My Nursing Tools

So it is pretty much certain by now, my little boy will probably be induced because I really can't take uncertainty and ambiguity. After a few false alarms which has unfortunately triggered me to stress eat (bet the little one inside is secretly happy with this outcome) and affected my concentration, mood and maybe even sleep (I wanted to do like a hibernation during this period, but yeah...only managed to clock a consistent 10 hours sleep which is a lot more than more mothers already), I decided I just can't and maybe don't want to deal with this bullshit anymore. 

Now that the decision has been made, I am focusing on my after-birth tools. The friendly mummies that I met in the communities have been offering me lots of advise and also handing me some tools which they found useful. Here's some of the must-have which I think you would need. 

1. Hush Hush Baby (S$45)

One of the things which you would need if you are attempting to breastfeed would be a nursing cover.  Hush Hush Baby is a local brand, but for last minute mamas, you can get a piece here. They have the cotton-type which is better for aircon condition. But for me, I picked the spandex fabric which is very lightweight and breezy should we bring baby out to the wild.  Cute max, this is also what I will be bringing to the hospital to protect my modesty. 

There is a slight curve in their cutting which gives quite a bit of arm movement space. Each piece also comes with a matching cover which makes it easy to pack around. Generally, most mothers would have 2 pieces of nursing cover to mix and match. If you follow Hush Hush Baby, they sometimes do have sales (they do hold other items like massagers and warmers) so you can grab yours at a steal like some of the mummies in my chat which I had happily shout out to them on the deal. If you are wondering, there are free ones given in goodie bags, but they are really tacky and even a quasi-fashionista like me would rather die than to be seen with it draped on my neck. 

2. Bebitza (AUD54.95)

If you are in a bit of a hurry, this piece hails all the way from Australia so mailing may take a while. Generally, most mummies will have 1-2 pieces of nursing covers to swap around when in the wash. To be honest, I am quite worried I am not much of a milk producer considering a) I have no leaks, b) by now, I realise my body reacts quite differently to other people in pregnancy and c) I have invested in quite a bit of breastfeeding-related items (which adds up to quite a bit here and there). So, I wanted to make sure my nursing covers were versatile and have other uses. 

Bebitza had a more shawl-like slip-on design and I haven't seen anything as similar in Singapore. (Most have to go over the head in Singapore.) Hence, I decided to feature it. Bebitza's design are also more mature and suited for corporate. I went for more bold prints because most of corporate wear are very plain and of solid colours so I thought a splash of design would look quite nice. :D You just have to hook it up and you are good to go. Compared to the traditional nursing cover, there is a lot more space for the baby and there is still enough fabric to provide good cover. Note: please read the material carefully before your purchase because some are more suitable for the cooler climates and not appropriate for Singapore. 

3. Feeding Friend (S$78)

I really needed something portable because before pregnancy the Hubs and I would pak thor every weekend. And I don't want this to change. Most of the nursing pillows are really big and bulky. And a Mum wanted to pass me one of her nursing pillow (a very popular brand) which she never really used in the end. I rejected her offer because I really don't think it suited my lifestyle. My Feeding Friend was a lot closer to what I needed. 

My Feeding Friend is inflatable so you can release the air within it when it is not in used and roll it up so that it is compact and portable. I also like that the cover is removable so that I can wash it if it is dirtied by baby. My only grouse is that white may be quite easily stained. There are also other colours available (such as mint, blue, pink) in the future. There isn't much product reviews in Singapore yet, but they seem to have gather traction in Australia. I will be giving this nursing pillow a go and will update you guys so do follow me if you are interested in this product! 

* I have finally inflated the pillow because baby is really coming! For the first inflation, it takes a bit longer, so try to do it at least 2 days ahead!

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

Food Tour 20: Before new responsibilities

This year is quite an important milestone for me, so I received many cakes and ate a lot of good food. Because we didn't really know when baby would arrive, we had quite a few celebrations and pre-celebrations. Oops, guess we burn a really big hole in the Hub's pocket. A lot of them said baby was very considerate to not pick our important dates. 

I guess he would be really special if he picked any of those dates. But...if this was truly the case, baby #2 will always be less favoured (is hard for me to promise I will not be bias). Cos we kept thinking he would be arriving soon, I gave less thoughts to maintaining my diet. Oopsy!

