Premature babies support group

hi kkf

thx for welcoming me
happy.gif
yeah breastfeeding makes me stress. I'm sorta torn between wanting her suckle more so get more BM and letting her rest coz drinkin FM is quicker.For us, BM takes longer.
true true just give what have.

hi stressed.

ok will try again nursing while lying down. did try but somehow didn't get the hang of it.

one time only wake up? wah so gd!

I dunno somehow I got the idea my BM not as gd as FM coz not enuff/taking more time so potentially tire her more, making her more cranky & unhappy
I guess I have to ease into it slowly patiently

hmmm..ok will try pumping,breastfeed more nite.
 


daec,

pump does not = less milk. i pump out milk 4 my ger for 7mths. n mix w FM then. total stopped EBM when she's 8mth. she zzz throughout the nite since 4mth. so EBM/breastmilk does not = less filling as compared to FM. it's a myth.

anyway, try ur best & if u hav alrdy done ur best, then no worry...

something nice to share.. rem i said last thurs my ger started walking? this weekend, she's love walking sooo much, tat she even cling onto daddy (cos daddy hold her hand to walk) this weekend!! ytd morning, normally i need to walk her to make her zzz, but she refused to b carried by me & cling onto daddy. daddy brought her down to walk & made her zzz.. hubby so happy & proud, cos he hasn't been able to carry her to zzz since she's 10mths old. cos since last dec, she's super sticky to me, only me (on weekends) & ah-ma (on weekdays). then i joked w hubby u bought 4d? since ur daughter becomes daddy's gal alrdy..haha. then he realy kenna 4d last nite..small amt, but still kenna la haha
 
Just want to vent my frustration. Yesterday, I brought my boy to a baby show. When the doc checked his weight against the babychart in the health booklet. Then she asked if my boy could do things like crawl, pull himself up etc. I told her some things he still can't and also told her that he's premature. But she just dismissed me saying " It doesn't matter". How can this be? Isn't it unfair to compare my child to a full term baby without correcting the age? He was less than 2kg for a start unlike the other full term baby etc. Last but not least, she told me "Do you know your baby should know how to do all these things by 9 months?" I feel so irritated. What kind of doc is that? She also made me feel so useless. After that, I also can't be bothered to wait for the result of the contest.
 
hi cheaky

the doctor must be very inexperienced and probably did not spend any time being attached to the neonat departments. maybe she's just a family physician who isn't too familiar with premature babies.

i understand your frustration. maybe you should just continue trusting your neonat. such insensitive doctors who aren't professional, aren't worth the aggravation anyway.
 
<font color="0000ff">Advice Required;
Calling Costa and Mich, Mothers of 24 weekers...</font>

Hullo...
Wondering when my baby come out of the hospital, how often are the hospital visits in the first month, second month, third month, etc?
Trying to plan my leave around it. Thanks!!! ;)
 
Lindah
Your calling woke me up from a sleepy afternoon after a hearty lunch. Haha...

The appointments depend on how many docs your boy need to see after discharge. I remembered the visits were very frequent initially. For instance, Dr Argawal saw them every mth for the first few mths. It was then extended to every 8 weeks, then 12 weeks.One year after discharge, she schedules to see them every 6 mths.

We need to see hernia surgeon, eye specialist, cardio specialist and ENT. On certain mths, we could have up to 3 appointments on separate days at KKH.

You can call central appointment hotline to arrange for the appointments to be on the same day if possible. It cannot be done at times because the docs run clinics on different days. For example, Dr A runs clinic on Mondays and Dr Joyce Chua, the Hernia Surgeon runs clinic on Thurs only. Sometimes, their appointments are full and they cannot slot us in on the days we want.

The number of visits also depend on the condition of the child. For instance, when we first brought them to ENT for hearing test. They failed. We are asked to bring them back again a few weeks later to do a re-test. As such, the number of appointments increase.

Another thing you need to note is the waiting time at the clinics can be quite long.

Your baby is going home soon?
happy.gif
 
Hello Mummies
Hows the weekens?

I think I am allergic to work. My headache comes back the moment I sat at my desk this morning. I was ok over the weekend.

KKf
Thank you sister.... Those are the threads I was looking for.

