How do I know if I am pregnant? Are there symptoms or signs?
Latest discussions Summary View
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Joyz
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Food and drink to avoid during pregnancy
kokila
What are the food and drinks to avoid during pregnancy?
E.g. Coffee , Tea, Pineapple , Mango, Tuna , Shark Fin, Seafood. ANything else?
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roshni
Dont forget durian!
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dheeraj
Alcohollllll
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dheeraj
And for after you’ve given birth- keep this in mind: Diet tips for breastfeeding
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admin
You will find a ton of recipes and advice here: http://sg.theasianparent.com/articles/category/pregnancy-singapore/recipes
Congrats!
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Epidural causes backache?
sangry
I had my first child17 mths ago through epi c-section. After the op, my back aches frequently. is it due to epidural? is there a cure?
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roshni
Epidural does not cause backache. That’s a myth!
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admin
Epidural may cause some complications. Read this article for more info – http://sg.theasianparent.com/articles/pregnancy-concerns-epidurals-complications
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How to increase breast milk supply?
preggy
I plan to breastfeed my baby right after giving birth but I am worried that I might be able to provide enough breast milk for my baby because I have small breasts. Does breast size have effect on breast milk supply? Can you tell me how I can increase breast milk supply?
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Annabelle
My mother in law cooked papaya soup.. She uses a lot of fish bone and fresh papaya to
cook the soup.. And it really increases the milk…add peppers into the soup if u find it too fishy.. But i’m
already used to the taste.. I don’t have big breast too.. -
jj
i personally tin dat breast size affects the quantity of milk
coz i heard dat frenz who have more breast milk so happens to be those who have a bigger breast size than me, n for me i don’t have much breast milk… 
perhaps you could try green papaya w/ fish soup or red date water to increase d milk supply, it helps for some but not for me…gd luck -
jlly
Don’t worry, breast size does not affect milk supply. I am not well endowed & I am still breastfeeding my 2 year old
. All mommies will have enough milk for their babies IF you start on the right steps. 1) Read more on what to expect during early days at http://www.llli.org & http://www.kellymom.com. Remember, knowledge is power! The more you read now, the more prepare you’ll be for any set backs that might crop up.
2) Try to latch baby on within 1st hour after you give birth cos baby is most alert then.
3) Latch baby on as much as you can (every 2 hours once during the day & 3-4 hours once during the night)
4) DON’T skip night feeds – cos our milk making hormone is highest at night. We need all the stimulation we can.
5) IF baby cant latch, pump every 2 hours (just like IF they’re latched on).
6) Breastfeed on demand – meaning when baby cry, latch baby on.
Good luck!
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Siti Mulianah
Please know that in the first 2 – 5 days, your milk supply might not be a lot. But do not despair. It is nature. The supply will be more and be naturally the perfect amount, temperature and nutrients for your child. And NO… breast size does not matter!!! Ask that to the gynae or lacation nurses. I’ve been breastfeeding my 3-year-old girl since birth and now my 5 months old girl too. Both feeding and still enough to store extra for her in infant care. Most importantly, if you want to breastfeed, do not care what people say. Do not be discourage. Many myths around and please check with a lactation nurse or your gynae for confirmation.
Eat a balanced diet is good for you and baby =) You need to eat and rest enough. Be strong, mummy! Good luck.
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What to do for confinement?
preggy
I’m due to give birth on March 2010 and I am at a loss as to what to do during my confinement since this is my first time. Should I get a confinement lady or can I manage it on my own with husband’s help? What are the do’s and don’ts in confimenent? Please help me.
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isabelle
Hi,im a mom of a 3yrs old ger!!i have help my sis in law do her confinment!!U cant touch water,cant eat seafood etc,must drink n eat more gingers,liver,lots of tonic things!! still got lots more to avoid ..U may email mi at isabelleong0683@yahoo.com.sg if u have anything dunno wanna ask!! =)
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Judy
If this is your 1st time, Get a confirmment lady if no elderly is doing for u. U need to eat well and rest well after giving birth. i done mine in jul 09, do it well u will stay healthy for a long time. What Isabella say is right, man can’t manage if he has to work, u need someone experience to tell u what to do. There are alot do & don’t but whether u follow is another matter. Like i never bath for 26days till when i shower, i use old ginger & lemon grass boil for long time to bath. Better follow if u choose to believe as we need lots of energy later as we need look after the little one.
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Daphne
Hi there…..I would think you need a confinement lady….during confinement period…there are a lot of do’s and don’ts …..which some of it its hard and difficult for you to do it yourself or your husband……and because during that period….you and your husband will be stress, with the wound healing, handling of baby, emotional ups and downs……confinement lady comes in very handy and useful………I had a very good confinement lady during my confinement time so I really enjoyed the process! For my next baby, I think I would engage back the same lady, this time not for 1 month but 2 months!
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shiling86
when i had my first child last year, i engage a confinement lady. will encourage you to hire one because you will need a lot of rest after child birth. moreover, we cannot touch water and need alot of help when it comes to doing household chores as well as taking care of the baby.
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To quit or not to quit full time work after childbirth?
preggy
I have a full-time work now but I am thinking of quitting my work after I give birth to my third child on March of this year. I want to quit work so I can be a stay-at-home mother and take care of my children without getting a maid. Do you think it is wise for me to quit work or I should not? Somehow, I am still confused on what to do after I give birth.
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roshni
That’s a tough question. What does your hubby say to it?
