Review: NURSING BOTTLES (The First Year - Breastflow)

I think this must be one of the least appreciated amazing nursing bottle available! And it is available in Singapore - BabiesRus (City Square Mall) and Kiddy Palace. Actual price I cannot remember but it is definitely much more affordable than popular brands like Avent. 

This is my 3rd batch of nursing bottles after Tommee Tippee (Read: http://and-so-mummy-says.blogspot.sg/2014/02/review-nursing-bottles-tommee-tippee.html) and Avent (will talk about it in another entry together with the breast pump). 

In my previous post, I spoke about how hubby went to get Avent starter set after we realized Eva was having wind (which was actually due to the torn anti-colic valve). The Avent set did not work well because it was not suitable for Eva's mouth? The milk kept spitting out from the side of her mouth. During the time, I was also considering about Eva's impatience during latch-on which I believe was also due to nipple confusion. So I went to find to see if I could get something that is really close. I did not turn back to Tommee Tippee because of the trouble of the parts and Eva was older already, I thought I better find a more normal anti-colic bottle. Especially needed so as she will be attending infant care soon after. 

And then I found The First Years - Breastflow (http://thefirstyears.com/breastflow)

Check out the 2-in-1 nipple which I was imagining how it works like our breast! I saw the video and read the description; I thought this could be the ultimate bottle for Eva! Especially so when I was latching on and bottle feeding, I hope Eva could take it both with ease. 

Good: 
The bottle comes with a storage cap which makes it useful when I want to store EBM. The bottle is wide neck and broad which makes it easier to clean the inside of the bottle. They have a special design of groove on bottom of the bottle to allow you to hold the bottle cap so you wont risk losing the cap or have it roll away especially when you are out and about. Now most importantly, the 2-in-1 nipple works!! Eva's wind in tummy issue was alleviated and no more spitting from sides of her mouth. 

Not-so-good: 
You will notice that the material quality and finishing do not look / feel as good as the popular brands. And it is made in China (BUT BPA free!) unlike Avent that is made in England.

The nipple is designed to work like the breast even to the point of letting down! Which means the baby has got to suck for the let down mimic effect before the milk will flow. This is of course to help baby transit between breast and bottle easily. BUT somehow no one seems to be able to do it. It takes awhile for my family to practise on how to feed her. If they cannot get it, I will have to take over to feed. 

The 2-in-1 nipple was much easier to clean and put together than Tommee Tippee BUT it also take a little clear-minded to put it together. There is no catch to secure the 2 pieces together, you simply put them together by alignment of the groove and secure by closing the cap. So we had occasions of leakage / spillage when swirling the bottle when we did not assemble properly. 

Despite the not-so-good, I actually did enjoy using the bottle to feed Eva and I personally think that she likes the bottle too! But then of course the time taken for the assembly and say if there is accidental spills etc, you will delay the time and she may be starting to wail. 

One more thing is that it does not come with any training handles so if you intend to train baby to hold the bottle via handles, you wont be able to do so. But if you intend to let baby hold the bottle body itself, then it's definitely fine! For me, I was given a set of Pigeon magmag set which I thought would be good for me to try training Eva to hold her own bottle especially at infant care, I was worried that the teachers may not be able to be holding her bottle constantly for her. And surprisingly, she took the bottle well with grace. And yes, so I decided to change to Pigeon since it will be much easier for the teachers to handle. 

Things to note: 
You will notice that the teats may collapse inward as she drink and that is actually a sign that the bottle is working properly as it is to prevent air from going in. You will also notice that sometimes milk goes in between the 2 layers which is normal too. You can either let your baby continue sucking where the milk in between will eventually be finished as well OR you can press on the nudges to allow the milk to flow back into the bottle. If you do not intend to let baby finish that portion of milk, DO let the milk flow back first before opening the bottle, otherwise the milk will just spill out once you open the cap since the 2 layers of nipple are not sealed in. 

All in all, Breastflow is a a good nursing bottle especially when you are still breastfeeding. 

Review: DIAPER CREAM (BEPANTHEN OINTMENT)

Diaper cream is one of the essential stuffs that we would prepare before our newborn arrives. Somehow it is an inevitable tool! And often I see parents / caregivers applying it during every diaper change. It seems so important. So I did my research and realise that the price range of diaper is so wide!! The lowest I have come across was Pureen @ $3.50 to Babygarnics @ $18.00! And I settled for the all-time-favourite pink Drapolene cream.

