My 2018 In Review

I reviewed my 2017 by the end of Jan 2018 wtf hahaha. It's on the 28th of Jan, 2018, to be exact. So as to not to repeat it again, Imma pen down my 2018 in review before the year ends.

Everything started out pretty well this year. With a new job and a few exciting plans in sight, 2018 seems to be promising. I did have a lot of great moments and good times of course, but I guess it's only normal for the road to be a little bumpy along the way before reaching the end.

So this year, what happened?

1. Charlotte started attending kindergarten

I have to say, I am so so so proud of her and her progress this year. From dashing into her classroom without looking back on her first day of school to her nagging she wants to go to school every. single. day. This girl is just simply amazing. She has also learned a lot and her ability to learn amazed me. During teacher-parents-meeting, the teacher commented that she's a bright and independent student. I could not be any prouder.

2. I became one of Dove DermaSeries Ambassadors

Somewhere early this year, I stumbled upon a post on Facebook. The poster was posting on behalf on her undisclosed client, looking for "real women with real skin problem". I submitted a few pictures of my right hand with cracked skin. A few weeks later, I was called for casting and was being interviewed. The next thing I know, I was shortlisted as one of the ambassadors for Dove's new product - Dove DermaSeries. You can read more here.

It was definitely an unforgettable experience, doing photo shoots and video ad. It gave me a taste of what goes behind the scene of a short 1 minute video. There's definitely a lot of hard work just to catch that one photo and that few scenes that made the cut into the video. You can watch the ad here.

3. I became a breastfeeding counselor.

I remember when I started breastfeeding as a new mom, I hit every corner and suffered for 60 days. Luckily, "Grit" is my middle name wtf. And thanks to Gina, I got every help I ever needed. After I got it right, it has been a smooth-sailing journey ever since. If only I could be more resourceful and understand the importance of attending a breastfeeding course before the baby arrives, that sorrowful 60 days would not even happened. So when Gina announced the opening of TBAN Breastfeeding Counselor Course, I quickly sign myself up.

I've completed the course and all the compulsory assignments and I'm happy to say that I'm now a certified TBAN Breastfeeding Counselor.

4. I went on 2 (semi) solo vacations.

Not entirely solo la but was rather just with Emmett, without Charlotte and the husband. The first trip was to Pulau Redang to surprise Peggy and to celebrate her engagement. It was really just a surprise trip as we were there for only 2 days 1 night. It didn't went really well for me because Emmett was down with RSV. But the surprise was successful so ok la mission accomplished. The second one was with Peggy and Joan to Bangkok. I blogged about it here → Part 1, Part 2 & Part 3.

I am honestly really grateful to my husband for allowing me to do these 2 semi-solo trips. These trips gave me a little breather, though still doing mummy duty.

5. Emmett was admitted to hospital. Twice!

Like I said, he was already not feeling well before we headed to Pulau Redang. Turns out he contacted RSV. I blogged about our first encounter here. The second time was in October due to accute bronchiolitis. Sigh what to do. Both Charlotte and Emmett have weak lungs just like me. Emmett had it worse than Charlotte, though. I got better from all the respiratory sickness around 9~10 years old so the doctor said that my kids will probably be the same. I hope they grow out of it sooner, though.

6. I learned how to put my foot down and walk away from unfair circumstances.

You see, I had 2 young adult students who've been attending my class for close to 3 years. I charged them below market rate and I've not increase my fee throughout the time they engage me. Lately, I felt being taken for granted. They would cancel class without prior notice and expect replacement. Let me show you an example.

Last minute cancel class and ask for replacement without seeking for my permission or at least discuss with me first. I was mad because it's not the first time they've done so.

To be fair, I did not implement on them what I'd usually do when students cancel class and I've been offering replacement out of courtesy because when they first came to me, they were only 19 and they looked keen in learning as they also pay out of their own pocket. So they thought they're entitled to a replacement for every class they cancel. Once, they accumulated 4 absences, and decided among themselves to not pay me the following month's fee as my compensation for them without discussing with me.

I got so so upset and told them off, questioning their courtesy and if they've ever thought of the bills I need to pay for my kids.

What happened last week ticked me off and I decided that enough is enough.

After almost 3 years, their England is still Error 404 sigh.

They told me that they decided to go to a learning center that provides "linguistic examination and certificate" to continue learning English. I gladly let them go.

Best of luck to them.

7. I've learned to accept and do what I feel is comfortable for myself.

For the longest time, I've been shadowed by this huge green monster named Jealousy. I would be envious when I see people going on trips, afford to buy expensive things, and do simple things that I myself wish to do, like eating nice Japanese food (read: sashimi and burnt cheesecake). Somehow this year, I sorta kinda made peace with it and feel less bad about myself. Maybe it's because as a mother of 2, I don't have time for that kind of shitty feelings anymore. Or maybe, I have a couple of goals to hit in 2019 and 2020, hence, I've shifted my focus to somewhere else. I do still feel it when that monster is trying to take over me but the feeling is more subtle now. Whatever it is, I hope to be fully at peace with myself. I'll take it easy, one day at a time.

