2nutguys: Dessert Trio

My main supply maintainer/ booster are mainly products from 2nutguys. One thing I really like about 2nutguys is that there are options. Not all the products are super boosters but at least it gives you choices so that you don't have to eat the same thing every day and feel miserable about your breastfeeding journey. 

I decided to give the Dessert Trio ($91.90) a try, so that all of you can have the benefit to know more. For me, it doesn't boost more than Best of  3 Worlds (you can read my review here), but it gives a lot more satisfaction. 

1. Mummy's Granola ($19.90)

Milk is my booster, so I am not too sure if the granola is a booster. It is a really tasty meal for sure. Especially for working days when I am rushing and missed my breakfast, I would whip this out. I also had this once for lunch when it was raining and I was just too lazy to go out. 

Unlike other granola, this one adds rice puff which really gives more dimension. Even when I am not breastfeeding, I am likely to still get this because it is nutritious and delicious. A good way to start the way right.

2. Mummy's Gelato ($45.90)

This one doesn't work for me, maybe because gelato is not my favourite type of ice cream. Cold stuff is still very satisfying given the hot weather. I take it on its own. Maybe I should add it to my other beverages?

In the whole range of products, this is the most pricey. So maybe it is a blessing in disguise this didn't work out for me...haha

3. Roasted Almom Milk ($62.90 for 2 bottles)

The repeated feature is the roasted almom milk in the both series. I love it, this is really my all time favourite and it is great that it is the most effective for me. In fact, when I received it, I immediately drank mine. :P

Some Mums have actually asked me if I drink it on its own. I prefer a 50% milk ratio. You can try it too. Just writing about it is making me crave for another bottle. Dang. 

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Because it works for me, I would like to share this discount code with other lactating mummies out there, you can quote"10CHAA" to get 10% off . The code can help you save some money on your trial purchase or on your boost journey. #BecauseIKnowHowHardItIs

Breastmilk Booster: Best of 3 Worlds Review

We are actually quite familiar with 2NutGuys products and we love their nut spreads. (Read about our review here.) About a year back, they branch into the lactation booster world. During my last breastfeeding journey, I tried mostly lactation cookies as boosters. But I never tried nut boosters. It was only this round that I realise given that nuts are packed with healthy fats and antioxidants, it can be a milk booster for some. 

You would think that since I am a second time Mum, I would already know what I am doing. But nope, for the first month I suffered from an engorged, infected boob to becoming once again an undersupply mother. To be honest, by now, I can keep my emotions in check. And I was also time-strapped with #1 fighting for my attention so I struggled with finding time to do power pumps. 

By now I know some of my boosters - Fennel Tea, Salmon, Avocado. And also to set expectations right for new mums, boosters are quite a hit and miss and the effects may not be the same. To be quite honest, I didn't expect that huge a boost when I first consumed the Best of 3 Worlds from the 2NutGuys. I don't consume their products daily but only as and when I need that boost because I don't have that much space in my freezer. 

Apart from my own review, I will also be adding some feedbacks I obtain/ heard from my Mummy chat groups so that you guys can have a more balanced view and make an informed decision. 

Roasted Almom Milk ($57.90) for 2

This is my top booster and I love the taste of it. I was actually quite shock when I heard some mothers complained about the drink being too thick. Perhaps it is because I really like the taste of the Almond Paste Chinese Desserts, so this was really up my alley. In fact, I think it is even more tasty than those Chinese Dessert Shop, lol.

My husband had a bit too because I said it was damn good and he agreed. But too bad, no milk production from his tits. Haha. For Mums who find it too thick, you can actually add milk to dilute but yet not compromise the taste. Honestly, I don't think I can take this every day. Once a week would be my preferred choice. 

2. Mummy's Nutmond Butter ($27.90)

I have always loved their nut spread. It is very creamy and thick. Personally, I like them best on my bread (non-toasted). You can also spread them on coffee biscuits as well. This is my current staple for breakfast. It does give a boost though not as obvious as the Almom Milk. There was this one day, I tried a spoonful on its own. It was so sinfully fulfilling, I ended up eating 3 spoons of it. Highly unrecommended way of eating if you still want to go back in shape, LOL!

