Life's simple pleasure

Your look of amazement when u see light reflecting from the water and your giggles when we play 'catch the fountain water'

Wonder what my dad did..

I always wonder what my dad was like when i was an infant. Did he rock me to sleep and sing lullaby or did i ever pee on him. Our relationship over years have grown more distance, as he isolate himself from the family for various reasons.

Much of what i remember from the past was he will play ball or cpu games with me and everytime i need someone to sign my report card for a terrible semester, i look for him. Things get forgotten easily with time.

So for the benefit of ethan, daddy did these:

1) You havent pee or shit significant amount on me on the occassions i change you. I am usually very cautious :). Changing you less as you grow as your mum worries about your nappy rash.

2) Bath you every evening. You always love the water, but is getting more figidity after the 7mth. You automatically open your mouth with a smile when i say "ahh", for me to clean that area.

3) bring you to and from the childcare every weekday. Mummy will feed you and put you to slp while i wash your bottles, keep the laundry and prepare dinner. Sometimes i come in to distract you when u figid while getting changed. Today you look hypnotized when i wave my hand over your face and ask u to slp.

4) massage you before your slp. Keep you calm during the massage and 5 sec thereafter.

5) Mummy slp with you, in a seperate room from me. Usually my ear filter out your cries and i am oblivious to what happen. But the occassion when i hear u, make me jump out of bed and will try to rock you back to slp. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesnt ( as your mum says it, you dont like me. But i always tell myself not to fear your cry. Not easy i tell u, with your volume).

6) feed you. Although you are a tiny little being, you like being am adult. So weening you seems much easier (so far you eat almost everything, albeit with a face of disgust when u dont like the taste) than bottle feeding. Now as you learn how to flip and turn, you have many patterns of drinking. And after 10mins, u could drink only 10ml. Tell me what are u thinking!?!?! Latching u initially was difficult for mummy as well.

7) i am always lazy to do the housework, but make it a point to vacuum and mop the floor at least once a week since u like walking and bitting on everything u pick up from the floor. You always get a shock when i turn on the vacuum cleaner and wonder what i am doing while mummy plays with u.

8) play with u. And you like it rough. But is is really fun. You are always smiling when there's attention and now you can create ur own peek a boo scenarios.

9) bringing you to the doctor. U get sick easily since going into infantcare. TCM seems to work better on u than western medicine, but u absolute hate the tui na. We got to choose a good time to bring u in so you can last a little longer there.

10) registered your birth cert and opened a bank account. The government has given you $12k in your CDA account, and my aim is to use it only for your primary school education onwards. You also have a personal account and i hope i can teach you about managing your finance one day. Very important to start young.

Life's simple pleaasure

Now you know how to create your own peek a boo..by peeping thru the bed railing, laughing when u see us and doing it again and again

Life's simple pleasure

When baby give a shy smile and then a hearty laugh whenever i imitate his action when he is cranky

Life's simple pleasure

When baby and i lie on the floor after a rough diaper change, looking at each other and had a conversation....mine in english and his in gibberish

Life's simple pleasure

Thanks for teaching me what it means to be determined for a course. Your persistent to learn how to stand is amazing. From consistently grabbing my fingers hoping to prop yourself up to that toothless smile whenever u did it.

Life's simple pleasure

When baby open his eye and mouth wide in shock whenever the vacuum cleaner goes to work...cute moment for the onlooker :)

Life's simple pleasure

When baby finds humour in walking fingers, creating drum beats on the bed  and when daddy/mummy sneezes

Life's simple pleasure

When baby gives a big smile every morning, when he sees you and when i give him a stern lecture. On the last bit, maybe not when he is older.

Life's simple pleasures

Simple pleasure is when baby slowly fall asleep in your arms with his hand grabbing tightly, while you sing twinkle twinkle little star. A slight burp along the way adds the icing on the cake.

What you need in the first 4 months

A survival list of some of the selected items you can expect to get for the first 4 months of baby's life. Mainly the poo-ing part, the drinking part, the keeping warm/decency part and the doctor fees. Hopefully this will give expectant parents a guide as to what to expect, and perhaps join in some sprees or buy in bulk for some savings.

Diapers:

You will need around 600pcs of diapers for the first 4 month, and that work out to about 5-6pcs a day. Some practice changing diaper every 3 hours during the day, and longer at night if baby sleeps longer stretch (a big IF). It is $0.30 per pcs, and if baby poop immediately after you change, 30 cents goes down the drain.