Overall, 2018 has been pretty good. I'm looking forward to 2019 already!

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3 Things I Always Look For in A Diaper

I remember when I was still pregnant with Charlotte, getting ready for the baby was something pretty overwhelming. Especially when it comes to choosing diapers. With so many options, it’s difficult to know where to start and what to buy.

But now, as a mother of 2, after exploring my fair share of diapers, I've concluded that these 3 things are the utmost important in a diaper.

1. No Leaking
That's like the No. 1 rule in a good diaper, isn't it? Charlotte and Emmett had their fair share of diaper leakage and it's really frustrating to have to wake up in the middle of the night to change the bed sheet. In order to avoid leakage, the diaper has to fit just right.

2. Comfortable
I like the diapers I buy to feel comfortable to my touch. That's probably the only way to make sure my baby will be as comfortable as possible. Besides that, the diaper has to have super absorption so that the baby's bum bum won't be sitting in moisture, making it easy on the skin as the skin stays dry and comfortable.

3. Price
To me, the price has to be on point. While safety and comfort are important, the cost of diapers is equally important to consider as well.

That being said, I'm glad that to introduce the New Rapid Absorb Huggies® Dry Pants, Malaysia's Fastest Absorbing Diaper Pants. It has all the criteria I look for in a diaper.

The New Rapid Absorb Huggies® Dry Pants' unique Rapid Absorb Technology incorporates 1,000 micro holes for instant absorption. Not only does it absorb faster than any other diaper pants in Malaysia, it locks wetness in to keep baby’s skin dry.

The New Rapid Absorb Huggies® Dry Pants also get the best fit for baby with enhanced stretch and elasticity. They’ve specially designed Huggies® Dry Pants to fit comfortably in 5 areas: waist at tummy, waist at back, both legs and crotch.

Watch the video below to see how fast absorbing Huggies® Dry Pants is as compared to other brand.

Now, you can get Huggies® Dry Pants from Lazada. Just click HERE to make your purchase now!

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Puteri Harbour Attractions Welcomes Families and Children for a Family Fun Weekend!

This school holidays, families can pack their bags and head over to Puteri Harbour Attractions, who plays host to Astro’s first-ever Fun Escapade event outside of the Klang Valley! This much-anticipated annual family event features two whole days of jam-packed concerts and meet-and-greet sessions with beloved characters such as Didi & Friends, Omar & Hana and Cam & Leon among others, as well as games for the whole family on Saturday and Sunday, 15 and 16 December 2018 at SANRIO HELLO KITTY TOWN and THOMAS TOWN!

“We are very excited to collaborate with Astro to bring the Fun Escapade-Johor Special Appearance to Puteri Harbour Attractions this year. Our goal at Puteri Harbour Attractions is to always create a line-up of engaging and experiential activities for the whole family to enjoy – and this event is the perfect fit. This is also in line with our “Come Out and Play” campaign which encourages kids to re-imagine fun and play, while spending quality time with their families,” said Philip Whittaker, Chief Executive Officer - Integrated Theme Parks & Attractions ("ITPA") of Themed Attractions Resorts and Hotels Sdn Bhd.

Those who purchase this special Family Fun weekend packages (Play4Fun Family Package at RM418 or Fun2Play Twin Package at RM269) from http://www.kidxy.com/puteriharbour can enjoy a wonderful variety of exclusive musical extravaganzas showcasing popular characters like Omar & Hana, XTY Tong Tong, Cam & Leon as well as Didi & Friends and receive special Fun Escapade Passports to participate in 15 brand new activities within SANRIO HELLO KITTY TOWN and THOMAS TOWN.

In addition to this, families will also be getting exciting limited edition Fun Escapade merchandise, retail, food and beverage, and photo print vouchers.

“We are excited that Fun Escapade is making its first special outstation appearance in Johor in collaboration with Puteri Harbour Attractions. Fun Escapade has been a great success since its debut in 2014. We are especially pleased that we are bringing this fun-filled family event to Johor, thanks to our valued partner Puteri Harbour Attractions. During this holiday season, this is a great way to spend quality family time with loved ones,” said TH Chong, Group Director of Media Sales of Astro.

Alternatively, tickets can also be purchased at Puteri Harbour on the day of the event. For more information, please visit www.kidxy.com/puteriharbour or call 1 300 88 FAMILY (326459).

# # #

About THEMED ATTRACTIONS RESORTS & HOTELS SDN BHD

Themed Attractions Resorts & Hotels Sdn Bhd is an investment holding company incorporated to develop, manage and operate hospitality and attraction destinations. Established by the Malaysian Government’s strategic investment fund, Khazanah Nasional Berhad, TAR&H serves as a catalyst for the leisure and tourism industry by bringing premier world-class hotels, resorts, golf courses and attractions to the region.