Daec
I dun think cost is a problem for my friend leh. They are very well to do.
We are glad that both she and baby are ok now.
How are you doing?
Breast is best. Give as much as you can supply.

Cheaky
I think the doc is very insensitive to make such a remark.
I hope it is due to her inexperience and not attitude.
Did you take down the doctors name?
Is she from a public hospital or private practice?

DisneyMickey
Your post was very funny.
Have fun running after your gal!
 
Haha, Mich. Good lah. Now you wide awake for work. ;) Your boss can reward me! ;)

the nurse said my son should be gg home soon... ;) but i havent talk to the neonat. ;)

hope the eye review next week is ok. i think they will decide for sure then. After being weaned off all the equipment, his sats drop slightly before picking up to re-adjust. Quite scary for me.

So, 1.5 days lv (3 x 0.5 day) a month is enough if I can schedule most of the appts on the same days? I hope so cos that's about as much as I have... ;) Else, hubby have to send baby to Dr, then...

ya. women clinic very slow. children clinic will be the same? private suite expensive, is it?
 
mich,
harlo...alamak, must be the work getting you down...tink i get more headache at home, leh..not easy to manage a primary school kid even when my expectations r not high..

hv you enrolled d and e in the play school already?

u are right about the appointments leh..really so many and sometimes in between must go to smwhere else for ultrasounds etc..really i also wonder how i managed to go thru...

lindah,
congrats...wait for him to stabilise and everythg boleh then go home....waiting period smtimes can get quite frustrating but bo pian lah...so be sure to factor in a few hours off next time for appointments.....eye appts need to go earlier to put the eye drops and then wait to see the doctor...for neo nat, see together wif the physio but still gotta wait at least half an hr or so and if they operate onli certain days and it doesnt coincide wif the rest, you may end up like wat mich says, going there a few times....

but as things get better, you go less often...maybe see wat the neo nat says and see wat are the follow ups involved and then you can plan accordingly...

cheaky,
u shld have told the doctor tt you obviously cant compare a preemie now as compared to a full gestational age bb..even the latter can be different from child to child..the doc really goondu......

daec,
u are right, pumping cant simulate the real emptying done by baby thru sucking but sad to say, i never managed to latch on as my bb's sucking is weak (and still is)...I managed to fully give bm until about a few months ago...my supply was good at the beginning and i had a lot to store at kkh but when my boy was discharged and went home...the stock had to be discarded...

bm gets digested easier and thus bb may get more hungry more frequently...it also depends on whether bb is getting more foremilk or hind milk...foremilk is the beginning part of the milk supply and is mainly water..so if bb drinks more of this foremilk, he wld more like quenching his thirst..but hindmilk consists of more fats and may fill up bb more..tis is wat my frens told me but i not sure myself as i din latch on directly...

disneymickey,
looks like yr fun begins here.....
happy.gif
u wld be very busy already chasing yr ger ...
 
hi mommies, may I know when happens after your bbs started to bauble ? are they going to speak soon after that
happy.gif
Thanks
 
hi all,

i hav heard lots of (horror) stories abt chasing kids when they start walking. but i think i'd rather she walk, at least i dun hav to carry her till my arms & back ache. as i was saying, last weekend was the 1st time after months tat my ger stick to her daddy, after 2days, he's complaining abt back ache alrdy haha.

now, i'm waiting 4 her to start talking..cos sometimes really dun understand wat she's trying to 'say' or point..can get q frustrating..

cheaky,
aiyo, wat kind of insensitive doc is tat?? even if u r inexperienced w preemies, u shouldn't hav brushed the mother away. dun care la, u know ur bb can can liao
 
didi,

my ger has been babbling since 10mths, but haven't really spoken a word yet..so i'm not the best mommy to ask heehee

again, diff bb behaves/ develop differently...
 
Lindah
My boss on half day leave and it explained why i was dozing off. Haha...
Sister... need to buffer some time hor. Half day leave may not be enough for some appointments.

Example, at Dr A clinic. The appointment was at 10.45am, we didn't get to see her until almost 12 noon. Payment and purchasing of medicine at the pharmacy (if necessary) can be quite slow too. By the time we finished, it was almost 2 pm!