Size-wise, my experience is that Huggies newborn diapers are really good for newborns because they are small enough to fit nicely for baby below 3kg. There-after, Pampers remain the choice for us and there are some good offers at NTUC Fairprice. We switched to Pamper size 3 when baby is around 6kg.


Baby Wipes:

You will need at least 1300pcs of baby wipes for the first 4 months (numbers here are under-stated. We had some free ones which is not accounted for here). It would be safe to say you need 2 or more wipes per diaper change.


Lotion for the buttock:

You apply this during the process of changing diaper to prevent nappy rash. It is 100ml per tube, and we were attracted to this brand because it is organic. We recently got Desitin Maximum Strength to apply when we spot rashes on baby buttocks. Otherwise, its GAIA then.


BreastMilk Storage Bag:

This is to store the precious breast-milk to store for use later. Milk in storage bag, when stored in fridge can last around 2 days and if you put it into freezer, it can last for 6 months. Depending on the milk flow, you may need more or less of this. Some even end up buying an additional freezer to store more milk bags. In any case, would be good to get a pack or 2 to standby until you can ascertain the supply.


Milk Bottles:

  
My advise if to get a sufficient amount of bottles if you want more sleep and convenience. Hygiene is a big part in your daily care of baby, and washing as well as sterilizing takes up time better spent with baby or resting. More importantly, you can prepare the milk bottles with milk in advance, and avoid pouring milk in the middle of the night, half awake. Imho, it would be good to start with 6 bottles and work around once you work out your routine.

Teats need to be changed every 2 month or so as their quality drops with usage and frequent sterilization under high temperature. We used silicone (apparently the texture is closer to mothers) and this wear off faster.


Liquid Cleanser:

To wash baby's bottle and stuff.


Clothes:

We change baby to long sleeve shirt and pants at night from bodysuit he wears in the day. Some hand me downs not included in the numbers here. The more you get the less washing you need to do. No need for branded items here, since they grow so quickly that depreciation is going to be very high if you get an Armani bodysuit.


Pediatrician:

There will be a first consultation 1 week after baby is born, especially if baby has jaundice, it will be the time for pediatrician to check on his progress. Subsequently, the 1st month will come with the first jab, and the following jabs will be 3rd month and 6th month respectively. Click on the label - Pediatrician, for more details.

How much does it cost to keep a baby alive (ok that's an exaggeration) for the first 4 months?

$10,709!!!

Most of the cost, more than 75% of it, comes about to keep baby healthy and to engage professional care-giver. Pediatrician will include vaccination done for baby, which we went the private route instead of polyclinic, which will be a lot cheaper. Reason being our company's health insurance cover for it.

Other items are relatively more affordable and breakdown to come in the next post.

Pacifier or to pacify

To use pacifier or not to use pacifier, that's the question. This is one debatable issue with proponents citing how effective it is in calming baby down while opponents of it will mention the difficulty in removing this habit when baby grows older.

We went from using pacifier to not use it and now back to it again, after the advise of the infant care centre. What i found with baby is that he will search for alternative to calm himself when you remove this from him. Which means he form other habits like putting his fist into his mouth(yes fist, not fingers) or constantly require latching or the need to carry.

So at the end of the day, it depends on which you think is the lesser evil and which works well with baby. It would be better to decide on one and stick with it rather than flip flopping. But for first time parents like us, it will have to be trial and error.

Cost of baby's 2nd month - Baby Fair

Thanks to my Parents-in-law who braved the crowds during baby fair in april to get some baby items. There were comments that the crowd were worse than IT show. Singapore's new hobby - shopping for baby items. The discounts are quite good though. Below is a comparison:

The Milk bags are going for $0.1875/pc instead of the usual $0.23/pc, while Nuk teats were at $3.20/pc instead of $4.14. Worth it if you buy in bulk.

We also came across this self warming bottle that is convenient for parents to heat up milk bottle when you are outside or travelling. See link for more info. We have recently learnt that freshly pumped milk can last 4hrs in room temperature, so there is no need to bring around your whole milk preparation devices when you are out for a short while.

Cost of baby's 2nd month - Baby wipes, Napkins and Liquid Cleanser

Got more napkins. Really useful in a variety of things. Used as a bath towel, pillow, blanket and for swaddling.

Still cant find a cheaper place than Swanston for Baby Wipes and Liquid Cleanser.

Cost of baby's 2nd month - Thermometer

This is a case of super kiasu-ness. Things get abit panicky and abit uncertain when Baby has a temperature. We previously had a infra-thermometer, but in the end, the readings were too varied for us to be comfortable with it. In the end, we got not one additional thermometer but 2 different ones - an In Ear and a traditional digital thermometer that you put under the armpit. Just a word on the digital one from Omron, the tip is flexible and would be child friendly in theory. Havnt tried it as Baby temperature was back to normal.

