The Fearless Mummy

Baby Shopping List

2010-08-19T08:05:00.001-07:00

Hi mums-to-be,

Excited a being a new mummy? If you are like me, you will be starting to browse baby shops and looking at all the cute little clothes that the baby will be wearing. But it is wise to start the shopping a little later. Sometimes, friends and family will give you lots of things so there is no need to buy the things. Also, you can look out for baby fairs and promotions.

But it's good to have a checklist to know what are the essential things you need. In that way, when friends and family give you free stuff, you can check it off your list.

So here's a list that I found extremely useful. Hope it is useful to you too!

Happy shopping!

Baby Shopping List

Diaper changing
Cloth diapers, diaper liners & safety pins OR disposable diapers
Hand sanitiser
Baby wipes
Diaper rash cream
Changing mat

Baby’s clothing
Tops (Short sleeved front button or ties – 10, few long-sleeved)
Long pants (3-4)
Suits
Mittens (10 sets)
Socks/Booties (5 sets)
Cap

All-purpose
Swaddling blanket (2 -3)
Flannel towels (lots)
Cloth nappies (lots)

Bathing
Bathtub
Bath thermometer
Baby shampoo
Baby soap
Flannels
Towel
Sterile cotton balls in cool boiled water (for cleaning eyes)
Alcohol wipes + cotton bud + antiseptic powder (for cleaning cord)
Baby lotion/oil
Baby nail scissors

Feeding
Breast pump
Sterilising equipment
Bottle brush
Bottles (at least 6) + teats + caps
Infant formula
Bibs (later for weaning)

Room
Cot – sheets, mattress, protector
Dustbin

Others
Thermometer
Eucalyptus oil (soothing)
Gripe water

Going out
Diaper bag – thermos flask, changing mat
Baby carrier/pram
Car seat

Back to work
Breast pump
Sterilising equipment
Cooler bag

For Mummy
Stretchmark cream
Nursing tops/gowns (incl for hosp stay)
Nursing bra (6-7)
Breast pads
Nipple cream
Maternity pads (2 packs)

Things to book in advance
Gynae
Confinement nanny
Prenatal classes (latest when 6 months pregnant)
Prenatal massages (before hitting 7 months)
Cordlife banking (when 8 months pregnant)
Postnatal treatments (when 8 months pregnant)

Beautiful Words

2010-08-17T08:05:00.000-07:00

Following on my earlier theme on learning to relax, the following is a passage written by an 85-year-old man who learned that he was dying. He says:

If I had my live to live over again,
I'd try to make more mistakes next time.
I wouldn't try to be so perfect.
I would relax more.
I'd limber up.
I'd be sillier than I've been on this trip.
I'd be crazier.
I'd be less hygenic.
I'd take more chance,
I'd do more trips,
I'd swim more rivers,
I'd watch more sunsets,
I'd go more places I've never been to.
I'd eat ice cream and fewer beans.

I'd have more actual troubles
and fewer imaginary ones.
You see, I was one of those who lived prophylactically
and sensibly and sanely hour after hour and day after day.
Oh, I've had my moments,
and if I had to do all over again,
I'd have more of those moments.
In fact, I'd have nothing but beautiful moments -
moment by moment by moment.

For all mummies out there, be fearless! Life is a great adventure and we should all learn to relax and enjoy our motherhood! =)

Relax!

2010-08-17T07:55:00.001-07:00

My one year old nephew, Baby J, and family came over to my place to have a durian feast, an impromptu idea mooted by my Hubby who has been craving durians for some time now (hey, who says that only preggy ladies have cravings?).

J is an active little baby who cannot keep still for a minute. Babies with “ants in their pants”, as the English will say. In Hokkien, we call it “bui shi diam” (literally cannot sit still).

Baby J was playing with some stones at my beautiful wooden-decked balcony. My house is almost the same age as my nephew, actually, so the balcony is still in tip-top condition. Unfortunately, at the age of one year, Baby J loves to throw things. So he kept picking up the stones and throwing it on the wooden decked balcony.

I tried to stay calm and relaxed, but everytime the stones hit the wooden deck, I would mentally wince. Finally, I could not stand it any longer, and asked my Hubby to carry Baby J somewhere else to play.

