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.

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.

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. 

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

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.

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.

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. 

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

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. :) 

We didn't book the maternity tour at Mount Elizabeth Novena in advance actually, because I thought it would be okay to just go up and take a look. :/ So we gave them a call. The tour at 2.30pm (the usual timing) was fully booked, but they decided to accommodate us for a one-to-one maternity tour! Service ish good. :D 

After the uber long wait, we went back to the clinic and the nurse took the second blood sample. I thought the results would be immediate, but it was not... we had to wait for a couple of days. But that's alright. 

We waited for awhile to see our doc for my routine check-up. D is now 1.036kg at 27 weeks 5 days, and my gynae came up with the bright idea that we should buy 4D since baby crossed the 1kg milestone (and we did!). :P HUAT AH!

We then proceeded to Mount Elizabeth Novena for the unofficial maternity tour (means no goodie bag!). We arrived a little early, so we waited for awhile before a nice lady named Zana greeted us at the waiting area next to Reception.

If my admission on Labour Day is during office hours, here's where I check in. If it's after office hours, I'm supposed to go directly to A&E. And I don't need to call them in advance, just chiong walk in can liao. 

The corridors are generally very huge and spacious. Zana said that they have about 30 rooms reserved as maternity wards but the occupancy rate is usually about 50% - 99.99999% confirm got room, and you don't have to be stranded somewhere until a bed space is available. The environment is very nice, cosy and quiet... Sounds quite wonderful to me.

The family waiting area is HUGE. Looks comfy too. I was half expecting to see vending machines and a salad bar... but nope, don't have, lol. I'm not sure if the waiting areas at other hospitals' look like this too. 

The Birth Registration Counter is within the same space as the family waiting area. You can register your child's name here instead of heading to the queue-die-you ICA. There's an admin fee on top of the original $18 registration fee but... I don't want to queue lah, so it's okay.

Not to be confused with the maternity ward, the delivery suite is the room where you scream. I don't think most birthing-in-progress mothers will be able to appreciate the room by then, but at least the dad can. :P In case of (CHOY!) emergency c-sect, the operating theatre is a stone's throw away on the very same level.

All the rooms in the maternity ward are single-bedded. They come with a fully stocked mini-bar (not free-flow okay, free for first round only lol! A refill will be chargeable, of course...), free WI-FI, 46" Smart TV with in-room entertainment (heard got cable! woohoo), a tablet for mobile web surfing and Crabtree & Evelyn toiletries. There's also a safe inside the wardrobe (not captured in any of my pics) to store valuables.

Unlike other hospital packages, the package at Mount E Novena also includes daddy's lodging (sleep sofa bed!) and his 3 meals throughout the stay (song boh!). There will also be a multi-entry carpark coupon for the daddy, and a single complimentary carpark coupon for a visitor. Formula itself, if required, won't be chargeable, but they charge $1 per bottle. Breast pumps are also available for rental... I think it's either $32 or $38, and rental is for the whole duration of your stay.

Baby can also accompany me 24/7 in this room, but babies can also be placed in the nursery at night so that mummy can get ample rest. 

On the second day of the stay, there'll be a short Parentcraft class that teaches you about breastfeeding and how to bath your baby. This I need... *noob*

There's also a complimentary 15-minute massage, which is awesome because I'm a massage addict. 15 minutes better than nothing lah okay... considering that I'll have to wait another week for my Malay massage to begin. D:

I was already half-asleep by the time we got to the Junior Suite because I was tired from waking up early and the aircon was quite cold... can't remember a lot of the information from then on. D: 

I actually liked the single room slightly better, because it felt brighter and there's the work space area. But the living area of the Junior Suite is damn nice man! An additional family member can stay over if he/she wants to, and there'll be refreshments throughout the day for your visitors. Machiam can hold party liao. The mini-bar will be free-flow as well.