1. Tung Lok Beijing Duck

It wasn't a particular craving, but I have been talking about it for a while. Since we were within the vicinity (lol...my gynae is in that area), the Hubs suggested we go have it before I go into confinement as I would have to wait a while before getting to eat it. Damage: S$100+ Bet he regretted suggesting. The funny thing is I am now 4cm dilated as of this week. Yup, you didn't hear me wrong. But yet...I have no contractions and is not in hospital. 

I sort of wonder is it because baby has figured out that by staying inside, it entails more delicious food. I mean after coming out to this cruel world, all he will be having would be milk and some variety in the first one year. Either that, he doesn't know how to activate contractions and is trying to use gravity to force himself out (that might explain why he is fat).

2. Burger and Lobster

This is truly a craving. Ever since I had them at Jewel, I have been wondering why can't they be more conveniently located. I was quite pleased to hear that they open a branch at Raffles Hotel (almost bought some snowskin mooncakes back to consume...thank god I didn't cos they contains alcohol) I have to admit that the experience isn't as great as before because Burger and Lobster was extremely considerate and modified my order so that it would be fit for a pregnant lady. 

The lobster was still great but the lobster roll was just dry without the mayonese. Also, I couldn't fully enjoy the drinks and desserts menu. The damage to the Hub's wallet was around mid to high $100+. Felt kinda of bad for wasting such good money without enjoying it as much.

3. Blue Label Pizza

I chanced upon it the other day and was very curious about it. So we decided to have it as a pre-celebratory meal. Given my nature, I always like to rip the Hubs dry during special occassions, this one definitely didn't hit that requirement. The people serving us was really kind and recommended dishes that were suitable for me. Quite honestly, I could only have 3 pizzas from their menu because of the raw elements here and there. 

In the end, we had the state fair fries (S$25), which was yummy even without aoili. Hubs had had the full version and told me it was absolutely divine. We had the Original Famous ($28) and the crust is possibly the best I have ever tasted. This is now my favourite pizza place. The damage isn't great and we even took some pieces of pizza away because it was just too much for 2! Will definiely be there again. This time I am going to bring more friends, so that we can try more items on the menu!

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This year, we had quite a bit of cakes too. Realise during Covid, it is kinda of trendy to give cakes...lol so I decided to do a review of them too!

1. Awfully Chocolate

I am quite a fan of their chocolate ice-cream, but have never really tried out their cake. Surprisingly, it was very value for money. For less than $40, we got a decent-sized chocolate cake for 8. Among the cakes, the presentation of the box was the most fancy and the cake was the most delicious. This was also my first cake bought by the hubby cos he thought I might never get a chance to celebrate since I might go into labour on the exact day of my birthday. 

2. Twelve Cupcakes

This was quite an unexpected cake from work. Haha...sometimes I feel that my boss is one of the sweetest person. I was actually still working from home and she was casually asking me some stuff which I didn't expect she was doing a cake delivery. Quite honestly, I only tried their cookies once which wasn't too bad. I never had their cupcakes let alone their cakes. This is a red velvet cheesecake. But the cheese taste a lot like lemon curd, not that I am complaining cos I quite like the curd. However the crumb crust at the bottom could have been better made. 

3. 24 Hours Cake Delivery

This was the biggest and fanciest cake I recieved...haha. Believe it or not, I never had a rainbow cake despite the hype. So my Dad felt that this was an occassion for something colourful. He suggested chocolate because the colour contrast seems interesting. My only grouse is that the exterior of the cake is rather plain. 

For last minute people, you will be happy to know that you can order just 24 hours ahead and will receive the cake. Personally, I felt the chocolate was pretty good but the sponge inside like all rainbow cakes was a little dry. Price-wise was quite decent at $68 with delivery. I even pass by GD test despite having a slice. Wheee. I saw another cute cake and might be trying it out next...Bubblegum Cake. The marbling outside looks great, should this be baby's first month cake?

Finechi: Story of my stroller bag

A while back, I received my stroller bag from Finechi. One thing for sure, even before the baby comes, the life turns upside-down. Before I could even find proper time to take photos to do justice to my classy diaper bag, it was converted into a hospital bag because my gynae told me our little one could come anytime already. At that time, our stroller/infant seat came too but it was quickly checked and put aside because priorities had change, baby was coming.

