Holidaying in Bandung, Indonesia.

I was told that it isn't as cool in Bandung now due to industrialisation. To my surprise, it was actually quite cooling in the mornings and evenings as long as there wasn't any sun. It was a pleasant surprise though and it gave me a reason to shop since I only packed our usual clothes for the trip.

S had to pick his own socks.

It was a virgin vacation trip for us with S and I guess he enjoyed himself. I brought my Ergobaby carrier and it was so helpful for sightseeing and shopping. It was the first time I allowed him to face the front. No matter how sleepy he was, he would be delighted to be able to look forward while I walked.

S's curiosity for new places and objects really made it a joy for us to bring him around. Amazingly, he was able to adapt well to the new environment and could sleep anywhere. For the first night, we arrived late and checked-in to a hotel we had booked beforehand. The place was poorly maintained, furnished and even had mozzies. S slept like a log that night not really bothered about his surroundings and even could poo the next morning. We were totally taken aback by his ability to adapt. So proud of our boy!

We switched to Fave Hotel at Cihampelas, which is like Orchard in Singapore, the next morning. This  hotel was so much better. Even room service food wasn't that bad. I tried a few dishes as on some afternoons, we just chilled in the hotel.

 New cap for the vacation!

This trip was special to us as S achieved many milestones. 

Needless to say, it was the first trip to Bandung for him and also for me. It was also the first road trip for S. We headed to Bandung from Jakarta. It takes about 2-3h car ride with smooth traffic. We were caught in a jam on the way there and it took us about double the time to reach. In Indonesia, it is always important to plan your schedule well to avoid such jams. So time-wasting!

Power naps on the long car rides.

Playing with his newly discovered toy to kill time.

It was the first time S went onto the mountains for sightseeing. I doubt he knew those were mountains but he did breathe in fresh air. It didn't occur to me that I should take pictures as it was just too breathtaking.

S rolled from back to chest and back again for the first time. Previously, he could only turn onto his chest while lying on his back. He did it when he was about 2-month-old.

Mums, always make sure your babies are "fenced up" on a normal bed as you do not know when they'll be able to turn or roll. You don't want to see your baby falling flat on the ground right in front of you just because you were not prepared.

It was the first time S had direct contact with an animal. And it had to be a rare animal, a marsupial! How lucky! We were not even at the zoo. Just chanced upon it at a mall where a community of marsupial lovers brought their little marsupials to interact with humans. Their owners were very friendly and they chose the tamest one for S. To be honest, that tiny creature left a stench on my arm. I guessed his owner hadn't given it a bath for a long time. Tsk tsk. Had to just make do with wiping my arm and S's hand with wet tissue to disinfect them. From then on, S was in his Daddy's arms for hygiene reasons.

Trying to touch the marsupial, a flying squirrel, while getting distracted by another one.

We love Bandung for it's beautiful sceneries and cooling climate and we'll definitely be back for more when S is older. It was a learning journey for my hub and I as bringing a baby along for a vacation wasn't easy at all. Quite a bit of hiccups experienced along the way with a breastfeeding baby tagging along but still no regrets since curious S got to be exposed to so many new stuff. 

Looking forward to the next trip!

FlaBye @ Pod.mum

Good news! I've found a supplier and have been selling this fuss-free abdominal binders that Auntie Rose recommended offline but since it is so economical and good, I have decided to offer them under Pod.mum label in my blog to enable more mums to be aware of the good lobang.

FlaBye comes in 2 designs. Tada!

 Floral FlaBye
3 bands with 3 separate velcro attachments

Front

Back

Plain Jane FlaBye

3 bands with 1 combined velcro attachment

Pod.mum is now selling both designs of FlaBye at just $15.90 each. Since at least 2 is usually needed, for change when one is dirty, Pod.mum is offering it for just 2 for $30 now.

If you would like to purchase this or have questions, feel free to post questions in the comment box or whatsapp me at +65 9151 2008. 

Bye Flabby Preggy Tummy!

Mums, who have just gave birth, don't feel depressed over that postpartum flabby tummy hanging around your waist. It won't stay there for too long... if you put in a little more effort. Trust me!

