DeLynn_Lyd: Mother of Pearl

This week pretty much sucks. I am so drained. I am not even sure whether it is a pregnancy thing or my poor health. There is just so much to do, buy and decide...bleh to housing and pregnancy decisions. Also, I just want to clear off any work and writing backlog before baby arrives. Baby has been blessing me with pretty good skin but me having itchy fingers went to squeeze an old blackhead and voila, I got a bad acne T.T

But one thing never fails to keep my mood up and it is pretty accessories. By now, you would have reckoned my love for pearls. And woots I found DeLynn_Lyd that makes pretty awesome pieces. I used a filter for my photos. Hey, that's cos I don't want my little zit to destroy the beauty of the pearls. 

1. Flat Pearls

The creation at DeLynn_Lyd doesn't really have names so I gave every piece of them a descriptive piece. This is a very raw piece of rectangle-shaped pearl. Some people don't really like the uneveness while others dig its natural form. Sometimes, I am quite thankful I am having a baby boy because I can't deal with another pearl snatcher. 

This piece caught my Mum's eyes pretty fast and she flatly told me "I want it".  Mother and daughter, we both love our pearls and are on a quest to collect all the different designs. My Mum obviously has a bigger collection than mine and is lacking one in its raw form, so as the great daughter I am, I sadly bid adieu to this piece. 

2. Dangling Pearls

I have single dangling pearl, this is my first duo piece. It actually looks better than I thought. Tried out a head filter and immediately I felt like a queen. I don't know, I might want to feature this in a maternity shoot. There is something queenly about it and I am not sure how the term "Mother Pearl" came about...it might just mean a mother must wear pearls. Hehehe. 

The thing about pearls is that their design are always simple. And perhaps they are born to be designed simple to bring out its charm. I have different variations of simple pearl and sometimes I yearn for something a little bit more complex which doesn't always play out too well, which brings me to the next piece.

3. Complex Pearl

This is a classic case of what you like may not always look good on you. I love the intricate design but on me, it just didn't really stand out. Maybe it is also an age thing, my Mum always tell me as you grow older, you like bigger jewelry. Bigger is better. I think if you have a smaller face, this might look good on you. 

I was also quite adventurous with my filters this time round. I have to say I look pretty good with blonde fringe. Maybe this should be my new look after baby is out. Let me know what you guys think!

Food Tour 19: Food After CB

Quite honestly, I don't really go out and eat now that I am a vulnerable. I don't even exercise, fml. For those who like my food reviews, I am afraid it might be a long time till we will see the next one. I have been diagnosed with gestational diabetes, sigh. Will save the full the story for a later date. So, you know this post is like a tribute to the next few months of very, very clean eating.

1. Pizza Hut

Yes, I know everyone knows Pizza Hut. But you know, for the longest time, I have always been eating Dominos cos there is an outlet near my house that is bound to deliver to me during CB. Plus, it is cheaper so I never really bothered to question the quality even though my Dad kept harping Pizza Hut was better. The other day we had a team lunch, and my colleague ordered Pizza Hut to be delivered to my house.

There was 2 realisations made that day - one, there was a Pizza Hut outlet near my place and two, their pizzas were way better whether in terms of crunchiness of crust and overall taste. It is definitely more expensive but you know when it comes to food I ain't the most price sensitive. I feel kinda of cheated that I had basically been supporting Dominos the whole of CB cos now I am quite certain I am a  Pizza Hut gal. 

2. Ollie Kitchen & Bar

The thing about CB is that it made the F&B industry half-alive. Business is really so bad that the promotions/ deals are extremely worthy. On the downside, I don't even know whether my favourite restaurants are going to make it. It was one of those days, I don't know what to eat and I came across Ollie Kitchen & Bar. Honestly, I only stepped in because I wanted to avoid a crowd and their lunch deal was too good ($12+ for a drink, main and soup)!

Didn't really regret choosing them over the rest because their aglio olio was pretty delicious. My meatball spaghetti was meh. The corn soup of the day was awesome as well and I really welcomed the free lemon tea that came along with it because I was so parched. (The sugar syrup was by the side so you could modify your sweetness level!)

3. Buttercake & Cream

My bro was feeling really generous with money that day and was very reluctant to walk out of the house to get me lunch so we went for this "magical set" which was on slight discount at Grab. When people say good food makes your mood good, I guess it is true cos this meal made the both of us so happy that day although we were poorer by about $17. We were definitely shocked by the nice presentation, for a while I thought it was not what we ordered. 

Usually food delivery doesn't taste that good, but this one the food was still warm. We were so impressed that my bro said that we should totally go over to the cafe someday to check it out ourselves when I am myself again or even host baby's birthday there!