Its current key investment portfolio comprises Desaru Coast – a premium integrated destination resort, LEGOLAND® Malaysia Resort - the sixth LEGOLAND in the world and the first in Asia, KidZania Kuala Lumpur & KidZania Singapore - an indoor family education and entertainment centre, Puteri Harbour Retail Precinct – a quay side lifestyle retail and family entertainment complex, SANRIO HELLO KITTY TOWN – the first of its kind outside of Japan, Thomas Town – an indoor theme park that features the famous Thomas & Friends® characters on multiple themed rides and Hotel Jen Puteri Harbour at the luxury waterfront of Puteri Harbour, Iskandar Puteri, along with the award winning The Datai Langkawi and the first Els Club in Southeast Asia – The Els Club Malaysia, located in two stunning destinations – The Els Club Teluk Datai and The Els Club Desaru Coast.

Working with renowned global and local partners and brands, TAR&H aims to be the leading Leisure & Tourism Group bringing world-class destinations to South East Asia, creating over 15,000 jobs.

About Astro

Astro Malaysia Holdings Berhad (Astro) is Malaysia’s leading content and consumer company in the TV, OTT, radio, digital and commerce space with growing ASEAN presence. The company serves 23 million individuals in 5.6 million households, or 76% of Malaysian households, 16.9 million weekly listeners on radio, 7 million unique visitors on our digital platforms and 1.5 million shoppers on Go Shop.

Astro Fun Escapade is a yearly event for families to enjoy engaging performances, activities and games during the school holidays. It brings families together where Parents & children have the privilege to meet & greet beloved cartoon characters such as Didi & Friends, Omar & Hana, Cam & Leon and many more characters live in person! Furthermore, they get to redeem exclusive limited edition premium merchandize.

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My Girls' Trip to Bangkok with One Child - Part 3

As you've read from Part 1 and Part 2, you could see that Emmett and I endured flight delays. Twice!

2 hours delayed when we depart to Bangkok and blardy 6 hours delayed when returning to Kuala Lumpur FOL. We're supposed to reach Bangkok around 8pm local time and I wanted to walk around exploring the place we stay for some much craved local food but unfortunately we only manage to touch down around 11pm local time. I didn't even get to take my in-flight meal cause Emmett was exhausted and still not feeling well then, so he was crying almost 60% of the time sigh. And can you imagine being stranded at the airport for 6 blardy hours!? Some more Don Muang airport is nothing like KLIA or KLIA 2. There's no restaurant or cafe to sit around and wait, no live entertainment, no Family Mart, nothing! This flight delay made me appreciate our airports a lot more now.

To be fair, the flight delays were due to the bad weather in KL as it was raining heavily. While I appreciate that they're doing it due to safety precautions but honestly, all those time spent on waiting could be put into doing something more productive, like eating good and cheap Thailand street food wtf.

Food is another issue for Emmett. If you've been to Bangkok, or any part of Thailand, you'd know that most of the food there are just not suitable for kids. They're either spicy, sourish or too sweet. Besides that, Bangkok is just basically not baby/ toddler friendly.

Joanne and Peggy with a chairless Emmett taking a wefie at a roadside stall while I erm went to buy more food lol.

I understand if there's no baby chair at food stalls on the street. But not even in a well-known shopping plaza's food court? There was also a restaurant that we visited that provides high chair, literally. That high chair, though, has no food tray and the openings on the sides are wide enough for a toddler to slip through and fall.

This is the said high chair. I had to hold on to him with one hand while eating with another. Motherhood is the mother in training to be a multitasking master wtf.

The glamorous reality of motherhood wtf.

So how did Emmett and I survive it all?

Baby-wearing & Breastfeeding.

I know I've said this too many times but baby-wearing and breastfeeding are life-savers for mothers (and babies).

By baby-wearing Emmett, I got to do a looooot of things.

I can start our day early even though the little one was still sleepy. 

走错路 under the hot sun wtf.

I can commute around in LRT (oh and climb up flights of stairs to reach the station).

Have our checklist checked without compromising his nap time.

Shop till we drop, literally. 

Selfie happily before knowing that we would be stranded at the airport for 6 farking hours.

And as for his food, well, he's either eating something non-spicy and non-sourish, sanwiches from 7evelen or got his tummy filled by visiting the breastaurant.

Said breastaurant a.k.a. walking-food-vending-machine lol.

With 2 kids now, I really cannot stress enough how baby-wearing and breastfeeding have helped me to survive it all while raising them. I mean, I know I can still enjoy my time in Bangkok even if I bring a stroller or bottle feeding Emmett. It's just that I know that it will take extra effort to get things done and be on the move.

That's the end of my posts for this remarkable Bangkok trip. Thanks again, Peggy and Joanne, for allowing me to tag along. And most importantly, thank you hubby, for agreeing to take care of Charlotte and allowing me to make this trip happened.

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My Girls' Trip to Bangkok with One Child - Part 2 (FOOD!)

Read Part 1 HERE.

This trip to Bangkok consists of 3 girls (and an infant lol) flying in from 3 different airports at 3 different time.