I don’t think you need so many thermometers, but having one that you are used to would provide a greater sense of security. No need anything fancy.

Cost of baby's 2nd month - Pediatrician and vaccination

Baby's umbilical cord stump dropped off in the 2nd week and a couple of weeks later, we noticed a bump on his belly button. We went to the pediatrician (PD) and it was diagnosed to be Umbilical Cord Hernia. This happens when bowel or tissues pokes through a weak spot near the belly button. However, its not an emergency. Just got to monitor it and see that it doesnt grow bigger. Should gradually subside over the next 1 year, otherwise surgery might be required.

The subsequent week, we brought baby back to the PD for vaccination. Based on the Health Promotion Board (HPB) guidelines, this 5-in-1 vaccination is supposed to happen on his 3rd month. You can find the schedule table here. However, the PD advised us to do it one month earlier after we mentioned that baby will go to infant care at 3mth 2wks old. It is advisable to complete 2 rounds of 5-in-1, Pneumococcal and rotavirus vaccination before baby goes to infant care. These will reduce chances of him falling sick. 

Total of 2 jabs and one oral (rotavirus) = crying baby. The PD mentioned that there is a 50% chance that baby will have slight fever the next few days and true enough, he did. Below are some info on the vaccination:

Infanrix 5 in 1 vaccines: Provides protection against diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis and polio which are part of the compulsory childhood immunisation programme. In addition, they provide protection against Hemophius Influenzae Type B which causes meningitis and pneumonia.

Pneumococcal Vaccination: Pneumococcal disease is a leading infectious cause of death in children and adults worldwide. It is a bacterial infection that causes pneumonia, meningitis, bacteraemia and other life-threatening ailments. Serious pneumococcal infections are a global health problem but are vaccine-preventable.

Rotavirus Vaccination: Rotavirus disease is the most common cause of serious diarrhoea in infants and young children. It is a highly contagious infection, but can be prevented by vaccinating against the rotavirus

Baby Bonus

Singapore government have been eager to encourage more babies to improve our aging population. In terms of financial incentives, there are 2 schemes which will give parents a total of $12,000 for their first child (more if you have more children).

1) Cash Gift - For the first child, you will get $6,000. The cash gift will be disbursed in 3 installments over 12 months from the birth of your child, to help parents defray the new or additional expenses arising from your newborn. You will receive the first installment (50% of the amount) within 3 week after we have received your completed forms, and the subsequent two installments (25% each) when your child is approximately 6 and 12 months of age. The cash gift will be credited into the bank account you specify.

2) CDA - The government will match dollar for dollar, for the first $6,000, if you credit money into your child's CDA account. Money in the CDA account can be used at pre-approved institutions or retailers and usually for the purpose of the child's education and healthcare needs. You can open a CDA account with either OCBC or Standard Chartered only.

For both schemes, you will need to register your child's birth first before you get to enjoy the benefit. For Gleneagles, they provided a one stop shop and i was able to register for both schemes upon registering for my child's birth certificate.

More information here

Finance 102: Getting high interest in a low interest environment

Making our money work by putting in a bank has become more meaningful recently. There are 2 schemes which i use to generate some income:

1) OCBC 360 Account - Base interest is 0.05%. Nothing special. What's special is when you credit your monthly salary, and/or pay 4 bills within the month and/or spend $400 on a OCBC credit card in that month. For each action, you will get 1% interest per annum, paid every month. That will give you a total of 3.05% per annum if you complete all action. However the additional interest in capped at the first $50,000 deposited. 

Assuming you have $50,000 in the account, that will give you $127 per month or $1525 a year! To put it into perspective of a parent with an infant, that will probably be enough for diapers(i only spend $49.80 in April) and milk powder for the month. On top of that, if you have OCBC Frank Card, you can continue to enjoy 6% off online/netsflashpay spending (pls refer to my previous article Finance 101 ). For more information, you can refer to OCBC website.

2) Standard Chartered BonusSaver - You get 1.88%, on the first $25,000, when you spend $500 on your BonusSaver Credit Card. This will give you $39 a month or $470 a year in interest. Not as exciting, but not shabby at all, in this low interest rate environment. For more information, you can refer to Bonussaver website .

So, if you have $75,000 and spend at least $900/mth using credit cards, you get to enjoy $166/mth of risk-free interest income. 

