Shopping with Baby

Going out to the stores with baby is quite a journey to be planned for. I can't say it's mostly a breeze bc with baby "on" me, usually, I can walk and see the items, but it is rare that I can stand to *study* the items I want to buy. I generally would have to have an idea what I need to get, and then just pluck them off the shelves/racks quickly.

I'd need to allow extra time in my shopping trip in case I need to breastfeed the baby or to change baby's diapers. Believe me, after a 9year gap between babies, I do need to get the hang of nursing in public once again too! I had to think through how I could reach in to undo my bra discreetly but quickly, how to pull down and stretch out my nursing top and latch baby on - again, quickly but discreetly. Initially it was fairly nerve-wrecking. It has become easier with practice. So, for new mothers, trust me, you'll get the hang of it. Practise at home first if you need to! (Here in these photos, I am at Ikea with 2-month-old JR in a Navy Sateen Sling and nursing in a Selina Top)

See how I used the upright side-sitting position to carry JR so he can look around. This is very similar to the Hip Carry position. I have the edge of the sling up to his shoulders/neck for greater support since he's such a young baby.



I'm always happy when a much-needed trip out is at it's end, breathing a sigh of relief.

Here I am back from one such trip.

I was glad to be able to finally be able to fit into one of my favourite tops - the Belle Nursing Top , and after a tiring trip out, I was simply glad to crash out at home with baby nursing away.

MRT Ride

Baby had his 1st MRT Ride today.

We took a 15min walk to the station. Without fail, the swaying motions as I walked lulled him to sleep on the way.

He must've sensed something different as I boarded the train though. He woke and looked all around. Couldn't miss out on all the "action", I guess!

He drew quite a fair bit of attention looking the way he did, peeping out from his pouch!


I'd compromised on "luggage" for this trip since it was a fairly short one, and only used a waist-pouch. Didn't need to bring much for a breastfeeding baby anyway. I realised that I should just have worn my sneakers instead of my sandals so that the walk would be more comfortable.

Anticipation

The look of anticipation as I pick him up to nurse. His cries will quieten to a soft whimper or even stop, while he waits for me to get ready and position him to nurse:

I just had to capture this look!

Business Trip

All cosy, and quite a nuisance in the corporate world nevertheless, but I had to bring my nursing product manager along, yah?

Keeping Hydrated

As a breastfeeding mother, you might find yourself thirstier than normal. Probably hungrier than normal too! It is important to eat & drink to your demand too, just like baby needs his milky when he's hungry.

On hot days, I like to have something other than water to drink, and I find chilled roasted barley tea to be really refreshing. And it's so easy to make. These are usually easily bought from supermarkets that stock Japanese foodstuff. This tea can simply be put into a tumbler and filled with room temperature water and left in the fridge to chill and would be all ready to drink as & when you feel like it.

Another one of my current faves while out (yeah, I get thirsty so often!) is papaya soymilk freeze/shake! The one from Jollibean is Icy Cold with frozen papaya and ice-cubes all blended into a frothy coolant. The Mr Bean version is creamy and filling. Both are tasty, high in vitamin C, and....some mothers claim that it is great for their milk supply. For me, well, I don't see a significant difference in my milk supply since I nurse baby so frequently, and don't often express breastmilk, but it's a wonderful beverage that I love!

Sashimi Pig-Out

Public Holiday! Dh & I went to Ikoi and gorged on sashimi and all our other faves. The different types of fish soup, the fish-head, the rolls, and the tempura.

Dh had toyed with the idea of bringing the carseat. Thankfully I decided against it. I was hoping to get a floor-seated table, but alas, being a public holiday, the place was so crowded although we had a nice, albeit small corner table. But it would not make sense to put a carseat on the floor in such a crowded place. Even a stroller would be at risk here!

JR was cosy in his sling, charming those at the next table for a while and fell asleep for the rest of the meal and all the way home, nursing off & on. Whew!!!! We managed to eat. And JR had delicious fishy milk after. *haha*

It's useful to wear nursing clothes with empire-waistline nursing access when nursing baby in the sling. This day, I wore a Liana Top - another of my favourites as this top is shapely and really flatters.

And for all those sashimi lovers out there - yes, it's ok to for breastfeeding mothers. The main danger is mother getting food poisoning from raw fish. If this happens, this usually stays localised in the gastrointestinal tract and does not pass into breastmilk. Mom might feel mighty terrible though! So do keep to established restaurants for clean sashimi.

Umm-Umm-Ahhh

This 2-month-old loves to mumble, grumble, yabber-jabber - generally quite responsive:

A Cuppa

I like to have my cuppa herbal brew each morning. Not with my breastfast, but generally about 15minutes or so after, as I'm reading the papers, nursing the baby or just getting my things ready for that day. No sugar, just fresh clean & green taste.