All the reviews will be at the clinics, what private suite are you refering to har?

Long waiting time - What i do nowadays is to ask for the last time slot and reach there 5-10 mins before the appointment time.

Costa
Are you coaching your elder boy in his studies or do you get a tuition teacher for him?
Work - very busy this mth. Need to be on site to run events next 2 evenings. I used to be look forward to going on site. Now, i drag leh. Priority changes.
Yes, i have registered the boys for 3 hours playgroup next year.

Didi
When the bbs start to babble, there are times when you thought you heard them saying papa, mama or mum mum.
happy.gif
 
Lindah, congrats that your baby is going home soon!!!

Yah, disneymickey, i am chasing all over for my boy now...he will go balcony to take the soil from the plant and throw on the floor, he will go kitchen to take the rice to throw on the floor...blar blar blar.

Mich, i am allergy to work too!! haha... my pain here pain there, and breathlessness will come when I start work!

Cheaky that doctor is a very lousy doctor!
 
Mich, think will stick my ears around them, not to miss a word, ha...ha
happy.gif
my hb thot that they will speak soon, haiz...wishful thinking lor...
 
disneymickey,stressed, costa

thanks for e tips. still figuring out how to put the whole thing together.ie.when FM, when breastfeed. pump. sometime breastfeed ok sometime not.

Today afternoon, nursing didnt work out well. she'd fell asleep then I thot is enuff - so put her to bed. then she start crying ! me think not enuff so gave her FM.

at nite, she nursed for 30min
happy.gif

sometimes she only nurse 5-10min then she dun wan. dunno if not enuff or simply she too tired.

disneymickey - tt so great ur dd is walking.have fun
happy.gif


cheakey
wah so irritating e dr. She obviously wrong tho she act like she know-it-all. dun think she got exp with premmies and the impact.

Lindah
gd to know ur son doing well. I got 4 appt for this month alone. all on separate days.


Just want ask all of u :
is it necessary to get a PD ? or is it enuff to go to GP or polyclinic ?thx
 
daec,
no pblem...feel free to ask or share anythg wif us....we still learning...

mich,
i dun actually coach my son in tt sense, just test his chinese ting1 xie3(spelling) and english spelling...and also check his communication booklet (notebook) to see what to bring and homework to do...

he doesnt have tuition as he is in primary one onli....next time maybe need to have as i also lost touch wif alot of things..the way they teach now is different from us...

he goes for chinese enrichment class..becuz he cant concentrate in school and i need to gv him some booster....i may stop if got no time..

other than that, he goes to kumon,he requested himself he wanted to learn....

dun noe how some kids can do everythg on their own, my son is not one of them...sad to say

d n e gg to play group when they turn 3...correct?they got each other as playmates..so nice
happy.gif


haha, you oso noe huh..the kkh appts, smtimes can be so fast like in a flash and sometimes takes so long...
 
daec, first month, cannot ask them to move the appts about so that all fall on the same day, is it?

kkf, thanks. my son shud be coming home next week unless eye review not good... touchwood, man! of course subjected to no desat.

mich/costa, thanks for all the info. i will take short term NPL lah. Saturday can schedule follow up checks or not? I will adopt mich's strategy of asking for the last appt. so that i can take half day and waste less time at kkh. last time i was at clinic C for gynae, my appt at 9.30, i met dr at 11.30, that's y i changed to private suite. slightly more expensive but i'm out of there within 1 hr. but for review, maybe cant use private suite because son from C class.

yesterday i used the avent teat to feed son. i realise got leakage! i think right, my son needs the Y-cut teat, then no leakage. all other teats may be too fast and leaks too much. i have to wait till he is older and stronger.
 
did anyone use the Dr Brown preemie teat? how is the cut like?

I am on a teat-search. I need something leak-proof (which i understand is Y-cut type) but oso must be super-slow flow. the preemie <font color="ff0000">red colour</font> teat that the hospital provide has one super-tiny hole (like pigeon S) but have one cross cut to enable baby to suck enough milk out with less strength.

the pigeon S teat takes my son forever but the <font color="ff0000">red</font> teat takes him 15-25mins to finish 70+ml without desat so now I am favouring this Y-cut. The nurses ask me to look ard in The First Few Years since the red teat is disposable and is only for hospital use and they cant give me except maybe a few samples.
sad.gif
But all the Y-cut I see in the shop is looks too big to be slow flow. so now confused.