Initially, Eva survived well without much diaper rash and we did well with Drapolene cream. Then she was struck with bad eczema on her face and she was rubbing it pretty badly so I brought her to the GP. At the same time, noticed that she was having stubborn diaper rash. GP advised that it could be related to her eczema situation and personally recommend us to buy Desitin as his own kids are using. 

So I bought Desitin and started using religiously for her in attempt to cure her diaper rash and prevent it from coming back. It did work and I also passed it to her infant care centre for their use on her. 

After couple of months, a problem arise! I find that it was really a hassle and pain to clean the residue off!! It is practically impossible to thoroughly clean it off via Physiogel cleanser. Which means I will have to use at least Johnson Baby wash - which then again defeat the purpose of using mild cleanser in prevention of her eczema flare-up. Plus in attempt to clean off using baby wipes would also mean additional friction. And I really dont like the idea of her skin being constantly coated with zinc oxide. 

So I started to ask around and a friend introduced Bepanthen Ointment to me! 
I bought the 1st one from Watsons at $8.90 (and good news, I bought another 2 more at Babycare Festival 2014 last weekend at $6.50 each and free diaper clutch. hehe) All for 30g. 

I like Bepanthen because it is not using zinc oxide which is what Desitin is using; and does not contain fragrance, preservatives, colors or antiseptics; which means it can be used on regular basis for Eva! 

The texture is thick white ointment and I usually use dabbing method to coat around affected area (i.e labia). Usually upon application, the redness will fade off. And on next diaper change, the ointment is generally absorbed and can be cleaned away with gentle cleanser or even just water rinse. 

However, the feedback from the IFC teacher is different. Generally she finds that Desitin is more effective when diaper rash is flared and felt that Bepanthen is not sufficient to clear the rash out. 

So my recommendation is for long term regular maintenance, we ought to use Bepanthen! In case of bad flare-up, you might still want to stick to your regular zinc oxide ones which can really block out the urine and all which would be more effective especially if you are unable to change baby out of diapers on time or give diaper-less time to air. As for now, I am using Bepanthen for her labia because somehow it is the only area that is affected. Her butt and other parts are fine. Stubborn patch without any blisters and its flat to the skin so probably not fungal infection. Even Desitin doesnt help (to her teacher's shock) and even with diaper-less time and quick change of diapers and she doesnt even poo in her diapers as she poo direct in toilet bowl. Like GP says, could be eczema related. A little steroid cream may help to kill it off. 

And! Do you know?? 

Bepanthen can also be used as nipple cream! Wow, if it can be used as nipple cream then it has got to be real good and gentle! =) 

AND latest update! I had this sudden onset of blistering on my middle finger which I dont know how and why it came about. I googled and found that it could be Dyshidrotic eczema. I tried moisturising it with my usual hand cream and even Eva's body lotions but it all didnt work UNTIL I decided to apply Bepanthen on it! It got better overnight and within 2 days, the blisters were gone! How about that?!

Refer below for more information obtained from their website and brochure. 

• Bepanthen is an ointment containing pro-vitamin B5. Pro-Vitamin B5 gently aids natural skin recovery, while keeping it soft smooth and moisturised.
  
  Bepanthen forms a long lasting, breathable transparent layer, protecting even the most delicate skin from the causes of nappy rash.
• Bepanthen does not contain perfumes, antiseptics or preservatives and is clinically proven to protect from the causes of nappy rash.

• Aids Natural Skin Recovery
  Bepanthen ointment contains Pro Vitamin B5 which gently aids natural recovery of sensitive skin while keeping it soft, smooth and moisturised. Bepanthen also works by helping to seal in the skin's natural moisture, providing optimal conditions to allow gentle skin recovery without drying out your baby's delicate skin.

• Protects
  Clinically proven, Bepanthen works by forming a long lasting, transparent layer, protecting even the most delicate skin from irritants and rubbing. The water-in-oil formulation keeps the skin healthy and hydrated, which is essential to maintain its natural protective barrier.

Mummy Matters: BREASTFEEDING (Blocked milk duct)

Being a new mum, I was amazed at this whole breastfeeding thing especially how Eva was able to suckle within minutes after birth! I guess this skin to skin for the 1st hr after birth is good and hospitals should continue to advocate it! 

