May 2, 2016 - climbing up on the sofa so they can just reach the beanstalk or having a camp out with their toys under th
May 2016 | S$5.00
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D I G I T A L E D I T I O N EXCLUSIVE DIGITAL CONTESTS
Mum’s the One! It’s time to get pampered
INSIDE!
Hello, World! Amazing birth stories Bringing home baby – what you need to know
Top 10 Ways to Encourage Creativity
Time to Roll
Kiddie gyms that get your child moving now!
Tots, Tears and Temper Tantrums Put a stop to this habit now
Keep ‘em Clean
Protect your little ones from HFMD
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CONTENTS
May 2016
bump + beyond 12 The ABCs of Pregnancy
Do you know how the letters ‘X’ and ‘Y’ play a part in the conception of your baby? From Braxton Hicks to varicose veins, it’s time to get familiar with your ABCs all over again.
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16 Ease the Quease
Nausea and mild vomiting are common symptoms in early pregnancy but you don't have to suffer any longer! It’s time you try these morning sickness treatments.
19 Diary 20 Your Birth Stories
Hello baby! Mother’s Day is just around the corner and these mums share their amazing birth stories – the day they could call themselves mum.
24 You’re a Mum! Now What?
Baby’s home and you may have waited for this day for what may have seemed like the longest time, but now what? Here’s what you can expect in the first few months with a brand new baby.
26 Real Life: Surviving Oesophageal Atresia: Baby Yujia
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46
33-month-old Xie Yujia was born with a rare birth condition – her gullet is not connected to her stomach as part of her food pipe is missing. The name for this condition is “oesophageal atresia”.
28 Body & Mind: Bleeding During Pregnancy
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It is usually not a cause for concern but how do you know when you should see you gynaecologist?
new mum's buyers guide 33 Fun with Furniture
Wouldn’t you say that decorating (or redecorating) is always fun? Whether you are thinking of giving your little one’s room an overhaul, or simply adding a few pieces of essential furniture, here’s what you can look out for.
early years 42 Preventing HFMD
With HFMD present all year round in Singapore, how can you ensure your child is kept safe?
46 TV: Am I Doing it Right?
As far as you may try not to let your little one watch TV, the tube can sometimes come in handy when you need to get lunch started or when you need to reply to a quick email. But what impact does the media have on kids? MH speaks to the experts.
48 Kiddie Gyms
Tumbling around is lots of fun for kids, especially with the many gyms available. But what is it all about?
52 The Crying Game
It is amazing how your little tot can turn on the waterworks when she doesn’t get her way. While it is perfectly normal, here’s how you can put a stop to this habit.
the zone 08 The Shelf 09 Watch this Space 10 Know: What’s Happening? 11 Tech Mums 40 Fab Finds
Want to share your feedback on a product you love that’s listed in Motherhood? Click on this icon to let us know!
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62 modern mums 70 When Life Gives You Lemons Who would have thought that this little fruit would have so many uses? From freshening up your home to keeping your bath spotless, MH fills you in.
29
style sense
71 More Time for What Matters MH shares the best tips to find time for what you love.
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74 We Love… Stop and Smell the Flowers 76 Life's Simple Pleasures
Mummies, if you have yet to do so, it's time to take a time out and get pampered.
56 special
feature
experts say 45 Health Matters 59 Mind Your Manners 65 First Classroom
juniors
in every issue
60 We Try, You Try: Have Some Serious Fun!
06 Ed Says
In the very academically driven world that is Singapore, many neglect to consider that physical development – especially in babies and toddlers, are also critical in ensuring coordination, brain development and integration.
62 Busy Bees and Social Butterflies
MH explores the child that is a social butterfly versus a busy bee and provides advice on how you can nurture both.
66 Say it with Words: An Activity Guide
Teach your child to read with our activity guide to phonics.
67 10 Ways to Encourage Independent, Creative Play
It’s amazing where a child’s imagination can take them – climbing up on the sofa so they can just reach the beanstalk or having a camp out with their toys under the dining table. Want to do more to encourage their creativity? Here’s how.