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That's all the food recommendation I have for now. I am really watching my diet for now, so sorry if the next few posts until baby pops will be on low-GI diet T.T

[Updated] All you need to know about Silverette

Hello Mummies, I am not sure about you but I have heard about Silverette nursing cups. Generally, I felt their user demographics seemed to be mainly non-Asians, so I am also quite concerned if the good reviews may not be applicable for our Asian body-types. In addition, only Pupsik sold it in Singapore (heard some retailers commenting about how the products held there may not be authentic). Hence, I shove the possibility of using Silverette nursing cups out of my mind.

But as luck may have it, Silverette arrived in the shore of Asia. :) Now that it is closer to home, I decided to give it a try. A pair of the silver nursing cups cost S$78. At first glance, the price may seem a bit steep. But bear in mind that it is made of 925 Silver from Italy and it can be reused for your subseqent pregnancies. Also at the end of your child-birthing journey, you can re-cast the cups into a pendant as a memory keepsake.

In modern times, we mostly see silver used in our jewelry so we might lose sight of the non-aesthetics properties of Silver. In the Roman times, silver has been known as a disinfectant. Since 400BC, Hippocrates also known as the father of medicine documented silver's wounds healing properties. In an Asian contact, we always see the king's servant testing for poison using a pure silver pin in the period dramas. 

The Silverette nursing cups are designed to fit the areola area that is 45mm or less. Reasons on why I was keen to try it out was because it can help to protect sore, cracked nursing nipples and act as an preventive measure to prevent wounds, cuts and infections to the nipples. Most importantly, the Silverette nursing cups does not have to be used with other nursing products. For Mummies who are trying/ intending to breastfeed, I find this quite important because the last thing I want is for my milk to be contaminated. 

Based on what I have read online, the Silverette nursing cups is very easy to use and very portable. I will do a separate review after I use them so please save the tag "Silverette Nursing Cup" if you want to follow up on this. I will also be updating this post as and when on other tibits of information I find online so do save this post as well! 

** Updates 1**

For any Mummies who see this on your nursing cup, please don't panic, it is just the silver oxidising. It is still safe to use. But if you want to make it shine again, you can either:

1. Make a paste with baking soda and water to scrub the cup

2. Pour hot water in a cup and add a table spoon of baking soda to soak the cups. 

**Updates 2**

I have been using this for 3 months and my boobs are going strong :D I use it without any nipple cream. With a correct latch, your boob should be free from any tears. Sadly, my baby sucked till my nipple had a bit of bleeding. It healed pretty fast, within a week the "clot" was gone. I didn't have any case of strawberry milk either. I used the cup to hold breastmilk I used to heal my breast. 

It was oxidising quite badly at 3 months and I cleaned it till it sparkle using method 1. Within a few days, it tarnish again. :'( Will probably do another therapeutic cleansing at the 6 months mark!

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Follow "Breastfeeding Journey" tags for tips to make the breastfeeding experience bearable!

Kiasu Mums: Flash Buys and Freebies for Baby

Hehe...Some of you readers have observed that baby's loots are generally all gotten online. Yes, I think partially due to Covid and lockdown, I barely go out of the house. With some research, I think I have actually gotten quite good deals, sometimes through the recommendations from other mothers, other times through my own sleuthing. #LobangMum

One thing I realise, nesting ahead of time really save quite a bit of money cos you can wait for the sales. Also, you won't be too stressed up by delivery delays. If I know what I want, sometimes I also monitor for "surprise sales" and buy direct instead. As per popular request, here are some of my good deals consolidation (will keep updating as and when). I have also consolidated some worthy freebies for Mummies who just want to go straight for the kill!

Flash Buys

1. Lazada Johnson & Johnson Brand Box

I missed the surprise box but during the brands sale and warehouse sale, the same sale came again...Erms perpectual sale again. During the brands sale, I actually bought the box which consisted 3*Desintin cream, 2*Aveeno bath products, 2*J&J Lotion and 2*J&J  Baby wipes for S$28 (realised after that you are limited to one purchase every sales...can totally take the opportunity to stock up). Because we wanted free delivery at 60 bucks, I ended up buying another pair of Aveeno bath products cos it came with a cute snack cup and 3 more packets of J&J wipes. Good news is his first month of bathing needs are pretty much settled. :D Previously, I bought Philips Avent Feeding Surpirse Box, read more about it here!

2. Cloversoft

This was a deal that a Mummy in the Mummy's chat updated me about. It was buy-one-get-one carton free. During the sales, I managed to 2 snagged 2 additional mops which I thought could use for our new house. So I thought it was worth the buy. My in laws pretty much confirmed pregnancy has driven me mad when they saw 2 cartons of baby wipes. Well it is approx. 3 cents per piece and now baby has enough to wipe his butt for 1 year plus. Haha. Tip if you wanna buy Cloversoft products, monitor and buy direct! I even found a Mum nearby to share my bulk buys in future :P Resourceful or what!

