Baby Cayla’s Birth Story – 9 August 2016

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Chewy Junior #2 is finally here! Our second princess was born on 9 August 2016, which makes her a National Day baby. Just like her elder sister, Baby Cayla was also delivered on a CHEWSDAY (Tuesday lol) and is a 40w5d baby. Amazing, isn’t it? Many people told me that I might deliver earlier since this is my second child. On the contrary, I worked through 40 weeks and 3 days of pregnancy. My last day of work was on 5 August, Friday, and I was joking to my colleagues that I hope the situation would be exactly the same as two years ago. Last day of work on Friday, enjoy Saturday and Sunday, rest at home on Monday, and deliver on Tuesday. Only difference is that it would be extra special because of National Day. My wish came true!

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When I was resting at home on Monday, I was wondering if there is even a possibility of delivering the next day because I didn’t feel anything at all. Knowing that lying down all day wouldn’t help, I decided to exercise as a natural way of inducing labour. I went to wash toilet! LOL. But not very hardcore kind la. Still no feeling. When the hubs came home from work, I told him, “Aiya until now no feeling leh. So sad. Confirm no chance to be the first National Day baby liao”. Hahaha XD Machiam I super patriotic kind.

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The hubs went to bed early but I watched Korean drama until 3am. Then I went to sleep. At around 4am, I felt warm water gush out from you-know-where and I went O_O !!! I didn’t expect my water bag to burst at home because for my first pregnancy, my gynae burst my water bag for me. Initially, I was shocked, and then “National Day baby, here I come!” Hahaha siao I know. I woke the hubs up, “Eh! Zhihao! My water bag burst leh!” He jumped out of bed. I was quite calm on the other hand. Told him to switch on the water heater for me because I want to take a shower and wash my hair first! I think I took too long because he was waiting outside the bathroom and told me not to shower for too long. I even blow dried my hair before we made our way to Mount Elizabeth Hospital. Reached at around 5.30am and went straight to the Admissions counter. Upon knowing that my water bag had burst, the staff told me to sit on the wheelchair, much to my bewilderment. “NO NO I don’t need a wheelchair..!” But of course, I was being wheeled to the delivery ward after the staff said, “Mam, because your water bag has burst. Don’t worry, there’s nobody around at this hour to see you in a wheelchair.”

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Got changed and a couple of nurses prepped me up. Felt a bit of contractions coming in and the intensity grew a little as time passed. Dr Chia Yee Tien, my gynae since my first pregnancy, arrived close to 9am and carried out the vaginal examination. Shall spare you the details but I knew something was amiss from the tone of Dr Chia’s voice as she was speaking to the nurses. Dr Chia said my water bag did not burst fully and instead of baby’s head, she felt baby’s fingers instead. This meant that baby was in a transverse-lie position, which is the most dangerous position before delivery. Dr Chia tried to turn the baby but baby was too high up. I was already panicking and screaming in pain. Both Dr Chia and another nurse pressed hard on my belly, trying to shift baby’s position but in the end, if I’m not wrong, the umbilical cord kinda blocked the delivery pathway too. Ok to cut the long story short, I had to be wheeled into the operating theatre for an emergency caesarian section. There was quite a bit of shouting going on and I nearly broke down. To make matters worse, the hubs wasn’t around because he had stepped out to buy some drinks. I reached out for my iPhone underneath the pillow and sobbed, “Where are you? I’m going for emergency caesarian now..!” I was so traumatised by the sudden turn of events that I started to shake uncontrollably. An anaesthetist arrived and he assured me that I will be alright. I was given anaesthesia to inhale and then I went out like a light.

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When I regained my consciousness, my eyelids were very heavy and I had difficulty opening my eyes. I could only hear what was going on around me and I knew I was being wheeled somewhere. A male and a female, presumably nurses, carried and shoved me onto another bed. I cried out in pain because the area where I was operated upon really hurt! I was groggy and I remembered being super whiny about the pain. I could hear the hubs talking to me and holding my hands but I couldn’t really open my eyes for a while.. I felt cold and sleepy. After the anaesthesia wore off, the hubs showed me a couple of photos he took of Cayla when she was out of the OT.

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Oh my! Cayla looks so much like her jiejie at birth! Hahaha. I pointed to the inhaler thingy and the hubs explained that Cayla was given some oxygen.

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Cayla was 3.38kg and 52cm at birth. Very slightly bigger than her jiejie by 0.02kg and 1cm! Can’t believe they are so similar already!