80 Babes & Bubs 86 Subscription
BUMP+BEYOND
Surviving Oesophageal Atresia: Baby Yujia 33-month-old Xie Yujia was born with a rare birth condition – her gullet is not connected to her stomach as part of her food pipe is missing. The name for this condition is “oesophageal atresia”. WORDS CHRISTEL GERALYN GOMES
A
t almost three years of
With all of that to deal with, it wasn’t
More Bad News
age, Yujia has never yet
easy for parents Jamie and Wen
When their surgical team finally
had the joy of tasting a
Long to watch their beloved daughter
emerged, Jamie was met with a grim
meal. Instead, she is still
struggle with surgery after surgery, and
doctor who called the surgery “very
complication after complication.
challenging”. Heart sinking, Jamie was
fed a liquid diet through a hole that has been surgically made in her intestine. Yujia suffers from oesophageal atresia.
The First Surgery
stomach” in surgery, which Jamie knew,
Yujia’s doctor first diagnosed her with
was not good news. “Pulling it means
the condition when she choked on her
you bring the stomach up, so there’s
own saliva two days after birth. Surgery
risk of tearing and then infection…
Atresia comes in different forms and
was scheduled the very next day to
which was what happened to Yujia in
the term simply means that a body
rectify the problem but to everyone’s
the end,” she said.
passage such as the oesophagus,
dismay, her doctors found that the
rectum, ear canal or even the passage
gap was too wide to be fixed only after
and exhausting as Yujia battled the
between the liver and small intestine is
opening her up.
infection caused by the leakage.
What is Oesophageal Atresia?
abnormally closed or absent. Oesophageal atresia is when
The plan then was to allow time for Yujia to grow before next attempting
The next two weeks were tedious
Meanwhile, Jamie simply wanted to bring her daughter home.
the gullet is disrupted or formed
to connect her oesophagus to her
abnormally. Yujia’s atresia is of the
stomach. They waited for five months
Of Tubes and Tears
“long-gap” variety, which means the
before their medical team decided it
“I was very anxious…too anxious and
gap between the two blind pouches
was time to try again. Full of hope,
overconfident. In the end I realised
that mark the ends of the incomplete
Jamie and Wen Long waited 12 anxious
bringing her home meant she had to
food pipe are very far apart, making
hours for their baby to come out of
be on a feeding machine all the time. I
joining them together surgically tricky
surgery, when the surgery was initially
just wanted to bring her home, I didn’t
and rife with complications.
expected to take only four to five.
think of all the other things… taking
Along with atresia came a whole host of other associated medical problems. Yujia had microcephaly, echogenic kidneys (cysts in her kidneys), cardiac defects and also a tear in her left retina.
26
soon told that they had to “pull the
Click here to read more! • DIGITAL EDITION • MAY 2016
care of her was worse than being an ICU nurse.” Eventually Yujia had to be brought back to the hospital for a while to recuperate where she was tested for gastric reflux, which was found to be present. A new treatment plan was needed to fix Yujia’s biggest problem: she still can’t eat normally.
IMAGES COURTESY OF BERNICE WONG
REAL LIFE
EARLY YEARS
TV: Am I Doing this Right? As far as you may try not to let your little one watch TV, the tube can sometimes come in handy when you need to get lunch started or when you need to reply to a quick email. But what impact does the media have on kids? MH speaks to the experts. WORDS DR NICOLA DAVIES
I
n today’s world, it is a stark reality
risks. A perplexing question faced by
project? Perhaps your child is only three
that many families must work –
mothers of the 21st century is: “I’m
years old and needs constant attention.
both mother and father. Family
busy at this moment in time, so what
An easy solution? Turn on the television.
life must be balanced with professional
can I do with my child…can I let them
This is a simple solution, yet a source
goals. Another reality of the modern
watch television?”
of much anxiety for many parents.
world is technology. Television,
46
TV can be enriching and educational,
computers, tablets and mobile devices
Why am I Feeling Guilty?
permeate our daily life. They add great
Have you come home from work a little
young child. So, for a mother who is
convenience and command great
late, picked the kids up from daycare
concerned about the true impact of TV
multi-tasking ability, but there are
and still need to cook dinner, or finish a
on their child, let’s explore some options
• DIGITAL EDITION • MAY 2016
and decidedly impressionistic to a
Click here to read more!