3. Lazada's Skiphop Surprise Box

I have always been quite a fan of their stuff because they are really cute. So far, their surprise box has been always darned overprice and I am not sure if I should say the same for this. I paid around $50 for this, but the toy and the porcupine bag in the picture was so cute (got a hippo instead darn it). I mean, I can still see us using most of the items, just that I have one too many diaper bag (and bags in fact). Oops. I think it is a deal but it may not be a steal unless you are at the start of your first pregnancy journey :D

Freebies

1. Mums Club

Personally, this is one of my favourite free boxes. All you have to do is register and you will get a box of samples. It is really quite impossible to buy and try everything in the market so sampling is quite a good way to convert Mummies. Quite honestly, after sampling some of the Mummy/ Baby's non-sensitive products, I am already in quite a good mind to purchase more of their stuff. As Hubs observed,  want to lock down a mother, let her try first...Hehe. My personal favourites in this box is Isa uchi Breastmilk Storage Bags and for baby, the mattress and bib!

** Will continue to update, I haven't take photos of all my loots yet!

2. Huggies Club and other sample sites

There are quite a few places which you can redeem free diapers. I redeemed Huggies at my friend's recommendation cos it was the most fuss-free. They will send you the bigger size diapers once your baby come of age. In addition, you get a packet of free wipes too! For other diapers, I don't think they are as generous. Personally, I feel it is quite a bit of work/ and selling of personal information to get 1-3 pieces of diapers. But, I agree if baby is fussy, you might need quite a bit of samples. Just search for free diapers samples online and it will lead you to the sites.

* FYI, there is a promo going on now, sign up at Huggies Club now for an extra full-sized sample of wet wipes!

3. Shopee Mum's Club

Previously, I only use Lazada for my purchases. This Mum's Club was a recommendation from the Mummies in my chat group. Initially, I signed up cos it came with the free diapers and the Hubs was sick of me always borrowing his phone to surf around Shopee. I have to say that Shopee is a lot more Mummy friendly than Lazada. I have been sucked in ever since. Oops. I just wish it was a bit more organised like Lazada and if there were more reminders on the deals. But yes, so far I am always on it - surfing and spending for me and the little one's needs. Their support helpdesk is also super responsive. If you want to sign up too, please use my referral code 12SHO223 and you can get $10 off your first order and also 300 coins if you join the Mum's Club :D

4. The Elly Store

I got the grab bag for $60 when it was on sales. I know many of you are fans of this brand but honestly...I hated every single piece I got in the grab bag. Maybe it is cos I hate green although I look good in it. The material is also very different from what I am used to. Is it because all luxe brands feel like that?!? I did a quick check on the price and it is definitely value for money. My Mum says just let him wear it la. I mean he will wear it and maybe he will look good in it...who knows. But at first glance, this is really not Mummy's and Daddy's of clothes. 

Lovely Baby Bedding from Bitsy Bambino

A lot of my focus has been on baby, I think to the extent my own after-birth needs have not been looked at. *sight panics* To be honest, baby's stuff are "more fun" than my own, especially the portions that can be customised. Some of the items we decided to customise for him includes his beddings (which I will be touching on today), drool pads and maybe his bed (it's going to be blessed from his cousins) so we need to see how it looks like first. :P

For me, it is very important for the customisation process to be fuss-free. I was very pleased with Bisty Bambino because they made the process super easy. To be honest, I think I am those customers which owners will condemn as "can't give specific instructions". I asked for "dreamier colours in blue" and updated on baby's gender. Bisty Bambino sent me 6 different designs which all suited my taste!

Somehow, Bisty Bambino must have figured out I am a fan of whimsical, simple designs. I had a hard time picking my choice. In fact, I had to survey a lot of my family members before settling down on this design of the moon and clouds. And yes, it is in the sweet rare colour of tiffany green <3 Most importantly, what you see is truly what you get. Bisty Bambino sent me the photo on the extreme left before sending over and what I received looks exactly the same!

The packaging also looks really good, which was beyond my expectations. Given that I am a user, it doesn't really matter to me cos I am taking them all out for baby to use anyway. But if you are planning to gift a newborn then this would definitely look good as a gift. You can also customise the bedding set with the baby's name. We didn't do it first cos we thought we might take a while to settle on his name and we also considered the possibility of passing down this to the next child (depending on the quality).

In terms of the fabric texture, I was very happy to observe that it was as per what Bisty Bambino described...cooling, silky cotton. I am really a sucker for smooth fabrics and was glad that baby could sleep comfortably. The pillows and bolsters come with covers. The cloud pillow and comforter itself has no removable covers. However, they are also machine-friendly with the covers, making washing easy.