I flew in first. Peggy was the next to reach (she arrived around mid night) and then Joanne flew in from Singapore the next day. I think this sounds amazing enough haha.

But we all have two purposes in common - to eat and to shop. 

There's no itinerary specifically planned out for this trip but Imma share what are some of the food that I'm glad we had.

1. Nhong Rim Klong (ร้าน หน่องริมคลอง)

Nhong Rim Klong - Thai Food By A Canal

Nhong Rim Klong (ร้าน หน่องริมคลอง) is located about 50 meters from the corner of Ekkamai and Soi 21, almost all the way to Petchaburi, rather than Sukhumvit.

The street food stall sits literally over the top of the canal — the kitchen is perched on the bridge, and the tables of seating run down the left side of the street food stall.

We had pad kee mao crab, tom yum seafood, salted fish fried rice and crab omelet. 

pad kee mao crab

tom yum seafood

salted fish fried rice

crab omelet

As an egg lover, needless to say, my favourite of all is the crab omelet. It is an absolute must-have when you are here. Generous chunks of crab meat were hidden in this thick, fluffy omelette that was fried to a nice golden-brown on the outside, and yet was still moist and spongy inside.

This picture doesn't do any justice but still, look at that gorgeous!

We're glad to be there early before the crowd builds up. When we left, there was already a queue by the roadside under the hot sun. You've been warned.

Address: Ekkamai Soi 21, Khlong Tan Nuea, Kate Wathana, Bangkok, Thailand

Phone: +66 86 044 9478

Opening Hours: Mondays to Saturdays: 8.30am to 4pm, closed on Sundays.

2. After You Dessert Cafe

This. Is something you should never ever missed if you have a sweet tooth like me.

We saved this for the last day but Joanne was not feeling well so she went back to our Airbnb after we had our breakfast together. So it was just me and Peggy and I die die must eat before leaving Bangkok cauase... HELLO!? Must understand what all the hype is about kan!?

Anyway, as I said, since we just had our breakfast, not knowing if we can really finish everything so we ordered their signature honey toast and Hojicha kakigori in baby size. Honestly, I wasn't expecting much and I thought it would be something similar to our own KAKIGŌRI.

But I was so wrong. It is nothing similar to it. This is way way waaaaaaayyyy better than I expected.

Camera eats first. Always.

The toast was buttery, soft and aromatic. And the hojicha kakigori was soooooo fine and smooth it melts in your mouth! I don't really enjoy shaved ice that has that crunch so this is totally my kind of kakigori. I wished I'd ordered the regular size cause I could totally finish it up. I would even order the Thai Tea kakigori if time (and my stomach) would allow.

The cream on top of the kakigori looks so cute!

There are a lot of branches around Bangkok. You can click HERE to find out more. You're welcome.


3. Inter Restaurant

A friend of ours who's currently working there brought us to this place where it was previously full of local diners only. But now as they're getting more famous, it's now one of the check-in places for tourist. And we're one of them hahahaha.

Green Curry & Tom Yum Kung

Deep fried chicken wings

Deep fried chicken skin

Pad Thai

I had my green curry craving fixed here. My second favorite dish would be the deep fried chicken skin. It's sinfully tasty. 

Find out more HERE.

4. Som Tam Nua

It was our (official) first meal in Bangkok. We went there after she had 还愿 and walked many 冤枉路. So whatever was put on the table was irresistible.

Fried chicken wings, mango salad and Tomsep Kadook On Moo soup

Ordered the rice for Emmett but....

Emmett tertidur

Some more I was seated in a chair without back support yum gong!

He woke up after we're almost done with our food so ok la I got to put down my burden him in a high chair and felt less guilty cause I got to stuff some food in his little tummy hahahaha.

Address: 392/14 Soi Siam Square 5, Rama 1 Road, Bangkok
Tel: +66 (0) 22 51 4880

5. Peggy and Joanne went to Jeh O Chula for this ↓

Picture taken from the internet

I was not there cause I have mom duty I didn't want to jeopardize Emmett's bed time as he was just recovering from flu and cough. They went there around 10pm and if I'm not mistaken, they queued for about 1.5 hours (you've been warned again!). They said that they would do it again so I guess that tells how good the food is. Ok la to be fair, they did da bao 香肠肉干 for me and it was nice after reheating it in the microwave the next morning so I considered this checked lol.

Address: 113/1 Thanon Charat Mueang, Rong Mueang, ( opposite to Chula soi 16) Bangkok

---------------------------------------

We also went to Peace 和 oriental teahouse and Cafe Bora Thailand. But they can't beat After You so I'm not gonna mention much about them. Click on the links to find out more if you're really interested. Of course, we had street food like Pla Pao (Roasted fish), mango sticky rice, pork sausage and etc. I don't think I need to specifically introduce. Just find one on the street that you 对眼缘 will do ;)

Pla Pau out side of Platinum Mall

That's all! It's 2.30am as I'm typing this and my stomach is drumming.
I don't understand why I'm doing this to myself.

Part 3 will be How I survived it all with a kid! 