Breastfeeding is an art!! It is one part of parenthood that is exclusive to mummies and well.. makes you spend alot in preparation for it (read: breastpump, nipple cream, nursing cover, nursing bras, supplements).. and makes you fumble at first... and gives you a magical moment of bonding with your baby.. 

Breastfeeding also test your endurance! Say you would probably be waking up like you never even sleep before? And you might be wrestling away with your baby to get him or her in right position and the nipple in the right way into the mouth... And doing it discreetly if you are not alone in comfort of your own home.. And you probably be annoyed by all the "how much milk are you yielding?? Is baby having enough milk from you?? how long are you going to breastfeed yr baby??"... 

And in my opinion.. Pain in breast was the ultimate I had to endure!!! 

My milk only came in on 3rd day after Eva was born and hence I started her on formula bottle feed (tried cup feed etc but found it really tough and I decided to just go for bottle - Tommee Tippee was her first). Meanwhile I still latch on and pump hoping to stimulate the milk production. 

I continued the practice even after the milk came in where EBM and formula came in useful when family help to bottle feed. This help was important as it gave me some time to rest and to do other preparation for her. It also gave them especially hubby a chance to watch Eva feed and observe her behaviour. They were also useful in some nights. (Will share in other posts later about how I manage the feedings). 

This continues and I always needed to either let her latch on or express in time though its not always possible as she might be fussing and I cannot get to pump. Sometimes we are out with her and we bottle feed her. So breast would often feel engorged after some hours and it would generally be okay after I pump it out. sometimes there would even be lumps which would clear out after I pump out the milk couple times. 

One fine day I suddenly felt excruciating pain somewhere near nipple and felt deeper in. The pain was unbearable when pumping that I couldnt bear more than 5 pumps and I had to stop. The pain was like as though my skin was burning! Strange but it did felt like that way. And when i latch on. The pain was equally horrendous though I could bear the pain till Eva finiah feeding. I couldnt understand and guess this is probably engorgement? 

Then the pain got so horrible when I was pumping and I checked my nipples for wounds!! I thought it must be Eva who might have injured them. Then I spotted blister like looking stuffs in the nipple with yellow stuffs inside. OMG! I almost freaked out! i thought this is bad!! Pus in nipple??!!! Infection???? 

I quickly google and fortunately it was not what I thought! It was what they call blocked milk duct! And the yellow stuffs is actually built up of milk inside this skin layer. 

I tried using hot towel on the affected breast and massage followed by frequent pumping.. *OUCH* really did feel like hittung someone back then!! I was dreading pumping but if the more I put it off.. the worse it is going to get!

After some perseverence and endurance, the blocked milk duct finally cleared and you can see spaghetti like substance i.e strand of milk that was stuck and coagulated! 

Only then did the pain start to subside...

I had a few attacks throughout the 1st few months and the worst period was when the pain was bad enough to disrupt my sleep! I totally couldnt sleep due to the twitching high pain!!

Thankfully each ordeal only last a few days and managed to clear before developing into mastitis.

So new mummies.. endure if you are going thru it!! You will survive with:

1. Latch on baby

2. Breast pump

3. Hot/cold pack that can be heated by placing in hot water or cooled by placing on freezer. 

4. Nipple cream for massage

Baby Matters: CLEARING BABY THROAT MUCUS (Jing Feng San)

Jing feng san (heard my korean sis-in-law refer it as "scared powder")

This is absolute good stuff IF you believe in TCM and dare to try for your baby! I have tested and so far so good. I cannot say about the impact on her little body and organs on long term (since it's external intake) but I can definitely say that it totally improved her condition miraculously fast! 

Okay so the story started with Eva coming down with runny nose which is pretty common for the past few months. Normally it clears off on its own after a few days. However this time it came down hard on her. Within half a day after she started rubbing her nose, she was started to choke on her mucus backflow and phlegm especially when she sleeps. Several times after her milk feed, she would choke on her phlegm and puke some milk. She also couldnt sleep well as she cannot breathe properly and would keep coughing. Normally able to sleep only after she puke some milk together with the phlegm. BUT I have to say she embraced her illness well! She is otherwise active and cheerful, only gets a little irritated at her itchy nose and will rub it agitatedly. 