Apart from the bedding sets, Bisty Bambino also customised baby nest, blankets, stroller pads and even kid masks. Given their high quality, I am quite ready to recommend their services to other mummies. If the stroller/ carrier fails to meet my expectation, I am more than ready to customise his set. :P

Tinys.Co: Organic Baby Products

This is one of the topics I really wanted to dive into. I have asked many mummies about organic wears etc. and most mummies can't really give me much information because most don't really go for this option mainly because of its price-point. It baffles me a little because most Mummies refrain from using products which uses too much chemicals on their babies, but the same rule doesn't seem to apply from clothes.

I came across Tinys.Co and thought I should give this topic a go. If price-point is truly the reason stopping parents from going organic, then you would be happy to know that Tinys.Co is a brand from Malaysia so you get to benefit from the favourable exchange rate. Also, purchases above RM200 will allow you to enjoy free shipping.

Apart from clothes, Tinys.Co holds organic swaddles and teethers as well. For those who are considering to gift, you would be happy to know that Tinys.Co can pack the items in nice recyclable box that includes a cardboard hanger. Cute. All the items will be packed in a drawstring pouch and you can also insert a personalised note.

If you are getting a romper, you can also do personalisation. For us, we got baby an organic sleepsuit (RM149.90) instead for 3-6 months in mint. Personally, I am very in love with the pastel green colour (Psss... I even got matching maternity shorts to twin with baby). Design-wise,  Tinys.Co is very classy and simple.

Unlike most of my other sleepsuits, it is a single-zip design. In terms of the fabric, the sleepsuit is made from 100% GOTS certified organic cotton. It uses non-toxic dye and is hypoallergenic. T be honest,  I actually can't tell through touch whether the fabric is organic. But one thing we all know is that the baby's skin is a lot more sensitive than an adult, in fact the epidermis is 3-5 times thinner than an adult's.

Some babies may be more sensitive to allergens and irritants in the air. I think a good gauge is whether the parents have eczema or sensitive skin. Personally, apart from the skin on my face, I have quite resilient skin, but the Hubs isn't so lucky. So I am guessing baby might turn up either way. I guess if given a choice, we are definitely swaying towards avoiding synthetics and cottons which have been sprayed with herbicides or pesticides for baby. Cos bringing him in and out of the PD might cost more pain to our pockets and heart overall.

We also tried out the cupboard hanger. Frankly, it leans towards the fragile side. Having said that, I have no qualms putting it into baby's wardobe. I don't think it lasts as long as plastic for sure, but we will use it till it hangs on its last breathe (no pun intended)

This is my second set of milestone cards (RM18.90) and I think I like it much more than my first. You will definitely see quite a bit of them in my photos. I think I am just a sucker for simple, uniformed designs. Compared to its other products, this is one of the easiest on the pocket. Take note that it is made of cardboard and doesn't have the waxy texture over it.

Thus far, I have been accumulating quite a bit of swaddles and each one gets better. This is my fanciest swaddle thus far. At RM55, it is actually quite affordable. Tinys.Co doesn't have the largest range of designs but it have quite a bit that will make you gush. This piece is made of 70% bamboo fabric and 30% GOTS certified organic cotton. It is also anti-static and hypoallgergenic. 

Like my other swaddles, this is alos 120cm by 120cm and is really soft. <3 After taking a look at Tinys.Co's collection, I don't find organic products particularly steep in their pricing. Apart from the sleepsuit, the other products doesn't pinch the pocket much given the quality. I think perhaps the key is really knowing where to get your organic baby products and I am so glad that I shared this site with you Mummies out there, so at least now, you have a choice, without being too worried about $$$. By the way, additional 25% off if you quote "CHAA25"

Little BB Love: Clothes for Boys

One of my biggest grouses and I ain't hiding it is the lack of nice clothes for boys. I mean having a baby boy is great and all but the selection is definitely much less. Personally, I want to dress my boy preppy or cute. But most stores hold too much plain and simple boys wear in their collection *grumbles*

So, I was very pleased to come across Little BB Love because it makes me feel that the boys wardrobe looks way better than the girls. If you are into bolder and colourful prints, you will be thrilled with their selection. Honestly, I love most of the designs, my favourite being A Whaley Good Time Overalls Set which he might be too young for at the moment.