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Glad we bought the Singapore flag and managed to put it to good use! Never waste our 90 cents lol. And luckily I didn’t forget to bring this milestone card from Toddley Thoughts along!

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Chanelle jiejie came to visit!

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When we asked Chanelle if she wanted to carry meimei, her eyes lit up and her hands were outstretched, ready to carry Cayla.

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A big sisterly hug.

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I was really touched when I saw how lovingly jiejie was gazing at meimei.

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Another big hug because I love you so much!

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Well, it looks as though jiejie is ready to kick the arse of those who bully meimei. Haha let’s hope there’s no need for that.

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This time I stayed in ward 4373. Two years ago, I stayed at the adjacent ward, 4375. If you are keen, you can read about Chanelle’s birth story here.

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Our very first updated family photo taken on 9 August 2016 🙂
Stay connected with us on Facebook www.facebook.com/missuschewy and on Instagram @missuschewy

5 Reasons Why Merries Walker Pants is the Best Diaper for Your Active Child!

Advertorial

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From time to time, I find myself browsing the numerous photos that I have taken of Chanelle since she was a newborn. I feel a tinge of sadness that she is no longer an innocent little baby with chubby fat rolls, yet at the same time, I am proud that Chanelle has now grown to become a feisty, inquisitive and increasingly active toddler. As parents, misterchewy and I firmly believe in providing only the best for our child if it is within our means. Needless to say, comfort is a top priority for us as it affects our child’s well-being across all levels on a daily basis.

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We find that this is especially true in the case of diapers for Chanelle, who has not really shown signs of readiness for toilet training at the moment. As with most young children, Chanelle has sensitive skin and she has tried various brands of diapers, even progressing from tape diapers to pants diapers now. We have always wanted to make the switch to pants diapers ever since Chanelle could start walking at 16 months but the diaper samples that we got either did not fit well, thus resulting in messy leakages, or were not absorbent enough which caused her skin to develop diaper rash. We almost gave up on our search for the perfect pants diapers until we discovered Merries Walker Pants soon after she turned two!

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We put the new and improved Merries Walker Pants to the test, and here are 5 reasons why Merries Walker Pants is the best diaper for your active child!

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1. Exceptional Breathability

Made in Japan with premium quality, Merries Walker Pants exudes exceptional breathability, which is very important in my opinion because Chanelle is extremely active. Even at home, she doesn’t walk, but dashes around and likes to climb everything in sight. She perspires easily and the last thing I want to worry about is her skin developing diaper rash just because heat and moisture are not released throughout the day! Merries Walker Pants is designed with an all-round breathable sheet to release heat and moisture not only from pee but also perspiration, by allowing air to flow freely between the diaper and the skin. I’m particularly impressed by the airy channels around the waist of the Merries Walker Pants which allows heat and moisture to escape from the top as well! I can now rest assured that Chanelle stays dry all day, thanks to Merries Walker Pants’ exceptional breathability!

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2. Comfortable Waist Fit

Thanks to Japan’s extensive research, Merries diapers provide ultra-comfort to babies. The soft gathers around the waist fit snugly and hold the diaper in place such that even when Chanelle’s diapers were full and heavy, her pee did not cause the Merries Walker Pants to slide down her waist. I’m also glad that given Chanelle’s round tummy and chubby yummy thighs, Merries Walker Pants do not cause her skin to develop any red marks or abrasions. I attribute this to the improved, cottony soft material used in Merries Walker Pants, thus giving my active toddler extra comfort! In addition, I have extra faith in Merries as Merries has been awarded a “Good Design Award” for its amazingly comfortable fit! (http://web.kao.com/sg/merries/gda/index.html)

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3. Color-changing Wetness Indicator

Gone were the days when we had to keep grasping and patting Chanelle’s butt to determine if it was time for her diaper change! Plus, this old method was not fool-proof! Now, we only need to peek into her shorts or skirt. When the wetness indicator strips turn from yellow to dark green, we know that it is time to change her diaper!

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4. Side Seal is Softer and Easier to Tear

Once again, I’m fascinated that the Merries Walker Pants have been designed with a softer side seal that is made easier to tear, resulting in less messy diaper changes especially when poo is involved.

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Diaper changes are no longer a struggle! Once the wetness indicator turns to dark green, tear the seals at both sides to remove diaper. Roll the pants diapers up and seal firmly with the tape at the back and dispose! Easy peasy!

