Motherhood: Babywearing Tester

I have been babywearing for a while (since Apr 2014). Recently, I have been offered the opportunity to be one of the testers for a ring sling and a woven wrap =)

Aloha & Light Silk Hemp blend ring sling is weaved, hand dyed and hand painted by Janel from Hawaii. Jars and Fluff [1][2], a local online shop, is our local vendor who partnered with Janel to bring in these vibrantly coloured ring slings. My review of Aloha & Light can be found on Jars of Fluff Facebook page[3].

In brief, the material is supportive, thin and airy. Pretty suitable for local weather. The colours are really loud, which I feel may only appeal to those who like very loud colours. Personally, this ring sling needs to "travel" through more hands. By that, I feel that it needs to be more broken in (worn, washed and ironed more times). The one thing about it that disturbed me quite a bit was that its colour runs when washed.

As for the woven wrap, I must say that I felt really honoured to be its tester. The main reason behind my sense of pride is because it is the first machine woven wrap produced by our local company CareRing Sling[3][4] =D I could hardly contained my excitement when I saw that one of the lines on the wrap label read "Singapore"!!! My review of Pearly Blossom Size 5 woven wrap can be found on CareRing Sling business page and Facebook page[5].

Though the wrap was not the usual length which I prefer, I can hardly find any flaws with it (apart from the fact that I am not a very pink/peach colour girl).

Disclaimer: I was given the chance to babywear with the said products for a week each. All opinions are my own. No gift or monetary compensation were received.

Coincidentally, the owner for both Jars of Fluff and CareRing Sling are certified babywearing consultants. From what I know, Nur Afifah of CareRing Sling happens to be Janna's mentor. Oh, Janna is the owner of Jars of Fluff~

I find the experience as a tester to be pretty interesting and very pleasant for the following reasons:

1. get to try out many pretty wraps and ring slings made of different fibres (cotton, linen, silk, etc.)

2. get to polish my selfie aka hand-pho(ne)tography skill =p

3. get to brush up my linguistic/writing skill~

4. get to polish my wrapping-QW-up skill *haha*

5. the support provided by the vendors are excellent - clear guidelines on what to write are provided, courier service to the next tester are provided for, the vendors are very responsive to messages...

blah blah blah~

The cons about being a tester is I don't get to keep the wrap if I fall in love with it~ *Sigh*

I hope to have more of such opportunities to try all the wraps =D Okay, that might be too ambitious =P I guess I will just have to settle for try as many wraps as I can while QW still let me babywear her~

PS: Actually, I have been given the opportunity to test another wrap soon ;) *excited squeal* *Sshh~*

References:

1. Jars of FLuff

2. Facebook - Jars of Fluff

3. Facebook - Review of Aloha & Light Silk Hemp Ring Sling

4. CareRing Sling

5. Facebook - CareRing Sling

6. CareRing Sling - Review of Pearly Blossom

Motherhood: Sharing Websites and FB Support Groups (Tips)

As a new mom, there is a lot to learn about our newest family member, QW. My gut feeling tells me that even as an experienced mom, learning will be on-going as every baby is an unique individual.

I find that information provided by the Internet can get pretty daunting and overwhelming. After a while, I fall into a pattern when I search for information.

Websites wise, tendency is to depend on

• Baby Center (USA)[1] or Baby Centre (UK)[2] for babies related materials (such as weekly development starting as early as foetus stage)
• Kellymom[3] for breastfeeding related materials

I have also shared these websites under my "Some Links" tab

Facebook groups wise, I find that each of them, those which I have joined, have their own quirks that trigger some learning to be done. Hence even observing general etiquette, I usually will observe the below self imposed rules especially if I join a closed group just to play safe (so that I don't get kick out of the group or attract undesired attention):

• Be a silent reader for at least a week - I find that I can observe the "silent rule" (if any) of the group through this method.
• Read all the group info files, especially the rules files (if any).

So far, some groups which I find useful are:

• Babywearing Singapore
• Breastfeeding Mums (open to ladies only)

Do note that there will always be those who make the experience within the group an unpleasant one. Just don't take it to heart or stress yourself over what you read.

Using the Breastfeeding Mums closed group as an example: There are some who will upload photos of their large breast milk output or breast milk stash. I believe they meant it as a source of motivation for us to work towards and not an intentional post for self glorification. But still, some mothers have commented before that those photos sort of stressed them out. So, do take care not to impose stress upon yourself!

Using the Babywearing Singapore closed group as an example: There are many who posted photos to seek advice on whether they wore their child correctly in the carriers of their choice. Well, not everyone will get it right at the first round. Hence, do not despair if there are comments which state what went wrong. Those comments are meant as a word of encouragement to improve on the carries, rather than pointing out your mistakes.

Also, there might be occasion that their response is slower than the Breastfeeding Mums closed group (perhaps because they have lesser members since it is a new budding group).

Yupz, so there you go. My little insights after visiting many websites and joining a few FB support groups. Hope it helps somehow (=

References:

1. Baby Center
2. Baby Centre
3. KellyMom

Motherhood: May 2015 Stash Shot

10 May is around the corner, 2nd Sunday of May. That means, HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY to all mummies out there!!!

Now, for a quickie on my current stash shot:

Left to right, top to bottom (in chronological order):
FibrEssence Wovens[1] Shell Medley, Fidella[2] Persian Paisley Smoke, Little Frog[3] Sunny Agate II,
Didymos[4] Indio Aurora RS, Oscha[5] Tian Ma Clove RS, Yaro[6] Turtle Light-Blue

Anticlockwise direction:
Fidella Persian Paisley Smoke, Yaro Turtle Light-Blue, FibrEssence Wovens Shell Medley,
Little Frog Sunny Agate II, Oscha Tian Ma Clove RS, Didymos Indio Aurora RS

Top to bottom:
Oscha Tian Ma Clove RS, FibrEssence Wovens Shell Medley, Didymos Indio Aurora RS,
Yaro Turtle Light-Blue, Fidella Persian Paisley Smoke, Little Frog Sunny Agate II

The latest addition to the stash is Fidella. As promised in "Motherhood: My 1st Handwoven Baby Wrap". I will now share how it joined the stash... 

