(2013/08) August 2013

[rachyo]

bubbly.. soft cheese r usually those in a round packaging.. like those margarine tub.. its not sliced type..

 

[skymummy]

Read abt baby bonus? Increase to 6k......

 

[rachyo]

yup it has been increased since aug 2012.. its a gd news for all mummies

 

[diorsnow]

my oscars is next week, hopefully everythings is good. *prays hard*

Actually not true about eating shellfish will lead to allergy. U must eat FRESH ones lah..not those in hawker center ones. For my #1 i consumed ALOT of bird nest but his skin is very dry leh... so not true. Crabs can eat as long as it is well-cooked.

My gynae says its ok to drink chinese tea, dont be overly concerned. Coffee contains more caffine than chinese tea she says.

 

[nefariouskat]

i read abt the one week paid paternity leave too! any idea when it will take effect??

i shld try ribena too! plain water tastes so bad.. LOL!

i read a lot of websites, the caffeine in tea is half of the amount in coffee..

actually ah, 2nd trimester starts when? Week 13 onwards?

 

[diorsnow]

I also "fight" to drink ribena, sweets and candies with my #1... hahahhaa. Dunno why water seems so plain.

13weeks is consider 2nd trimester. So during CNY u can gladly show off ur tummy already. hehehe..

 

[gyyl]

Katherine, paternity leave applies from 1st may onwards by law! Companies may choose to offer it earlier.

And medisave now covers congenital and neonatal conditions.

Rachyo, there's quite a bit on dismissal without cause and maternity benefits for contract workers - can help you with your boss? https://www.nptd.gov.sg/content/NPTD/home/_jcr_content/par_content/download_24/file.res/Press%20Release%202013%20MP%20Package%20_Annex%20AB_.pdf

Now in 11 weeks and my MS is finally lessening. But I hurt my back muscles and am on bedrest for 2 days

not sure if I should see gynae or it's just a back problem that won't affect baby.

 

[nefariouskat]

diorly: my 13weeks is the week after CNY! good also, or else relatives sure a lot of things to advise.

Leng: really! that's good! let my hub take care, i sleep!! LOL~
u better rest well and dun walk ard.

 

[ellentg]

bubbly: got this "Safe cheeses in pregnancy" from baby centre, hope it helps:

Hard cheeses: smoked versions, caerphilly, cheddar, cheshire, derby, double gloucester, edam, emmental, English goat's cheddar, feta, gouda, gruyere, halloumi, havarti, jarlsberg, lancashire, manchego, orkney, paneer, parmesan, pecorino (hard), provolone, red leicester.

Soft, processed cheeses: garlic and herb roulade, cottage cheese, cream cheese, feta, goat's cheese without a white rind, mascarpone, mozzarella, processed cheese (such as cheese spread and cheese segments), quark, ricotta.

the soft cheese that cannot eat are those like blue cheese cos they got mold and bacteria (my gynae actually just said "no blue cheese"). many on the "soft" list above like mozzarella are semi-soft cheese...

 

[ellentg]

more from babycentre:

Cheeses to AVOID in pregnancy

Soft cheeses:
Brie, Blue Brie, Cambozola, Camembert, Chaumes, chèvre (goats cheese with a white rind), fetta, Pont L'Eveque, ricotta, Taleggio, Vacherin-Fribourgeois

Blue-veined cheeses:
Bergader, Bleu d'Auvergne, Blue Wensleydale, Shropshire Blue, Danish Blue, Dolcelatte, Gorgonzola, Roncal, Roquefort, Stilton, tomme, Wensleydale (blue).

Soft, unpasteurised cheese, including goat and sheep's cheeses:
Chabichou, Pyramide, Torta del Cesar.

 

[diorsnow]

in short, avoid the high class cheese. hehehe

Pizza hut, burgers cheese all ok to eat wan.

 

[rachyo]

thanks Leng! I'm checking it out nw.. hope to find some useful info

 

[avuvia]

SkyMummy: initially i drank a lot of ribena too. but ended up w Green stools due to the coloring and a bit of tummy upset. so don't drink too much, if not then dilute with water so that its less sweet, more sourish. i'm taking the white chrysanthemum tea too. but try to limit to one packet a day.

diorly: i have this thing with water too. some days i just cant take plain water. the taste is yucky. so yesterday i had some preserved stuffs first i.e preserved peaches, plums, dried guava etc, before drinking water. helps a little w the bland taste.

Katherine: my first trimester also 2 weeks or so after CNY.. but dunno if my parents will slip their tongues or not and say.

Rachyo: - Maternity protection will now be extended for expecting mothers for the whole duration of their pregnancy. That is, if an employer dismisses an expectant mother without sufficient cause at any point in her pregnancy, it must now pay her maternity benefits. http://www.straitstimes.com/breaking-news/singapore/story/one-week-govt-paid-paternity-leave-20130121 Not sure if this applies to you?