Don't be fooled by Finechi's appearance, this bag is incredibly light-weight even after I fixed the sling straps that had a beautiful golden clasp finish. It had a lot of compartment at the side of the bag and it allows me to keep my content organised. To customise your bag, you can either get a fur charm (which comes in a variety of colours) or the acrylic keychains. As the bag is now used a as hospital bag, I am using my spidey acrylic keychain as it will be easier to clean when I am back home.

And yes, all these had been stuffed into my Finechi bag with lots of excess space. we will be bringing a second bag with the less essential items haha (cos photo props are important to this mama, some moments when missed are lost forever!) From left to right:

1. 1 Jacket (cos I felt it was so cold already during the hospital tour)
2. 1 room slipper
3. 1 Milestone card from tinys.co
4. Baby's first toy from Pebble Child
5. 2 Bottles of Brands Essence (there was enough space of 2)
6. 3 disposible underwear
7. 1 Curel facewash sample pack (Cos toiletries are basically provided except facewash and this was the most convenient facewash I could find...lol)
8. Kotex night pads (Am not entirely sure if this would work but some mothers suggested prepping your own just in case you aint used to the ones the hospital provided)
9. Huggies wet wipes and 1 bottle of Acquassimo to keep the place sterile
10. 1 Powerbank (will be stuffing my wires too!)
11. 1 Silverette Nursing Cups (really more for prevention, cos I heard boys can be quite rough with their mother's nipples)
12. 1 Amulet (haha)
13. Underpads from Guardian (Heard you can save some money if you don't use the hospital's)
14. Personal Documents 

Here is the update on hospital bag 2, which we call Daddy's bag. Basically, it is still Mummy and my stuff for when we leave the hospital. Daddy requested for a bagpack so we gave him a free camo one. Mummy's nice bags are in girl shades which Daddy refuse to carry for her. Mummy packed:

1. 1 set of nursing dress and bra from 9 Months Maternity
2. 1 newborn set from Oeteo
3. 1 romper from Little BB Love cos this boy is on the fat side. Scared he can't fit in newborn
4. Hegen Breast Pump
5. Sitz Bath Tub
6. Fav soft tissues from Dewysoft Tissues
7. Pretty nursing Cover from Hush Hush Baby

** Will update the conversion of my  Finechi bag into a diaper bag after I am done with the pushing :D 

Baby Nest: Projects Nayra

Patience has never really been my strongest virtue. But this package stayed wrapped for the longest time ever. Okay, I did try to open a tiny weeny bit just to have a peep with my Mum glaring at me from the side. Admittedly, I am very excited about this because this was specially customised for my child. I am very grateful for the owner for Projects Nayra for going to spotlight to hunt down the fabric for me. 

That day, it was my flu-day (somehow I seem to catch the flu bug once every trimester) and was feeling shitty and death-like. There was no way I would have survived a day out. So I spent some time scrolling through the online catalogue and sending Projects Nayra unsuitable fabrics...lol! But from there, the owner managed to figure my likes and dislikes. 

Tada...I am not sure if any of you are familiar with Peter Rabbit cos it is so old-school. Haha. I have quite a bit of softspot for this mischievious little one cos it is a little like me in my younger days, always slipping in and out of trouble. The print isn't entirely very childish/tacky looking but yet soft enough for a child. The fabric is really soft but can get a bit crumply when washed (without ironing). The minky's colour may also run a bit. 

Just to share a little more, as part of the baby nest, you will recieve a husk pillow (I didn't know so I went to get baby a few already...oops), a pillow, a bolster and a matching blanket.  For the pillows and bolsters, they come with a case which you can easily wash along with the blankets. For the nest and other beddings, I used my Acquassimo sanitiser to give them a good spray. Thank you Projects Nayra for the cute unicorn to add to my little one's growing unicorn collection Hehe!

I am happy to share that baby's cot is now all set up with his nest and little friends. For those of you who are unfamiliar with a nest, I learnt from another mother that it is quite a safe way to let the baby co-sleep with its parents in the early stages as it provides good demarcation. If you use it inside a cot, you can safe on the cot bumpers. The other beddings should be set aside first and used only when the child is older to prevent accidental suffocation. You can also loosen the ribbon at the bottom. 