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5. Merries Total Range and new XXL pants

Merries Walker Pants carry the largest range of pants sizes, which run from size M to the new addition, XXL. XXL can fit children from 15 kg up to 28 kg, which is the only brand that caters to the heaviest weight range.

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I always receive comments that Chanelle is such a cheerful girl and I believe that a good disposable diaper contributes to this in one way or another. Merries Walker Pants supports freedom of movement in an active child, from playing to sleeping and leaves her skin free from any rash or discomfort.

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Merries keeps your child merry all day! Request for Merries Walker Pants samples here and let your child experience the ultra comfort that she/he deserves. You can find out more about Merries via Merries’ website and don’t forget to ‘Like’ Merries’ Facebook page to stay updated on Merries promotion!

Bangkok for Kids: Art in Paradise Bangkok

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Heyhey chewys! We have come to the third and final post of our three-part series on things to do in Bangkok with kids! As I had mentioned earlier, there are many child-friendly attractions in Bangkok but since we were only there for a few days, we had to plan carefully to make the most of our trip! We went to Siam Ocean World on the second day of our trip, and Kidzoona & Molly Fantasy on the third, but realized that we didn’t get many family snaps which was a pity. So, on the fourth day of our trip, which also coincided with my birthday, we decided to head to Art in Paradise, the first 3D art museum in Bangkok! What better way to take interesting photos that will serve as wonderful memories many years down the road? 🙂

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Art in Paradise is located within Esplanade Shopping Mall, which is some walking distance from Thailand Cultural Centre MRT station. Silly me got it wrong and we walked all the way to Thailand Cultural Centre after we exited the station. Upon realizing that there’s no Art in Paradise there, we took a cab to Esplanade Shopping Mall. Please don’t get confused like I did! Admission for adult foreigners costs 400 baht and 200 baht for children above 100cm. All footwear are to be removed and deposited at the counter before entering the museum. There are over 150 paintings across various themes and we had so much fun posing for photos, Little misschewy included! Shall let our photos do the talking 😉

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Art in Paradise Bangkok is a great place for families to create memories through interactive 3D art. Even though Chanelle might be too young to know how to pose, her unintentional poses and occasional photobombing make the photos interesting! Hope you guys enjoyed this post! Stay connected with us on Facebook www.facebook.com/missuschewy and on Instagram @missuschewy and @misterchewy 🙂

Art in Paradise Bangkok
99 Esplanade Room No 408
4th Floor
Rachadapisek Road
Din Daeng Bangkok 10400
Tel.: 026-609-130
Email: aipbkk2013@gmail.com

Opening Hours:
Daily
10am – 10pm

Bangkok for Kids: Bangkok Sea Life Siam Ocean World

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Helloooo daddies and mummies! Here’s our second of three-part series on things to do in Bangkok with kids! If you have missed our earlier post on Kidzoona and Molly Fantasy, click here to read it. You know how it’s kinda funny when misterchewy and I look back on our last trip to Bangkok in 2012.. We were trying to decide if we should visit Bangkok Sea Life Siam Ocean World while we were at Siam Paragon. After much deliberation, we both agreed to take our kid there the next time we visit Bangkok. Three years later.. HERE WE ARE! 😀

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Little misschewy had not been to the S.E.A Aquarium at Sentosa so we reckon this would be an eye-opening and engaging experience for her. Furthermore, she knows what a fish is so we thought it would be interesting to introduce different forms of marine life to her. The tickets are priced at 990 baht for adults and 790 baht for children 3-11 years old. We only needed to purchase a pair of adult tickets which worked out to be around SGD 80! We managed to save a bit by getting the Weekday Early Bird rate at 745 baht for adults, which is about SGD 60 for a pair. We saved $20! However, the small catch is that you have to enter before noon on a weekday! With proper planning, it wasn’t difficult at all.

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Indeed, from the moment we stepped into Siam Ocean World, Little misschewy was so enthralled by all the different types of fishes that we spent quite a fair bit of time before moving on to the next species.

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This Octopus is really ginormous!

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Lionfish! Reminds me of my scuba diving days. I wanna go diving again! 🙁

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We stepped onto a glass panel and watched various sharks swim underneath us. Pretty cool!

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This seems to be meant for kids and it’s sooo cute!

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Little misschewy was initially afraid and clung on to misterchewy tightly. But after awhile, she refused to leave! LOL.