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Siti Mulianah
Congrats! I do envy those who have many children =) It depends on your objective of working. For career advancement or provide for family (helping your hubby)? But from my experience, I’d rather be home. Kids grow so fast. Before you know it, they’re getting married. Would love to spend time with them for now =)
Currently, who is taking care of your children? If you continue working, who’s caring for the baby? You have to weigh all that. Talk to your hubby and weigh the + and -. Make the decision together. Good Luck!
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shiling86
hi there! congrats. most important question is whether you and your hubby is financially stable. if both of you are, then you can think of staying at home to take care of your little one.
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Can radiation from computer harm baby inside my tummy?
preggy
Do you believe that radiation from PC can harm unborn baby in my tummy? You see, I’m 6 months pregnant but I spend much time daily in front of the computer due to work I am doing. Do you think I should stop working in front of PC or are there ways which will prevent my baby from being affected by radiation? Can you share your ideas?
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roshni
The term radiation is a broad term that covers a large number of wave energies to which we may be exposed. The most concerning are the electromagnetic waves (EMF) of very short wavelength that we refer to as ionizing radiation, i.e., x rays, radioactive materials like radium, or radioactive iodine. Very high exposures to ionizing radiation can affect a developing embryo.
Many other forms of electomagnetic radiation do not have this potential, i.e., power lines, computers, microwave ovens, or radio waves (both FM and AM bands). These are nonionizing EMF of much longer wavelength. We even have ultrasound (sonography) which are physical waveforms that are audible sound or ultrasound. Only the ionizing radiation has the potential to harm your developing embryo if the exposure is high enough. The other forms of radiation to which we are usually exposed do not have this potential.
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Information on Birth Trauma
Adida Shahab
Birth Trauma.
The nature of your birth can be one of the most crucial factors in determining your whole future – whether for better or for worse, whether as a positive influence or a negative influence – not just your babyhood or your childhood, but the very nature of your whole life.On the positive side, a fluent and easy birth may contribute to a healthy, happy baby, who subsequently enjoys a contented and comfortable childhood and consequently develops the skills and confidence which lead to a happy and successful life.
On the other hand, birth can be very traumatic. It can result in severe physical disabilities which significantly limit development and capability. It can result in psychological and emotional trauma which determines the whole psycho-emotional development of the individual.
There are of course many stages in between these two extremes, but ultimately each and every one of us is significantly affected by the nature of our birth to a greater or lesser extent.
In its most severe manifestations, a difficult birth may lead to brain damage, cerebral palsy (spasticity) or autism, or may contribute to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (cot death). In less severe cases, it may lead to dyslexia, dyspraxia, learning difficulties, hyperactivity, epilepsy, obsessional behaviour, personality disorders, and a wide range of developmental difficulties.
But in each and every one of us (supposedly “normal” individuals) the nature of our birth, in some form or other, may play an important fundamental role in determining every aspect of our nature – our physical constitution, our underlying level of health and strength, our mental ability, our emotional stability, our muscular co-ordination and consequently our sporting and other motor skills. Compression, tension and restriction around the base of the cranium may significantly restrict blood supply to the brain, with profound consequences on brain development, affecting our intelligence, our memory, our academic ability, or determining whether our left brain or right brain develops more fully – and consequently whether we are more artistic or mathematically minded.
Birth trauma may contribute to a susceptibility to allergies, asthma, migraine, squint, ear infections and a whole multitude of other disorders as well as influencing the development of all our body systems – the nervous system, the digestive system, the immune system, and consequently in so many ways may determine our very nature.Birth can be a very beautiful experience
Birth can be a very beautiful experience – both for mother and baby. In the context of Cranio-Sacral Therapy we are inevitably concerned with resolving problems and repairing damage and we will therefore be exploring in depth the many problems and difficulties associated with birth, but amidst all of this, let us remember that birth can be a very beautiful experience. It is important to explore how we can contribute to this – and we will be examining later how we can assist this process through positive preparation for birth and appropriate care during pregnancy, and during the birth process itself.
TWO MAIN ELEMENTS
The effects of Birth Trauma can be broadly divided into two main elements:
1. The physical forces exerted on the baby – intense compression, rotation, distortion, with consequent pressures and impingement on organs, blood vessels, nerves and on the brain itself
2. Shock effects. The shock effects are perhaps less widely recognised and perhaps less obviously visible or tangible, but are probably more fundamental and significant in the majority of cases.Shock
Since the shock effects of birth trauma are probably more important, let us examine them first. How would you (an adult) respond to shock? How would your system react for example to a severe car accident, a mugging or some such traumatic experience?
Almost certainly your system would react in a multitude of ways:
• Your solar plexus would become highly stimulated
• Your heart would race
• Your cardiac plexus or heart chakra might become tight or highly activated
• Your breathing would probably become shallow and rapid
• Your diaphragm might contract and be held tight
• Your muscles would contract, tense and tighten
• Your whole body would be likely to contract and tighten
• The blood might drain from various parts of your body
• Your mental faculties might feel stunned and unclear
• In summary you would go into a state of shock
• Your sympathetic nervous system would be highly stimulated – hence the agitation in your solar plexus and cardiac plexusAnd what does the Sympathetic Nervous System influence or regulate? – a multitude of structures throughout your body – closing down your digestive system, increasing your heart rate, increasing breathing rate, constricting blood vessels, influencing almost every organ in the body in some way or another and stimulating your adrenal glands to secrete adrenalin to further stimulate and perpetuate the state of agitation.
