apply a thin layer over your face, and you're ready to hit the road.

To use it as an intensive mask, apply generously all over your face, and let the hydrating actives replenish your skin while you sleep.

What I Love About This
  1. It's a sleeping mask - idiot proof for non-beauty gurus like me!
  2. My face is Q like a fishball the next morning - I don't even need a base to set my make-up.
  3. The mask feels really light and refreshing on the skin... It does not leave a sticky sensation on my face when I wake up in the morning. 
  4. I can also use it as a moisturiser... which is a plus, because I don't really use/buy too many skincare products anyway lol.
  5. It works, and I don't have the flaky skin problem at the sides of my nose the next morning. *pops confetti*
Join Bio-essence for their street-side sampling next Saturday (6 September 2014) from 2pm - 6pm outside Mandarin Gallery for freebies and attractive discounts!

To redeem FREE samples, do 'LIKE' the Bio-essence Singapore Facebook page. :)
I thought that this might be a little too early to consider, but I just realised that I'm only 8 weeks away from my EDD. D: wtf I need to get this sorted soon.

Cheapo Cotton On bag I always use for short stays at parents'/in-laws'/etc.
The following items are based on what I think I need. Feel free to let me know if I over or under pack!

Documents Required
  1. Both of our I/Cs
  2. Marriage Cert
  3. Receipt for Gynae Package
  4. Admission Papers
  5. Copy of Bank Statement to process Birth Cert *update after feedback :D
Clothes and other wearables
  1. Button-down PJ set x 1
  2. A set of clothes for going home x 1
  3. Jacket x 1
  4. Baby clothes set x 1 
  5. Bedroom Slippers x 1 pair
  6. Socks x 2 pairs
  7. Nursing Bra x 2 *to buy
  8. Disposable Underwear from Guardian x 1 pack *to buy
  9. Maternity Pads from Guardian/Watsons x 1 pack *to buy
  10. Belly Binder *to buy
Breastfeeding-related
  1. Breast Pads x 1 box
  2. Breast Pump (to standby) *update after feedback :D
Toiletries
  1. Bath Towel x 1
  2. Travel Neck Pillow x 1 (to put on my butt)
  3. Wet Wipes x 1 pack *to buy
  4. Tissue Pack x 1 (the bigger kind)
  5. Travel Toothbrush/Toothpaste Set
  6. Dry Shampoo *to buy
  7. Angel Mama Bottom Spray 
  8. Nipple Cream
Eh, everything else?
  1. iPad & Charger (not like I'll have the time to use it, but anyway!)
  2. Phone & Charger & Powerbank
  3. Spare hair clips
  4. Plastic Bags
The Husband's Bag!
  1. Snacks! 
  2. Camera & charger/spare batt
  3. Husband's own jacket 
Random Pregnancy Update
I'm 32 weeks pregnant as of today! I look like I'm going to pop anytime, but I'm not - that's how big I am now. I look/feel like a cow.

Marvel at my huge-ness.
As you can see, the old wives' tale of having a pointy tummy for expecting boys is a myth. Mine's so round! 

Little D weighed approximately 1.808kg as of 30th August, at 31 weeks 5 days - a pretty huge leap from his previous weight at 1.036kg as of 27 weeks 5 days! 

So glad he beefed up properly, because my appetite has been like shit. I gained 1kg from my previous scan, so I didn't gain much for myself at all... *phew* Was worried that he didn't take in enough nutrients from my lack of food intake.

Total weight gain for now: 9kg

Still enjoying the baby movements most of the time, but Little D's kicking is sibei strong. Often he knocked the wind out of me, and sent me gasping for air. Apparently this doesn't happen to all pregnant mummies, so I guess this little guy is going to be a really cheeky monkey. D: 
Received an unfortunate news some time last week that our gynae would only do elective c-sect procedures at Mount Elizabeth Novena, so we're stuck with Gleneagles now since I'm opting for a natural delivery. :( Not that Gleneagles is a bad choice, but we really really really x infinity loved the new hospital... Sigh. Oh well.