We tried out a mixture of 0-3 months and 3-6 months. Overall, the cutting for 0-3 months isn't that small which is quite reassuring cos looking at the size of my tummy, I am suspecting baby is huge. From left to right, top to bottom:

• Building the World - S$19: I think this is a safe piece that everybody likes. 
• Bear Hugs (without Footies) - S$18: This print is truly the cutest. You just need to have it in the collection. 
• Cool in Stripes - S$17: The hubs doesn't like this piece at all and called this the jail suit. But I like this piece...in fact I have a similar design...twinning time. What does the Hubs know! Pfffft.
• Brave Adventurer - S$17: I have a bit of mixed feeling about this print. It is quite bold and eye-catching but it looks fierece too. But I am sure dog lovers would this!
• Chugging Tractors: Sorry, I thnk it is out of stock already. It is my least favourite in the collection cos of the dark colours. But it is the best to hide puke stains...Hehe (Note: Little BB Love remove items once the stock is no longer available so you need to keep a keen eye and act fast to get your desired piece!)
• London Guards - S$17: The London series is probably one of my favorites.  If you have little girls, you should also check out the ladies version!

Little BB Love is not that painful on the pockets. With S$100, you can about 5-6 pieces if you throw in a discount code. Generally, Little BB Love has quite a good cutting variety. Whether it is long sleeve or short sleeve, footsies without footsies, collars without collars or zip/ buttons, they have it all. For newborns, I personally prefer the footsies options cos you can save money on the booties.

For the button-on(s), there are always extra buttons at the head area so even if baby has a big head, there is no fear! In terms of material quality, I think it is considerably decent. Not the softest I have felt in the market, but defintely acceptable. For the baby suits, they all come with a double zipper mechanism to help nappy-changing at night!

Here's more photos on their buttons and buckles for those who are keen. The packaging of the clothes also look really good and comes in a very nicely wrapped bag if you want to get some clothes as a present for the little ones around you. Use my referral code "FF-LBBL", you can get $5 off your first purchase if it is more than $50. Note, this is until 31 Dec only!

If you are a fan of their style, sign up to become a member here and you can get 50 Bonus BB Stars on baby's birthday! It is actually not that difficult to accumulate 100 BB Stars to get a $10 voucher. This also means your child will at least get discounted clothes yearly! Sounds like a pretty awesome deal if my Mummy brain did her maths right! ^_^

Krftd: Baby First husk pillow

Husk pillows are more of an asian concept I think, so if you don't come from this part of the world, you might be quite baffled by why we even give this to the baby. Just some background info, newborn are easily startled by sudden movements and noises caused by the surroundings. Placing a tiny pillow on their chests helps to give them a sense of security. 

For those who are wondering, the husk pillow does act like a form of a security blanket. Some kids don't actually grow out of it and continue to carry a pillow everywhere they go. How do I know? Cos I am one of those kids. Hehe. This is why I also thought it was important that baby has a little pillow to accompany him through life.

In the past, the seniors at home would sew and prepare the pillow for the newborn. I wouldn't say it is very difficult to make, just that it is tedious and takes time. My first pillow was handmade by my Mum (she had hospitalisation leave for her third trimester, that's how naughty I was) as she had more time at hand and needed some work to keep her occupied. I can't say the same for myself and I don't have as nimble fingers as my Mum. 

So I decided find my boy his pillows from a reputable place instead. I came across Krftd and felt assured that the bean sprout husks go through rigourous sanitisation process and have gone through safety certifications. In terms of design, Krftd's snuggy pillows (S$34) were of a classier prints which I thought might be better than the cuter designs for a boy to grow up with. The covers are made of 100% cotton from the USA, which has a bit more texture from the pillow fabric I am used to. FYI, you can actually email the owner for customisation if you want. :)

I checked around on the optimum number of pillows required for baby and many mothers advised me to go for 2. Reason being, the baby may dirty their baby by puking on it or sometimes throwing it onto the ground. And hence, it is good to have a spare cover (S$16) at hand to prevent tantrums. Generally, husk pillows itself cannot be machine washed if soiled. If the budget allows, a spare pillow would be good so baby has something to hug as you rotate his pillows for sunning.

The covers itself can be machine washed. And what I really love about Krftd's covers are that the front and back are of different designs so you can have 2 different themes for a photoshoot. Hehe. Size-wise, it is 15cm by 41 cm (approx. 200g) which is quite a good size for baby to grow with. Also remember, for every wash, remember to sleep with the pillow first so that Mummy's or Daddy's familiar scent will be there. 

Krftd is available on Lazada, which is usually my preferred purchase site. However, currently if you spend more than S$50 on Krftd direct, you will get a free baby swaddle (worth S$12 after sales). This means after buying a pillow and spare cover, you will also get a free swaddle. Seems like a pretty decent deal to me! To be honest, I didn't have much expectations on the swaddle cos this doesn't seem to be Krftd's core products.

But I was totally surprised by how soft it is. It is made of 100% bamboo and is 120cm by 120cm. Although the size is huge, you can't really use it as nursing cover cos it is quite sheer. However, I think it can make a nice airy blanket. Design-wise, it is a bit on the plain side. But if you are not particular, this is a piece that is worth buying! Can't help but wonder how can the other mummies totally miss this deal!

