(2008/09) Sep 2008

Sarahmay: If thats the same Jean Tan we are talking about, i msn u lah.. :p

Shazz: Yes, understand that Incomeshield is no longer providing for rider to cover 100% but I still haven't decided yet... I know AIA, PRU & GE has that but the rider is quite high for rider.. Aiyoo.. two blocks of chocolate?? Must control!
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Evening Ladies, so long nv log in already...

Confinement Lady Topic:
My mum will be my CL! hehe... Save $$ also... me too hate having strangers around the house. i'm a very fussy person on housework etc so think only my mummy can tahan me. its easier to communicate the way you want to do things with your own mum too. Think she will be the best confinement mum and grandma for me n my darling ger. cos even now, every week when i go back to her house for dinner, she will grind her homemade soya bean milk for me. Makes me soooo touched by everything she had done for me.
 
Shazz: Wah! 2 blocks! You are ODing on chocs! And i thought i was bad. Hehe. Comforting to know someone else is equally 'naughty' as me...tho I have yet to devour two whole blocks! One and half bars of kinder bueno and i feel guilty.

Storeberry: MSN me and tell me how you know Jean Tan. If from Pru, then prob the same.

Xuanting: Actually my hubby is super nice. He knows it is mood swings without me saying anything.

Yan: Your mum is soooo nice! Count your blessings!

the 13 Tai Bao tastes HORRID!!!!! Eeks. I will put less water the next round.
 
shazz & sarahmay, i go through several packs of kinder buenos a day too! can't help it, i've always liked kinder buenos.

sarahmay, your hubby is nice! i'm v grateful for mine and keep reminding myself to be nicer to him too.
 
Bigtoes: It's a matter of getting used to with a maid. They are a great help. But of course, maids give a lot of issues too.
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Shazz: I just went to Orchard for the Kids 21 sale this evening. Not all the stuffs, e.g. Burberrys, Paul Smith, Dior, Armani, California Baby, plush toys, etc. are on sale leh...Am disappointed...
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Taka is having a members sale, think it's 10%.

Bacon&eggs: you bot the St ives in the end? Is yours a COT or COTBED? COT BEDs are bigger.

Ava: Clarins tonic oil at DFS is selling at $64.

LC: hehhe! I am supposed to apply the stretch mark cream over the tonic oil, but I din. I use the stretch mark cream for my bum, oil for the tummy and bust, emulsion for the legs.

SarahMay: I also snapped in a Shanghai restaurant cos my hb din seem to know what to order. I got really irritated by the smokers around me...SH is just as bad as Macau. THere are virtually no non-smokers sections in Chinese restaurants.

lilboymum: I saw a total of 4 angmoh couples pushing the Maclaren Techno XT in one evening alone today. Am almost convinced that that's what I'm gonna get
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sasa de mouse: u are kidding me. He doesn't scan after the DS? Then what does he do? Talk to u, promote Obimin to u, weigh u, test your urine? Can't be rite? Tell me after your Mon consultation.

xuanting: I hate strangers living with me too, but I still think it's better get a CL. I hv booked mine for 6 weeks (+2 more weeks optional). I dun think my elderly MIL can tahan. She loves to cook, but it doesn't mean she can wake up to feed bb every 2-3 hrs, boil my bath water, brew my red dates tea, wash those cloth diapers, sterilise my milk bottles, etc. I intend to understudy her for my #1, and exploit her labour to the fullest!!! My SIL is getting hers for 3 mths, becos my mom is too 'toa pai' to serve her.

Insurance: I almost forgot about that!!! tks to whoever that raised this.
 
hi xuanting,
i can't stand it with a stranger around too. but i think most pple engage a CL purely for help during confinement coz that's when the new mum needs to recuperate from all that lost energy during delivery. also, to help with bb and to learn the ropes like you mentioned. however, not all CL stories turn out to be great ones. some had a totally stressful confinement coz cannot get along with CL and such.

if you nb is a guai bb, then most prob you can rest sufficiently during confinement. if household chores can wait and someone ard can help, then wait or let others do. make sure you really rest and rest. if nb turns out to be those who cries often, then i think you'll probably appreciate some help.

for me, i am not engaging a CL. my mum did all my confinements for me. for my second child's birth, she cooked for me and helped to boil water for me to bathe and took my clothes to wash coz we hadn't got a maid then. this time round with the maid around, my mum will just cook and the maid can do all other chores. i'll just take care of bb myself. oh, previously, my hb was also my confinement nanny. hehe. he was quite a wonderful help. thankfully for nat's birth, it was during dec hols so he didn't have to work and could help... this time round i hardly think he can.

sarahmay,
same!! my mil also never buy tonics or anything for me, whether it was during my pregnancy or after. so bo chap kind. never buy for me then buy for her son.

wingkei,
everytime i hear stories about your hb and mil, i get really really mad. he is super ridiculous. like, does he not have a mind of his own???????????? but i do agree on the disposable underwear part. you will have lochia and it can get pretty heavy. so disposable panties you won't have to wash and he won't have to wash. can have less things to quarrel and argue over then do so lor.

besides, i think it's really tough to get men to wash undies for ladies... let me ask my hb if he would do it for me. hmmm, just asked him. he said 'wash lor'. if i asked him to he would. surprising answer.

so you mean your mum and your mil will be in your house in the same day?? or your mil leaves then your mum take over?? so convenient ah?? day time let his mum do, then night time more xiong your mum do????????
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l'lCY,
yeah. i have never so blatantly complained about a colleague before. but today at work, i went to complain about him to the CIP teacher in charge.
 