So how do you think a baby responds when subjected to the traumatic experience of being compressed extremely forcefully (any mother can tell you how much force goes into pushing a baby out), twisted and turned and pushed through a birth canal far too narrow for an easy passage, generally taking several hours, sometimes 24 hours or more, often becoming stuck, the baby’s heart beat varying from extremely rapid to almost stopping under the force of pressure, and perhaps even finding itself being grabbed around the head with a pair of forceps or a suction cap to be pulled out into the noisy glare of life – and all this after nine months of peaceful, warm cosy existence cocooned within its mother’s womb. Not surprisingly, the baby reacts with much the same effects as anyone subjected to shock and trauma – with agitation, over stimulation, tension, sympathetic stimulation, a tight agitated solar plexus, tense agitated cardiac plexus, breathing difficulty, a tight diaphragm, muscular contraction, digestive shutdown, adrenalin secretion – agitation, tension and shock.
The consequences of shock
Is it surprising then that so many babies suffer colic, cry and scream, are restless and agitated, and sleep poorly? And is it surprising that, if these shock effects are not dealt with, then these babies may grow into restless hyperactive children who may have difficulty concentrating and keeping still, and as a result may suffer educationally. And if their needs are still not met, then perhaps they may develop into restless, irritable, overactive, stressed adults. Or in some cases if they can’t settle into school and education, then perhaps they may develop into restless, disruptive teenagers, perhaps tending towards delinquency, and in some cases perhaps gravitating towards criminality or psychological break-down.
Once the system is in shock, it has difficulty coping with life. It has to work harder to respond to every eventuality. It has to struggle just to deal with ordinary everyday activities, and subsequent shocks will affect it more readily, activating the already shocked predisposition, adding layer upon layer of shock – and consequent reaction – to the original fundamental patterns.
An adult who is free of ingrained shock, who is fortunate enough to be robust and healthy, and who therefore has developed strong and positive patterns of response to their environment, may be able to deal with all manner of difficulties, accidents, shocks and traumas – because they have the underlying resources and abilities to cope with them – although even in a robust adult, severe traumas can of course overwhelm them and undermine their physical and mental wellbeing.
An adult with shock ingrained in their system from Birth Trauma (or other childhood traumas) will not only be struggling harder physically and mentally with every day life, but will also be more powerfully affected by subsequent shocks – which will all the more readily add layer upon layer of further shock to their already predisposed system. Their system will be more readily activated, and they will therefore react more readily to every incident, accident or trauma, each of which will wear them down further and leave them more exhausted.Birth trauma ingrained into the system at such an early age therefore not only creates many direct symptoms and effects as previously described, but also makes everything in life more of a struggle, makes it harder for the individual to cope with all aspects of life, and conditions the individual to react more strongly.
The shock of birth trauma is a profound and fundamental effect, with far reaching consequences affecting so many of us, to a greater or lesser extent. It can affect everything about our lives and is consequently a fundamental theme in the whole understanding and treatment of birth, babies, children – and the adults who develop from those babies and children.
Deeply Ingrained
If shock is not released from the system then it stays in the system; and the longer it is there, the more ingrained it becomes, setting our habit patterns for the rest of our lives – habit patterns that become increasingly difficult to change as each year goes by.
The effects will of course vary from person to person, depending on many other factors.
• Some people may become more active, some may freeze with shock.
• Some may be perpetually overstimulated, busy, hyperactive, restless, unable to keep still.
• Others may feel agitated, nervy, over-reactive, irritable, angry.
• Others may feel over-sensitive – to noise, to light, to other people, to ordinary everyday life, to foods.
• Some may respond to their over-sensitivity by becoming shy, withdrawn, tearful, delicate, fragile.You will inevitably find shock to be a fundamental element in a great many people – arising not only from birth trauma, but also from other traumatic incidents – car accidents, severe injuries, falls, emotional shocks, bereavements. The earlier the shock is experienced the more deeply ingrained it becomes and the more deeply it influences behavioural patterns for the rest of life – hence the fundamental importance of Birth Trauma.
If the shock is not cleared from the system, then it sets all of our patterns for the future. For the most part it is not addressed, released or dealt with – and hence the widespread consequences of Birth Trauma that we see all around us.
Fortunately, in Cranio-Sacral Therapy we have what is probably the most effective means of treating shock and releasing it from the system, and therefore the potential to transform the lives, not only of so many individuals, but ultimately contributing to a significant transformation of a society populated and therefore moulded by those individuals.
Amy was brought to me at the age of 6 months. She had apparently screamed non-stop, day and night for all of those six months, from the day that she was born until that moment. Her parents were not only totally exhausted through endless sleepless nights and no rest or respite at any time during the day; they were under enormous strain, unable to take their daughter anywhere, unable to put her down for a moment, unable to see friends due to the incessant screaming. They were driven to distraction, they were in a state of desperation. They were on the point of breaking up.
As I rested my hands lightly on Amy’s solar plexus, her system started to soften. Her body relaxed. She settled down. Within seconds she stopped screaming – for the first time in her life. Within minutes she was asleep. From that moment on she was a happy contented little girl who subsequently grew up ‘normally’ and her parents’ marriage was saved.Several lives were transformed in those few minutes.
The physical forces of Birth Trauma
The shock element is clearly a most fundamental element in Birth Trauma. But the physical forces imposed on the body during birth not only contribute to the shock, but also have profound influences on the system from a direct physical level.
Consider the birth process: the baby is squeezed head first down a canal too narrow to allow an easy passage, and the infant’s head is compressed and forced through this narrow canal during a process which generally lasts several hours, and which may last twenty-four hours or more.