I suppose as a mummy, one of the things that we have to learn is how to let go. With a small little toddler at home, it will be nearly impossible to keep things in tip top condition. Babies have a tendency to be a bit of a Destroyer. Torn magazines, chewed objects and strewn toys will be the norm in my house in future. Heck, I myself used to draw graffiti on my house walls, much to the wrath of my mother!

So, the next time your toddler spits on your sofa, or plays with your handbag, just have a deep breath, count to four, and minimize the damage as best as you can.

Hopefully, I can follow my own advice when my baby is born! =)

A little Miracle

2010-08-17T07:53:00.000-07:00

They say pregnant ladies are more forgetful. I wonder is that true?

The other day, I actually left an entire laptop in Lau Pa Sat. That's a famous hawker centre in Singapore.

Hundreds of people throng through it everyday. It's popular with folks working around that area during lunch time, and popular with tourists who come here to experience the wonderful Singapore food. The chances of me getting back my laptop are one in a zillionth.

Lau Pa Sat

I discovered the fact at 8 am in the morning and I had a 9:30 am meeting at my client’s place. What a way to start a new day!

Frantically, I called my colleague to tell him that I will be late for the meeting, and rushed down to Lau Pa Sat. When I reached there, I found a cleaner auntie and asked her if she had seen my laptop.

“Laptop? A laptop you say?” the cleaner auntie exclaimed.

Those who have encountered the Singapore cleaner auntie will know what I am in for. The auntie proceeded to lecture me for a good 5 minutes on the importance of being a happy mummy-to-be.

“Miss ah… you are going to a mother soon… You mustn’t think too much. Must be relax and happy. Aiyoh, how can you forget your laptop. Something so important…”

I supposed I deserved the earful.

The long and short of it was… I actually got back my laptop! It’s truly a miracle!

One kindly cleaner (bless all the cleaners in Singapore!) found the laptop and deposited it at the management office.

So while there are zillions of people thronging through the place, it just takes one honest person to take the initiative to make the place an honest place.

I am truly lucky! =)

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PS. Googled to see if it is true that pregnant ladies are more forgetful. Guess what? This article says "Research has found that a woman's memory can be impaired for at least a year after giving birth..."!! So next time you forget something, just blame it on the baby! =P

Should I go for Prenatal Classes?

2010-08-17T07:50:00.001-07:00

When the door swung open, I saw at least 20 ladies with huge bumps at their tummies. It was a curious sight. I was used to seeing my preggy self in the mirror, but to see so many ladies in the same state in the same room just tickled my funny bone.

Welcome to my first prenatal class.

I am now attending a prenatal class organised by Thomson Medical Centre. My class is conducted by Senior Parentcraft / Lactation consultant called Mrs Wong Boh Boi who comes highly recommended in the various mummy forums such as Mummy.sg.

Before Hubby and I signed up for the class, we consulted friends and family whether we should be attending a prenatal class. Some friends were not in favour of it.

“Bringing up a baby is something you learn on-the-job. You can’t learn much from classes.”

“In this knowledge era, you can get as much information you need from the internet, books and magazines.”

“When your baby is born, the nurses will teach you everything you need to know. No need to spend such kind of money.”

These were some common advice from friends.

Of course, there are friends who highly recommend going for prenatal classes. They cited the bonding between husband and wife, the lively learning from classes as compared to books and magazines and other benefits.

Speaking from someone who is still attending her classes (I am going for my 4th class this afternoon), I feel that if you have the time and money, just go for it. It is not the actual knowledge that you gain from the classes that is valuable, but the feeling that you are mentally prepared for your new role as a mummy.

I don’t know about you, but sometimes I have a weird feeling that all these can’t be happening to me (“Who, me, a mother?!”). That’s why I think we were given all of 10 months to mentally prepare ourselves. And this mental preparation goes beyond learning how to bathe or change a baby’s diapers.

Don’t take me wrong. Prenatal classes are all about practical advice and very little about the responsibilities of being a mother. But just being in the class, and listening to someone call you “mama” or “papa” (which is what Mrs Wong calls us when she wants us to do something. Like “Mama, breathe in… breathe out…!”) changes a little something in me.