flos,
i'm using the maclaren techno xt for my kids too. it's actually rather simple to open and close up. the only gripe we had was that it does not come with a shoulder strap for us to strap which the combi one comes with (we have that too). it's a lot more convenient with the strap. not that i use it though. my hb prefers it. but i like that the maclaren is rather compact when kept. though another thing is it can't stand on it's own like the combi when kept.
 
sarahmay and storeberry: am trying hard to control but can't help it. I think my acceptance level is higher than sarah's.

flos: I went to paragon kids 21 and taka but didn't get anything too. hubby wants to check out forum on sun.
 
xuanting
just an advice. my son was quite a difficult bb when he was nb. he will contantly wail for no reason at night. from 10pm to 1am kind. and it wasnt even a phase, it lasted pretty long, like three months? and he was a very needy child, even day time when he was awake, he would demand attention. it was tough coz i didnt have a CL then and my maid was oso new.

it really depends on your child. coz of previous experience, im hiring a CL now. my hb first commnet was "any amount, i wan to sleep this time round' (hb used to carry CY around the house at nights, even bring him downstairs at wee hours coz he was crying so hysterically)

but hb used to tell me that CY is considered good oredi, coz many bbs can cry up to 8hours non stop, CY only cried daily for 3 hours....

if you are having a boy, sorry, i advice you to get CL
 
flos
frankly, if you dun think you will go out alone w bb much, maclaren techno xt is good. but if like me, you go out with bb alone a lot (coz hb never around
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)...then xt is cumbersome even with a car.

shazz, sarahmay
im in love with kinderbuenos too!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
Yst i went for my 25th week check-up, baby charlotte is weighing 743g..tat's more than double since the last check one month ago..it's amazing how fast the little ones are growing inside us,ya??

talking about being emotional..it happened to me right aft my chk-up yst..i wonder issit due to the hot weather too?? For no reason i was sulking then suddenly tears welled up in my eyes ...my hb so shocked and asked me wats wrong...i told him i am upset that i put on 3kg within a month..then i told him i feel lousy cos i am going to be a King Kong Mummy...hehe...now tat i think back it was really silly...haha...

Flos - i got those cute colorful hangers frm Pu An Lu...u shld get yr hb to help u buy them!! And as for PAUL's pastries, wat i meant was the croissants came in frozen frm France...so they are baked in SH fresh but not made there... oh ya, u knw the travel cert which the gynae gave us?? So far all my trips nobody requested to see it, but when i was in SH airport, the ground staff requested for it!!! The problem was it's in my luggage and it was checked in liao...so imagine i wasted half an hour juz waiting for them to retrieve my luggage out...gosh...i took it for granted...thinking the cert was not necessary..did they ask to see yours??

shazz - how much did u pay for yr peg perago skate?? i'm surprised SG alrdy carrying such a new model...Skate looks cool...reminds me of Stokke,hehe... I intend to get the Pliko Switch Completo, the latest model which has reversible seats..did u see this model?? Otherwise i guess the Pliko P3 is good enuff for me..now my worry is whether I can handle the stroller when I have to travel wif baby in Jan 09 ALONE.. I'll definitely get a baby carrier, either Baby Bjorn or Ergo but as for stroller, i wonder if getting a light-weight one is more practical for overseas trip?? But the light weight ones will be the japanese brands... oh no..i dun wanna end up buying 2 strollers!!!!

By the way, anyone here can recommend me a good reliable maid agency?? Heard of so many horror stories abt getting a domestic maid..now i am so relectant of employing one but no choice cos i really need help in the house!!
 
CHOCAHOLIC PREGGERS: Aiyo! We must really watch it right? If not our bbs might become hyper! Hehe. I bought this Dream Cacao choc recently which has 72% cocoa content and it comes in tiny cubes. I just tell myself to have the most 3 cubes a day if I really want choc. But that day I really went bonkers on the chocs! Tho not as bonkers as Shazz. Hehe. There is just something about the hazelnut cream in the centre of Kinderbuenos that make me crave for it….especially when it is cold!

Flos: Ah! But I think you weren’t as horrid as me. I was soooooo annoyed at the waitress trying to defend herself, my hubby saying he wld take the order and the fat manager ‘who speaks BUT refuses to speak English to us’ standing behind watching. I took the plate of stuff, got up from the table and dumped it with a loud THUD onto the service counter, glared at the manager and sat down in a huff. And my voice was really high-pitched when I said emphatically, “No! We did NOT order this! We are NOT taking this.” The rest of the meal and walk home was in stone silence. Thank goodness my wonderful hubby didn’t say anything or blow up at me. And yes, I’m ever amazed that at the rate these Chinese ppl smoke, they don’t seem to have many problems with cancer or deformed bbs! Why?!

L’l CY: Huh? Boys must have CLs ah? Why?! Hehe. I’ve started praying tt my bb boy will be good and not cry through the night. And I’ve spoken to him about it too. It better work cos I have no CL.

Xuanting: you eating several packs of kb now? Wah! Brave! I am a bit concerned abt gestational diabetes tt is why I control.

Shazz: But you eat more tonics than I do I think….hehe. So ok la. And you don’t do it everytime. I have to watch my diet ma. Cannot pile on another 3kg this month!

Alabone: Good for you! That slob deserves some attention! You think we are just being calculative by thinking abt whether our MILs buy us tonics? They don’t really brew tonics for my SIL also. They are actually very nice ppl and I appreciate them. I don’t get crap from them.