There are some babies who absolutely hate the nest cos it might be a bit warm for them. But since ours will be resting mostly in an air-conditioned environment, it should be fine for him. Apart from the cot and bed, you can also bring the baby nest to the living room and let him interact with other family members when he is older. :) Will share with you guys more updates after baby arrives and settles in his new home :P #soexcited

Keeping babies stuff sterile with Acquassimo

I didn't used to be like this. But as an expecting mother, I have grown to be come quite a  germophobic. Covid definitely isn't helping. Previously, I did a post on blessings for babies. Although, I only take brand new items, most parents actually are okay with second-items from even strangers because apparently babies grow so fast and they get bored of their toys even faster.
* Note, I was recently chided for my doctor for investing in too much new items for my little one, sigh.

Now, my stand is...it is okay to use some second-hand items if a) it doesn't come into contact with the baby much and b) it is thoroughly washed. But from my experience, I notice some items just can't be washed. Nonetheless, they still have to be wiped down. So I came across the baby-friendly disinfectant. 

You may wonder why baby-friendly and what is the difference? The thing about babies they might lick the things they are exposed to. Alcohol wipes / Febreeze just isn't safe enough for them. Call me kiasu, but I needed something that can kill germs and yet is safe if consumed by baby. And here comes Acquassimo to rescue. We got the bigger bottle (for home) and the smaller spray bottle (to bring around) as it is lighter. Acquassimo is as safe as drinking water and doesn't have to be rinsed off. It can even be used on the baby's feeding equipment and used as a mouthwash!

So far, I am using Acquassimo on all the relative-blessed bulkier items that cannot be washed (this includes the pram and the baby cot). Similarly for the bulky new items, we also gave them a good spray because god knows what happened to them at the factory (i.e. stroller, safety seat). For those baby products that can't be washed, we also gave them a good spray (i.e. baby shoes, baby woven toys, husk pillow and baby nest).

My only grouse would be that this product isn't sold in cartons and there are no refill packs available (I have been growing kinda of green lately...lol). Other than that, I really love using this because I do have quite a bit of unwashable items. Sometimes, instead of spraying direct, we would spray on the wet wipe before cleaning the baby items so that the surface is thoroughly covered. (Learnt this from the Hubs). 

I have been sharing this product with some other germophobic mummies (yes it is great knowing I am not the only crazy woman out there!) And they were raising other concerns such as should we hang this by the side of the cot so that visitors can spray their hands before touching the baby (honestly, I didn't even think that far). So, I am a bit bummed that there are no carton options because if I were to bring one bottle to the hospital and hang another by baby's cot. I am presuming this is going to run out faster than I can imagine. 

Let me know what you think...do you think I am over-reacting or do you think we actually need carton options from Acquassimo?

Quality baby products from Darling Darene

I think I have a slight bias towards baby businesses run by mothers. Somehow, I always feel that their products are always catered with mothers and their babies in mind. The quality would have more control and you feel a bit more assured to let your little one use it. I received this set from Darling Darene and I have to say the owner's photography skills might better than mine. Oops...

The main categories held by Darling Darene are feeding, craft boxes and teething. I was particularly interested in their bibs cos they hold both the cloth and plastic version. Just in case, which one should you use? When your child is at infant stage, cloth bibs are actually better cos they are less heavy on their neck and is more flexible.

1. Drool Bibs ($7.90 each)

The item that baby might be using quite a bit upon arrival of would be these. Darling Darene is one of those rare places that hold quite a nice selection of unisex/ boyish bibs. And I kinda of like all their designs. The material of the drool bibs are quite thick and you can see that it is adjustable. The colour scheme is on the lighter side and it worries me a little if his baby puke would dirty the pretty bibs. But one thing for sure, these drool bibs sure look good for special occassions or gai gai days.

2. Feeding Bibs ($12 each)

As a first time mother, when I first saw the silicon bib, it caught my attention because it looked very easy to maintain. Stain it, wash it, dry it. Voila! You probably don't need a lot of it. But after receiving the product, I quickly realise these bibs are quite heavy which means the child would need a strong neck before he or she can start using. I am guessing you will start seeing this hanging off the baby's neck when he is around 6 months.