On normal days, I would take the naked nutmond butter ($21.90) because it is cheaper and doesn't contain sugar. 

3. Mummy's Walnut ($17.90 per pack)

This is my least favourite among the 3. I actually prefer the original taste of the walnut better, without the pepperish spice. Among the 3 boosters, this is the easiest to bring around and the perfect snack size. When I am hungry, I just pop 3-5 to give me the much needed energy. 

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Because it works for me, I would like to share this discount code with other lactating mummies out there, you can quote"10CHAA" to get 10% off . The code can help you save some money on your trial purchase or on your boost journey. #BecauseIKnowHowHardItIs

I froze my first packet of milk

Before the baby even arrived, I had a boob infection. And breastfeeding was seemingly impossibly tough. By the third day post-partum, I was pretty sure I am going to give up on breastfeeding. By a twist of fate (probably due to power pumping and the rights boosters - will write more on them in a separate post), I became an over-supply mother in 2nd month of post partum.

Being an over-supply mother means I need to learn how to freeze the milk. I found this summary which I thought was very useful. Previously, I also never used any milk storage bags. Youtube was very helpful in that aspect. 

What I am doing is to maximise each bag by freezing alternate day feedings. Having said that, most of the time, I still feed the excess to my #1 because he takes it and there is less work.) Apart from the labelling, I would wrap each bag with a kitchen tissue so that they are better separated (not stated in the youtube videos)

What I realise was some breastmilk packets are more premium than the rest with more functions. The best so far is Marcus & Marcus ($19.90 for 50 pieces). For the thawing of breastmilk, you can either move it down from the freezer and let it slowly thaw or use the warmer for quick thawing. Should you be comfortable with the latter, the temperature sensing function on the Marcus & Marcus Breastmilk Storage Bags would be very useful. 

One thing to note, you should also let your little one have a taste of the thawed frozen milk to make sure they are not fussy about the taste early. Otherwise you will be freezing in vain. Ending the post with a photo of the tools I used for my first packet of frozen milk T_T. Can't believe I have come so far.

How I solved my Mummy's Hair Woes

So like all other women, I didn't manage to escape the post-partum hair loss. I was flaking quite a bit of hair by the 5th month post-partum. Okay, I have an overly-thick head of hair, so the hair loss was initially acceptable because it made my head less fluffy, lol and it did feel lighter and breezier. 

However, after a while, the hairfall became quite unbearable because the OCD in me hated seeing hair on the floor. I spent a good deal of my free time sucking up hair with the vacuum and cleaning the bath area. It was a horrible waste of time. And...I was starting to look unkempt and had a slight bald patch at my fringe area. How unsightly!

Although I was in need of some hairfall treatment, I was also very concerned on whether it was breastfeeding safe. I needed a haircut that was somewhat mummy-friendly too. I don't have as much time as before to mask my hair or even blow dry it sometimes. Conditioning it was already considered a luxury. 

I hopped down to Toni & Guy (Mandarin Gallery) for a quick snip and Genesis Hair Fall Treatment. Really like the location because it is near my favourite places. I can grab a bite at my favourite brunch place - Wild Honey and can cross the street to Toy'r'us at Paragon to grab a toy for my baby. After the snip, I can even tabao some nice snacks from Charlie Tea. #awesome 

I am sure Mummies out there want to know more about the Genesis Hair Fall Treatment ($208). I am a bit kiasu, so after discussion with my hairdresser, we decided to skip the serum step as it will be massaged into the scalp. The treatment helps to strengthen the hair roots and prevents breakage. For me, I started to see the effect within a week. 

