Preparing for the little one - part3

We finally had a bright and sunny Saturday today!
Haven't had one of these in a looooooooong time!
It's been raining so much the past 3 - 4 months.
Mother Earth is sick :(

Anyways, today was all about washing (laundry).

Since Mr. Sun was out all day, we put the little one's full bumper and sheets etc out in the sun all afternoon.

We also (finally) picked out 2 new milk bottles (to, yes, standby) for feeding, and i got down to washing them, together with the other 10-odd milk storage bottles donated by a gf. And i gave the breast pump a good clean as well. This is on loan. Until we determine how much milk i have :p

*The 2 milk bottles for feeding are Pigeon's. Again, we are falling back on what we are most familiar with. We picked out

• a 120ml Slim Neck Peristaltic Nipple Nursing Bottle [PP Bottle/ BPA Free]
• a 160ml Slim Neck Peristaltic Nipple Nursing Bottle [PPSU Bottle/ BPA Free]

*The breast pump is a Medela Pump In Style Advanced (PISA). Looks very cool. Did a quick bit of reading about the various pumps available and this seems like a mighty good one. Dr. recommends this too. Will see how it works out for us when i actually start using it.

Oh! And i got down to buying a Munchkins Deluxe Drying Rack.

And the bright pink basket/container thingy you see in here, to separate baby's washed bottles/teats etc from everything else.

Ah...... we're finally getting somewhere.
I think.
:)

I am very, VERY upset.

 For the first time in almost 15 years, i got myself something from Buy-And-Throw-Away.

In size 8 no less!!!

All because my lovely, lovely feet decided to swell up in the FINAL leg of my pregnancy.

Up by 3 sizes!!!

-______________-

I repeat, I am very, VERY upset.

yet another "heart-attack worthy" episode

moving into week 35 soon.

the little one's movements are probably at her highest/biggest these days.

she tends to give me some awfully hard jabs now.

but after last week's scare, i'm really not complaining.

better to be able to feel and see baby's movements right?

goodness!

last week!

where do i begin?

i woke up for a drink of water at 230am one night.

got my drink from the kitchen.

somewhere between the kitchen and our bedroom, i fainted.

totally blacked-out.

cos the next thing i knew, i felt immense pain in my face - forehead and nose. i had a huge blueblack there for a good part of last week.

i heard hubs calling out to me.

then he was trying to help me up.

i had fallen at the entrance of our bedroom.

he found me on my back.

the parents come running out from their room as well.

apparently i kind of crashed to the floor.

imagine a baby elephant falling.

ttttttttthhhhhhhhhhhuuuuuuuuuuuuddd!!!

we all freaked out!

right off, i think we all feared for the little one. 

"was i hurt? is there blood?"

i think my heart nearly stopped then.

THANK GOD!!! there was no sign of blood anywhere.

but right away we tried talking to the little one and feeling desperately for her movements in my belly.

not getting any immediate reaction, it left hubs and i sleepless the rest of the night.

at 6-ish, we texted dr. tracey and was told to go into the clinic right away.

what followed were a series of tests at the clinic, then at the hospital.

CTGs.

Heartscans.

another day of tests.

and then another.

...

...

...

today we still can't figure out how and why exactly i fainted and fell.

all we know is God is good.

He was looking out for us.

hubs says it was the hand of God that held and supported us as i fell back.

i can't help but agree so.

Thank You Lord, for blessing mother and child.

we're doing ok now.

a few more weeks to go.

Preparing for the little one - part2

I ended the first entry on our efforts to prepare for the little one quite abruptly the other day :p
Ha! 
Let's try to pick up where i left off...

So dr. tracey started asking if we were done with shopping for baby about 3 weeks ago.
me: errmmm... no?
dr.: what are you waiting for! please get your shopping done before CNY!

Between then and now, we really have made an effort with preps. 
Still, when we look/see/hear of what other parents-to-be do............ sigh.