UNDERWEAR WASHING: I’m also wondering how I’m going to get my undies washed during confinement! Hard to ask my dad and DIL to do. If only my hubby were around, he woudn’t mind. I think my dad won’t mind helping with bb laundry. Think can forget abt my FIL cos I asked my hubby if he can ask his dad to help me out. And judging from my SIL’s exp this year, she did EVERYTHING herself…and they may expect me to do the same. Of cos she didn’t eat any confinement food cos she was allergic to them. But I want to eat…so I think they will cook. Think it is easier for me to count on my parents.
 
sunrays (sunrays) : your King Kong Mummy made me burst out laughing! hehe ... dun worry about the weight gain, it'll all even out. I read somewhere that baby's growth will double from the beginning till the end of our 2nd trimester. So some mummies end up putting most weight towards the end of the 2nd tri, which is what is happening to most mummies here. Think on average, we're putting on 2 to 4kg during the last mth.

I paid $1510 for the SKATE. Actually, it took them a while to get SKATE here. It was already launched in US in Oct 2007. Hubby was so impressed with the mechanism of the stroller when we collected it from First Few Years yday that he spent an hour playing and exploring it's features, workmanship etc. Everything is made in Italy and the ball bearings of the wheels, etc, the material, all made him go wow, I'll pay $1.5K for this again. I didn't see Pliko Switch Completo at First Few Years but I think Baby Avenue may have them. Baby Hyperstore is the official distributor of Peg Perego.

There's a possibility we'll end up buying 2 strollers cos of changing needs. It all depends on your needs I think. For travelling, it depends on the kind of terrain, the road condition. In Europe, the heavy duty strollers with suspension is great to battle those wobbly and uneven ground. In Singapore, where the pavement and passage way is usually level, the small wheels of those light umbrella strollers are good enough. I love Ergo too! I heard Metro sells them and my friend got them at 20% off during their storewide 20% sale.
 
hey ladies...
Just to let u ladies know.
I bought Bfree twin pack from Metro somewhere in mid april it costs $34.90
Last sat i saw the same thing at Metro selling at $38.90... apparently the increase the price after the metro 20% storewide discount.
Increase by so much!!
So better make use of GSS to have a better deal. Who knows after GSS, all prices increase again.
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Sarahmay: Yday came back home late after cell so didn't login at all.. Yes 13 tai bao soup taste horrid, abit sourish & bitter.. Yeeks!

Shazz: Thanks for your chawamushi recipe! Kekek...

Sunrays: Don't worry about your weight!! Yah nowadays getting more emotional! Dh was telling me that he needs to go KL over the weekend & as I was lying in bed with him, I started tearing... Aiyo!
 
sarahmay
hahaha...no lah. girls can be terrors too! but i think better play it safe and have someone there for you.you FIL is going over right?

else like me and hb, alone with maid, maid oso told us our bb very strange, kept crying, her own daughter never even cried so much (by the way, she was superb with bbs)...still rem those nights where hb has to bring CY downstairs coz he was crying so uncontrollably...eeeekkkk....no, not going to go through that again!!!

so i guess, diff bbs differ lah...just pray hard that we'll all get a peaceable bb, not colicky and not fussy (but hor got people tell me, since all children will break their parents hearts at least once, we rather have them give us trouble when they are bbs than when they grow up...)
 
Alabone/lilboymum: thanks for your invaluable feedback. Sometimes, the stroller looks so darn chic and stylo that you forget abt funtionality. I din't realise there is a strap thingie, like artist's scroll container? Aprica closes so easily. No wonder it's so expensive! My SIL is using it.

Is Combi sold at BB Kingdom?

Shazz: I already checked out Forum Kids 21 last nite, after going to Paragon and Isetan Scotts one. That said, however, Burberry's corner inside Taka and Isetan are throwing a 20-30% sale. So is Ralph Lauren, DKNY, Guess, etc.

I went to Gap Kids at Wisma too but din get anything cos the 3-6mos ones are fairly limited. TODDLERS are like so huge.

Note: There was NO sale at Zara Kids Liat Towers, at least up to last nite.

I'm only geting 18-24mos clothes for bb now. I've already bot one dozen 3-6mos 2-piece plain white change of clothes from Kiddy Palace. Some long-sleeves, some short. Ive another one dozen 3-6mos one-piece patterned rompers from H&M. I think all I need now is the detergent!!

Mrs Yap: Bfree is als on sale at Taka. I nearly bot the 4-bottle pack. Cant rem the price now. The Mustela kit is also selling at $50 at Taka.

First Few years is also having partial sale. E.g. Kidsline bedding and Medela PIS (advanced to non-advanced). I din get it cos I intend to order from Cheong CHoon once I firmed up my shopping list.

LC: I got my white cot from Kiddy Palace in the end. It will not fit my Mothercare bumper perfectly but who cares...

Big Toes: I love your mozzie net. Where did u get it? It seems like it's hanging from the ceiling, rather than on a rod. Does it come with those flower adornments? I find your cot very feminine, just like you!!! hahahah!!

sunrays: It's my oversight...I forgot to ask you to carry the Fit to Travel cert on you as u check in!! Don't meddle with Chinese customs wor...E.g. I was searched several times for looking like a perennial smuggler and drug pusher, cos of my trenchcoat and large sunglasses. I produced the cert vountarily, so din face any prob
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You gave me a fright about Paul boulangerie. Anyway, the sandwiches sucked. My hb likes the quiche.