I like to make the drink fresh each time instead of a big pot. And I find these fillable teabags that you can buy from most supermarkets very convenient for use with loose dry herbs. I like a thicker brew, so would put 2 teaspoons of the loose herbs in one bag, fill it with hot water from the airpot and leave it to steep for around 10 to 15 minutes.

As for the loose herbs, I like to empty them into an airtight container, as it's easier to scoop the tea leaves from such a container as opposed to the pack that it comes in,

I store my "pot" of herbs in the freezer. Your pack of loose herbal tea leaves come with a pack of food-grade dessicant. Use this together when storing your herbs.


This dessicant pack can be *revived* by just heating in the microwave to dry, and reusing.

Pamper Mom

Yeah, we need to look good too! I would like to do this too! One of you moms sent this photo along to me some time ago. Impressive!

And have heard about so many moms who've just brought their nursing babies along for hair treatments, pedicures/manicures, but oh well, I've yet to find the courage to do so myself!

Kudos to all you brave moms out there! And for those of us (me included), we know, we know...we can do it too...imagining. ;-)

Dining out with Babe

Certainly we'd like to have baby fit our lifestyle instead of the other way around. The only way to do this is just to bring breastfeeding baby with us. Practice makes perfect.

Here are some moms who show how they've done it! Nursing in public during meals out.

I love this photo. It's so natural.


Claudine with nursing baby at a wedding dinner, no less!


With young baby on a mothers' lunch-out at Thai Express.


Dining at Fish&Co, during a World Breastfeeding Week Event.



And that's me, nursing baby ... in a Selina Top & Sateen Sling .....

.............. while enjoying a refreshing dessert!

Flash Ed

Baby's Chinese Language education starts here. Opera, no less. *haha* .

2mo JR was cooing and oohing at the googlebox. Maybe the characters are flashy, eh?

Germs Galore

A big household is the most unhealthy equation, especially for a newborn. Dh had a month-long cough from the time JR was born. By the time JR was 1mth old, he was having a dry cough. It didn't seem to bother him and he had no problem nursing, so we were quite cool about it. I figured that he wouldn't be too friendly with medicine. We still brought him to the clinic just to make sure his airways & lungs were clear, but for added treatment, I decided to try TCM. The 医师 would check baby, then recommends the 推拿 treatment for the ailments he has. They also prescribe herbal packs 药包 for baby to use on his belly.

JR's cough ceased for several weeks, but a week ago, suddenly I heard him coughing in the early morning hours - again!!! *sigh*. He must have caught it from his brothers who were down with flu/fever over the weekend. I brought him to the GP who said once again, that his lungs were clear. So I brought him to 推 again. This time, the herbal packs specifically say for 感冒. He still is his active self, except for the cough and stuffy nose. He still has no problems nursing, thankfully!

Sadly though, the presence of his cough a week on, made me bring him this time to the pediatrician, only to have him tell me the same thing that the GP & the Yishi said. His lungs are clear and he'll be fine since he's fully breastfed. Oh well, thankfully after that, his cough started clearing. He's been alert, active, & nurses with no problems all this while. Shows how breastfeeding helps a young baby weather illness.

When his cough was phlegmy, we helped alleviate the coughing spells by putting him to sleep in an inclined position on a firm pillow. We also filled a sock with some rice grains and had that heated up a little and placed on his chest to help with any congestion.

We also put some Snuffle Babe Vapour Rub on the soles of his feet. Not sure if it's an "urban legend" or not, but it seems to help us when we have coughs, so since baby's feet are covered in his sleepsuit at night and he always wears socks during the day, we just add a dab on his soles for his comfort.

This is where I brought JR:

Traditional Chinese Tui Na Massage (suitable for infants and children):
Yu Guo Chinese Physician Acupuncture & Physiotherapy Pte Ltd
8-B Jalan Masjid #01-04 Kingston Terrace, Singapore 418929 Tel : 64474761 (Behind Kembagan Plaza, near Kembagan MRT. If driving, park at Kembagan Court).
Mon - Fri: (except Wed) 9:00 am - 12:30 pm, 2:00 pm - 5:00 pm, 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm
Sat: 9:00 am - 12:30 pm, 2:00 pm - 5:00 pm
Sun: 9:00 am - 12:30 pm (Closed on Wed & Public Holiday)

Concert outing

I love going to concerts, and frequently go for both Chinese & Symphonic Orchestral performances with our older children. However, with a young baby, this is just not possible for at least awhile. We took the opportunity instead to go for an outdoor SCO concert at the Turf Club.

We were early. JR took a nap and had his milky. I had the pouch on, which provided extra coverage since I still need to guide JR on the initial latching on as he's still quite a young baby. Wearing a nursing top with an empire-level nursing opening helped with easier access.