It is a 6 steps procedure which takes roughly an hour:

1. Bain-Hydra Fortifant + Poudre Detox: Basically, it is like a cleanse the helps to break down the subum on your scalp.
2. Booster Genesis + Concentre Ampli-force: This is a booster applied to the lengths and ends of your hair to plump the hair fibre so that they will be more resistent to breakages.
3. Masque Reconstituant: Helps to moisturise the hair
4. K-Water: This is applied on the lengths and ends of your hair to give it the shine. 
5. Serum Anti-chute Fortifiant: I skipped this but supposedly this helps to reduce hairfall from the roots.
6. Defense Thermique: This helps to protect hair from high temperatures.

I left the fate of my hair to my hairstylist and she gave me a 少女时代 doll-cut. She also gave me bangs so that the bald patch could recover. Honestly, I thought I would look stupid because I always look silly with such style, especially when there is no colouring. Have to give her credit for doing quite a good job. She thinned it pretty well and my baby doesn't pull my hair anymore. (Note: My hairstylist is Candy and this trim cost around $97)

I have the option of either tying it up or letting it down. It is a simple style but it is quite a nice style for mummies. It is fuss-free, save shampoo money (LOL!) and you can still look good. Best of all, I got a refreshing new look. I was starting to feel like quite an old hag already. Once I stop breastfeeding, I am considering a slightly more adventurous - Mako Mori look from Pacific Rim. :P

Having the hots Ft. Fanmi Thermometer

If you have a young child, you will know how horrible the night of each vaccine can be. Ever since baby's first vaccine, I would do nightly hourly monitors on his temperature. I would have fever patches nearby and would be ready to sponge him anytime. I heard from many mothers that the using the tradidtional thermometer at the armpit is the most accurate in measuring the baby's temperature. 

But somehow, I don't find it true for my case. When I use the traditional thermometer at baby's armpit, the temperature always seem to be below 36 deg. In the end, I just used Mummy's instinct. When I feel that he seems warmer than usual, I start my sponging routine. 

From a mother to fellow parents, I would like to recommend you the Fanmi Thermometer, which you can use either on your ear or your forehead. I tested it on a few items (my fridge, myself and random items) and personally I found it more accurate when you use it on your ear. When the temperature is really high, the thermometer would flash red. (When I measured the air in my fridge, it flashed "LO" haha)

I have been using it on baby after I received it. I have heard of stories of parents who thought their babies were not having a fever because of the thermometer was not showing a high temperature and I feel quite reassured that I now have a reliable thermometer at hand. The price of Fanmi Thermometer is also very reasonable at $49.90 (after discount).

If you are a weaning mum, the thermometer would also come in useful. I am not the luckiest when it comes to breastfeeding. Even weaning hasn't been particularly kind to me. I have been suffering from fever flashes and I use Fanmi as well. 

I wish I have more tips to share on weaning, but honestly I am not faring too well at it. I don't take medication and just pump out the lumps to bring the fever down. Have pretty much given much on weaning with a a targetted date in mind. I am now letting nature takes it course and when it ends, it ends. Sigh. 

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My magical breastmilk pendant ft. Jian Yi

I have decided to wean off my child once he turns 6 months. I am sure some of the pro-breasfeeding mum must be questioning "why? why? why?" To simply put it, I don't enjoy breastfeeding (no shame in that) probably cos I don't latch; I only pump. For someone who enjoys lot of freedom, I have to say I am amazed that I lasted so long. Even my own mother was shocked at how much sacrifice I am willing to give for my child. 

If you have been following my breastfeeding journey, you will know it has not been easy. I started off as a "low-supply" Mum to a "just-nice" and now back to "insufficient". My boobs have also gone through a bit of wear and tear and honestly I really, really want to go out (without a pump) and sleep through the night. 

Before I completely dry myself up, I really wanted to make a keepsake of some sort to commemorate this breastfeeding journey. I came across Jian Yi Breastmilk Jewelry Pendant and thought it would be nice to make a piece. Before the other mothers judge me on why I wasted precious breastmilk on this (since my baby doesn't even have enough to drink), this is made from spilled milk. Because of this, I cry a bit less over spilled milk.  