Cost of Baby's 2nd month - Diapers

It is commonly understood that Pampers is the more expensive brand compared to Mamypoko. That is unless there are promotions going on. I got a pack of Pampers from The Arc NTUC at Alexandra Road that is going at a discount and on a $/pc basis, it is slightly cheaper than Mamypoko.

In terms of review, both are equally absorbent, but Mummy has a preference to Mamypoko as she feels Baby's output stick to his skin easily when he is on Pampers.

There is a comprehensive review by another mummy who tested the products herself to look at comfort level, absorbent level as well as tolerance to wear and tear . See link

At the end of the day, the best way is to try it out. Huggies provide free diaper sample and you can register from the link below:
https://www.huggies.com.sg/request-sample.aspx?icmpid=claim-your-free-sample-now

Cost of baby 1st year - 2nd month

Cost will begin to normalize after the initial big ticket items. This month's purchases were mainly for daily essentials and Pediatrician for vaccination and checkups. Details to follow

Thoughts..

Accounting for baby involves data entry and determination. Taking care of baby involves a lot more. Both daddy and mummy usually take up a lot more tasks, regardless of the role they play in this, and usually try to do as best as they can. After sometime, in the midst of juggling ones own plate of responsibility, it is easy to take for granted what the other party is doing.

Always remember to be grateful for the things the other party is doing. It can be especially lonely if not. It warms my heart when couples talk of how they appreciate what the other has done and gone thru. Listen to them, but don't have to compare. Comparing is futile, because each circumstances is different. As long as you trust your partner is doing his best, that's good enough.

Cost of Baby's 1st month - Misc (Nanny/Birth Registration)

Confinement Nanny - Was heaven sent for the 28 days she was with us. Taught us ways to take care of the baby and was leading the household chores. Not to mention she was head chef and provided much nutritious food for mummy. She had more than 10 years of experience and her assignments include both in Singapore and Australia. Contact available upon request.

Registration of Birth - This was a really easy process once we decided on baby's name. You can head down to the relevant counter in your hospital and they can register and provide you with the birth certificate on the spot. With the birth registration, you can register for free $ from the government, specifically the CDA account and baby bonus. More details of this later (still waiting for some $ to come in)...

Cost of Baby's 1st month - Infantcare

Cost of Baby's 1st Month - Toys

Cheap toys on sale by Fisher Price. Mainly for 6 months and up.

Cost of Baby's 1st mth - Milk Bags and Bottles

Breast Milk Bag: Major savings from shopping online at 'The Little Ones In My Life'(http://tlo.com.sg/shop/) and switching to Baby Joy Breast Milk Bag. Per piece cost is only $0.23 compared to $0.46 per piece for UniMom Breastmilk Storage bag from KiddyPalace.

Milk Bottle and anti-colic teat: We switched to Nuk from the 1st week and so far baby hasn't had much issues with colic (fingers crossed). Information on Nuk teats can be found here: http://www.nuk.sg/#path=products/bottles/nuk_firstchoice/productdetail&p=10.120.006&lty=m&lid=26&m=1

Baby is growing

I was away for incamp training and didnt see baby for 4 days. To my surprise, baby i see was already different from what i remembered him to be. He is heavier and meatier, response readily to chats and even his crying is a little different. He didnt look at me when i first carried him and for a moment, i wondered if he remembered me. All is well now.

Cost of bringing a baby can be quantified, but the cost of missing baby growing up can never be calculated or accounted. What you miss you miss, and what i learnt here is they grow so quickly that you will miss alot of action.

Cost of Baby's 1st mth - Babywear (socks)

Get a few newborn sized mittens and socks before baby is born. You will use at least one pair each a day. They are needed to keep them warm and prevent them from scratching themselves. Get newborn size, otherwise you have to deal with the backbreaking job of picking them up frequently.

Cost of Baby's 1st mth - Baby Hygiene

The items within Baby Hygiene have a high turnover, and it is more efficient and cheaper to stock up more once you identify the brands you like to use.

Again we bought more Pigeon Baby Wipes and Liquid Cleanser from Swanston (101 Upper Cross Street #01- 17 People's Park Centre S058357), and as mentioned previously, they are a lot cheaper. We are using more since confinement Nanny left. You can just imagine the panic when baby poo all over. You just pull out 10 pieces of baby wipes in a row :) . As we are bottle feeding baby, and feed 7-8x a day, we finish a pack of liquid cleanser per week at this moment.

Nappy rash cream/lotion is applied every time diaper is changed. GAIA is organic, which prompted us to try it. The texture is not very smooth, and might be a little difficult to apply at first. But so far it is doing it's job.