Anyway as her sleep is affected and green mucus was what really alert me that she needs medical help. And so I brought her to the GP who was concerned and decided to put her on antibiotics to prevent sinus infection / lung infection. 

Needless to say, feeding medicine wasnt a good experience but I insist on NOT force feeding her so that she will not be scared and makes medicine feeding a worse experience when she grows older. Not to say I am hoping that she will need but well, by nature, I guess she will need. 

So after a week of medication fed by myself and infant care teachers, Eva shown significant improvement in her condition but still I can hear the low rumbling sounds of phlegm in her chest and she still had problems during sleep when the mucus start building up. 

And since she has completion her course of antibiotics, I decided to put her on Jing Feng San which is traditionally used to calm children who have been scared / shocked. There is actually indications for Young children suffering from fever, stomach wind, sputum (mucus that is coughed up from the lower airways), coughing, restlessness and loss of appetite; if you check the ingredient list, you will find Pearl powder which is also traditionally used to remove the sputum / phlegm. I remember my mum-in-law bought pearl powder for Eva when she was born, supposed to take it during the 1st few days after birth to remove / prevent phlegm development. 

Of course, I did not follow the real dosage - 1/3 bottle for Eva who is currently 9 month old (which was indicated on the box but not on the bottle. the bottle only indicates for 1 year and above but on the box actually they did advise on smaller dosage for younger children). 

All I did was to wet my index finger, turn the bottle to dab the powder on the finger and rub it into her mouth. Eva likes it! And yes again miraculously, only after 2 days of 2 dosage (day and night), Eva's coughing and rumbling chest sounds stopped! And she slept well throughout the night without coughing / puking any milk!! 

I am happy that I tried and impressed that with such little dosage, it actually able to work! 

I wont know how long it will take if I continued her with her western medicine which improve her condition but did not managed to clear out the phlegm. 

So mummies & daddies, do give it a try if your precious little one is going through similar situation. Dosage should remain no more than a fingertip full of it. Or maybe spatula full will do. I dont think we need or even should follow the full dosage as indicated. 

Here are some of the images of the bottle. It costs $13.50 and should be available at all TCM Hall. If there are variations, do check on either the box / bottle to see if there is any indications for kids younger than 1 year old; and/or ask the shop keeper, they would know better since customers normally return and share with them if it does work. 

 

Quick Comparison of Diaper Price

Just to share a quick comparison price of my preferred Goo.N (Japan) with Bosomi (Korea) and Nepia (Japan) which I havent try yet. 

More on the reviews of the diapers in later posts. 

Review: ANGE BIG BANA TEETHER (Banana Teether)

Eva started to have teething symptoms very early like when she was 3 months old? Her teeth didnt really emerge till few months later but back then she was fussy and trying to bite her hand or whatever she can get her hands on. I gave her cloths / cold hankies / Mothercare teethers, nothing quite worked out.

So eventually I bought Dentinox teething gel which did help but it is not something that I want her to take constantly. After browsing online, Sophie appeared but I looked at that shape and Eva was not good with holding on things at that time and the price was hmm.. so I decided to search further.

And I found this! ANGE Big Bana Teether! It was a wise decision and it is one of her best companion since.. till now..

I like it very much because it keeps her entertained; it helps train practise her motor skills and it is easily grabbed by the body; the whole teether can be nibbled on top to bottom.

However, pls do still use it under supervision as it may gag baby if they try to reach too deep into their little mouth and yes gag reflex means possibility of puking! I prefer to let Eva chew on the peeled skin part as it will not gag her.


Ta-dah here is Eva enjoying her chewing session back when she was 6 month old!






ANGE Big Bana Teether

Introducing the BIG BANA TEETHER!

+ Upgraded version of Bana Toothbrush

+ Cute and Unique design to attract baby’s attention

+ Light & Easy Grip for baby

+ Combines positive psychological influence of eating fruits

+ Delicate construction to protect baby’s oral cavity

+ Special design prevents teether from going too deep into baby’s mouth, but allowing teether to reach molars

+ Odourless, safe and flexible, yet tough material TPR is used

+ Made in Korea

+ BPA-Free & Free from toxic materials

+ Can be sterilised






Where to get this in Singapore?

1. http://tlo.com.sg/shop/index.php/teething/ange-big-bana-teether.html

Price: S$12.90
Delivery: Free normal postage.