[Updated] First Day Out: Brick and Mortar Store

I barely bought anything for baby offline, but I heard in my Mummy Group Chat about this shop (Shen Kwang Trading Co) that sells the old-school stuff that I just can't seem to find online at really affordable so I thought I will make a trip down since it was just opposite the temple I always visit at Bugis. Plus many mummies have bought from the place and had good reviews of it. 

Honestly, the store was so unassuming I would have never stepped in/ found it on my own, let alone bought anything from there. There were so many families streaming in and out and mostly spent roughly S$100+. I spent around $60 for all the newborn stuff which baby would probably outgrow/ dirty quickly within days . This is the break-down of what I bought:

• 12 inner diapers - S$17
• 12 Face Wipes - $6
• 8 Pairs Mittens - $7
• 6 NB Shirts - $14
• 6 NB Shorts - $16

Since it was a rare day out, Hubs also made special effort to find a nice spot for me to do a bump shot. This maternity dress - Eclair (Navy) (US$94) is one of my favourite pieces thus far and is almost a staple everytime I go out for appointments. As I am growing more fleshy, a lot of maternity either looks like a drape or don't fit me as well. 

Generally, I thought I should avoid a fitting dress. But this piece wraps me up in the most perfect way, in my very humble opinion and makes me feel good about myself and my bump. From the front view, you can barely see my belly can you? Hehe. I would really recommend this piece as a must-have for your maternity closet. 

I also took the opportunity to feast a bit before my gestational diabetes test. Yea to Nana's Green Tea. Hubs was having some cravings for ramen, so we dropped by Ramen Champion. I enjoyed my grilled pork so much that the husband from another table actually came to ask me which store it was from. Guess, people always trust the taste of a pregnant woman. 

I even dropped by Rich & Good to buy some cakes for our extended family. #BabyGroupBuy By the end of the day, I was utterly drained and exhausted but I felt so happy. The caged bird finally had her taste of freedom :P Will continue sharing any good baby buys I spot along the way so stay tune!

[Updated] We went back to Shen Kwang Trading Co to get bigger size clothes for baby. 6 long pants and 6 "holely" tops for $33. The tops , this time round, didn't seem to be as good quality and broke a little at first wash. :'(

Steam Steriliser Vs UV Steriliser

For those of you who know me personally, I am actually a person who still have some reservations when shopping online. Generally, I don't buy off taobao (and in rare events that I do, it is usually because of friend's recommendations). I won't deem myself as particularly price/ brand-conscious but for baby, somehow I put quite a bit of effort to ensure the authencity and safety of the wesbite/ products before I even share it on Baby Talk. 

Just to share, Baby will be using a electric steamer to sterilise his bottles even though a lot of mummies have raved to me the goodness of UV sterilisers. The main reason why we are using electric steamer is because Baby's Daddy is adamant that UV being carcinogenic can't be good for Baby. Baby's grandparents have share the same concerns about potential long term effects, which may not be apparent yet given this is a rather new technology.

Personally, some vendors have told me that their products are not entirely compatible with UV sterilisers and if I want the baby products to have a longer lifespan, steam steriliser would be preferred. Also, I noticed that my friends who are in the healthcare industry tends to use steam sterilisers. So, we decided to play safe and even rejected a potential collaboration (sigh). 

If you are cash-strapped, steam sterilisers are a lot cheaper than uv sterilisers. So opting for a steam steriliser would save you some money. Also, steam sterilisers are usually less bulky so they don't take up a lot of save. The flip side is that most steam steriliser either don't have a drying function (like mine) or takes much longer than the uv steriliser to dry. Hence having a lot of bottles (like me) would come in handy!

Thanks to the Mummies at my groupchat, I managed to snag a pretty good deal off Mummy's Market. The deal was so good that it sounded too good to be true. To verify the authencity, I even went to message Tommee Tippee on it, which they quickly assured me that Mummy's Market was one of the vendors they are working with. The delivery was delayed slightly due to lockdown, but I have to say I was a bit bummed and felt cheated by the "perpectual sales". My freebies never came too :( And because of this experience, I thought another sales was perpectual too and lost out a good buy #heartbroken

If Baby takes well to Tommee Tippee, this set would cover a lot of baby's feeding needs. Here's what the box contains for Mummy who wants to know:

• 1 Advanced Electric Steriliser: If this has drying function, it might be perfect
• 1 Bottle and Food Warmer: Yeah!
• 2 Insulated Bottle Bags: Was supposed to get cute freebies, but since they didn't come, this would be handy!
• 4 150ml (5oz) Baby Bottles
• 4 260ml (9oz) Baby Bottle
• 1 Bottle and Teat Brush: Haven't got any, so this comes handy!
• 4 x Milk Powder Dispensers: Haven't got any, so this comes handy!
• 1 0-6m Soother: Too much of this, might do a giveaway at year-end to bless some 2021 mummies
• 1 Teat Tongs: Haven't got any, so this comes handy!