It is going to be quite a long "story"... So, you might want to grab yourself a cuppa and sit comfortably.

Now, let's start the "story" proper. Once upon the time, somewhere in Singapore, I was blessed with a Moms In Mind (MIM) RS and 2 DIY pouch slings by a close friend. Unfortunately, MIM's material was not grippy enough, too slippery in fact, and required countless retightening. It caused me to dislike RS at that point in time.

As for the pouch sling, I could never get the hang of it. It just does not tighten up properly for me to be hands-off. My bad. My pregnant brain was not able to absorb my friend's teaching on how to use the pouch sling. It made me hate babywearing. Till now, they are still sitting around somewhere in my wardrobe.

Back then, I was using ErgoBaby[7] most of the time if I ever babywear. But, Ergo is very bulky to bring out. It is so not compact that I can't stuff it into my diaper bag! Too warm to be strapped in it because it won't fit my diaper bag :( So totally not motivated to use it...

Then one day, I just did a random search in Facebook on babywearing. That was how I found and requested to join the Singapore Babywearing Group[8]. From then on, the group rekindled my love for babywearing after being redirected to the tutorials from Wrap You in Love[9].

I took the plunge and bought my first woven wrap, Yaro Light-Blue Turtle size 5 after reading positive reviews from her (and of course because Yaro was said to be more affordable). It came after 2 weeks of travelling from Europe.

Softness was what still attracted me to using Yaro at home. Strictly at home. As mentioned in "Motherhood: Personal Opinions of My Humble Carrier Collection - Apr 2015 Stash Shot", I am an OCD who cannot stand the idea of Yaro's overwhelming length sweeping the floor when I am out. Not very in love with woven wrap at that point in time still...

Next, I got Oscha Tian Ma Clove to commemorate QW's birth (she is born in the year of horse). Not exactly soft out of the box and a bit on the warmer side because of the hemp. Luckily, it was quite easy to break in. It became buttery soft and silky smooth pretty soon after a few wears. And so, that was the start of my falling in love with woven RS.

Following Oscha to join the stash was Didymos Indio Aurora. Its beauty caught my attention and Jars of Fluff[10] was organising a pre-ordering session in the babywearing group. Since I preferred RS at that point in time and it is a limited edition print, I got it so that I have a RS to interchange with whenever Oscha is being washed.

So, I was pretty convinced that I will be a RS girl all-the-way... That remained true until someone in the babywearing group asked about ways to keep their wraps so as to pass it on to their children. You know, like a hands-me-down kind of thing?

Legacy wrap... I like the sound of that. I wanted Tian Ma to be it. That was why I bought it in the first place. Hence, I followed that thread closely. Sadly, I found out that RS would not make good legacy wrap because the seams might be compromised over time. Woven wrap, on the other hand, had the possibility of being a legacy wrap. It was mentioned in the thread that there are some 20 year-old Didy in circulation still!

Being determined to share the benefits of babywearing with QW in future, I thought of trying out a shorty (size 1 to 3). Standing at 1.58m tall, size 3 (usually 3.2m) would probably be my maximum limit. How did I come up with this conclusion? Because I can imagine myself folding the wrap in half and managing 1.6m long of wrap in some sense by sticking it in between my legs, placing it on a chair or in my pocket as I set up the carry. I can imagine it being totally off-the-floor the whole time :)

So, I decided to give a shorty woven wrap a chance. This round, I had a better idea what I was looking for. I wanted a wrap that is toddler worthy (meaning can carry up to toddlerhood or even pre-school stage). A wrap that is easy to differentiate top from bottom rail (because I could not tell them apart with Yaro having the same colour throughout).

With those conditions, I narrowed down to Little Frog Agate. A shorty was indeed the right move. I fell deeply in love with babywearing all over again. Finally! So, it has been decided. My sweet spot is size 3. Period.

Now, I did mention before that 240 gsm Little Frog was still a bit warm, didn't I? Hence, I got attracted and bought Heartiness[11] Entho Blue which is 50% cotton and 50% linen. 2 main reasons for this purchase: 1. Linen = more cooling as many attest to; 2. It was selling at an affordable price which included shipping.

While waiting for Entho Blue, FibrEssence Wovens went on SALES!!! Massive 45% discount!!! I was already drooling over the Shell Medley and always wanted to try a handwoven. So so crazy over it that I would check FibrEssence Wovens facebook page everyday just to see if it was still around. So, the sales really was not helping me from falling into the rabbit hole!!! And of course you know what happened after that....

Now, finally we reach Fidella. Why Fidella? One of the reasons was SALES AGAIN!!! The babywearing group shared a discount code for it. HAHAHA, so totally not helping at all!!! Next reason, it comes with a bag =D

Bag of the same print =D

And the next reason, the top rail and bottom rail can be differentiated! What they did was to hem it in different direction (if you can picture what I meant). Such a genius!

Fidella on most right:
Top rail darker colour, bottom rail lighter

And I shall stop sharing the other reasons =P But, you get the idea... I think... hope...?

Well~ at least I am buying something that I would be using, using my own money, and have a chance of passing it on as a legacy. Justified. *Self assuring cum comforting mode on* *Hee hee*

Yupz, so now, I am waiting for Entho Blue to crawl here from USSR or Russia.

*Drumming my fingers impatiently*

References:

1. Facebook - FibrEssence Wovens
2. Fidella
3. Little Frog
4. Didymos
5. Oscha Slings
6. Slingo Mama - Yaro
7. ErgoBaby
8. Facebook - Babywearing Singapore (Closed Group)
9. Wrap You in Love
10. Jars of Fluff
11. Facebook - Heartines

Motherhood: My 1st Handwoven Baby Wrap

As mentioned in "Motherhood: Personal Opinions of My Humble Carrier Collection - Apr 2015 Stash Shot", I was waiting for my 1st handwoven from Fibressence Wovens[1]. Maria, the weaver, is located in Canada. Hence, Shell Medley (the wrap's name) took almost 2 weeks (sent on 16 Apr, received on 28 Apr) for it to travel here.

