Enjoy being pregnant!

Courtesy of www.fotosearch.com

As you may know, I am currently 4 months pregnant with my second child, with my 14-month old daughter currently in the very active age. So this second pregnancy was very challenging, exhausting and wearing, mentally and physically. Which is rather disappointing, because I had such a great pregnancy the first time around. It was, in some ways, even better than the honeymoon period, it was such a blast of 9 months of my life!

So I wrote this article to remind myself, and all the pregnant moms out there, no matter whether you’re on your first, second or ninth pregnancy, how lucky and how indefinitely blessed we are, in this wonderfully life-changing time of our lives. A God’s miracle is taking place inside your own body, how’s that for life-changing?

7 reasons to be glad you’re pregnant

1. I have several friends that have been married for some years and still do not have children. Despite my complaints of tiredness, bouts of headaches, excessive wind, never-ending backaches and lack of sleep, I remind myself daily that there many women in the world that are unable to bear children for some reason, that would be so glad to have my complaints, just once in their lifetime. Holding your own baby for the first time, after fighting your blood, sweat and tears, was by far, the best miracle in my life.
2. I have always been a weight conscious person in my life, which is also one reason why I work out a lot. As I love to eat (what woman doesn’t?), I need to work out a lot to keep fit and avoid being fat and sluggish. Being pregnant is like a new revelation to me. What better excuse do you need to binge your heart out than “I’m pregnant”? All those cravings for chocolates, ice cream, cheesy nachos, your favourite nasi lemak and fried chicken because “I just feel like it.” This is the time your husband will definitely pamper you with whatever you want to eat. Of course, it’s nice if you maintain a healthy diet and all that. But come on, mommies, ‘fess up. Any of you craving for a Caesar salad? I don’t think so. So seize the day, mommies!
3. Talking about husbands pampering, your body will undergo a series of changes that you would never dream yourself of experiencing. Besides the obviously expanding belly, other parts of your body expand too, namely your waistline, your breasts, your butt and of course, the appearance of the inevitable stretch marks. Don’t be too worried about the stretch marks, though. Your husband will be too fascinated by, ahem, certain body parts to care about some little marks.
4. Pregnancy is definitely the best reason to go, brace yourselves ladies…. SHOPPING! New tops, new pants, new skirts, new shoes, even new underwear! There’s never a better time to splurge, because you totally deserve it! But if you’re a cheapskate like me and prefer not to splurge too much, find clothes that could fit you throughout the pregnancy and could be used for breastfeeding. I did buy one or two nice tops that I could wear to dinners and weddings, but other than that, I bought mostly non-maternity, stretchy tops that could cover my bump but could still be worn after the birth. I also bought a few nursing tops that looks formal enough to be worn to office but casual enough to be worn with jeans and comfy slippers. Instead of buying those overpriced maternity pants in Modern Mum and Mothercare, I bought a few of those stretchy, yoga pants that are so comfy, I still wear them to bed now. For RM19.90! But that nice long dress in Modern Mum looks very nice too. On second thought. Nah, I don’t wear dresses anyway.
5. Other that shopping for yourself, the next best thing is definitely shopping for the baby. As people keep telling me babies grow so fast that they won’t fit into their clothes for too long, baby clothes are too cute to resist! I remember the first time we went shopping for the baby. It was at a baby fair, so the clothes were quite cheap, ranging from RM5 to RM15 per piece. My husband was exclaiming “Are these clothes for dolls? They’re so small!” as I was searching for pink pajamas and skirts that our unborn daughter wouldn’t be able to fit into until she was 3 months old. We bought the sleep hats that she wore like, 5 times, varied coloured socks, burp cloths, bibs and around a dozen sleepsuits and day-wear. Oh, and my husband couldn't resist buying one of those battery operated fans with flashing lights to clip to her stroller and car seat. Now one of plastic blades is torn from my daughter’s tug.
6. People are so nice you! They give you way when you get into LRTs, gets up to allow you to sit, give you food for “the baby”, opens doors for you, lets you go forward in a line and so much more. They even smile more to you! A lot of women smile at me and ask me when I’m due, is it a boy or a girl, things like that. My male colleagues bought me food stuff because I was “craving” for it. People tell me I look glowing. I could go on and on.
7. One of my favourite things in pregnancy – feeling the kicks and turns of your baby inside me. It was the first bonding feeling I felt and was pretty surreal. In the first trimester, all you can confirm of your pregnancy is your protruding belly. But once I felt that first flutter, I was in love with my own tummy! Me and my husband both. He loves stroking my tummy and talking to the baby. Once, after a monthly checkup, the doctor told us that our baby was in a breach position. Even though I was not due until a few months later, I was worried that our baby won’t turn around in time, and I might need to be cut open. My husband “told” the baby softly to turn so she wouldn’t hurt Mommy, and at the next checkup, what do you know? She’s in perfect position for labour! My husband keeps praising her for being such a good girl, until now.