Mood swings: I watched Kite Runner on SQ and cried...so emotional...and embarrassing too! Also cried when I watched those earthquake news.

SarahMay: Nope, I was raising my voice too, and that frightened the poor waiter! I was so tired after touching down and my hb took like 10min to decide what to order from the menu. Kept asking me what I wanna eat, but the menu was so complicated to me. I said "u come here so often, why dun u suggest and order cos I'm super hungry and it's nearly 3pm!" So I shut the menu tight and folded my arms like a spoilt wife!!

Shazz: I think u r rite abt the diff needs of strollers. The angmoh parents in SH are pushing those oh-so-cool Quinny joggers cos the pavements in SH are really condemned. They need large wheelers. They are larger built too.

OK, enjoy your GSS! My folks are at my doorstep now!!
 
SarahMay (sarahmay) : you're wrong! I dun take any tonics! haha. I love soups, chinese or western, so my fridge is always stocked with the pre-packed soup ingredients from Eu Yang San and frozen meat. So as and when I can boil soup, which is not very often (like once a mth?) I'll double boil them.

The only time I had tonic thru out the pregnancy was when I felt faint after the blood test after the triple test. My mum prepared dang gu with chicken essence to "bu" my blood.

My MIL prepared soup for my SIL when she was pregnant with the 1st granchild then. I was staying with her and she would make us bring the thermo flask to office, pass to my brother in law, who works in same place, and pass to my SIL. For my turn, she only boiled normal soup like corn with pork ribs for me, when I go over for dinner. Well, I'm not complaining cos she just went for surgery on her wrist, so I don't expect much from her. She's probably thinking that my mum is cooking all these for me, or I'm capable enough to nourish myself.

On my part, I just take whatever I feel like! hhaa ... I'm enjoying my bird nest though. Hubby bought $900 worth of bird nest and pao seng for me to double boil, and I'm happy with that. =)

Flos: wow, you can shop very well manx! haha ... my hubby only keen on the Armani, cos it's one of his favourite labels.

Rem I shared that my hubby has this mentality that the expensive items are good? Haha ... a friend of ours proved him wrong recently and now he's more conscious of the way he's spending too much on baby stuff! I should have gotten our friend to talk some sense into him earlier lah. So now we're left with getting the playpen and mattress. He had wanted to get the Graco one but now that he saw our friend's son's cheap and sleek looking playpen, he's convinced that expensive is not always good! haha. Too bad we already got most of our stuff, if not can save more $$$.

I think husbands dun like to listen to their wives, they prefer to hear from their friends, even though their friends may be telling them the same thing their wives said! hmmmppphhh ... sorry for whining here
 
afternoon ladies,
so much posts tpo catch up ... what is teh good lobang in GSS ??? only heard from MIL that there is a food fest in suntec .. keke

Holidays already ..finally .. so bringing zac to classes soon ... to keep him occupied .. keke
 
Just came back from GSS shopping.
Bt din get anything much from Orchard bt did bot a few stuff from Cheong Soon (ie: stroller and playpen and some stuff).

Cheong Soon is selling pigeon baby wipes (pack of 3's) at ard $8.70 wor! Cheapest so far we think wor!

How many cloth napkins did u all bot? We bot 20's. I wonder whether issit too much or too little....

Btw, does anyone has the list of email contacts that we can spam to ask for free samples in diapers lah or milk powder?

So far, i onie know abt getting complimentary weaning food samples from Nestle via [email protected]. The rest haben reallie go and search for it wor
 
Hi, SarahMay

My gynae called, saying she has to attend seminar and will be away for a breat for one week too.. so bo bian has to move to next sat..


Flos - you got your baby cot already? Me saw one at OG, oak colour and it looks quike bulky, selling ard 329, with no-holes foam mattress. was comtemplating to get that or the other one that is selling at 359, made in NZ but the interior is abt one inch smaller all round.. how big is the interior space for your white baby cot? and does it come with additional stuff like matttress, bedidng etc? And, you not going for 31 May gathering?
 
Hi MTBs,

Looks like most of u r enjoying your shopping now. Just some personal sharing, not to dampen your fun of shopping but to look at things from a different perspective (I'm an accountant, so talking dollars and cents now). I was equally enthusiastic for #1 but if given a 2nd chance, I would be much more practical this time round. (e.g. I had wanted a Combi stroller which cost >$500 but end up getting one that is $200+ as the sales lady says the extra features are not quite necessary and I now see her point. If I had to get a 2nd stroller this time round, I will go for the Lucky Baby ones or the Safety 1st one which I saw at Robinsons - $100+. U may ask why: it's light, has a large storage basket, cup holders, large wheels, full canopy and I don't feel so heartache when my kid dirties it e.g. he has poured laksa, vomit, poo etc on the cushion b4. Besides, some of them doesn't really want to sit in the stroller once they mastered the art of walking).

And my own view is it's better to save the $ for other things (I just calculated that my son + his brother's pre-school fees up to 6YO will set us back by >$100K even after govt subsidy). Other things like health/insurance/safety/education, I won't compromise.

CL:

In my case, i will take a total stranger anytime. I had the most horrid experience when my mum / MIL was my nanny for 3 days. They have no experience at all and every hearsay becomes a confinement rule. Having to cope with NB is trying enough. Having to deal with nonsense is totally impossible for me(e.g. they tell me that I cannot take papaya. However, it has been shown that papaya with fish soup promotes lactation. Besides, TMC serves papaya when I'm still being warded, so are they now more trained than the medical practitioners?).

