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Tag Archives: pregnancy
Healthy skin during and after pregnancy
I’ve had clear skin before and during my pregnancy. But I’ve been getting acnes since my last trimester or so after giving birth. Beside the hormonal changes, it’s also the stress and tiredness of being a new parenthood that can be the causes of ance. I also have drier skin after I gave birth to my baby girl. Acne and dry skin, both are my nightmare. And trust me, it’s not easy to get rid of them especially during and after your pregnancy. Some of these stupid acne just won’t go away and worst of all, they turn into dark spots. Unfortunately I have experienced that a little bit even though I take a good care of my skin. Good but not good enough. Now I’m taking EXTRA care of my skin and it really helps. Beauty is vain, really vain. You won’t look ugly if you are not lazy.
So here are some of my easy tips on how to take care of your skin throughout and after your pregnancy.
1) Stretch mark cream/oil is a must.
I applied them 2-3 times daily during my pregnancy and after birth. Apply EVERYDAY on your body especially tummy, backside, and thigh. Don’t be lazy and don’t think that those stretch marks won’t appear on your legs and arms too. I compared myself with those who didn’t put these cream regularly, and the difference is big.
2) Use only mild cleanser.
Clean your face maximum twice a day with mild cleanser and try not to scrub at all. Be very gentle to your skin. Skin during pregnancy can be very sensitive and you may have rashes or red, flaky patches on the face so I highly recommend you to use very mild products (and fragrance-free) not only for facial cleanser but also body soap etc. You may consider something organic.
3) Avoid certain foods.
Those that are high in saturated fats are not good. Soft drinks and sweets for examples. I think it would be tough. I’ve had bad craving for chocolate and ice-cream throughout my pregnancy but I did control myself somehow. Drink plenty of water and stay in a healthy diet. Fruits help too.
Hope these tips help. Have a beautiful skin always and happy weekend.
Love.- nira
Tagged beautiful skin, pregnancy, stretch mark
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Buy for Baby
When it comes to baby shopping list, a new mum like me just want to buy everything I see in store windows but that’s definitely not a good idea.
I know it can be quite tough to resist your temptation when most baby things are really cute and you just want to spend it all, especially on baby girls. There are a few of baby items I bought and I don’t use them at all until now (or can’t use them anymore). My baby girl is growing so fast and those pretty tiny clothes I bought can only fit her for a week or two maximum. So I suggest every new mums to get only what you actually need for the start. Buy only a few items in newborn sizes because most babies grow out of them so quickly.
Here are the lists of what you’d probably need to buy for the arrival of your newborn, and also my recommendation on the products and brands.
Bedding
- baby cot and cot bumper. And this is the one we bought. It goes really well with the designs of our place, no sharp corners, and with wheels!
- mattress and 2 fitted sheets
Feeding
- 5 milk bottles I would recommend that you get 3 small ones and 2 large ones.
- Bottle & teat brush sterilizer
- bottle warmer. It will be very useful when your baby refuses to finish her milk at one go and it won’t be a waste too.
- formula milk. Even if you are full breastfeeding, it would be better have 1-2 standby.
Breastfeeding
- 3-4 nursing bras
- box of breast pads.
- Breast pump. I strongly recommend Medela Freestyle. Quite expensive (around $600 plus) but worth it.
- Nursing pillow. (ps. I use my pregnancy pillow instead since it works for me)
Baby cloths
- 5-6 vests or body suits (short sleeves would be better for Singapore weather and try to avoid anything with zippers)
- 2 hats, 4 pairs of mittens and socks
- 2 lightweight blankets
- 5-6 muslins. This is very useful. To put under baby head when sleeping and you don’t have to change sheets if they spilt up, and on changing mats just in case your little one gives you those unexpected surprise. I also use this to wrap my newborn girl. Babies feel more secure that way.
Baby Bath
- Baby bathtub. The one I bought is MY BEST BUY so far! It comes with a changing mat on top and useful storages to keep the baby stuff you need nearby such as diaper etc.
I got it from Isetan at Shaw House and it costs around SGD200-300.
- baby bath and shampoo. I strongly recommend QV bath oil for to body wash.
My baby has a sensitive skin so I’m pretty selective on such product.
- 2 big and 2 small towels
- 2 Small Tupperware. 1 for face and 1 for bottom.
- Sponge. I also use my hand to clean my baby as I can get into all the nooks and folds.