Consider also the cranium of a new born baby: not a solid bony structure (otherwise it wouldn’t pass through the canal at all) but a delicate membranous balloon, the cranial vault consisting of plates of soft incomplete bone connected by membrane, and the cranial base being pliable, partly formed bone connected by areas of malleable growth cartilage.Intense compression of this delicate structure over many hours (as is the case with most births) pushes the bones of the cranium up against each other and distorts the shape of the head considerably. This is normal and inevitable; but if the cranial bones remain in this state, or if they fail to release completely, then these distortions may prevent the proper formation of the skull, and thereby restrict development of the brain.
This is aggravated by the fact that humans, having developed larger brains and therefore larger heads, therefore have greater difficulty passing such a large head through the birth canal.
Fortunately the body’s inherent self-healing and self-correcting mechanisms are also powerful; and on emerging from the birth canal these self-corrective forces are able to remould the compressed cranium back into roughly the shape and formation for which it was designed. However, this innate remoulding is seldom completely successful, and the degree to which the restrictions and compressions are resolved varies considerably from individual to individual, depending primarily on the nature of the birth process.For most of us the resultant cranial restrictions (and consequent effects on our health and brain development) will be relatively minor. But with a difficult birth or protracted labour, where compression of the baby’s cranium has been prolonged and forceful, or aggravated by malpositioning, or perhaps by over-zealous use of forceps, then the bones of the cranium may become so firmly compressed against each other or distorted to such an extent that the body’s inherent healing forces are not able to resolve the asymmetry. And this, depending on the degree of distortion involved, is when the more severe symptoms described earlier may arise.
The bones of the cranium should, in a normal healthy state, be able to move freely in relation to each other, articulating at the sutures (or joint lines) where the bones meet. This movement is particularly free in the newborn skull, continuing to a lesser extent well into adulthood as the bones gradually fuse together.
All parts of the cranium, external or deep within the skull, may be subject to displacement and any of the sutures between the bones may be liable to reduced freedom of movement as a result of such compression. Restrictions in any part of the cranium may in turn inhibit brain development, the individual effects varying according to the site of restriction. Reduced mobility in any one part of the cranium is likely to influence the cranium as a whole, and therefore may affect brain development in many different ways.
The occipital bone is particularly susceptible for two reasons: firstly, by virtue of its position at the base of the cranium it is liable to experience a particularly high degree of force and consequent disruption. Secondly, the four portions of the occipital bone surround the foramen magnum and positional disturbances are therefore liable to put pressure on the spinal cord or the medulla with potentially devastating consequences.
Since the occiput at birth is still in four separate portions linked by cartilage it is easy for these separate portions to be displaced from their relative positions, for the cartilaginous growth areas to be compressed, and for all subsequent growth of the occipital bone (and therefore the whole cranium) to be distorted in accordance with this fundamentally asymmetrical pattern.
In the milder patterns which affect all of us to some extent the various symptoms of cranial restriction will emerge gradually as time goes on. In these milder cases the symptoms are likely to be dismissed as a normal’ level of ill health, a ‘normal’ level of limited ability, or simply as personality traits.Even in relatively severe cases, obvious symptoms such as learning difficulties or problems with motor co-ordination may not manifest for several years. This is partly because the distorted cranium may not initially cause any inhibitory effect on brain development, until the brain attempts to grow and develop more fully, and thereby encounters the limiting effects of the bony restriction. And also because major deficiencies in a child’s behaviour may not be apparent until the child reaches an age where more complex patterns of behaviour are expected. In these cases also, the effects such as learning difficulties may he attributed merely to limited ability, to genetic factors, to psychiatric disorders, or to a variety of unknown causes.
In the most severe cases the symptoms may be immediately obvious from the moment of birth, with clearly apparent spasticity, respiratory problems, or cranial distortions. But even in the most severe cases, such as cerebral palsy, the symptoms are more likely to be diagnosed (by the medical orthodoxy) as brain damage, when in fact the brain is merely being inhibited and restricted by severe distortion of the cranium. This is well illustrated by a case history reported by Beryl Arbuckle:
“I would like to cite the case of one newborn. The mother had been in labour twelve hours with the baby in face presentation. At this time caesarean section was performed, but the baby had already sustained its injury. The symptoms were cyanosis, weak cry, tremors, and projectile vomiting. Besides the malalignment of the portions of the occiput around the foramen magnum and bilateral buckling of the mastoid portions of the temporals, the anterior fontanel was obliterated, the frontal bones were fairly flat, and the nasion so depressed that its angulation seemed almost acute.
“Before cranial therapy was requested for this case, the parents had been told that the baby’s brain had been damaged. Let us remember that at birth the cerebrospinal system is that system which is least developed and the brain is, therefore, at this time of life, far from complete.“Projectile vomiting ceased after the first cranial treatment and the cyanosis gradually disappeared, the further administration of oxygen being unnecessary. After the second treatment the baby was able to suck and swallow its maintenance amount. The next two days the baby was left undisturbed by further treatment. The clinical symptoms were entirely eliminated, the forehead was round, there was a good, even anterior fontanel, and the other five fontanels were present, but there still existed the severe angulation at the nasion. With the index finger in the mouth this was corrected easily with the baby’s aid in vigorous sucking. This child, now well into her second year, is normal, which we feel justified in attributing to the fact that she was given the benefit of cranial therapy.”