Also insisted that I take lots of the DOM and alcohol stuff. I said NO cos it gets into the breastmilk (their generation doesn't believe in Breastfeeding) and will cause brain damage ---asked my hubby who's going to responsible for it???) Things only got better when the CL came. If I don't want to eat something, just tell her. She doesn't interfere.
 
Lok...
yr posting sounds familiar...
My relative bought a $700 Combi for their first born. She really thinks it is unnecessary now cos for her 2nd baby, they bought a $50 Lucky baby from Expo sale. It serves the same purpose. She advise me not to spend too much on it too.
 
thanks, flos, alabone & l'l cy. i guess worst case scenario will be having my mom come over to help.

sarahmay, i know! but i really can't help it. love, love, love the hazelnut cream filling too!

sunrays, how about getting a part-time maid to come in once or twice a week? i think it works well for small families that don't need help with cooking/grocery shopping.

gathering
would love to come but can't cos we need to get our tiles and flooring selection for the house done next sat. remember to take lots of photos of everyone and the food k!
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bumwear
has anyone tried their one-size-fits-all diaper? i realised that it isn't as snug as i imagined it would be for a newborn. had intended to get all of that in their 15-pc package but am thinking twice now.

moses basket
anyone seen this anywhere else besides mothercare (really expensive)?
 
xuanting: I just watched a 'horror movie' on my bro's computer today and I think it's really a wakeup call for him. His Indo maid whom they treat very well was videotaped (via his webcam) kicking and slapping my nephew of 16mos last Fri! And my nephew wasn't even bawling or wailing that day! She was so rough with him, pulled down his pants by force and tore off those diapers and pushed him down and changed the diapers. And she was gesticulating at the door, at the baby and herself irrationally, as though the whole world is against her! She also kicked the furniture in the room...

In front of us, she seems so nice and kind-hearted. She's always singing nursery songs and teasing the baby when we're around. But when behind closed doors in the nursery, she vents her frustration on my poor nephew. I felt so angry watching that footage today and went to sayang my little nephew. My bro will quiely repatriate her next week as the agency is unable to book her homebound airtickets.

Man, I still cant get over that scene when she gave my 16-mth old nephew a tight slap for no reason! And my nephew was still so 'gong gong' staggering around the room, not knowing he had been abused! Cruel Maid!

LC: Yep, I got the $329 white one cos I dun intend to use their cheap foam mattress. I'm getting Babysafe to replace it. The liftable side railing is easy to adjust and the wheels are smooth. I asked them to fix the cot at level 2. Level 3 is when bb can stand up. there are two extra side railings for u to fix up when u wanna convert it to a kids bed in the futue.

Lok: your advice is very sound indeed. I saw many 'copycat' quinnys, combis, maclarens in China that are branded as 'Good Baby' (好孩子). Possibly OEM strollers made in China that steals western designs. They are cheap and equally functional. But I just hate pushing around a stroller with a Hanyupinyin name lah...can't get over the stigma.
 
Flos: OH DEAR! Is your nephew alright? Oh my goodness! I think the maid is psycho!!! I hope they are going take the footage to the maid agency and send the maid packing asap!!! However, these sort of outbursts aren’t really uncommon. And I just rbered yday that some time back you said u prefer to live abroad and u liked SH…has that changed? You want your DH to transfer back to SG – for how long? Will you go abroad after bb is a few years old?

Xuanting: I know…I polished off an entire pack of KBs yday afternoon after reading the posts. Heheh.

LC: How come your gynae so last min? Mine already told me a month ago that she had something on. So mine has been pushed abt a week later too for the next one in June.

Lok: Thanks for your insights! Wah! So much for preschool education – depends on where you send your kids to right? The premium centres charge the most like Etonhouse, Julia Gabriel, Lorna Whiston etc but they may not be the best either. With PS education, as with bb products, branding isn’t everything. Aiyo…but raising a kid gets more expensive every year. I hope my next one comes within the next two years. So I can at least save a bit more on costs i.e. share textbooks etc. Hehe.

Storeberry: Talk about being a tear tap. Me too! I spilt a container of soup and then I broke my blender all in one morning yesterday. And I just broke down! ARGh! What is happening to me? Yes, it is the hormones….but my hubby tells me tt since I know tt is the cause, I can better control it. I agree….my poor Elisha has been having a grouchy mummy for the past few days. I think there is a good reason why in the old Hebrew tradition preggers hide themselves at home. So they cannot get annoyed by imbeciles. I’m kidding…I think I hide at home and minimize contact with the ‘real world’ here so I don’t get annoyed.

EXPENSIVE PRAMS/STROLLERS: Good point about ex not being always the most utilitarian and wisest of investments. I’ve seen the lucky baby ones…but the range is very limited. Is there somewhere that has a wide range? I don’t mind this brand. There is one LA FRESH at Kiddy Palace too that is v cheap. But the plastic canopy and seat material seem really hot and the entire pram seems rather bulky. I don’t drive plus I’m going to live in a country where taxi drivers don’t lift a finger to help you put stuff into the boot. So the primary reason that I would like to invest in a lightweight one (therefore the COMBI) is for convenience. However, after hearing all these advice from exp mums, I’m really reconsidering.

SAFETY 1ST: Other than Robinsons, any place else which sells this? This one sounds good to me because of the features…esp the lightweight part. But hor…I’ve tried prams and to me lightweight is less than 6kg. So is this brand lighter than 6kg?