 

[simplygreen]

i read ribena packaging. it seems that it is not suitable for infants < 1 year old... so i dare not to drink it as well.

 

[ellentg]

Diorly: high class cheese... Lol... Luckily I never like blue cheese...

 

[frog]

Actually, my doctor stressed that the most important thing in first trimester is hydration.

CNY clothes: I bought a dozen so far - before knowing I am pregnant. I loathe to shop for new clothes now... <<slaphead>>

 

[rachyo]

Thanks Amanda! I really feel warm here cos I feel all of u cares

Thanks so much!

I hope it applies to my case too cos we are in 2yrs contract n my contract will expire in mid sept which is 1mth after my delivery.. I have wrote to tafep for help &amp; hope they will revert soon

 

[coolman]

hi usha, congrats on the scan result

u hav passed another hurdle. My NT scan will be in 2 weeks time.

hi all, I hav spoken too early : ( my ms has not over yet. I merlion twice 2day. 1 bfast, 1 lunch.. seems like getting worse. its going to be like my #1 ;( merlion till i give birth.

 

[sinplyme]

hi all, any mommies-to-be not doing the oscar scan? am contemplating not doing it... :x

 

[zhaqqie]

For my case, the doctor n nurse never even ask if I wanted to take the oscar scan. Just book for me. But I will take la

 

[coco69]

Hi all, I'm back after Mia for a week..still spotting.. Haiz... Had to take a jab last fri n another scheduled this fri. Gynae gave another week of rest. Hope my baby n I can really make it through this first tri..

Oscar.. I will do it ...cos I am not a young mummy.. Haha.

 

[coolman]

hi sinplyme, my gynae never ask if I want to do the oscar scan. He just book for me. Mayb bcoz for my #1, i also did the oscar scan therefore he auto help me to book. U can inform ur gynae tat u dun wish to do the scan. Think they wont force u.

 

[ellentg]

sinplyme: my gynae didn't even mention about OSCAR scan. I only know about this when i read this forum..... may skip... see how it goes.

 

[avuvia]

coco: stay positive and rest rest rest~! all the best!

 

[rachyo]

for my case (i'm 30 in a few days time) i hv scheduled for OSCAR scan on 7 Feb.. i hv also done it for the first child

actually doc said the risk is higher if u r above 30.. so far i paid $300+ for blood test &amp; urine test.. heard from the nurse the scan would cost about $300 before GST.. so total would be about $700+ i think..

 

[diorsnow]

Wow rachyo..thanks for letting us know. Wow so expensive...

I heard some ppl go directly to the one at Camden there, do genetic scanning even more accurate than Oscars.

 

[coco69]

Thanks Amanda...

Hey, the enhanced parenthood package is announced.. Go read it.
http://www.straitstimes.com/breaking-news/singapore/story/one-week-govt-paid-paternity-leave-20130121


Details are here
https://www.nptd.gov.sg/content/NPTD/home/_jcr_content/par_content/download_24/file.res/Press%20Release%202013%20MP%20Package%20_Annex%20AB_.pdf

 

[usha_rk]

my scan alone today cost me $171.80. I saw the counseling form that with the blood test it was about 300 plus but less than $350..

 

[rachyo]

yeah its v expensive.. maybe its partly due to the hospital.. actually if i hv more time to search i would go for the genetic scan that u mentioned hehe.. but everything is in a rush for me haha..

 

[sinplyme]

besides age concerns, any other MTBs not doing the oscar...
actually money is not the issue here. we didn't do it for #1, so i thot the same for #2 but then again, age is also a factor.
though doctor says my age still ok to not do, im torn in between.

 

[tomatoes]

Ladies, since u all talk abt genetic scan and the Oscar test, I was thinking if Oscar is not so accurate, then why don't one go for genetic scanning? Oscar not cheap oso. Abt $450. Genetic scan oso abt there. Any views?

 

[skcc2007]

coco: Same as u, I am also spotting since 2 weeks ago. 5 days MC ends last Friday. Today on leave, am thinking if I should go back to work tomorrow.

For those mummies who couldn't stomach food, u may want to try taking dry bread like raisin bread. It works well for me.

 

[coco69]

Sk tan: good luck to both of us.. Are you taking some medication?
Due to this complication, I'm planning to take sabbatical leave till I deliver...hubby is supportive...so trying to work out with my boss.. Spoke to HR just now to understand the policy better...

 

[avuvia]

coco69: ya i saw! my EDD is 28 Aug as per my last ultrasound. now i'm hoping baby arrives according to the EDD.. cos the cpf medisave package and increased baby bonus starts on the 26th. haha..

sktan: for the sake of yourself and the baby, just rest if you can afford to.

if still spotting, then maybe you can see your gynae again to extend MC or to see if can do anything else to help?