The Avent teat, is leaky so may be too fast for him... but as i scared he cannot control the flow, gulp gulp gulp, Y-cut may have same effect as Avent teat.

Wanna talk to SLT but what if SLT say pigeon S? Then will take my son very long. Haiz. Any mummy w advice?
 
Lindah,
I think Y cut will be very fast flow, as i give my boys they dont like it, too fast..
Are you using neck bottle? which big teats? if yes maybe you can try Bfree teats, as variouble flow, got 1,2,3 drop, you can give your boy 3 drop if he prefer fast flow..
 
hi jacelyn

Bfree teats are same as Dr Brown, or different from Dr Brown?

If possible, I want to use the Avent Bottle as I have 8 Avent bottles! Got it free...
 
lindah, my elder boy is using 'Y' teat but it still overflows at times
sad.gif


Mommies, my boys just had their 2nd 5-in-1 jab yesterday, and my elder boy had fever due to that
sad.gif
may I know if any of your bbs has this ? just went to emergency kkh and back already.
 
didi

i remember when my son had 1st 5-in-1, the nurses already warn me tt may have fever. Any injection is like that one... So i think not to worry. but take baby temperature lah. if high, better send GP/PD...

which brand of Y teat do you use?
 
Lindah

didn't ask. I just follow. actually 2 of them suppose be same day so I only need go 3 days to hospital. then later they change all on diff day so 4 days of appt. sienz rite.. anyway one appt can wait quite long so maybe be gd coz quite taxing all on same day, all e waiting etc.
the eye doctor appt took abt 2-3hr altgether
 
daec,

oic! so supposed to be 3 days lah... you had to see whom? neonat, eye, heart and hernia is it?

urgh... 2-3hrs? hmmmm...
 
The doc at the baby show is middle aged woman some more...

Lindah,
Why not you check with the NICU or nursery that yr kid stays in, what kind of teats they use. I remember at Gleneagles they used the Nuk disposable teats. So I used Nuk all the while.

didi,
My boy had 5 in1 then had fever too last time. That time, I even scheduled him to take the Rotovirus. Fever abt 39 degrees man...
 
cheaky,

the teat they are using is special one from Dr Ross Paediatrics in USA in conjuction w Abbot Lab (Similac provider). I even called the Abbot Lab distributor in SG and she say they dont provide teats for consumers.

They have NUK and Friso teat in the hospital but my son dont take too well to those 2 teats. Friso teat is still ok but NUK is too fast.
 
My boy always garna fever after injection...

I prefer tollyjoy teats. My boy is used to them. Initially give S size, then M size, then finally L size.
 
Lindah, I am using Pigeon ones
happy.gif


Mommies, thanks, was so worried about the boys, now I feel better, am I correct to say that the fever will go away ? their reading is 37.1
sad.gif
 
Lindah

yeah NUK is fast. see neonat, eye, dietician and PAS at clinic K (whatever the last is)

have to see for hernia also, but havent got the appt yet.oh zit the PAS ? hehe i also duno :p
 
Harlo, everyone...
thot bbs' temperature is higher than normal adults and i thot higher than 37.4 than perhaps is worrying or m i wrong ?
sad.gif
..mummies, any ideas?

i thot bbs temperature about 37degrees odd is okay or i super blur?

fever means body fighting infection and if bb is normal and behaving ok, shld be ok right?

so busy wif work and not much time to drop in during office hrs...work until tau gong gong
sad.gif
 
Mummies
Just came back from Raffles Hotel... catch up with some posts while waiting for my hair to dry.

Costa
Is Mandarin so tough nowadays? Perhaps KKF can advise us.
I remembered when i was doing my O Levels, my class was targetting A1 or A2 for mandarin. Some "bo ho seh" ones scored A2 and choose to retake the exam, hoping to get an A1!
So far, i've a few friends who are sending their kids to Mandarin classes.
What do they do at Kumon?
D&E starting their playgroup in Jan 2008. Yah.. 3 yo next year... so fast hor!