CHINA BRANDS: I don’t really care about the branding as much as the workmanship. I really just wonder if they are really safe. They can be copies – look the same, but are they really reliable? Lead poisoning….toxic levels in plastic etc… Of cos a lot of expensive products are also made in China but I feel safer that their level of QC is higher.

CHEONG CHOON: I think they sell pretty much every brand and their prices are more competitive than other places.

BEING EMO: Perhaps my experience will help you better ‘tahan’ seemingly-rude Singaporeans. I truly detest the grumpy locals here.

Yday kena two incidents involving the locals flaring up at me for no good reason - both customer service ppl! First was a waitress who didn’t understand Mandarin enough. And when my friend asked if someone could speak English, she spat a string of Cantonese at us and stormed off. And this was at an ‘ang mo’ café place!!!

Then the next was the bus driver of a free shuttle service from the Cultural Centre. The ushers at the centre did not tell us that we had to inform the bus driver where we wanted to go. The poster put ‘Grand Lisboa’ as its first stop. But we were going on such a looooong bus ride, and we finally asked the bus driver. He got irate and started scolding us for not telling him. He continued to repeat that the bus didn’t go there and we should have said earlier. Then he complained about having to drop us somewhere (which btw was just 20m along the same road he was on) to help us take his cab. Then he repeated his rant again about how we shd have opened our mouths. I couldn’t take his grouchyness. And so I did what I decided to do some time back – shoot back in English. Though my Cantonese sucks, I can comprehend a fair bit of verbal abuse targeted at me. The English worked...and the sickening bus driver shut up! But trow I am so calling the Cultural Centre to lodge my complain. And I’m buying that ‘Learn Cantonese’ CD pack…I’m sick of this verbal tirade. Even my husband commented that the locals are mostly grouchy. Stupid driver spoilt my evening.

And my poor baby has been subjected to my emotional responses. I keep apologising to him for being grouchy. I hope I don't make him grouchy.
 
FLos
I can totally understand how you felt. I had to argue with my MIL not to engage a maid, as I used to have maids that cannot even handle cooking properly, let alone taking care of young children. I only need a domestic maid, those hourly kind, but she say not worth it lah, blah blah..Can't she understand that maids tend to abuse babies when no one is around, cos they are not under supervision all the time! BB not theirs, they cannot be bothered. How i wish she can take a look at the video of your brother's maid, then she noe what i am driving at. Saving money should never be the main issue. Goodness...

blue_roses,
I dunno if there is any sale still going on at Jusco in malaysia, but i certainly picked up a lot of cheap and good stuff there, like a set of swimming costume from truimph for only RM25, less than S$12! A lot of baby stuff going very reasonablly cheap, and they are from brands like Looney Tunes and Pigeon. They should have promtional sales every weekend, you might want to drive down one Sunday morning. Yeap, it's at JB, the route leading to Kota Tinggi. It's called Aeon Terbrau City Shopping if I'm not wrong. Do let me know if you manage to get any cheap and great stuff there
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<font color="119911">mickey (bbmouse) - hah, don't think i can ever get used to having a maid! When i was living with my parents, we had a maid for as long as I remember, and part of the time, my mum would be complaining about her!
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That still wasn't so bad cos we lived in a relatively big house, and the maid has her own quarters, so there was alot more personal space. Don't think i can stand being in our apartment with another stranger, so i rather do abit more to cope without one.

shazz (shazzerlyn) - judging from the photos, I think I am alot bigger than u lah...
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I have a huge butt (the type that my hubby said MILs would love in the olden days cos its a sign of fertility...too bad that is not the case nowadays
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)

Flos (flos) - the mozzie net is actually just a regular one from Spotlight for $10+. I bought the iron one smiley faces/flowers myself to pretty it up. It is actually hanging from a nail on the wall - we wanted to hang it from the ceiling, but the room is kinda small &amp; it would look cramp with the light &amp; mozzie net draping down. Hah, i know, the room turned out pretty feminine, i guess more than it should for a baby boy!

Flos (flos) - OMG, that maid is indeed psycho! Another reason why i don't dare to get a maid, esp since i would still have to send both baby &amp; maid to my MIL/mums &amp; can't leave the maid alone at home with baby. Luckily ur broIL found out about her antics before it was too late
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</font>
 
flos, wa lau! so all of you have to pretend that you don't know a thing now? your poor little nephew! there might be a bit of fuss when your bro announce the repatriation on the day; think it's best to get a few more family members to be around to help out. i've heard stories of maids kicking and screaming, refusing to leave, asking to call agent, police etc. but i suppose if she is shown the footage before being told to pack, she'll probably know it's best for her to just leave quietly. how long has she been working for your bro? can't imagine how long this has been going on and what else she's done. so angry hearing it too!

sarahmay, yes, the imbeciles!!! and worse, these morons sometimes think we're the ding dings instead! agh. it's not just your mood swings, i think an ordinary person would've been equally miffed too. those fellas you encountered are truly obnoxious.
 
xuanting
im using bumwear. actually there is a way to wear it for nb. you have to fold the front flap down, not sure how to show you but you can get those people at bumwear to show you how to do it. then it depends on the size of your nb..if too small, maybe not very snug yes...

but all in all, the last pretty long...

flos
your bro should have called the police!!!!!

sarahmay
other than combi, you can try graco and aprica. both has light weight strollers that can be opened and closed with one hand. very convenient. a lot of my friends are using them.
 
thanks, l'l cy. the sales assistant tried to show me how to do the folding down but it was still v v loose! i think she isn't v familiar with the products. did u use it for your nb too? was hoping for some extra discounts during the gss but they aren't offering any, just their usual discounted package rates.
 