Shell Medley brown weft :)

About the weaver, Maria is very responsive and patient with me when I sent her private messages on Facebook prior to my purchase. I like it that she kept me updated once she posted Shell Medley out, and gave me the reference number so that I can have fun tracking it. After I received Shell Medley, Maria remained responsive and patient as I continue to bombard her with further questions. Really glad to have such nice weaver be the one who wove my 1st handwoven wrap :)

What is the first main difference between machine wovens and handwovens that struck me? I am not an expert in this field still, but superficially, the tail caught my attention. Machine wovens usually have tapered (slanted) tails, while handwovens are commonly blunt (straight) tails. Having said that, I did come across some handwovens with tapered tails.

From left to right:
Tapered tails on Fidella and Little Frog;
Blunt tails on FibrEssence Wovens

Another difference is the middle marker (MM). Though there are some weavers who sew tags with their company logo as MM just as machine wovens, MM of handwovens can be quite varied: tactile/blessing thread, weft change, pinstripes, etc. Ok, enough of the geekery and back to Shell Medley. The MM on Shell Medley is tactile thread.

Blue tactile thread

Some like it because it is subtle (like in this case). Others hate it because it can be hard to find. As for me, since many of the carries I like are off-centre, I quite like this MM because the colour really makes it pops.

Weighing at around 265 gsm, Shell Medley can be a bit warm to wear outdoor, especially if Mr. Sun is taking a stroll. The first time I worn it was when we brought QW to Marina Bay Sands (MBS) to watch her first musical, Beauty and the Beast. With the air-con blasting, Shell Medley is the perfect companion to be with. I guess this means that Shell Medley is following us to our upcoming New Zealand trip then ;)

Visibly fluffier (because of 265gsm?)

Shell Medley in poppins hip carry

In fact, I think QW was too comfortable in it that she was sleeping most of the time! Definitely loaded with sleepy dust!

Length wise, it is comparable to Little Frog. Exactly the kind of width I like :)

Oh ya, that's Fidella[2] on the right most. I will write on that in my next post "Motherhood: May 2015 Stash Shot". And ops, I did mention that I was waiting for Shell Medley and Heartiness[3] Entho Blue in "Motherhood: Personal Opinions of My Humble Carrier Collection - Apr 2015 Stash Shot". Errr... Entho Blue is not here yet. I will tell you more about why Fidella joined the stash in that next post too...

Back to Shell Medley again. It is a plain weave which I have been wanting to try after having tried jacquard loose weave (Yaro[4], Oscha[5] and Didymos[6]) and broken twill (Little Frog[7]). Personally, I like it though you would probably think that it does not look fanciful or impressive. I like that it is raw and natural enough for me to be able to track every wrap and weft. Really love how the horizontal pinstripes accentuate the deep seat created for QW.

As you can read, I am really loving Shell Medley at the moment. It has the right amount of grip, such that I do not need to keep readjusting. Very supportive even with single pass. Unlike little frog which gave me a shock for being stiff out of the box, Shell Medley is oh-so-soft and the most "blankety" among my collection :)

"Are there any cons?"  I hear you ask. Come to think of it, the selvedges are almost straight is the main cons I can think of. Other than that, probably just the fact that I cannot wrap as often as I would love to since the weather is usually hot and humid.

After trying plain weave, I wonder how heart, twill (undulating, straight, etc.), diamond, pebble weaves would feel... Hmm...

References:

1. Facebook - FibrEssence Wovens
2. Fidella
3. Facebook - Heartines
4. Slingo Mama - Yaro
5. Oscha Slings
6. Didymos
7. Little Frog

Motherhood: Personal Opinions of My Humble Carrier Collection - Apr 2015 Stash Shot

Currently, I have 2 ring slings (RS), 2 woven wraps and 1 soft structured carrier (SSC). They are (from left to right):

• Didymos[1] Indio Aurora RS
• Yaro Sling[2] Size 5
• Oscha[3] Tian Ma Clove RS
• Little Frog[4] Size 3
• ErgoBaby[5] Travel Carrier (not in above picture)

I got my Oscha RS from Oscha itself, Didy and Little Frog from Jars of Fluff[6], ErgoBaby from OG departmental store, and last but not least, Yaro from Slingo Mama.

Oscha

Among my collection, I have a soft spot for my Oscha Tian Ma because QW is born a horse (her Chinese horoscope) and Tian Ma is Oscha's wrap for the year of Horse. Hence, I bought this particular Oscha hoping to pass on as a legacy carrier in future.

My only regret? I did not buy the woven wrap version and Tian Ma wrap is currently out of stock. I got the RS back then because I was most comfortable with using RS at that point in time. It was also because I was not sure what my favourite woven wrap size is.

Sadly, I read somewhere in Babywearing Singapore Facebook group[7] that RS will not be very appropriate as legacy carrier because the seams might be compromised as time passes. So right now, I am just hoping that Oscha will produce another Tian Ma of a fabric blend which I want. Then, I will probably sell off the RS and get the woven wrap.

Probably because Oscha is quite an established company, the packaging is great as it comes with a tote bag and basic babywearing guide. I find the tote bag very convenient as it helps me locate my carrier easily in my rather messy diaper bag. The babywearing guide is a great read especially for new beginners.

Oscha packaging

Oscha tote bag

Anyway, Tian Ma Clove was hemp and pima cotton blend of about 235gsm. Not exactly soft out of box but I like it. Once broken, it feels silky smooth, glides easily but yet grippy enough to stay in place. Also, probably because it is a hemp blend, it is supportive and does not sag due to QW's weight.

Didymos
Didy packs their wraps and RS in a square box which comes with baby wearing instructions. Nice way of packaging but I feel that the box is less practical than Oscha's tote bag.

Many swear by Didymos. My personal experience with Didy has not been a smooth nor pleasant one. The two aspects I liked is the looks and feel of my Didymos Indio Aurora RS. Probably because it was made from organic cotton of about 210gsm, it was the softest out of box among my small woven wrap collection and very lightweight.