Those were my personal, favourite reasons for being pregnant. If you still need more reasons, read more in this article. You’ll be thanking your lucky stars when you’re done reading.

http://www.babycentre.co.uk/pregnancy/antenatalhealth/50reasonstobeglad/

Tag Time

Courtesy of http://comp.webstockpro.com

Activity for: Child & Parents

Summary:

Tag, probably the oldest game in the world, is a great way to help your child burn off some energy and strengthen his muscles.

Tag is an everyday, favourite game in our family. Of course, for now, Daddy is “it” and Mommy is the safe haven. The game always ends with my daughter flying into my arms, laughing madly. It’s the perfect game for extra hyper little tots. (But then again, aren’t all tots extra hyper?) If you keep the rules simple, even young toddlers can catch on quickly.

• Start with classic tag - one person is "it" and the other is being chased.
• The key is to coax the child with phrases like, "Come and get me!" and "You can't get me!"
• You'll want to slow your pace down to a trot so that your little one actually has a chance at tagging you. You also can crawl or walk on your knees if you want to be closer to your child's level.
• When it's time for you to be "it," give your child plenty of time to enjoy being "faster" than you. Before too long, he really will be!
• As your child learns the ropes of tag, you can try things like Freeze Tag, where the person who gets tagged must remain frozen in place for a period of time, TV Tag, where the person being chased can call out the name of a TV show to avoid being tagged, and even Flashlight Tag, where you tag each other with a beam of light in the darkness.
• You can play tag indoors by designating a safe area in which to run around, such as a living room, playroom or childproofed basement. If you use multiple rooms, designate a space to be a "safe zone," such as the kitchen, where kids can take a break without fear of being tagged.
• When playing tag outside, make sure to create boundaries so kids don't run anywhere they choose, and take care to remove obstacles such as lawn chairs or rakes. Use the natural environment to create excitement - run around a tree or scamper through the sandbox - or to serve as natural boundaries - don't run past the bushes!

Playing tag with your children is also fantastic exercise for you (that is, if you can keep up). Now, that’s what we call multitasking.

Source: www.huggies.com.my

Bedtime Two Minute Tales

Bedtime Two Minute Tales – MPH bookstore

This is the first book I bought for my daughter; I bought it at MPH before she was born. It’s a big hardcover book with beautiful illustrations. I started reading it to her when she was around 2 or 3 months old at bedtime. At first my husband laughed at me when I started reading in storytelling tones, you know, in an exaggerated manner with hands waving all around. But when he saw our daughter falling asleep during my storytelling session, he tried it out himself. This remains the “bedtime” book for her because I want her to stop playing, relax and listen to my voice telling her the story.

Now she’s more involved in the storytelling, pointing her fingers at the words and the pictures, laughing when I make animal sounds. She wouldn’t sit in my lap but she would sit on the book itself, so she could see the pictures up close. There are a few torn pages here and there, though. I guess she gets a little too enthusiastic sometimes.