Flos ,
Maid issue .. hmm .. My maid coming on 6th June .. decided to hire after a long thought .. MIL cannot handle my zac and i am really very tired w/o hubby ard .. and everytime i am back at my mum's place watching the luxury of my cousins having maid to lok after their kids while they eat and I have to hold my food and zac together on the go plus my mum grumble that i should get a maid long time ago , i relent .... Hmm also my tummy is growing and i found that waking up three times a night to feed zac and working full time really strain all my energy and MIL cannot help and hubby not ard .. so maid is the best option..
I have explored infant schools but the care and food given is not up to expectations plus the HFMD case recently gave me more reasons that maid should be more helpful .. hmm ... wonder will my maid be abusive .. hmm ...
 
Maid: Wau piang! Flos, I hope you all reported her to the police.

My mum or MIL will always be around even though my maid is my baby's main caregiver. It's not advisable to leave just the maid with the baby.
 
Hi

I am also due in Sep.

Currently is looking at the various strollers. Is considering the Quinny Buzz, Bugaboo Bee, Peg Prego Skate and the very nice STOKKE. Any one bought theirs already? Any comments on which is better and more friendly to use?
 
xuanting
no, bumwear dun usually have discount beyond their usual discount.

yes actually quite loose for newborn. but my bb is small so i didnt use it at first. i used the traditional ones.

traditional ones are really cheap, you can get some first, as well as bumwear. the bumwear lasts really long.
 
Hi, Ladies

I am feeling very guilty now.. I took junk food today..
sad.gif
have soya bean drink (sweetened) with bread, then followed by hand-made noodles for lunch, then ate 9layers noya kuai and oneh oneh and two small ice-cream balls and two small kinder breno!!! Worse to come! I ate pizza for dinner - 5 slices with drums/wings and garlic bread and sparking grape juice!!!! feeling very shitty now, like feeding baby with rubbish..


My MIL will be taking care of baby but she hinted for a maid when my FIL will also be around to take care.. we are still thinking if this is necessary as we are worried that it will end up becoming the maid taking care of baby instead..
 
Sarahmay,

Yup, u are right, depends on where u send your kids to. I'm not even sending them to the premium ones (like Chiltern House, Pat's Schoolhouse). Infantcare cost me $900 a mth, childcare $800 a mth. The premium ones will easily cost anywhere between $1200-1600/mth. Much more expensive than going to university!! Having said that, I may consider Lorna Whiston after #2 turns 18 mths as it will be much nearer my potential future workplace.

Robinsons seem to have ran out of the Safety 1st strollers (only saw the tandem ones).

Flos,

There was a similar case of bb case in the news a few months back. That's why despite our decision to hire a maid, both our kids still go to infantcare &amp; childcare. I am not willing to risk it.
 
gosh! another maid abusing baby case! I was just telling my hubby how I'll definitely want a maid by the time #2 comes along, but will definitely leave maid and babies with either my MIL or my mum when we're at work. But I'm thinking twice now cos you never know what those maids will do when we're not within their sight.

On cheap and light strollers, I went to Hougang Mall during dinner time to check out this store that is selling a play pen + stroller set for $188. Can't recall the play pen's brand but it's also selling at Kiddy Palace at $109, can adjust the bassinet at 3 levels but I didn't get it cos it comes with a metal railing all round, and I don't want my baby to hit his head. The whole point of me getting a playpen is so that I won't have to get bumpers to cover the sides. The stroller is from Baby Zone. It's a light weight stroller but it looks rather filmsy to me. Perhaps it's just me, I prefer something stronger and more sturdy. But the store also stocks some cheap and nice baby stuff! Saw baby comforter and bumper sets that cost from $29 to $65. The picture on the sets said from US, but I'm not too sure how's the quality though. IMO, the ones at Kiddy Palace looks way better even though you pay $20 more.

pinkygal (pinkygal) : My hubby had wanted to get the STOKKE Xplory for months but we changed our mind when the Peg Perego SKATE reached our shores 2 weeks ago. We got that instead and we love it. Our considerations was that we wanted a sturdy stroller that is at a good height because hubby had slipped disc and he doesn't want to keep bending down to pick up baby. So a stroller that is at a higher level is a must for us. User friendly wise, I find that Quinny Buzz is rather user friendly as it has a one touch button that springs the stroller into shape from the storage position. The Peg Perego SKATE is also pretty easy to set up if you had stored it with the bassinet. The STOKKE Xplory, you have to fix or move the stroller seat to set it up again from the storage position. In my opinion, all the 3 strollers are heavy and would be good if your hubby or helper is around to help you set up whenever you unload from the car.

What are your requirements for a stroller?

Goldfish (goldfish1395) : which play pen did you order from Cheng Choon? How much? May need to go down and take a look. Did you see any Mama Love playpen in the catalogue? My friend recommended that to me but Kiddy Palace said the manufacturer stopped making play pens for Mama Love. =(
 
Lok, agree with you that we can get overly excited at times with the sale &amp; shopping but really its better to save on some items &amp; be prepare for bb's future like education, insurance...etc. But then again if your budget permit, why not?