He woke just as the concert started. He seemed a little dazed at first but stayed awake the rest of the time, watching, and watching, eyes huge and super *kaypo*...and pooping. *HAHAH*

It was a fairly good outing. Poor JR didn't like the drive home. Must have been past his bedtime. ;( Was wailing the whole journey.

One-Armed Damsel

How does all this "newsfeed" get done if I have a 5-minute-napper?

I have him with me at my workstation! My handphone would be within reach, so's my camera so that I can snap precious moments to share. My files and work samples are closeby too. And interestingly, with the past 2mths' back-to-back revision for school exams, you'd see that there's schoolbooks on my printer. Baby JR then nurses off and on while I put things together. Quite a task when I am often left with only one-hand to use!

Car Travel

Babies should always travel in a car seat. It is dangerous for the baby to be carried by an adult. And a child that has been taught that car travel means being in the child safety seat would learn to use it without protesting.

Baby JR came home from the hospital in his infant carseat. We do have to watch his mood or he'd cry the whole journey in his seat. When going out, I would allow time to nurse him so we do not have to worry that he cries during the trip because he's hungry. If he has a dirty diaper, I'd make sure to change it first too.

Our older baby TJ was a big cry-baby when out in the car. Back then, I spent some time training him over a week. I did this by bringing him out for a short drive everyday around the neighbourhood. For instance, the 1st day, it'd be for only 10mins, then 2nd day for 15mins, then 3rd day for 20mins...and so on. You'd have to watch your own baby and be somewhat intuitive with the timing of this "training schedule", but eventually, baby will become used to the idea that as long as he's in the car, he has to be in his infant seat.

And this is how 2-month-old JR would be nowadays, when he is in a happy mood while in his carseat. Woe be it if we don't watch signals of bad mood and we'd have a screaming baby instead the whole trip!

And yes, he recognises the CDs that I've been playing in the car all throughout my pregnancy (in the background? Edouard Lalo's Symphonie Espagnole). He has a cute little "Mr Sun" toy that plays a nutcracker melody clipped to his car seat too.

Burp!

Do babies need to be burped? Breastfed babies should not be taking in much wind if their latch is proper, so they don't really need to be burped. If there are sucking sounds when they are nursing, often the latch may not be correct, and this should be checked.

If your baby is rather gassy and has wind in its belly making it uncomfortable, do practise carrying baby upright, like how JR is being cuddled by his big brother. Giving baby a little massage and rubbing some oil on his belly would work too!

Family Bed

Having experience with sleep training and co-sleeping, we chose the latter as it fits our lifestyle better. Simply for the convenience in breastfeeding at night, coziness of baby being near us, and the ease of putting baby down to bed. Also so that we won't be saddled with a baby cot that may be rarely used.

In the 1st few weeks, we used a sleep positioner to help prop baby up to nurse when he sleeps. Now that he is 2 months old, he can nurse while lying down with less help.

Babies who sleep in the family bed will tend to be more secure as parents will respond quicker. And well, they are babies. They do deserve to be babied!

To read more on co-sleeping:
http://www.breastfeeding.com/reading_room/co_slepping.html

2 months on

Weight 5.8kg, Height 60cm, HDC 40cm

And me at 2mths postpartum?

I'm back to pre-pregnancy weight and I can wear my pre-pregnancy clothes. But .... body sure doesn't seem pre-preg in shape at all !

Oh well.... the bane of age, and of having gone through a battlezone called pregnancy. Certainly not Elasti-Girl !

Breastfeeding when Sick

JR is 8weeks old now. Was really tired this morning. Went out with baby to the shop for some groceries that we ran out of, and when I came home, I just fell asleep sitting on the bed with baby still in the pouch. I was happy to leave him attached to me still in the pouch since he looked so contentedly asleep and I desperately needed some shuteye.

I was unfortunately down with stomach flu the day before with high fever. Thankfully, the fever subsided by morning, but I was nevertheless weak and rest was something I couldn't get enough of with this baby and the older ones to care for.

I continued breastfeeding the baby, even when I was sick. This is the added protection I can provide Baby JR. As my body fights and heals, it creates antibodies. These are passed through breastmilk, which the baby will benefit from. This will help lessen his chance of getting the same illness. There is thus really no reason to stop breastfeeding even when Mom is sick.

The crucial question that some mothers would have is when doctors order them to be on medication. For breastfeeding mothers, do always let the doctor know that you are breastfeeding. In most cases, there are breastfeeding-compatible medication. Do note not to take antibiotics lightly though. If your doctor feels that you should be put on a course of antibiotics, do at the same time strengthen your body with probiotics ; as antibiotics do tend to alter your intestinal flora, and also that of your breastfed baby, and puts both of you at risk of getting thrush if probiotics are not used to balance.

So, do remember, there's no need to stop breastfeeding when you are sick. Just try and rest together with baby, or if there is someone to care for baby while you rest, that'd be even better! And don't forget to load up on fluids!