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My Girls' Trip to Bangkok with One Child - Part 1

I have to be honest, I've been longing for the day to be free from breastfeeding and go on a vacation without the kids. I mean, I've been breastfeeding for 42 months and counting. I know there are people who've been breastfed for 10 years cause erm they have 4 kids (or more!) but I'm pretty sure I'm good with just 2. For good.

To be fair, I breastfed Charlotte for almost 3 years, and I don't think Emmett is ready to wean off yet. So since breastfeeding is not ending anytime soon, I don't mind going on a vacation and still breastfeeding lol wth am I talking about.

Anyway, it was in March this year when I went to Redang for Peggy's surprise proposal, a mutual friend, Joanne, told me about their trip to Bangkok in November. I buay paiseh-ly asked if I could tag along. I'm pretty sure my face looked like this.

Of course they said yes hahaha.

Initially I wanted to bring both kids along cause mom guilt wtf. To cut the long story short, in the end it was just me and Emmett against all the farking delayed flights. 

We ALMOST couldn't make it for the trip because Emmett's flu was back and he has a difficult time breathing and sleeping the night before. I rush him to the doctor first thing in the morning and boy I was furious. Trust me when I say that I was in so much anger thinking that we might not be able to make it cause I SO need my time away to re-charge.Thankfully after a round of neb, he was breathing much better. Doctor also gave us the green light to go and reminded me to pack all the medication just in case. 

Emmett and I while waiting at the airport.

And so we made it! The flight delayed for 2 hours plus due to the bad weather and Emmett just just kept crying and whining and vomiting 70% of the time because he was still not feeling well but WE SURVIVED! We reached Don Meung airport around 11pm (supposedly 8pm local time). 

After we reached our Airbnb, I quickly got both of us wash down and ready for bed. Emmett slept through the night and I got to rest well, too.

Stay tuned for Part 2. 

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New Breastfeeding Counselor At Your Service

I've just completed a 4-days-weekend course conducted by the sifus (read: admins) of The Breastfeeding Advocates Network (TBAN) about breastfeeding counselling. Even though I've been breastfeeding my kids for 3 years plus now, there're actually a lot of things that I didn't know about breastfeeding.

I have friends and family who've came to me asking for advise or help when they wanna kick start their breastfeeding journey but there's only so much I know from my own experience. After attending this course, I was empowered with more knowledge and passion to help mothers out there to breastfeed successfully.

To start off, let me tell you 5 things you might not know about breastfeeding :)

1. Mothers will start to lactate at week 16.
Yupe. You're already producing milk when you're pregnant at week 16. But why do some mothers claim that they have no milk (cannot pump anything out, baby is always crying at the breast but calms down after topping up using a bottle)? Well, my dear, there are SOOOOOOOOO many possible reasons to it. But what you must know is, whatever you pump out doesn't indicate the amount of milk you have. You can produce as much as the baby needs. Your baby is the best breast pump in the whole wide world.

2. Most medicines are breastfeeding friendly.
I see a lot of people asking if the medicine the doctor prescribed is safe for a breastfeeding mom to consume. Even if you ask the doctor or pharmacist, they might not be sure and will have to refer to that little paper inside the box of medicine. But let me ensure you this - research shows that very little level of medication enters breastmilk. So it's OK to breastfeed even if you're under medication. It's even better to breastfeed especially when you're sick cause your body will have higher level of antibody and your baby will be benefited from it by drinking your milk :)

If you're still worry and unsure about medication, you can always check with these 2 reliable sources

LactMed
Google Play : https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=gov.nih.nlm.sis.lactmed&hl=en
App Store : https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/lactmed/id441969514?mt=8

or http://www.e-lactancia.org/

3. Direct Latching is IMPORTANT
Now this point is not to put down mummies who are exclusively pumping. I'm sure you have your reasons. My target audience will be new mummies who want to nurse their babies directly. The reason why direct latching is important is because baby's saliva actually sends message to mommy's immune system to produce "medicated" milk to meet baby's unique needs.

Remember Emmett was sick awhile ago? My milk (as shown on the left side) was extra yellowish and thick. When he got better, my milk was back to it's usual milky white colour. Amazing isn't it? How our body can produce milk that suits our little one's needs. How did our body get the information to alter the milk? Baby's saliva.

And if you can establish your breastfeeding journey through direct latching, that's a good good start. It's also definitely beneficial in the long run cause you're a walking food machine. You don't have to prepare a lot of things when going out. You don't have to find a place to pump when it's time to do so and you also don't have to rush home to store the milk etc etc etc. All you need to do is just lift up your shirt and feed!

4. Breastfeeding  can be very painful. 
Breastfeeding can be very painful for some mothers, but if the pain lasts more than a minute, it is most likely caused by a bad latch. The latch is the way that the baby's mouth is positioned on the nipple. The baby should draw the entire nipple into the mouth and the tongue should be down. A correct latch should involve the entire jaw. If a woman experiences extreme pain, she should seek help from breastfeeding counselor or lactation consultant immediately to make sure that the baby is latching on correctly. I learned it the hard way as I was not equipped with the right knowledge about the correct latch and suffered sore nipples for 60 days. 60. Freaking. Days. I counted. Though I've now developed Nipple of Steel, I wish I didn't have to go through that at all. It was my stubborn will to breastfeed my child that got me through it.

