Post Natal Massage - JAMU

I'm almost coming to the end of my 7 day Post-Natal Massage Jamu. I've signed up with a local company that does the massage and they will organise a masseuse that will drop by your house to do the massage at the timing which you request.

Usually I will inform the centre on the day of my delivery and organise a time and date to start my session. They will require your weight, height and waist in inches as they will provide the binder. I just need to prepare a space for the massage to be done and 2 big towels.

You can start your massage on the 5th -7th day if you had a normal delivery. The massage doesn't start straight away because the uterus is swollen and it needs some time recover before massage is done.
The massage is a 60 minute full body massage plus 15 minutes application of Jamu (Tapel & Pilis), ginger slimming cream and binding. The Jamu is applied on the tummy and forehead area to dispel the wind. During the 60 minute massage, there's also the breastfeeding compression done with a hot stone that will help to relieve engorged breasts and clears blocked ducts. Before the start of the massage, the masseuse will request for a pot and water to heat up the stone. After 45mins of heating the stone, the masseuse will then do the hot stone application.

I've been having my JAMU done for my previous 2 pregnancies as my tummy reduced quite abit so I thought I should do it for my third one too! The more help i get, the faster I get my before weight back!

Jade - In the delivery room!

All the on-goings in a delivery suite

Seconds after Jade's delivery! - where she is taken to the weighing machine to have her weight taken, the nurse also announced her time of birth, recorded it on her birth card and placed her under a warmer without her clothes on as babies lose body heat quickly. She was given an injection of vitamin K, which helps the blood to clot (at the umbilical cord). Next she was footprinted on her health booklet and identification bands are placed on her wrist and ankles. A matching one was tied to my wrist too which will gives out a melody when she is near me.

All these were taking place while my gynae was delivering my placenta. She was massaging my uterus and slowly it was being pulled out, shown to me...*shudder*. Next i had a few stitches done, I didn't feel any pain as I'm still under the effects of epidural. Jade was brought to me, on my breast to initiate the bond.

We waited in the delivery ward for about half an hour or so before we were moved to my ward. As the epidural needs about 6-8 hours to wear off, i was not allowed to leave the bed and was given a green band. My left leg was much more numb as compared to my right thigh. About 4 hours after delivery, another nurse came in to help me to the toilet. Taught me how to clean myself and helped me with a sanitary pad. Gosh i saw myself in the mirror and OMG. My belly was so huge! I looked like i haven't delivered Jade at all.

My blood pressure was taken like almost every hour or so...didn't really rest much. And i was given painkillers to curb uterine contractions and probably the aftermath of delivery once the epidural wears off.

Above: Proud daddy and my lunch order chit where I'm having confinement meals - steamed cod fish for my main, green papaya soup, poached pear with snow fungus for desert and longan drink.

Jade in her pink swaddle...comfy and sleeping.

Above: Jade's little foot and little feet 

Time passes so quickly when you are tired. So it was dinner time. This time I ordered Western! I had marinated beef steak as my main, confinement soup - fish maw and chicken dang shen soup, chocolate cake for desert which was terrible and longan drink.

hubs will be staying in with me for the next 2 days so he was given a lodger's meal (the menu is exactly the same for the mummys). It cost about $97 for the entire day's meals which includes breakfast, lunch, tea, dinner and supper.

The beef steak was well done with sauce on the side. At Mount Elizabeth hospital, you can order your meals through a tablet which has a wide range of variety to choose from.  You can choose from Confinement to western, to local, vegetarian, indian and deli! The network is a bit slow in the hospital, but hey...you have all the time in the world because practically you are confined to your room for the next 2 days.

At the hospital, there's breastfeeding classes conducted everyday at 9am and bathing classes at 430pm. Housekeeping comes in twice a day to top up the water and clears all the trash. Shift nurses comes in to report too! Although everything is well organised, i sometimes wish I could have a straight 3 hours nobody-comes-through-my-door session. Basically i didn't rest at all until past midnight where I sent Jade back to the nursery so that I could catch some forty winks but the nurse brought her back 5 hours later....

sigh.