If you like solid colours, then  Darling Darene  has quite a decent selection of feeding bibs for you to pick from. The hubs particularly love this wooden-neutral colours which is very, very similiar to our house colour scheme. Maybe baby will blend into the house background LOL and camouflage himself. Wahaha. 

3. Unicorn Teether and Clip ($15 + $12) 

Special mention has to be given to Darling Darene's teether. Of all the teether I have gotten thus far, their quality of the teethers are undoubtedly the best. The price is also comparable too even though the size of the teether may be slightly smaller than the rest. In addition, the designs of their teethers are also more unique. I don't seem to see them in other shops. 

The pacifier clip is also very classy. The beads are made of silicon so baby can chew on it while the clip itself is wooden. There are also other colours for you to choose from!

4. Silicon Feeding Plate ($22)

This might possibly be the last product among the Darling Darene's collection that baby will get to use eventually. Don't you think the feeding plate reminds you of a smiley face. Hehe. By now, you might notice a common trend, Darling Darene holds mainly solid colour products. I am not sure about you but I always feel that such designs are more classy. His Daddy and I sure like it more, but I am not sure if baby will prefer more gaudy patterns at a younger age. 

One thing for sure, Darling Darene definitely holds quality products at affordable price. The feeding plate itself is both dishwasher and microwave friendly! Can't wait for baby to come out and try them all. Honestly, stocking up stuff for his arrival is taking quite a bit of space. :P

Pregnancy Skincare Routine: Yours Peronalised Skincare

For those of you who are not blessed with the pregnancy glow, you are in luck! Because I found some skincare products which are pregnancy safe. Yours is a personalised skincare regime that matches your skin to the products and most importantly they use only natural products!

Now that I am reaching the end of my pregnancy journey, my pregnancy glow is fading so this comes at quite a timely moment. I have to admit that Yours packagaing caught my eye because I am a sucker for pastel colour Hehe. So far, I have been using it quite religiously because it is quite easy to adhere to. 2 pumps of the serum in the morning and 2 pumps of the moisturiser at night.

1. Yours Personalised Face Serum (US$25)

You can think of this as a lightweight corrector that can help to speed up acne skin (which I don't have at the moment) and the balance serum production. You definitely don't feel it on your face and even though it is not entirely watery, it spreads really well on the face. I do notice some of my old pimple spots becoming less visible. 

The active ingredients in my personalised serum includes alp sebum, sebocea and nyo snesyl. I have a bit of a sensitive skin but so far after using Yours for a week, I don't have any breakouts from it. In fact, I even went au naturale for my maternity shoot! That's how confident I am of my skin now really!

2. Yours Personalised Night Cream (US$25)

I am a little bit more wary about moisturiser because I tend to have breakouts after using them. This product is supposed to act as a night armour to repair any damage skin and sooth away signs of tiredness so that I can wake up to supple, glowing skin.  To be honest, I haven't been sleeping well for the third trimester but so far my skin doesn't shows sign of it. I might be looking a little too radiant until my doctor has not offered me any hospitalisation leave. Dang!

The active ingredients include sunflower oil and betaine. As compared to the serum, this mixture is a lot thicker and you definitely feel it on your skin. But as far as I am concerned, as long as it does what it promises and don't harm the little one in my tummy, a little bit of stickiness never kills. 

Overall, I am quite pleased with Yours and can't wait to try their eye serum. Special thanks to The Asian Parent for recommending them to me. Hopefully, they can help me keep up with my pregnancy glow even after baby arrives, cos I really need it when I am sleep deprived. For my readers, Yours is offering a 10% off if you quote "CHAAYEN". There is a minimum spending of US$50 and will only last till 30 Sep 2020. So if you really want to try them, this is a good chance!

Should I take a maternity shoot?

Maternity photoshoots are all the rage in our generation and I have to say I was a bit bummed that I might have to give it a miss during the Covid. So, quite honestly, I have been racking my pretty little head on how to go ahead doing it in a safe manner. Thankfully, the lock-down lifted.

As many of you would know, a maternity shoot isn't the cheapest and it is as though you are going through the whole wedding photo ordeal all over again. So let me just share the tips and tricks with you to make your photoshoot more chillax and fuss-free :D

1. Find a photographer you are comfortable with. In fact, I think this might be the most important criterion on top of price etc. Especially if you want to take photos with slight nudity, that might be even more vital. Our photos are taken by dphotofolio. Alvin is very respectful and when I told him I am not ok with nudity. He found me inner wear so that I can take this flying artistic silk look. 