Forget about hand disinfectant, if you intent to buy it for home visitors. It gives you a peace of mind when you purchase it, but very likely, you wont use it.

Cost of Baby's 1st mth - Paediatrician

Baby needed to extend his stay in the hospital for one more day as his Bilirubin level was above 12mg/dl, meaning he had Jaundice. Mummy was heartbroken to discharge without him. Expected range would be (pls consult doctor):

 

Premature Babies

• Less than 24 hours: Below 8.0 mg/ dl (below 137 mmol/ l)
• Less than 48 hours: Below 12.0 mg/ dl (below 205 mmol/ l)
• Aged between 3 and 5 days: Below 15.0 mg/ dl (below 256 mmol/ l)
• Aged 7 days and older: Below 15.0 mg/ dl (below 256 mmol/ l)

Full Term Babies

• Less than 24 hours: Below 6.0 mg/ dl (below 103 mmol/ l)
• Less than 48 hours: Below 10.0 mg/ dl (below 170 mmol/ l)
• Aged between 3 and 5 days: Below 12.0 mg/ dl (below 205 mmol/ l)
• Aged 7 days and older: Below 10.0 mg/ dl (below 170 mmol/ l)

One night stay in the nursery(ICU) cost us slightly north of $1100 and half of the cost goes to paediatrician.

Upon his birth, baby will be injected with BCG and 1st jab of Hep B. On his 1st month, he will get 2nd dosage of Hep B. Prepare for a shocked and crying baby post injection.

Cost of Baby's 1st Year - D-Day (Delivery Day)

20th Feb couldn’t be more confusing, exciting and exhilarating. Daddies will feel that way when mummy is in labour and going through hours of contraction while giving you venomous stares everything contraction spikes. Again when baby is born and you are trying to make up what is this alien looking creature about, while the nurses and doctors are going through their motion with you very much in the way. And when the time to pay arrives, you are confused by the number of zeros in the bill, the sophisticated items(name wise) on the list but yet excited and exhilarated that this is the best payment you ever made.

So the bill for a 3 day 2 night package + one additional day of stay came up to $5504.79 (excluding gynae's fee). 20/02/2014 was a popular date and we heard there were as much as 8 c-sect happening in the morning alone. As such our first night was in a 2 bedder and we subsequently moved to a single room only on the 2nd day. We found the additional day spent in the hospital gave mummy more rest and also more practice with lactation nurses there with breastfeeding. Having gone through both a 2 bedder and a single room, the latter was crucial to give mummy more rest as you dont have another crying baby, visitors and companion.

Below is a further breakdown of the bill for reference:

Prices here exclude the roti prata we had before heading to the hospital. Mummy's idea :)

Cost of Baby 1st Year - 1st Month

Calculation here include cost of delivery. Commentaries to follow..

Cost of PreNatal

Drum Roll......

 

 

 

Figures does not include income received i.e. Insurance claims, vouchers etc

Cost of 3rd Trimester - Gynae

We had a scare during the 32nd week of labour. Mother had severe contraction and we self admit to Gleneagles after she can no longer stand the pain. The doctor's diagnosis was 'Threatened labour' and she had to be placed on drips to prevent her from conceiving there and then. Given how premature it was, baby was likely to be in ICU for a period of time if delivered, not to mention potential complications. She was there for 3D/2N.

I learnt after this ordeal it is not uncommon for mothers to be, to have severe contractions way before the full term mark. Some stay in hospital for up to 3months. Taking a simple average of $2870/3days, its around $1000/day. 3 months is equivalent to a cool $90k and 'Threatened labour' is not covered by any Insurance I know. Both of us agree that if it ever happens again, it would be public hospital for sure.

The bill is itemized below. If you have any knowledge on medical expense, do share it around. Its hard to have any comparable, and we usually just pay blindly.

 Maternity(Accomodation-2bed $600, Surgical supplies $19.19, Labour Ward Procedures $85.80, Daily Treatment $278.5) / Lab( Lab-Clinical $248.55) / Labour Ward(Surgical supplies $121.54, Medical Supplies $17, Labour Ward Procedures $226.16) / Pharmacy $442.2, Pharmacy Infusion $43.67 / Doctor Fee $642

Cost of 3rd Trimester - TCM

One teaspoon a day, take the doctor/Pediatrician away...