EARLY YEARS
It is amazing how your little tot can turn on the waterworks when she doesn’t get her way. While it is perfectly normal, here’s how you can put a stop to this habit. WORDS SUE-ANN BAUMGÄRTEL
THE CRYING GAME 52
Click here to read more! • DIGITAL EDITION • MAY 2016
JUNIORS
Ten Ways to Encourage Independent, Creative Play It’s amazing where a child’s imagination can take them – climbing up on the sofa so they can just reach the beanstalk or having a camp out with their toys under the dining table. Want to do more to encourage their creativity? Here’s how. WORDS MING E. WONG
M
any parents lament that kids
numb the brain and muscles. We need
make the time now and then. It’s great for
today spend too much time
play that encourages concentration,
bonding – believe you me, the time when
watching TV or playing on
imagination and creativity, and where the
they don’t want to hang out with you will
the computer. You see kids on the train
kids are more a producer of ideas rather
come soon enough! If you don’t have
and at food courts totally attached to their
than a consumer.
the time to play with them continuously,
e-devices. Nobody runs wild in kampongs
To get them started, kids need
at least promise you’ll check in now and
or explores monsoon drains anymore.
three important things – somewhere
then. Also, give them playmates by joining
While we can’t or perhaps don’t want to
safe to play, something to play with
a play group or inviting other kids around.
go back to those days, e-devices aren’t
and someone to play with. Ideally, you
the only way to play. In fact, they can
should be one of their playmates, so
Make sure that you more or less have what you will need handy at home. For
Click here to read more! MAY 2016 • DIGITAL EDITION •
67
MODERN MUMS
01 02
03
Let these blooms add a little colour to your every day.
Stop and Smell
Flowers
the
05 04 06
01 Emerson Satchel $389 Fossil 02 Marc Jacobs Daisy $148 (100ml) TANGS At Tang Plaza 03 Dolce & Gabbana $295 Optical 88 @ ION Orchard 04 Hydrangea Turnlock Handbag $255 Cath Kidston 05 Melissa Harmonic Garden IV $95 MDreams 06 Melissa Harmonic + Alexandre Herchcovitch $125 MDreams
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Click here to read more! • DIGITAL EDITION • MAY 2016
MODERN MUMS
Life’s Simple Pleasures Mummies, if you have yet to do so, it’s time to take a time out and get pampered. No idea where to start? MH gives you some ideas.
M
ummies, listen up! Your days don’t just have to be filled with mummy and work duties. Doesn’t a massage right about now sound good? Well, why not make an
appointment? Don’t just think about it...do it…because we all need a little pampering every now and then.
Hands On! Nothing beats a nice relaxing massage to ease all your tension away. Book yourself a room on your own or with your bestie and get ready to be pampered. Think scented candles, soothing music, and low lights. Whether you need to relax or reenergise or simply take time out, a massage can do wonders for your body and mind. Pregnant mummies, you don’t have to feel left out. There are
Call it a Girl’s Night
many places that offer massages for mums-to-be. And we all know
Make a date with the girls and let the
that expectant mummies all need a little pampering especially when
fun begin! Whether you choose to have
the aches set in. Studies have also shown that not only do massages
a night in with a movie marathon and
feel good, it can reduce anxiety, decrease symptoms of depression
popcorn, or to treat yourselves to a fancy
as well as relieve aches and pains. But when deciding on where to
dinner and drinks and then to a little bit of
go for your massage, be sure to find a massage therapist who is
dancing or maybe it’s as simple at getting
certified in prenatal massage.
a slice of cake together, it doesn’t matter. Just be sure to have fun with the girls
To Try!
whatever you choose to do.
Here’s an exclusive spa treatment – the Baby and You massage promises to ease away tension while keeping you feeling nurtured
Visit!
and supported at this very special time in your life. Be assured that
Be amazed by an impressive array of
the oils used to nourish and care for your skin is safe for both you
delectable creations from French tearoom
and your baby. You’re just a phonecall away from getting pampered
,Angelina. For a tea date that you won’t
just the way you deserve.
soon forget, try Angelina’s signature hot chocolate – the L’Africain as well as the Le Mont-Blanc.
The Spa
ntal Mandarin Orie 33 35 85 68 Tel: oriental.com www.mandarin
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• DIGITAL EDITION • MAY 2016
Angelina
Capitol Piazza 6384 0481 paris.fr/en www.angelina-
Click here to read more!