So whatever the severity or otherwise of the case, cranial symptoms are unlikely to be recongized by the orthodox medical profession as having an origin in the cranio-sacral system or in the birth process, and so the opportunity for immediate and early treatment is missed. Early treatment is extremely important in order to ensure complete resolution and recovery. The separate portions of the temporal and sphenoid bones fuse together during the first year of life; the four portions of the occiput are fused between the ages of three and six years. If distorted growth patterns have become consolidated into the cranial structure by this time then all subsequent growth will be affected to some extent. Even after these ages, and in fact into adulthood and old age, the cranium remains malleable and adaptable. But the longer a distortion pattern is left in the cranium, the longer it will take to treat, and the less complete will be the resolution. Here again a case history from Beryl Arbuckle illustrates the potential:
“A girl aged eleven years was attending a special school, supposedly because she had a very low IQ. She wore snow shoes while walking during the day in order to keep her feet apart. There was slow response and poor co-ordination of the hands. After about a year of cranial treatment, because of physical improvement, the girl was able to enter a state school, and in the first six months two of her stories were printed in a school publication. Did she ever have a low IQ? Now at the age of fourteen she is quick and bright in her mental response, plays the piano well, has a pleasing voice, and her only handicap is an atrophied leg that had been subjected to tenotomy; the other leg developed normally. Now there is a limp, not of the spastic type, but such as we see in a polio victim.”
There are of course many other problems (other than cranial compression) associated with birth, intra-uterine life, and immediate aftercare; and these may be severe or mild, gross or subtle, physical or psycho-emotional. All of these problems will be reflected in the cranio-sacral system, and many of them can be helped by the gentle integrative treatment of cranio-sacral therapy.
Reproduced by kind permission of Caduceus Magazine
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Are You Protecting your Unborn Baby !
vishali
Hi everyone, i am new here. My name is vishali and a SAHM. I have a very lovable baby gal, aged 6 months. My husband is from the military. I have relocated to US for 2 yrs and will only be returning to singapore in 2011. I truely miss Singapore and our Asian lifestyle.
I write articles on Baby Issues which i think every parent want and needs to know.
Protect Your Baby is one article on foods that are harmful for expecting women and fetus.
pls click on link to read http://healthmad.com/women/protect-your-unborn-baby/I welcome your comments
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roshni
Nice article.
So which part of the US are you in?
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vishali
In Idaho, Mountain Home.
Its bitterly cold here -
Adida Shahab
Very informative.
I am a craniosacral therapy (CST) practitioner and I work extensively with mothers and babies. Birth is a traumatic process for both babies and mothers. CST is very beneficial and effective to help babies integrate and reconnect to their original health matrix after their traumatic birth process.
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How much is enough ?
muzse
do most new parents go over board with their purchases of baby products ? Whats enough ? Whats insufficient ? How do you know you have what you need ?
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soupspoon
After my son was born, I sat down and realised that i had accumulated so much unnecessary and unused items during my pregnancy. A baby "backpack" to carry him around in (turns out he absolutely abhorred it), swaddling blankets that promised that baby would be so comfortable that he would sleep all night (which he still has not) and many other items. For reasons unknown, I purchased these items because I thought they would make me a better mother. Now that my son is older and I have become a little wiser. So my advice to you is to save your money! Your new baby just needs the bare minimum!
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sangry
If you plan on having more than one kid, than investing in a good stroller, crib, etc. would be good. However if you’re certain on having just one, then perhaps careful spending on items would be better. However, if you’re uncertain about how many kids you’re gonna have, perhaps purchasing cheaper things would be an option.
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roshni
Throw a baby shower party. You’ll be sure to receive more than enough gifts.
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tap
Sometimes I can incur more expenses than I have planned on purchases for my baby. So, in order for me to prevent that I also think over what my baby really needs and set a budget so that I won’t be tempted to get what my baby does not really want at that time. What is enough is what your baby needs.
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Dang
How soon can I take a pregnancy test?
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Sleep
As soon as u suspect ur preggers
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Dr Dana Elliott
Most test kits are very sensitive.
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what happened to my other comments?
di
i commented on several of the pregnancy questions – now they are gone? have i been censored?
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Hi di! We would not dare censoring you
it is possible that some of the comments on the older version may have got lost in the migration to the new community forum due to some tech hiccups. sorry about that 
BTW, let us have some feedback on the new forum as well -
roshni
Hi Di,
I think the responses are still there.
If you click on the small red number beside the date on some of the pregnancy questions, you’ll see a drop down with your replies.
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Positive Birth Stories
di
Let’s have some positive birth stories – anyone?
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roshni
superb idea! Good to have POSITIVE, encouraging, uplifting birth stories.
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Joanna Tan
I had a 13 hour labour. My waterbag broke at 3am, mad rush to NUH. My Dilation was pretty slow so my Doctor advice me to go on epidural…I hate needles and I would rather endure contractions pain. But no choice since my labour would be pretty long. But all the pain and agony is gone from the moment I set eyes on my baby. Actually the whole process is easier than I expected ! The healing pain wasn’t as painful as I imagine. I was walking around a few hours later.
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di
I’m curious, why the mad rush to hospital if your waters released? Most first time mums have active labour (4cm onwards) of 12 hours, so this was a pretty normal length of labour, definitely nothing to feel the need to speed up. Was the baby ok? Why do you think you had not choices but to have the epidural? Did your doctor provide other options than an epidural?
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Fertility doctor on brink of cloning human
anonymous
A US-based fertility doctor claimed to have cloned 14 human embryos and transferred 11 of them into the wombs of four women in an interview published on Wednesday.
Panayiotis Zavos told Britain’s Independent newspaper that although none of the women had had a viable pregnancy as a result, the first cloned baby could now be born within a couple of years.
“There is absolutely no doubt about it… the cloned child is coming. There is absolutely no way that it will not happen,” he said, quoted by the paper.
“If we intensify our efforts, we can have a cloned baby within a year or two, but I don’t know whether we can intensify our efforts to that extent.”
