Baby massage

Start with a gentle "hello" stroke from baby's head to her toes. If baby stiffens, cries, or becomes irritable, move to another body part or simply end the massage for the day. If she responds well, start gently massaging her body section by section.


Source: http://www.parents.com

Tummy

1. Hold your hand so your pinky's edge can move like a paddle across your baby's belly. Starting at the base of the rib cage, stroke down with one hand, then the other, in a paddle-wheel-like motion.

2. Massage her abdomen with your fingertips in a circular, clockwise motion.

3. Do the "I Love U" stroke: Trace the letter I down your baby's left side. Then trace an inverted L, stroking across the belly along the base of her ribs from her right side to her left and down. Trace an inverted U, stroking from low on the baby's right side, up and around the navel, and down the left side.

4. Walk your fingers around her navel, clockwise.

5. Hold knees and feet together and gently press knees up toward her abdomen. Rotate baby's hips around a few times to the right. (This often helps expel gas.)

6. Place hand on tummy horizontally and rock your hand from side to side a few times. Note: Avoid massaging tummy if the cord hasn't completely healed.

Head and Face

1. Cradling your baby's head in both hands, massage the scalp with your fingertips, as if you're shampooing. (Avoid the fontanel, the soft spot on top of baby's head.)

2. Massage her ears between your thumb and index finger.

3. Trace a heart shape on your baby's face, bringing your hands together at the chin.

4. Place your thumbs between your baby's eyebrows, and stroke out.

5. Again with your thumbs, stroke gently out over baby's closed eyelids.

6. Stroke from the bridge of the nose out over the cheeks.

7. Using your fingertips, massage the jaw in small circles.

Chest

1. Place both hands on your baby's chest and stroke outward from her sternum to her shoulders.

2. Beginning at her sternum, trace a heart shape bringing both hands up to her shoulders, then down and back together.

3. In a crisscross pattern, stroke diagonally from one side of your baby's hip, up and over the opposite shoulder, and back down to her hip.

Arms

1. With one hand, hold baby's wrist. Relax her upper arm by tapping it lightly.

2. Hold her wrist with one hand and hold your other hand in a C-shape around baby's upper arm; stroke from her shoulder down to her wrist.

3. With each hand grasping her arm, one right above the other, stroke down from shoulder to wrist with both hands rotating in opposite directions, as if you were gently wringing a towel.

4. Massage her palm, moving thumb over thumb from heel of her hand to her fingers.

5. Stroke down top of hand from wrist to fingertips. Gently squeeze and pull each finger.

6. Massage her wrist by moving your fingers in small circles.

7. Roll her arm between both your hands.

Back

1. Place baby on tummy horizontally in front of you, or lay her across your outstretched legs. Keep her hands in front of her, not at her sides.

2. With both of your hands on baby's back, move each hand back and forth (keeping them going in opposite directions) from the base of the neck to her buttocks.

3. Hold your baby's buttocks with one hand and use the other to stroke down from her neck to her buttocks.

4. Using your fingertips, massage in small circles down one side of baby's spine and up the other. Avoid pressing on her spine directly.

5. Massage her shoulders with small circular motions.

6. Massage her buttocks with big circular motions.

7. Holding your fingers like a rake, stroke down her back.

Legs

1. Lift one of her legs by the ankle and relax it by lightly tapping the upper thigh.

2. Hold her ankle with one hand and hold your other hand in a C-shape, thumb down, around your baby's upper thigh. Stroke from her thigh down to her foot.

3. With your hands grasping the leg at the thigh, one right above the other, stroke down from hip to foot with both hands rotating in opposite directions, as if you were wringing a towel.

4. On the sole of her foot, use a thumb-over-thumb motion to massage from heel to toes.

5. Use your whole hand to stroke the bottom of her foot from heel to toes.

6. Stroke the top of her foot. Gently squeeze and pull each toe.

7. Massage around her ankle using small circles.

8. Roll her leg between your hands, as if you're rolling dough.

Durians

  small seeds

Papa had a nosebleed last night. I guess the durians were too heaty for him. Yup, we often have durians now; like once a week. But he always ate the least durians. I am the one who eats the most because my parents would ask me to take more. More "bu" for baby.