 

[xiao_wanzi03]

Amanda

E package benefits Bb borned fr 26aug 2012.. it is backdated!

 

[ellentg]

Amanda: no worries, the baby bonus starts from 26 Aug 2012 (last year), not this year

my friend's baby is too early by 2 days.....

 

[avuvia]

Ahh! Then that's great! Haha didn't notice

 

[bbreeze]

Amanda, the enhancements u mentioned are backdated to 26 Aug 2012, not 2013.

so dun stress urself out on the date!

For mummies on MC/HL due to spotting, try to do a proper bedrest.. Bedrest is meant to be fully lie down and walk minimally. Trust me it helps a lot

My MS is still ongoing.. i think ive gotten used to eat and puke.. at most i eat again.. sigh!! next wk is oscar scan.

i've been to a few places to look at maternity wear but they are pretty horrid looking.. hahaha..now i dun feel like going for cny visiting already!!

 

[avuvia]

Luckily the clothes I bought end dec were pretty loose cut, esp at the waist. Cos somehow I had a feeling that I could be pregnant. Or was going to be.

Some of the maternity wear I bought from Asos are a little too baggy for now cos my little tummy not obvious yet. But some look just fine with or without the tummy so at least no need to worry about CNY for now!

But i definitely need to sort out my closet and put aside clothes that I can still wear when the tummy shows. But the thought of it is just so tiring!

 

[wlilian]

Done my oscar scan today....baby not very cooperative...the sonographer needed to shake my tummy for baby to move outer in order to see the face and body.... but i already consider lucky...my friend due to baby not cooperative have to go back tomorrow to do. Hopefully she will be able to get her scan done tomorrow.

Hmmm...now pending the results...hopefully everything is okay. Can't see the gender yet...

 

[ellentg]

bbreeze: that is very true. I'm on HL due to spotting and resting really helps a lot... i don't do strict bed rest though (cos feel bored / back tired if lie down too long / need to cook) but surely the rest at home helps.

 

[bbreeze]

ellen, hehe.. when i was on bedrest previously, it was 2 whole months.. i tahan and tell myself i better get the rest now or else i wont get any after the bb comes along! hahaha.. no choice have to psycho myself. But it really helped.. that time was hard to pass but i just shift everything onto bed to do side ways or lie as inclined as i can.

 

[diorsnow]

arghh..hate the phglem in throat feeling.. everytime i brush teeth sure puke.

 

[poky]

where t do the genectic scan? thomson have?

 

[tomatoes]

Poky, dun think thomson has this. There is one famous doc at Camden does it.

I found out the those who does not have satisfactory Oscar test result opted for this scan instead of amino. N of this percentage of patients, many found out their bb was in fact alright n healthy. So it makes me wonder if the Oscar test results shows our bb is fine, would it be accurate (false negative)? I really heard alot of stories abt false positives. Some of my frens also went thru such things n they were so worried.

So like that might as well I skip Oscar (not cheap lor) n go straight for this scan (which is said to be more accurate than Oscar as the scan is super clear). Juz a thought lor.

 

[poky]

chocpockie, how much is the scan? juz register n can do liao? i suppose to b doin my oscar tis thurs.

 

[skcc2007]

Thanks ladies, I will heed your advice to rest more.
coco, my gynae only gave hormone pills, no jab. In any case, she was quite skeptical that the pills will help, just that it is harmless.
Oscar test is non-invasive but not 100% accurate. Diagnostic tests with 100% accuracy include CVS @12weeks or amio@16weeks.
Looking forward to enhanced baby bonus for my bb.
I recalled I was so excited when my #1 qualified for the 2008 baby bonus after they brought forward the effective date to the very day the announcements were made by PM Lee.

 

[tomatoes]

Poky, in 2009 I read was $350. Now dunno how much. U can call n ask.

http://www.ssr.com.sg/education.htm

 

[wlilian]

Hmm..tried the nub theory by the oscar scan..i saw it and it seems like my baby might be a girl...but my gut feeling was telling me it is a boy...now very confused....must wait till 8 feb to see if baby will let us see the gender...now dont know to call him or her....

but at least most important baby needs to be healthy....but i am abit worried...cos during the previous ultrascan and oscar scan...baby like never move the legs...i only see his/her hands moving...so i abit worried...i keep reading and see that most baby will dance with both hands and leg...hopefully its okay...

 

[bubbly29]

Ellen: thanks for doing the research! Now I know that I better avoid the high class cheese... Eat only the normal cheese!

Beautifulmom: I am not going for OSCAR. My husband and I decide to walk by faith.