2. Check out their photo styles and let them know if you are ok to be directed. I think the Hubs and I are a lot more experienced in photoshoots after our wedding shoots. Nonetheless, we also ask to be directed because when it come to the bump shoot we don't really know how to showcase it. Alvin from dphotofolio is very friendly and will let you know what to do so that you will definitely bring home a few good shots to bring home. 

3. Studio or Home shoot or outdoors? This one really depends on your living conditions. Some mummies took at home. I think if you have your own house already and it is well decorated, you can definitely opt for this option. Currently, I am living with my in-laws and I don't think we can be that relaxed with curious spectators. Pai-seh max. Even for an indoor shoot, it can be quite tiring already. My Mum thinks when baby 2 is here. We should take an outdoors one instead. :P

4. Should I wear make-up? I didn't cos I wanted a natural, recognisable look. For my wedding, I had so much make-up and fake lashes on that I didn't look like myself at all. Also, since I was fortunately blessed with the pregnancy glow, I thought I should make use of it. So I only powdered myself for the shoot. And I absolutely love how it turned out!

5. Should I prepare any props? Yes, you should. In fact, you should prepare items that are unique to your relationship and motherhood journey. I remembered to bring my themed shoot props and flowers (from One Hour Florist, read my review here!) But, I totally forgot to bring my baby's toys and clothes. Damn the mummy's brain! Hopefully, Baby 2 will have more luck in this department!

6. How many sets of clothes should I prepare? You need to have at least 2! But it depends on how particular you are. I am ok with wearing the studio's robes etc. But if you are a cleanliness freak then please bring your own. I even brought a set of shoes to change (extra max!). For your own clothes, wear something comfortable. I wore my favourite nursing dress - Joole Maternity Nursing Dress in Black from Mothers en Vogue for my themed shoot!

To re-create my look: Joole Maternity Nursing Dress in Black from Mothers en Vogue, Fabiole shades from Xylvester, Clarks Heels with clip-ons, Nerf Guns 

7. Should I conceptualise my own shoot? Yes, you should. I dreamt this out one night (maybe cos baby wanna do this too) and discussed it with Alvin. He was game and viola, we became spies. We had a ball of fun! I have to say I absolutely love how Joole Maternity Nursing Dress in Black from Mothers en Vogue managed to hide my bump making me still look like a sexy agent although Alvin think I should flaunt the bump. (Note: Mothers en Vogue is really too under-rated, if you want nursing/ maternity wear that shows off your curves, please check them out!)

8. Should I get my raw images back? Yes, you should. Even though most of us are no photoshop experts, we should try to get copies of them. Because behind the scenes are hilarious and will bring back lots of beautiful memories. Plus. it is quite fun to do cringy edits like mine!

9. Should I take maternity shots? Honestly, I didn't find the point to take wedding studio shots initially. But then I realise every year I would look through it. Sometimes, I would also scroll through it in my phone. Photos like this are never cheap and may not be a necessity in life, but I see myself always going back again and again to reminisce that moment and that's when I know it is worth every penny...

Sprezza Box Again: Premium

So, I got a sprezzabox again for the Hubs for our anniversary cos I came across a discount code. Some changes to take note, there is now the premium version which has less, but better items in it. Since this was something new and the hubs is a bit more quality conscious, I decided to go for it. Plus, he always needed a cufflink. I thought there might be more use for this box of goodies.

As compared to the previous experience, the shipment was delayed this time round. I bought it for our Aug anniversary but it only came in Sep. Guess it is a Sep anniversary present. Also, I kept writing in to sprezzabox. Although they were quite prompt in their replies, they weren't able to confirm anything and sometimes doesn't even really answer my question. To be honest, I sort of gave up ever receiving the box. Lol.

Quality-wise, I am very satisfied with the purchase. Of course, whether the receiver likes it is a whole separate thing. I took particular interest in the cufflink and was happy to see that it even had details at the back. Not that the Hubs will even notice. Guess now, all I have to do is to hide the box. Hehe. 

Customised pacifier clips with teether for baby

Generally, I love customised items for myself. But I haven't quite gotten any for the kiddo yet because a) we wanted to hand some of his stuff down to his younger sibling in future b) we might want to hand down to his cousins or even mummy and daddy friends kiddos who might not want to see his name on the baby items.