Cost of 3rd Trimester - Healthcare (CordLife)

Even before baby is born, parents have many decisions to make. In our modern age, there are many options easily available, and more options equates to even more decisions (or headaches). One recent trend in many parts of Asia, including Singapore, is the decision to preserve your baby's stem cells. How are stem cells used? Based on information from Cordlife, stem cells:
- Rescue reconstitutes a patient's blood and immune system
- This is carried out after chemotherapy and radiotherapy which destroy blood cells. The stem cells are infused intravenously into patient's blood stream.
- Once in the blood stream, they migrate to the bone marrow and differentiate iinto 3 blood cell types: red, white and platelets
- This differentiation initiates the regeneration of the patient's blood and immune system.
- Diseases treatable with stem cells include blood related cancers i.e. Leukaemia, blood disorders i.e. Thalassaemia and immunodeficiencies.

We went one step further and enrolled in their umbilical cord stem cell program. It usage is still under clinical trial but according to Cordlife, Umbilical cord contains Epithelial and Mesenchymal stem cells, and they have the potential to repair tissue i.e. replace lining of Cornea/Liver/Skin or Bone/Muscle/Cartilage cells.

My wife properly noted that buying into such plan is akin to buying an Insurance - there is no tangible value until the point you need it, and hopefully for this case, it will be useful should we require it. Much of this is also buying into a potential and promise, especially for the case of Stem Cell plan, where its only at clinical trial stage. Paying more than $7000 seems a big leap of faith, but for our circumstances (both of us are only child, crawling towards the mid 30s mark and its not certain we are having number 2) taking this option is a form of safety net for our 1st child. The health of our baby is still our priority.

The fees paid are not for indefinite periods - we signed for 10yrs plan for cord blood and 5yrs plan for Stem Cell, and any extension beyond those times are chargable on an annual basis. You can use CDA (Child Development Accoount) to pay for this item. There are referral programs which will benefit both referrals and the end user. Both my friend and i got $100 and $200 Capitaland vouchers respectively.

For more information, you can refer to CordLife Website

Item Usage - Baby Hygiene and Baby Equipment(food)

A quick summary of item usage over the last 2 weeks:

Babywipes - Used 2 packs(82pc each) of Babywipes in 13 days. On average, approx. 12.6pc per day. Usage depends on the number of poos, and its ferocity (argghhh!!)

Diapers - Used more than half a pack of Merries (41 out of 60) and One full pack of Huggies (24pc). On average, approx. 4.6pc per day. A note, Huggies newborn diapers are much smaller and suitable for babies who are not Michelin mascot size. A bit tight for my 3.5kg boy now. Merries newborn is larger and generally suitable for above 3.5kg.

Milk Storage Bag - Used 3 packs of Milk Storage, containing a total of 75 milk bags, in 12 days. On average, approx. 6.25 bags a day. Usage is largely dependent on the number of times mummy express (6-8 times a day at this point) and whether supply is more than demand. We are trying to save some milk bags by storing in bottles, ready for baby's next feed.

Cost of 3rd Trimester - About Parentcraft and Memberships

Parentcraft: This was a lesson + practical session that will teach parents to be on the in and out of caring for an infant. We went for the Thomson Parentcraft, under Fonnie Lo, and the lessons were broken down to essentials like Exercises for expectant mums, Feeding, Bathing, Changing diapers and finished off with a doctor talk seminar. I will be honest and say after 3mths, i am struggling to remember what was taught. Mummy would point to the fact that i wasn't diligent in taking notes (there was this super onz guy who was furiously taking down notes, but really when the baby is crying at the top of his lungs, will those be useful?). What i do remember is the fun time we had as a couple going through a process we needed to learn eventually. That's good enough for me. I would recommend this course for some bonding time between couples, having a structured course (if you have good memory to remember what you gone through when baby is out. I don't) and an expert to answer any questions that you may have.

On Memberships, these will come in really useful with the amout the stuff you will get eventually. Both Mothercare and KiddyPalace membership will give you 10% off purchases. You pay $10 for an annual KiddyPalace Member while spending >$300 will get you one for Mothercare. Highly recommended!

Cost of 3rd trimester - Toys/Babywear

Some parents have heaps of toys and educational stuff before baby is born. We have about 2. Ok, slightly more than that. Anyone catch the hint?

Cost of 3rd trimester - Baby Hygiene

There is a gem, nested at the heart of Chinatown, where you can get toiletries for wholesale prices. The range of baby products is not extensive at this point, but if you drop by and they happen to have it, you probably wont get a cheaper price anywhere in Singapore. You can do your monthly household grocery shopping here, together with baby stuff and you should save something most of the time. A friend of ours bought a carton of baby detergent after we mentioned this to him!

We are in the process of trying out the products and will update with reviews of those in a month or 2.