There's a connecting toilet between the living area and the room. The toilet bowl is very atas, automatic one okay. The toilet cover suddenly lifted up by itself, scare tio me. -_-

There's also a balcony area but it was locked, so no pictures unfortunately. :/ 

We've pretty much confirmed that this will be my choice hospital and thus we can do pre-registration to skip all the paperwork on Labour Day. :) As deposit, we'll have to pay the package price in full. The final bill (ugh) will be paid upon my discharge, after Medisave deduction.

Package prices as below. Yes, I'm going for normal delivery without epidural (but er, will keep my options open haha... must 加油!). 

If you want to take a look at the full package, feel free to email me to request and I'll send it to you! :) Mine should be accurate as of July/August 2014.

[Update]

I can recommend a few of the ones I know (for those who don't want to research from scratch), if anyone's interested. I've been reading about different gynaes WAY before we started any sort of family planning, lol.

You can say... I like to think ahead (or just plain kiasu). Everyone has different preferences, so this is just a basic guideline based on the recommendations from people around me. I don't believe in a "best gynae" or a "best delivery hospital"... I believe most gynaes have at least decent stitching skills and most hospitals have the basics for a comfortable stay. Regardless of service, comfort, parking space, etc... see heng suay? 

Which Hotel? I mean, Hospital.

Wah piang! Staycation ah?! So chio! This is Gleneagles' Tanglin Suite btw. (Image Credit: SingaporeMotherhoodForum)

Firstly, identify the hospital you wanna pop in. The major hospitals in Singapore with obgyn services include:

• NUH
• SGH
• KKH
• Gleneagles Hospital
• Parkway East Hospital
• Mount Alvernia
• Mount Elizabeth
• Mount Elizabeth Novena (my current choice!)
• Raffles Hospital
• Thomson Medical Centre

I meant to blog more since last week, but 计划永远赶不上变化... My weekend was soooo busy, I could barely catch my breath! I hope to write a post at least once every two to three days, so that I don't procrastinate and forget all about blogging lol. After all, this is a really great outlet to document the bits and pieces of my everyday thoughts, and everyday life. :)

This will pretty much be a pregnancy update, I suppose?

Bits of Bleh

D has been getting heavier these couple of weeks, and I've been getting so breathless. I feel like a whale trying to walk down a pavement, and yes it sounds damn near impossible nowadays. Hei hei chuan pls. #truestory 

Sleeping habits are getting more erratic... I either concuss at 9pm+ or totally couldn't sleep at all until 2am+. And the PEE. Wtf it's like I have a neverending supply of pee even if I don't drink alot of water 2 hours before I sleep. =_= Where the heck did that come from?!

I was on MC yesterday due to really painful cramps, at the right lower side-ish of my belly. The husband was panicking but the nurse at gynae's office was like "Oh, how normal that is." Anyways I still went to the doc's to have a look at how D's doing. Baby's fine and all, and the pain has mostly subsided since then. It could be anything... round ligament pain, baby's position/activity, or just muscle strain because I'm off my equilibrium. It also COULD have been early contractions, and doc told me to be wary. He advised us how contractions will feel like, and my tummy would be hard as a rock (gynae slapped wall to make his point lol). 

Bits of Happiness

Has anyone ever told you that feeling the baby kick is such a joy? :) D's been doing the Kallang Wave inside me, and I was so taken that I can stone for an hour doing nothing but feeling the wobbles on my bump. It's so amazing! It's unconceivable how pregnancy is so underrated, lol. The husband's really obsessed with feeling kicks too... he'll do stuff like molest my tummy at random moments to feel D's Shadowless Kick. 

Suaku much? First-time parents is liddat one lah. :D

Also, D's now weighing about 920g at 26 weeks. That's a huge gain from his previous weight of 543g only two weeks ago! I was a little worried because he seemed lighter than average, so I started to eat without consequences. Chips, ice-cream, blah blah blah... Then I myself gained 2kg over 2 weeks too. Darn. At least D's weight is catching up! 