But like I have said, my journey with Didy has not been a pleasant one. In fact, it gave me the most headache. First off, I did not like its width. It is the shortest among my collection. I prefer longer width because I find it easier to create a deep seat when wrapping QW. A personal preference. Hence, Didy did not impress me with its width.

Left to right: Oscha, Didy, LF, Yaro
Didy is visibly shorter

Main part that really gets to me most is that this Didy is most prone to pull.

Small pull on Yaro

FYI, I do not go about hunting for pulls. What I usually do with my wraps is after wearing for about a week (if it did not get dirty earlier than that), I would wash and then iron. I do that mainly to reset the threads (and at the beginning, to break in) and wash away the sweat which the wrap absorbed over the week. It was during the time when I iron my wraps that I keep a lookout for pulls. Just a rough scan as I iron down the wraps' length.

I have been wearing my Oscha, Little Frog and Didy for roughly about the same duration. But, spotting pulls on my Didy has been easy. (Yeah, I am being sarcastic here.) Probably with a hit rate of around 50% chance. That really puts me off.

I was told that it is because Didy is loose (jacquard) weave. Well, my Yaro Sling (I was told) is also of loose weave. But for Yaro, I have only spotted pull once out of the many times which I had ironed it.

So, ya... I doubt I will get another Didy.

Period.

Yaro Sling
Yaro Sling was my first woven wrap. I read from sources[8][9] and hence bought the most conservative base size for a petite beginner. I could do my base size carries in it but I find the length too overwhelming for me. Size 5's 4.2m is too much for me to handle and it sweeps the floor as I prepare to carry QW.

Well, if you have read my other post "Motherhood: I Worry Excessively...", I am an OCD. I cannot imagine setting up a carry outdoor with the wrap sweeping the floor. Hence, Yaro is usually use when I am at home and needed to get some stuff done.

For those with a low budget, it is a reasonable wrap to get as Yaro's motto is to ensure that the price is reasonable for anyone wants a wrap to be able to own one. But perhaps because this Yaro is pretty new on the market (?) or that it is trying to bring down the cost, it does not come with babywearing guide and the packaging is very simple. Actually, it is just the wrap in a plastic bag.

It is the 2nd softest out of the box among my collection, 100% cotton and about 230gsm. True to the review by Wrap You in Love[10], it glides easily and yet is grippy enough to stay in place. Though it is longer than my LF by about 1 meter, it stills feel quite light in my hands (as compared to my LF). Another probable reason apart from its listed weight per square meter (gsm) could be that it is a loose weave. My Didy felt light as well when compared to Oscha or LF.

But, I personally do not feel that it is a beginner-friendly wrap because the whole wrap is of a single dominant colour. That makes it slightly difficult to differentiate the top rail from the bottom one. Hence, it might make it difficult for beginners as they may grab the wrong rail when wrapping.

Little Frog
LF comes in a plastic bag with babywearing guide like Oscha and Didy. Currently, my favourite is my shorty Little Frog Sunny Agate size 3. It is also 100% cotton, just like Yaro and Didy. Unlike Yaro and Didy, it is on the heavier side of about 240gsm and not loose (jacquard) weave. It is a denser broken twill. Hence, among the 3, I was shocked my its stiffness when I got it out of its plastic wrapping.

Luckily, it is not hard to break in this LF. Before I bought this LF, I usually depend on my RS for easy and quick ups and downs. That was why RS was my favourite choice of carrier for a long period of time. Perhaps because LF is of my favourite carry size, I usually will reach out for it even if I need quick ups and downs with QW nowadays.

One of the many aspects of LF that appeals to me is its rainbow stripes. It makes it very easier to differentiate top rail from bottom rail, thus making the wrapping easier. Also, it has a cooling feel to it every time I pick it up fresh from the wardrobe. Last but not least, it glides easily but yet is grippy enough and supportive. I had chosen it because it is said to be toddler-worthy. To me, that meant that it will not sag under the baby's weight.

ErgoBaby
I would say that the learning curve for ErgoBaby carrier is not a steep one. In fact, it is the easiest to use among my collection. Having said that, my hubby would be the one using ErgoBaby if it was used at all nowadays. As for me, I will reach out for my wraps and RS.

Why is that so? Firstly, I find ErgoBaby a little too warm for my liking. Secondly, the straps get in my way (even after I tied them up using the elastic bends). Last but not least, it is much more bulkier to bring out as compared to my wraps or RS. Last but not least, while my other wraps can be used from newborn to toddler, ErgoBaby requires an infant insert for babies less than 4 months or without good neck support. That infant insert looks VERY warm. Anyway, we did not buy the infant insert.


So, ranking them according to personal preference when I am out and about:

1. Little Frog Sunny Agate Size 3
2. Oscha Tian Ma Clove RS
3. Didymos Indio Aurora RS
4. ErgoBaby Travel Carrier
5. Yaro Turtle Light Blue Size 5

Before I end, psst... I have a handwoven 100% cotton wrap from Fibressence Wovens[11] and machine woven 50% cotton 50% linen Heartiness[12] Entho Blue on the way. So, the ranking might change. I will do another post again after I get a feel of those two.

Ssshhh, don't tell Richard that I have fallen down the rabbit hole. Well, I am paying out of my own pathetic freelancer pay. So, this is fuelling my motivation to grab more free lance jobs =P Oh, I should mention (by the way) that this blog post is my personal opinions on the carriers which I own (bought).

Hopefully by the next post on this topic, I will be able to say that I am out of the rabbit hole. I am very certain I won't try other types of carriers (Mei Tai, Stretchy wrap, etc.) So, I think that it is possible for me to be out (assuming I get my hands on the Oscha legacy wrap).

References:

1. Didymos
2. Slingo Mama - Yaro
3. Oscha Slings
4. Little Frog
5. ErgoBaby
6. Jars of Fluff
7. Facebook - Babywearing Singapore (Closed Group)
8. Fort Worth Babywearers - Babywearing Guide
9. Babywearing 102 - The Babywearing Glossary
10. Wrap You in Love
11. Facebook - FibrEssence Wovens
12. Facebook - Heartines

Motherhood: I Worry (Excessively)...

