Premature babies support group

Hi all, I'm new here. Glad to find this support group forum for mothers with premmies. My baby is a 33 weeker. Anyone know how I can join in the KKH premmies support group meetings? My babe was born in TMC but now in KKH high dependency pediatrics ward. We should be able to bring her home in a couple of weeks' time.

Regarding the Apnoea/SPo2 machine someone is looking for, I am also purchasing one for my babe. The SP02 and heart rate monitor, we are thinking of getting a hand held one so i can put it anywhere i bring baby around....discreetly in the pram etc.

One company I am looking at is Mindray which supplies this.
 


Hi Alicia, if you can try to let baby stay in tummy for as long as possible as it is actually easier to force feed baby in the uterus than when the baby is out. This is because premature babies can have feeding problems in particular very bad reflux which means it may not be straight forward to put on the much required weight they need. Even if the placenta is not as efficient, by common sense (even if doc says otherwise that nothing can be done if your placenta is not efficient), something will get down to your baby otherwise it will not even grow till this stage! Take loads of protein, lots of eggs, milk and red meat. This is my perspective because my baby is a 33 weeker. The doc said my placenta uterine arteries are kinked and nothing in my diet can make a diff. Stupidly i also never take any vitamins as the doc say no need. so at 32nd week scan, my baby estimated weight is 1.8kg but when she came out just 3 days after the scan, she is only 1.68kg , has bad reflux and can't swallow well so cannot put on the weight as fast as we would like. If i had known, i would have ate like a pig to try to force some good stuff down prior to this happening. 3 days after the scan, I did not sense foetal movement for one day, went to hospital (TMC) for observation , CTG was not ideal and so my baby was delivered via Emergency C section. Size is not everything but as long as your baby is not in distress, try to keep him/her in your tummy as long as is possible and safe as you have better control there to feed her good stuff. The weight will help reduce some complications.
 
Hi gals.. I m hospitalise now in kkh.. Dr suspect my waterbag leakage and infection may get in.. Dun know when can discharge yet..
 
Yest check my waterbag is not leakage but I hav dripping antibotic since yest.. Did alot of test and even injected 2x to strengthen baby lungs.. Ultrascan here give a more shocking result.. Only 1.2kg.. Sighh..
 
hullo, hullo!

welcome to the grp, sally! eh, actually i dun think kkh has regular premature mummies meeting other than the monthly tea sharing session on thurs pm for new mummies, and the 4 part talk before bringing bb home.
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high dependency ward? is that SCN ? i thot the PD wards are for bigger babies? anyway, hope ur bb will be home soon. other than wt and reflux, hope all other things...
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alicia,
keep your strength. your bb needs it.
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since your waterbag is not leaking, arent they gg to stop the anti biotics? too much antibiotics is not encouraged... but the 2 jabs are good. your bb's lungs will hopefully get a good boost.
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you take care, ok. hope the kkh staff will know what to do. they tend to know what to do.
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1.2kg is quite low but dun despair. wt is an contributing issue, but the gestation plays a part too and i think ur bb quite mature oredi, ya... some of our bb are less than 1kg but still ok. stay positive, it will affect the bb. there will be sunshine after the rain...

precious,
tx for your compliments. all the fats go to my tummy. can hide under some type of clothes but still there lah. cannot wear some of my old stuff (e.g. fitting kebaya) as then, can see all my layers. the weighing machine and my hubby agree i put on wt! i feel a big diff before and after birth leh. was reading mother & bb mag this morning. part of the issue is also hormonal as post-birth hormones naturally leads to feeling negative.
 
lindah, just brought my boys for a dip in the pool
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the older boy seems terrified
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and the younger boy seems to be a water-baby
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he is so excited.
 
hi mommies, do you put your bbs on a high chair when it is feeding time ? not sure, should I get high chairs ? quite ex, if I were to get 2
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alicia, take heart. dun despair. at least bb is still safe inside. The docs are there to take care of you. In the mean time, i do agree with what sally said.. eat more protein. There's Mr Bean at KKH so grab a soy drink everyday if docs permit. My twins gained quite some weight after i started to eat more too.

It is common to feel worried and scared. Do come here and talk it out if you need to. The mummies here are very experienced!