It is not particularly difficult to get this made. You only require 20ml of breastmilk and send it over to Jian Yi in a double ziplock bag after ordering it online. To make sure it reach them safely, use registered mail and indicate your order number. The feeling was really quite magical when I first lay my eyes on it. It is beautiful (without doubt) and also very sentimental. 

I wore the Starry Night out on my baby's 6 month growing up celebration, but this might be the last time I wearing it out...haha. It is far too precious and I think I might be devastated if I ever lose it. So I told my husband, I am putting it on lock. For normal days, I will just wear my normal cross along with the simple pendant version :) So make 2 or more Mummies, one to treasure and another to wear proudly. (There are glow in the dark and glittery ones too!)

Stupid thought: I did wonder who should I pass this piece on when I pass on. My husband said to pass it to my baby LOL. For those who are keen as well, there is an April promotion going on. Quote "FF10" to get 10% off. To get a better bang for your bucks, register as a member and you get $2 off. For each purchase you make, you can earn points to get discount off your future purchases. If you are seeing this after April, check out their instagram as they do have festive season promotions :D

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Yummy lactation goodies ft. Baking Mama

Call me a sua-ku, but I honestly didn't know that there was so many variety when it comes to lactation goodies. If you have been following my breastfeeding journey, you would know that I have been using lactation goodies to boost my supply. 

We came across Baking Mama recently and was impressed by the variety. In their lactation menu (they have a normal menu by the way), you can find cookies, grandola, brownies, mushi-pan and even teas. We had the luxury to try a few of each and decided to jot a review here for other Mummies who are keen to try them out. 

Day 1 Breakfast

We started with a bottle of Mulberry Rose (3 for $25) which I had it warm. This is my first time having this drink combination and you can taste the spiciness. Baking Mama is very generous with their ingredients. The Blueberry Maple Mumffin (4 for $20) was stuffed with so many blueberries, it is probably the most I have ever seen in a muffin. The double coco mushi-pan was absolutely delicious, in fact their chocolate products are all really good!

Snack-time

If you are a breastfeeding mum, you would know how hungry we get after every session. These little classic chocolate chip cookies ($25) are my go to in-between meals. Honestly, it was really hard to stop eating these goodies. I had to stop myself every time. The good thing about Baking Mama is that she has a non-lactation series, so even after the breastfeeding journey, we can still continue snacking on her goodies. 

Day 2 Breakfast

I had Mulberry Rose cold this time round and I find that it definitely taste much better. For breakfast, I had Banana Walnut Mumffin (4 for $20) and 200% Lactation Brownies (4 for $25). For the Mumffins, you can really taste the oats being used. If you are not used to such textures, you can choose their other goodies. The brownies is my 2nd most favourite item. I eat it without heating it up. But if you are not lazy like me, you should heat it up. The chocolate within it will melt and it will probably taste a lot like a molten lava cake. 

Subsequent breakfast ($25)

Somehow I ended up saving the best for the last. Although many places serve granola, Baking Mama's was the best. It has a nice mixture of nuts and fruits and has a nice savoury taste. It was very different from all the granolas I have ever tasted. I love it and it is the first time I ever had problems to stop eating granola! I would really recommend this if you love granola. If you are wondering of the effectiveness, generally Baking Mama helped me to maintain my supply during this stressful period. For lactating Mummies living on the East side, do give them a try!

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No longer a low supply mummy (Feat. Milk for Bubs)

 I decided to pen this post because I wanted to give hope to other mummies out there. If you have been following my grouses and journey, you would know I started as a low supply (supplementing about 25% to 50% of formula milk). After my confinement, I fell sick and my supply dipped. By the the 3rd month, I am proud to share that our little one is fully on breastmilk. 

My supply is "just-nice", which means that if I slack off too many pumps, I would probably still have to rely on formula milk. So far, we are still doing well because I try to take boosters such as lactation cookies. I have also stopped pumping on a 3-hour basis for the night and only pump after baby has his night feeding (he is not sleep-trained by the way.)