Infant milk powder/ Formula milk
What we have prepared:
None for now. BUT, this is not because we didn't bother :p
Dr. has advise we hold off buying any until the little one is born and we can more or less determine how much breastmilk i can give. If baby latches on well and my flow of breastmilk suffice for the first 3 - 4 months, all is good. We can explore the different formula milk powders available in the market at a later stage.
Dr. has given us her 2cts worth on the ones she recommends - Enfalac and Similac.
We'll keep that in mind :)

What others have prepared:
Tins of infant milk powder from various brands. To standby.
Some even explore options such as goats' milk and soy milk.
Me? I know nothing about these 'options' that are available.
*gulp. will think about that when the need does arise.


Baby's nursery/bedding
What we have prepared:
We have the babycot! We do! And the most basic of bedding requirements tOOooooo :)
Will put in a separate entry on that. 
We had NO IDEA it took so much search and research to get the little one's first bed right.

What others have prepared:
Given the very VERY limited space we have - it's gonna be us 3, living out of a tiny room for the next 2 years or so, we cannot and did not entertain any thoughts on getting a bassinet/ crib/ playpen etc etc etc.
Some friends i know are lucky enough to have space (oh, and moolah) for a crib for their baby's first few months, a cot in their master bedroom, a playpen for dayuse in the living hall......
Oh, and the range of bedding accessories available in the market!!!
I thought all we really needed was an infant pillow. seriously. the baby is too small for bolsters and blankets and whatnots. right? 
But, check these lovelies out!
Baby bedding @ Pupsik Studio
Baby blankets @ Piccolo House
And the beautiful things out there for those who can afford to set up an entire nursery for baby!!! I shan't even go into that now :( oOOOOoooooh i can't wait to actually have our house ready and the little one gets a room of her own.


For baby's bath time!
What we have prepared:
Ok, this we are abit more prepared. I think.
We know the bathtub's gonna come from Mt. A cos it says so in the Hospital's pre-admission mail to us.
For baby wash/ lotion/ oils etc etc etc, we are turning to the brands we grew up with, and so are most familiar with to start us off - Johnson, Kodomo and Pureen.
IF the need arises that we have to explore other options in future, well...... we'll think about it then.

What others have prepared:
I salute those new parents/ parents-to-be who go all out to look for "the best" baby wash for their little ones. All that participating in forums and trying to get samples etc. Takes alot of effort (time!). And money too! Cos some of these "best" products are not available off the shelfs in our supermarkets. Ordered online and sent over from DownUnder/ U.S.
Us two? We keep our fingers crossed what we get readily from NTUC/ Kiddy Palace suits our little one just fine :p


Will stop here now cos i want to kick back and admire my dancing belly!
More on that another day.

(baby) bellydancing

darling precious baby, i honestly wished there was a way to record/ video how my belly is "dancing" these days when you move inside mummy.

the "waves" you create...... anyone paying attention to mummy's belly will be amazed how you move :)

it all feels so very magical.

these days your movements are so much bigger and prominent, your daddy no longer has to stare ages or place his hands on my tummy forevaaaaaa to wait for your movements :p

you entertain us day and night with your dances and waves now.

bet you'll be quite the little entertainer in future baby girl!

happy week 34 precious!

blue/ blacks

*sniff sniff

the things i have to subject myself to......

for baby.

a series of blood tests which started off like this ---

tiny pricks.

to these ---

both right & left arms.

finally at night when the plasters are removed ---

blue/ black!!! 

omg i look like i've been badly pinched/ hit/ damaged :(

poor mummy.

i love breadsss

Hubs & i have a new "love" :)

The heavenly bakes from Donq Bakery at Takashimaya - B2.

Their breads are sOOooo fluffy soft and smell absolutely incredible when fresh from the oven...

They are generous with their samples (oh yes, we noticed each time we are there that their sample platters attract hoards of flies aunties who stand around eating piece after piece w/o actually buying anything)...

Their staff (the ones we're encountered) are a friendly bunch...

But seriously, it's the lovely, LOVELY bakes that just make me walk that extra bit to go get their goodies :)

Ooooooh! Just thinking about that loaf with raisins and chocolate croissants we had makes my mouth water again =P

YUMSSSss!

*lookie here! their spinach and red cheddar i adore!!

happy birthday my love...

my darling hubs,

may our good Lord shower you with blessings of love, warmth, happiness & good health... all the days of our lives.

yours, me.