Cost of 3rd trimester - Baby Equipment transport

Someone once told me that when shopping for baby stuff, Dads only have veto power over this particular product: Stroller. I didn’t exactly had mine, eventually. Not that I am looking for a SUV type of stroller or something that screams high tech. I was into something that feels sturdy (slightly heavy), is flexible (allow baby to face me or out) and something with a little bit of style (just to cover up the, usual lack of style, bermudas and slipper me). Bugaboo was my choice.

However, it was a difficult to convince ourselves to spend more than $1000 on a stroller and Mummy didn't like that it was quite heavy (at around 8kg). In the end we got Babyzen Yoyo, which was lighter (around 6kg), cheaper (way below $1000) and very compact. Its selling point is the ability of the stroller to foldup and fit an airplane overhead cabin. We paid $779 for the version that allows baby to face us from 0-6mths and face outwards from 6mths onwards.

See below a link that explains its functionality, as well as a Youtube video.

http://babyzen.com/collection-yoyo.php

Cost of 3rd trimester - Baby Furniture

Ikea is truly a one stop shop for value for money furniture, and baby's room is renovated with Ikea stuff.
The cost of babycot includes Frame, Mattress and delivery/assembly. The Raskog Kitchen trolley is used to contain baby necessities like diapers, cotton wool, lotions and other items that need to be easy to reach. Pictures of the items below.

http://www.ikea.com/sg/en/catalog/products/50248517/
http://www.ikea.com/sg/en/catalog/products/30227974/

Cost of 3rd Trimester - baby Equipment - Safety/Hygenie

Clevasleep positioner - This is meant to reduce the chances of cot death and its design will also aid in the sle ep posture and less pressure on baby's head. So far baby have been happy sleeping in it and from my observation, less vomiting of milk.

Stokke Flexi Bath and Foldable bathtub in use. Will comment at a later date.

Cost of 3rd Trimester - About Baby Equipment Food

Breast Pump is something that is essential if you want to breastfeed your baby, and choosing a reliable and efficient pump is crucial. The frugal me was once an advocate for 2nd hand pump but mummy was vehemently objecting to the idea. She was right. We use the pump every 3-4hrs, for expressing milk as well as stimulating latching on, and having a working set that can undergo the tortures we put it through is important. Cannot imagine if it breaks down. So to all Dads out there - You can save on anything EXCEPT this! By the way, we are using an imported Medala set and hence it is cheaper compared to retail price (approx $699)

For Breast Milk Storage, this brand is one of the cheapest we found at 35.7cts per pcs. You need this to keep your reserve in the fridge. Milk will stay fresh for up to 6mths in freezer, and a couple of days in normal fridge temperature. Reserves will be important when mummy starts going to work and if you still intend for breast milk to be a source of nutrition for baby.

Baby Ethan

And Baby Ethan is born on the 20th of Feb 2014. Hello world!

Cost of 3rd Trimester

Baby is not here yet, but this is the expense so far. Shouldn't be increasing by much....i hope (fingers crossed).

Finance 101 - Pay by credits; get free credits!

It's true. Credit card can land people into massive debt if they are not paid on time. On the flipside, if you have financial discipline, I would say use your card and never your cash. The cash rebates and benefits offered by some cards can really go a long way in helping your family's finances and giving more for baby. Using diapers as a scenario, if you use 4 packs(say it cost $20/pack) per month for 1 years, a card that gives you 4.5% discount can provide you with a cash rebate of $43.20. That's 2 containers of free pineapple tarts every CNY...yummzzz! Below are some cards I would recommend:

1) OCBC Frank Card: The main attractive of this card is the 6% cash rebate given for all online shopping and Nets Flash Pay top-ups. How do you save? You can use Nets Flash pay at some merchants including supermarkets and Watsons for Diapers, milk powder and daily groceries. Nets Flash pay can also be used as an Ezlink card for MRT/Bus rides. You can get savings on your online purchases, including online bill payments (Telco bills, HDB parking)

Drawbacks? You need to spend $500 a month to enjoy the rebates. Also, the Nets Flash pay is not as widely used, is limited to $50 per top up for this card, and top up facility is limited to MRT/LRT fare, SMRT/SBST Buses fare, ERP and EPS (CEPAS-enabled car parks only.

Rebate is limited to $60 a month. Spending $1000 online or via Nets Flash Pay per month will max out the cash rebate.

2) Bank of China Family Card: Min 4.5% cash rebate if you spend at any supermarkets(Diapers/Milk powders) or Guardian Health and Beauty (Vitamins/Medicines/Hygiene), POPULAR Bookstore (Make Baby smart!), Toys 'R' Us (Make Baby love you!) and Watsons. Total monthly cash rebate is capped at S$100. Spending $2000/mth will max out the cash rebate.