*Updates: The Mummy's Market freebies finally came, but erms I am very sure that wasn't what they promised inititally. Where is my milk warmer?!?

Bye Bye Trimester 2

Sigh, Trimester 2 is either nearly over or officially over. I am quite embarrassed to say that I am rather confused with the duration of Trimester 2. Apparently, each trimester doesn't work on a 3 months basis and some trimester have more weeks than the others. So far, I am loving this trimester and it is truly a honeymoon period.

9 Changes in Trimester 2  

1. I have a surge in energy. 

This might be my favourite part of Trimester 2. My energy came back. In fact, my energy level was higher than before. If you noticed, this quarter had a record high number of posts. We were either working or pushing for some work to be done. I am so proud of this little one, it is bringing out the best in me! We even managed to quite a bit pregnancy administrative matter done. 

2. Bye Bye Morning Sickness!

This was awesome too. I finally could eat what I want. The portions I ate also seemed to be increasing >.< Darn. It took a while but we managed to overcome his fear of mushrooms. He grew a love for pastries and toast bread (our staple for breakfast now) and he is a huge fan of noodles like his father and has a sweet tooth like me <3

3. The pregnancy has stablised. 

Phew! The first trimester was a true nightmare for me. I felt anything that could go wrong would go wrong. I definitely felt a lot more confident at the second trimester. Everything has been going rather well and hence we could also let people know about his existence. Nobody actually saw me since lock down so I could totally secretly give birth to him if I wanted hehe. 

Haul from my first ever live-bid. It was super addictive. I ended up spending about $60++ on "baby's toys and towels".  Thanks Toys Empire for offering free delivery! We might do a giveaway later in the year cos he doesn't need that many giant toys and not all will be used as photo props! 

4. We can feel him bouncing around. 

At the earliest stages, I could already sense him (I think). I just can't be sure if it is the gases rolling about or the baby itself. For the longest time, the hubs said I was just imagining things. But now, even the Hubs could feel him. He is quite a bit of tease and loves to play. If you tap on the area he kicks, he will return a punch/ kick. 

5. Mummy brain occurs sometimes. 

This could possibly be my worse fear. Fortunately, for me it only affects me sometimes. I just get a bit more careless, distracted and occassionally forgetful. But, it is not very frequent so I am still alright for now. What I realise is that, mummy brain is generally due to discomfort. If I am having aches etc., our performance falls. Otherwise, with 2 brains I can even outperform my normal self. 

6. I am obsessed with my tummy (and belly button).

In the first trimester, it was barely there so I would always be straightening myself as if to show the world there is something in me. It is definitely visible in Trimester 2 and growing bigger by the day. And yes, it is now big enough to be a portable table wherever I go. I was also initially afraid the my belly button would pop out. But guess what, you can't stop nature. The day it popped out, I stopped trying to push it in. Lol!

7. I am starting to constipate!

This is truly my most hated part of pregnancy - constipation! Seriously, FML! I couldn't poop for days. I tried different remedies - prune juice, yakult, banana. Nothing really works or it works for a while and my body grew immune. Eventually, I had to beg my doctor for medicine and that could have been possibly the best decision I made for myself. At least I can function again!

8. Baby has a name! 

This seems really early. But the hubs family didn't really have a family middle name to follow and we don't really believe in the fortune-telling. So we decided to name him ourselves. Honestly, I didn't expect to name him that quickly. I saw a word on a Chinese variety show and like it quite a bit. Hubs just picked the other word. And viola, baby has a name. 

9. We have started including baby in our plans. 

We are going through the "adulting" stage soon (*new major series alert*) and have included baby in our plans. This means a lot of shopping (for me) and re-planning for the future. Also, we started talking about how we intend to parent the child and his primary caregiver. We are truly very excited for his arrival and can't wait to launch out next major series as well. So please stay tune!

Joy o Tots: For mummy and baby

Most items are strictly either for Mummy or for baby. So it was awesome that we could find something that we could share. For you curious folks out there, this is a sensory necklace. Basically, Mummy wears it and baby can plays with it and bites on it. It is particularly good when baby grows to a curious age and just wanna grab everything around it.

The design from Joy o Tots takes after the chic beads look. However, material-wise, it is made of the baby's teether materials. Similarly, they are BPA-free, non-toxic and is approved by PDA/SGS. At the end of the day, you will have a nice accessory with baby toothmarks immortalised on it. Hehe.