But after thinking long and hard about it, I think for the smaller items, it still made some sense to customise it. Cos as a sentimental mother, I might end up keeping a few of his items. (It seems a bit crazy but baby's grandmothers on both side have been digging out Hubs and my baby stuff which are kept in pristine condition for baby.) In fact, for my side, we can probably do a whole photoshoot of past and present.

I thought a customised pacifier clip was the most appropriate because it was small and can be stored away easily. We got 2 teethers from Happy Baby. Like clothes, boys have very limited choice in teether. And it doesn't help that Baby's mummy is a huge fan of certain hues. So he always pretty much end up with bluish, green, tiffany coloured stuff. 

Some of my favourite teethers designs include the llama, rainbow, kitten, unicorn, fox and ice-cream. Somehow the Hubs did not share the same fascination as I had for them. He deemed them as too girly. His favourite was the dinosaur and the cactus. But I really wanted a good one cos it makes such a good prop for a shoot. 

Bubble Tea Teether ($17)

If you are also into this design, you will be happy to know that it comes in a few colours. I just picked something more boyish and realistic for my kiddo. The teether is made of 100% food grade silicon material and BPA free with no phthalates, lead or PVC. So it is absolutely safe for your little one. It is also quite big for a baby so it is quite easy to grip!

Each teether comes with a pacifier clip (without customisation of name). You can also choose the colours of your pacifier. If you are having a baby girl, you can go for brigher combinations such as rainbow, pinkish or purplish. My only grouse with this design was only the joints in the middle, otherwise I can't wait for baby to start practicing his grip on this. :D

Dinosaur ($16)

By the way, the pacifier clips are interchangeable. You also have the choice of choosing a rose colour clip or plastic coloured clip with no extra cost. We are using the normal plastic clip because it seems to go better and we already have rose colour clip ones for his pacifier. You can even add feathers at an additional $1. 

For customisation, it is 80 cents per letter, which I thought was quite reasonably priced. Thank God for us, my baby's name isn't very long. Unlike the bubbletea design, the back of the dinosaur is of a different texture - tiny footprints. My husband really like this piece so I guess the name one will be stuck to this. Personally, I think customising one piece will do because with the clip, the baby is quite unlikely to lose it and secondly we can't just keep too many things of baby cos what if you have 4 children eventually, haha!

While everyone around my delivery is waiting for the baby's arrival, I am just waiting for him to grow up...because I really got him a lot of fun things which I can't wait to play with him :P

Melon Makes: The hardiest clay earrings in town

I am a bit embarassed, because I have been moving so much I haven't been taking good care of my latest clay earrings collection. Technically (and also according to the care guideline), you shouldn't be shaking the box that much, that vigourously. But because it was in my luggage, it was beyond my control.

But...I have to admit the clay earrings from Melon Makes is extremely hardy. From my experience with clay earrings, theirs are probably one of the more well made ones. It doesn't break from pressure and the designs are also very intricate and identical for those designs which are not meant to be asymmetrical.

1. Seashore 

Now that it is in the covid season, Iam sure many of you are as bummed as me being start at home. I pretty much missed out a good opportunity to fleece my husband off a babymoon. Maybe this also explains why I am allocating a lot more money (whether is it clothes and toys) on the baby frills instead. I guess some Mummies will tell me that this is a much better way to spend money. 

The seashore earrings are just a reminder of what I have missed out - a nice beach holiday. But nobody is stopping me from putting on sunshades in the home (and wearing a swimsuit) while building (sand)castles in the sky. Lol!

2. Autumn Leaves

This is one of my favourite in the whole series. It caught my eyes when I first lay my eyes on all of the because of it its intricacy. If you look closely at the leaves, you can even see the details of the leaf veins and feel it too!

Personally, I like that this design comes in 2 colours - green and brown, showing a nice circle of life. The leaves in spring slowly turning brown to prepare for Autumn. If you are a nature-lover, I am sure you will love this piece as much as me. Same-same-but-different sums this up best!

3. The Stud

This is my only stud piece in the collection. Actually, I have to say we almost used this as a cuff link in one of my husband's photoshoot. Yup, that's how hardy all this clay earrings are in, to the extent they can used for something that is not what they are made for. 