To find out more about how my future hospital stay would be like, we signed up for a maternity tour last Friday afternoon. For the benefit of those who are interested in a maternity tour here as well, the tours are conducted at 1pm from Mondays to Fridays. For Saturdays, tours will be conducted at 11am and 1pm. They usually need you to book a month in advance for weekend tours, and that's kind of a bummer because we needed to do our pre-registration really soon.

Anyways.

Gleneagles is one of the more atas hospitals in Singapore, so it must be good, right? :) 

*positive vibes* ohmmm.

Image Credit: Wikipedia
This is the lobby that greeted us when we reached the hospital yesterday. 


It was pretty crowded as 11am to 1pm is usually the busiest period of the day. Patients are usually discharged during this timing so it was pretty rowdy. It's quiet for the rest of the time though (I've been here a couple of times before for my gynae check-ups). 

While waiting for the guide to start the tour, I took a peek at the admissions area. Hopefully it's like this most of the time... I cringe at the thought of having to queue (yikes!) while being in labour. O_O


We were greeted by the guide, Christabel, at about 1pm together with a few other mothers-to-be. A couple came with their mothers, and a couple of us came with husbands. 

Secretly taken during the tour. :P
Unfortunately, photo-taking wasn't allowed so the rest of the post will be accompanied by their official website's photos.

First, we were led to Level 5 where the delivery suite was located. It's to the right after you step out of the lift lobby (there's a sign that you won't miss anyway). If it's during the office hours, the staff accompanying me will need to tap in with a staff card for entry. If not, I would have to ring a doorbell thingy. 

The Delivery Suite

Upon stepping in, you would see a cozy lounge area (waiting area?) with sofas and all. Further up, we saw the four-bedded observation "first stage" ward where they strap you up to CTGs if you're not yet ready for labour. The husband will not be allowed in the four-bedded ward so he'll be waiting at the lounge. 

The delivery room itself was rather huge (slightly bigger than the one I saw at Mount Elizabeth Novena, in fact) with a black squishy sofa for the father-to-be to lepak in, while the mother-to-be screams away on the bed. The delivery suite houses 9 delivery rooms, all with similar facilities. Each room will have an attached bathroom, power points for charging whatever and a wireless connection... maybe I can watch anime in between contractions. ._.

You're allowed to bring your own essential oils/diffuser, and your own CDs to play during labour if that's what comforts you. If necessary, they also provide gym balls for you to bouncesit on.

They highly encourage skin-to-skin contact with babies, so they'll be placing baby on mother's chest immediately after being cleaned up. After about an hour of rest, mummy will be transported to the maternity ward.

As with most hospitals (I think), videography won't be allowed, but photography is okay before and after baby birth. 

Maternity Wards

The maternity wards take up Levels 5 and 6 at the hospital, the same levels as the nurseries. For the single rooms, baby can room in with you 24 hours. But for the two-bedders 

We were first shown the single room which was a corner room, so it's slightly bigger than the other single rooms. 


The actual room looks significantly nicer than their official photograph, to be honest. The one we toured in overlooked the roof garden and had nice parquet flooring. 

Daddies can only stay with mummies for all the single rooms and suites for an additional $90 per day, which will cover 5 meals. The sofa will be converted into a sofa bed at night. In the rare instance where no more single rooms are available, mummies will be transported to the two-bedded rooms and have the whole room to themselves - meaning, daddy will be able to sleep on a proper bed.

Next, we went to view a two-bedded room at Level 6. Level 6 is fully carpeted instead of parquet flooring, and a little dimmer. Not sure if I can indicate my preference for Level 5 as I prefer brighter rooms... Quoting the husband, "Siao ah, got difference meh?" :x

Two-bedder with parquet flooring.
The husband won't be able to stay overnight with me for the two-bedded room, and will only be able to stay there during normal visiting hours. 

We weren't shown the other rooms as there were VVIPs visiting the hospital (drats!). We saw the nursery (quite standard actually) and there were a few babies inside... One was clasping his hand like he/she was waving to us! SO CUTE LA. :D

Parentcraft Centre
We were given a talk about how breastfeeding is awesome by the Parentcraft coordinator (who is also a midwife!). I vaguely remember anything because I was so tired, heh. Basically she talked about what Parentcraft classes will teach, what's covered during the antenatal course (I'm too late for this anyway) and answered some questions about breastfeeding from the floor.