My next appointment will be in two weeks at Gleneagles, doing my glucose test. It's not a compulsory test and I don't have diabetic history in the family nor am I gaining too much weight (7kg as of now! Okay laaaaa), but... I'm overweight in the first place so I guess there's a higher risk there. D: 

On lagi more happy bits, I am currently working with a few brands to bring you (yes, YOU, my fwensss) product reviews and drool-worthy discounts! Really grateful for these opportunities given, so look forward to them, okay? COMING SOON. :D

If I'm ever going to have a second kid, I will probably dread the first trimester more than childbirth itself. Or even confinement. Not that I've experienced either yet, LOL. It felt like FOREVER, seriously! I'm lucky enough not to have morning sickness but I had giddy spells on and off... especially towards the evening. It's a pain in the butt because I still need to function normally like a human being, since I have to work and all.

This saved me.

This is an amazing product called "Sea Band", which I bought spontaneously from Guardian because someone from my Mummies Facebook Group shared about this. Apparently it does not work for everyone, but it's so cheap (like 14 bucks?) so why not. 

I only saw two colours available at Guardian - Black and Grey, and they have a pink one for kids. The quality's not fantastic since my Sea Band became "fluffy" after three weeks' worth of use. BUT WHO CARES! At least it worked for me. :D

In contrary to what I've learnt from the media, sour plums do not work for me. I'm not sure whether it works for others, but it doesn't seem like a common remedy among the people I know. I felt that inhaling sour smells works alot better, actually... I didn't use the Young Living brand of lemon essential oil (my mum bought it for me from an unknown seller LOL) but I felt alot better within a citrus-y environment. This is a really good brand though - I even thought of being a distributor myself but at least for now I have too many things on my plate. D:

If all else fails, you can see your resident friendly GP for morning sickness medication. Yes, you don't need a gynae to prescribe this. 

Water tasted really disgusting during my first trimester... It doesn't last that long for most people, but ACK it was like drinking water from the drain (not that I've ever tasted that before, but smells like it to me). I survived on Sprite. I do not recommend this because it is super unhealthy to drink Sprite like water, but it was sooooo good because it made me burp. Alot. 

During this point of pregnancy, your insides are shifting upwards so you will feel bloated. Imagine shifting your intestines into a sardine can. It's not the painful kind, but annoying yes. That probably what causes morning sickness for some people too, and acid reflux. And heartburns. 

Other than Sprite *cough*, you should also invest in a bottle of Gaviscon. Instant burp remedy! You can find this in most major pharmacies (I got mine at Watson's), and I also bought their travel pack which I keep in my bag whenever I want to feel like a toad out of home. I don't know why, but this is so potent. Definite burp marathon after 15 minutes, max.

Another problem you'll face is... constipation. Or WORSE... hemorrhoids when you... you know, force it. You'll be stuck in the toilet forever because "customs tio jam". 

Here are some remedies I compiled through trial and error.

Last of all, REST and REST. Just find a flat surface wherever and lie down. If you've always had an active lifestyle, you can stick to it (after you consult the doctor of course) but most of us prefer to lie on the sofa/bed like a limp fish at this point of time. 

First trimester is pretty risky, so don't feel paiseh to be kiasi! Call your doctor's office whenever you feel the slightest bit of discomfort and especially if you're spotting, even if it's ever so lightly. I had a spotting episode but it was super super light... and the gynae gave me 5 days of MC for bed rest. SHIOK. Make full use of whatever MCs you can geng during this period also, because REST is very, very important. 

Hope all these tips are helpful! :)

Okay, so you've just gotten your BIG FAT POSITIVE! *pops confetti* 

It seems that many first-time mamas will get pretty lost when this happens (like me lol) and so I'm inspired to write more about what to do next and what to expect. :)

Firstly, INFORM THE HUSBAND. Or your mother, if he's not available somehow. ._. It would seem totally surreal at this point of time, and you wouldn't quite believe it yet. I think I felt more bewildered than overjoyed... The heart will race like a bitch, and you're not sure whether to laugh or cry. 

How Far Along? 

This is probably the first thing you'll like to find out.

You can calculate your pregnancy due date here. Your x no. of weeks is based from the first day of your last period, not from the day of conception. I found out about 4 weeks after my last period, so I was about 5 to 6 weeks along. 

Am I Pregnant? Or am I Dreaming?

