97th week of motherhood

9jul - 15jul'12
- went groceries shopping after lunch for consecutive few days
- made Duzhong shouwu soup 杜仲首乌汤 on Sat
-

95th week of motherhood

25jun - 1jul'12


- enquired at CPF hotline

- cleaned the stand fan & dry mop the floor
- borrowed NLB books and redeemed a folder
- attended a Seminar at CPF in Mandarin

- first & last class at The Sentinel (Novena MRT) till the end of the year probably

- borrowed NLB books and made another redemption

- hub made Duzhong & shouwu soup for the 2nd time this month
- went wet marketing in the morning

Daily Menu for postpartum by confinement lady

8am Breakfast
chee cheong fun
fried veg beehoon
oats bread w strawberry jam & olive spread for breakfast
fried noodles w carrots and mushroom & warm soy drink
poh chai mee soup w egg
chee cheong fun & warm soy drink


12nn Lunch
steamed tofu w carrots, fried ginger & veg soup
po cai, fried ginger & veg meat & soup
multigrain porridge & cabbage w veg chicken, mushrooms & herbal soup w veg dumplings
xiao bai cai w carrots, veg chicken & herbal soup w veg mutton balls
cabbage w carrots, veg chicken & veg soup (carrots, quail eggs, potatoes, sweet corn w veg mutton balls)
red leaf vegetables & fried egg w old ginger & black bean soup
xiao bai cai w carrots & veg soup w sweet corn, pearl beans

3rd week of motherhood

20sep-26sep

- had poh chai mee & fried egg w mushroom for breakfast
- 22nd time expressed 4.5oz of milk after breakfast
- napped after lunch but can't fall asleep, SMSed fren abt subscribing to phoenix IDD
- 23rd time expressed 4.6oz of milk after lunch
- dharma fren just out of cf and NB bb shower just over (2nd child boy born on 15 Aug, at wk 38)
- had dau ghee w veg meat & black bean soup for dinner
- updated expenses and blog
- 24th time expressed 4.6oz of milk before sleep

- 25th time expressed 3.7oz of milk at 6plus in the morning (having bad dreams these days and woke up after shouted loudly)
- had fried noodles & warm soy drink for breakfast (feet still swollen after delivery)
- sorted photos in the PC and sorted the receipts of expenses
- Nursing Home called to say they've sent Uncle to the hospital, doc called at 9.17am to say Uncle suffered from major stroke
- had warm soy drink for tea1
- had veg pig's stomach 'zhu du3' w xiao bai cai, mushroom, tofu for lunch
- napped and rested on bed & SMSed to Uncle's colleague friends to inform of hospitalisation
- 26th time expressed 4.3oz of milk
- had dow meow & soup for dinner
- darling went to buy fruits for offering (Mid-Autumn Festival tomorrow)
- had korean ginseng soup for supper
- 27th time expressed 5.2oz of milk

- recycling collection this morning (the worker had a cigarette in his mouth & carrying another bag from our Korean neighbour)
- 28th time expressed 4.25oz of milk at 4plus in the morning
- had warm soy drink and pancake w french beans for breakfast
- cf lady helped to change the bedsheets and pillow cases (changed last month before delivery)
- had potatoes w veg dau ghee & veg soup w sweet corn, pearl beans, veg dumplings, carrots for lunch

2nd week of motherhood

13sep-19sep

- had fried noodles w carrots and mushroom & hot soy drink for breakfast
- had xiao bai cai w carrots & herbal soup w veg mutton balls for lunch
- called to make gynae postnatal consultation and towel bathed
- 5th time expressed 4.33oz of milk after lunch
- had veg chicken w mushrooms & veg soup for dinner

- 6th time expressed 4oz of milk
- had poh chai mee w egg for breakfast
 - had cabbage w carrots, veg chicken & veg soup (carrots, quail eggs, potatoes, sweet corn w veg mutton balls) for lunch
- 7th time expressed 4.06oz of milk after lunch
- darling had applied BC for little TK (bb gg to see doc if unwell)

- napped after cleaned up & darling bought $10 'jing feng san3' nearby (pa called to say TCM near his hs sell at $16 maybe better quality)
- had oats bread w strawberry jam & breastmilk for tea
- had call from F**** to receive a free 900g tin of formula milk stage 1
- had veg chicken w black ear fungus w potatoes, tofu w mixed veg & veg soup for dinner
- darling went to buy groceries w pa (2% Elderly & BYOB discount & items on offer) & saved $3.20 (had an apple)
- 8th time expressed 3oz of milk

- 9th time expressed 3.72oz of milk
- had chee cheong fun & soy drink for breakfast
- warm in the morn w no wind
- darling went to buy plain flour as Aunt suspect bb may be feeling discomfort around the shoulder blades & whole body (to rub) for his frequent cries
- cleared bowels (later gg to gynae consultation w ma)
- dark clouds at 9am and heavy downpour (went to nap)
- 10th time expressed 2.23oz of milk

