13 local mums reveal what they'd do differently next time

13 mums reveal what they'd do differently next time

Welcoming your first child into the world can be a nerve-wrecking thing, especially if you're unsure of certain things. We asked 13 Singaporean mums what they would do differently if given the chance, and this is what they had to say...

*Photos are not representative and are in a random order.

Syai, 27, mum of 1 (aged 2)

"Don't get me wrong, I'm still a loving mum... It's just that at times, I accidentally put "high hopes" on him (my son), which causes me to be impatient and I'd punish him. How I wish I could turn back time to when he was still a baby... because violence leads to the child being "rude" and would not want to listen to us, but I'm glad he does not get out of hand."

"If my hubby and I had earned enough, i would have stayed home to look after my son myself... and be a full time SAHM (stay at home mum)."

Sufiyah, 28, mum of 1 (aged 2)

"I would throw the Medela breast pump and nurse strictly on demand."

Michelle, 56, mum of 3 (aged 12, 8, and 7)

"Well seriously, I would have quit my job from the time I had my first born. Till today, I regret missing out on my oldest son's first 2 years."

Harpreet, 36, mum of 3 (aged 8, 6 and 5)

"Not being too hard on myself as motherhood is a self-discovering journey, and one will cope just fine along the way. Hence, while caring for my newborn, I would care for self well being to."

Sumati, 38, mum of 1 (aged 6)

"I would be braver and take a holiday with my daughter much earlier and more often. I would not worry about how she would cope. Because if you plan well and prepare well - kids cope, they thrive."

Noraini, 29, mum of 2 (aged 3 and 1)

"I’ll tell my hubby to take pictures of me with my newborn - in the delivery room itself. I was completely drugged out on the effects of the epidural, so I didn’t get a chance to pose for one. And I regret it tremendously."

Sahiba, 35, mum of 2 (aged 10 and 9)

"If given a chance, I would definitely not be an over-dramatic, over-protective and psycho mum. I would tell my kids it's ok to get dirty and messy in the playground and not run behind them with a pack of wet wipes every instance they touch the ground or the slides!"

Magdalene, 45, mum of 3 (aged 10, 9, and 6)

"I would use less corporal punishment and breastfeed more! Not at the same time lah!"

Grace, 37, mum of 5 (aged 10 , 8, 6, 4 and 1)

"I would watch my diet more. I wouldn't eat for 2 because it is really hard to lose all the extra pounds gained during pregnancy. Those who told me that one could lose weight breastfeeding , probably have high metabolism. Because I still have a long way to go before I regain my pre pregnancy weight."

Li Ling, 27, mum of 1 (aged 2)

"To be honest, I would choose to spend more time with my daughter instead of my other commitments because I sometimes feel jealous when she calls out for my helper instead of me. Work can wait but the first few years of your child's life cannot."

Leraine, 36, mum of 2 (aged 10 and 8)

"I'd learn to delegate the household chores out to a part time cleaner rather than choosing to do everything myself singlehandedly... Life's too short for that! Should have spend more time playing with them instead..."

Wei Ting, 32, mum of 1 (aged 5)

"I’d not rock my baby to sleep every time. That ended up being a rod for my own back!"

Aishah, 25, mum of 1 (aged 7 months)

"I would probably include my hubby more, instead of always thinking that I can do it on my own."

Written by

Pavin Chopra

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