Post-Event Reception
Hmm the food was pretty good! I didn't eat much because I felt abit paiseh... most of the people left after the Parentcraft Centre talk, so it was only down to two couples (including us). I anticipate the good food during my stay at Gleneagles, heh.

Yummilicious scallop + bacon... thingie. :D
Other Random Pointers

  1. Parentcraft classes are conducted daily at 1pm on Level 6, and they will teach you basic infant care and breastfeeding.
  2. Lactation consultants make their rounds everyday - you'll see at least one during your stay, if you have any breastfeeding problems.
  3. They do not rent breast pumps. I was pretty surprised since they're like super pro-breastfeeding. o_O ...Maybe pro-latching as well?
  4. Formula and milk bottles will be chargeable. The guide doesn't seem to be very sure about the costs. 
  5. If you bring your own breast pump, they will help you to sterilise it during your stay.
  6. Check-out timing is officially 11am, but they will let you nua until 1pm. 
  7. Valet service is $10, but if you're rushing to deliver you can just tell the concierge and they'll waive it for you.
  8. Office hours is 8.30am to 5.30pm on weekdays and half day on weekends. In the event that you're in labour during non-office hours, just proceed to Level 5 labour ward directly.
  9. Lifts only available from the lobby level after office hours.
  10. Ambulance service is available at $125/$150.
Can't remember anything else offhand... ._.

Conclusion

My heart tells me to take the two-bedder instead, as the whooping $1,000 difference in the package can be of better use. Anyways, it's only a two nights' stay after all. My only peeve is that... I would have to share the toilet. :( And I'm anti-social, so I won't like talking to my neighbour... It'll be a nightmare if she's the chatty type, lol.

Anyway I've already done the pre-registration. :D

Getting Here

The nearest MRT station is at Orchard, where a shuttle bus service is available from Monday to Saturdays (excluding Public Holidays). You may view the shuttle bus schedule here (for the benefit of those who... erm, wanna visit me or something...). 


As for the parking, it's crazy expensive at the hospital where they charge $3.60 per hour and $3.20 for subsequent hours... there won't be concessionary rates for us patients either (why liddat?!). If daddy is parking, it'll be a flat rate of $22 per day.

Alternatively, you can park at Botanic Gardens instead and walk over. It'll work out to be about $1.20 per hour and since they count by the minute, you'll save a lot.


You'll be able to find their latest maternity packages here.

Though it's not our first choice, looking around the hospital made us really excited! Approximately 9 more weeks away to cuddling our little one. :) 
Sponsored Review

I've been really sickly these couple of weeks due to my on and off flu symptoms, migraine and aching tooth infection - most of which I can do nothing about. :( I'm still coughing and coughing makes my tummy crampy, ugh. I'm surviving on 琵琶膏 sweets and honey lemon water as of now... 

But that's not going to stop my first product review for mooncakes! Heh. I can still taste, thank goodness. Have you ordered your mooncakes for Mid-Autumn's yet? :) If not, do consider getting healthy mooncakes from Delcie's Desserts and Cakes (currently located near Boon Keng MRT, a stone's throw away from Boon Tong Kee lol).

The mooncakes came in very atas, angmoh-style packaging in elegant colours of brown and gold. 



They come in four selections:
  • Mix Healthy Mooncake Box – $88
1 x Sugar Free White Lotus paste with Black Sesame filling mooncake
1 x Sugar Free Pandan paste with Salted Mung Bean filling mooncake
1 x Low Sugar Protein-packed Mixed Nuts mooncake
1 x Low Sugar Sweet Potato paste with Taro filling mooncake
  • Low Sugar Mooncake Box – $78
2 x Low Sugar Protein-packed Mixed Nuts mooncake
2 x Low Sugar Sweet Potato paste with Taro filling mooncake
  • Sugar Free Mooncake Box – $98
2 x Sugar Free White Lotus paste with Black Sesame filling mooncake
2 x Sugar Free Pandan paste with Salted Mung Bean filling mooncake
1 x Low Sugar Protein-packed Mixed Nuts mooncake
1 x Low Sugar Sweet Potato paste with Taro filling mooncake 
  • Gluten Free Mooncake Box – $98
4 x Gluten Free White Lotus with White Sesame mooncake
Thanks to the opportunity given by Delcie's, I've had the privilege of sampling from the Healthy Mix Box to have a taste of all the flavours! :)