Lindah
I used Avent when the boys were home. Elder twin sucked v well. Younger twin will have milk flowing out from the corner of his mouth. I didn't try other teats and stick with Avent. Eventually, he mastered it!

didi
My elder twin had fever too when he took his first injection. Dun worry.... 37.1 is ok.
 
Mich,
wow, you must be a vy smart cookie...i can NEVER in my life get A1 or A2 for chinese...its completely no way, one.....

actually its not difficult in primary school.its just tt my son is hyper and cant pay attention in school and vy easily distracted..so sending him for extra classes is just for fun and to learn smthg....

Kumon is a method of learning by repetition..to which i actually also dun noe if its good or not..it was my son who wanted to learn it under the influence of his childcare classmate who learnt it...

i actually dun find it that fantastic..but my son likes it so bo pian.....

time flies, d and e so fast 3 yrs old...really...

both of us same, lah..really vy bz wif work....
 
costa,

i rem nurse always telling me if using a ear thermometer, considered fever if temp >38deg. guess diff kind of thermometer gives diff readings. when my ger had MMR, she had fever @37deg. but we din give med & luckily fever went down 2-3 days. guess need close monitoring. if in doubt, always chk w pd.

mich,
ur boys starting playgroup next yr? i was juz discussing w hubby last nite, wan to send my ger to sch (playgroup/childcare/watever) Jan2008. initially wan to send her when she's 2yr old. but nowadays can c she's really getting spoilt @ ah-ma's hse so decided to bring fwd 1 mth. which sch ur boys gg? playgroup means few hrs type? how much?
 
Mich
Edic have just visited the dental yesterday, He need to have his two front tooth extracted and the other 3 tooth for fillings. Was very half hearted if to let him go for the extraction. But was also afraid that the decayed tooth might caused infection and affected other tooth if it is not being extracted. Will look very ugly without the front teeth lor.
His appt will be on the 10 Aug at KKH.

His tooth is quite weak maybe due to the lack of calcium as he was born too early. Other reason could be the antibodies that he took when he was very young. He also do not allow ppl to brush his teeth so when the teeth is not brushed properly it become decayed easliy.

He has also just recovered from stomach flu few days ago. Nearly needed to be admitted but luckily he still can tolerate water after the medication.

Have u ever ordered cake at Pine Garden before? That day just went down to take a look at their design and happeded to see one with D&E name on it. The name on the design very big lor.
 
Costa
When D&E reach Pr school, you prob hear me telling you the same thing about their short concentration span.
Any good books to recommend on raising preemies?

Disneymickey
D&E playgroup is 3 hours a day. 5 days a week
I think those for 18 - 30 mths are usually 2 hours only.
I PM you on the details of the school which my boys will be attending.

Chloegal
You saw this?....
886780.jpg

You planning for Chloes bday?
happy.gif

Can you see that his teeth are decaying or only after the dentist checked and you realised?
But they are drinking so much milk... How can be lack of calcium?
Does Edric have a sweet tooth?
Is extraction necessary for the front teeth? Can they do fillings?
Very heart pain to see him go under GA and do the extraction.
I didnt know the medication they took in NICU will cause weak teeth. Hiaz... Any mummies here know?
Need to read up more on this.
 
daec,

hehehe... first few times appt, i guess i will also be blur... hehehe

jacelyn,

i see... now dunno whether i should spend $$ on the Bfree. I checked, the bottle is $16.90 and the teat is $6.90 for two. Then I have to buy a few bottles as cannot depend on one only... if good, then i guess worth it. Do you use Bfree? I saw some good reviews on the web... so tempted.

Yesterday I bought Playtex crosscut slow flow teat from KKH to try out. 10mins and I think son drank only 2ml - too slow! So I tried Pigeon Y-cut. Ok lah. But may be too fast for him so his sats went to 80+. Maybe I do what Mich do, train my son on the Avent teat till he get used to it? He also went down to 80+ the last time I tried. I have 6-9 avent bottles, I think. Such a waste if don't use. Then, pigeon and Bfree teats cannot use w Avent bottle because will leak. So troublesome! This Avent guys really know how to make us use their products - by providing all these free bottles and teats w their steriliser/pump/food warmer. Tsk tsk!

didi,

there was once i thot my son was hot so i asked nurse to read temp. it was 37.1 and she said it was OK. He was only hot/heaty perhaps because i tried to swaddle him. she say fever is only 37.5 (very mild) and abv. if 37.1/37.2, he's hot but not having fever. so costa, i think you are right.
 