Here are some pictures of the book in action:

She keeps lifting her face up to smile at the camera when my husband snaps the photo.

Engrossed in the book. I think.

She simply loves the camera!

Her favourite story, Fat Cat.

Tone up that flabby tummy with baby!

Before getting yourself into any kind of exercise, check with your doctor first, especially if you had any complications during delivery or you had Caesarian section. Go slow at first as your body had just gone through a huge ordeal (giving birth) and at any sign of pain, STOP! Try again when you feel ready and painless. Read the article below for some guidelines:

http://www.babycentre.co.uk/baby/ref/postnatalexerciseisbodyready/

These exercises can be done by Daddy too, for some major toning up and bonding time. Try and compete between Mommy & Daddy and see who can do more repetitions with baby. (If Mommy wins, you go, girl! Daddy, you have some serious catching up to do!)

Crunch with Baby

Starting Position:

Lie down on the floor or a mat with knees bent, feet flat on the floor. Sit baby on your hips, resting against her back against your thighs. Gently hold her in position. Keep a space between your chin and chest (looking diagonal towards the ceiling). Engage your abs by pulling your belly button towards your spine.

Action:

EXHALE: Hold onto baby and raise your chest until your shoulder blades lift off the floor. INHALE: Slowly lower back to floor to complete one rep. Aim or 1-3 sets of 10-15 repetitions.

Special Instructions:

Safety should be your main concern, for you and the baby. Make sure that baby is totally secure in all movements. If any exercise is uncomfortable or too strenuous with baby, try it without baby first. Focus on using your abs in a slow, controlled manner. Make sure your abs stay engaged throughout both phases of this movement. Raise your head and shoulders so they are just off the ground, or until you feel your abdominal muscles start to contract (keeping the head, neck and shoulders in line and avoiding tucking the chin in as you crunch). The traditional crunch targets the upper ab muscles (recti).

Reverse Crunches

Starting Position:

Lay baby face down on your shins, facing you while you lie on your back. Hold onto baby with your hands to keep her secure. Keeping your knees bent and your feet off the floor, engage your abdominal muscles by pulling your belly button in towards your spine. Keep a space between your chin and chest (looking diagonal towards the ceiling).

Action:

EXHALE: Lift from your hips, pulling your knees towards your chest, focusing on your abdominals. INHALE: Slowly lower hips and legs back down to the starting position to complete one rep. Aim for 1-3 sets of 10-15 repetitions.

Special Instructions:

Safety should be your main concern, for you and the baby. Make sure that baby is totally secure in all movements. If any exercise is uncomfortable or too strenuous with baby, try it without baby first. This is a very slow, small and deliberate movement. Be careful not to use momentum. Try to keep the motion controlled by your abs.

Source: www.strollerstrides.com

Hiding Hands

Courtesy of www.inmagine.com

Activity for: Babies, Toddlers & Parents

Summary:
A hide-and-go-seek game for hands!

By this age, your child may have developed object permanence - the awareness that things exist even if he can't see them. This guessing game is a great way to reinforce this understanding.

Getting Started

1. Have your child watch you hide a few small finger foods in one hand.
2. Hold both hands closed in front of your child. Ask him to choose the hand that is holding the snack. (You may have to guide him the first time, or demonstrate with an older sibling first.)
3. Be sure to express enthusiasm and encouragement whether he gets it right or wrong.
4. Don't be surprised if your child wants you to play again and again!

My husband has made this game even more fun with our daughter. He’ll hold something small that can be hidden in his palms and pretend to do a magic trick. He’ll blow on his hand and pretend to throw the object away, but secretly hiding it behind him. Then he makes it “appear” behind her ear. This never fails to make her laugh in delight. (A real magician would shake his head in despair at the lameness of the trick. But our "audience" was entertained, so who cares?)

Older-Kid Involvement: Let baby's siblings do the hand-hiding for a while, but be sure to monitor the first few tries so that playful snack-hiding doesn't turn into teasing.