Before everyone starts exclaiming "pink pink, baby girl", baby is still a boy! Actually pink is one of my favourite colours. It is just that I don't usually pull off an all pink dress well. My wardrobe is now flooded with blue and so is baby's. So I thought some feminine touch might be nice. And I think I totally pulled it off this time round.

We went for baby pink with some touch of marble textured design to give it a dainty lux vibe. Whether my hair was long or short, whether the dress was solid or shiny, I think the necklace went well with both. To be honest, sometimes I fiddle with the necklace and feel a bit more motherly. To keep it clean from my sweat, I wash it with water after use and air-dry it. I hope I don't stain the white thread before baby arrives. After all, this piece is for us!

New Hairdo: Featuring That Shining Star

I chopped off my locks! The weather was seriously too warm for my liking and my hair was getting a littler unruly, so off it went. I was going for a Mako Mori look from Pacific Rim but because of baby, my hairstylist said no-no to any form of change in style that would involve any chemicals. So now, according to my desk buddy, I looked like a woman who offended her hairstylist. 

Honestly, I like my new haircut. It is really chic. If my face looks fat, it has nothing to do with the hairstyle, it might be because I am starting to bloat *nervous laugh* To keep this post light-hearted, I am going to feature the pixel accessories from That Shining Star (cos I am one too!)

Pokemon Series

I have no idea how my little boy is going to resist wrining these off my ears when he arrives. *Faints* I was so inspired by these earrings, I actually went to join a live plushie bid to win a Pokemon plush so that I can feature it in the shoot (but dang, it has been delayed and may not arrive for a while, so I guess you will see these earrings featured again in another post on live bidding :P)

If you want your look to pop literally, pixel earrings really do the job. I feel like I walked out from a 90s video game. It just gives an immediate touch of vibrancy! I have actually never tried pixel style, and I actually quite like the swag that comes along with it!

Weather Series

So far, That Shining Star  has only launched 2 series and both don't disappoint. The rainbow necklace made me wanna do a crazy nyan cat vomiting rainbow, haha. Feeling sad, wear them up your ears. The droplets earrings are insanely adorable as well. Despite the sizes, the accessories are really light and doesn't give too much additional burden. 

Another good point about pixel accessories, the plastic, waterproof texture pretty much means you can wash them without the fear about spoiling them. Great for me again because I keep sweating non-stop lately. Is there something wrong with the weather? Or is it just me? Hope you guys had a good break off baby talk, cos from the next post onwards, Baby is taking over ForFunk again!

8 Durian: Best Durians Ever!

I am a huge fan of durians, yum! But I have to admit it is so hard to find quality durians. This year, I was initially planning to skip the whole season cos I was very afraid of gestational diabetes and I really didn't want baby to be over-sized.

But durians is truly a cravings of mummies because my Mummy Group Chat had mothers posting and talking about durians almost on a daily basis. I wouldn't say I caved in, but I sort of reasoned with myself - a few hoots won't hurt. I must absolutely make those calories count. And since I was also eating for two, it made sense to up the budget a bit.

We got our servings from 8 Durian. If you  want the process to be fuss-free, going online for durians is quite a good option. (Psst: 8 Durian promises a full refund if their durians are late or if it taste unsatisfactory) On my day of order, Red Prawn was out of stock. Bumped. So we settled for AAA Grade and Orh-Kim. This was actually my first time trying Orh-Kim and given its price, I did have quite high expectations of it. 

The delivery came within the requested time slot and each box of durians were fresh and well-sealed. Even though it was sealed, you could smell the aromatic goodness of the durians. We could barely resist the temptation to wait for everyone to be home to share these divine goodness. 

As an expecting woman, I have to say I really appreciated that the boxes were delivered to my house and I could consume the durians in the comfort of my own home, whenever I want. To be honest, nobody in my family is skilled at choosing durians. So, to receive boxes of quality-picked durians makes life a lot of easier. My only regret was picking only a box of the Black Gold. Dang, the Black Gold is possibly one of the best durian I had in my life, and I only had two miserly hoots in total T.T

For those who have never tasted Black Gold before, it is basically a sweeter and creamier version of the Mao Shan Wang. If you have a penchant of stronger taste, Black Gold is for you. For my family, we are geared towards the Black Gold. This is also one of the times I hate that I am pregant cos on normal days, I probably can finish half a box on my own. But because of baby, I had to exercise self restraint. The good news is that each durian is so fleshy with a tiny seed, I feel like I actually ate a bit more than what I set for myself. 

I hope 8 Durian is coping well with their orders because the big mouth in me went to share the site with other Mums. No pregnant lady should be wrestling to open the thorny shells of the king of the fruits, it is such a sin! Plus there is free delivery for orders above S$100, so even a ulu place like mine can get to eat good, yummy durians too!

I hope baby grows up to love durians too! I will be so bummed if he doesn't but at least I got him to taste it in me :P