I lost my flab only after 6 months because I went thru caesarean, had to breastfeed and was the main caregiver for my baby while I was in Sg. Being physically unfit then, caring for the baby alone was a taxing job. I couldn't start any form of exercise in the first 4 months as my free time was limited and during those times I just felt like lying on the bed. So glad it is over and I'm back to being the healthy lady i once was.

I started my post-natal massage 10 days after delivery, as advised by my massage lady, Auntie Rose. My mum's close friend recommended her as she is experienced, skilful and doesn't mind doing the dirty jobs.

Besides the full-body massage which prevents engorgement of the breasts and stimulates good blood circulation to reduce water-retention in the body, she helped to clean and check my wound every time she came. She also cleans and check vaginal wounds which is really helpful for mums who have difficulties checking themselves. Wounds have to completely heal to ensure there is no infection that would cause secretion of pus or fever if it gets worse.

As I did caesarean, she couldn't exert too much pressure near my wound area and thus she had me wait for 3 months before she could massage my abdominal area to lift my uterus so that it would return to its normal position.

She recommended an abdominal binder which is very easy to use. You can wrap it around your body without help at all. Its function is to aid women recovering from normal delivery or caesarean in returning the uterus back to its original size, increase abdominal support to reduce backaches and maintain good posture to regain self-confidence. Auntie Rose uses her traditional cloth wrap for each session. However for hygiene reasons it is better to get one for your personal usage.

Auntie Rose did a good job and is highly recommended for her services. She does normal body massage too. Her charges are reasonable and only expects to be paid after every session. Any enquiries, do contact her directly at 97987240 to book appointments.

The massage and abdominal binder did help reduce the size of the uterus and flab but to firm up the abdominal muscles, exercise is required. I opted for Pilates and after a month, I was already able to fit into my pre-preggy clothes! Sweating it out also makes me feel much fresher and healthier.

Hang in there, Mums! You will get there!

Overdose of Fun Despite the Jabs

We were back for S to get his fifth & sixth-month immunisation jabs. No photographs was taken as he was more conscious of the pain now that he is older and wailed uncontrollably. I had to calm him down by explaining the good effects of the jabs gently before he quietened down. And, of course, a sip of breastmilk did the trick to soothe him. 

Dancing away in Gran's arms before getting poked.

I noticed, after the jabs, some parents or grandparents tried to calm the babies down by defending them, telling them that they would take revenge, gesturing that they would hit the paediatricians or nurses. That is wrong education.  Don't ever encourage your children to think that the professionals are monsters if you want them to be obedient when they visit the clinic the next time.

Try to calm your baby down before you leave the clinic to make sure they do not relate the place to an awful experience. Don't underestimate your babies' ability to understand you. Read Babies understand your behaviour.

Despite the pain from the jabs, the rest of our stay in Sg had been pretty good for him. Everyone who missed him came over to visit and couldn't help hugging and kissing him. Recently, he developed rashes on his cheeks and it has come to an extent, we have to start prohibiting people smooching him.

MIL sent us to my mum's place for a stay cation after the immunisation. My mum got teary when she saw S, after being away for only a month. I had no idea she actually missed him so much.  

My mum taught me how to prepare nutritious and tasty porridge for S. We tried making spinach/pumpkin & pork/fish porridge for his lunch and dinner. Porridge was cooked with scallop/oyster broth to made sure no additional flavouring was needed. For breakfast, S ate Moon Rabbit brown rice cereal stirred with dissolvable Hipp biscuits to sweeten the bland tasting cereal. The cereal and biscuit can be bought at NTUC Fairprice.

Mums, make sure you choose the right timings for feeding. Don't ever feed when he is sleepy, he will get so mad.

Those were home meals. When we went out for meals, his diet got quite exciting for his baby palate. I gave him baby biscuits when the hygiene level of the eating places weren't that great but at restaurants, I didn't mind getting him to try new food. He has tried mashed salmon with tofu at Ichiban Boshi, crumbs of toasted bread at Yakun Kaya Toast and homemade soya tofu at Chun Sheng Yuan Eating House. We made sure no extra flavouring was added to those food, of course. He loves tofu just like his daddy. No wonder I was a fan of tofu when he was in my tummy. 