Linda,
Actually my situatin quiet same wth you, i have more than 10avent bottle which i prepared before my boys out. but , you know what happen to my bottle now? some of them stean and steam become blur atthe inside bottle as i use them for put my ebm when i pump put, i thrown away half, some i still keep. i try to give my boys to use but they dont like it, too hard of the teats, drink very very slow and need to use more breath to finish up, ned abt 1 hour . So i give up,as you know my boys was prem baby and they have problem for breath too, too tired for them if i continue to give them the hard teat. Actually, the first bottle they use if fiffy bottle which got hole for air come out, for them easy sucking when they drink. After that i change to Dr.brown(thin& long type) as the have the tube inside was easy for my boys for suck the milk, and they like the bottle and can finish quiet fast, less wind. After that, i thinking to change to neck type for them as i use avent steamer, if fat type more easy when steam. My friend recorment me Bfree, she say Bfree bottle more strong than Dr.brown bottle, so i decided to give my boys Bfree, at first i only buy the teats which avaouble flow to try first, i use avent bottle, actually ok, no leacking, but they drink very slow, because they use to use the bottle got tube inside which more easy to suck. My boys very lazy one. So i still cant use my avent bottle. no choice la.. i buy the Bfree and now all was using Bfree. Very good and less wind. more easy to suck. Actually, you can leave the avent bottle there, maybe wait they big than give them, somemore you one free, mine one all need to buy, but i put aside there. Try to give baby the best which easy for them one, dont follow our way, which way you think he more easy and more comfortable than give him that one.
If he use avent the sats drop than better dont give him, just buy the bottle got tube inside, more good for baby who have sucking problem. this is my advice. ya, i but the Bfree bottle and teat in 20% discount at kiddy palace, dont know still have or not the discount, i just buyed last month, you can try to ask, i buy to keep stock as got offer, i have 10teats and 4 new bottle. If not you can but at kaki bukit there. they open until 9.30pm.
 
Hi

jus wann ask which is more impt for pumping - frequency or time ?

ie. 8 x 15min
or 4 x30min

sometime I pump, I think there is more milk inside. but like cannot come out like dat :p

any advice ?

d
 
daec,

i rem when i pumped, i pump abt 10-15mins per breast. but of cos, if by 10-15mins, still got milk, i'll continue. i started w 8x a day, then reduce to 6x, then 4x, then 3x, then 2x, then 1x, then no more..
 
hi daec,

Both.

U can try the block pump method. Pump for 10 mins, rest 10 mins, pump again for 10 mins. U'll get more milk because of 2nd let down.
 
daec,

nurse says definitely frequency will get more milk, so 8x15min is better. It is also more tiring, of course.

if still got more milk then you have to massage the milk out using hands. good luck!

jacelyn,

thanks for the advice. i think i try Avent first, then if cannot, try the Bfree teat w Avent bottle. Then if cannot then will use Bfree... After reading your testimonial, I am quite convinced to buy Bfree... The Kaki Bukit one has any discount?
 

?? mich chinese is not hard, in fact it is becoming easier with the new "listen and say more, write less" system...

But kids nowadays are getting lazier, they find chinese characters hard to write, and they are not interested in learning difficult things.

You can look at my p6! Their chinese writing is terrible. So mummies, I really encourage to start from young, if you see your kids having bad handwriting, do ask them to tear off and rewrite, as what some of my parents did, and their children do write well.

Hi lindah, didn't manage to understand all the posts (sorry my english not powerful). But my son had tried using NUK before, he doesn't know how to suck. Tried using others, but in the end tollyjoy fits him best, think got to depend on your boy. Btw, I tot kkh uses pigeon, how come can bring own teats one? So good?

Wow costa, you are a good mummy because you got check your boy's handbook! Not like some parents, dun even bother...
 

Back
Top