If you are genuinely concerned about my mental health after reading this article, I thank you for your concerns. If it is of any comfort, I am learning to let go. *Tunes from Frozen running through my head: *Let it go~ Let it go~..."* If not, I hope I have provided some humour for you.

I worry.

Excessively.

That's my hubby's conclusion. His usual lines to me lately are: "Relax.", "So what if xyz (undesirable event)? She will be fine.", "Then what you want to do?", etc.

So, what are my worries? Mostly about my adequacy as a parent or things which might affect QW's well being.

Could this be the so-call new parent syndrome? I doubt it because my hubby, who is also a new parent, is the exact opposite of me. An extremely cool parent.

I think it is just me... A natural worrywart...

But hey, at least I recognise it. That's a start to being more cool, right?

Anyway, my worry list is pretty long (and still growing). So, before I ended up writing a x million pages of my worries and bore you to hell, I will just share 5 of them here:

1. Insect (especially mosquito) bites. *Haha~!* 

Err... Did you laugh because you think this is a joke?

Not for me... *Sigh*

My imagination runs wild whenever I spot an insect bite mark on any part of her cute body: "Is it Aedes??? Chikungunya???", "Is it itchy??? Painful?"

Initially, I will stay up to "hunt" the insect (usually mosquitoes) down. That took a toll on me. I will be very drained the day after the Great (mozzie) Hunt due to lack of sleep.

Gosh! I sounded like the Helicopter Parent[1] (point 10). Eww... I really should kick this habit. I really want to be the Consultant *pout*.

2. I am an Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD).

Alright~ not the very extreme type that will take out a piece of tissue to wipe every tableware (including table) when I go out for a meal. I am those who will take a shower once I reach home even if I only went downstairs to buy a loaf of bread.

So, naturally?, I am worried whether the surrounding is clean enough for QW.

"Let her crawl on the carpet (in a shopping mall).", "I've seen babies crawling on factories' floor. Shall we?", "3-seconds-rule! I gotta quickly feed her that snack (which was dropped on the table or floor) before it's too late!"

Guess who said the above? You are probably right. My hubby said those.

I cringed every single time he said something along that line. I don't think I will overcome this anytime soon. It has been pretty much in-built for a looonnnggg time. *Sigh...*

3. "Let her fall. Then, she'll learn and grow up.", "Let her touch. She'll take her hands off if she feels that it's hot."

Ya. That's my hubby again. His opposite, that is me, is on the look-out to prevent QW from any form of injury. When the defence slackens (due to momentarily lack of focus) and QW falls onto cushioned ground, she would wail loudly because she is in shock from the fall. As for me? I will just be mulling in remorse as her siren goes off.

4. "Is she eating enough?", "But she doesn't open her mouth when she's being fed. How?", "Can she eat this or that?", "How much should she be eating now?"

That's me now. I always wonder whether QW is eating enough.

It does not help me to feel less worried by flipping books and asking doctors. Most of the suggested meal plans are written in gibberish to me as I cannot grasp how much 1 serving or 1 portion actually is. When I do understand the jargons, the portions suggested are way above what QW is consuming. Hence, my panic meter is always on the red alert.

I only felt better recently when I chance upon an article by ElloHello.com[2]. The website sounds shady? Maybe it is. But, the article used materials from Babycenter.com. That website is pretty reputable and trustworthy. Hence, I guess the article might be pretty dependable.

5. Initially, I would not check the ingredients of baby products. Why would I be anal about the usage of such products (for example, cold rub, Mopiko, prickly powder, etc.) when I have been applying and my parents had applied them on me liberally throughout my whole life?

I did become anal after reading an article posted on Singapore Baby[3]. It was an article on the side effects of the use of essential oils, ingredients in ointments (such as camphor) and ingredients in baby powder (such as talcum).

My bad. I should not have read it even if the title looked super attractive to me. On top of that, I do recall that especially when QW was under 1 year old, her paediatrician may at times advice us to let the virus run its course instead of prescribing medicine. That, to me, is a sign that there might be some truth in that Singapore Baby's article.

I shall end the list here. There you go, just the tip of the (worry) iceberg.

Do note that I am still working towards being more cool and less of a worrywart.

So please, don't catch the worry-bug from me...

References:

1. Love and Logic - Three Types of Parents
2. ElloHello.com - Is Your Child Eating Enough?
3. Singapore Baby - Five Everyday Household Substances That Can Kill Your Kids in Minutes

Motherhood: QW the Point-er

Yupz. QW points around... A LOT...

She points at everything and anything nowadays *Laughs*

It is as if she wanted to say, "Hey! You there!", "There! I wanna go there!", What's that thing?", etc.

It has been a while since I update her progress. As you can see, she is now officially the house point-er *lol* =P

She started off being pretty floppy. When she was on the bed before her 4th month, all she could was to lie flat facing up.

 Okay, she could do sideways too.

She did her first flip and turn when she was about 4 months old. Ever since she could flip/turn, we no longer need to turn her around for her daily doses of tummy time. She had been one hardworking and flying lady, doing many sets of tummy exercises on her own. Or should I call her the Ultra"Man"? *Haha~*

I tried to do her style of tummy exercise (1 set only) and she earned my respect immediately. Boy, that really sapped my energy! Super tiring!

That's why I am so tired mummy/daddy!
Let me take a nap first~

And, she learned to support her own weight.

Am I good or what?

This book looks interesting!

Hmm... Which milestone should I unlock next?

Perhaps sitting up or crawling?
Hee~ See "my" youthful hand?
Envy right? =P

Just as I was wondering whether she would sit up soon, she crawled first.

Look mummy/daddy, I can crawl now =)

Then, she learned to sit up.

Our little Kung Fu master~

Yippee!
I have unlocked so many milestones!

Next up, should be standing and walking. 

Oh, let me share that hubby was hoping that she would born with multiple eyelids like me (Ya... mine is not just double eyelids. It is many layers...). Instead, she got his (single eyelid). 