During cluster feedings, the seemingly non-stop nursing sessions that happen over and over again during a growth spurt, a mom's nipples can get sore and the skin can get raw, but a special cream can help without harming the baby.

Also, a woman should talk to her doctor if she suspects she has mastitis, which is an infection that can come with a blocked milk duct and cause pain and flu-like symptoms. One of the best ways to cure a blocked duct is to breast feed, so she should continue to nurse through it.

Women also experience sore breasts when their milk comes in a few days after the baby's birth. Engorged breasts are painful, but breastfeeding can actually help.

5. Adoptive moms can breastfeed, too!
It is possible for women to breastfeed even if they weren't recently pregnant. The body can be tricked into producing milk, especially if a woman has been pregnant before. There are supplemental systems that can help with the process, but the stimulation can sometimes be enough to induce lactation. Some women believe it will help form a connection to the baby, while bringing the nutrition and positive attributes of breastfeeding, but it is a large commitment for a new mother.

If you want to know more information about breastfeeding, you can always refer to some FAQs here.

Ultimately, you can also contact me *ahem ahem* if you need help to kick start your breastfeeding journey.

Terms and Conditions apply (read: a small fee of RM60* will be charged 😊).
Click HERE to know more.

Feel free to reach out to me via
FB Messenger: https://www.messenger.com/t/michellelulu
WhatsApp: http://watsap.my/0123772494

Sekian, terima kasih 💕


 Disclaimer : The TBAN-BFC cannot guarantee to be able to help you breastfeed successfully 100%. That would depend on so many different factors. The TBAN-BFC’s advice and recommendations are case to case basis.

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A Letter to My Dearest Charlotte

My dearest daughter,

I've been trying to write this letter for the longest time but every time I sit in front of the laptop trying to put my thoughts down in words, I will be overcome by emotions, follow by teary eyes.

But you turn 3 years old today. I see you growing up before my very eyes and I have decided that I need to just do my best to let you know how full of love and respect for you I am.

So let me tell you a little bit about you. You love play and adventure like any other young kid. You would swirl around with that big smile on your face when I bring you to a playground. You would also repeat tirelessly, everyday, throughout the week, that you want to wear your Minnie Mouse swimsuit and go for a swim.

You love reading. I gave you a new set of books last week cause you've memorised all the other books that we've read together everyday for a couple of months. You're so happy that now we're reading the same 4 books daily before bedtime. You even want me to repeat them at least a few more times before we turn off the lights and hit the sack. Even though you can't read on your own yet, you could memorize and read along with me.

You have a really good memory. Besides memorizing the story books, you could also remember things that were taught in school. You would come home everyday singing to the songs the teacher taught you. You could also name the colours and numbers in English, Mandarin and Bahasa Malaysia. Oh, and you could even count to 40 now. Sometimes, you could even remember things that happened once at a certain place a few weeks ago. When we happen to drive pass that same place, you could point out what we did and who we saw there. And it frightens your dad a lot, simply because he can't even remember what I said just 5 minutes ago.

You love your little brother a lot. When he cries, you would go up to him and pat his head, chanting "It's ok. It's ok". When you're going to take a shower, you would tell him, "Wait for jie jie ok? Jie jie shower first." before taking your shirt off and dash into the bathroom. If I'm taking my shower and he's crying for me, you would read to him your favourite book, cause you know that he'll be ok just to have you around.

You love to sing. You could even come up with your own song with your own lyrics. It's funny to listen most of the time. The other day, you sang "One, little two, little three, little baby Emmett..." and I just couldn't stop laughing looking at you singing with accompanied actions. It's just too cute!

You have your own happy dance, too! When you get to drink your favourite packet milk or go to the playground, you would hold your fists up to your chest, twist your body and do a little hop. It makes me feel happy for you, too.

You also drive me up the wall sometimes but there is never a day that you don’t make me smile. You are clever, so so clever. You just want to know everything and that is so much more important to me right now. I love your thirst for knowledge.

You see, in many ways, you reminded me of myself. You look like me when I was little, you have good memory just like me (thank God!), you love singing just like me. Basically, you're like my mini me!

But also, in many ways, you're better than me. You love generously, you forgive easily and you're just a genuinely kind and wonderful soul. And I can't express enough just how proud I am of you.

So on this day, as we celebrate your 3rd birthday, I might not have the perfect gift for you, but I want you to have whatever you want. I want you to be happy. I want you to find someone that you love and love them completely. I want you to find a passion and follow it completely. I want you to work hard at whatever educational and career path you choose, although whatever you choose is fine with me. I want you to do what you love, and live a fulfilling life. Never let anyone tell you what to do, listen to advice but always make your own choices. If you can learn one thing from me I hope it’s that, do whatever you choose to do and don’t let anyone hold you back, whoever they are. Even if that person is me. Most of all I want you to be content. Find the simplest joy in the smallest thing. If you are kind, loyal, ambitious, determined, honest, faithful, loving, accepting and humble, then good things will come to you. Lastly, be brave and take risks. Take chances and be daring, life’s too short not to.