2. http://list.qoo10.sg/item/BANA-TEETHER-FROM-KOREA/405756264?jaehuid=2000119881

Price: S$9.90
Delivery: Free normal postage.

Mummy Matters: CONFINEMENT - Bathing

Confinement is one of (if not, the ONLY one) dreaded aspect of pregnancy and motherhood that really turns me off everytime I think about it before pregnancy and throughout pregnancy.

I tried to communicate with my MIL which turns out to be really important and good! I have to say thankfully my MIL is someone who is willing to communicate and takes initiative to ask. In addition, my wonderful mummy also communicate with her to share about my likings and not as she is worried if I would be able to adapt, eat well and recover quickly.

So one of the top hated DON'Ts for confinement is BATH!

But as we all know, modern mums seriously don't wanna care!! and I think modern mums are unlike mums of 10 years ago who are still pretty obedient and willing to follow the rules. haha and for your good info, May 2013 was one of the hottest month of that year and I totally would die if not allowed to bathe and if also made to cover from top to toe. I will die, seriously die... ... 

Anyway I was actually told by one of the Malay masseur that the reason for this confinement tradition of no bathing comes from the fact that in the past, toilets were located out of the house and so new mummies would be proned to catching cold by going out to shower. BUT now we have our toilet not only in the house but right in the room! haha 

So how did it go for me? After going through it, I realised that there is indeed good cause for the restrictions and all. I think it is all about compromising and making good sense of what is essential and what can be forgo. 

As you all may already have known and heard about all the bathing in herbal water? Yups, that was what I did as well!

My MIL was very nice and she took the effort to get friends to buy herbal packs from Malaysia for me. It was a total of 30packs. She will boil it every night or very early morning to keep this pot of concentrate aside. Then she will add hot water via the highest temp on the instant heater to a basin and add the herbal concentrate in. So I was allowed to wash my hair and bathe EVERYDAY!! I was even allowed to use the usual shower gel and shampoo. *Envy me* 

I guess it was the best compromise I could ever get! But some ground rules which she set and I think are pretty beneficial and perhaps are really the core of the issue!  

1. Always bathe before sunset 
> This was pretty tough and upsetting at times because sometimes all I want is to go for a nap when Eva naps but I have to take the opportunity to get my bath!! I could jolly well miss the timing and miss my chance of bathing. So is between sleep or bath. After sunset, temperature start to drop. 

2. Always close all the windows and fans in proximity of bathroom
> This was easy since all along I have always been scared of cold and the last thing I want is to have cold air running up my back! Especially so when I am using scoop of waters instead of direct shower head. 

3. Always drink some warm drink before and after bath
> This also helps to warm up the body especially the core. For those of you who are okay with alcohol, taking some DOM / Yomeishu will be good too. I cannot take alcohol. Tried taking like only 10ml of DOM, I felt totally sick soon after. Maybe I drank it too fast. My face flushed, eyes turn red too and I felt giddy and sleepy. That was the 1st and the last. haha 

4. Always ensure that water is real warm (actually hot) when going to bathe
> This was tough too as I dont like cold water, neither is my skin accustomed to hot water! Well, water that is too warm makes my eczema flare. But well, I try to do it slightly more warm but not hot. 

5. Always blow dry hair immediately after bath (after drinking some warm drink)
> This I follow as wet hair can really make you sick when the wind blows! I had one occasion with damp hair, one side drying it with hair dryer, on the other side I set the fan on for ventilation, resulting in a bad night of feeling like I came down with a bad cold and body aches. It went away pretty quickly after keeping myself warm. 

With all the above, haha basically you get to bathe but not without sweating it out all over again soon after the bath. Haha I can only say "be grateful!". 

I do not know how does the herbal water works BUT I did hear about people mentioning to bathe in water that has been boiled before. My mum always prepare cool boiled water ready for her to wash her hands or any stuffs when necessary. A friend did her own confinement and she only ensure to bathe in hot water and sort of similar ground rules above. All turn out fine even though they did not use herbal water. 

So I guess the whole principle behind it is to ensure that you are kept warm and not at risk of catching a cold! So to fellow mummies who really wish to bathe, you might want to consider the above method; daddies might want to share the info with your own mummies as well so they can give your wife a break on that. 

For me, so far so good 8 months after confinement. =)