Baby changing
- Changing mat
- Diapers. Buy at least 2 big packs of newborn size.
- Diaper rash cream.
- Nappy wipes.
- Cotton wool. Buy more. You can never too much. I use this with water to clean my baby’s bottom and face for the first month as newborn baby has very sensitive skin.
- Cotton buds.
Others
- Baby Carrier. I’m using BABYBJORN and it’s great. (tried Sling and it’s not for me)
- Baby monitor.
- Fever Thermometer.
- Yu Yee Oil. To relief wind on newborns and babies (apply on your tummy after bath) Pour 1-2 drop on your palms, rub your hand and then the baby’s tummy.
There are other things besides the above list you will need such as car seat, stroller, and etc. However, I don’t think you will need them until your baby is older than a month or two. Take time to consider and try more different products or brands before you decide to buy it.
ps.- I think 6-7 months of pregnancy is a good time to start shopping for your baby. At least that’s what I did.
I hope this helps for some of you, especially new mum-to-be. Good luck and enjoy your great journey. Feel free to share.
Love.- nira
Maternity Shoot
Sweet memories are best to be kept alive, in photos. Without a doubt, I already planned to have a maternity shoot when I was in my first trimester and I’m glad I did it. Thank you Nicole for an easygoing shoot and most importantly an impressive work. Very natural and raw.
We had several great pictures from this photo shoot but here are a sneak peek. I leave it simple and raw with no photoshop so please do not mind any ugly spots you find here.
If you are planning to have your maternity shoot, 7-8 months of pregnancy would be the best time to do it. I believe it won’t be a waste so go for it.
Love.- nira
Tagged Maternity, Photoshoot, pregnancy
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Becoming a mother
Those who follow my twitter or instagram should already know this.
I am now a mother and is something absolutely new. This already changes me, for the better. Let’s read.
My pregnancy experiences weren’t that bad (compared most people I know), except for those first three months. Morning sickness was making my life really miserable and it was more like all day sickness to me. I couldn’t concentrate on anything and my mood continued to be quite unstable for most of the day. I can go on days complaining about my morning sickness and how much I hate it.
The second trimester was somehow the best period of my pregnancy. I felt really fresh and appetite was great. My baby bump was getting bigger but it didn’t slow me down much until the starting of my third trimester. I had quite a hard time moving around, sitting down, getting up, and most importantly sleeping! You imagine.. My tummy was as huge as one super fat watermelon and I needed to go to a toilet every 2-3 hours (sometimes 1 hour) throughout the night. It wasn’t easy especially when I also experienced swollen feet.
This is how I look in the second trimester.
Below is my new best friend during pregnancy, a weighing scale. We meet everyday.
I’ve gained about 14-15 kilos in total.
There are also a lot of other things you are not allowed to (or prefer not to) do during pregnancy. It made me upset for quite a while. Everyone has different views on the pregnancy so I will not comment what’s right and what’s wrong here. Best is to trust what you know of yourself as well as your pregnancy experience.
These lists are applied for me.
- No raw food, means no sashimi and medium rare steak!
- No soft drinks, coffee, tea (except for chamomile), drinks that contain caffeine and alcohol, and too cold drinks.
- No hair coloring. But I did it, twice, with an organic hair color.
- No teeth whitening.
- Only light exercise is allowed. I do swimming and prenatal yoga twice a week.
But it’s not all that bad. There are good things too. For examples, a healthier lifestyle during pregnancy with lots of nap. I can eat a whole pint of chocolate ice cream and not feeling guilty. More shopping too. I’m never alone because my little one is with me all the time. And I get to see her once every month!
From a peanut size like this.
Till I know her sex.
Here is a 4D ultrasound of my baby at 7 months.
See picture below, my baby girl was sticking out her tongue while we did the scan. And she did that a few times! How playful.. *smiles*
When I was pregnant, I began praying for my little one.
To me, the best thing about being pregnant is watching. Watching our baby grow. Watching myself turn into a mother and my husband turn into a father.
And before I end this post I need to say this… again.
I’m really thankful to everyone around me who always gives me good support. My family (and in-laws), husband, friends and some strangers who is kind enough to me. My pregnancy has gone through smoothly because of them. I am very fortunate to have these people in my life.
Love.- nira
Tagged baby, mother, motherhood, pregnancy, ultrasound
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