Zavos’s work is widely condemned by mainstream fertility experts, who question whether the technique, which also raises complex ethical questions, is safe.
Although other scientists have created human cloned embryos in test tubes to extract stem cells for research, Zavos has broken a taboo by actually putting them inside women’s wombs.
He said he has also produced cloned embryos of three dead people, including a 10-year-old girl called Cady who died in a car crash in the US. The child’s blood cells were frozen and sent to Zavos.
The doctor, a naturalised US citizen born in Cyprus, is thought to have carried out the procedures in a secret laboratory somewhere in the Middle East to escape the US ban on cloning.
He uses the same technique as was used to clone Dolly the sheep, the first mammal to be cloned from an adult cell.
The procedures were recorded by a documentary maker and will be shown on the Discovery Channel in Britain later Wednesday.
In 2004, Zavos claimed to have implanted the first human cloned embryo into a woman’s uterus although scientists then expressed scepticism over a lack of proof about his findings.
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Giving up seats on train to pregnant women
anonymous
Hi Guys,
I am a member of another forum, and recently a mum was venting about travelling on trains and people not giving up their seats. I guess this is a common phenomena. So was hoping we could put our brains together and come up with a list of ideas on how to solve this problem.
Here’s the first idea…
Mums in japan get a pregnancy tag to travel on trains when pregnant. they get to clip the tag on their handbag, so people will know that these women are pregnant and they should be offered a seat.
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anonymous
Maybe, there should be a seat allocated JUST to pregnant and elderly personel. Those who are not one of the above and occupied the seats will be fined.
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anonymous
Since singapore is a FINE country, should we start a fine system just like the handicap parking lot? This is the way they do it in san fran
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anonymous
i think mrt trains should have a carriage juz for pregnant ladies,elders and those on wheelchairs
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anonymous
There should be more annoucements reminding people to give up the seats to the elderly and pregnant…
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anonymous
In Japan, they have a manners squad…
Japanese manners squad will force you to give up that seat
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/w … 578770.ece -
anonymous
if they could reward the good behaviour instead of punishing the people who failed to act the good behaviour.
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shanal
actually i dont knw whats wrong with ‘these’ people. Either ppl are "blind" in certain ways or they just dont have the heart for preggy or needy ppl.
i once travelled from dhoby gaut to amk station. i boarded from dhoby and even before i could stepped in when the train arrived, (i was waiting by the side to let ppl alighted 1st) the other corner from the door.. ppl are dashing in already. Me carrying a big stomach surely cant dashed in like the others and end up i’m the last person to step in before the door closed. well..its after office hrs so its beri crowded. somehow..i managed to squeeze in and stand at the pole where the 2 seater seats were. I am 8mths preggy and stomach beri obvious but 2 lady seated there didnt gave up their seats. well..till orchard station. one got up and i thought i’m lucky enough to stand at a place where ppl are getting down. at least i can sit from orchard to amk. but guess what..the matter of fact..NO! the other lady that was on the seat got her friend that stands in the jointed cabin (the centre part) to sit dwn instead. i was shocked! is like HUH?? like that also can?
when i think back..when i was ard 2 to 3mths preggy and my stomach havent shown..i actually gave up my seat to a needy mother that was carrying an infant..even though i was preggy but i felt she needs it more than me…so what these people thinking?
so any better idea on how to get people be more ‘zi dong’ (automatic) give up their seats leh?
i really love to know.. -
anonymous
I think Singapore really needs to start a campaign for such ugly behaviour.
shame on us!
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barf
I think it has already improved.
I think most ppl are scared their pic kena appear on STomp. kekeke
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roshni
Just ask. Don’t be shy.
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tap
Hi,
Maybe the government should set up a policy that pregnant women should be given priority to seats on a train or any public transportation vehicle. The train or transportation companies could also provide a special seat for pregnant women only.
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high risk pregnancy gynea
anonymous
Please recommend a high risk pregnancy gynea. thanks!
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anonymous
tmn Tun (Dr Rahman)
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di
What are the special circumstances you are experiencing?
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infrtility doc recommendation
anonymous
anyone got inertility doc recommendation?
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anonymous
Dr Ng Soon Peng (HUKM specialist center. 03-91703700 for appointment).
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di
have you considered hypnofertility?
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ultrasound pic price
anonymous
How much for a 3d/4d ultrasound pic?
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di
I’m not sure of the price but have you asked if there are any risks involved?
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roshni
it’s about hundred plus
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gynaes to recommend - bukit timah area?
anonymous
Can anyone recommend a gynea at the bukit timah area? Thanks
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roshni
Lim Loon Haw
Lim Clinic & Surgery for Women
140 Upper Bukit Timah Road
#02-03 Beauty World Plaza
588176
Tel: 64692160
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Private Hospital
adlinzul24
Hi mummies,
Anyone just recently give birth at Gleaneagles,EastSHore,Mt E Or Mt.A?
How much u spend? Any cash?
Hws the environment? Care to share?Regards,
LINDA-
di
What kind of birth are you wanting to experience? Mt A is more open to natural births than the others. The more interventions you have, the more expensive the birth. Of the ones you have listed, Mt A is the least expensive.
Have you considered NUH? They have waterbirths.
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Boy names
roshni
What do you think of the name ‘Magic’ for a boy ?
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althea
Some how i think it sounds weird?? Like a doggies name.. Sorries for being rude though ros..
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are u crazy?
anonymous
we recently told our son, 4 that his auntie has a baby in her belly. When he next saw her he said ‘you ate your baby? are u crazy?’