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Heyyy fishie fishie!

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Now, that’s a different kind of ‘fish’! Hahaha.

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The otters were just lazing around!

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This is the part where visitors get to touch and feel marine life such as starfish and sea cucumber.

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Going on board the Ocean Feeding Boat allows one to get up close and personal with sharks, stingrays and a great variety of fish. SEA LIFE staff will provide an insightful introduction while feeding the fish by hand. It costs 180 baht per person and this activity is available from 10.30am to 8pm.

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Adorable penguins!

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Some of them were just standing still for so long and I actually wondered if they were real. Haha.

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There’s a mini playground within Siam Ocean World!

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This part of Siam Ocean World took our breaths away. It’s really magnificent plus the music that was being played had that mysterious mood to it. Watching all these gigantic sharks swim around was such an amazing experience!

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As compared to our very own S.E.A Aquarium, I would say that Bangkok Sealife Siam Ocean World wins hands down in more ways than one. If you have a young toddler like us, a visit to Siam Ocean World is highly recommended! 😉
Stay connected with us on Facebook www.facebook.com/missuschewy and on Instagram @missuschewy and @misterchewy 🙂

Sea Life Bangkok Ocean World
B1-B2 Floor, Siam Paragon,
991 Rama 1 Rd, Pathumwan,
Bangkok 10330, Thailand.
(Nearest BTS: Siam)
Tel: 662 687 2000
Email: marketing.bangkok@merlinentertainments.biz

Opening Hours:
Daily
10am – 9pm

Bangkok for Kids: Kidzoona and Molly Fantasy

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When our friends knew about our plans to take Little misschewy along to Bangkok during my birthday week on the last week of July, many expressed their concern because Bangkok is popularly known as a shopping and eating paradise. Would having a young toddler in tow ruin our holiday plans? And more importantly, would Chanelle enjoy this trip or be bored to tears? Even though Chanelle is barely two years old, she sure knows how to play and have fun! With that, I planned our Bangkok itinerary with her interests in mind, in addition to ours. There are many things to do in Bangkok with kids but due to limited time, I shortlisted three main attractions in Bangkok for kids and families. I will first be introducing Kidzoona and Molly Fantasy in the first of my three-part series 🙂

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There are a number of indoor playgrounds scattered all over Bangkok but I decided on Kidzoona based on two very important factors:

1. Kidzoona is highly accessible as it is located on the 5th floor of Gateway Ekamai Mall, right next to Ekkamai BTS Station. Kidzoona allows re-entry on the same day, so parents and children can take a break at any of the cafes or restaurants within the mall. A few other indoor playgrounds that I had researched on are located away from BTS stations which can be rather inconvenient.

2. Kidzoona’s play areas and play structures are age-appropriate for young toddlers like Chanelle. I feel that some other indoor playgrounds like Funarium and KidZania, on the other hand, target older children about 4 years and up.

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Kidzoona and Molly Fantasy are two concepts under the Aeon Fantasy group, a Japan-based company which specializes in the operation of entertainment facilities for children in shopping centres. Apart from Japan and Thailand, Aeon Fantasy has also found its way around other Asian countries such as China, Vietnam, Cambodia, The Philippines, Indonesia and Malaysia. All I want to say is.. Please come to Singapore soon!!

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Upon stepping into Molly Fantasy, we were greeted by a barrage of coin-operated kiddie rides and arcade games. Little misschewy loves to go on kiddie rides these days, but ain’t nobody got time for that! Besides the kiddie rides and arcade games, Molly Fantasy houses a large play area, Kidzoona, which is what we were there for. First, we had to fill in a form and pay upfront before entering Kidzoona. Adults pay a flat rate of 90 baht but the rates for children differ based on their height and are pricier on weekends.

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The green lockers are for you to store your personal belongings and valuables while the white lockers are meant for footwear. We were unlucky that the green lockers were unavailable so we had to constantly keep an eye on our bags.

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There are educational toys and books for the little ones. Saw a baby boy hammering away at a wooden xylophone. Super cute! It’s a great place for young ones to get warmed up before proceeding to the giant ball pool.

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Lounge area where tired parents can take turns to rest and recharge. There’s even a massage chair to sooth those aching feet!

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This inflatable giant ‘hamster wheel’ is so cool!

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One of the reasons why I enjoy taking Chanelle to the indoor playground is because she likes watching other children play and it brings a smile to her face.