Have docs advised how long you need to be on observation? Hopefully there will be a weight gain and they will discharge you back home soon.
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take care

oh ya, how do you post at kk?
 
Alicia
Antibotic is given to prevent infections as infections will caused waterbag to break. They want to play safe.

Dun think antibotic will affect the bb alot. I have been taking antibotic even since 12 wks gestation due to cerclage. My gynae tell me that it is not good to take antibotic only at the early stage of pregnancy.

Dun worry too much just concentrate on building up your body. As long as the gestation is enough, i think the bb will be fine. My daughter was born 34+2wks and weight only 2kg which was consider small too.


Is your Dr Kwek your high-risk doctor? He is a very caring and nice doctor.
 
lindah, ha no pics and not even floats (haven't bought yet) cause last min thingy, just thot of bringing them so they just went in in their shorts.
 
Hi Sally
This is from the KKH website:

Neonatology Parent Support Group

"Managed by doctors and nurses from the Department of Neonatology, the support group aims to help parents with premature babies cope better.
Monthly sharing sessions among parents of current Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) babies and parents of ex-NICU babies are organised for members to draw support from one another.
Some other activities include a special educational programme for parents of low birth weight infants to prepare them for their babies' discharge, and home care visits for babies with special needs e.g. home oxygen therapy."

When my boys were in NICU, the nurses informed us about the sharing session and encouraged us to attend.
You may like to check with the nurses when is the next session and indicate your interest in attending.
 
I m making use of their wireless using my psp to post.. I ask e nurse and she said antibiotic wil not harm my baby.. It wil treat my infection to prevent any harm to my suspected waterbag.. No confirmation when they wil discharge me but Dr Marianne said take 1wk.. I m hopin to get Dr Kwek but they said class B2+ cant choose who to see u..
 
Hi Alicia
I was on antibiotics when i was admitted for suspected leaking. I heard too much antibiotics will cause fungal infection down south. There will be some discomfort due to itchiness. Take yoghurt if it happens.

For some of us here, we were seeing another gynae but due to the complications of our pregnancies, we were referred to Dr Kwek and his team. Since they did not refer you, it probably means that they are confident that yours is neither high risk nor complicated. And that is GOOD news!

Take care!
 
Hi Sally,

Welcome to the group. Can I know what actually happened to your child? There will be a coffee afternoon session on 6/10/2007(Thurs), which the mummies here meant the sharing session by our ex-preemie baby's mom.
 
kkf,
have emailed my boy's photo to u... hope i m not too late hor...
thanks for collating!!
do post more pics on ur boy's blog leh... i always got go in to read one... hehe...
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i beoing all the toys...hahahaa..

precious one,
thanks for ur compliments on my boy... ur gal is really an angel... very very sweet looking..
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u r a great mummy leh!!
 
Hi Sally, welcome here! Hope your baby will go home soon.

Hi Alicia, think not to worry too much. Although baby's weight is a bit low, but by over 30 weeks, everything should have developed, so he may not have much problems, only need to gain weight. But of course, try to keep him in your womb till as long as possible. KKH will know what to do and try their best for you. But remember if anything not right, do always ask, and also, do ask more people. I mean, sometimes, they have trainee nurses, and nurses who don't really seem to care, ask a few more others if you encounter such nurses. I have encountered before. Sorry, I still remember when i stayed in KKH, told one of the young nurse that I was still experiencing contractions, she just told me bluntly "yah, thats why you need to take the pills". Then I just thought maybe I was stupid, should bear with the contractions more. Then borned with the pain till morning, and finally couldn't tarhan, and told a senior nurse. She finally got a doctor to see me, but by then it was too late, my waterbag broke, and boy elder boy was borned, he did not manage to survive as he was just a 23 weekers plus.

Sorry, buzzbubbly to say things about kkh again, but I really did have bad memories of KKH.

Although somethings were predestined, but if at that time, the nurse could treat my words seriously, put me on drip, or injection to strengthen my boy's lungs or whatsoever, maybe my boy won't be gone.

Nana, not too late.
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My boy went for a swim yesterday at costa sands too. Will post picture later. Now, reminded me of the past...haiz...no mood.
 
Oh yes alicia, eat more, drink more black chicken soup, eat more healthy food now.