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A sandpiper to bring you joy
anonymous
She was six years old when I first met her on the beach near where I live. I drive to this beach, a distance of three or four miles, whenever the world begins to close in on me. She was building a sand castle or something and looked up, her eyes as blue as the sea.
"Hello," she said.
I answered with a nod, not really in the mood to bother with a small child.
"I’m building," she said.
"I see that. What is it?" I asked, not really caring.
"Oh, I don’t know, I just like the feel of sand."
That sounds good, I thought, and slipped off my shoes. A sandpiper glided by.
"That’s a joy," the child said.
"It’s a what?"
"It’s a joy. My mama says sandpipers come to bring us joy."
The bird went gliding down the beach. Good-bye joy, I muttered to myself, hello pain, and turned to walk on. I was depressed, my life seemed completely out of balance.
"What’s your name?" She wouldn’t give up.
"Robert," I answered. "I’m Robert Peterson."
"Mine’s Wendy… I’m six."
"Hi, Wendy." She giggled.
"You’re funny," she said.
In spite of my gloom, I laughed too and walked on. Her musical giggle followed me.
"Come again, Mr. P," she called. "We’ll have another happy day."
After a few days of a group of unruly Boy Scouts, PTA meetings, and an ailing mother. The sun was shining one morning as I took my hands out of the dishwater. I need a sandpiper, I said to myself, gathering up my coat.
The ever-changing balm of the seashore awaited me. The breeze was chilly but I strode along, trying to recapture the serenity I needed.
"Hello, Mr. P," she said. "Do you want to play?"
"What did you have in mind?" I asked, with a twinge of annoyance.
"I don’t know, you say."
"How about charades?" I asked sarcastically.
The tinkling laughter burst forth again. "I don’t know what that is."
"Then let’s just walk."
Looking at her, I noticed the delicate fairness of her face. "Where do you live?" I asked.
"Over there." She pointed toward a row of summer cottages.
Strange, I thought, in winter.
"Where do you go to school?" "I don’t go to school. Mommy says we’re on vacation."
She chattered little girl talk as we strolled up the beach, but my mind was on other things. When I left for home, Wendy said it had been a happy day. Feeling surprisingly better, I smiled at her and agreed.
Three weeks later, I rushed to my beach in a state of near panic. I was in no mood to even greet Wendy. I thought I saw her mother on the porch and felt like demanding she keep her child at home.
"Look, if you don’t mind," I said crossly when Wendy caught up with me, "I’d rather be alone today." She seemed unusually pale and out of breath.
"Why?" she asked.
I turned to her and shouted, "Because my mother died!" and thought, My God, why was I saying this to a little child?
"Oh," she said quietly, "then this is a bad day."
"Yes," I said, "and yesterday and the day before and–oh, go away!"
"Did it hurt?" she inquired.
"Did what hurt?" I was exasperated with her, with myself.
"When she died?"
"Of course it hurt!" I snapped, misunderstanding, wrapped up in myself. I strode off.
A month or so after that, when I next went to the beach, she wasn’t there. Feeling guilty, ashamed and admitting to myself I missed her, I went up to the cottage after my walk and knocked at the door. A drawn looking young woman with honey-colored hair opened the door.
"Hello," I said, "I’m Robert Peterson. I missed your little girl today and wondered where she was."
"Oh yes, Mr. Peterson, please come in. Wendy spoke of you so much. I’m afraid I allowed her to bother you. If she was a nuisance, please, accept my apologies."
"Not at all — she’s a delightful child." I said, suddenly realizing that I meant what I had just said.
"Wendy died last week, Mr. Peterson. She had leukemia. Maybe she didn’t tell you."
Struck dumb, I groped for a chair. I had to catch my breath.
"She loved this beach so when she asked to come, we couldn’t say no. She seemed so much better here and had a lot of what she called happy days. But the last few weeks,! she declined rapidly…" Her voice faltered, "She left something for you … if only I can find it. Could you wait a moment while I look?"
I nodded stupidly, my mind racing for something to say to this lovely young woman. She handed me a smeared envelope with "MR. P" printed in bold childish letters. Inside was a drawing in bright crayon hues — a yellow beach, a blue sea, and a brown bird. Underneath was carefully printed:
"A SANDPIPER TO BRING YOU JOY"
Tears welled up in my eyes and a heart that had almost forgotten to love opened wide. I took Wendy’s mother in my arms. "I’m so sorry, I’m so sorry, I’m so sorry," I muttered over and over, and we wept together. The precious little picture is framed now and hangs in my study. Six words — one for each year of her life — that speak to me of harmony, courage, and undemanding love.
A gift from a child with sea blue eyes and hair the color of sand — who taught me the gift of love.
NOTE: This is a true story sent out by Robert Peterson. It happened over 20 years ago and the incident changed his life forever. It serves as a reminder to all of us that we need to take time to enjoy living and life and each other. The price of hating other human beings is loving oneself less.
Life is so complicated, the hustle and bustle of everyday traumas can make us lose focus about what is truly important or what is only a momentary setback or crisis.
This week, be sure to give your loved ones an extra hug, and by all means, take a moment…even if it is only ten seconds, to stop and smell the roses.
This comes from someone’s heart, and is shared with many and now I share it with you.
May God Bless everyone that receives this! There are NO coincidences! Everything that happens to us happens for a reason. Never brush aside anyone as insignificant. Who knows what they can teach us?
I Wish For You, A Sandpiper !! -
Trying for boy
pctian
Hi mums out there,
We are trying for our 2nd child and would love to have a boy. Our firstborn is a girl.