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Hahaha. The look on Little misschewy is like, “Mummy, can I play now?” We have not been to many indoor playgrounds in Singapore but the ball pool at Kidzoona is hugeeeee and attracts children of all ages!

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Inflatable bouncy castle!

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Chanelle tried to climb up but it proved to be too steep!

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Papa Chewy to the rescue!

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WHEEEE! Chanelle asked to go on the slide at least another three more times! Good workout for Papa Chewy! Hahaha.

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This section of Kidzoona is quite similar to KidZania, where children are free to experiment and take on various roles in the ‘working field’. It was adorable watching how kids served their parents who acted as customers or patrons.

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Of course, we couldn’t resist a photo of Little misschewy in one of these cute outfits! Her first part-time job at a burger shop! HAHAHA.

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“Hello! Burgers for you?” I whatsapped this photo to Chanelle’s godma, and she replied that she will BUY ALL THE BURGERS from Chanelle! So sweet can! LOL.

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Ooh! Look who’s a sushi chef? Irrashaimase!

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Mummy is going to post a photo of this sushi platter on Instagram while my personal sushi chef prepares some hot green tea for me!

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The hubs and I are glad that the local children we met at Kidzoona are either well-mannered, or their parents are quick to intervene before things turn ugly between kids. Chanelle happened to pick up a toy which was left behind by a little boy and he took it back right out of her hands but his father immediately handed it back to Chanelle before pulling his boy away. This lovely girl didn’t push Chanelle out of the fire truck when Chanelle climbed in. In fact, she shifted herself to make more space for Chanelle. Her kind gesture truly surprised me because I have come across selfish kids who refuse to share.

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It was a joy watching the two girls smile and interact with each other and they occasionally waved at misterchewy and I!

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We spent close to 2 hours in Kidzoona and paid another 40 baht for Little misschewy to go on this carousel ride before leaving Gateway Ekamai Mall. Besides keeping the little ones happy, it’s also a fantastic way to expend their energy so that parents can have a peaceful meal when their kids conk out after a few hours at the indoor playground 😉
Stay connected with us on Facebook www.facebook.com/missuschewy and on Instagram @missuschewy and @misterchewy 🙂

Kidzoona and Molly Fantasy
Floor 5, Gateway Ekamai Mall, 982/22 Sukhumvit Road Prakanong, Klongtoey, Bangkok 10110
(Nearest BTS: Ekkamai)
Local Phone:02 108 2650
International Phone: +66 2 108 2650
Email: contact@aeonfantasy.co.th

Operating Hours:
Daily
10am – 9pm (last entry 8pm)

Price:
Adult – 90 Baht
Child under 105 cm – 180 baht on weekdays/300 baht on weekends
Child over 105 cm – 220 baht on weekdays/360 baht on weekends

My Breastfeeding Journey

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Little misschewy turns 15 months old today and this marks a significant milestone in my breastfeeding journey. As I begin typing this post, I’m overwhelmed with a multitude of emotions. I have always wanted to blog about the difficulties that I had faced, especially during the initial stages of my breastfeeding journey and how I managed to overcome them but I didn’t know where to begin because there’s just too much that I wish to share. This journey is not a smooth sailing one and is fraught with heartaches but I’m rejoicing the fact that somehow, I have managed to come this far. To begin with, I wasn’t properly educated about breastfeeding as I didn’t come from a pro-breastfeeding family. Even before I gave birth, my mum briefly mentioned on a few occasions that there’s no point in breastfeeding for more than a month and told me to introduce formula milk. I clearly remembered those words, “Breastfeed one month enough already. After that can give formula milk.” When I told my mum about my plans to get a Medela breast pump at the Baby Fair, she replied, “Aiya how you know you will have milk? If no milk then you waste money buying breast pump for what.” With that, I didn’t bother to read up and find out more about breastfeeding. It was a HUGE mistake. A mistake so huge that my breastfeeding journey got off to an extremely rocky start.