Your pregnancy test kit is usually of a much more advanced model than the ones they use at GP clinics, so... don't bother visiting your family doctor.

If you wanna feel more realism, buy the Clearblue digital test kit (don't buy this for initial testing... buy for "confirmation" as this is pretty expensive lol). It feels alot more real when you see the word "Pregnant".

I went to the gynae to confirm the pregnancy when I was almost 6 weeks along (I called them to fix an appointment immediately and they asked to see me a week later). If you haven't done a vaginal ultrasound before, it gets extremely uncomfortable and awkward at first - not painful though. 

At this point of time, all I saw was a floating black jellybean on the monitor. 

Some gynaes don't see you until you're 8 weeks along because some fetuses don't show up until later and it creates unnecessary panic. At this point, you'll be paranoid about every single thing because... you still don't feel pregnant yet. That... and hormones, lol.

Clear Your Doubts!

Before your first appointment, do prepare a list of questions to ask. Some questions that you can ask:

1) Do I have to abstain from any types of food? How about convenience food - instant noodles, microwaved food, etc.?

2) How much weight should I be gaining for the first trimester?

3) Do I have to see you for regular illnesses, or can I just visit a normal GP?

4) What situation should I consider an "emergency" before giving you a call?

5) Are there any medications I should avoid? How about topical medications?

6) Is it safe for me to fast (for Muslims) during pregnancy?

7) What kind of exercises are safe for pregnancy?

8) When can I start doing prenatal massage?

9) What are the tests that must be done during pregnancy? 

10) From when can I start taking the package at your clinic?

Gynae Packages

With respect to the last question, some clinics offer packages from your next appointment onwards, some offer packages from 16 weeks onwards (like mine) and some don't even have packages at all (on a la carte basis). Also, you can ask the clinic nurse about which hospitals they can deliver. Some gynaes are able to deliver at all private hospitals if you have other preferences.

Hospital Maternity Packages

Not sure on which hospital to pick? Their packages are readily available if you Google them, so I won't go too in-depth. However if your gynae is attached to a certain hospital (e.g. mine's at Gleneagles), the package rates will be slightly cheaper than advertised. I'm pretty certain I'm picking Mount Elizabeth Novena though... My gynae allows any hospital under the Parkway Group umbrella, it seems. :) 

Another thing is, the rates as advertised are excluding all the hidden costs. Your laughing gas costs extra, your maternity pads cost extra, feeding your baby formula will cost extra (I think), and your baby's nursery accommodation costs extra. 

I have not delivered yet, but according to experienced mums' advice, it's best to set aside at least $10,000 for the whole shebang. Not to mention that your bill will skyrocket some more if you need an emergency c-sect or if your child needs to be admitted for *TOUCH WOOD* jaundice. Jaundice is so common in SG, it's like the flu. -_- Or possibly more common than that.

Alot of information to digest? This is just the tip of the iceberg. :P Most importantly, eat well and rest well. The husband believes in the statement "a happy mummy means a happy baby" and I agree that being happy is always the best nutrient for your growing bub. :)

You know you're an over-zealous mom-to-be/mom when you shop so much for your baby... you don't really buy anything else for yourself. D:

Bought some stuff off Amazon yesterday!

I've been eyeing this for a very, very long time... You could say it's love at first sight. Alot of playards I see locally are either too vibrant/chaotic to my liking or too plain. :( I love soft, neutral colours and this is the very thing I need.

Widely recommended by experienced mums.... This can't go wrong. With HFMD and other sicknesses being so common nowadays, I feel it's really quite important to have a thermometer that you can rely on for quality and accuracy. 

Other than Amazon, I've made some other great buys too. :D

Like the playard, I've been eyeing this stroller for the longest time as I simply love pastel/neutral colours. Found that this is on sale and my sister went all the way to get it for me! :D It's a gift from her. 

Unfortunately this can only be used for 6 months and above as this does not recline fully for a newborn, so I'll have to get a second one eventually.

Also bought breast pads and breast milk storage bags over at Qoo10. Not the cheapest deals but I don't really wanna trouble people to bring these all the way back from BKK for me.