Also, try to talk to your baby more...ask him to stay in your womb, and absorb all the nutrients as much as possible.
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All the best!!!
 
Hi Sally, welcome to the forum
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Alicia, I was also on antibiotics from week 21 and had a very high infection level of 145. As according to the gynae, infection level 5 for a norm. person is already very high and mine was super high which even the high risk committee (formed to administer my pregnancy) cannot detect whereabout in my body was infected. Nevertheless, I was asked by one of the gynae to drink lots of cranberry juice. This will help if there is an urinary tract infection after too much antibiotics. I agree with kkf, if you feel discomfort and worried, please speak to the staff nurse and not the junior nurses. Meantime, stay positive. happy and eat healtily.
 
morning mommies,
wow. so many posts since last fri. haven't got time to read all. anyway, juz wan to share abt my childcare searching 2. noticed kkf oso searching, but u looking 4 play group? i'm looking for childcare.

precious, noticed u sign up angel 4 appletree? my ger born in 2006, so can't go appletree yet.

anyway, went to kinderland few wks ago. hubby & me q impressed w the place. the person-in-charge, a lady, who brought us ard the center was q soft spoken & friendly. n my ger oso like the place, initially q shy, but untimately ended up walking in & out of classroom. but there are 2 -ve things which i dun like: 1) it's fully air-con & 2) price - it cost $660 for full day & $500 for half day.

so we went to another cc near my block - sheffield. it does not hav the other 2 -ve points of kinderland. it cost abt $330 for full day (can't rem the half day price). but hubby & me dun feel gd w tat place. we could juz walk in w/o anybody stopping us. no security. oso, the teacher who spoke to us, erm.. like not v pro like tat. n the best thing is: the person-in-charge who's supposed to meet me there din turn up. no sincerity & responsibility.

so we need to continue to search or juz put her in kinderland ...

gg 4 a meeting. write later
 
disneymickey, it is really difficult to find one good childcare in CCK cos I had been searching for one in vain for the last few mths and eventually gave up. That's why I put my girl in Appletree playgroup instead and hired a maid to start this Sat. I will still be SAHM to focus more on my girl and will leave the household chores to the maid. When Angel is used to attending playgroup,I will look for enrichment classes cos I felt that 1.5 hrs playgroup session is a bit short but a good start.

Yes, your girl is only eligible for appletree in Year 2009. Ya, a good CC must provide basic security, clean amenities, good curriculum and most importantly, caring,loving and committed teachers. Wish you luck in your search.
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Sally,
Thanks for joining us on the forum..do let us noe how big yr bb was when born, at how many wks gestation etc so that the table can be updated...i m oso gg to email you later when i am more free....

alicia,
hw are you now?
 
Hi Alicia, are you confined to bed rest now? You can get internet connection at KKH. Cool! Take lots of rest and eat a lot of good stuff at this time. Will keep you in my prayers.
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Hi Sally, welcome. I hope your baby can go home soon. My girl also had problem with her milk intake at the beginning, she was fed thru' tube for many weeks before she could suck from the bottle. Then there were days where she couldn't digest her milk. But our preemies are fighters and despite the difficulties they have in eating, they will not give up! That's what I see in my girl. I'm sure your baby is also the same.
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Yes, I second Lili, our premies are all very strong fighting warriors. Their strong determination to survive all odds can put some adults to shame. Somehow, I find that they are always smiling still despite during difficulties, unlike us when faced with a difficult situlation, we forgot to even smile. So 3 cheers to all our wonderful, miracle babies!!
 
hi sally, welcome. like all the mummies say, very soon your baby can bottle and be home
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keep us posted again,

precious_one, yes, 3 cheers to all our wonderful miracle babies
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oh i brought my boy to kindermusik yesterday. still ??? don't know to sign up for the course or not thou :p

kkf - haha you got mail ;) i send you my boy picture. thanks for helping with the montage
 
didi,
juz saw ur post on high chair. it's a good habit if u can feed ur kids on high chair. try ikea brand. think it's abt $16? maybe u buy 1 first. try out. if they r ok, then buy 1 more. my ger doesn't like high chair initially. but now when we go out & eat in restaurant, she'll request to sit in high chair.but not at home. no high chair at home.
 