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I still remember vividly, on the very same night a few hours after I delivered at Mount Elizabeth Hospital, the nurse handed Little misschewy to me when I was resting in my ward and taught me how to position baby to ensure a proper latch on. It was probably around midnight and the room was dimly lit and quiet. Once Little misschewy started suckling, the nurse left the room and it was just the two of us. That magical moment brought tears to my eyes. The very act of nursing my baby was such an amazing experience and I knew that this would be the start of a strong bond between the two of us. Unfortunately, my milk supply had not kicked in and I was immensely pressurized by my parents and relatives to give formula milk to Little misschewy because she was crying when they visited me in the day. I was very sad and broke down after they left. The hubs consoled me and told me not to give myself too much stress over breastfeeding and to just try my best. He would respect my decision whatever it was. As I wasn’t armed with sufficient knowledge about breastfeeding, I wasn’t aware that I had to keep nursing or keep pumping to stimulate milk supply. In other words, Chanelle was being given only formula milk for the first five days until my milk supply finally came. I will never forget that night when my boobs turned ROCK HARD. I was clenching my teeth in pain while massaging my boobs with a warm towel. I thought I was going to die! Also, I could only resort to pumping using the Medela Mini Electric that misterchewy’s teacher very kindly loaned me as the few nursing sessions in the hospital left me with very sore and chaffed nipples that made it impossible to continue nursing.

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I reckon the mini electric pump isn’t good enough for some serious hardcore milk-expressing. It didn’t do a good job at emptying my boobs completely, and coupled with the fact that I was pumping only every 4 hours instead of 2 or 3, I suffered from my very first case of Mastitis during my confinement. It was in the wee hours of the night when I developed a fever that made me feel weak all over and I was shivering like crazy. My fever broke by the time I woke up the next morning but I wasn’t so fortunate the next few times I had Mastitis. A total of 4 times in less than 2 months in fact! The symptoms of Mastitis are unmistakable – immense pain in the breast (always the right side for me), accompanied by swelling, warmth and redness. You might also have fever and chills. Little misschewy was unable to clear the blocked ducts in my right breast and I had to rely on antibiotics administered by my family GP. Each time, I suffered from Mastitis, my milk supply suffered miserably as well. My mum and mil advised me to stop breastfeeding because they didn’t want to see me in so much pain. I was very tempted to give up too but the hubs encouraged me to persevere. At that point, I was really angry at him because I felt that all the pain that I went through meant nothing to him but at the same time, a part of me wanted to give myself another chance at breastfeeding. As I look back today, I’m really glad that I didn’t give up.

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I learned that establishing milk supply is all about “demand and supply”. However, my supply was pretty pathetic after all the mastitis cases and I was very demoralized. After my confinement nanny left, I decided to give nursing another go and I’m really blessed with a baby who can still remember how to latch on after a whole month of being bottle fed! I have read about nipple confusion which typically occurs when young babies are being given the bottle. I tried to nurse her whenever I can, while supplementing with formula milk as my mil would always suggest that Chanelle was probably still hungry whenever she started crying. I also got very irritated with my mum when she kept asking me to feed Little misschewy with formula milk instead of nursing her. It was an emotional roller coaster ride for me for the first two to three months. I broke down many times whenever Little misschewy wailed at the top of her lungs and I blamed myself for my low supply. I tried all sorts of milk boosters in the form of supplements like Fenugreek and Blessed Thistle, and also ate salmon sashimi and drank hot milo. There was an increase in my pump output but it wasn’t significant enough for me to stop supplementing Chanelle’s diet with formula milk. I went back to work after taking 12 weeks of maternity leave as promised to my boss even though my milk supply wasn’t established. It was indeed very tough for me because I had to juggle my work while making sure I had time to pump. I would also plan my pump schedule around my meetings. Or was it the other way round? Haha. I was so obsessed with my pumping routine that 2 o’clock sharp meant 2 o’clock sharp. There was no stopping me even if it meant having to go for earlier lunch without my colleagues. It was all about discipline and my baby will always be my first priority.

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I really want to thank a mummy acquaintance who added me to a breastfeeding support group on Facebook. I’m guessing that she is probably another strong advocate of breastfeeding and I’m grateful to her because I have learned so much from the group. Whenever I had any doubts or questions, fellow mummies were ever ready to dish out advice and relate their personal experiences. If it wasn’t for this group, I don’t think I would be sane enough to keep setting myself new breastfeeding targets, from one month to 6 months, to 12 months and now I’m still breastfeeding at 15 months and counting! The mummies literally cry over spilled milk together and pat one another on the back when we break a new record in our pump output. When I became more experienced, I started to share my success stories when I managed to transport frozen breast milk back from our Taiwan trip, when I finally found the courage to nurse in public when Little misschewy was 9 months old, and when my hard work and sheer determination paid off which allowed me to go on the total breastfeeding route (meaning I didn’t have to supplement formula milk), albeit only for a few months. My mantra is “Got milk better than no milk“. Right now I’m paying it forward by adding my pregnant friends to this group because I want them to be well-prepared for successful breastfeeding.