Any mums out there who can share some advice on conceiving a boy.
Hear from you soon……….
Regards
Mary
(mary.tian@yahoo.com)-
roshni
Try a gender selection kit…they sell a few online. However they are costly!
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happy
yeah you should buy a gender selection kit. It’s basically based on the shettles method and comes with various ovulation predictors and vaginal douche that can help make the vagina area more conducive for either male sperms or female sperms.
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anonymous
hi Mary, have you tried timing your ovulation? A friend mentioned not having intercourse till the day before and the day of ovulation. This is so that the Y sperm (boy) has the chance to get to the egg before it dies.
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cold
Chinese Conception Chart
Is it a boy? Or is it a girl? Only the final outcome can really tell, although ultrasound is getting pretty accurate! Below is the Chinese Lunar Gender Prediction Chart which takes the mother’s age into account along with the month of conception to predict what gender your child will be. Don’t know how accurate it can be, some say 97%, but fun anyhow!WOMAN’S CONCEIVING AGE
AGE 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31
MONTH 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31
1 G B G B G B B G B G B G B B
2 B G B G B B G B G B G B G G
3 G B G G B G B B B G B G G B
4 B G B G G B B G G B G G G G
5 B G B G B B G G G G G B G G
6 B B B G G G B B B G G B G G
7 B B B G G B B G G B B B G G
8 B B B G B G G B B B B B G G
9 B B B G G B G B G B B B G G
10 B B G G G B G B G B B G G G
11 B G B G G B G B G G G G B G
12 B G B G G G G B G B G G B BAGE 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45
MONTH 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45
1 B G B B G B G B G B G B B G
2 G B G B B G B G B G B G B B
3 B B B G B B G B G B G B G B
4 G B G B G B B B B G B G B G
5 G G G G B G B B G B G B B G
6 G G G G G B G G B G B G B G
7 G G G G G G B G B B G B G B
8 G B G B G B G B G B B G B G
9 G G G G B G B G B G B B G B
10 G G G G B B G B G B G B B G
11 G G B B B G B G B G B B G B
12 B B B B B B G G G B G B G BEXPLANATION
You can choose for yourself whether you want a boy or a girl by following the chart. The woman’s age from 18 to 45 (Chinese reckoning) is on the top line while the months Jan to Dec indicate the month when the baby is conceived. By following the chart you will be able to tell in advance whether your baby will be a boy or a girl. Thus, you can plan to have a boy or a girl.This chart has been taken from a Royal tomb near Peking, China. The original copy is kept in the institute of Science of Peking. The accuracy of the chart has been proved by thousands of People and is believed to be 99 percent accurate. By reckoning, you follow a line drawn from the figure representing the woman’s age to a line drawn from the month the baby is conceived.
For instance, if the woman is 27 years old and her baby is conceived in Month 1 (according to the Chinese Lunar Calendar), then her baby will be a girl. The chart is based on the month the baby is conceived and not on the birth of the baby, B-Male, G-Female.
Remarks: A Chinese Scientist discovered and drew this chart which was buried in a Royal tomb about 700 years ago.
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tap
Hi,
Have you read the article on natural baby gender selection from this site? It talks about sperm sorting and the shettles method. It might help you.
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difference between hospitals
anonymous
Hi, can somebody help me? What’s the difference between a restructured maternity hospital and a private hospital? besides the price of course! lol.. i don’t know which place to deliver…so many options!
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happy
restructured as in public hospital?
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cold
Yup, restructured is public hospital. I swear by KK. It’s great to have the largest pead care facilities incase something goes wrong with your delivery or baby. I just rather not risk it.
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althea
I agree with cold.. KKH is still the best.. Thomson Medical is not bad but if touch wood
if any major prob occur and Thomson cant handle it they will also refer to KKH and KKH will put u on waiting list as they will give piority to KKH patients and babies!! -
anonymous
major difference def is the price…but what about care?
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di
Depends on how you want to give birth. Some hospitals require you give birth on the bed on your back. Others will allow you to move about, some have labouring pools, NUH has several birth pools, some have mats for you to labour and birth on all fours, some have birth stools, some have birth balls to labour on. Some don’t allow you to eat or drink during labour, some have CD players, some have electric burners for aromatherapy.
Please reply with what you are wanting and I can point you in the right direction
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di
BTW, if you do have a preemie, Mt A has great kangaroo care – just what your baby needs. Many hospitals will not allow you unlimited access to your baby if it is in the NICU. Mt A does – they understand the importance of bonding and touch and how this heals your baby and promotes growth.
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You should ref to this article:
http://sg.theasianparent.com/articles/pregnancy_gynaecologists_and_hospitals
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di
Interesting article. A few comments:
About choosing your OB: If you like your doctor, go to lunch with them but make sure you and your OB are on the same page for the type of birth you are wanting. There are different philosophical approaches towards chidbirth by medical care providers. One is active management the other expectant management. Which suits your approach and make sure your OB matches.
Sticking with the same OB for your second birth? Only if you were happy with your first experience.
Hospitals:
Add information on availability of in the birthing room (not the after birth suites):
Labour Pool?
Birth Pool?
Showers?
Birth stool?
Birth ball?
Microwave (for rice socks)?
Dim lighting?
Foam floor mats?
CD players?
Natural light?
Work with doulas?
NICU?
Kangaroo care?
Support active births?The costs I have surveyed for far exceed your list. Not sure what you are including. A normal birth ranges between $3050 to $4500.
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admin 12:07 pm on July 24, 2010 Read
Yes there are signs and symptoms. One will be your breast feels tender.