Hi disneymickey and precious one, I agree, good childcare or even playgroup is really hard to find. i spoke to the teachers, or person in charge, also can hear that they are not very professional. My english (lousy already) can be better than them.

Anyway, like what precious one said, tots house for my boy is just a pass time. I want to free my in laws for the 2 hours so that they can take a rest.

Disneymickey, yah, me looking for playgroup. Decide finally to continue to let my in laws care for my boy. I feel that I am too lazy to care very well for him.

Anyway, mummies, me sooooooo angry. Want to vent it somewhere. Even thinking of posting at want to buy there. But need to hear your opinions first.

I have agreed to meet up with a buyer today at compasspoint. I need to walk 15 minutes there. She told me to meet at 1pm. Then around 1215pm, she said she will be late, meet 2pm. So nearly 1pm, I dragged myself there to compasspoint to run some errands and also to meet up with her. I am going to sell her a set of books and a car toy (not very light ok?). I was still feeling quite sick, because I got flu since dunno when. But still because I want to close the deal fast, so I dragged myself there. I bought my stuff, ran my errands. When I reached there, I sms her to tell her I was there, and when she reached, sms me, she said "ok, will do". Then around 1 plus nearly 2pm, she sms said she cannot make it because very rush!!!

I was fuming. I scolded her thru sms. Am I wrong to be so angry? She should have told me so earlier when she said she will be late. she shd have just said she cannot make it!

I was fuming really! I was sick, drag myself there, hoping to close the deal, and she told me she still at jurong when nearly 2pm (the time we supposed to meet). crazy right?

Should I post at the want to buy thread to warn others of such a mummy? She apologised to me. But then so what? She said she will arrange to get from me on wednesday or thursday. But how can I trust her again. She told me she is a SAHM, got two kids to bring around, what jurong very far, last minute the timing cannot be met (please lar, if you still at jurong and think you cannot make it, then might as well say so earlier).

I dunno what I am talking. i am just very very angry.
 
sally, welcome! we r all here to share. dun worry. like wat jane say, soon ur bb will be home (btw, boy or girl har?). n u will b 2 bz (& of cos, happy) & 4get abt ur worries.

btw mommies, something to share. sad 2 discover 2 patches of redness near my ger's face, both sides of nose. afraid it's eczema. cos i hav eczema. was v afraid tat she'll oso kenna. so gave her breastmilk till 8mth. then nan ha1 & ha2 (hypo-allergic) till 18mths. 2wks ago, slowly switching her to nan3. then the spots appear. i dunno if it's eczema or juz dirty pimples. but decided not to take the risk & switch back to nan ha2. sigh. she's a girl leh, must b pretty pretty rt? hope she's alright.
 
Btw, jane and naddy, received your photos, thanks!

Didi, my boy cannot sit still so high chair is a must. I bought from bulk purchase the Jane high chair, very expensive. But I find it very good.

My boy can only eat in high chair, else he will run dunno where.
 
kkf,
if it's me, i'll oso b v angry!! i think u hav the right to complain. it doesn't matter where u stay, but u hav alrdy made an arrangement to meet at a certain time, pls do it! n if she's staying in jurong & can't make it by 2, she shouldn't be calling u only at 2pm! i support u! in fact, i kenna the same treatment when i helped my hubby sell something thru yahoo auction. same lor, the woman say meet at a time, then almost time, say can't make it, another half hr. hubby bz, so i waited @mrt stn. i was pregnant then. waited for half hr, then she called n say another 20mins. then my hubby called & scolded her q badly. think he rated her lousy.

hope u feel better after venting? maybe weather 2 hot & u r not feeling well, tat's y u feel more frustrated. juz wait 4 her to call u on wed/thurs, when she reach compasspoint, then u leave hse haha
 
Hello Aunties!

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Didi
We bought the high chairs from IKEA.
Cheap cheap and easy to clean.
We cultivate the habit of eating on high chairs only. Else, have to run after 2 during meal times. :p

Disney Mickey
You tried Learning Vision? Do they have centers near your place?

Kkf
My boys will be attending pre nursery next year. 3 hours a day. 5 times a week.
Fees is S$800 per boy per term. The orientation programme will be in Nov.
Now looking for school bags for them.