Jade - Arrival (A Mum's Labour Journal)

18 Dec Sunday 11am:
slight cramps. hmm. i told hubs might be tonight!
better have a good lunch later....

18 Dec Sunday 1130pm:
started to have some contractions which i thought probably, maybe...can be cramps or even braxton hicks. Really not sure since i have these on-going "menstrual cramps" for a few weeks now.

19 Dec Monday 2am:
ok...these cramps are at an interval of 10mins each. quite regular. however they don't grow stronger or shorter. hmm...? I asked hubs whether should we go to the hospital. He went downstairs to pack his bag, laptop and camera. Then he came up to zzz...ok. Now what?

19 Dec Monday 430am:
These cramps are still going at 10mins interval. However I'm spotting a "painful" look on my face which hubs says it's different now. So he got up and said...ok let's go.

19 Dec Monday 5am:
Reach the hospital and the nurse quickly ask for my urine sample. There's some bloody show. She gave me a quick check and said that I was 5cm dilated. Both Gynae and Anesthetist were called. My gynae immediately said that she is on the way! (FYI, i'm quite fast when it comes to labour...)
Nurse asked tons of questions which annoyed me very much, probably because of her accent and seriously when I'm in pain, how the hell can i remember when was the last time i had my antibiotics taken!!! And what was my blood pressure the last time I checked at my gynae's. DUH!!!
And when she asked how heavy was the baby, hubs and I said 3kgs...she gave a roll eye ball look and said: "but look so small..."
in labour mum is super annoyed now.

19 Dec Monday 6am:
I'm now 8cm dilated. Epidural just administered. My gynae has arrived and told me to catch some nap cos with the epidural...things will go slightly slower now.

19 Dec Monday 830am:
Gynae came in to check and say "Let's get to work!"

19 Dec Monday 841am:
Wynter Jade arrived in my arms...eyes wide opened. Super cute and flushed red. Weighing 3.21kgs at 40 weeks, head circumference 34cm and 50cm long. She has caught up with her brothers when my gynae said that she was "petite".

Pregnancy #3 - waiting for you... (40 weeks and 1 day)

despite all the questions and stress.

we will patiently wait for your arrival.

when you feel that it's time 

to meet your mummy, daddy and 2 doting funny brothers.

we love you.

Pregnancy #3 - Week 40 and 1 day

week 40 and 1 day

my first 2 labours came early (Jules came on 37 week and James came on the 38 week) so for my 3rd pregnancy, this is somewhat a surprise that she is still so comfy inside me and not coming out.

Everyone thought including my gynae too, that she will be an early baby since she was undersized. But apparently now at week 40, she hasn't shown much signs that she is ready to be introduced into this world!

My MIL has called twice to ask whether have i given birth.

My Jamu massage texted me to ask whether have i given birth.

My confinement nanny called to ask whether have i given birth.

My colleagues are asking me everyday when i go to work ....when I'm giving birth.

My friends are whatsapping me whether have i given birth.

My consultants called to ask whether have i given birth.

My gynae is asking whether do i want to be induced or not.

stressed.

Pregnancy #3 - PeraMakan

This morning when we were bringing our 2 sons over to my in-laws, i felt something like menstrual cramps. I couldn't be sure whether what I felt was contractions at all...since over the last 4 weeks, sometimes i do get these cramps whenever i have a long walk.

But we still continued our journey and brought our sons over, did a photoshoot and decided that we should have a good meal in the event that i should really pop anytime.

hubs have been wanting to eat some good peranakan food for some time now. Initially we wanted to head over to Heng Mui Keng for some Peranakan Buffet but decided to head over to Vivocity instead. On the way there, i found this PeraMakan Restaurant at keppel club which was on the way.  i decided that we should try something new since the one located at Vivocity is something which we have tried before.

 Keropok and achar $6

 whilst waiting for our food. couple wefie!