- had red leaf vegetables & fried egg w old ginger & black bean soup for lunch
- watched abit of TV and napped again after updating expenses and journal (had oats bread sandwich w fried egg & soy drink for tea)
- 2nd time wiped hair scalp with herbal bath solution (wet towel dry after lunch)
- took a cab to the gynae w ma ($5 fare) and darling came shortly before it's our turn (quite a crowd at the gynae)
- gynae said the wound is healing well
- little bb TK has some stuck to his back and shoulders after rubbing plain flour w water and abit on his chest (will be gone after a few days)

1st week of motherhood

6sep-12sep

- woke up at 4.40am and 6.55am to go to the washroom
- going to gynae to induce delivery w mum in the morning
- had 2 pc oats bread for breakfast
- mum bought a pkt of rice from Novena Sq Lingzhi Vege Restaurant and we shared
- we bought bought a pkt of bread (she was buying for dad, and me bought for darling as he may feel hungry tonight when I'm delivering, but we finished half pkt while waiting at the gynae)
- had 2 doses of pill inserted to induce delivery and felt slight contraction by 3plus
- reached home 4.10pm and mum prepared potato soup for dinner
- admitted tonight w darling at 7plus after abit leakage

- BC registration at TMC is $39.40 while at ICA is $18 (within 42 days after Singaporean child is born)
- bb born after midnight (~5h) and weigh ~3kg vaginal birth w/o epidural
- longest hour of my life when nurse Ms. Wang told me that I need to wait for another centimetre of dialation at 11pm- bb born before 12 midnight is charged for that day in hospital
- finally I can push at 11.45pm (~50min) but it was like the longest marathon I ever had (10km in ~67min) and very breathless

- nurse came to check my tummy (pressing on it was uurrrggghfully pain lor) and blood pressure 3 times in the night
- had to urinate latest by 6.30am or have to insert tube (so sip warm water obediently)
- darling lunch @Dolcevita at Mandarin oriental
- families & collegues came to visit and not all got to see little bb (by 2pm and by 8pm) as visiting hours are over (10am - 2pm; 4pm - 8pm)
- had minimal painkillers and doc said the wound healing well

- passed motion finally w/in 48h of labour (had been passing wind since)
- the food is good except I only got to enjoy once the veg fish and green papaya soup for morn tea (complimentary for breastfeeding mums)
- weather was cool and raining outside (felt cold & abit backache at night)
- suspect the mattress had to be flipped and turned upside down, bottom top but nurse said no need, so I requested for extra blanket to tuck beneath my back
- darling and family came to visit (pa & ma carried little bb and darling too and ma tried to feed for the first time)

Vegetarian Pig’s Trotters and Groundnut Soup or Porridge

Ingredients:

pig’s trotters Vegetarian dau ghee
200 g fresh groundnuts
1 spoonful of Chinese vinegar


Method:

   1. Clean and split the trotters.
   2. Boil and simmer with groundnuts in water.
   3. Add a pinch of salt and vinegar.
   4. Cook until it becomes soft.
   5. Rice can be added to make porridge.

Vegetarian Fish and Papaya Soup

Ingredients:

200 g green (unripe) papaya
Fish bones or a whole fish (eg. carp, snakehead, sea bream, promfret)Vegetarian Mock Fish
Slices of ginger

Note: in order not to waste the fish meat, use the bones, head or tail.
Method:
   1. Cut the vegetarian fish into mouthful size cubes.
   2. Simmer the pieces of papaya and ginger for 1 hour or until it becomes soft.
   3. Add in the vegetarian fish and bring to boil before simmer. Ready for serving. You are supposed to take it consecutively for three days. Avoid stirring during cooking.
   4. Optional to eat the papaya.

Miso and its benefits

- smooth, dark puree made from soybeans, fermented barley or rice and sea salt
- aged together over a period of several months to several years
- provides a nutritious balance of complex carbohydrates, essential oils, protein, vitamins and minerals

- contains living enzymes that help digest food, lower cholesterol and increase friendly bacteria (esp helpful when taking antibiotics)
- to keep these enzymes alive, miso is never boiled during cooking

Soups for expectant women or mums recovering from caesarean sections

- soups are warm, nurturing and easy to absorb
- for expectant women in their 1st or last trimester, for mums recovering from caesarean sections with difficuties digesting or nursing mums of fussy babies
- alternatively, you may get your vitamins and minerals via raw vegetables

- TCM recommends warm foods because of their effect on the spleen which transforms food into energy
- if baby seems more uncomfortable and active at night, try taking fuller breakfast, lunch and snacks, and have a hearty soup for dinner
- you may want to buy a hand blender or an immersion blender which blends hot soups and sauces in the pot

- when baby comes to weaning, you may need it to prepare puree small batches of food
- these soups can be made in advance and refrigerated or frozen, and reheated to be used