Enough Milk?

A new mother often questions the adequacy of her milk supply, usually brought on by a baby that fusses and refuses to be pacified except at the mother's breast. Other family members or nannies in the household might then deduce that the baby is still hungry and cast doubts on whether mom has enough milk for the baby. Since our breasts are not transparent with measuring marks on them, they might then suggest that the mother express milk to "see how much she has". In reality, this is the worst form of "measure". Firstly because a new mother is not used to pumping or expressing milk, so she may not naturally "let-down" for the pump, and not because she is not a "good producer of milk". If she gets a miserable amount from pumping, she may really start to think she has not enough milk for her baby, and take on the advice of her family members to start supplementing.

A new mother should learn to relax more, be well-informed instead, and be confident of herself. The best measure of whether a baby has enough is through the baby's output. A baby that is past the 1st week of birth should be having at least 6 to 7 wet diapers including 3 or 4 bowel movements. The stools should be yellowish, soft & curdy. It is quite common for breastfed babies to pass their stools quite *explosively*! So do not be alarmed. (Yeah, that photo shows our 5-day old babe clenching his hands while passing motion!).

As new mothers, we learn as we go along, and we learn after a while which advice is useful and which is probably just nice to smile and nod away at. ;-) Ah...even when I strolled around my neighbourhood and chatted with a granny, she too asked if I had enough milk for my baby (what a question to ask of a passing acquaintance, yah?!).

You will soon learn to recognise what your baby's moods, what he seems to want, and when his cries are cries of distress and when it is not quite so serious. And you'll discover many entertaining nursing moments along the way too! The moments when your baby latches off, milk dripping from their mouths, thanking you for nourishing them. ;)

Christening

Christened at 8 weeks.


Mom wearing a Red Cara Top.

Stinky Face?

Practice Times @ Home

Baby's practising here too!

From a baby that normally kicks away actively when in a good mood....

... to a baby practising his listening skills. ;-) Noticed that JR slowed down and became so still to placidly listen as his brothers practised away (yea, the violin is going on outside as well):

Scalding & Moulting

Yikes - hand all red and feeling really tender and raw last night. So painful, like as if loads of chilli padi had been rubbed on it. I was scalded when the water from my steamer spilled and splashed on my left hand as I brought out the pump parts I had sterilised. Ah...do be careful as you do this task!

My 1st thought was to put aloe vera gel on it. It gave temporal relief, but the sting was excruciating once the gel had cooled off, and I kept applying it with no further relief. Eventually I thought of this Mango Butter that I got from Little Dreamers and have found most reliable for dry skin during my pregnancy.

It gave immediate relief from the burns! By late evening, the redness on my fingers had almost all disappeared.

This healing cream was what I also reached for when our newborn seemed to be moulting as his dry baby skin was in the process of falling off - it sure looked like I was carrying a baby full of dandruff! Applying this cream helped the dry skin fall away faster, revealing a new layer of beautiful baby skin. ;-)

Get Moving

With a baby that often naps only 5 minutes at a time, I ran out of ideas & energy to keep him happy and myself sane, as his mood between those 5-min naps could range from kicking happy to super cranky, either of which saps my energy & mood adversely.

Instead, I bring baby out in the baby pouch on morning and sometimes evening walks. It could be walks simply just for the fresh outdoor air or walks out to run errands and do my shopping at the nearby market and shops. This also gives me an opportunity to explore our neighbourhood near & far, which is easier to do when on foot.

Our walks are usually for 30 to 45minutes, and are also great for exercise, other than raising those happy happy endorphins. Just have to make sure I have on a comfortable non-slip pair of shoes on!

That's our 6-week old JR yawning as we start on one of our morning walks....he will invariably fall asleep along the way , and never fails to amuse all who see him all cuddled so cutely, allowing me to be totally handsfree.

Aerial View I

View from the Top. How the 1 month-old baby looks like curled up sleeping in the baby pouch.
.

What Else?!

At times like these, with milk powders being contaminated, we are grateful for breastfeeding.

This time, at least Singapore does not directly import China-made brands of infant formula, but I still recall years ago, when our 3rd baby was just a newborn and there was a major recall on several brands of infant formula, and yes that WAS in Singapore.

If disaster like a typhoon, earthquake, or a cyclone were to strike, like it did recently in Myanmar, even expat families, who were not hit by the cyclone, were affected by "no water, no electricity" as supply lines were damaged by the storm.

These are ALL times, when we would be super thankful for continuing with breastfeeding. The way nature intended, and the best to protect our young ones, and not have to, like some Chinese were quoted in the press reports of the SanLu incident, as worriedly asking "What do we feed our babies with now?". Those who had continued breastfeeding can at least heave a sigh of relief and say "What Else?".