(From left to right) Mixed Nuts, Sweet Potato paste with Taro filling, Pandan paste with Salted Mung Bean filling, White Lotus paste with Black Sesame filling.
Special diet requirements also indicated on each individual box. :)
Need to give the husband a big thanks for helping me because I'm totally chui at cutting mooncakes, lol! They would've ended up looking like a crime scene, I think.

My final sampling plate looks like this:


Nice hor! :D

First up, the Low Sugar Protein-packed Mixed Nuts mooncake.


It was an explosion of nutty flavours - there were almonds, walnuts, olive seeds, macadamia nuts, sesame seeds, melon seeds and mandarin orange (陈皮?) in the filling. The crust was really thin and not "flour-ish/cakey" like some of the mooncakes I've tasted before. Despite being "Low Sugar", it tasted pretty sweet which is awesome for those who love sweet stuff, but personally I'm not a fan of sweet foods. The fragrance was pretty awesome though!

The taste reminds me of 明糖, one of the traditional Teochew biscuits used for weddings (part of the 伍色糖 - can still be found at traditional bakeries like Gin Thye!), prayers, etc. This might not be accurate because it has been a zillion years since I tasted this, but 明糖 totally came to mind. 

How 明糖 looks like!
Next up, the Sugar Free White Lotus paste with Black Sesame filling mooncake.


The first thing I noticed: OMG the filling looks translucent! I don't know how they did it, but the texture was so smooth and consistent - I swear it could melt in your mouth. I would say that it's almost creamy? White lotus is the standard flavour for traditional mooncakes, but I swear I've never eaten anything like it. If there's a salted egg yolk, it would be perfect lol! Too bad it's high in cholesterol or something. XD This is sweet, but not that sweet - perfect for my taste buds. :)

And next, the much anticipated Sugar Free Pandan paste with Salted Mung Bean filling mooncake!


In a nutshell, it lived up to my expectations! I'm a lover of the Pandan flavour (but I don't like Pandan Chiffon... another story for another day!) and like the White Lotus, the texture was smooth until omg. The salted mung bean filling complimented the pandan fragrance perfectly. Being a healthy mooncake, this is sweet but not too sweet, salty but not too salty lol. There is a beauty in the lightness of the flavours that make you long for more, because it's not too overpowering. Most importantly, it doesn't taste sinful at all! This is my favourite amongst all the mooncakes sampled. :D

And lastly, the Low Sugar Sweet Potato paste with Taro filling mooncake.


Being *cough* very Teochew, I'm a big fan of yam and was really looking forward to this flavour as well! I kind of preferred it the other way round - taro with sweet potato filling or something, lol. As compared to the Pandan and White Lotus samples, the sweet potato paste tasted a little thicker and more robust... very slightly sweeter than its Sugar-Free sisters but still acceptable for my tastes. It was good, like solidified "orh nee" (if that makes sense haha) but it would be interesting if there's a contrasting flavour for the filling. 

Of course, as with all mooncakes, these would go best with Chinese tea, a full moon, and best eaten with a group of friends or family. :) 

I'm especially pleased that there are healthy alternatives when it comes to festive favourites like these, so that our elderly family members or friends who have special dietary requirements (due to health, religion or such) don't need to miss out. 

Click here to pre-order from Delcie's Desserts and Cakes! :) 

Mooncakes are already available for sale in-store.

For the latest updates on what's happening at Delcie's, follow them on Facebook or Instagram.

I'm currently working on a few other advertorials/reviews, so stay tuned! :)
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the missus

serynn g. / missus chew / damien's mummy / 1985 / libra / b+ / live laugh love! / @ email me

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