Of course, it helps to get a very entertaining and interesting teacher. Mrs Wong is definitely that. She cracks jokes about mummies and daddies, and climbs up the table when she needs to demonstrate something to us. Sometimes, I really fear if she will fall off the table!

Mrs Wong Boh Boi demonstrating how to bathe a baby at a paediatric talk

Key Information about Prenatal Classes

Thomson Medical Centre Prenatal Class

Cost of Prenatal Class @ Thomson Medical Centre = $267.50 for a couple [for mummies not delivering at Thomson Medical Centre]

Class duration: 2 hours x 6 classes

Website: http://www.thomsonmedical.com/facilities.htm#childbirth

Some other Pre-natal classes
(Note: Did not attend these classes so I can’t vouch for them personally.)
Mount Alvernia Tel: 6347 6641

KK Hospital Tel: 6394 1268

Parkway East Hospital (formerly Eastshort Hospital) 6344 7588

Babymoon in Phuket

2010-08-17T07:48:00.000-07:00

Friends keep telling us that when our baby is born, we will be grounded for a good one year at least. That means no flying for us, since the baby is too small to travel, and we will not bear to leave the little one behind.

Bearing that in mind, Hubby and I planned for a Babymoon. Apparently, this is the newest buzzword in town: A pre-baby vacation – the last “yeah” trip for parents to be before diaper-changing and sleep deprivation become the norm in our life.

Hubby and I chose Phuket as our romantic escape. It’s only a two hour flight away from Singapore, and both of us have never been there before.

For such a short trip, we sure packed a lot of unique experiences in it.

As it happened to be the World Cup season, we woke up in the middle of the night (2:30 am to be exact) to go to a pub to experience the electrifying atmosphere of the Semi-Final World Cup match between Germany and Spain.

At 2:30 am in the morning, the pub at Bangla street was in its prime. Sexily clad Thai girls mingled with foreigners in the pub with two big TV screens. The crowd was evenly split between Germany and Spain supporters, so there were loud cheers, gasps and groans each time the teams came close to their respective goal posts.

Hubby and I picked a team each to support – I picked Spain and he picked Germany. The one who loses will have to give the other a good full-body massage. And I won the bet!

A little welcome message for Baby

For another day, we signed up for a day trip to Phi Phi island. Before we went to Phuket, we feared that the Weatherman would not favour on us, as we heard that July was a wet month. Fortunately, the weather was perfect. A tad too hot, actually, but who were we to complain as long as it was a great weather for the sun, the sea and the beach?

One part of the day trip involved snorkeling. I was a little apprehensive, as I was not a strong swimmer and some tour operators actually discouraged pregnant ladies from going snorkeling. But my tour operator assured me it was alright.

Boy, was I glad that I went ahead! The ocean was a clear green colour and teeming with marine life. I felt very daring and alive, as I swam around and watched the little fishes go past me with all their colours and splendor.

All in all, it was a great and memorable trip. I would definitely recommend a Babymoon for parents to be. It is a great time for couples to reconnect and rejuvenate before our turning point in life comes along!

Mumpreneur

2010-08-17T07:46:00.001-07:00

There’s now a new word in town. It’s a sexy word called the “Mumpreneur”.

According to an article in Straits Times, one in 1200 mothers surveyed by a British company aspired to have her own business.

I can definitely understand why! The idea of being fully in control of your time, and having both a successful career while still experiencing the full joys of watching your baby grow up is simply too seductive.

A quick google of the keyword “Mumpreneur” also leaves me green eyed with envy. So many successful mummies out there!

And while I am daydreaming and surfing the web, to my surprise, I hit upon my ex-colleague’s mumpreneur site (Mengmonster Inc).

Meng is a wonderfully talented lady whom I had the pleasure of working with for a few months. We have not really kept in touch with each other, so it’s really pure luck that I hit on her site. And I am truly impressed! She’s now making these ultra cute handmade handicrafts that I really think have a good market potential.

Keep it up, Meng!

And to all those Mumpreneurs out there, I salute you. Maybe one day, I will be able to join your ranks and come up with a good and snazzy business idea too!