I always have a slight bias for the simple, marble-art classic design, but this one doesn't quite make the cut for me. On its own, it looks great. But because the colour is a little on the faded side, it doesn't really stand out much when it is on my ears. It looks a lot more like a plain white stud. :(

4. Seashell

Another resort vibe earrings! Picking up seashells by the seashore. As compared to the seashore piece, this one is a bit more classy because it is of neutral colour. This piece would look absolutely great with a maxi dress. Just that, there is really no occassion for a maxi dress. And the growing bump is limiting my choice of clothes. 

Quite honestly, I only brought the earrings from Melon Makes to my in-law place and I think I did a right choice because I basically have every style I need all from one place. And I am sure glad I didn't pack that light because I had last minute date plans etc. Heng, I have earrings to dress and spruce up a bit!

5. Rectangle Blocks

I sort of saved the least-favoured for last. To be fair, it is really because I love the first 4 better. Generally, I prefer accessories with a theme. Arty designs sometimes doesn't really go that well with me. Although I am not entirely a fan of this piece, I am sure many others would dig this. 

Firstly, the colour contrast is really gorgeous. And if you are into asymmetrical pieces, this would be something you would adore. I never knew that pastel blue and dark blue could go so well together. By the way, these are only some of the designs you can find at Melon Makes. Check them out and be careful not to break your wallet...hehe.  

Baby Toys from Pebble Child and Gwen & Friends

Sometimes I feel that I got the pregnancy focus all wrong. Sigh. There are some minor things here and there which I haven't quite settle. But yet, I am always intrigued by the frills. Today, I saw some first time mothers posting about the clothes they got for their kids which many commented that it is way too much. Well, your young lady has way more than those stash...oops and have now moved on to other stuff like toys and items for his nursery.

By now, some of you would know we have pretty much commenced our renovation works and so I have also started to put some thoughts into the nursery and is starting to accumulate some adorable little things for him once we move in. The only problem is I have been moving from place to place (at my in-laws now by the way) and is facing a lot of space constraint.

1. Pebble Child Knitted Toys

The knitted toys here really speak for itself. They are so adorable that it is basically irresistable. The colours are really bright and most of them are pretty much gender neutral although you do see a bit of car, plane and robots. What you can't see is that actually each piece has a rattle inside so it does make a sound. Also, I see quite a bit of potential incorporating them in a DIY newbourn shoot and baby shoot if the COVID situation worsens here.

My personal favourite is actually the robot. Hehe. Material-wise, the toy is very soft and well made. There is no need to worry about loose threads that may cause any unwanted accidents. My only "concen" was baby drooling on his toys because...they are so cute. Oh man, when you prioritise the toys over your son, what sort of Mum am I...Fortunately, all the toys are machine washable. So, there is no longer any fear of saliva :P

2. Oskar & Ellen - Story Bags Castle ($29.90)

By now, I am sure some of you can tell that I am a huge fan of toys that are soft. Personally, I think it is ridiculous to give a baby something that is hard to play with. I am no baby expert but during the first few months their motor/ grip skills are so weak, I can just imagine them dropping their stuff on their head (sometimes even I drop my own handphone on my face and it hurts)

I have so much love for this story bag from Gwen & Friends (they are a local family business by the way)! I have always been a fan of finger puppets. With these cloth puppets, at least I don't have to draw on my fingers anymore to entertain my baby. Best of all, he can grow up with these puppets because they are quite generic. I am sure he will be more engaged in story time and can stretch his imagination better with these puppets. 

3. Oskar & Ellen - Height Chart - Wild Animal Safari (S$49.90) 

This is another one of my favourites at Gwen & Friends. For those who are wondering, the fabric of their cloth products are really soft and they washable. They all come in a washing net which you can place their products to put in the washing machine! This height chart is definitely going into the nursery after a bit of ironing. To be honest, this is the first time I see a height chart made of cloth. 

I like that this height chart won't spoil your walls and have lots of animals for baby to slowly learn their names. The only grouse I have is that only 2 animals are movable to mark baby's and his future sibling growth. If I have baby #3, I guess I will have to put my own sewing skills to use. Hehe. Yup, and that's all for the soft baby toys I found thus far. Hope baby will enjoy them as much as me!