Source: www.huggies.com.my

Play as your baby grows

Courtesy of www.pharmacymix.com

Play is the way a child learns about the world around him. This article talks about play and development from birth to 2 years old. It explores how children of different ages play and also explains how to choose appropriate play equipment.

Up to 6 Months

In the first months, the baby' senses are not fully developed. He can only see things that are about 8 - 14 inches from his eyes. He enjoys soft sounds and music, your cooing and singing.

At about 3 - 6 months, your child can suck his fingers and grasp a toy that has been put in his hand. He is also beginning to reach for toys and pass it back and forth in his own hands.

Provide toys that are big, colourful, full of sounds and music and preferably moving, like a mobile. Toys at this stage also need to be safe for chewing.

6 - 12 months

At about 9 months, the baby becomes aware that objects still exist even though he can no longer see them. You can hide his favourite toy under his blanket and he will lift it up and voila, he has found it!

Your child is also becoming increasingly mobile - crawling, pulling to stand and cruise. He is also becoming more adept with his hands, picking up whatever he finds on the floor and putting it into his mouth.

Balls are a favourite at this stage. he can crawl after them, throw them and watch them drop with a bounce.

From about 9 months, he also enjoys shape sorters, which test his problem solving abilities, toy telephones which he can use to imitate. He is also able to start stacking crudely when he is close to 12 months.

When he is beginning to walk, he will enjoy push toys as he leans on them and takes a few steps forward.

12 - 24 Months

He can explore all corners of the house. His hands have also become more coordinated, he can scribble a drawing and start to sort out his toys. He is more experimental in his play - what happens if I drop this bowl?

His curios self motivates him to try things repeatedly to gain mastery over it. As he reaches 24 months, he is continually testing his limits and begins to insist on his independence. He will have the infamous temper tantrums as he begins to let you know what he thinks!

At this age, child's play is more active. He is also an imitator of the parent in everyday life. He likes any game that is physically involving.

Provide the child with push and pull toys. Give him large building blocks as his hands are more coordinated and are beginning to stack more effectively. Give him lots of crayons and paper to start scribbling.

Provide your child with a safe area where he can climb, hide, slide and practise all his emerging gross motor skills.

Puzzles will be intriguing at this age, as he is more capable of problem solving and learning from trial and error. Making music with tiny instruments is a thrill as they learn rhythm and tune.

Role of Parents

Parents are the child's best playmates. Creative children are usually the result of adults who have involved themselves with the child's play. The parent must join in and play at the child's level. Daily playtime is a great way to bond with your child.

Courtesy of www.gettyimages.com



Source: www.huggies.com.my

Crawling Obstacle Course

Courtesy of news.bbc.co.uk

Activity for: Babies & Parents

Summary: Make a simple obstacle course at home.

Once your baby starts to crawl they are able to explore their environment on their own. You can make a simple obstacle course to challenge them which can contain boxes for tunnels, pillows for mounts and towels or other fabrics for texture. Begin by collecting 2-3 large cardboard boxes e.g. refrigerator or tv boxes, ensuring your baby is able to fit through them easily. Remove any tape or staples that may be attached to the boxes and cut off the flaps. Stick the boxes together with tape. Place things such as stuffed toys in the tunnel to create obstacles.

Place your baby at one end of the tunnel and yourself at the other opening. Call out your baby’s name or wave a toy, encouraging your baby to come towards you. Always praise your baby’s efforts and cheer when they accomplish the task.

For a steady crawler, you can add pillows or large, flat cushions so your baby can climb over them. Then spread a towel in front of it so your baby could feel a different texture on her knees. You can pretty much put anything as long as they encourage your baby to crawl e.g. push a toy car in front of her to indicate to her to follow. I used two turned over dining chairs with a huge towel draped over. When my daughter is passing, I'll tug the towel and cover it over her, turning it into a peekaboo game. Babies don't need expensive toys, really. Just use your imagination!

Source: www.huggies.com.my