3) Standard Chartered Manhattan Card: You get 3% cash rebate if you spend more than $3000 in a single billing month, capped at $200 cash rebate a quarter. Spending $6666/mth will max out your cash rebate for the quarter. This card is ideal for large purchases i.e. Hospitalization/Delivery fees, Cordlife, re-doing baby's room.

4) Standard Chartered Bonus$aver Card: You get 1.88% p/a interest on your saving account with them, up to $25,000, when you spend $500 monthly on the card (potential interest of approximately $39/mth). On top of that, you get your usual saving account interest rate (pittance at this current point).

Game Plan: So what's the strategy? What I do is to use credit card as a form of payment where possible and use the Bonus$aver first to hit $500. That will give you 7.8% discount ($39/$500). When I finish spending $500, I will use Frank Card if the shop uses Nets Flash Pay and if not, i will still use it to hit $500/mth min spend. Online purchases and bill payments are done using Frank Card. As mentioned above, sometimes i wont have enough $ in my Nets Flash Pay at supermarkets (therefore the transaction cant go through), and that's where the Bank of China Family Card comes into play.

For large purchases, Manhattan Card will be the way to pay(upcoming delivery fees for baby will be via this mean). Any other further purchases will be paid using my other credit cards that usually gives me 1%-2% in cash or points rebate.

So there you have it, my secrets to spending and getting rewarded.

Cost of 2nd Trimester - Gynae

The 20th week scan was a comprehensive one done at the hospital. The scan itself last around 45mins and is meant to check on the baby's overall structure and how the organs have developed. This website gives a good summary of areas being checked http://pregnancy.familyeducation.com/tests-and-appointments/20-week-ultrasound/66168.html?page=2&detoured=1

During this trimester, your Gynae should offer you a pre-natal package that will last the duration of your pregnancy. PM me if you like to know the amount that I pay.

Cost of 2nd Trimester - About TCM

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) was an important part of our journey into parenthood. In our preparation to conceive, we went to Ban Choon Medical to seek TCM aid and hopefully increase our chances to conceive.

This was a recommendation from my wife's good friend, and since she was successful, we decided why not give it a try. I admit I rolled my eyes when we first saw him (I know my swimmer is a sprinter and didn't yet have the marathon stamina, that's why i am here since 7am. I am not expecting you to say he is a gold medalist.). But from hindsight, it seems like he know what he is talking. After his 'it was implanted but didn’t survive long enough' diagnosis and the subsequent 'just drink this medicine and the next one should work', we strike jackpot. His medicine though bitter and takes effort to prepare(you need to brew it. Not capsules), were meant to help increase the level of progesterone for mummy. Drinking chicken essence (from boiling chicken) will aid in that as well and was recommended.

With that, we were religious in going to him to 'an tai' (care for the fetus). The 2nd trimester medicine's primary purpose was to strengthen the mother's constitution and help the infant grow. There were specific herbs to be taken during the first 2 trimesters. No herbs should be consumed in the 3rd trimester. To promote development of baby's bones, certain food were recommended. Fishes such as Salmon and Cod are in the list. Threadfin is a highly recommended source of protein and apparently, the baby will have beautiful skin and strong bones. Bird nest are taken to improve the baby's lungs. However, it should only be taken after the 1st trimester (we took it from week 18 onwards) when the baby's lung is more developed. Taking it before that will cause asthma later in his life. Throughout the pregnancy, herbs like dang gui should also be avoided, along with cooling food like chin chow. We were also told to avoid fruits like mango.

PS: I lost some of the receipts for Ban Choong, but we were there around 6 times; at least 3 times before and 3 times after we conceived. Each visit costed around $150.

Cost of 2nd Trimester - About Babywear

The first advice we get on things to buy for baby is not to buy too many clothes. They outgrow them and that makes alot of sense. Never work in reality, especially with online shopping and mummy with multiple credit cards on hand. One thing that works in daddy's pocket favour - boys clothes are indeed harder to find, less variation then girls one. Phew!

For neccesities, one place that sell cheap stuffs can be found in Bugis street. They are a wholeseller, and sell infant clothes at reasonable price. That is you need a 'Any customer can have a car painted any colour that he wants so long as it is black' spirit (Ford) - you cant choose the color you want since it is all pre-packed. Is the qty purchased here sufficient? To be updated 2mths later..

Shen Kwong Trading @ Bugis (blk opp Kwan Inn Temple) near the blk toilets Blk 269C Queen St #01-246 Singapore 183269