We ordred Ayam Buah Keluak, Beef Rendang, Chap Chye and a bowl of soup.

Although we over ordered as we were literally trying to finish all the food up, but it was really delicious that we just forced fed ourselves!!!

The ayam Buah keluak was so thick, gravy was generous. Each serving comes with 2 shells. If you want extra, it's $3 per shell. The beef rendang was so tender and melts in your mouth. The chap chye has a very wholesome and rich taste almost like a thick broth or stew.

The dishes came but the rice didn't...hahaha...hubs is waiting impatiently for his rice to be served so that we can start eating!!!

 Finally the rice has arrived in a red and black basket where a waitress will serve you your rice.

 The bowl of soup which we shared. luckily we shared one bowl. I don't think we can finished if we had ordered 2.

even though i was bursting...i just couldn't resist some dessert!!! I ordered the sago pudding with gula melaka and coconut milk. It was very refreshing and something which i have not eaten before. I really wanted to try the chendol but i guess it will have to wait till my next visit. And I'm sure I will be back again because i really love their chilli!!

awesome lunch.

will bring my daddy and mummy here to let them try. thumbs up!

Pregnancy #3 - Week 40

week 40

weight: 56.6kg (constant for one month now)

Jade: 2.9kg

Pregnancy #3 - Poolside Skies Miltonia

me, my baby bump and my big black swan float.

YAY!

Pregnancy #3 - Throwback Skies Miltonia

another great shot by the pool with my darling Jamie by hubs.

Jules and James - Skies Miltonia Swimming Pool Fun with BIG BLACK SWAN FLOAT

Trending at the moment...
are huge animal floats like flamingoes, swans white or black or even gold.  All sorts of huge floats that are so cute and great to take photos with!!! I was eyeing on food novelties - a pizza and a pineapple float online until i came across this!!! Even a pink donut and slice of watermelon are adorable in my opinion.

>>> i bought this really big black swan float from COTTON ON for only $10!!! It was on sale.
so I'm really thrilled about my buy and it's great to see the kids enjoying it so much. Makes great photos too.

Downsides: it's not very stable or steady. So make sure the little ones hold onto the handles when they are on the float if you are thinking of getting one too.

 above: jamie getting cold cos the sun is setting... and the waters are turning chilly.

above: Jules. My elder son growing up so fast. He looks so grown up in these pictures. Oh darling, please don't grow up too fast. There was a girl in the pool that keep eyeing on my son and her grandma keeps insisting her to come and take photos with us.

great. actually i just want to have 1-to-1 photo with my son.
yes. I'm a selfish mum.
maybe even possessive.

 our big black swan float is appearing everywhere in our photos cos it's so big and black!

 Jules piggybacking on hubs

 Jules look really sleepy in this photo....

my shocked look when hubs told me that I'm not lifting baby james high enough for a good photo. WHAT?

Pregnancy #3 - Oblong for their red velvet waffles

it's a weekday. I've just visited my gynae and seriously have no clue as to when I will deliver. Lately i have been craving for sweet waffles with ice cream in the middle of the night. So after some googling, i heard that Oblong has quite good reviews for their red velvet waffles and decided to come here to try today.

YAY!
Currently they have a weekday promotion from 12noon to 6pm where you buy a waffle combo and you get 1 scoop of ice cream free. Which means the combo comes with a scoop of ice cream and a drink...now you get 2 scoops of ice cream!

Above: my lovely red velvet waffles (deep pocket) with 1 scoop of ice earl vanilla and 1 scoop of milo dinosaur. Awesome. I love the moist red velvet waffles. But best of all, i really digged the ice earl vanilla ice cream!!! It was so good!!!

The only part which i wished was if they could have given more chocolate sauce, that would have made it the ultimate waffles that i had.

 me and my red velvet waffle. 

I'm currently in my 39 week of pregnancy now.

my boys shared the strawberry shortcake waffle which was only so-so because the cream and strawberries where too little. And so was the chocolate sauce. We ordered a peppermint chocolate ice cream and strawberry ice cream for them.