Happie Birthday my sweet sweet darling.


Love,
Mummy

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Pros and Cons - Day Care vs. Nanny

Charlotte started attending day care when she was 19 months old. She had positive progress throughout her one year attendance and I thought that day care was for me (and my kids).

But when I didn't enroll Emmett into a day care centre when I was about to start work simply because the day care centers in Puchong are much more expensive compared to the one I sent Charlotte to in Cyberjaya. I was extremely reluctant to send him to a nanny simply because I had many bad experience while visiting and interviewing a few nannies before. 

Thank God I managed to find one that charges within my budget and Emmett had been in good hands so far.

So I would like to share my personal view on this matter.

Nanny Pros:

1. More Parental Control: With a nanny, I get to have a say on what to let my child eats or what his schedule should be like. Emmett's nanny also records his daily activity on a daily log that I provided so I get to know what's going on throughout his stay at the nanny. Sometimes the nanny would also send me pictures of him.
2. Individual Attention: Emmett's nanny is currently only taking care of him. She has 3 school-going-grandchildren but that doesn't affect her at all. In fact, the kids are very helpful and love to play with Emmett. She would also update me on Emmett's development which I'm really grateful for. 
3. Attachment: The nanny is now Emmett's primary attachment figure. He can rely on her for secure and comfort.
4. Flexibility: I can send Emmett to the nanny anytime of the day because I know that she will be home. She is also fine with me if I need to send him early or pick him up slightly later. She sometimes even asks me to send him during school holidays or public holiday without extra charge. 
5. Consistent Care: Unlike turnover at a day care center, the nanny is always there to care for Emmett, which is important for Emmett's emotional development.

Day Care Pros:

1. Helps Build Social Skills: Baby gets to develop critical skills by interacting with others, both adults and children.
2. Variety of Resources: Most day care centers offer a wide variety of toys, books, games and play equipment. They might also provide opportunities for creative play with art supplies, educational games, dress-up outfits and building blocks. These are usually included in your monthly fee so you don't have to pay extras.
3. Multiple Teachers: Children will be supervised by a group of teachers and form relationships with more than one individual.
4. Cost: The price of daycare tends to be more affordable than a nanny since you are sharing the cost with other families. The price varies based on location and type of facility. Charlotte's day care in Cyberjaya cost RM700 per month while the day care centers I've surveyed in Puchong cost at least RM1200 per month.

Nanny Cons:

1. Parenting Style Conflict: I interviewed many nannies before I found the right one. The reason I turned down most of them was because of parenting style conflict. I have some specific and reasonable requirements which I wish the nanny would follow such as not using the walker and less screen time but sadly not all are on the same page as me. Some even questioned me back, "Huh!? No walker!? Cannot one! Later start walking slower than the others, how?". I explained my reasons and concerns but not all are open minded. This current nanny's who's taking care of Emmett is not the case, thank God! She respect my parenting style and tries to follow as much as she could. 
2. No Sick Time Coverage: Unless you can get others to help or find a back up plan, if the nanny is sick or needs to leave town, you will need to take leave from work as well.
3. Cost: Nanny costs vary depending on location, the number of kids, and other factors. And generally, Chinese nannies charge more! I am not being racist here but I really think that some Chinese nannies are just too calculative. Some even told me that they will charge me extra if I pick up 10 minutes later. I understand that work is work and extra time should be paid for. But being too calculative just sets me off. Again, I am very very very lucky to have found one who is not calculative and charges me at an affordable price.

Day Care Cons:

1. More Germs and Illness: Charlotte had Hand Foot Mouth Disease (HFMD), Influenza A and Influenza B within a year of attending day care. Well, she basically falls sick every 3 weeks. I guess it's something hard to avoid with kids sharing so many toys, wiping their noses and touching the toys again. 
2. Sick Policies: Some day care centers have strick sick policies. You have to take off from work or find other childcare arrangements when your child has an illness. Further, if your kid gets sick at daycare, you will have to come pick them up and keep them home until they are free of the illness. I had to take unpaid leave for almost 3 weeks when Charlotte was down with Influenza B as I've used up all my Annual Leave back then.
3. Inflexibility: Daycare centers run on specific hours so if you are late picking up your child, it is probable that you will be subject to an extra charge. I was charged RM10 once for being just 3 minutes late, even though I was usually one of the few parents to pick up the child early.

It's not easy finding the right child care for your kid. I thought I'm the pro day care mom but I have a different view now because I am so so so so lucky to have found the right nanny for my son. To know what suits you and your family, my advise would be to sit down and list down the things that is important to you (eg. supports breastfeeding) and be honest with the things you need and want. Also think about things that may upset or frustrate you (eg. talking in baby language, the use of baby walker, etc.). Make visits to potential child care provider and don't rush into making a decision. I've interviewed more than 10 nannies and visited more than 7 day cares before choosing the ones for my children. Remember that no decision is permanent and you can always change your situation based on your needs or your child's needs.