I met a fren at a wedding today and she just gave birth a few mths back &amp; was asking me if I am buying stroller &amp; cot, told her I am getting hand-me-downs &amp; she said that yah no need to buy so ex cos her bb refuse to sleep in the cot at all &amp; wants to sleep with her on the bed.

Sarahmay: Glad that someone is a tear tap like me.. Was feeling abit silly that I teared but I really missed my DH these 2days..

LC: That is alot of food in one day! Must cut down tmr! kekeke!
 
flos,
REPORT TO POLICE!!!!!!!!! how can she be let off like that!!!!! when i read that i was really angry. your bil treats her nicely and that's how she repaid him???? feel like i need to slap and punch her! anyway, on the day your bil sends her away, better not have your nephew around. you don't know if she might snatch him or try to do funny things. ARGH!!!

sarahmay,
those are some rude pple you encountered! i would have lost it too and whether pregnant or not, anyone would have lost it. those pple are the ones who need a courtesy campaign.

LC,
hmmm, if it makes you feel any better, i dont eat healthy, wholesome food often enough. the other day during my dept meeting, i ate four slices of oiishi pizza and drank coke too. then yesterday got craving for dimsum so ate that at crystal jade. dinner went to breeks to have fish n chips and buffalo wings. then today went to eat at marche... i'm overloading!!!!!

qiuling,
though there are instances of abusive and horrid maids, there are also those who are good. my first maid was bad coz she stole money and even my kids' toys. can you believe it?? my mum set a trap for her and found out she took money. we never confronted her until i sent her back to the agency. the current one is good enough. uncomplaining, hardworking and loves the kids. thankfully she stays at my mum's place so my mum is around to jaga her. but we've since trusted her a lot more and when my parents go out with my son only, they can trust her with my girl at home.
 
Shazz
I got my playpen from Cheong Soon @ $100. The brand is Latido. It is available in Kiddy Palace at $103 or $109. Cannot remember. I hope it last till the bb grow sick of the playpen.

I dun remember seeing Mama Love in the catolgue wor. But u can call them up to ask just in case

Anyone using those diaper pants? Actually how many do we need huh? Issit supposed to be waterproof huh?
 
Hi Shazz

I saw the STOKKE today at motherworkz... so cool but so ex, but the finishing looks real good. I saw the SKATE yesterday too but forgot to ask the salesperson how heavy it is? WOuld you know and do you find it heavy yourself? Actually i would have no hesitation getting them coz they look really sturdy especially with the big solid wheels. But am just worried if i have to go out alone with baby, it seems heavy. I am looking for a travel system thatz why the Bugaboo at 7.7 kg kind of fits the bill but the wheels are small and look q flimsy.

Why did you choose the Peg Perego SKATe rather than the 2007 Peg Peg Perego?

I am also looking at cots now. Still not sure if a playpen is better.
 


What a tiring day! I bought my IQ24 Avent steriliser at $160 (same price as Cheong Choon) from Mothercare today, plus Lansinoh cream and milk bags, a bean sprout pillow! I forgot abt the bb monitor though. Which brand is good?

SarahMay/mickey/alabone/ilboymum/lok/shazz: The thing i about my poor nephew is: there is no apparent injury and he is presently ok. I guess it's just gross mishandling of the todd lor. My bro and SIL have gone overseas until Wed. As they dun wanna alert the maid that they already found out she is schizo/psychotic, they told my folks to pretend that biz as usual until they come back...

Actually, my bro is currently bunking in with my folks, as they are renovating their own house now. On Fri, the maid was inside the nursery alone with the bb while the other adults in the house were doing their stuffs at ground floor and third floor respectively. She has been under 8am-6pm supervision by my mom in the past 1.5 yrs and yet she still has the guts to abuse the bb behind closed doors.

My bro treats her so well. She eats whatever they eat, incl, Wagyu beef, Bakerzin cakes, King prawns, Royal Umbrella Thai rice, and what hv u? She needn't do housework cos they hv a second maid who will take care of that. Her core duty is to take good care of the bb, and my goodness, she could still betray their trust like that! Nope, they will not report the case to the police cos it's only a tight slap and a rough push captured on cam so far.

SarahMay: Oh yes, my hb will be back latest by Jul cos he needs to handover his stuffs to his covering officer. He has a few projects in Sichuan and becos of the recent earthquake, he'll need to stay back for a few more weeks until there are no more tremors to fly there to handover them to the office. I hope to be in SG for at least a year to two.

Bigtoes: I think I prefer those with a rod, but can't find any net that is plain like the one u bot.

mobilesuitegal: My MIL is also forcing me to hire a maid, and only by doing so will she take care of my bb for me from Mon-Fri! I'm paying her a tidy sum monthly to play mahjong and travel the world, and if I hired a maid, my monthly expenses will rise! I might as well quit my job and become a SAHM and save on those maid expenses. I am also happy with my part-time domestic helper.

Qiuling: I must give it to u...Your hb is out of town and you hv no maid, u r a FT teacher, and u r preggie with #2!! pei fu pei fu...What does your hb do in China btw? He had been in China since ur #1.

Storeberry: I kinda agree with your point that "But then again if your budget permit, why not?"

There are various reasons why pp rear/spoil their child I feel. Some couples have their #1 in their late 30s when they are financially stable and relatively affordable, as compared to their counterparts in their 20's who hv less savings. For others, if it took the couple donkey years to conceive, then they may feel it is justifiable that they splurge on the NB lah.

Goldfish: Yes, i saw those waterproof diaper covers at Kiddy Palace. They look damn hot!
 
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