Not all boosters work very well for me, but the cookies from Milk for Bubs ($19 each packet) was particularly yummy and effective. I truly had problems to stop eating to the extent I actually grew obviously rounder...oops. Milk for Bubs is quite generous in the ingredients and the cookies were a good mouth-size and not crumbly. You can just pop it into your mouth as a midnight snack. :D

Personally, I preferred the taste of the chocolate oats cookies but weirdly the white chocolate almonds cookies were very addictive, I had more problems stopping when I was eating the white chocolate almonds cookies. Maybe it is because these cookies are made from top quality ingredients like grass fed butter and fortified flour. Low GI brown sugar is used for the bakes so that is less sinful. 

Milk for Bubs also sell granolas ($15 each packet). I eat it as a cereal, however it is not as effective for me although there is increase in milk (probably because I drink a lot of fresh milk along with me). These granola are a healthier version. It does not contain any refined sugars and is made with 100% all natural processed ingredients. For those who are curious, the lactation ingredients added for the goodies at Milk for Bubs includes natural and organic ingredient such as coconut oil, brewers yeast (100% halal sourced and certified), flaxseed and wheat germ!

If boosters doesn't work for you (my other boosters are milk, sashimi and fish soup), you can always try supplements such as fernugreek. I have checked with my gynae and it works for most women. If all these fails, you can always get your gynae to prescribe motilium for you. One thing I realise about mummies is that sometimes we don't speak to medical professionals enough. Personally, I find it very useful to consume when the period threatens to come and end your breastfeeding journey prematurely. 

Hope this post helps all other low-supply breastfeeding mummies out there. :D 

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Breastfeeding Journey: Why am I still pumping?

I wish more people had share their breastfeeding reflection. No, I am not talking about influencers who paint a rosy picture, but true, real stories on how difficult it is. I am a Mummy that can't fully supply my baby with breastmilk. And after going through the process, let me tell you why I think this is so.

• My little one is huge. He was such a good size that the nurses told me in the hospital, don't sweat it feed him formula milk if you have to. 
• I did not know latching was the key to increasing milk supply. After I left the hospital. I immediately went on exclusive pumping cos it felt so much more comfortable on the nipples. 
• My pump was not hospital-grade. For a good long time, I was just pumping for an hour and still not clearing my boobs. Sigh. I wish I had listen to the other mothers earlier.
• I didn't have much support from the extended family. Our parent's generation didn't really have the concept of breastfeeding so their first instinct was always to get the baby formula when he cries. I barely had any opportunity to latch him during the first month. :'(

What people never told us was how difficult latching actually was. When I tried to re-latch the baby back at home, my mother had to help me position my child. My boobs were also perpectually sore. My body was literally aching everywhere. I barely had strength to carry my little one and my body had problems recovering because of the lack of rest (I had to wake up every 3 hours to pump). In the end, I fell sick with fever for 5 days and my supply dipped. 

At that point, I really truly wanted to give up on breastfeeding. I miss the taste of alcohol even though I am not a hardcore drinker and I wanted my freedom back. I no longer wanted to be restricted by the 3 hours. But then, my baby was very constipated with formula milk and I have to admit that breastmilk did provide him with very good antibodies from me to counter the flu bug spreading around the house and the germs from his sick mama. 

Coincidentally, at that period I received some Boobkies and Boob Juice from Gooberr for review. And so I thought let's give it one last shot. If my milk supply still continued to drop, then it is a sign to stop breastfeeding. As you you may know, lactation cookies don't work for everybody. My body was growing immune to rolled oats, so I was praying that the brewer's yeast (halal compliant by the way) would do some magic.

At the same time, I was also drinking the ginger fennel lactation tea and fenugreek bergamot lactation tea (S$18 each). I tried to squeeze every value out of it, so I would use each sachet for 1 day worth of refill. There were 12 sachets in each packet, so with this I could last 24 days :D And fortunately for me, my milk supply went back to its original amount. Although my supply didn't increase anymore from there, I was happy that the amount was no longer as little as when I was sick.