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Emmett Has Bronchiolitis

As some of you have known, Emmett was admitted to hospital on Tuesday night because he has bronchiolitis.

I'm not sure when it all started but I'll give you an honest account of what happened here.

He's been having runny nose and cough with phlegm for quite some time already. I thought it's common as his sister, Charlotte, who's a school-goer, could sometimes be heard coughing with phlegm. She loves her brother and would sometimes play with him and kiss him on the cheeks. I've been trying my very best to tell her not to kiss Emmett on the lips since day 1 and so far she's been obedient. So Emmett's flu and coughing was not bothering at all as he's been cheerful all the while.

It started to be a lil unusual last Saturday mid night. It usually takes me around 5 to 10 minutes to put him back to sleep when he's up for mid night feed. But that Friday night, he woke up crying and screaming. I couldn't pacify him by breastfeeding him or shushing. It took me around 50 minutes to make him go back to sleep. I felt he had a lil temperature but I dust it off and went back to sleep cause I had to wake up at 4am to catch a plane. I brought him with me.

He was awake most of the time when I thought he would be catching up on his sleep in the carrier. When we arrived at our destination, his runny nose and coughing became more severe. Soon in the afternoon, his temperature was higher. I kept trying to breastfeed him but to avail. Even if I successfully had him latch on, it was only a good 5 minutes or lesser. My boobs were sore and hard, and that's how I know he's not drinking well.

Took him to see a doctor in the evening and true enough, he was having a fever and his temperature was 38°C. Gave him some paracetamol to bring his temperature down and he slept almost throughout the night. He did woke up a few times crying in discomfort yet refused to be nursed.

We went back on Sunday in the evening. The next day, I took the day off to bring him to the paediatrician. He was still having high fever. Doctor suggested him to be on the nebulizer twice, 4 hourly. He felt better but the fever still comes and goes. So the doctor told me to take another day off to bring him back for another round of treatment the next day.

And I did. We came back the next day and he was on the nebulizer twice again. He did felt better but his symptoms were still there -  shortness of breath, fever, cough with phlegm, flu and lethargic.

Pic: He was lethargic and sleeping most of the time since we came back from our trip.

The doctor ran a blood test and nose swap. The result showed that he has respiratory syncytial virus (RSV, also known as human pneumovirus). In other words, he has bronchiolitis.

So doctor suggested to get him admitted immediately so that he can be on the nebulizer 4 hourly and get a physio therapist to perform percussion to help clear the phlegm.

Reluctant but I know it's for his own good. And for the first time ever, I am so so so SO glad to have bought him a medical card.

We got ourselves admitted at 10.30pm cause there was no available ward earlier. It's a single bedded ward as the doctor said he needs to be away from other patients as his condition is not so good.

Right after we've settled down, the nurse came to give him some paracetamol for his fever. And then there was the 4 hourly neb throughout the night and day.

The physio therapist performs percussion on him once a day. Basically, he wraps Emmett up in a burrito, then uses his 3 fingers to tap on his chest and back. Emmett needs to fast for at least 2 hours before every physio session.

It's our second day in the hospital and Emmett is responding very well to  the treatment. And it's obvious cause he's now more awake and energetic, almost back to his own self. I say almost because Charlotte is not around so he's not squeaking like usual lol. The doctor advised to stay one more day as there's still shortness of breath. It's better to have him carefully taken care of  so as to not have secondary infection. Ok lo, you say like that, ok lo lol.

One more night and we'll be out of the hospital tomorrow. Get well soon ok cheeky boy!

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I gathered some FAQ about Bronchiolitis as follow:

What causes bronchitis in babies?
RSV is the most common cause of bronchiolitis. RSV usually strikes children by the age of 2, but is most common in babies less than 1 year of age. This contagious and dangerous viral infection produces inflammation, mucus, and swelling in the airways.

Can you catch bronchitis from someone?
It's usually not contagious, so you typically can't get it from another person or pass it onto someone else. People with this condition often have a phlegmy cough, but even if you are in close contact with them when they are coughing, if the illness is not caused by infection, you won't catch it.

Signs and symptoms of RSV bronchiolitis.
For children with bronchiolitis, after developing a runny nose and cough, over the next few days, the cough will worsen and may become tight sounding and your child may develop other RSV symptoms, including fever, wheezing, and difficulty breathing.

(ps/ From this table, Emmett was already in a severe condition when we came back from our trip.)

What is the bronchiolitis treatment in babies?
There is no cure for bronchiolitis, so treatment is aimed at the symptoms (eg, difficulty breathing, fever). Treatment at home usually includes making sure the child drinks enough and saline nose drops (with bulb suctioning for infants).To avoid the infection spreading to other children, take your child out of nursery or day care and keep them at home until their symptoms have improved.

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