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Be firm if you really want to breastfeed for as long as possible. There will surely be obstacles in the initial stage but once you overcome them, things will become easier. My mum also stopped trying to dissuade me from breastfeeding. I guess she got tired asking me the same old question, “When are you going to stop breastfeeding?” every weekend when she sees me. LOL. The hubs is still as supportive as ever. When Little misschewy cries at night, he’s also the first to hand her to me, “Quick! Quick! She wants to latch!” before rolling over and snoring away. Currently, I pump once a day on average and continue latching Little misschewy to sleep. When friends and colleagues learn that I’m still breastfeeding, they often give me this look of disbelief, “Wah! Until now still got milk meh?” The answer is YES if you keep pumping or latching. Some people suggest that Little misschewy be given formula milk as her last feed before she turns in so that she can sleep through the night. I know it sounds crazy but I’m more than happy when she wakes up crying in the middle of the night, shouting “NEN NEN!” wanting to latch because she’s hungry or because she had a bad dream. I love hugging her close to me and tucking her fine hair behind her left ear. I love it when she giggles uncontrollably when I stroke her cheeks as I nurse her. I’m very amused when she cries as though it’s the end of the world after I declare, “Nen nen no more!” while keeping a straight face. My current goal is to breastfeed Little misschewy until she self-weans. A year ago, I collected some of my milk in a breastmilk storage bag and sent it to a breast milk keepsake creator in the United Kingdom. I decided on a pair of hand prints made using my milk for a charm bead inscribed with Little misschewy’s name, which is Pandora compatible and a pendant with a pair of foot prints as a gift for Little misschewy in future when she is old enough to understand and appreciate what I have done for her.

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Happy 15 months, Chanelle. You taught me that a mother’s love knows no bounds.

Little misschewy’s One Year Old Photoshoot + Cake Smash

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WHOOHOO! Little misschewy is ONE year old today! Knowing that it will take about a month to receive the photos, kiasu mummy planned a photoshoot way in advance! Chanelle was slightly over 11 months old when these photos were taken. Based on past experiences, we kinda knew what to do and ‘forced’ her to take about an hour long nap before the photoshoot. We timed it quite well such that the instant she woke up, we chionged to the studio without wasting any time. LOL. I had also warmed up a bottle of milk and brought it along with us. Just before we commenced the shoot, she finished the entire bottle. Eat full full, sleep full full! Half the battle is won! I must say that misterchewy and I are pretty satisfied with the photos! 😀

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I was trying to suppress my laughter upon seeing Chanelle’s reaction when she saw her own reflection in the mirror. She kept inching forward until her face touched the mirror! Anyway, we topped up to get back all the softcopies. The ones posted here are some of my favorites.

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My my.. Didn’t know that my boyish looking baby could look so girly here. Hahaha.

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Chanelle looks really grown up here! Seriously, where did all the time go?!

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Hello surfer girl!

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When I learned about the cake smash idea months ago, I thought it was really interesting and I was excited about it! The whole idea behind it is to celebrate your baby’s first year by letting your baby have a first taste of his or her own birthday cake!

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Look how happy Chanelle is! I would like to sincerely thank BakeAvenue for sponsoring us this gorgeous pink giant cupcake! When I first saw it, I was like… WOW!!! BakeAvenue specializes in rainbow and ombre cakes, as well as macarons in various shapes and sizes! I ordered some macarons and cupcakes from BakeAvenue for Chanelle’s birthday party and I will cover that in a separate post!

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Chanelle’s reaction towards the giant cupcake was priceless. At first, she was indifferent to cake. She looked at it but didn’t reach out to touch it. Then she crawled around it and finally, patted it very cautiously. Yes, she PATTED the cake.

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Confusion written all over her face when she had butter cream on her fingers!

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And then she felt scared. Like.. What is this thing on my fingers?! (At that point, I kinda suspected that she’s a cleanliness freak like me.)

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Chanelle was only willing to lick her fingers after I wiped a bit of butter cream on her lips.

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Hmmm.. It’s yummy! Clap clap!

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Hope you guys enjoyed this set of photos! Sending everyone lotsa love from Hong Kong!
Stay connected with us on Facebook www.facebook.com/missuschewy and on Instagram @missuschewy and @misterchewy 🙂