Mummynista!

The Jakarta Women and Child Clinic (JWCC) Alex was sick few weeks ago when he turned one, hence we weren't able to get him his one year vaccination back in Singapore. We went to Kinder Clinic in Paragon where Dr Kenny Ee is practising. He was Alex' PD since childbirth and has been under his excellent care for the past year. I told Dr Ee that we were moving to Jakarta and he recommended the Jakarta Women & Children Clinic which is a subsidiary of Kinder Clinic and a Pediatrician called Dr Lineus. The procedures are pretty similar to Singapore's; Register at the counter, get baby's height and weight measured and wait for your turn. We asked for Dr Lineus as he was recommended by Dr Ee; he can speak very good english for an Indonesian therefore communication wasn't a problem. He checked Alex quite thoroughly too and asked about his development. He isn't as friendly as Dr Ee and Alex didn't take to him as he did with his former PD so we are probab...

Thought I'll share this as it has benefited us greatly. I heard many horror stories about the children's PD and we are quite thankful that we found a really good pediatrician for Alex in Singapore. I am not sure if it will apply to your child but Alex loves this PD for some reason. Dr Kenny Ee tended to him since he was born and the amazing part is that Alex never cries despite the injections when he is under Dr Kenny Ee. I mean of course he whines a little when the needle is poking through him but then the moment it's done, he is fine again. And he loves smiling at Dr Ee too, G and I call him the baby whisperer..haha Onae side note, we did try to go to another highly raved PD in Marine Parade but he doesn't seem too concern or friendly towards Alex or us. The receptionist/nurse is not approachable at all.  The clinic is situated within a neighbourhood and we would expect the fees to be lower than Kinder Clinic however the bill came out to be the same. Therefore we ...

My baby tiger Alexander is currently 4.5 months old and on partial breastfeeding supplemented by formula and solids. Yes Alex started on solids at 4 months old as his pediatrician gave a go ahead. I have also returned back to work for a month and returned to my pre-pregnancy figure(almost). I thought it would help some moms by posting various tips that I picked up the last few months: How to increase breastmilk 1. Use a double pump (would recommend Medela's double pump) When I first gave birth, I was using Medela's swing, a single pump. It was a good pump but it was not fast enough and also tiring for me. I got the double pump and seriously it reduces my stress of producing enough milk. Firstly I got almost twice the amount of milk by using the double pump (increased from 200ml to 400ml in total) each pump. I pump 4 times throughout the whole day- 9am, 2pm,6pm,10pm and slept through the night. Not a problem at all. However you got to keep your pumping routine reg...

Lil Alexander is turning 2 months in a week's time! I know most asian parents avoid taking their young infants out, I however brought baby out when he was only 3 days old. Kudos to moms who persevered  and stayed home throughout the whole confinement or avoided taking baby out for the first 3 months! Feeling all cooped up, I bring baby out on average twice a week and during this time, I realized how important it is to visit baby friendly places.  After trial and error from my own experience and frantic attempts,  below is a list of notes I've compiled to make your life as a parent cool and easier! Top 4 Things to Note (to make your life easier!)  When You Take Your Baby Out Tip 1: Always know/take note where the diaper changing stations are located To avoid the frenzy, do arm yourself with the knowledge of where the diaper changing stations are especially if you know that you are going to be in that location for a while. The diap...

List of Diaper Changing Stations in Singapore Malls: Taken from Baby Centre: (with additional comments on the ones I've tried) 1. BHG Bugis 230 Victoria Street, Level 3 Pros: Cons: • Spacious layout, with ample room for strollers. • Two nursing cubicles. • Separate diapering station. • Hot water available. • Wash basin available. • Bench and chairs for waiting dads/siblings. • Nursing cubicles only have curtains, no lockable doors. Su Huay says: "I felt like I had stumbled upon a gem with this nursing room, since the mall is off the usual Orchard path. It's spacious, so there’s lots of room for strollers. There is enough seating for dads as they wait." Mummynista's view: The changing stations are indeed huge however it looks a little rundown and dirty. Perhaps I am being slightly particular, I don't feel secure changing my baby's diapers there even if I place a mat on top of the station. However one just have to make do with i...

The Rise of the Mommy Blogger [INFOGRAPHIC] May 8, 2012  by  Sam Laird The mommy  blogger  has been around for several years now, but did you know the army of chatty, tech-savvy mothers was this large — and monied? 14% of all American mothers with at least one child in their household blog about parenting or turn to blogs for advice, according to a recent study by  Scarborough Research . About 3.9 million moms in the United States identify as bloggers, but just 500 of them are considered to be influential among other mothers. The average mommy blogger is 37 years old and 89% of mommy bloggers have kids between the ages of 2 and 11. They’re also socially conscious and are 85% more likely to have supported a politician based on an environmental issue, 88% more likely to buy eco-friendly products and 38% more likely to volunteer than the average mom. Whether by dint of circumstance, hard work or both, mommy bloggers also belong to a pretty elite ...

Need domestic help? Where do we begin? Yeah I finally put an end to my procrastination and completed the e-learning course on Foreign Domestic Worker Employer's Orientation Program.  (you may apply and take the course here, will cost you about $30:  http://www.sp.edu.sg ) In case you are wondering what that is, it is a compulsory course/certification that first time employers in Singapore have to go through before being allowed to hire a foreign domestic helper. You would need to do this before you can even apply a work permit for your helper. After much consideration and debate, my husband and I decided to engage a helper to look after the baby when I return to work from my maternity leave. I will list the pros and cons of different childcare options in another post. Anyway below is my version of   " Engaging Helpers for Dummies in Singapore " : 1. Look for a reliable maid agency. (drop me a note if you want to know mine.) Once you decided to engage a...