But, we noticed that whenever she wakes up from her nap/sleep, she HAS double eyelids (for that brief moment)!!!

I really have to thank my hubby for agreeing to let me a SAHM. It has been a joy witnessing her milestones thus far. But poor hubby gotta work harder =(

Can't wait to witness more of her milestones =) Grow~ QW grow~ =)

Motherhood: Love/Hate Feelings of Being a Stay-at-Home-Mum (SAHM)

3 months after the arrival of QW, I made the choice to be a housewife/home maker/ SAHM. For someone who had been in the work force for more than 10 years, it was a HUGE change.

Sample reactions (in Singlish aka Singapore-English) of those who got to know that I am a SAHM: "Wah, so shiok no need to work. Enjoy life at home.", "Envy you, got husband support you.", "Wah, you rich leh. That's why no need to work.", "Why don't leave her with your/his parents or at childcare?".

Some are concerned that I may develop depression due to boredom of staying at home. Err... thanks for the concern but SAHM does not mean I am rooted to the house and never go out. Still, I will heed your advice and stay sane by catching up with friends/pursue my hobbies/go out for walks etc.

Some envy me because I escaped from office settings. Other are envious because they think that I am damn filthy rich to be able to forgo my salary. There are also those who think that I will be damn free or I do nothing the whole day. Well, I can only say that life is always greener on the other side of the pasture.

If you think about it carefully, I am at my "work place" almost 24/7 and earn (if lucky) a 3-digits pay out of my freelance projects. If I am not breastfeeding QW, I am wiping the floor, doing the laundry, cooking, etc. How does that sound to you now?

By the way, thank you very much for asking, but I don't believe in leaving her in the hands of others (parents/childcare/maid, etc.). I know it's a norm/choice to send kids off to be taken care of by someone else nowadays. I made choice not to be part of the current norm of being a full-time working mother but an olden days' norm of being a SAHM.

My apologies if I offended anyone. But, why should I leave her in someone else's hands after making the choice to bring her to the world? Why should I miss out being one of the front row audiences of her milestones?

So, how do I feel now? Poor yet rich, good yet bad, secure yet insecure, love yet hate at the same time. Here are some of the reasons behind my conflicting feelings:

Love:

• We bicker communicate more since we are both at home (he mostly works from home).
• We get to witness QW's milestones together :)
• We get to capture moments/photos of QW which she will hate us for in future =P
• We have a higher chance of eating home cooked meals.
• We get to enjoy better working environment since I am around to do the house work.
• I can learn new things at my own pace and usually don't have to report my progress!
• I can pursue my own interests: baby wearing, blogging, cooking, etc.
• I can go on a holiday without waiting for boss's approval. Yippee!

Hate:

• We have A LOT LESS MONEY! *feeling very insecure financially* *crossing fingers that we won't get booted out of the house due to rising SIBOR!*
• I get to ogle at stuff more often since I have to watch my finances closely. Alright, it's more like I can't afford to buy most of the stuff which I used to.
• We gave up our car and the nearest bus stop is 5 mins away. Oh, that bus stop has only one bus and a night rider, with a typical waiting time of about 15 to 20 mins.
• People assume that he paid for our stuff *roll eyes* I am not a Tai Tai!!! and the diapers, rompers, etc. are paid out of my pathetic freelance pay.
• I get frustrated if I am not given me-time. VERY frustrated.
• I doubt my own market value.
• I think/feel that people dismiss my opinion because I am just a housewife.
• I still hate to do house work. Period. And there is no end to it! *Grrr...*

So before you sign up as housewife or agree to your wife being a housewife, be careful what you are in for.

All the best and have a great day/night ahead!

Motherhood: 10 Things a Breastfeeding Mother Should Do When Sick

Haven't been writing a lot lately because both QW and I are under the weather. Hence, this blog post.

If you are not feeling well, people would probably advise that you keep your distance from a baby/child so as not to spread the germs to them. That is generally advisable. But for breastfeeding mothers, it normally works a bit differently.

Here is what you should do if you are sick during your breastfeeding journey:

1. Continue to breastfeed - Yes, you are reading this correctly. Continue to breastfeed is normally the best defence/protection for babies[1][2]. If a breastfeeding mothers' is sick, her baby would have already been exposed to the same germs. When exposed to germs, our immune system spring into action and produce antibodies to fight them. So since the mothers' bodies have already mounted an attack on the germs, let the babies drink up that natural goodness to pass those antibodies contained in breast milk on to babies[3]! Having said that, there are exceptions (e.g. if a mother has chickenpox). So, do check with your pro-breastfeeding doctor if you are unsure.
2. Drink lots of fluid - Typical advice for anyone who is under the weather. Especially more so for breastfeeding mothers. Breast milk has high water content, which means it needs water to for its production. So drink it up, ladies~!
3. Eat healthily - Best way to build back your strength and help your body fight against the germs is to give it the fuel it needs. Hence, even if you do not have the appetite for anything, try to eat something and healthily. 
4. Rest well - Another typical advice even for non-breastfeeding sick ones is to ensure that he/she gets sufficient rest. 
5. Take breastfeeding friendly medicine - Give your body that extra helping hand to the road of recovery. But before you gobble those medicine down, check that it is breastfeeding friendly. If you visit your doctor, make sure you tell them that you are breastfeeding and ask them to prescribe breastfeeding friendly medicine. If you are buying your medicine over-the-counter, you can either check with the pharmacist in store, check online database or handphone app database[4].
6. Get support/help from family - So that the mother gets some rest and recover from the illness. Leave the house work to your family. Get them to help look after the baby. Just remind them to bring the baby back to you when the baby shows signs of wanting to be nursed.
7. Wear a mask - In other words, do not sneeze or cough on your baby. Germs are typically airborne or spread through secretions/contacts. Hence, minimise the chances of infecting your baby by wearing a mask.
8. Wash your hands frequently - Again, just another normal routine of minimising the chances of a sick mother passing on the germs on to her baby.
9. Limit face-to-face contact - Quote Lauren Sompayrac, author of How The Immune System Works "When a mother kisses her baby, she samples those pathogens that are on the baby's face. Those are the ones the baby is about to ingest ... B cells then migrate to the mother's breast where they produce just those antibodies that the baby needs."[5]. But when a mother is not feeling well, it is really not the time to kiss your baby. Let the breast do the job. 
10. Keep the room ventilated - So that the air quality would be good and minimise the chances of infecting your baby when he/she is being brought in for nursing.