Other than chicken essence once a day, durians are my "bu" food since I don't get to enjoy home-cooked boiled soups all the time.

Yesterday, I cried when an elderly gave up her seat for me. I told her that she needs the seat too. She replied "no, you deserve the seat more". I cried and said "thank you". There was another mommy standing nearby. Her tummy is almost as big as mine. I wasn't sure whether to reject the old lady or offer the seat to the other mommy. I was feeling lost, not sure what I should do and yet touched by her kind gesture. Maybe that's why I cried.

So far, there are 7 kind souls who gave up their seats for me in my 8 months of pregnancy. Usually, the trains are so crowded that I'll be glad if I have standing space. Yesterday, my backache kinda worsen and I feel so much like sitting on the floor because my back felt like breaking. I sms Hubby that I will not hesitate to sit down next time as I really cannot stand the ache. Hur hur...

Baby First Month Preparation

I was doing some advanced research as I read from forums and SMH page :)


I should be ordering my Full month buffet from Chu Wei San Tong. Cindy is very nice to throw in FOC red eggs because I've been ordering tingkat from her for my PIL.

1. Pineapple Rice
2. Ee noodle
3. Curry chicken
4. Kai Lan vegetable
5. Champagne Pork Rib
6. Sweet Sour Fish
7. Golden Oat Prawn
8. Chef's Beancurd
9. Sea coconut and cocktail
10. Barley

Additional items:

• Red eggs
• Ang ku kueh $0.70 per pc
• Glutinous rice $1 per pc

I am also ordering helium balloons and deco from Freesia Birthday Services. Carole's lobang. I will choose the Hello Kitty theme balloons. Hope it looks nice and "grand" as I don't intend to hold a grand one-year old party for baby. Carole is very understanding to accept cash on delivery instead of advance payment. I hope she can cope with the business coz there are alot of mommies delivering in August and ordering from her!

I've googled, went to a few Sanrio shops, asked my colleagues and posted on Twitter on where to find infant Hello Kitty apparel. I also combed the whole of Raffles Place. Finally found one shop which is moving out soon. They have this! Going to let Baby wear on her man yue celebration.

Ordered a Hello Kitty taggie for Baby too ;)

Was thinking of ordering a Photo cake from Yiling (I ordered twice from them before), since I will be doing newborn photography with Kelly Soon. Will KIV this for baby's one year old birthday instead. I think getting the Hello Kitty cookies is a better choice. I'll order 50 pieces of these.

From: YummyBaking

I will be ordering extra confinement food via lunch tingkat after the confinement month. I thought just take more 'bu' for myself for another 2 weeks since I need the extra nutrients for breastfeeding. And I reckon I will go out in the afternoon. Have paid a $100 deposit to Carrie Pang from SMH and confirmed my meals :)

Checklist for Papa

In the hospital:
(1) Contact Confinement lady
(2) Contact Jamu Massage lady
(3) Contact Kelly Soon photographer
(4) Check with auntie Baby's Ba Zi before submitting name (Birth Cert)
(5) Baby Bonus Application (to fill in form in hospital)
(6) Baby's Health Booklet (given by hospital)
(7) Baby's Bath tub (free gift from hospital)

Upon discharge from hospital:
(8) Settle Hospital and Gynae bills
(9) Book Kerrisdale Function Room
(10) Re-confirm date of full month with:

• Full month cake order from PAPAMAMA - 6385 0038 
• Hello Kitty cookies - Henry Lau $82
• Chu Wei San Tong - 67439383 Cindy $450
• Freesia Balloon - 93669005 Carole $140

My first coconut drink

My first coconut drink 

• prevent dehydration
• relieves exhaustion
• improving "good" cholesterol levels (HDL)
• prevent urinary tract infections
• promotes digestive health

Benefits of coconut water - http://phenomwater.com/how-drinking-coconut-water-during-pregnancy-helps