Jane
Which kindermusik did you go?
Did your boy enjoy it?
D&E are with them for a year.

Who was the one who mentioned a teacher wearing hot pants in school?
I brought my boys to Pats School House. The teacher came in a pair of very short denmin shorts. Faintz.
 
Hi mich, I was the one mentioning that a teacher wore hot pants. Me wanted to faint too...haha.

Jane, kindermusik not worth the money in my opinion. You might as well let your boy go for real music when he is bigger, like yamaha course, or others. I have joined them for 1 term, and found it very boring.

Wowwowowowowo...mich, really expensive. Which school your boys going? Btw, your boys soo cute.
1 kid already made me so broke. If I have two...think wun be able to survive...haha
 
hi kkf. wow. talking about it. i lagi also angry over one mummy. she was suppose to mail me one pair of soft sole shoe (which i join for BP). it been 2 months and i still see no sight of it>>>>> anyway, i condamn that seller.

if i were you, i be super angry. somemore you not feeling well and still have to drag all the items there... *pat pat kkf*

my boy does not sit to eat... :p

hi disneymickey. oh, hope your gal gal ok.... hopefully just dirty patch.

hi mich - cute PIC! did you send this picture to KKF? your two boys really is very charming ler
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me bring my boy to the one at tanglin mall. OH D&E with them for one year? so you find it quite ok?

wow...so u decide on the pre nursery school, hehe now busy finding school bags liao lor? wow envy you..don't know when my boy will go to school
 
hi kkf - yes, i find it kind of expensive too. real music must be 3 years and above? i thinking if there is other muscial schoold that mummies here can recommend haha
 
mich,
your sons very cute!!
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kkf,
cool down first, then can think abt writing in the forum. for me i wont if i think the case is realli genuine. twice i had to wait > half hour for the seller to come. the first time i was quite pissed becos i was waiting at tiong bahru mrt stn and did not exit gatehold. i was paranoid i had to pay fine for overstaying plus i had another appt w another lady at my home mrt (bedok). u imagine that lady at bedok had to wait half hour for me just because of this woman??? i pai sei leh. but anyway thk goodness the second lady was v nice and had to buy her dinner 1st.

the second time was not as bad cos it was at a shopping centre lah. i can keep myself occupied.

some mummies actually realli "the planning" not so good lah, so they think can make it but actually cannot make it. sometimes i feel tt i am oso ambitious go and schedule 2-3 meeting at once then if one drag late, the other 2 affected. she was probably in same situation. but i hope it doesn't happen to you again.

but if i am sick, tired, kena lug heavy things and this thing happen, i will oso be angry. i can be awful when i am in a bad mood, man. she prob wont know i am sick and tired tho so she wont know what hit her when i vent. hee.
 
aiya, i typed a post then dunno go where..so now got to retype.

mich,
ur boys handsome hor.. like kkf say, everything got to pay double, siong hor? but seeing the results (ie. how adorable & handsome they r), i'm sure u'll think it's worth it ?
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there's a learning vision nearby but not tat near & convenient, cos it's opp direction frm the mrt stn. cos i 'll sort of pass by the kinderland when i go to work, so it's more convenient. n i think prices @learning vision & kinderland oso abt the same.

how i envy those mommies whose kids can sit in high chairs & eat meals. my ger can't lor. only when eating outside, cos i think she wans to "show off" haha. last nite, i used to follow her ard at home. but now tired liao. i juz sit there, ask her to come to me when she's swallowed her food. she'll walk ard lor. i think the food kenna digested as she walks, tat's y she put on weight so slowly haha
 
hi disneymickey... haha remember we were sharing how our kiddo stand to shower and drink milk. so. two of them the same. my boy also walk around..or would need to stand and cling onto sometime when he eats :p he just cannot sit :p

really envy those mummies who kids can sit in high chair hor...
 
jane,
let's sigh together.

but again, sometimes, i'm juz glad tat she's eating, so sit, stand, walk ard, watever, as long as she eats! haha..

nowadays think my mom starting to put her on potty 2 shit. but at home, no potty, so she still shit in diaper. when we smell something & ask if she's poo, she'll squat on floor. or she'll point to her backside. this lazy mommy here hoping to let her chilcare teacher toilet train her :p
 
Mommies thanks for the info on the high chairs, yep want to let them get used that they will only get fed while on the high chairs and at the dinner table only
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btw, did you all get those bumper mats for your bbs during those 'learning to crawl' stage ?
 
precious_one...shy to say. i just go and read your blog. and see the barney lantern that angel have. where did you bought that?? next year..next year i want to buy one for my boy hahahaha...