Having said the benefits of breast milk, it is still not an elixir. It does not prevent/stop your baby from falling sick. So if your baby do fall ill, don't beat yourself up over it and/or think that there is something wrong or inadequate about your breast milk. Keep calm and latch on ;)

References:

1. Breastfeeding Basics - When a Nursing Mother Gets Sick
2. Babycenter - Is it Safe to Breastfeed if I'm Sick?
3. Ask Dr SEARS - Comparison of Human Milk and Formula
4. Kellymom - How Do I Determine if a Medication is Safe for Breastfeeding Mother?
5. Babycenter - Why Mothers Kiss Their Babies

Motherhood: Drool Pads for Baby Soft Structure Carrier

QW has been gnawing the shoulder straps of our Ergobaby carrier recently. Definitely one of the teething syndromes. I drool sometimes when I sleep (apologies for sharing such unglamourous information) and felt that the dried-up drool irritated my skin. True enough, I found articles on baby drool rash[1], i.e. baby's skin irritated by dried-up drool (e.g. on the shoulder straps).

So to prevent QW from developing drool rash, I have a few options:

1. wash the baby carrier,
2. roll a handkerchief around the shoulder strap (for her to gnaw) and wash only the handkerchief,
3. attach drool pads to the shoulder straps and wash only the drool pads,
4. don't use the baby carrier (just kidding), etc.

Out of the 4 options, I feel that washing the baby carrier every time she gnaws on it seems like a bigger project than the rest. Rolling a handkerchief seems a bit riskier as compared to drool pads because she may pull it off and drop it on the floor. When that happens, it is back to option 1. Option 4 is out. So, option 3 seems to be the better one.

Because I do not own a sewing machine at home (yet), I am unable to DIY drool pads[2]. Hence, I ordered (Yes, this is not a sponsored post) drool pads from a local seller, madewithlove[3]. Price wise, I feel it is reasonable and comparable to those sold in baby stores (such as Spring maternity). Plus point is that you get to personalise your own handmade drool pads.

So, I placed my orders for 2 pairs of single fabric drool pads on 28 Jan (there are also double fabric types[4]). On 30 Jan, she posted on Facebook that she would be using plain colour tags or make tags using cloth from the same fabric upon request for future projects. I guessed and confirmed that it is for the safety of babies because some tags had prints falling off from baby gnawing at them. Hence, I refined my orders on the same day.

Personally, I prefer to have tags because you get to hang things on them (such as baby toys, teether, rattle, etc.). It is handy to have things to keep QW entertained.

By 2 Feb, she took photos of the completed drool pads and updated me that the drool pads are ready. On top of that, she also sent me the photo of the package once she had it sent out. By 4 Feb, the drool pads were rolling around happily in my washing machine :)

The whole process was a very pleasant experience. I liked that she kept me updated of her progress (namely completion and posting of drool pads). Also, she is pretty efficient at getting the orders done.

One more plus point is that I felt like I paid half the price for them. Let me explain what I meant: For each pair of drool pads, I get to have one side with design I have chosen and the other side just plain colour. Hence, it felt like I am paying for 1 pair of drool pads but I get to use it in 2 ways. You get what I mean? Yes, the buttons are reversible.

Don't they look lovely?
Once they are washed and dried, it is time to put them to work.
Thanks Madewithlove~

References:

1. Babycenter - Drool Rash Treatment
2. Lu Bird Baby - Baby Sucking/Drool Pads for an Ergobaby Carrier Tutorial
3. Facebook - Madewithlove
4. Facebook - Madewithlove Double Fabric Design

Motherhood: Newborn Checklist

Personally, I find that some of the best ways to get hold of baby or newborn items are as follows (non-exhaustive):

• Hands me down from relatives
• Baby fair (usually at Suntec or Expo)
• Gifts received from when baby is delivered
• Gifts received during baby shower

Because you may receive gifts from others (relatives, friends, colleagues, etc.), I feel it might be helpful to share your list with them. Firstly, it helps them get things which you probably will use. Secondly, it saves them trouble thinking about what to buy for you. Thirdly, it saves everybody time from buying/receiving things which will most probably not be used. 

When planning what to prepare/buy for newborn, I seek help from Google. I found many websites that provide newborn checklist. Some items are listed as needs on one website, but wants on another. Eventually, you have to decide for yourself what is useful to prepare ahead of the baby's arrival, what can wait until baby is here and what you can give a miss.

Many websites provide the checklist with checkboxes by the side or with explanation why the items should be purchased. The list which I used was the one published by SingaporeMotherhood.com[1]. I like it because it has everything in one single editable page. Short and sweet. If you also find it useful, do download it and tweet according to your own liking.

I adjusted the document from SingaporeMotherhood.com to arrive at my own personal newborn checklist. As you can see, I strikeout items which I will not be purchasing. Some items (such as baby clothes, breast pump or bath tub) which I have received from others (relatives, friends or hospital) were indicated using G.  Items (such as diaper stackers and organisers) I have or can improvise from existing items were indicated using H.

I also did up a wish list for sharing purpose. Those on my wish list are also items on my personal newborn checklist. They are just items which are nice to have or I can afford to wait a while before I need them.

Wish list

Hope this sharing is of some help :) Have fun preparing for the arrival of your bundle of joy :)

Reference:

1. SingaporeMotherhood.com - Newborn Checklist

Motherhood: Sharing Baby Carriers Starter's Read

This post is just going to be a brief sharing of websites with regards to baby carriers which I came across and found useful.