 Tasting toasted bread at Yakun for the 1st time.

So happy that I allowed him to try tofu!

The haze didn't affect S much since he was kept indoors most of the time. With his little cousin, Yijing meimei at home to keep him company, there really wasn't a need to go out! He simply enjoys exploring her little hands and fingers. Such a cute sight to see. Look at how much this little cousin has grown.  

3-month-old S and 3-day-old Yijing. 

We had likened them to Pooh and Piglet back then.

Yijing was caught hitting S. Actually it's S who always bullies her. Ooops! 

"I really didn't purposely hit meimei!"

Mini pyjamas party!

Farewell hug with my sis & her baby.

 S feeling on top of the world, hugging soon-to-be Ms Universe.

I wonder how our little ones will feel when they look at these pictures when they grow up. These priceless expressions are the reasons why parents love their children more each day.

I brought S on board alone for the first time today and we are safely back to see Daddy. Good thing all went well with the help of kind and encouraging Samaritans on the way. Now I'm one step closer to being a pro mum!

Weaning(Winning). Back to Reality.

It's normal for mums to feel some sort of insecurities when your baby starts to switch from breastmilk to formula and solid food. You are afraid your baby will love you less, grow distant from you, start being closer to the main caregiver of his/hers instead of you and blah blah blah.

But MUMS, be realistic, most of us need to have some freedom or bring in bread for the family sooner or later. Living in a developed society is challenging but that also forces us to be more productive mums. These adorable babies can't koala-hug us like in the early breastfeeding days. We can't be on leave forever. We need to learn to be cruel and let go of our babies one day, anyway. I've learnt that starting early, when they aren't so conscious of their surroundings, is better than late. It is really less cruel to our babies.

Even though the recommended period of exclusive breastfeeding (first 6 months) for S is over and I'm starting to wean him, S is still very needy of me. I haven't got the chance to separate from him to work for a long period of time in the day since his birth. I wouldn't say it is a luxury for me to stay home. He still prefers drinking directly to being bottle-fed and it is not doing him or me any good.

Luckily, the decision has been made to to start weaning him once he turns 6-month. He is eating 2-3 meals a day and is getting accustomed to it. *applause* I've noticed that I have to be out of his sight during his mealtimes. When I'm around, he'll wail and want me to carry him. Experienced mums, do enlighten me on this.

 Grouchy S having pumpkin porridge

 Can't get enough of his favourite fruit, banana!

Newly introduced weekend snack, mashed sweetcorn

This also means the milk machines aren't that frequently used these days. I'm starting to get back my freedom gradually. Slowly but surely, yes! It's really a win-win situation for a modern mum and baby because how ever much you love your baby you need some freedom and from 6-month onwards the baby needs more nutrients from other food sources, now that he is getting more active. So yes, wean means win actually.

As a mum, I've noticed the expensive prices of baby & mum products in the malls these days. I've been travelling a lot and have noticed products with comparable qualities to those sold here.

Guess what? I found trusted suppliers! I'll be bringing in affordable products in my blog and be useful once again. Hopefully by lowering baby & mum's expenses, I can contribute to the society by boosting the birth rate! Weeeeeeee!

I'll be posting Shopping entries once they are ready for viewing! Have fun reading & shopping!

Happy (Half) Birthday to Sheldon!

Our Little Bean has achieved many milestones and Mummy & Daddy are so proud of him!

When S was little I had wished that he would grow faster so that he would be more easily-managed. Now, I’m starting to miss his little silly acts and even his cries when he was much younger. Can time slow down so that S will always remain this cute?  

Nowadays he is so generous with his smiles and so easily tickled. He is such a nice boy, he lights up our lives. 

  

He is getting more and more mochi to me and is more obvious in showing it through his actions. Whenever he is really hungry, he would plead me for milk by licking my face desperately. That’s his way of showing love. He melts me over and over again. Sometimes I wonder if he just thinks I'm an ice-cream.