Please don't ask how is my blog coming along...its far off the track hahaha
 
Hi didi, me get bumper mat when my boy outgrows the crawling stage. Hahaha...I get the bumper mat, so that he will have a play area, instead of sitting on the floor.
 
lindah, i'm so glad our first meeting turned out well. 1st you're supposed to come to KK, luckily we phoned each other and it happened that my lawyer's office is near your work place so we changed our mtg pt there and then. With thanks to the inventor of mobile phones, we didn't have hiccups despite not knowing each other earlier.

kkf, if I were you, I will also be very angry. There's no excuse for anyone to be so late and worst didn't turn up eventually. What right does she have to make you waste 2 precious hours?

disneymickey, my girl sits on the high chair with us if we are having family dinner. She eagerly asked to be sitted on the high chair. But on her own meals time, she sits at her play table/chair (ikea round table and chair). Of course on some days, she wanted to walk ard during feed times, but I will put the cane on the table and she will guai guai sit down and at. I introduced Mr Cane for some time already and it worked on her.
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hi disneymickey haha. i totally agree with you. so long they eat. sometime my boy can 'kind of stand' holding onto my mum grill gates and eat his porridge. but luckily he eats quite fast hahahha...

its not easy to potty train. take time i think. hehe, wow your gal is already quite smart to point out that she smelly..think soon she can go toilet herself liao. you where got lazy... me lagi worst keke..

didi - i bought the big big colour mat from toy s'rus cos find the bumper mat too expensive and not big keke...
 
Mummies
Post pictures to brighten up the thread... Not to solicit compliments hor. Hehe...
My boys have small eyes leh...
So, when I see all the big rounded eyes bbs here... I so envy.

Disney Mickey
Working mums received subsidies for childcare, right?
My twin 2 had eczema since birth.
It is under control now. At times, he still get red patches on his cheek.
We were told not to bathe him in water which is TOO hot.
We use mild soaps such as Ceptahil on both and apply moisturiser (QV lotion) generously after bathing.
For hair, we are using the goats milk from Mums Essential.

KKF
The fees is per term, ie 10 weeks.
If you work out the sums, it is not that expensive lah.
The twins mummies have this common phrase: Pay until numb.
You working hard on the montage? Thanks har. Cant wait to see the final product.

Jane
KindermusiK the boys enjoy it. It is very lively.
They do not learn Chim theories there, solely fun and learn through play.
My main intention of sending there is to expose them to music and singing and to encourage them to talk.
Hey... They can recite nursery rhymes and sing along with the teacher during class now.
To me, it is considered Mission Accomplished. I will stop end of this term.
Ms Doreen is their teacher. She is very good.
Hope this helps.
 
precious_one...cane???? hmm.... maybe maybe you are right. Mr cane is what we need sometime hor. my boy cannot walk yet but he can stand holding onto something. sigh again from jane...how can i make my boy sit down to eat ler??? makes me ponder :p
 
hi mich, i see. perhaps i should try a term or so. is ms doreen the one with short hair, quite pretty (lik you) but a little bit on the plump side one? face round round. quite cute...?? cos yesterday the lady teacher, i quite like her keke
 
hi mummies, i have moved onto my 26th week. Getting a little worried as cervical length has shortened to 2.5cm. The bbies still maintaining their bloodflows constantly. The doc hopes i can last to 28 wks first before we decide further. Aiyo, such a worrying period becos im scared of labor (think it will def be csection) .. heard of all that epidural which sounds scary.. anyone knows how the urinary cathether is inserted?? v invasive or not?! also worried that waterbag burst at home.. aiyo..

alicia.hang in there!! one wk passes v fast. imp thing is to ensure u get all the rest and food that u and bb needs k?
 



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