For tea time, I would always have 8 boobkies. By right, it was recommended to eat 8 eof them before very pump, but I just recovered from my fever so I was abit cautious about over-doing it. Between the white chocolate matcha and white chocolate earl grey, my favourite was the latter. I love that you could actually taste the strong earl grey flavour, I guess I am a true tea lover. :P Each packet retails at S$19.90 which I thought was pretty reasonably priced. 

Overall, I would think that the boobkies and boob juice was quite a hit for me. I am just thankful my breastfeeding journey wasn't forced to end early because of my fever. To all other Mummies out there, I just want to say don't give up, try all boosters if you really want to continue breastfeeding. Some will be hits, and others will be misses. But if you never try, you would never know! :D

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My First Booster: Cookies from Milk Making Mummy

The battle to increase breastmilk supply is real. Sigh. Before becoming a Mum myself, I never knew the obession with the concept of every drop counts and why on earth are these women "crying over spilt milk". And you know what, I am actually guilty of both. Every pump, you will see me trying to squeeze out every drop from my pump to the storage and there were days I was so exhausted, I spilt milk over myself. I didn't cry...but some cuss words may have been muttered. 

My miserly milk supply was getting stagnant so I decided to give boosters a go. And the first booster I tried was lactation cookies. According to many lactation consultants and my gynae, these cookies won't make much difference. But, I had a sweet tooth and decided that there was no harm trying. Cos at least they are yummy!

These are from Milk Making Mummy. I tried their 2 more popular flavours - Chocolate Chip with Almond ($20) and Chocolate Chip with macadamia and chia seed (S$25). To deliver to your house, you would have to have an additional $10. First of all, you would have noticed these cookies ain't cheap! That's because apart from being sinful, it is packed with a lot of nutritious goodness that a Mum would need to produce more milk. The question is always - Is this your booster?

Between the 2 flavours, I actually prefer the chocolate chip with almond because you can taste the chocolate more. The other cookie tasted a lot healthier and chia seed as we know is a superfood and helps to reduce water retention. I have to say the cookies from Milk Making Mummy came in whole sized and they were generous with their ingredients. I even had scraps of almonds and macadamia falling to the bottom of my packets. Yum. 

Did these cookies work for me? I have to say somewhat. My supply used to be at a miserable 20ml and it increased to a 50ml. Even after I stopped taking the booster, it managed to remain at the level. For info, the cookies from Milk Making Mummy is halal and the main milk-producing ingredient is flaxseed. There is no brewer's yeast.

Would I eat it again? I think so. When I am desperate to increase my milk supply. The thing is I am very, very torn between going totally formula milk because this breastfeeding journey is so disappointing and tiring. I just wish someday someone will say formula milk is better and our nipples can be saved from the agony and deformity :(

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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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[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!

Cookie Monster Savage: Mama Precious

I am feeling quite embarrassed as I am writing this post. The cookies appeared in my mailbox. And by night, there were not a single piece left. Well, maybe some crumbs here and there. Well, we all know handmade cookies taste best cos better and more ingredients are used.

So here are some of the photos of the cookies from Mama Precious! I tried out the Chocolate Chip and Cranberry flavour! (For any of you who are dates lover, you can even try out the date flavour!) And between the 2, I actually like the Cranberry better simply because the chips tasted slightly softer. (Maybe cos chocolate chips are generally chunkier in nature!)

One thing I observed were that there were very generous servings of chips and cranberry in each cookie. The cookie were made of steel-cut oats and I could really feel their texture in it. (It is more chewy than normal cookies, FYI!)

And immediately when you open the packets, you can smell the delicious aroma of the cookies! Each packet came with a seal but we really didn't get the chance to use it, cos we finished it immediately on the day itself! Guess good things don last long in this family.

By the way, these are lactation cookies, which means it is great for increasing the supply of your breast milk. Having said that, this doesn't mean you have to be a women or breastfeeding to enjoy these cookies. :D Let me know if any of you readers have tried these cookies, this make great afternoon tea snacks for the young and old!