Believe it or not, babywearing[1] is not as simple as just popping the baby carrier on and putting the baby in it. There are actually consultant giving babywearing lessons overseas. One whom I am following is Frisian mama in Germany[2].

I am actually glad that there are so many researches being done in this area because it concerns the development of our little ones. At the same time, it can be overwhelming for new parents like us.

For a start, the most crucial thing you need to be aware of is to ensure that the baby carrier is ergonomic. Your baby carrier should support the knee-to-knee or a.k.a. M position to avoid hip dysplasia[3].

You would probably know that are many baby carriers out in the market. Some which I have heard of are baby woven/stretch wraps (BW), mei tais (MT), ring slings (RS), soft structure carriers (SSC), pouch slings (PS), etc[4][5]. Here is their classification from what I gathered thus far:

I found out that selecting a baby carrier can be quite interesting and not a simple process as many factors/criteria[6][7] will affect your decision making process: For example, your little ones' weight(age) will affect the decision making process[8], personal preference, etc. Each has their pros and cons[9].

Some may even own more than one type of baby carrier. I am one of them. Fortunately for me, I am blessed with a RS and PS, I own a SSC and I am waiting for my first woven wrap to arrive.

At the current moment, I do not have a personal favourite. If I want both my hands to be free, there is a higher chance that I use SSC because it gives me the confidence to do so. But on the other hand, I do not find the waist band comfortable (especially when I sit down). If I am running a quick errand, I would probably use PS or RS because of its lightweight. I do use RS or PS when I head out for longer durations when hubby is around to be my helping hand.

Maybe the woven wrap will become my all time favourite because it is lightweight and (if wrapped properly) would probably give me the confidence of being hands free. For now, I am just waiting in anticipation~

References:

1. Babywearing International - What is Babywearing?
2. Wrap You in Love
3. International Hip Dysplasia Institute - What is Hip Dysplasia
4. Rucking Marvellous - Types of Slings
5. Facebook - Babyvibes: Types of Baby Carriers
6. BabyWearing Institute - Baby Carriers 101
7. Babywearing International - Choosing a Baby Carrier
8. Facebook - Babyvibes: Selecting the Most Suitable Carrier for Your Baby
9. Babywearing 102 - Beginner's Guide to Wraps

Motherhood: Nursing Bra Review

Material wise, since the size of the breasts fluctuate before and after nursing, I personally recommend nursing bras[1] made of cotton material (slightly elastic type) to accommodate the changing breast size. Also, cotton is a good sweat absorber, which is a big plus point given that Singapore is rather hot and humid at times.

Many would say that underwire[2] helps to support the breasts from going out of shape (or becoming droopy). But for nursing mummies, bras with no underwire would be better. This is because the pressure from the underwire and the rigidness of underwire bras may cause blocked milk duct which increases the risks of getting mastitis.

This review will not be comparing brands of nursing bras. Rather, it will mainly be on the following three types of nipple access that I have tried: the full drop cup, the window opening and the movable flaps without hooks/clasps.

Full drop cup

First of all, we have a type of nursing bra whereby the whole flap/cup will drop down to reveal the whole breast once the hook/clasp is unclipped. Since the whole cup of the bra drops down to allow your baby to access the nipple for nursing, I think that is the reason for its name: the full drop cup.

The hooks/clasps take a bit or practice before you can clip/unclip them smoothly. In most nursing position, this full drop cup is pretty easy to use. But if you nurse in the lying position, the cups may shift out of place. So, you may have a situation whereby baby latches on to one nipple while the other nipple (or even the whole breast) is exposed. This may be of slight inconvenience especially if you leak during a let down. But the pros of this bra is since it exposes the whole breast, you get more skin-to-skin surface with your baby as he/she nurses.

Personally, because the cups may shift out of position, I feel the support for the breasts provided by this type of nursing bras is not as strong as the next two types.

Window opening

Next, the window opening which only exposes the nipple for your baby to latch on. Unlike the full drop cup, this type of bras do not shifts out of place as easily (hence unlikely to expose the other nipple which your baby is not latched on).

My personal experience with QW, when she was at least 5 months old, was that she started entertaining/distracting herself by "pulling" and "snapping" my bra as she nursed. So, I guess it is a cheaper baby distractor than those nursing necklaces sold during the baby fairs.

The cons about this kind of opening is it may get in the way of your baby's mouth when the bra shifts out of place if you nurse in the lying position.

Moveable flaps without hooks/clasps

Last but not least, the sleep bras that do not have hooks/clasps. Similarly to the window opening type, the sleep bras do not shift out of place easily too. The great thing is that they look like sports bra. So if you do not live with your elders, you may opt to wear the sleep bra with a shorts on those very humid and hot days, and yet not run the risk of being sued for public nudity ;)

By the way, I stick the breast pads (both disposable ones and washable ones) on the flap to absorb any leaking for all three types of nursing bras. Sticking the breast pads also help to hide the nipple if you are wearing tight fitting tops.

There are nursing mummies out there who may not wear nursing bra. Instead, they wear camisole/spaghetti strap top/sleeveless T-shirt/tank top or cotton bra with neck holes or cups that are easy to fold/push down. When nursing, they just pull down to allow their babies access to the nipple.

I did try the $9.90 nursing bras from OG but preferred the Kelly bras from.Fabulous Moms carried by Eugenesella[3] eventually because of quality issues. But why Eugenesella? For the same brand of nursing bras, it seems that Eugenesella sells it at a more reasonable price (typically around $1 to $2 cheaper). Also, their delivery is pretty fast. Last but not least, one of the sellers is a nursing mummy. So, her testimonials attracted me quite a bit.

The cheapest nursing bra I have heard of costs $4.90 from Giant. I have yet to try those because I am worried about the quality. Have you tried and have good feedbacks for these $4.90 nursing bras from Giant?

Do you have any good and cheap nursing bra to recommend? We all know that periodically changing bras is a good hygiene practice. So, do leave a comment as many will benefit from your recommendations :) Thanks in advance!

References:

1. Wikipedia - Nursing bra
2. Wikipedia - Underwire bra
3. Qoo10 - Eugenesella