Mummynista!

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 ...

You Can Now Notify Your Facebook Friends When You’re Expecting August 13, 2012  by  Lauren Indvik Like Tweet +1 Share Pin It Share Facebook  is making easier to tell your friends you’re expecting. The social network  rolled out  a new “Life Event” for Timeline Thursday, enabling you and other future parents to announce that you are “Expecting a Baby.” You can list the gender, due date, second parent, location (probably best to leave that one blank) and story. You can also attach a photo to the announcement (cue obligatory ultrasound photo). Besides highlighting key life moments on your Timeline, the benefit of Life Event updates is that they reach so much more of your Facebook network than a typical status update. Life Events that are categorized as “Celebrations” — a category that includes engagements, weddings and births — are prioritized in the News Feed and are frequently highlighted in the top right-hand rail alongside birthdays, up...

Worried That Your Husband Might Cheat During Your Pregnancy? Fret Not..Your Relationship Can Emerge Stronger During Your Pregnancy. Asians have couple of weird perceptions, one of which is that a woman's pregnancy usually put a toll on the relationship or drive partners to "cheat" outside. I would quite proudly say that my pregnancy had brought my husband and I closer and more intimate than ever. It has helped to reinforce the relationship and allowed us to 'synchronise' as a team.  I suspect that a lot of people tend to forget that even during pregnancy, couples need to bond and the relationship needs to continue being nourished. For most pregnant women, especially for those who suffer severe pregnancy symptoms like myself, will find a dip in your libido and also discomfort with certain intimacy. That is perfectly normal and will fluctuate along the pregnancy. The physical aspect of the relationship is nevertheless important but the emotional aspect i...

Thinking of an all natural birth? You are not the only mad one. " Ladies, I've decided." I announced abruptly a couple of weeks ago during lunch. All three of my buddies cum colleagues stopped in in their tracks; and put down the burgers that I sort of coerced them to eat because of my unusual craving. "I'm going for an Au Naturale birth." I said in a very determined tone. Mitch, who opted for elective caesarean when she had her son, looked at me wide-eyed and exclaimed, " You mean without epidural?" " Yes without epidural." I sounded somewhat proud with myself. Fung, as her usual no-nonsense self, asked bluntly, " So what's your treshold of pain?" Without hesitation, I replied, " Very bad." --- SO WHY OPT FOR A NATURAL BIRTH WITHOUT EPIDURAL? --- Pros of Natural Birth (With or Without Epidural) 1. Ability to move freely during labour 2. Reduced risk of blood loss or other complications af...

And a big thank you and hug to hubby for a very sweet push gift:) I wonder how many women(who actually went through pregnancy and childbirth) would say that it is an easy task. Now that I am going through pregnancy the very first time, and passing through all the different stages of discomfort from morning sickness, merlioning (puking), backaches, migraine, leg swelling, you name it...  I would say every pregnant woman or mom deserves a gift especially from their husbands or partners ! It is not bribery. The gift does not need to be extravagant. It is the thought behind that counts. It is letting the female know that "hey I appreciate you bringing this life to earth and going through all the hardwork!"  It is all about appreciation and the benefit of receiving a physical gift is that you get to keep it as a sentimental token. You know like showing your children and grandchildren in the future...beaming as you tell them,  " Grandpapa gave this to me when...

PREGNANCY GLOW? SERIOUSLY... I think media has painted such an unrealistic expectation of pregnancy. Perhaps I should be thankful or grateful that I have been getting quite a number of compliments on how well I look during my pregnancy. However that doesn't ease any of the numerous discomfort that I am feeling. Once my back was aching so much and I was in so much misery that even a compliment from my big boss makes me feel like throwing a pan at him. I know he's just trying to be sweet and cheer up this grouchy pregnant lady's day..ah well.. when a pregger feels bad, she's all grumpy. Pregnancy changed my entire perspective on women or rather mothers and also increased my respect/admiration for pregnant working moms. I am currently at my 34 weeks, still working however finding it gradually tougher to last past half the day. I am definitely looking forward to my maternity leave in three weeks' time. I really wonder how some women managed to work all the ...

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...