Until now I’m still amazed by God’s creation. We are really thankful to have S. This little human being has changed our lives so much. He is a constant reminder to do better in in our lives. He is the reason why we want to be more filial, responsible and healthy. We want to lead by example and be his role models in life. We want to live long enough to see him get married, see his children and hopefully grandchildren.  

Every day is full of surprises. Nothing beats having a baby, really.

We love you so much, Sheldon!

He has travelled by car, ferry and airplane as soon as he turned 3-month-old. Recently, he went on a road trip with us from Jakarta to Bandung. He adapts well to any environment and it's such a blessing for us since we are frequent travellers. His travel adventures will be updated soon. 

To get timely updates, follow him on Instagram. Do add S's account: curiousheldon. 

M for Mummy, M for Milk Machine

Many have the misconception that the bigger the boobs, the more milkilicious the mum. This is not necessarily true. Don't worry, mums with small boobs! Mine were below average and I've already exclusively fed S for 6 months and my boobs can still supply for as long as I want.

Only a small percentage of mums can't produce milk so the willpower of the mum is actually the key here.

If you know me personally and have seen me breastfeeding on demand ever so readily, you would think that my milk supply has always been optimal and have never had problems with breastfeeding.

No! Try asking any mum who has breastfed before, milking cow or not, at the beginning it definitely wasn't a breeze. Those days were stressful...

"Can I have more milk, pleassse?" pleads 5-month-old S

I couldn't bring Little S home with me when I was discharged from the hospital as he had slight jaundice and had to stay in the nursery for an extra day. Being separated from Little S on the fourth day he was born was hard enough let alone risking the fact that my boobs would stop producing milk as my baby wasn't nursing to stimulate the milk glands in producing.

I had no choice but to pump to ensure that my boobs knew that there was still a need for them to work. I desperately assembled my Medela In-style Advanced pump for the first time and experienced short-circuit in our apartment which burned my pump. How lucky right? No baby, no pump. Boohoo. I was totally unaware that my pump needed an adaptor as it was a US model. Imagine how hopeless I was feeling then. *pulls hair* Due to these mishaps, my milk supply dropped significantly.

When Little S was back, he was so cranky as the supply was just not meeting his demand. Poor baby. It was really upsetting and stressful to see him that way so for the first few days, I just had to give him formula supplements 1-2/day while I napped and relaxed to increase milk supply. 

To solve the problem of inadequate nursing, I resorted to pumping. I aimed to feed and pump about 10-12 times in every 24 hours each day. In desperation, i also asked my gynaecologist for a prescription to increase my milk supply. I was given domperidone and I just dutifully took it, although I'm very resistant to taking western medicine, until the production of milk was steady. I took frenugreek, both pills and capsules, too. See how desperate I was!

Holding the bottle before S turned 1-month-old

As for my diet, I ate oatmeal everyday for the first 4 months. I've tested and it's proven that it increases milk supply. Lots of fish, juices and soups helps too. Make sure you drink at least 3-4l of water a day. Opt for natural food sources as much as you can to ensure good milk quality. 

Breastfeeding mums experience engorgement at the start and it is a phase which really tests our endurance level of pain. It happens when the breasts switch from colostrum to mature milk. I massaged my boobs so hard to unclogged my milk ducts in order to ensure smooth flow of milk. I just did anything possible to make sure Little S got the milk. I think I was close to looking like a psycho during that period of time. My mind was focused on, "milk, milk, milk! milk, milk and more milk!" day in day out. Of course, I also engaged a Malay massage lady to help in unclogging the ducts which was really painful but good.

When Little S was one-month-old, my milk supply was finally established and I could pump enough to store so that I could carry on with normal life. Milk will leak, but no worries, just get breastpads. Tollyjoy pads are by far the most economical and effective.

2-month-old S in Milky Dreamland

I really had to take a breather to do some reality checks before I turned into a yellow-faced withering wife. Go ask Sheldad about it. But I'm pretty sure he will say I looked fantabulous then. You know, love is blind. Even more so when he had witnessed a little human being emerging from the slit on my tummy.

Do read up on Basic Breastfeeding Tips to remain sane while breastfeeding.